Carey, Wildcats roll at AdvoCare V100 Bowl

Arizona Wildcats Football

AdvoCare V100 Bowl


Ka'Deem Carey rushed for 169 yards on 27 carries and two touchdowns as the Arizona Wildcats roll over Boston College 42-19 today at the AdvoCare V100 Bowl in Shreveport, La.

Carey had a lot of help from his teammates in this one as Trey Griffey, son of Ken Griffey Jr. caught two touchdown passes, quarterback B.J. Denker ran for another score and defensive back William Parks intercepted a pass and ran it in from 69 yards to give the Wildcats six touchdowns on the day. Wide-receiver Nate Phillips was the setup man today with nine catches for 193 yards and Denker finished his college career, going 17 for 24 for 275 yards and two TD passes to Griffey.

Arizona (8-5) used a balance attack today to get by the Eagles. The Wildcats rushed for 254 yards and passed for 275 yards, while the defense did its job as well, limiting the Eagles to 351 yards of total offense -- just 145 on the ground while giving up just 75 of those yards to Boston College star running back Andre Williams.

Way to go, Wildcats!

And a special note for Mr. Carey. Please comeback!

Ed Rife's base-clearing triple is a crowd-pleaser

TOTS Senior Baseball Network (TSBN)

60-and-over baseball

Game of the Week

Ed Rife, 76, with his family in the stands cheering on his every move, led Team Blue to a 10-7 win over Team White in a 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers (TOTS) baseball game today at Udall Park.

Rife, who throws right handed but bats left, ripped a bases-loaded triple in the bottom of the sixth inning, just inside the first baseline, to cap off a five-run inning as Team Blue came from behind to earn the win.

The ball rolled all the way to the fence and Rife scampered all the way to third base. "They (the third base coach and Team Blue's dugout) wanted to send me home, but I was out of gas."

Right-hander Dan Lundwall pitched all seven innings for Team White and was saddled with the loss, while right-hander Lloyd Barzell picked up the victory.

Ed's family came all the way from Charlotte, North Carolina to spend the Christmas holiday in Tucson and take in an old-timers' game or two while they are here. They certainly weren't disappointed today and more than once you could hear the words being belted out,  "Way to go, Grandpa!"

Of course everyone on the field of play was a "Grandpa." But in the eyes of the Rife family, there is only one grandpa worth yelling for.

Photo: Grandpa Ed.

Note: Ed Rife, born in Akron, Ohio, turns 77 tomorrow, December 28. Happy Birthday, Ed…and nice hit!

Photos: Mr. Smooth, Ed Rife

No. 1 Wildcats wallop NAU

Arizona Wildcats Basketball


The unbeaten and top-ranked Arizona Wildcats head home for the Christmas holiday with a 13-0 non-conference record as they top visiting NAU 77-44 tonight at McKale Center.

Four Wildcats hit in double figures with Nick Johnson leading the way with 20 points as Arizona used a smothering defense to start the game and led 41-17 at the half. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson chipped in 14 points, while Brandon Ashley and Gabe York netted 11 and 10 points, respectively.

T.J. McConnell dished out six assists, while Ashley hauled down nine rebounds and Hollis-Jefferson grabbed eight boards as coach Sean Miller cleared the bench in the waning moments of the game.

The Wildcats had nine steals in the game and turned the ball over just five times.

Way to go, Wildcats!

The Pac-12 Conference awaits.

Team Priceless takes 2nd place in fantasy football league

UPC Hood Fantasy Football League

Team Priceless


My quest for my first ever championship in the UPC Hood Fantasy Football League came to a screeching halt in the first quarter of the Bears-Eagles game on Sunday night.

I held a slim 23-point lead going into the the game, knowing full well my lead wouldn't hold up as my opponent in the league finale, Team Arps, had Nick Foles and LeSean McCoy, while I had Philly wide-receiver DeSean Jackson left on my roster.

Of course, Philadelphia took a 21-0 lead early on and went on to a 54-11 win over Chicago as Foles threw two touchdown passes (none to Jackson) and McCoy ran wild with two touchdown runs and amassed 133 rushing yards to become the first Eagles player since 1949 to lead the NFL in rushing.

Team Priceless ended up with just 104 fantasy points as quarterback Drew Brees collected just 15 points as the New Orleans Saints loses to Carolina, 13-17.

I'll have to settle for second place, by far the best I've done in four years as a member of the league.

Congrats, Team Arps.

It's an even dozen for the No.1 Wildcats

Arizona Wildcats Basketball


It's an even dozen for the No. 1 Arizona Wildcats basketball team as they cruised to a 69-43 win at McKale tonight over the Southern University Jaguars.

Aaron Gordon went 8 for 11 from the field, but just 4 of 10 from the free throw line and finished with 21 points. four rebounds and two assists, while Nick Johnson knocked down four of eight from the field and nine of 11 from the charity line for 17 points as the Wildcats improve to 12-0 on the season.

Brandon Ashley comes up with a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds, while Rondae Hollis-Jefferson in his first starting role chips in eight points and eight rebounds. Jefferson got the start tonight in place of the injured Kaleb Tarczewski.

The Wildcats led 34-19 at the half and outscored the Jaguars 35-24 in the second half.

Arizona  (12-0) closes out its non-conference schedule with a home game on Monday against Northern Arizona (3-7).

Team Priceless advances to championship game in fantasy league

UPC Hood Fantasy Football League

Team Priceless


For the first time ever my Team Priceless will play for the championship in the UPC Hood Fantasy Football League.

DeSean Jackson led the way this week with 25 fantasy points as the Philadelphia wide receiver caught 10 passes for 195 receiving yards and a touchdown. In the real world the Eagles lost 48-30 to Minnesota on Sunday and wasted an outstanding performance from Jackson and quarterback Nick Foles, who completed 30 of 48 passes for 428 yards and three touchdowns.

Another one of my fantasy players, Pittsburgh's Antonio Brown, capped the day off on Sunday by running wild in the first quarter of the Steelers-Bengals game with a 12-yard TD reception from Ben Roethlisberger and  a 67-yard punt return as he led the Steelers to an early 21-0 lead. Pittsburgh went on to beat the Bengals, 30-20, and Brown finished with 18 fantasy points.

As for Drew Brees, the Team Priceless quarterback, he had a crazy day as New Orleans lost to St. Louis, 27-16, but  the Saints' quarterback racked up 33 fantasy points with a 393-yard passing day, with one touchdown via the airways and another on a quarterback sneak.

I had some help from my running backs today as well as Arizona's Rashard Mendenhall scored two touchdowns and tallied 18 fantasy points, while Dallas running back DeMarco Murray rushed for 134 yards and a touchdown for 20 fantasy points as the Cowboys lost a heart-breaker to Green Bay.

All in all, Team Priceless accumulated 161 fantasy points and knocked Three Feet Right, the league front runner, out of the playoffs and will now play for the league title next week against Team Arps, who edged the No. 2 seeded Assassins, 121-72, this week in the other league semifinal.

It's a crazy finish in the UPC Hood Fantasy Football League this year as the top two seeds are knocked out of the playoffs, leaving the three-seed, Team Arps, to fight it out with the fifth-seeded Team Priceless for the title.

Needless to say, I'm a happy fantasy owner for making it to the final. Now all I have to do is go up against and beat Team Arps and its quarterback Nick Foles, the former Arizona Wildcat.

It's still early and the No. 1 Arizona Wildcats have another win under their belt

Arizona Wildcats Basketball


It's still early in the day and the top-ranked Arizona Wildcats (11-0) have another win under their belt.

The Wildcats travel across the country, play an early morning (Arizona time) game at Michigan and come away with a 72-70 win over the No. 25 Wolverines.

Down 11 points early in the second half, the Wildcats storm back and get double-figure scoring from four players to improve to 11-0 on the season and hang on to their number one ranking.

Brandon Ashley led the way with 18 points, while Kaleb Tarczewski, Aaron Gordon and Nick Johnson rattled the nets for 14 points apiece. Johnson hit a hand full of key free throws down the stretch as Arizona knocked down its first 14 free throws, before missing one on purpose with 1.4 second left on the clock.

Wow! I can sit back in my easy chair and relax the rest of the day.

Way to go, Wildcats! Come on home and prepare for your final two non-conference games of the season against Southern University and Northern Arizona.

The Bucket Brigade

TOTS Senior Baseball Network (TSBN)

60-and-over baseball

They play two games at a time on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

One is played out on the field, wearing gloves, and everything. The other is played by the Bucket Brigade, over by the dugout.

The TOTs play year-around. When it gets really hot in the summer, they start earlier, and when it gets brutally cold, as it is now, Jim, the Scorekeeper, and other leather-bottomed guys, line up on buckets next to Jim out in the sun, and play the Other Game.

"Did you call that a fielders' choice on the ball I hit to the second baseman when he fell down and threw the ball to the left fielder?"

