What will 2011 bring?

Happy new year, everyone!

What will 2011 bring to the table? Will my body hang in there and allow me to play another year of baseball? I start my fourth season as a member of the Tucson Old Timers (TOTS) Baseball Club and probably my 60th season overall. I was six years old when I first started playing organized baseball. I'll be 66 in July, but my new year resolution is to play smart. Less diving...less running and more importantly, I'll try to remember I'm an old guy. That's hard to do, sometimes.

Once you take the field, step over the white line, and head for your position, us oldtimers forget about age and have one common purpose: make the play. Yes, it is more of an adventure now. Those high fly balls off an aluminium bat become harder and harder to camp under. Getting in front of a sizzling one-hopper becomes a 50-50 proposition. Throwing to a target more than sixty feet away seems futile at times. But, there we are week after week, month after month, doing our best to make the play.

Hats off to the TOTS, the MSBL (Men's Senior Baseball League) and to all the organizations that promote baseball for guys and gals in their senior years. Let's play ball!

Wildcats say goodbye to Mac Court

Playing away from home is one thing, but playing college basketball in Eugene, Oregon,  at Mac Court is an entirely different ball game.

Well, the Arizona Wildcats will not have to worry about that anymore as they visited the Duck's rustic arena for the final time last night and walked away with a 76-57 win over Oregon in front of 6,498 onlookers. From McKale Center to Mac Court, that alone must have been a bit bothersome to the young Wildcats' team from the opening tip to the final buzzer. But, they got through it and now head for Corvallis for a Sunday night game against the Oregon State Beavers.

A sweep of the Oregon schools would give the Wildcats a good start to the Pac-10 season and they can return home to the spacious, friendly confines of McKale for a three-game home stand against California, Stanford and Arizona State.

Washington gives the Pac-10 a boost

The Washington Huskies get it done as they knock off Nebraska, 19-7, at the Holiday Bowl in San Diego last night.

The Pac-10 can still send a message to the other conferences around the country with a Stanford victory over Virginia Tech at the Orange Bowl in Miami on Jan. 3 and a victory by Oregon on Jan. 10 at Glendale in the BCS title matchup with Auburn.

Bug opens up a keg of worms at Alamo Bowl

When the Wildcats' Bug Wright fumbled away a first-quarter punt return, he pretty much set the tone for what was to come as Arizona fell to Oklahoma State, 36-10, at the Valero Alamo Bowl tonight in Austin.

Arizona coach Mike Stoops watched from the sidelines, in agony once again, as the Wildcats turned the ball over four times and collected their share of annoying penalties enroute to their fifth straight loss of the season. The agony for Stoops and the Arizona football fans is finally over for 2010. Two months without a win, after accumulating seven wins during the months of September and October, the Wildcats finish a disappointing 7-6, but they went down kicking.

If the end of the Arizona-Arizona State rivalry game wasn't enough, Stoops continued to make the decision to have Alex Zendejas attempt field goals, instead of relying on the arm of Nick Foles. The result: Zendejas, mired in a late-season slump, misses two of three attempts. The two misses looked like they were heading in the direction of Tucson, instead of the goal posts. Frustrating! As for dropped passes, why even go there? Oh well, better luck next year.

I hope Jeff Bridges will make my day, again!

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t's about time. Another good old Western movie lands in theaters across the country today. Although, its a remake of the 1969 flick, True Grit, I can't wait to buy my ticket, order some popcorn and settle in for 110 minutes of Jeff Bridges as Rooster Cogburn.

For years, I made it a point to see every movie release that had Jack Nicholson as the main character, now ole Jack is content with his sideline seat at the LA Lakers' games and he isn't logging a lot of minutes on the silver screen, so I've replaced him - put him on the bench, so to speak, and inserted Mr. Bridges on my "must-see this actor perform" list.

Arguably, Bridges' Oscar-winning performance last year in Crazy Heart was his all-time best, but chances are he will put on an eye patch and take the Cogburn character to new heights. Although, he'd be the first one to tell you that he's in no way replacing silver screen icon John Wayne. But I personally believe there's plenty of room, as far as my movie-watching goes for both icons.

As for Wayne, I'll stick with my memories of "The Shootist" as John Wayne goes down for the last time in a saloon gun battle with the likes of villains Richard Boone and Hugh O'Brian. As for Bridges, he's not done yet. If I'm around 20 years from now, chances are I can still tune in the old movie channel and catch both men in action.

Well-rested Wildcats ready for Pac-10 play

In the Stands Report by Bookemdano: The trip to the state of Oregon awaits.

The Arizona Wildcats should be well rested. Case in point: The Wildcats thump visiting Robert Morris last night at McKale 82-56 and the most minutes logged by an Arizona starter was 24 minutes. Coach Sean Miller sent in 14 players. The only player not inserted -- injured backup center Alex Jacobson. The Arizona bench players log in 89 minutes collectively against the Colonials and score 28 points. The Wildcats enter Pac-10 play next Thursday at Oregon in great shape. How many times has the Wildcats entered Pac-10 play a little short on personnel? Plenty. But not this year as Miller has the luxury of going 10 deep with not a lot of drop off in talent and ability. It must be fun for Miller. It is like playing with blocks as a kid -- sitting on the living room floor, looking for the right fit and solving the puzzle.

Come Thursday, the Arizona Wildcats (11-2) will begin a new season. Let's hope Miller can solve the puzzle and keep the Wildcats competitive and in the running for a Pac-10 title.

Let's talk the number's game...

Forgive me, but let's talk the number's game.

The Arizona Wildcats moved to 10-2 with a 72-62 victory over North Carolina State in Raleigh on Sunday. A special thanks goes out to the Wolfpack for staying with their man-to-man defense. Arizona has struggled against the zone defense of late, so go figure that one. At any rate, Derrick Williams scored from everywhere imaginable, netting 22 points to lead the Wildcats. A final non-conference win on Wednesday at McKale over visiting Robert Morris would give the Wildcats 11 wins. Would 14 more wins get the Wildcats to the Big Dance? How about 12 or 13? Like a lot of Arizona fans, I don't expect an NCAA title this year, but what I personally hope for is the Wildcats to return, once again, to the NCAA tournament.

Centerfield Royals off to a good start

Centerfield Royals 11-Under Update: The Centerfield Royals, coached by former major leaguer George Arias, finished second this weekend in the United States Travel Sports Association (USTSA) Toys for Tots Baseball Tournament at Tucson Sports Park.

My grandson, Jadon Price, is the starting center fielder for the Royals, which were playing in their first-ever club tournament. The Royals reached the championship game Sunday afternoon with a come-from-behind 4-3 victory over the Rio Rico Baseball Club. Georgie Arias Jr.  doubled off the left field fence with two runners on -- and with two outs and a 3-2 count -- in the bottom of the sixth inning. In the title game the AZ Toros jumped out to an 8-2 lead and held on to defeat the Royals, 8-7, to win the title and take home the championship rings. The Royals reached the semi finals with wins on Saturday over the Tucson Stealth, 11-4, and the Sierra Vista Stallions, 11-1. The Centerfield Royals scored 33 runs in four games, the most by any team in the tourney.

Wildcats' players, fans sluggish in win...

In the Stands Report by Bookemdano: I went to the Arizona/Cal-State Fullerton game last night. I sat in section 9, row 24, seat 11. I found the Arizona players...and the fans sluggish. A crowd of 12,000, give or take a few, watched the Wildcats move to 8-1 with a 73-62 win over the Titans. The Arizona band members weren't exactly rocking and the fans sat back in their seats -- especially a hand full of onlookers behind me who discussed their 8 to 5 job, taking a deep breath every now and then to watch a play, or two.

Maybe the Wildcats and their fans were just looking ahead to Saturday's game in Salt Lake City against the unbeaten 9-0 BYU Cougars. Not the best performance by everyone involved. Wildcats' coach Sean Miller wasn't happy with the 40 minutes of action -- on the court- by his players, but luckily a 22-point performance from Derrick Williams and an off-the-bench, 18 minutes from Kevin Parrom (12 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists) helped the Wildcats escape with an 11-point victory. Don't get me wrong, I loved every minute of it. A basketball game at McKale Center center is a happening. It's just sometimes we take things for granted. So, come on fans get with it...it's time for a little attitude. I suspect Miller will be looking for that as well when his players hit the practice court today.

Wildcats Update: BYU was too much for the Wildcats Saturday as the Cougars man-handled Arizona, 87-65. Arizona missed too many shots for the second game in a row and lost for the second time this season to a top-20 team. Time to regroup.

Need big night from Sanchez

My Fantasy Football League: I need a big night from New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez tonight on MNF. Otherwise, my first year as a participant in the UPC Hood Fantasy Football League will be over.

I do have Jets' field goal kicker Nick Folk and New England tight end Rob Gronkowski on my roster as well. So, a little help from the two former University of Arizona Wildcats could help seal the deal. Twenty eight fantasy points will get my Team Priceless (currently 7-5) into the first round of the UPC Hood playoffs. It should be a great game tonight between the Patriots and Jets...and a sad one as well with the announcement, earlier today, of the passing of Dandy Don Merideth.

Fantasy Update: Turn out the lights the party's over! Sanchez and Jets bomb on MNF. Team Priceless fails in bid to make playoffs. Oh well, I'll try it again next year.

The Palace Bar

Stopped in at the Palace Bar on Whiskey Row on Saturday afternoon. It's been a while since I've visited the rustic watering hole in Prescott, Arizona. We were in town to enjoy the annual Christmas tree lighting ceremonies at the courthouse and see the parade.

Thirty five years ago, I spent my share of weekends playing fast-pitch softball in Prescott and on one or two occasions (probably more) I'd find myself, along with my teammates, of course, visiting the Palace Bar. So, it was understandable, that I'd wander into the famous bar yesterday at high noon.

