Bleacher Report - Articles by Todd Callahan

ACC Fans: Hoops Season Will Be Here Soon

Todd Callahan — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 01:26:40 -0400

Congratulations ACC, the opening weekend of the season has not even ended, and you have become the laughing stock of the major college football.

With the nation looking on Monday to the showdown of once powers Florida State and Miami, the conference is guaranteed to have a 5-7 following the Sunshine State showdown.

Once know as a football conference, the ACC is nothing more than a basketball conference trying to fill the void until October's "Midnight Madness" begins.

Despite what ACC commissioner John Swofford wants to believe, the ACC is never going to be a football power.

At the time, it looked good to expand and bring Miami and Florida State into the fold and then Virginia Tech and Boston College. However, all four have fallen short of what Swofford expected when the four were embraced by the ACC.

Florida State dominated the conference for nearly a decade, but now the Seminoles have fallen to the middle of the pack. The Hurricanes have been rocked by scandel and are only a shadow of what they were in the late 1980s.

Boston College has never been a consistent football program, and Virginia Tech, ranked seventh coming into the season before Saturday's loss to Alabama, has been the perennial power to win the conference title. The Hokies also have been the lone conference team to win a BCS bowl, beating Cincinnati 20-7 in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 3.

However after Saturday's conference-wide performance, basketball season can not get here fast enough.

Arguably the signature win was Clemson, which got the lone victory against a team not in the College Football Subdivision or better known as Division I-AA.

The Tigers, known for disappointments on the gridiron, defeated Middle Tennessee State, 37-14. The victory loses some of its luster considering the Blue Raiders are a middle-of-the-road team in the non-BCS Sunbelt Conference.

However when fellow ACC schools like Virginia gets beat at home by Division I-AA William & Mary 26-14, and Duke also suffers a 24-16 defeat to Division I-AA power Richmond, perhaps any victory is worth celebrating.

Wake Forest was knocked off at home by Big XII doormat Baylor 24-21, which makes North Carolina's 7-3 loss to Southeastern Conference's middle-of-the-road foe South Carolina almost excusable.

But let's not dwell on the doom and gloom of the weekend.

There were some highlights.

Virginia Tech was not embarrassed by Alabama. The Hokies fell 34-24, which wasn't bad considering the Crimson Tide had three times as many yards on offense as Tech.

Thanks to the loss, the ACC is now 0-2 against the SEC in the Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Classic. Perhaps North Carolina will have better luck next year in the Atlanta Georgia Dome with Louisiana State.

Talking about the Tar Heels, they are one of only five teams in the league undefeated. However, they have yet to play a Division-I program.

The Tar Heels, ranked 21st, battled Southern Conference cellar-dweller Citadel to a stalemate in the first quarter before going on to a 40-6 triumph.

Georgia Tech, ranked 13th, scored on its opening play against Division i-AA foe Jacksonville State. The Yellow Jackets, led by Jonathan Dwyer, defeated the Gamecocks, 37-13 Saturday.

The other conference team to win Saturday was Boston College. The Eagles routed their fellow Bostonians 54-0. While a BC win over Northeastern would be impressive in hockey, it doesn't quite measure up on the football field.

However tell that to Duke, Maryland, which was routed by California, Virginia Tech, Virginia and North Carolina State. All would prefer to be 1-0 instead of heading into the second week of the season in search of a first win.

Of the five undefeated teams, one is sure to fall Thursday when Tech and Clemson play.

Last season the ACC made history with 10 teams earning a bowl bid. This year it will be a question of whether the conference champ will even have a winning record.

Please, please let basketball get here soon.

Undrafted Calhoun Sends Tar Heels Packing

Todd Callahan — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 01:52:08 -0400

Prior to the beginning of the College World Series, Arizona State's portly left fielder Kole Calhoun was eagerly awaiting a phone call that never came.

Hoping to be drafted in the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft, the Sun Devils' junior waited for three days and 50 rounds to learn he was not on the radar of any big league team.

With a chip on his shoulder, the left-hander decided to take out his frustrations on pitchers in Omaha, Neb., as Calhoun helped rally Arizona State from a four-run deficit to a 12-5 triumph over North Carolina on Thursday.

With the victory, the Sun Devils eliminated the Tar Heels and are one of four teams remaining in the College World Series. Arizona State meets top-ranked and undefeated Texas on Friday at 7 p.m. The Sun Devils have to beat the Longhorns twice in order to advance to the best-of-three championship series.

In the other bracket, undefeated Louisiana State entertains fellow Southeastern Conference rival Arkansas at 2 p.m. The Razorbacks have to beat the Tigers twice in order to advance.

In Arizona State's game against North Carolina, Calhoun went 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored and six RBI. He also was a triple shy of hitting for the cycle, as he was a cog in ending the Tar Heels' season.

During last Sunday's College World Series opener, Calhoun, facing Heels' reliever Brian Moran, who was drafted in the fourth round of this year's draft by the New York Yankees, provided the knockout punch with a three-run home run in the 10th inning of a 5-2 victory.

Four days later, Calhoun did it again.

With the Heels leading 4-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Sun Devils got on the scoreboard thanks to a grand slam by Calhoun, who deposited a fastball from Moran into the right field bleachers.

Calhoun's blast, the third of the College World Series, tied the game. However, his biggest hit came two innings later when the Devils blew the game open with an eight-run seventh inning.

Calhoun started the scoring in the pivotal frame by hitting a two-run double in the gap in right-center field to score jason Kipnis, who singled and Carlos Ramirez, who walked. Calhoun's double off reliever Patrick Johnson gave Arizona State a 6-4 lead. It would only get worse for the Tar Heels, who were making their fourth straight College World Series appearance.

Not only was Calhoun's hitting pivotal for the Sun Devils, but North Carolina's inability to throw strikes also paved the way for Arizona State to move into the final four of the double-elimination tournament.

Tar Heel pitchers combined for 10 walks and four hit batters. Six of those came around to score, including four in the eight-run seventh inning.

The seventh inning looked more like a little league game rather than the College World Series, as the Sun Devils scored eight runs on five hits. They took advantage of four walks and a hit batter.

At one point, the Tar Heels walked three straight batters to force in a run. Zack MacPhee and Drew Maggi followed with back-to-back, two-RBI singles to blow the game open.

Trailing 12-4, the Heels, who had seven players drafted, pushed across a run, as Dustin Ackley, this year's No. 2 overall draft pick, singled to right field in what is probably the final at-bat of his college career.

It was a record 28th career hit of the College World Series for the top draft pick of the Seattle Mariners. He came around to score on a double by Carolina third baseman Kyle Seager, who was drafted in the third-round by the Mariners.

Carolina's final three batters were retired, ending the fourth-ranked Tar Heels fourth straight College World Series appearance. The Heels have never won a national championship in baseball.

The Sun Devils are four wins away for claiming the program's sixth national championship. Arizona State has not won the College World Series since 1981.

ASU Lefties Hand UNC Another Disappointing Loss

Todd Callahan — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:27:40 -0400

During the last three years, North Carolina has endured a number of heartbreaks at Rosenblatt Stadium, but Sunday, the fourth-ranked Tar Heels did something they have not accomplished since 1989.

Stranding 11 runners on base and committing three errors, the Tar Heels fell 5-2 in 10 innings to No. 5 Arizona State (50-12) in the opening round of pool play at the College World Series in Omaha, Neb. It was the first time in 20 years that North Carolina (47-17) has lost its opening game of the tournament.

