It is Opening Day for baseball.
The Giants and the Dodgers start the season today at 5 p.m. and the Oakland A's begin their season tomorrow night at home against the Seattle Mariners.
Very exciting stuff.
Also, the winner of this year's Survivor will get to attend an exclusive Warriors party next Friday, featuring:
Free food and beverages
Autograph Stations
Interactive Kids Zone
Locker Room Tours
Photos
AND MORE! OMG!
So definitely be ready to become the Ultimate Survivor for 2011.
What else is exciting? Epic Video is finally up, but in two parts. So scroll down a little and enjoy.
And, Happy Anniversary.
.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Epic Video Is Finally Here, Part One At Least
Two parts this week - be sure to watch both, but I am sure Part 2 will have less hits than Part 1. WATCH BOTH - THANKS FOR PARTICIPATING.
YouTube stinks
There will be no Epic Video tonight. Hopefully it can be up some time tomorrow morning. YouTube has decided to let users upload only videos up to 15 minutes in length as you will see below. Epic Video exceeded that this week.
So for the future, Epic Video will have to be less than 15 minutes or else chopped into two pieces.This week it will be in two pieces.
Hopefully when Epic Video is finally up, it won't be so out of date. For now, enjoy an old Epic Video, which has the least hits out of all our Epic Videos.
Video length for uploading
At one point, users who initially had Director accounts were able to upload longer content - users with these old Director accounts still retain the ability to do so which explains why you may occasionally see videos from regular (non-Partner) uploaders which are longer than fifteen minutes. Having a Director account no longer gives you the ability to upload videos longer than 15 minutes.
Wait continues, uploading as we speak
This week's video is so HUGE that the upload hit a bump in the road and I was forced to upload it again.
Now you see, after I finish with the show, it needs to be uploaded to YouTube and things don't always go as smoothly. It uploaded 67% and it all of a sudden stopped, so I had to start it all over again today around 1 p.m.
Right now, it's scheduled to finish uploading around 7:30 p.m. so there's something to look forward to I guess.
A wise man said, "The best things in life are worth the wait..."
And if it doesn't upload, maybe people should just come visit me at my computer and watch it from there...OR...I will turn Epic Video this week into Epic Book, and just transcribe everything that happened.
Your call...
Now you see, after I finish with the show, it needs to be uploaded to YouTube and things don't always go as smoothly. It uploaded 67% and it all of a sudden stopped, so I had to start it all over again today around 1 p.m.
Right now, it's scheduled to finish uploading around 7:30 p.m. so there's something to look forward to I guess.
A wise man said, "The best things in life are worth the wait..."
And if it doesn't upload, maybe people should just come visit me at my computer and watch it from there...OR...I will turn Epic Video this week into Epic Book, and just transcribe everything that happened.
Your call...
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Epic VIdeo Rain Delay
Sorry peeps.
Epic Video will be released tomorrow and not today.
Because of the half day, I was unable to record some zany bits for this week, so it will be pushed back a day.
Just so some of you know and a little inside behind the scenes info for you, Epic Video is a process that starts the second I release the video from the previous week.
I need to come up with ideas, and then go film it, and make sure I have time to go film it. And then I need to edit it down, and put together a show that is enjoyable from the first second to the last.
Tonight, when I start editing, I probably will not finish until 2 a.m. or 3 a.m. and the entire process through bits and pieces begins right when I get back home tonight around 5 p.m. or so. So putting together a show like this is not that easy.
If someone wants to chip in and help out with Epic Video, I'd be more than happy to welcome him or her.
So there ya go...Also, since Gavin L. didn't show up last Monday, it pushed things back this week too, so go and blame him.
For now, enjoy some RAW video from the weekend girls' games.
And speaking of RAW, what a night of wrestling. Did anybody watch? Ok, one person....Thanks.
Epic Video will be released tomorrow and not today.
Because of the half day, I was unable to record some zany bits for this week, so it will be pushed back a day.
Just so some of you know and a little inside behind the scenes info for you, Epic Video is a process that starts the second I release the video from the previous week.
I need to come up with ideas, and then go film it, and make sure I have time to go film it. And then I need to edit it down, and put together a show that is enjoyable from the first second to the last.
Tonight, when I start editing, I probably will not finish until 2 a.m. or 3 a.m. and the entire process through bits and pieces begins right when I get back home tonight around 5 p.m. or so. So putting together a show like this is not that easy.
If someone wants to chip in and help out with Epic Video, I'd be more than happy to welcome him or her.
So there ya go...Also, since Gavin L. didn't show up last Monday, it pushed things back this week too, so go and blame him.
For now, enjoy some RAW video from the weekend girls' games.
And speaking of RAW, what a night of wrestling. Did anybody watch? Ok, one person....Thanks.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Monday Morning Quarterback - HUGE NIGHT OF WRESTLING
 | ||||
| The Rock, John Cena and The Miz will all be in the ring at the same time tonight on WWE Raw. |
Monday Morning Quarterback
One who criticizes or passes judgment from a position of hindsight
_____________________________________________________________________________________
I can hardly contain myself as tonight is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated nights of wrestling in the last few years. The Rock, John Cena and The Miz will all be in the ring at the same tonight six days before the biggest night of the year, Wrestlemania.
Be sure to tune in if you are by a TV at 9 p.m. tonight on the USA Network.
Ok - now onto our own school.
What a crazy weekend it was on the basketball court and yesterday on the baseball diamond. So many things to talk about and so little time so let's get to it.
We'll start with the 8th grade baseball team, who almost pulled off a victory yesterday afternoon.
Of course the buzz is surrounding Jeremy and his leadoff home run, which overshadowed David's masterful pitching performance. In our short history of baseball, we haven't had one pitcher who was as dominant as David was in his five innings of work.
He had good control, nice velocity, and most importantly gave the team a chance to win by throwing strikes. He wasn't walking many batters, and kept the game going. The game had a nice pace to it, so it kept the fielders in tune with what was going on in the field.
You've seen or been part of games where the pitcher can't throw a strike to save his or her life. And when that happens, the defense gets restless and it's a lot easier to lose focus.
How did they lose this game? It all came down to errors. They had 3 crucial errors. One which led to a 2-1 deficit. It was a simple grounder that would've ended the inning.
In the disastrous 6th inning, a booted grounder to second prolonged the inning and led to an insurance run, the 5th run.
That 5th run looms huge, especially when David's double cut the lead to 5-4.
At the plate, it's not easy to hit a baseball, as proven. But in order to even try to hit one, some of the players need to swing the bat. In the second inning, all three batters struck out looking at the third pitch - not good.
To win games, there can't be any dead spots in the lineup and there were a few yesterday. Hopefully it was a lesson learned by everyone. Nevertheless, it was a game that the team can use to take a step forward.
Onto girls basketball, where the 4th grade can't win the close ones. It's been three straight weeks they have lost by two points. The difference between winning and losing in this case was 11 missed lay-ups. Imagine if one or two of those would've went in the basket.
The girls need to make their lay-ups, plain and simple. And when they miss them, they don't win games.
The 5th grade is starting to come together, as Fiona has taken charge of the team offensively. She handles the ball and shoots the ball with confidence now, as opposed to her hesitation in the past. This is the first year these girls have played, and halfway through the season, they are already making some strides.
The 8th grade had a much needed win, and a big part of that was the four 3 pointers Marissa hit. It was pretty much game over after her final three of the game extended the girls' lead to 24-10. Sadly, the girls played like the game was over and scored only 2 points the rest of the way.
Precious has been a nice lift to the offense, and her hustle and aggressiveness adds a lot to this team.
However, their post players really need to get it going. They combined for only one point Saturday and they will need more production from that area if they want to be successful this season.
The girls down low are having trouble rebounding, and when they get their looks, they can't convert around the basket.
Serina, despite not making a field goal, took care of the ball a lot better this past game and had a lot of good looks at the basket. She played a very similar game as Fiona - both of them had some nice drives and looks, but neither were able to finish consistently.
