Hugging Harold Reynolds

Blogs With Balls Radio, Episode 10

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:30:00 +0000

This week’s Blogs With Balls Show on the JoeSportsFan Radio Network is now available.

Download Episode 10 Here.

Today we feature our good friend John Karalis' RedsArmy.com as the Ballsy Blog of the Week.

You may remember John as the star of our pre-BwB 1.0 Kobe spoof video:

Blogs With Balls from BLOGS WITH BALLS on Vimeo.

You should remember him for the fantastic work he puts out on RedsArmy.com.

Reds Army is continually evolving and bettering itself and has become a standard-bearer for team-oriented sites. In addition to posts, John and cohort Chuck "talk Celtics, the NBA, and whatever else come to mind" on Blog Talk Radio's The Two-Man Game, and John is 1/8 of the The 8th Seed Podcast.

This week we dig into a big issue always on the minds of sports bloggers - monetization.

We talk with Rich Gallagher, Senior Account Executive for Digital & Emerging Media at Taylor, a "sports, lifestyle and entertainment public relations firm" that has been very active in engaging sports blogs in promoting its clients.

One of those brands - Diageo Liquors (whose portfolio includes Guinness, Captain Morgan and Cuervo) was an early and energetic part of both or our Blogs With Balls events. We talk about what the brands are looking for in online partners, how they see the value in events like BwB, and we touch a little on the FTC's new online disclosure guidelines.

Rich shows just how forward-thinking some brands and firms can be in embracing online media.

This week’s links of interest:

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SI's Andrew Pefloff: McNabb's Not as Good as He's Perceived Nationally

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:15:00 +0000

Philadelphia fans have long been accused by the national media and football-loving community of not fully appreciating the quarterback they have in Donovan McNabb. The Philly phaifthful counter that watching him week to week they've been long exposed to his inconsistency and inability to perform in the clutch.

This morning on 610 WIP in Philadelphia, Sports Illustrated's Andrew Perloff defends the McNabb haters' perspective.

"When you need to come back, does McNabb really have that Peyton Manning thing? Or even you see Phillip Rivers in the 4th quarter has his confidence. I'm not sure McNabb has the consistency to do that...There are probably ten other quarterbacks in the NFL I would take going into the fourth quarter when they're losing. But nationally, they just see the numbers and they see the highlights and they see the long passes and they think he's great. A lot of people think he's underappreciated in Philly and would be better in a situation like Chicago. I personally don't think that...

I think he's good, but I don't think he's quite as good as he's perceived nationally."

On behalf of Eagles fans, I'd like to thank you for saying the what needed to be said.

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Separated At Birth: When a Man Loves a Woman

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:49:00 +0000

According to NJ.com, "Former NBA star Jayson Williams is expected to appear in court Friday for a plea deal in the 2002 death of a limousine driver in Hunterdon County, according to people with knowledge of the case."

Sources cannot confirm whether or not he will don his Percy Sledge disguise.

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Coors Light Right Brain Fantasy Football Report

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:44:00 +0000

What does virginity have to do with football? Everything.

Check out Dewey's breakdown every Thursday at Yardbarker's Right Brain Fantasy Report.

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Audio: Bird and Magic on LeBron James' Pending Free Agency

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:08:00 +0000

As part of promotion for their recently release book, When the Game Was Ours, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird took questions from journalists and bloggers.

Here, Magic talks about the change in atmosphere in NY (or NJ) that LeBron would bring should he come to the Knicks or Nets, whereas Bird extols the virtues of Cleveland's fans and expresses hope that the King stays put in the state that he's from and on the team that drafted him - for the betterment of the game and League as a whole.

Magic adds that staying in Cleveland also gives him the best chance at winning, noting the salary purge that the Knicks would have to make in order to free up money to get James.

