Blog Outsourcing 8/9

Hello! Welcome to the latest edition of Sparty and Friends!

Today is August 9, 2010. In numeric terms, it is 8/9/10. That of course, is numerically cute.

First, I have been advised to fix my posting schedule. After all, there is supposed to be a proper time to be posting TMAs and obviously, I have been slacking off a little bit. As such, with the usual prodding, I will do my best to approximate said deadline. (EDIT note: Looks like I am slightly late again. A glitch happened on my laptop.)

Second, since I am on the "Floyd Mayweather is a chicken" bandwagon, I just want to inform people that the PacMan has decided to call out Floyd. It is not the norm for Manny to call out people. He lets his fists do the talking on his behalf, while the power brokers (like Top Rank's Bob Arum) do the negotiating for the nitty gritty. Since the self-styled pound-for-pound icon has decided to prioritize frivolous things instead of choosing his next probable opponent, Top Rank decided to set up a farce of a match on November against the guy named Marga-cheato. Goes to show how selfish some people are instead of focusing on what the sport exactly needs. Meanwhile, to keep himself busy, the Congressman is currently doing political work.

So there. End rant.

Hereforth are the links:

The Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays had a bad weekend. First, they got Arencibia'd. Then, they got Morrow'd. Rays with a losing streak just after they retook 1st place from those damn Yankees. Speaking of J.P., he surely treasured that day.

Boston could not really take advantage and gain ground as they faced off against the Evil Empire. They missed a chance when A-Ro(i)d missed a game. They missed another chance when AJ Burnett was suddenly scratched. Good job by the Yankee pitching staff, especially to Dustin Moseley. One more game to play for both squads before the final series (second-to-the-last-weekend of the regular season) between the two rivals.

One Yankee legend passes another, while another milestone set by A-Ro(i)d. Speaking of Alex, here are some tidbits regarding the 600 long balls.

The Buck stops here. Orioles now 5-1 under the new manager.

Enough with the AL (B)East, the AL Central features a chase by the plucky Twins, who won wearing the Jedi-like Negro League uniforms as well as the Pavano pornstache. In addition, Thome could still be chasing 600, as he has 578 now.

On the AL West, things are getting worse in Griffey-land, where bathrooms are hazardous.

How the Greenberg-Ryan Express was able to survive the Mark Cuban aggression.

Surprise stat: Why are the Oakland Athletics so good during day games?

Torii Hunter has a dark side beneath the good-guy image.

Get well soon, Chris Coghlan.

Domo Arigato, Mr. Joey Votto!

Here are your 50 greatest Cubs!

For Pittsburgh fans, they cannot wait until football season already.

It's not about who finished first, it is about who finished 79th. I think Corey Pavin would be served best if he did not select Tiger with his captain's picks. Tiger needs to fix his mess before he can really be back to form.

Finally, a fake football game.

And on the tenth day, Albert Haynesworth finally passed his test. And you know it has become ridiculous when minor league teams use it as a promotion. And the moral of the story is...

He still wants to be a Cowboy, baby!

Apparently, the success of Houston next season is on Brian Cushing.

It's never too late to apologize. Unfortunately, that does not come with a Lombardi trophy.

Where does Friar Tim rank among the bad hair days?

Here are some nice excerpts from the HoF Enshrinement Ceremony. But we are waiting for Primetime's turn next year. Which makes me wonder if the bust's design will include the trademark bandanna.

Keith Olbermann has been DQ'd from the pregame show.

Do you really really want T-Mac?

The First Baller can hold down the fort, y'all. And he's bringing in the Who Dat later.

Interesting read about a what could have been alternate reality where Pau Gasol is deftly handling the scalpel instead of a basketball.

The Community Shield means that the Premier League is close.

Because this is a tribute to Littlefoot and Cerah after this news shocked all dinosaur fans.

TWTWTNBA: Christmas Day is NBA Day

We interrupt the usual Free Agent one-liners from me to take advantage of what happened earlier in the week.

The NBA released a partial schedule for next season, and once again, they cornered the Holiday season with goodies that we all love.

Let's look at the bite size of each of game on the initial release.

October 26 (October 27 in the Philippines): NBA Opening Night on TNT

Rajon Rondo gets his wish, to test the Miami Heat this early in the season. The Grown-Ups (with probably now includes Shaq) against the Dwayne and the Wades. And yes, you can bet your bottom dollar Marv Albert is covering all Miami games on TNT.

The other half features Championship Ring Night at Staples with Trevor Ariza looking at a what-could-have-been season as he sees Ron Artest receive his ring. Oh, and reports say that Yao Ming might be ready to go for this one. Here's hoping that he's fully healthy.

October 27 (October 28 in the Philippines) Opening Night for ESPN NBA Wednesdays

1st half of the doubleheader features probably the two studs of the World Basketball Championship team that will be playing in Istanbul (not Constantinople) later this month, Derrick Rose of the Bulls and Kevin Durant for the Thunder. This also features the head coaching debut of Thibs.

2nd half of the doubleheader also features a debut as well. Finally, Blake Griffin will get to play his 1st ever NBA game. Hopefully, he won't be experiencing an injury plagued career like the other rookie who missed the season he was drafted in due to injury, Greg Oden. This also is the Clipper coaching debut of Vinny Del Negro, who managed to poach one of his current assistants from Nate McMillan's old staff.

October 28 (October 29 in the Philippines): Opening Night for Thursdays on TNT

The first game features the debut of the new Amway Center. And oddly enough, it's John Wall and the Wizards against the Orlando Magic. I am sure someone can conjure up stories from the first game there. Whether Gilbert will be playing on either side is a question in itself.

The second game features two teams with a new refurbished look. Jazz lose Boozer and gain Jefferson. Suns lose Amar'e and gain Hedo. The interesting subplot will be whether Steve Kerr will be handling broadcasting duties for this one. Hopefully it includes an interview with Sarver.

