Saturday, December 31, 2022

5th-ranked Arizona improves to 2-1 in Pac-12 with 69-60 win over ASU

 Arizona Wildcats Basketball




It wasn't pretty. In fact, it was down right ugly for the first ten minutes of the second half as Arizona blew a 17-point lead but still found a way to beat ASU in Tempe today, 69-60.

The fifth-ranked Wildcats did everything right in the first twenty minutes and built a 45-28 lead over the Sun Devils but scored just 24 points the rest of the way. Fortunately, they could count on Azuolas Tubelis and Oumar Ballo to right the ship.

Tubelis scored 21 points and grabbed nine rebounds, while Ballo, despite early foul trouble, finished with a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Arizona shot just 37.7 percent from the field (20 of 53), but Arizona State couldn't sizzle the nets on its homecourt either, hitting just 25 of 69 from the field for 36.2 percent. Arizona made 24 of 28 free throws, while the Sun Devils were 7 of 10 from the charity stripe.

The Wildcats improved to 13-1 and 2-1 in the Pac-12 Conference, while the Sun Devils dropped to 11-3 on the season and 2-1 in the conference.

Thursday, December 22, 2022

Ballo, Tubelis almost perfect from the field in 93-68 win over Morgan State

Arizona Wildcats Basketball


Oumar Ballo (21) and Azuolas Tubelis (26) combined for 47 points, 15 rebounds, and five assists to lead Arizona to a 93-68 win over Morgan State at McKale tonight. The two big men combined for 17 of 18 field goal attempts as the 5th-ranked Wildcats head into the Christmas break with a 12-1 record.

Courtney Ramey finished in double figures with 13 points, seven assists and three rebounds as Arizona shot 57.6 from the field (34 of 59) and made eight of 25 from long range while out rebounding Morgan State, 45-21.

Up next: Pac 12 foe Arizona State in Tempe on New Year's Eve.


 

Tuesday, December 20, 2022

5th-ranked Wildcats use Kriisa's 3-pointers to beat Montana State, 85-64

Arizona Wildcats Basketball

Arizona  85  Montana State 64



The 5th-ranked Arizona Wildcats, behind six 3-pointers from point guard Kerr Kriisa, improved to 11-1 with an 85-64 win over Montana State at McKale tonight. 

Montana State borrowed from Utah's playbook in this one. And why not? Arizona's only loss this season came at the hands of the Utes as they packed the paint and forced the Wildcats to shoot from the outside back on December 1 in Salt Lake City.

Arizona had an off night against Utah, but not tonight, as Kriisa took care of matters with 18 points on six of 10 field goal attempts, while five of his teammates also hit double figures. 

Cedric Henderson Jr. made sure the Wildcats added some bench points tonight with 16 points, Azuolas Tubelis collected 14, Pelle Larsson 12, Courtney Ramey 10, and Oumar Ballo provided a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Way to go, Wildcats!

Photo: Kriisa

Saturday, December 17, 2022

Arizona edges 6th-ranked Volunteers, 75-70

Arizona Wildcats Basketball

The Wildcats were ready for prime time tonight...

Arizona 75 Tennessee 70



The 9th-ranked Arizona Wildcats battled 6th-ranked Tennessee from the tipoff to the final buzzer at McKale tonight and came away with a 75-70 win to improve to 10-1.

All 75 points came from the Wildcats' starting five.

Azuolas Tubelis played 35 minutes, scored 19 points, and grabbed nine rebounds.

Oumar Ballo played 30 minutes, scored 18 points, and hauled in eight rebounds.

Pelle Larsson played 36 of the 40 minutes, netted 17 points, grabbed eight boards, and dished out four assists.

Courtney Ramey played 31 minutes and canned four 3-pointers and a free throw for 13 points.

Kerr Kriisa ran the show for 32 minutes and finished the night with eight points and five assists.

Arizona out rebounded Tennessee 38-30 and shot 42.6 percent from the field (23 of 54) but struggled from long range, canning five of 24 attempts.

Tennessee falls to 9-2.

Way to go, Wildcats! 


Tuesday, December 13, 2022

9th-ranked Arizona gets 51 bench points in rout over Islanders

 Arizona Wildcats Basketball

The 9th-ranked Arizona Wildcats won 99-61 at McKale tonight over Texas A&M --Corpus Christi and received 51 points off the bench thanks in part to a career-high 16 points from freshman Henri Veesaar (photo left) to improve to 9-1 on the season.

