Blog updates

King for a day — Birk fills in on SI.com [Ravens Insider]

2009-07-06T10:17:38-07:00

Ravens center Matt Birk filled in today on SI.com for a vacationing Peter King in King's "Monday Morning Quarterback" column slot. In his "10 Things I Think I Think," Birk, a former Viking, predicts Brett Favre will play for Minnesota this year. The six-time Pro Bowler also makes the case for the players of today giving more back to NFL retirees. And here's what he had to say about Steve McNair: A quick word on Steve McNair: He was the definition of a gamer. His toughness and grit are legendary. Not only was he out on the field every Sunday, but he also played at a high level. That is what great players do. A lot of guys can play well when they feel good, but the season is a grind. A professional gets his body ready for every game, regardless of what injuries he needs to overcome. Click here to read the entire column.

Weekend wrap — Pilgrim makes choice [Recruiting Report]

2009-07-06T06:48:17-07:00

Maryland's whirlwind pursuit of former Hampton power forward Matt Pilgrim ended over the weekend. The Kentucky transfer -- who was told he wouldn’t have a scholarship at UK this season -- visited College Park late last week. But on Saturday, the 6-foot-8, 225-pounder committed to Oklahoma State. So Pilgrim started looking for a new school and had narrowed his choices to Oklahoma State, Maryland, Cincinnati and Memphis before picking the Cowboys Saturday. “I just feel like I jelled with the team and (OSU coach Travis Ford) seems like a real focused coach,” Pilgrim said Saturday. “I really like the style of basketball he plays and I’m just the kind of player he wants. I’m a guy that’s going to give 100 percent and play hard no matter what position I play.” • The Louisville Courier-Journal caught up with Richmond, Va, small forward Justin Coleman, who gave a list of schools under consideration. IU, Xavier, Charlotte, Marquette, Oklahoma, Duke, Central Florida, Maryland, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Florida have been in touch. He doesn't have an offer yet, but he's visited Virginia, Virginia Tech, Virginia Commonwealth and Maryland. • According to the Memphis Commercial-Appeal, small forward Roscoe Smith is on Tigers coach Josh Pastner’s wish list. The Tigers have already made one successful foray into Baltimore with the Barton Brothers, so why not another? Memphis will certainly be pushing hard to get a visit from Smith, though he recently did not list the Tigers among his top five schools. The 24th-ranked player on Rivals' list is a presence inside and outside.

McNair public memorial Thursday in Tennessee [Ravens Insider]

2009-07-06T05:02:48-07:00

A public memorial for quarterback Steve McNair will be held Thursday in Whites Creek, Tenn., according to the Tennessean. The event will run from 3 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. at Mount Zion Baptist Church. A memorial service is scheduled for 7 p.m. McNair, 36, who played for the Ravens in 2006 and 2007, was shot and killed Saturday in Nashville, Tenn. According to the Tennessean, McNair’s funeral is expected to be held Saturday in Hattiesburg, Miss. Arrangements are still being finalized. In lieu of flowers, fans are asked to make a donation to the Steve McNair Foundation, 1 Willow Bend Drive, Hattiesburg, Miss., 39402.

Future Stars Awards -- June edition [O's on Deck]

2009-07-06T04:13:40-07:00

We're more than halfway through the minor league season, so it's time to pass out the awards for June. If you've checked out the awards for the past two months (April and May), you'll remember that my goal is to recognize the best position player, starting pitcher and reliever in the Orioles’ minor league system at the end of each month in 2009. The name of the honors -- "Future Stars Awards" -- is obviously fitting because, in most cases, these players represent the potential for future success with the Orioles. There is one top prospect and two sleepers in the awards for this month. Of course, these choices are only my opinion -- based on the statistics and what I’ve witnessed -- so feel free to send in your selections if you disagree. You can speak your mind by posting a comment below this entry or e-mailing me if you want to remain anonymous. For each award, I picked a winner and five players whose performance last month deserves notice by the loyal O’s on Deck readers. There are several other players who could make an argument to be considered, but I tried to narrow it down to six players in each category. Position player of the month: Robbie Widlansky, utility player, Frederick Keys Widlansky, who didn't join the Keys until May 19, batted .395 with 17 RBIs during the month of June. The 24-year-old utility player collected seven doubles and 12 runs scored during that span. Widlansky, who was selected by the Orioles in the 11th round of the 2007 MLB draft, earned Carolina League Player of the Week honors for the week ending on June 21. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound left-handed hitter was selected to the New York-Penn League All-Star team in 2008 after hitting .279 with four home runs and 29 RBIs in 43 games for the short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds. Honorable mention (listed alphabetically): Miguel Abreu, second baseman, Bowie Baysox (.306, 10 RBIs, 12 doubles, 11 runs scored); Matt Angle, outfielder, Frederick (.304, nine RBIs, 17 runs scored, 10 stolen bases); Jeff Fiorentino, outfielder, Norfolk Tides (.338, 12 RBIs, nine doubles, 18 runs scored); Joey Gathright, outfielder, Norfolk (.372, six doubles, 14 runs scored, 10 stolen bases); Ronnie Welty, outfielder, Delmarva Shorebirds (.315, three home runs, 14 RBIs, 14 runs scored) Starting pitcher of the month: Brian Matusz, Bowie For the second consecutive month, Matusz earns recognition as the top starting pitcher in the Orioles' minor league system. The 22-year-old left-hander was 2-0 with a 0.79 ERA in two starts for the Baysox during the month of June after being promoted from Frederick. Matusz struck out 15 batters and issued four walks in 11 1/3 innings during those two games. Prior to his promotion, Matusz was 4-2 with a 2.16 ERA in 11 starts for the Keys. He collected 75 strikeouts and walked 21 hitters in 66 2/3 innings in the Carolina League. Honorable mention (listed alphabetically): Tim Bascom, Bowie (2-1, 3.75 ERA, 24 innings, 19 strikeouts, seven walks); Zach Britton, Frederick (2-1, 1.61 ERA, 28 innings, 28 strikeouts, eight walks); John Mariotti, Bowie (2-3, 1.70 ERA, 37 innings, 14 strikeouts, 16 walks); Kenny Moreland, Aberdeen (3-0, 1.27 ERA, 21 1/3 innings, 11 strikeouts, one walk); Chris Tillman, Norfolk (0-5, 3.89 ERA, 34 2/3 innings, 31 strikeouts, eight walks) Relief pitcher of the month: T.R. Keating, Delmarva Keating joined the Shorebirds from extended spring training on May 30, and he immediately made an impact in the bullpen. The 23-year-old right-hander was 4-1 with a 1.72 ERA in eight appearances for Delmarva during the month of June. Keating, who was selected by the Orioles in the 34th round of the 2008 MLB draft, struck out 16 batters and only allowed one walk in 15 2/3 innings last month. The 6-foot-6, 205-pound relief pitcher was 2-1 with a 3.45 ERA and two saves in 28 2/3 innings for the rookie-level Bluefield Orioles in 2008. Honorable mention (listed alphabetically): Kam Mickolio, Norfolk (1-0, 1.42 ERA, 11 appearances, 12 2/3 innings); Jim Miller, Norfolk (0-1, 2.61 ERA, nine appearances, 10 1/3 innings, four saves); Josh Perrault, Bowie (0-2, 2.70 ERA, 12 appearances, 10 innings, seven saves); Stephen Procner, Aberdeen (0-0, 0.87 ERA, four appearances, 10 1/3 innings); Ryohei Tanaka, Bowie (0-0, 0.00 ERA, eight appearances, 12 innings, three saves)

Today's game recaps -- July 5 [O's on Deck]

2009-07-05T18:17:15-07:00

The Triple-A Norfolk Tides defeated the Gwinnett Braves, and the Double-A Bowie Baysox blanked the Altoona Curve. The Single-A Frederick Keys lost to the Potomac Nationals, and the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds beat the Kannapolis Intimidators. The short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds fell to the Oneonta Tigers. As many of you remember, Baysox starting pitcher Bobby Livingston exercised a contract clause last week to become a free agent. There were a lot of rumblings that Livingston was going to sign with the Cleveland Indians and report to the Akron Aeros, who are Cleveland's Double-A affiliate. Well, the rumors are now confirmed. The 26-year-old left-hander pitched all seven innings for the Aeros in the first game of a doubleheader against the Harrisburg Senators today. Livingston allowed two runs and five hits in the complete game, and Akron won the game, 6-2. He improved to 7-2 with a 3.52 ERA in the Eastern League this season. Norfolk Tides (AAA) Score: Norfolk Tides 7, Gwinnett Braves 1 (Box score) Recap: Second baseman Justin Turner was 4-for-5 with a solo home run, a double and two runs scored in the Tides' 7-1 victory over Gwinnett. The 24-year-old infielder is now batting .294 with two home runs and 22 RBIs in 55 games for Norfolk this season. Turner has 10 doubles and 26 runs scored in 2009. Tides third baseman Jolbert Cabrera was 3-for-5 with two doubles and two runs scored, while first baseman Brandon Snyder added two hits, two RBIs and a run scored. Norfolk starting pitcher Andy Mitchell (6-2) gave up one run and two hits in 5 2/3 innings. The 30-year-old right-hander walked five batters and collected two strikeouts. Catcher Chad Moeller also picked up two hits for the Tides, and designated hitter Steve Torrealba hit a three-run home run in the fourth inning. Bowie Baysox (AA) Score: Bowie Baysox 3, Altoona Curve 0 (Box score) Recap: Starting pitcher Radhames Liz (3-1) tossed seven scoreless innings, and the Baysox cruised to a 3-0 win over Altoona. The 25-year-old right-hander gave up seven hits and collected seven strikeouts. Bowie catcher Adam Donachie was 2-for-2 with two doubles, two walks and an RBI, while third baseman Mike Costanzo added two hits, an RBI and a run scored. Baysox left fielder Jonathan Tucker collected two hits and a run scored, and designated hitter Dave Krynzel picked up an RBI. Relief pitcher Josh Perrault retired the side in order in the ninth inning for this 16th save of the season for the Baysox. Frederick Keys (A) Score: Potomac Nationals 4, Frederick Keys 3 (Box score) Recap: Second baseman Ryan Adams hit his first home run of the season, but the Keys were edged, 4-3, by Potomac. Frederick starting pitcher Zach Britton (4-3) allowed four runs and six hits in seven innings. The 21-year-old left-hander struck out five batters and issued three walks. Keys third baseman Tyler Henson was 2-for-3 with a stolen base and an RBI, and first baseman Brandon Waring added two hits, an RBI and a run scored. Shortstop Pedro Florimon Jr. was 0-for-4 with two strikeouts for the Keys, and he committed his 21st error of the season. Delmarva Shorebirds (A) Score: Delmarva Shorebirds 3, Kannapolis Intimidators 1 (Box score) Recap: First baseman Elvin Polanco was 2-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored in the Shorebirds' 3-1 win over Kannapolis. Delmarva third baseman Tyler Kolodny collected two hits, and left fielder Kyle Hudson added a triple and a run scored. Shorebirds starting pitcher Chris Salberg (2-0) gave up one run and three hits in six innings, and relief pitcher Brandon Cooney tossed two scoreless innings to pick up his 13th save of the season. Designated hitter Joe Mahoney was caught stealing for the first time this season for Delmarva. The 6-foot-7 infielder was successful on his first 19 attempts in 2009. Aberdeen IronBirds (A) Score: Oneonta Tigers 6, Aberdeen IronBirds 4 (Box score) Recap: Center fielder Richard D'Oleo was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs, but the IronBirds dropped a 6-4 decision to Oneonta. The 23-year-old outfielder also collected a stolen base and a run scored in the loss. Aberdeen left fielder Lance West and designated hitter Jason Stifler each added an RBI, while third baseman Levi Carolus was 2-for-4 with a double, two stolen bases and a run scored. IronBirds starting pitcher Colin Allen (0-3) allowed five runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings. The 22-year-old right-hander struck out five hitters and issued five walks. Allen also threw four wild pitches and hit a batter in the game. Bluefield Orioles (Rookie) The Orioles' game against Burlington, which was scheduled to be played at Bowen Field tonight, was postponed due to rain. The two teams will play a doubleheader on Monday, and the first game is set to begin at 5:30 p.m.

Lost weekend [The Schmuck Stops Here]

2009-07-05T16:41:21-07:00

The Orioles should have won three of the four games in Anaheim, but they don't know how to win. Jim Palmer told me that a month or so ago, pointing out their penchant for stalling after an early scoring rally as proof of a lack of "killer instinct." Never has that been more true than the last five days, during which they have lost three games in which they held a four-run lead at some point. I don't have the numbers at my fingertips, but I'm guessing the percentage of games major league teams win when they take a four-run lead is pretty high. The Orioles have held a four-run lead in four of their last five games and won just one of them. Obviously, that's because they have some real pitching issues, one of which is an uncanny ability to give runs right back after the offense explodes. In each of the past two games, the Orioles have taken a four-run lead in the top of an inning only to allow three in the bottom of the same inning. That meshes not-so-nicely with the nasty habit of scoring a handful of runs early and then letting the pedal off the metal. Now that I'm through with today's rant, I have a confession to make. When the Orioles got ahead 4-0 today, I headed out to the cinema. Why? Because I've already seen this movie too many times.

Roberts rips one [The Schmuck Stops Here]

2009-07-05T13:05:49-07:00

Brian Roberts is well aware that people are talking about him and his apparent lack of enthusiasm. Jeff Zrebiec reported last night that Roberts met Friday with Dave Trembley to talk about the situation and -- presumably -- to promise to do better, but it didn't show on Saturday night. So, he made a quick statement today, opening the game by hitting a 2-0 pitch by Angels starter Joe Saunders over the left center field fence to give the O's a quick lead. Of course, Brian's offensive performance has not been the issue. He's got good numbers and leads the American League in runs and doubles, but he has looked disinterested and unmotivated. Guess we'll see soon enough if that is going to change.

Adam's an All-Star [The Schmuck Stops Here]

2009-07-05T12:30:36-07:00

Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon chose Adam Jones as the only Orioles representative on the American League All-Star team, which does not come as a huge surprise even though Jones only leads the team in one of the Triple Crown offensive categories. No doubt, Maddon chose him based on both his all-around performance and his own personal impression of an emerging young star who clearly is the most dynamic player on the Orioles roster. The Orioles had other candidates. Brian Roberts entered today's games leading the league in both runs and doubles, but I think Maddon ruled him out because he doesn't smile enough. Aubrey Huff ranked eighth in the league in RBI, but first base is a tough All-Star nut to crack without big home run numbers. George Sherrill also is having a very good year -- despite Wednesday's much-debated blown save -- and looked to a lot of us like the Orioles' most likely All-Star. Can't argue with Adam. I'm guessing he's going to make a lot of All-Star teams before he's through. Sun photo by Lloyd Fox

Today's game previews -- July 5 [O's on Deck]

2009-07-05T10:53:08-07:00

The Triple-A Norfolk Tides face the Gwinnett Braves, and the Double-A Bowie Baysox meet the Altoona Curve. The Single-A Frederick Keys play the Potomac Nationals, and the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds continue their road trip against the Kannapolis Intimidators. The short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds play the Oneonta Tigers. Norfolk Tides (AAA) Record: (45-35) Opponent at Gwinnett Braves (2 p.m.) Probable pitchers Norfolk: Andy Mitchell (5-2, 4.01 ERA) Gwinnett: Jonny Venters (0-1, 6.04 ERA) Bowie Baysox (AA) Record: (45-37) Opponent at Altoona Curve (6:05 p.m.) Probable pitchers Bowie: Radhames Liz (2-1, 4.50 ERA) Altoona: Mike Crotta (4-3, 5.11 ERA) Frederick Keys (A) Record: (4-5 in second half, 35-43 overall) Opponent at Potomac Nationals (1:05 p.m.) Probable pitchers Frederick: Zach Britton (4-2, 2.14 ERA) Potomac: Will Atwood (3-6, 5.10 ERA) Delmarva Shorebirds (A) Record: (4-6 in second half, 40-39 overall) Opponent at Kannapolis Intimidators (5:05 p.m.) Probable pitchers Delmarva: Chris Salberg (1-1, 2.08 ERA) Kannapolis: J.R. Ballinger (0-0, 7.71 ERA with rookie-level Bristol White Sox) Aberdeen IronBirds (A) Record: (5-10) Opponent at Oneonta Tigers (6 p.m.) Probable pitchers Aberdeen: Colin Allen (0-2, 6.75 ERA) Oneonta: Adam Wilk (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Orioles: Halfway home [The Schmuck Stops Here]

2009-07-05T03:43:47-07:00

The Orioles just reached the mathematical halfway point in this transitional season, so I wrote a column on it for your reading enjoyment...or disdain. If you want to take a look, it's right here. If you don't want to take a look, it's right here anyway.

Edge’s injury: What now? [Ring Posts]

2009-07-05T01:08:43-07:00

I’m assuming that most people reading this already know by now that the injury Edge suffered at a WWE house show Friday night in San Diego was a serious one. According to pwinsider.com, Edge has a torn Achilles tendon, which could keep him out of the ring until early next year. Obviously, losing one of the best all-around performers in the business for a significant length of time is horrible news for WWE. Edge joins Batista, The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels on the list of Hall of Fame-caliber WWE stars who are either injured or on hiatus.

Today's game recaps -- July 4 [O's on Deck]

2009-07-04T22:36:58-07:00

The Triple-A Norfolk Tides edged the Gwinnett Braves, and the Double-A Bowie Baysox were blanked by the Altoona Curve. The Single-A Frederick Keys lost to the Potomac Nationals, while the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds fell to the Kannapolis Intimidators. The short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds dropped a decision to the Oneonta Tigers. The rookie-level Bluefield Orioles beat the Pulaski Mariners, and the GCL Orioles swept two games from the GCL Twins. Norfolk Tides (AAA) Score: Norfolk Tides 3, Gwinnett Braves 2 (Box score) Recap: Catcher Robby Hammock was 2-for-4 with a solo home run to lead the Tides to a 3-2 victory over Gwinnett. Norfolk first baseman Michael Aubrey was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI single, and right fielder Jeff Fiorentino added two hits and a run scored. Tides relief pitcher Chris Waters (7-3) earned the win after tossing two scoreless innings. The 28-year-old left-hander gave up one hit and collected two strikeouts. Starting pitcher Troy Patton gave up two runs (one earned) and four hits in five innings for the Tides, and relief pitcher Alberto Castillo retired all three batters he faced in order to pick up his fourth save of the season. Bowie Baysox (AA) Score: Altoona Curve 1, Bowie Baysox 0 (Box score) Recap: Japanese pitcher Ryohei Tanaka tossed five scoreless innings in his first start, but the Baysox fell, 1-0, to Altoona. The 26-year-old right-hander hasn't allowed a run in 17 innings so far this season. Bowie relief pitcher Ryan Ouellette (3-2) gave up one run and three hits in two innings. The 23-year-old right-hander struck out two batters, but he suffered the loss. Baysox shortstop Robert Valido collected three of the team's five hits. Frederick Keys (A) Score: Potomac Nationals 4, Frederick Keys 1 (Box score) Recap: Right fielder Billy Rowell was 2-for-4 with a double, but the Keys dropped a 4-1 decision against Potomac. Frederick third baseman Bobby Stevens collected a double and a run scored, while catcher Billy Killian added an RBI. Keys starting pitcher Rick Zagone (0-1) allowed four runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings. The 22-year-old left-hander walked three batters and collected two strikeouts. Relief pitcher Eddie Gamboa retired all seven batters he faced for the Keys. The 24-year-old right-hander has only given up three hits in five scoreless innings since being promoted to Frederick last month. Delmarva Shorebirds (A) Score: Kannapolis Intimidators 6, Delmarva Shorebirds 1 (Box score) Recap: Left fielder Kyle Hudson was 1-for-3 with a walk, a run scored and two stolen bases, but the Shorebirds lost, 6-1, to Kannapolis. Delmarva designated hitter Joe Mahoney and shortstop Greg Miclat each hit a double, and first baseman Elvin Polanco added an RBI. Shorebirds starting pitcher Oliver Drake (4-5) allowed six runs and seven hits in 3 2/3 innings. The 22-year-old right-hander struck out four batters and issued two walks. He also hit a batter, threw a wild pitch and committed a balk. Relief pitcher Shane Mathews tossed 3 1/3 scoreless innings for the Shorebirds. Aberdeen IronBirds (A) Score: Oneonta Tigers 7, Aberdeen IronBirds 2 (Box score) Recap: Starting pitcher Nicholas Haughian (0-2) allowed four runs and six hits in 4 1/3 innings, and the IronBirds suffered a 7-2 loss to Oneonta. The 22-year-old left-hander collected four strikeouts and walked one batter. Aberdeen designated hitter Justin Dalles was 2-for-4, and right fielder Arthur Bonevacia added a double and a sacrifice fly. IronBirds catcher Brian Ward also hit a sacrifice fly, and third baseman Garabez Rosa and center fielder Richard D'Oleo each scored a run. Bluefield Orioles (Rookie) Score: Bluefield Orioles 5, Pulaski Mariners 4 (Box score) Recap: First baseman Corey Thomas was 2-for-4 with a home run, a double, two RBIs and two runs scored in the Orioles' 5-4 win over Pulaski. Bluefield right fielder Michael Planeta collected an RBI and a stolen base, while second baseman Omar Casamayor added a stolen base and two runs scored. Third baseman Mike Flacco also picked up a stolen base for the Orioles. Relief pitcher Thomas Phelps (1-1) tossed three scoreless innings to earn the victory for Bluefield. The 21-year-old right-hander struck out three batters and allowed two hits. Orioles starting pitcher Vito Frabizio gave up four runs and seven hits in six innings, but he didn't factor in the decision. The 20-year-old right-hander collected seven strikeouts and issued one walk. GCL Orioles (Rookie) Game 1 score: GCL Orioles 5, GCL Twins 2, 10 innings (Box score) Game 1 recap: Second baseman Moises Ciriaco was 4-for-5 with a stolen base and two runs scored in the Orioles' 5-2 victory over the Twins in the completion of a matchup that was suspended earlier this week. Orioles right fielder Jaynnertt Melenciano was 2-for-5 with a double and three RBIs, and shortstop David Calderon added an RBI. Relief pitcher Christopher Schmitt (2-0) retired all six batters he faced to pick up the win for the Orioles. Game 2 score: GCL Orioles 5, GCL Twins 3, 7 innings (Box score) Game 2 recap: Catcher Xavier Lopez was 2-for-2 with an RBI, and the Orioles won the originally scheduled game, 5-3, over the Twins. Orioles first baseman David Anderson was 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored, while third baseman Anyi Tejeda added two hits and a run scored. Starting pitcher Daurin Tavarez (1-0) allowed three runs (two earned) and seven hits in five innings for the Orioles, and relief pitcher Zachary Petersime tossed two scoreless innings to pick up his first save of the season. Orioles left fielder David Rivera collected a triple and a sacrifice fly.

Wake up call for Brian and Nick [The Schmuck Stops Here]

2009-07-04T21:39:35-07:00

Jeez, just when I think I'm about to get Burt and Bob off my case about Brian Roberts, he teams up with Nick Markakis on one of the worst defensive gaffes of the year in the seventh. Roberts jogged back on what was supposed to be an inning-ending pop up by Juan Rivera. Markakis jogged up and waited for Brian to catch a ball that should be the province of the right-fielder. I mean, why would you bust it on a play like that? It's only the go-ahead run. No excuse for that. The ball was ruled a hit, but it was a routine play that absolutely has to be made. Brian already had an error in the game, which cost the Orioles a run during the Angels' three-run comeback in the fifth. Throw in the slow reaction of Melvin Mora on an important play at third in the eighth, and you have to wonder just what's going on with some of these guys. "There were breakdowns in various areas and we paid the price for them,'' Dave Trembley said after the game. The O's were coming off an uplifting victory on Friday night and had a chance to secure a split of a very tough four-game road series with a chance to take three of four with a victory tomorrow. Guess that wasn't enough motivation. Frankly, I know the emotions that bubbled up after the bullpen collapse against the Red Sox on Wednesday, but this comeback galls me even more than Boston's four-run ninth. Sometimes, you just get beat. In this game, the Orioles volunteered to lose.

Still speechless [The Schmuck Stops Here]

2009-07-04T20:30:14-07:00

If you're wondering why I haven't weighed in on the Steve McNair tragedy, it's because I wouldn't know where to start. McNair was a terrific quarterback who led the Tennessee Titans to the Super Bowl and the Ravens to a memorable season in 2006. Had nothing but positive experiences covering him as a Raven. Can't even grasp what the families of both victims are going through right now. God rest their souls.

Sympathizing with Berken, but... [The Schmuck Stops Here]

2009-07-04T20:27:52-07:00

...you have to wonder how much longer he will be able to hold his place in the Orioles rotation. He gave up only two earned runs over four-plus innings, but needed 85 pitches to get 12 outs and left before becoming eligible for the victory. He's still 1-5 and his ERA improved only slightly to 6.25. Apparently, I'm not the only one who is wondering if the Orioles are getting closer to bringing up Chris Tillman to replace either Berken or Rich Hill. O's beat reporter Jeff Zrebiec weighed in on this subject from Anaheim before tonight's game. Take a look at his Orioles notebook right here.

Born on the 4th of July [The Schmuck Stops Here]

2009-07-04T12:06:49-07:00

Let's all wish each other a happy Independence Day and reflect on what a truly great country we live in. It's not without its faults -- NFL instant replay stands out for me -- but a lot of people made a lot of sacrifices to make it the beacon of freedom for the past couple of centuries, so Happy Birthday to us all. On that subject, you might enjoy Candus Thomson's story about three prominent Marylanders who were born under the fireworks -- Peter Angelos, tennis star Pam Shriver and former Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend. There are some interesting quotes from Angelos, who waxes a bit philosophical about turning 80 on the day the nation turns 233. Take a look. Baltimore Sun photo

Another solid Smackdown, but … [Ring Posts]

2009-07-04T11:45:28-07:00

Smackdown has been such a strong show as of late that it’s usually difficult to find fault with anything on the program. However, while Friday night’s episode was good, I do have a couple of nitpicks in regard to the booking. Having The Hart Dynasty lose to Cryme Tyme in their Smackdown debut just seems ridiculous to me. The problem, which I noted in a post earlier this week about the WWE trade, is that Cryme Tyme is the only babyface tag team on Smackdown for THD to feud with, and I guess for it to be a true feud, the same team can’t win every time they meet.

