The D-backs sat many of their regulars today and struggled to get anything going at the plate. Sean Coughlin played DH today and would do the most damage going 2-for-4 with a double that drove in two runs in the fifth inning.

The Angels knocked in four runs by four different batters including a game tying hit by Kendry Morales. Padres second baseman David Eckstein would knock in two runs for the Padres. The Angels finally got their third win of the spring moving to 3-9 while the Padres fell to 4-9.

The tournament is made of a fiendish field of 32 and is comprised of four different regions (Team, Coaches, Player and Random). Just like the NCAA tournament, each region is seeded –1-8 in our case– with the winner of each region advancing on to face each other in the “Forsaken 4″ round.

The tournament will be fully interactive where you the fan will get to vote on each match up eventually leading to the crowning of the “Phoenix’s Most Hated” later this month. Voting for round one of the tournament will begin Wednesday afternoon.

Print your bracket, fill it out, vote in the polls and let the unnecessary and petty hatred begin!

View the entire bracket here

Team Region

Team Region Opening Round

1. Los Angeles Lakers
vs.
8. ASU/UofA

2. San Antonio Spurs
vs.
7. Houston Rockets

3. Dallas Cowboys
vs.
6. Pittsburgh Steelers

4. Los Angeles Dodgers
vs.
5. USC Trojans

Coaches Region

Coaches Region Opening Round

1. Phil Jackson
vs.
8. Terry Porter

2. Gregg Popovich
vs.
7. Dennis Green

3. Wayne Gretzky
vs.
6. Joe Torre

4. Buddy Ryan
vs.
5. Rudy Tomjanovich

Player Region

Player Region Opening Round

1. Kobe Bryant
vs.
8. Eric Byrnes

2. Manu Ginobli
vs.
7. John Paxson

3. Robert Horry
vs.
6. James Harrison

4. Tim Duncan
vs.
5. Barry Bonds

Random Region

Random Region Opening Round

1. NBA Refs
vs.
8. 1969 Coin Toss

2. Playoff Loses
vs.
7. D-Backs Color Change

3. Flopping
vs.
6. Sarver Buying Suns

4. David Stern
vs.
5. Jim Balsillie/Jerry Moyes

Your host Greg Esposito flies solo, once again, making it abundantly clear that this show is never going to have more than one “retorter”.

On this edition of the show, Greg admits he might be wrong about the Arizona Cardinals no longer being cheap, takes Phoenix sports fans to task for electing Billy Mayfair into the Arizona Hall of Fame over Cotton Fitzsimmons, tries to untangle the mess that is Ice Edge Holdings bid to buy the Phoenix Coyotes and unveils the “Phoenix’s Most Hated” Tournament bracket.

The show is fully interactive. Share your own thoughts in the comment section, take part in the rant or rave polls and compete for Oakland A’s Spring Training tickets by answering the “big question of the day” by voicemail, text or email.

It’s the Phoenix Sports Retorters, brought to you by [insert your company title here, honestly we're desperate]

Download audio file (Phoenix_Sports_Retorters_podcast_3_16_10.mp3)

Your Turn to Participate in the Show:

Rant or Rave

Are you ranting or raving about Billy Mayfair making the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame over Cotton Fitzsimmons?

Are you ranting or raving about Ice Edge Holdings and the Phoenix Coyotes?

The Big Question of the Day

Who is in your “Forsaken 4″ and who is your winner in the Phoenix’s Most Hated Tournament and why?

The best answer will be shared on Thursday’s edition of the Phoenix Sports Retorters.

Call or text the show at (602) 492-4FANS (4326) or email the guys at PSR@Fanster.com with your answer. The best response wins tickets to either a Arizona Rattlers or Arizona Diamondbacks game.