Arizona cleared the bench early in this one and shot 56.7 percent from the field (34 of 60), including 15 3-pointers. Azuolas Tubelis and Oumar Ballo did their thing early and then found a spot on the bench. Tubelis scored 20 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, while Ballo contributed 13 points and eight rebounds.

Cedric Henderson. Jr. played just 19 minutes and also finished in double figures with 11. Pelle Larsson chipped in nine points, and Kyle Boswell, subbing for a sickly Kerr Kriisa, scored eight points, grabbed seven boards, and dished out eight assists.

Up next:  #6 Tennessee (9-1) on Saturday at McKale.

Saturday, December 10, 2022

10th-ranked Arizona takes down No. 14 Indiana, 89-75

Arizona Wildcats Basketball

Las Vegas, Nevada

Arizona  89  Indiana 75




Azuolas Tubelis scored 21 points and grabbed seven rebounds, while Oumar Ballo collected a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds as 10th-ranked Arizona took down 14th-ranked Indiana 89-75 in Las Vegas tonight.

Arizona shot 49.2 percent from the field (31 of 63) and made 10 of 25 from long range to dispose of a talented Indiana team. The Wildcats led 46-36 at the end of the first half and received double-figure scoring from Pelle Larsson with 16 points, while point-guard Kerr Kriisa scored 14 points and dished out seven assists.

Adama Bal contributed off the bench with three 3-pointers.

Arizona improved to 8-1 on the season, while Indiana dropped to 8-2.

Way to go, Wildcats!


Sunday, December 4, 2022

Arizona takes down winless Cal, 81-68

 Arizona Wildcats Basketball




Azuolas Tubelis scored 25 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, while Oumar Ballo chipped in 17 points and blocked four shots as the Arizona Wildcats knocked off winless California 81-68 at McKale Center today for its first Pac-12 Conference win of the season.

Arizona (7-1, 1-1) didn't exactly roll over the Golden Bears (0-9, 0-2). The Wildcats led at the half, 42-33, and outscored California 39-35 in the final 20 minutes.

For the second game in a row, the 4th-ranked Wildcats were without their shooting touch from beyond the arc as they went 4 for 20. However, Arizona took care of the ball in this one, committing just five turnovers.

Up next: a non-conference game with 10th-ranked Indiana in Las Vegas on Saturday.

Photo: Tubelis

Friday, December 2, 2022

Palmer top dog at the plate, on the mound for the TOTS in November

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball


It's a young man's game over at Udall Park. Well, kinda. It's all relative.

Reed Palmer, 66, hit his 105th career home run for the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers in November. But that wasn't all he did. In fact, Palmer led the TOTS in batting with 24 hits in 35 at-bats for a hefty .686 batting average while leading the club in doubles (6) and in RBI (20).

John Cooke, 65, finished second in hits (21) and went 21 for 42, for a .500 batting average, while scoring the most runs in November with 24.

John Mathews, 66, who played in just seven of the 12 games, made the most of his at-bats, knocking in 17 runs while collecting 15 hits in 28 official trips to the plate.

All in all, the players ranged in age from 61-year-old JB Bulawin, who, due to injuries, played in just six games and went 4 for 18 (.222), while two winter visitors -- 81-year-old Dick Ducklow and 81-year-old Arnie White -- saw limited action. Ducklow, the Madison, Wisconsin native, went 3 for 25, a .120 average, while White, from Red Lodge, Montana, played in four games in November and went 3 for 12, a .250 average.

Other top hitters for the month included Mark Rupert (17 for 45 in 12 games), Mike Dawson (14 for 35 in 11 games), Sam Dean (12 for 20 in six games), Tim Tolson (12 for 29 in eight games), Gary Cuttler (12 for 20 in six games) and Joe Opocensky (11 for 23 in seven games).

Two players, Brack Whitaker and Carl Schwanbeck, also finished the month with 10 hits apiece. Whitaker went 10 for 36 in 12 games, while Schwanbeck played in just five games but collected his 10 hits in just 21 at-bats.

Forty-one players saw action in November, and 10 pitchers took the mound. Once again, it was Palmer leading the way with a 3-2 record. Dawson pitched the most innings (35), and Palmer logged 34 innings. In addition, Palmer was the strike-out king for the month with 14.

The TOTS, an amateur baseball organization, will complete its 54th season on Friday, December 30.

Way to go, TOTS!


Reed Palmer (photo) led the TOTS in hitting and pitching during the month of November with a 3-2 record on the mound and at the plate went 24 for 35 with six doubles, one home run and 20 RBI.

Way to go, Reed!