Today's game previews -- July 4 [O's on Deck]

2009-07-04T11:10:40-07:00

Happy Fourth of July, everyone. It's a day full of cookouts and fireworks for me, so I'm going to make this quick. The Triple-A Norfolk Tides travel to play the Gwinnett Braves, and the Double-A Bowie Baysox hit the road to face the Altoona Curve. The Single-A Frederick Keys continue their road trip against the Potomac Nationals, and the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds meet the Kannapolis Intimidators. The short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds play the Oneonta Tigers. Norfolk Tides (AAA) Record: (44-35) Opponent at Gwinnett Braves (6 p.m.) Probable pitchers Norfolk: Troy Patton (1-2, 5.19 ERA) Gwinnett: Bobby Brownlie (0-1, 12.46 ERA) Bowie Baysox (AA) Record: (45-36) Opponent at Altoona Curve (7:05 p.m.) Probable pitchers Bowie: Ryohei Tanaka (0-0, 0.00 ERA) Altoona: Derek Hankins (0-2, 5.82 ERA) Frederick Keys (A) Record: (4-4 in second half, 35-42 overall) Opponent at Potomac Nationals (6:35 p.m.) Probable pitchers Frederick: Rick Zagone (0-0, 0.00 ERA) Potomac: Brad Meyers (5-2, 1.53 ERA) Delmarva Shorebirds (A) Record: (4-5 in second half, 40-38 overall) Opponent at Kannapolis Intimidators (7:05 p.m.) Probable pitchers Delmarva: Oliver Drake (4-4, 3.25 ERA) Kannapolis: Dexter Carter (3-2, 3.73 ERA) Aberdeen IronBirds (A) Record: (5-9) Opponent at Oneonta Tigers (7 p.m.) Probable pitchers Aberdeen: Nicholas Haughian (0-1, 1.00 ERA) Oneonta: Nate Newman (0-1, 1.50 ERA)

Edge’s injury [Ring Posts]

2009-07-04T10:34:13-07:00

Pwinsider.com is reporting that Edge suffered an ankle injury after landing badly during his match with Jeff Hardy at a WWE house show Friday night in San Diego. There’s no word yet as to how serious the injury is, but he did have to be helped to the back. If Edge is out for a significant length of time it obviously is a big blow for WWE, which just put the unified WWE tag team title on Edge and Chris Jericho last Sunday. Note: Check back later for my thoughts on Friday night’s episode of Smackdown. I hope everyone is having a happy and safe Fourth of July.

ESPN Interview: Palmeiro sticks to his story [The Schmuck Stops Here]

2009-07-04T03:54:23-07:00

Former Oriole Rafael Palmeiro is sticking to his original alibi for the positive steroid test that soiled his reputation in 2005. He told ESPN's Pedro Gomez that he got some tainted B-12 and that there was no reason for him to turn to steroids at that late stage in his career. Palmeiro was speaking before his induction into the College Baseball Hall of Fame in Lubbock, TX yesterday. Here's the link. If you've been reading me on this subject over the years, you'll remember that I was very hard on Palmeiro at the outset, largely because he was so squirrelly in his initial media conference. Later, when Miguel Tejada's name started to come up in the steroid conversation, I had to concede that it gave Palmeiro at least a modicum of plausible deniability. Don't know if that will be enough to get him into the Hall of Fame. The thing that made it hard for Palmeiro to convince anyone of his innocence was the previous reference to him in Jose Canseco's first steroid expose. Maybe it was just a coincidence, the the substance that Canseco claimed that Palmeiro was using was the same substance that showed up in his 2005 urine sample. Now that you've had four years to digest it, do you think he was a villain or a victim? Associated Press photo

Today's game recaps -- July 3 [O's on Deck]

2009-07-04T00:01:37-07:00

The Triple-A Norfolk Tides blanked the Gwinnett Braves, while the Double-A Bowie Baysox scored late to beat the Akron Aeros. The Single-A Frederick Keys fell to the Potomac Nationals, and the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds lost to the Hickory Crawdads. The short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds pounded the Oneonta Tigers. The rookie-level Bluefield Orioles held on for a win over the Pulaski Mariners, and the rookie-level GCL Orioles topped the GCL Reds. After tonight's game, the IronBirds announced that catcher Zach Booker was transferred from Aberdeen to the Baysox. Norfolk Tides (AAA) Score: Norfolk Tides 5, Gwinnett Braves 0 (Box score) Recap: Starting pitcher Chris Tillman (6-5) tossed 7 2/3 scoreless innings in the Tides' 5-0 victory over Gwinnett at Harbor Park. The 21-year-old right-hander struck out seven batters, allowed four hits and issued one walk. Tillman threw 67 of his 100 pitches for strikes. Norfolk third baseman Jolbert Cabrera had a triple and three RBIs, while right fielder Jeff Fiorentino was 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored. Tides first baseman Brandon Snyder added two hits, and designated hitter Michael Aubrey collected a double and a sacrifice fly. Relief pitcher Kam Mickolio retired all four batters he faced for the Tides, collecting two strikeouts. Bowie Baysox (AA) Score: Bowie Baysox 3, Akron Aeros 2 (Box score) Recap: Third baseman Mike Costanzo delivered with an RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning to lift the Baysox over Akron, 3-2, at Prince George's Stadium. "I just went up and tried getting my pitch again, just seeing it and hitting it," Costanzo said. "As soon as it passed [the pitcher], I knew it was getting through." Bowie center fielder Dave Krynzel was 3-for-4 with a run scored, while right fielder Ambiorix Concepcion added two doubles and a run scored. The Baysox were the victim of a triple play in the bottom of the fourth. Baysox designated hitter Danny Figueroa popped up to Akron starting pitcher Josh Tomlin on a bunt attempt. Tomlin turned and fired to second base to force out Concepcion, and Aeros shortstop Carlos Rivero threw to first base to eliminate Baysox catcher Guillermo Rodriguez. Baysox starting pitcher Tim Bascom gave up two runs and five hits in six innings. The 24-year-old right-hander walked three batters and collected two strikeouts. "[The outing] was pretty much up and down, effectively ineffective, if you will." Bascom said. "I just kept my team in the game, basically. That's all I can really say." Relief pitcher Jim Hoey (1-2) tossed two scoreless innings to pick up the victory for Bowie, and Josh Perrault recorded the final three outs for his 15th save of the season. "Anytime you can get through an inning without giving up any runs or hits ... it's always a momentum builder," Hoey said. "It gets our team back out there to hit, and hopefully we can score some runs." Shortstop Robert Valido collected two hits and a run scored for the Baysox. Frederick Keys (A) Score: Potomac Nationals 6, Frederick Keys 5 (Box score) Recap: Right fielder Billy Rowell was 2-for-4 with a two-run home run and two runs scored, but the Keys were edged, 6-5, by Potomac. It was 20-year-old outfielder's eighth home run of the season, and it was only his second since June 1. Frederick designated hitter Wally Crancer hit a three-run double in the fifth inning, and shortstop Pedro Florimon Jr. was 1-for-2 with a run scored. Keys starting pitcher Sean Gleason (0-3) gave up six runs (two earned) and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings. The 23-year-old right-hander walked four batters and collected two strikeouts. Delmarva Shorebirds (A) Score: Hickory Crawdads 6, Delmarva Shorebirds 5 (Box score) Recap: Right fielder Ronnie Welty hit a two-run double in the fourth inning and scored a run, but the Shorebirds' comeback fell just short in a 6-5 loss to Hickory at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium. Delmarva left fielder Kyle Hudson was 2-for-4 with a run scored, and second baseman L.J. Hoes added an RBI. Shorebirds starting pitcher Ryan O'Shea (5-4) gave up five runs (four earned) and five hits in 4 2/3 innings. The 23-year-old right-hander struck out four batters and issued three walks. Third baseman Tyler Kolodny was 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored for the Shorebirds, but he also committed two fielding errors in the game. Aberdeen IronBirds (A) Score: Aberdeen IronBirds 10, Oneonta Tigers 1 (Box score) Recap: Left fielder Lance West hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to power the IronBirds to a 10-1 rout over Oneonta at Ripken Stadium. Aberdeen right fielder Arthur Bonevacia was 2-for-2 with two walks, three RBIs and two runs scored, and center fielder Richard D'Oleo added two hits, including a triple, and two run scored. IronBirds starting pitcher Kenny Moreland (3-0) remained perfect this season after tossing six scoreless innings. The 23-year-old right-hander gave up two hits, walked one batter and collected five strikeouts. Relief pitcher Stephen Procner allowed one run and two hits in the final three innings to pick up his first save of the season for Aberdeen. Shortstop Blake Davis was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored for the IronBirds, and catcher Justin Dalles picked up his first professional hit. Bluefield Orioles (Rookie) Score: Bluefield Orioles 4, Pulaski Mariners 2 (Box score) Recap: Designated hitter Joel Polanco hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the first inning, and the Orioles cruised to a 4-2 win over Pulaski at Bowen Field. Bluefield second baseman Gary Helmick was 3-for-4, and catcher Dashenko Ricardo added two hits and an RBI. Starting pitcher Jesse Beal (2-1) allowed one run and two hits in seven innings for the Orioles. The 18-year-old right-hander struck out four batters and issued one walk. Orioles relief pitcher Josh Dowdy gave up two hits in the ninth, but he escaped without surrendering any runs for his second save of the season. GCL Orioles (Rookie) Score: GCL Orioles 8, GCL Reds 1 (Box score) Recap: First baseman David Anderson was 3-for-5 with a double, three RBIs and a run scored in the Orioles' 8-1 win over the Reds. Orioles designated hitter David Rivera collected three hits, including two doubles, and a run scored, while left fielder Edwin Cintron and shortstop Moises Ciriaco each added two hits and two runs scored. Starting pitcher Zach Clark allowed one unearned run and two hits in four innings for the Orioles, but he didn't factor in the decision. Orioles relief pitcher Dustin Carder (1-0) tossed four scoreless innings to earn the victory.

Sherrill bounces back [The Schmuck Stops Here]

2009-07-03T22:12:55-07:00

George Sherrill didn't make it look easy, but he got it done. He was 0-2 on all three hitters in the ninth inning, but gave up a leadoff single and a pretty hard-hit ball for the game-ending double play. Both Sherrill and Jim Johnson had to battle tonight in the first game the two of them were reunited since Wednesday's ninth-inning collapse. In both innings, the Angels were one swing away from tying the game, but the O's held on to even the four-game series at a game apiece. For those fans who wonder whether Brian Roberts wants to play, there were a couple of situations where it was pretty obvious he wanted this game. He scored from first on that long single by Nick Markakis and almost did a somersault to get his hand on the plate. He also decoyed baserunner Bobby Abreu on that big chopper that Johnson fielded acrobatically and flipped to second for a huge force out.

Hernandez: Early hook? [The Schmuck Stops Here]

2009-07-03T21:26:41-07:00

If you're going to say Dave Trembley just took out David Hernandez too soon, I suggest you do it right now, because I'm not accepting any second-guesses after Jim Johnson finishes the inning (or doesn't). You don't get the benefit of hindsight this time. Hernandez was right at about 100 pitches and he walked Chone Figgins with two outs and Bobby Abreu coming up. The change was automatic, but we'll see how it turns out. Instant update: That was quick. I'm wondering why Mike Scioscia went to the hit and run in that situation, if that was what it was, because Matt Wieters' great throw cost the Angels a chance for their hottest hitter to put a big dent in the three-run lead against a setup guy who might be little tentative after Wednesday's ninth-inning collapse.

Hernandez: Poised under pressure [The Schmuck Stops Here]

2009-07-03T21:15:02-07:00

Sometimes, I think you learn more about a pitcher during his more vulnerable moments, and I think that might have been the case tonight in the fourth inning after he faltered briefly with a 6-0 lead. It was an important juncture in the game, especially in the wake of two disappointing losses in a row. Hernandez was cruising before Juan Rivera's two-out double. He quickly walked Kendry Morales and then gave up his first run of the game on a flyball double by Macier Izturis. Right there, the game was hanging in the balance. If Hernandez wilts and the Angels get one more hit to cut the six-run lead in half, the shift in momentum would have been dynamic. Instead, he made a very good 1-0 pitch to Jeff Mathis to get out of the inning. He showed some toughness there and he has been better than his numbers so far this year. Late to the party: I didn't tune into this game until the third inning because I went to see the new gangster flick Public Enemies. It was fun and Johnny Depp's take on Depression-era outlaw John Dillinger was interesting, but I was a little disappointed that the movie focused so heavily on Dillinger, who has been portrayed in several previous films. The book that the screenplay was based upon was a far more wide-ranging look at the high-profile outlaws of that time. I wish this new take on the era would have developed those characters a little more.

There’s no quit in Jeff Jarrett on TNA Impact [Ring Posts]

2009-07-03T14:42:09-07:00

I want to preface this entry by saying that I like Jeff Jarrett as a performer. While there are many “smart” fans who think he’s overrated and that his pushes have been more about politics than ability, I actually think he gets a bad rap. Jarrett has always been a good worker, and while he has never been a huge box office draw, he is a star. With that being said, however, Jarrett gave those who criticize him for using his position as TNA founder to excessively push himself plenty of ammunition on Thursday night’s episode of Impact.

Reimold Rookie of the Month [The Schmuck Stops Here]

2009-07-03T12:59:31-07:00

Congratulations to Orioles left fielder Nolan Reimold for being named Gillette American League Rookie of the Month for June, a month in which he batted .320 with four home runs, nine RBI, 13 runs and 13 walks. He also impressed with a .520 slugging percentage and a .420 on-base percentage. Despite his delayed arrival in the majors this season, Reimold is considered a top early candidate for AL Rookie of the Year honors, and might be going head-to-head with teammate Brad Bergesen, who also joined the team after Opening Day. If you want an early favorite for next month's rookie award, Bergesen might be a good bet, since he opened the month on Wednesday with that impressive eight-inning, four-hit performance against the Red Sox.

CM Punk keeps his eye on the prize on WWE Superstars [Ring Posts]

2009-07-03T11:33:45-07:00

So was world heavyweight champion CM Punk’s left eye partially closed at the end of Thursday’s episode of WWE Superstars because it was injured, or was he really winking at us because he had just pulled another fast one? Punk, who suffered the (kayfabe) eye injury at last Sunday’s Bash pay-per-view, aggravated it during his non-title match with Edge Thursday. After Edge raked his eyes, Punk told the referee that he couldn’t continue, and Edge was awarded the match via forfeit.

Today's game previews -- July 3 [O's on Deck]

2009-07-03T09:19:35-07:00

The Triple-A Norfolk Tides host the Gwinnett Braves at Harbor Park, and the Double-A Bowie Baysox and Akron Aeros will play at Prince George's Stadium tonight. The Single-A Frederick Keys face the Potomac Nationals on the road, while the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds and Hickory Crawdads will meet at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium. The short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds are looking to snap a five-game losing streak against the Oneonta Tigers tonight at Ripken Stadium, and the rookie-level Bluefield Orioles welcome the Pulaski Mariners to Bowen Field. I'm heading down to Bowie with my father to watch tonight's game against the Aeros from the stands, so feel free to say hello if you see me. The Baysox are billing the post-game fireworks show as the largest of the season because it's expected to be longer than the typical display. The team hits the road tomorrow, so tonight is Bowie's Fourth of July celebration. The four other teams in the Orioles' minor league system with home games tonight -- Norfolk, Delmarva, Aberdeen and the rookie-level Bluefield Orioles -- each will hold a fireworks display following their respective game because they all play on the road tomorrow. Norfolk Tides (AAA) Opponent Gwinnett Braves (6:15 p.m.) Probable pitchers Norfolk: Chris Tillman (5-5, 2.97 ERA) Gwinnett: Tony Armas (1-1, 4.11 ERA) Notes * The Tides (43-35) remain two games behind the Durham Bulls (46-34) in the International League South Division, while Gwinnett (44-37) is right on their heels. The Braves trail Durham by 2 1/2 games in the division. Bowie Baysox (AA) Opponent Akron Aeros (6:05 p.m.) Probable pitchers Bowie: Tim Bascom (2-1, 3.75 ERA) Akron: Josh Tomlin (8-4, 4.12 ERA) Notes * After splitting a doubleheader last night, the Baysox (44-36) trail Akron (52-27) by 8 1/2 games in the Eastern League Southern Division. Bowie is two games behind the Reading Phillies (45-33) for a playoff berth. Frederick Keys (A) Opponent at Potomac Nationals (7:05 p.m.) Probable pitchers Frederick: Sean Gleason (0-2, 4.56 ERA) Potomac: Jeff Mandel (6-4, 3.70 ERA) Notes * The Keys (4-3, 35-41) are in first place in the Carolina League Northern Division for the second half. They lead Potomac (4-4, 41-34) by 1/2 game, and the Wilmington Blue Rocks (3-4, 41-35) are one game back. The Lynchburg Hillcats (2-6, 47-30), who won the first half in the division, are in last place, trailing the Keys by 2 1/2 games. Delmarva Shorebirds (A) Opponent Hickory Crawdads (7:05 p.m.) Probable pitchers Delmarva: Ryan O'Shea (5-3, 3.16 ERA) Hickory: Joseph Wieland (1-0, 3.46 ERA) Notes * The Shorebirds (4-4, 40-37) are tied with the Lakewood BlueClaws (4-4, 46-30) for fifth place in the South Atlantic League Northern Division in the second half. The Kannapolis Intimidators (5-2, 42-35) and the West Virginia Power (5-2, 32-45) are tied for the lead in the division, and they are both 1 1/2 games ahead of Delmarva and Lakewood. Hickory (4-3, 37-39) is in fourth place in the division, trailing the leaders by one game. Aberdeen IronBirds (A) Opponent Oneonta Tigers (7:05 p.m.) Probable pitchers Aberdeen: Ken Moreland (2-0, 0.75 ERA) Oneonta: Luis Sanz (0-0, 4.15 ERA) Notes * With five consecutive losses, the IronBirds (4-9) dropped into last place in the New York-Penn League McNamara Division. Aberdeen trails the division-leading Brooklyn Cyclones (11-2) by seven games. Oneonta (7-4) is in first place in the Stedler Division, leading the Lowell Spinners (7-6) by one game.

Weekly recruiting roundup [Recruiting Report]

2009-07-03T07:38:10-07:00

While the Maryland staff continues to focus its attention on the 2010 recruiting class, there could be a last-minute addition to the 2009-10 UM roster. InsideMDSports.com reported that Matt Pilgrim, a junior power forward from Kentucky, was planning an official visit to College Park this week. Pilgrim, 6 feet 8, spent his first two years of college at Hampton before transferring to Kentucky last year. After sitting out the 2008-09 season due to NCAA transfer rules, Pilgrim would have been eligible to suit up for the Wildcats this coming season. When John Calipari was hired to replace Billy Gillispie in Lexington, Pilgrim -- according to the Memphis Commercial Appeal -- was told there wouldn’t be a scholarship available for him at UK. According to a source close to the situation, Calipari and Josh Pastner are working together to bring Pilgrim to Memphis. Calipari, the source said, will support Pilgrim's case to the NCAA. Though Pilgrim said he probably wouldn't make a commitment until he sits down with his family, he acknowledged the urgency of picking a new school so that he can start the appeal process. Pilgrim has also visited Oklahoma State. Here’s a quick video clip of Pilgrim playing with Hampton against, coincidentally enough, Maryland in the 2007 CBE Classic at Comcast Center. The Terps edged Pilgrim’s Pirates, 70-64. Pilgrim finished with 11 points, five rebounds, three steals, two blocks and two assists. Check out Testudo Times for more on Pilgrim. • Former Maryland shooting guard target Lance Stephenson has finally found a home. The five-star prospect committed to Cincinnati on Tuesday. "We are very excited about Lance's decision to become a Bearcat," head coach Mick Cronin said. "Lance has terrific talent as a basketball player and is also a fierce competitor on the court. His desire to win will help us compete for a Big East Championship. "As a big guard, Lance brings playmaking ability and versatility to our team, along with his talent for scoring. We look forward to getting Lance here for summer school and building our team for the upcoming season." • Terps point guard commitment Terrell Stoglin has fared well in the Tucson (Ariz.) Summer Pro League, according to league director and former Arizona player Corey Williams. "I don't really follow high school basketball at all," he said. "There's some good, talented kids in town. It's been surprising to me to see these kids come out and play very well against grown men." Over three games, Stoglin has scored 32 points on 56 percent shooting. • Maryland power forward targets C.J. Leslie and Terrence Jones stood out at Nike’s Vince Carter Skills Academy in Orlando last weekend. ESPN.com’s Paul Biancardi listed Leslie as the No. 3 best scorer in camp. Leslie is an explosive, active athlete who is a big-time finisher when he gets in the paint. He has a quick first step to the basket; he stays low on the drive to finish high above the rim. He gets points from finishing dump-off passes from his teammates' penetration along with climbing on the offensive glass. Jones checked in at No. 1 on Biancardi’s best slasher list. This lefty is a physical specimen who drives the ball with explosive strength and overpowers defenders on his way to the basket. A good percentage of his points come from the free throw line because he is so strong and attacks the basket on the drive and from the post. • MaxPreps.com ranked Terps power forward target Tobias Harris No. 8 on its list of New York male athletes of the year. The 6-8 forward missed most of the first half of his junior season with a severe ankle injury but returned with a vengeance to lead the run to a victory over Triche and Jamesville-DeWitt for the Federation Class A crown. Harris averaged 23.5 points and 11.5 rebounds after arriving at Lutheran as a summer transfer. College suitors -- and just about anybody that matters would like to recruit him -- will find Harris back at Half Hollow Hills West, where he averaged 29 points as a sophomore on a 22-2 season; Harris transferred back there during Easter break. Football recruiting • Maryland defensive back recruit Avery Graham has been named The Gazette’s boys track Athlete of the Year. Outstanding at Class 2A state meet, scoring or contributing to 40 of team's 76 points. Captured gold medals in 100, 200, two sprint relays, lifting Clarksburg to first state team title. • The Washington Post’s Recruiting Insider reports that Friendship Collegiate (D.C.) offensive tackle Earl Johnson was offered a scholarship by Maryland last week. While he'll likely need to add plenty of weight to transition to a college tackle, Johnson also plays defensive end for Friendship, which has sent several players to low-level Division I programs the past couple of years, but hasn't been able to attract the attention of larger schools like Maryland. • The Terps lost out on offensive guard Daquan Jones earlier this week when the three-star prospect committed to Penn State. Jones (6-4, 300) is from Johnson City, N.Y. He also had offers from Pitt, Boston College, Syracuse, Maryland, Illinois, Rutgers and Connecticut.

What's Scioscia thinking? [The Schmuck Stops Here]

2009-07-02T23:43:14-07:00

Angels manager Mike Scioscia just removed John Lackey from the game after eight innings, even though Lackey had given up just four hits and struck out seven. That's pretty much the same pitching line that Brad Bergesen had in Wednesday's game -- 8 IP, 4H, 6K -- and a lot of people here think Dave Trembley should have been fired for making essentially the same decision Scioscia just made. Okay, I'll give you this. Lackey had thrown 11 more pitches than Bergesen, but he disposed of the Orioles in short order in the eighth. I'm sure the Orioles were happy to see him go, though closer Brian Fuentes is no slouch. Bonus gripe: By the way, if I hear another replay of Gary Thorne saying "Look what I found" and "Lucky Lackey" after that line drive by Adam Jones, I'm going to kick my TV. That wasn't a lucky play. That was a great reflex play by Lackey. The ball obviously came back near where his glove stopped at the end of his delivery, but he reacted and moved the glove into position to make the catch. The Angels played terrific defense all night long. The Orioles played good defense, too, but they lost the game because they were unable to station an outfielder in the second row of the right field bleachers.

Cub fan hungers for win streak [The Schmuck Stops Here]

2009-07-02T23:41:24-07:00

Just when I thought Orioles fans were getting a little too emotionally involved with the team, this story surfaced about a Cubs fan who has announced he will go on a 500-calorie-per-day diet until the lovable losers from the Windy City reel off a five-game winning streak. It's not exactly a hunger strike. The guy, 53-year-old Daniel Kamen of Buffalo Grove, Ill., can probably squeeze a couple of Lean Cuisine frozen entrees out of that 500-calorie limit, but it's the thought that counts. The Cubs need a little extra motivation. They're sitting right on .500 (38-38) in the wide-open NL Central, which may have something to do with the number of calories Kamen will allow himself until the Cubs win five straight or the season ends. Of course, it's a lot easier to lose weight when you're an Orioles fan. You just watch a game like the one on Wednesday and you don't feel like eating for a week.

Does Michael Bisping have a shot against Dan Henderson? [MMA Stomping Grounds]

2009-07-02T23:26:59-07:00

The consensus seems to be no. He’s the biggest underdog of the three main fights at UFC 100 (according to Vegas) and most pro fighters are taking Hendo in that fight. I think Henderson has been less than impressive in his last two bouts. The nicest moves he had against Rich Franklin were illegal (eye poke, head butt) and even that was a controversial win. And he’s no spring chicken at age 39.

Bisping has good stand-up and has never been stopped. His only loss is a split-decision to Rashad Evans. Of course, there’s also the phantom win over Matt Hamill, which should’ve been a loss. Still, he's a younger guy with a promising future. He should be a good threat for Henderson, right?

When you compare the resumes of the two it’s not even close. Henderson’s reads like a who’s who of MMA legends. Just in the UFC he’s fought Anderson Silva, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Rich Franklin. Three legends in four fights and if you go back to his PRIDE days the list goes on and on and on.

I think you can make a case for Alves. I think you can make a case for Mir (although not as much as some think). So, maybe it does make sense that Bisping is the biggest underdog of the three.

(Dan Henderson photo courtesy of Zuffa, Inc.)