It would be easy to look at how the season ended as a disappointment, but to do that would deny what the team had to work with. I can compare it to my recent experience with my oldest son’s Cub Scout Pinewood Derby. I will preface this by stating that one of my many lacks of talent includes artistic prowess (drawing/painting) and a steady hand for such things. I did the Pinewood Derby when I was a kid, that last time being when I was nine. My son is now a Cub Scout and, as such, has his first Derby. So you take an under-talented dad like me (the ASU basketball team) and the expectations are low (the Devils were predicted to finish anywhere from seventh place to last place in the PAC-10, and their team leaders included a senior guard that was basically a throw in scholarship in Derek Glasser and a guy who shot under 30% the previous season in Ty Abbott). To overcome this, I got great coaching and help from my brother-in-law, who is passionate about and very talented in woodworking, has a garage full of tools, and has had winning cars before (like Herb Sendek for the Devils and his coaching staff). With his help, I was actually able to to carve and sand a car that looked like what my son wanted. The base paint coat looked great (the Sun Devils’ performance in the regular season and conference schedule).  Then my PAC-10 tournament comes, where I have to do detail painting. Much like ASU fell apart  against Stanford, I fell apart. The white paint bled a little over the taped lines I made. Some would say it looks horrible, others said it was great, realizing my lack of talent. Luckily, my wife is blessed with the same steady hand for painting as her mother, so she is fixing the lines before the start of the NIT, I mean, Pinewood Derby race, much like the ASU has time to polish things up for the NIT.

Was I disappointed that I couldn’t do the detail painting? Absolutely, but what did I expect? I was already playing with house money, so to say. I don’t consider it a failure. The experience was great. I know what my limitations are for next year, and I totally plan to make an even better car with my son, but have my wife do all the hand painting. (Here’s what the car looks like before my wife fixes some of the detail- not so bad, right?)

The Sun Devil basketball team is in the same situation. Instead of dwelling on what they were unable to do, they need to look back and be proud of the season they played, and look ahead and see the opportunity that they have in the NIT. They are a number one seed. They could win the NIT. Sure its not the Big Dance, but the players would still end their season with a win and would get to cut the net. In the end, it’s the same thing- winning and being a champion. Does it really feel any different? I would doubt it.

So, yes, be disappointed about losing to Stanford and not being selected for the NCAA Tournament, but please do not view this season as a disappointment. These young men performed way beyond anything anyone expected, and may yet garner a championship banner in Wells Fargo Arena. Remember, it’s not a bad date with the varsity cheerleader, but it could end up being something special with a (JV) cheerleader. I’m definitely OK with that.

Phoenix Coyotes vs Tampa Bay Lightning

The Coyotes and Lightning meet for the second and last time this season in warm confines of Tampa Bay. The last time these two teams met in Glendale (on November 16, 2009), the Coyotes took the Lightning for granted. The Lightning brought their “A” games that night and the Coyotes brought something in the neighborhood of their “H” games.

You can guess what happened from there..

Since that game, both teams have improved astronomically across the board. The Coyotes are in 4th place in the West and Lightning players such as Martin St. Louis have improved exponentially since the beginning of the season.

The Coyotes should be more than rested from spending time in the Florida sun during their days off. After a sluggish start in Atlanta the other day the Phoenix Coyotes look to not only improve on their six game winning streak but to further cement their place in the 2010 NHL playoff race.

This is going to be a great battle with two teams that have a lot to prove and much to gain with a victory.

Game Notes:

- Coyotes reporting that Martin Hanzal will be in the lineup tonight

- The Coyotes ‘Magic Number’ to be guaranteed a playoff spot is at 7

- Coyotes Lee Stempniak was named the NHL’s second star of the week

- Even though Viktor Tikhonov was recalled back to the Coyotes, it is unknown if/when he will see ice time

- From the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Twitter account “Stamkos will take warm ups tonight and be a game time decision. Niittymaki will get the start in goal”

- Pre game comments from Lightning Head Coach Rick Tocchet

- Rick Peckham – Gameday Charge

- Lightning Players Nate Thompson, MArtin St. Louis, Antero Nittymaki, and Victor Hedman pre game comments

Things to watch for:

The Coyotes offense versus the Lightning Defense – Both teams have improved astronomically in both of these areas and it will be interesting to see how the Coyotes new acquisitions at the deadline play against the Lightning.