 



Thursday, December 1, 2022

Arizona not ready for Utah

Arizona Wildcats Basketball



The Arizona Wildcats (6-1, 0-1) left their game on the beaches somewhere in Honolulu.

And on a cold night in Salt Lake City, the Utah Utes (6-2, 1-0) followed their coach's game plan and took down the fourth-ranked Wildcats tonight, 81-66.

Arizona scored just 25 points in the first half and shot an awful 35.2 percent (25 of 71) from the field on the night, and was simply out of rhythm for all 40 minutes.

Utah coach Craig Smith looked more like the Pac-12 Coach of the Year as his unranked Utes upset the Wildcats. Oumar Ballo led Arizona with 22 points and Azuolas Tubelis, despite foul trouble, finished with 20.


Buffalo Bills kick off Week 13 at New England Thursday night

 National Football League

Week 13




The Buffalo Bills (8-3) kickoff Week 13 in the NFL tonight at New England (6-5).

All the teams are still chasing the Philadelphia Eagles (10-1). After their first loss of the season in Week 10 to Washington, the Eagles rebounded with wins in Week 11 over the Indianapolis Colts, 17-16, and Week 12 over Green Bay, 40-33.

Coming out on top in Week 12 were the Bills over Detroit, 28-25, Dallas beat the New York Giants, 28-20, Minnesota over the Patriots, 33-26, and Miami over Houston, 30-15. Cincinnati edged Tennessee, 20-16, Carolina knocked off Denver, 23-10, while the New York Jets blew by Chicago, 31-10, and Washington got by Atlanta, 19-13.

Cleveland took down Tampa Bay, 23-17, Jacksonville edged Baltimore, 28-27, Las Vegas edged Seattle, 40-34, and the LA Chargers beat Arizona, 25-24. The defensive-minded San Francisco 49ers shut out New Orleans 13-0, Kansas City over the LA Rams 26-10, and Pittsburgh closed out the week with a 24-17 win over Indianapolis.



 

Friday, November 25, 2022

Arizona 38 Arizona State 35

Arizona Wildcats Football

The Territorial Cup returns to Tucson

Arizona 38  Arizona State 35



The Wildcats (5-7) finish the football season on a high note with a 38-35 win over Arizona State today in front of their home crowd at Arizona Stadium, thanks in part to running back Michael Wiley, who rushed through the ASU defense for 214 yards and three touchdowns. 

Wiley finished with 265 all-purpose yards as he hauled in three passes from quarterback Jayden de Laura for 51 yards. Arizona not only brought home the Territorial Cup but handed the Sun Devils (3-9) its ninth loss of the season -- the most losses in a single season in school history.   

Wednesday, November 23, 2022

A Ballo blast: Arizona wins Maui Invitational

Arizona Wildcats Basketball

Maui Invitational Championship Game

Arizona 81 Creighton 79

Oumar Ballo (photo) scored 30 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead the Arizona Wildcats to an 81-79 win over Creighton (6-1) in the championship game of the Maui Invitational today in Lahaina, Hawaii.

Ballo was named the tournament's MVP as he finished the three games with 63 points and 32 rebounds.

He had some help from his friends, too. Azuolas Tubelis, despite late-game foul trouble,  made sure he was Ballo's frontman, clearing the way for the talented Arizona center to do his thing. Tubelis finished with 12 points and seven rebounds today, while point guard Kerr Kriisa dished out nine assists and scored 13 points.

Arizona (6-0) led at the end of the first half 39-30, and things got a bit dicey in the second half as the 10th-ranked Bluejays put together their share of runs to make things interesting.

But in the end, the 14th-ranked Wildcats' inside game got the job done as Arizona heads back to Tucson with all the hardware. 

Great job, Arizona! 


Tuesday, November 22, 2022

Wildcats reach championship game at Maui Invitational

Arizona Wildcats Basketball

Maui Invitational

Arizona 87 San Diego State 70




Kerr Kriisa and Courtney Ramey combined for 42 points as the 14th-ranked Arizona Wildcats (5-0) pulled away from San Diego State (4-1) with a 50-point second half en route to an 87-70 win over the 17th-ranked Aztecs tonight in Lahaina, Hawaii, to advance to the championship game of the Maui Invitational on Wednesday against 10th-ranked Creighton.

Despite being in foul trouble for most of the second half, Arizona still shot 58.6 percent from the field (34 of 58) and made 9 of 20 from long range as Kriisa and Ramey finished with 21 points apiece, while Azuolas Tubelis scored 14, Oumar Ballo 12 and Cedric Henderson Jr. finished with 10 points.