What I didn't expect, was to run into a former teammate from Tucson, who I hadn't seen in fifteen years. In walks Tucson MSBL Hall of Famer Bud Warnke. Bud and I played in the National Senior Olympics back in 1995 when our local baseball team, Desert Diamond, knocked off Delaware, Maryland for the title and the gold medal at Hi Corbett Field. Needless to say, it was a fun afternoon.

Bud, this Bud is for you!

Alamo Bowl, here we come!

It's official. The Arizona Wildcats are heading for the Alamo Bowl.

The Wildcats (7-5) were selected today to play in San Antonio against the 16th-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys (10-2) on December 29. Mike Stoops, you'd better get the boys ready for this one! The Cowboys have lost to Nebraska (51-41) and Oklahoma (47-41) this season.

Clear the bench! Arizona wins!

In the Stands Report by Bookemdano: The Arizona Wildcats cleared the bench as all 15 players saw action in a 83-60 non conference win over Oklahoma at McKale Center this afternoon.

Once again it was Derrick Williams leading the way with 16 points, while Solomon Hill scored 10. Seven Arizona players scored eight or more points as the Wildcats improved to 7-1. At this rate, the Wildcats should be fresh and ready for action when the Pac-10 season rolls around in a couple of weeks. Next up: Cal-State Fullerton, Wednesday at McKale.

Got 'Cats!

Wildcats kick themselves in the foot!

In the Stands Report by Bookemdano: There was enough blame to go around at Arizona Stadium tonight.

The choices by the Arizona coaching staff left a lot to be desired. But in the end, no matter what excuse the Wildcats want to use, the final score remains the same as Arizona falls in double overtime to the Arizona State Sun Devils, 30-29. The players left the field exhausted and so did the Arizona fans.

Arizona fumbled the ball away twice (one was overturned) and had two extra points blocked. Nick Foles was Nick Foles as he passed for 262 yards and three touchdowns, but Arizona's offensive coordinator, Seth Littrell, went to the running game time and time again when the game was on the line -- in regulation and in the two overtimes.

The idea was to establish the run and run over the Sun Devils' linebacker Vontaze Burfict. The Wildcats never did. In a post game interview, Arizona's head coach Mike Stoops took his share of the blame. Stoops said his choice not to go for a two-point conversion and the win in the second overtime was his. Instead, he went for the tie and Alex Zendejas had his kicked blocked for the second time on the night.

Arizona finishes 7-5 overall and 4-5 in the Pac-10, while the Sun Devils (6-6 overall, 4-5 Pac-10) take home the Territorial Cup.

Let the insanity begin...

Let the insanity begin. Arizona State vs. Arizona. It is almost noon...six hours from kickoff at Arizona Stadium, and yet another meeting with the Sun Devils. Parking will be hard to find, the tail gates will be in full swing, the roar of the crowd will commence an hour earlier than normal, and a few minutes before the clock in the stadium strikes six o'clock, the players will hit the field.

And here I sit...at home. I've decided to stay planted, put my feet up on the coffee table and catch every minute on my Vizio. I must be getting old. I still will be on the edge of my seat as I cheer on my Wildcats. This one could turn out to be a dandy. The Wildcats are averaging 450 yards a game and the Sun Devils not too far behind at 429 yards a contest. There's a lot more on the line for the Wildcats in this one: an 8-4 overall record, third place in the Pac-10...and a bid to the Alamo Bowl. Let's forget the field goals in this one. Arizona wins it 35-14.

Wildcats Update: Wrong again! Kicking game turns out to be the big story. Wildcats lose fourth in a row. A frustrating end to the regular season. ASU 30, Arizona 29.

Wildcats' win over Rice Owls a real hoot

Arizona's win over the Rice Owls was a real hoot tonight as the Wildcats rolled in downtown Houston tonight, 84-57.

Derrick Williams fouled out for the second straight game, but still canned 18 points and 10 boards to lead Arizona to its sixth win of the young season. A 27-point win away from home! Looking good for the Wildcats, who return home on Sunday to take on Oklahoma.

Sinking fast in Fantasy League

My Fantasy Football League: Another bad week for my Team Priceless in the UPC Hood Fantasy Football League.

I fall to 7-5 and now find myself in a tie with four other teams for second place. The league has just one more week scheduled for the regular season and then the top six teams enter a three-week playoff. So, I'm in a must-win situation this week and my two quarterbacks, Eli Manning and Mark Sanchez, aren't exactly firing on all cylinders at the moment. But, it is the NFL, so anything goes this week.

Of course, my main wide receiver, Larry Fitzgerald, can't be Superman and haul in all those arrant passes from Derek Anderson, so I cringe at the idea that this week will be any different when it comes to the Cardinals' offense. Still, I have a shot. My opponent this week, the Meat Eaters, lost to me in Week 4, so that's a good sign. A couple of good games this week: Pittsburgh at Baltimore late Sunday and Jets at New England on Monday Night Football.

Number 400 for Bookemdanosports

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t's hard to believe, but when I type the final word and hit publish to this little addition to Bookemdanosports, it'll complete 400 of these tidbits, words of wisdom (I'm joking), articles, short stories...or whatever you want to call them.

What does it mean? It probably means I'm spending too much time on the computer. There are times when I feel like pulling the plug on this old laptop and try something else for a change. But then again, I've got all this stuff in my head, between my ears so to speak, and if I stop, I'll probable start getting headaches. Every once in a while, a think about hanging it up, and one of my readers says, "What's next?" And the next thing I know, I'm back at it.

So, I guess you're stuck with me. Let's go for another 400!

A winning season...

The Arizona Wildcats are assured of a winning season. But for a majority of the Arizona fans a winning season includes a victory over ASU.

It's like in golf, you either sink that birdie putt or you don't. You miss, you've got yourself a par, but you walk away with a bad taste in your mouth. As far as Arizona football fans are concerned, a loss means 12 months of eating crow to the Sun Devils and their fans.

Forget whatever bowl game the Wildcats are heading for, the "Big Game" is Thursday at our place --  at Arizona Stadium, in front of 59,000 screaming fans. This year, the Sun Devils can't catch us in the overall standings. Oops! They could tie the Wildcats in the Pac-10 though...what a bummer that would be. ASU could finish 6-6 with a win Thursday. But this sounds better: An Arizona win over the Sun Devils, an 8-4 regular season and another journey down the road to El Paso.

Jayhawks vs. Wildcats

The Arizona Wildcats (5-0) cruised to an easy win over Santa Clara last night in Las Vegas by a score of 82-59. Sixth ranked Kansas (5-0) rolled as well, knocking off Ohio University, 98-41. You might say the Wildcats have played five low-caliber teams.

But, you can say the same for the Jayhawks. Take a gander at the following: Jayhawks 113, Longwood 75; Jayhawks 79, Valparaiso 44; Jayhawks 93, North Texas 60; Jayhawks 82, Texas A&M/Corpus Christi 41 and, of course, Jayhawks 98, Ohio 41, at the New Orleans Arena in Las Vegas last night.
 It gets a little harder for both teams today.

Wildcats' Update: Wildcats lose, 87-79, despite 27 points and 7 rebounds from Derrick Williams and 18 points from Kyle Fogg. All in all, not a bad performance from the Wildcats. The game was up for grabs with 2 minutes and 27 seconds left, but Williams fouled out and sixth-ranked Kansas picked up its sixth win of the young season.

They just couldn't hang...

How do you hang tough with the best college football team in the land?

Well, you really don't. You start off tough as nails...you even lead at the half, 19-14. You get super efforts from a kid from Tucson Palo Verde, Adam Hall, and a 448-yard, three touchdown performance from quarterback Nick Foles, a junior from Austin, Texas.

Hall, a sophomore, had an interception, eight solo tackles and a highlight hit that should have been a game changer for the Wildcats, instead, a personal foul, helmet to helmet hit, was called on him in the first half, resulting in a 15-yard-penalty. In the end the Oregon Ducks won their way to a BCS title game with a convincing 48-29 victory over the Arizona Wildcats in Eugene last night. The Ducks steamrolled in the second half...the Ducks looked more like a colony of ants looking for food as they swarmed all over the field and posted 34 points in the final 30 minutes to seal the win.

Keys to Fantasy win: QB's Sanchez and Brady...

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

It's time for football in just a few hours. I need New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez to have another big game in order for my UPC Hood Fantasy Football League team to get off to a good start this week. Team Priceless (7-4) needs win No. 8 in the worst way. I hope my team gets win No. 8 this week, and as an extra holiday wish, I hope my Arizona Wildcats pickup that allusive win No. 8 at Oregon on Friday.

Those victories will not come easy. First, my Fantasy team will have to tangle with another pretty good quarterback this morning when it goes up against New England's Tom Brady. Sanchez and Brady are nursing injuries. So what else is new in the NFL? As for the Wildcats, they head for Oregon at full strength --without Bug Wright, of course. What's up with that? I hope everyone has a great week.

Come Monday night we all will be eyeing that turkey sandwich in the frig...and some of us will be licking our wounds over the results of five days of football action. At this point, I'd take a Fantasy loss, if I could be assured of an Arizona Wildcats' win.

Team Priceless Update: Jets win 26-10, but Sanchez and Company not a very aggressive team on offense, even in victory. Not a good start for my fantasy week. Of course, Tom Brady throws for 352 yards and four touchdowns in New England's 30-27 win over the reeling Cowboys.

The Stall

In the Stands Report by Bookemdano: Don't you hate it when you drive, say 15 or 20 miles, fight the evening traffic, and rush to your seat to watch your hometown collegiate basketball team play, only to find out the opponent for the night stalls, slows the game down, and limits you team's possessions.

 our team averages close to 90 points a game, but finds themselves up only 30-23 at the half. That, of course, was the story tonight at McKale Center as Arizona eventually dispatched Bethune-Cookman, 78-45. Ugly, but another win for the Wildcats as they move to 4-0 on the season. Derrick Williams scores 19 points, despite being double-teamed. I doubt Kansas will use any stalling tactics on Saturday in Las Vegas.