The Heels struck out 13 times against Arizona State's southpaw duo, starter Josh Spence, and Mitchell Lambson, who picked up the win in relief.

The Heels, one loss away from seeing their season end, play Southern Mississippi on Tuesday at 2 p.m. in an elimination game. The Golden Eagles suffered a 7-6 loss to top-ranked Texas on Sunday.

With the wind blowing in for much of the game Sunday, runs were a premium, as North Carolina's ace Alex White and Spence matched one another pitch for pitch. However, neither would figure into the decision.

White, drafted 15th overall by the Cleveland Indians, went nine innings, scattering seven hits and allowed a run. He also matched his career-high with 12 strikeouts.

Spence, who was drafted in the third round by the Los Angeles Angels, got the starting nod against the Heels over righthander Mike Leake, and struck out eight over seven innings of work.

He also scattered eight hits and managed to pitch his way out of jams.

Having allowed consecutive singles up the middle in the first inning, Spence got Ryan Graepel and Levi Michael to ground out to shortstop to end the threat.

In the fourth inning, the Heels loaded the bases with two outs, but Spence got Ben Bunting to strike out.

Not only did the Heels' offense fell them, they also were shaky with the glove. Having committed two errors without suffering any damage, Carolina's luck ran out in a four-run top of the 10th inning.

With a runner on base and one out, the Sun Devils' Jason Kipnis lifted a ball into right field that Carolina's Garrett Gore lost in the sun. With runners on first and second, Carlos Ramirez drove a Brian Moran pitch to center field to break the 1-1 tie.

Kole Calhoun followed with a three-run homer into left field to blow the game open and send the Heels into the loser's bracket.

The Heels were not the only seeded team to suffer a loss in their opener. No. 2 Cal State Fullerton lost 10-6 to Arkansas on Saturday and was fighting for its tournament survival Monday against Virginia.

The Heels, who have lost two straight games at Rosenblatt Stadium, will look to senior Adam Warren to toe the rubber against Southern Miss. Warren, drafted in the fourth round by the New York Yankees, has gone undefeated during the NCAA tournament.

Warren, the Heels' No. 2 pitcher, will try to help Carolina avoid their first two-and-out College World Series appearance in two decades.

In the winner's bracket of pool play, the Devils will send Leake up against Texas at 8 p.m.

Forget Graduation, UNC's Michael Says Let's Play Ball

Todd Callahan — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 13:13:33 -0400

When the North Carolina Tar Heels were playing fall ball and preparing for the upcoming season, Levi Michael wasn't even on the team.

While Dustin Ackley and Alex White were working out and going to class, their future teammate was going to student council meetings and attending Fellowship of Christian Athlete meetings at North Davidson High School in Lexington, N.C.

A starter since his freshman year, Michael could play nearly every position on the field for the Black Knights and head coach Mike Meadows. He was a three-time all-conference player and was named to the all-state as a junior.

With little to prove playing against teams like Mount Tabor, West Forsyth and RJ Reynolds high schools, Michael came to a decision last fall that has made all the difference in the world for the young freshman and the Tar Heels.

Instead of goofing off with friends and playing his senior year with the Knights, Michael elected to enroll early at North Carolina, earned the starting job at second base, and was named to the Louisville Slugger Freshman All-America Team.

Not bad for a guy who missed his high school graduation Friday.

Instead of walking with his class, Michael, who has started all but one game at second base for the Heels, was with the rest of the Tar Heels, in a hotel in Omaha, Neb. The Heels are preparing for the their College World Series opener against No. 5 Arizona State, slated for Sunday at 2 p.m.

It is the fourth straight time the Tar Heels have reached the College World Series. When Carolina began that streak, Michael had just completed his freshman year of high school.

Now Michael, who took five finals in December and the next day moved into the dorms at Chapel Hill, has made the transition from high school to college ball with relative ease.

Heading into the College World Series, Michael is batting .298 with 13 home runs and 56 RBI. He also is tied for the team lead with four triples. Not bad for a recent high school graduate.

Familiar Names Return to Omaha For CWS

Todd Callahan — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 12:25:47 -0400

Although the lyrics to the Counting Crows' song says, "Omaha, somewhere in middle America," six of the eight teams that have reached the College World Series at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Neb. do not have to purchase maps to successfully guide their way through the city streets.

Top-ranked Texas (46-14-1), which was pushed to a third game before dispatching Texas Christian University in the Super Regional, is making its 33rd appearance in the College World Series. It's the Longhorns' fifth trip to Omaha in nine years, but this is the first time since 2005 head coach Augie Garrido has led his squad to the Elite Eight.

On the other side of the bracket is Cal State Fullerton, which is the No. 2 seed in the tournament. The Titans (47-14) are making their fourth trip to Omaha in the last six years.

Fullerton also enters the tournament, which starts Saturday, as one of the hottest teams in the country. The Titans have won nine straight and swept Louisville in the Super Regional. During the postseason, the Titans have outscored their opponents a combined 68-11 in five games.

This is the Titans first trip to Omaha since 2007. They have not won a game at Rosenblatt Stadium since 2006.

Their path to the championship will more than likely go through Louisiana State, the No. 3 seed. The Tigers (51-16) have won 10 straight, including a sweep of sixth-ranked Rice in the Super Regional.

The Tigers are making back-to-back appearances at the College World Series since 2004. They went 1-2 last year, and LSU's two losses were to North Carolina, which is making its fourth straight trip to Omaha.

The Tar Heels, who used two big sixth innings to dispatch East Carolina 10-1 and 9-3 in last weekend's Super Regional, have had the most wins of any program over the past four years.

However, the Heels (47-16) have fallen short of capturing that allusive national championship. Falling to Oregon State in '06 and '07 in the finals and being eliminated by last year's national champion Fresno State.

The Tar Heels, the first school from the Atlantic Coast Conference to reach the College World Series for four straight years, is the No. 4 seed and tangles with No. 5 Arizona State on Sunday in the marquee matchup of the opening round of the World Series.

The Sun Devils (49-12) are making their 21st overall appearance to the College World Series and their third in the last five years.

The first-round series also features two of the best players in college baseball. North Carolina first baseman Dustin Ackley and Arizona State's pitcher Mike Leake are both All-Americans and also are finalists for the Golden Spikes Award.

Ackley was selected second overall in the major league baseball draft by Seattle, and Leake was selected eighth overall by the Cincinnati Reds. Leake, who is 16-1 this year, is expected to start against the Heels on Sunday.

One of three teams not seeded but has crashed the College World Series party is No. 16 Arkansas. The Razorbacks (39-22) upset fifth-ranked Florida State when Andrew Darr hit a two-run double in the bottom of the ninth for a 9-8 victory last Saturday in the Super Regional.

The Hogs are making their first appearance in the College World Series since 2004, but they are familiar with the streets of Omaha. Arkansas, which opens against Cal State Fullerton on Saturday at 1 p.m., is making its sixth appearance at the College World Series.

The other two teams, Virginia and Southern Mississippi, are making their inaugural appearance at the College World Series.

However, Virginia head coach Brian O'Connor is a native of Council Bluffs, Iowa, which is a suburb of Omaha. He knows his way around the city and is bringing a confident group of Cavaliers to the tournament.

Having won the ACC tournament, the Cavs (48-13-1) were a loss away from elimination following a 4-3 loss to Mississippi in 12 innings, but Virginia rallied for a 4-3 and a 5-1 win to win the Super Regional.