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Audio: Magic Johnson Addresses Book Statements About Isiah

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:58:00 +0000

As part of promotion for their recently release book, When the Game Was Ours, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird took questions from journalists and bloggers. Upon the book's release, among the most talked about passages regarded Magic's admission that he was part of the opposition that likely prevented Isiah Thomas from joining the famed 1992 Olympic Dream Team. While seemingly content on letting bygones be bygones, Magic is still unapologetic about his revelations and apparently still disappointed by how his relationship with Thomas deteriorated. Magic also addresses the question as to whether Zeke's personality shortcomings had to do with his tumultuous tenure and subsequent divorce from the Knicks - a gig in which Johnson admits in the book he vouched for Thomas.

Magic on Isiah's Reaction and Looking to Move on

Magic on what made him reveal the nature of the incidents that led to their parting ways

Did Isiah’s personality attribute to his problems with the Knicks?

CLICK HERE to hear Magic and Bird talk about Free Agent-to-be LeBron James.

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Bird & Magic: When the Game Was Theirs

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:00:00 +0000

This past March marked the 30th anniversary of perhaps the most pivotal event in NCAA and NBA basketball history - the 1979 NCAA Championship Game between Larry Bird's Indiana state Sycamores and Magic Johnson's Michigan State Spartans.

After reading Seth Davis' When March Went Mad: The Game That Transformed Basketball and speaking with the author/analyst, I noted that the legacy which followed that game "helped reshape the pro and college games and ushered in a new era of televised basketball."

From an April 2009 HHR post:

Their equally uncertain and tumultuous recruiting experiences aside, their paths to stardom couldn't have been more contrasting, and as such, the Bird-Magic rivalry which ushered in an unprecedented era of hoops could, in many ways, have never come to fruition.

With ESPN still in its infancy, March Madness hardly a nationwide cultural phenomenon as we know it today, and the NBA a fledgling league struggling to appeal to mainstream America, the attention-shunning, but competition-driven, "Hick from French Lick" and the charismatic, camera-friendly and freakishly skilled 6'9" point guard from Michigan captured the country's attention throughout the ensuing decade.

The league and broadcasters learned how to effectively capture that attention and market sport around its superstars. The rest, as they say, is history.

As their Hall of Fame careers progressed, their paths to the Hall of Fame - often seen as stark contrasts to one another (Showtime vs. Blue Collar, and, yes, Black vs. White) - actually ran almost exactly parallel, with each man's drive and intensity derived directly from the other. Once bitter rivals, Magic and Bird's mutual admiration helped dissolve the competitive hatred that early defined their relationship.

Today, their places in history are nearly inseparable.

What the 1979 Championship game did for the NCAA and televised hoops, the Magic and Bird Rivalry did for the NBA. Without the duo, along with David Stern, the NBA as we know it might not exist - not just the game, but the culture, as their revolutionary, bank-breaking "Choose Your Weapon" Converse campaign upped the ante with Nike to go all out with Air Jordan, and paved the way to the shoe endorsement racket ever-present today.

While its coverage of their early years and much of their playing career isn't ground breaking, the release of this month's joint memoir When the Game Was Ours. (with Jackie MacMullan) provides a fresh, first person perspective of their rivalry.

Much of the attention with the book's release surrounded the comments made by Magic regarding Isiah Thomas' alleged blacklisting from the 1992 Olympic Dream Team. However, those anecdotes are really just a small part of the book. Johnson places his own animosity towards Zeke on the Pistons guard's (and once good friend and confidant's) lack of support and unfounded accusations of Magic's homosexuality in the wake of his HIV revelations.

"Isiah kept questioning people about it. I couldn't believe that. Everyone else - Byron, Arsenio, Michael, Larry - they were all supporting me. And the one guy I thought I could count on had all these doubts. It was like he kicked me in the stomach."

"Our relationship was really strained at that point. We didn't speak for years, and Isiah knew why. He questioned me when I got my HIV diagnosis. How can a so-called friend question your sexuality like that? I know why he did it, because we used to kiss before games, and now if people were wondering about me, that meant they were wondering about him too."