What's the difference between No.1 and No. 20?

What's the difference between the top-ranked team in the nation and the 20th-ranked collegiate football team?

Well, we are about to find out on Friday when the Arizona Wildcats travel to Oregon to face the Oregon Ducks. It'll be Arizona's defense against the rush against the Ducks' minute-to-minute scoring machine. As of this morning, the gap in the Pac-10 standings between Oregon (10-0, 7-0), 7th-ranked Stanford (10-1, 7-1) and the Wildcats (7-3, 4-3) is huge. Nick Foles and the Wildcats' offense...and Ricky Elmore and the Arizona defense needs to close that gap on Friday.

Brees puts a dagger in my fantasy hopes...

My Fantasy Football League: New Orleans' quarterback Drew Brees puts a dagger in my fantasy football hopes today as he had his best performance of the season by completing 29 of 43 passes for 382 yards and four touchdowns in the Saints' 34-19 win over Seattle.

Team Priceless falls to 7-4 on the season as my opponent, the A-Team, garners 59 fantasy points from Brees alone. Oh well,  you can't win 'em all.

Everybody plays, again...

In the Stands Report by Bookemdano: Another blowout win for the Arizona Wildcats. Another bench-clearing affair as all of the Wildcats see action in a 93-70 victory at McKale Center this afternoon over the University of Northern Colorado.

It's becoming commonplace for Arizona's walk-ons to see action. Of course, that may end soon with seventh-ranked Kansas looming on the horizon on Saturday. But for now, it's fun watching players like Max Wiepking and Robert Arvizu log minutes on the court. Maybe, there's just one patsy left -- Bethune-Cookman, on Tuesday, after that Max and Robert will spend a lot more time on the bench.

Vance, have you heard the news?

I haven't been able to get away this year and travel to Colorado and the small town of Parachute, where my son lives. I've mentioned before on a previous post, that my son not only resides there, but former Wildcats' great and Denver Broncos' wide-receiver Vance Johnson owns a watering hole and eating establishment (Outlaw Ribbs) in the little burg, which is located between Grand Junction and Rifle.

Travelers take the one exit from time to time, off of Interstate 70, and chow down at Vance's place and also venture into the back room -- the bar that is, and check out all the Wildcats' and Broncos' memorabilia that adorns the walls. And if they're lucky Vance might be around to conjure up a football story, or two.

News travels fast in the world of sports, so I figure Mr. Johnson has already heard the news that his nephew, CDO's Ka'Deem Carey, rushed for 177 yards and two touchdowns in the Dorados' 28-9 4A-quarterfinal win last night over Glendale Apollo. Johnson may want to pack a suitcase, jump into his sports car (I've seen it, it's kinda cool) and head for Tucson next week. Carey and the Dorados take on Cienega in the prep semifinals at Tucson High School (Friday, 7 p.m.).

If not, I'll tell him all about it the next time I visit my son. I doubt it'll be this winter, though. It's snowing up there and downright cold.

Countdown begins...

The countdown begins.

In less than a week the Arizona Wildcats will enter the land of the Ducks...the Oregon Ducks, that is.

The No. 1 team in the country, unbeaten and untested (if you want to disregard the Ducks' 10th win of the season last week over the Cal Bears). A trip to never-never land for the Wildcats. But this is college football and anything can happen -- even an upset win by a good Arizona team, 7-3 overall, 4-3 Pac-10, over a candidate for the National championship, Oregon (10-0,7-0 Pac 10).

The entire sports world will be watching on Friday, ESPN will be front and center, and I'll be glued to my Vizio once again. Come on Wildcats, make my day, for me and the thousands of Arizona fans out there. The spotlight is on the Ducks come Friday, let's turn the tables, shock the world and turn the lights out on the No. 1 team in the land. No prediction this week...not crazy enough to pick an Arizona win...just hoping...and praying.

AZ Rattlers edge Aces' Elite squad...

The Arizona Rattlers edged the Tucson Golden Aces Elite team, 8-5, on Nov. 16 to highlight this week's senior baseball action at Udall Park.

Right-hander Tom Barrow,70, who recently returned from the MSBL World Series, pitched a complete-game for the southside Rattlers. Barrow, a resident of Green Valley, was in trouble early, down 3-0, thanks to a hard hit single to right by Ron Petersen and a two-run single down the third-base line by Danny Price.

Unfortunately, the Aces gave back the three runs in the bottom of the first on three throwing errors on way play. But still, it turned into a competitive matchup with the Aces' southside rivals, who have a history of walking away with double-digit wins.

Pitcher Pete Cerenzia, from Spokane, Washington, went the distance for the Aces, allowing just two earned runs. Cerenzia singled to left field to open up the bottom of the 7th inning, but the Aces' couldn't muster a rally and lost another hard-fought contest to the Rattlers.

The Aces Elite squad are coached by 81-year-old Brad Tolson, a former pitcher for the Arizona Wildcats (1949, 1950) and Floyd Lance, 85, a member of the Tucson Old Timers (TOTS) since 1999. Lance said, after the game, "Errors will cost ya, they always have and always will."

Williams does it again at McKale...

In the Stands Report by Bookemdano: Derrick Williams led the way for the Arizona Wildcats at McKale, again!

Williams scores 27 points and grabs 14 boards as the Wildcats cruise to an 83-57 victory over New Mexico State tonight -- Arizona's second non-conference win in five days. No heart-stopping, last-second nail biters this week. Kinda nice for a change.

Brandy, you're a fine girl...

Brandy you're a fine girl and do not deserve to be ousted from "Dancin' With the Stars".

Bristol Palin survives again! The Looking Glass tune from 1972 should be played in the background next week on the season finale. Jennifer Grey should win it all now, if she doesn't Patrick Swayze will roll over in his grave. Palin wins and you might as well open the gates to "the bridge to nowhere".

Team Priceless moves into 2nd place in fantasy league

My Fantasy Football League: Team Priceless (7-3) moved into second place in the UPC Hood Fantasy Football League this week with a 169-161 win over the Grey Ghosts (5-5). Mega Powers (9-1) won again and continues to be the league's front runner. The Big Dawgs (6-4) fell out of second place as they were blitzed by Team Arps (5-5), which received an unbelievable performance from Philadelphia's quarterback Michael Vick -- who tallied 64 fantasy points in the Eagles' 59-28 win over Washington on MNF. Vick set all kinds of NFL records tonight. He's certainly turned his life around, on and off the field of play, and is making the most of his get-out-of-jail free card.

At any rate, the owner of Team Arps in my fantasy league, must be a happy camper tonight. I'm pleased as punch myself, winning seven games so far in my first try at fantasy football.

In a battle with Grey Ghosts for Fantasy win

My Fantasy Football League: I'm in a battle with Grey Ghosts this week in the UPC Hood Fantasy Football League. Team Priceless is up 169-161 in fantasy points, going into tonight's MNF matchup, which involves the Eagles and the Redskins.

I'm completely out of players. My entire roster played on Sunday, including Eli Manning, who, even in the Giants' surprising loss to Dallas, amassed 51 fantasy points to lead the way for my Team Priceless. On the other hand, Grey Ghosts has one player left, Washington running back Ryan Torain. It is documented that he has a hamstring problem, but is expected to play. If he has a good night, I lose. If he struggles or the Redskins pass more and run less...I win.

A blowout win!

In the Stands Report by Bookemdano: Finally, a Wildcats' blowout. Finally, something to cheer about.

Arizona cruises in basketball opener as they roll over Idaho State today at McKale, 90-42. Thirteen Wildcats score and fifteen see action. The curtain opened and all the characters got to introduce themselves in front of a very happy hometown crowd. Derrick Williams led the way with 16 points. But the big story was not the offensive explosion, but it was the Wildcats' defense that shined, allowing Idaho State just 15 points in the first half and another 27 in the second half (most of those coming against the Wildcats' bench).

Williams played just 20 minutes, but it was long enough for him to have an ESPN highlight moment when he rammed home a backward dunk, after a high-arching pass from MoMo Jones. Can't wait til Thursday and a matchup at McKale with New Mexico State.

Go Wildcats!

I could have been a contender...

In the Stands Report by Bookemdano: Marlon Brando said it best in the 1954 flick On the Waterfront. Brando's portrayal of Terry Malloy, a down-and-out prize fighter, is a movie role that is hard to forget and includes one of those memorable movie quotes that live on...and on...and on. "I coulda been a contender," a frustrated Malloy explains to his brother Charley, played by Rod Steiger.

University of Arizona football coach Mike Stoops may as well borrow the phrase when he meets with the media later tonight, following the Wildcats' loss to USC at Arizona Stadium. The Wildcats could have been a contender in the Pac-10, but instead, they lose to the Trojans, 24-21, and drop to 7-3 on the season, but more importantly fall into the middle of the pack with a conference record of 4-3.

Once again Stoops fumed on the sidelines through out the game and he won't be a happy camper in the morning when he finds the Wildcats have plenty of company with three Pac-10 losses, along side the Trojans and the Oregon State Beavers -- a loser at Corvallis today. A 7-5 overall season record and a 4-5 conference slate is looming for Stoops and the Wildcats if they can't stop the bleeding at Oregon and at home in the finale against Arizona State.

The Wildcats could have been a contender.

It could be a hair-raising experience...

In the Stands Report by Bookemdano: It could be a hair-raising experience.

I took the rubber band off my morning paper a few hours ago and discovered an article on the sports page with a photo and a short recap of life on the Arizona Wildcats' sideline for third-string quarterback Bryson Beirne.

The six-foot-3-inch, 225 pound junior discusses his Hawaiian roots, his great-grandmother, and his Afro hairstyle with Arizona Daily Star writer Ryan Finley. Does Ryan know something we don't?

