football, MLB, & NBA

First, an article on Colts back-up safety Matt Giordano, a Christian, on the upcoming season Here's a quote from Giordano:

“It’s something I really am trying to do, to be great strong safety and a great free safety in this defense. Hopefully, Lord willing, no one will go down, but if something like that happens, I can step in and play both spots. Coaches don’t have to worry.

“They can know and trust I know what I’m doing and I’ll get the job done.”

Here's the article: http://www.colts.com/sub.cfm?page=article7&news_id=24c64c76-9e97-43ab-b7c7-9d75fbb59021.

Here's a Christian article on former Maryland quarterback Sam Hollenbach, who is trying to catch on with a NFL team. Right now he's waiting on God has for him in football or not. Here's the article: http://www.bpsports.net/bpsports.asp?ID=5647.

Next, an article about Devil Rays shortstop Ben Zobrist, a Christian. He was trying to once again prove himself as the Rays starting shortstop, after he lost the job earlier this season and was sent down to Triple-A Durham. Unfortunately last night, after this article was written Zobrist strained his right oblique and was put on the disabled list, possibly for the rest of the season. Here's a quote from him from the article about his trying to earn the shortstop job:

Zobrist is a devout Christian, which has prompted some to question his competitiveness. He smiled when asked if his faith has made him any less of a competitor.

"In my life, I've been the most competitive person to myself -- against myself," Zobrist said. "And that's been my worst enemy at times. So I can't really look around at other people and make my comparison based on what other people are doing. I've got to know inside that I'm giving it everything I can, and that I can be satisfied at the end of the day because of that. People can say what they want, and they can have their opinions and they're certainly entitled to that, but that should not affect what I do."

Zobrist said he's learning that he can't control everything.

"It's a simple truth, but sometimes, it takes us longer to figure out than others," Zobrist said. "But I'm learning that God is a lot more in control than I thought."

Here's the article: http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070815&content_id=2149962&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb.

Here's an article about 76ers guard Kevin Ollie, a Christian, who recently hosted a golf tournament to raise money for athletes with disabilities. Other NBA players in the tournament were Celtics guard Ray Allen, Boston Celtics TV analyst Donny Marshall, former NBA player Aaron McKie, and Sonics guard Mike Wilks. Here's the article: http://www.nba.com/sixers/features/kevin_ollie_golf_070814.html?rss=true.

Also, an "interesting" Q & A article with Kings forward Ron Artest and his trip to Kenya to help others. Here's a quote from him about it:

You've been back for two weeks, have you had a chance to reflect on your trip to Kenya?"

It made me think of how good we have it over here, but at the same time it made me appreciate life. I got a chance to see the soul of the African American and I also got a chance to see tribes that still live like they did 400 years ago. I feel like whatever God gives you [you should be grateful for] or how ever you may be living now—some people think they are struggling in America—but they are not really struggling until they see what it's like over there. At the same time, the tribes live in what we would say is poverty, but they don’t consider it poverty. ... It made me appreciate life."

Here's the article: http://www.nba.com/kings/features/Ron_Summer_2007.html?rss=true.

Lastly, an article about the New Mexico State football wearing pink socks and their coaches will wear pink shirts during their game September 29th to help raise money breast cancer. The head coach Hal Mumme's wife June overcame the disease a few years ago. Here's the article: http://www.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/stories/081507abq.html.

sports misc.

First of all, a kind of ironic story about Kings forward Ron Artest. Earlier this week he was suspended by the NBA for offcourt legal troubles. When the media finally tracked him down for a comment about it, he was on a goodwill mission helping to feed kids in slums in Kenya. Go figure. Anyways, here's the article: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=stein_marc&id=2937882.

On to some better news, here's another article about Reds outfielder Josh Hamilton (a Christian) story. I just can't read his story enough times though. Here's a quote from him:

In his first full Major League season with the Cincinnati Reds, Josh Hamilton has been on the disabled list twice and played for a team buried in last place.

And he couldn't be happier about it.

"It's been a miracle, to go from where I came from to where I am now," he said. "I lost everything -- family, health, wealth."