The Coyotes defense versus the Lightning Offense – The Lightning have woken out of a scoring slumber from earlier in the season and will be playing a tight Coyote defense that have improved as well.

Keys to the game:
Officials:

Don’t let Lightning strike Twice – The last time these two teams met, the Coyotes took the Lightning for granted and proceeded to their butts handed to them. If this happens again, Lightning will strike twice.

Keep improving in the Offensive zone – The Coyotes keep getting better and better in the offensive zone across the board. The more this is worked on, the better it’s going to help the Coyotes come playoff time.

Don’t allow the Lightning any space to shoot – The Lightning have improved across the board in the scoring department and players who were dragging at the beginning of the season are now playing up to their abilities. The Coyotes defensive zone game has to be ‘on’ tonight.

Referees: Bill McCreary (7), Brian Pochmara (43)
Linesmen: Tim Nowak (77), Vaughan Rody (73)

Injuries/Scratches:

Coyotes: Kurt Sauer(IR), Scottie Upshall(IR), Robert Lang(Day to Day),
Lightning: David Hale(IR), Zenon Konopka(IR), Ryan Malone(Day to Day), Mattias Ohlund (Day to Day).

Tonight is a game the Suns should not lose, but Phoenix always seems to let those kind of games get more competitive than they should be. Barbosa’s back too (finally), and has the gall to demand a minimum amount of playing time after chickening out of the Lakers game.

Am I being too harsh saying it like that? Personally, if you ditch out on an important game and then demand time, there’s an issue. Send your thoughts on that and the Suns in general to sevenminutesorless@fanster.com, and we’ll address them this Saturday.

S.M.O.L. is a Phoenix Suns podcast for the fans, by the fans, in seven minutes or less. Saturday features a full 24-minute shot-clock for the show, with a more in-depth look at the Suns, including responses to e-mail questions/comments from fans and listeners. If your comment/question is good, you could be asked to make an appearance on the show.

Download audio file (031610.mp3)

Drinking is an emotional thing. It joggles you out of the standardism of everyday life … It yanks you out of your body and your mind and throws you against the wall. I have the feeling that drinking is a form of suicide where you’re allowed to return to life and begin all over the next day.

Substitute the word “Drinking” with, “Rooting for the Phoenix Suns” and place the word “fan” before “suicide” and you have encompassed what I interpret as my experience with this team.

The Suns have missed the playoffs a mere seven times in the last 34 seasons and have made it to the Western Conference Finals (and beyond) a total of eight times, where they are 2-6 (0-2 in Finals, as you likely know).

The Detroit Pistons, by comparison, have missed the playoffs 11 times since 1976, made 11 Conference Finals, four Finals and won three championships.

You say, “11 is a lot more than eight, boss.”

In this case, no, it is not – six of those 11 came from 2003-2008, a span during which the Suns could have coasted to that round in a historically pathetic East at least four times.

The question is begged, “Why do the Suns consistently field strong teams that falter mightily in the playoffs?”

The answer is, of course: to kill me.

I hated those Pistons teams of the 2000s – they were arrogant, boring, BORING and they self-importantly coasted for years off a fluky Finals win over a reeling team whose best players hated each other (one of whom was facing prison time).

I still claim that Detroit only pushed San Antonio to seven games in ‘05 because the Spurs were bored out of their minds.

The point to which the last several statements speak, however, is not that those Pistons teams should be stripped of their accomplishments; rather, the words function as a giant floodlight upon my pathetic bitterness as an NBA fan.

I can say I hate those teams all that I want and I can assert that the Suns have been as good, or better, since 1976 … while their fans simply need to point to the scoreboard.

They win.

I must deal with the Suns – the consummate NBA bridesmaid.

A team for which I challenge anyone to find a parallel in any of the three major professional leagues (this reporter chooses not to recognize hockey, in any capacity).

