Girardi or Torre?

With the latest shakeup in Major League baseball coaching spots, the most interesting has to be Joe Torre heading west to L.A., and the famed Joe Girardi taking his place with the New York Yankees. Both are excellent coaches, Torre with several World Series rings in his possession, and Girardi recently was named Coach of the Year for the A.L. Now, with both coaches in ideal berths for pennant chases, which will be more successful? Girardi has inherited possibly the winningest franchise in all of North American sports, but with departures of Pettite, Rodriguez, possibly Roger Clemens, and Joe Torre himself, can Joe Girardi doe what Torre could not in the last several years: make it past the ALCS and more importantly, win another World Series for the Bronx. Yet on the opposite coast, the older Joe has given the Dodger organization quite a stir, he has the components with the young players and solid pitching, but Torre's challenge sums up to this: Can his managerial talents stand up to the frustrating years the Dodgers have showcased in the recent past.

In this situation, I want to go with Girardi and the Bombers, but there isn't enough talent that shows me that they can survive and keep their heads above water, especially with their arch-rival and defending World Champion Boston Red Sox looking to push them away as the season will progress. So I guess I'm going to have to say sorry to the Joes; Girardi, you need some time to fill those big ol' shoes Torre left for you, and Torre, your crew out west isn't the hottest thing I can see. Maybe next year guys.

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween! To all you sports fans, from tip off of the NBA season to the Red Sox World Series, or some iced up fun, have blast this Halloween!

Its ROCKTOBER!

For over a decade, fans of the Colorado Rockies haven't had much to cheer about, and they're now getting it all in one sitting. Young stars and older ones alike such as Todd Helton, Matt Holliday, Troy Tullowitzky, Garret Atkins, Yorvit Torrealba have given the Rockies the most memorable year in their history. They had won 1 postseason game in 13 years, now they have won 7 in a row. They had never made an appearance in the NLCS, and never a berth in a World Series, and now they have. Losing only 1 game in almost two months, the Rockies are proving the country and the world....


ITS ROCKTOBER!

National Title Game Still Unclear

After this weekend, the outlook for the BCS Title Game this year in Louisiana is even more unclear than before. On this edition, we examine possible matchups for the game, using the top 25 teams in the nation.

Undefeated Teams

Boston College Eagles
South Florida Bulls
Ohio State Buckeyes


Lets now see scenerios in which teams will be paired against one another, undefeateds and one loss teams alike.

My Pick: Boston College vs Ohio State

If BC loses: OSU vs USF

If OSU and USF lose: BC vs LSU

IF BC and USF lose: OSU vs LSU

And so on...

Now for the complicated part, the one loss teams

IF BC, OSU, USF lose: LSU vs OSU

And fornow we'll leave the rest to imagination

LCS Sets up for History Making

This year in both the ALCS and the NLCS, all four teams carry unusual stories, and one will have their miracle season after all. Lets start with the Boston Red Sox. After the most unbelievable championship droughts in all of sports, the Red Sox could head to the World Series for the second time in five years, the new superpower in MLB. The Cleveland Indians were previously one of the most struggling teams in baseball, but have used their pitching rotation to win the AL Central title in 2007. The Colorado Rockies have been the bandwagon team for undecided fans across the United States, following their amazing 1- game playoff comeback in extra innings, to the sweep of the soaring Phillies, to their first NLCS appearance in history. More impressive, is that they only have 4 postseason wins in their franchise's span. The Arizona Diamondbacks turned it around, leading the turnaround from the laughing stock of the National League, all the way up to legitamate pennant winners and World Series champs. All these teams have MVP type players, and the impatience of youth scattered through their roster. But, like they say, there is only one October, and their will be only one World Champion.

And the Winner Is?

After top ranked Texas, Oklahoma, Florida, West Virginia, and Rutgers fell in a slew of upsets, who really is the best? And, who are the mos consistent teams in the country? To me, a select few stand out as the elite teams in the country. LSU stays unbeaten, and their defense is the most dominant and unrelenting in the nation. USC has gone relatively unchallenged asides for Washington, where they barely made it out unscathed, but they have what seem to be the best rushing tandem, and as of now are championship bound.

Now for the next tier of elites: the standouts. Boston College leads the pack, 5-0 for the first time in 50 or so years, the Eagles could go unbeaten with the tools they posses. Ohio State leads a balanced passing attack and defensive scheme, but have not faced ay real challenges in the Big 10 thus far, and can't be considered a top tier team. The most exciting team in the nation right now, the South Florida Bulls, have a talented and quick offense across their hard hitting fast-paced defensive pack. Wisconsin also falls in this group. Despite their undefeated season so far, they have looked shaken in nearly every game, and don't have the elite poise and control to be mentioned with the great teams today.

