Big Games from T-Birds Seniors not enough against Sac State

CEDAR CITY, Utah - Monster games from seniors Jamie Smith and Jessica Richardson weren't quite enough to lift Southern Utah past Sacramento State on Saturday as the T-Birds fell to the Hornets 110-104 in the Centrum in a matchup between Big Sky women's basketball.

On the night SUU fans bid farewell to Smith and Richardson, the senior duo went out on a high note dropping 30 and 21 points respectively. Slick shooting was Smith's contribution for the T-Birds as her six three-point shots helped SUU keep up with Sacramento States frantic pace.

"That's the kind of game you want your seniors to out on," SUU Head Coach Chris Boettcher said after the game. "Obviously the end result was a little different, but I'm proud of them for stepping up this who week. The last five or six games they have taken the senior leadership role to a new level and I'm really proud of the way they were able to finish here at home."

Though their careers in the Centrum may be over, Richardson and Smith will continue to lead the T-Birds as they prepare the the Big Sky Tournament. SUU will finish off their regular season with road games at Eastern Washington and Idaho before heading to Reno for postseason play.

It was the coolest.......

When I was 11 years old I had the chance to participate in one of the best moments of my life. My dad took me to my very first Utah Jazz basketball game. In my family rooting for the Jazz is a requirement. The only time I remember my dad ever yelling at my sister is when she bought a Peja Stojakovic and announced her allegiance to the Sacramento Kings. The Jazz is part of our family.

Naturally my first game instantly became the best day of my life. I was sporting my black John Stockton jersey and couldn't have been happier. The Jazz were dominating the Milwaukee Bucks for the entire game. Stockton, Karl Malone and the crew were doing their thing in route to another Jazz win. Towards the four quarter a young guard, Ray Allen got hot and starting bringing the Bucks back. As NBA Jam would put it, he was on fire.

I began to be very nervous. The Jazz couldn't lose. That was my first game. They had to win for me. With about 30 seconds left in the game, Allen hit a 3 pointer to tie up the game. Jerry Sloan called a timeout for the Jazz and drew up a play. Everyone and their dog knew it was a Stockton to Malone pick and roll and the Mailman would take the last shot. That was the play. Malone got the ball. He nailed the bucket to put the Jazz up with less than two seconds to play.

The crowd hadn't even fully processed the play when the ball was inbounded to Allen and he hoisted a full-court shot. Allen knew he made the shot and the air was completely sucked from the Delta Center as the "cowhide globe hit home." I stood in shock. My dad was trying to drag me out of the arena in order to beat the rush to get to the hotel. I wouldn't move, drenched in mixed emotions of disappointment and amazement. I saw Allen make 3 after 3 and will full confidence drain a game winner. The coolest thing I've ever seen.

There are few things that bring me joy in the world. Sports is one of them. Probably the greatest is my little sister Jenna. So when the two come together in an epic moment I don't think there is something that pulls on my heart more than that.

Jenna is younger than me and we have always been partners in crime. When I was about 6 or 7 years old I learned that she had something called Downs Syndrome, a genetic disorder that is caused by abnormal cell division. To me Jenna was my sister, but to the world around her she was "special."

Over my life I realized that Jenna was indeed special, but not for the reasons the world thought so. She had an uncanny ability to bring happiness to anyone she came contact with. She loved everyone she ever saw and handed out hugs to anyone who was willing. She also loved me more than I deserved. She was my biggest fan and even though I was jealous of the attention she got, she always stood on the sideline at all the games and cheered for me to win the game.

My senior year of high school I had been battling injuries during the football season and often didn't get to play in a few games. Our team wasn't great and there was a lack of positive feelings around the program. Senior night was looming near and a few days before the game I was cleared to play. In practice we found out that if we won, we were eligible for the playoffs. We practiced hard. We prepared. We wanted to win.

Game day rolled along and it was time for Friday night lights. The first half was very uneventful. Neither team could move the ball and the defenses ruled. Eager to get to the locker room and discuss the second half, I was rudely interrupted by my father, mother and Jenna. It was time for the senior recognition. I begrudgingly joined my family mostly annoyed and ready to get done with this. My dad was on my left and my mom held my right arm, holding back tears. Jenna stood in front of me draped in my away jersey, which fit more like a dress. 

