Women Like Sports

Sunday Sports Wrap - July 12, 2009

2009-07-12T10:07:00.000-07:00

I feel like I should be in a wrap. Ugh. I don't mean to complain but I am so stiff today from just a medium bucket at the range yesterday. This has motivated me to hijack the regularly scheduled Sunday Sports Wrap post to talk about sports injuries.

My injury did not start out as a sports one but in a car accident. I got quite the case of whiplash that I knew would eventually haunt me later. Over the years, I continued to surf, waterski, swim, and other things that use my shoulders and arms so the condition exacerbated. About two years ago I found out I have degenerative discs in my neck. There is pressure put on a nerve as well that translates to my right shoulder, elbow, and hand (good thing I'm a lefty).

Golf becomes difficult as you can imagine. I've had to take several breaks in the four years that I've played because of the injury. Lately my game has really improved but the injury has decided to really flare up. The last round I played was quite evident of this - I got through the first 9 holes with an awesome score and then fell apart a bit.

What's my point? I'm not fishing for sympathy - rather I just wanted to remind all of my athlete friends out there to take care of their bodies. I'm going back to the doctor, finding a new physical therapist, and doing my stretches and exercises. This will be my third try to find a PT that can help me but I'm not giving up. Even if you don't have a recurring injury please remember to stretch and use proper form - whatever your sport.

If you need your sports history fix you can find it here and general "today in history" here. Also, In Historic is an awesome blog that is full of sports history for every day. A list of what mainstream sports are happening today can be found here.

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Tweeps

2009-07-11T10:00:00.000-07:00

Yes, it happened. I was dragged kicking and screaming to Twitter. I know there is someone reading this and smirking right now - you know who you are.

At any rate, it has been quite fun so far. It really isn't so bad. I send silly messages to personal and internet friends almost every day. One of the best parts about the medium is that you can connect and talk to big brands. Duh, this is why they do - it to connect with their target audience and build brand awareness. I was surprised at how many brands are on there giving things away to followers and how often. Some of the bigger brands I like to talk to (and that talk back to me) are:

@wnba

@espnxgames

@vokeywedges

@OGIO

There are a plethora of actual sports figures online as well. Ian Poulter, Morgan Pressel, Christina Kim, John Daly, and Stewart Cink are are probably the tweetingest pro golfers out there.

Tony Hawk always seems to be tweeting quite regularly and was giving a bunch of swag away last week. Shawne Merriman is always talking about his workout and other everyday things. Project X Golf gave away shafts, hats, and shirts every day for quite a few days. ESPN X Games has been giving away tickets and other X Games 15 prizes. FunOutfitters has trivia contests very regularly and offers discounts on their merchandise.

Of course, there is a giant group of golf, surf, skate, and ski buddies on there that I exchange messages with all the time - too many to list here. I also have my football, baseball, and basketball buds. Then there are the Los Angeles locals. Yeah, too many categories to list. Seriously, everyone and every activity is represented.

It's pretty fun. Go take a look.

Tales From The Inbox - July 10, 2009

2009-07-10T06:23:00.000-07:00

Life Rolls On: Life Rolls On Foundation announced that actors Simon Baker, Jeffrey Donovan, and surf legend Rob Machado will serve as 2009 honorary event chairmen for the 6th Annual Night by the Ocean. Held at the Kodak Theatre Grand Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland, Night by the Ocean is LRO’s signature fundraiser, from which proceeds support Life Rolls On’s quality of life programs, spinal cord injury education campaigns and outreach to newly-injured young people and their families. For more information click here.

On July 18, Life Rolls On will hit Zuma Beach in Malibu, California for the fourth stop on its 10 city tour for They Will Surf Again (TWSA). A week later, on July 25, TWSA will roll into Cocoa Beach, Florida. Volunteers are needed for both. Click here for more information.

Join LRO at the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, CA, July 23-26, 2009 for North America’s largest surfing competition. As the Official Charity of the event, Life Rolls On will have an interactive booth, displays and a “They Will Surf Again Expression Session” featuring surfers with spinal cord injury, including LRO founder Jesse Billauer. Hurley and its partners are providing heart-pumping, non-stop activity, demonstrations, exhibits and booths surrounding the “50 Years at the Pier” celebration. Activities include Hurley’s Walk the Walk fashion competition (in which LRO ambassador Patrick Ivison will model), Elite-levl BMX courtesy of Nike 6.0 and the best skateboarders around competing in the Converse Coastal Carnage. With so much activity, the group could use your help. If you are interested in joining them for fun days, sunny skies and amazing waves, e-mail LRO Program Director Meghan Schinderle at Meghan(at)liferollson(dot)org with your availability! For event information and live webcast click here.

Fresh Air: The Fresh Air Fund is looking for runners and sponsors to join the Fresh Air Fund-Racers team for the NYC Half-Marathon on August 16th. This is a great way to participate in NYC's premier summer road race while helping Fresh Air Fund children. Last summer's NYC Half-Marathon was a huge success and the Fresh Air Fund-Racers raised more than $125,000. For more information click here. The group is also still in need of Friendly Town hosts for next month. Host families open their hearts and home to a NYC child who would not otherwise have the opportunity to escape the hot, crowded city streets. You can find more information here.

General Complaining - NFL

2009-07-09T07:23:00.001-07:00

I haven't dedicated an entire post to complaining about the NFL in quite a while so I figured it was time. I did recently mention something about rookie salaries and occasionally take a shot at the NFL Network but have otherwise left football alone for several months. With that...

Yeah, rookie salaries...I must harp on that again. I really get tired of hearing these divas (yes, they ARE divas) believe that they are worth millions of dollars before they even step on the professional field. It reminds me a little bit of the job market right now. There are a crop of fresh college grads that believe they should be making 80K plus even though they have no experience. I must be getting old or something because all 18-24 year olds seem to think they are the most clever and deserving bunch to me. What happened to gaining experience and proving yourself? We've all had to do it - NFL or business world.