Probably, he's got a lot of eyes and ears out there. Of course, it is easy to see that Mr. Stoops is one blind-sided hit away on his ace signal-caller, Nick Foles, from inserting Beirne into the frying pan against USC, Oregon and ASU. With Matt Scott injured, it is not out of the question that we'll see Beirne don his helmet over his Afro and rush on to the field and into a stunned Wildcats' huddle.

It'll definitely be a hair-raising experience!

Wildcats Update: Mr.Beirne wasn't needed. Nic Foles throws for 353 yards and three touchdowns against USC. But, it still wasn't enough as the Wildcats lose, 24-21, to the Trojans at Arizona Stadium.

Need Ravens to apply "D" against Falcons...

My Fantasy Football League: Week 10 of the NFL season gets a head start Thursday night. And what a matchup: Baltimore at Atlanta.

My fantasy team, Team Priceless, needs a big night from the Ravens. It could be a good start to the week or a bad start for me and my Team Priceless (6-3). If the Ravens' defense can get the job done, then I'd be off to a good start and could focus on Sunday's games with a few fantasy points in the bank. Unfortunately, the Ravens' defense is all I have on my roster for Thursday, while my opponent, the Grey Ghosts (5-4), will unleash a lot of weapons...including three key offensive players from the Ravens, quarterback Joe Flacco, wide-receiver Anquan Boltin and tight-end Todd Heap.

So, you can see what I'm up against. And just to confuse things, the owner of Grey Ghosts has the Atlanta defense, plus the Falcons' place-kicker Matt Bryant! Of course, come Sunday, my opponent will be down four players and a defense, and I'll just be getting started. Isn't Fantasy Football fun?

Team Priceless Update: Atlanta wins 26-21. I'm down a bunch going into Sunday.

I can see it now...

Alright, now I'm just a little bit upset.

My friends and readers know for a fact that I'm not very political. So don't get me wrong here. Whether you're a Democrat or Republican means very little when you hit the dance floor.

Granted, Mr. Warner is better fitted throwing a football down field, but last night he was better than Bristol Palin. It's gotta be a conspiracy. At this rate, the Palin's might as well run for office. I can see it know. Sarah as president of the United States, and Bristol as vice president...and White House dance instructor.

The ball above the dance floor revolves in mysterious ways.

Kathryn and the soldier...

Very seldom do I venture away from a sports story. But in this case...I can't help myself.

It is fairly obvious that most of my readers are 60-and-over...many even older and very few are younger. The story below is a familiar one to most of my readers.

The year was 1944. The town was Jacksonville, Arkansas, located 12 miles northeast of Little Rock and the Arkansas River. The place: a dry goods store called Harpole's. Kathryn worked there. She was seventeen. The soldier who walked by the front window was twenty-two. Kathryn was a beautiful woman, brunette hair, blue eyes, slender build with her entire life ahead of her. The soldier was handsome, dark curly hair, short in stature, but a few inches taller than Kathryn. They were married not too long after their initial meeting.

In July of 1945, their son was born, a pudgy little thing with a big cry and a devilish smile. Kathryn is my mother, now 83 years old and as beautiful as ever. My father, the soldier, passed away 22 years ago.

I was born in the 40s, but if there was an era I would have liked to have been an adult in...well I guess the mid-1940s would be it. I flick through our family albums, glancing at my uncles, aunts and cousins...and especially my mother and father, and I can almost recall my baby years. Well, that would be stretching it, but I can imagine. You could get a full breakfast at the local cafe for fifteen cents...and a gallon of gas was 21 cents. The Jitterbug was in. Bread was nine cents and a postage stamp cost three cents. World War II ended soon after my first cry. The soldiers headed home...it was a time of celebration...and hard times.

Luckily, I curled up in my mother's arms as the adults battled the era. Thanks to all of them...many of us are now in our 60s...battling a new era and a new age. My mother is still alive and as spunky as ever. She spends most of her time at church and playing cards with her lady friends. She has a wonderful life and she sees to it that I have the same. I glance through the family album, now and then -- the album my mother spent many hours, days and months putting together.

I was a child then and a man, now. As I said, we all have similar stories. And thank goodness, we do.

Owens goes wild...leads my Fantasy team to a win

My Fantasy Football League: Eli Manning went wild on Sunday, Mark Sanchez hung in there on Sunday as well and Terrell Owens went crazy on MNF with 10 receptions for 141 yards and two touchdowns to lead my Fantasy team, Team Priceless, to a win this week.

The victory moves Team Priceless (6-3) back into a second-place tie in the UPC Hood Fantasy Football League. The Big Dawgs are tied for second, while Mega Powers at 8-1 continues to lead the 10-team league. In real life, Manning and Sanchez led their respective teams to wins this week, but the Cincinnati Bengals, even with the performance of Owens, fell short tonight on MNF and lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 27-21.

In a supporting role, Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall, my top running back on my fantasy team, rushed for 99 yards and a TD tonight. He also had 31 receiving yards. All in all a good night.

Whew! I'm going to bed now.

By Sunday evening we should know what's in store for us for Christmas

By Sunday evening we should know what's in store for us for Christmas.

Don't get the wrong idea here, I'm strictly talking Arizona Wildcats' football and basketball. The USC Trojans come to town and if they leave Arizona Stadium late Saturday and return to southern California on Sunday morning, saddled with a Pac-10 loss, well that would be one early Christmas present. The Wildcats' basketball team, and their fans, of course, will get an inkling of what to expect this winter from MoMo Jones and Company when they tangle with Idaho State at McKale Center,  Sunday afternoon.

As far as the Arizona football team is concerned a big win Saturday would get them closer to a bowl game (forget Rose Bowl...think of another). A loss would not be good, especially with Oregon and ASU still looming on the schedule. The Wildcats (7-2) need season-win No. 8 on Saturday. They better not wait til the Sun Devils come to town, still looking down the barrel at a 7-5 season...still looking for that elusive eighth win.

Of course, Christmas would really come early if the Wildcats upset Oregon. Heck, I might buy all my readers a Christmas present if that happens. As for Arizona basketball, I hope to see a cohesive unit take the court on Sunday. As usual, I'll be on the edge of my sofa, biting my nails with every heart-stopping game the 'Cats play.

Nothing changes there, that's the way it has always been and always will be. Happy holidays!

Blue Ridge defends state soccer title

Defending a state prep soccer title isn't easy. Going unbeaten, winning 21 straight games isn't easy. Running the table in any sport at the prep or college level, for that matter, is not an easy task. But the Lakeside Blue Ridge Yellow Jackets got the job done as they held off a tough team from Tucson Desert Christian in the Arizona State 1A-3A boys soccer final tonight at Campo Verde High School in Gilbert.

The result: a 3-1 victory for the Yellow Jackets.

Blue Ridge picked up the first two goals of the match -- one by Jan Haltermann in the first half and the other by Trey Cavanaugh early in the second half. Desert Christian put up a valiant effort and at the midway point of the second half Scott Waller found the goal from 18 yards out to close the gap to 2-1. Things got a little tense from there. The Screaming Eagles battled hard for the next 17 minutes as they tried everything, including putting their two stars, Caleb Steele and Waller, on the same side. But the final goal of the game came with 3 minutes remaining and it came on a penalty kick,.

Unfortunately for the Eagles, it was the Yellow Jackets' Dallas Threlkeld who supplied the final point as he laced a 15-yard boot by the outstretched arms of Eagles' goalie Gabe Fennema. Fennema had an outstanding game as he kept the Yellow Jackets at bay for most of the game.

Hats off to coach Steve Lord and his Eagles' staff for a runner-up finish at state, and congrats go out to coach Bryon Crain and his Yellowjackets' staff on another state title.

A little Luck could give the Wildcats a boost today...

A little Luck, as in Stanford's Andrew Luck, could give Arizona a boost in Palo Alto.

A lot of Luck and the Las Vegas odds makers could be right on with a 10-point win for the Cardinal. Of course, I'm an Arizona fan, so here's my squeaky prediction: Arizona 24-23. If I get this one right, I'm headin' for Las Vegas and get me a job with those odds makers.

Go Wildcats!

Arizona Wildcats Update: No such luck. Andrew Luck throws for close to 300 yards and leads Stanford to a 42-17 win today at Palo Alto. Arizona falls to 7-2 overall, 4-2 Pac-10. Enough said.

The stage is set: Blue Ridge vs. Desert Christian in state soccer final

The stage is set for the Arizona prep 1A-3A boys state soccer final at Campo Verde High School in Gilbert tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. It's just as I predicted Tucson Desert Christian vs. the defending champs from Lakeside Blue Ridge.

Both the Yellow Jackets and the Screaming Eagles cruised through their semi finals today at CVHS with Desert Christian knocking off Snowflake, 5-1, and Blue Ridge with a 4-0 blanking of Tucson St. Gregory. DC scored their goals early and Blue Ridge picked up their goals late. The Screaming Eagles held a 4-0 lead in the first half over the Lobos and added another marker in the second half for good measure, while the Yellow Jackets waited til the clock struck the 64th minute before they started to rattle the scoreboard. Four goals over an 11-minute span in the second half put away the Hawks.

The Hawks' goalie had his hands full all night warding off shot after shot by the Yellow Jackets. Defensively, the Yellow Jackets held the Screaming Eagles' prolific scorer, Frankie Mgoblu, in check all night. Mgoblu took the final shot of the game. The ball sailed high over the goal and bounced off the football crossbar behind the net. The ball rolled back on the field and came to a stop a few feet away from Mgoblu, who sat on his backside and took one last look at the scoreboard.

It was a tough night for Mgoblu, the Hawks, as well as the Lobos. As for the Yellow Jackets and the Screaming Eagles, there's one more day.

Bookemdano footnote: I have a lot friends and acquaintances in the soccer final tomorrow. I'm good friends with the Blue Ridge head coach, Bryon Crain, and the Desert Christian assistant coach, Mike Steele. And I have a favorite player or two on both teams: Trey Cavanaugh and Clayton Crain from Blue Ridge and Scott Waller and Caleb Steele from Desert Christian. It should be a hard-fought match tomorrow.

