BTV was showing this game yesterday, but I had to leave so I didn't get to watch it.
Everyone makes mistakes right?
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Repost: 10 Things Not to Buy in 2010
Consumer Action by AnnaMaria Andriotis (Author Archive)
10 Things Not to Buy in 2010
Ten years ago, most homes relied on dial-up connections to access the Internet and iPods, flat-screen TVs and the Nintendo Wii didn’t exist.
As we prepare to ring in 2010, consumer should expect to see more revolutionary products supplanting old mainstays. In media, DVDs, books, newspapers and magazines will continue to lose ground to services like in-home movie rentals and gadgets like the Amazon (AMZN: 134.69, +0.79, +0.58%) Kindle. In big-ticket items, the push for energy efficiency will continue to influence consumer decisions on cars and home upgrades.
As a result, some consumer products appear poised for a dip in sales, which could be a prelude to obsolescence. Here are 10 items not to buy in 2010.
DVDs
The days of going to a video shop to rent a movie are at an end. In September, Blockbuster (BBI: 0.72, -0.01, -1.36%) said it plans to close roughly 22% of its stores by the end of 2010; meanwhile, third-quarter revenue was down 21% from the year-ago period. (The company didn’t return calls for comment.)
Looking ahead, DVD purchases could turn cold, as well. On average, DVDs sell for at least $20 each. That’s pricier than signing up for Netflix (NFLX: 51.51, -1.97, -3.68%) or renting movies from cable providers’ on-demand channels. Netflix charges as little as $8.99 a month to rent one DVD at a time (with no limit to the number of monthly rentals).
Time Warner Cable offers thousands of movies on demand for around $4.99 each. Verizon Fios cable service charges $5.99 a month to download unlimited movies.
Home telephone service
It will probably take a while, but home landlines could become as archaic as the rotary phone.
According to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study, more than one in five U.S. homes (22.7%) had cellphones – and no landlines – during the first half of 2009, up from 10.5% during the same period in 2006.
Ditching your home phone is easier now than it has been in the past, as cell phone companies compete for greater market share and alternatives to the home landline continue growing. For example, magicJack provides phone service when it’s plugged into a computer’s USB port and a home phone. It costs $39.95 and includes a one-year license for calls in the U.S. and Canada; after that, service costs $19.95 per year. (By contrast, Time Warner Cable’s digital home phone service costs $39.95 per month.)
And, consider Skype, which is free when you communicate with other Skype users; this software application uses the Internet as a platform to make calls, hold video conferences and send instant messages.
External hard drives
Consumers who keep their computers for years and upload thousands of songs, videos, movies and photos will need to get more space at some point.
External hard drives are one option, but an up-and-coming alternative might be simpler and save you another transition down the road. Online backup services, like Carbonite.com or Mozy.com, allow users to back up data over the Internet.
These services are more expensive than purchasing an external hard drive, which typically starts at around $70. At Carbonite.com, a one-year subscription starts at $54.95, and at Mozy.com monthly subscription costs total $54.45 for a year.
Smartphone also-rans
In the past few years, several smartphones hit the market with similar features to the iPhone and BlackBerry, but they haven’t generated the same buzz. As a result, fewer developers are likely to create applications and other products that cater to those phones.
Today, the BlackBerry dominates the smartphone market with 40% market share, followed by the iPhone with 25%, according to data released by ComScore in December. In the near term, both are expected to stay at the top. ComScore found that most consumers who’ll be shopping for smartphones in the next three months plan to purchase a Blackberry (51%) or an iPhone (20%).
By contrast, only 5% of respondents said they planned to purchase T-Mobile’s MyTouch. The Palm Pre and Palm Centro received 2% and 1% of the vote, respectively.
Compact digital cameras
For nearly a decade, digital compact cameras were must-haves for most consumers.
But during the past several years, another type of digital camera has been slowly rising in popularity: the single-lens reflex (SLR) camera, from manufacturers including Nikon, Canon (CAJ: 43.57, +0.34, +0.78%), Sony (SNE: 29.88, -0.14, -0.46%) and Olympus. Although bulkier, these cameras produce pictures that more accurately represent what’s in their viewfinders than those that use older technology.
They’re also pricier. For example, Canon’s digital compact cameras start at $110, while the SLRs start at $570.
Newspaper subscriptions
The past few years have been unkind to the publishing industry.
In 2008, newspaper advertising revenues declined by 17.7%, according to the Newspaper Association of America. Meanwhile, average daily circulation at 379 newspapers fell 10.6% from April through September 2009, compared to the same period a year ago, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations.
Magazines haven’t fared any better. In 2009, more than 360 magazines shut down. During the first half of 2009, ad pages fell 27.9% when compared to the same period in 2008, according to Publishers Information Bureau.