Now for the letdowns. Texas and Oklahoma, fallin in upset fashions to conference foes, don't look so high and mighty now, not to mention this week's Red River Shootout lost a bit of steam as well. Penn State falls low again, they looked talented to me, but upsets to Michigan and Illinois back to back push them farther and farther away from the spotlight, and shows a dissapointing season so far. Florida is somewhere between the last two groups, and will make an interesting flop or jump from this week's powerhouse matchup.

And onto the teams looking to make a splash. Auburn has turned their season around, and the Tigers made an impact by beating the Gators in the swamp last week. Rutgers looks to use their star runner Ray Rice to turn things in the opposite direction by beating the tough Cincinnati defense in a shootout style matchup.

So there you have it. Now its up for you to decide, who is really the best? Here's my top 10.

1. LSU
2. USC
3. California
4. Wisconsin
5. Boston College
6. South Florida
7. Kentucky
8. South Carolina
9. Florida
10. Oklahoma

Irish Fighting to End Skid?

When South Bend is brought to attention, many people would think of athletic and academic excellence, but now, all it revives are stinging memories of a once great football team embarrassing themselves on the national stage. Last year, 10 wins and a BCS bowl berth. This year, nothing of the sort. After losing their worst home opening game in history to the Yellow Jackets from Atlanta, head coach Charlie Weis opted to start Jimmy Clausen, undefeated in high school, to start in Happy Valley against the then 14th ranked Nittany Lions, where they could not score an offensive touchdown. Finally, against storied and also struggling Michigan, they fell mightily 38-0, and Clausen was benched in humiliation. After the game, Weis stated that they would start over, with all positions up for grabs. Now the question is, can the team with the worst overall offense in NCAA football actually win a game anytime soon? Their schedule says, not this month guys. With teams like UCLA, Boston College, USC, and other big name schools, they are set to see nothing but L's on the schedule for quite some time. Hello world, lets get ready to lose again! Seemingly, the Irish of Notre Dame can only fight that mentality, far from actually winning a game.

Quick Lists: Greatest Games

Every day to involve readers, we will have a different quick list, or top ten in a category of sports. We will start off with the best games in history. (Note these are games that I have seen, and in some way struck me as the most memorable)


1. Miracle on Ice: USA vs. USSR (1980 hockey)

2. Statue of Liberty: Boise State vs Oklahoma (2007 football)

3. We've Done It!: Boston Red Sox vs St. Louis Cardinals (2004 baseball)

4. Hail Mary!: Boston College vs Miami (FL) (1984 football)

5. Bluegrass Miracle: LSU vs Kentucky (2002 football)

6. Miracle in Michigan: Colorado vs Michigan (1994 football)

7. Who is Texas Western?: Texas Western vs Kentucky (1966 basketball)

8. Helmet Off: Denver Broncos vs Atlanta Falcons (1998 football)

9. See Vince Run!: Texas vs. USC (2005 football)

10. Champions Again: Florida vs Ohio State (2007 basketball)

Feel free to send in your own condensed lists of top ten memorable games!

Best Sports Movies List

Feel free to disagree, but here are my favorite sports movies. Note, there may be a few ties between the better ones. Here it is!

1. Miracle (hockey)

2. We Are Marshall (football)

2. Friday Night Lights (football)

4. Glory Road (basketball)

5. Rudy (football)

6. The Greatest Game Ever Played (golf)

7. Remember the Titans (football)

8. Invincible (football)

9. Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (dodgeball)

10. Bad News Bears (baseball)

College Football Player Rankings- Quarterbacks

Now lets rank the best overall players in the nation, and lets start off with the flagship of the offense, the quarterback.

1. Brian Brohm- Louisville: Brohm has the leadership, and weapons on the Cardinal offense to put up big yards and scorch opposing defenses. Brohm's arm power and pinpoint accuracy make him a QB front runner for the Heisman, and as a member of the Orange Bowl winning team over Wake Forest last January, Brian Brohm aims for higher goals, such as a possible national championship berth or a BCS Bowl Game.

2. John David Booty- USC: Booty brings a lot to the table for the Trojan's offense, as he completed his first year as a starter at USC with over 3000 yards through the air and 29 passing touchdowns. Booty has the USC team around him, and can possibly go for 4000 yards and 35 TD's with his potential, not to mention the leadership, accuracy, and pocket poise that can lead the USC team to the national championship game in Baton Rouge.