Today's game recaps -- July 2 [O's on Deck]

2009-07-02T22:51:53-07:00

The Triple-A Norfolk Tides lost to the Gwinnett Braves, and the Double-A Bowie Baysox split a doubleheader against the Akron Aeros. The Single-A Frederick Keys blanked the Potomac Nationals, while the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds fell to the Hickory Crawdads. The short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds were pounded by the Oneonta Tigers. The rookie-level Bluefield Orioles defeated the Pulaski Mariners, and the rookie-level GCL Orioles dropped a close contest to the GCL Red Sox. Norfolk Tides (AAA) Score: Gwinnett Braves 5, Norfolk Tides 4 (Box score) Recap: Starting pitcher Jake Arrieta excelled for the Tides, but the bullpen allowed four runs in the top of the ninth inning during a 5-4 loss to Gwinnett at Harbor Park. The 23-year-old right-hander gave up one run and five hits in seven innings for Norfolk. Arrieta struck out five batters and issued two walks. Tides relief pitcher Bob McCrory (0-1) was charged with four runs, three hits and one walk in one-third of an inning, and Jim Miller suffered his fourth blown save of the season. Designated hitter Michael Aubrey was 2-for-3 with two RBIs for the Tides, and center fielder Justin Christian added three hits, two runs scored and a stolen base. Bowie Baysox (AA) Game 1 score: Bowie Baysox 3, Akron Aeros 0, 7 innings (Box score) Game 1 recap: Starting pitcher Brian Matusz (3-0) continues to shine with the Baysox. The 22-year-old left-hander tossed a complete game, and Bowie topped Akron, 3-0, in the first game of the doubleheader at Prince George's Stadium. Matusz scattered four hits, and he struck out six batters and issued two walks. In three games for the Baysox, Matusz has allowed two runs (one earned) and 10 hits in 18 1/3 innings. He has 21 strikeouts and six walks during that span. Baysox third baseman Mike Costanzo and second baseman Miguel Abreu each collected an RBI double, while first baseman Eric Crozier added an RBI triple. Game 2 score: Akron Aeros 3, Bowie Baysox 2 (Box score) Game 2 recap: Abreu was 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored, but he committed two errors and the Baysox dropped the nightcap, 3-2, to Akron. Bowie first baseman Adam Donachie and Costanzo each collected an RBI, and outfielder Jonathan Tucker added a single, two stolen bases and a run scored. Baysox starting pitcher Fredy Deza (3-3) allowed three runs and six hits in 4 2/3 innings. The 26-year-old right-hander walked one batter and gave up one home run. Relief pitcher Luis Lebron, who was recalled from Frederick before the game, tossed a scoreless inning in his debut for the Baysox. The 24-year-old right-hander struck out two of the three batters he faced. Frederick Keys (A) Score: Frederick Keys 2, Potomac Nationals 0 (Box score) Recap: Second baseman Ryan Adams was 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored in the Keys' 2-0 victory over Potomac. Frederick starting pitcher Nathan Nery (2-3) gave up just one hit in six scoreless innings. The 23-year-old left-hander struck out five batters and issued four walks. Keys center fielder Matt Angle was 2-for-3 with a walk, a stolen base and a run scored, and catcher Caleb Joseph added two hits. Relief pitcher Pat Egan didn't allow any hits in three innings to pick up his first save since being promoted to the Keys last month. Delmarva Shorebirds (A) Score: Hickory Crawdads 7, Delmarva Shorebirds 4 (Box score) Recap: Catcher Luis Bernardo was 2-for-4 with two RBIs, but the Shorebirds lost, 7-4, to Hickory at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium. Delmarva first baseman Joe Mahoney hit an RBI triple and scored a run, while center fielder Kyle Hudson added an RBI. Shorebirds starting pitcher Cole McCurry (3-6) allowed four runs and six hits in seven innings. The 23-year-old left-hander collected three strikeouts and walked one batter. Aberdeen IronBirds (A) Score: Oneonta Tigers 8, Aberdeen IronBirds 2 (Box score) Recap: Starting pitcher Tyler Sexton (1-2) gave up three runs (two earned) and three hits in 4 2/3 innings during the IronBirds' 8-2 loss to Oneonta at Ripken Stadium. The 23-year-old left-hander issued four walks and struck out two batters. Aberdeen third baseman Tom Edwards and left fielder Lance West each hit a triple, while Tom Baxter and Mike Gioioso both added a double in the game. First baseman Tyler Townsend, the Orioles' third-round pick in this year's MLB draft, was 0-for-3 with a walk and three strikeouts for Aberdeen. Relief pitcher Jose Barajas continues to struggle for the IronBirds. The 21-year-old right-hander allowed four runs (two earned) and two hits in 1 1/3 innings. Bluefield Orioles (Rookie) Score: Bluefield Orioles 10, Pulaski Mariners 2 (Box score) Recap: Right fielder Luis Ramirez was 3-for-5 with a home run, a double, three RBIs and two runs scored in the Orioles' 10-2 win over Pulaski. Bluefield shortstop Javier Santana was 3-for-5 with a solo home run and two runs scored, while third baseman Corey Thomas added a solo home run, a single and two runs scored. Orioles starting pitcher Justin Moore (1-0) allowed one unearned run and seven hits in five innings. The 19-year-old right-hander walked three batters and collected two strikeouts. First baseman Mike Flacco collected two hits, an RBI and a run scored for the Orioles. GCL Orioles (Rookie) Score: GCL Red Sox 5, GCL Orioles 4 (Box score) Recap: Right fielder Jaynnertt Melenciano was 2-for-4 with a triple, two RBIs and a run scored, but the Orioles were edged, 5-4, by the Red Sox. Orioles left fielder Edwin Cintron was 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored, while third baseman Anyi Tejeda and center fielder Grolmann Gonzalez each added an RBI. Starting pitcher Jario De La Cruz allowed two runs and four hits in four innings for the Orioles, while relief pitcher David Walters (0-1) gave up three runs and five hits in two innings.

Gary Williams and Tiger Woods [Tracking the Terps]

2009-07-02T17:59:58-07:00

Any basketball player can miss, say, nine shots in a row. What sets the good ones apart is that they don't unravel. They compose themselves and find the confidence and focus and fortitude to convert the 10th if the situation demands it.

That ability -- to regain one's footing, to stay in the moment -- is the essence of one of the questions Gary Williams was asking Tiger Woods the other day.

Williams and Chick Hernandez had the opportunity to question Woods on Comcast SportsNet at the AT&T National.

Said Williams: "In basketball, you have to move on to the next play. You can yell at a referee -- every once in awhile I'll do that. But the next play is happening while you do that."

Woods said he'll look at the scenery, gauge the wind and begin assessing the next shot. The key is not to get stuck reliving a difficult moment.

Williams said he heard that Woods' father told his son he had 12 steps to forget a botched shot.

Said Woods: "It was his way of saying, 'Get over it.'"

Handout photo courtesy of Comcast SportsNet.

Livingston exercises clause in contract, gains release from O's [O's on Deck]

2009-07-02T14:20:41-07:00

The Orioles released starting pitcher Bobby Livingston, who was primarily with the Double-A Bowie Baysox this season, and promoted relief pitcher Luis Lebron from the Single-A Frederick Keys to the Baysox. Orioles director of player development David Stockstill confirmed that Livingston exercised a clause in his contract to gain his release. The stipulation stated that Livingston could become a free agent if he wasn't in the major leagues by July 1. In 13 games (12 starts) with the Baysox, Livingston was 6-2 with a 3.62 ERA. The 26-year-old left-hander was tied for the team-lead in victories with starting pitchers Troy Patton and Jake Arrieta, who were both promoted to the Triple-A Norfolk Tides last month. Livingston also was 1-0 with a 1.80 ERA in three starts for the Tides earlier this season. He struck out 45 batters and issued 22 walks overall with the two teams, and opponents hit .294 against him. Lebron, who spent the first half of the 2009 season as the Keys' closer, provides the Baysox with another solid option at the end of the game. The 24-year-old right-hander was 2-3 with a 3.00 ERA and 11 saves in 28 games for Frederick this year.

Q&A with Torrie Wilson [Ring Posts]

2009-07-02T13:10:38-07:00

I conducted a phone interview Wednesday with former WWE diva Torrie Wilson, who talked about her runner-up finish last week on the NBC reality show I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here, as well as her negative experience doing the divas battle royal at WrestleMania XXV last April. So, what’s the first you did when you got back home after three weeks or so in the jungle in Costa Rica? When I arrived at my house I had a very small party with my closest friends and family and I ate some vanilla cake. I’m sure it tasted good to you. Man it was delicious. What was the toughest part about being in the jungle and what was the toughest challenge that you had to do? I think the toughest part about being there was that some of the personalities were clashing, so it was difficult at times to get along with everybody. And, of course, the eating was really difficult. The hardest challenge – there was one where we stuck our head in something [a glass case filled with snakes]. I was really glad I didn’t get the tarantulas. Spencer and Heidi Pratt and Janice Dickinson came off as incredibly annoying. What was it like being in the jungle with them?

Today's game previews -- June 2 [O's on Deck]

2009-07-02T11:16:11-07:00

The Triple-A Norfolk Tides return to Harbor Park for a game against the Gwinnett Braves, while the Double-A Bowie Baysox will try again to play their doubleheader against the Akron Aeros at Prince George's Stadium. The Single-A Frederick Keys travel to face the Potomac Nationals, and the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds host the Hickory Crawdads at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium. The short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds look to rebound from four consecutive losses when they take on the Oneonta Tigers tonight at Ripken Stadium. Norfolk Tides (AAA) Opponent Gwinnett Braves (7:15 p.m.) Probable pitchers Norfolk: Jake Arrieta (1-2, 3.57 ERA) Gwinnett: John Halama (0-1, 2.70 ERA) Bowie Baysox (AA) Opponent Doubleheader vs. Akron Aeros (6:05 p.m.) Game 1: Probable pitchers Bowie: Brian Matusz (2-0, 0.79 ERA) Akron: Hector Rondon (7-4, 2.59 ERA) Game 2: Probable pitchers Bowie: Fredy Deza (3-2, 2.95 ERA) Akron: Erik Stiller (5-3, 3.86 ERA) Frederick Keys (A) Opponent at Potomac Nationals (7:05 p.m.) Probable pitchers Frederick: Sean Gleason (0-2, 4.56 ERA) Potomac: TBA Delmarva Shorebirds (A) Opponent Hickory Crawdads (7:05 p.m.) Probable pitchers Delmarva: Cole McCurry (3-5, 3.25 ERA) Hickory: Wilmer Font (3-1, 4.37 ERA) Aberdeen IronBirds (A) Opponent Oneonta Tigers (7:05 p.m.) Probable pitchers Aberdeen: Ken Moreland (2-0, 0.75 ERA) Oneonta: Gary Perinar (0-1, 5.79 ERA)

Tides' Tillman, Miller earn spots on All-Star team [O's on Deck]

2009-07-02T10:53:38-07:00

If you're looking to catch a glimpse of one of the Orioles' top pitching prospects, be sure to check out the Triple-A All-Star Game on July 15 at 10:05 p.m. on ESPN2. The game will be played in Portland, Ore. Triple-A Norfolk Tides starting pitcher Chris Tillman was selected to represent the International League in the annual midseason contest. The 21-year-old right-hander will be joined on the team, which will play against the Pacific Coast League All-Stars, by Norfolk relief pitcher Jim Miller. Tillman is 5-5 with a 2.97 ERA in 14 starts for the Tides this season. He is tied for eighth in the International League with 75 strikeouts in 72 2/3 innings. Opponents are batting .226 against Tillman, but he has lost five consecutive decisions after starting the season with a 5-0 record. Miller is tied for the lead in the International League with 16 saves. The 27-year-old right-hander is 2-2 with a 1.99 ERA in 30 appearances for the Tides in 2009. He has allowed just eight runs (seven earned) in 31 2/3 innings. Tides manager Gary Allenson will be an assistant coach on the International League All-Star team. Former Orioles relief pitcher Fernando Cabrera also was selected to the International League squad. Cabrera is tied for first place in the league with Miller in saves (16), and he is 0-1 with a 1.03 ERA in 27 games. The 27-year-old right-hander has only given up five runs (four earned) in 35 innings this season.

Monroe discusses Maryland pledge [Recruiting Report]

2009-07-02T10:23:16-07:00

After Maryland wrapped up its 2009 recruiting class, one of the Terps’ first junior scholarship offers went out to St. John’s College (D.C.) defensive tackle Andre Monroe. The 5-foot-11, 290-pounder thought about making an early commitment, but decided to go through the recruiting process for a little while. That ended Tuesday night, when Monroe committed to the Terps. “It feels great knowing that I’m committed and they were at the top of my list the whole time,” Monroe said. “It feels great and I feel relief, getting it out of the way before the season so I can concentrate on my senior year.” After Maryland offered, New Mexico, Akron, Bowling Green, Miami (OH) and Ohio followed suit with scholarships of their own. Other major schools expressed interest, and Monroe took visits to Pittsburgh, Duke and North Carolina. But the Terps remained his only BCS-conference offer. St. John’s coach Joe Patterson thinks there’s a simple explanation for Monroe’s relatively low-profile recruitment. “[Monroe’s height] was the only thing you ever heard anyone talking about ... as far as any issues he may have had,” Patterson said. “If he had been a couple of inches taller, I’m sure he would’ve been a national recruit.” The Maryland staff first saw Monroe at a summer football camp before his sophomore year. Whenever a Terps coach went to a St. John’s game last season to check out offensive line recruit Pete White, Monroe inevitably played his way into their consciousness. Patterson said Monroe’s junior film led to the early UM offer. “Andre is as productive as anyone I’ve ever had,” Patterson said. “Teams had to scheme around him. ... He reminds me, as far as being a playmaker, of Tony Tucker, who’s a defensive end for Pittsburgh. I think Andre brings a whole different range of skills just because he has such a tremendously low center of gravity and he uses his body so well. And he’s got incredibly strong legs. That package [is tough to come by].” Monroe and White used to car-pool together to St. John’s, and the two are admittedly close. But Monroe said his former and future teammate never put pressure on him to commit to the Terps. “He threw his input in there,” Monroe said. “But he wasn’t trying to do it really hard like all the coaches were. He explained to me that he went through the process, too. He showed me how sometimes the pressure can get to you, and he didn’t want [me to go through] some of the things that happened to him.” When Monroe arrives in College Park in 2010, he’ll have a chance to go up against White in practice again on a daily basis. Monroe said he’s excited to suit up for the program that believed in him from the start. For the rest of the summer, he’s committed to making his senior season a memorable one. “Right now I’ll keep working out and continue to get better, spend more time with my teammates to make sure we’re together to have a successful season and win a championship.”

The end of the Born Ready saga [Tracking the Terps]

2009-07-02T06:41:27-07:00

Schools were once dazzled by Lance Stephenson, New York State's boys career scoring leader. Maryland took a long, hard look. So did many others.

But, one by one, schools pulled out of the running. The Baltimore Sun reported on June 15 that Maryland was no longer recruiting him.

Colleges were wary of the recruit in part because of an Internet reality series called Born Ready. Some schools worry the NCAA may question an athlete's involvement with such a site. There was also concern about a misdemeanor sexual assault charge.

But there will always be a suitor for a basketball talent as enticing as Stephenson. And yesterday, Stephenson found his match. He will play for the University of Cincinnati.

"We are very excited about Lance's decision to become a Bearcat," Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin said in a written statement. "Lance has terrific talent as a basketball player, and is also a fierce competitor on the court. His desire to win will help us compete for a BIG EAST Championship."

More from Cronin: "As a big guard, Lance brings playmaking ability and versatility to our team, along with his talent for scoring. We look forward to getting Lance here for summer school and building our team for the upcoming season."

Which Oriole most deserves to be a 2009 All-Star? [The Toy Department]

2009-07-02T03:25:49-07:00

The Boston Red Sox have left town. I saw the bandwagon lights heading up I-95.

We can joke all we want, but even after that incredible comeback Tuesday, the Orioles are just 1-6 against the Red Sox this season. And so it goes in this Groundhog’s Day at Camden Yards.

At least I can try to serve you a little spirit-lifter today.

Let’s talk about the Orioles who have played well this first half.

On Sunday, the All-Star rosters will be announced. The Orioles will get one representative, like they have in seven of the last eight years. It likely will be either center fielder Adam Jones or closer George Sherrill.

Both are fine choices – despite Sherrill’s rough outing Wednesday. Don’t forget the guy had only allowed one run in his past 21 innings before his Red Sox meltdown.

Given how tough it is to juggle All-Star rosters, outfield and the pitching staff are logical spots that need to be filled. So that’s probably where Tampa’s Joe Maddon will go.

But is that who you would select? What about setup man Jim Johnson or DH Luke Scott or right fielder Nick Markakis?

Remember, this is regardless of position. Choose the Oriole who is most deserving.

Daily Think Special: Which Oriole most deserves to be an All-Star?

Today's game recaps -- July 1 [O's on Deck]

2009-07-01T21:36:11-07:00

The Double-A Bowie Baysox beat the Akron Aeros tonight, and the second game of the doubleheader was postponed due to the storms that swept through the area. The game between the Single-A Frederick Keys and Wilmington Blue Rocks was also rained out, while the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds lost to the Hickory Crawdads. The short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds fell to the Oneonta Tigers in a rain-shortened contest, and the rookie-level Bluefield Orioles edged the Burlington Royals. The rookie-level GCL Orioles dropped a close game to the GCL Rays, and the Triple-A Norfolk Tides were idle tonight. Bowie Baysox (AA) Score: Bowie Baysox 3, Akron Aeros 2, 7 innings (Box score) Recap: Shortstop Robert Valido hit a solo home run in the first inning, and the Baysox went on to beat Akron, 3-2, in seven innings at Prince George's Stadium. The two teams were originally scheduled to play a doubleheader, but the second game was postponed due to rain. In order to make up the rainout, the Baysox and Aeros will play a doubleheader tomorrow night. Bowie center fielder Jonathan Tucker was 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored, and catcher Guillermo Rodriguez added an RBI. Baysox relief pitcher Wilfrido Perez (2-0) collected two outs in order to earn the victory, while Josh Perrault tossed a scoreless inning to pick up his 14th save of the season. Starting pitcher John Mariotti gave up two runs, four hits and three walks in 4 2/3 innings for the Baysox, but he didn't factor in the decision. Frederick Keys (A) Tonight's game between the Keys and Blue Rocks at Harry Grove Stadium was postponed. It will be made up as part of a doubleheader on August 15, and the first game is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. Delmarva Shorebirds (A) Score: Hickory Crawdads 7, Delmarva Shorebirds 4 (Box score) Recap: Third baseman Tyler Kolodny was 2-for-4 with a walk and a run scored, but the Shorebirds fell, 7-4, to Hickory at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium. Delmarva catcher Luis Bernardo also collected two hits, and second baseman Rodolfo Cardona was 1-for-2 with a double, an RBI and a run scored. Shorebirds starting pitcher Nathan Moreau gave up four runs, four hits and four walks in 4 1/3 innings. The 22-year-old left-hander struck out five batters and allowed two home runs in the game. Relief pitcher Brent Allar (0-3) allowed three runs, four hits and four walks in three innings for Delmarva. Right fielder Brian Conley didn't have any hits for the Shorebirds, but he walked twice and scored two runs in the loss. Aberdeen IronBirds (A) Score: Oneonta Tigers 3, Aberdeen IronBirds 0, 8 innings (Box score) Recap: Shortstop Blake Davis was 3-for-4 in his latest game on an injury rehabilitation assignment, but the IronBirds suffered a 3-0 loss in eight innings at Ripken Stadium. The game was called in the bottom of the eighth due to rain. Aberdeen first baseman Tyler Townsend picked up his first two professional hits, finishing 2-for-3 with a double and a walk, while right fielder Arthur Bonevacia was 1-for-2 with two walks. IronBirds starting pitcher Brandon Erbe (0-1) gave up three runs (one earned) and three hits in four innings. The 21-year-old right-hander struck out two batters and issued one walk. Bluefield Orioles (Rookie) Score: Bluefield Orioles 3, Burlington Royals 2 (Box score) Recap: Starting pitcher Jorge Almanzar only allowed one run and five hits in 4 2/3 innings, but he didn't qualify for the win in the Orioles' 3-2 victory over Burlington. The 22-year-old right-hander collected five strikeouts and walked four batters. Bluefield relief pitcher Justin Anderson (1-0) picked up the win after giving up one run and one hit in 3 1/3 innings, while Josh Dowdy retired the side in order during the ninth for his first save of the season. Orioles designated hitter Jose Kianes was 1-for-3 with a triple, a walk and two runs scored, while catcher Janensis Guerrero and center fielder Larry Rivera each added an RBI. GCL Orioles (Rookie) Score: GCL Rays 2, GCL Orioles 1 (Box score) Recap: The Orioles committed four errors in a 2-1 loss to the Rays. Third baseman Anyi Tejeda was 2-for-4 for the Orioles, while first baseman David Anderson added a double and a walk. Orioles catcher David Calderon collected an RBI, and right fielder Grolmann Gonzalez scored the team's only run in the ninth inning. Starting pitcher Eiri Ramirez (1-1) only allowed two unearned runs and three hits in seven innings for the Orioles, but he suffered the loss. The 20-year-old right-hander struck out five batters and didn't walk anyone.

Rough start for new-look ECW [Ring Posts]

2009-07-01T13:47:46-07:00

With Jack Swagger, Evan Bourne and The Hart Dynasty having graduated with honors from ECW, a new class of young talent debuted on the show Tuesday night. Four performers from the Florida Championship Wrestling developmental territory – Yoshi Tatsu, Abraham Washington, Sheamus and Tyler Reks – appeared on the program. It’s always exciting to see fresh faces, but it may have been too much to throw at the audience all at once. The combination of all the unfamiliar characters, a train wreck interview segment and a stupid booking decision regarding Shelton Benjamin made for one of the worst episodes of ECW in quite a while.

Four Baysox players on Eastern League All-Star team [O's on Deck]

2009-07-01T11:57:43-07:00

Four members of the Double-A Bowie Baysox were selected to represent the team in the 2009 Eastern League All-Star Game, the league announced today. Bowie second baseman Miguel Abreu, outfielder Jonathan Tucker, as well as relief pitchers Josh Perrault and Ryan Ouellette will participate in the game on July 15 at 7:05 p.m. in Trenton, N.J. The Akron Aeros and Erie SeaWolves each will send five players to Trenton to join the Baysox representatives on the Southern Division team. The Reading Phillies have four players on the team, and the Harrisburg Senators and Altoona Curve are each represented by three players. Each division's roster in the All-Star Game has 24 players, and every team has at least three representatives. At least one position player and one pitcher from each team in the league were chosen by fans through online and stadium balloting, while the rest of the players were picked through voting by league media, managers and officials. Abreu is batting a team-high .296 this season, and he also leads the Baysox in hits (85), doubles (18), RBIs (25) and games played (76). Tucker is third in the Eastern League with 19 stolen bases in 2009, and he leads the team with 40 runs scored. Perrault, who leads the Baysox in appearances, has converted 13 out of 16 saves this season. He is first on the Baysox with 38 strikeouts in 37 innings. Ouellette was promoted from Single-A Frederick in the middle of May, and he is 3-1 with one save and a 2.05 ERA in 22 innings with the Baysox. All-Star Game festivities will also include an autograph session, home run derby and post-game fireworks.

Friedgen, Franklin and the $1M Promise [Tracking the Terps]

2009-07-01T09:02:26-07:00

I have a story today about how long Ralph Friedgen might remain as head coach – and how his current thinking squares with the school’s “coach-in-waiting” agreement with offensive coordinator James Franklin.

There is a bit of a discrepancy here – which is one reason I wrote the story (i.e., to try to make sense of the situation).

Fridge says he’s not trying to set a record for coaching longevity. He says he won’t be Joe Paterno. But he doesn’t seem to want to be limited to three years. He talks generally about coaching three to five more years. He says he might be tempted to stay past 2012 if the Terps go to the Orange Bowl in, say, 2011.

But Maryland has a contract with Franklin that says the university is liable to Franklin for $1 million if Friedgen remains head coach beyond Jan. 2, 2012.

So how do you reconcile these two things?

One way would be for Franklin – who has passed up opportunities in the NFL and at other colleges -- to simply remain as offensive coordinator if Fridge stays on and therefore not exercise his right to claim the $1 million. Another way would be for Friedgen and Franklin to agree to amend the timetable, provided the school’s administration agrees.

Here’s a quote from Athletic Director Debbie Yow that didn’t appear in the story about the $1 million promise to Franklin:

“We have a legal obligation at this point in the document to (pay) that. If Ralph wanted to have that conversation with him, that has to be an agreement they would have that changes the document.There could always be a conversation – of course – between the two of them.,” Yow said.

Today's game previews -- July 1 [O's on Deck]

2009-07-01T08:45:03-07:00

The Orioles' comeback over the Boston Red Sox last night was definitely one to remember, and I have my ticket to prove I was there in the upper deck at Camden Yards -- at least for the first five innings. OK, so I admit that I left at the beginning of the rain delay. I had some minor league baseball game recaps to write as soon as I got home, so there was no need (at least I thought) to stay through the downpour in such a one-sided affair. Did anyone else leave the ballpark early? It's acceptable to come clean. I don't want to be the only person who didn't think the last-place team could overcome such a large deficit against one of the best bullpens in the major leagues. Anyway, moving on to today's probable pitchers. The Double-A Bowie Baysox face the Akron Aeros in a doubleheader at Prince George's Stadium, and the Single-A Frederick Keys play the Wilmington Blue Rocks at Harry Grove Stadium. The Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds play this afternoon against the Hickory Crawdads at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium, while the short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds host the Oneonta Tigers at Ripken Stadium. The Triple-A Norfolk Tides are idle. Bowie Baysox (AA) Opponent Doubleheader vs. Akron Aeros (6:05 p.m.) Game 1: Probable pitchers Bowie: John Mariotti (2-5, 2.78 ERA) Akron: Ryan Edell (2-0, 2.55 ERA) Game 2: Probable pitchers Bowie: Fredy Deza (3-2, 2.95 ERA) Akron: TBA Frederick Keys (A) Opponent Wilmington Blue Rocks (7 p.m.) Probable pitchers Frederick: Sean Gleason (0-2, 4.56 ERA) Wilmington: Danny Duffy (6-2, 3.43 ERA) Delmarva Shorebirds (A) Opponent Hickory Crawdads (12:35 p.m.) Probable pitchers Delmarva: Nathan Moreau (1-2, 4.26 ERA) Hickory: Neil Ramirez (0-1, 9.82 ERA) Aberdeen IronBirds (A) Opponent Oneonta Tigers (7:05 p.m.) Probable pitchers Aberdeen: Brandon Erbe (0-0, 6.75 ERA) Oneonta: TBA

It's time to be brave with the Baysox [O's on Deck]

2009-07-01T06:37:05-07:00

Were you a fan of Fear Factor during the show's six-season run earlier this decade on NBC? Even if you didn't like the nasty food challenges (I didn't), you'll still have a chance to feel like a contestant on the show when the Double-A Bowie Baysox host Face Your Fears Friday at Prince George's Stadium during their game against the Altoona Curve on July 10 at 7:05 p.m. If you're scared of clowns, it's time to conquer that fear by hanging out with Cha Cha the Clown during the event. "I do not like clowns," Baysox director of promotions Lauren Phillips said in a statement. "We do a lot of fun contests between innings, but they will be a lot harder to do when I'm running from Cha Cha." Several reptiles, snakes, spiders and insects will be on display courtesy of Wildlife Adventures, and there will be a rock wall in the parking lot at the ballpark.

Atholton's Robinson talks Terps commitment [Recruiting Report]

2009-07-01T06:23:47-07:00

In June 1999, Derry (Pa.) Area offensive lineman Kyle Schmitt landed a scholarship offer from the Maryland football program and promptly accepted. Ten years later, Atholton wide receiver-defensive back Matt Robinson found himself in a similar position as Schmitt -- his new coach -- once did. On Monday, Robinson decided to follow in Schmitt’s footsteps and commit to the Terps. “It just feels good to know where I’m going,” Robinson said. “I’ve been following the team for awhile. They’ve always been a big school in my mind that I wanted to go to.” As a junior, the 6-foot-4, 210-pound Robinson was a first-team All-Howard County selection after catching 15 passes for 210 yards and four touchdowns. Defensively, he recorded 74 tackles, six pass breakups and two forced fumbles. Despite Robinson’s best efforts, Atholton struggled to a 3-7 season. When Atholton decided to make a coaching change last spring, the 27-year-old Schmitt was tabbed for the job, fresh off a two-year stint as a Maryland graduate assistant. While Schmitt’s Maryland ties run deep, the former UM offensive line stalwart stayed impartial throughout Robinson’s recruitment. “I didn’t try to sway him in any way,” Schmitt said. “Me being a Terp player and former coach, I didn’t want that to come into play. Obviously, I’m glad Matt chose Maryland. I think it’s a great program. But I’m happy he’s close to home. His family can see him play, and that’s why I’m thrilled with Matt. He’s ready to do it.” For the past four months, Robinson’s received a free preview of what football might be like in College Park. Schmitt has adopted many of the Terps’ coaching and training methods in his brief tenure with the Raiders. “It’s been really good,” Robinson said. “We’re running all the same stuff Maryland does, really. We’ve got this whole new workout plan. It’s really legit.” It’s likely that Robinson will start his college career as an H-back, though there’s also the potential for him to play safety. Schmitt thinks that versatility is one of Robinson’s greatest strengths. “Right know he’s open to playing anywhere, and I think that’s what Maryland liked about him, and that’s what I love about him,” Schmitt said. “I think he could grow to 230, 240 pounds. He’s one of the top five hardest workers on our team right now. ... I think Matt’s best football is in front of him; it’s not even close. Maryland saw that as well. The unknown with Matt might be his best quality. There’s a lot of potential there that’s untapped right now.” With offers from Fordham, James Madison, Massachusetts, Old Dominion and Stony Brook, it’s safe to say Robinson floated under the radar of most college football recruiters. Schmitt, however, cautions Maryland fans to overlook recruiting rankings when it comes to Robinson’s game. “I told Matt, ‘Maryland knows you better than any school in the country.’ ... The more they saw him, the more they liked him. ... He makes plays, he’s got excellent ball skills for a guy his age and he’s a smart player. Matt’s going to be a productive player. There’s no doubt in my mind.” Robinson’s similarly confident that he’ll live up to the Maryland staff’s expectations. “I work hard and I can bring a lot to the table,” Robinson said. “I never quit.”

