Friday, January 31, 2014

Did Aaron Hernandez Discuss Odin Lloyd Murder In Jail

((HT: MyFoxBoston))

Aaron Hernandez, if proven, could be one of the most un-smart criminals of all time...

The DA's office in the Bristol County (MA) office are asking for warrants to investigate jail house phone calls with Hernandez and family where he allegedly used code words to allude to the murder.

Here's the request for the paperwork

The DA's office has also filed a motion for discovery in the matter where they want police notes, e-mails and credit card receipts from Hernandez and Lloyd the night of the murder, and Crime Lab discovery...

Kind of a wide net, eh...???
Here's the latest...
Boston News, Weather, Sports | FOX 25 | MyFoxBoston

Raptors Really Like Their New Poster

((HT: Sportsnet/NBA))

Toronto beat Denver tonight by 10, 100-90, but one dunk in particular got the attention of the Raptor bench...

This one by Terrence Ross over Kenneth Faried


And, now, you know the rest of the story...

Wes Welker Gets Off "Off The Record"

((HT: OTR on TSN))

Michael Landsberg has been known for his interviewing...

Introspective, in-depth, and sometimes off-the-wall...

Like this one with Denver Broncos WR Wes Welker
Who was less than impressed with Landsberg's line of questioning...


Lesson: Unless you want to ever...


Want to have someone be a guest on your show ever again...
You don't do what happened there...

Tim Tebow, The Commerical Pitch Man And Their Good

Tim Tebow has had a lot of free time.  No NFL team will take a chance on Tebow..... yet.  He continues to train and stay in shape for another shot.

Tebow brought up that subject and others Friday morning with Robin Roberts on Good Morning America.

Thanks Breitbart Sports:


Now Tim Tebow is appearing in commercials for T-Mobile.  These two debuted Friday.

Thanks T-Mobile:






Who know Tim Tebow was into hair metal bands, could deliver babies, ride a bull, have the full attention of the United Nations.

Those of us in the OSG HQ think these commercials are damn good and Tebow has a future in TV.

Auburn Considers Giving Themselves More National Championships

((ht: auburn.247sports.com))

Hey, National Championships for everybody!

According to a report, Auburn University is the latest in a line of college football schools who are or have decreed themselves national champions…multiple times.

Confused? Yeah, so are we.

The Tigers are trying to decide if on opening day, August 30th, if they should raise national championship banners for 7 different squads. All of whom in school officials eyes, have a claim for the titles.

Most of the titles they want to lay claim to happened in the early 1900's, or for you young ins', before the BCS existed.

However, they also want to claim the 2004 title, even though that years undefeated squad didn't make the BCS title game. The logic, USC is apparently claiming it too.

Still confused. Yeah. This makes little to no sense. For their part, Auburn cites Texas A&M claiming titles in 1919 and 1927 after they moved to the SEC in 2012. USC is claiming 1939 and 2004.

If you are still confused, read this story from Auburn Undercover RIGHT HERE

---Sigh---

We really don't understand the logic here. Sure, we realize the whole "College Football Champion" thing has been hotly debated, misunderstood and argued for generations, but how can you legitimately claim something you aren't recognized by the governing body as winning?

It's kind of like in the TV News world saying "____ network had an exclusive interview with the president". Yeah, you were the only ones who talked to him, at that time.

So to Auburn, and any other school that feels so insecurely about themselves that they feel compelled to bestow an honor they didn't earn to….themselves, we say…

Well okay, actually we just laugh….

Bryce Molder's Long Way Up...

((HT: AZFamily.com/KTVK))

The HQ covered Bryce Molder when he was a college kid over at Georgia Tech...

A lot of people thought that he was part of one of the best college programs ever with guys like David Duval and Molder ruling the ranks from North Avenue...

Duval has had his highs and unfortunate lows that are now more the norm than the former....

Molder's climb has been long with time in the road to Q-School, triple-A, and back...

But, what you may not have known is that, to be a premier golfer he has had to fight the odds just to start playing the game he loves...

Chris Cooley Defends Redskins Nickname

((HT: Olbermann))

Well, okay then...

Here's the segment with Keith...


Yeah...

The HQ is of the opinion that a LOT of people disagree with Cooley...

Drew Brees REALLY Wants Jimmy Graham To Stay...

((HT: Dan Patrick Show))

And he even went to the highest point of the first floor of the Manscraper to express his desires for Saints GM Mickey Loomis to keep his favorite tight end around...

Go the the 8:55 mark...


See what the Roman Numeral Classic does to folks...???

Causes them to channel Rocky during his run...

Or something...

Ashlee Arnau Does It Again...Flip Shot From Half Court

((HT: Bailey Hill))

The HQ knows Ashlee Arnau from our television adventures... as both a soccer player and cheerleader at William Carey University

Last year, in Hattiesburg, Mississippi she hit a half court shot where she does a somersault, grabbing the ball at mid-court, and flipping it over her head and sinking the shot...

Well, last night... she did it again...


Now, all we have to do is have her do it in person...

A Great Big F' You To Fox Sports' Joe Buck

[HT: Funny Or Die]

Those of us at the OSG HQ have our opinions of Joe Buck from Fox Sports.

Let's just say Buck has become the most polarizing sportscaster in the business and most feel he's no where near the talent level of his father, Jack Buck.

I grew up with Jack Buck calling St. Louis Cardinal baseball and yes he was awesome.

Joe Buck and Troy Aikman will be in the booth for Super Bowl XLVIII Sunday from MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

For those of you who are Joe Buck haters you have to admit he doesn't take himself to seriously which is something he has inherited from his father.

Funny Or Die put together this video starring Joe Buck in their "I Love NY" campaign.  It's good comedy.

Thanks funnyordie.com



As noted earlier Jack Buck didn't take himself too seriously either for example this classic Busch beer commercial with Whitey Herzog from the late 1980's

This Is Really Cool: Special Needs Student Hits Buzzer Beater On Boston's Famed Parquet Floor

Brendan Durkin is the team manager for the Newton (Mass.) North boys basketball team.  Brendan is a special needs student with Downs Syndrome and he received some playing time against rival Newton South in the Good Sports Invitational at the TD Garden in Boston.

Durkin had a chance to beat the buzzer, and did.

Thanks CSNNE:

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Is This The First Step Back For The LA Rams...???