The HIV revelations are among the most captivating in the book. The myriad struggles of Johnson had to deal with upon the diagnosis of a then-misunderstood virus were almost heart-wrenching.

In terms of calling out players, I was more amused by his thoughts on Kareem Abdul Jabbar:

"Thank God Kareem was my teammate, because I used to cringe at the way he treated people. There was a way to say no if you didn't want to sign an autograph...but Kareem didn't do it in a very kind way. Sometimes he'd have people in tears. It's hurt him now that he's done playing."

But for all the readers' hopes of dirt-dishing, the book is more a reflection on their thoughts throughout milestones and hardships in their careers, and their post playing careers - Magic Johnson Enterprises and Bird's coaching and executive roles. This includes a great few pages on Bird's relationship with Ron Artest during the fallout of the The Malice at the Palace.

To their credit, for all their collective bravado and rightful claims to having created the league's resurgence, the recurring theme in the book is their respect for the game, desire to be the best, and insistence that their teammates follow suit.

In follow up posts, I'll be publishing audio from a recent remote press conference where Bird and Magic talked with journalists and bloggers about When the Game Was Ours.

Here is a clip on why they now pushed forward with the project 30 years in the making.

Look for the following shortly:

ON THEIR RIVALRY & RELATIONSHIP

On playing the "Right Way"
A quarter a century later why they are still popular
At the height of the rivalry how did they honestly feel about one another
Recounting the joint ’85 Converse ad
Favorite memories against each other
Their relationship today

ON TODAYS GAME

What obstacles would they as players face today in light of changes in officiating and rules today?
Are players too close to ever have another true rivalry?
Thoughts on the coziness of players with one another
Are there two players in the league that might develop into a Magic-Bird type rivalry?
Biggest differences between today and their day

ON ISIAH

Magic refuses to take bait to elaborate on Isiah
What made him reveal the nature of the incidents that led to their parting ways?
Did Isiah’s personality attribute to his problems with the Knicks?

ON LAKERS/CELTICS

On today’s Lakers/Celts and their leadership
On Kevin Garnett in Boston.
Could the rivalry have happened anywhere but LA & Bos?
Would Bird-Magic have been as big in other cities?

ON PLAYERS

On LeBron / NYC
On Doctor J
On Brandon Jennings
Influence on AAU, Recruiting of Star Athletes.
1 and Done rule.
Who today plays in the same style they did?

OTHER

Thoughts on the Pistons Back-to-Back Championships
Laimbeer as an NBA coach and Rambis’ hiring of him
On their versatile game and who influenced it?
Contributions of Role Players: Praise for Rambis, Cooper and DJ
On Kareem’s Coaching Prospects

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The Cynic's Guide to College Football, Week 11

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:05:00 +0000

Well, we're coming into the home stretch. Some teams have their six wins. Some will be home in time for Thanksgiving. The bitching about the bowl system is going full force. Ohio State has punched their ticket for their annual BCS bowl loss. Coaching rumors are swirling. Somehow, inexplicably, Lou Holtz and Mark May still have jobs. (Seriously, do these guys have incriminating photos of the ESPN brass or something? I can't explain it.) At any rate, here's a look back at the week in college football weirdness.

The Great Filling Station Holdup

By now I’m sure you’ve probably heard that three Tennessee football players were arrested for armed robbery last Thursday. There are a lot of angles to go here, so I just ask this: what is the most f’ed up part of this whole situation?

The robbery took place less than a day after UT head coach Lane Kiffin had been extolling his program’s arrest free record.
The robbery took place at a convenience store owned by a former UT player and one of the school's bigger athletics donors.
The victim says he doesn’t want the players to miss any playing time because he’s a Vols fan and, besides, “It's Tennessee. That's the way it is sometimes."
The getaway car was a Toyota Prius.

