Tuesday Grab Bag: Back from the Dead (aka, a road trip with the White Sox)

Having returned from vacation, I'd like to point you all in the direction of Bill Walton's autobiography, Back from the Dead.  I spent my extended weekend on a road trip to Kansas City, which provided plenty of time for an audio book.  I chose Walton's recent release for the journey, and it was with his dulcet tones in ear that I sped down the highways of central Kansas towards the City of Fountains.  The book was a fantastic tour through his life, celebrating his love of all things basketball, biking, and music. It also dealt with the trials of pain and injury, the loss of the gifts that made him such a beloved star in the 1970s.  Through it all, I found it an open and honest tale of everything that goes into existence - success, failure, joy, sorrow, excitement, fear, learning, teaching, etc.  I can't recommend it enough, especially if you, like me, wonder at Walton's World from afar, and just want a small peek into his circus.

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Today in the bag, I'm talking the Baylor thing, the NBA Finals, and the MLB standings.

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Tuesday Grab Bag: The 2015-16 Basketball Schedule is Announced

It's the end of an era in Denver: Troy Tulowitzki has been traded.  Now a Toronto Blue Jay (of all things), the one-time cornerstone of the franchise was shipped off late last night for Jose Reyes and a few pitching prospects.  It's not your traditional deadline deal in advance of free agency, as Tulo would've remained under contract into the next decade -- look at it as more of a salary dump/retooling in advance of a full-blown remodel of the team.

Tulo heads north of the border, and the Rox waive the white flag.

A long time coming, this move effectively closes the book on the 2007 Rockies squad that so captured the town's imagination. The fire sale probably won't stop with the dynamic shortstop, either.  As third baseman Nolan Arenado fears, Carlos Gonzalez is probably next as the LoDo franchise hammers down on the reset button. Get ready, Rox fans, it's about to get bumpy...

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Today in the bag, I'm talking the release of CU's non-conference schedule, an injury on the recruiting trail, and the 2015 Gold Cup.

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Tuesday Grab Bag: A Champion is Crowned

Straight to the action today.  I have thoughts on the national championship decided last night, baseball's opening day, and the lacrosse team.

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Tuesday Grab Bag: My Blackhawks have begun to implode

I hope everyone had a happy and safe Memorial Day weekend.  No time for idle chit-chat, it's straight on to this post-holiday edition of the grab bag.

Today in the bag, I'm taking hockey, basketball, and, for the first time since April, a little baseball

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Monday Grab Bag: A champion will be crowned

No time for idle chit-chat.  Straight onto today's bag...

Today I'm talking Final Four, Championship Monday, and the baseball series that has me missing the final.

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Monday Grab Bag: Still waiting for an AD

Following up on my lead-in from last week, I've made a decision on what baseball team to follow.

To summarize, with my beloved White Sox turning into a bona fide dumpster fire (three straight losses to the Astros over the weekend!), I'm looking for a hardball distraction to obscure the mounting futility.  Turning to twitter, I received numerous suggestions like the Yomiuri Giants, Dorados de Chihuahua, along with more conventional choices like the Seattle Mariners.  (Thanks to everyone who chimed in!) 

In the end, however, there was only one real option.  I'm going with the home team, and jumping back on the Rockies bandwagon.  And what a bandwagon it is!  After yesterday's 5-2 victory over Philadelphia, the Rox moved to four games over .500, and sit only half a game back of the division leading Diamondbacks.  My poor, poor White Sox could only dream of such heights.

So get ready, Coors Field.  Your attendance is about to be boosted by one over the next homestand!

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Today in the bag, I'm talking AD search, the NBA finals, and the US Open.

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Monday Grab Bag: More Snow?

Ha-ha.  Very funny, Mr. weatherman.  'More snow' on the docket for this evening.  Sure there is.  Wait, you're serious?  Another 2-4 inches?  OK, the weather gods are just trolling us now.