In this series, I will document the various cases in which I was summarily kicked in the groin by the donkey that is Phoenix Suns Playoff Lore, beginning with the first time …

May 13, 1990

I am nine years old.

I have on one of those shiny, vinyl, olde-timey-lettered purple Suns jackets – in May – amongst a frenzied crowd in Veterans Memorial Coliseum, which is essentially a giant, 13,000-seat stone saddle that was originally meant for cattle shows, has never fully lost its cattle-ey musk and in which one almost never feels safe, as its structural soundness is decidedly suspect.

The place rattles like a 90 year old drunk when the Suns are humming – the floor shakes violently and the echo of the crowd is like a constant missile assault to the eardrum.

The team has recently escaped a half-decade of mediocrity by fleecing Cleveland in a trade that brought it Kevin Johnson, Ty Corbin, Mark West and a pick that became Dan Majerle (badass defensive/dunking Thunder Dan Majerle, who can’t make a shot beyond 15 feet, not the later 3-point shooting incarnation – no offense to the guy, who was great in both roles, it simply must be pointed out).

Thunder Dan packed a lot more wallop in 1989 than in 1995 … he also packed a lot less shorts.

This is the team roster:

Sporting some of the league’s most epic white dudes – Rambis, Hornacek, Chambers, Majerle, Legler, all on the same squad – the Suns have just coasted to a 114-101 win in Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals, taking a 3-1 lead on the hated, #1-seeded Los Angeles Lakers and a funny thing is happening:

I’m not cowering in the corner, wondering how they are going to screw it up.

Quite the contrary …

For the second year in a row, when I excitedly slipped the “BEAT L.A.” insert – it is so cool that we get to have signs saying this, as it makes me feel like Phoenix is a legitimate pro sports city (while it likely makes pompous Lakers fans snicker, due to their perception that it is anything but) – out of my family’s morning copy of The Arizona Republic, I really believed the Suns could do it.

Why wouldn’t I?

Sure, the Lakers swept the Suns out last year, but that was their first year bouncing back from a 28-54 season … and I am a third-grader who roots for the Detroit Tigers, beginning every year with the assumption that they will win the World Series.

No, I don’t have years of baggage from watching the Suns put forth a consistently scrappy/skillful/lovable effort, then seeing them somehow get pummeled by the sledgehammer of defeat in epic and mind-melting fashion … why do you ask?

I have no time for your nonsensical chicanery – I have to go get prepared for the Suns to finish off L.A., kill Portland and then dispatch Detroit or Chicago in the same manner that they will the others.

Kicked while down

Moving out of my surprisingly insightful 9-year old world – I will fight you tooth-and-nail if you suggest that I wasn’t using phrases such as, “nonsensical chicanery” in ‘90 – the Suns did win Game 5, 106-103.

It became a game and a series that often gets swept under the hearse when people speak of the Suns and their playoff life-and-times.

Why?

Because, after clawing back from an 0-2 deficit to tie Portland, 2-2, the Blazers clipped off two straight wins and left the Suns with pants down and jocks in hand – this is not to say that the Suns didn’t put forth a tremendous effort, as always, but the idea that the team pushed the Lakers out of the way so that another team could walk through the door to the Finals was almost worse than just losing to the Lakers, again, and moving on with sports death/life.

Even worse, Portland managed only one, 1-point victory against Detroit in the Finals, before bowing out in five games – thus crushing the notion that the Suns ever had a true chance.

But the worst part is this – play this game with somebody:

1) Pick a person

2) Ask them who Clyde Drexler’s Portland team beat to make the Finals in 1990

3) Punch them in the face when they say the Lakers

Because, unless this person is some kind of lame/obsessive Phoenix Suns historian – like me – he/she will
guess that it was the Lakers.

It’s only common sense.

I recently mentioned it to my Dad and he didn’t remember it until I reminded him with some details – the man was at the games!