The Cavs face LSU Saturday at 7 p.m.

Rounding out the field and arguably the biggest long-shot of the tournament is Southern Mississippi (39-24). The Eagles were the No. 3 seed out of four teams at the Atlanta regional. They managed to sweep Florida 9-7 and 7-6 in the Super Regional in Gainesville.

Not only did the Eagles not expect to be in Omaha, Head Coach Corky Palmer was planning on retiring after this season. He will be putting those plans on hold for a few days, as the Eagles open the tournament against No. 1 Texas on Sunday at 6 p.m.

Tommy Hanson's Anticipated Debut Not What it Was Cracked Up to Be

Todd Callahan — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 22:04:58 -0400

It was expected to be the second coming. A 22-year-old with a slider rivaling that of future Hall-of-Fame pitcher John Smoltz and a fastball similar to Nolan Ryan.

Had it rained Sunday, Brave fans would have expected rookie hurler Tommy Hanson to have walked on water to get to the mound.

However, much like the Braves' season so far, reality was far from the truth.

Not his fault; Hanson was built up as the second coming, who would turn what so far has been a mediocre season into a pennant drive. Just like the build up of ShamWow and the Segway, there was no way Hanson could have lived up to the expectation of his first major league start in the regular season.

The pitching line is nothing spectacular.

Hanson, the future of the Braves pitching staff, lasted six innings Sunday before giving way to Jeff Bennett in the top of the seventh. He scattered six hits, walked one, and struck out six.

Unfortunately, half of those hits were caught by fans, as the Milwaukee Brewers blasted three home runs out of Turner Field. Ryan Braun had two of those. The Brewers' power-hitting left fielder sent a 95 MPH fastball into the front row in left field for a two-run homer in the fourth inning. It was the first hit allowed by Hanson.

Braun also connected on another fastball in the sixth inning for a two-run homer. Both times J.J. Hardy came around to score. The batter after Braun, Mike Cameron, drove an inside fastball into the seats in left field for a two-run home run.

It was the final hit allowed by Hanson, who retired the next three batters in order to close his major league debut.

Despite the Brewers' home run derby, the Braves rookie had some highlights.

He retired the first 10 batters he faced before Hardy reached on what appeared to be an infield single to shortstop. It was ruled as an error on Atlanta's Yunel Escobar, giving the Brewers their first base-runner of the day.

During the streak, Hanson was living up to the hype. The right-hander struck out the side in the second inning facing Prince Fielder, Cameron, and Mat Gamel. Cameron was struck out on a 96 MPH fastball.

The best news for the Braves, who had been shut out in back-to-back games by the Brewers and had not scored a run in 23 innings, was that they avoided the sweep, beating Milwaukee 8-7 Sunday.

Thanks to Chipper Jones' pair of home runs and five-RBI performance, the Braves rallied twice to defeat the Brewers 8-7.

Trailing by a pair of runs in the eighth inning, the Braves took the lead for good thanks to clutch hitting.

With Martin Prado on first base, pinch hitter Brian McCann doubled off Milwaukee reliever Carlos Villanueva. Prado came home to cut the lead to 7-6. Newly acquired Brave Nate McLouth followed with a double that scored McCann and tied the game.

Escobar capped the inning with a single to left field that scored McLouth to give the Braves their first lead since beating the Chicago Cubs 6-5 last Tuesday.

Reliever Mike Gonzalez struggled in the ninth inning, but he managed to get Jason Kendall to ground out into a double play after issuing a walk to Casey McGehee to lead off the inning.

He hit pinch hitter Jody Gerut before getting Craig Counsell to end the game with a strikeout.

The Braves won, but most fans will remember the way Hanson pitched to the first 10 batters recording a third of a perfect game.

The hype continues Friday when Hanson makes his road debut against the Baltimore Orioles.

UNC-ECU: White Shanghais Pirates in Opener of Super Regional

Todd Callahan — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 10:22:31 -0400

Come Tuesday, Alex White will start the process to becoming a very wealthy man, but the University of North Carolina right-hander is not concerned about becoming a top-10 pick in the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft.

The junior is focused on getting the Tar Heels to their fourth straight trip to Omaha, NE and the College World Series. White proved that Saturday, as he shut down the explosive East Carolina offense during the Heels' 10-1 romp in the opening game of a best-of-three Super Regional played at Bryson Field at Boshamer Stadium in Chapel Hill.

The Heels can punch their ticket to Omaha with a victory Sunday over the Pirates.

Although White was not dominating, falling behind hitters early, scattering nine hits and giving up a solo home run to Brandon Henderson that bounced off the light pole in left field to lead off the second inning, the right-hander recorded a career-high 12 strikeouts in eight-and-one-third innings, closing out what is probably his final start at newly remodeled Boshamer Stadium.

Facing a Pirates crew batting a collective .341 with all nine players in the starting lineup batting over .300, White struggled with his off-speed pitches and relied on his fastball to get out of jams.

Trailing 1-0 with runners on the corners with two outs in the third inning, White struck out Henderson to escape any further damage.

In the next frame, after the Heels scored two runs, White gave up a single to David Harris, who stole second base. However, the Heels' future millionaire struck out the next three batters, including two looking, to preserve the lead.

White, who eclipsed the 300-career strikeout mark, retired the Pirates in order for the first time in the fifth inning, and got out of a jam after giving up back-to-back singles to lead off the sixth stanza.

In the bottom of the frame, the Heels' bats came alive, as they scored seven runs to blast the game open.

The first six reached base and all came around to score. Highlighting the inning was a two-run single by senior Garret Gore and a two-run single by freshman Levi Michael to cap the scoring.

White, who had struggled with blisters on his pitching hand and a hamstring injury, had not won a decision since beating Maryland on April 24. He ended his outing Saturday by striking out Drew Schieber for the record-setting strikeout for the first out of the ninth inning.

White gave way to Nate Striz, who fanned the final two batters to end the game and move the Heels a win away from a return to Omaha.

Diamond Heels Have a Lot In Common With UNC's Men's Basketball Team

Todd Callahan — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 01:30:28 -0400

When the North Carolina men's basketball team rolled past Michigan State on April 6 to win the NCAA national championship, it was a fitting end for key players like Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington, Danny Green and senior standout Tyler Hansbrough.

It also ended years of frustration, such as the 2008 final four loss to Kansas or the overtime setback to Georgetown in 2007.

While all of Chapel Hill were celebrating the championship brought home by Tyler and the boys, the baseball team was all business.

The No. 2 Tar Heels, who opened the season at No. 1 just like their basketball mates, had taken two of three at Georgia Tech over the weekend and were playing host to East Carolina the next day.

It's those same Pirates who Carolina will play host to in the best-of-three Super Regional, that begins Saturday at noon at Boshamer Stadium. The winner of the series punches a ticket to the College World Series in Omaha, Neb.

The Tar Heels are two wins away from their fourth straight trip to Rosenblatt Stadium for the eight-team, double-elimination tournament.

Much like their basketball brothers, the diamond Heels have suffered heartbreak over the years. A favorite to win in 2006, Carolina won its first four games only to lose consecutive games in the best-of-three championship to Oregon State.

A year later, the Heels once again reached the finals at Rosenblatt Stadium where they once again were defeated by the Beavers, who went undefeated in winning their second straight College World Series.