The morning newspaper has been replaced by a growing online media presence – much of which is accessible for free. The Amazon Kindle – even with its price tag of around $250 – and other eBook readers could increasingly become one-stop sources to access newspapers, magazines and books.
CDs
When was the last time you bought a CD or even walked into a record store?
The past decade was one of the worst for the industry. In the beginning, there was Napster. Then came iTunes, which was introduced in 2001 and offered affordable pricing and easy accessibility. Face it, CDs aren’t coming back.
Record stores are feeling the pinch. Most Virgin Megastores in the U.S. have shut down following declines in sales and revenues. In 2004, Tower Records entered bankruptcy and by 2006 most locations had closed.
New college textbooks
Unless a student absolutely needs brand-new textbooks, they can use several alternatives to save.
Shop for used textbooks, which can help you save 70% to 90% off the retail price, says Mike Gatti, the executive director at the Retail Advertising and Marketing Association, a trade group. Check out web sites like CheapestTextbooks.com, Booksprice.com or Amazon.com. Many college bookstores also sell used texts.
Another option is downloading books online. Sites like Coursesmart.com sell subscriptions to digital copies of more than 7,000 textbooks. TextbookMedia.com allows students to download textbooks for free. You can also rent textbooks on Chegg.com.
Gas-guzzling cars
Skyrocketing gasoline prices dominated headlines during most of the decade, and they remain volatile.
The Energy Information Administration estimates that crude oil prices will average around $77 a barrel for the fourth quarter of 2009, up from $42.90 in the first quarter. The EIA also projects prices will rise in 2010 to their highest point in more than two years: $81.33 a barrel.
Recent announcements by car manufacturers to mass produce fuel-efficient cars could help push consumers away from gas-guzzling vehicles.
According to the Department of Energy, the most efficient cars include the Honda Civic Hybrid, which gets 40 miles per gallon (mpg) in the city and 45 mpg on the highway, the Volkswagen Jetta and Golf (both run on diesel), which each get 30 mpg in the city and 41 mpg on the highway, and the Toyota Prius hybrid (51/48 mpg).
Energy-inefficient homes and appliances
Ten years ago, shopping for home upgrades involved looking at a product’s functionality and aesthetic. Now, there’s another component: energy efficiency.
Today, the products most touted by manufacturers and retailers are those that are Energy Star certified and those that meet new federal environmental standards – most of which have higher price tags than their counterparts but help to lower heating and cooling bills.
The government is offering a federal tax credit of up to $1,500 on energy-efficient home upgrades through Dec. 31, 2016. But many are set to expire by Dec. 31, 2010; these include eligible insulation, roofs and windows and doors.
An earlier version of this article misidentified Google’s Android as a potential competitor in the smartphone market. Android is an operating system for mobile phones, not an actual phone.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Repost: 2000s: Top 25 Franchises, Athletes, Coaches
That's my team right there. Only 3 NBA teams made it (Lakers #1, Pistons #18).
Consistency and excellence best describe the Spurs Organization...kinda like ADMU.
By Ryan Hunt, SI.com
4. San Antonio Spurs
Credentials: The model for consistency and excellence over the past 10 years. If it weren't for the Lakers, San Antonio would have been the clear Team of the Decade in the NBA. The Spurs won three NBA championships and were the only franchise to win 50 games and make the playoffs every season during the 2000s.
Drawbacks: San Antonio had its troubles against Los Angeles during the playoffs, winning only once in five postseason series. The one victory was in 2003, when the Spurs beat the Lakers in the conference semifinals en route to the NBA crown.
***
Summaries by John Rolfe, SI.com
One of my all-time favorite NBA players, Timmy...
12. Tim Duncan
The epitome of quiet excellence in a look-at-me league, Duncan was the NBA's MVP in 2002 and '03, and Finals MVP in '03 and '05. Behind Duncan, the Spurs last year became the third team in NBA history to have 10 consecutive 50-win seasons. "In my 20 years in the NBA, Duncan is the best big [man] to play the game," former coach Jeff Van Gundy told SI in 2007 as the Spurs were en route to their third title of the decade (Duncan's fourth overall). [Shaquille] O'Neal always had the benefit of a dominant perimeter player, from [Penny] Hardaway to [Kobe] Bryant to [Dwyane] Wade. Duncan has had very good players, but he's never had that dominant player, so that's why I give him the edge."
***
By Damon Hack, SI.com
Cheers to Pop!
6. Gregg Popovich
Besides having one of sports' best game faces, Popovich is one of the smartest people you will come across. A graduate of the United States Air Force Academy with a degree in Soviet studies, Popovich can handle almost any topic. But turning really good players into great ones might be his biggest strength. Popovich's Spurs teams have never been the most athletic or talented, but they routinely outsmart opponents and win. Watching Popovich's teams in the 2000s was a journey into the heart of fundamental basketball -- boxing out, bounce passes, bank shots. San Antonio won three titles under Popovich this decade, one fewer than Jackson's Lakers.