America’s first “green certified” stick-up

Win or Go Home

Championship or Bust! That was probably a slogan for many schools going into this season. But with last week's upset loss to Missouri, Kansas State finds itself in that position very literally. With a win over Nebraska this weekend, the Wildcats will win the North Division championship and put themselves in the Big 12 title game against Texas and a possible (albeit unlikely) shot at the Fiesta Bowl. If they lose, however, they’ll be home for the holidays. Yes, K-State has six wins, but two came against FCS (aka I-AA) teams, of which they can only count one. So they still need another win just to get bowl eligible. Not sure exactly what kind of bowl game and division title bonuses Bill Snyder has in his contract, but I think it’s safe to say he’s got a lot of money riding on this one.

Fiesta Bowl payout=$17.5 million.
Other Big 12 Bowl options=$750K to $3 million
6-6 record=$0
No pressure, Bill.

Bulls, Bears and Broncos

You can now buy stock in the Boise State Athletic Department, with the money raised going to fund improvements to the Broncos’ athletics facilities. The bigger question is will Dan Hawkins use the golden parachute buyout he’s about to get from Colorado to become the majority shareholder and get his old job back via hostile takeover?

Who says you can’t go home again?

What Happens in Juarez . . .

When the season started, I’m pretty sure the Sun Bowl wasn’t real high on the list of goals for Oklahoma and USC. But with their seasons in a tailspin, that is what some bowl projections are now predicting.

On the plus side, the folks at the Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce will be the doing the dance of joy. This could be the biggest thing to hit El Paso since Marty Robbins.

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Kate Hudson Neither Confirms nor Denies ARod Centaur Rumors

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:20:00 +0000

When shown an image of her BF Alex Rodriguez depicted as a mythical centaur, Hudson responded, "What is that? That's horrible. That is the craziest thing anyone has ever asked me. I don't indulge in those types of stories. As humorous as you might think they are."

To date, no one has asked ARod or Hudson to confirm the ARod/Manbearpig story.

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Fernandomania!

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:37:00 +0000

I am now the proud owner of a Fernando Valenzuela Kern's Strawberry Nectar "Delicioso!" poster.

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Manny Pacquiao: The Greatest Fighter Ever?

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:23:00 +0000

On the heels of his historic victory this weekend against Miguel Cotto, friend of HHR Gary Andrew Poole pens a piece on Manny Pacquiao, who has now won seven world-title belts in seven weight classes "with speed and brutality," for Atlantic Monthly.

The PacMan's Power

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AP Photo/Jae C. Hong

Michelle Wie Finally Realizes Dream of Having Beer Poured on Her

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:41:00 +0000

Michelle Wie finally got her first win on the LPGA tour. For somebody who has been saddled with so many expectations over the last several years it was nice to see her finally get a victory and perhaps pick up what is the first of many tour wins. One interesting quote involved the post tourney celebration after the final tap in. Full article below, but here is Wie's quote, read by itself, it has to make you laugh.

"Just seeing them come out and pour beer all over me, it was a great feeling," Wie said. "I've always seen it on TV and I've always wanted people to pour beer on me. It was as great as I thought it was."

Wie shoots 13-under for 1st pro win

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Nationals Take a Positive Step Towards Racial Progress

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:01:00 +0000

This week, the Washington Nationals finally broke down the social stigma that has plagued them for years, and became the last franchise in Major League Baseball to hire a white manager.

Before giving the nod to (white) Jim Riggleman, owner Ted Lerner was long criticized for his strong opposition to hiring Caucasians to manage his squad, despite having no issues signing physically-talented whites to play on the team.

An anonymous source close to the team stated, "Lerner just doesn't believe that old white men have what it takes to coach this young, inexperienced franchise. I really feel the only reason Riggleman was even considered was due to pressure from the League, the Players Association and the Congressional White Caucus. "

Another official pointed out the fact that Lerner goes so far as to mock whites by having interns dress as stereotypical caricatures and run the bases for fans' amusement during every game. "Whites are good for entertaining the masses, not managing small-ball. The Riggleman move shocks me."