Creighton (6-0) edged Arkansas, 90-87, in the other semifinal matchup earlier today behind a 25-point performance from guard Ryan Nembhard.

Way to go, Wildcats!


Are the Cowboys for real after 37-point win in Week 11?

National Football League

Week 11


The Philadelphia Eagles (9-1) are back to their winning ways in Week 11 after a slim 17-16 win over Indianapolis (4-6-1), while the Dallas Cowboys raised some eyebrows, mostly from owner Jerry Jones, after a convincing 40-3 win over Minnesota (8-2).

Are the Cowboys finally heading in the right direction? Are the Cowboys a contender once again? Can the Eagles stay on top of the NFC East? Are the Kansas City Chiefs at 8-2 still the best team in the land, especially after a come-from-behind 30-27 win over the Los Angeles Chargers (5-5)?

So many questions as the NFL heads into Week 12.

The Chiefs, behind quarterback Patrick Mahomes, are rolling along, averaging 30.0 points a game on offense, while the Cowboys have a slight edge over the New England Patriots defensively after 10 games. The Cowboys have given up 167 points, the Patriots 169.

Statistics don't always tell the tale. Look at the lowly Denver Broncos at 3-7. They have allowed 171 points in 10 games but scored just 147 points, a dismal production of 14.7 points per game on offense.


Monday, November 21, 2022

Arizona tops Cincy 101-93 at Maui Invitational

Arizona Wildcats Basketball

Maui Invitational

Arizona 101  Cincinnati  93

Despite 17 3-pointers by Cincinnati, the Arizona Wildcats cruised to a 101-93 win over the Bearcats tonight in Lahaina, Hawaii. Azuolas Tubelis led Arizona with 30 points and 11 rebounds.

Arizona (4-0) will face San Diego State in a second-round game at the Maui Invitational Tuesday.

Oumar Ballo finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Courtney Ramey, in his first game back after a three-game suspension, tallied 17 points. Kerr Kriisa dished out seven assists and collected 11 points, while Cedric Henderson scored in double figures with 14.

Landers Nolley led all scorers with 33 points for Cincy, canning nine of 14 3-pointers.

Sunday, November 20, 2022

The Road Home

 


Above photo: A Tucson trademark

I consider Tucson, Arizona, my hometown.

After all, my family moved to Tucson in 1952, and I arrived in my new town looking for Cowboys and Indians on every block. I was born in Arkansas and had never been West of the Pecos.

Our first house was near the intersection of Speedway and Park. In 1954, I was an exploring nine-year-old, and believe it or not, I would walk, alone, to the center of town, check out the vast street-side window displays at Steinfield's, stop in at Woolworth's, sit on a swivel chair at the diner and order a cherry coke. A year later, I would play ping pong at the downtown YMCA, and by that time, I would even venture a bit west, down Congress Street, and walk by the Fox Theatre.

Times have changed. I doubt a 10-year-old could get by with such shenanigans these days.

Last night, I returned to the Fox Theatre. It's been a while since I've been inside the historic Tucson landmark. Sue and I had tickets to see Altan, a Donegal folklore band currently on tour in the U.S.

Of course, I have always been a rock and roller, so an Irish band from far, far away was foreign to me, to say the least. In their songs, they would describe lost loves, describe the winds off the shore of the sea -- all of which were accompanied by the beautiful sound of the fiddle and an accordionist by the name of Martin Tourish, a composer, producer and musicologist from Co. Donegal and now based in Dublin.

His ancestors were collectors of dance music whose manuscripts date back to 1896. 

I was still squirming in my seat when Tourish introduced a song without words midway through the Altan's two-hour performance. An instrumental so moving the listener can interpret, insert their own words...their own images, and personalize the piece just for them.

The soothing tune was called "Road Home," and Tourish composed the piece following a road trip during the summer of 2003 when he toured Ireland's rugged coast from Milltown Malby to Donegal.

All of us have that special road home -- a journey filled with anticipation...a journey with familiar terrain on both sides of the highway as we head for a place we want to be. I listened, as did the rest of the announced crowd of 600, and my imagination took hold and took me somewhere I needed to be.

That is what music can do to a person -- whether it's Irish Folklore, a Bruce Springsteen tune, or Roy Orbison himself.

I didn't know until midway through Altan's performance that I was searching for a song. 



Saturday, November 19, 2022

Washington State locks down de Laura en route to 31-20 win

Arizona Wildcats Football



Quarterback Jayden de Laura felt the pressure from Washington State's defense for four quarters today at Arizona Stadium as the Cougars (7-4, 4-4) leave town with a 31-20 win over the Wildcats.

de Laura was edgy on the Arizona sideline throughout the game as miscommunication between his receivers became more and more evident as the time on the game clock continued to spin forward. Still, in the end, it goes in the books as four interceptions and one touchdown through the air for de Laura late in the fourth quarter.

