MLB, football, and basketball

Hello. I've got some extra time because of the snow and ice outside, so I thought that I would go ahead and post mid-week instead of waiting till the end. The first article I have to post tonight is about former Astros pitcher Trever Miller, who signed as a free agent with the Rays last week. Miller played with the Astros the last two years, but had played for the Rays for the two years before that. Here's a quote from him about returning to play for the team near where he lives in Florida:

"It's been a blessing to be able to play big-league baseball at home,'' Miller said. "I didn't think it would happen again. ..."

Here's the article: http://blogs.tampabay.com/rays/2008/02/rays-add-trever.html (originally found at: http://mlb.mlb.com/pa/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080208&content_id=2368504&vkey=mlbpa_news&fext=.jsp).

Here's a good article about Georgia football head coach Mark Richt and his son Jon, both Christians. On Signing Day last week Jon, a senior at Prince Avenue Christian School in Athens, GA, signed to play football with Clemson, whose head coach Tommy Bowden (also a Christian) is a good friend of Mark. Mark thought that there would be less pressure on him and Mark if he were to play for someone other than him. I thought that it was neat that Mark went to Jon signing day ceremony before going back to his office to check on his own recruits. Here's the article: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/columns/story?columnist=schlabach_mark&id=3234394 (originally found at: http://apps.facebook.com/sportsuperfan/teams/news/233).

Next, an article about a group of Orioles fans, the Oriole Advocates, who have a neat program called "Cardboard to Leather". The group collects new and used baseball equipment (bats, balls, gloves, uniforms, etc.) to donated to kids in impoverished countries, like in Latin America. These kids would normally have to make-do with whatever they could find for equipment, like making gloves out of cardboard and balls out of tape. Here's the article: http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080207&content_id=2367527&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp.

Here's an article on NC State women's basketball head coach Kay Yow, a Christian who is fighting breast cancer. This month is "Think Pink" campaign for breast cancer awareness with the women's NCAA teams, and several teams are wearing pink uniforms for one game to raise awareness. One of those teams was Yow's NC State team last week, whose uniforms all also had the name "YOW" on the back to honor her. Everyone at these games--players, coaches, fans, etc.--wear pink. Money is being raised for the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund, part of the Jimmy V Fund for cancer, named after the late former NC State men's basketball coach Jim Valvano who coached with Yow. He died from cancer several years ago. Here's the article: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncw/notebook?page=notebook/dish080207.

Also, an article about Cowboys linebacker Greg Ellis, a Christian, whose comeback this season from a torn Achilles tendon last season was punctuated by winning the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award and being named to the Pro Bowl: http://news.aol.com/story/_a/comeback-led-cowboys-lb-greg-ellis-all/n20080208170809990011?ecid=RSS0001.

Here's an article about Kansas guard Brandon Rush, who tore his knee last summer which caused him to come back to college for his senior year this year instead of going on to the NBA. Here's a couple of quotes from his head coach Bill Self and him about it:

"There's no doubt Brandon's injury has been a blessing for the program," Self said. "No doubt at all. But I wouldn't go so far as to say it's been a blessing for Brandon. If he'd never gotten hurt, he'd be in the NBA right now, and that's his ultimate dream. But if he continues to progress, his draft status will be improved, in my opinion." ...

"'Blessing in disguise' _that's what my mama said. This might be a blessing in disguise," Rush said. "My mom always knows what she's talking about, especially about basketball."

Here's the article: http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/02/08/sports/BKC-T25-Kansas-Rush.php (originally found at: http://apps.facebook.com/sportsuperfan/teams/news/260).

Next, an article about Red Sox outfielder Manny Ramirez, who donated a custom car for a Boston children's hospital to auction off to raise money: http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080209&content_id=2369324&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb.