Last year the Heels came up short again, as Fresno State eliminated Carolina en route to becoming the lowest-seeded club to win the College World Series.

Much like Hansbrough and his teammates, baseball senior pitcher Adam Warren, junior standouts Dustin Ackley, Kyle Seager and Alex White are looking to close their careers in much the same way—a win to end the season and a celebration on Franklin Street in Chapel Hill.

The diamond Heels not only have a similar history as the basketball team, they also have similar personnel.

Head basketball coach Roy Williams had a four-time All-American in Hansbrough, who averaged averaged 20.3 points and 8.6 rebounds during his college career. He also was expected to be an early NBA draft pick, but he elected to come back for his senior season. Hansbrough also was named a player of the year.

Baseball coach Mike Fox has Ackley, a three-time All-American, who is a finalist this year for the Golden Spikes Award, given to the top college baseball player. Ackley, the first three-time All-American in Carolina baseball history, leads the Atlantic Coast Conference with 101 hits and 21 home runs. He also set a North Carolina career hits mark with 329. Ackley is expected to go in the top five in this year's amateur draft.

Another slugger in Fox's lineup is Seager, who has had a stellar season for the Heels, following an All-American performance as a sophomore. He is much like Ellington. Both are offensive threats, who puts up strong numbers but are overshadowed by other players in the lineup like Hansbrough or Ackley.

The success of any basketball team depends on a point guard. The Heels had one in Lawson, who is expected to be a first-round draft pick in the NBA.

A baseball team's success depends on its pitching, and the Heels have an ace in Warren, a senior who has developed into one of the top pitchers in the ACC. Warren, much like Lawson, has been a leader for the pitching rotation. The senior leads the Heels with an 8-2 record and has a 3.19 ERA.

Another pitcher for Fox is White, who has gotten a great deal of publicity and is expected to be highly drafted. White leads the team in strikeouts, but he also has struggled recently, including the ACC tournament.

White is 7-4 with a 4.42 ERA with 97 strikeouts, but he had lost three straight before getting a no-decision against Coastal Carolina in last weekend's regional in a game Carolina won, 14-5.

White's struggles are similar to those of Green on the basketball court at the ACC tournament. Green struggled offensive, however; he provided strong defense and had some big games down the stretch for the Heels.

Williams also never lost faith in Green, continuing to put him in the starting lineup.

It is much like Fox, who announced Tuesday that White would be the starter for Game 1 of the Super Regional.

Another key for a championship team is solid role players. The basketball team had Bobby Frasor, who had battled injuries during his college career. He lost his starting job but instead of being a malcontent, Frasor proved to be a consummate team player. He came off the bench and cracked the starting lineup when Lawson went down with the toe injury during the ACC tournament.

He also was considered the team comedian, always making jokes and keeping the team loose.

Frasor has the same characteristics as fellow senior Garrett Gore. Gore was a starter for Fox since cracking the lineup in the '06 NCAA tournament. He had started at shortstop and second base, but this year lost his starting spot at second base to freshman Levi Michael.

Instead of sulking on the bench, Gore volunteered to play anywhere he was needed. The Carolina senior moved to right field and has batted .298 with five home runs and 40 RBI. He also has developed into a solid defensive outfielder. He even has been known to dance to the music over the loud speaker in between innings to help entertain the crowd.

Not only do the two teams have similar players, the coaches also are similar. Williams and Fox are both Carolina men. Williams graduated from Carolina in '72. He also is a North Carolina native, who played basketball and baseball in high school. Williams also is a regular in the stands at Rosenblatt Stadium.

Fox, like Williams is a native of Asheville, N.C., and graduated from UNC in '78. Fox also played on the Heels' JV basketball team as well as on the baseball team.

Fox now tries to duplicate what his colleague and fellow North Carolinian Williams did two months ago—win a national championship.

Virginia Cavaliers Embarrass Tar Heels on a Day Filled With Upsets, 11-1

Todd Callahan — Sat, 23 May 2009 01:10:33 -0400

It was a day of upsets on the third day of the Atlantic Coast Conference baseball tournament, as each of the three lower seeds pulled off victories Friday at Durham Bulls Athletic Park in Durham, N.C.

Boston College closed out its pool play schedule with a 10-1 victory over 23rd-ranked Miami, and Duke stayed alive in pool play with a 10-4 upset of 13th-ranked Clemson, which was eliminated with its second loss of the tournament.

In the nightcap, No. 16 Virginia pulled off arguably the biggest upset, embarrassing sixth-ranked North Carolina 11-1 in eight innings.

The Cavaliers’ victory creates a logjam of three teams still in contention to meet Florida State in Sunday’s championship game.

With Friday’s wins, Virginia took over first place with a 2-0 record in the pool. Duke evened its pool record at 1-1 and is tied with the Tar Heels for second place, heading into the final day of pool play.

The Cavaliers, who erupted for the biggest offensive inning of the tournament, control their own destiny and have the inside track of reaching the championship game for the second year in a row.

If Virginia defeats Duke in Saturday’s nightcap, the Cavaliers move on to the title game.

Despite Friday’s rout, the Tar Heels still have a chance to reach the championship game. North Carolina plays Clemson at 4 p.m. and will need a victory. The Tar Heels also need the Blue Devils, who are trying to earn a berth in the NCAA tournament for the first time in 47 years, to defeat Virginia in order to advance to Sunday’s final.

A North Carolina loss, and a Blue Devil win propels the Blue Devils, who are participating in their first ACC tournament since 2005, to the title game.

However, the Blue Devils will have their hands full, as the Cavaliers handed North Carolina its worst loss of the season.

Keying the victory for the Cavaliers was the third inning where Virginia sent 15 batters to the plate and scored 10 runs.

North Carolina starting pitcher Alex White retired the first six batters he faced and recorded four strikeouts.

However, the third frame was a different story.

Eight of the first nine batters came around to score to blow the game open.

Tyler Cannon doubled and scored on a bloop single to center field by Franco Valdes, who scored twice in the inning.

After John Barr flied out for the first out, Jarrett Parker, Phil Gosselin and John Hicks hit consecutive seeing-eye singles. Dan Grovatt was walked to force in a run, and Steven Proscia singled to shallow right field for a 4-0 lead.

Danny Hultzen, who was the winning pitcher, walked to force in another run and ended White’s day. White lasted 2 1/3 innings for his shortest outing of the season.

Relief pitcher Brian Moran was unable to get out of the jam. After striking out the first batter he faced, Moran gave up an RBI walk to Valdes. Barr followed with a two-run single to push the lead to 8-0. Parker blooped an RBI single, scoring Valdes, and Gosselin capped the inning with a single to shallow left field, scoring Barr.

Carolina’s lone offense was a home run by freshman Levi Michael in the top of the fifth inning.

Virginia ended the game with two outs in the eighth inning when Carolina reliever Nate Striz walked Scott Silverstein with the bases loaded to score a run and invoke the 10-run mercy rule.

The Cavaliers will face a Duke squad that had a big inning of its own to knock off Clemson.

The Blue Devils pushed across six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to blow a tight 2-1 game open to 8-1.

Providing the biggest spark was Duke First baseman Nate Freiman, who opened the pivotal sixth inning with a solo home run. It was his team-record 20th home run of the season. He also went 3-for-4 with two runs scored.