Arizona is left with a 4-7 overall record, 2-6 Pac 12 Conference, with one game remaining in its season next Friday at home against in-state rival Arizona State (3-8, 2-6).   



Thursday, November 17, 2022

14th ranked Arizona hits century mark in win over Utah Tech

Arizona Wildcats Basketball

Arizona 104  Utah Tech  77


Kerr Kriisa scored 24 points, grabbed four rebounds, and dished out five assists as 14th-ranked Arizona rolls over Utah Tech at McKale Center tonight, 104-77.

All five starters scored in double figures. Azuolas Tubelis finished with 20 points, Cedric Henderson Jr. scored 20, Pelle Larsson added 14, while Oumar Ballo picked up a double-double with 16 points and 11 assists.

Arizona (3-0) did not miss a free throw tonight, making 22 of 22 from the charity stripe. The Wildcats hit 12 3-pointers and shot 63.6 percent from the field (35 of 55).

And now things will get a bit tougher as the Wildcats head for the Maui Invitational Nov. 21-23.


As my world turns...recalling Freddie Lewis

 Arizona Wildcats Basketball


A basketball story from a long time ago


The Arizona Wildcats, ranked No. 14 this week in the AP College Basketball Poll, takes on Utah Tech from St. George, Utah, tonight at McKale Center -- their last tuneup before they head off to Hawaii next week to participate in the Maui Invitational. 

Tonight's game will have me shaking my head for all forty minutes as I watch the game and recall a moment fifty-eight years ago. It was a snowy night in St. George, and I sat at the scoring table inside the Dixie Junior College gym. Then, I was an 18-year-old sports publicist at Eastern Arizona Junior College in Thatcher, covering the game for my Alma Mater.

Eastern had a star point guard named Freddie Lewis. He would once again lead his team to victory. Lewis, at six-foot tall, could dunk the ball behind his back and play the game like the ball was an extension to his right hand. Lewis would move on to Arizona State University, where he played two seasons (1964-66) and averaged 18.2 PPG. He was drafted by Cincinnati in 1966 and played eight years in the ABA with the Indiana Pacers. 

Dixie Junior College eventually became Dixie State University (2013-2022) and is now called Utah Tech.

Freddie is now 79. His birthday was on July 1, and he lives in Indianapolis, Indiana. I'm 77. My birthdate is July 2, and I'm...well, you know where I am.

Photo: No#14, the high-flying Freddie Lewis with the Indian Pacers, back in the day.


  

Tuesday, November 15, 2022

Pro Football: NFC East a combined 26-11

National Football League

Week 10



The Philadelphia Eagles are no longer undefeated.

The Eagles lost Monday to the last-place team in the NFC East, the Washington Commanders, 32-21.

The NFC East has the best-combined record in the National Football League, with 26 wins and 11 losses.

Philadelphia is 8-1, the New York Giants are 7-2, the Dallas Cowboys are 6-3, and the Commanders are on the warpath at 5-5. Sorry, the word Redskins just ran through my brain.

The crazy game of the week: Minnesota (8-1) edges Buffalo 33-30 in overtime, and the Vikings are suddenly tied for the best record in the National Football League with 10 weeks of action in the books.




Sunday, November 13, 2022

Arizona stuns UCLA at the Rose Bowl

Arizona Wildcats Football



The Arizona Wildcats, beaten badly at times this season, finally responded and did a little beating of their own as they stunned a very good football team, the UCLA Bruins, Saturday night at the Rose Bowl.

This time the Wildcats (2-5, 4-6), behind their scrambling quarterback Jayden de Laura shined brightly for sixty minutes on primetime television for the sports world to see as they dimmed the hopes of the Bruins' title run in the Pac-12 Conference with a 34-28 win.

Ranked No. 12 in the country and favored by twenty points, UCLA did its thing as the bruising 21-year-old transfer from Michigan, running back Zach Charbonnet, rushed for 181 yards and three touchdowns. Still, it wasn't enough as the Wildcats unleashed de Laura, his high-flying receivers, and their hard-running back Michael Wiley to upset the highly-favored Bruins (8-2, 5-2).

De Laura (photo at the top) scrambled left, right, up, and back for four quarters while throwing the ball 28 times for 315 yards and two scores. He ended up with a minus three yards rushing on the night, but it seemed like he gained 100 yards or more.

