Bleacher Report - Articles by Chris Torello

Providence Basketball Looking to Spark Magic Behind Keno Davis

Chris Torello — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 16:33:25 -0400

At the small Big East school in Providence, Rhode Island, there is a team eager to prove that last year's 15-16 season was beneath its talents. The Providence College Friars men's basketball team is revamped and ready to charge toward a season that could unfold into a surprising success.

The team returns five seniors who have all played significant roles since coming to Providence, including Geoff McDermott and Jeff Xavier. They also have Weyinmi Efejuku, who has the ability to put together a senior season that could catapult him to the 2009 NBA Draft. The Friars' three other seniors are Randall Hanke, a 6'11" center with the ability to torture the glass, and Jonathan Kale, the beast of the paint.

The Friars have also added the 2008 Sporting News and Associated Press Coach of the Year in Keno Davis. Davis became a head coach in 2007 at Drake University and took a team picked to finish ninth in the Missouri Valley Conference to a regular season championship and tournament championship. Drake also made the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1971, as a No. 5 seed. Providence hired Davis on April 15, 2008, for a seven-year contract worth $7 million.

The last time this much anticipation was in Providence was when "Billy the Kid" Donovan teamed up with a young coach named Rick Pitino and together sparked a team that went to the 1987 NCAA Final Four.

This 2008-09 season could very well show the same exciting run that was made 21 years ago. The Friars have a team that goes nine- to 10-men deep and can shoot the lights out from beyond the arc. They will look to Davis to instill pressure defense and spread the floor out on the offensive side of the ball.

This team has the talent and could contest to be in the top six of the Big East when playing at its full potential, possibly making a run at the Final Four. To do this seems nearly impossible, right? Well, 21 years ago it seemed impossible to think Rick Pitino and Billy Donovan could make such magic happen in a little city, in a little state.

Prediction: If the Friars play at their absolute best, Elite Eight is within reach.

A Grass Classic!!!

Chris Torello — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 14:23:53 -0400

Every two weeks during late June and early July, the sports world is consumed by grass. The grass being the grass courts at the Wimbledon Tennis Club in England.

Rafael Nadal was hot after winning both the French Open and the Queens Club Championship (a warm-up to Wimbledon). Roger Federer was looking to get back on track after not hoisting the trophy to either of the first two Grand Slam events for 2008.

Roger Federer, though from Switzerland, seemed to be headed home when Wimbledon became the focus of the tennis world. Having dealt with sickness throughout 2008 and a tough loss to Rafael Nadal at the French Open final, going to a place where he had won five straight times and was praised by the fans could not have been a better remedy.

However, in order to tie Bjorn Borg's 41 straight wins on Grass and his unprecedented sixth straight Wimbledon title he would need to face the man who owned him on clay and was gaining on him on grass. That player was Rafael Nadal.

Both Nadal and Federer sliced and aced their ways towards the final sunday in the two-week event at the All-England Tennis Club.

When they arrived, all the talk was on two topics: Federer's quest for six straight titles and Nadal's recent beating of Federer at the French Open only two months earlier.

The Match began in an unlikely way, as Rafael Nadal took the first two sets, 6-4 and 6-4. Then the rains came, like they always do at Wimbledon.

This gave Nadal a chance to realize how close he was to his first Wimbledon title.

It also gave Roger Federer a chance to realize that he had won five straight Wimbledon titles and still had life in the match.

As quickly as the rain left, thunder struck as Federer got back in the match fighting off match point and survived both the third and fourth sets thanks to crafty and risky shots.

As the players sat down in their chairs after four sets, the Rolex scoreboard showed: 6-4, 6-4, 6-7, 6-7.

Four games into the decisive fifith set to decide the champion, split 2-2 and tied at 30-30 in the fifth game, the rains came again.

Now sitting in the locker room again, Federer was now thinking he was one set from his sixth straight Wimbledon title.

In the other locker room, Nadal was thinking he was still one set from falling to his knees on Centre Court with tears of joy running down his cheeks.

The two tennis warriors returned back to the battlefield and for eight more games exchanged fire, as they held their serves to a 6-6 tie.

Now, with no tiebreakers in the deciding set, the two wiped their faces with those purple and green towels and went to their sides.

At 6-6, Rafael Nadal went up 15-40 on Federer's serve and had two break points. Fortunately for the tennis audience, but not for Nadal, Federer dazzled his way out of trouble and held his serve.

Nadal took care of his own serve. As the players sat at 7-7, the concern switched from serves and break points to time. it was about nine at night as The skies over the All-England Tennis Club grewer darker with each passing shot.

