It was a beautiful day for football and approximately 23,000 were on hand to catch a glimpse of what the future may hold for the Wolfpack. Here's a few shots I took from the stands throughout the game.
Monday, April 19, 2010
2010 NC State Kay Yow Spring Game Photos
It was a beautiful day for football and approximately 23,000 were on hand to catch a glimpse of what the future may hold for the Wolfpack. Here's a few shots I took from the stands throughout the game.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Albert Pujols...the man, the myth, the legend
José Alberto Pujols Alcántara.....Albert Pujols.....Prince Albert.....The Machine.....El Hombre
Whatever you choose to call him, you can't go wrong with.....great.
Albert Pujols is entering his 10th year in "The Bigs" and has been nothing short of outstanding since getting here, but he doesn't just get it done on the field. In 2005, Albert and Deidre Pujols launched the Pujols Family Foundation, which is dedicated to "the love, care and development of people with Down syndrome and their families," as well as helping the poor in the Dominican Republic. Pujols has taken several trips to the Dominican Republic, by taking supplies as well as a team of doctors and dentists to the poor who need medical care. The Pujols Family Foundation also holds an annual golf tournament in which members from the Cardinals and other people play golf to raise money to send dentists to the Dominican Republic. A new center for adults with Down syndrome that will bear his name ("Albert Pujols Wellness Center for Adults with Down's Syndrome") opened in November 2009 in Chesterfield, Missouri. Albert made sure he was there for the opening.
The Myth...
"Let's say I retire 15 years from now. They're going to say, 'Well, he probably did it back then. He just didn't get caught.' I know that's what they're going to say. And you know what, man? It is sad, but at the same time, it doesn't matter. I know who I am. I don't care." - Albert Pujols regarding speculation that he has used steroids
The Steroid Era.....the era that "ruined" baseball. Whether it be Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Barry Bonds, or Alex Rodriguez, the list goes on and on of players who took steroids or HGH, human growth hormone, to bulk up or to speed up their recovery or to (insert lame excuse here) it doesn't matter. The game has been tainted. Because of the number of players who have been tainted, anyone who has had great numbers gets a finger pointed in their direction and the name that comes up most is Albert Pujols. I can't say he did or didn't take anything, but he has denied it from day one and has even offered to be tested, but people still wonder. They use anything to cause people to question a man who's numbers have been steady his entire career. One such example is looking at photos from before and after. Check out these magazine covers for Muscle & Fitness in 2007 and then a Sports Illustrated cover from 2009. Some think Albert looks "deflated", as if he stopped taking steroids once testing ramped up, while at the same time some say it's the lighting at the shoot or that Albert lost weight to try and stay healthier. You decide.
The Legend...
"Albert Pujols may be the only player of the modern era, a hitter's era, that could retire after only 10 years and still be a lock for the Hall of Fame." - I Could Have Gone Pro Blogger Joe Borrelli
That's a pretty bold statement. I know, but if you look at what Pujols has done, while just now entering his 10th season, it is nothing short of amazing. Pujols is widely considered to be one of the greatest players in modern Major League Baseball; this is due in part to his impressive accrual of statistics and records before the age of 30. Nearing the end of the 2009 season, Pujols currently ranks within the top 15 players in major league history in four statistical categories: on-base percentage (twelfth), slugging percentage (fourth), on-base plus slugging (OPS; fourth), and adjusted OPS (tied for sixth). He also ranks in the top 250 players in major league history in a variety of other statistical categories such as career batting average (25th), career RBIs (175th), career runs scored (249th), and HRs (67th). He's also a World Series Champion, a three-time MVP, and was named The Sporting News Player of the Decade.
From 2001 to 2005, Pujols hit 201 home runs, second all-time for the most hit in a player's first five seasons. By 2009, he had reached the 350-homer plateau at the age of 29—the third-youngest to do so—and surpassed Ralph Kiner's record for most home runs in his first nine seasons. In so doing, Pujols became the first player to hit 30 or more home runs in the first nine seasons of his career, as well the second player to have 100 or more RBIs in the same timespan.
Pujols holds the Cardinals' franchise record for most career grand slams; he broke the record of nine previously held by Stan Musial. Musial and Pujols are also two of only four players in history to have a career batting average above .330 and less than 500 strikeouts at the time of their 300th home runs (Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio).