Clutching de Laura's passes were Jacob Cowling with nine receptions for 118 yards, Dorian Singer, five catches for 83 yards, Tanner McLachlan with two key catches and 48 yards, while Tetairoa McMillan  grabbed the winning score late in the fourth quarter -- a 17-yard gem that put the dagger in the Bruins.

Wiley was also heard from on the receiving end, with six catches for 46 yards and a touchdown.

All in all, Arizona kept pace with the Bruins throughout the game and finished with 436 yards of offense, just 29 yards shy of the Bruins' total.

A great game to watch, despite an 8:30 PM, start for Arizona fans. Maybe it wasn't primetime on CBS, but it was definitely primetime for the Wildcats. Maybe most fans in the eastern part of the country were fast asleep, but they will find out soon enough this morning that the Bruins went down to defeat.

As for the Wildcats, two wins at home to close the regular season against Washington State and Arizona State could mean a bowl bid and send them and coach Jedd Fisch to his first bowl appearance.

It wasn't a miracle last night. Instead, a football team came together for one night in Pasadena.

Way to go, Wildcats!



Friday, November 11, 2022

Kriisa's triple-double leads Wildcats to 2nd win

Arizona Wildcats Basketball



Arizona's point guard Kerr Kriisa collected a triple-double, and three players scored 17 points apiece as the Wildcats won easily over Southern 95-78 at McKale tonight for their second consecutive non-conference win of the season.

Kriisa scored 14 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, and dished out 12 assists, while Azuolas Tubelis, Pelle Larsson, and Oumar Ballo combined for 51 points as Arizona shot 54.5 percent from the field despite 57 fouls called in 40 minutes, including three technicals.

Arizona (2-0) takes on Utah Tech on Nov. 17 at McKale, before heading to Lahaina, Hawaii, for the Maui Jim Maui Invitational, Nov 21-23.


Tuesday, November 8, 2022

NFL's Week 9 in the books

National Football League

Week 9 in the books

It's hard to believe we are venturing into Week 10 of the National Football League. The Baltimore Ravens capped off Week 9 on Monday night with a 27-13 win over the New Orleans Saints. Kenyan Drake provided two short touchdown plunges. Quarterback Lamar Jackson completed just 12 passes but did connect with Isaiah Likely for one TD. Jackson rushed for 83 yards, while Drake ran for 93.

This week's fantastic finish involved the "old dude" as quarterback Tom Brady found a way to beat the clock once again as Tampa Bay shocked the LA Rams, 16-13. Brady connected on 36 of 58 passes and one score with 44 seconds left on the clock.

On the other end of the spectrum, the Arizona Cardinals (3-6) continue to struggle. The Cardinals lose again this week. This time a 31-21 loss to the surprising 6-3 Seattle Seahawks.

Week 10 begins on Thursday as the visiting Atlanta Falcons battle the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium.

Monday, November 7, 2022

Arizona blows by century mark in season opener over Nicholls State

Arizona Wildcats Basketball



Arizona (1-0) set the single-game shooting percentage record and the school record for the most points in a season opener with a 117-75 win over Nicholls State (0-1) tonight at McKale Center.

The Wildcats shot 71.7 percent from the field (38 of 53) and made 11 of 18 3-pointers (61.1 percent), with Azuolas Tubelis leading the offense with 23 points, seven rebounds, and six assists. At the same time, three players -- Oumar Ballo (18), Pelle Larsson (16), and Adama Bal (14) reached double figures.

Larsson hauled in 10 rebounds for a double-double.

Arizona led 59-37 at the half and outscored Nicholls State by 20 points in the second half. 


Saturday, November 5, 2022

Congrats, Houston!

 

The 2022 World Series

Game 6


Houston captures its second World Series in six years with a 4-1 win over Philadelphia in Game 6 tonight.

Congrats, Houston!

Photo: Dusty Baker finally gets his World Series ring as Yolanda Alverez hits a three-run homer.

#14 Utah 45 Arizona 20

 Arizona Wildcats Football

Utah 45  Arizona  20



Arizona roadkill in Utah.

Rain, sleet, and the Utes have their way with the Arizona Wildcats in Salt Lake City tonight, 45-20.

Arizona leaves town with a dismal 1-5 record in the Pac-12 Conference and a 3-6 overall record.

Next up: @UCLA next Saturday. 

Friday, November 4, 2022

Astros edge Phillies, 3-2

 

The 2022 MLB World Series

Game 5

Houston 3  Philadelphia  2


Justin Verlander pitched five tough innings and finally got a World Series win as Houston won Game 5 Thursday in Philadelphia, 3-2. It's back to Houston for Game 6 and Game 7 if necessary.