Here's an article about Bengals linebacker David Pollack, a Christian, who has a big decision coming up about whether or not he's going to attempt to comeback after a serious neck injury or not. Here's a couple of quotes from him about it:

“Even if I can’t play football again, I feel blessed that I’ve been able to play a kids’ game this long,” he said. “The experiences along the way have made me a better person, a stronger person. You learn a lot about life and who really cares about you when things like this happen.” ...

Deeply spiritual, he says he prays daily, not to play football again, but for direction and strength.

Here's the article: http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/sportscolumns/entries/2008/02/09/pollack_talks_a.html (originally found at: http://apps.facebook.com/sportsuperfan/teams/news/7).

Also, an article about new Royals manager Trey Hillman, a Christian, and his style of managing: http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080210&content_id=2369800&vkey=spt2008news&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb.

Here's an article about former Diamondbacks 1st baseman Tony Clark, a Christian, signing as a free agent with his hometown Padres this week: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3240246.

Next, an article about another Christian MLB free agent Mike Sweeney signing to play with the A's this week after having spent his whole career with the Royals: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3240225.

Lastly, a quote from a Q & A article with IU center D.J. White:

Once you sign your first NBA contract, what's the first thing you're going to buy?

If I am blessed enough to sign a contract, that would be great, but right now I am focused on my senior season and leading my team to a championship.

Here's the article: http://www.bigtennetwork.com/blogs/blogs.asp?topic_id=170.

basketball & football, especially coaches & SEC

Hi. Happy New Year! This will be my last post of the year.

First, a good article about basketball player Wayne Simien, a Christian formerly with Kansas, the Timberwolves, and the Heat. He was released by the Heat and is currently rehabbing a knee injury so that he can return to play with some team in the NBA next season. Simien and his wife and daughter are living in Indianapolis now while he's rehabbing. Here's a quote from him:

Simien said he was in no hurry to give up basketball and perhaps pursue a career as a minister. A man of deep faith, he’d said in the past that might be an avenue he’d like to explore someday.

“That was in my heart at the beginning when I first had a transformation in life,” Simien said. “One of the great things I learned to look into the last few years is you can be a minister in every area of life and not be ‘Pastor Wayne’ or ‘Preacher Wayne.’ I still have it in my heart. But it’s my main focus trying to live it out every day of my life and administer with people.

“I am working in the inner city, working with high school kids here in Indianapolis in one of the poorest areas around. It is really fulfilling that desire.”

Here's the article: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2007/dec/25/former_jayhawk_upbeat_despite_release/ (originally found at: http://apps.facebook.com/sportsuperfan/teams/news/260).

Here's an article about Redskins head coach Joe Gibbs, a Christian, and how his style of coaching has worked through all of the years that he's coached in two different stints with the Redskins: http://washingtontimes.com/article/20071226/SPORTS01/238927720/1005/sports (originally found at: http://apps.facebook.com/sportsuperfan/teams/news/32).

Next, an article about Dolphins wide receiver Ted Ginn, Jr., who struggled this year with the terrible Dolphins team after playing in the national championship game with Ohio State last year. Here's a quote from him about it:

"I think God just puts you in situations where he wants you to fight," Ginn said. "That's the only thing that I can take out of it ... You go from a 12-1 team (at Ohio State) to a 1-15 team ..."

Here's the article: http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071228/SPT02/712280358/1066/.

Here's an article about the wives of the head coaches of the teams playing in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl (CFA Bowl) tomorrow night in Atlanta -- Linda Bowden, wife of Clemson head coach Tommy Bowden, and Suzanne Tuberville, wife of Auburn head coach Tommy Tuberville -- who are all Christians. Here's a couple of quotes:

Q: How do you balance the demands of football and family? How do you get used to new towns when you move or travel?

LB [Linda Bowden]: My son was in three high schools. The first thing we do is get involved with church and Bible study. That’s been my rock and foundation. The people there don’t care about what happens on Saturdays. ...

Q: If you were going to offer advice to someone who’s new to the coaching life, what tips would you offer?