Next whine - the Bucs...I still can't get over the choice that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers made for their new head coach to replace Gruden. Maybe this guy is well liked and knows the team but wasn't Mike Shanahan or someone else that has won a Super Bowl or two available?

And to beat a dead horse even further...what the heck is up with the NFL Network? Does anyone else find it nearly unwatchable for 23.5 out of the 24 hours it is on every day? I know hubby is even tired of the incessant kissing up the hosts to to each other and the guests. It seems like some of the guys nearly break their arms patting themselves on the back. Yes, we get that you have one of the best jobs in broadcasting. How long do you think you can keep it if you bore the viewers to tears?

Finally, I must send my condolences to the family of Steve McNair. His wife and four children have quite a bit to deal with in this mess surrounding his death.

Wild World of Wednesday - July 8, 2009

2009-07-08T07:07:00.000-07:00

Give Back: The New York Liberty and Nike Reuse-A-Shoe are teaming up and collecting your old, worn-out kicks at Madison Square Garden this Thursday, July 9th as the Liberty face off against the Sparks. Just bring your sneaks to the Mall Entrance of MSG and drop them in the Nike Reuse-A-Shoe bin!
Buy your tickets for the game here. Nike reuses your worn-out kicks and grinds them into a material for sports surfaces, playgrounds, and even Nike products. For more info click here.

Homeless World Cup: Nike and The Homeless World Cup are offering a $50,000 fund to produce a short film (5 minutes, no more than 10 minutes) capturing the Spirit, Unity, Victory of The Milan 2009 Homeless World Cup. The event is from 6-13 September 2009 at Arena Civica, Sempione Park, at the heart of one of the most football-crazed cities in the world. The film may be used for broadcast, digital channels, and public screenings. Submit your treatment (using the mandatory entry form here) to Milanfilm@homelessworldcup.org by midnight GMT, 31 July 2009 for a chance to win the opportunity.

The Homeless World Cup is an annual, world-class international football tournament energizing people who are homeless with the opportunity to change their lives. Players wear their shirt for their country, stand proud and over 70% change significantly by coming off drugs or alcohol, moving into homes, finding jobs, resuming their education, or becoming coaches, football players, leaders in their communities, or social entrepreneurs. The Homeless World Cup has triggered and supports grassroots football projects in over 70 nations working with over 100,000 players since the first Graz 2003 Homeless World Cup.

They are looking for a film that will bring those who don’t know about the Homeless World Cup immediately into the energy, action, and force of change. In telling the story of the Homeless World Cup they want you to capture the real issues and real changes in a fun, energetic way. As they step away, people should feel the truth of this quote from a Homeless World Cup player, “We destroyed the stereotype. We were cool.”

For the official Entry Form and Rules, Terms and Conditions click here.

On Surfari: Quiksilver Waterman & Rusty Del Mar Presents A Night with Shayne McIntyre of Fuel TV's On Surfari on July 11th 7-9pm. The event is behind Rusty Del Mar. Shayne will be showing two episodes of On Surfari and discussing his experiences on the show. Post showing Q&A and autograph session. Free Sambazon! Popcorn and drinks will be served. The first 100 People receive a free raffle ticket. $1 Raffle - Shayne's Rusty board, shoes, sunglasses, tons of free goods! The raffle will benefit "Strong Heart House"

Today In Sports History is taking a break today for the first time in it's history for a Wednesday. If you want your trivia fix then click here as this is one of the places I look to get started.

What's The Rush? Golf Pace Of Play

2009-07-07T05:48:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I joined some relatives I hadn't seen in a while for 18 holes. I was really looking forward to it. On Sunday, hubby and I hit the range to work out some kinks and I just knew it was going to be a great round.

The first nine holes were awesome. The driver and 3 wood were cooperating and my short game had definitely improved. For once, hubby was only beating me by a few strokes. I did notice something coming up behind us though on the ninth tee...it was the speed golfer!

Okay, first let me just say that we had already let a twosome play through on the second hole. Even so, the cart computer showed we were only six minutes behind pace. We thought this was quite good considering one of our group was a bona fide beginner that had never played a full 18 before.

But alas, as I mentioned...when I was waiting my turn at the 9th tee box a guy with a push cart was jogging, nearly running, up to the tee. There were two others trailing behind him, trying to match the running start. Two of my group had already hit or else I would have insisted that speedy and the crew go before us. We played the hole and made the turn up to the clubhouse. I stayed with the carts while the rest of the group went in the clubhouse to fill up on food and drinks for the rest of the round.

Sure enough, speedy and his crew came running around the turn. They stopped long enough to talk to the starter and were kind enough to point to me and wave their hands around. Nice. The best part was watching speedy hit from the blue tees and stick a lovely 90-ish yard drive. His buddy got up and did about the same. Sweet. I figured they might want to work on their actual game as opposed to trying to run through a round but who am I to judge?

When the refreshments were full we got up to the 10th tee and the starter couldn't be nicer. We had let 2 groups through, got snacks/drinks, had a beginner in the group, and were still only 14 minutes behind. He mused that if those few minutes are that important in your life then perhaps golf is not the game for you. We agreed. He watched us all hit our first shot and wished us a fun round.

We thought we were safe now that speedy and his group were gone. We were wrong. After we teed off, a single (so we thought) was right up our backsides. Hubby offered to let him play through if he was alone and he took us up on the idea. He wasn't alone and he teed off into us on the fairway as did the other two with him. I never even heard a "Fore!" uttered. Okay, fine. We're there to enjoy ourselves. If you must go then please do. This guy gets into a bunker, takes three shots and can't get out, and finally picks up his ball. His two buddies end up in the trees, go searching for a ball, shank 20 yards over and over, and eventually pick up. We ended up waiting for them on the next few holes and they finally skipped an entire hole to get away from us.