((HT: LA Times/Farmer))

Sam Farmer has come across the news that current St. Louis Rams-everything Colorado short of the Broncos-Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke has bought a 60-acre parking lot in between The Forum and Hollywood Park. Wal-Mart originally owned the parcel, and Madison Square Garden Corp. was interested but they were too late in their purchase notion.

The Rams won an arbitration case against the city of St. Louis almost a year ago over the price each side thinks that was needed to renovate the Edward Jones Dome. The city thought it would take a little over $130-million while the Kroenke family said it would be more in the neighborhood of $700-million.

Here was an interview Charles Jaco had with the head of the Convention and Visitors Bureau, Kitty Ratcliffe, after the judgment talking about her concerns about NOT hearing from the Rams about their thoughts- on any level-after the decision...
((HT: Fox2 St Louis))


There is an adjacent 238-acre site, according to Farmer, that is the old Hollywood Park site that is set to be a mixed-use development right now...

Right...now...

Kroenke is too smart and too private to do this without telling some Shield folks in New York City. If he wants to relocate the Rams back to LA, he's not going to do anything and step on league toes at the same time...

Here's a sample of people who were asked about the idea...like Al Michaels...
((HT: Eric Geller))


Eric Dickerson...
((HT: Eric Geller))


And the debate goes on...

An 80 Foot Beater--To Tie The Game

((ht: sportingnews.com))

Uh…yeah, we know, buzzer beaters are buzzer beaters and usually win games.

Well, not this one, but it sure looks and sound pretty damn impressive.

Check out this video of Temidayo Yussef of St. Joseph Notre Dame High in Oakland, California. Yussuf grabs a missed free throw and the clock ticks down heaves the ball in the general direction of the basket.

And yes, it goes in.

However the shot only tied the game with El Cerrito High at 61. El Cerrito was able to recover from that one and beat Yussef and St. Joseph's teammates 71-64.

Spanish Soccer Team Refuses To Play Over Unpaid Wages

((HT: BBC Sport))

Racing Santander players refused to play over, what they say, are months of unpaid wages and forced their Copa del Rey quarter-final against Real Sociedad to be abandoned.

Sociedad won the first leg 3-1 and the winners are supposed to play Barcelona.

Racing players released a statement on Monday saying they would boycott unless president Angel Lavin and his board stepped down... as of right now, they have not...

Here's how it looked at the opening kick...
((HT: HH2489))


Pretty wild scene, but the fans and players support each other at Santander...

Bully for them...

Brooks Peck and the folks over at Dirty Tackle have some background on the Santander situation and a link to an article that Sid Lowe over at ESPN wrote about how the owners have screwed their players...

Lowe's piece is a great read...

Hernandez Cousin Tanya Singleton Posts Bail

((HT: My Fox Boston))

An FYI to add to your files...

A cousin of former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez, Tanya Singleton, finally posted on a $15,000 cash bail (with conditions including wearing a GPS monitor) after being in jail since August. She has pleaded not guilty to charges of "criminal contempt" and "conspiracy to commit accessory after the fact."

Prosecutors charged her with contempt for refusing to testify before a grand jury despite being given immunity for her testimony. The conspiracy charge alleges she aided two Hernandez associates who have pleaded not guilty to accessory to murder after the fact.

One of those incidents was allegedly helping an associate of Hernandez's, Ernest Wallace, leave Massachusetts before he was found by police in Florida. It is also alleged that Singleton talked to Carlos Ortiz, another friend of Hernandez's, about fleeing to Puerto Rico and she allegedly paid for a cell phone for Wallace when he left the state...

Here's the story at the time of her bail hearing in August...
Boston News, Weather, Sports | FOX 25 | MyFoxBoston

Singleton's next court appearance is set for February 27th.

OSG High: Mom Won't Be Charged In Mass. Graffiti Case

((HT: MyFoxBoston))

This one was odd from the beginning...

Lunenberg, Massachusetts...

Back in November, a high school football player's home was sprayed with racist graffiti. The student has parents of mixed race- a white mother and black father- and they claimed that other members of the football team had done the paint job claiming "Knights don't need no N******"

You can guess what the last word is...

But, then, as time went on and police investigated the player's mother, Andrea Brazier, became the focus of the investigation.

Our initial coverage was here...

Word is, now, that the DA's office doesn't have enough evidence to go after Brazier even if the case hasn't been closed...

Here's the "why" and the recap...
Boston News, Weather, Sports | FOX 25 | MyFoxBoston

The 13-year-old victim transferred to another school after all this went down in the first place...

Katina Caraganis of the Fitchburg Sentinel and Enterprise caught up Brazier who said she had to check with her lawyer before commenting on the decision...

DEVELOPING: Feds Seeking Death Penalty In Boston Marathon Bombing

((HT: MyFox Boston))

Not that this is a surprise... but...
The US Government, through Attorney General Eric Holder, will pursue the death penalty in the Boston Marathon bombing case. Charges will be filed against the living Tsarnaev brother, Dzhokhar...

Here is the notice of intent...

Tsarnaev is charged with using a weapon of mass destruction and 29 other federal charges in the April 2013 attack that killed three people and injured hundreds.

Dzhokhar and his brother, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, are also accused of fatally shooting MIT police officer Sean Collier.

Tamerlan Tsarnaev died after a shootout with police in a Boston suburb...

Brooke Baldwin discusses with Sunny Hostin and Nick Paton-Walsh...
((HT: CNN))

David Stern Gives One Last "Top 10" List

((HT: NBA/Worldwide Pants))

David Stern retires after 30 years as NBA Commissioner Saturday, so as is the want of David Letterman occasionally, Stern is a guest for "Top Ten" segments...

Last night, it was one more for the road...

Long Night For Ranked Teams In The B1G

((HT: BTN))

Two huge Big Ten upsets last night...

Penn State won in Columbus for the first time in a decade with a 71-70 win over Ohio State in overtime. DJ Newbill's jumper with two seconds left in overtime was the difference there...

And Northwestern followed with another huge upset, a 65-56 victory over No. 14 Wisconsin in Madison.
It was Northwestern's first win in Madison since 1996...



And Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan gave this answer when asked about the 3-point shooting of Northwestern that put the Wildcats out on the horizon early and kept Wisconsin doing nothing but catching up...

Welcome To Edmonton, Ben Scrivens

((HT: NHL/CSNCalifornia))

Let's face it...
Edmonton is not a good hockey team, and may not be for another few years...

