Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Mike Cabrey visits Coca-Cola Park

Dramatic sunset pic
Once in a while, I actually do get to go to a sporting event without having to cover it. Monday was that day, as went to Allentown to catch the Lehigh Valley Ironpigs take on Charlotte Knights (the Chicago White Sox's AAA affiliate) at Coca-Cola Park. And since I have a forum to post things on the internet via this blog, I figure I'lll share a couple of picture I took at the game.

Sunday, June 26, 2011

David Boreanaz, not a fan of the Mike Richards trade

Never shld of gotten rid of Mike Richards. Bad Move. Gonna hurtless than a minute ago via Echofon Favorite Retweet Reply



David Boreanaz of Buffy, Angel and Bones fame and the son of former 6ABC weatherman Dave Roberts, is not too fond of the trade the Philadelphia Flyers made last Thursday that sent captain Mike Richards to the Los Angeles Kings.
Source: Twitter

Thursday, June 23, 2011

A New Schenn-sation on Broad Street?

I plead for forgiveness on the headline, I couldn't resist.

If you like some poorly-lit highlights and the Beastie Boys, you will love this video showcasing the Philadelphia Flyers' newly acquired forward Brayden Schenn.



Schenn was among those on the move as the Flyers massively reordered its roster Thursday, sending Mike Richards to the Los Angeles Kings and Jeff Carter to the Columbus Blue Jackets in a pair of trades (which you can read more about here).

The fifth overall pick by the in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, the 19-year-old Schenn compiled two assists and no goals in nine total games with the Kings and showed he can drop the gloves in this tussle with the Anaheim Duck's Luca Sbisa in the preseason last year.



One final video. With Richards leaving for Hollywood, let's remember perhaps the (now former) captain's top moment, his shorthanded goal in Game Five of the 2010 Eastern Conference Finals against the Montreal Canadiens.


-Mike Cabrey

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Dodgers' fix long overdue

By Christiaan DeFranco
@cdefranco

It is rare that I side with Bud Selig.

Granted, his institution of the wild card turned out to be a good move, despite my initial skepticism as a baseball purist. It has added to the excitement of the playoffs and the pennant races without compromising the value of baseball's six-month, decisive, unequivocal, 162-game season.

Yet he also presided over the Steroid Era, turning a blind eye to a culture of cheating that dramatically and irreparably distorted the integrity and history of the game — more so than any of baseball's previous fluxuations and transgressions, including the travesty of segregation (although that's a whole other issue, the complexities of which warrant another discussion).

While the awkward and frequently incompetent Selig has lined owners' pockets, he has done more harm to the game than good.

But when it comes to the McCourts, I'm with Bud all the way.

Sleazy Frank and his wayward wife need to disappear. Now.

When you think of the great franchises of all time — in any sport — the Dodgers are right up there.

Not only do they have a decades-long tradition of winning, and not only did they venture baseball West (albeit to the justifiable dismay and disgust of Brooklyn fans), but they are the franchise of Jackie Robinson.

The Dodgers didn't just change the game, they helped change our country.

But for the past few years, they've been in the hands of a scumbag and his scummy wife (now ex-wife). And these two all-stars, despite running the organization into the ground and using it as their personal cash machine, are trying to cling to ownership.

By the way, if you don't know about Frank's background, he's a Boston real-estate developer who tried to buy the Red Sox and wanted to tear down Fenway in favor of a new stadium.

Get the picture?

I've also heard he hates Abe Lincoln and apple pie, but that's unconfirmed.

Then there was that debacle in which Frank decided security costs were too high at Dodger Stadium, despite a well-documented gang presence. So he slashed security, and on opening day this year a visiting Giants fan was beaten into a coma by a gangbanger in the parking lot. (Don't worry. Frank publicly derided the incident — a week after it happened.)

As for Jamie, she cheated on Frank after three decades of marriage but wanted to keep her share of the Dodgers because it was her cash cow. She knows nothing about baseball and doesn't care to, but she feels entitled.

Meanwhile, this historic, big-market club — a national treasure — has struggled to make payroll, foregone free-agent signings, and failed to re-sign important players who contributed to its recent playoff runs.

The other day, Frank and Jamie finalized their divorce, and Frank secured a $3-billion TV deal with Fox that would have paid Frank $385 million up-front (approximately $185 million of which he was going to use to pay off his divorce and dispose of his private debts).

Not so fast.

