Out of control
April 28, 2006Delmon Young threw a bat at an umpire. Umpires are like the policeman who pulls you over just as you've went over a hill and reached 75 in a 65.
It seems like they're always picking on the little guy when they make a ruling against you.
They get under our skin and test our character.
Delmon Young failed his test miserably. In the video given to ESPN, it looked like the bat had a lot of velocity as it hit the chest area of the minor league umpire. Young and the ump are very lucky he wasn't injured.
And Young should pay a very stiff penalty for the loss of control. My first thought is that he should sit out the rest of the season. But he'll probably skate with just a month.
Hopefully Young, one of the best prospects in the minor leaguers, acts like a professional from here on out.
Posted by Andy Newberry at 5:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
This 2-0 lead won't vanish
April 27, 2006The Mavericks may lose a game in Memphis, but it's hard to see them losing twice. Memphis is a nice NBA team, good enough to win 49 games. But they aren't among the league's elite. They remind me the Minnesota team that Dallas swept out of the playoffs a few years ago.
Kevin Garnett didn't have enough help, just like Pau Gasol doesn't have enough help.
In the playoffs it's all about difference-makers. Memphis has a lot of guys you'd love to have on your bench. It doesn't have very many you want to count on every night.
One of the best things about being lucky enough to go to an NBA playoff game is not having to listen to TNT. One of the worst things in Dallas is having to listen to Chris Arnold. Those who have been to the AAC will know what I mean.
Posted by Andy Newberry at 11:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Bowls, bowls, bowls
A little story from the NCAA on Thursday said there are 31 approved bowl games for upcoming college football season. That's the same number of games it'd take to complete a 32-team bracket.
You could have a 15-game tournament with 16 teams spread over 4-6 weeks.
I watched the Rose Bowl last year and a few minutes here and there of two or three lesser bowls.
But for the most part, I'd rather Christmas shop than watch what college football will deliver to my TV set.
Only when enough people tune out will college football gives sports fans a playoff.
Posted by Andy Newberry at 11:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Playing to lose
April 18, 2006The Los Angeles Clippers and Memphis Grizzlies have a game tonight that nobody wants to win.
Get this, the Clippers can clinch homecourt in the first round, but only by losing. With a loss, the Clippers are the No. 6 seed, but would play No. 3 Denver and be the host team.
Memphis would earn a series with No. 4 Dallas, the No. 3 team in the NBA with 60 wins.
It's something I'm sure David Stern will look at after this season. Situations where it is profitable to lose brought about the lottery. In this case, the NBA might look at seeding based on record or only guarantee a division winner a spot in the top four, but not necessarily do them 1-2-3.
Posted by Andy Newberry at 5:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Second Overtime: Rider vs. Boerne
April 15, 2006Have to see if Rider is so happy with shootouts that it plays for another one.
The Raiders had some good pressure in first overtime and a lot in the final few minutes of regulation.
Here comes the speed. Fisher, Peoples and Anderson check in with 5 1/2 to go.
Gill faked taking a free kick, which was then served by Sadler. But nothing developed.
Sadler took a solid shot, but from about 28 or 30 yards out. Ryan came back with a header off a throw by Peoples, but it was saved.
Time for a shootout and time to go to the field.
Posted by Andy Newberry at 8:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
First overtime: Rider vs. Boerne
Rider just cleared a ball completely out of the stadium.
Boerne's Brian O'Connor is a tough customer on defense.
Both teams expending some energy, but without results in the overtime.
Josh C. in for Peoples, who looks winded.
Free kick from 35 yards for Boerne. But Youngblood stuffs it.
That's it. Two shots there for Rider, but only one long one on goal.
Posted by Andy Newberry at 8:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
10 minutes to break a tie
Peoples and Fisher back in for Rider.
The Raiders just had a good surge. It looked as if they'd get a quality shot inside the 6-yard box,, possibly from Sadler. But all they ended with was a desparation blast over the top by Ross.
Fitzgerald just deflected a shot that had to be saved.
Rider gets first corner of the match. Little's serve doesn't lead to anything.
7 minutes left.
Rider has more bounce in its step right now. There's no doubt about that.
Ryan Sadler almost won it for Rider with a 30-yard blast off the cross bar. Peoples tried a rebound shot.
Winding down the last seconds. Boerne tried a run, but no numbers behind it.
Posted by Andy Newberry at 8:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
25 minutes and counting
Justin Anderson enters, Fisher takes a break.
Rider starting to pick up fouls.
Corey French made a great save on this serve by Scott Morgan.French stayed down briefly and is lobbying for a foul call it appears.
Mark Miller will replace French for a bit because French stayed down.
French back in, along with Josh Cournoyer.
Boerne putting the most pressure it has all match. Under 20 minutes now.