When did you believe the Orioles actually had a chance to win Tuesday night? [The Toy Department]

2009-07-01T05:53:33-07:00

This is when a bar owner gets into trouble.

This is when you have to worry that the liquor license might get revoked.

Can you imagine how loud it was in the bar Tuesday night when the Orioles rallied for the greatest comeback in their 55-year history?

You people woke up the Sleeping Baby Sallys in the Toy Department.

The cops came twice, and eventually gave up crowd control after the eighth.

I now have to suspend the backup bartenders for letting you all stay well past 2.

Heck, maybe it was worth it.

To be honest, I had another entry prepared for today. It wasn’t particularly positive, either. But I tossed it away. Sort of like the Red Sox bullpen Tuesday night.

So this one will be short and sweet – for you Orioles fans anyway.

This is primarily for those of you who stayed up to watch the Orioles rally from a 10-1 deficit in the seventh to beat Boston 11-10. But we won’t ignore the rest of you who went to sleep either. Some people have real jobs.

For those that stuck it out:

Daily Think Special: When did you believe the Orioles actually had a chance?

And for the rest of you:

Bonus Think Special: Where does Tuesday night rank among the best regular season wins in Orioles’ history?

Thoughts on the WWE trade [Ring Posts]

2009-06-30T19:43:31-07:00

Here are my takes on each brand’s acquisitions in the 15-wrestler trade that WWE announced Monday. RAW Evan Bourne (from ECW): The good news for Bourne is that he’s now on WWE’s top-rated show. The potential bad news is that he could get lost in the shuffle with so many big names on the roster. He may have been better off spending another year on ECW and possibly getting a title run there. A program with The Brian Kendrick could be interesting (if Kendrick can get back on television).

Many college refs not paid in 2009 [Re: Lax]

2009-06-30T11:47:15-07:00

When the firm that assigns and pays referees for a large portion of college lacrosse games defaulted on payments to the officials this spring, it wasn’t an issue that reached the fans or the media. In early June, the season was over, but John Powers of the Boston Globe broke the story, directly affecting about a dozen schools in the paper’s coverage area. I started calling around to see if the refs were paid and which schools were affected locally. The company that owns the AssignByWeb service is called PaymentsFirst. They are in Philadelphia and serviced many schools and conferences in many sports for five years before 2008. Some of their reported customers are/were Quinnipiac, MIT, Mount St. Mary's, York, Johns Hopkins, Amherst, Colby, Army and Navy. They had a contract with conferences like the ECAC and even the college lacrosse oversight body, the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association. More than 50 lacrosse-playing schools had paid in advance but were, in fact, not paying the referees that called the games. The USILA has used the AssignByWeb service for a few years. As you can see in this excerpt below from the USILA Web site, the proposed services were valuable and less expensive that previous methods of assigning and paying lacrosse’s college referees. Section II. On-Line Services - The USILA has contracted with assignbyweb.com to provide online services. 1. Services include: A) Posting all game assignments by date and school B) Posting all post game officials evaluations C) Posting all costs associated with officials fees and travel 2. This replaces the ECAC Program used in 2004 & 2005, at savings of over $15, 000 per year. 3. This new system will allow DAA's to precisely judge officials' travel to allow scheduling to be done with school expenses in mind. The system was working. AssignByWeb was paid in advance by the schools to administer and pay the referees who officiated their lacrosse games. By the way the story goes, the company was paying out to each season with the fees from the next season. When they hit the summer season with no college sports going on, they ran out of money and the spring referees did not get paid. In fact, referees in winter sports stopped getting paid in January when the problem was reported to the ECAC and the USILA along with the individual colleges in many cases. Powers reported that the USILA “alerted the Athletic Directors of its member schools in mid-April, telling them that it was clear they couldn't expect payment from the company and asking them to pay the officials directly.” College referees make between $150 and 250 per game plus mileage. And many of them did. Many of the schools were horrified that the refs were not paid and felt swindled by the company that had their money and would not release it to the referees. Many of the schools started paying the referees the wages they were owed and then manually for the games remaining in 2009. They were back to cutting checks and assigning refs and out the $5,000 or more they each had to deposit with AssignByWeb for the services they did not receive. Roy Condon, USILA's district assigner for New England told Powers that "at least a third [of the schools] have already paid. Another third are sending out W-9s [tax forms]. And probably another third are awaiting a legal response." As it turns out, PaymentsFirst was not authorized by the state of Pennsylvania to transmit money and has been prohibited from operating until it receives a license, according to Powers. I have copies of some of the e-mails flowing back and forth between schools and referees and have seen evidence of schools attempting to pay the referees promptly, but others have claimed that payment would be forthcoming but they do not know when. They have mentioned possible litigation against PaymentsFirst and have noted the inconvenience this has caused all of the parties. The only problem with the wait-and-see approach is that the referees don’t work for PaymentsFirst and should have been paid immediately after the situation was brought to the attention of the schools. In some cases, the schools kept requesting referees after the problem surfaced and still did not promptly pay them. If the school knows at some point that the ref is not being paid and still assigns the ref without making some other arrangement for payment, then they are somewhat complicit in the offense against the referee, regardless of their initial victim status. I should have to explain this to institutions of higher learning? I won’t name the schools that I’ve been told have not made payments even now, as we end the month of June, but fully expect them to do the right thing.

Does Lesnar cheapen UFC 100 for purists? [MMA Stomping Grounds]

2009-06-30T11:14:09-07:00

The UFC has been building up UFC 100 for months. It’s a topic that was on the minds of fans and media members for months before. It’s being billed by the UFC as the biggest event they have ever had.

So, with that in mind, how much does it offend MMA purists to see Brock Lesnar in the main event of this card? With his pro wrestling background and the fact that he got a title shot after going 1-1 in his first two UFC fights, he had his haters from the beginning.

Is this just more salt in the wound, having a former pro wrestler with less than 10 MMA fights headlining the biggest card in UFC history as the heavyweight champ? Or have fans finally accepted Lesnar?

It’s hard to deny he’s one of the top fighters in the division after his destruction of Randy Couture, so maybe fans have finally accepted that Lesnar is here to stay. The guy is still raw in a lot of areas but he’s got amazing strengths in his game as well. There’s no denying he’s good for the sport, as he’s a huge PPV draw.

After the UFC was forced to move the Mir-Lesnar fight, it was just smart marketing to put it at UFC 100. With Mir coming off a big win and with the revenge factor surrounding this fight for Lesnar, it’s got to be one of the easiest main events to market.

At the same time, though, you’ve got Georges St. Pierre fighting Thiago Alves for the welterweight championship. The GSP bandwagon has been growing exponentially and it looks like St. Pierre could be the new face of the UFC after Liddell’s fade from the limelight.

What better way to reaffirm that then to make his fight the main event at UFC 100? Alves is a more than worthy contender and that should be a heck of a fight. Lesnar’s fight will be interesting as well, but that’s more because we’re still trying to find out what holes Lesnar has in his game -- not because it’s a fight between two guys near their primes as fighter.

I don’t think the Lesnar main event cheapens UFC 100, but I am curious what the purists think on the topic.

(Photo courtesy of Zuffa, Inc.)

Calvert Hall's Jackson headed to Navy [Recruiting Report]

2009-06-30T09:11:02-07:00

The odds were stacked against Donya Jackson from the start. That the Calvert Hall small forward is still in high school, let alone excelling on the court and off, is an unbelievable achievement. That the 6-foot-4, 200-pound rising senior is going to college, let alone an institution like the Naval Academy, is borderline miraculous. Jackson, who committed to Navy two weekends ago, was born in Baltimore, spent several years in New York and returned before middle school to the Pumphrey section of Anne Arundel County and later South Baltimore. As a seventh grader at Benjamin Franklin Middle School in Brooklyn, Jackson said he was skipping school and staying out late. “All the guys in my family have went to jail or sold drugs,” Jackson said. “A lot of women in my family used drugs. ... Right now I should be somewhere dealing drugs or in jail, because that’s the path that was set up for me.” In Jackson’s seventh-grade year, a chance meeting changed everything. William Russell, the basketball coach at Benjamin Franklin (now called Masonville Cove Community Academy), saw Jackson in a sparsely attended middle school play. The two met after the show and struck up a friendship. Russell invited the 5-7 Jackson to join his team. “It was the first time he ever played. He couldn’t dribble the ball and he couldn’t shoot,” Russell recalled with a laugh. Jackson bought in to Russell’s philosophy and made his mark early on defense. Off the court, Russell began to discover the harsh realities of Jackson’s upbringing. At the time, Jackson was living in Brooklyn with his aunt. Russell offered to take the 12-year-old Jackson into his home. The arrangement suited both parties well, and Russell adopted Jackson the following year, subsequently changing the course of his life. “It wasn’t that I didn’t want to do right; it was that I didn’t have anyone pushing me, somebody with their foot in my butt,” Jackson said. “When I went with my father, he had a lot of structure. There was no coming home in the wee hours of the night. He had to know where I was, who I was with, when I was there. He had to know everything. ... So going with him helped me a lot. The will to do right was always there. I just needed someone to guide me on the right path.” Jackson spent his freshman year of high school at Northwestern, where he played on the junior varsity team. He transferred to Calvert Hall the following year. As a junior, Jackson averaged 11.4 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game. He was honored as the Baltimore Catholic League’s Defensive Player of the Year for his efforts. Loyola and St. Francis (Pa.) offered scholarships, while Mount St. Mary’s, UMBC, Quinnipiac, Niagara and several others were interested, according to Russell. Navy, meanwhile, was always involved. At a team camp earlier this summer, Russell said Jackson connected with Midshipmen guards Jordan Sugars and Romeo Garcia. Father and son “fell in love with the style of play,” Russell said. “We were actually at a regional track championship, and Donya said, ‘Pop, I’ve been thinking a lot about Navy. Nobody’s going to offer me what Navy can offer me.’ And I said, ‘You’re exactly right, son.’ He’s going to have a career after basketball, and that’s what has been important to us.” Said Jackson, “At first, I was kind of scared going to Navy because of the war going on right now. I’m really not a military guy, but when I sat back and looked at the whole picture, the education that I will get when I’m there is tops in the country, I’ll graduate an officer in the Navy and I’ll get to choose any field I want to be in. Me and my father sat down and talked about it, and he said ‘you’ll go there, and doors will open.’” From a basketball standpoint, Calvert Hall coach John Bauersfeld thinks Jackson and Navy are a perfect match. Jackson’s improved shooting and defensive intensity make him an ideal player for the frenetic pace of Navy’s system. “It’s a great fit and it’s 100 percent his decision,” Bauersfeld said. “Nobody pressured him in any way to go there. He said it was the right place for him. ... They’re very excited to have a kid with the quality of character and also the talent and tremendous upside Donya has. They’re very excited to have him.” Before middle school Jackson had never played organized basketball. Now he’ll receive a free education because of the sport. Russell said Jackson’s hard work and dedication to the game made this all possible. But Jackson says his father is the one to thank for his good fortune. “He’s just been so happy,” Jackson said. “I actually just got him a card because we had a little argument and I didn’t get my way and I acted like a brat. I wrote him a big apology in the card because I wouldn’t be here right now if it wasn’t for him. All of this is because of him. I look at him and he’s so happy and proud of me because I’m doing the right things. And I have to think about all of that. But he’s definitely extremely happy. I can see it in his face every time he looks at me.”

Catching Up With ... former Oriole Floyd Rayford [The Toy Department]

2009-06-30T06:12:32-07:00

Each Tuesday in The Toy Department, veteran Baltimore Sun sportswriter Mike Klingaman tracks down a former local sports figure and lets you know what's happening in his/her life in a segment called, "Catching Up With ... " Let Klingaman know who you'd like him to find and click here to check out previous editions of "Catching Up With ... "

It happens every time Double-A Bowie hosts New Britain (Conn.) in an Eastern League game. Someone in the stands points out the visitors’ stubby hitting coach and the cry goes up.

"Hey there, Sugar Bear!"

Floyd Rayford smiles, saunters over and signs autographs.

More than 20 years after he last played for Baltimore, Rayford remains a crowd favorite.

"Orioles fans never forget," he said.

How could they? In the 1980s, few players won more hearts over than Rayford, the roly-poly, self-effacing utility player who looked like he’d never met a push-up. Yet he stuck in the big leagues for seven years, six of them with the Orioles, who could plug him into four positions – first base, second, third and catcher – without missing a beat.

Floyd Rayford doing a commercial for the Baltimore Symphony in 1984. (Baltimore Sun file photo by Irving H. Phillips)

"I never had a great body, but it was suitable to play everywhere," said Rayford. "I liked catching best. I was too busy back there to be nervous. It wasn’t like playing third base. There’s no time to get butterflies when you’re catching."

His hitting was unremarkable, save for 1985 when he hit 18 home runs and batted .306.

The reason?

"I got divorced in mid-season," Rayford said. "I thought, ‘Hell, I’ve got to pay her every month so I better start hitting.’ Alimony can be a tremendous motivator."

At 5 feet 10 and 210 pounds, Rayford had power. The "Sugar Bear" nickname alludes to his resemblance to a cartoon mascot on a cereal box.

If Rayford resembled the guy next door – OK, maybe two guys – he was worth his weight to the Orioles. At Triple-A Rochester in 1981, he helped a young Cal Ripken who was struggling at the plate.

"Cal complained that (manager) Doc Edwards, who threw batting practice, was too slow," Rayford said. "He asked if I’d come out early and throw to him."

That Rayford did, two hours a day for much of that summer.

"Cal had a great year, thanks to me," he said.

A year later, with the Orioles, they roomed together. For Rayford, those road trips were exhausting.

"Every morning when he woke up, Cal wanted to wrestle and throw you around the room," he said. "Once as he leaned over my bed to see if I was awake, I opened my eyes and punched him right in the chest."

Ripken’s response?

"He got back in bed and went back to sleep."

Rayford swears it was Ripken who once locked him in the bathroom in a hotel in Texas, causing him to miss the team bus.

"I got him back, though," Rayford said. "During a game in Detroit, I snuck into the clubhouse and cut off every button on his shirt.

"When Cal left the ballpark that night, he wore a tie over his (bare midriff) with the shirt flapping open."

Fittingly, perhaps, it was Rayford whom Ripken replaced at third base for a 1982 contest that marked the start of the Iron Man’s 2,632 consecutive games streak.

The Orioles cut Rayford in 1987. Now 52, he has knocked around the bushes ever since, teaching kids how to hit. Do they listen? New Britain, a Minnesota farm team, leads the Eastern League in batting.

Married, Rayford has a daughter in graduate school at Maryland and a home Silver Spring. At 225 pounds, he’s not far off his playing weight, though he longs for the ribs at the Corner Stable in Cockeysville – and the people of Baltimore.

"Even when I was going bad, the fans treated me good," he said. "They liked me. I didn’t have the greatest body type, but I was out there trying to do it."

Rayford, one of the Orioles' most versatile players, holds gloves he used at different positions. (Sun file photo by Irving H. Phillips)

Chris Turner's "legacy" [Tracking the Terps]

2009-06-30T05:00:22-07:00

Quarterback Chris Turner says he wants to leave a "legacy" at Maryland. He wants to be remembered -- to stand out.

It's always good to aim high, and Turner is doing that. It's not easy to rise into a group that includes Boomer Esiason, Frank Reich, Stan Gelbaugh, Neil O'Donnell, Shaun Hill and others.

Turner knows he'll need a big senior season to end his career where he and the Terps want to be.

Entering the season, Turner ranks fourth on Maryland's career completion percentage list and seventh in career passing yards. He's seventh in total offense, fifth in completions and tied for 11th in touchdown passes.

Turner knows there's room for improvement. Here's an analysis of his game:

Assets: Poise, smarts, toughness. Turner is at his best in big games. Maryland says he has led the Terps to six wins in seven games against Top 25 teams in the AP poll. Among the most memorable came when he entered after Jordan Steffy suffered a concussion in Turner's sophomore season and helped beat No. 10 Rutgers.

Needs to work on: Arm strength, mobility. Sure. Maryland would love to have a quarterback making plays with speed and moves when the pocket collapses. That's not going to happen much with Turner.

I almost fell out of my seat in the press box last season when Turner took off and ran on fourth-and-five from North Carolina's 32, giving the Terps a criticial first down near the end of a tight game.

He's a good college quarterback. He's a bit streaky -- he calls himself a "rhythm" passer. He was picked off twice in each of last season's final two regular-season games. But he doesn't quit when things go poorly. His coolness can be mistaken for apathy. Truth is, he cares a lot.

I think he'll have an excellent senior season if the offensive line -- last year's wild card -- provides him ample protection and a consistent running game.

Some things change on Raw, some don’t [Ring Posts]

2009-06-30T01:14:39-07:00

Realizing that the rosters needed shaking up -- especially Raw’s -- despite having a draft just two and a half months ago, WWE moved 15 wrestlers to different shows Monday. Judging by Monday night’s episode of Raw, the landscape may have changed, but in some regards it’s the same old story. The big news coming out of the show is that Mark Henry appears to be getting a major babyface push on Raw. The former ECW champion was the third man in a three-on-one-gauntlet match against Randy Orton, and “The World’s Strongest Man” scored a clean victory over the WWE champion.

Which Red Sox player would you steal for the Orioles? [The Toy Department]

2009-06-29T20:33:46-07:00

I am writing this from Fenway Park at Camden Yards, where 36,000 Red Sox fans and 548 Orioles fans converged for a baseball game.

You have to give credit to the Red Sox for traveling so well. But goodness gracious is this getting out of hand.

It seemed like there were more Red Sox fans watching batting practice than there were Orioles fans attending the game.

So, I figured it’s time for you guys to strike back. Even in a fictional way.

If you could steal one Red Sox player and put him on the Orioles, who would it be?

That has to be hard for many of you, since Boston stars like Kevin Youkilis, Josh Beckett, Jonathan Papelbon and Dustin Pedroia aren’t exactly loved by opposing fans (many of you have voiced that opinion before).

The catch is it has to be someone that fits on the Orioles team. So it probably wouldn’t make sense to grab a center fielder, right fielder or catcher.

Lefty Jon Lester is a solid choice, since he is young and absolutely destroys the Orioles. Papelbon, Beckett and Youkilis are excellent ones as well. Especially Youkilis, who could play either first or third next year for the Birds and bat third or fourth.

I’ll go with left fielder Jason Bay, but that means finding playing time for Nolan Reimold or Luke Scott. It’s worth it to get Bay’s bat – and attitude -- I think.

Daily Think Special: Which Red Sox player would you steal for the Orioles?

Five fun facts about Matt Hobgood [The Toy Department]

2009-06-29T14:48:20-07:00

Orioles first-round draft pick Matt Hobgood, 18, a hard-throwing right-hander out of Norco High in suburban Los Angeles, signed his contract and was introduced at a news conference tonight at Camden Yards. Hobgood, the fifth overall pick in the draft, received a signing bonus of $2.42 million and will report to Rookie-level Bluefield tomorrow. Here are some things you ought to know about him: • Hobgood hates to lose. At anything. "I get competitive playing a game of Monopoly," he said. "When my (younger) sisters and I play this auto racing game on PlayStation 2, I let them get ahead and then I crush ‘em. "I like to mess with people, let them think they’re beating me and then go after them. Sometimes in baseball I’ll get a little wild, walk a couple of guys and then tell myself, ‘You’ve got to get it done.’ Then I’ll strike out three people." • Hobgood likes to eat. Almost anything. "I’ve seen him take fourth and fifth servings at a buffet," said D.J. Wood, his best friend from high school. "Matt is a big dude and he can freakin’ eat. "Once, while hanging out at my house, he said, ‘Dude, I’m hungry.’ So he opened a family-sized box of Fruity Pebbles and had a bowl. Then we went upstairs to watch TV. "A while later, Matt went back downstairs to get a glass of water. When he didn’t come back, I went down to find the cereal box in the trash and the gallon of milk almost empty. He’d scarfed down the whole thing in five minutes." • His nickname is "Arizona" because (1.) Hobgood was born there and (2.) friends say that at 6 feet 4 and 250 pounds, he seems about the size of The Grand Canyon State. • At Norco High, where pigskins rule, Hobgood took heat for walking away from football in 10th grade to concentrate on baseball. Here, in Friday Night Lights country, was this moose of a prospect who once stood on the 50-yard line and threw a spiral through the goal posts. So how could he choose not to play? "We told Matt’s family that he was almost guaranteed a college football scholarship," said Todd Gerhart, Norco’s football coach. Hobgood declined. "I liked football, but I love baseball," Hobgood said. "I took a lot of crap from the football players for that. But I guess it worked out OK." The day after the Orioles drafted him, Hobgood said, "the football team was all asking for autographs." • As a high school freshman, Hobgood didn’t get much playing time. But that didn’t stop him from trying to get into the game. Once, in a tight contest, an opposing batter lifted a pop fly that drifted toward the Norco dugout. "Our third baseman was set to catch the ball," Norco coach Gary Parcell said. "All of a sudden this glove comes out of the dugout and takes it away. There was Matt, with a big smile on his face, proudly yelling, ‘I caught it, coach!’ "I could have killed him." Norco won the game but his teammates teased Hobgood no end. "Even this year, every time a pop-up came toward the dugout, they grabbed me to make sure I’d be nowhere near it," he said. "They’ll never let me live that down."

Eutaw Street homers [The Toy Department]

2009-06-29T13:31:04-07:00

Nationals slugger Adam Dunn's fourth-inning bomb against Orioles rookie David Hernandez Sunday was the 50th homer to land on Eutaw Street in Camden Yards' 18-season history. Dunn's blast traveled 442 feet and hit the B&O Warehouse on a bounce. Click here to view a complete list of all the Eutaw Street homers (and distances), courtesy of the Orioles. Thirty opposing players have hit the ball onto Eutaw Street and 20 Orioles have accomplished the feat. So, the question is, which Orioles player do you think will be the next Eutaw slugger?

Which Oriole finishes highest in AL Rookie of the Year voting? [The Toy Department]

2009-06-29T13:08:29-07:00

I had a great weekend, or at least an incredibly strong Saturday.

Went to my favorite annual book sale on Saturday afternoon and picked up about 30 titles for roughly $40. Nice haul.

I got some novels I had been eyeing and a few sports books, including compilations by Red Smith and Shirley Povich.

Then, in the evening, my wife and several of my journalism buddies saw my favorite band, the Old 97s, at the Recher Theatre. Love those guys (the Old 97s, not my journalism buddies).

Sunday, though, it was back to work at the old ballpark. And let’s just say my Saturday was a whole lot better than Orioles catcher Matt Wieters' Sunday.

The phenom went hitless in three at-bats, made his third throwing error in four games and dropped a ball to wipe out what would have been a sure out at the plate.

Afterward, Wieters was typically calm -- saying he’s working on his defense, and he’s not worried about a bad game.

This kid really is the whole package.

But, here’s the funny thing: The way things are going right now, Wieters (.234 average, two homers, six RBIs) is not the Orioles’ best candidate for Rookie of the Year. Outfielder Nolan Reimold (.286, 9 homers, 20 RBIs) is, with pitcher Brad Bergesen (5-2, 3.76 ERA) also ahead of the backstop.

The BBWAA doesn’t vote until the end of the season, however, and Wieters will eventually catch fire at the plate. Count on that.

So here is my question: When the dust settles on 2009, who will be the Orioles’ leading Rookie of the Year votegetter?

Will Wieters make a surge? Will Reimold or Bergesen falter?

Get your prognostication caps on people.

Daily Think Special: Which Oriole will finish highest in AL Rookie of the Year voting?

Bonus Think Special: Will an Oriole win the award?

Weekend wrap — Regan makes his choice [Recruiting Report]

2009-06-29T07:36:18-07:00

One week after attending the National Basketball Players Association Top 100 camp in Charlottesville, Va., Will Regan decided to make that location his home for the next four years. The Buffalo, N.Y., power forward committed to Virginia this weekend. Regan’s other finalists were Arizona State, Maryland, Providence and Stanford. "The coaching staff made the basketball side a good fit beyond being in the ACC," Regan said. "I was basing my decision first on academics and they have a really good business school, so that's a huge attraction to me." • Former Maryland target Lance Stephenson could be close to finally picking a school. The Brooklyn (N.Y.) Lincoln shooting guard took a visit to Cincinnati over the weekend, according to Adam Zagoria. “Word is Lance is signing with Cincinnati,” one Big East assistant coach said. “I think he will on Tuesday from what I’m being told.” Stephenson’s legal troubles could be resolved today. The five-star prospect will appear in a Brooklyn court room as part of his sexual assault trial. He and Lincoln teammate Darwin (Buddha) Ellis were charged with groping a 17-year-old female student outside Lincoln High.

Newsome eventually wants to return to Alabama [Ravens Insider]

2009-06-29T04:00:00-07:00

Ozzie Newsome will likely determine when his run as Ravens general manager ends. When it does, Newsome is looking to return to Alabama, where he grew up and played college football. “At some point I’m coming back home," Newsome told the Tuscaloosa News during his ninth annual golf tournament there. "I’m coming home. And what I do when I get here, I don’t know. But I am coming home." There has been speculation for years that Newsome would go back to become Alabama's athletic director. The Crimson Tide's current athletic director Mal Moore has come under scrutiny lately, which has caused some to wonder about Newsome's return. "I always allow the information to help me make a decision,” Newsome said when asked about the athletic director job. “There is a lot of information that I would need to get before I could even entertain something like that. "I probably get asked that question once a day. I always say, ‘I know the NFL. That's what I do.' " Newsome, 53, is considered one of the top decision-makers in the NFL. He has been in charge of the Ravens' personnel moves since the team relocated to Baltimore in 1996 and was officially named general manager in 2002, becoming the first African-American to receive that title in the NFL.

The Bash thoughts [Ring Posts]

2009-06-29T03:07:25-07:00

When critiquing a wrestling pay-per-view, ultimately only one question is relevant: Was it worth the money? With regard to Sunday night’s WWE pay-per-view, The Bash, the answer is no. That doesn’t mean it was a bad show, it just means it wasn’t worth $40 in my opinion. The Bash had its moments, including another terrific Rey Mysterio-Chris Jericho match and a heated CM Punk-Jeff Hardy contest, but there wasn’t anything on the show that you’d be kicking yourself for if you missed it.

The Bash preview [Ring Posts]

2009-06-28T10:50:56-07:00

Predictions for tonight’s WWE pay-per-view: WWE champion Randy Orton vs. Triple H in a Three Stages of Hell Match: In this two-out-of-three-falls contest, the first fall is a straight wrestling match; the second is falls count anywhere; and, if necessary, the third is a stretcher match. I’m predicting – and hoping for – an Orton victory. The title has changed hands too many times as of late and Orton is the guy who should be champion going forward. A 14th title reign for Triple H is the last thing the Raw brand needs right now. Whatever the outcome, this feud has overstayed its welcome and needs to end tonight. The problem is that because Raw’s talent roster is so thin at the top, there doesn’t appear to be any logical new opponents for these two.

