by Derek Felix
September 16, 2007 in Pic of Day
Our pic of the day comes courtesy of the Trenton Thunder’s 10-5 Game Four win over Akron which helped them wrap up their first ever Eastern League Championship. Congratulations to the entire Yankee Double-A farm team in helping deliver the franchise’s first ever title in 14 years!
Congratulations to everyone involved! 
by Derek Felix
August 11, 2007 in Pic of Day
Our pic of the day comes courtesy of rejuvenated St. Louis converted outfielder Rick Ankiel. You remember him, don’t you? The former top pitching prospect of the Cardinals a few years ago who was fallen by wildness and arm problems is back with a vengeance as an outfielder.
Now 28, the former 1997 second round pick has made the transformation to the batter’s box. He scrapped his pitching career a couple of Springs ago and has since been in the minors turning himself into a pretty good power hitter. So much so that his 31 dingers with Triple-A Memphis ranked second in the minors before the Cards finally decided to recall him for his much anticipated return. Well, if you didn’t notice, then that’s too bad.
We had been keeping a close eye on him and kept waiting for that recall. So, how has Ankiel done thus far? In his first game back, he went yard and got a standing ovation in a win. After a 1-for-4 effort in a loss Friday, the major league version of Roy Hobbs responded with his first multi-homer game and a great over the shoulder catch in right during a 6-1 win to keep his team within 6.5 of first place Milwaukee.
That’s three long balls already for what could evolve into a great feel good story. So how does he feel about all the attention?
“Don’t hold me to days like this. … I always believed in myself. It’s just a matter of getting out there, feeling comfortable and letting your talent take over.”
The reality of the situation hasn’t been lost on skipper Tony La Russa:
“It’s been a lot of fun. Everyone is really happy to see him, but this is the big leagues and you need to perform and be productive. There’s a lot of good guys, but if they can’t play, pretty soon you get somebody else.”
Such is how things are when your team despite still being six under .500 is in a pennant race because both the Brew Crew and the Cubbies haven’t been able to put enough distance between themselves and the defending World Champs.
Think they can’t sneak up and steal the division? Don’t blink cause you never know what could happen next.
Who had them winning it all last Fall? Exactly about the same amount who saw Ankiel tearing up the minors and now trying to write a great chapter in his renewed ballplaying career.
For now, we’ll be pulling for Ankiel to continue to have success in his comeback and see where it takes him and his ballclub.
by Derek Felix
June 9, 2007 in Pic of Day
Our pic of the day comes from the one and only Paris Hilton, who looks as weepy as a spoiled brat is supposed to look when a Los Angeles judge reversed a decision which would’ve allowed The Simple Life star to serve out the remainder of her 45-day jail sentence at her home in Hollywood due to an unspecified medical condition. Instead she was ordered to return to an L.A. County jail to be determined after she undergoes psychiatric examination:
It’s about time someone taught her a lesson!
by Derek Felix
May 23, 2007 in NBA Draft, Pic of Day
Our pic of the day comes courtesy of East Rutherford where Blazers NBA Rookie of the Year Brandon Roy and GM Kevin Pritchard react to winning the NBA draft lottery last night. The Blazers, who won 32 games (one less than the Knicks folks) had their slim 5.3 percent chance come through to pull an upset over the NBA’s worst Memphis and the Celtics:
With a core which includes the gifted Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, Zach Randolph, Jarrett Jack, Travis Outlaw and Martell Webster, the Blazers certainly have a young nucleus in place where selecting either Greg Oden or Kevin Durant could just vault them back into the playoffs.
The question is what will Pritchard do with the moody Randolph. The former Spartan is a talented player who averaged a double double (23.6 PPG, 10.1 RPG) in 68 games. He turns 26 later this summer. Does he fit in or will Portland finally trade him? He’s a solid scorer and rebounder but is injury prone and has had his reputation questioned.
Maybe the Blazers go in a different direction here. Winning the No.1 overall pick gives them many options. Will some team make them a can’t miss offer to move down that puts them into serious contention sooner than people expect like ESPN’s Jon Barry asserted to the shock of Stephen A. Smith at a roundtable discussion?
You never can tell. Especially with a franchise which once passed on Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley and John Stockton to select Sam Bowie second overall over two decades ago.
