TOTS Baseball Game of the Week

It was a real pitching duel at Udall Park this morning in a Tucson Old Timers (TOTS) matchup.

Seventy-year-old right-hander Arnie White went at it with yours truly. White, who spends the winter in Tucson and the summer months in Montana, threw seven innings of shutout ball, allowing just six hits, while striking out one and walking just two batters. As for me, it is hard to believe I'm back pitching again. I went the distance, allowing seven hits, while striking out five and walking just two.

This afternoon, I'll need to get the old ice bag out, put it over my right arm, curl up on the sofa and give this 66-year-old body some down time. By the way, Arnie's TOTS team won 4-0, thanks to an unearned run in the first inning, another in the third and two earned runs in the sixth. Once again it was 62-year-old Dennis Crowley, Arnie's lead-off batter, who ended up causing me the most problems. The Boston lefty went 3 for 3 and scored three times.

As for my team, we just couldn't get anything going, offensively. Oh well, there's always next week.

Jumpin' Nick Johnson scores 19 in Las Cruces

Nick Johnson got his first start of the season for the Arizona Wildcats tonight in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Johnson, the son of Joey Johnson, a former Arizona State standout and the brother of the late Dennis Johnson, the former Phoenix Suns great shooting guard, scored 19 points to lead Arizona to an 83-76 win over New Mexico State at the Pan American Center.

It was a tough night for the Wildcats as they fell behind early 9-2, but battled back in front of a hostile crowd and led at the half, 44-40. Jesse Perry had another double-double with 15 points, 12 rebounds and two assists. The Wildcats shot 52 per cent from the field, hitting 30 of 58 shots. The Wildcats (5-2) also received double-figure scoring from Solomon Hill and Josiah Turner. Both players chipped in 12 points.

Way to go, CATS!

It's Sunday morning and another QB decision!

My Fantasy Football League: Decisions! Decisions! I can't decide on who to start in my fantasy football league this week. Tim Tebow...Carson Palmer or Vince Young. Of those three, I can use two in my dual-QB league. As of 6:30 this morning: It's Tebow and Palmer.

Fantasy Update: (11/27/2011) Made the wrong choice. Young nets 33 fantasy points today. He throws for 400 yards, tosses a touchdown pass and rushes for 40 yards. Tebow and Palmer combine for 33 points. In real life Tebow and the Broncos win today, while Palmer and Oakland win as well. On the other hand, Young and the Eagles lose to New England. For my Team Priceless, it'll come down to the results from this week's Monday Night Football.

Fantasy Update: (11/28/2011)The Assassins take down Team Priceless, 132-97, behind a 43-point fantasy effort from New England's Tom Brady and a 35-point fantasy point total tonight from the New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning. I fall to 5-7 and need a win in Week 13 to have a shot at the 6th and final playoff spot in the UPC Hood Fantasy Football League.

10,011

The Arizona Wildcats road the arm of Nick Foles for one final time this afternoon at Arizona Stadium. Foles threw for 352 yards and three touchdowns and finishes his career at Arizona with 10,011 passing yards as the Wildcats defeated Louisiana-Lafayette, 45-37. Foles played just three seasons at Arizona and passed for more than 4,000 yards this season alone. Juron Criner added his name to the records books as well as he hauled in two touchdown passes today and finishes his career with 32 touchdown catches. As for the Wildcats, they finish the season at 4-8 and welcome aboard Rich Rodriguez.

The lives we lead...

T

he following is a Thanksgiving greeting from a soldier, and a friend, who just happens to be my opponent this week in the UPC Hood Fantasy Football League.

Happy Thanksgiving to all from Diwaniyah, Iraq. I am going to stay up to watch the Dolphins v Cowboys game at midnight. Had a huge meal at the DFAC and am feeling sick. I am hit or miss on connectivity going forward, so my team may just ride it out as is...adrian petersen looks to be hurt so he may be on the bench for a while. I will be in Kuwait at end of December and will reengage then whether I am still in it or not. Hope you are all having a great day...good one to watch football! Take care, Mitch.

We all live our lives in different ways. Some will be far away today, others will be closer to home. Mitch will stay up late tonight and watch the Dolphins vs the Cowboys. He is the owner of the first-place Assassins, which take on my Team Priceless this week in my fantasy league. He will be without Adrian Peterson, who is out with an injury, so the loss of Peterson could prove to be the difference this week. But, Mitch does have Tom Brady and Eli Manning, while my quarterback situation continues to be a merry-go-round. I picked up Vince Young for this week, which means I'll have Carson Palmer and Young in my starting lineup. I'll leave Tim Tebow on the bench. Win or lose, Mitch is in the UPC Hood Fantasy League playoffs. I, on the other hand, have to win to stay in contention for a playoff spot. Good luck, Mitch.

Live and die by the three!

In the Stands Report by Bookemdano: The Arizona Wildcats put up 26 three-point attempts tonight at McKale Center. They made five! Arizona threw up 57 shots in 40 minutes and canned 19. That's 33 percent for the night overall and just 19 percent from three-point land. The result: San Diego State 61, Arizona 57.