ST [Suzanne Tuberville]: If I was talking to a young woman who’d just married a football coach, I’d tell her to get involved in your church, your kids’ school, your community. You’re going to have a lot of time on your hands.

Here's the article: http://www.ajc.com/living/content/shared-blogs/ajc/social/entries/2007/12/28/catching_up_the_cfa_coaches_wi.html.

Also, an article about Mississippi State head football coach Sylvester Croom, a Christian, who turned around the football program at Mississippi State and lead the team to its first bowl game since 2000. They beat Central Florida in the Liberty Bowl last night. Here's the article: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/bowls07/columns/story?id=3170858.

Here's an article about Illinois head women's basketball coach Jolette Law, who became the coach before this season after being an assistant coach at Rutgers under C. Vivian Stringer for several years. She returned to the Midwest and the Big Ten after having played at Iowa. Here's a quote from her about taking the Illinois job:

It was the call of the Midwest and the Big Ten that were pivotal in Law deciding to take this job. With Rutgers' success, she'd had other opportunities to become a head coach.

"God had been wrestling with me for some time," she said, smiling. "And Coach Stringer kept telling me, 'You're ready, you're ready, you're ready.'"

Here's the article: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncw/columns/story?columnist=voepel_mechelle&id=3170965.

Next, an article about the IU football team playing in the Insight Bowl tomorrow in Arizona. They dedicated the season to their late head coach Terry Hoeppner, who died last June from brain cancer. Here's a quote about IU kicker Austin Starr and Coach Hep:

The program from June’s “celebration of life,” is still in Starr’s locker in Bloomington. It’s the only one he owns, so he didn’t bring it to Phoenix.

He’s memorized the details of Hoeppner’s face printed on the cover, as well as the Jeremiah 29:11 passage his late coach loved.

Here's the article: http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/105458 (originally found at: http://apps.facebook.com/sportsuperfan/teams/news/222).

Here's an article about Georgia head football coach Mark Richt, a Christian, and about how he's been more involved with the team as a whole this season. In past seasons he ran the offense, but he gave up that job late last season. The move has seemed to help him and the team as a whole: http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/uga/stories/2007/12/28/bowlricht_1229.html.

Also, an article about Tennessee quarterback Eric Ainge, a Christian, and about how winning their bowl game, the Outback Bowl against Wisconsin on New Year's, will define his legacy at Tennessee. However, he wishes that his legacy would be something else. Here's a quote about that:

"Wins, rings, championships, all that kind of stuff, obviously that's what everybody wants, and I understand how it works," Ainge said. "But at the same time, being remembered as a good person who grew up at the university in the great place of Knoxville and used the system to my advantage and being a good teammate. That to me is what is most important."

Here's the article: http://www2.tbo.com/content/2007/dec/29/sp-ainge-looking-to-define-legacy/ (originally found at: http://apps.facebook.com/sportsuperfan/teams/news/401).

Here's an article about Georgia defensive lineman Michael Lemon, who has had to deal with the death of his best friend a few years ago and the murder of his mother last winter. Here's a quote about how he's dealing with the deaths from their team chaplain Kevin "Chappy" Hynes:

"Michael Lemon is a very quiet, very introverted young man," said Kevin "Chappy" Hynes, the team chaplain. "I wouldn't say he's handling it well. I wouldn't say he's not. I don't know. I do know he's internalizing it."

Here's the article: http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/12/29/sports/FBC-Sugar-Bowl-Lemons-Burden.php (originally found at: http://apps.facebook.com/sportsuperfan/teams/news/233).

Lastly, here's the NFL Wild Card Playoff games schedule for next weekend, for your information: http://www.nfl.com/schedules?seasonType=POST&season=2007#Week.

football, basketball, NASCAR, etc.