In his first 5,000 career at bats, Pujols had amassed 372 doubles, 358 home runs, and 14 triples for a total of 744 extra-base hits, the most in NL history, and is the second player in Major League Baseball to post nine consecutive seasons with 30 doubles, a .300 batting average, 30 home runs, and 100 runs batted in or better (Lou Gehrig). He has scored 100 or more runs in eight of his nine seasons.
Most impressive (to me) is the record he most recently broke. Most home runs by a player in their first 10 seasons. What is so impressive about this? He broke the record in just the 7th game of his tenth season. That means he has another 155 games to pad that stat. Here's a list of the people he passed with that home run. In parenthesis you'll see their career total and current all-time rank.
Career home runs through 10 seasons
1. Albert Pujols 371+ (371*, 67th)
2. Eddie Mathews 370 (512, T21st)
3. Ralph Kiner 369 (369, 69th)
4. Ken Griffey Jr. 350 (630*, 5th)
5. Alex Rodriguez 345 (583*, T8th)
6. Hank Aaron 342 (755, 2nd)
7. Ernie Banks 335 (512, T21st)
8. Frank Robinson 324 (586, 7th)
9. Ted Williams 323 (521, T18th)
10. Mickey Mantle 320 (536, 16th)
Stay clean Albert and stay healthy, because you may just be the last great hope for the Steroid Era.
Whatever you choose to call him, you can't go wrong with.....great.
The Man...
“He has a passion for the game, a love for the game. You can see it. You can sense it. He’s got natural God-given ability. A natural baseball player. A warrior. The man is good at every little thing he does.” - Former Cardinals hitting coach Mike Easler
"Let's say I retire 15 years from now. They're going to say, 'Well, he probably did it back then. He just didn't get caught.' I know that's what they're going to say. And you know what, man? It is sad, but at the same time, it doesn't matter. I know who I am. I don't care." - Albert Pujols regarding speculation that he has used steroids
The Legend...
"Albert Pujols may be the only player of the modern era, a hitter's era, that could retire after only 10 years and still be a lock for the Hall of Fame." - I Could Have Gone Pro Blogger Joe Borrelli
From 2001 to 2005, Pujols hit 201 home runs, second all-time for the most hit in a player's first five seasons. By 2009, he had reached the 350-homer plateau at the age of 29—the third-youngest to do so—and surpassed Ralph Kiner's record for most home runs in his first nine seasons. In so doing, Pujols became the first player to hit 30 or more home runs in the first nine seasons of his career, as well the second player to have 100 or more RBIs in the same timespan.
Pujols holds the Cardinals' franchise record for most career grand slams; he broke the record of nine previously held by Stan Musial. Musial and Pujols are also two of only four players in history to have a career batting average above .330 and less than 500 strikeouts at the time of their 300th home runs (Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio).
In his first 5,000 career at bats, Pujols had amassed 372 doubles, 358 home runs, and 14 triples for a total of 744 extra-base hits, the most in NL history, and is the second player in Major League Baseball to post nine consecutive seasons with 30 doubles, a .300 batting average, 30 home runs, and 100 runs batted in or better (Lou Gehrig). He has scored 100 or more runs in eight of his nine seasons.
Most impressive (to me) is the record he most recently broke. Most home runs by a player in their first 10 seasons. What is so impressive about this? He broke the record in just the 7th game of his tenth season. That means he has another 155 games to pad that stat. Here's a list of the people he passed with that home run. In parenthesis you'll see their career total and current all-time rank.
Career home runs through 10 seasons
1. Albert Pujols 371+ (371*, 67th)
2. Eddie Mathews 370 (512, T21st)
3. Ralph Kiner 369 (369, 69th)
4. Ken Griffey Jr. 350 (630*, 5th)
5. Alex Rodriguez 345 (583*, T8th)
6. Hank Aaron 342 (755, 2nd)
7. Ernie Banks 335 (512, T21st)
8. Frank Robinson 324 (586, 7th)
9. Ted Williams 323 (521, T18th)
10. Mickey Mantle 320 (536, 16th)
Stay clean Albert and stay healthy, because you may just be the last great hope for the Steroid Era.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Tiger's Return....