***
My list
1. Becky Hammon
The best female athlete. Classy on and off the court.
Consistency and excellence best describe the Spurs Organization...kinda like ADMU.
By Ryan Hunt, SI.com
4. San Antonio Spurs
Credentials: The model for consistency and excellence over the past 10 years. If it weren't for the Lakers, San Antonio would have been the clear Team of the Decade in the NBA. The Spurs won three NBA championships and were the only franchise to win 50 games and make the playoffs every season during the 2000s.
Drawbacks: San Antonio had its troubles against Los Angeles during the playoffs, winning only once in five postseason series. The one victory was in 2003, when the Spurs beat the Lakers in the conference semifinals en route to the NBA crown.
***
Summaries by John Rolfe, SI.com
One of my all-time favorite NBA players, Timmy...
12. Tim Duncan
The epitome of quiet excellence in a look-at-me league, Duncan was the NBA's MVP in 2002 and '03, and Finals MVP in '03 and '05. Behind Duncan, the Spurs last year became the third team in NBA history to have 10 consecutive 50-win seasons. "In my 20 years in the NBA, Duncan is the best big [man] to play the game," former coach Jeff Van Gundy told SI in 2007 as the Spurs were en route to their third title of the decade (Duncan's fourth overall). [Shaquille] O'Neal always had the benefit of a dominant perimeter player, from [Penny] Hardaway to [Kobe] Bryant to [Dwyane] Wade. Duncan has had very good players, but he's never had that dominant player, so that's why I give him the edge."
***
By Damon Hack, SI.com
Cheers to Pop!
6. Gregg Popovich
Besides having one of sports' best game faces, Popovich is one of the smartest people you will come across. A graduate of the United States Air Force Academy with a degree in Soviet studies, Popovich can handle almost any topic. But turning really good players into great ones might be his biggest strength. Popovich's Spurs teams have never been the most athletic or talented, but they routinely outsmart opponents and win. Watching Popovich's teams in the 2000s was a journey into the heart of fundamental basketball -- boxing out, bounce passes, bank shots. San Antonio won three titles under Popovich this decade, one fewer than Jackson's Lakers.
***
My list
1. Becky Hammon
The best female athlete. Classy on and off the court.
Repost: The decade in sportsmanship (#1 was so heartwarming)
Haven't finished reading it, but after reading #1, I just had to re-post it.
By Joe Lemire, SI.com
Here are 10 memorable acts of sportsmanship from the 2000s.
1. Central Washington softball team; April 26, 2008
In the top of the second inning, Western Oregon senior Sara Tucholsky hit a pitch over the left field fence with two runners on against Central Washington, for whom a loss would mean elimination from a possible NCAA Division II playoff berth. But when Tucholsky rounded first base, she accidentally missed the bag. As she doubled back to touch it, her cleats stuck in the ground and she tore the ACL in her right knee.
While Tucholsky writhed on the ground in pain, the umpires consulted the rule book and declared that if any of her teammates aided her around the bases, she would be called out. Central Washington's senior first baseman, Mallory Holtman, her school's career leader in homers who was facing her final collegiate game if her team were to lose, had an idea: She would help her opponent round the bases. Holtman locked eyes with shortstop Liz Wallace and the two of them picked up Tucholsky and carried her, dipping the stricken runner at each base so she could touch the bag and complete the home run that she had rightfully earned.
2. Texas A&M; September 2005
Hurricane Katrina had decimated the Tulane campus in New Orleans, closing the school for the fall semester and threatening to cancel the sports season. Then the calls poured in to Tulane athletic director Rick Dickson, one after another, with offers of help. They came from Louisiana Tech, which hosted Tulane's football team, and from Texas Tech, which housed the baseball and the women's basketball teams. They came from SMU, which invited the golf teams and some of the athletic administration, and from Texas A&M, which took in Tulane's six remaining teams (men's basketball, women's swimming and diving, men's and women's tennis, women's volleyball and women's soccer). The Aggies did more than just accommodate the Green Wave -- they adopted them, granting them access to all athletic facilities, publicizing Tulane's sports schedules and even asking the A&M band to learn Tulane's fight song.
3. Esther Kim; May 20, 2000
Best friends and training partners Kim and Kay Poe were to meet in the flyweight final at the U.S. Olympic taekwondo trials, with a berth at the Sydney Games on the line. Poe had dislocated the patella in her left knee in the final seconds of her previous match. In the hour before their final, Kim helped ice Poe's knee. When it was apparent that Poe, the heavy favorite and world ranked No. 1, would not be able to compete, Kim, who was ranked No. 2 in the U.S., forfeited the title match, thereby giving up her own chance at a bid so that her injured friend could go instead. Kim would never qualify for another Olympics.