But the trade with the LA Kings for goalie Ben Scrivens paid off last night. Scrivens set a record for most saves in a shutout with 59 in a win over the San Jose Sharks. He breaks the old record of 54 by Coyotes goalie Mike Smith from the 2011-2012 season.

Here's most of them... feel free to count off...
((HT: SomeHockeyVideos))


“I was seeing the puck well,” he said postgame. “We got extremely lucky with a couple of posts in the second.

“I had an awful, awful warm-up, it was an inauspicious start to it. It’s one of those things where you try not to look at the forest while you’re in the trees. You try to focus on the process and give yourself a chance to make that save and when the puck drops again, you try to focus on the next one and don’t try to get too far ahead of yourself.”


The Oilers better now think of locking up Scrivens for quite a while...

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Doesn't Look Like There's A Plan B For Hockey In Sochi

((HT: Sportsnet))

Okay, so we now have the answer that some probably didn't want to hear...

If it goes sideways in Sochi, Team USA goalie Mike Smith might have had it right by not adding any family to his travel itinerary for the Games. The US government has said that there will be ships, planes, and helicopters at the ready for evacuations...

The only vision the HQ has, really, is the last images of the fall of Saigon where people were rescued from the embassy roof.

We hope we're wrong...

But the Hockey Central guys- Millard, Kypreos, and Maclean asked Bill Daly about a Plan B...
Which, apparently, doesn't exist...

Sportsnet Follows Lokomotiv's Resurrection

((HT: Sportsnet))

The HQ had a personal attachment to the plane crash that wiped out the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl hockey team on September 7, 2011.

Atlanta Thrashers assistant coach Brad McCrimmon was doing the same as the head coach with Lokomotiv at the time of the crash and we remember him for his hard-nosed play on the ice and teachings off it.

The KHL let them reassemble for the 2012 season with a bunch of young kids and Tom Rowe as head coach. One year later, Pyotr Vorobyov is now in charge of young kids who are a year older...

If you follow the NHL, you'll recognize the name of goalie Curtis Sanford and that's about it...
But, they haven't turtled and they're three points clear of the 8th playoff spot in the Western Division...

Here's a look at their road back...

As a side note, relatives of six players are seeking 105 million rubles ($3 million) in a lawsuit filed late last week.

The plaintiffs are seeking compensation for moral damages, insurance payments, burial expenses, property damage and survivors' benefits from Yak Service, the charter company operating the flight, and insurance firms.

The HQ hopes they get it, too...

Score One For Katie Nolan... Her First Pipe Bomb Hits Reilly

((HT: FS1))

Any chance the HQ gets to throw stones at someone we don't like (and the list is a very small one, by the way), we'll give a shout out for the benefit of the rest of us...

The background:

Regis Philbin is leaving Fox Sports 1 and his hosting gig at "Crowd Goes Wild"- which is somewhat understandable since the hiring, while interesting, may not have fit what Fox was looking for demographically when the network launched.

Rick Reilly, over at the four-letter, decided to throw a few stones...
The biggest one referring to Reege as the "little guy in the makeup..." during Media Day

So, co-host Katie Nolan went off and dropped a pipe bomb on Reilly...


The HQ now likes Katie Nolan and continues laughter at Rick Reilly since his comments that only attempt to be funny make you out to be a bully, now coming across as someone who finds humor in things the rest of us do not, and recycling material that only makes you come across as old, tired, and creatively lazy...

Carry on...

OSG Prem: Man City Blows Out Spurs, Sunderland Takes 6-Pointer

((HT: BPL on NBC))

Manchester City goes to the top of the table with a 5-1 wipe out of Spurs at White Hart Lane...
Toure, Dzeko, Jovetic, Aguero, and Kompany are now a point ahead of Arsenal with a +18 goal differential...

The Aguero goal was sublime


Elsewhere...

On the flipside, Chelsea had 36 shots on goal and couldn't put one past West Ham and Jaaskelainen...
The Blues are now 3 behind City...

Sunderland got the 1-0 win against Stoke which solidifies the idea that relegation will be a fight-and-a-half...
Adam Johnson's goal was good enough and now three points separate positions 11 through 17...

Lastly, the wildest game of the day was with...
Wait for it...

Aston Villa and West Brom...
6 goals in the first half all by itself, but it took a Christian Benteke strike to give the Hammers the three points...

"It's not great for the heart, to go down 2-0 in a derby. All credit to the team, the response was fantastic," Villa manager Paul Lambert said post match. "With derby games, it doesn't matter where you are in the table, they're really unpredictable. We've done so much in a short space of time. We have a young side and we are giving it a right good go."

West Ham is still tied with Fulham at 19 points, but are ahead on goal differential and Cardiff are in the basement only a point behind...

SacKings Look Serious With New Arena Drawings

((HT: News10.net))

You gotta give the folks in Sacramento credit...

With the team staying in town (for now, anyway), the team has released their ideas for the new arena project and what it is hoping to look like in downtown...

Like this...
"When we bought the Sacramento Kings, we committed to the NBA and to the people of Sacramento that we wouldn't just build a new arena, but that we'd build a world-class entertainment venue, an arena truly for the 21st century," Kings owner Vivek Ranadive said in the press release that the HQ expected. "Today is another major step forward in that effort." The project is looking at a pricetag of (close to) $450-million with subsidies of, about, 55-percent of the cost... Here's the slo-mo rotating of the anticipated fanciness... ((HT: Sacramento Kings))

OSG High: Stay Classy, Pittsford High... Students Chanting About Slurpees To Indian Student...???

((HT: USA Today through the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle/Prep Rally))

Cam Smith gave us a heads-up on this one, and it's pretty stupid...

In New York state, Brighton and Pittsford school district supervisors held a press conference to discuss the story that broke on Friday. There was talk that Pittsford kids from Sutherland High allegedly chanted "We want Slurpees" to a Brighton High basketball player who was of east Indian descent.
((HT: DavyV))


The student who initiated the chant was removed from the game is, apparently, the leader of the Pittsford's Super Fan section. And as a result, the fans have been removed from a local competition highlighting fans and fan bases...

The two districts issued a statement:

"We were very disappointed to learn of this incident. We have been working with our colleagues in both districts throughout the weekend to address intolerant and unacceptable fan behavior. That work continues today. The students involved took full responsibility for their behavior, and attempts are being made to right this wrong between the students and to address the long- term learning that can arise from the disappointing behaviors of a few."