"How can you say I struck out when the ball was so far outside that the catcher missed it? I don't care what the ump said!"

"How can you call that an error on me? I never touched the ball! It went between my legs, for Pete's sake!"

"How many outs are there, Jim?  Four, again?"

The game on the field is often interesting and exciting. And while the game played by the Bucket Brigade is played sitting down, it is a lot more interesting than the other game. It is a kind of Second Chance Baseball. It is a chance to raise one's batting average, and to pick up an RBI or two. It is a second chance. It is redemption.

Note: From the blog of Conrad Royksund at: www.smokesound.blogspot.com

Photo: The Bucket Brigade

"Nebraska" a must see for us old-timers

It's been a while since I've seen a good movie, but today I settled back in a theatre seat and watched the new Bruce Dern flick, Nebraska.

It's a must-see for old-timers like me. Dern plays an old man in his 80s who thinks he wins a million-dollar sweepstakes and, with the winning ticket in his shirt pocket, heads out on foot from Billings, Montana to Lincoln, Nebraska to collect his money.

Dern's portrayal as the crusty, old Woody Grant is a thing of beauty, if you can get by the scraggly beard and his unruly hair, or what's left of it.

The movie turns in to that age old scenario about a father-son relationship, which in this case is more of the son trying desperately to understand his father. As the film moves slowly to its ending the son discovers little in that regard, but does discover his love for his old man.

All relationships have their moments and Hollywood time and time again presses on the heart strings and comes up with story lines which display the difficulties which can arise with those one-on-one encounters, especially when they involve father and son.

I can think of three movies which have moved me to the point of tears with scenes that tear right into the gut when it comes to a father-son conflict. See if any of these ring a bell. Affliction with Nick Nolte and the great character actor James Coburn. How about The Rookie was Dennis Quaid and Brian Cox? And maybe my favorite of all, Nothing in Common, with Tom Hanks as the son and Jackie Gleason as the father.

For a movie buff like me, who enjoys getting his heart strings pulled, I can pick out the scenes in the trio of old films I just mentioned and recall each and every tear-jerking scene as if I'd just seen them today, right along with Nebraska.

In The Rookie, there's a scene near the end where Jimmy Morris, after pitching in his first-ever major league game, hands the game ball to his father. It will get your heart pumping. And in Nothing in Common, the scene at the end of the movie where the father praises his son for being there for him as they leave the hospital -- the father in a wheelchair, the son smiling from ear to ear. As for Affliction, brace yourself for a not-so-happy ending.

As for Nebraska, Alexander Payne sees to it no words are said in the final moments of the film. In this case, a picture paints a thousand words.

So, for all my old-time friends out there, the next time it rains go rent all of the above and see if you can hold back the tears.

As for Dern, if he doesn't win an Oscar for Nebraska, I will be surprised. I haven't seen a lot of Dern lately. I mean how many years has it been since he shot John Wayne in the back in Cowboys? 

My goodness, the answer to that question is 1972!

Movie trivia: Affliction was released in 1997, The Rookie in 2002 and Nothing in Common way back in 1986.

No. 1 Wildcats roll on

Arizona Wildcats Basketball


The No. 1 team in the land struggled a bit at the outset before turning on the after-burners and rolling to an easy 74-48 win over New Mexico State last night at McKale Center.

Monster dunks by Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Nick Johnson highlighted the Arizona Wildcats' encounter with the Aggies, a team with a roster which included a 7-5 center. The big front line for the Aggies just weren't quick enough to stay with the Wildcats as Brandon Ashley (15 points, six rebounds), Kaleb Tarczewski (14 points, five boards), Aaron Gordon (11 points, four boards) and Jefferson (12 points, eight boards, three assists) ran around, over and through New Mexico State en route to their 10th win of the season.

T.J. McConnell led the team in assists with six, while Johnson served up four. McConnell added nine points, three rebounds and three steals, while Johnson tallied eight points before fouling out late in the game.

Arizona is just one of two teams in Division 1 sporting a 10-0  record this season. The Wisconsin Badgers have also won their first ten games.

The Wildcats won the rebound battle last night, 38-22, and ended up shooting 51 percent from the field (29 for 56), while holding the Aggies to 48 points. New Mexico State hits only 15 of 46 shots from the field.

Next up: Arizona travels to Michigan for a 10 AM, Saturday morning tip-off.

An early start for the Wildcats. Here's hoping the Wildcats get off to a good start against the Wolverines (6-3). Michigan is 4-0 at home this season, but lost on the road to Duke 79-69 on Dec. 3. Both teams have played Long Beach State this season. Arizona beat Long Beach at home 91-57, while the Wolverines knocked off the 49ers 85-61 in an early-season tourney in Puerto Rico.

B-ball Update: Fourth-ranked Wisconsin improved to 11-0 late last night with an easy 78-52 win over in-state rival Milwaukee.

Arizona Wildcats to face a real "big man" at McKale

Arizona Wildcats Basketball

The Arizona Wildcats take on the New Mexico State Aggies on Wednesday night at McKale and the visitors will bring with them a real BIG man.

The center for the Aggies is Sim Bhullar.

Bhullar is a 7-foot-5 sophomore and tips the scales at 360 pounds and he has a younger brother, Tanveer, who the Aggies are redshirting this season. His brother is 7'3" and the two of them will be quite the twin-tower combo in 2014.

As for Sim, who hails from Toronto and played high school ball in Huntington, West Virgina, he averaged 10.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.4 blocks a game as a freshman, which earned him WAC Freshman of the Year honors.

Okay, Mr. Tarczewski, you'd better lace up those over-sized tennis shoes you have for tomorrow night.

Photo: That's the little fella on the left.

Team Priceless rolls into fantasy league semifinals

UPC Hood Fantasy Football League

Team Priceless



Team Priceless won its quarterfinal matchup in Week 14 of the UPC Hood Fantasy Football League, getting fantasy-point production from everyone in the lineup en route to a 155-88 win over Nut Rub to advance to the league's semifinals in Week 15.

New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees led the onslaught with 36 fantasy points, but it didn't stop there as Marques Colston (24 points), Antonio Brown (19), DeSean Jackson (10), Rashard Mendenhall (10), DeMarco Murray (14), Julius Thomas (9) and newly-acquired Marcel Reece, a surprising 21 fantasy points, lifted Team Priceless (9-5) to its ninth win of the season.

Four teams remain as Team Priceless, the fifth seed, will take on the No. 1 seed Three Feet Right (11-2) this week, while Team Arps (10-4), the third seed, takes on the No. 2 seed, Assassins (10-3) in the other semifinal matchup.

Team Arps rolled to its quarterfinal win with a convincing 147-91 win over Peach Fuzz Manholes, while Three Feet Right and the Assassins were able to sit back and enjoy a bye.

As for Three Feet Right, its star running back Adrian Peterson (Vikings) was hurt in Week 14 and is questionable  for Week 15. That could be a big blow to the top-seeded Three Feet Right.

Three Feet Right still has plenty of firepower, including Dallas quarterback Tony Romo, or they could go with Arizona quarterback Carson Palmer. Team Priceless will stick with Brees, no surprise there. Their back-up quarterback is Eli Manning (GIANTS) and hasn't been called upon all season.

The Assassins have Tom Brady (New England) or Matthew Stafford (Detroit) to choose from at the quarterback position, while Team Arps has a Philadelphia flavor to their squad with Nick Foles at the helm at quarterback and an outstanding running back in LeSean McCoy.

It's come down to the final four.

Let the fantasy points fall where they may.

Congrats, 'Cats…You're #1

Arizona Wildcats Basketball


The AP Poll came out today and as expected our Arizona Wildcats basketball team is ranked No. 1. Congrats, 'Cats! Now the fun begins as every opponent on the Wildcats' schedule will have that extra incentive to knock off the top-ranked team in the land.

First up: New Mexico State University. The Aggies come to town on Wednesday with guns a blazin' and the Wildcats hope to take away their firepower early, defend their home court and improve to 10-0.

The new top-10: 1) Arizona 2) Syracuse 3) Ohio State 4) Wisconsin 5) Michigan State 6) Louisville 7) Oklahoma State 8) Duke 9) UConn 10) Villanova. In the Pac-12, Oregon is ranked 15th this week and Colorado moves into the 21st spot.

I had the honor of shaking hands with Ka'Deem tonight

Arizona Wildcats Football

Ka'Deem Carey


I won't say I was dragged by my better half tonight to Loews Ventana Canyon to listen to an hour of Christmas caroling, I did go along willingly and has it turned out I was glad I did.

I ran into Ka'Deem Carey in the lobby. The Arizona running back was just finishing up an interview, along with a few of his teammates, who I figured out later were on hand for some interviews following the football team's banquet, which was held earlier in the evening at the resort.