Since the softball season started in early March, snowfall has been so frequent that I've only been able to work one night of umpiring out of nine scheduled.  That means a serious loss of second-job income for yours truly, which has left my pocketbook hurting.  How am I supposed to afford my rock-'n-roll lifestyle on the pittance I receive from the corporate reptile alone?  Worst. Spring. Ever.

Today in the bag, I'm talking Nick Hirschman, Ryan Thorburn, and the high-flying Rox and Nuggets.

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Monday Grab Bag: Championship Monday

The college basketball season will finally come to a close this evening.  The only downside is that, after Louisville and Michigan decide things in Atlanta, it'll be a long 206 day wait for November to arrive.  I guess I'll just have to bide my time watching the red-hot Rockies!

 In today's bag, I'm talking national title, Metro State, and those damn Rox.

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Monday Grab Bag: The worst sporting week of the year

What is the best week of the sporting year?  Some would say Super Bowl week, others late October and the World Series.  There are numerous acceptable answers; personally, I'm all over the Tournament's first week in March.

Regardless of your personal sporting preference, however, there can be no debate over what is the worst week on the sporting calendar.  This very week, centered around Baseball's All-Star break, leaves American sport fans without any contests of consequence at the height of summer.  The paucity of competition is so heinous that it drives many to trick themselves into caring about meaningless media side-shows like the God-forsaken Home Run Derby.  Let me say that again, people willingly tune into a schlock-fest featuring Chris Berman.  That borders on a war crime!

Not satisfied with the misery already laid upon the American public, MLB has outdone themselves by allowing the typically 3-day break to balloon into a fourth evening.  You'd think that, by now, I'd learn to anticipate this garbage, and schedule a much deserved vacation...

At least there's the latest edition of Thorburn's freshman interview series to occupy my attention for a while.

Today in the bag I'll be talking about the brewing QB battle set for CU's fall camp, baseball's first half, and almost-history from the world of tennis.

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UPDATED: Monday Grab Bag: The freshmen are on campus

I don't know about you, but I had a fantastic weekend.  The wedding I went to Friday evening was a blast and My Sox kept winning.  Let's see if the rest of June can live up to the start.

Today in the bag, I'll be talking about the incoming freshmen classes slowly arriving in Boulder, hyping up the Rockies, and discussing the all-tied-up NBA Conference Finals.

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Tuesday Grab Bag: It's semi-officially summer

Mark it down, it's summer.  With Memorial Day come and gone, the seasons have changed.  Kids aren't in school, baseball is in high gear, and I'm starting to get days off of work again; solstice be damned, it's summer now.  I shall celebrate by staying inside and watching Sunday's spectacular Game of Thrones episode again.

Today in the bag, I'm talking Bolder Boulder, peeking at the baseball world, and touching on the NBA playoffs.

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Monday Grab Bag: The Spring Game Has Sprung

Spring football is finally behind us.  Before I swear off football discussion for three months, I'll dive into the subject one last time.  Today in the bag, I'll wrap-up the Spring Game, discuss the not-yet-started QB battle, talk recruiting news, and briefly mention some notes from the world of baseball.

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Monday Grab Bag: Alright, fine, I'll talk about football

I hope everyone's Zombie Jesus Day was enjoyable.  Look for the second (and final) part of my basketball season wrapup either Wednesday or Thursday, with a special edition of the Friday Beer Post on Friday in anticipation of Saturday's Spring Game festivities.

Today in the bag I'll finally get around to talking some football, recap my Masters experience, and talk about baseball's opening weekend. 

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Quick Post: Yep, the Rox fucked up the Ubaldo thing

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I thought the Ubaldo trade was chickenshit baseball from a scared franchise.  For all you Rockies fans still thinking about Ubaldo Jimenez, the guys at South Side Sox further the conversation on why it was a terrible trade.  Check it out here.