The 6th/7th grade suffered a letdown after winning two straight games. They didn't score until the 4th quarter Saturday, not a good sign.
It's also their first year, so we'll see how they deal with their first tough loss of the season.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
8th grade baseball team's rally falls short, Jeremy homers
**Highlights Updated**
It didn't take long for the 8th grade baseball team to get going, as Jeremy hit the first St. Mary's home run in three years as he took a pitch and blasted it into deep right field, giving St. Mary's a 1-0 lead.
But the 8th grade couldn't hold their leads of 1-0 or 3-2, and a 7th inning rally fell short, as the boys lost 5-4.
Down 5-3 in the top of the 7th, Jeremy and Hartman struck out to start the inning. With two outs, Mark reached on an infield single, and was driven in on a double by David.
Miles then swung at the first pitch of his at-bat and popped out to end the game.
Trailing 2-1 in the 6th, David reached on an error, stole second, and was driven home on a single by Miles to tie the game.
Miles was at third when the other team threw a wild pitch. Miles, with a heads up play, darted for him and slid awkwardly underneath of the catcher's tag to give St. Mary's a 3-2 lead.
However, David already hit the maximum amount of innings he could pitch in five and Mark was summoned on in relief to protect the lead.
Mark began the 6th and got off to a rough start walking the first batter, which eventually came around and scored to tie the game. But the sloppy defense, which committed three errors, two in the sixth, led to two more runs, which made it 5-3.
This was the best St. Mary's baseball game in years, and a lucky bounce here and there, we would be celebrating their first victory.
In the end though, the plays that need to be made in the field were not made, and it cost them dearly.
However, this was only the team's second game, so it was a huge step forward to say that they played in a game they should've and could've won.
At the plate, they did better than expected, and collected a total of six base hits on this soggy afternoon.
Timmy got his first base hit to lead off the 3rd inning, when he lined a ball sharply through the pitcher's legs. He also reached on a fielder's choice later in the game.
Miles went 1-for-3 with an RBI, and belted a ball down the left field line in the 1st inning. However it landed a few feet foul, and he eventually struck out to end the first.
David reached base all three times, and had two doubles and an RBI.
On the mound, he showed good control in his five innings of work and struck out a total of 10 batters in the game.
Defensively, David made some nice plays in the field to get out of jams and Mark made a nice catch on a bloop to end the 4th inning.
The weather held up for most of the afternoon, until late in the game when the rain started to come down.
It didn't take long for the 8th grade baseball team to get going, as Jeremy hit the first St. Mary's home run in three years as he took a pitch and blasted it into deep right field, giving St. Mary's a 1-0 lead.
But the 8th grade couldn't hold their leads of 1-0 or 3-2, and a 7th inning rally fell short, as the boys lost 5-4.
Down 5-3 in the top of the 7th, Jeremy and Hartman struck out to start the inning. With two outs, Mark reached on an infield single, and was driven in on a double by David.
Miles then swung at the first pitch of his at-bat and popped out to end the game.
Trailing 2-1 in the 6th, David reached on an error, stole second, and was driven home on a single by Miles to tie the game.
Miles was at third when the other team threw a wild pitch. Miles, with a heads up play, darted for him and slid awkwardly underneath of the catcher's tag to give St. Mary's a 3-2 lead.
However, David already hit the maximum amount of innings he could pitch in five and Mark was summoned on in relief to protect the lead.
Mark began the 6th and got off to a rough start walking the first batter, which eventually came around and scored to tie the game. But the sloppy defense, which committed three errors, two in the sixth, led to two more runs, which made it 5-3.
This was the best St. Mary's baseball game in years, and a lucky bounce here and there, we would be celebrating their first victory.
In the end though, the plays that need to be made in the field were not made, and it cost them dearly.
However, this was only the team's second game, so it was a huge step forward to say that they played in a game they should've and could've won.
At the plate, they did better than expected, and collected a total of six base hits on this soggy afternoon.
Timmy got his first base hit to lead off the 3rd inning, when he lined a ball sharply through the pitcher's legs. He also reached on a fielder's choice later in the game.
Miles went 1-for-3 with an RBI, and belted a ball down the left field line in the 1st inning. However it landed a few feet foul, and he eventually struck out to end the first.
David reached base all three times, and had two doubles and an RBI.
On the mound, he showed good control in his five innings of work and struck out a total of 10 batters in the game.
Defensively, David made some nice plays in the field to get out of jams and Mark made a nice catch on a bloop to end the 4th inning.
The weather held up for most of the afternoon, until late in the game when the rain started to come down.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Saturday Recap: 8th grade back to .500
**HIGHLIGHTS UPDATED**
Marissa drained four 3 pointers, setting a St. Mary's modern day record, including three in a row in the third quarter, which gave the 8th graders enough cushion en route to a 26-21 victory, which puts them back at .500 on the season.
After a frustrating start to the season, the girls got a much needed win in a game they had to win.
Precious had the performance of her rookie season, scoring 6 points. She was aggressive on both ends of the court, pressuring the ball relentlessly and taking the ball fearlessly to the hoop. Her basket in the fourth accounted for the only St. Mary's bucket in the final seven minutes.
The girls took a 10-0 lead late in the first, only to see it get cut in half. A 3 pointer right at the buzzer made it 10-5 after one.
Starting off strong in both halves was something the girls needed to work on and they did a great job getting ahead in the first and third. Leading by only three points at halftime, the girls took command of the game thanks to Marissa's threes, which gave them a 24-12 lead going into the fourth.
But their breakdowns came back to almost haunt them in the fourth as they were sloppy with the ball and were unable to make the easy shots down low.
In the end it was enough for them to even their record at (2-2) on the season.
Marissa had a game high 18 points.
5th grade put away in the second half
The 5th grade found themselves in a 2-2 tie with 10 seconds left in the first half. But they gave up a last second putback and the game slipped away from that point on.
In the end, they lost 16-4, and dropped to (1-4) on the season.
Fiona played a solid game and was able to get off a lot of good shots. She was aggressive to the basket, but her shots didn't fall.
The big problem today was rebounding. The girls are undersized, but a lot of rebounding is boxing out and being in position. They weren't in good positions and weren't able to box out. It would also help if some of their post players would jump for the ball.
Fiona and Edwena scored the 4 points for the 5th grade.
Offense missing in morning games
Scoring was at a premium in the two early games as the 4th and 6th/7th grade combined to score only 6 points between the both of them.
Not surprisingly, both teams lost.
The teams they faced were not so flashy either as the 4th grade went to overtime for the second straight week, and for the third straight week, lost by two points.
These are games that a young team has trouble winning, and games that good teams don't let slip away. Right now, the 4th graders are the former, a young and inexperienced team.
In total, they missed 11 lay-ups.
When the final score is 4-2, those points are definitely huge.
Again, they did not make a free throw and their drought from the line continues as they went 0-for-6.
Miracle scored in the first quarter, but the team never found the bucket again. The other team made their only shot in regulation in the third quarter.
The winning basket came off a rebound that the girls were unable to grab. Rebounding is a huge problem right now as nobody boxes out and grabs the ball. Something so simple has been proven to be very difficult for a lot of the girls' teams this season.
With less than 10 seconds left, the girls had a chance to tie the game off a missed shot, but again, they missed a lay up. They were at the free throw line with 6 seconds to go in the game, but neither shot made it through.
At (1-3), it's going to be a difficult hole to climb out of for a team that was thinking playoffs after two great wins at the beginning of the year.
The 6th/7th grade didn't score until the 4th quarter and winded up losing 10-4.
Their offense just was not clicking today and the girls seemed to be off, compared to their stellar performances the last two weeks.
For the season, they currently sit (2-2).
Pamela scored all 4 points for the 7th grade.
Marissa drained four 3 pointers, setting a St. Mary's modern day record, including three in a row in the third quarter, which gave the 8th graders enough cushion en route to a 26-21 victory, which puts them back at .500 on the season.
After a frustrating start to the season, the girls got a much needed win in a game they had to win.