October 29 (October 30 in the Philippines) Opening Night for ESPN NBA Fridays

The debut of ESPN NBA Fridays begins with the inter-state rivalry with Orlando and Miami. Orlando's depth will be up against the might of the Wades' studs. You can also consider this as the Jason Williams' Bowl. Hopefully, we can see the fruits of Hakeem on Dwight.

The other game features the Western Conference Finals rematch between the Lakers and the Suns. Hopefully, the three-man booth is still alive and kicking. Meanwhile, Cleveland lost another one. Still unknown if Dan Gilbert will do another Comic Sans. Then again, they are all subject to the Sarver's whims.

December 25 (December 26 in the Philippines): the Christmas Day bonanza on ESPN and ABC

You think about how different sports corner particular days of the year for their own. For basketball, it has been Christmas Day. It also serves the launching pad for ABC's national coverage of the NBA every season. This year, 5 delicious games stretching for 12 hours will captivate the baller in you.

Day kicks off with the Bulls against the Knicks on ESPN. The expert on D (Thibodeaux) against the SSOL mastermind (D'Antoni). Speaking of the Knicks' head coach, he has some free time on his hands. Hope he can figure out a way for the Knicks to exert effort on defense. Or even get any kind of return from Eddy Curry.

ABC kicks off their coverage with the rematch from the Eastern Conference Finals, Boston and Orlando. Sure, Kendrick Perkins will not be around, but wasn't Cleveland's reasoning to get the Big Aristotle was specifically for their rematch against the Magic that never happened because someone allegedly decided that he wanted to go to South Beach?

The highlight of the day follows, the team people are already talking dynasty with when they haven't played a minute together yet (Miami Heat), goes up against the defending champs (Los Angeles Lakers), who are quietly assembling a roster that is set up for a dynastic run.

After the ABC doubleheader, ESPN continues with their own doubleheader. First game features a tantalizing duel between Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Durant. Melo's decision not to sign the extension yet seems very very famillar. It will not be as headline grabbing like someone did, but it will be something worth monitoring. Amar'e must be on to something.

And the last game of the day is a throwback to the 70s, Portland and Golden State will be facing off. Interestingly, all games were won by the Blazers back then. We know what's good in Rip City, but other than Stephen Curry, chaos reigns and we really have no idea what the new owner (Joe Lacob) wants to do yet.

January 17 (January 18 in the Philippines): Martin Luther King, Jr. Day special on ESPN and TNT

The ESPN matinee features the Bulls against a young and talented Memphis team that is really lacking on maturity and veteran mettle. With this matchup, by then, we would have figured out who they really are. Someone needs to take over and turn into the alpha dog. Enter OJ Mayo.

The first part of the TNT prime time doubleheader has the Christmas Day rematch between Boston and Orlando. Nope, Kendrick will still be unavailable for the Grown-Ups. The other part of the doubleheader has the rematch of the 1st round matchup between the Lakers and the Thunder. They had a wonderful and captivated the nation, showcasing the Thunder for the world to admire and enjoy. Could be said that they provided the toughest test other than Boston for the champs. And of course, Jedi Master Kobe showing the new Padawan Kevin how it's done after the old padawan turned into the dark side.

Speaking of the new Sith Lord, everyone's favorite Lebron / Cleveland stalker, Brian Windhorst, has secured the Cleveland-Miami playdates, considering that the complete schedule will not be released until August 10, and that no Cleveland games were among those that the NBA partially released. December 2 is supposed to be on TNT, as it will be the Rude Homecoming. Now that is must-see TV, if only for what could possibly happen, good or bad.

Blog Outsourcing 8/2

Welcome to today's edition of Sparty & Friends.

The past two days have some weird special significance that are very interesting and weird.

First, July 31 not only serves as the end of the month, but also serves a special day for all Jesuits and its institutions. That day is St. Ignatius Day. Saint Ignatius of Loyola was after all, the founder of the Society of Jesus. He died on that day in 1556. Known for the Spiritual Exercises, he is also the patron saint of the Basque region and spritual retreats.

In the midst of the collegiate season, we normally win those games. And we did last Saturday against National University.

Yesterday, August 1, is a special day for all Simpsons fans. Specifically, yesterday was the day Lisa Simpson was to be married. Yup, Lisa Simpson was to be married to Hugh St. John Alastair Parkfield. That occurred during Season 6.

Interesting tidbits from the wedding include:

- The networks have merged into ABCNNBCBS; FOX is now a hardcore sex channel

- Brits can brag about saving America's ass in WWIII.

- The Rolling Stones have embarked on their "Steel Wheelchair" tour (and are lauded for their "tireless efforts to preserve historic buildings").

And this is the invitation:



Hereforth are the links:

So, the Yankees got Berkman, Wood & Kearns, but lost to the Rays, who only added Chad Qualls. But these additions are for the long haul, with October in mind. Veterans hungry for a ring of their own.

The Dodgers added arms in Ted Lilly (and Ryan Theriot) and Octavio Dotel, but they sorely needed bats, who were MIA in their loss to the Giants, who also needed bats but only secured Javier Lopez and Ramon Ramirez.

Cardinals trying to chase the Reds for both division and wildcard, acquire Jake Westbrook. They sent Ryan Ludwick to the Padres, which sorely needed bats at pitcher-friendly Petco and already made an immediate impact against the Marlins.

Braves needed a shot in the arm, but they still lost to the Reds.

Wilson Ramos will be catching Strasburg fastballs next season, who is looking good in rehab right now.

Whether Drayton McLane likes it or not, he is now rebuilding. So are the D-backs.

The Rangers lost today, but all eyes on the auction on Wednesday.

As if the Cubs' ugly season is not bad news already, it already got worse.

Ozzie being Ozzie. Oi! Oi! Oi!