They usually allowed play until 9:30 p.m. A Monday Finale was looming, but for a Spaniard who wanted to be known for more than just his dominance on clay, it was a perfect time.

Rafael Nadal broke Roger Federer and finally saw the light in the approaching night. He was serving for the Wimbledon Title.

At approximately 9:15 p.m., Roger Federer became human on grass as his last shot was stopped by the net he had met his disappointed adversaries at the past five championships.

Rafael Nadal had won at Wimbledon in thrilling fasion, 6-4, 6-4, 6-7(10), 6-7(8), 9-7.

As the Spaniard fell to his knees and enjoyed a joyous cry, another man cried as well.

Roger Federer loved this tournament and to not be the one holding the golden trophy seemed like a nightmare that he thought would never happen with his eyes open.

These two men, who had given every bit of energy for themselves and the tennis world on Centre Court, were both able to show the true joy and pain they had been feeling for more than four and a half hours long.

Though there could only be one winner, it seemed like there were three: Rafael Nadal, who was the lone victor, Roger Federer, who looked like a beaten up man, and The audience.

The Audience was the flat out winner because it was given one of the greatest sporting events of all time.

One thing to keep in mind come next May at Roland Garros, Federer may just flip the table and beat Nadal on his own court.

Boy, this audience can't wait for that.

Get Your Popcorn Ready: Terrell Owens Signs Extension with Dallas Cowboys

Chris Torello — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 16:35:11 -0400

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is known for taking risks. Risks that include building a new billion-dollar football stadium with his own money, and signing former inmate/defensive lineman Tank Johnson.

Of course, the most recent of his risks was trading for the trouble-making cornerback, Pacman Jones, whom up until this past Tuesday was not even allowed to be around his new teammates.

Now, Jones has decided to take a risk on one of his first risks from not too long ago. He has given his 34-year old wide receiver, Terrell Owens, better known as T.O., a four-year, $27 million contract extension.

During Owens's two-year stint with the Cowboys, he has caught 166 passes, including 28 touchdowns. His name has been mentioned in every football conversation, both during his time in Dallas and the NFL, with the exception of Bill Parcells who referred to him as, "that player."

Over T.O.'s career, he has made the highlight reel for his speed, touchdown catches, driveway workouts, and postgame tears. Regardless of the situation, T.O. has made it more about T.O. than football.

T.O. has been explosive with his actions, both on and off the field. It seemed to begin when he caught that last-second touchdown pass from Hall of Famer Steve Young, allowing the 49ers to beat the Green Bay Packers in the 1998 NFC Wild Card Game. As he came off the field and into the locker room, he wept and even made a speech to his teammates.

After spending five more seasons in San Francisco, in which he caught 55 touchdown passes, T.O. felt it was time for T.O. to take his show elsewhere. However, he didn't want to go to Baltimore, because they didn't seem like winners, even though they had won the Super Bowl in 2000. T.O. wanted to flap another type of wings in Philadelphia.

T.O. was welcomed to the Eagles with open arms, especially by quarterback Donovan McNabb, who had been the loser of three straight NFC Championship games. After a successful 2004 season in Philly and a NFC East title, T.O. was sidelined during the playoffs with the most-watched ankle injury in all of Pennsylvania sports.

He did show a great deal of courage when he returned for the Super Bowl, and even though the Eagles lost to the Patriots, T.O. was pronounced a hero, and it looked like the 2005 season would see the Eagles being led to the Super Bowl by both McNabb and T.O. Then T.O. felt that T.O. needed more for T.O. to be happy.

T.O. began not caring about the Eagles, and in the end, was dismissed from the team following a pathetic excuse of an apology in the same driveway he had performed his, "Body by T.O." routine. The Eagles released T.O., and the show was hitting the road again.

T.O. landed in Dallas. That is where he is, and that is where he will remain for at least four more years, hopefully.

T.O. has shown that he can be about the team and not about T.O. all the time. T.O. has also eased up on his antics and has returned to being that ultimate wide receiver who can beat any cornerback or safety.

There have been moments of immaturity, like when T.O. said that his former 49ers teammate Jeff Garcia was a homosexual, or when he cried while defending Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo during a postgame interview following a crushing playoff loss to the rival New York Giants.

Whether you love him or hate him, T.O. is good for the NFL, and for at least four more years, he will be around. All that's left to say is...get your popcorn ready.