The Wildcats fall to 4-2 and the Aztecs move to 6-1 and more than likely will replace Arizona in next week's AP poll. Arizona's winning streak at McKale ends at 22 games. The Wildcats dug a hole early...again, much like their last outing against Mississippi State. Solomon Hill led Arizona with 14 points and nine rebounds.

Did the Wildcats get RICH?

Formerly of West Virginia and Michigan, Rich Rodriguez takes over the Arizona football program. We shall see, we shall see! It should be an interesting news conference at McKale Center today at noon.

Don't expect Louisiana-Lafayette to be a pushover

Don't expect Louisiana-Lafayette to come into Arizona Stadium on Saturday afternoon and let the Wildcats roll over them. At 8-3 and sporting the second-best record in the Sun Belt Conference, the Rajin' Cajuns will more than likely finish runner-up to maybe the second best team in Arkansas, the Arkansas State Red Wolves ( 7-0 conference and 9-2 overall). Arkansas State's two losses: Illinois and Virginia Tech. The Red Wolves beat the Rajin' Cajuns, 30-21, two weeks ago. Still, the Rajin' Cajuns will come to town with plenty of firepower. Louisiana-Lafayette quarterback Blaine Gautier has thrown 19 touchdowns for 2,173 yards, but he's been picked off five times this season. So, Mr. Wade take note! Gautier has also rushed for 443 yards and two scores. Freshman Alonzo Harris has caught 136 passes for 593 yards and seven touchdowns.

So, take note, Arizona secondary! If Nick Foles plays, 'Cats win! If Bryson Beirne plays, 'Cats still win! Oh, I'm such a die hard Wildcat fan!

AP poll drops Arizona to No. 23

At 4-1 and after a pretty good showing at Madison Square Gardens this past week, the Arizona Wildcats dropped a bit in the AP college basketball poll this week, falling to No. 23 in the nation.

Our first glitch in the armour: Sidiki Johnson. Under suspension, Johnson is obviously having growing pains. We need the "Tree" to step up this week and record some productive minutes as the 'Cats take on a top-40 team in the San Diego State Aztecs.

Fantasy win moves me into 6th place

My Fantasy Football League: My Team Priceless has gone from the cellar to sixth place in the UPC Hood Fantasy Football League. My 125-114 win over the A-Team this week moved me up in the standings as my Team Priceless (5-6) has won five times in the last six weeks. My big point-producer this week was San Diego wide-receiver Vincent Jackson. The Chargers lost to Chicago, 31-20, but Jackson picked up 165 receiving yards and scored a touchdown, good enough for 25 fantasy points. I also picked up 23 points from the New England defense, which shutdown the Kansas City Chiefs, 34-3, tonight in Foxborough. The Assassins and the Sticky Bandits continue to be the front runners in the league with 7-3-1 records.

It must have been a restless night for Sun Devil fans

Do you suppose the Arizona State fans were awakened early this morning, startled from a bad dream?

The same dream: Jourdon Grandon, the Arizona defensive back, running down the sideline, after intercepting Arizona State quarterback Brock Osweiler with just two minutes to go in the game at Tempe last night. The Sun Devil fans should sleep better tonight, at least the one's who didn't spend a lot of time reading the Arizona Republic's sports section this morning.

Once again, the score: Arizona 31, Arizona State 27.

My Team Priceless will find fantasy points hard to come by today

My Fantasy Football League: My Team Priceless will find fantasy points hard to come by today as another NFL Sunday gets underway. Fortunately, my opponent, the A-Team, is in the same boat due to the fact his top point-getter, Drew Brees, is on a bye week. My opponent will have quarterbacks Philip Rivers and Alex Smith, while I'll counter with Ryan Fitzpatrick and Carson Palmer in our two-quarterback league. It may come down to a couple of running backs to muster up some fantasy points as the A-Team goes with Steven Jackson and I'll insert Michael Bush in my lineup once again. Our defenses, we both have penciled in, are nothing to write home about. I have Cincinnati and New England, while my opponent counters with Arizona and Tennessee. I kept Tim Tebow out of my lineup this week. Tebow did collect 16 fantasy points on Thursday night, so I'm counting on my QBs to at least surpass his fantasy score. One of us will get our fifth fantasy win this week as we both go into today with identical 4-6 records -- unless, of course, we end up deadlocked, which could happen. At any rate, the owner of the A-Team is The Hock, as in Don Hockenbury, a buddy of mine for more than 45 years.

So, it's two old timers going at it. Good luck, Don!

Bryson Beirne to Juron Criner for the win!

What a turn of events. Nick Foles throws for 370 yards and then leaves the game with a back injury with six minutes left in the game and in comes back-up quarterback Bryson Beirne. And what does Beirne do? He throws a screen pass to Juron Criner, who runs it in from 23 yards out to give the Arizona Wildcats a 31-27 win over Arizona State tonight at Sun Devil Stadium.

Interim coach Tim Kish, the Arizona Wildcats and the Arizona fans held their collective breath the final five minutes of the game...and in the END the 'Cats had their victory over their hated rivals, Arizona State!

The Heroes:

Nick Foles 35 for 50, 370 yards and 2 TDs
Bryson Beirne 1 for 1, 23 yards and a TD
Juron Criner 9 receptions for 133 yards and a TD
Ka'Deem Carey 13 rushes for 92 yards, 4 receptions for 47 yards and a TD

A triple-header for Grandpa...