Canadian baseball in flames.

As if people do not really know why this year has been awesome for pitchers.

CarGo with a nice way to secure a cycle.

Only in Philly. More reasons for that now that Ryan Howard is sidelined.

Dennis the Menace is alright, his twitter tell us.

Tyreke Evans obviously never heard of Bobby Phills.

More updates on Lorenzen Wright.

So, where will the House of Bron be?

Brian Scalabrine news. Unfortunately, Celtics already have his successor in Luke Harangody.

This would be awesome if it was 10 years ago.

Shaq's new nickname: The Big Belieber.

Whoever you put there, he still would be subject to the whims of Sarver.

STAT in his quest to determine if he is the Messiah for the Knicks, or merely another lost prophet.

Chris Paul in the Hall of Fame?

This is how you leave Cleveland. I actually think his jersey will be in the rafters of the Q someday.

What exactly is the Albert Haynesworth conditioning test? And he still is not partaking of it.

I am sure Roy Williams is really saying, "Sucks to be you, brotha."

Figuring out what could T.O. be in Cincy.

Is Antrel Rolle the Giant solution? Or is it be Keith Bulluck?

Nice to know he is back on the field.

Ndamukong Suh: all-around good guy. Unfortunately, he still cannot help the Lions right now.

This guy will not be the 3rd string QB.

Revis Island currently on vacation. Hopefully, Kyle Wilson will maximize the opportunity.

New era in San Diego. Welcome to life after LdT.

Derek Dooley denies an exit strategy for Bryce Brown.

Take a chance. Take a chance. Take a chance, chance, chance.

Stuart Appleby ties a record David Duval held by himself.

Hopefully by then, he would be back to his normal tournament-winning self.

This one is for the Roush.

Just because I love saying the name of the racetrack, the Hungaroring.

Juan Manuel Marquez deserves a third shot at the PacMan. I'd rather see that match instead of Margacheato.

Floyd Mayweather is a Chicken. Floyd is a sissy. Floyd is a coward.

Kaka to Chelsea, no mas. Ditto for Ashley Cole to Madrid.

Doubtful that Landon Donovan returns to England.

Thanks to my friend, Sarah for finding this gem.

Blog Outsourcing - 7/26

Welcome to today's edition of Sparty and Friends.

Earlier today, I was listening to my new president give his State of the Nation Address (SONA for short). It was 36 minutes of talking about the current state of my country and what he initially intends to do about it. You call it your State of the Union Address. It was done in the vernacular, so if you are interested, you can read the English translation here.

On the other hand, the weekend was wracked with disappointment as my alma mater lost in the 1st round of our rivaly game. The way we lost it was a little ugly as we held a 9-pt lead late in the 4th quarter with 3+ minutes left, and all of a sudden, we could not score and their shots began falling. What sucks even more is that all those hiding in the woodwork came out and pounced on the opportunity to talk smack. After all, they finally got their chance after the past few years of failure. Hope we can bounce back from this better than ever. It has been a tough start this season, but it is still early. Lots of games to go before the post-season comes in about a couple of months.

Of course, one good lesson you can gleam from this experience is that these are the kind of things that can be cured by sleep. Something obviously Dan Gilbert should have done before the Comic Sans mishap.

Here are the links:

Contador wins the Tour de France, in which Lance Armstrong ends in a whimper.

Round and round they go, Jamie Mac takes the Brickyard 400.

How one wins a race without leading a lap, and how team orders can affect a race.

The so-called "next Danica" is on probation, while bickering drivers say they're all good.

Dan Haren is the Angels' response to Cliff Lee. But Alberto Callaspo is a bigger acquisition.

The Mets and Royals in trade talks. Mediocrity for mediocrity.

The Hawk finally gets in. You think Tim Raines is in eventually?

Quest for 600 delayed. The little engines that could in Florida strike.

Tigers lose key cogs, but Miggy carries on.

Bobby V in a Cubs jersey?

Obviously, Deion taught him well.

Get well soon, Sergio Kindle.

How Dan Beebe "saved" the new Big 12.

Adios! Here's an old parting track:

TWTWTNBA: FA Discussion (Filling in the Pieces)

Here are more FA madness from the Association:

Guards:

Nate Robinson stays with the Boston Celtics: Those two playoff wins Nate provided were apparently enough for the Celtic brass to say, let's keep him instead of Tony Allen.

Anthony Carter stays with the Denver Nuggets: Rumored to have been targeted by the Heat, he decided to stay knowing he will not really play that much if necessary with the quick development of Ty Lawson.

Randy Foye to the Los Angeles Clippers: He replaces the departed Steve Blake. Randy will be the back-up to both Baron Davis and Eric Gordon. At the same time, this buys time for their two PG draft picks (Bledsoe and Warren) time to develop at their own pace.

Kyle Lowry stays with the Houston Rockets: Cavs wanted him. Unfortunately, they get screwed again

Luke Ridnour to the Minnesota Timberwolves: Another Kahn move. Makes Ramon Sessions expendable, which was also a Kahn move. Add to that the Jefferson deal to Utah, makes me feel good about the Minny 1st rounder coming soon. At least the Twins are around right now...

Shaun Livingston to the Charlotte Bobcats: Maybe this is the chance to shine, Shaun. Hope you have fully recovered. Because only DJ Augustin is your only competition for the starting PG role. It is worth nothing that the injury we would like not seeing on Youtube happened against the Bobcats.

Ronnie Brewer to the Chicago Bulls: With Orlando matching JJ's offer sheet, this is their Plan B. They needed a replacement for what Kirk Hinrich did on the defensive end, and Ronnie provides that element. He's not as good a shooter as JJ is, however. Expect the lion's share of the minutes at the 2 to go to him.

JJ Redick stays with the Orlando Magic: He is the Magic's top FA priority, which would probably cost them Matt Barnes. Is he going to be the starter, we will know soon enough.