4. Andrea Nelson and Lyndy Davis; May 23, 2008
Nicole Cochran, a senior at Bellarmine Prep in Tacoma, won the girls' 3,200-meter run at the Washington Class 4A State Track and Field Championship by a margin of 3.05 seconds. However, a judge disqualified her for taking a step outside of her lane on a turn. Though a video replay showed that it was Cochran's teammate who committed the violation, the gold medal was still awarded to the second-place finisher: sophomore Nelson of Spokane's Shadle Park High. But Nelson walked over and draped the gold around Cochran's neck. The third- through eighth-place finishers then exchanged medals accordingly, a move that was hardest for Davis of Monroe High. She was left without a medal of any kind. But the sportsmanship would come full circle when Cochran later finished the 800 meters in -- what else? -- eighth place. Cochran sought out Davis and handed her the medal.
jason-mcelwain.jpg
Jason McElwain launches one of his treys.
AP
5. Joshua Harter and the Spencerport Rangers; Feb. 15, 2006
Greece Athena High in Rochester, N.Y., had a dedicated senior student-manager named Jason McElwain, who has autism. Because of his condition, he had never played a varsity game. A month before Senior Night, his coach, Jim Johnson, called coach Harter of Spencerport and asked if it would be OK if McElwain played for a few minutes of the fourth quarter in their upcoming game. Harter enthusiastically agreed and received a unanimous blessing from his players, who did not defend McElwain at full intensity but did exert enough effort to make it sporting. The rest made national headlines: McElwain sank seven shots in less than four minutes -- six of which were three-pointers -- to score 20 points. Greece Athena thanked their rivals by honoring them with a sportsmanship award at an end-of-the-season banquet.
6. Grapevine Faith; Nov. 7, 2008
Grapevine Faith, a small Christian school in suburban Dallas-Fort Worth, was hosting an unusual opponent: Gainesville State School, a maximum-security correctional facility for teenaged male felons. Gainesville plays all of its games on the road, and its students, who arrive in handcuffs, use old equipment. Grapevine Faith's coach, Kris Hogan, created a welcoming environment by splitting his school's fans and cheerleaders into nearly equal groups. When Gainesville's players got off their bus, they were greeted with a 40-yard spirit line and a "Go Tornadoes" banner for them to run through at the end. Their designated "fans" even cheered them by name. Faith won, 33-14, but Gainesville's players raved about their treatment. In the postgame prayer circle, one said, "Lord, I don't know how this happened, so I don't know how to say thank you, but I never would've known there was so many people in the world that cared about us." The story of this unorthodox home game has inspired others to take action as well.
7. Adam Van Houten; Oct. 15, 2005
Mount Gilead High sophomore Van Houten shot 144 over two rounds to win the Ohio Division II golf tournament by six strokes. After signing his scorecard, however, Van Houten double-checked his rounds and realized that he had recorded the 10th hole one stroke better than he had actually scored. For Van Houten, this meant that he had had actually defeated the field by five strokes, rather than the six he was credited for. The stroke in question would have no bearing on the competition, only on Van Houten's conscience, so he reported the error even though he knew that a card signed with an incorrect score disqualifies the player. Thus, Van Houten lost the tournament and his state title.
8. Tony Aspholm; Feb. 3, 2009
During the 2008-09 season, Minneapolis Southwest high's Libby Ellis, the state's second-ranked Nordic skier, missed several regular-season meets -- enough that she was one short of qualifying for Minnesota's sectional and state competitions. Ellis was competing in an international competition in Norway when her coach, James Dundon, received a call from the state association declaring that she would be ineligible. To restore her eligibility, Dundon called Aspholm, the coach of rival Minneapolis South High School. Aspholm realized that the sporting thing to do would be to help his crosstown competitor, and although South had already competed in its own sectional meet earlier in the day, he agreed to a hastily scheduled, impromptu race at 10:30 p.m. -- in subzero weather. Ellis landed in the Twin Cities at 9:30 and drove directly to the course at Theodore Wirth Park. She not only won, but took the Section 6 title the next morning. In the spirit of their friendly competition, the two schools are now planning an annual night race.
9. Darius McNeal and the DeKalb Barbs; Feb. 7, 2009
The basketball teams at Milwaukee Madison (Wisc.) and DeKalb (Ill.) high schools were scheduled to meet, but earlier that day Madison's senior captain, Johntel Franklin, lost his mother to cancer. Franklin's coach, Aaron Womack Jr., planned to cancel the game, but Franklin insisted that his team play,and appeared at the gym in the second quarter, directly from the hospital. Womack called timeout so his players could greet their grieving teammate. Franklin asked if he could play, but his name and uniform number had not been entered into the scorer's book. Doing so would cost his team a technical foul. DeKalb asked the referees to overlook the rule, but they insisted on following the book. DeKalb's coach, Dave Rohlman, asked for a volunteer to take the free throws. McNeal shot the ball two feet. His second shot didn't go even that far. Madison's players and the crowd stood and applauded. Once the game resumed, Franklin scored 10 points and helped Madison to a 62-47 win. "I did it for the guy who lost his mom," McNeal told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "It was the right thing to do."
nicklaus-player.jpg
A sporting compromise between Jack Nicklaus (left) and Gary Player (right) produced the first Presidents Cup tie.