It was a triple-header of sorts on this particular Saturday for this old man. Grandpa witnessed two football games and a soccer match as my grandson, Jadon, and his Mountain Lions' teammates played back-to-back football games, and my granddaughter, Hannah, played in her final regular season soccer game. The NW Mountain Lions beat the Marana Tigers, 27-6, in a Southern Arizona Youth Football League semi-final this morning at the Amphi Middle School and then battled, a few hours later in the championship game, losing a hard-fought 6-0 game to the Tucson Tigers.

Jadon scored a touchdown and recovered two on-side kickoffs in the morning game and rushed for 80 yards -- including a 37 yard run, in the Lions' loss to the Tigers in the afternoon game. Sandwiched in between was Hannah's soccer game at Felix Park. Hannah's team, the Sausage Deli Super Subs, won its first game of the season 2-0 as they shutout the Yellow Peppers. Hannah scored one of the two goals for the Super Subs, giving her a team-leading nine goals for the season.

Way to go, Jadon and Hannah!

There is a game!

Tonight in Tempe there will be a football game. Sorry to say, nobody...cares.

That's a little harsh. The Arizona football players and their die hard fans do care. Good luck, Wildcats. Take it to the Arizona State Sun Devils and bring home the trophy.

Wildcats lose title game at Madison Square Garden

The three-pointers were not falling tonight for the Arizona Wildcats at Madison Square Garden.

Mississippi State wins the 2K Sports Classic with a 67-57 win over Arizona, despite another double-double from Jesse Perry, who scored 11 points and pulled down 10 rebounds. The Wildcats (4-1) go 23 of 58 from the field --- including six of 20 from three-point land and were saddled with their first loss of the season. Solomon Hill was the only other Wildcat in double figures with 12 points to go along with his nine rebounds.

The Wildcats return home and will take on San Diego State on Wednesday. The Aztecs beat USC, 56-54, earlier in the week.

Wildcats hit 14 three-pointers in win over St. John's

The Arizona Wildcats canned 14 of 29 three-pointers and five players scored in double figures tonight at Madison Square Garden and went on to beat St. John's, 81-72. Solomon Hill led the way with 15 points, six rebounds, four assists and a block. Kyle Fogg pumped in 13, Jordin Mayes netted 12, while Jesse Perry and Nick Johnson contributed 11 points apiece to complete the double-figure scoring.

Josiah Turner came close to double figures, adding eight points to the Wildcats' cause, while pulling down three boards and coming up with two steals. Balanced scoring, indeed! The 15th-ranked Wildcats led at the half 44-41, but relinquished the lead early in the second half and then came roaring back to improve to 4-0 on the season.

The Wildcats will take on Mississippi State tomorrow night in the championship game of the 2K Sports Classic. The Bulldogs upset Texas A and M, 69-60, in the first game of the tourney earlier today.

'Cats ranked 15th in latest AP Poll

I'm sure coach Sean Miller will make sure the Arizona Wildcats pay no mind to the fact the Associated Press has the 'Cats ranked No. 15 in the nation this week.

There should be plenty of time, during the plane ride to New York, to reiterate that fact. Yes, the 'Cats are 3-0 and are receiving a favorable early-season ranking, but so is 19th-ranked Texas A and M, one of the team's participating in the 2K Sports Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer tourney at Madison Square Garden on Thursday and Friday. St John's, the Wildcats' opponent on Thursday will also pay no mind to the early-season rankings as will Mississippi State, the Texas A andM opponent in the tourney opener. The winners will square off on Friday, the losers will play in the consolation matchup.

Good luck, Wildcats!

It's a great day to play baseball!

Wednesday should be a great day for baseball.

When the sun comes up over the Rincon Mountains tomorrow morning, Tucson residents will remember why they have made the Old Pueblo their home. As for us old timers, who love to play the game of baseball, we (the members of the Tucson Old Timers Baseball Club) will take the field at Udall Park under a bright, blue sky and a temperature at game's end, fluttering around the 72 degree mark. The TOTS' players, ranging in age from 60 to 86, will take the field, breathe in the crisp air, let out a whistle or two, and await the first pitch.

There will be a slight breeze in our faces by the third inning...and by the fifth inning we'll shed our wind-breakers and feel comfortable in our short sleeve TOTS' jerseys, as the sun slowly rises, clears the tree tops at Udall, and shines brightly onto the field of play. A great day for baseball!

From a soldier who lives in a world far...far away

From a soldier who lives in a world far...far away:

Infantrymen have a pride and arrogance that most Americans don't understand and don't like. Even soldiers who aren't Infantrymen don't understand. The pride doesn't exist because we have a job that's physically impressive. It certainly doesn't exist because it takes a higher level of intelligence to perform our duties. It's sad and I hate to admit it, but any college student or high school grad ca.........n physically do what we do. It's not THAT demanding and doesn't take a physical anomaly. Nobody will ever be able to compare us to professional athletes or fitness models. And it doesn't take a very high IQ to read off serial numbers, pack bags according to a packing list, or know that incoming bullets have the right of way.