Here's word from the joint presser...

Italian Soccer Team Demoted For Faking Injuries

((HT: TGR/RaiSport))

First, some context...

This happened back in November... and, yes, the report is in Italian...
But the gist is this...
Nocerina's (a third-level squad- think Double 'A' baseball for comparison) players were afraid of their own "ultras" and didn't want to play in their "Derby of Hate" game against Salernitana...

Death threats were made to the Nocerina players and they weren't in the best of moods to play. And the ultras were hot that they were not allowed to see the match in the first place...

The game got so out of control through bad acting, yellow cards, and red cards that the game was pulled in the 21st minute...


And the analysis, also in Italian...
((HT: Sky Calcio))


The governing body for Italian soccer issued a statement in their decision to demote Nocerina for their decisions on that day two months ago:

"Nocerina have been excluded from the Lega Pro championship for sporting fraud and will be assigned by the Federal Council to one of the leagues' lower categories.

"The club has also been fined 10,000 euros. The decision comes into effect immediately and has been announced to the Lega Pro and its stakeholders."


Apparently, this derby isn't looked at fondly. The local media were the ones who looked at the game with the nickname above and:

From BBC Sport:

Salernitana's club president Claudio Lotito, who holds the same position at Serie A giants Lazio, compared the Salerno derby to forcing "Israelis to take on the Palestinians".

That's pleasant...

Jahvid Best Suing Helmet Makers And NFL Over Concussions

((HT: ESPN))

Jahvid Best had concussion issues during his time in the NFL with the Detroit Lions and started as far back as his time at Cal
((HT: FS West))


So, now with Best released and not employed by an NFL team, he is now suing helmets makers Riddell and Easton-Bell over his concussions that he suffered. He is, obviously, looking for some amount of financial pound-of-flesh, but his lawyer doesn't have an immediate amount handy...

He is filing out of the Wayne County (MI) Circuit Court and his lawyer, Bret Schnitzer, is ready for what happens next:

"As I am sure you are probably aware through various media and the 'Frontline' program and so on, the brain injuries with concussion syndrome does not necessarily manifest itself completely immediately, as you can see from the other cases. Sometimes it is 10, 20 years where the brain injury process takes to develop and it's not necessarily going to show itself in a 24-, 25-year-old football player to the extent that it might 10, 15, 20 years down the road.

"So one of the goals of the litigation is to protect Mr. Best down the road in terms of his medical condition and problems that he may have in the future."


The 85-page filing says also that the NFL is just as responsible.
The suit alleges Best was at risk by being put in the draft- despite his concussion history...

Here's Prim Siripipat discussing with Michael Rothstein

NFLPA's Smith Goes After Goodell On Sherman

((HT: CBS News))

It's Super Bowl week...
Which means the media are looking for topics to talk about for the two week period...

And, this time out, the topic was Richard Sherman...

"CBS This Morning" gave NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith a platform...

Guess what he did...??? He was critical toward the Commissioner...

Who knew...???

Puppy Sends Clydesdale Into Defense Mode For 48th Big Game

((HT: Budweiser))

The HQ is just going to let this play... because it's so damn cute...


See...???

Cute...

Chipper Jones Saves Freddie Freeman From Snowjam 2014

The HQ is stuck in Snowpocalypse 2014 down here in the south...

And there is a lot of collateral damage and story-telling to go with it...

You saw what Jim Cantore had to go through in Charleston with a drunken college kid...
Point, set, match, side kick, Cantore...

Atlanta Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman was telling the universe in his Twitter account that he was stuck in it with the rest of the planet...

So, who came to his rescue after 11 hours of being stuck...???
Soon-to-be Texan Chipper Jones...
Evidence below...

Quoting Chipper: "He hugged me all the way home..."

Wouldn't you...???

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Tim Thomas Crowns Soderberg In His Return To Boston

((HT: FS Florida))

Florida Panthers goalie Tim Thomas returned to Boston tonight and is known for always protecting his crease and his teammates...

The game was out of hand, down 6-2 very late, as Thomas had a rough night...
So, he ended it this way with a right cross for Carl Soderberg...


New uni, same old crotchety Tim Thomas...
And we're better for it...

OSG Prem: The After Effect Of The Goalie Nutty- Fan Charges Players

((HT: Gemma Day))

We discussed earlier in the day how the Hull City-Crystal Palace game got out of control toward the end...

Keeper Allen McGregor took a swipe at Stuart O'Keefe after a tackle-gone-wrong and drew a red after an entire game of simmering competitiveness... it's at the end of the highlight reel below...
((HT: BPL))


So, once again, but not shown on the air was a Palace fan getting onto the pitch trying to get at McGregor...


The rabid core of fans is just the place for something to go wrong...

And the HQ regretfully waits for that to happen sooner rather than later...

Don't F With Jim Cantore While He's Working

((HT: Kara Hope Hanson's Vine account))

While the southeast is locked into some kind of debilitating snow and ice that they don't know how to handle...

The Weather Channel's Jim Cantore was doing a live shot and went all GSP on someone who tried to duck into a live shot in Charleston, South Carolina...


So there...

OSG Prem: Hull City's Bruce Probably Is Getting Fined Again...

((HT: BPL))

Hull City manager Steve Bruce thinks he got jobbed in his 1-0 loss to Crystal Palace...


On two occasions, Bruce thought Hull should have been awarded two PK's and brings up an interesting point about holding referees accountable in the media...

Don't think it'll happen, but it's an interesting point...

Allan McGregor's nutty at the end by Hull City gave them a red and a trim to 10 men...

Interesting to see what happens to the keeper there as well...

OSG Prem: Liverpool Smokes Everton, Arsenal Survives, Merson Laughs...

((HT: NBC Sports/BPL))

A hearty welcome back to the Premier after the FA Cup ties shows us that Liverpool looks like they'll be hanging around for a while...

Sturridge had two, Gerrard and Suarez one each and the reds blew Everton out of the gym, 4-0, at Anfield...

It was 3-0 before you could blink, really, and Sturridge looked motivated and enjoyed taking USMNT goalkeeper Tim Howard to Lob City with his second...