I'm only bringing this up because My Sox face the former Rockies ace this evening, and I'm pissed the Indians were able to improve their rotation on the cheap.  Seriously bad baseball from a team crying over a season of spilled milk.

Monday Grab Bag: Last Call for baseball talk

Oh, hey, it's August.  How 'bout that?  With the calendar officially flipping over to the page with a big '8' on it, today is one of the final Monday's I get to talk baseball.  Accordingly, in the bag today there's a bunch of trade deadline talk and musings over the unwritten rules of baseball.  Yes, football is coming, but it just isn't quite here...

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Monday Grab Bag: Post July 4th edition

I hope everyone had a happy and safe 4th of July.  I personally got the ole grill fired up and tried to fight through the heat to utilize it.  Standing around hot coals in mid 90s heat, even without humidity, is not exactly the most comfortable of scenarios.  The beer was very cold, and the burgers still ended up mighty tasty, so it worked out all right in the end.

Today in the bag I'm going to touch on labor issues, set up conclusion of the first half for both the Sox and Rox, and briefly mention the final vote.

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Monday Grab Bag: Playoffs!?

With the start of the NBA playoffs this weekend, we now have 2 sets of playoffs running across the country.  April is always a great time to be a sports fan: baseball gets started, the NCAA crowns a basketball champion, the Masters greens its way into our hearts, and the road to championships start in 2 professional leagues.  I'm enjoying every minute of it.

This week in the bag, I'll take a look at playoffs, both hockey and basketball, while briefly touching on my two favorite baseball teams.

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Nuggets failed themselves - I had plenty of leftover questions from last night's 107-103 Nuggets loss to Oklahoma City in the first game of the NBA playoffs.  How could the refs blow that basket interference call?  Why is Ray Felton guarding Kevin Durant at any point down the stretch?  Why is Danilo Gallinari handling the ball?  The Nuggets couldn't draw up a better play than a 20ft jumper from Kenyon Martin?  Can't somebody, please, hit both their free throws?

Westbrook and the Thunder surged past the Nuggets late Sunday night.  From: the Post

The good thing is that all of these problems are fixable.  George Karl will go back to the drawing board and get his undersized guards off the freakishly 6-9 swing man Kevin Durant, the officials will be shamed into actually paying attention to late-game boardwork, Danilo won't be put in a position to give up the ball twice down the stretch, actual shooters will end up shooting in the final minute, and the free throws will take care of themselves.

The problem as I see is OKC strict refusal to allow Denver to score on the fast break.  The Nuggets only had 9 points on the break last night, and at times Coach Karl was literally left pleading with his team to turn on the run.  The Nuggets will have to run if they are to win the series; let's see if there's a change in game 2.


Bulls survive a scare - With just over 3 minutes to go the seemingly lifeless Bulls were down 10 without the ball.  All game they had failed to contain the Pacers efficient offense, and even the other-worldly Derrick Rose looked unlikely to pull the Bulls collective asses out of the fire.  I turned the game off. 

Then, as if a cloud parted, the game turned.  A stunning 16-1 thundered down, and victory was in hand.  I was left befuddled when I clicked onto ESPN a few minutes after the final buzzer.  "We won?"  104-99 was the final, they even played "Another one bites the dust."  Official and everything.

Hounded all evening, D-Rose somehow pulled the Bulls butts out the fire, but can he keep it up?  From: the Trib

The headline may read Bulls victory, but that game was far from impressive.  Indiana seemingly scored at will against the vaunted Bulls defense, as it took until the final 2 minutes for the Bulls to even sniff a lead.  Derrick Rose needed 44 shots to score his 39, and got banged up in the process.  For a team looking to compete for a title, this was a rough start to a hopefully long playoff journey.

Blackhawks going out without even a whimper - The defending Stanley Cup Champions look far from worthy this year.  Even home ice couldn't stop the Vancouver Canucks from skating to a 3-0 series lead.  Put that in the bank, season's over for the Hawks.

