Ocho-Cinco Now Quatre-Vingt-Cinq- Makes Als Debut

((HT: TSN/ESPN))

It was the debut where a certain receiver said it was like losing his virginity all over again...

And, for Chad Johnson, it was all about getting his timing down with the Montreal Alouettes QB Troy Smith. Since it's the beginning of the CFL exhibition season, the HQ is going to give the man a little slack.

He was rusty, and the Als were rusty as a group. They were taking on the newest franchise, the Ottawa Redblacks, in an exhibition game- and, to be honest, the HQ can't remember when the Als thought the pre-season actually meant something in terms of wins and losses.

Ottawa won... good for them...



Click here for a post-game 1-on-1 interview with Chad Johnson

McGrady's Pitching Debut Was 35 Pitches

((HT: ESPN))

Don't be all that alarmed. McGrady was on a pitch count.

The math gave him 35 pitches- 18 strikes and 17 balls- and he ended up giving up 2 earned runs in an inning and two-thirds.
The biggest event was the solo homer he gave up to Somerset Patriots SS Edwin Maysonet


The Sugar Land Skeeters lost 5-3 and McGrady got saddled with the loss.

Shannon Szabados Starts In Columbus

((HT: SPHL))

And it was pretty rocky...

One goal in the first and three more in the second as the Knoxville Ice Bears beat Szabados' Columbus Cottonmouths 4-3 in SPHL action Saturday night...

Szabados made 27 saves, but still had a blast...

From Kathy Gierer's piece in the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer:

“I’ve been here two days,” Szabados said. “It would have been nice to have had a week to get used to it. But I felt as good as I usually do.”

Szabados appreciated the warm welcome during introductions.

“It was fun,” Szabados said. “I saw a few Szabados shirts out there. It was definitely a great moment.”

Here's her introduction


Head coach Jerome Bechard was pleased with his new goalie and the Snakes now prepare for the SPHL playoffs.

Not Your Father's Toronto FC

((HT: BT Sport/MLS))

It was a busy first 45 minutes for the new guys playing for the Reds...

Jermain Defoe had two goals and becomes the first player in TFC history to score two goals in a debut...


With a roster of Bradley, Defoe, and Julio Cesar, it might be a little early to say something
But these guys are good...

TFC hung on for a 2-1 win at Seattle and Defoe has only been in since the early part of the week...

Imagine what can happen with a lot of practice time...

Jay Cutler's Acting Debut

((HT: CSN Chicago))

The HQ knows what you're already thinking...

What do you mean "acting...???"

The Chicago Bears QB and his wife, Kristin Cavallari, appeared on the FXX Network show "The League."
Evidence below...


The main question the HQ has, more than anything, is how do all these athletes end up in the real lives of all these fantasy league worshipers...

The circles they travel in must be far wider than we realize...

First-Timers On The Field: Mercer, Berry, and Reinhardt...

The HQ has always been one of those places where we like to hidden gems, stories that are cool, just off the trail, and a champion for those places that have their niches...

Is it "Nitch" or "Neesh," we digress...

And having been in the circles of a few places over the past few weeks, it's fun to see new shiny things as the HQ hopes the novelty doesn't quite wear off when the newness does...

First stop was Mercer University in Macon- the first time that football would be on campus in 70-plus years. They played Reinhardt University. Mercer is a developing Division I program coached by Bobby Lamb that is in the Pioneer League this year as they move forward into Division I-AA next year. Reinhardt is working their way in the NAIA ranks in the Mid-South Conference in football and the AAC in every other sport.

The Eagles brought in long time Georgia high school head coach Danny Cronic who went to Reinhardt when it was a junior college. He has a roster that is full of Georgia kids (only 6 are not from the state) in their roster of 130 athletes. The first game for both was a 40-37 shootout in front of a crowd of just under 13,000.

Here's their recap, thanks to FOSG Andy Stabell...
((HT: Mercer Bears))


Reinhardt moved on from there to have their home opener against Lindsay Wilson in Waleska.


So, if you look at Berry College, Reinhardt, and Mercer...

You see three schools in varying degrees of business (which is what athletics are these days) and hoping they all move their audiences to being around on a consistent basis.

They'll all be royal pains to their more experienced squads they have on their schedules this season- and all the coaching staffs are solid and know what will put people in the seats...

Home grown talent... something the HQ notices is lacking in their larger brotherhood...

Sometimes, it's guys like Lamb, Cronic, and Kunczewski that could teach Division I power conferences a thing a two about building their fan bases...

And that's the cool part- in addition to being entertaining...
See you on the field...

Houston Baptist Takes The Field

((HT: MyFoxHouston))

Houston Baptist's football program was 53 years in the making...

And the head coach, Vic Shealy, wanted to play Sam Houston State (yes, them...) for their first-game ever...

They lost 74-0, but that was okay...

"We knew this would be really, really a challenge much larger than you see typically on a college field," Shealy said after the game. "While you'd like to think we were capable of playing better, you cannot put into context just how young we are and how big an opportunity this was for us to grow our program."

The HBU offense only crossed midfield once...

Here's a piece our friends at MyFoxHouston put together before the season opener...
Houston weather, traffic, news | FOX 26 | MyFoxHouston

The Huskies were playing their first game in program history and have an abbreviated seven-game schedule. Houston Baptist will join the Southland Conference in 2014.

Worst Show Debut Ever...???

((HT: Awful Announcing/LiveLeak))

Is this the worst show beginning ever...???
You decide...


The HQ has it right up there with the few classics...

#1 Pick Mark Appel Makes Pro Debut, Gives Himself A B-Minus

{HT Troy Record & milb.com

Houston Astros #1 Pick Mark Appel Debuts In Single A

Perhaps someday Mark Appel will be the ace of the Houston Astro pitching staff and lead the franchise back to respectability.  Appel, like the Astros has a long way to go.

Appel debuted Friday night for the Tri-City ValleyCats and no doubt nervous.

The first pitch he threw as a pro was lined by Lowell Spinners shortstop Tzu-Wei Lin to centerfield for a triple. 

"Welcome to pro ball, I guess," Appel said when asked about that pitch. "He (Lin) put a good swing on it. "I guess I throw a first-pitch fastball every game I start. I left it up a little but he put a good swing on it."

Appel would give up two runs, one earned, on three hits in the first inning.

In the second inning with his nerves calmed down Appel threw a 1-2-3 inning.

Appel was limited to 30 pitches and he threw 26. 



So how would the former Stanford Cardinal grade is debut performance?

"Maybe a B-minus or a B," Appel said  "Not my best, not my worst. I know I have a lot to improve on. I think it's a good starting point. That's all I can ask for."

Welcome to the bushes.