The pride of the Infantryman comes not from knowing that he's doing a job that others can't, but that he's doing a job that others simply won't. Many Infantrymen haven't seen a lot of combat. While that may sound ideal to the civilian or non-Infantry soldier, it pains the grunt. We signed up to spit in the face of danger. To walk the line between life and death and live to do it again - or not. To come to terms with our own mortality and let others try to take our life instead of yours. We have raised our hands and said, "Take me, America. I am willing to kill for you. I am willing to sacrifice my limbs for you. I will come back to America scarred and disfigured for you. I will be the first to die for you."

That's why the Infantryman carries himself with pride and arrogance. He's aware that America has lost respect for him. To many he's a blood thirsty animal. To others he's too uneducated and stupid to get a regular job or go to college. Only he knows the truth. While there are few in America who claim to have respect for him, the Infantryman returns from war with less fanfare than a first down in a high school football game. Yes, people hang up their "Support Our Troops" ribbons and on occasion thank us for our service. But in their eyes the infantryman can detect pity and shame; not respect. Consider this: How excited would you be to meet the average Infantryman? Now compare that with how excited you'd be to meet a famous actor or professional sports player and you will find that you, too, are guilty of placing the wrong people on a pedestal. You wouldn't be able to tell me how many soldiers died in the war last month, but you'd damn sure be able to tell me if one of the actors from Twilight died.

Yet the Infantryman doesn't complain about that. He continues to do his job; to volunteer his life for you, all while being paid less in four years than Tom Brady makes in one game.

It's a job most Americans don't understand, don't envy, and don't respect. That is why we have pride for the Infantry.

Photos: My long-time friend, Jared, and a current fantasy football opponent...and his buddies.

My winning streak is over in fantasy league

My Fantasy Football League: I needed Aaron Rodgers to throw four touchdown passes to Jermichael Finley tonight in Green Bay. Rodgers throws went elsewhere and my four-game winning streak comes to an end as my Team Priceless falls to 4-6 on the season. Sticky Bandits picks up the win as I lose 129-104. With the win, the Sticky Bandits pull even with The Assassins, which lost this week to suh-nami, 123-115. The Assassins and the Sticky Bandits sit atop the UPC Hood Fantasy Football standings with identical 6-3-1 records. Next week, it'll be a battle between two 4-6 teams as Team Priceless takes on the A-Team. Also, the Big Dawgs (4-5-1) will tangle with the suh-nami (4-5-1), Murrays Murrauders (6-4) take on El diablo blanco (6-4), while the Arizona Wildcats (3-7) face The Assassins and Honey Bee (4-4-2) goes up against the Sticky Bandits.

Assassins, suh-nami in an interesting matchup tonight on MNF

My Fantasy Football League: The first-place Assassins (6-2-1) and the ninth-place suh-nami (3-5-1) are in an interesting matchup tonight on Monday Night Football. Suh-nami is up 100-95, going into tonight's action. The players: The Assassins have Minnesota's Adrian Peterson and Green Bay kicker Mason Crosby, while suh-nami counters with Green Bay running back James Starks and the Packers' defense.

Made all the wrong move in fantasy league this week

My Fantasy Football League: I made all the wrong moves in my fantasy football league this week and I expect my winning streak, which is currently at four games, will come to an end tonight, unless Green Bay tight end Jermichael Finley goes crazy like he did in Week 3. Finley is my only player left on my roster to root for when the Packers and the Minnesota Vikings collide on MNF. I'm down 25 points and I simply started the wrong people this week. My bench this week scores 68 fantasy points (Carson Palmer, Rashard Mendenhall, Marques Colston and Stephen Gostkowski).

On the flip side, San Francisco running back Frank Gore gets hurt in the third quarter of his game, while Buffalo's Stevie Johnson and Baltimore's Anquan Boldin fail to produce this week. As Don Meridith would say,"Turn out the lights the party's over." A loss this week will drop me to 4-6 on the season and put me mathematically out of the running for a chance at winning the UPC Hood Fantasy Football League.

Fogg lifts Wildcats

In the Stands Report by Bookemdano: Kyle Fogg pumped in 21 points and Kevin Parrom made his first appearance of the season, contributing six points, four rebounds and two assists as the Arizona Wildcats (3-0) turned back Ball State, 73-63, today at McKale Center. Solomon Hill picked up a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds as the Wildcats, down 38-29 at the half, roared back in the second half, outscoring the Cardinals, 44-25.

Arizona still has a lot of work to do, especially at the free throw line where they connected on 31 of 43, but the Wildcats did cut down on the turnovers with 12 for the game and just three in the second half. Coach Sean Miller gave Parrom a lengthy hug near the end of the game as the Arizona fans cheered their approval of Kevin's performance and his return to action. The Wildcats' play in the second half, in my opinion, was their best 20 minutes of the season thus far.

Way to go 'Cats!

ASU, Louisiana-Lafayette both lose

If you're an Arizona football fan, this might make you feel better this morning: The Wildcats' final two opponents also lost yesterday. Arizona State lost 37-27 to Washington State and Louisiana-Lafayette fell to Arkansas State, 30-21. The Sun Devils, now at 6-4 and with just one victory in their last four games, await the Wildcats in Tempe on Nov. 19.