Precious had the performance of her rookie season, scoring 6 points. She was aggressive on both ends of the court, pressuring the ball relentlessly and taking the ball fearlessly to the hoop. Her basket in the fourth accounted for the only St. Mary's bucket in the final seven minutes.
The girls took a 10-0 lead late in the first, only to see it get cut in half. A 3 pointer right at the buzzer made it 10-5 after one.
Starting off strong in both halves was something the girls needed to work on and they did a great job getting ahead in the first and third. Leading by only three points at halftime, the girls took command of the game thanks to Marissa's threes, which gave them a 24-12 lead going into the fourth.
But their breakdowns came back to almost haunt them in the fourth as they were sloppy with the ball and were unable to make the easy shots down low.
In the end it was enough for them to even their record at (2-2) on the season.
Marissa had a game high 18 points.
5th grade put away in the second half
The 5th grade found themselves in a 2-2 tie with 10 seconds left in the first half. But they gave up a last second putback and the game slipped away from that point on.
In the end, they lost 16-4, and dropped to (1-4) on the season.
Fiona played a solid game and was able to get off a lot of good shots. She was aggressive to the basket, but her shots didn't fall.
The big problem today was rebounding. The girls are undersized, but a lot of rebounding is boxing out and being in position. They weren't in good positions and weren't able to box out. It would also help if some of their post players would jump for the ball.
Fiona and Edwena scored the 4 points for the 5th grade.
Offense missing in morning games
Scoring was at a premium in the two early games as the 4th and 6th/7th grade combined to score only 6 points between the both of them.
Not surprisingly, both teams lost.
The teams they faced were not so flashy either as the 4th grade went to overtime for the second straight week, and for the third straight week, lost by two points.
These are games that a young team has trouble winning, and games that good teams don't let slip away. Right now, the 4th graders are the former, a young and inexperienced team.
In total, they missed 11 lay-ups.
When the final score is 4-2, those points are definitely huge.
Again, they did not make a free throw and their drought from the line continues as they went 0-for-6.
Miracle scored in the first quarter, but the team never found the bucket again. The other team made their only shot in regulation in the third quarter.
The winning basket came off a rebound that the girls were unable to grab. Rebounding is a huge problem right now as nobody boxes out and grabs the ball. Something so simple has been proven to be very difficult for a lot of the girls' teams this season.
With less than 10 seconds left, the girls had a chance to tie the game off a missed shot, but again, they missed a lay up. They were at the free throw line with 6 seconds to go in the game, but neither shot made it through.
At (1-3), it's going to be a difficult hole to climb out of for a team that was thinking playoffs after two great wins at the beginning of the year.
The 6th/7th grade didn't score until the 4th quarter and winded up losing 10-4.
Their offense just was not clicking today and the girls seemed to be off, compared to their stellar performances the last two weeks.
For the season, they currently sit (2-2).
Pamela scored all 4 points for the 7th grade.
BREAKING NEWS: Baseball game postponed
The 5th/6th grade will wait another week to begin their baseball careers as this afternoon's game has been postponed.
No word on whether the 8th grade will play tomorrow. Stay tuned.
No word on whether the 8th grade will play tomorrow. Stay tuned.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Thursday Filler
Report from before:
Filler
In broadcasting, we use the term filler to describe a segment of a broadcast where we have nothing to put, so we just have to put something.
This post right here is filler.
So right here is a blast from the past. The baseball team last year at Malibu. And for those who are on baseball teams this year, we will be going to Malibu some time as a team field trip.
Filler
In broadcasting, we use the term filler to describe a segment of a broadcast where we have nothing to put, so we just have to put something.
This post right here is filler.
So right here is a blast from the past. The baseball team last year at Malibu. And for those who are on baseball teams this year, we will be going to Malibu some time as a team field trip.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
What is up with this weather?
Friday, for those of you at school, I will have two HUGE blockbuster announcements for you, so there is something to look forward to on Friday, Friday, Friday.
Two baseball games are scheduled for this weekend, but they may not happen, because of the weather, but baseball players need to be prepared in case you are called upon to play.
Anticipate playing therefore you will be ready to go.
And to get people into more of the baseball mode, here are the top selling MLB jerseys over the past year.
TOP SELLING JERSEYS
1. Derek Jeter, New York Yankees
2. Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins
3. Roy Halladay, Philadelphia Phillies
4. Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies
5. *Cliff Lee, Philadelphia Phillies
6. Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals
7. Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers
8. Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red Sox
9. Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees
10. Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants
11. Mark Teixeira, New York Yankees
12. Jason Heyward, Atlanta Braves
13. Stephen Strasburg, Washington Nationals
14. Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers
15. Justin Morneau, Minnesota Twins
16. Jacoby Ellsbury, Boston Red Sox
17. Ian Kinsler, Texas Rangers
18. Ryan Howard, Philadelphia Phillies
19. Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants
20. Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays
TOP SELLING MERCHANDISE PER TEAM (NOT JUST JERSEYS)
Based on sales of all licensed products for the 2010 calendar year
1. New York Yankees
2. Boston Red Sox
3. Los Angeles Dodgers
4. Philadelphia Phillies
5. Chicago Cubs
6. St. Louis Cardinals
7. Chicago White Sox
8. Atlanta Braves
9. Minnesota Twins
10. Detroit Tigers
Two baseball games are scheduled for this weekend, but they may not happen, because of the weather, but baseball players need to be prepared in case you are called upon to play.
Anticipate playing therefore you will be ready to go.
And to get people into more of the baseball mode, here are the top selling MLB jerseys over the past year.
TOP SELLING JERSEYS
1. Derek Jeter, New York Yankees
2. Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins
3. Roy Halladay, Philadelphia Phillies
4. Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies
5. *Cliff Lee, Philadelphia Phillies
6. Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals
7. Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers
8. Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red Sox
9. Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees
10. Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants
11. Mark Teixeira, New York Yankees
12. Jason Heyward, Atlanta Braves
13. Stephen Strasburg, Washington Nationals
14. Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers
15. Justin Morneau, Minnesota Twins
16. Jacoby Ellsbury, Boston Red Sox
17. Ian Kinsler, Texas Rangers
18. Ryan Howard, Philadelphia Phillies
19. Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants
20. Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays
TOP SELLING MERCHANDISE PER TEAM (NOT JUST JERSEYS)
Based on sales of all licensed products for the 2010 calendar year
1. New York Yankees
2. Boston Red Sox
3. Los Angeles Dodgers
4. Philadelphia Phillies
5. Chicago Cubs
6. St. Louis Cardinals
7. Chicago White Sox
8. Atlanta Braves
9. Minnesota Twins
10. Detroit Tigers
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Epic Video Tuesdays
This Week's Music List
For The First Time: Ludacris featuring Nate Dogg - Area Codes
Timmy's Corner: Kurupt featuring Nate Dogg - Behind the Walls
Hilary Duff - Come Clean
Nate Dogg and Warren G - Regulate
Steve the Vendor: R. Kelly - The World's Greatest
Note: The link on Twitter for the Banana Peel Fallout has been updated.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Monday Morning Quarterback
One who criticizes or passes judgment from a position of hindsight
______________________________
Turnovers are killer.
Just ask the girls teams that lost this week.
Every time you lose the ball, it's an opportunity lost to score points. I'd rather have someone take a shot from midcourt and airball it than turn the ball over.
When the other team gets a steal, it triggers their offense and it gives them momentum. In return, you are on your heels playing defensively. You are not the aggressor and you will need to defend them. They don't defend you.
Taking care of the ball is a huge problem right now for the girls' teams as a whole. If they cannot value the possession, they aren't going to win many games.
In addition to the turnovers, the free-throws and lay-ups need to improve. These are gimmes.
All three of the girls teams lost by single digits - two of them by 2 points.
In the 4th grade OT game, the other team made two free throws for the only points in the extra quarter. The 4th grade girls have yet to make a free throw all year.
The 8th grade, which had been so dependable from the line all of a sudden have let it go south.
The 5th grade played their best game of the year, and almost won, but the missed lay-ups now loom really big in a 2 point loss.