Jeremy Gould, who was 2-for-4 with two runs scored, singled and scored on Jake Lemmerman’s triple. Lemmerman, who went 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored and three RBI, came home on a wild pitch off Clemson starter Chris Dwyer to push the lead to 5-1.

After walking Will Piwnica-Worms, Dwyer was relieved by Clinton McKinney, who was unable to pitch out of the jam.

The senior right-hander retired the first batter he faced, but walked Gabriel Saade. Ryan McCurdy followed with a double down the left field line to score Piwnica-Worms. Alex Hassan followed with a two-run single up the middle to cap the scoring.

Duke added a pair of insurance runs in the seventh inning and was a hit away from invoking the 10-run rule, but the Tigers ended the threat with a double play and added three runs in the eighth inning to end Duke starter Andrew Wolcott’s day.

The Duke senior right-hander scattered nine hits over 7 1/3 innings of work to earn the victory.

In Friday’s opener, the Hurricanes had nothing to play for, but Boston College, seeded eighth coming into the tournament, solidified its resume with the NCAA selection committee by going 2-1 in pool play.

The Eagles, whose lone loss was to Florida State, pounded 12 hits in the rout of 23rd-ranked Miami.

Sparking the offense Friday was shortstop Barry Butera, who went 3-for-5 with a pair of runs scored. He was one of three Eagles to enjoy a mult-hit game against the Hurricanes.

The Eagles jumped on Miami starting pitcher Iden Nazzario with a four-run second inning. Robbie Anston capped the inning with a two-run single.

Boston College added three runs in the fifth inning and the seventh to put away the Hurricanes.

Pat Dean earned the win for the Eagles, scattering eight hits in seven innings of work.

Miami’s lone run came on an RBI single by Scott Lawson that scored Dave DiNatale in the seventh inning. DiNatale opened the frame with a double.

BC Eyeing NCAA Berth; FSU clinches spot in Championship Game

Todd Callahan — Fri, 22 May 2009 01:06:10 -0400

The last time Boston College played in the NCAA baseball tournament, Lyndon Johnson was in the White House.

However, third baseman Mickey Wiswall may have helped the Eagles end that 42-year old streak by leading BC to a 7-3 victory over 14th-ranked Georgia Tech Thursday on the second day of the Atlantic Coast Conference baseball tournament in Durham, N.C.

It was a day of upsets, as Boston College set the tone with its victory. In the nightcap, third-seeded Clemson fell 6-5 to Virginia. Florida State was the only favorite to win, as the Seminoles edged Miami 4-2 to become the first team of the tournament to improve to 2-0.

Having beaten Miami (1-1) and Boston College (1-1), the Seminoles, who are off Friday, have already clinched their pool and will be in the championship game.

However, arguably the biggest surprise was Boston College’s victory.

With both teams staring at elimination after losing their tournament opener, Wiswall sparked the Eagles offense, going 3-for-4 with a pair of home runs and five RBI.

Wiswall and the Eagles jumped on Tech starting pitcher Jed Bradley in the first inning.

Bradley hit Robbie Anston to lead off the game and committed an error on a bunt by Matt Hamlet. The Tech freshman made matters worse with a walk to Tony Sanchez to load the bases and set up Wiswall’s first hit.

The Boston College sophomore slapped a two-run single center field to get the Eagles on the board.

In his next at-bat, the Eagles’ third baseman blasted a Bradley pitch into the seats in right field for a two-run home run and a commanding, 4-0 advantage.

Wiswall’s final hit was a solo home run over the 32-foot Blue Monster wall in left field in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Wiswall’s final home run helped to curb a Tech comeback, as the Jackets got back in the game with three runs in the top of the fifth frame.

Boston College starting pitcher JB MacDonald had allowed one hit through the first four innings, but he ran into trouble.

MacDonald gave up a leadoff home run to Chase Burnette for the first run. Jason Haniger doubled, moved to third base on a single by Matt Skole and scored on a fielder’s choice. Tech capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly by Jeff Rowland that scored Chris House, cutting the lead to 4-3.

It would be the last run scored by the Jackets, who have lost four straight conference games heading into Saturday’s game against Florida State.

Against the Boston College bullpen of Kevin Moran and closer Mike Belfiore, who combined to pitch the final four innings, Tech managed two hits, a double by Tony Plagman in the sixth inning and a single by House in the seventh.

The bullpen retired the final eight batters.

Belfiore pitched a perfect ninth, striking out two to earn the save.

Boston College improved its overall record to 32-24 and closes pool play Friday against Miami, which fell behind early to Florida State and was never able to catch up.

The Seminoles jumped on Miami and pitcher Chris Hernandez in the first inning.

Hernandez, who had never lost to Florida State, gave up all the runs in the first frame.

Tyler Holt opened with a single and scored on a double off the Blue Monster by Stephen Cardullo. Mike McGee followed with an RBI double, and the Seminoles were leading 2-0 before the Hurricanes were able to record an out.

Designated hitter Tommy Oravetz capped the scoring with a two-run homer with two outs, and the Seminoles were up, 4-0.

It was all the pitching staff needed, as Brian Busch scattered four hits over the first six innings to earn the win. Relievers Geoff Parker, John Gast and Jimmy Marshall did not allow a hit in the final three innings to secure the victory.

While the Seminoles have already won their bracket, Virginia and Clemson opened their tournament Thursday with the No. 16 Cavaliers rallying from a four-run deficit to defeat the 13th-ranked Tigers thanks to a big fifth inning.

After Virginia got back into the game, thanks to a two-run homer by John Hicks off Clemson starting pitcher Trey Delk in the bottom of the fourth inning, the Cavaliers broke the game open in the fifth.

Trailing 5-2, Virginia, which won four of six to close the regular season, rallied thanks to a couple of Clemson defensive miscues.

Virginia’s Jarrett Parker opened the frame with a home run to left field. Danny Hultzen, who was 2-for-4, reached on an infield single. He stole second base and advanced to third base on a throwing error. He scored when Dan Grovatt, who also was 2-for-4, singled.

With the score 5-4, Virginia took the lead when Steven Proscia tripled off relief pitcher Scott Weismann.

Clemson shortstop Brad Miller threw home to get Grovatt, but the throw was high. Grovatt tied the game, and Proscia scored on the throwing error. It proved to be the game-winning run, as the Cavalier bullpen shut down the Tigers.

Andrew Carraway, who came on in relief of starter Matt Packer in the fourth inning, struck out seven and allowed one hit in 4 1/3 innings of relief.

He picked up the victory, and Kevin Arico struck out one and pitched a perfect ninth inning to earn the save.

The Cavaliers meet North Carolina on Friday at 8 p.m. The winner has the inside track of winning the pool and earning a spot in Sunday’s championship game.

Clemson and Duke square off in an elimination game at 4 p.m.

Noles, Heels Roll While One Bad Inning Does Tech In

Todd Callahan — Thu, 21 May 2009 10:41:30 -0400

On the opening day of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament, the top team won, the top pitcher was run out of the game by a disastrous inning and the league's best hitter proved why he had garnered ACC Player of the Year award.

In arguably the best of the three games played Wednesday at Durham Bulls Athletic Park in Durham, the defending tournament champion Miami Hurricanes sent 13 batters to the plate in the sixth inning to defeat Georgia Tech, 8-6.

The Yellow Jackets, who were eyeing a No. 1 seed before losing two of three at Duke to close the regular season, have now lost three in a row heading into Friday's must-win game with Boston College.

The Eagles dropped a 7-2 decision to Florida State, the top-seeded team in the tournament.