As for the Ragin' Cajuns, they come to town on Nov. 26, sporting an 8-3 overall record.

Wildcats blown away in Boulder!

The Arizona Wildcats could not stop the run in Boulder today...and to make matters worse the windy conditions didn't help, either. And for the record, the loss of their head coach a few weeks back...is still fresh in their minds.

It all adds up to another Pac-12 loss, this time it's to Colorado, 48-29. About all that's left to talk about this afternoon is Nick Foles and his assault on the 10,000 career mark in passing yardage. Nick's 352 yards today gives him 9,289 yards for his career at Arizona with two games to go. If nothing else, Foles has a shot at the five-figure mark if he can put up some big numbers against Arizona State and Louisiana-Lafayette. Whether he passes the mark or not, Foles will leave Arizona as the most prolific passer in the school's history.

Ball State

The Ball State University Cardinals will be in town tomorrow afternoon and the Arizona basketball team will go after win No. 3. Of course, the 'Cats will hit the road after that and things will get a little more interesting as they head across the country to take on St. John's University. Ball State played Taylor University last week in an exhibition game and won 72-47.

One of the more well-known Ball State alumnus: David Letterman.

Off to a good start in Fantasy League

My Fantasy Football League: I'm off to a good start this week in the UPC Hood Fantasy Football League. I owe the good start this week to Oakland's running back Michael Bush, who gained 157 yards rushing, hauled in 85 receiving yards and scored one touchdown last night in the Raiders' 24-17 win over San Diego. That's 32 fantasy points.

I ended up with a 40-0 head start on my opponent, the Sticky Bandits, as I picked up two points from San Diego receiver Vincent Jackson (he was defensed well last night) and six markers from the Chargers running back Mike Tolbert. The bad news: I elected not to start Carson Palmer, who did well once again (from a fantasy stand point)as he led the Raiders to victory. Also, I'm down to nine players, going into Sunday's action, while my opponent has all his spots available -- including Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Still, my Team Priceless has a good shot at making it five in a row and improving to 5-5 on the season.

What was a dismal outlook just a few weeks ago when I was at 0-5, is changing rapidly.

It's a work in progress...but the Wildcats win

In the Stands Report by Bookemdano: Jordin Mayes went on a scoring-spurt midway through the second half and it was just enough to give the Wildcats some breathing room as the Wildcats went on to beat Duquesne 67-59 tonight at McKale Center. Mayes scored eight points during a three-minute span and finished the night with 19 points.

The Wildcats trailed at the half 30-28 and committed 21 turnovers. The other bad news: The Wildcats missed 11 free throws. The good news: Arizona is 2-0. Jesse Perry was the big gun under the bucket tonight, scoring 11 points and grabbing 11 rebounds for his second straight double-double. The Wildcats had trouble with Duquesne's pressure defense for most of the night and that is something coach Sean Miller will need to address at the Wildcats' practice sessions, later in the week.

All in all, it was a fun evening, even though I sat on the edge of my seat for most of the game. I guess, I'd better get used to it. Chances are, there will be more of the same down the road.

Duquesne

The Duquesne Dukes are in town and will take on our Arizona Wildcats tonight at McKale. The alumni from the private Catholic university in Pittsburgh includes a bishop and a cardinal or two, and was also the school of choice for singer Bobby Vinton, the 1960s crooner, who had two giant hits which still rattle around in my head from time to time -- Blue Velvet and Roses are Red (My Love).

Vinton is 76 years old and lives in Florida. And, of course, we hope the Dukes will be the team singing the blues tonight.

Team Nightmare!

We have the Dream Team, the Fantasy Team and now we have Team Nightmare.

The Coach: Joe Paterno

The starting five:

G Jerry Sandusky
G Doc Murray
F Tiger Woods
F Casey Anthony
C Herman Cain

Defensive Scheme: All-out media blitz

Former Hall of Famers: O.J. Simpson, Washington, Wall Street...it goes on and on...

The Big Winners: The TV Networks

The Losers: Main Stream America

The Assassins drop a game in Fantasy Football League

My Fantasy Football League: The Assassins lost by three points this week to El diablo blanco, and now hold a slim one-game lead in the latest standings of the UPC Hood Fantasy Football League. As for me, I pick up my fourth straight win with my lopsided victory over Honey Bee. As you can see, I still have a lot of work to do in Week 10. My next opponent: the second-place Sticky bandits.

The Standings after Week 9:

1. Assassins 6-2-1 .722
2. The Sticky Bandits 5-3-1 .611
3. El diablo blanco 5-4-0 .556
4. Honey Bee 4-3-2 .556
5. murrays murrauders 5-4-0 .556
6. big dawgs 4-4-1 .500
7. A -TEAM 4-5-0 .444
8. Team Priceless 4-5-0 .444
9. suh-nami 3-5-1 .389
10. Arizona Wildcats 2-7-0 .222

Smokin' Joe Frazier...gone at 67

I was 25 years old in 1971...and back then boxing was BIG. The fighters were bigger then life. At theaters, on the wide-screen (if you were lucky enough to have the time off, had money in your pocket and could afford to watch the matches live), the fighters looked like warriors, battling it out in the center of the ring for the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world.

