Sports

Debate over the Timberwolves 2010 Draft 

Friday, 02 July 2010 13:51 Ryan T. Scott

When it comes to the barbershop, it’s all about opinions. Everybody can say what he or she wants top say, and most seem to be cackling and grumbling, but in my humble opinion it seems like the Timberwolves are in good hands all around. My positivism certainly flies in the face of sensible opinions, which put heavy stress on last year’s 15-win season of drudgery, and the fact that many key players aren’t fully weaned of their NBA Similac bottles. Add to this the fact that second year General Manager David Kahn seems to be implementing a Wall Street derivative investment strategy when it comes to drafting new players, and I can understand the 24hr news cycle opinion that heads should roll. But caution was given as Kahn stated at the Post-Draft Press Conference, “It’s going to be a long summer.” And fortunately beyond that, I’m here to provide some Zen that can only come from a Lakers Fan basking in the frequent Championship glow of the season past…and I too would like to thank Ron Artests’ psychiatrist.

Volleyball Star Megan Hodge and Basketball Standout Maya Moore Both Win 2010 Honda-Broderick Cup

Wednesday, 23 June 2010 13:17

- Tie for Top Honor is Only Second Time in 34-Year History of Collegiate Women Sports Awards -

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Collegiate Women Sports Awards today announced that for only the second time in its 34-year history two female athletes have tied for the annual Honda-Broderick Cup, its top honor designating the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year. This years winners, both of whom were presented with their prestigious awards at a special ceremony today in Los Angeles at UCLA’s J.D. Morgan Center, are volleyball star Megan Hodge, a senior at Penn State University and basketball standout Maya Moore, a University of Connecticut junior. Both athletes were selected as winners of the Honda-Broderick Cup by voting among 1,000 NCAA member schools and the Board of Directors of the Collegiate Women Sports Awards Program.

What if LeBron James came to the Timberwolves

Friday, 11 June 2010 15:01 Ryan T. Scott

When LeBron James leaves, I mean, if LeBron James leaves the Cleveland Cavaliers, he will take with him $100 million worth of the value of the Cavaliers’ franchise. Now everybody I know from Ohio “is real good people,” but considering the tough situation with most of their professional sports scene, and the fact that Cleveland is the type of city that comes to mind as the poster child for the recent recession, seeing James and his brand value walk out the door might make Cleveland fans say, “Me too” and follow him up out of there.

So, since LeBron is looking to increase his worldwide brand, and all these nutcases across the country are hosting rallies to woo him to their city, I figured I’d rep for my mid-western home because my hometown Los Angeles Lakers ain’t got enough ball for “Pre-Game NBA Dance King” James. I could just imagine the look on Lakers coach Phil Jackson’s face if Kobe Bryant or Michael Jordan started breaking out in dance routines during a timeout. Jackson isn’t one to display much anger, but the dancing thing might make his hand tremble and rise about ear high above the opposite shoulder, to prepare for a downward backhand blow across the dancer’s cheek.

Big summer sports events in gear

Friday, 04 June 2010 16:34 Ryan T. Scott

Though the early parts of the baseball season are still underway, there are some other real cool worldwide sports going down on all parts of the globe, including Minnesota. This week we’ll brush over some tennis, next week some local golf, gotta pay respects to the real futbol (soccer) as the FIFA World Cup draws near in South Africa, and all the while building up some greater interest and knowledge of baseball, because that’s definitely the hottest ticket of the summer.

For now, the French Open sits on the center stage of the World sports audience, and of course that means The Venus and Serena Williams Show is in full effect. But as much as it seems as though the Williams sisters dominate all things tennis, they both actually have a pretty tough record in the French Open. Serena has one French Open championship to her name, which she achieved in 2002 by beating her sister Venus. Other than that year, neither of the sisters has been in the French Open Women’s Singles Championship, which is hard to imagine. Even more difficult to imagine is that the two ladies have not mastered the doubles competition for the French Open. The Williams sisters won the French Open Women’s Doubles Championship in 1999 towards the beginning of their worldwide, decade-long, domination of the sport.

Good Grief. Timberwolves miss out on #1 Pick

Saturday, 29 May 2010 16:43 Ryan T. Scott

If the NBA Draft involved dice rather than lottery balls, then the Timberwolves would constantly come up with snake eyes. After a long tough rebuilding season the Wolves deserved a whole lot more than to only land the fourth pick in the 2010 NBA Draft. According to lottery percentages, the Wolves had the second best chance to land the first pick. But this marks another great opportunity to use my favorite quote in sports history, from none other than pro golfer Boo Weekley who said, “You never know what them dogs gonna do ‘til you run ‘em. So let’s run ‘em.” Weekley was making a comparison between athletes and hunting dogs, but the quote works just as well with regard to the Wolves and their future draft pick, so as usual, hope springs eternal…and I’m trying to spin this positive.

The NBA Draft will take place on June 24, and boy do the young Wolves need someone to come add some “uumph!” to the current roster of highly respectable hoopers. This years’ draft does not come off as one of the more celebrated groups of collegiate offerings, but once again, “let’s run ‘em.”

Stadium issue is the budget vs. the building

Thursday, 13 May 2010 13:51 Ryan T. Scott

The legislative window for Vikings efforts towards a new stadium has closed and the fact that there is a looming state budget shortfall doesn’t spell well. Yet the campaign is on throughout the state to convince the business community of the benefits that a new Vikings stadium could bring. The legislative session adjourns on May 17, so it doesn’t look good, save a miracle, but that might not be so bad after all. As the recent national healthcare legislation proved, and as Prussian theorist Carl von Clausewitz stated, “No campaign survives first contact…”

Jobs, Jobs, Jobs. That is what I see when I have had the opportunity to survey the recent activity around the new Twins and Gophers structures. I’m sure this is part of the message delivered by the Vikings staff and supportive legislators, as they visit with the various statewide Chambers of Commerce and Fortune 500 company CEOs. For those like the man (Jeff Baker), who posted the recent billboard stating, “Dear Mr. President, I need a Freakin’ Job” I would have to imagine that the construction jobs and service contracts that would be born through the stadium project make a lot of household’s palms itch. Naturally there is quite a bit of excitement for the Twin Cities community for the newly-built stadiums, like a child having a new toy to play with, but it doesn’t hurt that the buildings don’t suck. This only proves the quality of the construction industry residing here in our backyard, and the compliments have been heard far and wide for the Twins stadium in particular.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. backs up his big talk 

Friday, 07 May 2010 12:32 Ryan T. Scott

Floyd Mayweather Jr. has a big mouth. My brother taught me early on that “loose lips sink ships” but upon closer review, Floyd Mayweather’s high-speed motor mouth may be big in terms of overall volume of bullcorn produced, but bullcorn can also be known as fertilizer. In Mayweather’s case, the fertilizer produced by his oral cavity is feeding the growth of a rare plant called The Money Tree.

Two weeks ago, Mayweather put on a clinic of various forms, in his defeat of Sugar Shane Mosley. Many would point to the slippery, angled, boxing gameplan that Mayweather executed, or the sonic speed jabs that he continually snapped Mosley’s head with. But what impressed me the most of Mayweather in this fight, was the way in which he endured getting socked-up during the first couple rounds of the fight. While Mosley may have been simply trying to make the show look good during the later parts of the fight, he brought his scrappin’ shoes early on; and it worked. The fact that Mayweather’s nose didn’t swell from the connections Mosley made early on, may have said something about the power of the punches, but Mayweather’s knees told a different story.