Wesley Matthews to the Portland Trailblazers: Nice bargain pickup by Jerry Sloan, gets Paul Millsap-d by Portland, only this time, the Jazz let him go. He was solid guarding the likes of Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant etc. This makes Rudy available for anyone, without letting him slink away to Europe.

CJ Watson to the Chicago Bulls: With Kirk Hinrich gone, they needed a back-up PG. He'll fit the bill.

Forwards:

Travis Outlaw to the New Jersey Nets: With Lebron choosing not to go to Newark, the Nets had to look for a Plan B. Outlaw is not a bad choice. During his days in Portland, I thought he was their #2 go to clutch option after Roy.

Kyle Korver to the Chicago Bulls: Bulls needed better bench contributors, and adding his shooting prowess will prove to be invaluable.

Carlos Boozer to the Chicago Bulls: Chicago needed a big splash this free agency. They struck out on the big kahuna, and thus this was their fallback option. Having Boozer means they finally have a low post threat. A 20-10 guy who could provide the offensive oomph that Joakim Noah can dream about. Hey, it is definitely better than the last FA bonanza that netted them Ron Mercer and Eddie Robinson. However, I still remember Booz as the guy who backstabbed a blind man.

James Jones stays with the Miami Heat: They need fringe guys who can shoot. Well, we know he can shoot the ball. Given the probable minutes distribution after Lebron and Wade, he really will not play much.

Craig Smith stays with the Los Angeles Clippers: And the continued evolution of the Clipperwolves continues. But really like the signing. He's a fan favorite and definitely will keep pressure off Blake Griffin.

Centers:

Brendan Haywood stays with the Dallas Mavericks: Played well for the Mavs after he was sent there. Outlasted the Damp in the process, but still has competition for minutes, as Tyson Chandler joins in the fray.

Johan Petro to the New Jersey Nets: He would be the top caddy to Brook Lopez for the Nets. He filled in admirably when Kenyon Martin was sidelined.

Hilton Armstrong to the Washington Wizards: They need a backup big to spell Javale McGee and Andray Blatche. That's his role.

Brad Miller to the Houston Rockets: Three words. Yao Ming Insurance. Doesn't hurt that he played for Rick Adelman's Princeton-style offense.

Jamaal Magloire stays with the Miami Heat: He provides insurance for bigs in case someone goes down.

Joel Anthony stays with the Miami Heat: It is thought that he is going to be project for Spoelstra to develop him. Now with all the signings, he will be able to develop at his own pace, plus learn from veterans that are around him.

TWTWTNBA: Post-Lebronageddon

It has been a few days since the announcement. It's about time to recap the latest moves in the ballers' league. You may notice some missing names here, but I will get to them on the next article

Guards:
Raymond Felton to the New York Knicks: If Lebron went to NY, having a PG would not really be a concern because that's what Lebron will handle. As a result, they needed a short-term solution at the position. Why? Because there might be change afoot.

Jordan Farmar to the New Jersey Nets: Steve Blake made him expendable, so the hometown hero moves on to Jay-Z's realm. There is always a saying that you can always go home, maybe the reverse could be true. Guy spent pretty much entire life in Southern Cal, so a spell outside could establish a little more confidence and less pressure. In addition, he will be playing backup point as well as free up Devin Harris from PG duties a little.

Derek Fisher stays with the Los Angeles Lakers: As much as how they Lebron and Wade tried to pry away the Kobe confidant, did you really think that the Mamba will ever let this guy leave? Other than Kobe, he's their next best clutch option.

Ray Allen stays with the Boston Celtics: With Paul Pierce returning, not really a shocker that Ray also stayed. The window is closing pretty quick, but the old guys know they got a shot or two left before Father Time says you're done for. Hope he can teach the jump shot to Rajon and Avery.

Tony Allen to the Memphis Grizzlies: Like James Posey before him, another Southwest Division team lures him away from Beantown. One sure thing though, on the offensive end, they will not miss his bad hands. They will definitely miss his defensive efforts, especially after being on Kobe Bryant on the Finals.

Anthony Morrow to the New Jersey Nets: As a Clipper fan, this is the reason why I wanted him to join my team. The guy can flat out shoot. In an aggressive running offense, he'll be deadly. I am not sure if Courtney Lee has the starting job locked down, but it will be an interesting competition.

Dwayne Wade stays with the Miami Heat: He still remains the King of South Beach. He has a king welcoming people that they are recruiting.

Forwards:
Lebron James to the Miami Heat: I don't think we need to discuss much, but it's disappointing to see the King turn into a doorman for someone else.

Udonis Haslem stays with the Miami Heat: Much like Fisher, not even full MLE offers from Dallas and Denver swayed him and part with his long time buddy and BFF Wade. Considering he was an undrafted guy from the Draft Class of '03, he's undervalued. Oh and yes, Udonis can have the current doorman polishing his championship ring, something he, Adam Morrison and Darko have in common.

Jermaine O'Neal to the Boston Celtics: Here is the stopgap measure with Perk's absence. I also thought he would be more at home with the Gen-Y's instead of the Tweeps down south.

David Lee to the Golden State Warriors: Had Lebron went to NY, this deal would not have taken place. I heard of comparisons to Dave Cowens. He may not have the defensive acumen, but with how the W's handle things, that is the least of their concerns. Come to think of it, their philosophy regarding defense is simply outscoring people.

Chris Bosh to the Miami Heat: Chris Bosh and his media mileage migrates south. He'll probably be the most talented third option out there. Still wish he had his dreads on, because it would help Adrien Brody's case of being an action star.

Centers:
Ben Wallace stays with the Detroit Pistons: Big Ben will end his NBA career with the Pistons. Clearly seeing his better days, his new role will be getting Greg Monroe to be in tiptop NBA defensive shape.

