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Win One FOR THE GIFFER |
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Giff Nielsen
March 2009
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More KHOU Blogs
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Recently by Giff NielsenIt was an absolutely great day for the Astros in Florida today. They didn't lose in fact word out of Grapefruit League action is they won and WON big time while not playing. Are you puzzled? Everyone is making excuses right now for their 1-14-2 record. I know it's only the spring but there is nothing to get excited about three weeks before their opener against the Cubs at Minute Maid Park until what we learned. Here it is. HOT off the press! The club is closing in on a one year $1.5 million dollar deal to get Ivan Rodriquez. Word is, the Astros will pay "Pudge" another $1.5 million in incentives based on gam... There is no question the Rockets are on a roll as they enter their game with the Lakers at Toyota Center. It's a 12 game home winning streak and doesn't this feel like Yogi would say, "It's Déjà vu all over again!" Remember last year, the Rockets were smokin' riding a 21 game winning streak with Kobe and the boys coming to town. In one of the great contests of the season, T-Mac and company went to work winning the game 104-92 and capturing the respect of the NBA record books recording their 22nd straight win, the second longest in the history of the league. ...The wild and crazy career of talented wide receiver Terrell Owens continues to get more bizarre but really it's the same old tired story. One of the best pass catches in the NFL gets tossed again and is running out of options to play the game where is abilities are so good. Owens promised this time it was going to be different as he donned a helmet with a star on the side instead of an eagle, but once again, it was only a matter of time before the sparkle of playing with the boys, wore thin just like it did in Philadelphia. ...If things keep coming together during this offseason for the Texans like it started with the signing of defensive end Antonio Smith, this average NFL defense just might become something special in a hurry. Give Texans general manager Rick Smith credit for being able to make a deal and do it fast. The hometown pro football team was looking for the other bookend to Mario Williams and they have hit the jackpot in free agency! They certainly paid a jackpot for him but that is the nature of the game. ...They are two players with totally different builds, different styles, from different countries, with different demeanors, with different talents but in their own little worlds, they are so dominating. The build up to the Cleveland Cavaliers coming to town was that King James, as in LeBron James, was making his only visit to Houston. The anticipation of his high flying act was on everyone's mind but it was the Great Wall of China winning the battle of superstars! ...I was standing with former U of H All-Star, former Boston Celtics Great and former Rockets Head Coach Don Chaney during the Houston-Portland game chatting about what he liked with the Rockets new look and he likes what he is seeing. I respect his comments so well because of his vast experience in the game and he was candid in his opinions. One thing was clear as we spoke, this is an easier situation with Tracy McGrady's fate now known than when the team didn't have an idea of when or how he would be playing because of his bad knee. ...You've got to give it to the Rockets. They are not a team that will sit around and do nothing. Owner Les Alexander sat before the media this week saying his organization is always going to try to improve itself. Even if they won the NBA Championship, Les was telling everyone, he would have his leadership look for ways to get better. So as the NBA trading deadline got closer and closer, it wasn't Tracy McGrady packing his bags but it was point guard Rafer Alston saying adios! ...It is so refreshing to see the Rockets play hard the entire game. When they do that, they are a tough team to beat and it becomes contagious. They started the final push to the playoffs against the New Jersey Nets and showed just what can happen when everyone is on the same page. It was the first game back from the All-Star break and it showed they have something to prove and their 114-88 win was solid. It was the first of five at home after the break and it couldn't have started any better but there was one thing missing. ...Steroids, Steroids, Steroids! HGH, HGH, HGH! Have you had just about enough of all of this? Everyday it's a new story, a new player getting busted and it's becoming a joke wherever I go and it's not very funny! If I had a penny today for everytime someone brought up A-Rod being juiced or Miguel Tejada guilty providng false information to the government questioning his involvement with a player discussing taking the stuff, President Obama could just come to me to finance the money issues we have in our country instead of begging congress for it while pleading for support everyday on TV! ...A powerful partnership is just what everyone is looking for in today's world and I am so pleased that championship soccer will be center stage on Channel 11 for the next year. We have just announced we will be the official television station for The Houston Dynamo in 2009 and couldn't be happier. It was a great reunion last night on 11 News at Ten as my former teammate with the Houston Oilers and now President of the Dynamo Oliver Luck joined my live to make it public. ... |
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Giff Blogs Sports!
Giff Nielsen blogs what he knows best, and that's sports. As a former player for BYU and a quarterback for the Houston Oilers during the "Luv Ya Blue" era, Giff gives you insight into the world of sports that most can't. |
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