Gamedayzone

Mighty Mississippi

2010-04-08T20:52:00.000-07:00

Now that Duke has taken care of business and Major League Baseball has begun its 4000-game schedule, it's time to talk football. Frivously, of course, but, nonetheless, football. How about this: could you make an argument that Brett Favre is the best quarterback in NFL history? Certainly you could. What about Walter Payton, the best running back? Jerry Rice, the best receiver the league has seen? We could easily prove all of these. So what do these men have in common? All hail from the great, and misunderstood, state of Mississippi. Favre from Gulfport, Payton from Columbia and Rice from Starkville. Not only were they the best, but all attended small schools; Southern Miss, Jackson State and Mississippi Valley State! Incredible. I guess some college scouts missed out huh? Funny. I guess you never know. Other great players from the Magnolia State include Lance Alworth, L.C. Greenwood, Hugh Green, Archie Manning, Deuce McAllister, Steve McNair and Jackie Slater to name a few.

But...... Butler?

2010-04-03T21:05:00.000-07:00

Well, they're in. Butler is in the title game. A liberal arts college near Indianapolis. Enrollment just over 4,000. Facing Duke. Duke. The Duke Blue Devils. 13,000 students. 10 title game appearances. That Duke. Duke vs. Butler. Did you have that in your bracket? Who knew? We know this; the Bulldogs will need to shoot better than they did against Michigan State. Duke is complete, they are deliberate, patient, talented. Good luck Butler.

www.gamedayzone.com

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY:

2010-04-01T12:28:00.000-07:00

1876 - The first official National League baseball game took place. Boston beat Philadelphia 6-5.

Finally... Four!

2010-03-29T13:42:00.000-07:00

Well, they're set. The four remaining teams in NCAA March Madness: Duke and, er.. three other teams. Just kidding. Congratulations to Butler, Michigan State and West Virginia. Great job. You've got the sports world in a turmoil. You ruined everyone's bracket. You took office workers' chance of winning money, prizes or maybe time off. These worker ants mill around in their mundane existence day after day, trolling for any fun they can get. Every March brings the office pool for the tournament. Most of them wouldn't know a basketball from a buckeye, much less a Spartan from a Mountaineer, but they cling to the chance to have 3 minutes of fame and a $47 kitty. Oh well, back inside your cubicle, Edgar, because Syracuse and Kansas State are out. The final question: will anyone watch? History says no. We say we love underdogs and great stories in sports, but ratings research shows the talk doesn't translate to the tube. So who is this year's biggest loser? Edgar, you and your cubicle mate can rest easy because the ones really crying... CBS.

DNF-Danica Not Friendly

2010-03-04T20:47:00.000-08:00

Goodbye, Danica Patrick, goodbye. Your three-race stint in NASCAR was newsworthy, but for reasons I'm sure you would rather forget. Most will not miss you. They may not say it, but they will not miss you. Look, it's not that we dislike a female in the sport or that we think you're not a good driver. In fact, most of us think you're pretty good. The point is, we just don't like you. And it's not like you're the first female driver, there's been plenty before you. It's not me it's you. You came into the sport with an attitude. Not a "I'm a great driver and I'm gonna prove myself against the best" attitude. More like, "I deserve to win races because I'm a woman and GoDaddy.com sponsors me". Frankly, we're tired of all of it. Your sponsor, whose commercials appeal to men superficially, is wearing on us in a bad way. Your attitude, your spoiled brat attitude, well, that wore out a long time ago. You whine, you blame, you pass buck, you frown.... come on, smile once in a while. Show us you love the sport and you really want to compete, even if DNF comes to mean Danica Not Finish for the first year or two. Just ask Junior. It's not who you are it's what you do. Be a great ambassador for the sport, it sure needs it. And please get a new sponsor... really.

A Tiger By The Tail

2010-02-20T21:12:00.000-08:00

How do you feel about Tiger Woods right now? We would love to know what you think about his situation, how it affects golf, sports in general and you. Does he owe you anything? We're looking at a major watershed event in history. Period. We're a sports and pop culture society, that's the people that make history in this age. So how big was this? Maybe it was nothing at all. After all, his first match back, whenever it is, will get a high T.V. rating. You know it will.

