Don't be a bad stand-in umpire

Players, coaches or spectators roped in to umpire club cricket matches all want the same thing: To keep mistakes to the minimum and let the players enjoy the match. But it's tricky if you are not a qualified umpire.

No wonder you are a little reluctant to do it.

You can do a good job without having to memorise the Laws, a little preparation and application of common sense can go a long way to stopping you making the wrong decisions when under pressure.

Have a goodSource: PitchVision Academy RSS Feed

The Sad Saga of Steve Phillips, ESPN Philanderer

Quite a revealing day for Steve Phillips & Brooke Hundley, wasn’t it?

With his one-week suspension & following self-imposed leave of absence, Steve-O will have plenty of time to think about what he’s done - and plenty of time to track down a good divorce lawyer. Meanwhile, this experience should aid Brooke in dispensing out some more good professional advice & astute observations.

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Marbury’s Plans To Sit Out ‘09-10 Are Devastating News…

….for the New York Post’s Marc Berman. Which other NBA quote machine is likely to make Berman his personal diarist? On Friday, Marbury slammed Mike D’Antoni, sneered at the Knicks’ chances of signing LeBron James in 2010, and compared his upcoming year out of basketball to a Michael Jordan-esque sabbatical. Upon seeing Marbury’s comments greeted with something less than reverence, Berman took to his Post blog to defend his good buddy.

(above : Stephon, engaged in iChat withSource: Can't Stop the Bleeding RSS Feed

Reasons to Root for Notre Dame Against USC

Matt Barkley’s overconfidence.

The many pained, disappointed looks on the face of Song Girls near game’s end will make for outstanding blog fodder.

Isn’t it time Pete Carroll were knocked down a peg? How quickly people forget he failed with the Jets.

The national beatings Jimmy Clausen took for the last two years.

Because not only will they Notre Dame have to overcome all the Parade high school All-Americans, but the Pac-10 officials, too.

NotreSource: The Big Lead RSS Feed

Yardwork: Major Media Markets Marvelous

Yankees 4, Angels 1: The Yankees are a freaking buzzsaw. C.C. Sabathia wore his winter fat to the mound and pitched like he was worth every penny of his billion dollar contract. C.C. struck out 7 over 8 innings and only gave up the one run. The Angels had a couple of defensive miscues which you really can’t do when you’re facing the Yanks. A 5-game series would be a real accomplishment. Speaking of accomplishments - how about the Yankees having a bunch of open seats? It’ll beSource: The Big Lead RSS Feed

NBA’s MVC(haracter) Was Missed

The return of "O" was mixed but welcomed.

I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. This has been an entertaining NBA season, led by a cavalcade of stars at the peak of their skills. LeBron and Dwight Howard crashed the MVP suite, where Kobe and KG (and even Old Man Shaq) held their ground.

There was the revival, like a Phoenix, of D-Wade (another viable MVP); and the continued brilliance of young guards like Tony Parker, Chris Paul, Deron Williams and BrandonSource: Ballers, Gamers and Scoundrels RSS Feed

Brazil’s Version Of Gina Carano Hot, Beats Up Men

Here’s some early video and photos of very attractive Brazilian female professional MMA fighter Claudia Gadelha.

Thanks to clips of her on Youtube and a recent “workout” video, Gadelha is now being compared to Gina Carano. But while Gadelha is still mostly under the radar in North America, in her home country of Brazil she’s exploded in popularity.

That phenomenon though isn’t based on her participation in sanctioned MMA fights.
(She has just one.) Gadelha hasSource: SPORTSbyBROOKS RSS Feed

Expect to hear Varitek's name...

The Mets need a veteran catcher who can handle delicate young pitchers and take control of a game. For this very reason the Mets were reported to be interested in Varitek until he re-signed with the Red Sox's last year.
This off-season, the Sox have a solid full time catcher ( Victor Martinez) and Varitek is an expensive extra piece. The two sides have a mutual option that if the club picks it up will be worth 5M and if they decline, with the cather accepting the option it's worth 3M.Source: Mets Fever RSS Feed

Goodbye, Hockeybear; Hello, Nuclear Death Bear

We surely hope you remember HOCKEYBEAR from a couple weeks ago. You know, the polar bear that flew through space with a galactic hockey stick and blew up the moon then destroyed the city of Anchorage? Also known as the greatest sports intro in history? All as part of the University of Alaska-Fairbanks’ hockey program?

(You just woke up Nuclear Death Bear, and that is such a terrible idea, people.)

Well, it turns out UAF’s not the only sports outfit in Fairbanks withSource: SPORTSbyBROOKS RSS Feed

Greek Team Threatened To Kill Basketball Agent?

A visit to the U.S. by our friends on the Greek basketball club Olympiakos is always pleasant and heartwarming, and came this year with the usual exchange of gifts. We threatened to take their uniforms and other property, and they gave us death threats. See you again next year!

Olympiakos lost both of its exhibition games against NBA teams this week, then headed to the airport after narrowly avoiding having their property seized to settle an outstanding debt. Former American NBA playerSource: SPORTSbyBROOKS RSS Feed

What are Royal Challengers Bangalore all about?