One of the greatest fighters of all time, Smokin' Joe Frazier, who won the heavyweight title with a 15-round decision over Muhammad Ali at Madison Square Garden in The Fight of the Century on March 8, 1971, died today of liver cancer. He was 67 years old.

Wildcats win opener over Valparaiso, 73-64

In the Stands Report by Bookemdano: The Arizona Wildcats led by two at the half, but defended well in the second half and went on to win their season opener tonight with a 73-64 win over Valparaiso at McKale Center. Kyle Fogg led the Wildcats with 16 points, while Jesse Perry and freshman Nick Johnson added 14 points apiece as Arizona, the 16h ranked team in the nation, gets it done.

Perry also grabbed 10 boards for a double-double. Freshman Angelo Chol had a good outing as well with four steals, six rebounds and six points before fouling out late in the game, while Jordin Mayes and Solomon Hill added to the Wildcats scoring with eight points apiece. All in all, not too shabby for the opener. Disappointing was the play of Kyryl Natyazhko, who played just 15 minutes and did not score. We need more from the big fella.

Wildcats' tip-off just moments away...

The University of Arizona basketball season is just moments away.

We, the fans, will find out in the next two hours if the young Wildcats are at least prepared for the likes of a Valparaiso. Without Derrick Williams, the Arizona Wildcats will take the court at McKale Center looking for someone to take hold of the reigns and carry them through the month of November. Will it be Solomon Hill or Jesse Perry? How about Jordin Mayes? Or, will it be one of the freshmen? Possibly, Nick Johnson or Josiah Turner.

We will know soon enough. Good luck, 'Cats!

Say it ain't so, Joe!

Say it ain't so, Joe Paterno!

This blog deals in positive stuff, so I won't go in to all the chatter coming out of Happy Valley. Just when you think you've heard it all in the World of Sports, out comes something else. Joe you might need some blocking up front by your offensive linemen to deal with the media today.

Team Priceless wins again!

My Fantasy Football League: Team Priceless is on a roll! My winning streak in the UPC Hood Fantasy Football League is now at four games as I pull out another victory today, thanks to a couple of quarterbacks -- Tim Tebow and Carson Palmer.

You guessed it! I inserted Tebow, who has been riding the pine for most of the season in Denver, and Palmer, who's been surfing on the beach in southern California for most of the year (as far as I know), into my starting lineup...and presto, they combine for five touchdown passes and score 60 fantasy points!

In real life, Tebow leads the Broncos to a win over Oakland, despite Palmer's amazing efforts (three  touchdowns and 332 passing yards). And just to add to the mix, one of my receivers, San Diego's Vincent Jackson hauls in three touchdown passes and amasses 32 fantasy points.

My winning streak may come to an end next week, but, for now, I'm a happy fantasy camper as I score a season-high 197 points. With four wins and five losses on the season, I'm still in eighth place in my 10-team league, but if I can hang on and win a couple more, it would make things very interesting.

Just for the fun of it, I'm starting Tebow and Palmer today in fantasy league

Just for the fun of it, I'm starting Tim Tebow and Carson Palmer today in my UPC Hood Fantasy Football League. One of the two will grind out a win and a few fantasy points. I'm counting on the rest of my Team Priceless lineup to carry the load.

My starters:

QB
Carson Palmer
(Oak - QB)

QB
Tim Tebow
(Den - QB)

WR
Marques Colston
(NO - WR)

WR
Anquan Boldin
(Bal - WR)

WR
Vincent Jackson
(San Diego - WR)

RB
Frank Gore
(SF - RB)

RB
Mike Tolbert
(SD - RB)

TE
Jermichael Finley
(GB - TE)

W/R/T
Michael Bush
(Oak - RB)

K
Neil Rackers
(Hou - K)

DEF
Cincinnati
(Cin - DEF)

DEF
Atlanta
(Atl - DEF)

Fantasy note: I probably should put Ryan Fitzpatrick (Buf-QB) in the lineup today, but he's up against the New York Jets and his chest is sore from a hit he took last week. I guess I just love the storyline and the Tebow-Palmer matchup.

Utes turn into Brutes!

It was brutal. The Utah Utes turned into Brutes at Arizona Stadium tonight. The result: Utah 34, Arizona 21.

Too many mistakes by the Wildcats. And where was Carey in the first half? And when Carey appeared in the second half, why wasn't he given the ball at the 2-yard line when it was first and goal?

Arizona football fans need to take a deep breath and wait for next year, a new coach and some new personnel. The Wildcats, sporting a 2-7 overall record and a 1-6 mark in the Pac-12, need to suck it up and get through the next three games.

Aces fall to El Paso Tejanos, 8-6, in MSBL finale

The Tucson Golden Aces 60-and-over team lost this afternoon to the El Paso Tejanos, 8-6, in the Men's Senior Baseball League (MSBL) World Series championship game held today at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.

Down 4-3 to the Aces, the El Paso team scored five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning and went on to win the 60-and-over division MSBL title. The Aces picked up a couple of runs down the stretch, but it wasn't enough to overtake the Tejanos. According to manager Mike Morales, the Aces performed well during the past two weeks. The Aces' 65-and-over team went 4-2 last week and the 60-and-over team finishes 7-2 this week. "They knew the Aces were in town," Morales said.