Hi. First of all, an article about Bills tight end Kevin Everett, who suffered a spinal cord injury in their first game of the season against the Broncos. It was originally feared that he would never walk again, but thanks to a cutting-edge medical procedure Everett is beginning to walk again. Last Sunday Everett was able to return to Buffalo and go to the Bills game against the Giants. Here's a quote from Domenik Hixon, the player that Everett was tackling when Everett was injured:

Everett's appearance marked the latest step in a remarkable recovery. Doctors initially feared Everett would never walk again after what was described as a life-threatening injury suffered while making a tackle on Domenik Hixon on the second-half kickoff in the season opener against Denver on Sept. 9.

Everett was paralyzed from the neck down when he arrived at Buffalo's Millard Fillmore Gates Hospital and spent the first few days on life support.

Hixon, who now plays for the Giants, was whisked away to meet with Everett after the Giants won 38-21 .

"It's a blessing," Hixon said. "I just want him to make a 100 percent recovery. I'm going to continue praying for him, and he's going to make it back 100 percent."

Here's the article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071223/ap_on_sp_fo_ne/fbn_bills_everett.

Here's a great article about Kansas star defensive tackle James McClinton, a Christian, and about how God turned his life around and then used him to bring the team together. This season the team has become what many of the players believe to be "God's Team". Others on the team that the article includes, and it sounds like they're Christians also, are head coach Mark Mangino and teammates Gary Green, Darrell Stuckey, Brandon McAnderson, Chris Harris, and Olaitan Oguntodu. Here's a quote from McClinton about his faith and football:

“I’m focused on giving God the glory,” McClinton says. “When I’m tired, he gives me strength.”

Here's the article: http://www.kansascity.com/sports/story/417721.html (originally found at: http://www.fca.org/).

Next, an article about long-time Valparaiso head men's basketball coach Homer Drew, a Christian. The article was written just after Valpo lost to Wisconsin by only ten points. Here's what Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan had to say about Drew:

"What a great guy for the game," Ryan said of Drew. "People in that area ought to be so thankful you got a family like that, a basketball family and a patriarch like him."

Here's the article: http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=8&SubSectionID=96&ArticleID=8007 (originally found at: http://apps.facebook.com/sportsuperfan/teams/news/430).

Here's an article that Yahoo! Sports NASCAR writer Bob Margolis wrote about his overcoming two kinds of cancer in the last couple years. Here's a quote from him about it:

I'm convinced God has brought me through this most difficult year of my life for a reason. He obviously has some important work for me to accomplish before my time in this world is over.

Here's the article: http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/news;_ylt=AqYW.cDWPmQM7qcTgDMHL5k5nYcB?slug=bm-bobsstory122507&prov=yhoo&type=lgns.

Also, an interesting article about pro athletes, teams, and organizations giving back to their communities and the difficulties that they have. The article is mainly about Indiana sports, but it talks about others too. Here's the article: http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071225/SPORTS/712250376/1247/NLETTER12.

Here's an article about how NASCAR and its drivers give back to kids and the outdoors: http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071225/SPORTS01/712250370&theme=.

Next, an article about the top ten Christian sports stories of 2007 from the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA): http://www.fca.org/vsItemDisplay.lsp?method=display&objectid=204090DE-BF59-4963-A363D26370753C22.

Here's an article about Colts center Jeff Saturday, a Christian, and how important he is to the Colts offense and quarterback Peyton Manning: http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071226/SPORTS03/712260409/1247/NLETTER12.

Lastly, a funny article about Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, a Christian, and trying to find something that he can't do because he seems so perfect. Once he struck out in intramural softball, but then a hit a long homer his next at-bat. Also, apparently he's not that good of a singer. The article mentions some other things that he's not great, but improving at. Here's a good quote about him from the article:

He's just as smooth off the field, never mumbling or stuttering in front of the cameras. He preaches the Christian gospel to teammates, inmates and Filipinos half a world away.

Here's the article: http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/stories/2007/12/26/tebow_1227.html.