3. Colt Brennan- Hawaii: Brennan has already shown that he can be the best QB in college football, and a top notch variety in maybe the NFL one day, and his potential has expectations for him around the notch of an undefeated season, 60 TD passes, and 5000+ passing yards. Brennan can put up those numbers, yet it has lead to some doubts that his conference is too easy, which is why he is ranked at number 3 instead of the best overall quarterback in NCAAF.

4. Chad Henne- Michigan: Despite suffering one of the most horrendous upsets in NCAAF history, the Wolverines must pick themselves up and rally around their senior quarterback, Chad Henne. Henne has had 2500+ passing yards in his last three seasons in Ann Arbor, and he is looking to keep up the pace in 2007. Despite having no shot at a National Title in '07, Henne has the passing ability to lead the Wolverines to a Big 10 title and possibly a Rose Bowl, as he has Mario Manningham as his go-to receiver to help build his passing numbers.

5. Matt Ryan- Boston College: Matt Ryan demonstrated enormous amounts of maturity in his '07 season opener against Wake Forest, as he threw 5 Touchdowns and 408 yards. Ryan has the talent to become possibly the best quarterback to ever graduate from Boston College, and Matt Ryan could be a premier pick and player in the NFL sooner than many think.

6. Tim Tebow- Florida: As we have all heard, Florida has increased speed, and overall talent in hopes for a title repeat. Consider the repeat championship a distant reality, yet Tebow's growing talents are going to be staring college football fans in the face for several years more. Tebow can run, not around defenders, but through them as his bulky frame can cause nightmares for opposing tacklers. Tebow is most likely the best dual threat QB in D-I football, as he can throw deep down field with his refined arm strength, or run for the first down when it is required.

7. Colt Mccoy- Texas: Mccoy, last year as a redshirt freshman, has a full slate of goals to be reached in Austin, as he could be the next great quarterback to lead them to a BCS Bowl game. Mccoy had over 2500 yards passing last season, and is looking to tack on 500 or even close to 1000 more to that number. To help McCoy in his passing mission, Colt joins Limas Sweed, one of the premier wideouts in the nation to provide Colt with a tough target to cover.

8. Ben Olson- UCLA: Coming off of a momentous upset of USC last year, Olson has shown that he can be the quarterback they need to return them to prominence in the college football world. Despite having low statistics the last few years, Ben is projected to ave a breakout year of over 3000 yards passing, and can help to pose a real threat in the PAC-10 Conference.

9. Erik Ainge- Tennessee: Despite a loss in his season opener, Ainge is looking to end his senior season with a bang, as Ainge is one of the most proficient pocket passers in the country. Even in a loss at Berkeley, Ainge had over 250 passing yards and tallied three TD passes. Ainge suffered an injury last year that hindered his performance, yet if he stays healthy, Tennessee can 'Volunteer' to be a viable threat to national title hopes of SEC teams such as Auburn, Florida, and possibly even LSU.

10. Mike Teel- Rutgers: Teel had a strong season in the most memorable of Scarlet seasons in Rutgers' school history. In his season opener, Teel had two touchdown passes and 328 yards. Good way to start of the season huh? Anyway, Teel had over 2000 yards in a season which saw them win in the inaugural Texas Bowl game, bringing memories to Scarlet Knights all over the country. And who could forget his 100+ passing yards and a touchdown in last year's upset of #3 ranked Louisville Cardinals?

Next up: Running backs.

Did that Just Happen?