Aaron Gray stays with the New Orleans Hornets: He's a space filler down low for the Hornets, who definitely are in a lack of direction right now. (You know he isn't really that important when I cannot find a proper link regarding the signing).

Tiago Splitter to the San Antonio Spurs: It took an eternity to get him here, finally. Hope it pays off, because they need a successor to Timmy D (or at least, a stopgap measure). Timmy D then would become the David Robinson to Tiago being a young Timmy.

Timofey Mozgov to the New York Knicks: This definitely elicits Ivan Radovadovitch memories. Anyhow, he is a 7'1" big man who can compete for minutes down low. If the SSOL wants an Andris Biedrins-like rebounder, he might fit the bill.

Omer Asik to the Chicago Bulls: Ensures depth down low for the Bulls. Not much to be expected (you have Joakim and Booz), but you can observe him playing for his homeland on the FIBA World Championships in his first major action since his collarbone injury.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas to the Miami Heat: Well, how come Dan Gilbert is not at all ballistic on him leaving? He is the Cavs career leader in games, blocks and rebounds. This move ensures a big man rotation is set in South Beach. (Bosh, Haslem and Z)

Blog Outsourcing: 7/19

Welcome to the latest edition of Sparty and Friends!

Again, apologies for the snafu last Friday. I did try to make that up later that day with the Afternoon hangover. Yes, we all got confused by the today vis-a-vis tomorrow thing. That's the hard part dealing with someone beyond the International Date Line.

Anyhow, I remembered Big D's post on College Football and his email to me wondering about my college football allegiances. This post is dedicated to trying to answer that question.

Being a sort-of casual fan of the sport (considering it gets little or no attention round my parts). I really never had a solid one-team allegiance. The way one has with Purdue or Florida or Tennessee or Michigan State. I have multiple allegiances. It would be based on certain aspects:

1. Jesuits. I will always support Jesuit institutions as an homage to my alma mater. To a certain extent, that extends to similar academic institutions (i.e. Northwestern or Vandy)

2. Underdogs. Being the little guy, I always admire the have-nots in their efforts against the haves. I loved Boise State and its smurf turf and TCU and its hard-nosed D.

3. I dislike Notre Dame. Need I say more? I just find them annoying. And for similar programs, I prefer Michigan over Ohio State. I liked the Fun N' Gun and was in awe of the Tebow era. (Sure helps that he was here in the country before).

4. Quirkiness. Whether players (my love and respect for Virginia Tech nowadays started with the magic of Michael Vick) or coaches (Texas Tech during the Mike Leach era, the wonders of JoePa), if you interest me, that's awesome.

And so ends my soapbox. Feel free to blast me anytime.

Here comes the links madness:

Louis Oosthuizen. Your Open Champion. This time, Tiger is not in 4th place.

There will be a basketball court built on Times Square. Hope someone near there can cover it for me. (Btw, thanks to a good friend named Sarah, who will be going to NYC to cover it).

Andy Pettitte gets hurt. At least not the way AJ Burnett gone through. The good news, at least they get a little breathing room thanks to the Rangers.

Speaking of Boston, 600 straight sellouts. And Josh Beckett is in the horizon...

With just 2 weeks to go until the trade deadline, injuries affect market value.

Looks like Carlos Zambrano is getting ready, but is he now mentally ready? Meanwhile, Doc Halladay got outdueled.

Ken Macha whining about HBPs.

Could be the end of an era, if it hasn't been already. Meanwhile the two American winners joust it out.

Mark Chmura is now a Lambeau HOFer.

Who knew that a former import here in the Philippines could possibly become a NBA GM.

And so another legend could possibly join the team of legends...

Is he fit for the job? Vandy expectations are not really that high.

Soccer fanaticism is really something else around the world.

Landon Donovan saves the day!

Reliving the ESPYs...

The American parallel to this would be the IRL removing the Indy 500 on their schedule.

Floyd likes having things go his way on his terms. Unless something that would forcibly prod him to do it (i.e. IRS). Not surprised with his shenanigans. Anyhow, if Timothy Bradley is interested or a Paul Williams, just buzz us. Margarito is not an option.

Oh and yes, my alma mater is 2-1. Up next is the biggest school rivalry ever. They have the same record as we do. I hope for tickets.

Double Dip videos for today:

This first one contains the top 20 goals of the World Cup.


The second one is Slim Shady. Because he is a lyrical poetic genius.

TWTWTNBA: Free Agency summary (so far)

This is a recap on who went where so far: (inclusive until the latest deal I know of, in this case, the Chris Duhon deal)

These are the signings:

Guards

1. Steve Blake signs with the Lakers - The major holes for the champs have been bench depth and PG play. Fish is old (but needed since he can shoot clutch). Both Shannon Brown & Jordan Farmar are FAs. Very heady and smart PG (Played 32 minutes in Clipper debut fresh from being traded for Marcus Camby). Will help Lakers with his shooting ability being much much more reliable than the Machine. Can play both guard spots. Could also serve as a stopgap measure in Laker quest for the PG of the future.

2. Chris Duhon signs with the Orlando Magic - I believe someone already wrote it in earlier today.

3. Sergio Rodriguez signs with Real Madrid - He could not capitalize on the opportunities given, so he will take the Raul Lopez route back to respectability. People must have been allergic to Spanish Chocolate.

4. Joe Johnson stays with the Atlanta Hawks - Way way overpaid. And he intends on bringing in "name" players along with him. The big rumor is that Shaq is on the way to the ATL, but I doubt he'd like to be the caddy to Al Horford and compete with Zaza for minutes.

5. John Salmons stays with the Milwaukee Bucks - One of the weaknesses the Bucks needed to address was the lack of aggressiveness in driving to the lane. With the additions of Corey Maggette and Chris Douglas-Roberts on separate trades and a full offseason with John Salmons plus Brandon Jennings getting better, Scott Skiles might not find room for Michael Redd. Expect Milwaukee to be among the FT attempt leaders this season.