Here's the article: http://mlb.mlb.com/pa/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070716&content_id=2089494&vkey=mlbpa_news&fext=.jsp.

Next, an intertesting articles about the family troubles that some NFL coaches have had in the last year, in part because they spend so much time working: http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=jc-coachesfamilies071607&prov=yhoo&type=lgns.

Here's an article about a baseball clinic for kids put on by the Red Sox and players Mike Lowell and Kevin Youkilis: http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070716&content_id=2089856&vkey=news_bos&fext=.jsp&c_id=bos&partnered=rss_bos.

Also, I came upon the website for Ohio State head football coach Jim Tressel, a Christian: http://coachtressel.com/.

Lastly, a few weeks ago I e-mailed each MLB team's website asking for a list of the songs that their batters and pitchers have played at their home field when they come up to bat or in to pitch. The reason that I wanted to know was to see if any Christian players have Christian songs played. I only got e-mails back from 13 out of 30 teams, and only 7 of them had lists. Of those 7 teams, only 3 teams and a total of 6 players have Christian songs played. Here's those players and their songs:

Royals: (http://kansascity.royals.mlb.com/kc/fan_forum/atbat.jsp)
Mike Sweeney: "The Slam" by Toby Mac & "Rise Up" & "Communion" by Third Day
Fernando Cortez: "Consuming Fire" & "Tunnel" by Third Day
Reggie Sanders: "Looking For You" by Kirk Franklin
David Riske: "Stomp (Remix)" by Kirk Franklin

Brewers: (http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=605607)
GABE GROSS, Outfielder

Song: "I Can Only Imagine" by MercyMe

Behind the music: Friend and Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher John Wasdin introduced the song to him while they played together on the AAA team in Syracuse in 2003. "I loved it the first time I heard it. . . . It brings me back to the things that are important in this world for me. . . . It gets me in the right frame of mind."

Favorite part: "Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel?/Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you, be still?/Will I stand in Your presence, or to my knees will I fall?/Will I sing Hallelujah? Will I be able to speak at all?"

When it comes on in the car: "I usually stop whatever else I'm doing. If I'm on the phone, I'll hang up."

Superstitions attached: "I'm probably the least superstitious guy here."

Rockies: (e-mail attachment)
Jeremy Affeldt: Fireproof by Pillar

Other teams song webpages:
Dodgers: http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/la/fan_forum/songs.jsp
Giants: http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/sf/ballpark/entertainment.jsp.

MLB, Artest, and Coach Hep

First of all, an article about last Saturday's Braves/Indians game, where Indians pitcher Paul Byrd, a Christian, pitched against his good friend Braves pitcher John Smoltz, also a Christian: http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/sports/1182069630259601.xml&coll=2.
(originally found at: http://mlb.mlb.com/pa/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070618&content_id=2033971&vkey=mlbpa_news&fext=.jsp)

Here's a quote from the Kings Ron Artest while speaking to some kids at summer camp that I'm just going to say is interesting:

"Outside of family and God, education is the most important thing," he told the campers. ". . . I still make mistakes, but rather than put my head down, I try to get better the next day."

Here's the article: http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070619/SPORTS04/706190380/1062/SPORTS04.

Lastly, some more articles about the death of IU head football coach Terry Hoeppner. I'm sorry if this a little bit of overload on these. First, here's a good quote about him:

"I called my wife, told her, then closed my office door and cried for about 10 minutes," said Mark Deal, a Varsity Club employee who has known Hoeppner since 1980. "We've had people here for 20 or 30 years, and Terry Hoeppner did more here in two years than most people do in a lifetime."

Here's the article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070620/ap_on_sp_co_ne/fbc_obit_hoeppner.

Next, some statements made about Coach Hep from several in the college football/athletics, including all of the head football coaches in the Big Ten and some mid-majors in Ohio: http://iuhoosiers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/061907aad.html. (originally found at: http://www.wishtv.com/global/category.asp?c=1507)

Laslty, an article about the passing of Hoeppner this year and Northwestern football coach Randy Walker last summer: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/columns/story?columnist=maisel_ivan&id=2909527.