Vikings-Packers in Monday Night Opener
March 31, 2008
Filed under: Packers, Vikings, ESPN
The Minnesota Vikings will open the season against the Green Bay Packers on Monday Night Football on Sept. 8 on ESPN, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune is reporting (via PFT).
The game will be the first of a doubleheader to conclude the NFL’s kickoff weekend, and it’s expected to be played at Lambeau Field as the Packers usher in the post-Brett Favre era. ESPN will undoubtedly beg Favre to show up; it’s possible that the team will use the occasion to retire Favre’s number.
The NFL has also announced that the Redskins will visit the Giants in the Thursday night opener, and the league is expected to announce today the other nationally televised Week 1 games. The second game of the Monday Night opener will presumably feature a pair of Pacific time zone teams.
The entire 2008 schedule is expected to be announced next month.
San Antonio’s Offense: Awake!
March 31, 2008
Filed under: Rockets, Spurs, Houston
It’s just after halftime in the pivotal (for seeding purposes) Houston-San Antonio draw on ABC; the Spurs tossed up a shocking 66 points in the first half (to 48 for the Rockets). Of course, San Antonio is a good offensive team, but … 66 points on 43 possessions? Against the #2 defense in the league? That is mammoth.
This is a team, you’ll remember, who couldn’t muster more than five freaking points in an entire quarter against Atlanta just a month ago.
The Corpse of Michael Finley insists there is fuel in his reservoir; I remain skeptical, though this morning’s game (18 points in 17 minutes, as of this writing) could nudge my opinion to the opposite pole. San Antonio can take sole possession of The One Seed (at least temporarily) with a win; New Orleans (currently even-up with SAS) plays in Toronto later today.
UPDATE: The Spurs finished it out with a 21-point win, and 109 points on 85 possessions. Stellar, stellar work.
ODLB: Tigers-Royals, Innings 1-3
March 31, 2008
Filed under: Detroit, Tigers, Royals, AL Central, MLB Live Blogging, Kansas City
Whoa, that’s a big picture of Miguel Cabrera. And, with this awkward segue, this might be a good time to tell you I have big expectations for Cabrera and the Tigers this year — I’m predicting the Tigers to win World Series, Justin Verlander to take home the Cy Young and Miggy to win the MVP.
Of course, maintaining objectivity might be a little difficult: I’ve been a Tigers fan my whole life and have been a little tipsy on the Tigers-flavored Kool-Aid ever since Dave Dombrowski traded for Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis back in December and then signed each of them to long-term contracts. So needless to say, I’ve been waiting for Opening Day for a long, long time.
Fortunately, Mother Nature is cooperating: it’s cloudy but (relatively) warm and dry. The Royals are the first up to face the Detroit juggernaut this year — the first pitch is about to be thrown …
Top of the First: That didn’t take long — Verlander gets David DeJesus to ground out at first.
Okay, that’s a little scary: Carlos Guillen leaves his leg in the basepath for the throw to first, resulting in a minor collision. Needless to say, first base isn’t second nature for Guillen just yet. He gets tagged with the error.
And Mark Grudzielanek gets the first stolen base of the season …
Alex Gordon does not appreciate called strikes. We have our first thrown bat and player chirping with the umpire of the season, too.
Jose Guillen pops out to Placido Polanco to end the inning. The Tigers are up after the break.
Bottom of First: Gil Meche has the ball for the Royals. Gil, this is as good of time as any to tell you that I’m sorry. I made fun of the Royals for signing you last winter, then ate my words all summer when you were not only not horrible but actually quite good.
Wait, did Meche just get Renteria to strike out on three pitches? And then Polanco to ground out on first? He’s the definition of a fast working pitcher right now. Has he even thrown six pitches yet?
Gary Sheffield picks up the slack by drawing the walk.
Magglio gets the base knock to put two on for Cabrera’s first at-bat as a Tiger. FSN color guy Rod Allen notes that Cabrera “has never played in front of a crowd like this.” Maybe not on Opening Day, Rod, but there was that little thing called the 2003 World Series …
Miggy hits it deep, deep … fly out to center. Royals up.
Top of Second: Verlander proves he can work fast, too, getting Billy Butler to fly out on the first pitch.
And now Mark Teahen flies out on the second pitch. He means business.
Okay, this is ridiculous: Ross Gload saw just three pitches before flying out to right field (with Magglio and Brandon Inge coming too close for comfort to the first outfield collision of the season). Three up, three down, Verlander threw all of six pitches for the inning.
Bottom of Second: Lead-off double for Guillen — it went over DeJesus’ head and rolled all the way to the wall. Beatiful.
Pudge is up and showing a surprising amount of patience, taking two balls before swinging to make it 3-2. The guy drew all of nine walks in 2007, might he get his first on Opening Day? …
… no. Meche gets Pudge swinging.
Meche gets Jacque Jones swinging, too. Will Inge leave Guillen stranded out on second?
No! Inge didn’t even have to do anything, taking four straight balls for the walk. Who walks Brandon freaking Inge to get to the top of the Tigers’ batting order?
And this is why walking Inge was a bad idea: Renteria knocks it up the middle, bringing Guillen home and putting runners on first and second. Tigers 1-0.
Polanco didn’t come to the ballpark today to leave the bat on his shoulder: he swings at the first pitch, flying out to shallow right field. Inning over, Tigers up 1-0.
Top of Third: Verlander takes the mound. What’s the over/under on number of pitches thrown this frame? Six? Seven?
John Buck sees five pitches but strikes out. Tony Pena sees five more but also strikes out. Joey Gathright sees only two before grounding out. Verlander finishes the inning with 12 pitches. Yeah, I took the under, but I’ll take two strikeouts.