My father’s selective memory aside, the achievement of beating the Lakers in a playoff series for the first time in history was rendered meaningless/a little sad and it became my starting point for the storied litany of great seasons that have been continuously rendered as such in May and June over the last 20 years.

As the Suns spend this season puttering around the second tier of the Western playoffs, it occurs to my greatly-eroded-fan-sense-of-hope that there is a chance that they will play the #1-seeded Lakers in the Western Conference Semifinals … maybe things have come full circle … in which case the Suns would beat them and then lose in the next round …

Which would actually be kind of awesome – does it say something that these last 20 years have made me lust after a fate that so destroyed me at age nine?

Yes.

Yes, it does.

Regardless of what happens – and much as Bukowski woke up from his drunken grave to be reborn so many times (until he didn’t) – the Suns will play again, next year, and I, too, will be reborn with hope that will gradually wane as the season goes on … until it doesn’t.

“The city is gonna, at some point, have to make a decision if they want to have the Coyotes in Glendale or not. I think the message that is probably going to be delivered to them is that it’s time to make a decision and they don’t have much time left.” [590TheFan]

The comment comes in advance of a meeting between the city of Glendale and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman in Arizona on Tuesday.

It’s interesting timing for Jones and Ice Edge Holdings to make the comments amidst numerous rumors that the group doesn’t have the finances to buy the club. Jones’ comments, on Canadian radio, came on the same day that his Ice Edge partner, CEO Anthony LeBlanc, told the Arizona Republic that everything was still going according to plan for the groups purchase of the club.

We indicated it was going to take us three to six months, and best case, we have this closed before the playoffs start. We certainly expect that this will be closed by the time that the Stanley Cup is awarded this year. That’s our plan, but it will require the city and us working together to get the lease ratified. [AzCentral]

Strikes me as a little odd that Jones’ tough words for the city would come on Canadian radio while LeBlanc’s kinder, more optimistic words would come via the Arizona media. If Ice Edge were looking for their comments to have a great impact on the city of Glendale, why not make them on airwaves that would actually reach them (as long as it was before the sun went down)?

Turning to a Canadian radio station in an attempt to make a case for why the deal may not work, seems as if the group is pandering to both sides.

While rumors of financial instability emerge in Canadian papers, Ice Edge sends a letter to fans and blogs about their dedication to buying the team. While the CEO tells Phoenix media things are still on track, the COO is telling Canadian radio that Glendale needs to decide between $10-$15 million in concessions or losing the team.

As always, there seems to be a lot more questions than answers when it comes to the Phoenix Coyotes future in the Valley. It’s becoming exceedingly difficult to figure out what’s truth and what is just posturing. It’s also becoming more and more difficult to figure out who’s right and who is wrong in the entire ordeal.

Should the city make concessions on the lease if it puts them in a difficult financial position? Should the NHL be trying to force lease changes on Glendale? Is the city being greedy with their lease demands? Does Ice Edge Holdings have the money and vision to not only buy the team, but turn them around? Why has Ice Edge been much less visible with the Phoenix media over the last few months while continuing to surface in the Canadian media? Is the Canadian media just spinning things to make IE look bad?

These are all questions that continue to plague those following the story closely. Too bad the only message that should be being made clear to the city and the fans of the Coyotes is, the team is having one of its best seasons in history, the White Out is coming back to the Valley and the only goal is winning a Stanley Cup.

Listen to Daryl Jones entire interview here
Download audio file (DarylJones-PTS-20100315.mp3)

It’s a little odd, a little off the wall and completely Steve Nash.

Good to see Robin Lopez show some personality too. If only he were a little more like Nash, he’d be on SportsCenter more.

Here’s a look at what you might have missed Monay, March 15th, 2010 on the local Phoenix sports radio airwaves.