AFP/Getty Images
10. Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player; Nov. 23, 2003
After swapping three-point leads over the course of three days, the American and International teams ended the 2003 Presidents Cup tied at 17-all, a remarkable feat considering the scope of competition and individual matches. The world's top two players, Tiger Woods (U.S.) and Ernie Els (Internationals), engaged in a sudden-death, single-hole playoff. It, too, ended in a tie. Both players parred the second sudden-death hole. And then the third. With darkness descending on South Africa's Links at Fancourt, the two captains, Nicklaus and Player, struck a surprising accord: a tie. "Everybody's comfortable that this is the most unbelievable event the game has ever seen," Nicklaus told the commissioner. "We should share the Cup." In the spirit of amity and mutual respect, the two sides decided to compete no more.
By Joe Lemire, SI.com
Here are 10 memorable acts of sportsmanship from the 2000s.
1. Central Washington softball team; April 26, 2008
In the top of the second inning, Western Oregon senior Sara Tucholsky hit a pitch over the left field fence with two runners on against Central Washington, for whom a loss would mean elimination from a possible NCAA Division II playoff berth. But when Tucholsky rounded first base, she accidentally missed the bag. As she doubled back to touch it, her cleats stuck in the ground and she tore the ACL in her right knee.
While Tucholsky writhed on the ground in pain, the umpires consulted the rule book and declared that if any of her teammates aided her around the bases, she would be called out. Central Washington's senior first baseman, Mallory Holtman, her school's career leader in homers who was facing her final collegiate game if her team were to lose, had an idea: She would help her opponent round the bases. Holtman locked eyes with shortstop Liz Wallace and the two of them picked up Tucholsky and carried her, dipping the stricken runner at each base so she could touch the bag and complete the home run that she had rightfully earned.
2. Texas A&M; September 2005
Hurricane Katrina had decimated the Tulane campus in New Orleans, closing the school for the fall semester and threatening to cancel the sports season. Then the calls poured in to Tulane athletic director Rick Dickson, one after another, with offers of help. They came from Louisiana Tech, which hosted Tulane's football team, and from Texas Tech, which housed the baseball and the women's basketball teams. They came from SMU, which invited the golf teams and some of the athletic administration, and from Texas A&M, which took in Tulane's six remaining teams (men's basketball, women's swimming and diving, men's and women's tennis, women's volleyball and women's soccer). The Aggies did more than just accommodate the Green Wave -- they adopted them, granting them access to all athletic facilities, publicizing Tulane's sports schedules and even asking the A&M band to learn Tulane's fight song.
3. Esther Kim; May 20, 2000
Best friends and training partners Kim and Kay Poe were to meet in the flyweight final at the U.S. Olympic taekwondo trials, with a berth at the Sydney Games on the line. Poe had dislocated the patella in her left knee in the final seconds of her previous match. In the hour before their final, Kim helped ice Poe's knee. When it was apparent that Poe, the heavy favorite and world ranked No. 1, would not be able to compete, Kim, who was ranked No. 2 in the U.S., forfeited the title match, thereby giving up her own chance at a bid so that her injured friend could go instead. Kim would never qualify for another Olympics.
4. Andrea Nelson and Lyndy Davis; May 23, 2008
Nicole Cochran, a senior at Bellarmine Prep in Tacoma, won the girls' 3,200-meter run at the Washington Class 4A State Track and Field Championship by a margin of 3.05 seconds. However, a judge disqualified her for taking a step outside of her lane on a turn. Though a video replay showed that it was Cochran's teammate who committed the violation, the gold medal was still awarded to the second-place finisher: sophomore Nelson of Spokane's Shadle Park High. But Nelson walked over and draped the gold around Cochran's neck. The third- through eighth-place finishers then exchanged medals accordingly, a move that was hardest for Davis of Monroe High. She was left without a medal of any kind. But the sportsmanship would come full circle when Cochran later finished the 800 meters in -- what else? -- eighth place. Cochran sought out Davis and handed her the medal.
jason-mcelwain.jpg
Jason McElwain launches one of his treys.
AP
5. Joshua Harter and the Spencerport Rangers; Feb. 15, 2006
Greece Athena High in Rochester, N.Y., had a dedicated senior student-manager named Jason McElwain, who has autism. Because of his condition, he had never played a varsity game. A month before Senior Night, his coach, Jim Johnson, called coach Harter of Spencerport and asked if it would be OK if McElwain played for a few minutes of the fourth quarter in their upcoming game. Harter enthusiastically agreed and received a unanimous blessing from his players, who did not defend McElwain at full intensity but did exert enough effort to make it sporting. The rest made national headlines: McElwain sank seven shots in less than four minutes -- six of which were three-pointers -- to score 20 points. Greece Athena thanked their rivals by honoring them with a sportsmanship award at an end-of-the-season banquet.