Seriously, if you were heading out to the game today, I hope you got an early start: we’re flying through this game right now.
Bottom of Third: Meche gets Sheff on a checked swing. Did he go around? Ah, the replay says yes. Good call.
Was there even an offseason? Nobody told Magglio: he just smoked a double to the right field wall. He’s 2 for 2, and as Rod Allen points out, he’s as locked as he was last year.
And Cabrera grounds out to short.
Magglio learns the hard way that Jose Guillen has a bionic arm with laser sights. Carlos Guillen lines to right field, prompting Magglio to round third and head for home. The first play at the plate of the season had little suspense: Maggs was out by a mile as Guillen got the ball perfectly to Buck without a bounce. Maybe Magglio forget Guillen signed with the Royals — I guarantee there are thousands of people watching at home who did.
That’s all for the first leg of this live blog — check out innings 4-6 here.
Sega Superstars Tennis “On The Spot”
March 31, 2008
Xbox 360,PS3,Wii,DS,PS2 Release Date: Mar 18, 2008
Hate To Be Rude: Mark O’Meara
March 31, 2008
Rude asks the Prince of Pebble Beach how he and Tiger Woods split the bill at dinner.
Woody Austin Melt Down #18 Zurich Classic New Orleans 2008
March 31, 2008
Woody Austin hits a terrible shot out of the rough on 18 with a hybrid club then puts his third shot in the water on #18 at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. He was one shot behind the eventual winner Andres Romero before this hole.
Tiger Woods - “Oh Hell No”
March 31, 2008
Post round at Doral 2008.
Blue Jackets @ Blackhawks 3/30/08
March 31, 2008
Columbus Blue Jackets @ Chicago Blackhawks 3/30/08
NBA TV Top 10: March 30
March 31, 2008
Visit http://www.nba.com/video for more highlights. NBA’s Top 10 Plays for March 30th, 2008
Tiger Explains Why He Will Break Your Neck for Snapping His Photo Mid-Backswing
March 31, 2008
First of all, I want to applaud ESPN’s Dana Jacobson for making it through this interview without cracking up. Or worse, raising her fist and cursing Jesus for all his magnificence and splendor.
Second, I want to applaud Tiger Woods for making it through this interview without calling Jacobson a “jackass” or threatening to break her neck.
Seriously, I love the fact that Jacobson gives Woods an opportunity to apologize for his expletive-laden tirade at last weekend’s CA Championship and he instead chooses to laugh it off. Like he’s the only guy cursing on the PGA Tour.
Look, golf is a professional sport where athletes are competing at a pretty high level. If networks are worried about Eldrick dropping a few f-bombs, here’s a radical idea: don’t have a mike in his face from the time he steps on the first tee until he putts out on 18.
Just thinking outside the box here.
Latest Golf Pics
Angela Stanford reacts after making a long birdie putt on the 17th hole during the first round of the LPGA Safeway International golf tournament at Superstition Mountain Golf and Country Club Thursday, March 27, 2008, in Superstition Mountain, Ariz. Stanford completed with a course record 10-under par 62, and the first-round lead. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
AP
Angela Stanford watches her tee shot on the 18th hole during the first round of the LPGA Safeway International golf tournament at Superstition Mountain Golf and Country Club Thursday, March 27, 2008, in Superstition Mountain, Ariz. Stanford completed with a 10-under par 62, good for the first round lead, and a course record 62. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
AP
Chez Reavie drives on the ninth hole in the first round of the PGA Zurich Classic of New Orleans golf tournament at TPC Louisiana in Avondale, La., Thursday, March 27, 2008. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)
AP
Dean Wilson unsuccessfully tries to roll in a long birdie putt on the 18th green but he made par for sole possession of the lead in the first round of the PGA Zurich Classic of New Orleans golf tournament at TPC Louisiana in Avondale, La., Thursday, March 27, 2008. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)
AP
Angela Stanford celebrates her birdie on the 18th hole, finishing with a course record 62 and a first-round lead, at the LPGA Safeway International golf tournament at Superstition Mountain Golf and Country Club, Thursday, March 27, 2008, in Superstition Mountain, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
AP
Briny Baird studies his putt on the ninth hole during the PGA’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans golf tournament at TPC Louisiana in Avondale, La., Thursday, March 27, 2008. Baird completed the first round with a 5-under-par 67. (AP Photo/Ann Heisenfelt)
AP
Peter Lonard, of Australia, watches his putt on the ninth hole during the opening round of the PGA’s Zurich Classic golf tournament at TPC Louisiana in Avondale, La., Thursday, March 27, 2008. Lonard finished the first round with a 5-under-par 67. (AP Photo/Ann Heisenfelt)
AP
Briny Baird walks off the eighth green after making par in the first round of the PGA Zurich Classic of New Orleans golf tournament at TPC Louisiana in Avondale, La., Thursday, March 27, 2008. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)
AP
Dean Wilson waves as he walks off the 18th green with at least a share of the lead in the first round of the PGA Zurich Classic of New Orleans golf tournament at TPC Louisiana in Avondale, La., Thursday, March 27, 2008. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)
AP
Zach Johnson drives on the 12th hole in the first round of the PGA Zurich Classic of New Orleans golf tournament at TPC Louisiana in Avondale, La., Thursday, March 27, 2008. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)
AP
Previously on FanHouse
Is Tiger Woods PGA’s Most Fined Golfer?
Tiger Woods Will Break Your Neck if You Snap a Pic in His Backswing