We were able to enjoy the remainder of our round without any further interruption. I did see speedy and his crew on a hole adjacent to ours later and they tried to stare us down but I smiled and waved until they walked by. I felt sorry for them and the other group that let a few minutes made such a difference in their lives. I guess it made them feel better about themselves to judge us. Oh, and in case you were wondering - we finished the first 9 in 1:48 and the whole round was done in just over 4 hours on a 6,274 yard, par 70 course.

For those of you who don't play all the time you should know that it is expected etiquette to let a smaller/faster/more skilled group play through. The people I play with are always happy to let others go through as am I. Pace of play is a hot topic among golfers. This link has a survey that claims most golfers believe they are fast and others are slow.

When you're outright bad it is a bit silly to insist that you go in front of someone and then make the group that you just passed up wait on you. Being an outright jerk is never cool either. Unfortunately, in golf as in life you will run in to those folks now and then. I prefer to keep my blood pressure low and take the time to enjoy my round. I won't dilly dally and I'll let all of you speed golfers through, please just be cool about it!

5 Questions With Scot Duke - Business Golf Country Club

2009-07-06T07:22:00.000-07:00

Today's guest is Scot Duke, founder of the Business Golf Country Club golf network. You haven't heard of BGCC? Read on as I let Scot introduce himself and answer 5 questions:

I am a fifth generation Texan who resides in Dallas. I spent 32 years in corporate America’s battlefield as an operations manager before being forced out the door into early retirement. Over those many years I saw too many times how business people attempted to use golf as a six hour sales pitch which was resulting in golf getting a bad name and thousands of people quitting golf because they either were tired of being hit on by sales people while on the golf course or could not figure out how to get an ROI out of playing golf. So, I set out to find how golf can be used as a business tool and to find someway to get the message across to all business golfers. I quickly found the only way today to communicate to the masses is through the internet. Five years ago I began my trek on the information highway to find out how to get to the golfers of the world to tell them what I learned from studying business golf. It was then when I also started to find out all of the things that people online suggest you do to get a message out to everyone on the internet that do not work. I also found there are not very many real golfers who use the internet regularly. I then set out to find out why golfers were not using the internet. Over the past few years I found that the deception, scams, schemes, and spam that has become the norm of the internet was why most golfers are not interested in coming online. My mission then included building a sanctuary for all real golfers to gather in a safe spam free environment so they can learn more about how to use the internet effectively for their personal and professional needs while meeting other like-minded people who play golf. All of this resulted into me creating and developing the Business Golf Country Club... ...that is where I am today...building a community for golfers.

1. How long have you been a golfer? What other sports are you involved in now or growing up? Other than golf, what sports do you follow?

I have been a golfer for over 30 years, but only been playing avidly for about 15 years. I played all of the team sports growing up and over the years have attempted to play almost all other sports. Out of all of the sports I have played I have not found one that holds my interest as much as golf. I understand all of the other sports since I have played them but bore easily to their violent approach to entertainment so I only follow golf.

2. How often do you get out on the course? What are your favorite courses that you've played on? What courses do you dream of/plan on playing?

During the year I studied business golf I was averaging 4 rounds a week. However, I have been dedicating more time to developing the BGCC and am now down to an average of 2 rounds a week, but have a goal of getting back to the norm of 3 rounds of golf a week. Living on a golf course helps me achieve this but I also travel around the country for business. I play golf nearly everywhere I go. I have played in a lot of areas of the country, but not been overseas to see those wonderful courses. I favor the beauty of the desert courses of Arizona and Southern California, but I have a list of golf courses I want to play someday. I am sure the BGCC will bring me to those areas. Pebble Beach, Bandon Dunes, Pinehurst, and of course August National have always been on the short list...maybe I’ll get to play them someday.

3. Okay, mandatory golf questions: What is your handicap and what's in the bag?

I currently have dipped down to a 10 handicap and playing more to a 15 due to some adjustments to my swing I was forced to make this year to overcome some old football and baseball injuries (another reason why I am not a fan of those sports anymore). However, under the watchful eye of the PGA and LPGA instructors I have had the fortune to meet over the years and from the golf school I plan on attending soon I feel certain that I can get back to the single digit handicap before I am forced up to the forward tees.

In my bag... Ping G-10 Driver, Titleist 975 13°, Cleveland 17°, Titleist 22° fairway woods, Titleist 802 forged irons, 48° , 52° and 60° Vokey Wedges, Odyssey (not sure the model) putter and hit Titleist Pro-V1 balls.

4. When did you start Business Golf Country Club? What is your main focus and what do you hope to accomplish with the network?

The concept of the BGCC began in early 2008. I launched the Alpha as a group on LinkedIn in August of 2008. Within in two weeks the number of business golfers interested in joining the private club grew so fast I was forced to move to a platform that had fewer limitations. So I continued the Alpha development of the concept by moving over to NING this past January. During my development of the BGCC, Dave Bisbee, PGA teaching professional, former tour player and president of eGolfGroup, contacted me about developing a synergistic partnering on several projects related to the development of business golf. Our business relationship grew positively and I brought Dave in to joint venture the development and management of the BGCC.

We have been very excited with the acceptance of the BGCC within the amateur and professional golf community and are now working day and night to jump the BGCC to Beta. This will open the door to all the things business golf can offer golfers and is much, much more than what is being shown in the BGCC today.

The BGCC is a club for golfers, business golfers, and golf professionals. The purpose of the club is to help bring more golfers online and get more people into the game of golf by providing them a safe environment they can connect to others online that offers not just the obvious business networking opportunities, but services and products that ad in the development of their golf game as well as their business needs.