6. Grapevine Faith; Nov. 7, 2008
Grapevine Faith, a small Christian school in suburban Dallas-Fort Worth, was hosting an unusual opponent: Gainesville State School, a maximum-security correctional facility for teenaged male felons. Gainesville plays all of its games on the road, and its students, who arrive in handcuffs, use old equipment. Grapevine Faith's coach, Kris Hogan, created a welcoming environment by splitting his school's fans and cheerleaders into nearly equal groups. When Gainesville's players got off their bus, they were greeted with a 40-yard spirit line and a "Go Tornadoes" banner for them to run through at the end. Their designated "fans" even cheered them by name. Faith won, 33-14, but Gainesville's players raved about their treatment. In the postgame prayer circle, one said, "Lord, I don't know how this happened, so I don't know how to say thank you, but I never would've known there was so many people in the world that cared about us." The story of this unorthodox home game has inspired others to take action as well.
7. Adam Van Houten; Oct. 15, 2005
Mount Gilead High sophomore Van Houten shot 144 over two rounds to win the Ohio Division II golf tournament by six strokes. After signing his scorecard, however, Van Houten double-checked his rounds and realized that he had recorded the 10th hole one stroke better than he had actually scored. For Van Houten, this meant that he had had actually defeated the field by five strokes, rather than the six he was credited for. The stroke in question would have no bearing on the competition, only on Van Houten's conscience, so he reported the error even though he knew that a card signed with an incorrect score disqualifies the player. Thus, Van Houten lost the tournament and his state title.
8. Tony Aspholm; Feb. 3, 2009
During the 2008-09 season, Minneapolis Southwest high's Libby Ellis, the state's second-ranked Nordic skier, missed several regular-season meets -- enough that she was one short of qualifying for Minnesota's sectional and state competitions. Ellis was competing in an international competition in Norway when her coach, James Dundon, received a call from the state association declaring that she would be ineligible. To restore her eligibility, Dundon called Aspholm, the coach of rival Minneapolis South High School. Aspholm realized that the sporting thing to do would be to help his crosstown competitor, and although South had already competed in its own sectional meet earlier in the day, he agreed to a hastily scheduled, impromptu race at 10:30 p.m. -- in subzero weather. Ellis landed in the Twin Cities at 9:30 and drove directly to the course at Theodore Wirth Park. She not only won, but took the Section 6 title the next morning. In the spirit of their friendly competition, the two schools are now planning an annual night race.
9. Darius McNeal and the DeKalb Barbs; Feb. 7, 2009
The basketball teams at Milwaukee Madison (Wisc.) and DeKalb (Ill.) high schools were scheduled to meet, but earlier that day Madison's senior captain, Johntel Franklin, lost his mother to cancer. Franklin's coach, Aaron Womack Jr., planned to cancel the game, but Franklin insisted that his team play,and appeared at the gym in the second quarter, directly from the hospital. Womack called timeout so his players could greet their grieving teammate. Franklin asked if he could play, but his name and uniform number had not been entered into the scorer's book. Doing so would cost his team a technical foul. DeKalb asked the referees to overlook the rule, but they insisted on following the book. DeKalb's coach, Dave Rohlman, asked for a volunteer to take the free throws. McNeal shot the ball two feet. His second shot didn't go even that far. Madison's players and the crowd stood and applauded. Once the game resumed, Franklin scored 10 points and helped Madison to a 62-47 win. "I did it for the guy who lost his mom," McNeal told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "It was the right thing to do."
nicklaus-player.jpg
A sporting compromise between Jack Nicklaus (left) and Gary Player (right) produced the first Presidents Cup tie.
AFP/Getty Images
10. Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player; Nov. 23, 2003
After swapping three-point leads over the course of three days, the American and International teams ended the 2003 Presidents Cup tied at 17-all, a remarkable feat considering the scope of competition and individual matches. The world's top two players, Tiger Woods (U.S.) and Ernie Els (Internationals), engaged in a sudden-death, single-hole playoff. It, too, ended in a tie. Both players parred the second sudden-death hole. And then the third. With darkness descending on South Africa's Links at Fancourt, the two captains, Nicklaus and Player, struck a surprising accord: a tie. "Everybody's comfortable that this is the most unbelievable event the game has ever seen," Nicklaus told the commissioner. "We should share the Cup." In the spirit of amity and mutual respect, the two sides decided to compete no more.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Funny NBA Article: As the calendar turns, a resolution for every team
Had to re-post this. Simply too entertaining.