Can Rider generate some offense?
Rider's Kelly Gill took a free kick from midfield and put it on goal.
Boerne putting pressure on and playing physical, but no shots in last few minutes.
French is aggressive coming out on their long serves into the box.
Posted by Andy Newberry at 7:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Under 40 minutes in regulation
I love quick halftimes.
Rider has a corner kick. Adam Little takes it. Header over by Fisher, not close.
Casillas tried a long shot, not dangerous, but Hounds GK had trouble with handle.
Some offense by Boerne. A tough free kick from Scott Morgan, barely handled by French.
Yellow card giving to Caleb Baker for pushing French.
Long punts from French, Peoples tried a header over a defender.
Boerne a quick counter. Very intense action this half.
Guy Bigot in for Rider.
Boerne now has five corner kicks, none for Rider.
Posted by Andy Newberry at 7:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
More Kicking: Rider vs. Boerne
French composed with long ball bouncing to him. You'd think he'd have to be very excited.
Peoples may not be used to these minutes, but he's battling for everything in his area right now.
Guy Bigot enters match for Rider, replacing Casillas. 17 minutes into the match now.
Rider gets off first shot. A run by Fisher up the right side and nice pass to Peoples, who missed right. Boerne defense got there at last second.
WOW! Wild scramble, looked like players waiting for foul call. But Peoples stayed with it and got off a good shot that was saved by GK Denver Williams.
Hounds answer with a free kick from the offensive left side of the box. It leads to a header that was wide of the net by Scott Morgan.
Trey Ross gives Peoples a well-deserved break.
Rider's Gilbert Youngblood served a ball into the box that then bounded over the keeper, but defender Brian Connor saved a goal with an alert stop.
We're more than 25 minutes in now.
Justin Anderson just put some good offensive pressure on. Boerne counter, but played long all the way to French.
It's just a guess, but I think Rider may scored in the next 11 1/2 minutes. Their body language is good at this point. But you never know.
I have it 5-3 Boerne for shots, and 2-1 Hounds in shots-on-goal. But Rider has had more pressure.
Peoples returns for Trey Ross. Every since I said Rider might go score, they've been backed up in their defensive third.
First half is over.
Posted by Andy Newberry at 7:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Kicking in the first half
French is indeed starting, as I thought would happen. The PA had tabbed Miller as the starter. French is getting lots of attention for his pink shirt. His dad, doing the radio, didn't seem such a big fan of the look. But maybe it takes confidence to wear pink on a state-wide stage.
It looks like a little more wind than yesterday.
Boerne just penetrated the box, but couldn't get a shot. Rider counter falters.
Peoples gives Rider four sophomore starters. That's some amazing young talent.
Good run by the Hounds, but no shots yet.
Corner kick, leads to a harmless shot from the outisde by Ken Grimes of the Hounds.
Peoples and Fisher had a good combo going, but Fisher's cross picked off by keeper.
Jake Campbell got off a good blast from about 20 yards out, but over French and the goal.
We're 11 minutes into the match. Teams should be getting a feel of what they can do. Rider is putting more passes together today. And I won't be surprised if Catney tells them to be aggressive shooting, even from further out.
Posted by Andy Newberry at 6:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Game Time
They are about ready to start here in the tournament finale.Rider is the home team, wearing yellow jerseys.
The Greyhounds are in purple. They are 24-2-2 on the year. They had a pretty seasy run through the playoffs, scoring 17 goals and allowing only two.
The announced Rider starters:
Corey French (GK); Greg Casillas, Kyle Little, Ryan Sadler, Adam Little, Kelly Gill, Gilbert Youngblood, Nathan Fitzgerald, Daniel Odom, John Fisher and Jason Peoples.
Peoples is starting in place of James Fox, who received a yellow card to put him over the penalty limit in Friday's semifinal.
Posted by Andy Newberry at 6:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Only one trip missed
I have been to the soccer state tournament three times (1997, 2000, 2006). I had a good reason for missing the 2003 trip.
I was anxiously awaiting the birth of my first son, Jacob, who turned three this past Tuesday.
So J.Scott Russell put his soccer hat on that week and took on the assignment.
Posted by Andy Newberry at 6:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Almost ready for the championship
I've just watched the final minutes of the Class 4A girls championship match. McKinney North scored three goals to beat Highland Park, 3-0.
It seems like Highland Park is good at every sport now.
The boys have just begun to jog around and get ready for their game. It's likely this game will start 40 or 45 minutes after the scheduled 6 p.m. start.
It was hard to find a lot of information on Boerne, but it appears senior forward Paul Fritz is the top scorer and midfielder Scott Morgan has also been a key in the playoffs. Junior Denver Williams starts in goal.