Forwards:

1. Paul Pierce staying with the Celtics - Not surprised. He's a Celtic for life. Deal frees up a little cap room to retool this bunch. And of course, John approves of this sentence.

2. Rudy Gay stays with the Grizzlies - Memphis pre-empting any other team interested in signing the UConn alum, avoid a possible Paul Millsap situation by getting this deal done. With that over and done with, it is hoped he can get a killer instinct as well as some cojones like that of his new rookie teammate "General" Greivis Vasquez.

3. Hakim Warrick signs with the Phoenix Suns - Welcome to the post-Amar'e Stoudemire era. He won't provide the offensive numbers Amar'e gives, but he is athletic and will benefit from having a great guard named Steve Nash. Could get Josh Smith-like numbers if he gets his head on straight.

4. Dirk Nowitzki stays with the Dallas Mavericks - Not surprised as well. This move is to free up a little space for Mark Cuban to utilize in his constant tinkering operations. He still has the Erick Dampier non-guaranteed contract as his major trade chip.

5. Drew Gooden signs with the Milwaukee Bucks - In the Summer of Lebron, he was the first FA to secure a deal (could be a trivia question). The other need for Squad 6 is better big man depth. After all, team expectations went south when Andrew got hurt. Drew provides quality big man minutes and is a definite upgrade over Dan Gadzuric. Still think it was a little too much for a big man.

6. Amar'e Stoudemire signs with the New York Knicks - We expected the Knicks to get someone. And they are still hoping for @kingjames to answer their call (no matter how unlikely that might be).

7. Amir Johnson stays with the Toronto Raptors - Welcome to the post-Chris Bosh era, T-Dot. Another overpaid contract for someone based on potential. With all the minutes Chris Bosh leaves, he might be able to take advantage, but he has to grasp the idea and get it. Or else, someone like Ed Davis might benefit. Either way, looks like a lost season for Raptors fans everywhere.

Centers:

1. Darko Milicic stays with the Minnesota Timberwolves - 4-yr $20 million. For insurance, they sign this Euro. And they are interested in David Lee while they have Al Jefferson & Kevin Love. All I can say is: KAAAAAAAHHHNNNN!

2. Channing Frye stays with the Phoenix Suns - Considering Amar'e has moved on, someone needs to replace the minutes. Still think he is overpaid with that deal. He and Hakim Warrick will get most of the minutes unless Earl Clark wows in the off-season. I foresee a Sam Perkins or a Terry Mills (remember him, Sparty?) situation for him.

Rebound is out!

Go get this at your favorite bookstore or magazine outlet. It's a handy guide for the UAAP season.

Luis Suarez and his moral compass

I was not able to watch this in full, but this happened in the quarterfinal game between Africa's last man standing and (unknowingly for the Uruguayans) the eventual last South American team standing in the semifinals.



Yup, this match featured the handball dubbed as the new version of the original "Hand of God," this time not to secure a win but to save themselves from one. Obviously, it was an automatic red card that would suspend him for the semifinals. Ironically, that game will be against the Netherlands, the country of Ajax Amsterdam, where Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez (and midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro) plays his club football. Luis also serves as its captain. This weirdly would avert an Ahn Jung Hwan scenario that occurred back in 2002.

This is what he said after the match:

"I think I made the best save of the World Cup,"

"It's difficult to be sent off at a World Cup. It's complicated," said the high-scoring Suarez, who left the field in tears. "But the way in which I was sent off today — truth is, it was worth it."

The question of whether he deserved suspension that is more than a game is unwarranted. According to FIFA guidelines, automatic red cards equate to next game suspension which can be reviewed under certain circumstances to determine if it can be extended. FIFA did review the situation and decided the suspension was enough.

The handball elicited philosophical and ethical thoughts on whether it was right to do the call. Sure, a lot of prognosticators and observers slammed Suarez, I am sure if they were in the situation, they'll exactly do the same thing. It is an instinctive thing that Suarez did. A decision that had to be done and done quickly. as what he said, he sacrificed himself for the team and for the country. What nobility can you ask for (even if it was an illegal act)?

Note that I used illegal, not immoral. The circumstances forced Luis' hand (no pun intended). He knew the consequences and accepted it wholeheartedly. And now, Uruguay have a new lease of life.



Luis Suarez - Man or Superman? (c/o San Francisco Chronicle)

Blog Outsourcing 7/5

Welcome to today's edition of Sparty & Friends.

It's a Holiday weekend on the American shores, and although it is Filipino-American Friendship Day here (the US did grant Philippine independence on July 4, 1946), most of the country is reporting for duty. I am luckily taking advantage of the fact that I have no work later today. (You can thank the outsourcing industry).

After the so-called debacle of an intro last week, it is time to write something interesting. Something way way late. The final-postscript of the NBA Finals. I did write about what I thought were the factors were in the series. And to recap, here they are:

The X-Factors:

1. Andrew Bynum - Restricted to minimal minutes due to the injury. Then again, Pau and Lamar best play alongside each other.

2. Ron Artest - need I say more after Game 7?

3. Kendrick Perkins - His absence in Game 7 is a major what-could-have-been. It also ensure that the KG-Perk-Pierce-Allen-Rondo starting 5 remains unbeaten in a playoff series.

4. The Boston Bench (Big Baby Davis, Nate Robinson, Tony Allen, Rasheed Wallace) - Did win them a game (the Shrek and Donkey game a.k.a. the saliva moment). Did nothing in Game 6. Was not in play in Game 7 (Sheed was in starting 5).

The Keys:

1. Kobe - Definitely not his best day. Tony Allen will get paid because of his efforts chasing Kobe. Ray Allen also did admirably, but apparently took a toll on his shooting.