Posted Jan 1 2010 10:39AM
Posted Jan 1 2010 10:39AM
The excitement of a new season is long gone. More than a third of the schedule is already in the rearview mirror. But now that the ball has dropped in Times Square and the calendar flipped to 2010, there's still plenty of time to look in the mirror and make plans for improvement. Here are some New Year's resolutions for every team in the league:
Atlanta Hawks
We resolve to keep our heads down, our profiles low and not complain that we're overlooked as real contenders in the East. At least not until we can finish against LeBron and the Cavs.
Boston Celtics
I, Rasheed Wallace, do resolve to practice the pranayama breathing techniques taught by my yoga instructor anytime I'm within shouting distance of an NBA referee.
Charlotte Bobcats
We resolve to stop driving coach Larry Brown up the wall and shooting ourselves in the foot by cutting down on our league-leading 17 turnovers per game.
Chicago Bulls
The next time we have any team down by 35 points, we resolve to keep playing, so coach Vinny Del Negro can keep his job for a little bit longer.
Cleveland Cavaliers
We resolve to ignore everyone who says Shaq doesn't fit with LeBron and that we're not a better team this season and simply deliver our response in June.
Dallas Mavericks
With such a deep roster, we resolve that at least a few of us will show up every night and avoid those hiccups vs. Washington and Golden State and not file protests when we lose (Houston).
Denver Nuggets
We resolve to stop thinking that our trip to the Western Conference finals last season means we've arrived and start taking every team seriously, since we're just 11-8 against teams below .500.
Detroit Pistons
We resolve to keep Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince healthy the rest of the way, get Charlie Villanueva motivated and climb back where we belong in the East playoff race.
Golden State
I, Don Nelson, resolve to take better care of my health, nurture my young players and foster harmony on the Warriors. Oh, never mind, I'll do it all again next season.
Houston Rockets
We resolve to keep pushing the tempo, running the floor, sharing the ball and being a thoroughly entertaining act while never looking back at Tracy Mcwhathisname.
Indiana Pacers
We resolve that from this day forward our season-long commitment to defense will no longer mean giving up 100 or more points 20 times in 31 games.
L.A. Clippers
We resolve not to panic, to get Blake Griffin onto the floor with Baron Davis, Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman, Al Thornton and Marcus Camby and prove there is no such thing as a Clippers jinx.
L.A. Lakers
We resolve to get something other than highlight reel dunks by Shannon Brown from our bench and have Jack Nicholson tell Kobe Bryant "you can't handle the truth" anytime that he puts up 32 shots in a game.
Memphis Grizzlies
We resolve to do whatever it takes to get Rudy Gay to re-sign with us and continue what might finally be a rebuilding plan that works in Memphis.
Miami Heat
We resolve to either get Dwyane Wade some real help or cut him loose next summer before we rattle all of his parts loose like a pickup truck over a bumpy road.
Milwaukee Bucks
We resolve to stop living off that 55-point performance by rookie Brandon Jennings and try to get everyone on the 28th-best shooting team in the league pulling their weight.
Minnesota Timberwolves
We resolve to make more of an effort at the defensive end, occasionally beat someone other than the Utah Jazz and New Jersey Nets and not draft another point guard in June.
New Jersey Nets
Now that we have our roster healthy and together, we resolve to stop giving away games in the fourth quarter and making the 1972-73 Sixers feel like they were a juggernaut.
New Orleans Hornets
We, the rest of the roster, resolve to stop standing around and watching Chris Paul and David West play like they're the only ones who don't warm up for games at Happy Hour on Bourbon Street.
New York Knicks
We resolve to someday get you talking again about something other than players who are not in our lineup and do not play for us -- i.e. LeBron James and Nate Robinson.
Oklahoma City Thunder
We resolve not to put the cart before the horse and get too caught up in ourselves right now as we steadily build something that can be special in the not-too-distant future.
Orlando Magic
I, Stan Van Gundy, resolve to be a ray of sunshine in the lives of every one of my players while gently requesting that someone besides Dwight Howard consider getting a rebound.
Philadelphia 76ers
We resolve that if the second coming of Allen Iverson doesn't turn things around soon, we'll bring back 59-year-old Dr. J and maybe Darryl Dawkins to break a couple of backboards.
Phoenix Suns
I, Steve Nash, resolve to keep my end of my secret bargain with Mephistopheles that allows a 35-year-old to exceed my previous MVP numbers and make the Suns fun again.
Portland Trail Blazers
We resolve to not moan about the injuries to Greg Oden, Travis Outlaw, Rudy Fernandez, Joel Przyzbilla and coach Nate McMillan if the basketball gods will just leave Brandon Roy healthy for the playoffs.
Sacramento Kings
We resolve not to be smug and gloat when Tyreke Evans wins Rookie of the Year over Brandon Jennings, just as long as we can get a new arena built to stay in Sacramento.
San Antonio Spurs
We resolve to stop reminding everyone that we often start slow and never panic and find a way to get the $15 million man Richard Jefferson fitting into the offense. Right now.