Selig rejected the deal, opening the door for MLB to seize control of the Dodgers and sell them to a new owner — and opening up MLB to a lawsuit challenging Selig's powers as commissioner.

Perhaps the commissioner's power needs to be challenged, perhaps not, but this isn't the case for that. My guess is that the McCourts will ultimately fail in their attempt to cling to the Dodgers, just as they've failed the Dodgers as owners. My guess is they'll be laughed out of court.

At least I hope so.

And if you love baseball, Dodger fan or not, you'll hope so too.

Friday, June 03, 2011

District One Spring Postseason


BASEBALL
Class AAAA
Five teams advance to states
First Round
Last Monday
(S8) West Chester Rustin 2, (N9) Central Bucks East 1
(N5) Owen J. Roberts 12, (S12) Penncrest 2, 6 innings STORY
(N11) Plymouth Whitemarsh 4, (S6) Interboro 3 STORY
(N8) North Penn 6, (S9) Kennett 0 STORY
(S5) Downingtown East 5, (N12) CB South 4, 8 innings STORY
(N10) Methacton 3, (S7) Strath Haven 2 STORY
(N6) Boyertown 4, (S11) Great Valley 3 STORY
Last Tuesday
(N7) Truman 5, (S10) Garnet Valley 0 STORY
Second Round
Last Wednesday
(N1) Council Rock North 3, (S8) West Chester Rustin 0
(N5) Owen J. Roberts 8, (S4) West Chester Henderson 2 STORY
(S2) West Chester East 12, (N7) Truman 2, 5 innings STORY
(N3) Spring-Ford 11, (N11) Ply. Whitemarsh 1, 5 innings STORY
(S1) Marple Newtown 9, (N8) North Penn 6 STORY
(N4) Council Rock South 6, (S5) Downingtown East 5 STORY
(N10) Methacton 7,  (N2) Pennridge 5 STORY
(S3) Conestoga 10, (N6) Boyertown 4 RECAP
Quarterfinals
Last Friday
(N1) Council Rock North 4, (N5) Owen J. Roberts 3 STORY
(N3) Spring-Ford 6, (S2) West Chester East 3 STORY
(S3) Conestoga 5, (N10) Methacton 4 STORY
Last Saturday

(N4) CR South 7, (S1) Marple Newtown 6, 13 innings STORY
Semifinals
Tuesday
(N3) Spring-Ford 9, (N1) Council Rock North 3 STORY
(S3) Conestoga 8, (N4) Council Rock South 7
Fifth Place Semifinals
Tuesday
(N10) Methacton 15, (N5) Owen J. Roberts 5 STORY
(S2) West Chester East 9, (S1) Marple Newtown 8 STORY
Final
Thursday at Glen Mills
(N3) Spring-Ford 22, (S3) Conestoga 11 STORY
Third Place
Thursday  at Council Rock North
(N1) Council Rock North 7, (N4) Council Rock South 5
Fifth Place
Thursday  at Devon Prep
(N10) Methacton 7, (S2) West Chester East 3 STORY

Class AAA
One teams advances to states
Quarterfinals
Last Tuesday
(8) Phoenixville 10, (1) Holy Ghost Prep 5 RECAP
(4) Pope John Paul II 8, (5) Lower Moreland 0 STORY
(2) Upper Moreland 6, (7) Upper Merion 5 STORY
(6) Octorara 10, (3) Chichester 4 STORY
Semifinals
Last Thursday
(4) Pope John Paul II 3, (8) Phoenixville 2 STORY
(2) Upper Moreland 5,  (6) Octorara 4, 8 innings STORY
Final
Wednesday at West Chester East
(2) Upper Moreland 9, (4) Pope John Paul II 2 STORY

Class AA
(Subregion with District 12)
Final
Last Friday at Neumann University
(2) Springfield (M) 8, (1) Devon Prep 4 STORY

Class A
One team advances to states
Quarterfinals
Last Tuesday
(8) Jenkintown 3, (1) Christopher Dock 2 STORY
(5) Calvary Christian 8, (4) Friends Select 6
(2) Bristol 6, (7) Delco Christian 1
(3) Morrisville 6, (6) Phil-Mont Christian 2
Semifinals
Last Thursday
(5) Calvary Christian 7, (8) Jenkintown 2
(3) Morrisville 9, (2) Bristol 5 RECAP
Final
Wednesday at West Chester Henderson
(5) Calvary Christian 3, (3) Morrisville 0