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Welcome To Game Day Zone Blog
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
 Recently, the Philadelphia Phillies signed veteran catcher Brian Schneider to a two-year deal. It got virtually no notice on national sports shows and appeared in the agate type in the newspaper sports section under transactions. Schneider, a solid veteran who is most noted for his defensive prowess and ability to handle young pitching staffs, has played his entire career in the National League East. He debuted with the Montreal Expos, moved to the District of Columbia with the franchise as the starting catcher for the Washington Nationals, and joined the New York Mets in a 2007 trade (with Ryan Church for Lastings Milledge). When the Mets chose to go in a different direction, Schneider, who went to high school in Pennsylvania, grew up a Phillies fan (and as a National kept a Chase Utley jersey in his locker). What makes this a nice story is that Schneider is one of those guys who appreciates his role as a major league baseball player. Three seasons ago, I sat outside the players parking lot iwth my six-year old son after a night game at RFK Stadium. Every car passed by a small group of autograph seekers. But only one car stopped and it was right where my son stood. Schneider stuck his head out of the car window signed a picture for a thrilled six-year old boy, and thens several others for other fans. I had the opportunity a few days later to speak to Schneider and thank him as a father. He smiled shyly, and said, "I was one of those little boys hanging outside of the Los Angeles Dodgers' spring training camp looking for autographs. I know what it's like to be passed by, so I always told myself I'd never take this life for granted and I'd never try to disappoint any of the kids." Brian Schneider is my kind of role model. by: Game Day Zone
Monday, November 2, 2009
Just watching Monday Night Football and appreciating two good quarterbacks, Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons and Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints. Ryan is young, yes... but coming on strong. Brees, well, we know what he can do. Regardless, two fine signal callers for sure. But too often we watch the NFL and we can't find this situation. Sometimes we can't even find a good one on just one side. How does this happen? How can the league not have 32 good starting QB's? We have Brady, two Mannings, Brees, Ryan, Romo, Favre, Rivers, Roethlisberger and we'll go ahead and include young guys like Sanchez, Orton and Flacco who look like they will progress. And, yes, surely we overlooked a few. But who is running the other half of the teams? Why are we still burdened with watching David Garrard, Rex Grossman, Byron Leftwich and others? That's just naming a few. Can you name the starting QB's for 16 NFL team as of this month? Try it and then look at the active quarterback list at nfl.com and see what you missed. Or, watch most NFL games and see what all fans are missing.
Labels: brees, favre, flacco, romo by: Game Day Zone
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
What do you think about the New Jersey Nets being owned by Russia’s richest man, Mikhail Prokhorov? It's pretty much an international business already, isn't it? Kobe's jerseys are big sellers in Europe. LeBron is a common phrase in Asia. And the players in the NBA, (which might need the word "national" removed since it has moved abroad), Yao, Kirilenko, Pavlovic, Eyenga... not exactly roll call from the heartland is it? So, is this a good move? From a business standpoint, yes. Anyone selling something would rather be global, especially if there is easy shipping of your product. David Stern is already delivering around the world. The NBA is wildly popular everywhere, merchandising profits are high. So why not get some foreign money involved in the structure of the league. Let them build new arenas, bring in more people, especially to a struggling franchise. It can only help the economy. Besides, Brooklyn deserves it. Not since the Dodgers hopped a bus to the west coast has this burrough had anything to talk about, not to mention it's a retro infusion. But what about this issue from a nationalistic view? Will Americans have anything left to call it's own? It appears we've had a huge yard sale the last 100 years, and we're selling quickly. Hmmmm.... this could take a lot of blogs.
Labels: jersey, Mikhail, nba, nets, new, new jersey nets, Prokhorov by: Game Day Zone
Friday, September 4, 2009
LeGarrette Blount made a mistake. He is on the top of the Yahoo search list right now. What he did was wrong. What he did provides hours, days or weeks of fodder for sports talk stations, SportsCenter, internet junkies.... well, actually all of us. But who among us hasn't lost our cool? I have. You have. Mine just doesn't make ESPN. Has yours? Higher-ups will debate this issue for a long time. Granted, most people are on one side of this issue (he should be punished), but I bet nearly everyone could see the other side. If you've played any level of athletic competition, heck, if you've ever played Monopoly, you know what it's like when someone beats you, then beats you again, then has something to say about it. It cuts to the core like nothing else. It burns. Quite frankly, it makes a man do things he doesn't normally condone. However, in this story, the villain seems to have priors in the area. If that is the case, then perhaps shame on the coaches. Fool me once...
