 |
 |
|
|
11 Sports BLOG |
|
August 2009
Categories
More KHOU Blogs
|
January 2007 ArchivesI have really been thinking a lot about life lately especially when a couple of close friends have been checked into the hospital with problems dealing with their hearts. In both cases, I thought... no not them... say it isn't so. These guys, to the rest of the world, are bigger than life but to me they are just close associates with huge hearts for so many things. Sports fans are always enamored with streaks. Let's face it we love to count; most points, least points, most victories etc.. So when the Phoenix Suns reeled off 17 straight victories the question just who has the longest winning streak in the NBA is certainly asked. The answer is the Los Angeles Lakers during the 1971-1972 season, 33 games. With the news today from the Astros that they have settled all of their arbitration eligible players contracts, will that be enough to win a World Series Championship? After all, anything less than that is now unacceptable around here and Owner Drayton McLane continues to remind us of that whenever we see him. Hats of to Tim Purpura and his staff for getting the deals done as we are about three weeks away from pitchers and catchers reporting to Kissimmee. Under contract today, Morgan Ensberg, Adam Everett and Jason Lane but does that news excite the heck out of you. It would me if Ensberg has a season anywhere ... Fights break out in professional sports all the time . It happens in the N.F.L., Let me be perfectly clear, I'm not promoting duking it out. In fact when it comes right down to it most N.B.A players From a fan's perspective, one of the most entertaining sporting events to view in person is an NHL Hockey game. It is fast paced and literally breathtaking, especially when a puck is deflected off a stick and shoots into the crowd. However once again Houston is being used as a bargaining chip, and that's not right. It was 9 years ago, the very proud Edmonton Oilers franchise was in financial trouble. The owner couldn't get the deal he wanted locally, and Rockets Owner Les Alexander was willing to purchase the team. However, Canada didn't want to lose another franchise, and enough pressure was put on to keep th... It was a major step forward in the career of Colts quarterback Peyton Manning. I thought going into the game it was his time but he had to prove it and prove it he did. After the biggest comeback in NFL championship game history to put his team in position to win, it still had to get done so there was Peyton, in the huddle down by three with 2:17 seconds left in the game. He knew who he was playing. Tom Brady and his success with the Patriots is well documented with his comeback ability so for Manning it was more than just needing a touchdown. He also had to run the clock and make the Pats use their timeouts. ... On Monday we celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday. Believe it or not, its about celebrating the right and opportunity to succeed and Right now, Lovie Smith of the Bears and Tony Dungy of the Colts represent The Rice Owls named David Bailiff as their new head football coach Friday and immediately he told the assembled crowd what sets him apart from his predecessor,"Well one of the things(ways) I am different .... I'm a man of my word. You can check my references, you can check my record, I'm not a job hopper." Although I'm full of confidence after picking all 4 winners in last week's NFL playoff games .... this week I'm going to make my picks more with my heart than my head. ...My son was asking me the other day about the NFL championships and who I thought was going to win. With the way I have been picking the games this year, I was thinking, does he want to know this to intelligently make a selection or just to pick against the teams I think will win especially after going one for four last week. Oh well, I'm his dad and he wanted my opinion and now I'm giving it to him and you free of charge. For the first time in 39 years, the Saints are going to the NFC Think of someone who's been overweight for 40 years and Are football coaches the new breed of politicians ? You need go no further Sometimes it feels like Justin Timberlake could win an Oscar for his acting You talk about "Snakes on a Plane", what about snakes on the gridiron? There are 2 AFC games and 2 NFC games on the slate. I predict 2 home teams will win and two road teams will win. ...Tuesday Todd Graham told me he had agreed to a 5-year contract extention which was good through 2012. I guess 2012 came a few years early. At 6AM Friday Graham met with his players at Rice and told them he was taking the head coaching job at Tulsa. He said it was the best thing for his family. Initially quarterback Chase Clement and linebacker Brian Raines told me they were upset, but after they thought about it awhile they're already mentally preparing for the new coach. In 2006 the Rice players endured some very tough times. They lost a teammate, Dale Lloyd, who died during the season due to a health ... He was famous before the movie, but after "Bend it like Beckham" hit the silver screen even more so. Pretty boy David Beckham is one of the most skilled soccer players of the era, and with his flamboyant lifestyle he'll fit right in with the Hollywood crowd. I'm sure his wife, Victoria, the former Spice Girl Posh will enjoy Rodeo Drive. But the real, or should I say "The Real" question, can Beckham pump more life into Major League Soccer? We spoke to Dynamo President Oliver Luck who is enthusiastic about the possibility. Luck sees Beckham much like Michael Jordan who was able to parlay his basketball skills on... It doesn't get any better than Bruce Matthews. The big offensive lineman is on the ballot ready to get voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and if I had my way, he would be a unanimous pick. We were a bad football team back in the early 80's here in Houston. The Oilers were coming off the Luv Ya Blue era in the late 70's where play on the field and fan support was at an all time high. Bum was fired, the cupboard was left dry and it was start over time for the franchise. The Oiler braintrust knew winning the battle in the trenches was the key to success so in 1982 they selected Mike Munchak out of Penn Sta... Rice University head football coach Todd Graham has accepted a 5 year contract extension with the school. ...The Florida Gators are dancing all over the desert while the Ohio State Buckeyes are heading back to winter in Columbus. Maybe now's a good time to change the name of their conference. Since Penn State joined up, there are 11 teams in the "Big 10" which may be large in enrollment, but no longer can claim to be a powerhouse. Remember Michigan fans said their team should play for the national championship claiming the Wolverines were the only team which could give their rivals a run. Hollow words after folding to USC in the Rose Bowl. And what about Boise State? Quick which team ran the table to go unbeaten thi... Once again there will be a debate this year on who should be allowed into Baseball's hallowed Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. The issue is steroids, and several writers have decided to return blank ballots because of "conscience." Please, that's the same sort of thinking that keeps the public away from the ballot box on election day, and that 's not right either. Once upon a time, the writers covered the game exclusively, but those days are long gone. Today. on any given night during the season, baseball fans have access to usually more than one game a night, and with all the cable and satellite dishes, can... The game plan was prepared and carried out almost to perfection but I, like many of you, watched in disbelief as the Cowboys were ready to move to the next round of the playoffs winning a crucial game in Seattle. They were inside the Seahawks five year line with about a minute left to go in the game ready to take the lead with a fieldgoal. It is a dramatic automatic moment in 99.9 percent of the time. The center snaps the ball, the holder puts in on the ground and the kicker nails it through the uprights. The Pokes were poised to take the lead but hold on Cowboy. What was a sure thing, turned out to be Tony Ro... His strong handshake is the first thing you notice , No frills , nothing flashy , although he does have a replica It seems like it was only yesterday we received the tip a guy named Van Chancellor would be named Head Coach of the new WNBA franchise, Houston Comets. I remember the phone call vividly, "His name is Fran, oh Van, that's Chancellor, Chancellor like the old NBC anchorman." It would be a few days later when the Rockets organization would make the formal announcement. But from the start ... It is past the point where its a joke. There has to be a College Football Playoff system. Boise State's remarkable overtime victory over Oklahoma is just the latest of a list of instances proving the BCS is all wrong, but don't count on changing the situation anytime soon. I am not the first to say it's all about money, but look at the payouts, $17,000,000 is a lot of zeroes. That's the payouts for the Rose, Fiesta, Orange, Sugar, and now the BCS National Championship. That's 17 million for each game. |
|
|
|
|