In Wednesday's nightcap, sixth-ranked North Carolina used a two-home run performance from reigning ACC Player of the Year Dustin Ackley to knock off rival Duke, 8-3.

North Carolina, which edged Georgia Tech to win the regular season title in the Coastal Division, is off until Friday when the Tar Heels play Virginia at 8 p.m.

For Georgia Tech, which came into the tournament leading the nation in home runs, the loss to Miami was frustrating. The Jackets led until the sixth inning, but they left 13 on base and a comeback against Miami fell short.

It also didn't help the that ACC Pitcher of the Year Deck McGuire, who was undefeated heading into Wednesday's game, fell apart in the sixth inning.

The sophomore, who boasted a 10-0 regular season record, walked the leadoff batter before retiring the next 10 in a row.

He had a no-hitter going until the sixth inning when Jason Hagerty doubled to right field with one out. It was the beginning of the end for McGuire, who owned a 2-1 lead heading into the pivotal sixth inning.

Five of the next six Miami batters would reach base.

The lone out was a sacrifice fly by Nathan Melendres that gave the Hurricanes a 6-2 lead. The Canes would add two more runs in the frame, which was capped by an RBI double from Hagerty.

Tech began to chip away at the lead, as Tony Plagman took advantage of a two-out error in the bottom of the sixth inning for a two-run double to cut the Miami advantage to 8-4.

In the seventh inning, Jeff Rowland slapped a two-out single to center field that plated two runs and cut the lead to 8-6.

However, that was the end of the comeback, as Miami closer Kyle Bellamy, who leads the conference in saves, pitched the final two innings to shut down the Jackets.

Bellamy gave up a single and a walk to open the ninth inning, but he managed to get out of the jam and record his 16th save of the year.

The Miami wins sets up a rematch with Florida State, which lost two of three against the Hurricanes in early April in Coral Gables, Fla.

Sparking the Seminoles to their win over Boston College were Mike McGee and Jason Stidham, as both drove in two RBI apiece. McGee also scored three runs, and Stephen Cardullo also had two hits and scored twice.

The winner of Friday's Florida State/Miami game, which begins at 4 p.m., will be undefeated in pool play and have the inside track of earning a spot in Sunday's title game.

The Duke and North Carolina game was the lone contest in the other pool, which features Clemson and Virginia. Both those teams had the day off.

While Ackley provided the offense going 3-for-5 with two home runs and four RBI, pitcher Adam Warren held the Blue Devils silent for most of the game.

The senior, who had struggled toward the end of the regular season, had a five-hitter going into the ninth inning when he was relieved by Colin Bates.

Warren also got some assistance in the sixth inning from freshman second baseman Levi Michael that helped the Tar Heels get out of a jam.

Having allowed the Blue Devils to get on the board thanks to an RBI single by Matt Williams, who drove home Alex Hassan, who opened the inning with a double, Warren faced the conference's leading home-run hitter, Nate Freiman.

Freiman hit a blooper into center field for an apparent hit, but Michael made a diving catch for the out. Williams, who broke for second base, was doubled off first base, and Warren managed to get out of the inning.

Ackley hit a two-run home run to right field in the bottom of the sixth inning, and Kyle Seager, who went 3-for-3 and reached base on all five at-bats added an RBI double in the eighth inning to provide insurance.

Duke must win its remaining two pool games and hope the Tar Heels lose both games in order to reach the championship game.

Clemson and Virginia open tournament play Friday at 8 p.m.

The winner will be tied with North Carolina for first place and will remain on track for the championship game. The loser falls into a tie with Duke for last place in the pool.

Baseball Tourney Back on Tobacco Road

Todd Callahan — Wed, 20 May 2009 03:21:04 -0400

Having spent the last couple of years in the Sunshine State, the Atlantic Coast Conference baseball tournament returns to a familiar site, as the league's top eight teams invade Durham Bulls Athletic Park (DBAP), beginning today and running through Sunday.

The tournament called the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville home since 2006, and this year's tournament was originally slated for historic Fenway Park in Boston.

But seeing as how the Red Sox are playing host to the Toronto Blue Jays through Thursday and have a weekend series with the New York Mets, the ACC was without a weekend home until the Bulls stepped up to provide a venue.

The proximity also couldn't have been better for the ACC, who would have no doubt played in front a lot of empty seats in the 36,000-plus seat Stadium. DBAP seats 10,000, and considering Duke and North Carolina are in the tournament, good crowds should be expected for the tournament.

However, it is time for the ACC to do away with its pool-play format and go strictly a double-elimination tournament similar to the College World Series.

Florida State (40-14 overall, 19-9 in ACC) won the Atlantic Division and has the overall best record in the league. North Carolina (41-14, 19-10) won the Coastal Division on the final day of the regular season and earned the No. 2 seed and lead the two pools.

Florida State, which opens the tournament against Boston College (31-23, 13-15) at 4 p.m. today, is in the same pool with Georgia Tech (34-15-1, 17-10-1) and Miami (35-18, 18-12).

The Tar Heels, who have reached the College World Series three straight years losing each time in the championship game, begin their march to Omaha, Neb., today at 8 p.m. against rival Duke (34-22, 15-15). The Blue Devils, the No. 7 seed, took two of three from the Tar Heels in mid March in Chapel Hill.

The other two teams in North Carolina's pool are Clemson (39-17, 19-11) and Virginia (39-12-1, 16-11-1).

The tournament, which kicks off at noon with Georgia Tech entertaining Miami, could be wide open, with six clubs having a legitimate shot at hoisting the tournament championship come Sunday afternoon.

Six of the eight teams enter the tournament ranked by Baseball America. North Carolina is ranked sixth, Florida State is ranked 12th and followed by Clemson (13th), Georgia Tech (14th), Virginia (16th), and Miami (23rd).

Unfortunately, the pool format causes the tournament to lose some of its luster, especially come Saturday when you have the possibilities of two teams already eliminated from the championship just playing out the schedule.

It gives fans the opportunity to see their favorite team play at least three games, but does anyone want to see winless Duke playing a two-loss Virginia squad to avoid a last-place finish in pool play.

Instead Saturday could be the semifinals, where fans get to see a doubleheader of top-ranked teams slugging it out for a spot in Sunday's championship game.

This league lives and dies with basketball. So why not make the tournament similar to the basketball tournament with a double-elimination twist? Like the basketball tournament, every game counted, with teams battling to survive and advance.

Busy Offseason Ahead For Hawks

Todd Callahan — Sun, 17 May 2009 15:28:24 -0400

Embarking on their shortest offseason in a decade, the Atlanta Hawks have some big decisions to make before the 2009-10 begins next fall.

For the first time since 1999, the Hawks won a playoff series and reached the Eastern Conference semifinals where they were unceremoniously sent packing by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Not a bad ending for a team three years removed from a grand total of 13 wins in a season.

The Hawks have steadily improved every year since, going 47-35 this year and reaching the playoffs for the second year in a row.

However, for the good vibes to continue at the highlight factory big decisions have to be made this offseason. Chances are this year's flock of Hawks will look much different to the one that takes the court at the Highlight Factory next year.

This year's team salary was $68,012,336, which ranked 22nd out of 30 teams. The Hawks had the lowest payroll of any club to reach the second round of the playoffs.