In the next stage of the BGCC, there will be Regional Chapter Club developed around the country to accommodate the members who reside in those areas. The BGCC Chapter Clubs will offer members an offline opportunity to meet other members and play some business golf. Members, of course, will be offered tremendous discounts on a number of services and products we have found worthwhile. And much, much more .

5. Who can join BGCC and how do they do it? Can just anyone join or are their certain requirements?

The BGCC is not going to be for everyone and that is OK. The BGCC target member is everyone who really gets golf…who sees golf as not just an opportunity to get out and drink beer, not to say that the members of the BGCC are not going to drink beer. The BGCC is for golfers who also see golf as a healthy way to enjoy life, meet people, and learn. We encourage any real golfer who is looking to gain a better understanding of golf, business, and the internet to join the BGCC. There are few requirements to join. Every member must have an above average level of interest in golf to become a member. To show they are serious about themselves and image they need to portray to gain trust from others the BGCC only allows golfers who submit a headshot photo of themselves to join. We take the club seriously and monitor its activity to sort out individuals who attempt to gain entrance to the club for the sole purpose to market to the membership. We want members to be able to relax and experience how building business relationship through casual conversation can produce more than a spam email. Our membership exit program is much easier than the entry process. To join click here. Look forward to seeing you there.

Sunday Sports Wrap - July 5, 2009

2009-07-05T09:33:00.000-07:00

Wimbledon: Roger Federer is fighting it out with Andy Roddick right now for the men's final. Yesterday's women's final was awesome, pitting Venus vs. Serena. The younger Williams sister prevailed.

Golf: Tiger Woods and Anthony Kim are paired up for round four of the AT&T Invitational. The two shared the lead at the start of the day and many hope that the event ends up in a shootout between them. In fact, there has been speculation that AK is next in line for greatness. All said, the two Californians should be fun to watch! I'll have to catch the updates on my phone or something because it is just too nice to stay inside today for me!

Surfing: Okay, this is a really great shopping weekend - whatever you are in the market for. I scored a brand new surfboard yesterday including all accessories (like a sweet cover) for a very nice price. I'll have new pics and stories up using it in the very near future. It's a bit shorter than I'm used to and it's got a bit more of a point to it as well (I usually have a fish or an egg). This should be fun.

Today in Sports History:

1946 - The bikini made its debut during an outdoor fashion show at the Molitor Pool in Paris.

1997 - Martina Hingis, 16, became the youngest Wimbledom singles champion in 110 years as she beat Jana Novotna in the women's final.

2002 - Baseball Hall of Famer Ted Williams died at age 83.

"Is This A Sport?" Revisited - Competitive Eating

2009-07-04T09:30:00.000-07:00

Last year I pondered whether competitive eating was a sport and many of you weighed in. I figured we'd revisit the topic. Here's some fun links about competitive eating and the famous Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest:

Read about competitor Crazy Legs Conti - the opening paragraph is priceless:

Competitive eater Crazy Legs Conti is talking to me about complexities surrounding the sports. He's telling me how heat and humidity can cause a hot dog frank to expand and contract. He's describing how not everyone's mandibles work in the same way and comparing the competitive eating circuit to Jack Kerouac's "On the Road."

Check out In Historic with a post about the takedown of Kobayashi.

Also, this article brought to my attention that you can watch the 2009 contest on ESPN 360. If it's on ESPN then it is almost really a sport, eh?

Photo Ball Markers Review

2009-07-03T09:50:00.000-07:00

I recently found the website Photo Ball Marker and got the opportunity to review their product. These are just what the name says they are - ball markers with pictures on them. In a word: cool! I found the premise neat, the ordering process easy, and the final product a great little accessory. The price of about $30 including shipping makes this an easy gift to give or a fun, personal touch to your golf game.

All you have to do is go to the ordering page and upload three pictures that you want to put on the ball markers. Next, you line up the images and then choose divot tool, hat clip, or just magnets. Fill out your info, pay, and your order is complete.

My pictures don't really do these the justice they deserve. I've got my silly dog drinking from a bowl, my 17-year-old cat curled up in a ball, and my two baby cats cuddled together. The company warned me that the one of my old, grey kitty might not come out but it does look great in person. In fact, all three look great in person and I opted for the hat clip. I'll be using my new clip with one of the magnets on the course come Monday.

You can pick any personal picture you want for a marker that nobody else will have. I think it is a cool idea and the reasonable cost makes it a great find for yourself or as a gift.

Rubio To New York?

2009-07-02T06:31:00.000-07:00

Today's guest post is another submission by Zach Smart. Zach Smart is an award-winning writer whose work has been featured in a number of sources--The New Haven Register, The Rivertowns Enterprise, Hoopsaddict.com, and Big East Basketball Report--to name a few. Mr. Smart is a New York native and currently operates ZSmart's Sports Blog.

With Donnie Walsh promising to reach out to the Point Guard-crazy Minnesota Timberwolves about Ricky Rubio, we suddenly have grand illusions about the Knicks re-writing the script this season and luring in LeBron.

With the Knicks never seizing to disappoint, what else can we be but positive about about this downtrodden, piecemeal team?

I wasn't drinking the cool aid at first, but Rubio's flair for the game and Olympic dominance has suddenly sold me on the paper-slim neophyte.

His name mirrors that of some Latin singer, his game mirrors that of a new generation Pistol Pete in the frame of Dan Dickau on yayo.

Big Sully illustrated a great point via text message when I was steering my beat-to-death Honda through Yonkers.

"I like that we got Darko," said Sully.

So, Larry Brown isn't the only man on the planet pulling for Darko to pan out.

