The Sports Thread

[Alicat]

What the Puck?

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local-beat/Boy-Struck-By-Flying-Puck-at-Sharks-Game.html

watch out, Alicat!

It happens. There are warnings about it and you just have to be aware and know where the puck is being played. Kinda like getting beaned by a ball at a baseball game. You bloody well deserve the pain if you're not paying attention.

[urth]

Cy Young winners are announced tomorrow. Will the NL winner be Carpenter...
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/11/18/SPVT1AM41R.DTL&tsp=1

Or Lincecum?
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/11/18/SPAG1AMRID.DTL

We'll find out at 11am tomorrow.

[mshray]

Cy Young winners are announced tomorrow. Will the NL winner be Carpenter...
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/11/18/SPVT1AM41R.DTL&tsp=1

Or Lincecum?
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/11/18/SPAG1AMRID.DTL

We'll find out at 11am tomorrow.

I think it'll be Wainwright.  Cy Young voters are still not hip to all the Sabermetric stuff, and Wainwright led the league in wins and was top 5 in most every other meaningful category.  Plus he was robbed of his 20th win in Shakespearian tragedy fashion (and nearly as bad in his playoff appearance) while neither Tim L. nor Chris C. did anything nearly as memorable in their final starts.

[urth]

Cy Young winners are announced tomorrow. Will the NL winner be Carpenter...
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/11/18/SPVT1AM41R.DTL&tsp=1

Or Lincecum?
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/11/18/SPAG1AMRID.DTL

We'll find out at 11am tomorrow.

I think it'll be Wainwright.  Cy Young voters are still not hip to all the Sabermetric stuff, and Wainwright led the league in wins and was top 5 in most every other meaningful category.  Plus he was robbed of his 20th win in Shakespearian tragedy fashion (and nearly as bad in his playoff appearance) while neither Tim L. nor Chris C. did anything nearly as memorable in their final starts.

Whaddaya know? Lincecum and his bong win the Cy Young for the second straight year. But it was close--Lincecum got 100 points, Carpenter had 94, and Wainwright got 90, so it sounds like having two Cards pitchers in the race worked against both of them and split the St. Louis vote.

Bet Timmy's out burning a fatty right now to celebrate!

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/giants/detail?entry_id=51984&tsp=1

ETA: Just read that through a second time and realized that Wainwright got the most first-place votes (12 to Lincecum's 11 and Carpenter's 9) but still came in third in the final tally. Go figure. There's bound to be a lot of analysis and kvetching about this one.

[mshray]

...There's bound to be a lot of analysis and kvetching about this one.

To paraphrase the old adage: Chicks love the K.  If TL lives up to his billing and has a HoF career, no kvetching from this Cards fan.  But if he burns out & either AW or CC have better later careers, look out...this might be considered one of the worst in history.  In retrospect, these awards are always judged by how the primary protaganists do subsequently.  (cf. ARod v. JuanGon, Pujols v. Bonds)

[RGMike]

...There's bound to be a lot of analysis and kvetching about this one.

To paraphrase the old adage: Chicks love the K.  If TL lives up to his billing and has a HoF career, no kvetching from this Cards fan.  But if he burns out & either AW or CC have better later careers, look out...this might be considered one of the worst in history.  In retrospect, these awards are always judged by how the primary protaganists do subsequently.  (cf. ARod v. JuanGon, Pujols v. Bonds)

Not to mention Barry Z

[mshray]

Not to mention Barry Z

I'm blanking, so refesh my memory.  Who did Zito edge out that in retrospect shoulda won?

[RGMike]

Not to mention Barry Z

I'm blanking, so refesh my memory.  Who did Zito edge out that in retrospect shoulda won?

No, I just meant that he won and hasn't had as good a year since -- the words " burn out" have certainly been tossed around.

[RGMike]

2009 AL MVP: Joe Mauer

2009 NL MVP: Albert Pujols

[Wayback]

Circumstances sound quite odd: very late at night, alone, leaving driveway of his home, crashing off fire hydrant and tree, yet no alcohol involved.  Was he going to 7-11?  "Sleep-driving"?
Tiger Woods seriously hurt in crash
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/11/27/national/a114827S73.DTL&tsp=1

[RGMike]

Circumstances sound quite odd: very late at night, alone, leaving driveway of his home, crashing off fire hydrant and tree, yet no alcohol involved.  Was he going to 7-11?  "Sleep-driving"?
Tiger Woods seriously hurt in crash
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/11/27/national/a114827S73.DTL&tsp=1

well, now that this story has played itself out, my 2 cents:

In my book, infidelity is only news if it’s committed by someone who makes a living condemning other people’s lifestyles (Ted Haggard, John Ensign, etc). But cheating itself is commonplace. Men are not monogamous creatures. Men cheat. Rich, famous men simply have more/better opportunities to do so.

Tiger’s wife is a beautiful blonde model who married a millionaire celebrity; she knows how this game is played. (And don't try to tell me his gazillions were not a factor when she found herself "in love" with him. Sorry, I'm  a major cynic.) She’s not angry because he cheated; she’s angry because he was stupid and indiscreet — she’s now publicly humiliated, and he’ll pay for that. Tiger could’ve cheated much further up the food chain; if he had we wouldn’t be having this conversation. But no: he f—ed bimbo cocktail waitresses who were all too happy to tell their story to TMZ. In that sense, he’s an idiot, but he’s hardly unique.

[SFGuy]

Circumstances sound quite odd: very late at night, alone, leaving driveway of his home, crashing off fire hydrant and tree, yet no alcohol involved.  Was he going to 7-11?  "Sleep-driving"?
Tiger Woods seriously hurt in crash
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/11/27/national/a114827S73.DTL&tsp=1

well, now that this story has played itself out, my 2 cents:

In my book, infidelity is only news if it’s committed by someone who makes a living condemning other people’s lifestyles (Ted Haggard, John Ensign, etc). But cheating itself is commonplace. Men are not monogamous creatures. Men cheat. Rich, famous men simply have more/better opportunities to do so.

Tiger’s wife is a beautiful blonde model who married a millionaire celebrity; she knows how this game is played. (And don't try to tell me his gazillions were not a factor when she found herself "in love" with him. Sorry, I'm  a major cynic.) She’s not angry because he cheated; she’s angry because he was stupid and indiscreet — she’s now publicly humiliated, and he’ll pay for that. Tiger could’ve cheated much further up the food chain; if he had we wouldn’t be having this conversation. But no: he f—ed bimbo cocktail waitresses who were all too happy to tell their story to TMZ. In that sense, he’s an idiot, but he’s hardly unique.

It's not news that an athlete cheated on his wife with another woman. It would be if he had cheated on his wife with a man.

[mshray]

The World Cup draw is just coming out, USA is in Group C, with England, Algeria & Slovenia.  Not the Group of Death this time around, which included either USA or England for the last few go rounds.  We shouldbe favored to come out of this group I think.

[Tinka Cat]

The World Cup draw is just coming out, USA is in Group C, with England, Algeria & Slovenia.  Not the Group of Death this time around, which included either USA or England for the last few go rounds.  We shouldbe favored to come out of this group I think.

I think so, too.  I think the yobbos from England will come out on top in this group and US second. However, Slovenia beat Russia recently, so it's not a guarantee.

USA! USA!

[mshray]

Did anyone watch the Sunday Night game between Arizona & Minnesota?  If not, then you missed hearing the following comment from Al Michaels regarding the Vikings All-Pro defensive end Jared Allen, who up to that point hadn't been getting much pressure on Kurt Warner:

"Sooner or later, number 69 will be in your face."