Role Model

2010-02-10T20:19:00.000-08:00

Recently, the Philadelphia Phillies signed veteran catcher Brian Schneider to a two-year deal. It got virtually no notice on national sports shows and appeared in the agate type in the newspaper sports section under transactions. Schneider, a solid veteran who is most noted for his defensive prowess and ability to handle young pitching staffs, has played his entire career in the National League East. He debuted with the Montreal Expos, moved to the District of Columbia with the franchise as the starting catcher for the Washington Nationals, and joined the New York Mets in a 2007 trade (with Ryan Church for Lastings Milledge). When the Mets chose to go in a different direction, Schneider, who went to high school in Pennsylvania, grew up a Phillies fan (and as a National kept a Chase Utley jersey in his locker). What makes this a nice story is that Schneider is one of those guys who appreciates his role as a major league baseball player. Three seasons ago, I sat outside the players parking lot with my six-year old son after a night game at RFK Stadium. Every car passed by a small group of autograph seekers. But only one car stopped and it was right where my son stood. Schneider stuck his head out of the car window signed a picture for a thrilled six-year old boy, and then several others for other fans. I had the opportunity a few days later to speak to Schneider and thank him as a father. He smiled shyly, and said, "I was one of those little boys hanging outside of the Los Angeles Dodgers' spring training camp looking for autographs. I know what it's like to be passed by, so I always told myself I'd never take this life for granted and I'd never try to disappoint any of the kids." Brian Schneider is my kind of role model.

Super Puck!

2010-02-06T19:08:00.000-08:00

This coming Sunday, NBC will show one of the biggest rivalry games in the country. Lakers-Cavs? No. Ravens-Steelers? No. The Game of the Week features Ovie-Crosby? You got it. For those not familiar with the National Hockey League, the Washington Capitals host the Pittsburgh Penguins at noon. It promises to be a classic. The two franchises have met a number of times in the playoffs and the Pens ousted the young Caps a year ago in an epic seven-game series. The two faces of the NHL - Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin - highlight the matchup. The two had a little dust-up in front of the Caps bench last year about this time, making the rivalry a little more heated. Fans of each team hate the other. Pittsburgh fans boo Ovechkin every time he touches the puck. Caps fans leave pictures of Crosby in the men's urinals throughout the Verizon Center. It gets intense. The Caps are in the midst of a 13-game winning streak, lead the league in points, and are scoring goals in bunches. Ovechkin leads the team with 39 goals but nine of his teammates have at least 10 goals this year, including Alexander Semin's 26 and Niklas Backstrom's 25. Pittsburgh has Crosby's 33 goals as well as Evgeni Malkin's 19. The last time they met, the Caps' Tomas Fleischmann and Backstrom each scored in less than a minute to break a tie in the third period on their way to a 6-3 win. But stats mean nothing going into this game. It'll be a high-speed, no-holds barred, hard-hitting contest between two teams that do NOT like one another. Even if you're not a hockey fan, check out the Capitals-Penguins on Super Bowl Sunday on NBC.

Katrina Bowl?

2010-02-05T21:07:00.000-08:00

Well, pigs have flown and the hot place has it's snow... right, the New Orleans Saints have reached the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history. Even non-NOLA fans have somewhat of a sentimental feeling for the Saints, what with hurricanes and, quite frankly, just years of humiliation and frustration. But let's not surround this game with too much unnecessary sentiment. I mean, really, disasters happen. Tragedies arise. We all have them, individually and collectively. Katrina was horrible. A nightmare to haunt for a lifetime for sure. The Super Bowl has nothing to do with that. Why do we feel the need to combine events? Are the Saints really playing for a hurricane-stricken city? I don't think so. This is big bucks. This is big egos. Not that some of the players don't feel some satisfaction in bringing the city it's first championship. Surely they do. But is it really about the past? The 2005 season, yes. That was lovely indeed. The city rebounded nicely and it was heart-warming to watch the city embrace the team. That was four years ago. How long do we have to revisit that catastrophe? Just play the game.

BCS Tidings!