The football world was shocked today, in one of the most unlikely of ways, and what does it mean for the teams, players, and communities involved? Well, lets get to the upset. It seems like just an average non-conference slot game, Appalachian State against the University of Michigan, in the Big House in Ann Arbor. It seemed that the fifth ranked Wolverine squad would be able to handle to the former I-AA school team, especially with the leadership provided by senior quarterback Chad Henne, senior runningback and Heisman trophy candidate Mike Hart, and one of the best offensive linemen in the nation in Jake Long, all of which decided to return to the great blue north for a shot at a national championship. Yet, things would be wild and crazy, and one of the most shocking games of the year, took place on opening Saturday. Mike Hart's short run started the game off right for the maize and blue, 7-0 in the first quarter, yet APP tied the game at 7 apiece when Dexter Jackson took a pass from Armanti Edwards 68 yards to the endzone. Michgian seemed to handle its offense in stride, with a pass from senior Chad Henne guided to the endzone by Greg Matthews to end the scoring in the first quarter 14-7 UM. Then things fell apart in various places during the second quarter, as Michigan's defense, (ranked highly in 2006, yet with few returning starters in '07) crumbled. Appalachian State QB Armanti Edwards utilized both his arm and legs to throw two TD passes and run in another to make the score 28-14 before the University of Michigan of players could stop the streak nearing halftime to tally a field goal from 22 yards out, score at the half, 28-17, APP favored. The second half favored Michigan's offense alongside shades of their prominent defense, allowing a total of 6 points, two field goals, in a complete 30 minutes of play. Two field goals were tacked on for each, making the score 31-20, still in the hands of the upstart team from North Carolina. Mike Hart, whose day would end in a noble 188 rushing yards along with three rushing TD's, would reach the endzone on a 4 yard try, and with a failed 2-point conversion, made the score 31-26. Hart would then reguvinate the sellout crowd in the Big House, with a 54 yard touchdown run to put the Wolverines up by 1 point, 32-31. A blocked Wolverine field goal attempt would result in the most miraculous of drives for all underdog fans, and the most dreadful and shocking for residents of Ann Arbor. A 69 yard Mountaineer drive on 7 total plays took them to the five yard line of the wavering Wolverine squad, where they would tack on what seemed to be the game winning field goal, 34-32. Still, Michigan still had some tricks up their sleeve, as Chad Henne would throw a long pass to Mario Manningham, hauled in inside the APP 20 yard line, a perfect opportunity to end the game on a winning note. Yet the 37 yard field goal attempt was doomed to fail, and with 6 seconds left on the game clock, was blocked by APP defender Corey Lynch and returned it well over 50 yards. Not for a touchdown, but easily chewed up the remaining time, and sealed the what is most likely the greatest upset in NCAA football history. Never, in the history of the Associated Press NCAAF rankings, has a team from a lesser division defeated a ranked football team from D-IA. Much less a top ten opponent ( Michigan was ranked number 5, but is sure to drop) as did their hopes for a national championship, and maybe even being barred from a BCS Bowl game.

But now what is the effect on both teams? Surely the Mountaineers from Appalachian State, North Carolina, will remember this game, but will anything ever become of it? I don't belive so, considering that they do not have the consistent skills to compete for a solid full Division I ranking, Now toward the shocked city of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Fans, alumni, and school members of the team are devastated. Their program becomes the first in history to succomb to this variety of loss. The Wolverines are almost sure to fail to compete for the BCS National Championship game in Louisiana, and this recollection will certainly affect them for several years after this settles down. Worse yet, this football program which was perceieved to be a contender to challenge teams like USC and LSU for the title has now been faced with the reality of losing out on the National Championship, Rose Bowl, and maybe even the Big 10 Conference Championship. Head coach Lloyd Carr was speechless, and nothing he can conjure can heal this dramatic blow to Wolverines all over the country. After presenting all these stats, angles, and viewpoints, all I can say is, "Did that Just Happen?"

Cy Young Races (Part Two)

Its time you pick up the closer investigation of the tightly packed Cy Young award competition. Now, its time to take an evaluation of western pitching ace Jake Peavy.

Jake Peavy, San Diego Padres: Jake Peavy has enjoyed quite a stay during his 6 years and counting in the MLB, and has made the most of his chances with the same San Diego Padre franchise. In 2007, Peavy has stood out from the competition, but has been overshadowed at times by more expert aces in Tim Wakefield, Josh Beckett, and even teammate Chris Young. Yet Peavy's stats and talents are quiet, but after a closer look, reveal a potential candidate for the best pitcher, and maybe one of the best overall players in major league baseball today, and possibly a future involving his name being a household variety. Peavy's pitch types vary, and he can pull of several varieties of confusing and mind-boggling throws for opposing hitters to swing and miss at. Jake's fastball is his main weapon, reaching tops of 99 or even 100 MPH speeds, and Peavy's versatility allows him to strike at all corners of the strike zone, and unlike many pitchers, not allow batters to find out which section of the plate is opportune, and renders him with an extremely high strikeout count on his resume after every month of play. His curveball and slider may not contain the same rocketry and speed that his fastball is linked to, yet they continue to agitate and frstrate batters at the plate, far after the game is sealed. Now to Peavy's incredible pitching stats, still with a month left in the baseball season until the playoffs I remind you. Peavy, a solid pitcher in every right, may not be viewed as the most winningest pitcher, but fans and critics alike overlook the fact that his number of wins ranks tied for fifth in major league baseball, with 15 wins, and 5 rare losses. That particular stat puts Peavy third in winning percentage, behind Aaron Harang and Brad Penny. (.750 by the way). Jake Peavy is also third in the league in strikeouts, and by this time in the year has recorded 197 strikeouts in 27 games pitched, just 20 away from breaking his season high 216, with a month left in the regular season. And in the ERA column, guess who leads the league? You got it, westerner Jake Peavy tops the category once more, and has tallied an amazing ERA in 2007 of 2.18, just think about how that would help your team out. Anyway, Jake Peavy is one of my favorite players in the big leagues, and definately is one of the elite few today that have a legitimate shot at taking home the Cy Young award in 2007.