The good news is that all these mistakes are correctable and if the girls play their best, they can win games. None of them are outmatched or up against teams that are unbeatable.
It's the little things that add up to a win or loss, and right now, the girls need to do more little things.
And lastly, who would've thunk it that the 6th/7th grade girls, in their first year, currently have the most wins of any teams at St. Mary's? So congratulations to them for their second straight victory.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Late Sunday night flashback
If I knew how to format this blog better, I would have a sidebar where we would have This Day in St. Mary's Athletics History.
And unfortunately, yesterday I was unable to do an additional update so I will here late Sunday night.
So, this date in St. Mary's Athletics History -- add one day, so it's this date plus one day -- the class of 2010 became a team. This was the game in my opinion that made them who they are today. If they never played this game, they would be nobodies.
Enjoy this look back at the girls as they put on a performance that really put them on the map as a great basketball team.
And unfortunately, yesterday I was unable to do an additional update so I will here late Sunday night.
So, this date in St. Mary's Athletics History -- add one day, so it's this date plus one day -- the class of 2010 became a team. This was the game in my opinion that made them who they are today. If they never played this game, they would be nobodies.
Enjoy this look back at the girls as they put on a performance that really put them on the map as a great basketball team.
BREAKING NEWS: 5th/6th Grade Baseball Game Canceled
Due to rain, the 5th/6th grade baseball game for today has been canceled. The game will be rescheduled. Practice, weather permitting, resumes Wednesday at Moscone.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
4th grade drops a tough one in OT
Ivy scored the first basket in her career with less than 11 seconds left in the 4th quarter to tie the game 10-10 to force OT.
But the other team made two free throws in the extra frame and held on for a 12-10 win.
The 4th grade now drops to (1-2) on the season.
They played without Michaela and were unable to take care of the ball for the second consecutive week. They missed easy lay-ups, free throws and had more than 15 turnovers.
Miracle had 6 points, while Adrianna and Ivy both chipped in with 2 points.
But the other team made two free throws in the extra frame and held on for a 12-10 win.
The 4th grade now drops to (1-2) on the season.
They played without Michaela and were unable to take care of the ball for the second consecutive week. They missed easy lay-ups, free throws and had more than 15 turnovers.
Miracle had 6 points, while Adrianna and Ivy both chipped in with 2 points.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Friday Recap: 6th/7th grade girls make it two in a row, 8th grade reverts back to old form
**8th Grade Highlights Below**
Something about playing in Pacifica brings out the best in the 6th/7th grade girls as they won for the second straight game 15-10, improving their record to (2-1) on the season.
After being blown out by more than 20 points in their debut, the girls have put together back to back wins, last week by 3 points and this week by 5 points.
Turnovers doom 8th grade, again
Until the 8th grade girls learn how to take care of the basketball, they aren't going to win many games.
For the second time in three games, they let a winnable game slip away.
A total of 16 turnovers, many which led to easy buckets for the other team, contributed to a 24-17 loss that now drops the girls to (1-2) on the season.
Losing games this early in the season will make it a very steep climb the rest of the way.
The girls dug themselves a 10-2 hole early on, as they were sloppy, and again, unready to play from the opening tip.
Down 12-4 to start the third, the girls mounted a comeback, scoring 4 quick points out of the shoot. They sustained that momentum until midway in the fourth, when they actually took the lead 17-16 on a Marissa put-back.
But that was the last basket the girls would score.
Offensively, there is no rhythm, and when the girls get some good looks, they are unable to convert them.
Defensively, their lapses are glaring and each time they make a mistake, it ends up in their own basket.
In a higher division, you cannot get away with not taking care of the ball. Maybe in the last two years, these mistakes were never mistakes, since other teams never capitalized on the girls shortcomings.
But this year, they are as glaring as ever.
The good thing about tonight's game was that the girls were able to come back from a deficit. But maintaining the consistency has plagued them all year.
Serina, Marissa and Beverlyn accounted for all the team's points.
5th Grade comes real close
The 5th grade nursed a 10-8 lead with minutes to go, but unfortunately were unable to hold it, as they lost by a final score of 12-10.
Edwena and Kelly both scored for the first time in their CYO careers. Fiona and Jamie scored the rest for the 5th graders.
Down 3-2 at halftime, the 5th grade played a strong second half and were this close from coming away with their first actual win.
They won by forfeit last week and their record now sits at (1-3).
Something about playing in Pacifica brings out the best in the 6th/7th grade girls as they won for the second straight game 15-10, improving their record to (2-1) on the season.
After being blown out by more than 20 points in their debut, the girls have put together back to back wins, last week by 3 points and this week by 5 points.
Turnovers doom 8th grade, again
Until the 8th grade girls learn how to take care of the basketball, they aren't going to win many games.
For the second time in three games, they let a winnable game slip away.
A total of 16 turnovers, many which led to easy buckets for the other team, contributed to a 24-17 loss that now drops the girls to (1-2) on the season.
Losing games this early in the season will make it a very steep climb the rest of the way.
The girls dug themselves a 10-2 hole early on, as they were sloppy, and again, unready to play from the opening tip.
Down 12-4 to start the third, the girls mounted a comeback, scoring 4 quick points out of the shoot. They sustained that momentum until midway in the fourth, when they actually took the lead 17-16 on a Marissa put-back.
But that was the last basket the girls would score.
Offensively, there is no rhythm, and when the girls get some good looks, they are unable to convert them.
Defensively, their lapses are glaring and each time they make a mistake, it ends up in their own basket.
In a higher division, you cannot get away with not taking care of the ball. Maybe in the last two years, these mistakes were never mistakes, since other teams never capitalized on the girls shortcomings.
But this year, they are as glaring as ever.
The good thing about tonight's game was that the girls were able to come back from a deficit. But maintaining the consistency has plagued them all year.
Serina, Marissa and Beverlyn accounted for all the team's points.
5th Grade comes real close
The 5th grade nursed a 10-8 lead with minutes to go, but unfortunately were unable to hold it, as they lost by a final score of 12-10.
Edwena and Kelly both scored for the first time in their CYO careers. Fiona and Jamie scored the rest for the 5th graders.
Down 3-2 at halftime, the 5th grade played a strong second half and were this close from coming away with their first actual win.
They won by forfeit last week and their record now sits at (1-3).
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Monday, March 14, 2011
Monday Night Quarterback
One who criticizes or passes judgment from a position of hindsight
_______________________________________________
An eventful weekend to say the least, as we move forward towards the spring time. It is getting darker later, so that means more time to play for everybody.
Why is there a picture of Monta Ellis? Because Derek chose the picture, even though it has absolutely no relevance to what we talk about today.
But it is two wins for the Warriors, after an incredible win Friday night against J.J. Redick and the Orlando Magic. The Warriors set a franchise record with 21 3 pointers, and then followed up that performance with a 23 point win against the Timberwolves yesterday.
And you were mad that we got rid of Anthony Randolph? I will take David Lee any day of the week.
Now onto the here and now with our girls basketball teams and our baseball team that opened up on Saturday.
First, Friday night, I had to let off some steam, so if you didn't see it or read it, please scroll down and find it. I stand by everything I said and hopefully the lateness to the games and no shows will be a thing of the past.
Now to the play on the court.
The 4th grade girls did what I feared would happen. This was the same thing with the 8th grade Red Team, that it's hard to get up and maintain that level of intensity every single game.
The girls played two incredible games, and forgot what they did to get them to that point. So they played a sloppy game and paid the price by losing.
Lesson learned, I hope. You learn a lot more from losing than you do winning. The missed lay-ups, turnovers definitely hurt them. Even on the last play of the game, there were girls open and shots that weren't taken. But this was the first time ever these girls played this tight of a game, so hopefully an experience like this helps them in the future.
One thing that needs to be addressed is their free-throws. I don't think they have made a free throw the entire year. This is a team that is going to get their chances at the line, because they shoot the ball a lot more this year, and are a lot more aggressive.
That means they will get fouled more. But they cannot continuously have 0-fors from the free throw line, even in 4th grade.