I must say I was impressed with Mr. Carey, who was dressed in a suit and tie and was answering question after question from the reporters, while shading his eyes from the glare of the TV cameras.

I, of course, introduced myself as Carey walked away from his final interview. I shook hands with the young man and broke the ice by saying, "I see your uncle at least once a year," referring of course to Vance Johnson, the former University of Arizona running back who went on to play for the Denver Broncos.

Every year, I motor up to Parachute, Colorado to visit my son, who lives in the small burg which is located 35 miles east of Grand Junction. Johnson owns a restaurant/bar in Parachute and it is a well-known "watering hole" for my son and many residents in the area, and it's also a special stop-off point along I-70 for Bronco fans who travel east and west on the interstate on a daily bases.

Johnson was a member of the "Three Amigos" -- a trio of receivers from the 1980s who were on the receiving end of many passes from Denver quarterback John Elway.

Here we are close to 30 years later and it is Johnson's nephew, Carey, who is now in the spotlight. With over 4,000 career rushing yards, Carey heads into the AdvoCare Bowl in Shreveport, La. on New Year's Eve as the University of Arizona's all-time rushing record holder.

I patted Carey on the back as we parted ways tonight and told him how much I enjoyed watching him run up and down the football field this season. I almost asked him if he would be coming back to Arizona next season, but I didn't. The reporters had already floated that question once or twice tonight.

I hope he returns.

As for Vance, well if you're ever on I-70 and heading for Denver, stop-off at his place, VJ's Outlaw Ribbs, have a bite to eat and a cool one, take a look at the pictures on the wall, and, if you're lucky, Mr. Johnson may be around to talk some football.

Arizona to play Boston College at AdvoCare Bowl

Arizona Wildcats Football

AdvoCare V100 Bowl


The Arizona Wildcats will play Boston College in the AdvoCare V100 Bowl in Shreveport, La. on Dec. 31. Formerly called the Independence Bowl, this year's matchup will be televised on ESPN. Game time is set for 12:30 pm, Eastern Standard Time.

The matchup pairs the nation's top two running backs in Andre Williams from Boston College and Arizona's Ka'Deem Carey. Both running backs are finalist for the Doak Walker Award and will meet on Wednesday in Orlando for the announcement of the winner.

Need big fantasy-point production from Brees, Murray and Jackson in Week 14

UPC Hood Fantasy Football League

Team Priceless


Week 14 is the week of the first playoff games in the UPC Hood Fantasy Football League.

Needless to say, it's time for my key players on Team Priceless to step up and get the job done. I need a big day from New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees, Dallas running back DeMarco Murray and Philadelphia wide receiver DeSean Jackson, just to name a few. I could get some help from Denver tight end Julius Thomas and could get a little support from Arizona running back Rashard Mendenhall and Detroit's Joique Bell.

I've been hurt all year because I failed to pickup a marquee running back in the preseason draft and I've had to rely on my receivers to come through week after week. Some weeks it works, and sometimes it doesn't. Pittsburgh's Antonio Brown is another one of my receivers capable of putting up some big fantasy numbers. My other starting wide-out is New Orleans standout Marques Colston. He's been a quiet one of late, but I could certainly use some bonus points out of him this week.

My kicker this week is again Dan Bailey and my starting defense is Baltimore.

It's win or go home this week.

Go get 'em, Team Priceless.

Fantasy Update: Last minute change. I picked up Oakland fullback Marcel Reece and will put Reece in the starting lineup in place of Bell. I have New England's Stevan Ridley on the bench as well, but will wait a week to see how he does this week in his short playing time. Ridley, of course, has had trouble holding on to the ball of late and spends more time on the bench than in the game. We'll go with Reece today and hope for some fantasy points.

Grandson plays in FBU Championships in Scottsdale

Football University Championships

8th-grade division

My grandson, Jadon Price, played in the the first round of the FBU Championships last night at Saguaro High School in Scottsdale. Jadon #21, shown above) is a 5-foot-4, 120-pound defensive back for the eighth-grade team representing Southern Arizona.

Football University is an invitation-only, one-of-kind football training experience focusing on developing and enhancing the play-making ability and skill of elite-level athletes in 6th to 11th grade. The training is provided by the NFL's top coaches and players.

This week is the first week of this year's national championships for the young football players as 64 teams from all over the United States and Canada compete in a single elimination tournament to see who is the national champion. Over 6,000 athletes are competing this year in three separate divisions -- 8th, 7th and 6th grade, all with a shot to the finals, which will be held later this month in San Antonio, Texas.

Championship Update: Jadon and his southern Arizona team lost 34-13 to Colorado last night as 150-pound running back Tyrese Bailey scored three touchdowns for the winners. Colorado will face Las Vegas today for the right to advance to the next round.

Congrats, Jadon and to his southern Arizona teammates for a job well done.

Wildcats edge UNLV, eye the top spot in the country

Arizona Wildcats Basketball


On a night when the shots weren't falling, the second-ranked Arizona Wildcats find a way to win.

The Wildcats edge UNLV, 63-58, thanks to the second-half play by point-guard T.J. McConnell at McKale today to improve to 9-0 on the season and should be awarded the No. 1 spot  in the country when the next AP Poll is released on Monday.

It wasn't easy disposing of UNLV as the Wildcats shot 41 percent from the field, making 28 of 67 shots and were forced to battle back after being down 42-39 at the half. With McConnell at the helm, the Wildcats outscored the Running Rebels in the second half 24-16. McConnell finished with 13 points, six assists and five rebounds.

Brandon Ashley chipped in 13 points as well, while Kaleb Tarczewski and Nick Johnson added 12 apiece. Johnson was 4 of 15 from the field. Aaron Gordon went 2 of 10 from the field for four points, but hauled in eight rebounds to tie Tarczewski in that category.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson came off the bench once again and filled the stats sheet with nine points, seven rebounds and six assists.

Congrats, to the No. 1 Wildcats!

Arizona Wildcats on the verge of a No. 1 ranking

Arizona Wildcats Basketball


With a win on Saturday afternoon over visiting UNLV, the Arizona Wildcats could be and should be the No. 1 team in college basketball.

Michigan State, the top-ranked team the past three weeks, lost at home tonight to the visiting North Carolina Tar Heels, 79-65, opening the door for second-ranked Arizona to vault to No. 1.

The Wildcats (8-0) will need to take care of business at McKale and dispose of UNLV (3-3) on Saturday. One of the Runnin' Rebels three losses this season was to Arizona State. The Sun Devils beat UNLV in Las Vegas by a score of 86-80 on Nov. 19.

Go get 'em, Wildcats!

Wildcats crush Red Raiders

Arizona Wildcats Basketball


The second-ranked Arizona Wildcats toyed with Texas Tech tonight at McKale Center en route to an easy 79-58 win over the Red Raiders.

Too many turnovers, too many missed free throws and a couple of ill advised dunk attempts from the Wildcats, but they still cruised to their eighth win of the year as they unleashed plenty of firepower with three players -- Nick Johnson, Aaron Gordon and Brandon Ashley -- combining for 55 points. Ashley grabbed 10 rebounds for a double-double and point guard T.J. McConnell dished out 10 assists, grabbed five rebounds and scored five points.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson continues to produce off the bench with nine points and eight rebounds, while Gabe York, despite going 3 for 10 from the field, netted eight points to go along with two rebounds and two assists.

Still, you get the feeling Coach Sean Miller will have a lot to say to his troops before next Saturday's home encounter with UNLV.

The Wildcats made 19 of 33 free throws, that's an improvement of sorts over previous games, but still that's 14 points down the drain and as for the turnovers, 15 in all on the night. Of course, when you hit 50 percent of your shots (25-50), knock down 10 of 22 from beyond the three-point line and grab 43 rebounds to your opponents 23, you can get away with a few negatives.

One thing is for sure, this team is GOOD!

So that's enough nitpicking. Way to go, Wildcats!

A little rain, Thanksgiving holiday kept TOTS' games to a minimum in November

TOTS Senior Baseball Network (TSBN)

60-and-over baseball


A little bit of rain and the Thanksgiving holiday cut into "playing time" for the members of the Tucson Old Timers (TOTS) baseball club, but it certainly didn't hurt the all-around batting statistics of 63-year-old Lloyd Barzell during the month of November.

Barzell played in all eight games in November and collected 18 hits in 25 trips to the plate for a sizzling .730 average. He scored nine runs, second only to Brian Reilly who crossed the plate 12 times, while knocking in 10 runs, which tied him for second in that category.

Tim Tolson was the RBI leader for the month with 15, while Pete Peters ended up with 10 and Pigpen Price was fourth with eight runs batted in.

Tolson went 10 for 17 (.568), Peters hit safely 10 times in 24 trips to the plate for a .417 average, while Reilly went 11 for 26 for a .423 average.