Sparky

Sparky Anderson died today at the age of 76.

Sparky looked like a manager. Always did. When I think of what a baseball manager should look like...well I think of the former Cincinnati Reds and Detroit Tigers manager, Sparky Anderson. The way he carried himself, the way he argued umpire calls, the way he stood on the dugout steps and barked out defensive assignments to his players -- all those things...and more. I can't imagine him doing anything else. Sparky not only looked the part, but he got the job done, just a few wins shy of 2200 wins in his lifetime.

I watched him manage the Reds when I was 25 years old and I still remember him going through the motions as skipper of the Detroit Tigers when I was 50 years old. And every manager I watched on the tube for the last 15 years... well they all reminded me of Sparky. Even when I sat back and watched Robert Redford's The Natural, I looked closely at Wilford Brimley,who played Pop Fisher, and I thought of Sparky.

Another baseball legend gone. Rest in peace, Sparky Anderson.

85-year-old bats .364 at MSBL World Series

Eighty-five-year-old Floyd Lance, a member of the Tucson Old Timers (TOTS) baseball team, is batting .364 at the Men's Senior League Baseball (MSBL) World Series this week in Phoenix. Lance, playing for the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 70-and-over division, has four hits in 11 at bats with a walk and a sacrifice.

The Diamondbacks aren't fairing as well as a team as they head into the final day tomorrow with a 1-3 record. "We have had some bad innings this week," Lance said. "Too many errors." The senior Diamondbacks split with the Ohio Classics this week and lost to a team from South Dakota and a team from San Diego. Lance and the Diamondbacks will complete their play in the senior World Series tomorrow morning when they tangle once again with the South Dakota Rushmores. South Dakota will play San Diego on Saturday for the championship. "We're through after tomorrow," Lance added. "It's been fun."

MSBL Update: Lance and his teammates on the 70-and-over Arizona Diamondbacks lost 8-2 to South Dakota on Friday. Th loss ended play for Lance, a member of the Tucson Old Timers, and completed the three weeks of play in the MSBL for Lance and all the Tucson Golden Aces who participated in the senior World Series.

From the 60-and-over division, through to the 65-and-over-division, and through the 70-and-over division...fun was had by all the Aces -- despite the losses and the injuries. And those in attendance that witnessed the three-weeks of play never lost sight of the fact that these senior athletes are an amazing group of individuals who can still play the game of baseball and enjoy every moment of it.

We'll be back in 2011.

Okay you TOTS...let's go on a field trip to Centerfield...and to Pat's Drive-in

Okay all you Tucson Old Timers (TOTS) it is time for a field trip.

Let's grab our bats and take off on an outing. First stop the Centerfield Baseball Academy on the westside of Tucson. We'll get our cuts in and then head off to lunch at Pat's Drive-In (the world famous hot dog stand), just up the street and a few miles south of the complex. It is a little jaunt for most of us (see address of complex in previous post), but sounds like a fun get together. The CBA is running a special for five or more players. Believe you me we'll get all the swings in that we can handle...and all the hot dogs, later at Pat's, that we can swallow. Give me a call and let's improve our batting averages and fill our bellies, too.

Centerfield Update: A fundraiser is slated for Nov. 10, between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. at Wendy's, 1602 W. St. Marys Rd.,Tucson, Az 85745. The local Wendy's will distribute 15 per cent of the sales to the Centerfield Royals 10U and 11U club teams. Just mention the Centerfield Royals or obtain a flier from yours truly.

Baseball instruction for the young ball player has certainly changed...

I sat on a bench at the Centerfield Baseball Academy last night and eyed my grandson, Jadon Price, as he listened first to his coach's instruction and then proceeded to complete the drill that had been mapped out for him...and his teammates.

As I watched intently, I thought back to the mid 1950s. I remember a young boy, with a bat in one hand and a ball in the other. I remember a park on the east side of Tucson. I remember the young boy throwing the ball up with one hand and then grabbing the bat with both hands and swinging as hard as he could as the ball caromed off the wired backstop. There was no one around to train with...or practice with. Just the boy, the ball...and the bat.

That certainly was a different time...and man how things have changed. Club ball! The best of the best. The best 10-year-old players. The best 11-year-old players. All training in unison to become the best ball team in Tucson. Top-notch instruction from a former major league player -- in this case, George Arias. Indoor batting cages, pitching areas, catching areas, instruction rooms...everything right there in an 18,000 square foot complex.

My goodness, by the time some of the Centerfield Royals (10-and-under, 11-and-under) club players reach high school, chances are they will have seen 10,000 fastballs and an equal amount of curve balls and breaking pitches. They will not only be ready for high school pitching, but maybe even Nolan Ryan, himself. The instruction out there nowadays for the young ball player is mind boggling.

I was born too soon!

CBA Update: George Arias, who played in the majors and in Japan, coaches my grandson at the Centerfield Baseball complex at 1861 W. Grant Rd. Suite 107. Arias played at Pueblo High School and led the Warriors to a state title in 1990. In fact, he is the only major league player to come out of Pueblo. The CBA's director and the man who put the baseball academy into play is Ricky Scruggs, a former professional player and an outstanding all-conference player at UNLV. Also on the staff are Brent Strohm, former Cleveland Indians pitcher, and Samantha Hoffman, a former University of Arizona hurler.

It's been a long, long time...

It's been a long, long time since the Giants won the World Series in 1954.

I was nine years old and the Giants swept my favorite American League team, the Cleveland Indians four games to none. Behind Willie Mays and Dusty Rhodes, the Giants beat the likes of starting pitchers Bob Lemon (twice), Mike Garcia and Early Wynn. How did they do that? Well for one, Mr. Mays caught that unbelievable over-the-shoulder catch in Game 1 at the Polo Grounds in New York. The ball was hit by Vic Wertz and the amazing catch by Mays saved a run and kept the great Larry Doby from scoring.

Those were the days!

Team Priceless back on the right track in Fantasy Football league

Team Priceless (5-3) is back. After starting the NFL season with four straight wins in the UPC Hood Fantasy Football League, followed by three losses in a row, Team Priceless, with yours truly as the proud owner, is back on the winning side of the ledger with a 127-96 win over Team Arps this week.

My team didn't put up big numbers on Sunday, but the wealth was spread around, led by Larry Fitzgerald (19 fantasy points), Terrell Owens (18) and Mark Sanchez (15). The three players were involved in NFL losses as the Arizona Cardinals, Cincinnati Bengals and New York Jets, all went down on Sunday. But that's the nature of Fantasy Football. I even picked up 14 fantasy points from the Arizona defense -- a defense I picked up for this week,  due to the fact my regular defense (Baltimore Ravens) had a bye. You can do that in my league...and it worked.

Terre Haute Volkers win MSBL 65-and-over-division

The Terre Haute Volkers from Indiana captured the MSBL World Series 65-and-over division championship at Maryvale Park in Phoenix this afternoon with a 24-5 victory over the Detroit 65s.

The Tucson Golden Aces lost to the Volkers last Monday in the series opener, 21-11. As it turns out, the Aces ended up scoring the most runs off the Volkers during the seven days of competition.

Enroute to the championship, the Volkers went 7-0 as they also defeated St. Thomas (15-8), New England (14-3), Ohio (8-7), Canada (8-5), and Sacramento in the semi-finals (7-5). The Aces went 1-4 in the series, but they certainly had their chances to produce runs in all five games, especially against the Volkers in Game 1. Congrats to the Volkers on a job well done.

Arizona ranked #13 in AP poll...

The Arizona Wildcats are No. 13 in the country in the latest Associated Press Poll released today.

Oregon sits atop the standings as the top college football team in the country. Stanford, the Wildcats' next opponent, is No. 10, which sets up quite the matchup next Saturday in Palo Alto. Both teams are 7-1 and 4-1 in the Pac-10. Something has gotta give on Saturday. Win No. 8 will not be easy for the Wildcats.

So, what else is new?

I need to stop the bleeding in my NFL Fantasy League...

I need to stop the bleeding today in Week 8 as far as my NFL Fantasy team goes.

I've lost three in a row, after a 4-0 start. Key games for me today: Arizona-Tampa Bay and the New York Jets and Green Bay, along with the New Orleans vs. Pittsburgh contest. I need good outings from Mark Sanchez, Derek Anderson in relief of Max Hall, a good running game from the Steelers' running back Mendenhall and Detroit's Javid Best. I'd like to see Fitzgerald have a good day and would also like to see his Cards' teammate, Early Doucet, back in the lineup, just in time to grab some passes. And I need Mr. Owens of Cincy to shake off his injuries and catch a few TD passes.

Of course my opponent has some guys on his side, too. And that's the problem. Plus it gets a little confusing. My opponent has Carson Palmer of Cincy, Mr. Tomlinson of the Jets...and the Jets defense on his side, just to name a few. So, as so many Fantasy players discover: it's the game within the game...or better put, it's the fantasy player's performance within the real life NFL game that's on tap.

So wish me good luck...and my NFL Fantasy team, Team Priceless, good luck. And while we're at it, let's put a trick or treat whammy on my opponent, Team Arps, of the UPC Hood Fantasy League.

I'm walkin' like Walter Brennan this weekend...

I'm walking like Walter Brennan this weekend. You all remember Walter that crazy ole coot that won three Academy Awards and a fourth nomination for his supporting roles between 1936-1941.

  remember him most from the TV show, The Real McCoys and from the old John Wayne flick, Rio Bravo, when he played the role of Deputy Stumpy. And if you want to go way back, I can still see that grin of his in The Westerner (1940) when he hobbled around town with Gary Cooper.

Brennan died in 1974 at the age of 80 in Oxnard, California.