2009-12-07T08:14:00.000-08:00

Alabama vs. Texas. That's your BCS Championship game for the 2009 season. Do you like it? Television ratings indicate you do. Previous bowl games with non-BCS schools tend not to do well. So now we have several undefeated teams with the two historical programs playing for the crystal. You may argue that TCU, Cinn or Boise deserves a title shot, but your viewership suggests otherwise. Admit it, we love premier matchups. A true college football fan, or any sports fan for that matter, looks forward to great games. Your favorite team may not be involved but you will watch it. Cowboys-Redskins, Lakers-Celtics, Yankees-Red Sox, yeah, you'll watch every time. So, maybe the BCS formula isn't perfect, by all accounts it is not, but maybe in the end we all get what we want. Or.... is it what we need? What college football needs. What entertainment needs. Dare I say it, what the economy needs. Crimson Tide and Longhorn merchandise will spike, that's guaranteed. So will Horned Frog and Bearcat gear. It's like a fresh bag of lettuce with all those different types of ruffage. Some fancy, some standard. Some colored, some just plain 'ol green. Some thick, some leafy. It's all there, and it's all good. Enjoy this bowl season and have a great Christmas and New Year holiday!

I Want My Quarter Back!

2009-11-02T18:08:00.000-08:00

Just watching Monday Night Football and appreciating two good quarterbacks, Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons and Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints. Ryan is young, yes... but coming on strong. Brees, well, we know what he can do. Regardless, two fine signal callers for sure. But too often we watch the NFL and we can't find this situation. Sometimes we can't even find a good one on just one side. How does this happen? How can the league not have 32 good starting QB's? We have Brady, two Mannings, Brees, Ryan, Romo, Favre, Rivers, Roethlisberger and we'll go ahead and include young guys like Sanchez, Orton and Flacco who look like they will progress. And, yes, surely we overlooked a few. But who is running the other half of the teams? Why are we still burdened with watching David Garrard, Rex Grossman, Byron Leftwich and others? That's just naming a few. Can you name the starting QB's for 16 NFL team as of this month? Try it and then look at the active quarterback list at nfl.com and see what you missed. Or, watch most NFL games and see what all fans are missing.

Business on the Brooklyn Side

2009-09-23T21:47:00.000-07:00

What do you think about the New Jersey Nets being owned by Russia’s richest man, Mikhail Prokhorov? It's pretty much an international business already, isn't it? Kobe's jerseys are big sellers in Europe. LeBron is a common phrase in Asia. And the players in the NBA, (which might need the word "national" removed since it has moved abroad), Yao, Kirilenko, Pavlovic, Eyenga... not exactly roll call from the heartland is it? So, is this a good move? From a business standpoint, yes. Anyone selling something would rather be global, especially if there is easy shipping of your product. David Stern is already delivering around the world. The NBA is wildly popular everywhere, merchandising profits are high. So why not get some foreign money involved in the structure of the league. Let them build new arenas, bring in more people, especially to a struggling franchise. It can only help the economy. Besides, Brooklyn deserves it. Not since the Dodgers hopped a bus to the west coast has this burrough had anything to talk about, not to mention it's a retro infusion. But what about this issue from a nationalistic view? Will Americans have anything left to call it's own? It appears we've had a huge yard sale the last 100 years, and we're selling quickly. Hmmmm.... this could take a lot of blogs.

Blount Mistake

2009-09-04T12:44:00.000-07:00

LeGarrette Blount made a mistake. He is on the top of the Yahoo search list right now. What he did was wrong. What he did provides hours, days or weeks of fodder for sports talk stations, SportsCenter, internet junkies.... well, actually all of us. But who among us hasn't lost our cool? I have. You have. Mine just doesn't make ESPN. Has yours? Higher-ups will debate this issue for a long time. Granted, most people are on one side of this issue (he should be punished), but I bet nearly everyone could see the other side. If you've played any level of athletic competition, heck, if you've ever played Monopoly, you know what it's like when someone beats you, then beats you again, then has something to say about it. It cuts to the core like nothing else. It burns. Quite frankly, it makes a man do things he doesn't normally condone. However, in this story, the villain seems to have priors in the area. If that is the case, then perhaps shame on the coaches. Fool me once...