Other top hitters for the month include: Bob Daliege (6 for 14, .429 in just five games), Dennis Crowley (8 for 17, .471 in six games) and Ron Carlson (8 for 24, .333 in eight games).

The TOTS close out the year with 11 games scheduled for the month of December.

Team Priceless garners fifth-seed for playoffs in fantasy league

UPC Hood Fantasy Football League

Team Priceless


My fantasy team, Team Priceless, didn't fare to well in Week 13 of the UPC Hood Fantasy Football League.

The bad news for my 8-5 team included a dismal performance in Seattle from my quarterback Drew Brees as the Saints (9-3) were blown out of the stadium, losing 34-7 to the Seahawks (11-1).

Could any NFL team have beaten the Seahawks on Monday night? What a total domination and the crowd, where do they find such crazy football fans?

I hope Brees can recoup this week because I could certainly use some fantasy points from him next Sunday against Carolina as I go up against Nut Rub (8-5) in the first round of the playoffs. As luck would have it, I will go up against Carolina quarterback Cam Newton.

The good news is Team Priceless made the playoffs for the first time in four years and the eight wins is the most games I've won since becoming a member of the UPC Hood Fantasy Football League.

Of course, the team to beat this year is Three Feet Right (11-2). They own the top spot heading into the playoffs, while the Assassins (10-3) own the second seed. Team Arps (9-4) will be the third seed, Nut Rub the fourth and my Team Priceless ends up with the fifth seed. The Peach Fuzz Manholes gets the sixth seed with a 7- 6 record.

Wish me luck.

Arizona Wildcats ranked 2nd in the country

Arizona Wildcats Basketball


With its win over Duke in the NIT Season Tip-off title game at Madison Square Gardens last week, the Arizona basketball team moves to No. 2 in the country according to the latest AP Poll, released today.

Only Michigan State garnered enough votes to stay in first place. Kentucky, Syracuse and Ohio State round out the top five. Duke falls to the 10th spot.

Arizona takes on Texas Tech tomorrow night at McKale.

Keep it going, Wildcats!

There was no way out

Arizona Wildcats Football


As the clocked ticked away the final seconds of the first quarter it was obvious the Arizona Wildcats were in trouble.

In front of 72,000 screaming fans at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe last night, the Wildcats were in over their head and not even the top running back in the nation, Ka'Deem Carey, would turn out to be the problem solver on this night.

It was all ASU from the get-go, a 13-0 lead at the end of the quarter, a 30-7 bulge by halftime, a 44-21 margin at the end of the third quarter and, sadly, a 58-21 final in favor of the bad guys.

The worst beating -- the most lopsided loss since 1996. A week ago, the Wildcats were giant killers as they knocked off Oregon at Arizona Stadium. Last night, Arizona was simply "roadkill" as the Sun Devils rolled…and rolled…and rolled.

The sting of the loss will remain in the minds of the Wildcats for a long time to come. In fact, it just may keep the fire burning inside of Carey to the point that he just might return in 2014 to build on those 4,000-plus rushing yards.

The Wildcats have a lot of work to do and this Arizona fan, for one, hopes Carey will return to lead the charge.

It might be wishful thinking on my part, but after watching Carey perform week in and week out, and then witnessing his demeanor on the Wildcats' sideline as the final second ticked away last night, I get the feeling the young man is looking ahead to a November night at Arizona Stadium in 2014 when Carey and Company get their payback.

But, that's just me thinking. I'm a diehard Wildcat fan and I've tried all season to put myself in Carey's cleats and run up and down the football field and just "feel" the excitement as I dart left and right and then carry two would-be-tacklers into the end zone with me.

Come back, Carey. We need you!

Arizona knocks off Duke, wins NIT Season Tip-Off

Arizona Wildcats Basketball


Five players scored in double figures and the fourth-ranked Arizona Wildcats beat Duke 72-66 at Madison Square Gardens tonight and walked away with the NIT Season Tip-Off Championship.

Arizona (7-0) received an outstanding performance from guard Nick Johnson who tossed in 15 points, scoring 13 of those points in the second half and had plenty of help from his teammates as Brandon Ashley chipped in 13 points, while Aaron Gordon, T.J. McConnell and Kaleb Tarczewski added 10 apiece. Tarczewski hauled down nine rebounds and Gordon pulled down seven boards, while McConnell did his job from the point guard position with eight assists.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Gabe York completed the Wildcats scoring with seven points apiece as Arizona trailed by three at the half, 36-33, but put together a 24-8 run midway through the second half and held on to beat the Blue Devils, handing them their second loss of the year.

Way to go, Wildcats.

Arizona beats Oregon in football, Duke in basketball and will go for the Trifecta tomorrow night in Tempe when they tangle with the Arizona State Sun Devils in the final regular-season football game of the year.

Could it be a Trifecta?

It's Duke against our Arizona Wildcats basketball team today in the NIT Season Tip-off final at Madison Square Gardens and tomorrow it's the regular-season football finale in Tempe as the 'Cats invade Sun Devil Stadium.

After the Wildcats upset win over Oregon last Saturday at Arizona Stadium, it is now possible for our 'Cats to post a Trifecta. Win all three and the Wildcats plane ride home from New York and the journey south on I-10 back to Tucson may become the post game celebration of all time by the players involved.

Not to mention the Arizona fans who will be taking it all in with a turkey sandwich in one hand and their favorite beverage in the other as they set back in their favorite easy chair and witness the two events on the tube.

Of course, the Las Vegas odds makers aren't giving our Wildcats a chance. For some reason (that Eastern bias for one) has sixth-ranked Duke favored by a slim margin (at least) over the fourth-ranked Wildcats.

As for the football game up in Tempe, well the odds makers have the Sun Devils a two-touchdown favorite. After all, ASU is ranked and the Wildcats are still struggling to get an also-ran vote in the top 40.

Come on Wildcats, bring home the hardware from the Big Apple and grab a hold of the Territorial Cup and roll out of Tempe with a collective fist pump and some "bragging rights" for a year.

This would be one Trifecta ticket worth having.

Go, Wildcats!

Big Man shines as Wildcats come from behind to beat Drexel

Arizona Wildcats Basketball


Drexel was having its way with the Wildcats, until the sleeping giant woke up.

Arizona's 7-foot center Kaleb Tarczewski recorded his first double-double of the season with 15 points, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots to lead the Wildcats to a come-from-behind 66-62 win over Drexel in a semi final matchup tonight at the NIT Season Tip-off Tournament.

Down by 19 points midway through the first half, the fourth-ranked Wildcats rallied behind the play of Tarczewski, along with the guard play of Nick Johnson (20 points) and T.J. McConnell (11 points) and an all-around performance from Aaron Gordon (10 points, 13 rebounds) to pick up their sixth win of the season.

The win puts Arizona (6-0) into the title game on Friday at Madison Square Gardens against the sixth-ranked Duke Blue Devils (6-1).

Wildcats ranked 4th this week in AP Poll

Arizona Wildcats Basketball


The Arizona Wildcats basketball team moved up to fourth in the nation this week, just behind Michigan State, Kansas and Kentucky in the AP Poll.

Kentucky (4-1) has a loss, while the other top four are unbeaten. Duke (5-1) maintains sixth place behind unbeaten Oklahoma State.

That Eastern bias still raises its ugly head. Of course, a win over Drexel today and probably Duke on Friday should serve notice to all those powers-to-be who make up the rankings that Arizona should not only be in the top four, but maybe even higher.

It's possible Duke may not get by Alabama in the NIT semi-finals and it's also possible Arizona could drop their semi final game to Drexel. It wouldn't be the end of world for the teams involved if that scenario pans out, but it certainly would be nice to see our Wildcats go into the Big Apple and take care  of business.

The fact we are still in November and the Arizona Wildcats are ranked in the top five nationally is a good indication that coach Sean Miller has his troops primed for a run to the Final Four.

Good luck, Wildcats! Turn some heads in New York and come home with the trophy.

Team Priceless moves into 3rd place in Fantasy Football League

UPC Hood Fantasy Football League

Team Priceless


My fantasy team, Team Priceless, won its third matchup in a row in Week 12 of the UPC Hood Fantasy Football League. With 23 fantasy points from New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees and another 15 markers from Pittsburgh's wide-receiver Antonio Brown, Team Priceless improves to 8-4 in league play -- just two games behind the league leader, Three Feet Right (10-2).

The final week of the regular fantasy season -- Week 13 -- will pit Team Priceless against Peach Fuzz Manholes (6-6) as Brees and San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers will lock horns. Team Priceless is a 20-point favorite in that matchup and should wrap up a three-seed for the playoffs with a win.

TOTS Blue 1, TOTS Gold 0…the date: April 6, 1984

TOTS Senior Baseball Network (TSBN)

60-and-over baseball


Shuffling through the Tucson Old Timers (TOTS) archives, I ran across a box score, if you will, of a game played at Himmel Park on April 6, 1984 -- 29 years and seven months ago!