Good job, guys! There's always next year.

Aces reach MSBL World Series title game

The Tucson Golden Aces knocked off the AZ Scorpions, 19-4, and blasted the Hollywood Stars, 11-1, on Friday to reach the 60-and-over division championship game (scheduled for today, 3 P.M., Phoenix Municipal Stadium), at the MSBL World Series in Phoenix. Arnold Mares will be the starting pitcher today for the Aces as they make a run at the championship. The Aces are 7-1 this week at the MSBL World Series and will need victory No. 8 to bring home the championship hardware.

Photo: Top row (left to right) Don Holp, Frank Castillo, Ernesto Escala, Byron Carter, Joe Banner, Dennis Garcia, Chuey Felix, Lou Russo and Hector Castillo.
Bottom row (left to right) Ozzie Espinoza, Chuck Milo, Arnold Mares, Mike Morales, Paul Rickert, Frank Trujillo, Joe Jimenez and Mark Sewell.

Mike Steele

One of my many friends and teammates on the Tucson Old Timers (TOTS) baseball team is Mike Steele, one of the nicest guys you ever want to meet. Mike is a teacher, so his availability to play for the TOTS is limited, but during the summer and holidays you can bet Mr. Steele will be at Udall Park, playing, alongside the rest of us.

Once in a while, we meet on different sidelines and it usually occurs this time of year when the top teams collide at the 1A2A3A Boys' State Soccer Tournament. This year, it will once again (or should, depending on the outcome of the semi finals at Campo Verde High School in Gilbert today) come down to Tucson Desert Christian, the top team in Tucson, of which Mike is an assistant coach, and defending state champion Lakeside Blue Ridge of Pinetop. Now Blue Ridge, is unbeaten and ranked No. 1 in the nation by MaxPreps.com. They are also coached by Bryon Crain, who just happens to be the son of Sue Crain, my better half and partner in crime for the past nine years. So, there I'll be this Friday and Saturday afternoon, on the sidelines, or close to it as possible, while Sue squirms in the stands with, more than likely, ear muffs and a blanket (Can you believe it?)

It is supposed to turn cold this weekend in the Phoenix area). It should be a battle and Blue Ridge is favored to win it all once again. There's no question Blue Ridge is the odds on favorite. Blue Ridge has won seven titles since 1999. Desert Christian did win it all back in 1996 and 1997. The runnerup in both of those years: Blue Ridge. Dave Defer coached DC in 1996 and John O'Hair coached DC in 1997. Chris Ellis was the Blue Ridge coach back then and in the championship games the scores were identical: Desert Christian 2, Blue Ridge 1. Last year, it came down to Desert Christian and Blue Ridge in the state finale. Blue Ridge won 3-1 to finish the season 20-0. In the semi finals today at Campo Verde High School it'll be Northland Prep and Desert Christian at 5 p.m. and Payson and Blue Ridge at 7 p.m. The winners will face off at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday afternoon. My prediction: DC and Blue Ridge in the finale.

Soccer Update: (11/05/2011)Surprisingly, DC falls in semis to Northland Prep, 2-1, while Blue Ridge beats Payson, 3-1. So, it'll be Blue Ridge and Northland Prep (from Flagstaff) in state final today.

Soccer Update: Blue Ridge blanked Northland Prep, 4-0, at Campo Verde High School in Gilbert this afternoon and won the State 1A2A3A Boys Soccer title for the third year in a row.

I'm back with the TOTS!

I returned to the ball field today. I still can't run worth a darn, but I did manage to get two hits in four trips to the plate and, surprisingly, I was able to hobble around the bases without calling for a pinch runner. Last week, I played in two games with the TOTS and went 3 for 7, so I'll at least head into action on Friday at Udall Park with a respectable batting average.

I'm a little rusty at third base, but hopefully, I'll do better next week. The fractured bone spur in my right heel seems to be better, at least good enough to allow me to play a seven-inning game. I have a lot of work ahead of me, just to get back in the swing of things and keep pace with my TOTS' teammates. According to the stats sheet for October, some of the club members are clubbing the ball. For instance, the speed demon on the team, Dennis Crowley, from Boston, led the TOTS in hits with 22. He also walked eight times, scored 17 runs and played in 13 games, while maintaining a .550 batting average. Outfielder Bob Daliege played in just eight games, but went 14 for 25 for a hefty .560 batting average. First baseman Brad Tolson was the big run producer for the month. Tolson knocked in a team-high 13 runs, while collecting 17 hits in 12 games. Billy Heiny led all pitchers with a 3-1 record for the month of October.

Good going, guys!

Tucson Golden Aces 60s cruise to 5-0 start at MSBL World Series

The Tucson Golden Aces 60s are rolling over the competition this week in Phoenix at the Men's Senior Baseball League (MSBL) World Series. Two more wins today for the Aces as they pound San Antonio, 20-7, this morning and then blow by the AZ Scorpions, 22-3, this afternoon. That's 95 runs scored and a 5-0 record as the Aces head into tomorrow's final pool-play game against an El Paso team, which also sports an unblemished record at 5-0.