In my opinion, I can't stand the way our society has become so gossip driven, where we have to know every single detail to every "star's" life. Give me a break. Hundreds of thousands of marriages around the world experience exactly what the Woods family is going through and I care as much about those as I do about Tiger's problems. Everyone has problems of some kind. It's a fact of life. It's going to be hard enough for them to salvage their marriage (if they choose to try), without the media constantly breathing down their necks every second of every day.
Personally I follow Tiger Woods for what he does on the golf course. The guy is possibly the greatest player I'll every see in my lifetime so I'm going to try and enjoy it. Of course I don't agree with what he did, but does that mean I can't root for him? Should I root for Phil Mickelson because when his wife was battling cancer, he stayed by her side? No. I root for the guy I like to watch on the course and that's it.
I think the Master's coverage will be better than most tournaments this year as they tend to focus on the golf more so than anything else, which is one of the main reasons I think Tiger picked this tournament for his return. I'm definitely looking forward to welcoming Tiger back to the course and hope that the announcers stick to how many shots Tiger has the course instead of how many women he had off the course.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Hoosiers all over again.....
Well I have to admit that this is the matchup I've been hoping for since probably the Elite 8. I honestly didn't expect Butler to keep up their "Cinderella" run, but they've proven that they are a legit contender. We must remind ourselves that Butler isn't really a huge surprise to be here. We're talking about a team that has won 25 straight games, had a preseason ranking of #11(AP) and #10(ESPN), and who's only losses came this year to Minnesota, Clemson, Georgetown, and UAB.
Led by super sophomores G/F Gordon Hayward and G Shelvin Mack, this real life "Hoosiers" squad is scrapping their way through this tournament beating some of the tournament's best. The best part of it all is that not only does Butler epitomize the small town team in the movie Hoosiers, but they actually play in the gym where they filmed the movie.
As far as their opponent goes, Duke fits perfectly in the role of the big time program with their history and certainly their Coach. Suffice to say we have the makings of a legitimate David vs Goliath type matchup, with a small mid-major school, like Butler, taking on one of the giants of the game, in Duke.
As far as the game itself, this has the makings of a thrilling final despite the lack of a Syracuse, Kentucky, or Kansas. Many predicted that one of these three teams would be the ones hoisting the trophy at the end of the tourney thanks in great part to their athleticism, an adjective that certainly never came to anyone's mind when referring to Duke or Butler. Though it may be true that neither team is the most athletic in the tournament, they both subscribe to the old adage of "Defense wins Championships". Butler has held their opponents to an astounding 55.2ppg where as Duke has kept pace with 56.4ppg. That being said there is no reason to think that these teams can't put points on the board when they have to.
As much as I would like to see Butler win this game, completing the "Hoosiers" analogy and giving us another Cinderella (ala NC State '83 or Villanova '85), I just don't see it happening. As an NC State fan I must admit it is one of the harder things for me to do, but I have to give Duke credit here and the nod in this matchup. Duke has a significant amount of experience on this team and in all the right places. Their top 3 scorers, Scheyer, Singler, and Smith are all upperclassman and their coach has certainly "been here before", whereas Butler's coach is only 33 and their top scorers are a pair of sophomores. Another thing working against Butler is that currently 2 of their top three players (Mack and Howard) are currently question marks for the game. Mack had to leave the Michigan St game early due to dehydration and Howard suffered a minor concussion so he, too, is questionable.
All these things combine to make this game an uphill battle for Butler and for those reasons I'll predict that come Monday night Duke will be the 2010 NCAA Tournament Champions, but I know two things for sure:
1. Butler hasn't let anything get in their way so far and has nothing to lose.
and....
2. This NC State fan will certainly be pulling for the Bulldogs in hopes that Gordon Hayward can channel his inner Jimmy Chitwood or Bobby Plump and give us something we'll all remember.
Led by super sophomores G/F Gordon Hayward and G Shelvin Mack, this real life "Hoosiers" squad is scrapping their way through this tournament beating some of the tournament's best. The best part of it all is that not only does Butler epitomize the small town team in the movie Hoosiers, but they actually play in the gym where they filmed the movie.
As far as their opponent goes, Duke fits perfectly in the role of the big time program with their history and certainly their Coach. Suffice to say we have the makings of a legitimate David vs Goliath type matchup, with a small mid-major school, like Butler, taking on one of the giants of the game, in Duke.