Phoenix Coyotes play-by-play announcer Dave Strader breaks down the team’s five game win streak and takes a look at what it will take to make a major push in the Stanley Cup Playoffs

Download audio file (cas031510seg6davestrader.mp3)

Yahoo Sports Dave Wetzel talks about the NCAA Tournament, the seeding and the upsets you might see this weekend

Download audio file (cas031510seg9danwetzel.mp3)

Phoenix Coyotes head coach Dave Tippett talks about the new guys fitting in, the chemistry in the locker room and the team’s identity

Download audio file (3-15%20Dave%20Tippett%20PODCAST.mp3)

ProFootballTalk.com’s Mike Florio talks about how Joey Porter could help the Cardinals and why a team would give up a third round pick for third string quarterback Charlie Whitehurst

Download audio file (3-15%20Mike%20Florio%20PODCAST.mp3)

A total of four Royals would have extra base hits in the game with RBI from seven different batters. The Sox would not be able to put a run on the board for the remainder of the game. Kansas City defeats the White Sox by a score of nine to one.

The lead would go back to the Giants as they were able to score two more runs in the fourth inning. With three more runs in the following innings to the Rangers’ two, San Francisco would be able to hold onto the lead to win the game by a score of eight to five.

Once they had taken the lead, Colorado would be able to put two more runs on the board in the seventh inning as a result of a two run shot by Troy Tulowitzki. Colorado wins at home as they defeat the Chicago Cubs by a score of two to five.

Reds center fielder and leadoff hitter Chris Dickerson went 4-for-4 on the day with two RBI’s and three runs scored. Dickerson and Wladimir Balentien homered for the Reds while Jonny Gomes continued to impress this spring with a 2-for-3 day. The Reds moved to 5-4-1 while the A’s fell to 6-5-1.

Four Dodgers would knock in one run each including a seventh inning homer by left fielder Angelo Songco. Former Angel Garret Anderson would get things started with an RBI against his long-time team in the first inning.

Brewers catcher Gregg Zaun continued to swing a hot bat knocking in his ninth run of the spring. Shortstop Alcides Escobar would later tie Zaun for the team lead in RBI’s with his ninth.   Third baseman Adam Heether went 2-for-3 on the day scoring both times.

It’s a question we can seriously consider in the wake of Amare’s sustained tear: is he the best power foward in the league? Thanks to Keaton wondering this aloud, we ponder both the answer and the gravity of the question. Plus, we give thanks to Robin Lopez for doing a better job than Shaq bringing out the best in Amare.

That’s not to say we don’t understand if you disagree. If you do, by all means e-mail your own argument to sevenminutesorless@fanster.com, so we can answer it when we bust open the mailbag this Saturday.

S.M.O.L. is a Phoenix Suns podcast for the fans, by the fans, in seven minutes or less. Saturday features a full 24-minute shot-clock for the show, with a more in-depth look at the Suns, including responses to e-mail questions/comments from fans and listeners. If your comment/question is good, you could be asked to make an appearance on the show.

Download audio file (031510.mp3)

The Crump Law Camp will be held July 11 - 24, 2010 in Washington, D.C. The application deadline is April 30, 2010.

The goal of the NBA camp is to encourage young people at an early age to become lawyers and seek legal careers in the future. By 2050, more than half of the people in this country will be of color. More than 90 percent of the nation’s lawyers are white, as are more than 80 percent of the students enrolled in law school. Yet more than 30 percent of the United States is comprised of people of color. The NBA is seeking applicants to attend this camp from every ethnic group and its selection process is non-discriminatory.

The first inaugural two-week camp was held during the summer at Howard University School of Law through a grant by the Ford Motor Company Fund in 2001. Campers were and will be housed on the Howard University campus and live in a protected camp environment.

The Camp will have an open enrollment policy and be available to students from across the country; however, emphasis will be on enabling low-income students of color. Campers are selected by the Crump Law Committee.

The camp provides students with an exciting academic and social agenda in the Washington, D. C. area. The competitive highlight of the camp is the Evett L. Simmons Mock Trial Competition. The four winners of this competition are invited to the NBA’s Annual Convention.

To access the applications and more information, visit www.Nationalbar.org and find the Crump Law Camp page.