A win over the El Paso Tejanos would give the Aces the No. 1 seed for the playoffs on Friday. Win or lose, the Aces are in the playoffs and have a good shot at winning it all. According to manager Mike Morales, the Aces are not only hitting the ball well, but the pitching staff is getting the job done on the mound. Arnold Mares is 2-0, Byron Carter is 2-0, and Chuck Milo, a Denver resident and the third member of the staff, is 1-0. Mares and Carter are both Tucson residents. "The guys are just pounding the ball," Morales said, during an interview over the phone this evening. "We've had one close game and the rest have been blowouts, but we expect a battle tomorrow against the El Paso team."

 Go get 'em, guys! Keep up the good work. I wish I was there!

MSBL Update: (11/3/2011) Aces fall to the El Paso Tejanos, 4-2. The Aces finish 5-1 in pool play and will take on the AZ Scorpions tomorrow morning in the first round of the playoffs.

Lesson 2 for the Wildcats in the books

The Arizona Wildcats completed Lesson 2 this evening at McKale Center. But this time the Wildcats won as they bested Humboldt State, 60-51. So much for the exhibition games and now it is on to the real thing.

The Teacher, Sean Miller, gave his students, The Wildcats, their share of on-the-job training from the sideline -- first against the likes of Seattle Pacific last week and again tonight with the Lumberjacks from Humboldt State -- in hopes of preparing them for the opener on Monday night against Valparaiso. And just to set the record straight, both of Arizona's exhibition foes weren't to bad. The Lumberjacks are ranked No. 14 in Division 2 and the Falcons from Seattle Pacific are ranked No. 22.

Tucson Golden Aces 60's are 3-0 at MSBL

My teammates on the Tucson Golden Aces 60's are 3-0 in this week's Men's Senior Baseball League (MSBL) action in Phoenix. I knew back in August, after a hand full of practices at Tucson Reid Park, that this could be the year the 60-and-over Aces could go...all the way!

The Aces have scored 53 runs in three games with wins over Team America (28-5), Australia (17-1) and the Chicago Grays (8-7). The Aces will play a doubleheader tomorrow with a morning game against the San Antonio Red Sox and an afternoon encounter against the AZ Scorpions. Both games will be played at the Salt River Complex. The Aces will end pool play on Thursday in Goodyear with a game at the Cincinnati Reds spring training facility against a team from El Paso. Playoffs get underway on Friday.

Bernadette

Updated for 2022

I stopped in at my neighborhood Dunkin' Donut shop the other day. I was on my second cup of coffee and for some reason I was feeling sorry for myself. I quickly came to my senses.

The door opens and in rolls a lady named Bernadette, sitting atop a four-wheeled scooter. Now mind you, this particular donut shop is housed in a 1,000 square feet space with five or six tables and a dozen chairs. Bernadette maneuvers her way to the counter, wheeling her vehicle around the chairs, the tables and the 15 customers, all of whom were awaiting their orders.

I was amazed how she handled the situation. She backed her Victory Pride scooter close enough to the counter to place her order. And there she sat. Bernadette took a few dollars out of a white envelope, paid the cashier and proceeded to devour her newly-acquired sugar-filled donut. At this point, I just couldn't help myself, so I proceeded to walk up to her and we ended up having a pleasant conversation.

She introduced herself and said she was 77 years old. She proceeded to tell me the brand name of the scooter and explained that recently she had a bit of a problem due to the fact the battery needed to be replaced. I asked her how far she had motored this morning. "Oh!"she said. "I live up near Speedway and Alvernon."

I quickly calculated the distance. My goodness, that's a good two miles. Bernadette asked me my name and then she said, "Danny, it was nice talking to you." I went back to my seat, took another sip of coffee, looked out the window and watched the traffic scurry by.

We all have our troubles, and we figure out a way to survive in this crazy world. For some, like Bernadette, they shrug off their troubles and keep rolling along. I didn't have a donut, and that's probably a good thing. I left the donut shop and I watched Bernadette roll on down the highway, so to speak. 

I had a great cup of coffee. I was now ready to roll, too. I left the donut shop with a lot better attitude and a smile on my face. And come to think of it, Bernadette left with a smile on her face, too.

Team Priceless makes it 3 in a row

My Fantasy Football League: How about that? The UPC Hood Fantasy Football top dog, The Assassins, didn't win this week, but they didn't lose either and remain in first place after a 152-152 deadlock with the Big Dwags. As for Team Priceless, a third straight win and the most fantasy points in the league this week with 153, despite having Tim Tebow as one of its quarterbacks in the starting lineup. My quarterback situation is a lot like a merry-go-around. I could sure use Aaron Rodgers or a Drew Brees! I expect a tough time of it this week. Ryan Fitzpatrick is in for a tough week and Tebow, well he's going to have to rush for 100 yards and pass for 100 yards to get on the fantasy scoreboard. How in the heck did he garner 15 fantasy points this week? Strange, this fantasy football stuff! I won this week despite a 29-point fantasy effort from my opponent's top quarterback, Michael Vick. I did get 21 points from Fitzpatrick, who continues to produce. I still have Christian Ponder on the bench, but Minnesota has a bye this week. I'll consider using him the following week as I continue to monitor the Tebow situation, as are the Bronco fans.