Ken Griffey, Jr.: the Man Who Should Have Beaten 755

Chris Torello — Sat, 31 May 2008 12:44:15 -0400

George Kenneth Griffey, Jr. began his career playing with his father on the Seattle Mariners. He was a tall, thin kid from Donora, Pennsylvania, and became the first overall pick in the 1987 major league draft.

He was given the nickname, "The Natural," and was said to blow the then young, exciting (and very thin) Barry Bonds out of the park, talent-wise. He spent 11 seasons with the Mariners, and during that time became one of the most powerful hitters in the major leagues.

Over his time in Seattle, he compiled 1,752 hits, 398 home runs, 1,152 RBI, and 167 stolen bases. He also led the American league in home runs four times during the 90s and was named most valuable player in 1997.

Sneakers and cleats were detailed with the number "24," and kids wanted them, thinking they would be able to run as fast as Ken Griffey.

He became the slugger on Sega-Genesis baseball games and was one of the most popular players in the game. In 1999, during the mid-summer classic at legendary Fenway Park, Griffey was named to the All-Century Team along with the likes of Ted Williams and Yogi Berra. By the time he left Seattle, he was well on his way to becoming the new home run king.

Unfortunately, God-given talent would be sidelined. Griffey began a long run of DL visits while with the Cincinnati Reds. Along with this loss of natural talent came the age of steroids in baseball, and soon Barry Bonds was the juicing front-runner to Hammerin' Hanks' mark of 755 home runs.

It seems like Griffey was the metaphor for the baseball player who played on pure talent alone without any tainted achievements. As he fell, the sport fell as well, from a time of seeing 50 home runs as a wonderous mark, to now a certain target for steroid users.

Now the 38-year-old outfielder will finally be recognized for all of his hard work and perseverance. He will finally reach the 600 HR mark and will be a first ballot Hall of Famer.

At least he will receive an honor no cheater will get, like Roger Clemens, Mark McGwire, and hopefully the current "Home Run King," Barry Bonds. That honor is a place in Cooperstown, where Ken Griffey, Jr. so rightfully belongs.

Andy Pettitte vs Joba Chamberlain (HBO Special)

Chris Torello — Thu, 29 May 2008 18:03:39 -0400

After Wednesday night's 4-2 win in Baltimore, Andy Pettitte was asked what he thought of Joba getting some of his pitching time in order to stretch out the reliever to 55 pitches.

Andy responded by saying, "There might be a fight on the mound if they want to take four or five innings for Joba." He said it in a joking manner of course, but brings up a good point. Should the current starters need to sacrifice their innings to get Joba ready to take a spot in the New York rotation?

My answer is no. The idea that Joba would help this team by only pitching once every five games as opposed to pitching two or possibly three games a week and set up Mariano Rivera is absurd.

This is the panic button being pushed by Hank Steinbrenner. It is being done after he threw GM Brian Cashman to the side, and then grabbed his puppet manager, Joe Girardi, and told him to approach this transition for Joba as if this was the plan all along.

However, the plan was to only give him ten more innings than last season's total and make him a solid reliever and set-up man to future Hall of Famer, Mariano Rivera.

Now, to say that Joba wouldn't be a good starter is also wrong, mainly because no one has ever seen him start a big-league game, with the exception of a spring training start here and there. He may do very well, or he may flop, and just like Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy, Joba will quickly be looked at as another failure for the club that could have landed Johan Santana.

The facts are sitting on every major sports-website's statistics sheet, and they present the following conclusion: When a guy is striking out three batters for every one walk he allows and has an ERA under two, he is the main reason for Mariano Rivera having 13 saves as of May 30.

Considering that Mariano didn't get his first save in 2007 until May, makes one think that having that 98 MPH-fastball throwing reliever Joba Chamberlain in front of him makes Mo feel more at ease, like the years of lefty specialist Mike Stanton, and right-handers Ramero Mendoza, and Jeff Nelson.

I think Joba will be a great Yankee pitcher, as long as he stays in the bullpen. He is the heir to the closer role, and would be a great finisher for years to come in the Bronx, if only Hank Steinbrenner and Randy Levine would allow Joba to grow into the reliever role, and give more time to Hughes and Kennedy, who are both on the DL. That's the cover up reason for Joba being moved into this starting situation.

If he doesn't start a game soon, he may be starting in another sporting event...boxing. Imagine that Pay-Per View show. The left hook from Pettitte and the crafty maneuvering in the ring from Chien-Ming Wang, while Mike Mussina tries to throw an off-speed hook to start his fight. Plain and simple, the transition needs to stop, and either Joba starts soon or goes back to the bullpen before the other pitchers get mad.