Getting back to me, after two weeks of play in the MSBL in Phoenix, I'm hobbling around on my two old legs, just like Walter did on the screen for so many years. It is going to take some time to recupriate. So, maybe I'll insert my old Rio Bravo CD, settle back on the sofa, and watch Stumpy stumble around for a while.

Like I said, "Scott will get it done!"

I know I'm about 50-50 on my predictions. But I'll accept the praise on this one. What was it I said on my previous post? I said Matt Scott will unleash a balanced Wildcats' attack on UCLA at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.

And sure enough, that is exactly what he did as the Wildcats move to 7-1 (4-1 Pac-10) with a 29-21 victory over the Bruins yesterday afternoon. Oh, I know, I predicted a 31-17 Arizona victory..but that's about as close as I'll ever get to a right-on prediction. Scott threw for 319 yards and rushed for another 71, and yet, it was still a scary fourth quarter.

My heart was a pumpin'. It is never easy. And it is never over til it's over for my heart-stopping Wildcats. Still, the Wildcats got it done without Nick Foles and my hat goes off to Scott for getting the job done, even though he threw in a couple of miscues with an interception and a fumble.

Blue Ridge just two wins away from state soccer title...

The Blue Ridge High School boys soccer team is just two wins away from another 1A-3A state championship. The defending state champs blanked Benson, 3-0, in a quarterfinal matchup yesterday afternoon at the Quail Run Soccer Complex in Mesa. The Yellow Jackets put away the Bobcats early, receiving two first-half goals from Jake Washburn and another from Salvator Ramirez. The win sent Blue Ridge into the semifinals and a matchup next Friday with Tucson St. Gregory. The match will get underway at 7 p.m. at Campo Verde High School in Gilbert. The winner will advance to Saturday's state final at 2:30 p.m.

Getting to the final will be no easy task for Blue Ridge as they go up against the Hawks' prolific scorer, Frankie Mgoblu. Mgoblu scored four goals yesterday in St. Gregory's 5-2 quarterfinal win over Phoenix Country Day. Also waiting in the wings, is Tucson Desert Christian. The Screaming Eagles shutout Holbrook, 4-0, behind the play of Scott Waller and Caleb Steele, as they advanced to the semis and a showdown with Snowflake, a surprise winner over Chino Valley, yesterday.

As for Blue Ridge, the Yellow Jackets shutdown Benson with their outstanding passing attack and hard-nosed defensive pressure. Blue Ridge did receive a scare in the second half when Ramirez, one of the top scorers for the Yellow Jackets, received a yellow card due to a little, pushing and shoving with a Bobcat's defender. The Bobcat's defender received a red card. If the referee's call had gone against the Yellow Jackets then Ramirez would be on the outside looking in in Friday's semi final.

Instead, the Blue Ridge Yellow Jackets will be in full force as they move on to face St. Gregory. It is looking more and more like a state final matchup of Blue Ridge and Desert Christian. The two teams faced each other in early September at Tucson Udall Park and the Yellow Jackets came away with a 3-2 win.

The matchup will set up Dilemma No. 2 for yours truly. Since the Blue Ridge head coach, Bryon Crain, is a family friend, and the assistant coach for the Screaming Eagles, Mike Steele, is also a good friend and is a teammate of mine on my senior baseball team, the Tucson Old Timers. But first things first. The Yellow Jackets will need to get by St. Gregory and Desert Christian will need to come out on the winning side in their matchup with Snowflake. The final four will be digging in next weekend. There's a lot of soccer ahead for the four finalist.

Scott will get it done today..

Matt Scott will get it done today.

Scott will get his turn to frustrate the UCLA Bruins and he will unleash a balanced attack with his running and passing abilities.

Hey, I'm an Arizona fan. What else should you expect from yours truly? My prediction: Arizona 31, UCLA 17. Go Cats!

The Hot Corner...

Playing in 12 games in 12 days at the Men's Senior League Baseball (MSBL) World Series takes its toll on a 65-year-old body.

But the real kicker: Game 12. My position at third base lived up to its name "the hot corner" Friday at Fitch Park in Mesa as the Tucson Golden Aces took on the Ohio Classics in a "play for fun" finale for the team from the Old Pueblo.

Already out as a contender for this weekend's post season (so to speak), the Aces (1-4 for the week) took it on the chin again, losing 16-6 to the Classics (3-2). The Classics snuck into the playoffs with the win. They "hammered" the ball my way yesterday at Fitch Park. Four line shots (I caught one...three went off my glove and caromed into left field.

It wasn't exactly a sparking performance from yours truly, and definitely not the way I wanted to finish up my final World Series appearance for 2010. Oh, I can make a lot of excuses: pulled hamstrings, sore groin, battered left hand, jammed trigger finger...you name it, all of which I seemed to come up with, during my two-week stay in Phoenix at the MSBL World Series.

I can only hope that when I return to the Senior World Series in 2011, there will be a better outcome for me...as well as my teammates. The "play for fun" game at Fitch Park yesterday was far from fun and more like your basic "agony" in sports. My Aces' manager and buddy, Mike Morales, told me through out the tournament to suck it up and play, despite the injuries. I did just that, but still it was a shame to head back down I-10, once again with an aching body and no championship ring.

All I can say is, "Suck it up, and prepare for next year.

St. Thomas steals its way to a win over the Aces

The St. Thomas Suns from the Virgin Islands went to the running game at Maryvale Stadium today in Phoenix and edged the Tucson Golden Aces, 14-10. The loss left the Aces (65-and-over division) on the outside looking in as far as qualifying for the Mens Senior Baseball League (MSBL) playoffs, which gets underway Saturday in a six-team single elimination affair. The two survivors will meet on Sunday at Maryvale to decide the 65-and-over champion. The Aces will play tomorrow in their fifth and final game of the week as they go up against the Ohio Classics. A victory over the Classics would leave the Aces with a 2-3 record for the series, which would leave them one victory shy of reaching the playoffs.

 

Tucsonan Chico Bigham pitched five innings for the Aces and Brad Buchan from Chatham, New York hurled two innings in relief, but every inning the Suns had runners on the base paths and before the three-hour affair was over, they had stolen 10 bases. Darlin Brinn pitched five innings for the St. Thomas team. Franklin Sewer pitched two innings in relief and coaxed Aces' first baseman, Jeff Helzel, into hitting a two-hopper to second base, which resulted in a game-ending double play in the bottom of the seventh inning. The clock turned out to be the Aces' enemy as well. Due to MSBL rules no inning can start past the three-hour mark. The Aces could have used another couple of at bats, instead they will swing for fun tomorrow with nothing on the line when they take on the Classics at 9 a.m. at Fitch Park in Mesa. After the game, the Aces will pack their bags and head home.

Photo above includes the Aces members from the TOTS, the old timers baseball organization from Tucson Udall Park. Pictured from left to right are: Ed Eckert, Chico Bigham, Floyd Lance, Danny Price, Jerry Hamelin, Arnie White, Dave Rhoades and Jeff Helzel.

Aces fall to Red Deer; playoff hopes hanging by a thread

The Tucson Golden Aces (65-and-over division) gave up nine runs in the third inning and lost to the Red Deer Snowbirds from Alberta, Canada, 11-3, this morning at the Kansas City spring training facility in Surprise.

A combination of errors and some timely hitting from the Snowbirds led to the defeat, the Aces second loss in the MSBL World Series. The Aces will need wins over St. Thomas on Thursday and the Ohio Classics on Friday to be in the hunt for a playoff spot for Saturday. "We need to toughen up and go out and get it done," said manager Mike Morales, moments after the Aces' loss, which left the Tucson team with 1-2 record in the series. The team from the Virgin Islands, also 1-2, won its first game of the series today with a 20-8 thrashing of the Ohio Classics. "We still have a shot," Morales said. Game time for the Aces-St. Thomas game is 2 p.m. at the Maryvale Stadium in Phoenix.

Provide the setting and they will come...

Provide the setting and they will come.

In my previous post I focused on two 60-something ball players from Tucson -- Mike Morales and yours truly, Danny Price,who, along with 16 other old timers, are on the roster of the Tucson Golden Aces (65-and-over division).

Like the other 300-plus teams that are participating this month in the Men's Senior Baseball League (MSBL) World Series, the Aces not only have players from Tucson, but from New York, Virginia, Florida and Texas. The MSBL has been around for a long, long time and the organization continues to provide the setting for senior ball players from all over the country who converge on Phoenix for a few weeks and play the game they love: baseball.

Every player has a background in the sport of baseball. They come from small towns. They come from the big cities, like New York, Boston and Chicago. They come from Canada and St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands. They battle all the aches and pains that come with the territory. Shoulder problems, hamstrings, knee ailments, you name it, they probably have it, or have battled one annoying injury, or another, en route to this year's senior World Series.

 Every player has a story to tell, or, they are a story in themselves. Take for instance, the Aces' oldest player, 85-year-old Floyd Lance of Tucson, who balked at the idea of having someone run for him in the Aces' 23-15 victory over New England yesterday. The players come with pride, with spirit, and the will to play the game...until they can't play it anymore.

Lance, once said: "I'll die on the ball field." Some people say that baseball is no longer America's favorite pastime. Come to the MSBL World Series, and you'll find the sport is alive...and well.

A Badger and a Trojan get it done...

A couple of old timers from Tucson who played ball against each other back in the mid 1960s, in high school and in college, got together today at the Mens Senior Baseball League (MSBL) World Series and teamed up to account for 8 hits, 9 runs and a hand full of RBIs to lead the Tucson Golden Aces (65-and-over division) to a 23-15 win over the New England Red Sox at Maryvale Park in Phoenix.

Mike Morales (above photo, #7), who played for the Tucson High Badgers (1962-1964) and on the University of Arizona frosh team (1965) went 5 for 5 today to lead the Aces (1-1) to their first win of the series. Yours truly, a grad from Tucson Catalina High School (1962-1963) and Eastern Arizona College (1964-1965) picked up three hits, along with a sacrifice bunt with the bases loaded to add to the Aces' onslaught. Not bad for a couple of guys on gimpy knees and pulled hamstrings. Morales, the Aces' manager, will catch tomorrow and I'll continue to play third base as the Aces go up against a team from Alberta, Canada. A win over Canada would put the Aces in the hunt for a playoff berth. Another win on Thursday against St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, and a victory Friday over the Ohio Classics would assure a berth in the playoffs on Saturday.

Tucson Baseball footnote: Back in the 1950s and 1960s there were only a hand full of high schools in the Tucson area (Tucson High, Catalina, Pueblo, Sunnyside, Palo Verde, Amphi and Flowing Wells). Now there's 30 or more. The battles on the court and on the field, at times, were filled with standing-room-only crowds. Those were the gold old days!

Sometimes it is best to save yourself for another day...

Sometimes it is best to save yourself for another day...regroup and get it done tomorrow.

And so it goes in baseball, too. Yesterday afternoon, the Tucson Golden Aces (65-over-division) took it on the chin in their opening-round game at the Men's Senior Baseball League (MSBL) World Series. The Aces lost to a team from Terre Haute, Indiana, 21-11, at the San Diego Padres training facility in Peoria, Arizona.

When the wheels come off, well...they just come off...and there is nothing much you can do about it, but gut it out and then prepare for the next game. The Aces were quickly burning out their pitching staff when yours truly was forced to move from my position at third base to the pitching mound. Now mind you, I'm not a pitcher...far from it. But thanks to a little luck (and boy did we need it) somehow I survived. Thanks go out to my buddy, shortstop Jay Hayner (see photo above), and the umpire behind the plate, who decided to be generous with the strike zone.

I was able to stop the bleeding and get us back into the dugout for one final at bat. With a runner on second and no outs...and moments after the Terre Haute team had plated its 21st run, I toed the rubber and unleashed my first ever pitch in my short history of the MSBL World Series.

The ball sailed over my catcher's head and bounced off the backstop. I had 'em scared. The batter then hit a line drive to Jay, who fought off a glaring sun, caught the ball and doubled the runner off of second base. Two outs, would you believe!

The next batter hit one of my blazing fastballs (just kiddin') and bounced a slow roller to second base for the final out. And so goes my first -- and probably only -- appearance as a pitcher at the MSBL World Series. Thanks, Jay...I needed that!

The Tucson Golden Aces will try to even their series record today when they take on a team from New England at the Milwaukee Brewers' spring training facility at Maryvale Park. Game time: 9:30 a.m.

From 120 miles away...

In the Stands Report by Bookemdano: I'm 120 miles away and still hanging in there in the Mens Senior Baseball League (MSBL) World Series, but I think I heard the roar of the crowd every few minutes during the Arizona-Washington game at Arizona Stadium last night.

Up here in Phoenix, the ASU fans were not happy campers as their Sun Devils lost big time to California.

As for me...and the Arizona fans, well, we are just as happy as we can be. Great Scott! Without Mr. Foles, the Wildcats parlayed a balanced rushing and passing attack to dismantle the visiting Washington Huskies, 44-14. And you all know the story by now, so I'm going to hit the hot tub and get my body ready for the next seven days of baseball at the MSBL as our 65-and-over team, the Tucson Golden Aces, open play tomorrow morning against an Indiana team.

Getting back to football, you got to hand it to Matt Scott who took over for Nick Foles and led the Wildcats to win No. 6 on the season. He passed for 233 yards and rushed for 65 yards. Keola Antolin looked like a freight train, at times, as he rushed, mostly up the middle, for 114 yards. The Arizona defense was solid once again, led by Paul Vassalo, who collected 14 tackles, 9 unassisted. And high praise goes out to Juron Criner, once again, as he hauled in eight passes for 108 yards.

As for baseball, my first week in the MSBL World Series is over and our sixth place finish was not exactly what we were looking for. But we gave it our all. I didn't exactly swing a hot bat the first week. I started out 4 for 5 and it looked I was on my way to a good week at the plate, but I struggled down the stretch, going 0 for 10, with two strike outs. I hope to get it going against Indiana. Health-wise, I'm struggling a bit with a sore back, a pulled hamstring and an aching shoulder. Otherwise, I'm good to go. Go Wildcats, and go Tucson Golden Aces!

Oh, what could have been...

Oh, what could have been. The Tucson Golden Aces were just one starting pitcher short of reaching the championship round of the 60-and-over divison of the MSBL World Series, which was held in Phoenix, Arizona this week.

The Aces, finished sixth in the series, but came close to beating the two finalist, the Red Deer Snowbirds from Alberta, Canada and the St. Paul, Minnesota Saints. The two surviving teams play at 1 p.m. today at Tempe Diablo Stadium.

The Aces battled the Saints earlier in the week, but lost 13-9, after leading 9-7 in the sixth inning. As for Red Deer, well the Aces battled to 11-11 tie with them on Thursday in a game called by the time limit after three hours and 10 minutes of play. "We were there," said Aces' manager Mike Morales. "We needed one more pitcher in the rotation, but our top pitcher bailed at the last minute and we were forced into a three-man rotation." The Aces 3-3-1 record beat out six other teams in the senior World Series. "We had a great group of guy," Morales said. "The type you can compete with and the type that you can have fun with and enjoy playing the game."
 Hats off to my teammates from yours truly and from Bookemdanosports.

MSBL Update: The Red Deer Snowbirds from Alberta, Canada won the MSBL (60-and-over division) World Series today with a 23-7 win over the St. Paul Saints at Tempe Diablo Stadium. The only blemish on the Red Deer record, during the series, was an 11-11 tie to the Tucson Golden Aces. Well done, Red Deer!

El Paso Diablos eliminate Golden Aces at MSBL

The Tucson Golden Aces (60-and-over division) lost to the El Paso Diablos in the opening playoff round at the Mens Senior Baseball League (MSBL) World Series this morning at Red Mountain Park in Mesa, Arizona.

The Aces, seeded sixth in the playoff round, put in a gutsy performance in its battle against the third-seeded Diablos as they jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the third inning on an RBI-single to left field by Ozzie Espinoza. Hector Castillo scored from third on the play. Both players played in the game dispite nagging injuries -- Hector with knee problems...and Ozzie with a pulled hamstring.

It was the seventh game of the series for the Aces, which had a half a dozen players laid up with injuries. Still, the Aces kept its lead into the seventh inning, behind the pitching of Brad Buchan (2-1). Buchan, who already had gone the distance twice in the series...and won, ran out of gas and by his own admission, "I just lost the command of my pitches," gave way to reliever George Gafner.

Before the inning was over, the Diablos plated four runs and then added two more in the eighth enroute to a 6-1 victory. Juan Dominquez pitched the entire nine innings for the Diablos to pick up the win, which allowed the El Paso team to move on to the second round of the playoffs and a meeting with the San Antonio Red Sox. The Aces finished 3-3-1 in the series.

The Tucson Golden Aces (65-and-older division) begin play on Monday and will take on the Terre Haute, Indiana Volkers at 2 p.m. in Peoria at the San Diego Padres spring training facility, field #5.

MSBL game ends with no winner...or loser

The Red Deer Snowbirds from Alberta, Canada had a chance to run the table at the Men's Senior Baseball League (MSBL) World Series today. The Snowbirds had won five in a row and were looking to make it number 6 with a win today over the Tucson Golden Aces.

But the Snowbirds had a surprising ending to their pool play finale at Fitch Park in Mesa. The Aces battled the Snowbirds for 3 hours and 10 minutes and the game ended in a deadheat, 11-11, leaving the team from Canada with a second seed as the playoffs in the 60-and-over division gets underway tomorrow at Red Mountain Park in east Mesa.

The Tucson Golden Aces finished pool play with a 3-2-1 record and qualified for the playoffs as the number 6 seed. The Snowbirds (5-0-1) received a bye in tomorrow's playoffs, along with St. Paul, Minn (6-0). The Aces will take on the third seeded El Paso Diablos (5-1) tomorrow at 9:30 a.m., with the winner advancing to the semi finals and the loser will pack their bags and head home. Also in the playoffs are the Chicago Grays (4-2) and the San Antonio Red Sox (5-1). The Aces, with several players nursing leg injuries, battled the Snowbirds for nine innings and had the winning run on third with two outs, but couldn't push home that tie-breaking run. The Aces will need to win two games tomorrow to move on to the title game on Saturday at Tempe Diablo Stadium.

Aces split doubleheader at MSBL

The Tucson Golden Aces split their doubleheader at the Men's Senior Baseball (MSBL) World Series today in Phoenix, setting up a must win game on Thursday against the Red Deer Snowbirds out of Alberta, Canada.

The Aces knocked off Team America, 7-4, in the early game behind another complete-game performance from pitcher Brad Buchan, who recorded his second win of the series, In the second game, the Aces lost 5-3 to San Antonio, Texas. The split left the Aces with a 3-2 record, which may be good enough to make the six-team playoffs at the MSBL World Series on Friday, but a win over Canada tomorrow will assure another day for the Aces. A loss will set up a tiebreaker to decide the remaining contenders. The tiebreaker rule goes by the won-lost record first and then goes to the total runs allowed by each team. If the Aces win tomorrow and move to 4-2, they can avoid the numbers game.

Currently, two teams -- Red Deer and St. Paul -- are 5-0 and have already qualified for the playoffs. The San Antonio team and the El Paso Diablos are 4-1, while the Chicago Grays are tied with the Aces. The five games in three days has taken a toll on the Aces' players. Five players are either nursing knee problems or have hamstring pulls. The Aces are thin on pitching with just three starting pitchers -- Al Delgado, George Gafner and Buchan -- involved in the rotation. Tomorrow, the Aces will be forced to go with shortstop Arnold Mares who has yet to pitch in the series. The Aces hope to get as many innings out of Mares as possible. If the Aces make the playoffs, they will need to win two games on Friday to make the championship game to be held at Tempe Diablo Stadium on Saturday.

Tucson Golden Aces fall to St. Paul at MSBL World Series

The Tucson Golden Aces (60-over-division) lost their first game of the Men's Senior Baseball League (MSBL) World Series this afternoon at Goodyear Stadium, 13-9, to a team from St. Paul, Minnesota.

The Aces, down 6-0 in the top of the first inning, battled back with two runs in the second, two more in the third, and three more in the bottom of the fifth to take the lead. Tucson picked up another two runs in the sixth, but the bats went cold after that, while St. Paul came back with three runs in its half of the seventh and four more in the eighth to put the game away.

St. Paul moved to 3-0 in the 2010 MSBL World Series, while the Aces dropped to 2-1. Tucsonan George Gafner pitched four tough innings for the Aces. Frank Castillo and Joe Jimenez, also from Tucson, shared the pitching duties the rest of the way. Ernesto "Doc" Escala went 3 for 4 at the plate to lead the Aces, which needs two wins in their next three outings to qualify for the playoffs on Friday. The Aces will play Team America and the San Antonio Sox in a doubleheader on Wednesday and will finish out their pool play on Thursday with a single game against the Red Deer Snowbirds from Canada.

Tucson Golden Aces off to a good start at 2010 MSBL World Series

The Tucson Golden Aces are off to a good start at the 2010 Men's Senior Baseball League (MSBL) World Series in Phoenix.

The Aces, playing in the 60-and-over division, knocked off Tri Valley, 10-3, in the first game of a doubleheader today and then ripped a team out of Seattle, 16-7, in the nightcap. Pitcher Brad Buchan from Chatham, New York, pitched a complete game for the Aces in the opener, allowing just two earned runs. Pitcher Al Delgado from Laguna Beach, California, hurled seven tough innings in the nightcap and received help in the 8th and 9th innings from two relief pitchers from Tucson, Ernesto "Doc" Escala and Joe Jimenez. The Aces will get a good night's rest before taking on a St. Paul, Minnesota team Tuesday at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. Escala provided the big hit of the day with a ground-rule double over the left field fence at the Kansas City spring training facility (annex field #5) in Surprise.

Thank Goodness for Wildcats' defense...

Is the Arizona defense the best in the Pac-10? It certainly is! And the numbers prove it.

The Wildcats have allowed just 80 points in six games, while Oregon ranks a close second with 98 points allowed. The rest of the Pac-10 teams are in triple digits. With cornerback Trevin Wade on the bench Saturday afternoon in Pullman, the Wildcats turned to freshman Shaquille Richardson to lead them as he came up with two key pass interceptions.

Still, it is Brooks Reed, Ricky Elmore, Paul Vassallo and the rest of the defensive line, all of whom are getting the job done every week. The season is half over and the Wildcats' defense must continue to lead the way. Games 7 through 12...will leave little margin for error. The second season begins now.

Go Cats!

Tough night in Pullman...

In the Stands Report by Bookemdano: Nothing comes easy in the Pac-10. Not even when it is  supposed to be a blowout win.

The Arizona Wildcats outscored, but more importantly, relied on its hard-nosed defense en route to a 24-7 win over the Washington State Cougars in Pullman tonight.

Oh, and did I fail to mention the loss of our quarterback, Nic Foles?

Foles left early in the first half with a knee injury. The nature of the injury will hit the daily papers in the morning. Let's keep our fingers crossed that the news will be good...not bad. Oh, and did I fail to mention the play that cost Arizona the services of its starting quarterback? The play was over. A late hit. No penalty flags. It wasn't a bone-crushing hit, instead, it was one of those after-the-pass-is-thrown entanglements than more often than not can cause injury to a quarterback. Foles relaxed for a split second, but the Cougars' defender did not.

The result: Arizona (5-1) could find itself scurrying for win No. 6 next week at home against the Washington Huskies. The Arizona defense got the job done in Pullman tonight with six sacks and a handful of key interceptions. The offense struggled for three quarters with Matt Scott at the helm.

What is in store for the Wildcats and their fans next Saturday at Arizona Stadium?

Should be a nice Saturday afternoon in Pullman...

It should be a nice Saturday afternoon in Pullman, Washington, at least for the Arizona Wildcats (4-1). As for the Washington State Cougars (1-5) they should, on paper at least, lose big to the visiting team from Tucson.

But this is the Pac-10, and the Wildcats need to take care of business, which includes dismantling the Cougars, start a winning streak, improve in the rankings and get the Arizona players and fans pumped up again. The Oregon State loss last Saturday was a downer for the Wildcats, but that doesn't mean Arizona will fold up the carpet at Arizona Stadium and call it a season.

Arizona is a good team and may become a great team by the end of the year. Nick Foles needs to pass for another 400-plus yards and the Arizona running game needs to pound out another 200. The Arizona Wildcats needs to make a statement and they need to make that statement far from home, in Pullman. Step 2: Come home the following week and knock off the Washington Huskies in front of a standing-room-only crowd, including a pumped up student section which produces a collective roar from kickoff to the closing moments. Anything less, will undoubtedly pump up the rest of our Pac-10 opponents and put the Wildcats on the outside looking in, as far as a winning season goes and any bowl game opportunities.

It's time for the Wildcats to win and to win BIG! My Prediction: Arizona 40, Washington State 10.

I'm up against it this week in Fantasy Football...

My Fantasy Football League: I'm up against it this week in the UPC Hood Fantasy Football League. Sure, I'm in a four-way deadlock for first place, but the team I'm facing, the Mega Powers, won the league in 2008 and this year the owner, Jerad, is piling up the fantasy points.

And it is no wonder. His quarterback, Kyle Orten of Denver, has thrown eight touchdown passes already this season and if that's not enough he has the ground game of Minnesota's Adrian Peterson on his side as well. In fact, every player on his roster from the QB to the bench players have a knack for collecting fantasy points with their individual performances. For instance, last week Mega Powers tallied 213 points. In five games, Jerad's team has amassed 889 points. Compare that to my measly 733 points. I need for the New York Jets and Mark Sanchez to go into Denver and shutdown Orten and the Broncos for my Team Priceless to have a chance. And, even then, I'm going to need a lot of help.

See, I'm learning about this Fantasy Football stuff...I'm already crying and it is only Week 6.

Fantasy Football Update: Team Priceless scored just 99 fantasy points over the weekend. Lost by 23 points to Mega Powers, now in first place in our UPC Hood League at 5-1. Team Priceless falls to 4-2.

Fantasy Football Update: Lost again! This time to the Big Dawgs. Team Priceless falls to 4-3. That's three straight losses...going into Week 8.

Michael Edward Rife

I play baseball three days a week with a bunch of guys I admire. We are a strange group of old coots and we take the field at Tucson Udall Park to fulfill our passion and desire to play America's favorite pastime. We range in age from 60 to 90. As the years pass quickly...and they certainly roll by similar to the speed of a Boeing 757 on a coast to coast flight. There are times when we lose one of our Tucson Old Timers (TOTS) and it is a sad day for the family involved and for all the team members.

But Tuesday was filled with a double sadness when we lost not a player, but a player's son. Taken from us was Michael Edward Rife, the son of TOTS' player, Ed Rife, and his wife, Nancy. Michael passed away after a long illness at the age of 51, ten days shy of his 52nd birthday. In the local paper this morning it was written that Michael, like his father, was a classy individual. He was born in Santa Maria, California and raised in Akron, Ohio. Like his dad...he loved baseball. Michael also loved horses, music, soup, butterflies, angel food cake, tattoos and something that seems to fall in the category of "what I like to do in my spare time" among many of the TOTS' players: watch bad Westerns.

Rest in piece, Michael. As for you Ed, I hope to see you soon, on the field, alongside me in the infield, at Udall Park.

Tucson Golden Aces beef up roster for MSBL WS

The Tucson Golden Aces added eight players from out of state in order to beef up its roster for next week's Mens Senior Baseball League (MSBL) World Series in Phoenix. Twenty-two of the ballplayers are from Tucson and include members of the southside Old Pueblo Club and the Tucson Old Timers (TOTS) from the eastside of the town.

The locals include Mike Morales (manager and player), Joe Banner, Frank Castillo, Lou Russo, George Gafner, Marc Sewell, Joe Jimenez, Ozzie Espinoza, John Nowotny, Danny Price, Ernesto Escala, Ron Ward, Arnold Mares, Hector Castillo, Jerry Hamelin, Larry Armstrong, Jeff Helzel, Chico Bigham, Dave Rhoades, Floyd Lance, Arnie White and Tom Barrow.

The out-of-state players include Jay Hayner (New York), Roger Miller (Virginia), Brad Buchan (New York), Ken McGruther (Florida), Tom Hawkins (Virginia), Allan Long (New Jersey), Al Delgado (southern California) and Miguel Barraza (El Paso, Texas).

Play gets underway Monday, Oct. 18, for the Aces in the 60-and-over division and play commences on Oct. 25 for the players involved in the 65-and-over division. The Golden Aces' players participating in both weeks are Morales, Banner, Price, Buchan and Hayner. The oldest player on the Golden Aces this year is Floyd Lance, 85, and he will compete in the 65-and-over division. Lance, a first baseman, would have preferred to play in the 70-and-over division -- the oldest of the MSBL divisions, but was unable to hook up with a team. "There's just not a lot of players in that division," Lance said, recently at a Golden Aces' practice. "I believe there's only four teams participating this year." Lance was born in Glen Gardner, New Jersey on September 6, 1925 and has been a member of the TOTS since 1999.

The Aces kickoff the MSBL World Series on Monday when they tangle with the Tri-Valley Hawks, a team out of southern California, at 10:00 a.m. at the Kansas City Royals spring training facility (annex field #6) in Surprise, Arizona. Bookemdanosports will post the scores and highlight some of the individual accomplishments of the Aces' players as well.