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Chris Illuminati, you are a Thunder fan now!

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:04:00 +0000

After compelling arguments for the Celts, Nets, Bulls, Suns and others, congratulations to Brian K. for convincing Illuminati to root for the ~~Seattle SuperSonics~~ Oklahoma City Thunder in our latest contest.

Brian will receive a Full Year Subscription of NBA LEAGUE PASS Broadband.

Chris noted that the deciding factor came down to the fact that the team is a novelty and he can start somewhat fresh, "I'd rather root for a team that's new. I can't be a Celtics/Bulls fan. I'll have to check the unis first." He was also quite fond of one line: "So welcome to the Thunder family. Have a seat anywhere."

Here's Brian's submission:

There are a number of reasons you should pledge you allegiance to the Oklahoma City Thunder. First, it seems that much of your previous fandom was player based. That is fortunate because the Thunder have one of the most exciting young players in the league in Kevin Durant. Beyond that, they have recent third overall pick James Harden and the excellent and anonymous Jeff Green. They also have Nenad Krstic and it is always fun to have a lanky Eastern European on you team.

Second, the team needs more blogging fans. There is, from what I can tell, one independent Thunder blog, Bend It Like Bennett. After that, there is an SB Nation blog and some incomplete and barren urls The team needs more fan representation in new media formats.

Third, you aren't adopting a team, you are adopting an odd municipal rivalry. Did you know that the Oklahoma City Thunder once played in Seattle? It's true. They weren't even called the Thunder, even though it rains there like God wants someone to build an ark, but everyone is too high to listen. Seattle hates that they lost the team that played games they didn't attend. Seattle residents hate Oklahoma City for "stealing" their team. Screw them. Attending a Thunder game is no less legitimate than ignoring a Sonics game.

So welcome to the Thunder family. Have a seat anywhere.

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Nationally and locally televised games are subject to blackout and are therefore not available via NBA LEAGUE PASS BROADBAND (regardless of whether team is home or away).

This contest is for US participants only. By entering the sweepstakes you agree to release Sponsor, the NBA Entities, HuggingHaroldReynolds.com and their respective affiliates and agencies from any and all liabilities for injuries, damages or losses of any kind to in connection with the sweepstakes, prize or any prize-related activity.

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Chris Illuminati fancies himself some type of authority on things. He is actually an asshole. So much so he wrote a book.

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(Still) Undefeated Dewey's Coors Light Right Brain Fantasy Football Report

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:50:00 +0000

For the record, this would go over great in South Jersey, where they have roadside shrines to Bazooka Joe's unibrow.

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Expert Advice: The Most Misleading Cover Story Ever

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:33:00 +0000

Get yours today, Mets fans!

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Pacquiao Talks About Fighting His Way out of Asia

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:00:00 +0000

The world's greatest pound-for-pound boxer talks about some of his early fights and foes - including King Hippo and Super "Douche Bag" Macho Man.

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://msn.foxsports.com/video?vid=c597de1b-0150-4955-9da0-e9766190d124&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;from=IV2_en-us_foxsports_videocentral" target="_new" title="Cubed: Manny Pacquiao&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s Punchout"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Video: Cubed: Manny Pacquiao&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s Punchout&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

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Cadillac Mescallade: Good Thing Knicks Didn't Take Brandon Jennings

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:38:00 +0000

Chris Duhon's stellar -11 impact on last night's loss by the Knicks to the Hawks made me think of the point guard they don't happen to have. While Duhon, the team captain, turned in a 0-6 performance from the field to go along with 3 turnovers, Knicks fans have to wonder about their lottery pick. While Jordan Hill remains nearly riveted to the bench (he logged just under two minutes in the 114-101 loss to the Hawks), the "big gamble" Brandon Jennings had his best night for the Milwaukee Bucks posting 32 points and 9 assists as the Bucks topped Denver to move to 4-2 on the year. This makes me very sad. While I'm thrilled at what (another guard)Toney Douglas has done as a later draft pick, the Knicks could have had this guy Jennings.