But, probably, the funniest moment of the day was when Sky Sports Paul Merson absolutely lost it when Sturridge skied his PK attempt for the hat trick...
((HT: Sky Sports))


Manchester United wasted no time welcoming back Robin van Persie with a mark on the score sheet and new import Juan Mata added some handiwork on his own as ManU took care of Cardiff, 2-0...

Swansea picked up a needed three points with a 2-0 shutout of Fulham...

Southampton and Arsenal each picked up a point in a 2-2 draw. The more important issue is the red card of Flamini, which will keep him out of three matches in the Arsenal midfield...

Norwich and Newscastle ended 10v10, but it didn't add any offense for their scoreless draw...

And Crystal Palace held off 10-man Hull City 1-0 and pick up a huge three points for Tony Pulis

Hi, I'm Albert! And I'm Grover! Pujols Appears On Sesame Street

((HT: Sesame Street their own selves))

The HQ really isn't going to comment on this...
You just have to watch for the educational and entertainment value...


Told you...

St. Mary's University Football Suspending Players For Sexist, Racist Tweets

((HT: Global Toronto/UNews))

It all has a history at St. Mary's University... a stupid, disgusting history of chants that college students (for some idiotic reason) think are funny...

This happened during freshman orientation week...


And, now, the lack of cleverness has carried over to the football team where it is apparent that anywhere from "six to nine" players are about to be suspended for their sexist and racist tweets...

Like this one:

Classy... and that's just the beginning...

Head coach Perry Marchese has tried to keep an eye on his player's social media habits, and has called them out on occasion. Most of the time if he has seen something, it has been a question about a song lyric. He says his staff have been strong in their anti-bullying stances, and will have to ramp it up again...

From the UNews piece:

“The song lyrics, a couple times, have gotten me,” says Marchese. “I’ve seen some stuff put up on Facebook and I’ll message them [...] and they’ll say it’s just a quote from a song.”

He says he asks them all the time to remove posts he’s seen as offensive from Facebook, and that they are constantly educated on monitoring their own social media.

“We preach it all the time, we talk about it all the time and to actually see some evidence that they aren’t getting it is a good education for me.”


One troubling passage from the UNews article:

But Marchese says he doesn’t know if he is educated enough to specifically talk to his team about issues of sexualized violence.

Really...???

If that's the case, then St. Mary's team may be in deeper trouble than they realize...

Northwestern Football Players File With NLRB

((HT: ESPN/Farrey))

How's this one sit with you...???

Led by Northwestern QB Kain Colter, college athletes are filing paperwork to be represented by a labor union... and they're backed by the United Steelworkers union and the NFLPA...

From Farrey, Colter was quoted:

"Right now the NCAA is like a dictatorship. No one represents us in negotiations. The only way things are going to change is if players have a union."

Colter had a meeting with Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald and he says it went well- a respectful conversation on both halves, and it appears that more than the needed minimum of players signed union cards.

Here's Tom Farrey with Toni Collins...


Former UCLA linebacker Ramogi Huma has brought all of this together, along with Colter and Luke Bonner- the brother of NBA'er Matt Bonner. The entity would be called the College Athletes Players Association if certified by the NLRB.

CAPA's goal, to start, is not to get players paid but to have a voice...

And it will get interesting from here...

An Interesting Thought... Will NHL Players Pull Out Of Sochi...???

((HT: Sportsnet))

We all know what's happening over in Sochi...

And we all know what the US government has planned in case something gets past the Russian security service...

Phoenix Coyotes goalie Mike Smith has already said that he's keeping his family at home because of the security concerns, but what is the NHL thinking about it...???

Jeff Marek moderates the question...

Monday, January 27, 2014

This Is What Made Boston Cry Last Night...

((HT: Basketball Insiders/CSNNE))

A lot of people wondered why the return of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett meant so much to the people of Boston...


He didn't leave on his own...he helped bring a title to a team that he had been with in lean years...

And, in Adrian Wojnarowski's piece on Yahoo!Sports, we find out that he treated everyone equally in the Celtics organization:

He fought for the lowest of assistants and basketball staff to get playoff bonuses, and he used to give the team's traveling party $1,000 each to spend on the annual trip to the Nike employee store outside of Portland. Inside and outside the organization, Pierce was generous with commitments of time and resources, relentlessly championing children's causes and charities.

And Garnett wanted to know everything about every aspect of Celtics history...

The fact that the Brooklyn won 85-79 was lost on everyone for a Celtics team that was 15-30 going in...

The recap after the fact was a reinforcement of what the two meant...

Save Of The Year- Early Contender Comes From KHL

((HT: KHL))

Omsk Avangrad's Miroslav Blatak commits robbery with his glove- saving a sure goal with a skyhook...


That is all...
But it's really all you need...

Remember The 10

((HT: Oklahoma State Athletics))

For those of you who don't remember...
This happened 12 years ago today...


Each year, the Oklahoma State family remembers and celebrates the lives of Kendall Durfey, Bjorn Fahlstrom, Nate Fleming, Will Hancock, Daniel Lawson, Brian Luinstra, Denver Mills, Pat Noyes, Bill Teegens and Jared Weiberg...

And the OSU community remembers them every year...
This was the 10th anniversary remembrance...


So, if you would... join the HQ in remembering the 10 today...

Lunatic Fringe Raises Money For Brian Stow

It's not the first time, but it's still a cool thing to see...

3rd Base Coach Tim Flannery of the San Francisco Giants, along with his band Lunatic Fringe, held a series of benefit concerts for former EMT and Giants fan Brian Stow who was injured in a beating outside Dodger Stadium on Opening Day 2011.

The four concerts Fringe held yielded $96,000 as Stow continues his extensive rehab and recovery from brain damage.

It's not the first year that Fringe has held benefits...
Here's highlights from a concert with Fringe and Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead...
((HT: BAM Magazine))


In another cool gesture, the proceeds from Fringe's new album will go to Stow's recovery as well...

OSG High: Did NJ HS FB Coach Fix Grades To Keep Players Eligible...???

((HT: Prep Rally/South Jersey Times))

Delsea Regional High School head football coach Sal Marchese just finished up his 21st season there, but he has been suspended and school officials are chasing accusations of academic irregularities to keep his football players eligible to play.

Delsea has won 11 South Jersey titles- four in the past six seasons- including last year’s season's win over Barnegat to finish 10-2 season and a second straight Group III championship.