He continued, "We got to get Rubio. We need a good point guard to entice LeBron."

It's hard to imagine a property of 1990 operating offense in the high-stakes, win or get booed, pressure cooking New York City landscape. Still, if he's talented enough to compete he's talented enough to compete.

Plus, D'antoni's speedball, go-go style is one which Rubio is tailor-made for.

The 6-foot-4 cat-quick guard seems to be a step ahead of everyone else on the floor and can create buckets easier than Sunday morning.

I'm not sure why the T-Wolves went on a point guard-mad rampage on draft night.

I know I can't speculate but maybe they were taking Jonny Flynn as the ready-made player to test Rubio and use one of the two as trade bait....still, that's more questionable than Seth Rogan's taking home Meghan Fox on a Tuesday evening.

"If he doesn't want to play in Minnesota than they (Minnesota) gotta trade him. He will play in New York City I imagine," Big Sully said.

I believe dealing Q Brick was a good move, as was acquiring Darko--who has the opportunity to revive his image as the biggest bust since Sam Bowie.

An interior presence is something the Knicks are in dire need of.

Darko and Jordan Hill could start as a stopgap measure in that area.

This would also prove proficient because it would help take some stress off of David Lee. Lee was forced into guarding the other team's best big and defense has never been the double-double machine's calling card.

While this won't give D. Lee a free pass on D, it could help him establish himself as a go-to-scorer.

Lee averaged 16 points and 12 boards last season, albeit had little help inside. Jerome James' behemoth self was a fixture on the bench...

The triumvirate of Lee, Darko, and Jordan Hill would help clog up the lane a bit and allow Lee to roam freely. The blue-collar bastard can board up, hustle, and score buckets with the best of them.

But will Lee--he of the shallow slingshot--be in orange and blue next season? That remains to be seen as both he and energy-bleeding spark plug Nate Robinson have been dominant on the rumor mill. They've generated more rumors than a Perez Hilton blog for crying out loud.

The talking heads are saying the Knicks are probably going to lose Lee.

"Maybe use him in a sign and trade for Rubio," Sully opined.

Still, Big Sully accentuated the positive on the subject of Rubio, the Spanish wunderkind whose been shredding up the professional scene since he was 14. I can only put a few athletes in that early pro category: Michelle Wie, a teenager who has been dominant since 2005.

Sully is tattooed to the belief that Rubio delivers pinpoint passes, is cheetah-quick and virtually a step ahead of everyone else on the floor. These aspects are extremely paramount to success for the Knicks' immediate future.

Sully doesn't believe that Rubio's boyish, toothpick frame will render him guardable.

"That's the kind of point guard Lebron needs," said Sully, who's been envisioning LeBron in Orange-n-Blue for quite some time now.

SULLY's FANTASY KNICKS TEAM:

1 of 2: Rubio, Nate, King James, Wilson Chandler, and Chris Bosh. Darko, Gallinari coming off the knot.

2 of 2: Jordan Hill off the bench. How's that sound?

1 of 2: Rubio, Nate, King James, Wilson Chandler, and Chris Bosh as a starting lineup. Darko, Dano off the bench....

Wild World of Wednesday - July 1, 2009

2009-07-01T06:51:00.001-07:00

She's Back: Candace Parker returned to practice with the Los Angeles Sparks yesterday:

Parker practiced fully for the first time since her maternity leave but told the Los Angeles Times she would have a better idea about how she is adjusting after contact drills Wednesday.

"I think that it's going at the right speed," Parker told the Times.

The reigning WNBA MVP and rookie of the year had a girl, Lailaa, in mid-May.

Lisa Leslie also returned to practice after missing a few games. Leslie plans to retire after this season.

Putt This: I just discovered that SeeMore Putters has a blog. Cool. They have some pretty awesome putter and headcover designs.

Holdout? Okay, call me crazy but I just cringe when I hear a story about an NFL rookie "holding out". Seriously! Read this:

Cincinnati Bengals rookie Andre Smith, the sixth overall pick in the draft, said Tuesday that he hopes to be signed and in training camp on time because a holdout could hamper his transition from left tackle to right tackle.

Okay, let me get this straight. You worked all of your life to be the best at what you do. You got picked in the first round - something 99.99% of people who ever picked up a football can only dream of. Next - you hold out. I'm wondering what the difference between like 30 and 35 million is. Not sure if that what this boils down to but the amount of money these untried, unproven guys get is just insane. Am I the only one that sees the absurdity here?

Today In Sports History

1997 - Nevada Athletic Commission suspends Mike Tyson for biting Evander Holyfield

Happy Birthday Rod Gilbert and Carl Lewis

Beach Tennis Strikes Again

2009-06-30T07:02:00.000-07:00

5 Questions With Real Women Golf

2009-06-29T06:28:00.000-07:00

Today's guest is the mastermind behind the fun golf blog Real Women Golf. She's the self-proclaimed "former competitive figure skater turned golf-obsessed mom" that brings fresh, fun posts about John Daly, Blair O'Neal, and white belts.

1. Please talk about your competitive figure skating career. How long were you involved and do you still skate at all?

I started skating when I was 3. Another kid was on the pond near our house in NY and crying because he didn't want to skate. I was crying because I wanted to skate. So our parents did a switcheroo with the skates. That's how it all started.

I skated about 14 years--before school, after school, and I spent my summers away from home training in Rockford, Ill.

I don't skate right now. I've thought about it. I'm afraid I'd try a double jump and hurt myself and not be able to golf.

2. What other sports have you participated in other than skating and golf? Are there sports that you are particularly fond of following (besides golf)?

That's a funny question. No one outside of skating ever saw me as athletic. I was just a skinny kid that skated. I played soccer for a bit. I used to make the boys on the outdoor rinks in MN let me play hockey with them otherwise I wouldn't give them space on the ice to play. I could out-skate most of them in my figure skates.