As far as the game itself, this has the makings of a thrilling final despite the lack of a Syracuse, Kentucky, or Kansas. Many predicted that one of these three teams would be the ones hoisting the trophy at the end of the tourney thanks in great part to their athleticism, an adjective that certainly never came to anyone's mind when referring to Duke or Butler. Though it may be true that neither team is the most athletic in the tournament, they both subscribe to the old adage of "Defense wins Championships". Butler has held their opponents to an astounding 55.2ppg where as Duke has kept pace with 56.4ppg. That being said there is no reason to think that these teams can't put points on the board when they have to.
As much as I would like to see Butler win this game, completing the "Hoosiers" analogy and giving us another Cinderella (ala NC State '83 or Villanova '85), I just don't see it happening. As an NC State fan I must admit it is one of the harder things for me to do, but I have to give Duke credit here and the nod in this matchup. Duke has a significant amount of experience on this team and in all the right places. Their top 3 scorers, Scheyer, Singler, and Smith are all upperclassman and their coach has certainly "been here before", whereas Butler's coach is only 33 and their top scorers are a pair of sophomores. Another thing working against Butler is that currently 2 of their top three players (Mack and Howard) are currently question marks for the game. Mack had to leave the Michigan St game early due to dehydration and Howard suffered a minor concussion so he, too, is questionable.
All these things combine to make this game an uphill battle for Butler and for those reasons I'll predict that come Monday night Duke will be the 2010 NCAA Tournament Champions, but I know two things for sure:
1. Butler hasn't let anything get in their way so far and has nothing to lose.
and....
2. This NC State fan will certainly be pulling for the Bulldogs in hopes that Gordon Hayward can channel his inner Jimmy Chitwood or Bobby Plump and give us something we'll all remember.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Elite Eight Results and Final Four Projections.....
"And the beat(ing) goes on...and the beat goes on" Well I split the Elite Eight at 2-2. I continue to hover slightly above .500 (37-27) and now wonder if I should pick what I would like to see in the final or what I expect to see. Odds are it will be neither one so here we go.
Here are my projections with my guess in bold:
Midwest:
5. Michigan St. vs. 5. Butler
South:
1. Duke vs. 2. West Virginia
As much as I'd like to see Butler continue on I think it will be hard for them or WVU to get past the coaching fo Izzo and K, but with this tournament anything can happen. Check back by Monday and I'll post how I did along with my picks for the Championship .....
Here are my projections with my guess in bold:
Midwest:
5. Michigan St. vs. 5. Butler
South:
1. Duke vs. 2. West Virginia
As much as I'd like to see Butler continue on I think it will be hard for them or WVU to get past the coaching fo Izzo and K, but with this tournament anything can happen. Check back by Monday and I'll post how I did along with my picks for the Championship .....
April Fools Day...Sports Pranks
I wanted to try and come up with a great post that could be taken some many ways, but instead I've decided to defer to the professionals (literally). Here is a small list of some of the greatest pranks in professional sports history (in no particular order).
Sidd Finch
1985: Sports Illustrated published a story about a new rookie pitcher who planned to play for the Mets. His name was Sidd Finch, and he could reportedly throw a baseball at 168 mph with pinpoint accuracy. This was 65 mph faster than the previous record. Surprisingly, Sidd Finch had never even played the game before. Instead, he had mastered the "art of the pitch" in a Tibetan monastery under the guidance of the "great poet-saint Lama Milaraspa." Mets fans celebrated their teams' amazing luck at having found such a gifted player, and Sports Illustrated was flooded with requests for more information. In reality this legendary player only existed in the imagination of the author of the article, George Plimpton.
Mark Cuban 2003: Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban decided to make fun of himself for being fined by the NBA multiple times. He got into a fake shoving scuffle with a fake NBA official. The Dallas players, most notably reserve center Evan Eschmeyer, did not know about the prank and Eschmeyer ran over to restrain Cuban.
Orlando Magic 2009: at halftime of a game against the Toronto Raptors, the Orlando PR and Marketing team had a blindfolded fan shoot a half-court shot that was supposedly worth $100,000. After the fan missed, the crowd went wild thinking they had helped the Magic pull of a prank. But when the fan celebrated and told the crowd, "I actually just got laid off from work," it was then revealed that the fan was an actor and it was the crowd that was actually fooled.