The names of the senior and their folks were announced one by one and it was about time to wave my hand and get back to the business of football. The announcer introduced my father and mother, but he forgot to announce Jenna. I was beside myself and started to wave up to the box. I was ready to run up and share some not so nice words with the man behind the microphone. Just then an announcement no one expected. Jenna was honored as the fan of the year. Coach Hall presented her with a personalized jersey, just her size with her name on the back. He flung off my jersey and handed to my dad, ecstatic to don her own. She smiled so big I'll never forget it and my mom's tears (which were many) were matched by several fans and players. 

At that point I didn't care about the game. I was grateful for the moment. I was grateful for my coach. I was grateful for my family, especially my little sister. It was my favorite sports moment.

Pace of Play: What Does Speed Mean in Baseball?

Our society loves speed. In a world of instant gratification things like fast food, immediate access and high speed internet reign supreme. These one time amenities have morphed into needs, in some cases probably falling into the hierarchy Maslow would describe as basic needs. It's a fast paced life and you better get on the train or you're going to miss out.

The sporting world is no different. In the sports world speed is everything. A high school kid can get a full ride scholarship to any school in America if he run a sub 4.3 forty. In the NBA freakishly athletic and fast guards Russell Westbrook and Isiah Thomas are tearing defenses to shreds. Usain Bolt has defined an era with how quickly he can get from one point to another. In sports, speed is everything.

There in one acceptation to speed is everything, at least in the sporting realm. Speed isn't always everything in baseball. Think about it. Baseball is the only sport where a butter ball can dominate. Babe Ruth wouldn't be a considered a body builder, but the Bronx Bomber is considered to be one of the game's home run kings. The Fielder family was a two generation baseball legacy, but tell me a sport where the porky pair of Prince and Cecil would've have the same impact as they did in MLB? Then there is the ageless wonder Bartolo Colon. This 43 year old "athlete" tips the scales at almost 300 pounds and I doubt could make it to first base by next week, however has been a consistent and at some point fantastic pitcher throughout his career. The point is in baseball speed isn't necessarily everything.

This is the problem the recent "pace-of-play" movement across America's pastime. People who call themselves fans of the game, want to get in and out of the stadium with plenty of time to watch the latest episode of the Bachelor. The have a problem when a pitcher and a base runner are entrenched in a battle for second base and there might be 1, or 2 or 15 pick-off attempts to first. They get frustrated when a batter fouls of pitch after pitch when trying to connect on a nasty slider or knock some high cheese out of the ballpark. They get bored when a manager comes out and makes a pitching change after the reliever he just put in has only through 3 or so pitches and he already has a pitcher in mind for the next batter. It's just not fast enough for those fans.

The real problem that these "fans" have is that they don't understand the sport they claim they enjoy. Baseball has never been built on speed or quickness. The game itself is a grind. There is no time limit to baseball. It's a pure battle of wills that isn't compromised by the stigma of a two minute offense or a shot clock.  Baseball is played in it's own sphere.  Baseball requires resiliency. There are no time outs when a team drops a 9-0 run on you. You get your 3 outs and then try and match or better the effort that your opponent just put up. It's a chess match. It's deliberate. It's baseball. The experience at the ballpark isn't meant to be the same thing you'll find in a football stadium or basketball arena. 

For those of you who might be begging for a pitch clock or some other mystical cure for the slow pace of baseball please remember people like John Kruk, David Wells or even Big Papi. These seemingly irrelevant athletes thrived in a sport not because of their speed, but almost in spite of it. In the wise words of Ferris Bueller, "life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it." The same goes for baseball. If you don't take time to notice the beauty of the game, you might miss the best of it.

Thunderbirds fall to the Grizzles 55-70

CEDAR CITY, Utah - Southern Utah turned in one of their best defensive efforts of the season on Thursday night, but that wasn't quite enough as the Thunderbirds fell to the Montana Grizzles 55-70 in the Centrum Arena.

Employing a new 1-3-1 the Thunderbirds held the Grizzles to 40 percent shooting, including 19 percent from beyond the arc. "Number-wise it was one of our best defensive performances of the year," SUU head coach Todd Simon said about the Thunderbird defense.

Unfortunately for SUU the offense didn't follow suite as the Thunderbirds shot under 40 percent including a woeful 3-21 from three and 50 percent from the free throw line. They were led in scoring by Randy Onwuasor and Will Joyce who put up 16 and 10 points respectively, for the home team.