I was always the last one picked for sports teams in school. I used to joke that, I skated, so I had no useful athletic skills. Honestly there wasn't any time to do any other sports. I did pick up roller blading after college. I've always enjoyed hiking and love a good bike ride with the kids. Unfortunately, I run and throw a ball like a girl.

As far as watching other sports. Besides golf, we watch the craziest sports at our house. My husband is a fan of futball and Australian Rules Football. I still enjoy watching skating, but if I had to pick a national skating championship or a golfing major, I'd choose golf. I like college football and we are big Columbus Crew fans. I love almost any sport live.

3. When did you start "Real Women Golf" and what was your inspiration? What, if any, other sources do you write for?

I started Real Women Golf last August. I hate to say this, but it was actually my husband's idea. Since I was a professional writer before my kids were born, he suggested I start a blog about something I like. Golf was the obvious choice.

Originally it was just meant as a creative outlet and a place to collect my stories for a possible book someday. I hoped women golfers might enjoy it, but I never thought it would develop the following it did--especially with male readers. It's been fun to watch it grow.

I am a freelance writer so I am always juggling a few projects. I have written for online magazines and other Websites. I also write promotional/marketing materials for some clients along with a video or two.

4. How did you get started playing golf? How often do you play now and do you have a handicap? What motivated you to start playing golf?

That is such a LONG story. My husband bought me a set of clubs after we got engaged (over 15 years ago). He played in college so he wanted me to learn.

We traveled a lot before our kids were born. So he would pick these wonderfully exotic locations that just happened to have golf courses. My clubs have clocked some serious miles. I whacked at the ball, and enjoyed the scenery and beverage carts, but I never fell in love with the game.

Then when we moved from Washington, D.C. , to Columbus, OH we had a wonderful indoor training facility a minute down the road. One bleak March day I took the clubs out of the attic, heading to the indoor range and decided I wanted to learn how to hit a golf ball in the air.

From there I took a women's beginning clinic and continued with lessons. That was a little over three years ago. Now I play on our course's competitive team.

I play or practice almost everyday. I can't help myself. My kids play too, so we have some great family time on the course. I love how my kids talk to me on the course. They are away from all electronic devices and it makes for some great conversations. I also have a great group of golfing gal pals. They are the best.

My handicap is currently a 12.7--the lowest so far. I desperately want to be a single-digit.

I think my desire to be a better player comes from my competitive figure skating background. I just didn't know I still had it in me, until I started golfing.

My motivation to learn to golf stemmed from my adjustment from living in a big city to a small one. I think I was trying to find some peace and quiet and something separate from the inevitable gossip of a small town. I find golf very therapeutic. In a nutshell, I found peace on the golf course.

5. Who were your role models as a child and today? Would you consider yourself a role model? Why or why not?

My role models as a kid were all skaters: Dorothy Hamill and Scott Hamilton were favorites because I loved their artistry. Scott is a such a survivor too. He's a role model well beyond figure skating.

Today my role models are different. My mom and I have always had a great relationship so I look up to her. As far as golf goes, I really admired Annika Sorenstam, Lorena Ochoa, and Stacy Lewis. I also have a huge respect for the FUTURES players and the determination they show every day. Greg Norman was the first golfer I ever followed, so he is definitely on the list. Watching him made me appreciate the game long before I ever played it.

Me a role model? Yikes! That's a tough one. I would say I am a good poster child for women's golf. I am always trying to encourage women to get on the course and have some fun. It's so intimidating at first, and it doesn't have to be. While I love my competitive golf I am a strong believer in making golf fun. Many women are curious how I started golfing and want to know how to learn. I'm always trying to get new gals to join me on the course.

I know my daughter thinks it's cool that mom competes. If I can teach her to be strong and go after her dreams, I will consider that a huge accomplishment.

Here is Heather's video application for the coolest job in the world as a caretaker near the Great Barrier Reef:

You can follow Heather on Twitter @realwomengolf.

Sunday Sports Wrap - June 28, 2009

2009-06-28T16:00:00.000-07:00

MLB: A boatload of interleague play happened today. The Dodgers stunk it up but they're still in good shape overall. Manny will be coming back soon and it will be interesting to see the impact. It doesn't really seem like folks around here are too upset about his alleged PED use. Honestly, it seems like someone is getting caught every week. It's a shame that this is what baseball is about these days.

Golf: Kenny Perry finished the Travelers Championship with a record winning score. The win puts Perry ahead in the FedEx Cup standings. There has been a different player atop the points race each week in the last three weeks. Definitely shaping up to be an interesting season!

Yes, I'm 12: Not that this has anything to do with sports but I saw the new Transformers movie yesterday and really enjoyed it. I thought it was great because they only broke up the scenes where they were transforming, flying through the air, and blowing stuff up with a tiny bit of dialogue. Works for me!

Today In Sports History

1958 - Brazil becomes soccer's World Cup champion in Sweden

1975 - Lee Trevino is struck by lightning at Western Open

WNBA Fast Break To Reading

2009-06-27T08:26:00.000-07:00

Fast Break to Reading is an initiative created by Pitney Bowes and the WNBA to promote child literacy. The goal of the program is to have children log a collective one million reading minutes by the end of the summer.

Ten WNBA teams will help reach the million minute goal in 2009: the Atlanta Dream, the Chicago Sky, the Connecticut Sun, the Detroit Shock, the Indiana Fever, the Los Angeles Sparks, the New York Liberty, the Phoenix Mercury, the Seattle Storm and the Washington Mystics.

