Milk Mustaches

Ladies and Gentlemen Start Your Engines

I got to see about forty laps of Danica Patick's coming out party, or so we should believe. I still don't love Indy Racing but the way those cars work is stunning. Back to Patrick who of course I wanted to win, she was nearly the only familiar driver. Familiar only by about a week. I wanted her to win because it would have been one of those watershed moments that change sports for the better, and it would have been broadcast during one of the greatest sporting events of the year.

Had Patrick won it would have been as big as the US Women winning the World Cup on PK's. Certianly that event was overshadowed by the celebration, but nonetheless it was a gargantuan moment for women's sports, simply because they found an audience for several weeks of that summer.

It would have been on a level of greatness as Annika Sorenstam winning The Masters as a PGA Rookie. That's not just any old race, it's Indy. Everyone's life changes after winning, hers is destined to change by leading it and finishing fourth. I figure Serena Williams in her prime could have beaten a top thirty ranked man in tennis, could she win the US Open, probably not. Is racing different than tennis, absolutely. But I can't compare Diana Turasi and Steve Nash. She would get abused by NBA players. But Golf and Racing I think are fairly comparable. Team events where only an individual competes, and the course can be 1/4 of the challenge, your equipment is your tool, and your physical abilities, and the opponents can comprise the remaining 3/4.

I have an interest in next year's 500 simply to see if she can do it, just like many will watch the US Open to see if Rick "Tiger" Woods can win. People that don't follow golf look to the sport for that familiar face, now Indy Car has one that isn't a miniature Italian millionaire. Soon enough we won't be watching golf to see how good the white guys did, we'll tune in to see how that saucy Asian chick finished.

Fall Out Boy

I picked up the first college football magazine with Spurrier on it today. I glanced through it and must have seen his face or name twenty times. Also the top three were USC, Tenn. and Iowa. Interesting that no team from Florida was mentioned, and Texas wasn't top three, they were fifth. For USC we're looking at nearly 95 days till kick off. I can't wait. Thursday night and Sportscenter in Cola. I will not work that Thursday or Friday. Can't freakin' wait.

Also in the world of sports, I was attending the Southern Conference Tournament today and saw a player fall out. I don't know if he hurt his groin or had cramps. He could have even "monkeyed" in the heat. I've seen some weird stuff but this took the cake. If I had to guess I'd say cramps, but the best part was a spry red head that I assume has an interest in sports medicine ran out to help, no other med staff. Next four ballplayers headed out and scooped an appendage.

Big ass race tomorrow. Coca Cola 600. My sister will be there, look for the fish out of water. She is a good sport, but it will all get tested tomorrow. Good luck Sis, don't go flashin' the populus.

Don Schwartz

Is there anyone out there? Good, I have a question. When did you stop collecting baseball cards? (baseball cards = all sports cards).

I was just googleing something and thought about my idea of personally appraising my baseball card collection. I think today I will begin by buying a magazine, and sorting. I like to do little things like this from time to time.

My most prized item is a Michael Jordan Rookie, that may very well one day make a down payment on a house, currently I have two. I traded one for a Jerry Rice and a Barry Sanders rookie card, I don't know if it was worth it. But at the time it seemed like a sound investment. If I could go back fifteen years.

***Added*** I did mean to mention how much better Detroit looked last night than Miami. They are going to destroy everyone. They are the Patriots of the NBA, says Collin Cowheard, he's right.

Game of the Week

I've been on the DL for a while as I had not a thing to say. Now we're in interleague play and I gotta say I like it. I like what MLB has done this weekend and played some natural rivals against one another. Many intrastate games and lots of old town rivalrys. I like interleague play because it creates match ups that we don't get to see very often and brings new viewers to baseball. In the south we watch the Atlanta Braves, but I don't ever actually watch a game. Now if the Braves play the Twins and Johan Santana is pitching I'd probably tune in for an inning or two.

The same can be said if the Mariners are in town. I like watching Ichiro and Vlad and the Orioles. But we get that on ESPN you say, and yes you are correct I say but the problem is, is when Johan Santana is on ESPN he's playing the Devil Rays and that's no fun. Or he's playing the Yankees and you gotta listen to Joe Morgan talk about the Yankee's and how ARod is shagging Scarlett Johansen or whoever Derek Jeter kicked to the curb.

WNBA gets back to television. Seattle Storm last years champs and the champs in all of our hearts are on and playing the Monarch's. Now slow down you can finish reading the post, there is sure to be a highlight package on Sportcenter.

Only With the Veecks

Sorry all I've been doing is linking to stories, but I don't have as much to say as this guy:


http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/11650780.htm

USC Football Stuff

How did USC land Steve Spurrier?

Here is a little more detail.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/football/ncaa/05/11/bc.fbc.scarolina.mcgee.ap/index.html

We will never get the whole story on how our coaches are hired but I found this to be more than candid.

Playin' the Slots

Not that many of my friends care but here is a little thing the internet has brought us today:

http://proxy.espn.go.com/nba/lottery2005/mockdraft

Keep hitting Play Lottery for new results I've done five to see how many different ones came out in five, I had four different scenarios. Just something to kill three minutes, more later I'm sure.

Sisters of the Poor and Crippled

I threw it out there a while back that I am a dyed in the wool Gamecock. I was just looking back at some truely phenomenal stuff. Our win loss record over the last say sixty years. I stopped when I saw this:

http://www.phys.utk.edu/sorensen/cfr/cfr/Output/1944/CF_1944_Team_South_Carolina.html

Now I've given some hell over strength of schedule to Clemson and others, but this would not go over well with the BCS.