An outstanding World Series so far.

Verlander took the mound last night owning a 0-6 record in postseason play with a 6.07 ERA, but battled through the Philly lineup, giving up only a first-inning homer to Kyle Schwarber. Shortstop Jeremy Pena went 3 for 4, including a solo home run, and drove in two runs for the Astros.

Friday is a day off as both teams take a breather. Saturday, the fun begins again.

   

Wednesday, November 2, 2022

Carl Schwanbeck's amazing TOTS baseball photos

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

The TOTS new photographer -- Carl Schwanbeck













Photos: from top to bottom -- 1) Lefty Dennis "the Menace" Crowley, 2) Sam Dean, 3) Mark "Sparky" Rupert, 4) Rippin' Reed Palmer, 5) Thunder Tim Tolson, 6) Chuck Sabalos, 7) Pistol Pete Peters, 8) Danny "Pigpen" Price, 9) Pete Maldonado, 10) Jesse Ochoa, 11) Gary Cuttler and, 12, a disappointed Pigpen Price, after an 0 for 3 day. 


No-hitter in Philly

The 2022 MLB World Series

Houston  5   Philadelphia  0

The Series tied at 2-2



The second no-hitter in World Series history went down in Philadelphia tonight -- a combined no-hitter -- as four Houston pitchers shut down the Phillies, 5-0.

The last no-hitter in the World Series occurred in 1956 by Don Larsen, the New York Yankee great who threw a perfect game against the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Christian Javier (photo) started for the Astros and struck out nine in six innings of work. Three relievers -- Bryan Abreu, Rafael Montero, and Ryan Pressly -- closed out the Phillies.


One man's path to recovery

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball



A man on a mission -- Mark Rupert

Better times/2023

Mark Rupert has been on a journey that has led him to a place he needs to be: a roster spot on the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers (TOTS) amateur baseball club.

Mark, 70, is from Albuquerque and a cancer survivor of non-Hodgkins lymphoma in 2013, prostate cancer in 2016, and treatments for Leukemia in 2021. His journey through life includes a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography from The Ohio State University (1972-74) and a Master's Degree in Geography from Oklahoma State in Stillwater (1977-1980).

Mark's love for baseball included a thesis he did in Stillwater that made it into the July 12, 1980 issue of the Sporting News magazine.

The question of where professional baseball players come from is answered in a 221-page study published by Mark while he was seeking a master of science degree at Oklahoma State. The article entitled: A Geographic Analysis of Professional Baseball's First-Year Player Signings, 1965-1977.

That's a mouthful of a title and is above the pay grade of most of his 2022 TOTS teammates.

But according to Mark's findings from the 13-year period, 13, 985 amateurs signed professional contracts and of those, 1,287, or 8.9 percent, played in the majors through 1978.

The interesting article in the Sporting News discussed the fact it was no surprise that California was the No. 1 producer of baseball talent. In addition, the Sporting News article mentioned that in 1968, the LA Dodgers signed 55 amateurs, of whom 12 graduated to the majors, including Bill Buckner, Ron Cey, Dave Lopes, and Steve Garvey.

The fact that one of the TOTS' newest ballplayers had much to do with this article deserves an 'atta boy' from his teammates. Way to go, Mark!

Mark's love for baseball included a stint with the Albuquerque Dukes' front office for 12 years (1981-93). On his way up with the triple-A affiliate of the LA Dodgers, Mark did a little bit of everything, including selling peanuts. 

"I loved being a part of the organization," Rupert said. "I was able to keep involved with baseball. And yes, I started out selling concessions." Mark sold souvenirs, not peanuts, but it makes for a good story. He certainly did more for the Dukes than sell concessions.

"It was a great gig," says Rupert. "Maybe the article in the Sporting News might have had something to do with me latching on to the Dukes."

Mark has now found his way to Arizona, and specifically to Udall Park, on the east side of Tucson, where he plays the game of baseball Monday, Wednesday and Friday with the TOTS -- a group of older gentlemen who, just like him, play for the love of the game.

And he is good, too.

Mark was an instant hit with the TOTS, and after a few games, he officially joined the team, received his hat, paid his dues, ordered his jersey, and quickly went from the bottom of the batting order to the top. 

The man from Albuquerque has a knack for stepping into the batter's box, making contact, and collecting base hits -- two, three, sometimes four hits a game.

"I love the organization," Rupert said, following a recent game. "What a great bunch of guys. I feel blessed to be here."