You remember, Jennings didn't go to Arizona after some possible eligibility issues, instead played overseas in Italy and seems to have made himself quite NBA ready. Most people felt this draft was only 7 picks deep anyway, since New York was sitting at eight, why not take an alleged gamble and try out Jennings. Isn't everyone in agreement the team is just biding time until the summer of 2010 anyway? Isn't this the time to take a risk when there isn't much at stake? The playoffs would be a big accomplishment for this year and there is no lottery pick to try and get ready for next spring so a guy like Jennings would have been totally worth it. My apologies for going off on the deep end, I feel like the old Bennett Brauer skits on Saturday Nite Live, until "John Q. Public" realizes that we don't need "bad draft picks" and should take a risk on an exciting "point guards" we will be mired in a situation that "doesn't make New York an appealing place for LeBron James." Right now the New York Knicks "scare children." At least they have one more win than the New Jersey Nets, I guess that will have to be enough for right now.

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Blogs with Balls After Dark With Matt Sebek

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:32:00 +0000

A special thanks to “host” Matt Sebek who goes ahead and breaks down the film quite eloquently at JoeSportsFan.

Blogs with Balls After Dark With Matt Sebek from HHR on Vimeo.

From the afterparty at the ESPNZone to the Blogs With Balls Charity Poker Shootout, JoeSportsFan's own Matt Sebek brings you a behind-the-scenes look at the late-night side of Blogs With Balls.

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Official Statement from Big Jon Runyan on Possible Congressional Run

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:53:00 +0000

This afternoon I received an email from a New Jersey political consultant regarding the earlier post about Jon Runyan possibly running for NJ Congressional District 3:

Mr. Runyan asked me to forward his official statement to you regarding NJ's 3rd Congressional District campaign next year and his potential interest in the race as a Republican candidate.

He will have no further comment at this time, but expects to speak on the record with all of you in the near future. Thank you.

Official Statement from Philadephia Eagles Great, Jon Runyan, Regarding NJ's Third Congressional District Campaign

Mount Laurel, November 11, 2009 – “I am seriously considering becoming a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in New Jersey's 3rd Congressional District. Our great country is headed in the wrong direction, and it’s clearer every day that career politicians are incapable of solving the problems we face.

I am grateful for the tremendous support and encouragement I have received while talking to people throughout South Jersey about running for Congress and I look forward to having more to say on this subject in the weeks ahead.”

-30-

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The Cynic's Guide to College Football, Week 10

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:15:00 +0000

Welcome to mid-November, when the BCS vs. Playoff whining begins in earnest, coaches’ pink slips fill the air, the fan natives start getting restless and Rich Rodriguez and Bobby Bowden start rehearsing their duet of “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” Only a few weeks left for those mediocre teams (and there are a ton of them this year) to get bowl eligible or help solidify their positions in a better bowl game.

So with that—and visions of Thanksgiving turkey and football already dancing in our heads—let’s look back at the week that was in bad football.

Anchors Aweigh for Weis

Saturday was a big day for Notre Dame haters. And those who love America. I mean, how can you root against the Naval Academy? Why don’t you just piss on the flag and join Al Qaeda while you’re at it? OK, so maybe that’s a bit of an overstatement, but lost in all the “Charlie Weis extra wide hot seat” talk was the fact that Navy has now won in South Bend twice in a row. Maybe Navy can provide a destroyer to help Charlie sail off into the sunset.

Thanks to all our brave servicemen and women who keep us safe from terrorism. And Notre Dame BCS bowl games.

Fire the Waterboy!