Here's the semifinal win over Manasquan
((HT: NJ Shores Sports News/Video))


From the Times:

News of board action leaked through the rural South Jersey community after the board activity and a report of the board vote appeared in the weekly Sentinel of Gloucester County and elsewhere. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported Marchese has been placed on administrative leave pending a board of education investigation into possible academic misconduct.

At least one letter writer claiming to be a Delsea parent questioned the alleged testing impropriety and the district’s lack of transparency. News of the suspension swept through the school district and South Jersey football community, according to numerous sources.


The school board is not acknowledging who a suspended instructor is and will not go on record to say it is, in fact, Marchese. They do admit, however, that there is an instructor on paid leave and the situation surrounding that instructor is ongoing...

Carlos Zambrano Starts Brawl In Venezuela

Former major league pitcher Carlos Zambrano is apologizing for starting a brawl during Venezuela's winter league series final.

In Game 3 of the finals, this happened when the opposing pitcher threw at one of Zambrano's teammates...


His apology was carried Monday by El Nacional newspaper, and translated from the article said in part:

"I got a hit, fell, during the brawl. The most disadvantaged was I by the stupidity of wanting to take justice into my hands, when the Bible says that justice is God's. But I am human, I am not perfect,"said del Toro, after becoming the center of attraction of the brawl that sailors and Caribs, staged at the top of the sixth inning of the third game of the final.

"What happens on the pitch stays there, said Zambrano."This will not end today or tomorrow. If you stick a pitch in the major leagues, many people will go to the mound and you will want to arrange things in a very unprofessional way."


"It was an embarrassing moment. Last night when I went to the dugout I didn't have to get out more so. It gave me grief with God and the fans. It was a moment of impulse".

The LVBP (Venezuelan Pro Baseball League) was looking at tape to determine any kind of discipline- that could even keep Zambrano from pitching in a 5th game if the series goes that far...



Twin Cities Wants 2018 Super Bowl

((HT: KSTP-TV))

In the light of this outdoor Roman Numeral Classic in the metroplex, the Twin Cities are chasing the idea of having the 52nd renewal in their new building...

Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton was surrounded by the normal amount of muckety-mucks who said that they wanted the game in the city...

There's a three-person campaign team and a five-person steering committee
Whatever those are...

Here's the presser and the initial amount of publicity the state is chasing...


The last time a game of that type was in Minneapolis-St. Paul was 1992...

Mizzou Finally Looking Into 2010 Rape Allegations

((HT: KOMU-TV))

The University of Missouri system will now look into allegations centering around a 2010 sexual assault of swimmer Sasha Menu Courey- possibly by one or more members of the football team at the time...

System President Tim Wolfe released a statement after an ESPN report that said in part:

"In light of the ESPN "Outside The Lines" report that questioned the response of our Columbia campus to an alleged sexual assault of a former MU student athlete who also suffered from severe mental illness, I want to address the questions raised with all of you and ask for your immediate assistance and support. I am asking the board of curators to hire outside independent counsel to conduct an investigation of MU's handling of matters related to Ms. Courey."

OTL published a story that claims the university did not tell law enforcement about the alleged rape of Courey despite administrators finding out about the alleged incident more than a year ago.

Menu Courey committed suicide in 2011.
Here's the local coverage...

In addition to any retroactive investigating by state officials on any possible negligence in not pursuing the Courey case, the Missouri system could also face an inquiry by the Office of Civil Rights...

And the HQ is looking forward to this investigation...

Sochi Mayor Says No Gays In His Town... Really...

((HT: BBC News))

Either Anatoly Pakhomov is blind or just not smart...

He is under the impression that there are no gay people in his town as the winter five-ringed circus approaches in a few week's time...

Evidence below...


Russian president Vladmir Putin passed a law banning propaganda of "nontraditional sexual relations" for the period when the world is coming to his country.

The HQ doesn't see this going over well at all...

Sunday, January 26, 2014

Your Hit of the Day: By a Rugby Mascot

((ht: deadspin.com))

Ooooof...this one looks like it might actually have hurt. And according to reports, it did.

Check out what happens during a staged "Mascot" race at the US vs. Spain match during a Rugby tournament in Las Vegas.

Everything is going along swimmingly, fan vs. mascot, until the planned "hit" by Rookie the Eagle. According to the reports, the non-mascot, a guy named Alex, who was in on the stunt, got the wind knocked out of him and needed help off the field while the two mascots were celebrating.

Check out the video:


Rick Ray Apologizes For Snap At Henderson

((HT: SEC))

First, let's show you what happens when Ole Miss plays Mississippi State...
It's never very nice, and now it has carried over to basketball...

The HQ thinks there's an expletive in slo-mo here when State coach Rick Ray goes after Marshall Henderson


Whatever was said, Ray has responded to it:

"I responded inappropriately to an Ole Miss player [Saturday] in our game," Ray said in a statement he texted Sunday. "I reached out to [Ole Miss] coach [Andy] Kennedy immediately to apologize and subsequently to the player too. There is no reason for a coach to ever have interaction with an opposing player, ever, regardless of the circumstances. I was more upset with our performance than the player. I was totally at fault."

The season series was, once again, split at home and home...

Cawlidge Hawkey Brawl Involves Everyone...

((HT: TheScore))

Including the coaches...

Last night, Union and RPI were going for the Mayor's Cup...

And it ended thusly...


RPI won 2-1, but the brawl above was good enough for 125 minutes in penalties and four DQ's...

Here's highlights and post from our friends at WNYT-TV in Albany, NY


And this was only the 2nd Annual...???

BUZZER BEATER: Marcus Thornton Step Back 3 Wins It For William & Mary

Marcus Thornton led William and Mary with 26 points, his buzzer beater three proved to be the game winner for the Tribe 68-66 over Drexel.

Thanks Tribe Athletics TV



"I just pulled back, created separation and was able to hit the shot; it felt great."Thornton was quoted in The Virginia Gazette, "This is what you work the whole summer for, to be able to hit a shot like that for your team."

"Guys in this league know he (Thornton) can play." Drexel head coach Bruiser Flint said.  "Give him credit. He made a huge shot."

BUZZER BEATER: Derrick Colter Knew It Was Going In, Wins Game For Duquesne

Yes it appears Duquesne's Derrick Colter was using the power of positive thinking when he launched his game winning three point shot Saturday at the buzzer to give the Dukes a 83-81 win over St. Bonaventure.