2. KG - He was okay with his performance in the Finals. Definitely not at par with 2008 level, but he kept things going for Boston.

3. Rondo - Lakers found a cure, somewhat to the Rondo. Letting him shoot. Let's put it this way, I hope he shoots 500 jumpers everyday or have Ray Allen's habits rub off him.

Anyhow, now that this is out of the way, we can close the book on the previous season. As what Jay-Z says, on to the next one.

Since it is after all, Independence Day, people should remember this speech well:


Time to check the links:

Joe Johnson is about to be officially overpaid.

The Knicks arranged a second meeting with Lebron's team. Why have a second meeting? Because of this guy.

Maybe J-Rod has this shirt.

This is why the FA process takes a bit long. Meanwhile, this might factor into the Wade for Chi-town.

Miz loves spreadsheets. I am sure he would like Google Documents.

Another Spanish guard goes back to Europe. From Raul Lopez to Juan Carlos Navarro to Sergio Rodriguez.

Russian Billionaire seeks GM, checks if Chris Paul could possibly be packaged along in the future. But that might be wishful thinking.

David Lee visiting Minnesota. Could be part to get Monta Ellis to Rucker Park. Speaking of Rucker Park, streetballer named Yungbuck found ballin'.

It has been one year for Air McNair.

Dunga exits. But Felipe Melo should be given a reprieve by Brazilian fans after a FIFA correction. Oh, and don't do an Andres Escobar.

What now, Diego?

This letter might bring back the Nigerians to their senses.

Miroslav Klose thinks Die Mannschaft can pull it off this time against the Euro Champs. He's a goal away from tying the old Ronaldo's record.

All-Star Rosters have been announced. Discuss. Why there will probably be 4 DH games in the World Series.

Deuce Lutui is now (proud to be) an American.

Kevin Ollie is no longer in the FA race. Ditto with Donyell Marshall.

Serena is the queen on grass, while Rafa is its king.

Parting is video is one message to all the free agents out there:

UAAP Season 73 1st round Schedule

Because I trust Gameface when it comes to the UAAP scheduling.

UPDATE: Latest schedule information came from Greenarchers.ph. As DLSU is the host school, this might be legit. This was also cross-posted onto Gameface.