Team USA dethrones Australia [Re: Lax]

2009-06-27T13:50:09-07:00

I really enjoyed watching the women’s World Cup championship Saturday morning on the webcast from Prague in the Czech Republic. I spoke to a few college coaches who were watching the same way this week. The U.S. women held the Aussies to a low scoring output with a dominant defense, anchored by Devon Wills in the goal. Colorado’s Caroline Cryer exploded on offense with three goals in the 8-7 win. I am not one to boast but I once said, in this blog, that for the U.S. to win Cryer would have to be the MVP. She was edged out by Wills for the honor. I am also not one to dwell on my lesser moments, but I also wrote, just last week, that the Aussies would be too much for the Americans in the final, even after the U.S. “upset” the Australians in the round robin game. I really thought the Aussies had another year in their “dynasty”, while, with the loss, they have no dynasty at all, just a great win in 2005. In fact, I think what we witnessed in the earlier matchup between these finalists, was the shift from Australian domination, up 9-4 at halftime, to the youthful and talent-rich Americans, who won that game patiently 10-9, completely stopping the Australian juggernaut. The U.S. just finished the Aussies off today in the final with patient offense, great coaching, perfect defense and special performances by Wills, Cryer, Kristen Kjellman -- who may be the best player in the world -- and Michele Dejuliis, the leader of Sue Heether’s American squad. Team USA led throughout the second half after a 3-3 intermission. The Australians attempted a comeback with three straight goals, but Wills stopped the tying shot with less than a minute left. The U.S. was the better team, both days. We likely also witnessed the end of the career of Sarah Forbes, and the end of domination by the world’s previously number one player, Jen Adams, who, could not, as I asserted the other day, score a goal at will, or at least not on Wills. Congratulations to Team USA, the Czech hosts and the FIL for what looked like another set of great games!

John Morrison breaks through on Smackdown [Ring Posts]

2009-06-27T11:54:31-07:00

At some point after I began writing this blog a little over two years ago, I stopped reading spoilers on the Internet. I did so because I want my first impressions of matches and angles on taped shows to truly be first impressions, and I also want the opportunity to be surprised when the unexpected occurs. When I sat down to watch Smackdown Friday night, I had no idea that world heavyweight champion CM Punk was going to wrestle John Morrison in a non-title bout. Once the match was announced on the show, however, I was certain that I knew the finish: Punk, wrestling most of the match on the defensive and on the verge of defeat, would take advantage of one mistake by Morrison and pull out the victory.

What will the Nationals' final record be? [The Toy Department]

2009-06-27T08:56:05-07:00

Just watched the Orioles play the Washington Nationals on Friday night.

And know this Orioles fans: You don’t have it the worst. Not even close.

Puff out your chests and feel good about your old ballclub for a moment.

The Nats really do look as bad as advertised. Heading into Saturday, they are 21-50, that’s a .296 winning percentage. That’s under .300 ball, people.

The Nats are no longer on pace to challenge the 1962 New York Mets, who finished 40-120. But they are still within striking distance.

Some of you may not like Washington DC – you’ve mentioned that on occasion -- but you have to feel a little bad for the Nats’ fan base. I know I feel terrible for Manny Acta, the Nationals manager and one of the classiest men in a baseball uniform. He just doesn’t have a chance with this roster.

Empathy aside, we can still speculate on just how bad the Nats will be come September. I say they end up losing 112. Putting their record at a clean 50-112.

What’s your call?

Daily Think Special: What will the Nationals’ final record be this season?

Suggs on new deal: "We're getting close" [Ravens Insider]

2009-06-26T14:42:17-07:00

Although it has been presumed that Terrell Suggs would play this season under the franchise tag, the three-time Pro Bowl linebacker said Friday that he is nearing a long-term deal with the Ravens. The deadline to reach a new contract with franchise players is July 15. If no deal is struck, Suggs will play his second straight season under the tag, earning $10.2 million this year. “I feel like we’re getting close,” Suggs told the team’s Web site. “Negotiations are going on with the Ravens. Fans can be optimistic that I’ll be [at training camp].” It is believed that the Ravens have offered Suggs a contract that would make him among the highest-paid defensive players in the league. But there have been indications that Suggs is still leaning toward testing the free-agent market in March. Because he has yet to sign his contract, he missed all of the offseason minicamps without any discipline from the team. He also would likely miss training camp like he did last year. Suggs, 26, is considered one of the rising defensive stars in the NFL. He led the Ravens with eight sacks and finished third on the team with a career-best 102 tackles. There has been speculation that Suggs is looking for a contract similar to the one given in 2007 to the Indianapolis Colts’ Dwight Freeney, whose six-year, $72 million deal made him the highest paid defender in league history at the time. “I just hope we can get it done in time for training camp,” Suggs said. When the Ravens used the tag on Suggs in February, Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome said, “You have to look at it as an opportunity for us to enter into a long-term deal.” Suggs couldn't be reached for comment.

Michael Jordan and Michael Jackson, Jam Video [The Toy Department]

2009-06-26T13:57:15-07:00

Where were you when Michael Jackson died?

I'm not sure, less than 24 hours after his passing, that this question will have the same kind of cultural relevance in 10 years that it is currently being assigned. Michael Jackson was not John F. Kennedy or even, arguably, Elvis, in part because, in this age of 24-hour celebrity, our fondest memories of him can't erase the strange and complex narrative that was the last 20 years of his life. We watched it unfold in real time, and it was messy. Jackson, though, is easily one of the most influential people of my youth, and long before he was a punchline, he was the most electric entertainer alive, other than, perhaps, Michael Jordan.

I was driving to Washington D.C. with my friend Gerry, to attend a Nationals vs. Red Sox game, when the news came over the radio that he was dead, and we spent the first few innings of the baseball game trying to wrap our heads around the idea that the man who made "Thriller" and "Billy Jean" really was gone. Between every inning, the Nationals played various songs from his catalogue, and although it initially felt strange, possibly even in poor taste, eventually it felt like the proper tribute. Baseball seemed only mildly interesting anyway. The King of Pop was on everyone's mind. There are very few people who can have the kind of impact on an entire stadium. Nothing grinds our collective culture to a halt anymore, but I guess we can measure someone's influence by how long their memory lingers in our minds even when there is something else right in front of our face to distract us.

Jackson had very little to do with sports, other than putting on one of the most memorable Super Bowl halftime shows in history. But there was a fluidity to the way he physically moved that no athlete, except Jordan, could ever touch. In 1992, Jackson hadn't yet tumbled down into the rabbit hole of weirdness that would define his later years, and so when he released a video for the song "Jam" that featured Jordan, it's hard to describe how big of a cultural moment it was for people in my generation. Jackson wasn't my favorite artist and Jordan wasn't my favorite player, but I remember feeling absolutely riveted when the video debuted on MTV (back when MTV showed videos instead of scripted narcissistic claptrap like The Hills.)

The song "Jam" isn't particularly good -- even then, before I understood anything about music criticism, I remember feeling like Jackson had just added the word "jam" to the chorus of a song about something else entirely simply so Jordan, Heavy D and Kris Kross could be added to the video to help market his comeback -- but seeing the two MJs together on screen was, and still is, a little surreal.

There's absolutely nothing you could possibly compare it to today, especially in this era when entertainers and athletes like Jay-Z and LeBron James are regular friends and business partners. Here were two of the most influential people of the 1980s, two African-American men who transcended race and become global icons, clowning around in a poorly-lit gym. They influenced everything and everyone who came after them in their respective fields, and yet somehow, no one managed to do it as well as they did. Muhammad Ali's famous meeting with the Beatles is probably the closest cultural comparison there is.

My favorite part of the video, though, has nothing to do with the music. And you can only catch it in the outtakes at the very end of the extended cut. It's Jackson teaching Jordan some of his dance moves.

There's never been an athlete who understood the way that his body moved in tight spaces like Jordan did. ESPN's Bill Simmons mentioned it the other day when talking about Kobe Bryant, but we forget how cool Jordan was in his prime. He was always the coolest guy in every room, and he moved like there was a soundtrack playing at all times that only he could hear. The same way that Justin Timberlake (and countless others) can never truly nail Michael Jackson's moves, Bryant (and countless others) can never quite duplicate Jordan.

When you watch the end of that video, though, it's funny to see how awkward Jordan looks compared to Jackson. One of the most graceful men on the planet is reduced to that clumsy guy who stumbles around the dance floor at every wedding you've ever been to. He's not the guy who scored 63 against the Celtics in the playoffs. He's the guy who can't quite pick up the beat to Kool and the Gang.

What I love, though, is that there is a tenderness to the way Jackson keeps giving him instruction, laughing every time Jordan claims "I've got it!" Maybe it seems weird or creepy to you, considering all we would come to know about Jackson in time, but I love the way Jordan's deep baritone voice and huge silhouette stands in contrast to Jackson's skinny frame and his effeminate squeak. Jackson, for all his oddities, was one of only a handful of people who could make Michael Jordan seem graceless, but seem kind doing it.

True artistry comes in such different packages that it's a little disarming to see it juxtaposed this way. But like Jordan, Jackson was an American original, a man whose talent and fame made an impact that is impossible to quantify.

It's unlikely I'll remember where I was when I heard that he died, but like millions of people, I won't ever forget that he was one of those rare people who reminds us, with every note and every move, what it is to be alive.

Samoa Joe sells out on TNA Impact, but I’m not buying [Ring Posts]

2009-06-26T13:04:13-07:00

The performances by Sting and Kevin Nash during the closing segment of Thursday night’s TNA Impact involving The Main Event Mafia were so good that they almost made up for a preposterous story line. Almost. The explanation that TNA came up with for Samoa Joe’s heel turn at last Sunday’s Slammiversary pay-per-view was that he did it for the money (Jenna Morasca footed the bill, apparently).

Weekly recruiting roundup [Recruiting Report]

2009-06-26T09:12:51-07:00

Last weekend's National Basketball Players Association Top 100 camp served as an introduction of Richmond, Va., shooting guard Justin Coleman to the college basketball recruiting world. NBE Basketball Report’s Ron Bailey checked in with Coleman, who explained his under-the-radar status. “I just recently got on the map about a month ago” confided Coleman. “I sat out my whole tenth grade year and half my 11th grade year”. That respite from hoops was due to friction with the coach at his previous high school, Louisa. This year, after moving, he transferred to Henrico. • CharlottesvilleNewsPlex.tv conducted a video interview with Maryland small forward target Mychal Parker during last weekend’s NBPA camp. When asked about his interest in the University of Virginia, Parker confirmed that they are on his list of schools that include Maryland, Miami, Virginia Tech, Virginia, and Clemson and that everything, "Is still up in the air." Parker will visit other schools as the summer goes along. • Christchurch, Va., shooting guard Michael Gbinije -- a rising junior who was named Most Promising Player at the NBPA camp -- took a recent trip to College Park. Frank Gbinije, Mike’s dad, shared his son is being recruited by “Georgetown, Texas, UVA, Virginia Tech, and Florida”, most if not all of which called him June 15th, the first day college coaches can call the homes of perspective Class of 2011 recruits, per NCAA guidelines. Mike also unofficially visited Maryland several weeks ago. Other colleges will be evaluated. • DeMatha point guard and Terps target Quinn Cook led the United States’ U-16 National Team to the gold medal at the FIBA Americas Championships in Argentina last weekend. Cook was the 10th-leading scorer in the eight-nation tournament, averaging 15.6 points per game, and he led all players in assists with 25. He also averaged 3.6 rebounds per game. • SLAM Online took a look at Maryland’s 2009 class this week in its ACC recruiting breakdown. (Thanks to Testudo Times for the link) At 6-10 245 pounds, [Jordan] Williams will take up plenty of space in the paint and should be able to establish position fairly well from the early part of the season. He has a fairly polished post game, has a soft touch and rebounds the ball effectively. There is lots of potential for Williams to be a quality player in the ACC, but there have been a few question marks surrounding his conditioning. • On the eve of the NBA draft, Adam Zagoria wrote a story on how the ‘one-and-done’ rule has affected former Terps target Lance Stephenson. "Late lottery," said draft expert Chris Monter of Monter Draft News, referring to where Stephenson would have been picked if he were eligible. "He's talented but he has a lot of baggage and is perceived as a selfish player." • The Washington Post dug up three interesting things about Newark, N.J., shooting guard Laurin Mincy, who committed to the Maryland women’s team this week. 3. She's been a star since she was in elementary school. According to the Newark Star-Ledger, Mincy scored more than 2,800 points "in her grammar school career, and became the first player to have her jersey retired by St. Joseph Elementary School in East Orange." Football recruiting • Last weekend Maryland became the first Football Bowl Subdivision program to offer Atholton athlete Matt Robinson, according to Rivals.com. “I got an offer on Saturday from Maryland,” he said. “They really liked me film and wanted me to come to camp and run well. I did and then did well in one-on-one drills. “That’s when I met with Ralph Friedgen. He just said he really liked my film and they had questions about my speed, but figured them out. They are looking at me as an athlete, with 20-pounds I could be an H-back, if not I can be a special teams guy and a safety.” • Dunbar (D.C.) linebacker Javarie Johnson -- who listed Maryland, Miami, Michigan and Michigan State among his top schools -- has reached a decision. “I feel like I have already come to my decision [and] it’s Miami,” Johnson reported. “I told my coaches this week and they said I couldn’t go wrong with any of my choices, so they were fine with it.” Johnson has not yet made the commitment official with the Miami coaches, but he does not plan to wait much longer to let them know. • Several reports last weekend had Paterson (N.J.) Catholic defensive end and Maryland target T.J. Clemmings committing to Pittsburgh, but according to Adam Zagoria, Clemmings is still on the market. Paterson Catholic defensive lineman Trevor “T.J.” Clemmings is not committed to Pitt, according to PC head coach Benjie Wimberly. “He went out there and made a hasty decision [to commit] without any input from his parents or me,” Wimberly said Monday night. “He’s going to rethink it and continue the recruiting process.” • Pemberton, N.J., wide receiver Corey Reeder told Rivals.com that Maryland and Iowa make up his top two, but he still has to earn an offer from the Terps. “They’re (Maryland) saying I should come out for one session of their camp. I’ll do that and then tour the campus and everything. I always talk to the running backs coach from Maryland.” • Good Counsel safety Frank Tamakloe committed to Wisconsin on Monday, picking the Badgers over offers from Maryland, Northwestern and several others. Tamakloe, 6-foot-2, 172 pounds, has most of the measureables to be a top safety prospect in this year’s high school senior class. He is on the ESPNU 150 Watch List, meaning he is under consideration to be among the top 150 players in the nation, regardless of position. He runs the 40-yard dash in 4.45 seconds. • Thomas Johnson linebacker Nick Forbes sported an early Maryland offer but recently narrowed his list of schools to Cal, Duke, Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest and West Virginia. Last weekend Forbes pledged to the Golden Bears. "I had the opportunity to go to the No. 1 public school in the country and compete on a top-10 caliber team. This year, they are rated No. 11 in the country," Forbes said. • Maryland incoming freshman Nick Ferrara helped Long Island to a 31-14 win over New York City in the Empire Challenge on Tuesday. [Miguel Maysonet] bolted 19 yards for a touchdown that gave his team a 13-0 lead after Nick Ferrara's PAT. Ferrara, of St. Anthony's, kicked a 35-yard field goal two seconds before halftime for a 16-0 edge.

Through the Looking Glass: Magic on ice [The Toy Department]

2009-06-26T07:53:48-07:00

They tooted horns, rang bells and blew sirens. On a warm April night in 1963, nearly 11,000 playoff-crazed hockey fans shoe-horned into the spanking new Baltimore Civic Center to watch their beloved Clippers win their first postseason game.

The crowd cheered every shot by the Clippers’ high-scoring center, Dave Creighton, and every save by goalie Marcel Pelletier. They whooped when the public address announcer asked that a doctor go to the dressing room of the Hershey Bears, the Clippers’ opponent in the American Hockey League Calder Cup quarterfinals.

Baltimore won the game, 5-3, but lost the best-of-three series to Hershey. The Clippers would play 14 more years in the AHL but no team captured the city’s heart like the first one. Noel Price. Jean Ratelle. Duane Rupp. Who can forget?

Baltimore Sun file photo by Paul Hutchins

***

Click here to view past Through the Looking Glass posts

Youth is served on WWE Superstars [Ring Posts]

2009-06-26T03:07:46-07:00

If you never watch WWE Superstars, you won’t miss anything in regard to the advancement of story lines. However, if you enjoy wrestling matches (often good ones) presented in a straight-forward format, WWE Superstars is must-see TV. And if you watched Thursday night’s episode, you not only were treated to three quality matches, but you saw some of WWE’s brightest young talent on display. Five of the seven wrestlers who appeared on the program are under 30.

More on wrestling-reality show connection [Ring Posts]

2009-06-25T12:03:40-07:00

In this morning’s post about Torrie Wilson’s performance on I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here, I listed other wrestlers who have appeared on network reality competition shows, but, as several of you have pointed out, I overlooked a couple.

Third-round pick Webb signs [Ravens Insider]

2009-06-25T10:42:25-07:00

The Ravens continue to make quick work of signing their draft picks, agreeing to a three-year deal with third-rounder Lardarius Webb. The cornerback from Nicholls State received a signing bonus around $530,000. "Lardarius was slowed some in the OTAs with a hamstring problem, but toward the end, when he was feeling better, he showed he belonged," coach John Harbaugh said in a statement. "He’ll help us on special teams, including as a gunner, and he’ll contribute to our defense." The Ravens' only unsigned draft picks are: offensive tackle Michael Oher (first round) and defensive end-linebacker Paul Kruger (second round). Historically, the Ravens don't begin contract talks with their draft picks until after the July 4th holiday. But the team has struck deals with Webb, linebacker Jason Phillips (fifth round), tight end Davon Drew (fifth round) and running back Cedric Peerman (sixth round).

Century QB Bordner headed to Boston College [Recruiting Report]

2009-06-25T09:29:17-07:00

Josh Bordner knew the odds were stacked against him. The Century quarterback was well aware that Carroll County schools were off the radar of most college football recruiters. Bordner planned on hitting the combine circuit this summer, hoping to land a Division I offer before Signing Day in February. “I knew I was going to have to get my name out there,” Bordner said. “They weren’t going to know me.” Last weekend Bordner’s timeline got moved up considerably. After spending four days at Boston College’s camp, the Eagles offered the 6-foot-4, 195-pounder a scholarship, and he promptly accepted. “I didn’t really expect it because I [wasn’t sure I’d] go to a huge program like that, and such a good school,” Bordner said. “But then it ended up happening, so it was really exciting and it caught me by surprise.” Bordner, who threw for 2,217 yards, 18 touchdowns and rushed for 10 scores as a junior, said the Eagles’ staff was tipped off to him by DeMatha offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Chris Baucia. Baucia, a former Virginia Tech signal-caller and punter, runs a “quarterback factory” in Southern Maryland. Bordner has studied under Baucia for months, and credits him for increasing his recruiting interest. “He knows everybody,” Bordner said. “I’m pretty sure he originally was the one who talked me up and got [Boston College] more interested. So a lot of credit goes to him. Honestly, if I didn’t run into him through this program, I know that I would not have this [scholarship] right now. A lot of thanks goes out to him.” The Eagles coaches were receptive to Baucia’s sales pitch on Bordner, and extended an invitation for him to attend the Eagles’ camp. Once he arrived in Chestnut Hill, Bordner realized just how many quarterbacks he was competing with to earn an offer. After some time, however, he noticed members of the Eagles’ staff paying him more attention. “They liked my arm strength and the way I put the ball on people,” Bordner said. “They said there’s a lot of potential. But I’m definitely going to have to work on some things. They said I have a lot of raw talent.” On Sunday afternoon, Boston College offered Bordner a scholarship. Later that day, he accepted. Now a summer filled with football camps and baseball showcases has been reduced to an occasional baseball tournament and tons of time in the weight room, preparing for senior year at Century and beyond. “I’m just going to lift and get bigger and faster,” Bordner said. “And hopefully up in Boston, I’ll get better ... [and become a] big-time quarterback.” Baltimore Sun photo of Josh Bordner by Gene Sweeney Jr. / November 7, 2008

A look ahead to Terps hoops season [Tracking the Terps]

2009-06-25T05:00:41-07:00

Sure, it's 90 degrees out. But what is stopping us from looking ahead for a moment to the hoops season? Absolutely nothing. So let's proceed.

What do you think of Gary Williams' recent tweet? The one where he said: "With Greivis (Vasquez) back and our 09' class and the rest of our team improving every day, I truly believe we have the chance to be top 25 next year."

Here's my take:

Maryland could be a top 25 team, but some things would need to happen.

Greivis coming back is welcome news for Maryland, but it still needs more offense. The Terps certainly hustle on defense -- trapping and pressing and clogging the lane. But what happens when they get into a shootout such as when North Carolina hit 11 of its first 14 three-point attempts to begin a 108-91 victory in Chapel Hill?

Maryland needs more scoring options. Sean Mosley averaged 5.3 points per game and Adrian Bowie averaged 9.0. The Terps need more scoring from these backcourt guys not named "Vasquez." Note: an improving Eric Hayes averaged 10.3 points.

I'm looking at Mosley and Bowie -- and Landon Milbourne-- as sources of more scoring. I think the Terps need to have at least two of these three players pick it up offensively.

And it could well happen. Mosley, a freshman, is such a hard worker and does other things so well, particularly rebound. But he was 5-for-21 on threes (23.8 percent). We've all seen players make big strides once their freshmen season is behind them.

Bowie, so speedy to the basket, can also improve his outside game. He was 13 of 58 on threes (22.4 percent).

The real main event at UFC 100? [MMA Stomping Grounds]

2009-06-25T00:08:41-07:00

Am I the only one who thinks the Georges St. Pierre vs. Thiago Alves fight is the best on the UFC 100 card? The quick answer is no. At least I have the UFC color guy and stand-up comedian (anyone catch his special on Spike? It was incredible) on my side, as he seems most excited for that bout as well.

Everyone else is seemingly buying into the Brock Lesnar-Frank Mir hype. I get it, Lesnar is a beast and is looking to avenge his embarrassing loss to Mir. Mir thinks Lesnar shouldn’t have been given a title shot and thinks he will roll him easily again. Both fighters are coming off strong showings, but how much do we really know about these guys?

Mir is coming off arguably his best fight in his destruction of Antonio Rodrigo Nogeuira, but Nogueira also was recovering from a staph infection heading into that fight. Before that, Mir was getting whomped by Lesnar until he caught a lucky break.

Lesnar has even more question marks. He beat Heath Herring and looked even better beating Randy Couture, but neither of those guys have styles that are very conducive to facing Lesnar. Lesnar still has questions about his chin, ground defense and cardio.

St. Pierre, meanwhile, is coming off a big win in a superfight with B.J. Penn. He’s at the top of his game and the welterweight scene is much deeper than the UFC’s heavyweight division. St. Pierre has defeated several of the top contenders already, but Alves presents several new challenges to GSP. His last loss was almost three years ago and he’s a big and athletic welterweight. He’s also, in the words of Rogan, the best striker GSP has faced.

The UFC 100 card will be awesome because of this and the Mir-Lesnar fight (I couldn’t be less excited for a big fight than I am for Dan Henderson vs. Michael Bisping). One of those main events is a big attraction for the right reasons. The other is a big fight but doesn’t have the same merit.

Then again, other insiders I've talked to think Alves doesn't stand a chance because of GSP's strong wrestling and Alves' inability to prevent St. Pierre's takedowns, so there's that.

What piece of Baltimore sports memorabilia would you want? [The Toy Department]

2009-06-24T16:14:52-07:00

So Wednesday will never be confused with the busiest day in bar history.

We opened in a pseudo-new location and some of you may have gotten lost in the Transformers aisle of the Toy Department on your way to Connolly’s.

But I can say Wednesday was one of the more entertaining days in a while. The topic was goofiest Baltimore sports memorabilia. And boy did the customers come up big.

Please check it out if you haven’t already. Some cool stories and items, including a hot dog wrapper and beer-vendor apron from the last game at Memorial, a Ripken-signed Sunday school paper and a steroids jersey. Free drink chips for Randall, Bruce, Josh and Ron.

But JD gets an open tab all week for his Reggie Jackson barf bag story. You ask for entertainment, people, and we provide it here.

Let’s stick with the memorabilia line for another day. If you could have any piece of Baltimore sports history, what would it be?

I am not a collector, wasn’t one before I became a sportswriter. I have saved some things for my children from my career – my scorecard from Hideo Nomo’s no-hitter, my press pass from Ripken’s final game, etc. – but I don’t seek out anything. Not only does it cross an important line for a sportswriter, but it places people on a higher pedestal simply because of their profession. And I’m not a huge fan of that.

That said, there are some things that are just cool, and remind us of simpler times. I once interviewed Billy Bob Thornton, an Arkansas native and baseball fan, at Camden Yards. He told me he has a Brooks Robinson glove with a personal inscription sitting on a shelf next to his Academy Award for Slingblade. It’s that important to him, because Brooks was that important to him as a child.

So, in that spirit, I’d love to have a Johnny Unitas signed Colts helmet or a pair of his high-top shoes. Not to re-sell, just to have. And the funny thing is I never saw Unitas play. But he was a hero to my dad and my brothers who, in turn, were my heroes. And so that’s the sentimentality behind that.

Daily Think Special: What piece of Baltimore sports memorabilia would you love to have? Not for resale, but for sentimental purposes.

USA youth hoops, Harried bring home gold [Varsity Letters]

2009-06-24T09:35:02-07:00

Lake Clifton boys basketball coach Herman Harried, who is serving as an assistant coach for the U.S. under-16 national team, returned to the United States from Argentina earlier this week with a gold medal and lasting impressions. The U.S. captured the 2009 FIBA Americas U-16 Championship with a 101-87 win over host Argentina in the title game, posting a 5-0 record in the tournament. "There's nothing like being in a different country and hearing your national anthem, seeing your flag raised and having a gold medal placed around your neck," Harried said. The team was in Argentina for nine days, following a seven-day camp in Colorado Springs. Harried said the biggest challenge for the players and coaches was getting comfortable in a foreign country. "Here we are in a different country -- 12 players, three coaches and the training staff. Our goal as a coaching staff emphasized on dealing with adversity. Argentina loves basketball. All throughout the game they whistled and had noise makers. We had to make sure the kids put that aside and dealt with the basics of basketball," said Harried. The basketball tour doesn't stop there for Harried this summer. He is currently in Dallas assisting Utah Jazz star guard Deron Williams at his summer camp and also will help run camps for Phoenix Suns star Amare Stoudamire and NBA MVP LeBron James.