These teams have partnered with the following organizations to extend Fast Break to Reading’s benefits to their participating students: Afterschool All-Stars (Atlanta), Chicago Public Libraries, Connecticut Library Consortium, Detroit Public Library, Boys & Girls Club of Indianapolis, City Scholars (Los Angeles), Power to Learn (New York), Save the Family (Phoenix), Boys and Girls Club of King County (Seattle), Arlington County Libraries (Washington D.C.)

Each team will host their partnering organization at two WNBA regular season games this summer. The students will be invited to attend the games, sit in a special section of the arena and receive on-court recognition as “reading champions.”

The WNBA teams will also participate in two Reading Time Outs with each partnering organization. At Reading Time Outs, students listen along as a team player or Legend reads one of their favorite books and emphasizes the importance of reading. Pitney Bowes employees will volunteer at each Reading Time Out and bring their own children along to join in on the fun.

For more details visit the WNBA Fast Break To Reading website.

The Wild World On Friday

2009-06-26T06:22:00.000-07:00

Today feels like a "Wild World of Wednesday" post. It has been a bizzaro week for sure.

Have You Heard This One: Brett Favre is not retiring. You don't say. Reports claim that he will be a Viking. I have lost any real emotional connection to the Brett Favre story these days. I prefer to remember Brett the Green Bay Packer.

What The Shaq: It's true, Shaq is going to Cleveland. The question now becomes - will LeBron stay? I keep hearing rumors about how he likes the weather in Orlando.

Did I Read That Right?: The US beat Spain in an important soccer match. Spain was ranked number one. Really? Wow.

UPDATE: I can't believe I missed Babe's birthday today. Thanks Doret! Read this link.

Oh Sister Where Art Thou?

2009-06-25T06:54:00.000-07:00

Today's guest post was graciously submitted by Zach Smart and gives us a look at the sport of beach tennis. Zach Smart is an award-winning writer whose work has been featured in a number of sources--The New Haven Register, The Rivertowns Enterprise, Hoopsaddict.com, and Big East Basketball Report--to name a few. Mr. Smart is a New York native and currently operates ZSmart Sports Blog

Before a raucous San Diego crowd that's witnessed their dominance, Lisa and Laura Maloney were struggling.

Perhaps all the chatter of the the San Diego Smash tournament being gift-wrapped for the sisters began to ooze through their heads.

Remember, more athletes have been hampered by the hype and hyperbole than by the hurricanes.

But Laura and Lisa were not the same players who rolled to a convincing national championship victory in Long Beach, N.Y.

They weren't the same team who showed their meddle throughout California last year.

They certainly weren't the same team that's been elevating their play to a new zip code this year.

Having lost control of their no.1 seed, the Maloneys were pushed back to no.3 after dropping a pair of early matches.

The frustration seemed to avalanche and for a moment, it seemed that Nadia Johnston and Nicole Melch--who are leading this year's tour in point standings--would have some breathing room.

Not so fast.

The Maloneys, the top-ranked tandem on the Beach Tennis USA landscape, showed their resolve.

Their shortcomings and miscommunication was quickly buried under the burning-hot sand.

The sisters ran the table over the ensuing string of games.

They weren't giving teams a slow, painful death either. They were punching opponents in the mouth from the start, delivering quick executions that catapulted them into the top of the bracket.

Back in familiar title game territory, the Maloneys proved the world once again belonged to them.

The well-sculpted Maloneys obliterated Lee Whitewell and Joslyn Burkett, emerging with an 8-3 victory.

Another match, another championship, another trophy as the homegrown talents continue to wallop the competition this year.

As much as they've made their presence known in Cali, a new challenge awaits in New York.

This national championship has more juice than Florida right now. To read more about the national tour and road to the championship, please visit the Beach Tennis USA website

Nadia Johnson, a three-time national championship and current Long Island native, has been taking the world by wildfire with new partner Nicole Melch.

Watching the newly-minted squad dismantle teams is akin to watching two professionals matchup against team two blindfolded and handcuffed rookies.

I see the future...

A down-to-the-wire battle between Johnson-Melch and the Maloneys, before a jam-packed crowd televised live via the Tennis Channel.

Wild World of Wednedsay - June 24, 2009

2009-06-24T06:48:00.000-07:00

Happy Anniversary Title IX: Yesterday marked the 37th anniversary of Title IX. The day was marked by a roundtable discussion at the White House and much buzz in the blogosphere. Don't know what this legislation is? You should. Click the links and read.

Surfcams: I've told you about the Surfer Shot community before. They recently added more surf cams to their site. Now you can check these out: Pipeline - Sunset - Satellite Beach - Huntington Pier - Huntington Beach, South. Nice!

Beat Gasoline: Nike GameChangers has a new campaign called Beat Gasoline. Here are the details:

This is an initiative of Nike and Youth Noise to get the word out that we can all use the power of sport to Beat Gasoline. Or smog. Or CO2. Or whatever. At Beatgasoline.com you can download free stuff, watch exclusive Nike content and upload videos or pictures showing how you would beat gasoline. You can also view other submissions and vote on the weekly Global Giving Card winners. Which, if you submit a video or picture, could be you. Other grand prizes include some killer stuff from Nike 6.0.

Today In Sport History

1992 - Commissioner Fay Vincent permanently bans Steve Howe from baseball

1995 - Stanley Cup: New Jersey Devils sweep Detroit Red Wings in 4 games

Tales From The Twitterscape - June 23, 2009

2009-06-23T07:19:00.000-07:00

Yes, it took me a while but some of you (and you know who you are) drug me kicking and screaming into Twitter. I have yet to update my status with something like "I just had blueberry pancakes" and will continue to use that discretion! In fact, there are a few golf pros I'm thinking of taking off my list because that is the only sort of thing I ever see from them. Who cares?