FIRST ROUND
as of June 28

Senior's Division

July 10 Saturday
Araneta Coliseum

2PM DLSU vs UP
4PM UST vs UE

July 11 Sunday
Araneta Coliseum

2PM AdU vs NU
4PM FEU vs ADMU

July 15 Thursday
Philsports Arena

2PM ADMU vs AdU
4PM NU vs DLSU

July 17 Saturday
Philsports Arena

2PM NU vs FEU
4PM UP vs AdU

July 18 Sunday
Philsports Arena

2PM ADMU vs UST
4PM UE vs DLSU

July 22 Thursday
Araneta Coliseum

2PM UP vs UST
4PM FEU vs UE

July 24 Saturday
Araneta Coliseum

12PM UE vs NU
5PM DLSU vs ADMU

July 25 Sunday
Philsports Arena

2PM UP vs FEU
4PM UST vs AdU

July 29 Thursday
Araneta Coliseum

2PM DLSU vs FEU
4PM NU vs UST

July 31 Saturday
Araneta Coliseum

2PM UE vs UP
4PM FEU vs AdU

August 1 Sunday
Philsports Arena

2PM NU vs ADMU
4PM UST vs DLSU

August 5 Thursday
Araneta Coliseum

2PM AdU vs UE
4PM ADMU vs UP

August 7 Saturday
Fil-Oil Arena

2PM UP vs NU
4PM UST vs FEU

August 8 Saturday
Philsports Arena

2PM AdU vs DLSU
4PM ADMU vs UE

Women's Division

July 11 Sunday
Araneta Coliseum

8AM ADMU vs UE
9:45AM UST vs FEU

Fil-Oil Arena

8AM UP vs NU
9:45AM DLSU vs AdU

July 18 Sunday
Philsports Arena

8AM NU vs DLSU
9:45AM FEU vs ADMU

Fil-Oil Arena

8AM UE vs UST
9:45AM AdU vs UP

July 22 Thursday
Araneta Coliseum

8AM AdU vs UST
9:45AM UE vs UP
July 25 Sunday
Philsports Arena

8AM NU vs ADMU
9:45AM DLSU vs FEU

July 29 Thursday
Philsports Arena

8AM UE vs DLSU
9:45AM FEU vs NU

Fil-Oil Arena

8AM ADMU vs AdU
9:45AM UST vs UP

August 1 Sunday
Philsports Arena

8AM DLSU vs UP
9:45AM UST vs ADMU

Fil-Oil Arena

8AM FEU vs UE
9:45AM NU vs AdU

August 7 Saturday
Fil-Oil Arena

8AM UP vs FEU
9:45AM ADMU vs DLSU

August 8 Sunday
Fil-Oil Arena

8AM NU vs UST
9:45AM AdU vs UE

August 10 Tuesday
Fil-Oil Arena

8AM UP vs ADMU
9:45AM UST vs DLSU

August 12 Thursday
Fil-Oil Arena

8AM AdU vs FEU
9:45AM UE vs NU

Junior's Division

July 13 Tuesday
Fil-Oil Arena

9AM AdU vs UPIS
10:45AM UST vs ADMU
1PM FEU vs DLSZ
2:45PM UE vs NU

July 17 Saturday
Fil-Oil Arena

9AM NU vs UST
10:45AM ADMU vs UE
1PM UPIS vs FEU
2:45PM DLSZ vs AdU

July 20 Tuesday
Fil-Oil Arena

9AM NU vs AdU
10:45AM UST vs DLSZ
1PM UPIS vs UE
2:45PM ADMU vs FEU

July 24 Saturday
Fil-Oil Arena

9AM FEU vs UE
10:45AM DLSZ vs NU
1PM AdU vs ADMU
2:45PM UPIS vs UST

July 27 Tuesday
Fil-Oil Arena

9AM NU vs ADMU
10:45AM FEU vs AdU
1PM UST vs UE
2:45PM DLSZ vs UPIS

July 31 Saturday
Fil-Oil Arena

9AM UE vs DLSZ
10:45AM AdU vs UST
1PM NU vs FEU
2:45PM ADMU vs UPIS

August 3 Tuesday
Fil-Oil Arena

9AM FEU vs UST
10:45AM UPIS vs NU
1PM ADMU vs DLSZ
2:45PM UE vs AdU

Bill Clinton Attends USA vs Algeria World Cup Game

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton attended the USA vs Algeria World Cup Game in South Africa on Wednesday June 23rd, 2010. Clinton is known world-wide for his political and philanthropic endeavors and it was very likely that he would attend something as culturally diverse as a World Cup game. However, there might be another reason that he attended the game. Clinton could be putting in face time and doing his homework since he recently became one of the latest additions to the World Cup Bid Committee Board of Directors along with his top advisor, Doug Band.

Clinton has joined the World Cup Committee Board of Directors in hopes of bringing the World Cup to the United States in 2018 or 2022. The last time the World Cup was hosted in USA it became the largest attended single sporting event in US history – 3.6 million. Interesting enough, back in 1994 soccer wasn’t really even that popular in the US and they still managed to capture a record audience. With the way soccer has gained popularity and continues to pick up momentum throughout the country, one can only imagine how big a US hosted World Cup would be 8 or 12 years from now. There would be no doubt about the economic benefits that would ensue, bringing tons of revenue into the country. More importantly, the relationship that the US has with foreign countries could strengthen significantly.

Bill Clinton has worked on the forefront of the US mission to increase foreign relations through the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI). CGI brings world leaders together to help solve world problems. CGI was actually co-founded by Doug Band, who attended Georgetown Law and worked as an aide for Clinton throughout his Presidency; now serving as his top counselor post-presidency. The CGI to date has brought benefits to thousands of people across hundreds of countries. Undoubtedly, the US will hope that their chances of winning the World Cup Bid will increase with the face of Bill Clinton and Doug Band on the committee. Band actually happens to be a big soccer fan. Perhaps the next time we see him he’ll be attending a World Cup game, regardless of whether or not USA is playing. He might even be there now.

Written by Annette Lyndon

TWTWTNBA: Draft Prediction (Pacific)

Sacramento Kings

Draft Position: 5th, 33rd

Unrestricted Free Agents: Sean May, Ime Udoka

Restricted Free Agents: Jon Brockman, Dominic McGuire

Sacramento has frontcourt holes, which they can fill up with either a big man (Cousins or Favors) or Wesley Johnson. They already made an initial move with Samuel Dalembert. I think they would go after complimentary pieces for Reke and the hustler named Carl Landry.

If I were the GM, 5 interesting not-so-obvious players I would go after: Chris Duhon, Jannero Pargo, Nate Robinson, Shaun Livingston, Hakim Warrick

Los Angeles Clippers

Draft Position: 8th, 54th

Unrestricted Free Agents: Steve Blake, Rasual Butler, Drew Gooden, Steve Novak, Travis Outlaw, Brian Skinner, Craig Smith

Restricted Free Agents: Bobby Brown, Mardy Collins

They have one obvious hole. That is of course, the SF. They would preferably want a guy named Lebron, but if the word is legit, luol Deng (if healthy), might be good enough. Also will not mind an upgrade in bench depth.

If I were the GM, 5 interesting not-so-obvious players I would go after: Anthony Morrow, Linas Kleiza, Josh Childress, Shuan Livingston, Allen Iverson

Golden State Warriors

Draft Position: 6th

Unrestricted Free Agents: Devean George, Vladimir Radmanovic (ET option)

Restricted Free Agents: Chris Hunter, Anthony Morrow, Anthony Tolliver, CJ Watson

Last I heard bout these W's, everyone is for sale except for Curry. Even the franchise is for sale. Best player available. Monroe would be good considering the fickleness of Nellieball. I just hope he has high confidence and self-esteem, because this is Nellieball, after all. Oh, and they love D-Leaguers.

If I were the GM, 5 interesting not-so-obvious players I would go after: Nate Robinson, Eddie House, David Lee, Channing Frye, Amir Johnson

Phoenix Suns

Draft Position: 46th, 60th

Unrestricted Free Agents: Louis Amundson, Jarron Collins, Channing Frye, Amar'e Stoudemire (ET option)

A team without a GM, facing uncertainty with the cheapskate tendencies of their owner, but have the best training staff around. In addition, they have Steve Nash, who just had his just successful soccer event. Lots of fun veterans. But all eyes on Amar'e and what he will do. They'll look at getting key contributors this late.

If I were the GM, 5 interesting not-so-obvious players I would go after: Jermaine O'Neal, Eddi House, Nate Robinson, Hakim Warrick, Luis Scola

Los Angeles Lakers

Draft Position: 43rd, 58th

Unrestricted Free Agents: Derek Fisher, D.J. Mbenga, Josh Powell, Shannon Brown (Player)

Restricted Free Agents: Adam Morrison, Jordan Farmar

No rest for the weary. At least they have a timetable to determine whether Phil Jackson will come back. If he does not, I think it will be Brian Shaw who will be the next head coach. In addition, the champs need to figure out considering how much they are paying Kobe, Pau, Bynum et al. Rumors of a Lamar swap have been heard. Team needs to really think about upgrading the remainder of their backcourt.

If I were the GM, 5 interesting not-so-obvious players I would go after: Randy Foye, Mike Miller, Shaun Livingston, Chris Duhon, Steve Blake