1-Man’s Opinion Sports–Monday “This-That-The Other”
“This-That-The Other”
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Pitchers-Catchers Report…Here come the Padres hurlers and receivers. They should all wear name tags after the organization got rid of the bullpen and bid so long to starter Ian Kennedy. What once was a strength is now a weakness, unless some of these journeyman minor leaguers they acquired surpise people.
The Dodgers open camp with no Zack Greinke, though they spent money to bring in Scott Kazmir and Japanese star Kenta Maeda. The most interesting storyline, does a more mature Yasiel Puig find his missing skills and motivation under Dave Roberts.
The Angels sure have issues, the amount of money they are paying an aging Jared Weaver and the guy they want to trade CJ Wilson. How healthy and when will Albert Pujols be ready, and do they have enough help for super-stud Mike Trout.
The NBA All Star Game was a love in for Kobe Bryant as he continued his farewell tour. Don’t know if all the french pastry on offense in a 190-points outburst was worth the price of admission. Maybe the pregame and halftime rock shows made up for how shallow the game really was.
LeSean McCoy, the Bills and ex-Eagles running back, admits he made a ‘mistake’-you think. The Philadelphia mayor is enraged McCoy and his posse would get involved in a stomping incident of 3-off duty cops that caused significant internal injuries. Can you say prison time? Can you say NFL big time suspension?
Ken Whisenhunt has re-emerged as the Offensive Coordinator with the Chargers, and his first statement, ‘we will run the ball’ sounds great. Now he has to back it up. He believes, as Mike McCoy, as I do, Melvin Gordon is a star in waiting, as soon as they get him an offensive line.
Everybody has an opinion on the arrival to of Fred Maas to take over Stadium negotiations repping the Chargers. He may be a Dean Spanos advocated, but he is also a civic minded leader. No more acidic-toxic comments, just common sense bargaining and they have 6-weeks to move the dollars around, build a consensus, and prepare to get signatures for a vote. Mark Fabiani and Spanos-quite a tandem, sure accomplished alot didn’t they?
Good to see Aztecs 3-point shooter Matt Shrigley come off the bench and hit 4-threes in the first half against Air Force. They need his offense, and he needed to find his touch and skill after the seirous summer knee surgery. He really came of age last year down the stretch last spring right around tourney time.
What’s the real future of USD athletics? Football plays so well but get no notice in our town. Basketball cannot get out of its losing tailspin, and empty seats outnumber the student body at home games. Not a good sign. Outside of Gonzaga, BYU and the St Mary’s Gaels, it’s like the conference does not exist. Maybe it’s the bi-product of being really a Division III program, though I know Division III programs across the country that draw fans. Maybe it’s being Division III in a major league market.
The San Diego Gulls may have to make the AHL playoffs without leading scorer Nick Ritchie and veteran goalie Anton Khudobin, both called up by the parent Anaheim Ducks. Ritchie could be gone 4-to-8 weeks after Chris Stewart suffered a fractured jaw in a fight. Khudobin replaces an injured John Gibson in goal for the short term.
What a weekend for the LA Marathon, and San Diego icon Meb Keflezighi, finishing a strong second behind Oregon superstar Galen Rupp, to earn his 4th trip to the Olympics. Meb, the former Uni-UCLA star is 40-years old, and came in just (:68) behind Rupp in the Olympic qualifier.
I told you the fiery Miguel Herrera would do a good job with the Tijuana XOLOs, after they hired the deposed Mexican World Cup soccer team. They’ve lost just 1-of-7 games since he took over as head coach. Wish the XOLOs could play some home games in San Diego, to test the real outdoor market here, for a potential MLS team.
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