College Football!

2009-08-28T20:27:00.000-07:00

Thank you summer, for the time we had together, the picnics, the swimming, the vacations. And no thanks for an endless nightmare with no feel-it-in-the-gut sports! I mean no disrespect to America's Game, really. I just hate it, that's all. Ball, ball, foul, strike, swing, foul, ball...... come on! Now is the time when we really get cooking. I mean the main course, the entre'... the BIG ENCHILADA. College football is here and we could not be any happier. Bama-VaTech to start then on and on every Saturday. So don't wish the fall away. It's cool weather, falling leaves, holidays and the greatest show on earth. It's like.... summer.......without the flies!

Cav Rising

2009-06-16T20:26:00.000-07:00

When the Virginia Cavaliers beat Ole Miss in a best-of-three series in the Oxford Super-regional last weekend, it marked the first College World Series appearance for the Cavs. But not for UVA Coach Brian O’Connor, who grew up near Omaha and pitched in the CWS for Creighton. Ironically, his first round opponent is LSU, which is coached by Paul Mainieri. Mainieri and O’Connor coached together at Notre Dame several years ago with Mainieri serving as O’Connor’s mentor. Now the two will face each other at Rosenblatt Stadium this weekend in college baseball's biggest showcase. But Virginia’s emergence on the national college baseball scene shouldn’t be a surprise. After making just 3 appearances in the first 49 NCAA tournaments, Washington National Ryan Zimmerman and Arizona Diamondback Mark Reynolds led the Cavs into their successive tournament appearances which now number six, culminating in this trip to Omaha. So now, the student must see if he can defeat the teacher and advance into the winner's bracket. It's a great week in Omaha, one that every college baseball fan should visit someday.

Do You Wieters?

2009-06-03T20:15:00.001-07:00

I received tickets to a Baltimore Orioles game for my birthday from my family. As a former season ticket holder who hasn't been back to Orioles Park at Camden Yards since the advent of the Washington Nationals, which is closer to my home and which I know own a mini-plan. But I'd forgotten how much I love Camden Yards and how much I like seeing American League teams such as the Red Sox, the Angels, and the White Sox. We saw a great game, a 6-3 victory by the Detroit Tigers. We saw good pitching, timely hitting, and an atmosphere that reminded me how great an atmposhere someone can experience at Camden Yards. But the thing that really surprised me was a story someone told me in the Orioles Team Store. We saw the second major league game of Matt Wieters, the new O's catcher out of Georgia Tech. He was called up from the Norfolk Tides and started the night before. I saw probably 10 to 15 people wearing tee-shirts with Wieters name and number on the back. My son and I went into the store in the fifth inning and I saw racks of Wieters tee-shirts. I casually mentioned how surprised I was to a clerk, who told me the organization had the shirts ready before he arrived. "We couldn't put them out until yesterday was an official game", she said. "We had to wait for the sixth inning, but when we did put them out, there was a line waiting for them." I thought that was pretty interesting and asked my son if he wanted a Wieters tee-shirt. "No," he said, "I want this one," as he held a Nick Markakis tee-shirt. One less Wieters sale for now, but I if he hits like he did Saturday night (a double and a triple), I bet my son buys a #15 Wieters shirt the next time we go to Camden Yards.

Dallas: Who Shot Manhood?