Back then, some of the players had their own "handle" or nickname, just like the current TOTS. For instance, the cleanup hitter for the Blue Squad was "One Hop" Charlie Catuna. Charlie followed Dick Barnes, Mat del Janovan and Bunny Bechtold in the lineup. The rest of the Blue Squad lineup included Ed Holden, Tommy Phillips, Terry Overgard, Yankee Figueroa, Walt Richmond, Andy Buchner, Bert Hough and Clarence Fieber.

The Gold Squad had Slim Elmer Fisher batting 10th in their lineup. The rest of the 12-player lineup included Joe Tappero, Larry Aguillar, Sam Steg, Bill Tapolscany, Arnie Quintera, J.J. Zeller, Jim Holmes, Jack Harrison, Mike Aicher, Eldon Pickett and Gene Oxholdt.

All the men ranged in age from 60 to 79. In fact, Jim Holmes, was celebrating his 71st birthday on the day of the game. As for Clearence Fieber, well he's a familiar name among the current TOTS. Fieber was 64 years old at the time and he went on to play 27 more years with the TOTS.

The game on April 6, 1984 was won by the Blue Squad by a score of 1-0. The only run scored that day   was on a ground out by Fieber in the top of the second inning. The game went five innings and Tommy Phillips was the winning pitcher. The Blue Squad could muster up just three hits in the game and the Gold Squad finished with just three hits as well.

The oldest player on the field that day was Mike Aicher. Mr. Aicher was the top pitcher for the TOTS back "in the day." A left-hander, Aicher once pitched for Princeton in the 1920s.

You gotta love it.

Nothing has changed with the Tucson Old Timers. Only the dates -- those special moments in time -- are different.

It's Duck Soup on a cold and rainy day at Arizona Stadium

Arizona Wildcats Football


The Arizona Wildcats football team pulls off the upset of the season, upsetting the fifth-ranked Oregon Ducks 42-16 today at Arizona Stadium.

Before the game was over the sun decided to shine after 24 consecutive hours of rain and emerging from the dark clouds over the Catalina Mountains was a Wildcat team which went from a so-so football team just a week ago with a devastating loss on the same field against Washington State to a signature win for Coach Rich Rodriquez today -- the result of which gives them a shot at an eight-win regular season as they head north next Saturday to face in-state rival Arizona State.

All of a sudden, the Wildcats are 7-4 and no longer are they looking at a 6-6 season, but instead, have put themselves in line for a great finish to the season and a chance, if they were to keep the same intensity that they showed today against the Ducks, to beat the Sun Devils and then head to a more prestigious bowl game, possibly on New Year's Day.

Eighteen seniors and more than likely Ka'Deem Carey just played their last game at Arizona Stadium -- a game they all will remember for years to come. Carey pounds his way to 206 rushing yards and four touchdowns and in doing so broke just about every career rushing record at Arizona.

Even with Carey's performance, it was quarterback B.J. Denker stealing the show as he called an almost perfect game, completing 19 of 22 passes for 178 yards and two scores, while rushing for 102 yards on 14 carries.

There's nothing quite like a college football game. It's a game involving 19, 20 and 21-year-old young men and sometimes you just have to scratch your ahead and say, "What just happened?"

What just happened was a Wildcat football team finding itself today for 60 minutes and was by far the best team on the field. The Ducks were favored by three touchdowns and ranked No. 5 in the country.

The Ducks found the water not to their liking at Arizona Stadium today.

There is only one way to keep a TOT off the baseball field…Rain!

TOTS Senior Baseball Network (TSBN)

60-and-over baseball

There is only one way to keep a player on the Tucson Old Timers (TOTS) baseball team off the field.

Take a look at the TOTS' infield this morning.

See above photo. The infield at Tucson Udall Park after 24 consecutive hours of rain.

Oregon loves the rain...

Arizona Wildcats football


The Oregon Ducks will be right at home this afternoon at Arizona Stadium.

Already three touchdown favorites, the Ducks may win by four or five scores.

Then again, don't count out the Arizona Wildcats.

This diehard Wildcat fan is back, cheering on the Wildcats, hoping and praying for an upset that would get my favorite team to seven wins, followed next week with a come-from-behind victory -- a last-second Hail Mary pass in Tempe over the arch-rival Arizona State Sun Devils and an eight-win regular season.

I'm still a dreamer after all these years!

If this rain keeps up Ka'Deem Carey will need to be in a canoe to gain the yardage needed to become Arizona's all-time running back.

The Day After...

The day after JFK was shot, I crammed for a Zoology test. I quickly memorized fifty words which would help me dissect a question and come up with a reasonable answer and help me gain a C- on an exam -- resulting in a passing grade on a topic which I would never use again in my lifetime.

I was a freshman in college, just six months out of high school…a child if you will. I knew very little about life at that moment, but I was learning fast. The president of the United States was gone and every black and white TV in the student union building was blaring away, giving us bits and pieces of what had transpired the past 24 hours.

I would tuck away, in the back of my mind, one of the most dramatic, earth-shattering moments of the 1960s and go on with my young life. Within a year, I would be married and have a kid on the way. (My goodness, that kid is now 49 and will turn 50 in 2014!). Somehow, someway I got something right as my first born is now a Captain with the local fire department and goes about his daily routine of answering emergency calls and saving lives.

Less than four years later, I would be the proud papa of a second son, now 45, a mountain of a man who lives in Colorado and at one point during his high school days, averaged 20 points a game for his basketball team and once struck out 13 in a high school baseball game.

I'm 68 years old now with six grandchildren and a lifetime of memories. I've made my share of mistakes, made some good decisions and my share of bad decisions.

I've tried to recall why I even took Zoology, back in 1963, and why I had to cram for that test on the day after JFK was shot. Chances are, I was to board the college school bus later in the day and head for a basketball game at a community college in Phoenix.

I was the school's sports publicist and I was on the road a lot, traveling to football games in places like Trinidad, Colorado, or basketball games in St. George, Utah, or, my most fondest memory, not only writing about, but playing on the college baseball team and going up against the one and only Reggie Jackson on a Saturday afternoon. The site: Eastern Arizona College in Thatcher, Arizona. The game: the Eastern Arizona Gila Monsters vs. the Arizona State freshmen baseball team.

Oh, how things have changed in 50 years. I'm a gray-haired old man now, still trying to play baseball as a member of the Tucson Old Timers (TOTS) -- the oldest old-timers baseball team in the country.

My teammates on the TOTS ( they range in age from 60 to 88), if they were so inclined, could sit down and type away, recalling in print their life experiences and most of them can recall their moment in time when JFK was shot.

Why, am I rambling this morning? Well, it has been raining for hours -- probably the biggest nonstop rain shower Tucson has had since 1963. Our TOTS' baseball game was cancelled yesterday and…if I keep hearing that pitter-patter on the roof of my house, then chances are next week's games will be cancelled as well.

But, it is also the week before Thanksgiving. Time to sit back and relive a lifetime of memories and be thankful I'm still alive and kicking…still able to pull a baseball glove over my Arthritic thumb joints and play the game of baseball.

It's been almost six years since my quadruple bypass, since that moment in time on Jan. 2, 2008 when the doctor stood over me and told me my widow maker was 99 percent clogged, and if I wanted to keep on plugging with my life, they would need to open up my chest and go to work.

I battled for months, first with baby steps, followed by a walk in the park, then months of rehab…and finally, believe it or not, by late April I was playing with the TOTS…and haven't looked back.

I'm upright and kicking and I think about the little things in life and I'm thankful to be alive and can still move my fingers across a keyboard and can still enjoy playing America's favorite pastime at the age of 68.

There may come a time I can't play baseball anymore. And there may come a time when I can't type away on my old laptop. But for now, I can do both and I'm thankful for that.

As for the sign of the times, a lot has happened since Lee Harvey Oswald took the life of John F. Kennedy. There has been war, continuous war…we have lost Martin Luther King, Bobby Kennedy and a little over a decade ago, there was 9/11.

An endless stream of tragedies...somehow we are still here, and I for one, can listen to the raindrops on the roof.

61-year-old hits a grand slam at Udall Park

TOTS Senior Baseball Network (TSBN)

60-and-over baseball

Team White  5  Team Blue  4

Tim Tolson, 61, is a home run hitter, make no mistake about it.

If Tolson gets the right pitch or, as they say, if the pitch is in his wheelhouse, look out!

The right field fence at Udall is 300 feet from home plate and today Tolson crushed a ball 342 feet and if a tree hadn't gotten in the way, chances are the ball would have reached Kolb Road, which is the first thoroughfare west of the park.

In a 60-and-over old-timers game this morning, Tolson (photo above) found a fastball from 68-year-old right-hander Pigpen Price to his liking and put the pitch into orbit. The swat, with the bases loaded, gave Team White a 5-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning over Team Blue.