Here's the game winner.

Thanks goduquesne


“I knew that was going in.” Colter said of his game winner.

Colter finished the game with 14 points.  The Dukes were led by Ovie Soko with 27 points

"That was a great college basketball game," Duquesne head coach Jim Ferry said. "Both teams played at a high level and both teams really competed. It came down to whoever had the ball last, and we had it last. I thought kids were making plays all over the court today, on both teams."

Duquesne's win over St. Bonaventure ended a four game losing streak for the Dukes.

BUZZER BEATER: Duke Mondy Nails Game Winner 3 Point Shot For Oakland

Down by two Oakland's Duke Mondy to the game in his hands and hit a 3 pointer at the buzzer to give the Golden Grizzlies a 76-75 win over Illinois-Chicago.

Thanks Oakland Athletics:


For Mondy that game winning shot was just a part of the game.

“It was just a regular shot,”Mondy said. “I’d like to think I have ice in my veins, I wasn’t really nervous.”

Mondy would finish with 11 points and six steals.

Oakland was led by Kahlil Felder with 21 points and nine assists.


Saturday, January 25, 2014

Arrest Made In SC State Football Player Murder

((HT: WLTX-TV))

SCSU junior football player Brandon Robinson was shot to death Friday afternoon outside an Orangeburg, South Carolina apartment complex after arguing with another man identified as 19-year-old Justin Bernard Singleton. Singleton was charged with murder and arrested early Saturday at an Orangeburg apartment complex.

Singleton was allegedly arguing with Robinson and "pulled out a gun and fired at Robinson, hitting him in the neck area," according to an arrest warrant filed by a South Carolina Law Enforcement Division investigator.

Authorities initially said they were looking for three other suspects, but have declined to elaborate after that initial report as to whether or not they still are after the Singleton arrest.

Robinson was an engineering major at the school while Singleton majors in business.

Here's the latest from Orangeburg and South Carolina State...
Here's Singleton's initial appearance in court after his arrest... ((HT: WIS-TV)) wistv.com - Columbia, South Carolina | "The SC State University family is devastated by the tragic loss of Brandon," said President Thomas J. Elzey in a statement. "Our hearts are heavy with grief and sorrow by the senseless act of violence, which took too soon a beloved member of our university family. Our thoughts and prayers are with Brandon's family and friends during this most difficult time in their lives. On behalf of SC State University, I extend our deepest, heartfelt sympathy to them."

OSG High: SC HS Game Marred By Brawl

((HT: WSPA-TV))

It wasn't the only one last night that went this way, but it certainly seems to be the loudest one that the HQ has come across...

The Boiling Springs-Gaffney in suburban Greenville boys game got out of hand last night- in the second quarter...

Gaffney would eventually win 83-81 in overtime. But the after effects of the brawl were that several players were ejected, including each team's benches for coming onto the floor. It left Boiling Springs with five players for the remainder of the contest and Gaffney with four.

Until overtime... when Gaffney had a player foul out and they had to play three-on-five for most of the free hoops time...

Here's the recap...
WSPA

Chandler Parsons Has A Bit Of An Outside Shot

((HT: NBA))

Houston was facing a Memphis Grizzlies team that had, until last night were 0-10 against Southwest Division squads, and still lost with the effort we'll talk about below...

Chandler Parsons hit a career-high 34 points on 11-for-17 shooting, including 10-for-14 shooting from 3-point range. But Houston (29-16) had a three-game win streak snapped in an 88-87 win by the Griz...

Here's the highlights of his shooting...


For the record, Parsons hit his first 10 3-point attempts of the second half, matching Kenny Smith's franchise record for most consecutive shots hit from three. Parsons also become the first player in franchise history to hit six three-pointers in a quarter when he shot 6-for-6 in the third...

Still didn't work...

Another Oilers Sweater Makes Ice Fall

((HT: Sportsnet))

Things are really bad in Edmonton right now when you look at their on-ice product...

Dallas Eakins has that look on his face that alternates from bemusement to amusement to general pissdom on a daily basis...

And the fans are tossing gear on the ice to express their general displeasure
Last night was another example of it...

The HQ sees the irony in that the sweater was handed to Eakins as he left the ice surface...
The Oilers have now lost 6 in a row and are 7 points adrift from Calgary at the bottom of the Western Conference

A Better Goalie Fight Than The Almost-NHL Version

((HT: Puck Daddy/Leahy))

The HQ always wonders aloud why refs and other officials never just let goalies go if they want to scrap...

Earlier this week in the big leagues, Marc Andre Fleury wanted to go with Peter Budaj, but the zebras stepped in...
((HT: Some Hockey Videos/TSN))


Last night, we got a longer version of the above...
And we actually got some action...

AHL... SWB and Norfolk...
Jeff Deslauriers and John Gibson...
((HT: EricBoulton26))


Here's how it was looked at locally...
((HT: WTKR-TV))


See...??? We told you it was better- even if it was briefer...

BUZZER BEATER: Half-Court Shot From A High School Girls Basketball Game In Florida

Here's a buzzer beater from a girls high school basketball game in Florida.

St. Augustine's Jessica Hagaman launched from half court and made it to force overtime against Bartram Trail.

Thanks First Coast News



Hagaman's range seems to be unlimited.  While doing a little research in the OSG HQ we found this gem of Jessica beating the buzzer from three/quarter's court in an AAU game.




Moral of the story, put a defender on the ball if Jessica Hagaman has possession.

Friday, January 24, 2014

Carmelo Goes For 62 At MSG

((HT: MSG/NBA))

Carmelo Anthony had a bit of a busy night...

37 in the first half...that ended this way...


And ended this way...


62 points for a record at MSG beating Kobe Bryant and Bernard King...
Well, actually... it ended this way... postgame interviews are like that...


As his 62 was half of the Knicks output in a 125-96 win over Charlotte...
Anthony was the only Knick to shoot attempts in double figures in both field goals and free throws... as a matter of fact, JR Smith was the only other Knick to shoot a free throw...

Just one...


NFL Bad Lip Reading is Comedy Gold

Consider this your Super Bowl warm-up act.

The geniuses at "BadLipReading" have struck again. They've produced another in their series of NFL Bad Lip Reading videos and it's pretty damn funny.

We'll spare you the big buildup and go straight to the video.