Nermin Delic discusses Terps commitment [Recruiting Report]

2009-06-24T08:13:52-07:00

When Nermin Delic puts his mind to something, the Maryland-bound defensive end-tight end gives nothing less than 100 percent. It’s a quality that has served the 6-foot-5, 240-pounder well throughout his high school career at Northwest Whitfield in Tunnel Hill, Ga. But Delic’s well-known work ethic is also one of the reasons he’s headed to College Park instead of an SEC school. After the Bruins’ 6-4 season last fall, Delic went straight into basketball mode, working out like a maniac in order to improve his quickness and agility. By January, Delic was down to 215 pounds. As Northwest Whitfield’s starting center, Delic averaged 15 points and 10 rebounds per game. While basketball couldn’t have gone much better, the slimmed-down Delic began to think his weight loss limited his recruiting. Marshall, Florida International, Florida Atlantic and Middle Tennessee State offered scholarships, but most of the SEC and ACC schools -- other than Maryland -- were taking a wait-and-see approach. “When I went to Georgia, they were planning to offer me that day when I went to Junior Day,” Delic said. “I showed up at 215 pounds, and they were like ‘go home.’ But I deserved it. I was pretty mad, but when I got home, my dad told me ‘you look like a receiver or a [defensive back].’ ... That’s when I really decided to get committed to football. So I’ve been hitting the weights hard and eating right.” Since those winter Junior Day visits, Delic has added 25 pounds of muscle onto his frame. Northwest Whitfield coach Mike Falleur said it’s pretty clear Delic’s weight made the difference in his recruitment. “Georgia had him up [earlier this month] and they loved him, but they’re in the race for two of the best [defensive ends] in the country,” Falleur said. “But they told me on the phone Monday, ‘Coach, he can play in the SEC.’ There’s guys out there right now that weigh 250, 260. If he weighed that right now, he’d have offers from [the biggest programs in the country].” As a junior at Northwest Whitfield, Delic recorded approximately 75 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and five sacks. He also caught about six passes for 100 yards and one touchdown, while grading out in the mid-80s on his blocking assignments. Most of the attention Delic received from recruiters was for defensive end, but Falleur noted that he’s a promising tight end prospect as well. Falleur recalled the time Delic squared off against a Georgia-bound defensive lineman last fall. On the first play of the game, Delic, playing tight end, promptly blew the future Bulldog “12 yards off the football. He just manhandled him,” Falleur said. So with that in mind, the Terps’ coaching staff has a decision to make on Delic’s future position. “I think [Maryland’s offensive and defensive coaches] are really fighting over him. I think both sides want him,” Falleur said. “I think wherever they put him, he’s going to be pretty good at either one. I think he has a defensive mentality, but he’s a great blocker and he’s never off his feet. But at the same time, he loves rushing the passer and getting after folks.” Delic was born in Bosnia, but his family fled the war-torn country when he was 6. The Delic family spent their first year in the United States in Seattle, but after a year they relocated to Dalton, Ga., where they’ve been ever since. Delic grew up following Georgia closely, but has been a close of observer of college football in general for the majority of his life. So while Maryland may not get a lot of attention around his hometown, Delic was very familiar with the Terps’ program even before they started recruited him. “I follow college football real well ... and I know what kind of program Maryland is,” Delic said. “They’re trying to get back to where they were in [the early parts of this decade] when they contended in the ACC every year. I knew about guys like Vernon Davis and Shawne Merriman, and how Davis came in and put on 40 pounds in four years, dropped his 40 time by two-tenths of a second and improved his vertical about seven inches. Right away I knew they were doing something right in the strength and conditioning program. So I was real impressed by that. I knew Coach Friedgen had a good reputation of being a man of integrity, so I pretty much knew about the school [before visiting]. But when I went there [last weekend] I was blown away. It was amazing. There wasn’t one thing I didn’t like. Everything was awesome.” Delic’s playing basketball in a summer league with his high school team right now. He’s also spending ample amounts of his time in the weight room, making sure he at least maintains his current weight. Meanwhile, Falleur continues to receive calls from other programs about the future Terp. “Maryland’s getting a dang good football player,” Falleur said. “Don’t think because he didn’t have the big ones offer [that he‘s not a great player], because he can play. I think Clemson was fixin’ to pull the trigger, I think NC State was fixin’ to pull the trigger, and Vanderbilt and Kentucky were right there, too. But when he went up [to Maryland] he said he loved it. ... I’d say [Maryland fans] are going to be very excited when he lines up.”

What's your goofiest piece of Baltimore sports memorabilia? [The Toy Department]

2009-06-24T04:24:08-07:00

Welcome back to Connolly's Corner Sports Bar. Like what we did with the place?

We had a little hiatus and you probably thought I was being lazy and didn’t feel like doing much around Father’s Day.

Not a bad theory; not completely accurate.

While you were gone, we have shifted some things around. We now have a different entrance. You can now find new posts and visit the bar via the Toy Department.

Seriously.

If Wal-Mart can include a barbershop, a McDonald’s and a grocery store, the Toy Department can encompass a corner sports bar.

If you don’t think a toy store and a bar are compatible, you’ve obviously never shopped for a Wii with a 10-year-old. It is reason No. 1 for a stiff drink.

Anyway, what does this change mean for my loyal customer? Nothing, really.

We’ll still be a click away on The Sun’s baseball and sports site pages. You’ll still see my smiling face most of the time (a real attraction, I know) and we will still be serving up the same daily questions with a dash of attempted humor.

The bonus is that I’ll be joining some of my fine Sun colleagues in a larger collaborative effort and you’ll get one-stop shopping. And, on the occasion in which I am not blogging, you’ll have other cool things in the Toy Department to check out.

Should be a win-win. So, first Toy Department beer is on me.

As for today's question. It comes from my buddy and electronic sports media guru Mark Viviano, who recently asked his listeners about their strangest piece of Baltimore sports memorabilia.

He offered the idea to me – and I thought it would be a great one for our first day in this new locale.

Basically we are looking for something goofy that you collected presumably because you thought it would have some worth or special meaning, And you held on to it for no particular reason. (If you don’t have something local, I’ll take something national. Just make it random and bizarre).

I have one: More than a decade ago, before my baseball-writing career began, I was given a Calvin Pickering autographed baseball – back when he was starting out as a minor leaguer. It seemed cool at the time. I figured how could a guy that big, that strong and that super-hyped fail?

The answer: Pretty quickly and easily.

Honestly, I have no idea where that baseball is, but I didn’t intentionally get rid of it, so I am sure it is around somewhere.

My guess is that was my last autographed piece of memorabilia. What a way to go out.

So what’s yours?

Daily Think Special: What’s your strangest piece of Baltimore sports memorabilia? How about national sports memorabilia?

Catching Up With ... former Colt Ray Brown [The Toy Department]

2009-06-24T03:40:33-07:00

Each Tuesday in The Toy Department, veteran Baltimore Sun sportswriter Mike Klingaman tracks down a former local sports figure and lets you know what's happening in his/her life in a segment called. "Catching Up With ... " Let Klingaman know who you'd like him to find and click here to check out previous editions of "Catching Up With ... "

On one wall of Ray Brown’s office hangs his law diploma and other professional awards. Across the room are a different set of treasures – team photos of the 1958 and 1959 world champion Baltimore Colts, for whom Brown played.

Guess where his visitors head first.

"It’s always football," said Brown, 72, a Mississippi attorney who helped put the Colts on the NFL map.

Don’t remember Ray Brown? He played three seasons in Baltimore, then quit the game to join the bar. Yet he had a big role in the team’s first title run 51 years ago.

A rookie safety in 1958, Brown started every game for the Colts, the only first-year player to do so that season. His eight interceptions tied for the club lead. He also punted, and his lofty 51-yard average in the Colts’ 23-17 sudden-death victory over the New York Giants remains an NFL championship game record.

His secret that day?

"Adrenalin," Brown said.

All of this, he achieved while also attending law school at the University of Maryland in Baltimore.

"I’d get up every morning, grab a brown-bag lunch from my wife and go to classes," he said. "Then I’d zip up to Memorial Stadium and eat lunch while studying films. After practice, I’d go home and work on my law briefs."

Did he ever sleep?

"It wasn’t that bad," Brown said of the regimen. "Those were great times with the Colts. We were grateful to be playing, and there were no prima donnas or (sports) agents or drugs. It was a different game."

In 1959, besides his defensive chores, Brown became understudy to quarterback to John Unitas.

"John called most of his own plays, but occasionally Weeb (Ewbank, the coach) would send one in," Brown said. Once, he recalled, Ewbank relayed to Unitas these directions: "Just score."

The Colts repeated as champs.

Brown played one more year and then, at age 25, he walked away. Why? The Colts had slipped to fourth place. Brown needed knee surgery. And he was near to getting that law degree, which came in 1962.

His diligence paid off. That summer, he took a coveted job as law clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Tom Clark. Two years after leaving football, Brown walked those hallowed halls in Washington, D.C. But it couldn’t match the thrill of stepping on the field at Yankee Stadium for the ’58 title game, he said.

"What a fantastic time we had," said Brown. "I remember driving home from New York with my family after the game, stopping for dinner at a Howard Johnson’s and having the waitress say, ‘Mr. Brown, your family’s meal has been paid for by a Colts’ fan (who’d already left the restaurant).’

"The guy hadn’t even asked for autographs. That’s how grateful people were that we’d won."

A practicing attorney for 46 years, Brown started his own law firm in 1987 and still works from his home in Gautier, Miss. Married 51 years, he has three children, eight grandchildren and a cranky right knee that is giving him fits "from kicking thousands of punts as a player."

Past president of the Mississippi Bar, Brown wears his ’58 Colts championship ring and, on occasion, the blue-and-white team jacket that the club gave him. At 195 pounds, he hasn’t gained an ounce.

Two years ago, the Wall Street Journal selected an all-time law football team including, among others, former President Gerald Ford, the late Supreme Court Justice Byron (Whizzer) White . . . and Brown, the Colts’ fifth-round draft pick from Mississippi.

"When I saw that article, I thought, ‘My goodness,’ " Brown said. "Then I framed it and hung it on the wall with the rest."

Top photo: AP; Bottom photo: George C. Cook / Baltimore Sun

Mickelson breaks my heart again, but Glover is a pretty cool champion [The Toy Department]

2009-06-24T03:40:33-07:00

At one point during the U.S. Open telecast on Monday, NBC showed a series of pictures of Phil Mickelson hugging his wife, Amy, over the years. And then the network played the audio of Phil telling reporters earlier this week that, prior to the tournament, Amy had left him a series of notes mentioning that she hoped to have a big silver trophy next to her in the hospital when she goes in for breast cancer treatment early next month.

I'd heard that clip a few times already, so it didn't really affect me, but my wife had not heard it. And so I wasn't surprised to look down toward the other end of the couch and see tears running down her face. And because of that, I got a little choked up, too. How do you not get sucked in, even if you're a cynic, to pulling for the guy whose wife has cancer? Mickelson said after after his wife was diagnosed, he'd sometimes be driving in his car, alone, and burst into tears for reasons he couldn't quite explain. And when I heard him say that, I understood completely. I thought to myself, "That's exactly how I'd react."

I didn't want to tell my wife that, deep down, I knew we were only being set up for disappointment. Mickelson was leading at the time, having just made an eagle to pull into a tie for the lead, and our hearts were racing, but there was no way he was going to win that trophy. I wanted so desperately to believe it was going to be different this time, but I knew it wouldn't be. Mickelson is forever destined to be Charlie Brown to the U.S. Open's Lucy. Every time it looks like he's going to finally kick that football, it get snatched away at the last second, often in agonizing fashion.

Watching the U.S. Open together has become a bit of a tradition for my wife and I in recent years. I root for the players that I like based on their personalities and their games, and she roots for players based on how they're dressed and how nice their wives seem, while at the same time rooting against those she feels are dressed poorly. (Despite my pleading, she refused to pull for Rocco Mediate last year over Tiger Woods and his impeccably tailored shirts.) Mickelson sort of represents the perfect storm for us. He's my favorite golfer, and she thinks he's become a much better dresser in recent years. (She liked his pants this year.) The way his kids run onto the green to hug his leg after victories also makes her infectiously happy. (I confess, I have daydreams about my own kids doing the same, to me, at our family golf tournament some day.)

I think, though, that I've realized this about Mickelson today: Just like my wife and I, he can't really bottle up his emotions. At least not long enough to win a U.S. Open. This is the fifth time he's finished second in this tournament, and in every instance, he'd made just enough mistakes to let it slip away at the end. Golf is such an emotional game, and that's the main reason why Tiger Woods, when he's all finished, will probably have more than 20 majors. (He's practically an android under pressure.) You can't get too excited, and you can't get too upset.

Lucas Glover played that role perfectly Monday. Even when he rolled in a 3-foot putt on 18 to win, he looked like a guy who had just won a Nationwide Tour event, not the United States Open. He raised his right hand, waved to the crowd, and barely smiled. I thought, "What a surprise. The most boring guy won the tournament."

But the more I heard and read about Glover, the more I realized how wrong I was. During the numerous rain delays this week, Glover spent his time reading books, and polished off four of them in as many days. He told reporters he usually reads about a book a week, which pretty much blows my mind. (I can count on one hand the number of professional athletes I've encountered who are big readers, although David Duval is one.) And Glover is also a big Seinfeld addict, having seen every episode multiple times.

As Glover came off the 18th green, he made a beeline for his wife -- his high school sweetheart -- and then hugged her for a good, solid minute before finally moving on to sign his scorecard. My own wife had already left the room, eager to attend to some tomato plants in her garden, so she didn't see their embrace, which was too bad.

Because while Mickelson will always be our guy, Glover was just a cool pair of pants, and a couple of little kids away, from being the kind of golfer we could both root for in future U.S. Opens.

Johnny Weir on the silver screen [The Toy Department]

2009-06-24T03:40:33-07:00

Maybe it's because in the opening minutes, the back of my head fills the screen like something shot by Voyager II. Or that the film's subject is answering my question.

But, no, the reason "Pop Star on Ice," a documentary about figure skater Johnny Weir, is so compelling is because the man himself is just that. Funny, sweet, intelligent, petulant, stubborn, self-centered, Johnny Weir is just like a lot of us except for the fact that he can perform tremendous athletic feats while dressed like a swan.

Yes, Weir embraces sequins and makeup. Yes, he says outrageous things that make Olympic and U.S. Figure Skating officials cringe and reporters scribble like crazy. And yes, he is very good at what he does. Sometimes.

It is his inability to overcome inconsistancy that drives the documentary by David Barba and James Pellerito, now making the rounds of film festivals.

Weir, 24, comes from Quarryville, Pa., and doesn't put on a pair of skates until he's 12, long after most top skaters. He teaches himself the double axel by watching TV before Priscilla Hill agreeds to coach him and makes Newark, Del., his training town.

In four years, he evolves from a skinny little boy "with legs up to his armpits" as his mother, Patti, remembers in the film, to Junior World Champion. After a fifth-place showing at the 2002 U.S. Championships and a withdrawal the following year (to much criticism), Weir snaps off three first-place finishes and earns a trip to the 2006 Olympics.

But instead of grabbing the top of the podium, Weir falls apart--"All I could hear was the shutters of the cameras...It was like I was skating on metal legs," he tells the filmmakers.

A man who almost always shoulders the blame for his skating miscues, Weir blames a change in the athletes' bus schedule for his poor showing and produces perhaps the most laughed-at quote of the Winter Games: "I didn’t feel my inner peace. I didn’t feel my aura. Inside I was black."

The palette doesn't improve. Weir has terrible performances at the 2006 and 2007 World Championships.

The film follows it all, including Weir's eventual breakup with Hill and new partnership with coach Galina Zmievskaya, a taskmaster from Russia who runs his life on the ice. It deliciously zeroes in on the rivalry between Weir and Evan Lysacek, the man who takes his U.S. title in decisive fashion.

Perhaps the most telling "get" of the whole 85-minute film is the press conference after the 2007 Nationals. As Lysacek gushes about his win, the camera pans to Weir, who stares straight ahead and slowly shakes his head, "no" in disgust.

Weir rebounds at the 2008 Nationals to finish in a tie with Lysacek, but earns the silver because his rival had a higher score in the free skate--the tie breaker. At the World Championships, Weir skates a beautiful short program, good for second place, but appears tentative in the free skate and drops to third. He wins his first Worlds medal but more importantly, keeps the U.S. team from being shut out of the medals for the first time in 14 years.

Producers Barba and Pellerito say they began filming with an eye toward a broader documentary on figure skating. But when they saw how Weir attracted media attention at 2005 Nationals in St. Louis, they narrowed their focus.

Their plans were to film Weir for three days in 2006, "but once we started, it never stopped," Barba says.

It's three years and counting. Now that the movie is done, the producers are shooting a seven-part TV series on Weir's preparation for the 2010 Olympics that will air on the Sundance Channel in January. The documentary will air on TV in December. There's more details at this link.

"There are so many ups and downs," says Pellerito. "The drama is there. All you have to do is press the record button."

U.S. Women upset Australia [Re: Lax]

2009-06-23T14:00:55-07:00

I root for the U.S. whenever they play other countries in other sports. I have been covering lacrosse as a journalist for so long that I don’t ever root for any team under any circumstance. I sometimes root for outcomes that may help the game grow or get a particular coach a milestone victory or other human circumstances that transcend the field of play. But I have no favorite teams, even the U.S. in the World Games or Women’s World Cup, which is being played this week in Prague. In fact, just yesterday the U.S. upset the world champion Australians 10-9 after trailing at the half 9-4. There was such a stark difference in the play of both teams from the first to the second half of this game that my skepticism rose for a moment, thinking perhaps that all was not as it seemed in Prague. In the first half the U.S. was obviously outgunned and overwhelmed by the Aussie barrage. Stacey Morlang led off the scoring, but two-time Tewaaraton winner Hannah Nielson was effortlessly quarterbacking the Aussies to a slow and steady crushing of the U.S. team. She fed Jen Adams, perhaps the best player in the world (if it’s not Nielson) twice for scores in the first. Morlang, Nielson, Adams, Sonia LaMonica, Sarah Mollison, Alicia Moodie, Courtney Inge, Sarah Forbes and Loyola recruit Tegan Brown make up an offense that I thought, even before the games began, would be unstoppable. The defensive unit of Megan Barnet, Tess McLeod and goalie Sue McSolvin were shutting down the Americans. This same unit scored not a single goal in the second half. Not one. They led 9-4 at half and lost 10-9. They let long periods of time pass while the U.S. worked the ball around without ever playing defense with close to the level of intensity employed in the first half. There was no desperation or even urgency in the play of the Australians, even at the end. Jen Adams took a few shots but did not really try to win the game the way I might have expected and was not even in the game at some critical times. She can score one goal at will, last time I checked. This was, at the very least, an acceptable loss for the ladies from down under. Methinks they like the underdog role 100 percent more than the huge favorite role they had to bear until this game’s end. I'm not suggesting anything of a conspiratorial nature occurred, but now the pressure is firmly on the Americans. I am not saying the Aussies threw the half, although after watching, I can’t help but at least entertain the notion. It may have been that I witnessed the result of the worst coach’s halftime speech ever, or that all of the sudden, the best team in the world just forgot how to win, or even how to really play. I have watched quite a few men’s teams at international events play a 3/4-speed round-robin game against their likely championship game foe. They narrowly lose the first matchup and yet they never panic or really try to win the game. Not like they would in an elimination game. They aren’t really that upset afterward. That’s the way this seemed in Prague -- IN THE SCOND HALF. In 2005, Australia tied the United States 7-7 in the round-robin game, before throttling them in the final. I’m not taking away anything from the Americans who obviously played with intensity throughout and really did pull off a comeback win. They have come back to win against England and Canada in these games, as well, which is a good sign and a bad sign at the same time. But they are now the only 4-0 team at the Games and enter the medal round as the new favorite and No. 1 seed. They have some great players. Attacker Caroline Cryer is very, very good. The midfield is the strongest unit with Caitlyn McFadden, Lindsey Munday, Acacia Walker, Tewaaraton winner Katie Chrest, Sarah Bullard, Sarah Albrecht and two-time Tewaaraton winner Kristen Kjellman. And the 'D' is solid with Amber Falcone, Michi Ellers and Regina Oliver. In the U.S. cage, Devon Wills was the first-half victim and Megan Huether was the second-half hero. I must say that for whatever reason Amy Appelt is not on this squad, I personally am disappointed that she is not on the field representing the U.S. for a second time and think we are a lesser team without her, just as we were in Annapolis in 2005. This is a very good U.S. team, but so was the 2005 squad. The 2005 Australia squad may have been the best team I ever saw. Any team with each of the headline stars from the University of Maryland championship dynasty, Sascha Newmarch, Sarah Forbes, Jen Adams, Courtney Hobbs and Sonia Judd (LaMonica now) had a good chance in 2005 to take that honor without up-and-coming stars Sarah Mollison, Stacy Morlang, Kate McHarg and Hannah Nielson and the incredible unknown Sarah Falcione. This 2009 team has a mature Morlang, Mollison and Nielson. Jen Adams and Sonia LaMonica are at their prime and might be better now than last year. They looked that way yesterday for a half. I talked to one of the top coaches in the land today and they said, after watching the game on the internet as I did, that the U.S. comeback looked legitimate to them and that the Aussies just lost their focus. I am sure that my very knowledgeable friend was right, but I would think twice about putting any money on the U.S. in the final based on the outcome of the last game. Like anyone bets on women’s lax. Click here to see the game.

Terps women land N.J. shooting guard [Recruiting Report]

2009-06-23T07:49:20-07:00

The first time Laurin Mincy thought basketball might lead her to College Park was during Maryland Madness last October. The Newark, N.J., shooting guard met the team, chatted with other recruits and saw Terps coach Brenda Frese work the Comcast Center crowd into a frenzy. Still, the 6-foot Mincy was deliberate with her recruitment and didn’t want to make a hurried choice. “I wanted to make sure [I was comfortable with] my decision,” Mincy said. “I just wanted to make sure it was right because it’s a lifelong decision.” Eight months later, Mincy followed through on that gut feeling, committing to Maryland on Monday. The New Jersey girls basketball Player of the Year picked the Terps over Georgia and Rutgers. Maryland began recruiting Mincy during her freshman year and never ceased in its pursuit. “I think with Coach Frese, she recruited me the hardest out of all the coaches,” Mincy said. “She made the phone calls when she needed to. The coaches e-mailed frequently to keep me informed on how the team was doing [on the court] and outside of basketball. ... [Frese is] also close to my parents. Just the other day, she just wished my dad a happy birthday. My mom’s a newlywed, so she e-mailed my mom, asking her how she felt having my stepfather [experience] his first Father’s Day. A connection with my family is very important, so I took that into account in making my decision.” Mincy, a five-star player according to Rivals.com, averaged 21 points, six rebounds, three assists and two and a half blocks per game as a junior, leading University High to the North Jersey Section 2 quarterfinals. A three-year starter, Mincy has scored 1,843 career points. University head coach Felicia Oliver called Mincy a “go-to player” and leader, but noted that her game goes beyond the box score. “Her strengths are the intangibles that you don’t see,” Oliver said. “Her will to win, her drive, her unselfishness, and her willingness to make players around her better; those attributes make the kid a coach’s dream. She’s not worried about making herself better; she’s worried about making her teammates better. And you don’t find that in every kid, especially those kids that are considered future great players. Oliver first saw Mincy play as an eighth grader. She recalled walking into the gym and seeing four girls draped all over Mincy, who then proceeded to lose the quartet with a crossover dribble, drive just inside the 3-point line and bury a long-range jumper. Oliver has seen more of the same during Mincy's three years at University. “The kid just rises to the occasion," Oliver said. "There’s no quit in her. She can erase a 10-point deficit by herself in a matter of seconds. ... What can you say? She’s like a mini Candace Parker.” Mincy hurt her knee last weekend and is awaiting the MRI results. While the rest of her summer depends largely upon those results, Mincy said she’s excited for her 2010 arrival in College Park, when she’ll try and live up to Frese’s expectations. “She told me that she wants me to come in, potentially start and help them win a national championship,” Mincy said. “We have [point guard] Dara Taylor, that’s coming in now as a freshman. We have all the pieces, so she just told me that she’s putting the pieces together to win a national championship, and I can help them do that.”

Recapping the NBPA Top 100 camp [Recruiting Report]

2009-06-22T04:12:30-07:00

I wasn't able to make it down to Charlottesville this weekend for the National Basketball Players Association Top 100 camp, but the PR folks at the event were kind enough to orchestrate some phone time with a few participants of interest. Camp director Tim McCormick, who started the NBPA Top 100 camp 17 years ago after the conclusion of his eight-year NBA career, has seen a few notable Baltimore players come through the camp during his tenure. But this year, with seven Baltimore natives in attendance, was unlike any other. “It varies from year to year,” McCormick said. “Obviously the Baltimore area is loaded with great talent this year. And it does vary from year to year, because we are targeting only the best 100 players in the entire nation. We don’t do any favors. For instance, to get the No. 1 player in the country, we’re not going to take the point guard on his AAU team [just to have a chance to land him]. If one player can’t come, we’re going to the next player on the list. [But] Baltimore is really a hotbed of high school basketball. It always has been. It’s one of the best years we’ve seen.” • Richmond, Va., small forward and Maryland target Justin Coleman went from a little-known prospect to one of the hottest players in the country after scoring 23 in his first game of the camp. He also ended on a high note with a 22-point outburst in his team’s final game. McCormick said Coleman, who averaged 10 points per game, came into the camp looking to prove himself. “Well in many ways, to be a top 10, top 15 player in high school basketball is a disadvantage for a lot of kids because they think they’ve made it,” McCormick said. “They expect superstardom to eventually happen. But for a kid like Coleman, he’s a guy that you watch because he comes into the camp with a chip on his shoulder. [He thinks] ‘I know how good I am. I’m going to show everybody else.’ He can’t wait to play against the highest rated players, because he feels like he’s better. So this has been a really good opportunity to showcase his skills. And I think everyone now knows about his ability.” Coleman won the dunk contest and was named the camp’s surprise prospect. • Former Walbrook small forward Roscoe Smith made some waves this weekend when he announced his intention to transfer to Oak Hill Academy in Mount of Wilson, Va., for his senior year. “Me and my parents, we sat down and discussed it,” Smith said. “It was a long thing, but at the end of the day, we made the decision to go to Oak Hill.” Smith averaged 6.4 points in five games this weekend. The five-star prospect isn’t ready to reveal which programs comprise his list of top schools, but playing with the top 100 players in the country helped him focus his criteria. “I had Lenzelle Smith, [who’s] going to Ohio State [on my team],” Smith said. “I liked his game because he’s a point guard that can penetrate and distribute. So, OK, I like that. I could see myself playing [with a point guard like him]. But ... if you’re a wing forward, why would you want to go somewhere with a point guard that’s shoot first, not pass first? But it’s all about having fun here. You’ve just got to really get on your toes, because they’re going to test you. They’re going to push up on you. You just gotta step up and man up.” • Calvert Hall forward Jonathan Graham saved his best for last, scoring 10 in his final game to finish with a 4.2 points per game average. Graham said he’s been limited by his knees -- the 6-foot-9, 218-pounder is laboring through growing pains at the moment. Still, Graham said the camp was very beneficial for his development. “It’s been a great experience, just playing with the best high school players in the country right now in my class,” Graham said. “I feel honored to have been invited here, to be honest.” Graham said the camp directors gave him tips for working on his strength and quickness. As far as his recruitment is concerned, Providence has offered a scholarship while many other high-major schools are monitoring his progress this summer. • Former DeMatha and soon-to-be Lake Clifton point guard Josh Selby (Tennessee) led the camp in scoring at 16.2 points per game. Rivals.com’s Jerry Meyer wrote on Saturday that “no one has been better than Josh Selby.” Selby has gotten into the lane with more regularity than any other guard in camp. His speed, power, skill level and competitive drive make him a terror to defend. And he is not just scoring. His passing and gamesmanship have been equally impressive. • Mount St. Joseph point guard Eric Atkins wasn’t on the initial list of invitees, but the Notre Dame commitment ended up in Charlottesville after others backed out. The three-star prospect averaged 3.8 points per game, scored 10 in his last game and acquitted himself well early according to Jerry Meyer. Atkins isn't going to beat anyone with athleticism, but he has passed the ball at a high level during the first two sessions and has knocked down three-pointers off the catch when open. • Former Lake Clifton shooting guard Will Barton continued his strong summer play at the Top 100 camp. The Memphis commitment finished 19th in scoring at 11 points per game. Barton scored a game-high 22 in his second game. Stats: Maryland targets Tobias Harris, Glen Head, N.Y., power forward: 13.3 points per game Michael Gbinije, Christchurch, Va., shooting guard (2011): 13 points per game Terrence Jones, Portland, Ore., power forward: 9.1 points per game Will Regan, Buffalo, N.Y., power forward: 6.7 points per game C.J. Leslie, Holly Springs, N.C., power forward: 6.0 points per game Mychal Parker, Washington, N.C., small forward: 5.7 points per game Stats: Baltimore players C.J. Fair (Syracuse), City small forward: 5.4 points per game Jordan Latham (Xavier), City center: 4.4 points per game

Reports: Terps land Georgia DE [Recruiting Report]

2009-06-20T18:02:54-07:00

Multiple media outlets are reporting that defensive end Nermin Delic committed to Maryland today. Delic, a three-star prospect who also plays tight end for Northwest Whitfield in Dalton, Ga., pledged to the Terps at their summer football camp. The 6-foot-5, 220-pounder told Rivals.com he could play defensive end or tight end in college. “I don’t have a preference as far as position,” he said. “I’ve played more at defensive end but I will be playing more tight end this season. I picked Maryland for all the other reasons aside from football, life after football and the people I met.” Delic, who was born in Bosnia and came to the United States at age 6, picked Maryland over offers from Marshall, Florida International, Florida Atlantic and Middle Tennessee State. Check back with Recruiting Report later this week for more on Delic’s commitment.