The Greyhounds have been in the state championship both times they've made it to state. In 2002, they lost 1-0 to Hewitt Midway.
Posted by Andy Newberry at 6:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Rider wins shootout
April 14, 2006Ryan Sadler scores only goal in shootout, while Corey French stops all five shots. Rider is in the Class 4A final for second time. The Raiders (26-0-3) will play the winner of Boerne and Mount Pleasant.
Posted by Andy Newberry at 6:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Second Overtime
Rider is 10 minutes away from a second straight shoot-out. I was here in 2000 when the Raiders beat Southlake Carroll in a semifinal shootout. The Panthers have a couple of players who look like they'd be very hard to stop 1-on-1.
Rider had some numbers, but nice defensive play by S. Anderton of Panthers.
Dangerous-looking long ball to Muniz, but the star took too much time and the Rider defense recovered.
Muniz another chance, with French out of net. But he couldn't settle the ball for a shot... 6:15 to go.
Subs for Rider: Guy Bigot, Jason Peoples and John Fisher. Halfway through second OT.
Corner kick for Klein Oak. Cleared out of bounds.
Cross to Anderton inside box, but no shot.
Fisher great dribbling through double team, able to keep possession, but no shot.
Corner for Rider, under two minutes. Gill to take it.
Fox loads up, but shoots over the goal. Bigot almost got to a flying header, but saved by Medrano.
TO a shootout we go.
Posted by Andy Newberry at 6:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
First Overtime
Back after a quick break. Rider is still against the wind, but it hasn't appeared to be a major factor from here. Muniz had a good run going, but stuffed by Rider defense.
The Raiders are impressing everyone with their defense today. French couldn't handle a long ball and had to bat it out of bounds.
Anderson enters, Peoples also in the game.Peoples got through and passed long for Anderson. Not quite there.
Adam Little in for Guy Bigot.
French stops a really good chance by Kevin Beymann, who is being helped off the field by two men. Goal kick for Rider. 2:38 left in this period.
No good Rider chances offensively in that period. After 90 minutes, still no score. Rider 0, Klein Oak 0.
Posted by Andy Newberry at 5:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Second Half (4)
Any chance looks dangerous this late in the game. Safe assumption is overtime, but you never know. Fisher and Fox return for one last push in regulation.
Rider's Ryan Sadler and KO's Matt Strine receive yellow cards.
Kelly Gill taking long free kick for Rider.
Under three minutes now. Rider in possession for more than a minute. KO keeps batting ball out.
One minute remaining. Energy probably being conserved for overtime. One run by Raiders, but unable to maintain. 26 seconds left.
Corner kick in final 10 seconds, but not enough time to get off a shot.
Posted by Andy Newberry at 5:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Second Half
Oliver Barker and Justin Anderson in for Rider.
Fox tried long shot over the goal after last free kick from Kelly Gill. Klein Oak has defended set pieces well to this point.
Youngblood drove a long free kick in traffic, saved by keeper.
Muniz has good looking chance go just wide in 68th minute.
Deep throw for Panthers. But no shot.
We're now under 10 minutes in regulation.
Posted by Andy Newberry at 5:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Second Half (2)
Sloppy clearing by Raiders. Back pass to French, who then passed it out of bounds. Deep throw for Panthers.
No shot developed.
Rider seems to be taking more time in the midfield to survey options and build numbers.
Odom seems to be in the right place at the right time when called upon. Deep throw for Rider, created by John Fisher's work 1-on-2.
Klein Oak assumes nothing. They are challenging Rider backs and midfield when they try to play long.
Team effort to stop a move in the middle by Muniz.
Peoples enters match for Raiders. He's not in the tournament program so I have to give name and number to the rest of the press room.
Dangerous foul on Raiders just a yard outside box. But Ryan Doermer's free kick blocked by defense. Looked a lot like the fouls that led to goals in first two playoff games.
Another free kick from the left side outside the box. Headed out by Odom.
Posted by Andy Newberry at 5:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Second Half
John Fisher creates great chance right off the bat. Two-on-keeper chance as Panthers keeper stops it, but had to come all the way outside the 18 to do it. Rider couldn't find the rebound in time.
Corey French is in goal this half for the Raiders. He gets a quick save on Kevin Beymann.
Great corner by Kelly Gill from right side as Bigot heads it toward corner. Nice save by Medrano.
Press box has plenty of French jokes ready as he enters game. Such as no surrender there as French stops another chance (46th minute).
Kevin Beymann shaken up after collision with French, but appeared he was trying to draw card by staying down. Bigot is really active to start this half.
This is different watching from a press box. I usually stay at field level for games in Wichita Falls. Just hard to see soccer jersey numbers from up high.