"I said the heck with it and tried to throw one by him (Tolson)," said Price, who has a habit of getting off to a slow start on the mound before battling back. "I put myself in a bad spot and I paid the Price, no pun intended."

A hit, a walk and an error set the table for Tolson's blow and when he swung there was no question on where the ball was going.

"I'm pretty sure I got all of that one," said Tolson, who is in his second season with the Tucson Old Timers (TOTS) -- the baseball organization which has been around for 45 years.

As for Price, he shook off the blow and settled in for the next six innings, allowing no more runs, as Team Blue actually pulled within one run at 5-4 in the top of the seventh and final inning.

Sixty-three year-old Lloyd Barzell went the distance for Team White, but needed to get by the top of the Team Blue lineup in the seventh. And he got it done. Lead-off man Brian Reilly, Price and Pete Peters hit hard hit ground balls -- two of which were scooped up by Team White shortstop Ed Rife, 76, and another back-handed down the first baseline by 75-year-old first-sacker Denny Leonard.

"It was the best game of the month," said base umpire Jeff Rein. "The game could have gone either way."

Price found his fastball and his control in the middle innings and cruised through the next five innings, while Barzell pitched well and hung on for the win.

The first inning belonged to Tolson and Team White. The next six innings resulted in a 4-0 blanking by Price and Team Blue. That's baseball! Old-time baseball, that is!

Wildcats steam roll their way to the Big Apple

Arizona Wildcats Basketball


The Arizona Wildcats roll over Rhode Island 87-59 and head for the Big Apple next week with a full head for steam.

Clicking on all cylinders, the Wildcats overwhelmed the Rams at McKale Center tonight, jumping out to a 43-19 halftime lead and once again cleared the bench in the second half. Brandon Ashley  led the way with 16 points and Nick Johnson had a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds, while T.J. McConnell continues his outstanding point guard play with five assists to go along with seven points and two rebounds.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson added 13 points and Aaron Gordon chipped in 12 points, seven rebounds and two assists. Gabe York and Kaleb Tarczewski tossed in eight points apiece. Elliott Pitts hit a three-pointer as the final seconds ticked away to complete the scoring for the Wildcats.

Arizona, ranked fifth in the country, improves to 5-0 on the young season and is on a collision course to face Duke at the NIT preseason tournament in New York. The Wildcats take on Drexel on Nov. 27 and if everything goes according to plan will face the Blue Devils for the title on Nov. 29.

Farleigh Dickinson no match for 5th-ranked Wildcats

Arizona Basketball


The Farleigh Dickinson Knights were no match for the fifth-ranked Arizona Wildcats tonight at McKale Center.

For us old Wildcat fans who stayed up late to watch the 9 p.m. tip off, we certainly got our money's worth as Arizona (4-0) cleared the bench and led at the half 51-24 and cruised to a 100-50 victory in the first round of the NIT Season Tip-off.

Gabe York led the Wildcats with 20 points. Five Wildcats scored in double figures. Jacob Hazzard in mop-up duty netted a career-high eight points.

I'll try to get a nap or two tomorrow as the Wildcats have another late tip-off on Tuesday night as they take on Rhode Island, winners over Metro State earlier this evening by a score of 66-63.

Team Priceless moves into 4th place in 12-team fantasy football league

UPC Hood Fantasy Football League

Team Priceless


My Team Priceless moved into fourth place in the UPC Hood Fantasy Football League with a 114-91 win this week over the A-Team. Despite going up against Denver quarterback Peyton Manning, Team Priceless picked up a 26-fantasy-point effort from Pittsburgh wide receiver Antonio Brown and went on to win its seventh game of the season against just four losses.

Team Priceless trails Three Feet Right (9-2) and the Assassins (9-2) as Week 11 ends and Week 12 begins. Team Arps holds on to third place with an 8-3 record.

TOTS fan thinks 45-year-old baseball club needs a makeover

TOTS Senior Baseball Network (TSBN)

60-and-over baseball


Conrad Royksund, a former member of the Tucson Old Timers (TOTS) is a regular "bleacher bum" at the 60-and-over baseball club's games on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at Udall Park.

Royksund, who played for the TOTS in the mid 1990s, feels it's time for a team makeover…and he's offered the following as ideas for a uniform change and maybe a few facial changes. Says Royksund, "I think it's time for the old-timers to look the part."

WSU stuns Arizona

Arizona Wildcats Football


This one is a little hard to take.

A team comes to town on a losing streak after being outscored 162-83 in its past three games.

They have no running game and all they do is pass.

And the Arizona Wildcats can't stop them as Connor Halliday (he should be called Doc Holliday, because he shoots from the hip) throws 53 passes and connects 39 times for over 300 yards and the visiting Cougars from Washington State upset the Wildcats, 24-17.

Enough said.

Arizona falls to 6-4 on the season and 3-4 in the Pac-12 with Oregon and Arizona State still left on the regular season schedule. Oh yes, and a bowl game somewhere between El Paso, Texas and Albuquerque.

I'll take two aspirin and call my shrink in the morning…make that Monday morning, tomorrow is Sunday.

Sorry about that, I'm a frustrated Wildcat fan.

TOTS -- The Early Years Revisted

TOTS Senior Baseball Network (TSBN)

60-and-over baseball

The 45th year of the Tucson Old Timers (TOTS) baseball club is coming to a close. Six weeks are left in yet another season at Udall Park, the home field where the band of 60-and-over ball players gather  three days a week to play America's favorite pastime.

So much has been written about the TOTS this year in honor of their 45th season and I guess I'm the guilty party for most of the media coverage -- although we were honored this summer by former Tucson Citizen sports writer Steve Rivera, who put together a project which honored the current TOTS with individual posters, complete with a team photo, an individual shot and a summary, a glimpse if you will, into the life and times of each player.

Those poster proudly sit on the mantle in the homes of the TOTS, or the den of a respective family member, and undoubtedly, will be a point of conversation from time to time, after all, the TOTS are the oldest organized baseball team in the country, dating back to 1968 when founder Joe Gorman fielded his first TOTS' team.

Back in March, I wrote an article on Bookemdanosports which eventually caught the attention of Rivera and led to the project mentioned above. To refresh my readers' memory, I'll revisit the article and insert a copy of the post below. Then, I'll let you in on a little more to the story.


In 1968 a retired gentleman from New York City decided to spend his "golden years"  in the desert. Like so many other Easterners the gentleman found the climate in Tucson to his liking, but unlike many retirees, he couldn't sit around for hours in his patio each day and listen to the birds sing, nor was he about to resort to a friendly game of shuffleboard or a round of checkers every now and then.

No, Joe Gorman, who grew up playing America's favorite pastime in his New York neighborhood, wanted to continue to play the game of baseball --  even as a senior citizen. So, he organized the Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)...and that my friends was 45 years ago.

Gorman was confident, no, he was absolutely certain, that he could find some old-time ball players willing to meet three days a week at a city park and play the game of baseball. He had a vision that those old ball players, once they got wind of such an endeavor, would dust off their old leather gloves, grab their Louisville Slugger, kiss their wife on the cheek and head for the ball park.

Boy! Was he ever right.

For 45 years, the TOTS have assembled, first -- in the early years at Himmel Park, later on moving to Fort Lowell Park, before finding their home -- their current home, at Udall Park.

Gorman said, in an interview in mid-October of 1968, "Once a baseball player, always a baseball player."

The TOTS of the late-1960s and the early 1970s are gone now, but I envision them sitting outside the pearly gates every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, looking down on Udall Park and watching...and "jabbering" among themselves about the goings-on below with the latest flock of TOTS.

They laugh and even joke with their teammates in Heaven, at the speed of a current TOT, who was, at that very moment on earth,  trying his best to beat out a slow roller to first base. The "heavenly TOTS" of yesteryear would clap in unison at the conclusion of the game below, pick up their own baseball gear and head for their own ball game, to the big stadium in the sky where the turnstiles clang daily as the "heavenly baseball fans" fill the bleachers and roar their approval at every pitch.

I'm a TOT for life. I was recently named the club's historian -- keeper of all the boxes of artifacts, if you will, photos...stories...trophies, you name it, I have them now. The TOTS' albums are like reading a novel with characters of the 1960s, 1970s, the 1980s and 90s. Endless material on a group of men who love baseball.

I ran across the story of Bob Wolken. Bob was born in 1919 and passed away the winter of 1997. Just weeks before his death, he made sure his daughter, Marie, paid a full year of dues to the TOTS, even though he had been on the disabled list for more than a year.

Wolken, who played 15 years for the TOTS, was laid to rest in his TOTS' jacket and full pin-stripe uniform. "Take me out to the ball game" was the music selected for the organist to play. And, it was no coincidence that Bob's funeral service was held on a non-game day.