Catching up with Joe Rogan [MMA Stomping Grounds]

2009-06-20T13:50:14-07:00

Joe Rogan’s comedy special “Talking Monkeys in Space” airs after The Ultimate Fighter season 9 finale on Spike TV this Saturday. Rogan is one of the more intriguing comedians working today (his interviews in podcast and satellite radio form with people he knows are incredible) and his special should kick ass.

I spoke to Joe earlier this week about the special and his work with the UFC.

JOE ROGAN

On his special

All of my specials mean something at the time. This one means more because it’s the new one. I have a real good relationship with the Spike guys, they have seen me perform at comedy clubs many times and the beautiful thing is they are owned by Comedy Central. So the reruns will be on Spike and eventually on Comedy Central.

On doing comedy and UFC commentary
It’s fun, it’s an interesting way to do it. I like to go to these towns and do comedy one night and the UFC the other night. It’s been working out and has been the best of both worlds.

As a human being you evolve and your thinking evolves. As a comic and artist your comedy evolves as well. The more you do something the better you get at it. I think I enjoy it more now.

On balancing writing new jokes versus research for MMA commentary

All the research I do for MMA commentary is stuff I would do anyway. I’m a huge fan of mixed martial arts and I’d be going to the same websites, watching the same fights and same videos. I’m just a huge fan. I’m very fortunate to be a paid professional fan of the UFC. The more stuff you do the more your perspective is enhanced. The more different things I’ve done the more my comedy is enhanced. The better I am at comedy the better I am at commentary.

On Sanchez-Guida

Diego has a very good chance. It’s a very interesting fight. Clay Guida is a juggernaught. He has great conditioning, great wrestling, sets a relentless pace and is great taking fighters out of their game plans. But, at 155, Diego is a different animal. His jiu-jitsu is off the chain.

On his favorite fighters

I like different varities of fighters. I like fighters that are exciting and intelligent. I love Wanderlei Silva, he’s my favorite fighter of all time. He doesn’t have a safety sense style at all. He has that reckless abandon and just attacks with the most aggressive style ever. I really enjoy that and then I again I enjoy Lyoto Machida. He takes no damager, fights intelligently and is amazing to watch.

You can’t do commentary on the ground game unless you’ve done it. You can call a triangle while it’s locked on but you won’t see the setups, the transitions. There are too many steps before you finish that you won’t catch on. Doing jiu-jitsu has definitely helped my commentary.

Some sports fans just think UFC guys are all a bunch of meat heads. That they aren’t real athletes and that they aren’t intelligent. That’s the biggest misconception.

On the growth of MMA

The outcropping of new organizations like Strikeforce is very important. There are so many up and coming guys that need places to fight and I believe competition is good. New organizations are great for the sport. I just think this sport has so much potential. It’s exploded over the past few years and there’s so much more room to grow. I truly believe it’s the most exciting sport in the world.

On GSP vs.Thiago Alves at UFC 100

Thiago Alves is the very best striker GSP has ever faced. In his career he has one loss from a grappler and one loss from someone who struck with him. Alves is way more powerful than Serra, was more dangerous on his feet. Georges has to be careful in the standup aspect. But how will Alves handle GSP’s wrestling? GSP is the best mixed martial arts wrestler in the business. He’s the best at executing a game plan. His execution is flawless.

On Kimbo Slice joining the next season of The Ultimate Fighter

He’s got Roy Big Country Nelson on that show. He’s a really good jiu-jitsu guy with a ton of experience. He’s a dangerous fight for a guy who has a hard time on the ground. Kimbo will have a real hard time with guys who are good grapplers. It takes too long to learn the grappling game. You have to love it and do it for years before you can defend yourself from a high level guy. I don’t know that Kimbo is that guy. I don’t know if he trains all the time with the right people and goes over positions.

Catching up with Joe Stevenson [MMA Stomping Grounds]

2009-06-19T18:07:31-07:00

I also caught up with Joe Stevenson, who is taking on Nate Diaz at The Ultimate Fighter season 9 finale.

JOE STEVENSON

On his TUF fight:

I think whoever dictates the pace has the best odds. We’re both very seasoned and very good fighters. You can never count out either of us.

On his hopes for the fight:

Ideally, he walks in, slips and falls, and they raise my hand. I’d also be happy if he slipped right into a choke.

On the MMA video game:

I like the game. I’m honored to be part of it. I’m also glad they did the digital scan of my body right before I had to make weight for a fight so my body fat was down.

On MMA's reputation:

The biggest misconception casual sports fans have is that we’re brutes. That we’re just in it for the rock and roll part of it. A lot of us that have made it to the top went to college and put in a lot of time and sacrifice to get here. They see one person back at home act that way and assume everyone acts that way.

On the B.J. Penn vs. Kenny Florian fight:

Well, I married a Hawaiian so I’m picking B.J. Penn. I think B.J. is awesome and will prove to be too much for Kenny on that day.

On his maturation:

I’ve grown a lot throughout the years. I’m training with Greg Jackson now and I think fans will be excited to watch me fight as I mature in how I fight. I think there will be a lot of happy fans out there.

Pietramala staying in Baltimore until at least 2015 [Faceoff]

2009-06-19T07:21:46-07:00

Johns Hopkins and coach Dave Pietramala agreed to a two-year extension that will keep Pietramala with the Blue Jays through the 2015 season, the school announced earlier this morning.

Pietramala recently wrapped his ninth season and became the second-winningest coach in the program's history as he has compiled a 106-30 (.779) record at Johns Hopkins. He has guided the Blue Jays to national championships in 2005 and 2007 and runner-up finishes in 2003 and 2008. The team has qualified for the NCAA tournament in each of Pietramala's nine seasons.

"We are fortunate to have the finest men's lacrosse coach in the nation leading our program," athletic director Tom Calder told the school's website. "Dave Pietramala's coaching resume speaks for itself, but the success our players have had in the classroom and their extensive involvement in community service initiatives is something that we also take great pride in. The manner in which Dave and his players represent Johns Hopkins is exemplary and we look forward to many more years with Dave leading our program."

"The dedication our administration has shown to the men's lacrosse program during my tenure is remarkable," Pietramala was quoted as saying. "Our coaches and players recognize the privilege it is to represent Johns Hopkins University and we take that privilege very seriously. It has been exciting to coach so many fine young men and we look forward to working with another outstanding group during the 2010 season. We look forward to building on the tradition of Johns Hopkins lacrosse under the leadership of our new President, Ron Daniels."

Weekly recruiting roundup [Recruiting Report]

2009-06-19T07:01:28-07:00

Justin Coleman entered Wednesday’s National Basketball Players Association Top 100 camp as one of the lesser-known prospects in attendance. Unlike [Wake Forest-bound Travis] McKie, Coleman is still waiting for a scholarship offer. Coleman, who said he's not sure which high school he'll attend in 2009-10, sees the camp as an opportunity to raise his stock. After the first day of play in Charlottesville, Va., the Maryland target and three-star prospect from Richmond did just that. Rivals.com’s Jerry Meyer gave Coleman rave reviews for his play at the camp. Whether he was dunking, finishing difficult layups or nailing jumpers from well behind the arc, Coleman was constantly on the attack offensively. He is a high-level athlete with a impressive motor who has a skill game that will continue to develop. Mark him down as a four-star when the rankings are reshuffled before the July evaluation period. • Holly Springs, N.C., power forward C.J. Leslie, another NBPA Top 100 camp participant, still has the Terps under consideration. Leslie, who said he admires the game of Boston's Kevin Garnett, is still deciding what other schools he will visit this year. Florida, Maryland, Kentucky and Wake Forest are on his short list. • Between attending Maryland’s elite camp last weekend and the NBPA camp now, Washington, N.C., small forward Mychal Parker took some time to stop in at Virginia’s camp. The Cavaliers' coaches watched Mychal Parker with particular interest. A 6-5 swingman who attends the Miller School in western Albemarle County, Parker is one of the top prospects in the nation's Class of 2010. The schools he's considering include Maryland, Virginia, Miami and Florida. • DeMatha point guard Quinn Cook, a 2011 UM target, scored 22 points to lead the United States’ U16 men’s national team to a 102-76 win over Venezuela in the FIBA Americas Championship tournament Thursday. "I just wanted to come out aggressive," Cook said. "I wanted to throw the first punch. I was lucky enough to get a couple baskets to get some momentum. I just wanted to be aggressive." • Delaware shooting guard Trevor Cooney earned solid reviews from NBE Basketball Report for his play in last weekend’s Rumble in the Bronx AAU tournament. His current schools of interest include Boston U, Delaware, Syracuse, Villanova, Ohio State, Rutgers, Texas and Maryland. He has been to Delaware and ‘Cuse, ‘Nova and Maryland and would like to see Ohio State and get a sense for what a Big 10 school is like. • The Baltimore Sun’s Jeff Barker broke the news Monday that Maryland had stopped recruiting Lance Stephenson. According to the New York Daily News, Stephenson’s father was caught off guard by the report. As of Wednesday night, Lance Stephenson Sr. had no knowledge that Maryland has stopped recruiting his son. "As far as we know Maryland is still an option," the father said. With the Terps bowing out of the Stephenson sweepstakes, Adam Zagoria writes that Memphis could be “the last team standing.” One source with knowledge went so far as to say Stephenson was planning an upcoming visit to the Conference USA school. “I think he is taking a visit. I think Memphis is leading,” the source said. “They are two feet in on Lance.” Football recruiting • Defensive end Nermin Delic, a three-star prospect from Tunnell Hill, Ga., has the Terps at the top of his list, according to GoUpState.com. Delic will visit Maryland this weekend and says he may commit. "I'll be there all weekend with my parents and if it feels right, I'll might commit," he said. "I've talked to my dad about it. He was supportive." Delic says that if he does commit, he will not shut down recruiting completely. "I will listen to schools if they offer me. If Georgia or Clemson were to offer, I would have to listen." • The Washington Post’s Josh Barr reports that Dunbar (D.C.) linebacker Javarie Johnson picked up an offer from Miami last week. [Dunbar coach Craig] Jefferies said Johnson has pared his list of nearly two dozen offers to four schools with a common thread: Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State and Miami. • Jacksonville, Fla., offensive lineman Tramell Williams told Rivals.com that he “will likely commit to Illinois or South Carolina” before the end of the month, but he also discussed where Maryland stands in his recruitment. “Maryland has offered me,” Williams said. “I talked with them early this morning and they said I had an offer. They emailed me a few days ago and said they wanted to offer me as a defensive tackle. They are the first school that has offered me as a defensive tackle. UCF may as well. At this time I don’t know too much about Maryland and I likely not get up there this summer, maybe take an official visit this fall.” • New Jersey wide receiver Shakim Phillips, a four-star player according to Rivals.com, plans to check out College Park this summer. “I’m going to Pittsburgh, Boston College, Maryland, West Virginia, Georgia and Tennessee. Those are the schools I know off the top of my head I’m going to see.

The Pryce is right [Ravens Insider]

2009-06-19T06:52:36-07:00

Thirteen years of playing in the NFL – which includes regular-season and playoff games, offseason practices and training camp – may have taken a physical toll on Trevor Pryce, but the defensive end is still one of the more engaging personalities to talk to in the Ravens locker room. Asked last week if mini-camps are a necessary evil, Pryce replied, “It is evil, but it is necessary. Let’s not say necessary evil. Let’s say evil necessary. But you have to do it. Especially for me personally, when I work out in Denver, no matter how hard you work out, you don’t sweat [because] there’s no humidity. So when I come out here, I put on a lot of clothes and try to run as much as I can to get some sweating in. but you enjoy it. They don’t make me do much. If they did make me do much, then I’d say, ‘This is optional. I’m going home.’ But since they take care of me and get me a play here, six plays there, and get off, then I’m ok.” Jokes aside, Pryce, who turns 34 on Aug. 3, looks to be in great shape and still has the agility and strength that has helped him collect 79 sacks in his career. The Ravens have drafted young pass rushers like Antwan Barnes, Paul Kruger and Prescott Burgess to book-end the talent they have in Terrell Suggs, but Pryce continues to run with the first defensive unit opposite Suggs. “Trevor is an elite defensive player in this league,” coach John Harbaugh said. “At one time, I think he was the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL – he’s that kind of a talent guy. Plus, Trevor knows how to stay in great shape. Trevor does a lot of training here, but he does a lot of training on his own. He’s the kind of guy that runs basketball gassers with weight packs on his back. Nobody’s in better shape than Trevor. He’ll come in here for 48 hours, as he says, then he’ll get out of here. But when you see it, you see the work he’s done. We expect Trevor to be an elite defensive lineman.” After posting a career-best 13 sacks in 2006, Pryce registered just two sacks in five games in 2007 due to a broken wrist and a torn pectoral muscle and 4½ sacks in 16 contests last season. Pryce said he wasn't disappointed with his personal performance last year. “I didn’t have a lot of sacks, but I had the same amount of pressures,” he said. “I guess I didn’t get lucky enough. … As a pass rusher, I thought I played pretty well. I can’t control sacks. I can control pressuring the quarterback, but a lot of other things have to happen for me to get a sack.”

Marshall talks ... but not about his future [Ravens Insider]

2009-06-19T04:00:36-07:00

At his youth football camp Thursday, disgruntled Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall declined to answer questions about his status with the team or a possible to trade to another one. The Ravens, who have not engaged in trade talks for Marshall, have been linked to him. “I think we saw this past year as far as change, as for changes in our front office. Coach (Mike) Shanahan being here 13 years. Gone! I think that’s part of life. You know it’s just change,” Marshall said. “You can control what you can control and what you can’t control you don’t worry about. So I’m here to show my wisdom, to give wisdom and get a feel for the kids.”

One undrafted rookie added, three others cut [Ravens Insider]

2009-06-18T19:21:11-07:00

The Ravens signed undrafted rookie linebacker Tony Fein, the one player added from a 10-player tryout. Fein, 27, spent 2 1/2 years in the army before recording 136 tackles in 24 games for Mississippi. The team released three undrafted rookies: quarterback Drew Willy, linebacker-defensive end Luis Vasquez and defensive back David Jones.

Catching up with Diego Sanchez [MMA Stomping Grounds]

2009-06-18T17:55:21-07:00

Diego Sanchez is headlining The Ultimate Fighter season 9 finale Saturday on Spike TV in a match against Clay Guida and I recently caught up with him for a few minutes to get his thoughts on the fight.

DIEGO SANCHEZ

On his gameplan at TUF 9:

The key to the fight is me executing my gameplan. I’m a better fighter with better fights on my record. I have more experience and am going to have the fight of my career.

On his opponent, Guida:
I have respect for his heart and conditioning, but when he gets on top of people and lays there and holds them down? That won’t work with me. It’s a boring style and I’m ready for anything he tries to do.

On his strategy:

I’ll hit him with elbows, attempt triangles, hitting armbars, sweeps, guillotines. I will be constantly attacking from my guard.

On his current condition:

I feel strong and faster at 155, especially with my wrestling. My takedowns have improved as the guys I fight walk in weighing 160 now as opposed to 190.

On the future:

My plan is when I turn 30 -- I’m 27 now -- I want to turn back to the welterweight division and fight the best. I want to win the belt here and hold it and when the time is right, move to 170. Truthfully, I could fight in both weight classes.

On the MMA video game:

Oh, man, it is so awesome. They did such a good job with the video game. They made me a 90 rating and I’m pretty good on there. I don’t have knockout power but maybe in the next edition I can get that added.

On Georges St. Pierre:

It’s weird ... I fought GSP five times in a row and got my butt kicked. It sucked watching myself get knocked out five times so I switched weight classes.

On what fans don't know about him:

I think my fans know everything about me. What they don’t know they can wonder about.

I also caught up with Joe Stevenson and Joe Rogan, so keep an eye out for those interviews later today or early tomorrow.

A few things [Recruiting Report]

2009-06-18T12:46:23-07:00

Here's a shameless plug alert. The guys at In the Bleachers, a must-read college football blog, had me as a guest on their weekly podcast last night. Click here to listen. The podcast includes lots of local football recruiting talk, a discussion of the Terps’ 2009 prospects, and a look at outside-the-area schools who regularly recruit the state. The co-hosts, Adam Nettina (a Mount St. Joseph grad and GoMids.com writer) and Brian Sakowski, also bring up Michigan football near the end, and I fight back tears as we discuss the 2008 debacle. • There’s been a big push here at The Baltimore Sun to embrace social media, so a couple weeks ago I jumped on the Twitter bandwagon. It’s been an admittedly lackluster debut, but I’ll try to pick it up in the coming weeks. Click here to follow my updates. • We also launched a local high school recruiting database recently on the site. You can search for any area athlete in almost any sport, starting with the 2008 class. Click here to check out the database.

Ravens sign fifth-rounder Phillips, two cut [Ravens Insider]

2009-06-18T12:17:55-07:00

The Ravens signed their third draft pick, linebacker Jason Phillips, to a three-year contract. No terms were available for the fifth-round pick. Phillips joins tight end Davon Drew and running back Cedric Peerman as signed draft picks. The Ravens cut defensive back Anwar Phillips and cornerback David Jones.

Maryland Crab Bowl rosters unveiled [Recruiting Report]

2009-06-18T08:25:37-07:00

The inaugural Maryland Crab Bowl could be tough to top from a talent standpoint. “Last year’s talent was the best the state’s ever seen,” admitted Chuck Harmon, the president and co-founder of the Baltimore vs. Washington high school football all-star event. But Harmon is confident the second annual Crab Bowl — which is scheduled for Dec. 19 at Johnny Unitas Stadium — will hold just as much attraction for local football fans as the first game. Harmon announced the rosters during a news conference Wednesday at Towson University. “Maryland in the past has not had that national reputation that other states such as Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Texas, California and so on has in the nation,” Harmon said. “[But] Maryland is quickly rising. We’ve got some athletes in this state that can play for any university in the United States.” City wide receiver Adrian Coxson and Thomas Johnson linebacker Nick Forbes were both on hand to represent the Baltimore team. Six Penn State commitments played in last year’s Crab Bowl. Coxson, who pledged to the Nittany Lions earlier this spring, said he’s happy to continue that new tradition. “It’s fun. This is all part of me trying to reach my goals,” Coxson said. “I’m just taking the next step. ... Now that I’ve committed, I’m just working hard to get to that next level.” Forbes, a four-star prospect, heard about the Crab Bowl last season from former teammate and Central Michigan-bound defensive back D.J. Scott. Scott and the Baltimore squad suffered a 32-21 loss to D.C. in 2008, but things could be different this year. “I feel like this year, [Baltimore has] a lot of talent,” said Forbes, who has narrowed his list of schools to Cal, Duke, Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest and West Virginia. “I’m playing to win.” While Coxson’s college future is set, and Forbes will likely make his decision later this summer, Harmon said the Crab Bowl is all about creating an opportunity for overlooked players to have a chance at landing a college scholarship. Harmon said he and Crab Bowl co-founder Sean O’Connor hoped that “five or seven kids” would receive scholarship offers after playing in last year’s game. Those expectations were easily surpassed. “Last year, the first annual Maryland Crab Bowl, we were fortunate to have 88 kids involved in the game,” Harmon said. “Out of those 88 kids, 83 student-athletes received college scholarships. ... When I say college scholarships, that’s Division I, IAA or Division II; not Division III or a prep school. ... We had 27 kids, as a result of playing in the Crab Bowl … get a chance to play and earn college scholarships.” Wednesday’s Super 60 roster announcement was just the initial list of kids who made the cut. Harmon intends to add 14-15 players to each team before December’s game. While most of the skill position slots have been filled, there’s plenty of room for offensive and defensive linemen. Kicker and punter will most likely be addressed after the high school season. Meanwhile, the Washington squad needs two additional quarterbacks. Baltimore has Century’s Josh Bordner, Loyola’s Connor Bruns and Arundel’s Billy Cosh on its roster. Players from the Eastern Shore are generally placed on the Baltimore team, but Taylor Henry from Cambridge-South Dorchester will suit up for D.C. due to the District’s lack of numbers at the position. Listed below are the initial rosters for the 2009 Maryland Crab Bowl. Click here for more information.

Baltimore Josh Alaeze, Parkville linebacker-defensive end Nathan Ayers, Dunbar defensive back Hansen Barrick, Tuscarora offensive lineman Josh Bordner, Century quarterback Connor Bruns, Loyola quarterback Tyrek Cheeseboro, Milford Mill wide receiver Devin Clark, Dunbar offensive lineman Tuswani Copeland, Meade wide receiver Billy Cosh, Arundel quarterback Adrian Coxson (Penn State), City wide receiver Ryan Dixon, Linganore wide receiver Anthony Ferguson (Iowa), Gilman defensive end J.R. Ferguson, Hargrave (Va.) Military Academy defensive end Nick Forbes, Thomas Johnson linebacker Kyle Fuller, Mount St. Joseph cornerback Josh Furman, Old Mill defensive back-running back Emmanuel Gbor, Eastern Tech running back Jeremy Grove (East Carolina), Thomas Johnson linebacker R.J. Harris, Arundel wide receiver Robby Havenstein, Linganore offensive lineman Kevin Johnson, River Hill defensive back Nick Marth, Linganore defensive lineman Jake McGinnis, Joppatowne linebacker Hassam Ouri, Broadneck offensive lineman Bobby Partilla, Arundel linebacker Mike Pitz, Hereford offensive lineman Jim Poggi (Iowa), Gilman linebacker Matt Robinson, Atholton athlete Delonte Tate, Stephen Decatur defensive back Kyle Tucker, Linganore offensive lineman Willie Williams, Hereford running back Zach Zwinak, Linganore fullback Washington Marcus Anderson, Westlake linebacker Antonio Belt, Forestville wide receiver Brian Blue, Gwynn Park linebacker Marcus Coker, DeMatha running back Brandon Coleman, Bishop McNamara wide receiver Michael Coley, DeMatha safety Malik Cross, Oxon Hill linebacker Bisi Ezekoye, Kennedy athlete Troy Gloster, Good Counsel linebacker Devin Goode, Riverdale Baptist wide receiver Jordan Haden (Florida), Friendly safety Taylor Henry, Cambridge-South Dorchester Shane Johnson, DeMatha offensive lineman Jerome June, Gwynn Park defensive end Jeff Knox (Pittsburgh), DeMatha safety Arie Kouandjio, DeMatha offensive tackle Axel Ofori, Gaithersburg defensive back Paul Phillips, Georgetown Prep tight end Chris Pitsenberger, Good Counsel linebacker Mitchell Pollard, Springbrook wide receiver E.J. Scott (Virginia), Good Counsel defensive back Arlando Scott, North Point running back Khalek Shepherd, Gwynn Park running back Devonte Stamps, McDonough linebacker Devonta Tabannah, Potomac wide receiver Frank Tamakloe, Good Counsel safety Titus Till (Maryland), Wise defensive back Oswaldo Velasquez, Magruder offensive lineman Lorenzo Waters, DeMatha safety Louis Young, Good Counsel defensive back

Rookie camp not just limited to rookies [Ravens Insider]

2009-06-18T08:04:28-07:00

Even though Tuesday’s practice was billed as a rookies-only event, there were a few veterans sprinkled in the mix. Offensive linemen Joe Reitz and Bryan Mattison, cornerback Anwar Phillips and wide receiver Justin Harper took a generous number of reps. Although Reitz, Mattison and Harper are technically second-year players, their first seasons went unaccredited with all three spending time on either the practice squad or injured reserve. So the opportunity to get extra snaps and tutoring was appealing. “The whole thought was, ‘Well, do I have to be out here?’ but then I looked at it and thought about it and was like, ‘They didn’t say anything to me about being here, so I’m going to be here,’ ” said Harper, a Virginia Tech product drafted in the seventh round last year. “So I looked at it like, ‘Hey, being a rookie last year and not getting to play, I still feel like a rookie.’ So until I get some games under my belt, I’m still a rookie.” Reitz said he jumped at the chance to refine his technique under the watchful eyes of offensive line coach John Matsko and assistant offensive line coach Andy Moeller without having to elbow his way past his other linemates. “It’s a chance to come in and get more individual attention because during full teams and stuff, the coaches are coaching everybody,” Reitz said. “But instead of 15 O-linemen, there are now five. So you really get that individual attention. Our O-line coaches are given a lot of time for us to ask questions and really get everything cleared up before you go to training camp:’ Phillips acknowledged considering staying home rather than attending Tuesday’s practice. “That’s always an option, but another day you can work is always a good day,” he said. “It’s another chance to get better and work on stuff. I actually learn more details about coverages, and that helps. Some of this may be all new to me, but I’m getting better. It’s another day that maybe guys who are in the same position as me don’t have. It’s another day for me to broadcast my talents.”

Second draft pick signs [Ravens Insider]

2009-06-17T22:09:32-07:00

Cedric Peerman, a sixth-round pick, signed a three-year, $1.2 million deal with the Ravens that included a $78,000 signing bonus. Peerman, a running back out of Virginia, joins tight end Davon Drew as the Ravens' signed draft picks. The Ravens report to training camp in late July. The unsigned draft picks are: offensive tackle Michael Oher (first round); defensive end Paul Kruger (second round); cornerback Lardarius Webb (third round); and linebacker Jason Phillips (fifth round).

Brandon Marshall speaks ... sort of [Ravens Insider]

2009-06-16T18:54:13-07:00

In his first comments since requesting a trade from the Denver Broncos, Pro Bowl wide receiver Brandon Marshall wrote on his Web site: "Clearing the Air…" "To whom it may concern. Life is filled with change, and where I am in my life now change is probably best. It’s hard leaving an organization ran by one of the best owners in all of sports, and someone who’s been there for me through my ups and downs. The hardest thing was hearing Mr. B (owner Pat Bowlen) wish me luck in the future, but we both came to the conclusion that this is probably the best thing for me to grow on and off the field. "I thank the Denver fans who embraced my emotion and play on the field and showing me love every time I step outside my door." Ravens officials are looking into Marshall's background before initiating any trade talks with the Broncos.