When did Bob Stoops go from “can’t win the big ones” to “can’t win the medium-sized ones?” To be sure, the Sooners had a lot going against them this week, including a freakish number of injuries to key offensive players. And I don’t want to take anything away from Nebraska's defense—I freely admit my huge mancrush on Ndamukong Suh. But you’re telling me the Sooners offense, which is still loaded with blue chip recruits and which spent most of the night in Nebraska territory, could only manage three points, three missed field goals and five interceptions? Especially rough considering they were competing against a Husker offense that was 1-for-14 on 3rd down conversions and had more punts (11) than points (10) or first downs (7). Sooners fans are notoriously prone to hyperbole when it comes to proclaiming every loss “the worst coaching job ever.” And, even with OU’s bizarre injury situation, those voices are only getting louder in
Norman.

When OU goes to the Sun Bowl, will U.S. Customs search the Sooner Schooner on the way back from Juarez?

And the Meek Shall Inherit the Earth

Colorado coming from behind to beat Texas A&M? Baylor (yes, that Baylor) putting a beatdown on Missouri—in Columbia? Kansas State leading their division. I officially give up trying to figure out the Big 12.

Don’t try to explain it. You’ll only hurt yourself.

Voting Boise Off the Island

Note to Boise State: if you’re trying to make your case for a BCS at-large spot, struggling against 3-6 Lousiana Tech (Boise only led by 2 with 8 minutes left) is not the way to do it. For all you “a win’s a win” and “undefeated is undefeated” folks out there, I’m sorry to disappoint you, but style points matter. The BCS isn’t about fairness—it’s about money and TV ratings. Period. It’s no different from any other TV show in that regard. Boise may be freakin’ Masterpiece Theater for all most people know. But the BCS is afraid of anything “artsy”, so they’re going to go with the safe picks—American Idol, reality shows featuring B-list celebrities . . . and a 2-loss Penn State.

Hey Simon, should Fox show a Boise bowl game instead of an American Idol re-run?

I love college football as much as anybody. Still, it’s easy to overemphasize its importance. Last week’s events at Fort Hood are what really matter. Our solders in Iraq and Afghanistan are what really matter. The freedoms we enjoy because of them are what really matter. So find a way to thank a vet today. Whether it’s buying one a cup of coffee or, like the North Texas Nebraskans alumni group, raising money to buy tickets for local soldiers to come to the game, make sure you tell the active and former military personnel you meet “thank you.” On Veterans' Day and every day.

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Chest Bump Worthy? Congressman Jon Runyan

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:35:00 +0000

PolitickerNJ.com is reporting that former Eagles Tackle (and currently unsigned free agent) Jon Runyan is a possible Republican candidate for South Jersey's 3rd Congressional District currently held by Freshman Democrat John Adler.

Runyan's toughest challenge - should he enter the race - would more likely come from his own party rather than the incumbent. The seat, which was held by Republican Jim Saxon since 1993 before his retirement in 2008, is widely seen as one of the national GOP's top pick-up opportunities, with Adler having benefited greatly from the immense Obama surge during the presidential year race. Since his election, the 2010 mid-term was recognized as being Adler's "real" challenge.

The district is primarily comprised of Burlington and Ocean Counties, two of the most powerful Republican organizations in the state. With Ocean County producing a 70,000 plurality for Governor-Elect Chris Christie (R) in this year's gubernatorial race, and with Burlington County having put up an unsuccessful candidate in the '08 race, a strong claim could be made for the party's nomination coming from Ocean rather than Runyan's Burlington.

UPDATE: Runyan's Official Statement Confirming Interest in Run

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Blogs With Balls Radio, Episode 9

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:40:00 +0000

After a broadcasting layoff in the wake of BlogsWithBalls 2.0 in Vegas, we're back.

This week’s Blogs With Balls Show on the JoeSportsFan Radio Network is now available.

Download Episode 9 Here.

Making its triumphant return along with us is the Ballsy Blog of the Week. This week we profile FanDuel.com. While not a blog, per se, the site definitely has a set of stones.

Somehow managing to get itself (and more specifically - fantasy sports as a whole) classified as games of chance rather than gambling, the site allows users to win cash money doing what guys do anyway - playing fantasy sports.