Rupert put together a great month of October. He led the TOTS with 15 hits in 36 trips to the plate, a .417 batting average, and played in all 10 games. Mark's best month, though, occurred in May when he set a blistering pace at the plate, going 24 for 38 in 11 games for a hefty batting average of .632.



Mark's new uniforms with his new team



Leukemia treatments/2021

























Whether it was his degrees in geography, his love for baseball, or just a twist of fate, Mark has found his way to his new home, a new ballpark, and an organization that still plays his brand of baseball.

Tuesday, November 1, 2022

Rupert, Cooke, Cuttler top the TOTS hitting chart in October

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball


With 10 players on the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers out of town participating in the 35th Men's Senior Baseball League World Series, there were still games to be played at Udall Park.

Mark Rupert, John Cooke, and Gary Cuttler picked up the slack during October.

Rupert led the club in hits with a 15 for 36 performance at the plate, a .417 average. At the same time, Cooke and Cuttler tied for second with 14 hits in 21 at-bats for identical .667 batting averages.

Cooke was the eagle-eye at the plate with four walks, a club high, while Cuttler led the TOTS in RBI with 10.

Other top hitters included Joe Opocensky (12 for 28), Ron Ryan (11 for 27), Dennis Crowley (11 for 21), Ken Nebesny (10 for 13, in 4 games), and Brack Whitaker (10 for 28). Whitaker, Rupert, and Carl Schwanbeck played in all 10 games. 

Also picking up the slack while the boys were away in Phoenix at the MSBL World Series were Jesse Ochoa (9 for 22), David Byars (8 for 19), Jimmy Kinion (9 for 21), Mike Steele (8 for 14), Pete Peters (7 for 9), and Reed Palmer (8 for 14).

On the mound, Crowley was a perfect 3-0 and pitched the most innings (19). Palmer (2-0) was the strikeout king for the month with eight.

Way to go, TOTS! 

Photos top to bottom: Rupert, Cooke, and Cuttler.












Are the Eagles Invincible?

 National Football League

Are the Philadelphia Eagles invincible?

The movie Invincible released in 2006, chronicled the story of Vince Papale, played by Mark Wahlberg, and the ups and down in 1976 of Philadelphia's first-year head coach Dick Vermeil, played by actor Greg Kinnear.

The rock tune "Let it Ride" by Bachman-Turner Overdrive in Invincible still sticks in my mind as Papale makes an unlikely journey from a  Philly bartender to his moment of glory as a 30-year-old rookie in the NFL.

Here we are in 2022, practically midway through the NFL season, and in real life, the Philadelphia Eagles are on the verge of its eighth straight win and possibly an 8-0 start as they head to Houston on Thursday.

Is it a sure win? You never know in the NFL. Houston is a cellar-dweller in the AFC South at 1-5-1.

Hard to find a team struggling in the NFL more than the Texans. Unless you want to talk about the Detroit Lions (1-6) or the team in my home state, the Arizona Cardinals (3-5).

I refuse to go there right now. So, I'm letting it ride with the Eagles. You have to love a winner. 




Monday, October 31, 2022

TOTS Cuttler enjoys the best of both worlds

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Gary Cuttler, one of the newest members of the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers, hails from Linden, New Jersey. He spends part of the year in his hometown playing softball and in the winter months in Tucson playing baseball.

The New Jersey native, who turns 68 in December, sold his dental practice a few years back, bought a second home in Tucson, and joined the TOTS in 2021.

Cuttler is not new to the game of softball or baseball. The Linden newspaper photo below was taken in 1972 and shows Gary playing shortstop during a high school game in Linden.

"I've played sports all my life," Cuttler said as he reminisced in the dugout Monday after a TOTS game, recalling all his years in New Jersey on softball, baseball, and soccer fields.

He returns to Linden to play on his slow-pitch softball team from April through August. "It's hard to give it up. I've been playing in the softball league for 40 years."

By mid-September, Gary heads back to Tucson and joins the TOTS. But, instead of seeing a high-arching slow pitch, he steps into the batter's box and awaits a sizzling fastball until late March when the heat returns to the Arizona desert floor.

For sports enthusiasts, it certainly seems like Cuttler enjoys the best of both worlds.




Note: Cuttler has little trouble in his transition between sports. In his last two games with the TOTS, Gary has gone 7 for 9 for a blistering .778 batting average. For the month of October, Gary played in six games, batted 14 for 21 (.667), scored nine runs, and finished the month with 10 RBI.

Photo credits: (top) by Dan Price, TOTS historian, (bottom) Courtesy of Bobby Cole Photo Archives.