Good for the 6th/7th grade and especially Tiffany, as the girls won their first game ever. Tiffany is the only St. Mary's day school player on this team, so kudos to her for being brave and playing even though nobody in her class wanted to or was able to join this season.
13-10 is not a pretty score for a 7th grade level team, but nonetheless a win. Hopefully this could be a sign of things to come. But the 6th/7th grade girls should take notice from the 4th grade girls that you shouldn't be too high over just one win, because one bad game will bring you right back down to earth.
The 8th grade did what they were supposed to do. They beat a team they were supposed to beat. Serina is coming around the last game or so, as she has been aggressive to the hoop, and taking more shots.
The team they played were a bunch of unskilled hackers, and they played through a lot of non-sense, coming out on top by 21 points. Question for them as well is can they start a streak?
And finally the baseball team. They had a rough first inning and it all goes back to pitching.
Look at the Giants and their aces. The hitting isn't the best on the Giants and neither is hitting a strong point for the 8th grade baseball team. Pitching could trump all.
David was nervous as it was his first career start and he walked his share of batters. But the good news is that in innings 2-4, they gave up only two runs.
If their pitching can keep them in games, this team may be able to squeak out a win or two here and there.
Congrats to Gavin Chan for having the ball fall into his mitt for the first time.
The season is still young, and so am I.
See you tomorrow for some epicness.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Saturday Recap: First wins for 6th/7th and 8th grade
**Highlights Updated**
In only their second game in team history, the 6th/7th grade girls won 13-10 in Pacifica, collecting their first win ever.
By all accounts, it wasn't the prettiest of games, but a win is a win, especially for 6 of the 7 girls who have never played basketball in a league until this year.
Jocelyn led the way with a game high 5 points. Pamela had 4 points, while Amy and Maria both chipped in two points each.
Turnovers lead to the 4th grade girls demise
The 4th grade girls got a harsh dose of reality today and lost a very winnable game 14-12.
After winning two straight, the girls went away from what worked the last two games. They turned the ball over and were sloppy with their passes.
Defensively, their rotations were off, leaving the opposing team wide open by the basket on several occasions.
They also missed a lot of wide open lay-ups.
Down 14-12 with 2.4 seconds left in the game, Miracle inbounded the ball to Micahela who wasn't able to even get off a shot.
Adrianna, Miracle and Michaela accounted for all the scoring.
The girls trailed for the majority of the game and finally tied it at 10-10 late in the third. They fell behind 14-10 in the fourth and a Michaela shot under a minute left trimmed the lead to two.
Taking care of the ball was not a strong point, as on many occasions, they blatantly gave the ball right to the other team. A cross court pass, which should've never been thrown led to a lay-up by the other team to end the first quarter.
They are now (1-1) on the season.
8th grade smashes OLP
Every year, the 8th grade girls play OLP. Every year, the 8th grade girls beat them. And every year, OLP finds a way to do something dirty.
OLP is a very rugged team without fundamentals, so they blatantly fouled a lot of the girls today, including a deliberate flagrant foul in the fourth quarter on Beverlyn.
But the girls kept their composure and hit OLP where it hurt the most, on the scoreboard, as they blew them out 28-9.
Marissa had a game high 15 points, while Serina and Beverlyn both chipped in 5 points each.
Off the bench, Precious injected some energy and life into the team with a nice steal in the second quarter, which resulted in an and-one. She also hit the free throw to make it a 10-0 game.
After some tough losses over the last few weeks, the girls were able to break through and get into the win column for the first time in the regular season, as their record now sits at (1-1).
5th grade on winning side of forfeit
The 5th grade won via forfeit this afternoon less than 24 hours after forfeiting themselves. This time, the other team had only 4 players, and officially the 5th grade girls' record sits at (1-2).
Baseball team shutout in debut
The 8th grade baseball team was shutout 10-0 in their debut this afternoon.
Gavin Chan caught a pop fly in the outfield, the first ever in his career.
The team played some solid defense but a disastrous first inning pretty much put the game out of reach as they gave up an 8 spot in inning number one.
They had some chances to score, and even loaded the bases, but strikeouts doomed their rally.
David got the start and pitched 4 innings.
In only their second game in team history, the 6th/7th grade girls won 13-10 in Pacifica, collecting their first win ever.
By all accounts, it wasn't the prettiest of games, but a win is a win, especially for 6 of the 7 girls who have never played basketball in a league until this year.
Jocelyn led the way with a game high 5 points. Pamela had 4 points, while Amy and Maria both chipped in two points each.
Turnovers lead to the 4th grade girls demise
The 4th grade girls got a harsh dose of reality today and lost a very winnable game 14-12.
After winning two straight, the girls went away from what worked the last two games. They turned the ball over and were sloppy with their passes.
Defensively, their rotations were off, leaving the opposing team wide open by the basket on several occasions.
They also missed a lot of wide open lay-ups.
Down 14-12 with 2.4 seconds left in the game, Miracle inbounded the ball to Micahela who wasn't able to even get off a shot.
Adrianna, Miracle and Michaela accounted for all the scoring.
The girls trailed for the majority of the game and finally tied it at 10-10 late in the third. They fell behind 14-10 in the fourth and a Michaela shot under a minute left trimmed the lead to two.
Taking care of the ball was not a strong point, as on many occasions, they blatantly gave the ball right to the other team. A cross court pass, which should've never been thrown led to a lay-up by the other team to end the first quarter.
They are now (1-1) on the season.
8th grade smashes OLP
Every year, the 8th grade girls play OLP. Every year, the 8th grade girls beat them. And every year, OLP finds a way to do something dirty.
OLP is a very rugged team without fundamentals, so they blatantly fouled a lot of the girls today, including a deliberate flagrant foul in the fourth quarter on Beverlyn.
But the girls kept their composure and hit OLP where it hurt the most, on the scoreboard, as they blew them out 28-9.
Marissa had a game high 15 points, while Serina and Beverlyn both chipped in 5 points each.
Off the bench, Precious injected some energy and life into the team with a nice steal in the second quarter, which resulted in an and-one. She also hit the free throw to make it a 10-0 game.
After some tough losses over the last few weeks, the girls were able to break through and get into the win column for the first time in the regular season, as their record now sits at (1-1).
5th grade on winning side of forfeit
The 5th grade won via forfeit this afternoon less than 24 hours after forfeiting themselves. This time, the other team had only 4 players, and officially the 5th grade girls' record sits at (1-2).
Baseball team shutout in debut
The 8th grade baseball team was shutout 10-0 in their debut this afternoon.
Gavin Chan caught a pop fly in the outfield, the first ever in his career.
The team played some solid defense but a disastrous first inning pretty much put the game out of reach as they gave up an 8 spot in inning number one.
They had some chances to score, and even loaded the bases, but strikeouts doomed their rally.
David got the start and pitched 4 innings.
Friday, March 11, 2011
BREAKING NEWS: GET TO GAMES 30 MINUTES BEFORE START
Mood: "Ticked"
The 5th grade girls forfeited their game tonight, because they had only 4 out of 6 players showed up on time.
THE POLICY IS TO BE AT GAMES 30 MINUTES BEFORE THE START OF THE GAME. WHEN I GOT THERE AT 5 P.M. NOT ONE SINGLE GIRL WAS THERE. GAME TIME WAS 5:15 P.M.
SO DO THE MATH...4:45 P.M. - EVERYBODY SHOULD BE THERE.
IF YOUR PARENTS DO NOT UNDERSTAND ENGLISH, READ THIS TO THEM OR TRANSLATE THIS TO THEM, BECAUSE I AM SICK AND TIRED OF PEOPLE NOT ACTING RESPONSIBLE AND EITHER MISSING GAMES, OR SHOWING UP LATE.
PARENTS, DO A BETTER JOB OF FOLLOWING WHAT IS GOING ON WITH YOUR CHILD'S SCHEDULE. EVERYTHING IS LISTED OUT PERFECTLY CLEAR ON THE BLOG. I GO TO CLASSROOMS EVERY DAY WHEN I AM AT SCHOOL TO REMIND THEM OF GAMES.