Posted by Andy Newberry at 5:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Game On (4)
Good offense the last few minutes from Raiders. James Fox had a good shot. Rider called for foul in offensive box.
Lots of energy from Raiders. Just missing on a couple of passes. Peoples tried to set up Fox, but he didn't get much on this shot.
Casillas checks in for Peoples.
Some good passing by Panthers to move ahead, but nice defense by Kyle Little to avoid a corner kick.\
Last two or three minutes, the Panthers have looked close to putting together another good chance.
Muniz creates good run up the side by Sergio Triana, who misses from 25 yards out.
Kelly Gill takes 50-yard free kick. Just a little long for header try.
Yellow card on Gilbert Youngblood, replaced by Oliver Barker. 1:20 left in half. Dangerous kick coming for Klein Oak.
On a counter, James Fox created a good chance for Rider. He briefly lost it, regained control and fired a shot just wide from about 18 yards out.
End of the first half. I have Fox with three of Rider's six shots.
Posted by Andy Newberry at 4:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Game On (3)
Rider's James Fox called for yellow card with 23:02 left in first half. 10-goal scorer Justin Anderson replaces Fox.
It appeared Xavier Medrano had wind knocked out of him. It also looked like a hand ball just before Fox's foul.
Another corner for the Panthers, taken by Kevin Beymann. Xavier Medrano, shaken up on Fox's yellow, returns.
Head offer the post by Ryan Doerner (20th minute).
X Medrano another hand ball, this one called. in 23rd minute. Kelly Gill's free kick from just outside the box goes over the goal. Guy Bigot enters match for Raiders.
Rider has been able to creat some open field with counter attacks.
Panthers' Ryan Doerner earns yellow card with a trip. Header by Justin Anderson too high and over.
Fox and Fitzgerald re-enter for Rider.
Posted by Andy Newberry at 4:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Game on (2)
Nice tackle by Daniel Odom to save one good chance.
Adam Little just saved a goal in 9th minute. Rider having trouble getting the ball cleared.
Back-to-back corner kicks well defended by Raiders.
Long shot by Youngblood just over the goal (11th minute).
Jason Peoples has checked in for Rider to add some speed. Rider is really piling up the fouls. Another dangerous free kick by Muniz of the Panthers.
Adam Little taking corner for Raiders (16th minute).Sadler almost got a chance to head it into the net.
Posted by Andy Newberry at 4:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Game on
Mark Miller gets the start in Rider goal. He stops an early direct free kick by Klein Oak star Arie Muniz.
Those in press box remarking on how physical Rider is playing early. Deep throw-in for Rider's Gilbert Youngblood, but nothing happened.
Posted by Andy Newberry at 4:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Rider at State Tournament
The Raiders will have a slight wind at its back in the first half. At least it looks slight compared to recent days in Wichita Falls. About 30 minutes ago, the scoreboard read "Riders", but the mistake was caught and changed to Raiders.
The Raiders are taking the field right now. I'll update in a few minutes with some early action.
Rider has a big advantage in fans, although because they are on the home side I think the neutral fans are sitting on their half of Round Rock ISD Stadium.
Posted by Andy Newberry at 3:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Following Rider to state
I will be making my third trip to the state soccer tournament in the morning. I guess that makes me a veteran, but certainly not an expert. I think I have to concentrate more watching a soccer match than I do in sports like basketball, football, baseball and tennis. Sports that I played either competitively or casually.
One of my worst all-time mishaps in this profession came at a soccer match. The team had changed several numbers from the program they put out early in the year (they still seem to do that on occasion). And I didn't know these kids from Adam. I just put numbers to the names I had in my book. Well, there were several yellow cards given and even a red. I think about every name I mentioned in my story ended up being the wrong name and we had to publish a corrected version the next day.
I guess it's a good thing I didn't get red-carded for that mistake. I've enjoyed some exciting moments with city soccer since then, including the year WFHS and Rider tied twice.
And the state tournament is always interesting no matter what the sport. I'm looking forward to the match today.
Posted by Andy Newberry at 1:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Missed chance
It appears the Dallas Mavericks had already given up on getting the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference before they left the DFW airport. They played listless in Golden State on Wednesday and then lost at Phoenix, which is no surprise because the Suns were rested and waiting on them.
Just to rub it in, the Spurs lost to Orlando on Thursday night. Remember the Magic come next year. They are doing some good things the last 20 or so games.
Dallas is trying to get healthy, but it appears they'll have to go against San Antonio on the road. That probably means winning two games in the Alamo City.
Maybe that's what made Avery Johnson so angry Wednesday night. He know it was an opportunity wasted. Ironically, it might have been winning in San Antonio that made the players feel the home court wasn't so important. In a few weeks, we'll have some real games to watch.
Posted by Andy Newberry at 1:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