Augusta National 1990: In its May issue, Golf magazine reported Augusta National, home of The Masters, would open to the public. After the club and the magazine received inquiries about booking tee times, Golf admitted it was just a joke.
And here's one failed prank:
NFL Draft 2007: The Oakland Raiders selected Jamarcus Russell with the #1 pick overall. Al Davis called Roger Goodell after he announced the pick and said "April Fools!" Goodell said "Al, April Fools Day was 27 days ago. You picked Jamarcus so he's now a Raider." As a Raider fan I find myself wondering if Al had a "senior moment" and that was actually the reason why he made that pick.
Sidd Finch
1985: Sports Illustrated published a story about a new rookie pitcher who planned to play for the Mets. His name was Sidd Finch, and he could reportedly throw a baseball at 168 mph with pinpoint accuracy. This was 65 mph faster than the previous record. Surprisingly, Sidd Finch had never even played the game before. Instead, he had mastered the "art of the pitch" in a Tibetan monastery under the guidance of the "great poet-saint Lama Milaraspa." Mets fans celebrated their teams' amazing luck at having found such a gifted player, and Sports Illustrated was flooded with requests for more information. In reality this legendary player only existed in the imagination of the author of the article, George Plimpton.Mark Cuban 2003: Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban decided to make fun of himself for being fined by the NBA multiple times. He got into a fake shoving scuffle with a fake NBA official. The Dallas players, most notably reserve center Evan Eschmeyer, did not know about the prank and Eschmeyer ran over to restrain Cuban.
Orlando Magic 2009: at halftime of a game against the Toronto Raptors, the Orlando PR and Marketing team had a blindfolded fan shoot a half-court shot that was supposedly worth $100,000. After the fan missed, the crowd went wild thinking they had helped the Magic pull of a prank. But when the fan celebrated and told the crowd, "I actually just got laid off from work," it was then revealed that the fan was an actor and it was the crowd that was actually fooled.
Augusta National 1990: In its May issue, Golf magazine reported Augusta National, home of The Masters, would open to the public. After the club and the magazine received inquiries about booking tee times, Golf admitted it was just a joke.
And here's one failed prank:
NFL Draft 2007: The Oakland Raiders selected Jamarcus Russell with the #1 pick overall. Al Davis called Roger Goodell after he announced the pick and said "April Fools!" Goodell said "Al, April Fools Day was 27 days ago. You picked Jamarcus so he's now a Raider." As a Raider fan I find myself wondering if Al had a "senior moment" and that was actually the reason why he made that pick.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Dave Telep Carolina Challenge
Seeing as I apparently am going to be just awful with picking NCAA tournament games this year I've decided to check out some basketball on a different level. I had a chance to check out the Dave Telep Carolina Challenge at Cary Academy this morning and had an opportunity to see some really good North Carolina highschoolers play. The Carolina Challenge is an event that hosts the top 80 highschool players from the state of NC, hand picked by Dave Telep.
The Carolina Challenge is designed to showcase the talents of the top rising sophmores, juniors, and seniors as well as to provide them with an opportunity to learn what it means and takes to become a college basketball player. This was my first opportunity to check out the event, which is in its 4th year. I must say I was quite impressed with how well it was put together and with the level of talent in the state this year.
Thanks also to PackPride.com as I was afforded to opportunity to take photos for them. I've included a couple below, but for more you should check out their site, whether it be for information on football, basketball, recruiting, or basically anything NC State. In order you see Jacob Lawson, Joseph Uchebo(#90), and Tyler Lewis.
The Carolina Challenge is designed to showcase the talents of the top rising sophmores, juniors, and seniors as well as to provide them with an opportunity to learn what it means and takes to become a college basketball player. This was my first opportunity to check out the event, which is in its 4th year. I must say I was quite impressed with how well it was put together and with the level of talent in the state this year.
Thanks also to PackPride.com as I was afforded to opportunity to take photos for them. I've included a couple below, but for more you should check out their site, whether it be for information on football, basketball, recruiting, or basically anything NC State. In order you see Jacob Lawson, Joseph Uchebo(#90), and Tyler Lewis.
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