What's more, is you don't have to wait (or even play) an entire season for a payout - you pay to play by the game.

We'll let them explain...

1. Draft your team

First, pick your fantasy team based on which players you think will score the most fantasy league points during the upcoming NFL or MLB games (MLB games are daily and NFL are weekly)...Once you've picked your players you should order your draft by clicking on each player and dragging it into position. Then you order your selection ready for the competitive draft with your opponent. [Note: NBA & NHL now available]

2. Set your entry fee and choose an opponent

Select who you want to go head-to-head with (either a real-life friend or a Fanduel buddy,or even your whole fantasy league!), how much you want the entry fee to be and send them your challenge. The draft takes place and we'll email you your final roster- and you can see your opponent's team too.

3. Get paid instantly when you win

Then sit back and watch the real-time stats roll in for both your team and your opponent's team as the action begins. The team which scores the most fantasy points by the end of the day is the winner - and walks away with the cash prize!

Simple as pie.

Our guest this week is Yardbarker.com CEO Pete Vlateslica. We are lucky to get a chance to speak with Pete on the heals of the recently announced partnership between Yardbarker and FoxSports.com.

Pete goes into some detail about the deal, the relationship between marketers and bloggers, the current focus of Yardbarker and some of the new features that will be available through the portal in the near future.

We put him Skyped Up with "Name That Barker" where we see if he can identify some of the athletes in his site's stable of stars.

This week’s links of interest:

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Cadillac Mescallade: Nike Hosts LA Send Off Celebration for Manny Pacquiao

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:25:00 +0000

Arguably the hottest boxer in the world, Manny Pacquiao hosted a send off this past weekend at the Montalban Theater in Los Angeles. The event was run by Nike who has taken over the Theater in recent weeks to help promote their new AW77 Pound for Pound campaign. Pacquiao is set to fight Miguel Cotto this Saturday in Las Vegas and looks to improve on his 49-3-2 record. Pacquiao has been on a tear as of late, having not lost a fight since 2005 - and that was in a decision to Erik Morales. Coming off a relatively easy win over Ricky Hatton in his last bout, some are already setting Manny's sights on a bigger fight post-Cotto, perhaps a Pacquiao-Mayweather battle.

Regardless, this day was all about Manny and his fans. Pacquiao is huge in the Filipino community and has a done a great deal for his homeland. Filipinos were out in forces to celebrate one of their heroes as fans were treated to Manny (a versatile actor, politician, and performer) singing a duet with Melissa Reyes. Five lucky fans of Manny were also able to work out for a day as Manny does and there was a taped sendoff for Manny featuring luminaries such as Mario Lopez (AC Slater) and Mark Wahlberg (say "hi" to your mother for me).

After all the hoopla, there was a fan Q and A with Manny along with his training team including the legendary Freddie Roach, Buboy Fernandez, and Alex Ariza. Most every question was directed at Manny. When asked about what if feels like to be number one? Manny simply replied "Number one is number one!" As for training for this fight, he's been working on it for the last two months in the lead up, and when pressed by the fans who he'd like to fight past or present, perhaps Mike Tyson, he said he'd fight Tyson...in the video game. That brought a good laugh from the crowd.

As the event wrapped to a close, fans headed out grabbing the remaining free candy and drinks that were supplied and lined up to get their shot at some Manny gear. If you see a few more "Pac Man Knows" Nike t-shirts around LA this week, you'll know where they might have come from. Overall this was a fun fan event for those that support Manny. For anyone that knows me, I have enough Nike gear to be on an unofficial endorsement deal so it's always great to check out the newest products.

Pacquiao takes on Cotto this Saturday evening at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas in the welterweight division. Fight is available on HBO Pay-per-view.

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Pedro, Archie Manning Shop at Same Costume Store

noreply@blogger.com (Hugging Harold Reynolds) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:30:00 +0000

And that store was Chess King, and it closed in 1994.

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