However, standout guard Mike Bibby, who commands the 17th highest contract in the league at $15 million a year, is at the end of his contract. So is reserve ZaZa Pachulia, who was clutch coming off the bench and filling in for injured starting center Al Horford in the postseason.

Ronald Murray, who averaged 12.2 points per outing for the Hawks, also enters the offseason without a contract as do little used reserves: Mario West, Thomas Gardner, Othello Hunter, Solomon Jones and Randolph Morris.

Marvin Williams has been offered a $7,355,165 qualifying offer.

Combined with Williams' offer, the Hawks enter the season with seven players under contract for a total of $47,365,173. So half the roster accounts for two-thirds of the team's total payroll. This does not include an offer to Bibby or any other potential free agent.

The key signee is Bibby. He averaged 14.9 points and five rebounds per game and solidified a vacant point guard spot the Hawks had been trying to feel for nearly a decade.

Considering the situation with the ownership group Atlanta Spirit LLC., they payroll will be comparable to this year's salary. The group, which had faced legal battles, have been reluctant to pour money into the Hawks and the NHL's Atlanta Thrashers and this year's appears to be no different.

Bibby has said he wants to come back next year, but what will it cost?

With the ownership's self-imposed salary cap, Hawks' general manager Rick Sund's hands may be tied.

To continue the team's trend of improving every season, Bibby's return is imperative, but will Atlanta Spirit loosen up the $18-20 million a year it is going to take to keep Bibby in Atlanta?

There also is the matter of dead-weight money.

Speedy Claxton, who was signed as a point guard by the Hawks in 2006, has spent much of his contract sporting a variety of stylish suits on the bench as opposed to wearing his jersey or warmups.

Then again with a $5-plus million a year contract, which mercifully comes to an end next season, Claxton has plenty of money and time to shop. He played in two games this season, two more than the previous year. Claxton has played in 44 games the first three years.

If the Hawks could send Claxton and his suits packing in a trade to save money in the final year of a contract, that would be beneficial in the resigning of Bibby.

Unfortunately there is not much of a market for a 31-year-old, injury-plagued point guard, who is four-years removed from playing on a consistent basis and averaging 12 points per game.

If Bibby is not signed, the Hawks will have about $20 to $25 million to fill out the rest of the roster. The Hawks also would be forced to go with Acie Law, who has seen limited action in his first two years in the league, as the starting point guard.

Selected with the 11th overall pick in 2007, Law has played in 50-plus games the last two years with only seven starts. He averages 4.2 points and 2.0 assists a game as a rookie and those numbers dropped this year.

Battling injury, Law averaged 2.9 points and 1.6 assists per outing and saw his playing time drop dramatically.

He is under contract through the 2010-11 season and slated to make $2,216,160 next season, a healthy chunk of change for a little-used reserve, who may be asked to fill some rather large shoes next season.

Without Bibby, the names will definitely change, but the question is, will the results remain the same?

Dom DiMaggio: Overshadowed on the Field but Not in Life

Todd Callahan — Thu, 14 May 2009 10:03:02 -0400

A man is born with it, and it follows him to the grave. It can be a curse or a blessing and is ultimately how he is remembered.

For Dominic Paul DiMaggio, his last name could've been a curse. Considering he was the younger brother of the great Joe DiMaggio and elected to go into the same line of work as the Yankee Clipper and play the same position.

Much like younger brothers Tommie Aaron or Brent and Keith Gretzky, who elected to follow their Hall of Fame older brothers into the same profession only to have forgettable careers, the younger DiMaggio, who passed away last week at the age of 92, was a success both on and off the field.

Despite being overshadowed by his iconic older brother, Dom was part of seven All-Star Games.

Simon and Garfunkel never wrote a song asking "Where have you gone, Dom DiMaggio," like they did Joe. Perhaps that was because DiMaggio's exploits on the field never translated well into the public eye.

Unlike Joe, who played for the New York Yankees, had record 56-game hitting streak in 1941 and even had a song recorded that coined the nickname "Joltin' Joe," Dom played his entire career in Boston with the Red Sox.

While Joe was the star of the Yankees and leading New York to World Series titles, Dom wasn't even the best player in his outfield.

When Dom made his debut with the Red Sox in 1940, Ted Williams, who had made his Red Sox debut a year earlier, was grabbing all the headlines. His .406 batting average in 1941 and MVP awards in '46 and '49, overshadowed the accomplishments of his teammate.

Dom, who batted leadoff and had a .301 average his rookies season, tallied 117 runs his sophomore year and 110 in '42.

Like his older brother and Williams, Dom's playing career was interrupted by World War II. Like the Hall of Famers, Dom served his country proudly, spending three years in the Navy.

After returning, Dom proved he had not forgotten how to play baseball, batting .316 in '46 and leading Boston to its first AL pennant since Babe Ruth was a Red Sox.

It was his only World Series appearance, and Dom nearly ended the infamous 'Curse of the Bambino" before it had time to grow into legend.

With two out in the eighth inning of Game 7, Dom doubled to score two runs and tie the game at 3-3. Unfortunately he pulled a hamstring and had to be taken out of the game.

In the ninth inning, St Louis' Harry Walker doubled to center field, scoring Enos Slaughter from first base. The Cardinals went on to win the Series, but Bostonians still believe had Dom not been taken out of the game, Walker's double would've been an out.

Dom would go on to play seven more years for the Red Sox and be named to four straight All-Star Games from 49-52.

Much like his older brother did in '41, Dom built a hit streak of his own in '49. The hitting streak grew to 34 games before it was ended when his brother made a great catch in Dom's final at-bat on Aug. 9. His 34-game hitting streak is still a Red Sox record.

Dom would lead the league in runs score the next two seasons and have a 27-game hitting streak.

After his playing career, there were no Mr. Coffee commercial and he was not tied to any famous Hollywood starlets like his big brother was to Marilyn Monroe.

Dom stayed in the New England area and became a businessman where he and his wife Emily raised their family. Emily and Dom were married for more than 60 years. She was at his side when he passed.

Here's to you Dom DiMaggio, a lonely Red Sox Nation turns its eyes to you.

Pittsburgh-Washington: The Pens, Sid the Kid Move On

Todd Callahan — Wed, 13 May 2009 22:03:23 -0400

It was Ali/Frazier, the Super Bowl, and Dancing with the Stars all rolled into one. The next biggest thing was coming from of all sports hockey, and more specifically the NHL.

Yes, I said NHL.

You remember that league. The one that brought such forgettable gadgets like the glowing puck with the comet tail and Barry Melrose's hair.

The same league that went on hiatus for the 2004-05 season and came back the following year only to realize it wasn't really missed.

Now the league has found something that may return it back into the mainstream of the average sports fan, or at least give it higher ratings than the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

This was Sidney Crosby vs. Alexander Ovechkin. Sid vs. Ove, Canada vs. Russia.

OK, actually it was the Washington Capitals vs. the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Not exactly as marquee as the NBA's dream matchup of Kobe vs. LeBron, but not bad for the league America forgot.

Unlike most hyped-up events, such as nearly every BCS championship games, the Sid vs. Ove matchup went the distance.

The series went seven games before the quiet, unassuming Crosby and the Penguins jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the finale and held on to eliminate the Capitals and their brash Russian goal-scorer Ovechkin.

As the stats go, both Crosby and Ovechkin notched their names in the boxscore on several occasions. Ovechkin tallied eight goals and six assists, and his rival tallied the same number of goals with five assists. However, it was Crosby with a pair of goals and an assist in Wednesday's triumph.