WHY DO I FEEL I NEED TO HOLD EVERYONE'S HAND ALL THE TIME? IF BRYAN ISN'T AT SCHOOL FOR ONE DAY, IT'S LIKE NOBODY KNOWS WHAT GOES ON WITH SPORTS ANYMORE? DO I NEED TO CALL EVERYONE PERSONALLY TO REMIND THEM AT EVERY HOUR OF EVERY DAY?
WE PAY A LOT OF MONEY FOR THESE GAMES AND EVERY FORFEIT IS A WASTE OF TIME, AND A WASTE OF MONEY.
I APOLOGIZE TO THE COACHES WHO GOT OFF WORK EARLY, TOOK THE BUS, JUST TO GET THEIR READY TO COACH A GAME AND INSTEAD HAVE TO WATCH A SCRIMMAGE THAT COULD'VE TAKEN PLACE AT CAMERON HOUSE ON A WEEKNIGHT.
WHAT A WASTE OF TIME FOR EVERYBODY INVOLVED.
AND THIS IS NOT TO ISOLATE THE 5TH GRADE, BECAUSE THEY ARE A SAD REPRESENTATION OF THIS SCHOOL WHEN IT COMES TO GETTING TO GAMES ON TIME.
IF YOU KNOW YOU CANNOT MAKE IT HALF AN HOUR BEFORE THE GAME, TALK TO ME, TALK TO THE COACH, AND THIS WAY WE DON'T HAVE TO SCRAMBLE AT THE LAST SECOND TO SEE IF A GAME WILL EVEN BE PLAYED.
DO NOT PICK UP YOUR KIDS AT 5 P.M. FOR A 5:15 P.M. - IT'S ABSURD.
BEFORE YOU LEAVE FOR THE GYM, MAKE SURE YOU KNOW THE ADDRESS. IF YOU DON'T KNOW IT, ASK BEFORE YOU LEAVE.
PERHAPS YOU ARE SPOILED TO HAVE AN ATHLETIC DIRECTOR WHO FOLLOWS UP ON EVERYTHING, OR AT LEAST TRIES TO FOLLOW UP ON EVERYTHING.
WHEN YOU DON'T HEAR FROM ME, MAYBE YOU CAN BE PROACTIVE IN CONTACTING ME, OR LOOKING AT THE BLOG, OR TALKING TO A COACH, JUST ONCE, SO I DON'T FEEL LIKE I NEED TO MAKE SURE EVERY PLAYER ON EVERY TEAM IS OKAY AND KNOWS WHAT IS GOING ON.
THERE IS ONE OF ME, AND HOW MANY OF YOU?
PRETTY SOON, THERE WILL BE NO ME.
THANK YOU...GOOD NIGHT.
The 5th grade girls forfeited their game tonight, because they had only 4 out of 6 players showed up on time.
THE POLICY IS TO BE AT GAMES 30 MINUTES BEFORE THE START OF THE GAME. WHEN I GOT THERE AT 5 P.M. NOT ONE SINGLE GIRL WAS THERE. GAME TIME WAS 5:15 P.M.
SO DO THE MATH...4:45 P.M. - EVERYBODY SHOULD BE THERE.
IF YOUR PARENTS DO NOT UNDERSTAND ENGLISH, READ THIS TO THEM OR TRANSLATE THIS TO THEM, BECAUSE I AM SICK AND TIRED OF PEOPLE NOT ACTING RESPONSIBLE AND EITHER MISSING GAMES, OR SHOWING UP LATE.
PARENTS, DO A BETTER JOB OF FOLLOWING WHAT IS GOING ON WITH YOUR CHILD'S SCHEDULE. EVERYTHING IS LISTED OUT PERFECTLY CLEAR ON THE BLOG. I GO TO CLASSROOMS EVERY DAY WHEN I AM AT SCHOOL TO REMIND THEM OF GAMES.
WHY DO I FEEL I NEED TO HOLD EVERYONE'S HAND ALL THE TIME? IF BRYAN ISN'T AT SCHOOL FOR ONE DAY, IT'S LIKE NOBODY KNOWS WHAT GOES ON WITH SPORTS ANYMORE? DO I NEED TO CALL EVERYONE PERSONALLY TO REMIND THEM AT EVERY HOUR OF EVERY DAY?
WE PAY A LOT OF MONEY FOR THESE GAMES AND EVERY FORFEIT IS A WASTE OF TIME, AND A WASTE OF MONEY.
I APOLOGIZE TO THE COACHES WHO GOT OFF WORK EARLY, TOOK THE BUS, JUST TO GET THEIR READY TO COACH A GAME AND INSTEAD HAVE TO WATCH A SCRIMMAGE THAT COULD'VE TAKEN PLACE AT CAMERON HOUSE ON A WEEKNIGHT.
WHAT A WASTE OF TIME FOR EVERYBODY INVOLVED.
AND THIS IS NOT TO ISOLATE THE 5TH GRADE, BECAUSE THEY ARE A SAD REPRESENTATION OF THIS SCHOOL WHEN IT COMES TO GETTING TO GAMES ON TIME.
IF YOU KNOW YOU CANNOT MAKE IT HALF AN HOUR BEFORE THE GAME, TALK TO ME, TALK TO THE COACH, AND THIS WAY WE DON'T HAVE TO SCRAMBLE AT THE LAST SECOND TO SEE IF A GAME WILL EVEN BE PLAYED.
DO NOT PICK UP YOUR KIDS AT 5 P.M. FOR A 5:15 P.M. - IT'S ABSURD.
BEFORE YOU LEAVE FOR THE GYM, MAKE SURE YOU KNOW THE ADDRESS. IF YOU DON'T KNOW IT, ASK BEFORE YOU LEAVE.
PERHAPS YOU ARE SPOILED TO HAVE AN ATHLETIC DIRECTOR WHO FOLLOWS UP ON EVERYTHING, OR AT LEAST TRIES TO FOLLOW UP ON EVERYTHING.
WHEN YOU DON'T HEAR FROM ME, MAYBE YOU CAN BE PROACTIVE IN CONTACTING ME, OR LOOKING AT THE BLOG, OR TALKING TO A COACH, JUST ONCE, SO I DON'T FEEL LIKE I NEED TO MAKE SURE EVERY PLAYER ON EVERY TEAM IS OKAY AND KNOWS WHAT IS GOING ON.
THERE IS ONE OF ME, AND HOW MANY OF YOU?
PRETTY SOON, THERE WILL BE NO ME.
THANK YOU...GOOD NIGHT.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
BREAKING NEWS: No Practice Today
Baseball and girls basketball practices are all canceled for today.
Baseball teams will practice tomorrow, 3:45 p.m. @ Moscone.
Baseball teams will practice tomorrow, 3:45 p.m. @ Moscone.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
The buzzer really didn't buzz...
By Ryan Greene of Yahoo Sports
As expected, St. John's advanced to Thursday's Big East tournament quarterfinals, where the Red Storm will face Syracuse.
But who knows if that would have been the case had the Big East officials working the game not, as ESPN commentator Doris Burke rightfully put it, "stopped officiating this basketball game."
The pair of non-calls in the closing seconds were egregious, and the video below from the end of the Johnnies' 65-63 victory over Rutgers is self-explanatory.
After a desperation heave by Rutgers from under its own basket wound up going off the hands of forward Gilvydas Biruta, senior Justin Brownlee picked up the loose ball. Figuring the game was over, Brownlee sprinted while carrying the ball and stepped out of bounds before chucking the ball into the stands.
ESPN's replay clearly showed that 1.7 seconds should have been placed back on the clock, with the Scarlet Knights getting one more shot at either a game-winning or tying shot. The most mortifying part of it all was that referee Jim Burr was on the sideline watching Brownlee's exploits the entire time, with a whistle in his mouth.
Right after the buzzer sounded, Rutgers guard Robert Lumpkin's pleas to Burr fell on deaf ears, along with those of coach Mike Rice.
Instead of the play being reviewed, the officials got off the floor as fast as possible.