Toronto Raptors
We resolve to show Chris Bosh there's a real reason to stay or else we'll just take up the court that covers the ice surface, teach Hedo Turkoglu and Andrea Bargnani how to skate and give Toronto another hockey team.
Utah Jazz
I, Carlos Boozer, resolve to either tell the front office that I'd prefer to be elsewhere or get my head back in the game every night before the Jazz sink into mediocrity.
Washington Wizards
We resolve to stop doing our impersonation of Congress, alternately twiddling our thumbs and bickering while the house burns down.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Just Wanted to Note - Funny
Dad called me 6:24 a.m.
We were having breakfast then (the traditional breakfast every 24th after the Simbang Gabi for my mom's birthday). He got stuck in the bathroom. He told me to push the door. I tried banging my arm against it, ended up hurting myself, hehe.
Probably wasn't thinking too clearly since I only got about 3 hours of sleep. Was busy preparing some stuff, slept almost 1 a.m. then had to wake up around 4 a.m. for the dawn mass. Was so sleepy...
Happy birthday mom!
We were having breakfast then (the traditional breakfast every 24th after the Simbang Gabi for my mom's birthday). He got stuck in the bathroom. He told me to push the door. I tried banging my arm against it, ended up hurting myself, hehe.
Probably wasn't thinking too clearly since I only got about 3 hours of sleep. Was busy preparing some stuff, slept almost 1 a.m. then had to wake up around 4 a.m. for the dawn mass. Was so sleepy...
Happy birthday mom!
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Found this in my Yahoomail
First World Philippines Bulletin
Posted by CKate Cu
Sa mahigit na isang daang taon nating paggunita sa ating kalayaan, sa dami ng People Power na nabuo sa Edsa, sa ilang ulit nating pagbangon pagkaraan ng mga bagyo at kalamidad at sa milyon milyong Pilipinong umaaalis ng bansa upang maghanap ng kapalaran sa ibang bansa, natanong na ba natin sa ating mga sarili kung kelan natin maabot ang tagumpay ng isang bansang may matatag na ekonomiya, kultura, pulitika, suguridad at pagkilala sa sarili?
Marahil sa dinami dami ng mga unos at problemang dumarating sa buhay natin, hindi na natin maisip na posibleng mapabilang ang ating bansa sa mga nangunguna sa kahit anong larangan. Ngunit hindi mo ba napapansin kung gaano kagaling ang mga Pilipino? Mayroon tayong angking galing at talino na hinahangaan ng ibang bansa. Madalas na tayo ang hinahanap na manggagawa dahil sa ating sipag at kakayahan. Tunay na maipagmamalaki rin ang ating kaalaman sa agham, teknolohiya, sining, palakasan at medisina. Nakakalungkot lang na ang nakikinabang sa mga ginintuang karunungan ng ating mga kababayan ay ibang lahi. Madalas, ang pagkilala ay naibibigay sa kung saang bansa naghahanapbuhay ang Pilipino, at hindi mismo sa ating lahi na siya namang nanguna sa kung ano mang pag-aaral na nagawa.
Alam nyo ba na ang Pilipinas ang isa sa pinaka-mayamang bansa sa Asya sa larangan ng likas yaman. Mayroon tayong maipagmamalaking yamang tubig, yamang bundok at yamang mineral. Bukod dito, kay raming mga mga hayop at halaman na sa atin lamang makikita. Sadyang pinagkalooban tayo ng kay gandang mga biyaya. Ngunit bakit tila wala ng nakikitang pag-asa ang ating mga kababayan dito sa ating bansa? Sa tingin ko, hindi lang ito dahil sa ating pamahalaan o pulitika, bagaman isa itong malaking punto, at hindi rin dahil sa disiplina, dahil makikita natin na disiplinado naman ang mga Pilipino sa ibang bansa, kung hindi ito dahil nawawala na rin ang ating pagpapahalaga sa sarili nating lahi. Di nga ba't marami sa atin ang nais na maging mamamayan ng ibang bansa? Napapansin mo ba na maraming dayuhan ang nais ditong manirahan? Ang ganda ng ating bansa, at nakikita yun ng ibang lahi. Bakit hindi mo iyon makita?
Kapatid, maaaring sa ngayon mahirap isipin ang ikapangyayari na maging isang FIRST WORLD COUNTRY ang Pilipinas. Ngunit hindi ibig sabihin nito ay titigil kaming maniwala na ito ay balang araw magkakatotoo. Pilipino ka, Pilipino tayo. Bakit hindi tayo magkasundo na iangat ang ating bansa? Bakit hindi nating tanggaling ang ating mga pag-aalinlangan at ibuhos natin ang pag-ibig sa bayan at isulong ang bayanihan. Kaya natin ito. Halina't makisama at tayo nang maging bagong simula!
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