That's going fast.  From: the Trib

I don't know what the future holds for the franchise, but don't feel right as it's been painful to watch this year.  In the aftermath of a title, we've seen the all too quick dismantling of a champion due to money and cap implications.  With a team built around young talent, I hoped that at least a few more years of upper-table quality was in store, but the Hawk's ship seems to be sinking fast as the '09-'10 team slowly fades into memory.  I don't want a return to the early 2000s, stay relevant Hawks, please!

Rockies on fire - I never, ever, look at records before Memorial Day, but the Rockies are off to a fantastic start.  4 strait series victories, 2 of them sweeps, have the Rox flying high.  Let's not get a head of ourselves, as there are 147 games left in the season, but I think this Rox team has the chance to do something special.  Not 100-win special, but 90-95 with a division title seems plausible.

The game is coming easy to the Rox right now.  From: the Post.

White Sox suffer another mid-April swoon -  While the Rockies are riding high in the early going, my Sox have hit their typical mid-April weather-related road block.  Temperatures were slightly warm to start the season, and the Sox roared out to a hot offensive start.  The only thing seemingly able to stop "the Good Guys" in the first week was the pathetic performance of the back-end of the bullpen.  

Now the temperatures have run cold in Chicago, and the offense has begun to sputter resulting in a 3 game sweep at the hands of the Angels and a dip under .500.  By now I've grown accustomed to this, and fully expect the bats to hide when the temp drops below 55 degrees.  While it's expected, I don't see why it isn't fixable.  Regardless, the Sox have big-time sad face as they embark on a grueling 11-game east-coast roadtrip.  Here's to hoping the team can survive the month within earshot of .500.  The pressure to perform is on, and the "all-in" season may end up all-out before it really gets going.

New faces: same lame start.  From: the Trib

Happy Monday!

Quick Post: Tulo's walkup song

The famous quote from Bull Durham is: "If you believe you're playing well because you're getting laid, or because you're not getting laid, or because you wear women's underwear, then you are! And you should know that!"

I guess that line of reasoning would have to extend to walk-up songs.  The subject of Tulo's walk-up song is apparently very important to Tulo, having immediately replaced some random, fan-chosen, pop crap for some other random pop-crap the minute he hit a rough patch, but do grown-ass reporters really have to talk about this shit?  This reminds me of last year when people, including Ozzie Guillen, started fretting over Gordon Beckham's walk-up song when he wasn't hitting. 

I could care less.  If a hitter thinks that's what keeping him from mashing, I guess that's fine, but please, let's not talk about it; it just makes everyone seem stupid.

That said, for the record my walk-up song would either be "Dying Breed" by Five Finger Death Punch, "Big Ego's" by Dr Dre, or "Dog Eat Dog" by AC/DC.

Monday Grab Bag: Hey, look, baseball!

WOOHOO, baseball is back, and with it nearly 24 hours of nice weather!  This week in the bag I'll touch on both the Rox and the Sox opening weekends, a little spring football, and one of the Utah schools (not who you would think) trying to pick a fight.

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Spring Training Primer

 The Buffs off-week comes at a perfect time for me.  The quick respite in the middle of the challenging Big XII season allows me to set my sights, ever so briefly, on the start of Spring Training.  If you're looking for someone to wax poetical about the dawning of Spring, Baseball, and Hope I suggest you look elsewhere.  I'm more of a practical baseball fan; I use ST to reintroduce myself to the players and storylines that will impact my teams over the next 7 months, rather than a metaphor for the human condition (that sappy baseball shit makes me want to gouge my eyes out).

While the Rockies have already begun to report to their shiny new complex in Scottsdale, the Sox won't begin to arrive in Glendale until tomorrow.  In celebration, I've put together a list of the key items I'll be watching while the teams prepare for the 2011 season.  Buffs basketball coverage will return in earnest tomorrow.

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