The fiasco caused an instant explosion on Twitter, forced a flood to Rice's postgame press conference in the depths of Madison Square Garden. By the time Rice arrived, he'd already seen the YouTube clip of the mess on the phone of his team's sports information director.
Rice is the same coach who just 24 hours earlier called Big East officials "the best in the world" after sympathizing with them on a tough call late for thrown elbows by Biruta in Rutgers' 76-70 overtime victory over Seton Hall.
"I have not heard any response from the Big East or the officials, for three of them to — again, it was a mistake," Rice said after getting a chance to cool off. "It's got to be a mistake. I watched it on YouTube. I've had them all throughout the year, impeccable reputation, it's unfortunate, my heart — believe me, there is going to be blood coming through my tongue right now but it's what it is, we're going to control how we respond.
"I was a lunatic, to be honest with you, and I lost some self-control, I admit it, and I thought he got — again, it was a judgment call. Had I known it was [1.7], I might have literally held on, done a Van Gundy and held one of their legs on the court."
As for St. John's coach Steve Lavin, he seemed genuinely perplexed and unsure about what had happened, but that's mostly because by the time Brownlee hit the sidelines, he had passed Lavin, who was near mid-court en route to shake Rice's hand.
"I'm not sure," Lavin told ESPN's Beth Mowins when asked on camera about the sequence. "It was kind of chaotic and Keystone Cops there at the end."
Magnifying the officiating error is the fact that it ended Rutgers' season and went against the supposed purpose of a conference tournament, which is to give each team a fair shot at an automatic NCAA tournament bid.
Instead, the Knights' first season under Rice, which offered plenty of hope for the program's future along the way, concluded with a 15-17 record.
The final two minutes of the game included several questionable calls and no-calls on both ends, but this one raised cause for serious concern.
The Big East Conference officially chimed in with a statement not long after the game's conclusion:
"The Big East Conference acknowledges that two separate officiating errors occurred at the conclusion of the St. John's vs. Rutgers game," it read. "Both missed violations should have caused the game clock to stop and a change of possession to occur prior to the end of the game. Neither error is reviewable or correctable under NCAA playing rules."
Also, John Adams, who selects and manages officials for the NCAA tournament, told ESPN.com's Andy Katz that the ending was "unacceptable."
To be blunt, the way that final sequence played out was flat-out unprofessional, not just with the absence of a call, but by Burr and his cohorts blowing Rice and his players off completely. It can be properly corrected by keeping that crew — including Burr, Tim Higgins and Earl Walton — off of the floor for the rest of the tournament, which still has three more rounds yet to be played.
Don't expect anyone to shed a tear if they don't.
The Dagger's Graham Watson and Jeff Eisenberg contributed to this post.
Ryan Greene also covers UNLV and the Mountain West Conference for the Las Vegas Sun. Read his Rebels coverage and follow him on Twitter.
As expected, St. John's advanced to Thursday's Big East tournament quarterfinals, where the Red Storm will face Syracuse.
But who knows if that would have been the case had the Big East officials working the game not, as ESPN commentator Doris Burke rightfully put it, "stopped officiating this basketball game."
The pair of non-calls in the closing seconds were egregious, and the video below from the end of the Johnnies' 65-63 victory over Rutgers is self-explanatory.
After a desperation heave by Rutgers from under its own basket wound up going off the hands of forward Gilvydas Biruta, senior Justin Brownlee picked up the loose ball. Figuring the game was over, Brownlee sprinted while carrying the ball and stepped out of bounds before chucking the ball into the stands.
ESPN's replay clearly showed that 1.7 seconds should have been placed back on the clock, with the Scarlet Knights getting one more shot at either a game-winning or tying shot. The most mortifying part of it all was that referee Jim Burr was on the sideline watching Brownlee's exploits the entire time, with a whistle in his mouth.
Right after the buzzer sounded, Rutgers guard Robert Lumpkin's pleas to Burr fell on deaf ears, along with those of coach Mike Rice.
Instead of the play being reviewed, the officials got off the floor as fast as possible.
The fiasco caused an instant explosion on Twitter, forced a flood to Rice's postgame press conference in the depths of Madison Square Garden. By the time Rice arrived, he'd already seen the YouTube clip of the mess on the phone of his team's sports information director.
Rice is the same coach who just 24 hours earlier called Big East officials "the best in the world" after sympathizing with them on a tough call late for thrown elbows by Biruta in Rutgers' 76-70 overtime victory over Seton Hall.
"I have not heard any response from the Big East or the officials, for three of them to — again, it was a mistake," Rice said after getting a chance to cool off. "It's got to be a mistake. I watched it on YouTube. I've had them all throughout the year, impeccable reputation, it's unfortunate, my heart — believe me, there is going to be blood coming through my tongue right now but it's what it is, we're going to control how we respond.
"I was a lunatic, to be honest with you, and I lost some self-control, I admit it, and I thought he got — again, it was a judgment call. Had I known it was [1.7], I might have literally held on, done a Van Gundy and held one of their legs on the court."
As for St. John's coach Steve Lavin, he seemed genuinely perplexed and unsure about what had happened, but that's mostly because by the time Brownlee hit the sidelines, he had passed Lavin, who was near mid-court en route to shake Rice's hand.
"I'm not sure," Lavin told ESPN's Beth Mowins when asked on camera about the sequence. "It was kind of chaotic and Keystone Cops there at the end."
Magnifying the officiating error is the fact that it ended Rutgers' season and went against the supposed purpose of a conference tournament, which is to give each team a fair shot at an automatic NCAA tournament bid.
Instead, the Knights' first season under Rice, which offered plenty of hope for the program's future along the way, concluded with a 15-17 record.
The final two minutes of the game included several questionable calls and no-calls on both ends, but this one raised cause for serious concern.
The Big East Conference officially chimed in with a statement not long after the game's conclusion:
"The Big East Conference acknowledges that two separate officiating errors occurred at the conclusion of the St. John's vs. Rutgers game," it read. "Both missed violations should have caused the game clock to stop and a change of possession to occur prior to the end of the game. Neither error is reviewable or correctable under NCAA playing rules."
Also, John Adams, who selects and manages officials for the NCAA tournament, told ESPN.com's Andy Katz that the ending was "unacceptable."
To be blunt, the way that final sequence played out was flat-out unprofessional, not just with the absence of a call, but by Burr and his cohorts blowing Rice and his players off completely. It can be properly corrected by keeping that crew — including Burr, Tim Higgins and Earl Walton — off of the floor for the rest of the tournament, which still has three more rounds yet to be played.
Don't expect anyone to shed a tear if they don't.
The Dagger's Graham Watson and Jeff Eisenberg contributed to this post.
Ryan Greene also covers UNLV and the Mountain West Conference for the Las Vegas Sun. Read his Rebels coverage and follow him on Twitter.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Epic Video Tuesdays
MUSIC THIS WEEK
Keri Hilson - Pretty Girl Rock
Ludacris - Southern Hospitality Instrumental
Meditation Music
Monday, March 7, 2011
Monday Morning Quarterback - MMQ
- One who criticizes or passes judgment from a position of hindsight
Awww....poor Lebron.
NOBODY CARES!
Or maybe you do since you might be one of those parasites that waits on every move Lebron makes.
I will get to the disdain I have for the NBA in just a bit, but for now let's take a look at our girls teams in their first weekend of regular season action.
Not a good start for the 8th grade girls who did not bring their "A" game to the court Friday night. Blame it on the bad rims in the first half, blame it on the refs, blame it on anything, but the bottom line was the girls did not execute.
Let's fat back (flashback) again to a post from 2009, where I listed what I think are the keys to win a game, in a blog post called How do you win?
BASKETBALL
In basketball, more than any other sport, the ingredients to be a good team are basic, and you don’t even need a coach to tell you what they are.
Make your lay-ups. You’ve all seen and been in games where lay-ups are missed left and right. When you make your lay-ups, more often than not, you will win.
Make your free-throws. Do we expect everyone to make all their free-throws? Absolutely not. But is one out of two too much to ask for? Look back at all the games you have lost in the past and how many free-throws were missed.