Tommy Breaux makes pitch to Ravens [Ravens Insider]

2009-06-16T14:57:09-07:00

Tommy Breaux did not try to minimize the quantum leap he is attempting to make. Asked about trying to jump from Towson University to the NFL, Breaux, with eyes wide, said: "It's like going from high school to the NBA." It was an appropriate analogy because Breaux, who grew up in Randallstown, was a two-sport athlete at Towson, and the other sport was basketball. Breaux will finish up a three-day tryout camp with the Ravens on Wednesday. A hair under 6-foot-7, his size and athleticism also got him tryouts with the Redskins and Giants in May. Neither team offered a contract. Breaux went to Blinn (Tex.) Junior College after high school, then to Towson to play both football and basketball. He averaged 5.9 points and blocked 66 shots in the 2006-07 basketball season, starting 22 of 31 games for coach Pat Kennedy. He decided his prospects were better in football than basketball and he committed to the Tigers' football team last season. He missed three games with a finger injury, but grabbed five touchdowns in his last four games, when he had 21 catches for 320 yards. For the season, he had 35 catches for 514 yards and six TDs. In Tuesday's workout, the Ravens sent Breaux on deep routes several times, and threw fade routes at least twice. "I feel I improved from [Monday]," Breaux said. "Cam [offensive coordinator Cam Cameron] said I was starting to look like a football player." The Ravens also invited three other free agent receivers in for tryouts this week. They were Will Buchanon, who has been with the Raiders, Chiefs and Panthers; Kenneth Harris of Georgia; and Chris Vaughn of Louisville. Coach John Harbaugh was non-committal on the free agents after Tuesday's workout. "We're going to look at this tape, and once we get three days of tape, we'll take a look and see if any of those guys can make us better. If they can, we'll make a change."

Marshal Yanda still on schedule [Ravens Insider]

2009-06-16T12:48:52-07:00

Contrary to a radio report a week ago that Marshal Yanda might miss the season after two surgeries on his right knee, the Ravens' third-year offensive lineman says he still expects to play this year and hasn't suffered any setbacks. Yanda tore the anterior cruciate, medial and posterior collateral ligaments in his right knee in Week 6 last season at Indianapolis. He needed separate operations to repair the damage, the second on Jan. 12 for his ACL. Although he wasn't cleared to practice in any of the team's offseason workouts, Yanda has resumed lifting and running and said his knee feels solid. An eight-month projection for Yanda's return from the second surgery would put him on schedule for mid-August. Unless he has a setback, he expects to meet that timetable. After Tuesday's rookie camp workout, Yanda said his "worst-case scenario" is having to go on the physically-unable-to-perform (PUP) list when the Ravens make final cuts in September. Then, he would be inactive for a minimum of six games. "That'd be if I have a setback, which I don't plan on happening," he said. Yanda almost certainly will go on the PUP list at the start of training camp next month, but as long as he isn't on the list at the final cutdown, he need not miss those six games. He said his best-case scenario is to come off the PUP in mid- to late-August, as anticipated, and get ready for the season opener on Sept. 13. There's also the possibility he'll miss a week or two at the start of the season while he works his knee back into playing shape.

First public brouhaha of the offseason [Ravens Insider]

2009-06-16T12:11:22-07:00

The first fracas of the Ravens offseason before the media erupted today during a rookie camp when second-round pick Paul Kruger got involved with an offensive lineman. The scuffle lasted about 20 seconds with teammates pulling apart the participants and offensive coordinator Cam Cameron ordering players to “break it up.” Afterwards, Kruger said he could not remember which offensive lineman set him off. “We kind of got tangled up and started to throw down,” the defensive end/outside linebacker said. “… That can happen at any time, I guess.” What’s surprising to me is that the Ravens waited this long to avoid fisticuffs. Last year, then-rookie offensive tackle Oniel Cousins was involved in scraps with former Ravens Dan Cody and Amon Gordon in a span of two months. Second-year wide receiver Justin Harper pointed out that rookies might be feeling pressed to separate themselves from the crowd with their coaches. “The Ravens are physical, and that’s what guys want to show out there,” he said. “You’ve got linemen scrapping out there and you’ve got Kruger who was a second-round pick. He’s going to get out there and bust tail, too, and show the defensive coaches what he’s got.”

Terps are no longer recruiting Born Ready [Tracking the Terps]

2009-06-16T05:00:41-07:00

You heard it here first, folks. Lance Stephenson is no longer being recruited by Maryland. I filed a story for today's paper on this, but let me give you more if I can.

My sources say Stephenson hasn't been in the recruiting picture for about three weeks. One source said flatly that Stephenson will not be a Terrapin.

This story was slow in developing. I began to get curious when I was a guest on Jerry Coleman's radio show on Baltimore's Fox 1370 on the same day Gary Williams did a call-in interview a few weeks ago. Coleman asked Williams whether the makeup of next year's team was uncertain.

Replied Williams: "I've got a pretty good idea. I don't know how hard we're waiting, let's put it that way."

Williams was not free to go further. But doesn't that sound like a hint? Obviously I couldn't write something based on a whim, and it took some time to confirm it.

Stephenson is obviously a talent. I don't know all the reasons behind Maryland's decision to stop pursuing him. I wish I did. Much of it remains private.

But I would say this, folks. Recruiting isn't just about bringing in the best player. Programs have to consider whether the player has baggage, what it takes to get him and whether he fits into the system you're running. You think Maryland wouldn't pursue a player as talented as Born Ready without a sound reason?

Greivis is back and happy [Tracking the Terps]

2009-06-16T05:00:19-07:00

What a pleasant, sunny day at Comcast Center yesterday.

Greivis Vasquez was back and happy. His teammates -- some were milling around, others were running sprints on an adjacent field -- wore smiles.

I think most suspected Vasquez wouldn't stay in the NBA draft and would return for his senior season. "I thought he would (remain)," Eric Hayes said. Gary Williams had said much the same thing.

But still. You never know when an itchy NBA team will get a covetous feeling about a player and whisper in his ear.

Gary Williams said he was perfectly prepared to say goodbye to Greivis if the player got a top-20 draft nibble. But I don't think the coach expected that to happen. And neither did most of you Terps fans.

Say what you will about Greivis and his personality -- mercurial? passionate? hot-headed? I think the guy really works to improve himself. He knows all about the turnovers and knows he must improve his shot. I expect him to return a better player this year.

Vasquez and coaches are meeting [Tracking the Terps]

2009-06-15T12:46:43-07:00

The long-anticipated meeting of Greivis Vasquez and Maryland coaches is ongoing. Obviously it's private.

But I'll get you a verdict as soon as I get it.

Greivis Vasquez decision due today [Tracking the Terps]

2009-06-15T06:08:58-07:00

Greivis Vasquez has until 5 p.m. today to decide whether to remain at Maryland or keep his name in the NBA draft.

My theories on why the announcement came down to the last day:

*I think Greivis decided the smart strategic move was to keep everybody in suspense. That way, he could potentially exact a higher price from any interested NBA teams because his status was uncertain. You try to use any leverage you can get.

*He wanted to take full advantage of the workout process with NBA teams. The process is good for his game -- he got lots of feedback from NBA coaches -- and he seems to have genuinely enjoyed it. He had workouts scheduled right up until the final weekend.

*I think there were genuinely some mixed feelings about the decision. Pros and cons either way, although I've said before that it's probably best for him to return to college and continue to work on his game, particularly in such a guard-heavy draft.

I was told over the weekend there was a meeting scheduled between Greivis and coach Gary Williams, but no details available yet. We'll keep you posted today. Obviously this is an important decision for the Terps. I could be proved wrong, but it doesn't seem these days that recruit Lance Stephenson fits into Maryland's plans, or vice-versa.

While this situation is still fluid, consider these comments that Gary Williams made a few weeks ago. He was asked by Jerry Coleman of Fox 1370 in Baltimore whether the makeup of next year's team was uncertain.

Williams: "I've got a pretty good idea. I don't know how hard we're waiting, let's put it that way."

The Terps could really use Vasquez's ability to create shots for himself and, just as important, for others.

Review & preview: Three teams under the radar [Faceoff]

2009-06-12T08:00:00-07:00

Last June, I published my version of the 2009 preseason poll and added another entry of three teams that I thought had potential. So in keeping with that tradition, here are three teams that did not finish above .500 and missed the tournament this past season. But what they do have is intrigue in either the form of returning players, a new head coach or a campaign that just fell short of the tournament. In alphabetical order, the teams flying under the radar are:

Looking at UFC 99 [MMA Stomping Grounds]

2009-06-12T00:43:00-07:00

UFC 99 is finally here (well, it will be tomorrow) and the main event of Rich Franklin taking on Wanderlei Silva is a very interesting one. Is it worthy of the headline status? For a show overseas, probably. For a fan to shell out the same cash they will for UFC 100? Probably not.

Whether you watch it at 3 p.m. live or at 10 p.m. on tape delay, it should be an entertaining card. Silva and Franklin both like to stand and bang, and both guys need a win. Silva is trying to make a case for a title shot against Anderson Silva for his middleweight tile. Franklin is trying to gain legitimacy in the scene at 205 pounds. Both guys have gone too long without a defining win. Franklin is the Vegas favorite (-160) and Silva is the pros favorite (according to sherdog.com) and it’s a tough one to call. I think Franklin will get the win with a third-round TKO, but very little (other than a submission or a boring fight, maybe) in this one will surprise me.

The fight between Cain Velasquez and Cheick Kongo should be intriguing as well. Velasquez is an impressive heavyweight prospect, but Kongo seems in line for a title shot after Brock Lesnar faces Frank Mir. While the heavyweight scene in the UFC doesn’t look as bland as it used to, there still isn’t a ton there and Velasquez moves much closer to a title shot with a win. One would have to think Kongo is officially next in line with one. I know Kongo was a late addition to this fight but I’m not ready to jump on the Velasquez bandwagon just yet.

And, for those of you interested in the past, Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic is on the card. His bout with Mustapha Al-Turk will be interesting because Filipovic will kick Al-Turk in the head and Al-Turk will lose consciousness. This will cause everyone to rave about how the old Cro Cop is back and is going to set the UFC heavyweight division on fire. Then he’ll go on to lose to Gabriel Gonzaga again or to the loser of the Randy Couture vs. Minotauro Nogueira matchup. It will be cool to see the highlight knockout, but I’m not holding out hope for the old "Cro Cop" to return to the MMA scene.

I’m also pumped for the Mike Swick vs. Ben Saunders fight. I saw both of these guys at UFC’s Fight for the Troops and Swick seems like the real deal. He should win this bout but both of these guys are talented fighters. This should be a fun one to watch.

The Marcus Davis vs. Dan Hardy matchup is intriguing because of the amount of trash talk going on between the two. Davis is a fun guy to watch and he’ll probably add another knockout to his highlight reel in this one.

When all is said and done, this could end up being a really underrated card. It's definitely worth checking out. If I was a betting man, I’d be throwing my money behind Franklin, Kongo, Davis, Swick and "Cro Cop" (in the mentioned fights).

A few quick links

Thefukerton.com has a couple links to check out. They caught up with the TapouT crew and will have the UFC 99 weigh-in streaming live at 10 a.m. EST.

ESPN.com has five things to watch for at UFC 99

Foxsports has an interesting read on the tough reception the UFC is getting in Germany.

It's amazing to see some of the reactions from opponents. Banning minors from attending the event is just excessive. When are people going to realize it’s not two drunk guys locked in a cage beating the crap out of each other? It’s not a freak show. These are well-trained, athletic martial artists. It’s a sport, not a spectacle.

Anyone for Wanderlei Silva vs. Anderson Silva? [MMA Stomping Grounds]

2009-06-11T14:01:54-07:00

After watching the UFC 99 Countdown special it looks like a Wanderlei Silva vs. Anderson Silva fight is on the horizon. I don’t get the hype for this, especially so soon. I like the whole back story of “they used to be close friends but now hate each other!” and the wrinkle of Anderson Silva training with Rich Franklin for his UFC 99 bout with Wanderlei.

Still, I’m not terribly interested in seeing that fight. I used to be a huge Wanderlei Silva fan, especially when he was in PRIDE, but I’ve soured on him lately. I’m fine with his move down to middleweight but I’d like to see him fight a few guys at middleweight before taking on Silva. I’d like to see him fight Demain Maia or even Yushin Okami.

The winner of one of those fights would rightly deserve a shot at Anderson Silva’s title and that match could be a decent draw. I also don’t think Wanderlei is going to take down Franklin (Franklin is favored in Vegas, for what’s it’s worth).

Wanderlei would be a much better opponent than Thales Leites or James Irvin, but we’re running out of Anderson Silva fights (potentially). If he beats Forrest Griffin, he should stay at 205 unless he gets a superfight with Georges St. Pierre or until a clear challenger at 185 establishes himself.

Back tomorrow with a full look at UFC 99.

OC summer ball [Re: Lax]

2009-06-11T09:56:37-07:00

If you are "down the ocean" for the summer and want to play some lacrosse, the summer pickup games start again on Wednesday (June 17). It will be a little different this year. They will be playing in Ocean City at the Third Street fields next to the bay and there is a cost to rent the field. There will be a fee of $30 for the summer (six sessions) or $5 per night. The games will be each Wednesday night from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. See you there next week!

Review & preview: Premature poll Part 4 [Faceoff]

2009-06-11T08:00:00-07:00

Here is the final installment of a preseason and premature poll for the 2010 season, publishing the teams ranked from Nos. 5 to 1.

Unless there are confirmed reports about certain players planning to use fifth years of eligibility, this space will assume that seniors in 2009 will not be back next season. Unannounced fifth-year seniors and potential transfers will affect the rankings that come out next February, but here are the teams that I think will fall between Nos. 5 and 1.

UMBC visiting the Far East [Faceoff]

2009-06-10T13:38:47-07:00

The Retrievers will take their game overseas as participants in the International Friendship Games as part of an 11-day tour to Tokyo and Nagoya, Japan. The players and coaches from this past season’s team will leave Baltimore on Thursday and join in commemorating the 20^th anniversary of this event.

"We have a great relationship with the Japan Lacrosse Association [JLA]," coach Don Zimmerman told the school’s website. "This past fall, they sent a team over here and after the game, we had a tailgate for them. One of the principle ideas of the JLA is ‘Lacrosse Makes Friends.’ We understand that and give them the opportunity not only to play, but to socialize. As a result, they are always excited for UMBC to come over and participate in this event."

The Retrievers will compete against the Under-20 Toyko squad and the Japan National
squad on Saturday before facing the Under-22 Japan National Squad in Edogawa Stadium in an International Friendship Game on Sunday. The team will play against two collegiate teams on Tuesday before heading to Nagoya the following day.

The squad is scheduled to tour the Nagoya Castle and the Toyota Motor Corporation on Thursday, June 18 and will take part in a clinic the next day. UMBC will then compete in the second International Friendship game against the Nagoya Regional squad on Saturday, June 20 before returning to Baltimore on Sunday.

Fans can follow the team by logging onto www.umbcretrievers.com and going to "The Dawg Blog." Several players will be submitting entries during the trip.

Review & preview: Premature 2010 poll Part 3 [Faceoff]

2009-06-10T08:00:00-07:00

Here is the third installment of a preseason and premature poll for the 2010 season, publishing the teams ranked from Nos. 10 to 6. Thursday will be the last entry, featuring the teams ranked from Nos. 5 to 1.

Bill Tierney heads west [Faceoff]

2009-06-09T11:57:52-07:00

As first reported by Inside Lacrosse, longtime Princeton head coach Bill Tierney agreed on Monday to assume the same position at Denver after 22 years with the Tigers. It’s a surprising development considering that the 57-year-old Tierney was considered the face – and some would say raspy, passionate voice – of a Princeton program that captured six national championships under Tierney’s tutelege.

Tierney’s presence should pay immediate dividends for Denver, which endured a disappointing 7-8 campaign this past spring after two trips in three years to the NCAA tournament and witnessed the dismissal of three players and the resignation of head coach Jamie Munro.

Tierney’s background as a defensive whiz should improve a Pioneers unit that surrendered 10 or more goals in seven losses. His prowess at recruiting should make Denver a quality destination for blue-chip prospects. And with the Pioneers moving to a revamped Eastern College Athletic Conference, they suddenly become Loyola’s primary contender for the league title.

So what does this mean for the Tigers, who were 390-354-19 before Tierney and 238-86 under Tierney? Associate head coach David Metzbower, who just completed his 20^th season at Princeton, becomes the leading candidate to succeed Tierney. But don’t be surprised if the Tigers make a run at Cornell coach Jeff Tambroni, who has guided the Big Red to at least a share of the last seven Ivy League titles, or one of the young up-and-coming Ivy League coaches like Harvard’s John Tillman or Brown’s Lars Tiffany.

Tierney to Denver not just another coaching change [Re: Lax]

2009-06-09T11:16:14-07:00

This is not just another coaching change. Can you imagine how many times a school has asked Princeton’s Bill Tierney to leave the Tigers and lead their program? Johns Hopkins, Maryland, North Carolina, Duke and a few others are among the programs rumored to have approached Tierney in the past. Tierney said yesterday that this opportunity at Denver was one “that I never thought would come my way." That makes me assume he’s had Denver on his mind for a while and it was just a matter of waiting out Jamie Munro, a much younger man who had the job for the last 11 years. Whether it was Munro or the university that made the decision, Jamie resigned on May 7 after posting a 91-70 mark at Denver. I am not trying to fuel speculation, but did the school know of Tierney’s interest before Munro’s departure? I’d fire any coach in the land to get Tierney. This is not just another coaching change. Bill Tierney is not just another coach. He’s the best. This will change the game and he knows it. In his statement yesterday he said, "The expansion of the game to the West is exciting. If we are truly going to make lacrosse a nationwide sport, we need for some programs out there to become great. I think I can help Colorado lacrosse become the launching pad for that movement." He’s exactly right and he’s the only one who can do that in my eyes. If Petro or Zimmerman or Desko were headed to Denver, I would say they sold out for the money, and that the money was likely wasted. But Tierney will have Denver in the final four in three years. A national championship will be won within five years. I have no doubt at all. The others would do as well as Munro out there, which was admirable, in my opinion. This is not just another coaching change. My guess is that Tierney is now the highest paid coach in college lacrosse history, if he wasn’t already that at Princeton. Denver is coming as close to buying a championship as you can come. With it they finance the expansion of the game’s geographic center. Denver was a hotspot already with great pro crowds and huge growth on the youth level, but Tierney will exponentially improve the area in a few years. The Denver summer camps will become a must for blue-chip players. He will draw some of the finest high school players in the land immediately, albeit, perhaps not of the academic caliber he is used to. But that will be a new twist, too. Imagine Tierney being able to recruit kids with less than a 1400 on their SATs. Princeton's academic standards were always a barrier for most kids that would have played for Tierney if they could have. This is not just another coaching change. Tierney will make the state of Colorado a rival to New York and Maryland as a lacrosse hotbed in short order. He will expand the attendance of Denver lacrosse games from an average of 1,300 fans (2,000 for the Notre Dame game) to over 10,000 in a year’s time. He should be able to capture much of the 15,000-person crowds that attend Colorado Mammoth (NLL) and Denver Outlaws (MLL) games. College lacrosse at the top level has usually done better than any other levels of the game in lacrosse hotbeds. This increased attendance, especially by kids, will exponentially grow the game in Denver, eventually. This is not just another coaching change. It will limit a Denver recruit’s access to local Division I lacrosse for a while. That is the short-term downside to such rapid change in an area like Denver, at least for some of the kids there. In 2009, the Denver team included 12 players from Colorado while the Princeton team had none. The whole field of NCAA tournament participants included seven players from Colorado. Under the Tierney era, it will take some improvement in the local high school lacrosse for Colorado kids to make the Denver team in the near term. But in a few years, the make-up of the Denver roster may look more like Princeton or other big NCAA teams than the local team it is now. Eventually it will help Denver kids, but the immediate impact will be a negative one, I would think. Every great coach who takes over a program utilizes what he has while he brings in who he wants. That usually means that each class is exponentially better than the last and that kids who start as freshman each year might not start again after their first season. I saw it happen at Georgetown as they went from being an obscure team of Northern Virginia and Montgomery County kids to a national powerhouse with mostly New York and Baltimore kids. The building blocks of these rising teams are often very temporary and it can get awkward as every year freshmen replace the starters. This is not just another coaching change. This is a change to the game that will benefit our sport greatly. I’ve always moaned about the exclusivity of champions at the Div. I level and suggested that it would take a conspiracy of players to choose a school like Denver or some other outlier to grow the game, but I overlooked this method, thinking Tierney would live out his years at the Ivy League institution where he is an institution. But this will do the trick nicely. Believe me, with yesterday’s news the conspiracies just started. Great high school juniors and sophomores are thinking “Go west young man” as of today! The best kids at Gilman and West Genny and Wilton and Malvern and Georgetown Prep have widened their horizons in a day. The geographic borders of potential greatness just expanded five-fold. This is not just another coaching change. The applications for the new opening at Princeton will likely set a record. It is the best job opening in years. I can’t imagine someone other than David Metzbower getting the job. Tierney’s longtime assistant is the top assistant in the game and he could provide a seamless transition. He is the recruiter and a strategic mastermind who Tierney always shared credit with when they won championships. The national job search may just be a formality. This is not just another coaching change. This is Tierney’s last job. He’s looking to be near family and find a spot to live out his post-collegiate coaching life, too, and what place better than Colorado. His old friend Fred Acee was the coach for years at Air Force and Tierney understands the great quality of life awaiting him. I have always envied the coaches that have a niche in some community that is comforting. Hank Janczyk stands out to me in a small town like Gettysburg. What a life he has up there! I am sure Princeton was a comfort to the Tierneys, but it’s not exactly a retirement mecca, despite the slow pace that the pretty Main Street facade evokes. I am surprised a little that Tierney did not go to Jacksonville, but he must be a mountain guy instead of a beach guy and the hotspot for that type of living is just where he’s headed. He is also headed into lacrosse immortality. He’s already legendary for his coaching. Now he’s attempting to achieve something far more important, something so rare, perhaps only he could do it. Good luck, coach!

Review & preview: Premature 2010 poll Part 2 [Faceoff]

2009-06-09T08:00:00-07:00

Yesterday, I released the first installment of a preseason and premature poll for the 2010 season, publishing the teams ranked from Nos. 15 to 11. Wednesday will feature Nos. 10 to 6 and Thursday, Nos. 5 to 1.

Athletics staff member is also a writer [Tracking the Terps]

2009-06-09T06:00:46-07:00

Brian Ullmann’s day job is senior associate athletics director for the University of Maryland. In his spare time, he writes.

He’s completed a book called "Darwin's Race,” about an adventure race in southeast Tibet.

Ullmann says he included a Maryland reference in the story. “The hero of the book --
Conner Michaels -- is a Terp alum, and at one point gives a Terps hat to his
then-girlfriend,” Ullmann says. “Years later, after a tough break-up, he sees her again, and she's wearing the hat.”

Ullmann says his literary agent is the same one who handled “Sweet Redemption,” the Gary Williams book.

Bring on the West Virginia "rivalry" [Tracking the Terps]

2009-06-09T05:00:06-07:00

We talked a lot last year about true rivals, or more specifically the absence of one for the Terps to lustily despise.

Maryland is, in a sense, a solo dance partner. It’s Alabama without Auburn, Army without Navy, Harvard without Yale.

Sure, Virginia is a rival of sorts. Maryland and Virginia play every year, are in neighboring states and have played some exciting games.

But I took notice of the announcement recently that Maryland and West Virginia have signed on for two more football games.

The teams were already scheduled to meet in 2010 and 2011. Now they will also play in 2012 and 2013.

Maryland-West Virginia just feels like a rivalry. It feels hot. Maybe it’s because West Virginia has been more successful than Virginia in football and poses a big challenge. I think it’s because both schools’ fans get amped up for each other. It doesn’t hurt that former standout tailback Steve Slaton vowed revenge for the Mountaineers after being rebuffed by Maryland, his original school of choice.

Credit Maryland for keeping this rivalry alive. I’ve complained in this space before about soft non-conference scheduling by Maryland and other schools. I detest the mismatches that schools put on the early-season schedule simply to fatten their bottom lines. Obviously, the Mountaineers aren’t a cupcake for the Terps.

WEC, Strikeforce, UFC 99 and Fedor in the UFC? [MMA Stomping Grounds]

2009-06-08T12:50:00-07:00

A few quick thoughts for a Monday...

*Anyone else surprised Mike Brown was able to retain his WEC featherweight title over Urijah Faber last night? Impressive performance and a very solid show.

*Jake Shields was very impressive in his submission of Robbie Lawler in Strikeforce’s show Saturday. He’s fun to watch and I’d love to see him in the UFC, against the other best welterweights in the world.

*Brett Rogers is a fine fighter, but knocking out Andrei Arlovski in 22 seconds? No knock on Rogers, but that’s a quick fall for Arlovski. I wasn’t impressed with him towards the end of his UFC days, but he looked impressive in the first few minutes against Fedor Emelianenko. He was winning the fight before his colossal error in judgment. He went from having a shot at taking down Fedor to getting knocked out in less than 30 seconds by Brett Rogers. That’s quite a fall.

*Gina Carano finally signed with Strikeforce and will face Cris Cyborg in the August event. It’s good to see Carano back in the limelight as she’s the torchbearer for women’s MMA. Hopefully she’s getting paid what she deserves in Strikeforce. That should be a great fight. The only real question is what happens after that (rematches?) since those are the two biggest fighters in women’s MMA.

*A very interesting read from CBSSports.com’s Gregg Doyel on the UFC breaking through the mainstream sports wall with the addition of Kimbo Slice on The Ultimate Fighter and the inevitable signing of Fedor Emelianenko after his fight with Josh Barnett in August. A Fedor-Brock Lesnar main event would be the highest-grossing UFC PPV ever.

*UFC 99 is this Saturday and in my opinion, it’s a very underrated card. Granted, it’s not great, it’s not going to be as big as the next two UFC shows, but there are some entertaining fights on this card. Rich Franklin vs. Wanderlei Silva should be very interesting and I think the Mike Swick vs. Ben Saunders fight could be a darkhorse on that card. I’m excited to see the Cheick Kongo vs. Cain Velasquez bout but could care less about seeing Cro Cop fight again.

Review & preview: Premature 2010 poll Part I [Faceoff]

2009-06-08T08:00:00-07:00

Here is one observer’s attempt to take a crack at a preseason and premature poll for the 2010 season. I will break up the top 20 into four installments with today’s entry looking at teams ranked from Nos. 20 to 16. Tuesday will feature Nos. 15 to 11, Wednesday Nos. 10 to 6 and Thursday Nos. 5 to 1.

Football start times are set for first three games [Tracking the Terps]

2009-06-04T11:06:53-07:00

It's often a guessing game -- a popular sport among the Maryland beat writers -- as to exactly what times football games will start. As you know, many of the times aren't known until 12 days before the game to allow ESPN/ABC or Raycom Sports flexibility.

But we do know the start times now for the first three games of the season, courtesy of Maryland media relations:

--The Cal game on Sept. 5 will begin at 10 p.m. ET and be televised on ESPN2. I'll be drinking sugary, caffeinated beverages in the press box to stay awake. We knew this start time already, thanks to the Pac-10.

--Maryland’s home opener against James Madison on Sept. 12 will kick off at 6 p.m. No television scheduled. You think players will appreciate the late start time because it can be hot and humid this time of year?

-- The next week’s game against Middle Tennessee State begins at 3:30 p.m. and is to be streamed live on ESPN360.