However, Ovechkin had the first scoring opportunity. Three minutes into the contest, Ovechkin had a breakaway opportunity that was thwarted by Pittsburgh goalie Marc-Andres Fleury.

It would be the first of many disappointments for Ove and the Caps.

At the 12:36 mark of the first period, Crosby notched his 11th goal of the postseason off assists from Sergei Gonchar and Evgeni Malkin on a power play goal. It was the beginning of the end for the Caps.

To rub salt in the wound, Crosby, the hard-working pickup truck compared to the Italian sports car Ovechkin, stole the puck from the Washington left winger and scored on a breakway goal with a little more than two minutes into the final period, giving the Pens a commanding 6-1 lead.

Crosby and the Pens move on to the conference finals, and the Capitals put the skates away for a few months.

While Crosby will look to guide the Pens to the Stanley Cup Finals, Ove will more than likely be hitting the the nearest resort, driving fast, partying, and soaking up the nightlife as he begins summer vacation.

Although Crosby and the Pens won this match, the real winner was the NHL. The league has become relevant again.

Atlanta Hawks Braced For Onslaught

Todd Callahan — Fri, 08 May 2009 02:13:23 -0400

The last time Atlanta faced a dominating foe from the north like the Cleveland Cavaliers, a man named William Tecumseh Sherman, an Ohio native, was in charge and that didn't end well for the Georgia capital.

Nearly 150 years later, another Ohio native is reeking havoc and leading the opposing opposition on a march toward a quivering city.

If the first two games of the Atlanta Hawks second round playoff series with the Cleveland Cavaliers were any indication of what Saturday's Game 3 has in store, perhaps the city would prefer to put out the welcome mats for Sherman and his boys, as opposed to fellow Ohioan LeBron James and his band of merry men.

The collateral damage may be a lot more when the Cavs leave town following Monday's Game 4.

History tells us that the great Atlanta fire was caused, not by the north, but fleeing residents and the Confederate army, determined not to leave anything for the Yankee invaders.

Perhaps we should do the same to Phillips Arena, hosting its first second round playoff game. If the first two games are any indication, the arena and Hawks fans would be in a better place if it was torched by its own, rather than the invaders from the north, who undoubtedly plan on not coming back following Monday's series sweep.

The numbers have not been pretty.

The Hawks, trailing by seven at halftime of the series opener, were held to 28 points in the second half and fell, 99-72.

Thursday's Game 2 was not any better.

Playing without Marvin Williams, out with a sprained ligament in his shooting wrist, and Al Horford, still nursing a sprained right ankle, the Hawks posed as much of a threat to the charging Cavs as Sherman encountered on his "March to the Sea."

Atlanta trailed by 59-35 at the half, and the Cavs were up by as much as 36 before LeBron and the rest of the starters took their place on the bench to watch the rest of the game.

In a fourth quarter that looked more like an exhibition game in mid-October rather than a playoff game, the Hawks went on an 11-0 run thanks to the play of reserves such as Thomas Gardner and Acie Law.

Garner scored nine of his 12 points in the fourth period, and Law added all eight of his points in the final four minutes, when most of the crowd were polishing off their beers or already headed home.

The Hawks cut an 85-55 deficit at the beginning of the fourth quarter to 95-80 on rookie Othello Hunter's lone basket of the game with 2:37 left.

But Cleveland's Wally Szczerbiak, who had 17 points off the bench, curbed any chance of a comeback, as the Cavs took a stranglehold on the series with a 105-85 triumph.

The Hawks' scrubs outscored Cleveland's benchwarmers 28-18 in the final stanza, but chances are LeBron, who led all scorers with 27 points, was already making dinner reservations before the end of the game. His mates Mo Williams (15 points), Delonte West (14 points), and Anderson Varejao (12 points) were also sitting and sipping Gatorade, as the second stringers were on the floor.

What made the evening even more dire for the overmatched Hawks was an injury to Joe Johnson with 3:32 left in the third quarter.

Johnson, a virtual no-show for much of the playoffs, had 10 points and was five-for-15 from the floor, when he twisted his right ankle after getting a shot blocked by Zydrunas Ilgauskas. It was one of nine blocked shots by the Cavs.

X-rays on Johnson's ankle were negative, but the Atlanta guard did not return to the game. He is also considered doubtful for Saturday's game.

With Johnson out, Williams and Horford questionable, and Josh Smith struggling both offensively and defensively, perhaps the best strategy for the Hawks is to follow that of Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston—retreat.

Tough Road Ahead for Matt Ryan, Upstart Atlanta Falcons

Todd Callahan — Wed, 06 May 2009 22:57:55 -0400

Last season there was no pressure, no expectations, and very little was expected of the Atlanta Falcons.

What a difference a year makes.

On the eve of the team's first minicamp, following the NFL draft, reigning rookie of the year Matt Ryan and the Birds are poised to make history in 2009-'10—earning the team's first back-to-back winning seasons in franchise history.

Last year, the Falcons were arguably the biggest surprise of the 2008-'09 NFL campaign. Behind a rookie quarterback, whose first NFL pass went for a touchdown, and a rookie head coach, Mike Smith, the Falcons went 11-5 and earned a wild-card spot in the playoffs.

Despite a 30-24 setback in the playoff opener to eventual Super Bowl runner-up Arizona, Ryan capped his stellar rookie season with a solid performance in his postseason debut. The former Boston College standout completed 26 of 40 pass attempts for 199 yards and two touchdowns. He also had a pair of interceptions and a fumble that led to the Cardinals' regaining the lead in the second half.

With a year under his belt, Ryan is looking to improve on his rookie numbers of 265 completions on 434 attempts for 3,440 yards and 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

He will have the same cast returning in star running back Michael Turner, who is in his second year with the Falcons, and standout wide receiver Roddy White and newly acquired veteran tight end Tony Gonzalez, who was traded from Kansas City for a second-round draft pick in 2010.

However, Gonzalez is not the only upgrade the Falcons have made, as second-year general manager Thomas Dimitroff addressed defense at the draft. Atlanta, which ranked 25th in the league in stopping the run and 21st against the pass, drafted a defensive player with seven of its eight picks.

Leading the charge was defensive tackle Jerry Peria, out of Mississippi. Peria, the 24th overall pick, is projected to contribute immediately for the Falcons in the middle of the defensive front.

Atlanta also addressed its struggling defensive secondary by drafting safety William Moore out of Missouri in the second round and cornerback William Middleton with a fifth-round pick.

Moore, Middleton, the rest of the draft picks, and 10 rookie free agents, who were signed last week, will get their first taste of the NFL beginning Friday when the Falcons open their three-day minicamp at 9 a.m.

Rookies and veterans begin preparations in earnest, as they try to make franchise history.

However, the Falcons are in for a more challenging regular-season schedule. Gone are the winless Detroit Lions or the Kansas City Chiefs, who won two games a year ago.

The Falcons open the season by playing host to defending NFL East champion Miami and subsequently entertain division rival Carolina, which won the NFC South last season.

In all, Atlanta plays 14 games against teams that finished .500 or better in 2008. Buffalo (7-9) and San Francisco (7-9) are the lone exceptions. The Falcons also play five games against playoff teams.

So while expectations have been ratcheted up in Falcon nation, so too has the competition, which adds pressure for a second-year quarterback, head coach and GM, who all will be trying to avoid the dreaded sophomore jinx.