What I find more interesting is the companies that interact with their consumers. Many OEMs and after-market retailers are on Twitter and have people dedicated to talking to the consumers every day. Great idea. I know that most people in my office have several windows of the internet open as they work, usually with one tab being Facebook and another being Twitter.

One cool company I recently found is in the Midwest and called Fun Outfitters. They have trivia contests on Twitter quite often and a YouTube channel with videos describing the products that they carry. The company carries snowmobiling, wakeboarding, and water skiing gear and other accessories. They've got a sense of humor too as evident from the video today that was lifted from their channel.

Another fun company to follow is Ogio. They also have contests rather frequently. They just gave away a golf bag yesterday. I'm a huge fan of their golf bags and use one now but didn't win a new one. Darn.

Who do you like to follow on Twitter?

5 Questions For Feedback

2009-06-22T06:31:00.000-07:00

I have several interviews and ideas brewing so I thought I'd take a moment to solicit some feedback again. It isn't too hard and you can do so by comment, email, tweet, or any other method that you see fit. I'm always interested in what readers have to say and would appreciate honest feedback.

1. What is your favorite part of this blog? Is is a specific day, feature, or style?

2. What is you least favorite piece here? What could you do without?

3. What sports would you like to see more of?

4. What sports would you like to see less of?

5. Do you find the focus on several different sports a good thing or would you rather see a more focused approach?

Seriously, please answer honestly. You can tell me that you think the writing here stinks and you just stop in every day to see what video I have added if that is the case. Either way, I appreciate your time very much!

Sunday Sports Wrap - June 21, 2009

2009-06-21T07:32:00.000-07:00

Rain, Rain, Go Away: I have an idea - why don't the powers that be keep such an important event in a place where there isn't torrential downpours in the summer? The US Open should pan out to be rather interesting any way you slice it. On one hand those with the most favorable tee times (with respect to weather) could turn in a surprising win. On the other, the favorites could pull out a storybook ending. ESPN has everything online.

Freeway Series: The Dodgers and Angels end their series today. Yesterday the Weaver brothers started against each other and the older came out the victor. I wish we could have a series to decide whether the Angels get to keep "Los Angeles" in their name. They really should try to make their own name. I'll stop whining about that for now...

Today In Sports History

1988 - 42nd NBA Championship - the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Detroit Pistons, 4 games to 3

1997 - Women's National Basketball Association begins with the New York Liberty besting the Los Angeles Sparks.

Golf In Full Swing

2009-06-20T06:38:00.000-07:00

What are you doing today? Golf seems to be permeating the sports scene at the moment (or it could just be me).

Women's Golf Month: There is still time to get in on the events surrounding Women's Golf Month. Free clinics, events, lessons, networking, and much more happen the entire month of June. Go to the link om the first sentence and find a course that is sponsoring events near you. I've got another event today and then a challenge next Saturday. I'm quite excited about it and really want to do well. I'll be working on my short game quite a bit this week.

Duramed Championship: The Duramed Futures Tour finishes up the Duramed Championship this weekend. Duramed is the LPGA's developmental tour. Information is a bit hard to come by on the website for the event and I had a hard time finding standings. When I did see a link to something that happened in the event it basically took me in circles. Maybe someone can help me with that? The best way to keep up with the event is on Twitter.

US Open: The weather at Bethpage Black has been quite challenging for the grounds crew to keep up with. You can watch the event online from ESPN. Phil Mickelson is the pro that journalists are hoping will win so they can get a "Disney musical" story as one put it. Tiger has to make something like a 66 today to even make even par. It doesn't seem very likely with the course conditions.

IWFL All-Stars

2009-06-19T06:21:00.000-07:00

Recently the IWFL released their All Star picks and it was no surprise that running back Vanessa Santillan was chosen from the Southern California Breakers. Vanessa had an amazing season and was nearly unstoppable. The complete list of Breakers that made the list is as follows:

#43 PRICILLA GARDNER LB ALTERNATE
#97 AMANDA GARCIA LB ALTERNATE
#80 JESSICA JOYCE LB ALTERNATE
#76 JENNIFER RIOS OL ALTERNATE
#79 ASIA SALAZAR OL ALTERNATE
#28 VANESSA SANTILLAN RB ALL-STAR

All named to the All Star team are invited to attend and participate in the ProBowl on July 26th in Round Rock, TX. The complete list for the league can be found here on the IWFL website.

Congratulations to the Breakers and every other player in the league that was chosen. These are remarkable athletes that have worked very hard to attain their elite status.

Tales From The Inbox - June 18, 2009

2009-06-18T06:32:00.000-07:00

Fighter Girls: Debi Purcell's website fightergirls.com has some cool new gear. Check out the new Thai shorts and hoodies.

Win At All Costs: Another blogger brought an interesting story to my attention. A college softball game became the subject of controversy when one coach called for the rules to be followed. On top of that, the umpire allowed the rule to be applied incorrectly. Take a look here and tell me what you think.

SweatyBetty Fliptops: SweatyBetty, the UK sports clothing company, is hosting an interesting contest for UK residents. If you know the winning answer I am curious:

"The SweatyBetty sports and leisure fashion brand are known for collaboration with the cult brand Fitflops. For those who are not yet aware, Fitflops are a new, innovative and fashionable footwear sandal which will tone legs and bum whilst on the move and are available at SweatyBetty in a range of colour, designs, and sizes. SweatyBetty currently has an offer to win a magnificent weekend break, all expenses paid for a limited time. Every pair of Black and White Walkstar III sandals features a street plan of a major city on its sole. If guessed correctly, a weekend trip is up for grabs. Just answer the simple question, which city's street map is featured on the bottom of the black and white Walkstar III sandal by Fitflop? If answered correctly the lucky winner could be jet setting off on a luxury break to that city, with flights, accommodation and £500 spending money all included. The competition is open to all United Kingdom residents."