And then there's the story of Lee Moser, who was born during the fall of 1930. Moser joined the TOTS in 1992 and on March 20, 1995, while playing catcher for the TOTS, was critically injured on a collision with the runner at the plate.

Due to internal injuries, Lee was not expected to live, but recovered, and with the help of his family, battled back and not only lived but returned to the ball field -- back in full swing as a TOT.

Due to Moser's collision at home plate, the TOTS changed their bylaws to allow for an extra plate to be placed 10 feet from home plate. The runner must head for the offset target, while the catcher must receive the throw at home. If the catcher has possession of the ball, before the runner reaches the secondary plate, he is out.

Since then, no serious injury has occurred at home plate in a TOTS' game. Not saying there hasn't been injuries on the field of play over the years, because there certainly has -- just like in the big leagues.

The above stories of old-time baseball players like Joe Gorman, Bob Wolken and Lee Moser are just a few samplings I have run across as I slowly turn the pages of the TOTS' archives.

In 2018, the organization will celebrate 50 years and the "rookies" (those current TOT players who are 60 years of age) will have five years under their belt and will be veterans on the ball club. Chances are a new batch of "young" players, referred to by the club members as "the newbies" will filter in and join in the fun.

A never ending stream of baseball players, who can't, and won't, give up the game.

The founder of the TOTS had a vision and it certainly became a reality. A reality which will continue for years to come.

Photo above is Lee Moser, alive and kicking and setting in the bleachers at a recent TOTS game.

And now for the rest of the story.

I was enjoying a cup of coffee and some banana cream pie with my 86-year-old mother yesterday at a little cafe on Grant Road called ROBERTS (the restaurant has been around for a long time, maybe not as long as the TOTS, but close).

Guess who walks in? Mr. Lee Moser, himself, accompanied by his son. Moser walked up to our table and said, I know you, you play for the TOTS. You are one of the young TOTS.

I said, "not anymore. There's 25 guys younger than me."

There you have it, I just met a TOTS' legend.

I then said to the older gentleman standing in front of us: "I know you, you are Mr. Moser. You are the reason we have that extra home plate."

With his son smiling from ear to ear, we all rehashed the event of 18 years ago when Moser collided with the runner at the plate and ended up in the hospital, clinging for his life.

What a story. Here we are in the year 2013, the 45th year of the TOTS, and Mr. Moser is as chipper as ever and alive and well…and able to speak, to recall fully and to remember what he meant to the TOTS' organization.

Thank you, Mr. Moser…and we'll see you at the ballpark.

Gordon, Johnson leads Wildcats to win over San Diego State

Arizona Wildcats Basketball


Nick Johnson pumped in 23 points and Aaron Gordon scored 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds as the sixth-ranked Arizona Wildcats withstood a late run by San Diego State and knocked off the Aztecs  69-60 on their home floor.

In front of a hostile crowd, the Wildcats kept a double-digit lead for most of the game thanks to outstanding play from Gordon, Johnson and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who scored seven points, grabbed five rebounds and recorded one assist before fouling out late in the second half.

Arizona led 39-28 at the half and enjoyed leads up to 14 points as they crashed the boards time and time again and finished with 13 offensive boards and 39 total for the game. Once again, T.J. McConnell ran the point for the Wildcats and finished the night with six assists, four rebounds and seven points.

One big question going into tonight's game: Are the Arizona Wildcats for real? They sure are as they go into a hostile environment and take on a Steve Fisher coached team and come away with their third win of the season.

Good job, Wildcats!

Wildcats turn it on with a 91-57 win over Long Beach State

Arizona Wildcats Basketball


The sixth-ranked Arizona Wildcats turned it on at McKale Center tonight and rolled to their second win of the young season with a 91-57 victory over visiting Long Beach State.

Four players scored in double figures with Brandon Ashley leading the way with 16 points, while Nick Johnson, Gabe York and Aaron Gordon chipped in 14 apiece, with Gordon getting a double-double with 10 rebounds.

Of course running the floor was T.J. McConnell with eight assists, two rebounds and three points as the Wildcats sent 14 players to the court. Arizona shoots 58 percent from the field on a 34 for 58 shooting night -- including 7 of 17 from three-point land, four of those treys coming from York.

Kaleb Tarczewski came close to a double-double with 10 rebounds and nine points.

The crowd let out an extra roar in the closing minutes when freshman Trey Mason, son of former Wildcat Harvey Mason, hit a three-pointer.

The Wildcats upped their game after a so-so performance in their season opener against Cal Poly. Tonight it was all systems go from the opening tip.

Next up: Wildcats travel to San Diego State on Thursday, Nov. 14.

It's a breeze when you have Drew Brees on your Fantasy Football team

UPC Hood Fantasy Football League


Team Priceless


At times, it can be a breeze when you have New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees on your fantasy football team. I just happen to have Brees on my Team Priceless, which is one of 12 teams in the UPC Hood Fantasy Football League.

Brees goes wild against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday with 392 total passing yards and four touchdowns, good enough for 49 fantasy points as my Team Priceless comes from behind to beat its opponent, Suh-nami, 141-91.

The win improves my overall record to 6-4 and keeps me in the running for a playoff spot and an outside shot of still winning the league. Right now I'm setting in fifth place, two games back of the league leaders.

Next week, I'll battle it out with the A-Team as I go up against Peyton Manning. I'll probably need those 49 fantasy points next week for sure.

What's up (Myles) Jack? Bruins' linebacker turned running back beats Wildcats

Arizona Wildcats Football


What's up, Jack!

It's Myles Jack, a true freshman linebacker turned running back, who runs around and through the Arizona defense for 120 yards on six carries to give UCLA the spark it needed to escape Arizona Stadium tonight with a 31-26 win over the Wildcats.

Arizona tried its best to upset the 19th-ranked Bruins, but it wasn't to be as the Wildcats fall out of the race for the Pac-12 South and fall to a respectable 6-3 overall and a 3-3 record in the conference.

The Wildcats did a lot of things right tonight but Arizona coach Rich Rodriquez thinks differently as he pointed out after the game the mistakes his troops made, such as: blocking, tackling, catching…and the inability to score points once they're in the red zone.

Coach Rod summed in up by saying, "It was embarrassing!"

Still, at least from an Arizona fan perspective, the game kept me on the edge of my seat. Down 14-3 early, the Wildcats battled back and had plenty of opportunities to send UCLA home with a loss.

Bottom line: The Wildcats didn't get it done.

As far as Ka'Deem Carey is concerned, he did his thing again, rushing for 149 yards on 28 carries and a touchdown. Unfortunately, Mr. Jack stole the show and the game, rushing for 120 yards and a touchdown on just six carries and then stayed on the field as a linebacker.

Next up: Washington State.

Wildcats sluggish at free throw line but beat Cal Poly, 73-62

Arizona Wildcats Basketball


The Arizona Wildcats opened the 2013-14 season tonight at McKale with a 73-62 win over Cal Poly.

The 'Cats were sluggish at the free throw line, missing 16 of 36 shots. If Arizona could have canned half of those, chances are they would have won going away. But a win is a win and Sean Miller said after the game that he expected a tough game tonight.

And, he got just that.

Arizona led by three at the half, 37-34, and played better in the second half -- enjoying, at times, a lead of 15 points. The Wildcats ended up with six players in double figures with Aaron Gordon leading the way with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Gabe York had a career-high night with 12 points, five rebounds  and one assist, while Brandon Ashley collected 11 points and grabbed nine rebounds.

Nick Johnson tossed in 11 points, while Rondae Hollis-Jefferson netted 10 points and Kaleb Tarczewski, who did not start tonight as Miller decided to open the game with a three-guard offense,  chipped in 11 markers.

Arizona (1-0) takes on Long Beach State on Monday at McKale. Game time 8 p.m.

TOTS first-ever night game won by Team White

TOTS Senior Baseball Network (TSBN)

60-and-over baseball

Team White edged Team Blue 8-6 in a 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers (TOTS) baseball game at Udall Park tonight in front of 118  fans as the organization played its first-ever night game.

Lloyd Barzell started and pitched five innings for Team White, while Ed Rife hurled three innings for Team Blue and was saddled with the loss. Doc Thompson logged four innings in relief, while Dan Lundwall went two innings in relief.

John Misiaszek led Team White offensively with three hits in three plate appearances and knocked in three runs, while Pete Peters went 2 for 3 and scored a run for Team Blue. Ed Seelbinder and Denny Leonard combined to drive in four of Team Blue's six runs. Barzell helped his own cause with a three hit night and scored two runs. The top four batters in the Team White lineup -- Jim Sears, Pigpen Price, Bob Daliege and Barzell -- plated all eight runs as the four combined for three runs in the first inning and three more in the third, giving Team White a 6-4 lead after three innings of play.