Labels: blount, ducks, espn, legarrette, oregon by: Game Day Zone
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
When the Virginia Cavaliers beat Ole Miss in a best-of-three series in the Oxford Super-regional last weekend, it marked the first College World Series appearance for the Cavs. But not for UVA Coach Brian O’Connor, who grew up near Omaha and pitched in the CWS for Creighton. Ironically, his first round opponent is LSU, which is coached by Paul Mainieri. Mainieri and O’Connor coached together at Notre Dame several years ago with Mainieri serving as O’Connor’s mentor. Now the two will face each other at Rosenblatt Stadium this weekend in college baseball's biggest showcase. But Virginia’s emergence on the national college baseball scene shouldn’t be a surprise. After making just 3 appearances in the first 49 NCAA tournaments, Washington National Ryan Zimmerman and Arizona Diamondback Mark Reynolds led the Cavs into their successive tournament appearances which now number six, culminating in this trip to Omaha. So now, the student must see if he can defeat the teacher and advance into the winner's bracket. It's a great week in Omaha, one that every college baseball fan should visit someday.
by: Game Day Zone
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
I received tickets to a Baltimore Orioles game for my birthday from my family. As a former season ticket holder who hasn't been back to Orioles Park at Camden Yards since the advent of the Washington Nationals, which is closer to my home and which I know own a mini-plan. But I'd forgotten how much I love Camden Yards and how much I like seeing American League teams such as the Red Sox, the Angels, and the White Sox. We saw a great game, a 6-3 victory by the Detroit Tigers. We saw good pitching, timely hitting, and an atmosphere that reminded me how great an atmposhere someone can experience at Camden Yards. But the thing that really surprised me was a story someone told me in the Orioles Team Store. We saw the second major league game of Matt Wieters, the new O's catcher out of Georgia Tech. He was called up from the Norfolk Tides and started the night before. I saw probably 10 to 15 people wearing tee-shirts with Wieters name and number on the back. My son and I went into the store in the fifth inning and I saw racks of Wieters tee-shirts. I casually mentioned how surprised I was to a clerk, who told me the organization had the shirts ready before he arrived. "We couldn't put them out until yesterday was an official game", she said. "We had to wait for the sixth inning, but when we did put them out, there was a line waiting for them." I thought that was pretty interesting and asked my son if he wanted a Wieters tee-shirt. "No," he said, "I want this one," as he held a Nick Markakis tee-shirt. One less Wieters sale for now, but I if he hits like he did Saturday night (a double and a triple), I bet my son buys a #15 Wieters shirt the next time we go to Camden Yards.
by: Game Day Zone
Monday, May 4, 2009
I have several friends who really don't like basketball, namely NBA. They're football people, baseball guys. No more Bird and Johnson they say. No more Jordan. No great matchups, no legendary players. I disagree. The new NBA is great. Watch the playoffs and see awesome plays and players making them. The recently ended Bulls-Celtics round one series was one of the best ever. Players like Superman, Kobe, D-Wade, King James and more are creating new legends. What about Dirk? He reminds me of Larry Bird.... kinda, doesn't he you? Paul Pierce. Magic-like? I'm just throwing some things out there. Legends become increasingly so the longer time goes by. Games become more classic the more the actual play fades from our memory. Wars seem more glorious centuries later. The NBA is good, really good. I feel like we are certainly watching heroes of the game right now, maybe some you don't even realize yet. Rondo, Mo, Noah, Ariza. Keep shooting fellas.
by: Game Day Zone
Saturday, March 21, 2009
March Madness? No. March Gladness. Glad because as a football fan it's the dead zone. That time between national signing day and kickoff. Ugh, hate it. Thank goodness for March. Honestly, even if you're not a basketball fan, you have to appreciate the pure sportsmanship and emotion of the NCAA Basketball Tournament. It's passion, it's hustle and it's fun. Great announcers, great fans, great rivalries. Duke and North Carolina. The Demon Deacons. The Terps, the Hilltoppers. Gonzaga (know where that is? course you don't!). The "what-I've-never-heard-of-that schools" that seem creep in every year. Binghamton? Binghamton? Seriously. Radford, where is that? Doesn't matter. They all play hard. Hat's off to all of them. Everyone loves David and Goliath, don't we? DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES? Yes, and we look for them every March.
by: Game Day Zone
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Really, what is the next chapter in Terrell Owen's saga. The Resurrection. The Demise. The Acquittal. The End? Is it a drama, comedy, adventure, mystery, what? As fans we need closure on this love-hate relationship with the self-promoting one. We like him, we do. We also get really tired of him. We love to watch him play, we do. We also tire of his antics. Come on, TO... just play already. You're a physical specimen. We wish we had your talent. Heck, most NFL receivers wish they had your talent. Use it man. Take a timeout, gather yourself and realize that you've been given a privilege that most people could never dream of. Fame, money, talent, power and, not least of all, the chance to do your hobby for a living, a tremendous living. Find a team that will have you, give 110% that we know you have, and sail that big ship into Canton. And, please, don't go Rodman on us!
by: Game Day Zone
Friday, December 5, 2008
Gifted athlete, Heisman trophy winner, NFL superstar, actor, media darling, fugitive, armed robber, convict.... wow, what a resume! How can someone fall so far? Is it stress? Is it the media? How did O.J. Simpson end up taking such a long and winding road? It's sad, really. No matter your position on Juice, it's ultimately sad. From a perspective of humanity, where does the blame lie? Maybe we are all capable of similar moves. Fame and wealth have a way of twisting normalcy (see Dennis Rodman). Most of us will never be in a situation to test that theory. We're pretty boring. It's not an excuse but it is an intriguing discussion as to why the ones who make it big fall so hard. It might be just a percentage thing. In other words, the same percentage of famous people go bad as does the percentage of the rest of us. Maybe. But the question is why... why would you find yourself in situations that might tear down your image, destroy your credibility, tarnish your name? Well, if I get famous and fall, I'll e-mail you and give you my reasons. For now, we'll chalk it up to human error.
by: Game Day Zone |
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