Don’t turn the ball over. Mistakes will always hurt you. When you throw the ball away, the other team gets a head start on their offense. It’s one less opportunity for you to score, and one more opportunity for them to score.
Basketball is such a mental game, and you need to be as strong mentally as you are physically. When you make a mistake, you can’t let it bother you. Learn from it, and do better the next time.
We have had games this year where we haven’t been able to do all three -- sometimes not even two of those, and still found ways to win. But when all three of those expectations are met, there isn’t a team out there that is unbeatable.
I guarantee that if your team is successful at those three things, 99 times out of 100, your team will be victorious.
There you go folks, easy, simple and basic. Nobody should ever lose another game.
The 8th grade girls didn't do any of these in their game Friday night and lost to a team they shouldn't have lost to. But after a good practice yesterday, let's see if they can regroup with a strong showing this coming weekend.
The 3rd/4th grade scored the same amount of points Saturday in their game as the other three girls teams combined Friday night. Great for the 3rd/4th grade girls, and not so great for the other three teams.
Adrianna has really stepped up her game this year and has averaged 7.0 points in the last two games. Michaela, who is only in 3rd grade, scored a career high 10 points, very impressive.
Hopefully they keep in mind that there is a whole lot of season left and that they will need to maintain this level of play and work even harder if they want to sustain this positive momentum.
The 5th and 6th/7th grade girls are all new so they will get a free pass for a lot of their mistakes. It's just simply inexperience right now, so if they can start getting acquainted with the game, they'll improve. It's just a matter of when they'll break through.
WHY YOU ARE A NOOB FOR LIKING THE NBA
Why can I not stand the NBA? Because it's boring, predictable and full of selfish, greedy players who are out of themselves. Look no closer than the Miami Heat.
Lebron James couldn't win a championship by himself, so he had to join forces with two other superstars to get what he wants. And it turns out, Chris Bosh is nothing more than a big fish in a small pond.
After the game yesterday, the Heat cried. Grown men crying after a regular season game. Give me a break.
Only in the NBA can you predict who is going to win the NBA championship on one hand. The Spurs, Lakers, Celtics, Magic, Heat, possibly the Bulls and an outside shot - the Mavericks will win the NBA title. And this will stay the same for years to come. Ok, that's 7 teams, but you get the point...But if you don't count the Bulls and Mavs, it's still one hand.
If you are a Warriors fan, or a fan of the Milwaukee Bucks, Memphis Grizzlies, Houston Rockets, you are not going to win a championship in the next 15-20 years.
Superstars nowadays are going to pull a Lebron, Wade and Bosh and go play for the same team. Carmelo Anthony is with Amare in New York, and soon to be joined by Chris Paul or Deron Williams in another year.
This means the rest of the NBA is irrelevant other than the handful of teams.
If you can enjoy an NBA game for what it is, and accept your team will win regular season games and an occasional playoff game, and not a title, then more power to you. If that floats your boat, good for you. My boat for the NBA has been sinking by the day.
So why waste your time? I know I am not wasting mine.
Go Sharks!
Saturday, March 5, 2011
3rd/4th grade wins big again
**Highlights Updated**
The 3rd/4th graders exploded again this morning, compiling a total of 28 points in another dominating victory in their first regular season game of the year.
They led at halftime 16-0 and eventually won 28-2. Their point total topped their previous high set in the final game of the tournament which was 22.
Miracle led the way with 12 points and Michaela set a new career high with 10 points.
Adrianna, who was up against her cousin today, will now have bragging rights at the next family reunion as she scored 6 points for the winning side.
It was a slow start for the girls, but a late first quarter push pretty much put the game away, as the girls were aggressive on defense, stepping in front of passing lanes, starting fast breaks.
In the half court set, Ivy had numerous nice passes which set up Miracle for some open looks.
From the last two games, you couldn't fathom that this team hadn't won a game until six days ago.
The biggest difference between where they are now and where they were a few weeks ago is their confidence. They feel like they can score and everybody on the team isn't afraid of shooting the ball.
Last year and even earlier this season, the girls were tentative and played scared. Now it looks like they have a sense of confidence and a court demeanor that shows everyone that they deserve to be on the court.
Michaela's 10 points is the most points scored by a 3rd grader in the St. Mary's modern era.
The 3rd/4th graders exploded again this morning, compiling a total of 28 points in another dominating victory in their first regular season game of the year.
They led at halftime 16-0 and eventually won 28-2. Their point total topped their previous high set in the final game of the tournament which was 22.
Miracle led the way with 12 points and Michaela set a new career high with 10 points.
Adrianna, who was up against her cousin today, will now have bragging rights at the next family reunion as she scored 6 points for the winning side.
It was a slow start for the girls, but a late first quarter push pretty much put the game away, as the girls were aggressive on defense, stepping in front of passing lanes, starting fast breaks.
In the half court set, Ivy had numerous nice passes which set up Miracle for some open looks.
From the last two games, you couldn't fathom that this team hadn't won a game until six days ago.
The biggest difference between where they are now and where they were a few weeks ago is their confidence. They feel like they can score and everybody on the team isn't afraid of shooting the ball.
Last year and even earlier this season, the girls were tentative and played scared. Now it looks like they have a sense of confidence and a court demeanor that shows everyone that they deserve to be on the court.
Michaela's 10 points is the most points scored by a 3rd grader in the St. Mary's modern era.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Rough start to girls regular season
It was not a good night to be a girl on the St. Mary's basketball team.
The 8th grade started the night with a poor performance and lost an easily winnable game 25-19.
They turned the ball over unofficially 17 times and were only 3-for-10 from the free throw line.
The girls were up 17-14 at one point in the fourth, and proceeded to score two points the rest of the way. Their fundamentals right now just aren't sound and the mistakes are catching up to them.
In lower divisions, they were able to get away with these flaws, but now in division 8-4, the errors are magnified.
Marissa had 13 points, but even she wasn't able to take control of this game. They got only 6 points from the rest of the team.
With under a minute to go, the 8th grade girls trailed 21-19, but they just couldn't get the equalizer.
Rebounding was again a problem, as they were out-hustled and outworked to almost every loose ball.
Serina, Gavrielle and Catharine combined for the rest of the team's 6 points.
5th and 6th/7th grade lose debuts
Both the 5th and 6th/7th grade teams lost in their first games ever in CYO.
Fiona did score the first two points in her career in the first half, while Jamie hit a nice jumper in the second half.
Maria-Pamela scored 4 points in the 7th grade loss, while Jocelyn added a free throw to complete the scoring.
The 8th grade started the night with a poor performance and lost an easily winnable game 25-19.
They turned the ball over unofficially 17 times and were only 3-for-10 from the free throw line.
The girls were up 17-14 at one point in the fourth, and proceeded to score two points the rest of the way. Their fundamentals right now just aren't sound and the mistakes are catching up to them.
In lower divisions, they were able to get away with these flaws, but now in division 8-4, the errors are magnified.
Marissa had 13 points, but even she wasn't able to take control of this game. They got only 6 points from the rest of the team.
With under a minute to go, the 8th grade girls trailed 21-19, but they just couldn't get the equalizer.
Rebounding was again a problem, as they were out-hustled and outworked to almost every loose ball.
Serina, Gavrielle and Catharine combined for the rest of the team's 6 points.
5th and 6th/7th grade lose debuts
Both the 5th and 6th/7th grade teams lost in their first games ever in CYO.
Fiona did score the first two points in her career in the first half, while Jamie hit a nice jumper in the second half.
Maria-Pamela scored 4 points in the 7th grade loss, while Jocelyn added a free throw to complete the scoring.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Boys All-Star Sunday Video Library
Here are most of the videos from All-Star Sunday - still working on a few others.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
BREAKING NEWS: NO PRACTICE TODAY
All practices have been canceled for today.
Both baseball teams will practice tomorrow, and all girls basketball teams will practice tomorrow night.
Both baseball teams will practice tomorrow, and all girls basketball teams will practice tomorrow night.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
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