Team Blue loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh and final inning, but Barzell struck out two batters and caught a line drive off the bat of Jesse Ochoa to end the game.

The first-ever night game for the TOTS was a huge success. TOTS' co-managers, Jeff Rein and Ron Carlson, were happy with the turnout and would like to schedule another game under the lights in the near future.

"I think everyone had a good time and the weather was great," Rein said, after the game. It was a beautiful night. I think it went well."

As for the players themselves. It was quite different playing under the lights. "It was hard to pick up the ball at times, but I think we all adapted pretty well,"  said Team White shortstop Pigpen Price.

The TOTS under the "Friday Night Lights". A great combination.


TOTS Boxscore:


                                       1    2    3    4    5      6     7      R      H 
TOTS Team White           3    0    3    0     0      2     0      8       9
TOTS Team Blue             2    2    0    0     0      0     2      6       8

TOTS Team White        AB-R-H-RBI

Jim Sears                           3-2-2-0    
Lloyd Barzell                      3-2-3-1
Pigpen Price                       2-2-0-1    
Bob Daliege                       2-2-0-0
Dave Rhoades                    3-0-0-2
John Misiaszek                   3-0-3-3
Floyd Lance                       3-0-0-1
Jerry Hamelin                     3-0-0-0
Carl Brutovsky                    3-0-0-0
Joe Aparicio                        3-0-1-0
Jerry Smarik                        3-0-0-0
Bob Katz                             2-0-0-0
Doc Thompson                    1-0-0-0                                
TTLS                                 34-8-9-8


TOTS Team Blue            AB-R-H-RBI

Dennis Crowley                    3-1-1-0                      
Jeff Rein                              3-1-1-0
Ed Rife                                3-1-1-0
Pete Peters                           3-1-2-0
Bob Stofft                            3-0-1-0
Ron Carlson                         2-0-0-0
Brian Reilly                          3-1-0-0
Ed Seebinder                        3-0-1-2
Jessie Ochoa                         3-1-0-1
Dick McAnally                      2-0-0-0                  
Denny Leonard                     2-0-1-2
Dan Lundwall                       2-0-0-1
Doc Thompson                     1-0-0-0
TTLS                                  33-6-8-6

WP  Barzell (1-0)                                  LP  Rife (0-1)

Pitching battery: Team White - Barzell, Thompson and Daliege; Team Blue -Rife, Thompson, Lundwall and Seelbinder, McAnally.
HP Price (Rife)
Umpires: Chico Bigham (HP), Denny Heath (1B),  Bob Royer (3B)
Scorekeeper: Jim Pagels
Site: Udall Park
Attendance: 118

It's time for the Wildcats to shine

During the next 48 hours, the Arizona Wildcats will get there chance to shine. First, it's the Arizona basketball team as they open their season at home tonight against Cal Poly, and secondly, we all know what's coming on Saturday night at Arizona Stadium as our Wildcats host UCLA.

Wins by both Wildcat teams would be perfect. I look for our basketball team to be a little sluggish at the start but should roll in the second half for an easy win. As for the football team, even with the great Ka'Deem Carey taking the majority of the snaps, I look for a close one. If, and it is a big if, the Arizona defense can keep the Bruins from entering the red zone, say less than three times, then the 'Cats could squeak out a victory and move (can you believe it?) to 7-2 on the season and with a 4-2 record in the conference would keep pace in the Pac-12 South.

Just for the fun of it, let's predict: Arizona 82-64 over Cal Poly and Arizona 31-28 over UCLA.

That would be nice!

The Old Boys of November

TOTS Senior Baseball Network (TSBN)

60-and-over baseball

The Old Boys of Summer have worked their way into November, believers still that the fence is an attainable goal. And sometimes it is, mostly as a way to keep the ball from rolling away.

Tim--big, strong Tim--is the only regular threat to the right field fence but, while hope may not spring eternal in the hearts of the ordinary mortals who make up most of the team, it does occasionally raise its head.

The TOTs--Tucson Old Timers--play ball the year around, moving the morning starting time up an hour in the summer to avoid midday heat, and back again in the fall to allow the sun to dry out the Park District watering schedule.

Later this week, I think for the first time, the team will play a night game, just for the fun of playing under the lights. Friends and relatives who have not reached the age when they might be eligible to join the TOTs (60), have been invited to see what baseball after 60 looks like--or more astoundingly--what a first baseman can do at 88. It isn't always pretty, but pretty has never applied to any of the guys who play autumn ball.

They are, as any of them will admit, if not a handsome lot, then at least durable, if viewed from a distance under the dim November lights.

Note: The above text was written by TOTS' bleacher bum Conrad Royksund, who makes it a point to wiggle into the stands behind home plate on occasion and watch the TOTS perform. His insight on the TOTS and the game of baseball is certainly a fresh approach, of which yours truly gets a kick out of. Conrad will be in the bleachers Friday night at Udall Park as the TOTS play their first-ever night game. For all my readers out there, come on down and watch the Old Boys of Summer, or, as Conrad puts it, the Old Boys of November. Game time is set for 6 p.m.

By the way, feel free to read Conrad's own blog at: www.smokesound.blogspot.com

Photos: At a recent day game, the TOTS huddle up and discuss the ground rules, while Bob Stofft makes himself comfortable outside the dugout and awaits the game's first pitch.

Reilly has his best month with the TOTS

TOTS Senior Baseball Network (TSBN)

60-and-over baseball

Brian Reilly, 62, is one of the rookies on the Tucson Old Timers (TOTS) and in October led the club in runs scored for the first time since joining the organization.  Reilly crossed the plate 19 times. Reilly also finished third in hits as he hit safely 15 times in 27 official at bats for the month. He also finished second in walks with six, just one behind the leader in that category, 76-year-old Bob Katz with seven.

Reilly batted .556  for the month and finished ahead of Pete Peters (17 for 33 for a .515 average) and Lloyd Barzell (17 for 35 and a .486  average). Barzell led the team in RBIs with 15.

Other top hitters with less than 10 games played includes: Bob Daliege (13 for 24, a .542 average in 8 games) and Dennis Crowley (12 for 18, a .667 average for six games), while Jeff Rein, playing in just five games, went 11 for 15 and a sizzling .733 average.

In the pitching category, Barzell led the way with a 3-0 record, while Ed Rife and Crowley were both 2-0. Billy Heiny, 84, finished the month with a 2-2 slate.
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The Return of Doc Thompson

TOTS Senior Baseball Network (TSBN)

60-and-over baseball

TOTS right-hander Doc Thompson has been chomping at the bit awaiting his return to the ball field at Udall Park and rejoin his teammates on the Tucson Old Timers baseball club.

Thompson, 71, arguably the hardest thrower on the 60-and-over baseball club, had knee surgery in August and wasn't expected to return to action until after the holidays. But Thompson said the heck with that and breezed through three months of rehab and took the mound today in what he refers to as "a rehab assignment."

His rehab assignment included five innings of work today as he struck out six and didn't walk a batter in a six inning game that saw Team Blue edge Team White, 2-1. Thompson pitched for Team White and was saddled with the loss, but in his first stint on the mound since the early part of July, was -- as they refer to it in the major leagues --  a quality start.

Thompson (photo above) allowed just three hits and mixed in a hand full of pitches -- including a fastball and a couple of breaking pitches, all of which had the majority of the Team Blue batters off balance.

"I wasn't to worried about the score," Thompson said. "I just wanted to go out there and get some work in." Thompson has been showing up at the ball field for the past couple of months and has put himself through a strenuous array of exercises in hopes of helping the process along so he could get back to what he likes to do best -- play baseball.

Of course, after exercising, Thompson would sit in the dugout and observe each game, wishing and waiting for the day he could return to the mound and terrorize his TOTS teammates.

Today, he did just that.

Almost overlooked today was the pitching of 63-year-old lefty Dennis Crowley. Crowley, who recently returned from the 2013 MSBL World Series, allowed just three hits as well. He walked one and struck out two batters.

Both pitchers did not allow an earned run. Tim Tolson, 61, broke a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the fourth inning when he singled in a run with a hard hit ball, which found its way through the hole between first and second base.

Fourteen of the TOTS, playing under the name Tucson Aces, recently returned from the senior World Series in Phoenix, and they could have used the offerings of Mr. Thompson at the week-long tournament, which included six games in four days.

What they lacked was a deep pitching staff as they failed to make the playoffs this past weekend.

Doc is back. It's too bad the Aces didn't have the luxury of having the hard-throwing right-hander on their pitching staff at the senior World Series. They certainly could have used him.

Way to go, Doc. Welcome back!

Photos: Top photo, Doc Thompson; bottom photo, Thompson unleashes a fastball (in his rehab assignment) to the plate to batter Pigpen Price. The catcher is Pete Peters.

Photo credit: Top photo, by Bookemdanosports, Bottom photo, by Conrad Royksund.