The bright spot of the game for SUU was the return of senior guard Race Parson, who played in his first game since early December. Parsons, who returned from a serious knee injury logged 16 minutes for SUU, scoring 6 points and 2 assists. Coach Simon was glad to have Parsons back in the line-up, adding a veteran presence to his young team. "I want to give it all to the guys," Parsons said. "I want to play for the team." Parsons performance definitely sparked an energy in the Centrum for both the team and the fans.

SUU will finish up their home stand on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. in the Centrum Arena as they play host to the Montana State Bobcats.

Chino Hills High School knocks off Los Osos High School thanks to 92 points from LaMelo Ball

CHINO HILLS, Calif. - LaMelo Ball drops in 92 points to help Chino Hills defeat Los Osos 146-123 on Tuesday night in a battle of California Interscholastic Federation men's basketball teams.

Chino Hills (26-1) was without leading scorer LiAngelo Ball , LaMelo's older brother, due to injury,  but that didn't phase them too much as the youngest Ball brother did his part to seal the victory scoring 41 of his 92 points in the final quarter.

Los Osos head coach Dave Smith was less than excited by the way Chino Hills played in regards to helping LaMelo Ball score so many points. Smith was upset that style of play Chino Hills employed took away from the team aspect of the game, and took away from what the CIF and high school basketball is about.

Chino Hills head coach had a different take on the game and LaMelo Ball's. "It was very exciting, almost overwhelming," Coach Stephan Gilling said.

Chino Hills finishes up regular season play at Rancho Cucamonga on Thursday.

Cooperstown: Hall of Fame or Hall of Shame

Pudge, Bagwell and Tim Raines are all in the MLB Hall of Fame. Home run king Barry Bonds and strikeout phenomenon Roger Clemens are not, but are making a push to get there. The stain of steroids has blocked two of the game's greatest from being enshrined in Cooperstown, but what has the MLB hall of fame become? Do these two players, riddle in controversy, deserve to be in? Have some of the players that have been voted in, snuck in because of biased voters? Does the Hall of Fame have the same meaning as it did in the past?

If you're not familiar, the panel for judgement on who gets a bust and eternal glory (in the baseball world) is decided by the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA). These reporters, many who have never played the game, vote every year on who they consider worthy to enter the Hall of Fame. To gain entrance a player has to receive 75 percent of the total votes. After 10 years on the ballot if a player hasn't been voted in the scales of justice swing to eternal damnation or never gaining admittance to Cooperstown.

Over the last several years the games greatest names have found their way into Cooperstown. Ken Griffey Jr, Randy Johnson, Greg Maddux and Frank Thomas were all first ballot Hall of Famers while others like Mike Piazza had to wait a couple years. The question becomes, what changes year to year that suddenly makes a player more worthy than the previous vote? Are these voters just casting their opinion on their favorites players and when they don't have any preferred option they are letting the stragglers in?

Look at Tim Raines, one of the most recent inductees. He was elected in his final year of eligibility, but what changed over the last 9 years? He's retired so his HR, RBI and batting averages didn't change. What is going on? The answer is that the voters are simply biased.

Take a look at the Bonds and Clemens argument. Are the cheaters? There aren't many who doubt that, but they should be in the Hall of Fame. Many of the voters despise them for being a part of the steroid era. News flash everyone was on the juice during that time. What makes their actions worse than any other player that stuffed chemicals into their veins because "chicks dig the long ball." I'm not saying that I condone their actions and honestly they both had Hall of Fame talent without the help, but their steroid use wasn't any different than most of the players during that time.

The thing that honestly bugs me is the fact that the writers were completely against Bonds and Clemens during their first year of eligibility, neither received much of the vote. However, each year the voters get a little softer and this last vote both player received over 50 percent. Frank Thomas, the former Chicago White Sox slugger and World Series Champion shares my frustration. Recently he argued that if they are going to let players connected to steroids in, why not allow the best of the best in.

Baseball can't hide from the steroids that contaminated the game during the days of long balls and power pitchers. It will always be a stain on America's pastime, but they shouldn't block the stars that brought notoriety, excitement and not to mention a lot of money to the game. They cheated. They were great. Let them in the Hall of Fame and get over your biased attempts to honor the game.