If you want to get to know one of the IPL teams better, there’s only one thing to do: you watch the video of their theme tune.

Royal Challengers Bangalore have a good one. Rahul Dravid looks moody for about 0.1 of a second somewhere in the middle and Kevin Pietersen plays a pull shot right at the end, but otherwise it’s just this:

And this:

Royal Challengers Bangalore are all about skirts which serve no discernable purpose.

Source: King Cricket RSS Feed

NFL Ruminations: Announcers Love Favre, Biggest QB Bust This Decade, and the 2010 NFL Draft

While taking in the fourth quarter of the Giants rout of the hapless Raiders - for fantasy football purposes, only - the announcers noted that the game had devolved into a battle of No. 1 draft picks: David Carr (2002) and JaMarcus Russell (2007). Which one of those guys was the worst QB drafted No. 1 overall this decade? Or should San Francisco bust Alex Smith (2005) be in the discussion?

The Case Against Carr: Taken No. 1 2002, Carr never had a winning season in five years inSource: The Big Lead RSS Feed

Poll: Did You Think Tebow Wasn’t Going To Play?

The ORLANDO SENTINEL is reporting, via an inside source, that Tim Tebow will be pass his medical tests today and start against LSU.

I was going to write about the ridiculous charade by Urban Meyer perpetrated this week regarding Tim Tebow’s prospects to play against LSU today, but I though I’d take your temperature instead.

Note: There is a poll within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post’s poll.

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It's all up to you Buch...no pressure!

So, the Red Sox are down 2 games to the Angels...and heading back to Fenway for Game 3.  Lester pitched well, but got no run support....which does not win the game.  Beckett pitched a gem until the 7th, got a smidge of run support, but not nearly enough....which once again does not lead to a win.  So with our aces on the mound...we came away with 2 losses.

On Sunday, we place all our post season hopes and dreams on one Mr. Clay Buchholz.  Our ace ace baby has to put the team on hisSource: Fenway West RSS Feed

More on the staff...

As I said yesterday and still stand by my belief that the staff moves simply weren't enough.
My biggest contention is with Dan Warthen who was unaware of Johan Santana pitching through discomfort and skipping side sessions since the All-Star break in a meaningless season. The regression of Mike Pelfrey, John Maine, K-Rod and Oliver Perez. Green was his prize success story dropping him down to a 3/4 arm slot but that took him til Sept. The staff as a whole walked the most batters in the Source: Mets Fever RSS Feed

Shawn Chacon In Gambling/Bowling-Related Arrest

When last we left pitcher Shawn Chacon, he had “accidentally” choked Houston Astros general manager Ed Wade, and threw him to the ground. As would happen to you or me, that got him released and banished to the Newark Bears, where he played until signing a Single-A contract with the Oakland A’s on June 18.

Well now, more fun! Chacon was arrested on Monday night at a bowling alley in Colorado in connection with $50,000 in unpaid gambling debts in Las Vegas. Let those who have neverSource: SPORTSbyBROOKS RSS Feed

Yardwork: Miguel Cabrera Picked a Fine Time for Heavy Drinking, “Domestic Dispute”

Detroit 5, Chicago 3: The Tiges, for at least anther 36 hours, have avoided one of the worst late-season collapses in MLB history on the strength of Justin Verlander’s arm (19th win of the season) and Ryan Rayburn’s bat (two homers). If you click on the photo, you can see some scratches on Miguel Cabrera’s face. What happened? He’s not talking, but police records show the boys in blue were called to his house early Saturday morning. Cabrera came home at 6 am, apparently trashed, and Source: The Big Lead RSS Feed

Alex Rodriguez Hits Two Homers in One Inning

Heading into the top of the sixth inning, the New York Yankees trailed the Tampa Bay Rays 2-0. Then Alex Rodriguez and the Yankees exploded.

With Johnny Damon and Mark Teixeira on base, Rodriguez hit a homer to put the Yankees up 2-0. Later in the same inning, Rodriguez came to bat with the bases loaded and hit a grand slam. One inning. Two homers. Seven RBIs. Not a bad way to end regular season play.

For the 2009 baseball season, Rodriguez finished with 30 homers, 100 RBIs and Source: Knuckle Curve RSS Feed

Gameday #159 at Reds

Pirates (61-97) at Reds (76-83)

7:10–Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati

TV: FSN Ohio

[Here is the MLB Gameday]

———————————-

Final series of the year. I think many of us have been longing for the season to be over for quite a while now, but no matter how bad it gets, I’ll still miss Pirates baseball.

That said, tonight’s game isn’t on TV, it’s on the road, and the Pens and Pitt football both play at theSource: Raise the Jolly Roger! RSS Feed

Penguins open Cup defense with 3-2 win over Rangers

The banner was raised, then it was time to start it all over again.

The Penguins capped off a tremendous night of Stanley Cup championship celebrations with a scrappy 3-2 win over the New York Rangers tonight at the Igloo.

Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby and Tyler Kennedy scored for the Pens, whiile Chris Drury and new Ranger Marian Gaborik scored for the Rangers.

Continue reading "Penguins open Cup defense with 3-2 win over Rangers"

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