2009-05-12T16:08:00.001-07:00

I do not have my own NBA team to follow here on the Gulf Coast. So, being a fan of the state of Texas, I latched onto the Dallas Mavericks. I've been watching them play since I was a kid... Mark Aguirre, Rolando Blackman, et. al... back when it was special for the Mavs to even be on TV at all. I've always enjoyed following them through the years in all their ups and downs, and downs, and downs and, at times mediocrity. But lately it's been greatness, championship-caliber teams with all-star players, possibly hall-of-famers. But it is also painful. Too painful to watch. I watched with horror as Dwayne Wade single-handedly beat the Mavs in the NBA championship several years ago. Remember that? Painful. I watched again as the Golden State Warriors out-muscled, out-manned, (and every other "out" you can come up with), a timid Dallas team. And, so far this playoff season, I have watched again as the team seems to shy away from being physical. I throw up a little in my mouth each time I see Jason Terry or Kidd pick up an opposing player after a foul. They actually help them off the floor! Look, I am all for good sportsmanship, but come on. I saw Kidd nearly hurt himself to keep a Denver Nugget from falling. I mean that. It happened. I have watched big man and lilliputians alike get in the face of Dirk until I am sick to my stomach! Dirk, seriously. I mentioned in another blog that you remind me of another curly, sandy-haired forward. I'm talking, of course, about the "Bird"-man... and it's not that silly Nugget flopping around now. Really, Dirk is one of the greatest players of all time, in my humble opinion. He lacks one thing though. Toughness. I would take a sweep of the Mavs by any team if just to see Dirk push somebody back. So, from a devoted fan in Mobile, Alabama, a request: please get nasty! Dallas is a great NBA team through and through. Now show it.

NB A-list

2009-05-04T18:35:00.000-07:00

I have several friends who really don't like basketball, namely NBA. They're football people, baseball guys. No more Bird and Johnson they say. No more Jordan. No great matchups, no legendary players. I disagree. The new NBA is great. Watch the playoffs and see awesome plays and players making them. The recently ended Bulls-Celtics round one series was one of the best ever. Players like Superman, Kobe, D-Wade, King James and more are creating new legends. What about Dirk? He reminds me of Larry Bird.... kinda, doesn't he you? Paul Pierce. Magic-like? I'm just throwing some things out there. Legends become increasingly so the longer time goes by. Games become more classic the more the actual play fades from our memory. Wars seem more glorious centuries later. The NBA is good, really good. I feel like we are certainly watching heroes of the game right now, maybe some you don't even realize yet. Rondo, Mo, Noah, Ariza. Keep shooting fellas.

Blog, blog, blog

2009-04-13T20:03:00.000-07:00

What is a blog? How is it to be used within our store? First, let's consult Mr. Webster for a true and updated definition.... "a Web site that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks provided by the writer ; also : the contents of such a site". Good, now we have defined it. Let's go further and answer the larger question of how it is to be used within our store. A blog is a form of communication. We could use the blog to tell you about our wonderful products such as the Alabama Crimson Tide Bar Stools, Florida Gators Evolution of Team Uniform Framed Art or the Pittsburgh Steelers Comforter. Sometimes we do write about our products because we are extremely proud of them. We could write about our exceptional customer service, but that would be gloating. Instead, we focus on you, the customer. We want to develop a true relationship with you so we write from the heart about sports topics of the day. Care to know our feelings about T.O.? Look up our blog on him and let us know what you think. We want to talk to our customer. Seriously. You are the reason we exist so, please, feel free to communicate with us. Trust us, we will talk sports! Try us.

NCAA Tumblers

2009-03-28T09:03:00.000-07:00

We are excited about our latest product, the Tervis Tumblers. As a college sports fan, you owe it to yourself to give these a chance to hold your favorite beverage and show off your favorite team. Officially licensed, made in the USA, these 24 or 10 oz. tumblers are guaranteed for life! Nearly 8" tall and microwave, freezer and dishwasher safe... keeps hot drinks hotter and cold drinks colder with double insulation. Available in most NCAA schools. Find your school now at www.gamedayzone.com.

March Gladness

2009-03-26T19:48:00.000-07:00

March Madness? No. March Gladness. Glad because, as a football fan, it's the dead zone. The doldrums between national signing day and kickoff. Ugh, hate it. thank goodness for March. Honestly, even if you're not a basketball fan, you have to appreciate the pure sportsmanship and emotion of the NCAA Basketball Tournament. It's passion, it's hustle and it's fun. Great announcers, great fans, great rivalries. Duke and North Carolina. The Demon Deacons. The Terps, the Hilltoppers. Gonzaga (know where that is? course you don't). The "what-I've-never-heard-of-that" schools that seem to creep in every year. Binghamton. Binghamton? Seriously. Radford, where is that? Doesn't matter. They all play hard. Hats off to all of them. Everyone loves David and Goliath, don't we? DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES? Al, yes we do. We look for them every March.