With the Grizzlies and Celtics upset (if you saw Jerry West’s face and Boston’s Lottery Party reaction you know- not even kidding here! 
), the Sonics moved up to No.2 while the Hawks were third which was good news for them because had they dropped further, that pick would’ve gone to Phoenix (gulp). Instead, the Hawks boast both the 3rd and 11th overall selections. They desperately need a point guard. So figure Mike Conley, Jr. to fit the bill there with one of those picks.
Memphis, Boston and Milwaukee (NBA’s three worst teams) slipped to fourth, fifth and sixth respectively.
So, does anyone want to try to caption this pic of a demoralized West. Just look at it and his reaction:
“It’s about as disappointing as you could ever hope for. It’s like pitching pennies. It’s grossly unfair to the team, but I’ve said it before, I don’t think the lottery is fair. I never liked it. I don’t think it’s a good system at all, period.”
What a bitter old man. As if he didn’t have a lot of luck when he built those championship Laker teams. You chose to work in Memphis when you could’ve ridden out to the sunset. Take it like a man or just do everyone a favor and get out!
Does anyone want to put a real caption on that sad photo? Any takers?!?!?!?!?!
The Bulls had the rights to the Knicks’ pick as part of the Eddy Curry deal. The good news for lifetime man Isiah Thomas is that Chicago wound up with the ninth pick. They should still get a good player (Joakim Noah???) but at least it’s not the dreaded worst case scenario of either Oden or Durant.
Here’s the full lottery results with the draft in NYC set for June 28th:
1.Portland
2.Seattle
3.Atlanta
4.Memphis
5.Boston
6.Milwaukee
7.Minnesota
8.Charlotte
9.Chicago (from Knicks)
10.Sacramento
11.Atlanta (from Indiana)
12.Philadelphia
13.New Orleans
14.L.A. Clippers
One quick thought on Vince Carter’s demand for a three-year $60 million extension:
No freaking way the Nets and Rod Thorn do that. As the NY Post’s Peter Vecsey pointed out in a Tuesday column, the 30 year-old small forward is slowing down which also might explain the more predictable bail outs in Vince’s game against smaller defenders. He’s still explosive but just not as consistent. And as I’ve pointed out here before, the former Air Canada has never been a clutch playoff performer.
It’s time for the Nets to move on. If that means signing and trading the superstar, then they should do it. They can definitely find a taker and get something back for him.
by Derek Felix
May 15, 2007 in Pic of Day
Our pic of the day comes courtesy of last night’s Sens’ Game 3 1-0 win over the Sabres which put them within a victory of the Stanley Cup Final. Here is a great shot of captain Daniel Alfredsson tapping home the only goal past a sprawled out Ryan Miller to help give his team a commanding 3-0 lead on the top seeded Sabres:
by Derek Felix
May 8, 2007 in Pic of Day
Our pic of the day comes courtesy of Ottawa star center Jason Spezza as he prepares during a team practice for the Eastern Conference Final against Buffalo. The best-of-seven series begins Thursday night at 7 ET/4 PT up at HSBC Arena:
by Derek Felix
April 30, 2007 in Pic of Day
Sometimes, a picture is all you need to see because it can tell you so much. Our moment of silence for Josh Hancock:
by Derek Felix
April 30, 2007 in Pic of Day
It comes via Golden State’s huge Game Four win over the top seeded Mavericks to go up 3-1 in the first round series. Who else but their best player Baron Davis:
Quick thought: What in the hell did the Hornets get back for this guy? What were they thinking?!?!?!?!?!
by Derek Felix
April 27, 2007 in Pic of Day
This comes via last night’s Ottawa 5-4 Game One victory over New Jersey as they stunned three-time Cup winner Martin Brodeur by getting the first four on him in the opening stanza. Here’s a great high end look at one of those pucks beating the future Hall of Famer:
by Derek Felix
April 25, 2007 in Pic of Day
This comes courtesy of the Sabres’ 5-2 Game One victory over the Rangers as Thomas Vanek scored his second goal of the night beating Henrik Lundqvist top shelf. Check out this cool over the head look at it. The actual camera angle is referred to as the “high end” look because it’s shot all the way at the top of the arena:
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