You're welcome for the share:


Your 3/4 Court Turkish League Buzzer Beater for the Win

((ht: bleacherreport.com))

We see lots of buzzer beaters in basketball because quite honestly, the game is played at a gazillion levels all over the world.

That being said--Check out this one from the Turkish League.

Zoran Planinic of the Andolu Efes shows us one of the longer shots you'll ever see. Planinic grabs a missed free throw with his team trailing 60-58 and the clock winding towards zero. He turns, takes a dribble and launches the ball in the general direction of his teams basket.

And yes, it went in. Game over. Efes win 61-58....

Your video:


DEVELOPING: Josh Brent Gets 10 Years, But Probated

((HT: WFAA-TV))

Jerry Brown Jr.'s mother was among several who took the stand as the sentencing phase of former Dallas Cowboy Josh Brent began Thursday morning after Brent was convicted of intoxicated manslaughter in his teammate's death.

After the testimony, Brent was sentenced to 10 years and fined $10,000. But the sentence was probated to reflect the trial past and he will serve 180 days in jail...

Brown's mother, Stacey Jackson, said yesterday that she forgives Josh Brent and thinks of him as a son. Prosecutors tried to show Brent as a habitual offender who deserves prison time going back to his arrest in Illinois in 2009...

The Illinois arrest had Brent's BAC at .11, and the crash that killed Brown had Brent with a BAC at .18

Here's Rebecca Lopez with Jackson's testimony...

It Was Ice Rays vs. Ice Rays, But Not On Purpose...

((HT: Puck Daddy))

This is what happens when you forget one thing on a road trip...

Like...packing...

The Rio Grande Killer Bees played the Corpus Christi Ice Rays in Corpus Christi last night...
But the equipment manager, who may or may not still have his job for got to bring the visiting sweaters for the game.
So...what to do...???
Just wear the visiting sweaters for the Ice Rays, instead...

It's confusing for the official scorers, for sure, but what choice was there...???
Here's proof...
((HT: KIII-TV))
KiiiTV.com South Texas, Corpus Christi, Coastal Bend

The two teams play tonight in the RGV for the rematch...

OSG Prem: Don't Call 911 If Your Team Sucks...

((HT: ProSoccerTalk/Mendola))

Because the operator can't help you...

It all started because of this...
((HT: beInSports))


And the HQ is sure that this didn't help...
((HT: SkySports))


So, one enterprising lad decided to call the British version of 9-1-1...
((HT: Manchester Evening News))


Still doesn't help...
And for those of you who think this is a work... the Manchester Police responded on their Facebook page...

So, if you think United is in trouble... whaddya think they think over there...???

Sentence Is 58 Years For Sean Taylor Murder

((HT: WSVN-TV))

Eric Rivera was sentenced to 58 years for the murder of NFL star Sean Taylor in a botched armed robbery at Taylor's home in 2007.

He was originally sentenced with first-degree murder, but since the jury could not agree whether or not Rivera pulled the trigger of the gun that killed Taylor- despite a taped confession saying he did.

Rivera and the four other co-defendants went into the Taylor home thinking it was empty, but Taylor's family was sleeping inside. Taylor surprised them and Rivera shot him...

One of the other co-defendants pleaded out and is serving a 29 year sentence. Three others have pled not guilty and are awaiting trial...

Here's the story from the courtroom...
WSVN-TV - 7NEWS Miam Ft. Lauderdale News, Weather, Deco

WILD FINISH: A Buzzer Beating Dunk Forces OT, Then Southern Arkansas Wins It With A 3 Point Shot

This is one of the wilder finishes in college basketball.

Ole rivals Southern Arkansas and Arkansas - Monticello met in Magnolia Thursday night.  With the UAM Boil Weevils up by two Jeffery Walker threw down a put-back dunk at the buzzer to force overtime.

In the overtime Reece Dunlap would win it for the SAU Muleriders with a three point bomb.

Here's the highlights, Thanks Mulerider Athletics



Walker finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds for the Muleriders.   Alre'k Brown led SAU with 28 points.

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Browns Find a Coach: Mike Pettine Takes Cleveland Job

((ht: cleveland.com/cabot))

So, it appears the Cleveland Browns finally convinced someone to take their head coaching job the last available NFL head coaching job.

That someone would be now former Buffalo Defensive Coordinator Mike Pettine

So says well connected Cleveland.com reporter Mary Kay Cabot:




Pettine, who's been an NFL coordinator for a couple of teams in his 5-year career would be the 3rd Browns head coach in the past 3-years. The team dumped Rob Chudzinski after one season that they claimed would be a "rebuilding" year.

Since then, the team and owner Jimmy Haslam, tried hard to convince New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and  several others to take the job. None have been interested.

The Browns have struggled to find success over the past several years. It will be interesting to see how Pettine, a coach lacking head coaching experience fares....

Maddux and LaRussa Decline Putting Logo on Hall of Fame Caps

((ht: mlb.com))

Interesting. And after an explanation understandable.

2 of the 6 people set to be inducted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame this summer decided they would not choose one team logo over another to be placed on their plaque.

Manager inductee Tony LaRussa and pitching legend and inductee Greg Maddux decided to pass on using one teams logo since they both represented more than one team, something the Hall had no problem with.

LaRussa managed the Oakland A's, Chicago White Sox and St. Louis Cardinals during his 33 years in the game, Maddux, he pitched for the Chicago Cubs and Atlanta Braves along with brief stops with the Dodgers and Padres.

Read more on the players...and managers choosing the look of their plaques from MLB.com RIGHT HERE

We thought this interesting and worth bringing to your attention. And we applaud both men for the decision. As a lifelong Braves fan, it would have disappointed me to see Maddux go in with a Cubs jersey and it would have been tough for A's or White Sox fans to see LaRussa go in as a Cardinal.

Totally understandable.

Both men are way worthy of their induction. And in the era of free agency, where players, managers and others don't stick around teams for very long, we suspect this will happen more and more frequently.

Yes, it's a break with tradition, but a necessary one and one the hall has adjusted to, unlike other things like their voting system.

So we honor LaRussa and Maddux along with Joe Torre, Bobby Cox, Tom Glavine and Frank Thomas who comprise one of the Halls' best classes in years.

Of course we'd be remiss if we didn't mention said class leans pretty heavily towards a certain someone's favorite team...

Just sayin'....

Here's some video of Maddux doin' what he did best: