Team USA breaks medal count record, but the gold shines on Canada...

Team USA captured 37 medals at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia and in doing so now own the record for the most medals ever won by one country at the Games.

An outstanding performance from the Americans who walked away with nine gold medals during their stay in Vancouver. Despite the Americans overwhelming haul of hardware, it was the host team, Canada, that shined the brightest at the top of the podium, as the Canadians collected a record 14 gold medals and finished third in the overall count with 26 -- just four behind the Germans. Germany finished second in gold medals with 10. Norway came in fourth overall with 23 medals -- including nine gold, with most of those coming in Alpine and Cross Country skiing.

Canada closed out the two-week competition by capturing the gold today in Ice Hockey with a thrilling 3-2 overtime win over a gutsy USA team. And now it's on to Russia in 2014. Can't wait...the Olympic flame shines bright.

Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Young said it best during the closing ceremonies tonight when he sang a ballad entitled, Long May You Run.

Rain, rain go away...

What's up with all this rain?

It is the last day of February here in the Old Pueblo and it is still raining. I know we are spoiled, but this is bordering on ridiculous. We all have things to do. For instance, I've hit the baseball field five times this year, normally our old-timers' team would have at least 25 games on the books by now. We can only hope the days in March will be better. I'm starting to get cabin fever. I guess I shouldn't complain, the residents on the East Coast will spend the next two months shoveling snow off their driveways. It'll take them three months to find a ball field, much less play on one.

All kidding aside, it could be worse. I even tried to play golf with some buddies down in Benson last week at the San Pedro Golf Course. Instead of teeing off in 72-degree weather, the temperature gauge showed a cool 27 degrees.

Spring training gets underway in just four days. Rain, rain go away!

Congratulations to the USA four-man bobsled team...

Congratulations to the USA four-man bobsled team for its gold medal run today at the Whistler Sliding Centre.

It's been 62 years since the United States has garnered a gold medal in bobsledding. The four men -- Steve Holcomb, Justin Olsen, Steve Mesler and Curt Tomasevicz -- climbed aboard their bobsled named Night Train at 3,044 feet above sea level and dropped 472 vertical feet, while reaching speeds up to 95 mph in less than a minute on one of the fastest, most demanding and treacherous tracks in the world.

Tomasevicz, who hails from Selby, Nebraska, is on my blogging list and you can check out his blog at: www.selbyne.blogspot.com or google Curt's Olympic Blog. He goes into great detail on his experiences at the Winter Games in Vancouver. The effort by the four gentlemen gave Team USA its ninth gold medal of the games and its 36th overall.

Wildcat fans will be craving more from MoMo...

In the Stands Report by Bookemdano: I hope Sean Miller has had time to find a cardilogist. I know he's busy but he'd better head over to the University Medical Center and get logged in with a heart doctor.

His young Arizona Wildcats will certainly continue to make his heart go a little faster than normal. But I guess I shouldn't worry, he seems a lot more calmer on the sidelines than I am at home, on my couch, watching crazy things like MoMo Jones' buzzer-beater last night in Palo Alto.

After squandering two 11-point leads and with its senior point guard on the bench and out of gas, the Arizona Wildcats roared back to defeat the Stanford Cardinal, 71-69, to improve to 8-8 in the Pac-10 and 14-14 overall. Without the outstanding play of two freshmen, Derrick Williams and Mr. Jones, the Wildcats would have flown home to Tucson tonight with their tales between their legs. Instead, they come home with a new lease on life -- rejuvinated, and ready to tangle with UCLA and USC at McKale next week in their final two regular-season games.

Willams netted 24 points and came up with a gigantic block in the final seconds, while Jones scored a personal-best 16 points -- the final bucket coming at the buzzer, a shot that should make all the ESPN highlight reels later tonight. If there is one thing I would ask of Williams, it would be to please make your free throws! He missed four, but he made up for it with his inside play. The Cardinal did not have an answer for him under the basket.

 hanks, Derrick and MoMo for keeping are hopes alive for postseason play.

If you're looking for a team to cheer for during the NCAA tourney...try the Lobos

I've been searching for a team to root for during the 2010 NCAA Basketball Tournament, which gets underway on March 16. If the Arizona Wildcats can't make the dance then I need to find a team -- besides the California Golden Bears, of course -- to get behind.

  need to find one, otherwise it's going to be pure boredom. You can rest assured I won't pick a team from the Big East, the ACC, or any team from the middle of the country as well. So, let's look closer to home. For my fun pick, I've selected a team that is 27-3 on the season, a team that has won 13 games in a row and a team that's knocked off six ranked opponents, including California (I assume the Bears will finally get back into the Top-25 after their win over ASU today). That team is Steve Alford's New Mexico Lobos. The Lobos are on a roll and are fresh off a win this afternoon over 13-ranked Brigham Young University. The game was played in Provo -- a place were visiting teams seldom win. In fact, the Cougars were the proud owners of a 21-game home winning streak. Until today, that is.

The Lobos go into their final week of regular-season play with four players averaging in double figures, with a fifth player not too far behind. New Mexico, ranked 10th in the country, clinched the Mountain West Conference title (and a trip to the NCAA tourney) today with its win over BYU.

Remember them?

The Cougars (26-4) rolled over the Wildcats at McKale Center earlier in the year in a game Arizona fans would just as soon forget. BYU will head for the dance anyway, as will UNLV (22-7) and San Diego State (20-8), the third and fourth best teams in the Mountain West Conference. Of course, those are two more teams Arizona fans would just as soon forget. UNLV beat the Wildcats in double overtime back on Dec. 2 at McKale, while San Diego State took down Arizona Dec. 12 on the Aztecs' home court.

To be the top dog in the MWC this year is quite an accomplishment for Alford and his Lobos. Alford has certainly done great things in his three years at New Mexico and he just might have the team this year that could reach the sweet sixteen and possibly even further.

Well, I feel much better...I've found a team to root for.

What's an Arizona Wildcat basketball fan supposed to do in March?

In the Stands Report by Bookemdano: What the heck is an Arizona Wildcat fan supposed to do in March without its basketball team to cheer on at the dance?

The streak is all but done, especially after the Wildcats' lopsided loss at California tonight. The 95-71 loss to the Golden Bears leaves the Wildcats with a dismal 13-14 overall record with three Pac-10 games remaining -- which in all likelihood means no NCAA tourney and probably no NIT tourney as well.

Just one slim hope still dangling -- win the Pac-10 tournament and shock the college basketball world with an automatic bid to the big dance. As for me (and I'm not the only one), it has been a quarter of a century that I have sat in front of a TV and watched my beloved 'Cats participate in the NCAA tourney.

So, what do I do?

Buy up some spring training tickets, I guess. That would be a good idea, considering this will be the final dance for that event as well. Go fishing. Go hunting. No! Chances are, I'll end up on my sofa, turn on my Vizio and watch the NCAA basketball tournament anyway, just like I've done ever since I was knee high to a grasshopper. I'll probably shake my head a few times...still not able to comprehend the fact my Wildcats aren't there...among the 64 best teams in the land.

Risk taker gets it done at Cypress Mountain...

How many of us take risks and are awarded for our efforts?

And to go a little bit further, how many of us take a risk and go for it all when we're 50 feet above the earth on a set of skis forced to do a thing called a 'Hurricane' and then land on a dime on a snow-packed surface?

Not too many, I would think.

In fact, I can think of only one. His name: Jeret "Speedy" Peterson. On his final jump, the gusty USA Olympian did what the other 23 contenders couldn't do at Cypress Mountain last night and that was to rocket off a snow-covered ramp, go straight up in the air, do three somersaults and five twists -- all within three and half seconds, and then land on his feet with his hands held high in the air and a big smile on his face. That's exactly what Peterson accomplished.

The payoff: A silver medal for him and the United States at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, B.C. Peterson's performance at the Men's Aerials event helped Team USA lengthen its lead over Germany in the overall medal count. The USA has 32 medals -- six ahead of Germany. Norway is in third with 19 medals, while host Canada is fourth with 17, as all the Olympians head into the final two days of competition.

Can USA win the medal count at Winter Olympics?

With Bode Miller's gold medal run in the super-combined yesterday at Whistler, the USA Olympic team heads into this week's action with 24 medals -- 7 gold, 7 silver and 10 bronze.


Can the USA keep it up and win the gold medal count? They certainly have a shot at it. In 2006 at the Turin Games, Team USA finished second to Germany in the medal count 29 to 25. They are currently within one of the most medals on Foreign soil and it has been 78 years since a USA team has won the medal count. With one week to go, Germany is in second place with 18 medals and Norway is all alone in third place with 12 medals.

I have the Monday morning Wildcat blues...

I have the Monday morning Wildcat Blues.

Once again the Arizona Wildcats could not hold serve on their home court and to make matters even worse they once again fell to their arch rivals, the Arizona State Sun Devils.

Final score at McKale on Sunday night: ASU 73, Arizona 69.

Coach Sean Miller calls his team "mediocre" and I can't argue with that, even though it hurts to hear it. The Wildcats are smack dab in the middle of the Pac-10 standings with a 7-7 conference record and a 13-13 overall slate. I guess the good news is the Wildcats could lose their final four Pac-10 games and still have a shot at the NCAA tournament. Of course, they'd have to win the Pac-10 tourney. Actually, the Wildcats will be away from home for the tourney and that may turn out to be a plus, because they certainly are having trouble winning at McKale Center. The Wildcats have lost five home games this year -- including two of their last three.

For some reason it seems like a lot more.

Hockey showdown reminds me of Mystery, Alaska flick...

The USA-Canada hockey showdown today at the Winter Olympic Games reminds me of the 1999 movie Mystery, Alaska about a fictional small-town that takes on the New York Rangers in a televised exhibition match.

The town goes wild as they get behind their local gang of misfits, who surprisingly give the visiting professional team a run for their money. Led by its coach, Judge Walter Burns, portrayed by Burt Reynolds, and its aging hero on ice, Sheriff John Biebe, portrayed by Russell Crowe, the team of underdogs skate to a dramatic conclusion in front of a small, but highly enthusiastic hometown crowd.

Today's matchup at the Canada Hockey Place will not be a mystery, instead it will be real life as 19,100 screaming fans will takes their seats to witness the young Americans go up against the more-experienced and heavily favored Canada team. If Canada loses today, it will be a lot like the "Miracle on Ice" of 1980 when the U.S. team of "underdogs" upset the powerful Russians at the Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York.

The Canada team does not want to lose at "home" and the team from the USA is out to show they belong on the same ice as the Canadians. The mystery here is the outcome.

Ice Hockey Update: Unbelieveable! Team USA pulls it off behind goalie Ryan Miller's 42 saves and shock Canada, 5-3. The headlines tomorrow in all the Canadian papers won't be pretty.

TOTS player has field named after him...

Ron Boeve spends his winters with his wife, Sonny, in Tucson, Arizona. And three days a week, during his stay, you can find him at Udall Park, playing baseball with the Tucson Old Timers (TOTS) baseball team.

Boeve is the only member of the TOTS that has a baseball field named after him.

The baseball stadium at Hope College in Holland, Michigan is named after Boeve and his wife. Ron was a 1953 graduate and an assistant baseball coach at Hope for nearly a quarter of a century. Ron continues to serve under three coaches, including current head coach Stu Fritz. He is the team's first base coach and frequently pitches batting practice.

Ron was a standout Hope baseball player, winning recognition that included being chosen by his teammates as Hope's most valuable player in 1959 and selection to the All-MIAA team twice as a catcher.

Boeve,75, is a likable, soft-spoken individual and a great addition to the TOTS team. He still possesses a strong arm and can hit the ball with authority. As far as coaching goes, Ron can get a little testy if the need arises. According to an article in the Holland paper, Ron had an out-of-character experience on the day of the Boeve Stadium dedication.

The Hope College baseball team had to wait until the end of the second game of a doubleheader against Kalamazoo to celebrate the stadium dedication. And when it finally happened, Boeve, whose name is on the stadium wall, wasn’t around to join in the festivities. Boeve was ejected by the base umpire in the fifth inning for arguing a close call. Hey, it happens to the best of us.

Ron and his wife will return to Holland next week. Ron will be missed by his TOTS' teammates this summer. We'll keep a close eye on Boeve and the Hope College baseball team this season.

Cink or swim for lone American contender at WGC-Accenture...

The 2010 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship is down to eight contenders -- seven from different parts of the world and just one American, Stewart Cink. The 36-year-old Georgia Tech golfer, who entered the PGA in 1995, is no stranger to the Accenture tourney. He finishing runnerup to Tiger Woods in 2008. Cink will go up against Englishman Sean Casey tomorrow morning. The man has made a shade over $28 million on the pro circuit. Not to shabby.

Cink is one of the most liked golfers on the tour. He has a Twitter account with over a million followers. Good luck, Mr. Cink.

WGC-Accenture Update: Cink sinks. Stewart Cink lost his match to Sean Casey, 5-4, and Casey loses to Ian Poulter, 4-2, in the final. Poulter's take: $1.4 million. Times are tough!

Following John Daly...

With Tiger in the woods it is time to look for a clearing in the forest.

So, for the time being I'll get back on John Daly's bandwagon. I have to admit I've been a John Daly fan for a long time. We don't have a lot in common as far as golf goes. I hit the ball about 220 of the tee and Big John can rocket a ball close to 400 yards. What we do have in common: Well, I was a pistol when I was his age. Enough said. We all can change and we all grow up sometime.

Unfortunately, it takes some of us longer than others. I did have a gambling problem for a while in my other life. Certainly, not on John's level, though. It is well-documented, mostly by his own admission, that he's dropped millions at casinos. I, on the other hand, may have lost a grand or two, back in the day.

And of course, I enjoyed a beer or two when I was his age. But the smoking, can't say I've done that. But there is something about John that draws me to the golf course to see him play. So much talent.

Yes, maybe he has spent too many years wasting away his talents, but there is still time...still time for him to regain his game and end up atop the leader board. There's hope for us all. I for one have improved my life, but luckily I was able to do it quietly, away from TV cameras. How Tiger Woods and John Daly handle their return to golf is solely up to them.

We live in a very forgiving country...a country where people can pick themselves up, learn from their mistakes and do great things. Woods can make a difference in this world, and has -- especially with his Tiger Foundations that focus on helping children. Daly can do the same with his involvement with the Make a Wish Foundation and the Boys and Girls Club of America, among others.

Woods returns to rehab on Monday. His return to golf..still in question. Daly is in Cancun at the Mayakoba Classic. John is 5-under after two rounds of play. He's seven strokes off the pace, but he's made the cut and has advanced to the weekend. Daly's back for now, and we'll have to wait a little longer for Mr. Woods.

Daly Watch: Big John shot a 69 on Day-3 and ballons to an 81 on the final day for a four-day total of 287, 18 strokes back of the Mayakoba Classic winner Cameron Beckman. Daly collected a check for  $7,308.

Women's downhill Vonntastic!

The women's downhill at Whistler was worth the wait.

The men's downhill is still my favorite event at the Winter Olympics, but the women's downhill runs a close second with me -- and the fact the competitors are just as graceful and a lot prettier is a plus.

American Lindsey Vonn got her gold medal yesterday as she weaved and slid her way down the course in a winning time of 1 minute and 44.19 seconds. And for a little icing on the cake Vonn's teammate and rival Julia Mancuso breezed to a silver medal with a time of 1:44:75. Wednesday was a great day for the USA Olympians as they jumped over Germany in the medal count and now have 14 medals -- four medals ahead of the Germans. Shuan White took the gold yesterday in the men's snowbording halfpipe event, while Scott Lugo won the silver. Shani Davis won the gold medal in the Men's 1000 speed skating event, while Chad Hedrick picked up the silver.

Six more medals for USA.

You gotta love it!

Clarence beats the clock...

Eighty-nine year old Clarence Fieber is a phenomenon. He's a freak of nature.

He's 89 years of age and three days a week he shows up at Udall Park in Tucson, Arizona, straps on the catching gear and plays baseball with his teammates on the Tucson Old Timers Baseball (TOTS) team. On May 15, he turns 90 and he will honored by his teammates during a special game set up in his honor and chances are the local media will be on hand to film the event -- they've been there before.

It's an Energizer bunny story. It's a story of longevity, on and off the field. The man keeps on ticking and keeps on playing. In January, Fieber played in seven games. He hit safely three times during the month, walked twice, and even knocked in a run. Fieber is by far the oldest player on the Tucson baseball club, which has been in existence since 1968, and when he takes the field on May 15, he will become the first 90-year-old to play for the TOTS.

Fieber's teammates are always asking him how he's kept in such great shape over the years. "I've just led the good life," that's all Fieber will say about it. The fact that he is a catcher, and can start and finish a two-hour game behind the plate, is mind-boggling. Of course he does not run well, and he does get a little frustrated when he's thrown out at first base. He also takes a lot of good-natured flack from his teammates. But the jokes and jibes go only so far. How can you get on a guy, nearing 90, who is trying his best to beat out a hit?

I've been playing for the TOTS for three years and I'm one of the younger players. At 64, I will have to play another 26 years before I can even think about walking in Clarence's baseball shoes. On second thought, Clarence Fieber is better than the Energizer bunny. I expect, that in 2020, we will be celebrating his 100th birthday!

Westcott's flair for the dramatic...

I watched the Snowboardcross (SBX) final yesterday.

The Winter Olympics event reminded me of my 9-year-old grandson shooting out of the gate at a Tucson BMX track and winding his way to victory. Of course the comparison ends there. American Seth Wescott exploded out of the gate at the SBX course on Grouse Mountain in Vancouver B.C., jockeyed for position against three of the world's finest racers, and came from behind to edge Canada's Mike Robertson at the finish line for the gold medal. Tony Ramoin of France won the bronze.

The race is straight down hill at 80 mph with enough hairpin turns thrown in to make it even more dangerous. With slick snow under your feet, no less. I can't imagine what Westcott's family members were thinking. My heart is in my throat when I watch my grandson bolt out of the gate on a two-wheeler. At least he has a sandy spot on the Arizona desert to land on.

Like BMX racing, the Snowboardcross racer needs to use speed and strategy to maneuver around and through the competitors. Westcott was in fourth place after one-third of the run was complete. He certainly has a flair for the dramatic. My grandson has left BMX racing and is now concentrating on baseball. That is a little easier on my heart. If I hear he's taken up snowboarding...then I'll start to worry.

Give them all a gold medal...they deserve it

The men's downhill at Whistler was fantastic. Speed and grace...and guts. All three medal winners deserve the gold as far as I'm concerned.

The competition for the gold medal was so close -- 0.09 hundredths of a second separated the champion, Switzerland's Didier Defago, silver medalist Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway and bronze medalist Bode Miller of the United States. The respect the trio must have for one another...well you could see it up close and personal as the NBC cameras zoomed in on the amazing threesome, following the event.

It was the smallest of margin between first and third place in Olympic men's downhill history. It's mind boggling. All that training and preparation. Three men from different parts of the world, racing downhill at upwards of 80 miles an hour, twisting through thick, icy snow only to cross the finish line within a split second of each other.

The men's downhill is my favorite event, but hats off to all the Olympic athletes who are competing in Vancouver, B.C. this week. They are putting on a show and the entire world is watching.

My 2010 World Golf Championships-Accenture prediction...

I went out on a limb earlier this month and predicted the Saints would come from behind in the second half behind some last-minute heroics from quarterback Drew Brees and capture the Super Bowl.

I predicted a 33-31 Saints' win.

So I was pretty close in my crystal-ball analysis as New Orleans, down 10-6 at the half, came back to knock off Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts, 31-17. So, I'm feeling pretty good about my 2010 forecasting abilities.

I guess I'll try another. I'm ready to pick a winner for this year's World Golf Champions-Accenture. With Tiger out and Lefty out, the title is up for grabs and all 64 competitors have a shot at winning the prestigious event. But I'm putting my money on a 20-year-old from Northern Ireland.

Rory McIlroy just may be gutsy enough to pull it off. He has Tiger-like skills and loves the match play set up. And while I'm at it, let's pick a final four. I'll go with Jim Furyk (because he's a former Wildcat), Steve Striker (because he's the top seed and I just downright like the guy) and for my long shot, I'll go with Angel Cabrera, because I just love his bullish style of play. Of course, all four could lose on the first day and high tail it out of town. But that's the nature of the Accenture. So guys, let's tee it up and see who will be the last man standing.

WGC-Accenture Update: Well, I'm half right so far. Striker out. Cabrera out. Rory McIlroy and Furyk survive the first day of play. McIlroy took out Kevin Na in the first round and takes on Owen Wilson today. while Furyk ousted Scott Verplank yesterday and goes up against Charl Schwartzel today. Let's see if my two picks can reach the sweet sixteen.

WGC-Accenture Update: My picks are gone. Furyk bows out as does McIlroy. All the top seeds are gone as well. Go figure! Sixteen left. I wonder if the remaining golfers will set back and watch the Tiger sighting in the morning before they tee it up in Marana?

Maybe Craig Robinson can solve our health care system, too...

In the Stands Report by Bookemdano: Maybe we should send Oregon State basketball coach Craig Robinson to Washington. Robinson, the brother-in-law of President Barack Obam a,just might be able to fix our health care system. He obviously can solve problems.

Look at what he accomplished tonight. He waltzed into McKale Center and unleashed his 1-3-1 zone defense on the Arizona Wildcats. The result: He completely took the Wildcats out of their offense and walked out of McKale with a 63-55 win. Mr. Robinson surveyed the situation, implemented his plan, and made sure he had all his players on board to get the job done.

Of course, he was not up against a chamber full of congressmen, instead he had only to deal with a Wildcats' basketball team that decided to aid his cause by hitting just four shots out of 23 attempts from 3-point range. Overall, the Wildcats were 19 of 48 from the field and spent a frustrating night trying to score on the visiting Beavers.

Arizona scored just 20 points in the first half. They did a little better in the second half, but OSU still managed to outscore the Wildcats, 37-35. Arizona did get Jamelle Horne untracked -- he finished with a double-double, knocking home 15 points, while grabbing 14 rebounds.

Unfortunately, guards Nic Wise and Kyle Fogg couldn't find the range in this one. Fogg was 1 for 5 and Wise 1 for 11 from the field. The Wildcats' loss to Oregon State, their second this season, dropped them back to the middle of the pack in the Pac-10 standings and with it their hopes for a Pac-10 title and an NCAA bid may have also gone out the window.

Let the Winter Olympics begin...

It's time for the athletes to hit the slopes at the Winter Olympics at Whistler.

It's time for me to take a seat, turn on my Vizio and watch my favorite event, The Downhill.

Every competitor will inch toward the starting gate, adjust their goggles, take off and reach speeds upwards of 75 to 80 mph. They are extraordinary athletes that give it their all in hopes of crossing the finish line in record time. The men and women who attempt the downhill races are gutsy individuals. They all go for the glory of it all and they take pride in competing for their country. The feeling they must have when they cross the finish line after a successful run must be out of this world.

Today's men's downhill has been postponed. The women's downhill will now be delayed as well. The conditions today are unsafe. The Winter Olympics in Vancouver, B.C.has gotten off to an horrendous start with the death yesterday of the Georgia luge racer. I pray for a safe and successful Olympics the rest of the way.

Let the Winter Olympics begin.

Derrick Williams ignites Wildcats...

In the Stands Report by Bookemdano: In the first four minutes of the second half, Arizona freshman sensation Derrick Williams outscored Oregon 11-1 to ignite the Wildcats to a surprisingly easy 70-57 win over the Ducks tonight at McKale Center.

It turned into a catch-and-dunk show for Williams. Of course, he had a lot of help from his teammates -- everyone made sure they got him the ball under the basket. Williams thanked them for their timely assists and went on to provide ESPN with enough game highlights to keep them busy for the next few hours figuring out just which ones to spotlight.

Williams went 8-for-10 from the field and finished with a game-high 20 points. Arizona led 36-28 at the half and enjoyed a 49-29 lead when Arizona coach Sean Miller decided to bring a smiling Williams to the bench to give him a breather. Williams' performance to start the second half put a dagger in the Ducks' chances for an on-the-road Pac-10 victory. The Wildcats recorded 20 assists (8 by Kyle Fogg) and the beneficiary for most of those was Williams.

The win moved the Wildcats to 13-11 on the season and 7-5 in Pac-10 play, good enough for a second-place tie in the conference with ASU and just one game behind California, the outright leader. One down and six to go.

Go Wildcats!

Is the world going batty?

Three stories that caught my eye this week.

Two of them involve beating the system and one is about a fella who takes matters into his own hands.

The latter is about a Georgia man that walked into a Walmart, grabbed a baseball bat from the sporting goods department, walked over to the electronics department and proceeded to smash 29 flat-screen TVs to oblivion. Twenty-nine for twenty-nine. One heck of a batting average. Who knows why he did it. He might have been upset because of his picture quality at home on his own set, or maybe he was just upset with the cable company. I wonder if he used a batting glove?

And how about the guy out in California? An 18-year-old walks into a restroom at a public school and pays for a couple of kids to provide him urine samples. Surveillance cameras caught him in the act and he was arrested. Obviously, he was trying to beat the system and get around an upcoming drug test.

And closer to home, we have a state representative, Frank Antenori, who would like to see a bill passed that would catch thousands of people, who are on food stamps and are out to beat the system.

Antenori has had it with a certain part of the population who walk into a store, plop down their benefits card to pay for their groceries and then reach into their pocket, bring out a $100 dollar bill and buy cigarettes and alcohol. He obviously is frustrated with the fraud in the system. According to Antenori, he would like to see to it that people on food stamps have only basic cable at home. In other words, if they can afford cigarettes, alcohol and extended cable then they shouldn't be on food stamps.

It's a crazy news week!

You're never too old to write

At 64 years old and the grandfather of six I have been told by many people that it is time to think about retiring. Who in their right mind would start a writing career at such an age? Especially someone that has a hard time e-mailing a message, transferring files or saving one thing or another to a disc.

But you know what? It is fun. And, guess what? You can learn. I have enjoyed every moment and every step of the way from the first words I produced on my laptop to seeing Billy’s Victory in its final printed form.

To be able to write about the sport I love: baseball, and to write about that special time in my life: my youth, is a bonus. I can still remember back to when I was just nine years old. I would leave the house and head for the nearest sandlot with my bat and glove draped over my shoulder. I wouldn’t stop walking until I found a game. There were times the kids in my neighborhood would choose up sides. Sometimes I’d get picked first and sometimes last. It didn’t matter as long as I played.

As the years flew by, I played Little League, Pony League, American Legion, high school and college. It ended for me soon after that. I could not hit a curve ball. I had a good glove, but just a so-so arm. I didn’t make it to the big leagues.

As for Billy’s Victory, the characters and events and places depicted in the book are a figment of my imagination -- as is the town of Johnsonville.

Baseball is still and will always be America’s favorite pastime. Baseball fans, young and old, have witnessed the likes of a Billy Ray Reynolds, a Boomer, or a Bugs McPherson at one time or another…at a ball park…somewhere across this great country of ours.

So, if some of you old timers want to give writing a try, then do it. If I can do it so can you. Get yourself a laptop and start typing. Some of your life experiences may turn out to be a lot more interesting than mine.

 If not, then purchase Billy's Victory and spend a few hours in Johnsonville.

Billy is available at amazon.com/kindle. Just plug in Billy's Victory. He's wearing No. 8.

It's a Brees...Saints Win!

Great Super Bowl!

Well played by both teams. But give it up to Saints' quarterback Drew Brees and some gutsy calls by their fiery coach Sean Payton, who orchestrated a well-planned offensive scheme that allowed New Orleans to come away Sunday with an impressive 31-17 win over the Indianapolis Colts in Miami.

Down 10-0 early, the Saints roared back in the second half to outscore the Colts 25-7 to grab their first ever Super Bowl title. Brees, who was handed the Super Bowl XLIV MVP trophy following the game, completed 32 of 39 passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns. As for Payton, he pulled out all the stops, including a gutsy, onside-kick call to open up the second half.

Colts' quarterback Peyton Manning had to take a back seat to Brees in this one, despite the fact he threw for 333 yards and a touchdown. The party is on, down on the French Quarter in New Orleans, and the party will continue all the way through the Mardi Gras season -- which is in full swing and last through the entire month of February.

The City of New Orleans has struggled to survive since the onslaught of Katrina. The rebuilding will continue there for a long time to come, but they won't have to look for a football team, a coach, or a quarterback.

They have the Saints. And they are the Champions!

I can't imagine...

Imagine slipping on some sneakers and running 3.1 miles in 13 minutes. I wouldn't want to lace up and put my feet in the same shoes as Tucsonan Benard Lagat. What he does is just unimaginable. Lagat shattered the American record in the indoor 5,000 meters at the Reebook Games in Boston Saturday night. Lagat won the race in 13 minutes 11.50 seconds. Incredible! I was never a runner. I have no problem going to bed and dreaming about baseball, but running, it just never occurred to me to dream about crossing the finish line in record time with thousands of people cheering me on. How can a human being run that fast for that length of time? When I was in my 30s, I tried to keep up with my oldest son as we competed in a handful of 10,000 meter runs. I once ran the first two miles of a 10K in Phoenix in 15 minutes before I called it quits and limped in and finished in a shade over 54 minutes. Those first two miles...well, I thought I was flying.It just doesn't seem possible that a human being can run a mile in under four minutes. Nor, is it possible for me to understand how a human being can run a metered-mile in a shade over 3 1/2 minutes -- a feat Lagat has accomplished many times in Olympic events. I think I'll go out and take a five-mile walk and feel the breeze.

Wildcats need to hold serve at home...

In the Stands Report by Bookemdano: The Arizona Wildcats return home for a three-game stand at McKale Center. Last Thursday's loss to Washington in Seattle and Saturday's loss in Pullman to Washington State, dropped the Wildcats into a tie for second place in the Pac-10, one game behind the front-runner, California. The Wildcats (12-11, 6-5) need to hold serve on their home court and come away with wins over Oregon, Oregon State and Arizona State to have any chance of winning the conference. The Wildcats are in a good spot schedule wise with just one road trip remaining at California and Stanford in two weeks, before closing out the regular season at home the following week against UCLA and USC. Win all seven and they win the Pac-10. But first things first. The Ducks, the Beavers and the Sun Devils need to be sent home with their collective tails between their legs. Anything short of that will probably keep the Wildcats from winning the conference and qualifying for the NCAA tournament. You need a mathematician to figure out all the scenarios in the next few weeks with five teams (Arizona, USC, Arizona State,UCLA and Washington)currently tied for second place. The other four teams -- Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford and Washington State -- are still within striking distance. Three games separate all ten teams! The Wildcats must take care of business at home. One slip up at home and the Arizona fans will be forced to start praying for a championship-run in the Pac-10 tournament. If it comes down to that...well, that could turn out to be a real pressure-cooker. Forget March Madness. We've got February Madness to contend with!

Remembering Charlie Shoemaker...

The University of Arizona will host its annual alumni baseball game Saturday morning at 11:00am at the Kindall Field inside Sancet Stadium. Some of the former Arizona players who will participate include Ed Vosberg, Gil Heredia, Shelley Duncan, Brad Mills, Daniel Schelreth and George Arias.

The 1960, 1980 and 1985 teams will also be honored. I can't remember a lot about the Wildcats' 1960 team, aside from the fact they made it to Omaha and went all the way to the 14th game of the College World Series before bowing out. What I do remember is the Wildcats' shortstop in 1960. His name was Charlie Shoemaker. Shoemaker was right handed, but batted left and played a mean shortstop. In fact, Shoemaker went on to play three years in the Majors with the Kansas City Athletics. He batted just 28 times for Kansas City (1961, 1962, 1964) and finished with a .258 batting average. Some of Shoemaker's teammates included baseball greats Wes Covington, Joe Nuxhall, Blue Moon Odom, Hank Bauer, Don Larsen and Ossie Virgil.

Shoemaker died in 1990 at the age of 50 in Mount Penn, Pennsylvania.

I want to get my prediction in early...

For the record, I want to get my prediction in early.

I will go against the grain on this one and predict a Saints' victory on Sunday. It has come down to the best two teams in the NFL, and if they had played their cards right both teams could have gone into Super Bowl XLIV unbeaten.

But, there is no reason to cry over spilled milk...31 wins between the two teams is nothing to sneeze at. And now, on with my prediction. The first half will be played close to the vest by both teams, but Indianapolis will head for the locker room at the midway point with a 13-10 lead. In the second half, Drew Brees will outshine Peyton Manning. The Saints' quarterback will throw a 60-yard TD pass in the waning minutes and New Orleans will celebrate on the sidelines, following a stunning 33-31 win. I'm no fortuneteller and nobody can predict just how it will all go down. I hope it turns out to be a great Super Bowl, no matter what the outcome.

Wildcats claw their way through the North Country...

In the Stands Report by Bookemdano: It is easy to see why the Washington Huskies are 15-1 at home this season.

Bully and push the visiting team around, yet get the referees to see it your way for 40 minutes. Go to the line and hit 29 of 42 attempts. Figure out a way to get five fouls called as early as possible on the visiting team's best inside player. And then wait for the ball to bounce your way down the stretch. All of that happened last night and more as the Huskies held off the Wildcats' bench to win the Pac-10 matchup, 81-75.

The Huskies won the battle, but there is still a very good chance that the Wildcats could win the war. With USC's win over California, UCLA's victory over Stanford and ASU's win over Washington State last night, the gutsy Arizona team is still tied for first place in the Pac-10, along with the Devils, the Bruins and the Golden Bears -- all at 6-4.

The Pac-10 standings are a mess -- if you have four losses you're on top and if you have six losses you're in the cellar. Wacky! On a night when Derrick Williams fouled out after playing just eight minutes and Kevin Parrom followed suit, hitting the pine after his 26 minutes of hard-nosed play, the Wildcats' coach, Sean Miller, turned to the bench for help.

And help they did! The bench scored 40 points and garnered 20 rebounds, while the Arizona starters managed just 35 points. MoMo Jones led the way with 14 points, while Brendon Lavender added 11 points, nine of them coming from three-point range. Solomon Hill scored 12 points and grabbed seven boards and Kyryl Natyazhko came off the bench to grab seven boards as well. The Arizona bench clocked 94 minutes. That is going to help Miller and the Wildcats down the stretch. I'm sure Miller wasn't happy with the loss, but he had to be happy with the production from his reserves. Win or lose on Saturday in Pullman against Washington State, the Wildcats will still return home to play five of their final seven Pac-10 games at home. The Wildcats chances for a Pac-10 title are improving day to day. Hats off to the Arizona bench.

Huskies a different team at home...

In the Stands Report by Bookemdano: The Arizona Wildcats take on the Washington Huskies tomorrow night in Seattle at the Bank of America (BOA) Arena. They have their work cut out for them. The Huskies are a different team at home. Take a look at these stats:

UW is 14-1 at home, but 0-5 on the opponent’s
home court and 0-1 at neutral sites this season:
Points per game UW Opp Diff.
At BOA: 87.2 68.4 +18.8
Away from BOA: 66.8 79.5 -12.7
Rebounds per game UW Opp Diff.
At BOA: 42.3 33.6 +8.7
Away from BOA: 31.3 35.8 -4.5
Assists per game UW Opp Diff.
At BOA: 16.2 10.6 +5.6
Away from BOA: 9.3 14.0 -4.7
FT’s made per game UW Opp Diff.
At BOA: 22.3 18.0 +4.3
Away from BOA: 13.8 23.0 -9.2
FG% avg. UW Opp Diff.
At BOA: 45.3% 40.1% +5.2%
Away from BOA: 42.8% 48.9% -6.1%
3-pt FG Shooting. UW Opp
At BOA: 79-236 (33.5%) 68-235 (28.9%)
Away from BOA: 26-96 (27.1%) 31-79 (39.2%)

Scary! Add the hostile crowd to the mix and it seems a bit unfair. And if that isn't enough, the Huskies will be out for revenge after getting embarrassed by the Wildcats 87-70 at McKale Center last month. If Arizona coach Sean Miller can somehow orchestrate a win over the Huskies on Thursday and the Washington State Cougars on Saturday, then you might as well pencil in Miller as Pac-10 coach of the year!

Good luck 'Cats!

Arizona basketball legends remembered...

This is another old timers' story about a couple of basketball players who many consider the best and the most talented players to ever hit the hardwood in the state of Arizona.

Long before Mike Bibby, Channing Frye and Jerryd Bayless came two stars from the 1960s, James Dugan and Isaac Bonds. They are legends. Both of them were recently inducted into the Arizona High School Hall of Fame -- Dugan in 2007 and Bonds in 2009.

Both men are now in their mid 60s and both of them are far removed from the basketball court -- Dugan is retired and living in New Rochelle, New York, while Bonds is retired and living in his hometown of Winslow, Arizona.

In 1963, they came from all over the state as thousands crowded into the small-town gymnasium in Winslow to witness the two phenoms perform. The game may go down as the best game ever played in Arizona involving two prep athletes who performed at the top of their game from the opening horn to the final tick on the clock.

I wish I had been there.

Instead, I was in college, just a couple of hundred miles away. Bonds, the most prolific scorer in Arizona prep history, scored 48 points that night, while Dugan pumped in a Flagstaff school record of 54 points. The fans looked on in awe as they sat in their seats and witnessed greatness from two very talented teenagers.

Unfortunately, Dugan's high school career was overshadowed by a punching incident during a game that same season in Prescott when he decked a player following some heavy trash-talking. Dugan said years later that he punched the wrong guy. Chances are he was punching out at the world and not just one opponent. At any rate, Dugan and Bonds left it all on the court. Bonds averaged 40 points a game his senior season and Dugan was not far behind. And of course, in those days there was no three-point line. Can you imagine what those two could have done if they had grown up on the basketball court in this day and age!