Who is the Charleston Coast Guard? And we tied? Georgia Pre-Flight did have a fine running back named Orville Wright...

It cracks me up to see who these southern teams used to play. I still love the line about Sewanne beating Georgia Tech, Texas, Furman, Wofford, Dallas Cowboys etc, and on the seventh day they rested. It was probably 100% true.

Good stuff, only like 134 days till the Orr Spurrier Era begins.

Octopussy

Before this playoff begins, let me say the words that just came into my head. Jim Furyk is pure balls. He is icy veined and cannot be bent. I've always liked him and really like his pairing with Rick Woods in Ryder Cup/President's Cup competitions. Also I gotta think Quail Hollow is going to get a major pretty soon. PGA Championship or US Open. Probably the PGA first but don't be too shocked that in the next ten years they don't get a major. It is one of the players absolute favorites, as you see by such a dense field including Rick himself.

Good golf today, good golf.

Be the Ball.

Beach Balls

Ouch!

A buddy of mine is a Reds fan and has been for like 25 years. I couldn't wait to laugh about this one. Paul Wilson the Ace of the staff had a line something like this:

0IP, 8ER, 2HR, 2HBP, BB, oK and one early hook.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/baseball/mlb/05/06/dodgers.reds.ap/index.html

Racin' for Rednecks

So in the south this week the story is all about racing. Horse and Nextell. I live in SC where Darlington is king. This week 150,000 people will invade a rural town with a racetrack. The town of Darlington will probably become the fourth largest in SC during the weekend, massive amounts of local and less local rednecks will motor their homes into the infield for a three day drunk. The legend has it there is a strict gun check at the gate. If you don't have any they give you one per cooler. Dirty women too.

Churchill Downs is the polar opposite of Darlington. Kentucky Derby Saturday is the social event of the south for the spring. It requires expensive suits, nice flowery dresses, and hats. Oh and bourbon. Now I've been to a horse race, twice well, maybe three times, I don't really know. It's like how many times have you seen Hootie and the Blowfish, eight, nine, fifteen I don't know. It's all the same just different day and sometimes a new place. Anyway, as I was saying I've been to a horse race before. You dress nice, you drink. I mean you really drink. You wake up back at home maybe you saw a horse maybe not, you've lost your shoes, you're sunburned, there is a hole in your pants and your Calvin Klein button down is now a sleeveless. Didn't I have a hat you wonder, you did and you lost it, with your wallet and senses. Stand up look in the mirror. You are now ready to go to Darlington.

Diamond Darin

Here is a brief update on some of my favorite baseball players. This is intended to show that I am biased and will be on my stories, and to let you know who I pull for or against. I don't want to act like this is an attempt to be a journalist. This is a fan's point of view page.

My favorite baseball player is Darin Erstad by a mile. Darin is a Gold Glover from two postions. Center field, and First Base. The reasons are easy he is the ultimate go getter. He doesn't shy away from a challenge, putting his body into difficult sitiuations all the time. He is a hustle guy and I love the scrappy hustlers out there on the field. I was a shortstop and outfielder generally because I had the best arm on every team I played on. Even when I was the youngest guy I beat out most because of my arm. But I envyed the guys that could just dive around and throw caution to the wind. I maybe only made ten diving plays in ten years of baseball. Erstad makes them all the time. Oh and I think its cool he punted for Nebraska in the 90's.

Also making the list is Scott Rolen, Ichiro, Marcus Giles, Derek Lee, Tim Hudson, I saw Huddy pitch when he was with Auburn, Lance Berkman, Todd Helton, Juan Pierre, Vlad Gurrero, JT Snow and my homeboys from USC, Adam Everett, and Brian Roberts. Roberts is the mackdad right now too.

Anyway that's all I got for today, USC is playing Furman tonight and UT this weekend.

For the local followers The State will have an article on Summerville Football and its recruiting of a local high schooler from a rival school.

First Tee

Welcome, sports fans or i write the words readers, this is my sports only blog. I wanted to do this all along but now feel like I can find material for a few posts on two blogs.

A little sports background is necessary. I am a retired amatuer athlete only attempting to play golf a couple of times a year and bowl a little less. I bet I swim more than I hit golf balls or roll balls at pins. I did play baseball for about ten years, little league on up to trying for high school and not making it. I couldn't hit, no I really couldn't hit. Baseball may have been my primary sport, but played hours of backyard football and a few years of organized basketball.

More importantly my history as a sports fan began somewhere in the early eighties. Believe it or not I remember such things as the Wide World of Sports, Vinny Testeverde in college, before Mike Tyson, and short basketball shorts. Hell, I remember when the Braves were bad, but people liked them more than they do now. They had the fattest infield of all time. Chris Chamblis, Glenn Hubbard, Rafael Ramirez, and Bob Horner. That was back when they wore uni's with out buttons. Those stretch shirts, ugh. They looked like George Costanza designed them.

Anyway this will be where I whine about my Gamecocks, Redskins, San Fransisco Giants, Los Angelas Angels of Anaheim, foreign golfers, and why no one likes women's sports.

I probably will also complain that I wish I could surf and skate, because those are two sports I really wish I could do well. I live on the coast but don't surf, and haven't enough balance to walk much less skateboard.

Instead I'll just hit you with a little comment on the NBA playoffs. WHO CARES? Wake me up when the Suns are in the finals and the Lakers are not still the lead story.