Next up on the list, LA Angel, John Lackey

Cy Young Races

As the season rounds into the final month, the race for the much treasured Cy Young award for the best major league pitcher heats up drastically, and with many competitors leading off, and plenty more waiting in the wings. Lets analyze the best pitchers in baseball shall we?

Josh Beckett, Boston Red Sox: Josh Beckett has been in MLB for 7 years now, and the raw talent can be displayed anywhere you look. The winningest pitcher (tied for first) with 16 wins, has been the driving arm behind the thundering Boston Red Sox, and has 16-6 record in 2007. Beckett is known for his electric fastball, known to be 90-99 MPH, and despite his weaker variety of changeups (tops at 86 MPH), Beckett makes up in the category with a deceptive low 90 MPH sinkers. Beckett has displayed good qualities this season, as he has reached a career high and season high 16 wins in 2007. His talent has not only been limited to the Boston area, as Beckett, a member of the 2003 World Series champion Florida Marlins, gained victory and walked away with the World Series Most Valuable Player award. Back to the present, no category seems to be dipping for Josh Beckett; as he is currently in three way tie for most wins, 10th in the league in strikeouts tallying 158, and 15th in the entire league in ERA with and average of 3.29 runs allowed per game. Beckett, with a reinvigorated team, and a strong injury-free throwing arm this year, has made a strong push to bringin the Cy Young trophy back to Boston. Heck, with his talent, maybe even a pennant, or the big fish itself?

Next up, pitcher Jake Peavy of the San Diego Padres.

The Sideline: Readers' Choice

Just a quick survey of interests, if all readers here at the sports fan's heaven could post a comment with their favorite team and sport, it would help in order for me to concentrate my writing on the most important issues to all of you. Thanks again for helping to make the Sports Halo a nesting ground for the best sports news around! (Well you all know what I mean!)

Thanks again!

The Sideline: Feature Replaced

Starting now, the MLB Game of the Day feature will be removed, but baseball news will still be posted occaisionally in the Sports Halo. With NCAA seasons picking up, and the NFL and NHL set to resume, the baseball game of the day will have to take a backseat, unless someone wishes to continue it. Thanks and enjoy another great season!

NCAA Preview: Breakout Teams Part Three

Now for our final preview team to let loose, the predicted Big 12 Champs.

Big 12- Texas Longhorns: Down in Austin, a national title contender is waiting in the wings. Just a year after losing its star quarterback to the NFL Draft, the Longhorns have found a suitable replacement in Colt McCoy. A good frame and durable body, Colt threw for over 2500 yards and 29 touchdowns in his first year as a starter, and who knows, Heisman in the near future? Too add to McCoy's passing ability, WR Limas Sweed who reeled in over 40 passes for 800+ yards and 12 TD's has returned to Texas for his senior year. The Longhorn rushing attack is also revamped, despite losing one of its featured backs in the dual rushing system, Jamaal Charles can really carry the load, with over 800 yards splitting time last season. The defense must step up in order for the burnt orange to sweep the nation once more, losing stars such as Tim Crowder, Aaron Ross, and Michael Griffin, to the NFL Draft. Still, the Longhorn team still witholds some of teh key aspects to a good, solid, football team.

Key Matchups: Kansas State, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Texas A&M

Projected Record- 10-2 (Losses to Oklahoma and Nebraska)

NCAA Preview: Breakout Teams Part Two

Continuing on our pre-NCAA season preview, we have the SEC team to beat, the LSU Tigers

SEC- LSU Tigers: The LSU Tigers are poised to head to a top Bowl Game this year, and with no fluke. Despite losing two receivers and their quarterback as the number one pick in the NFL Draft, the Tigers have formulated a solid team all the way around. Quarterback Matt Flynn is expected to start the season, and has started more than 35 games thus far, making him anything but a first year starter. RB Keiland Williams is known for finding the right holes, and can take the pressure off of Flynn in the pocket. On the defensive end, the Tigers house one of the best defensive linemen in the country, Glenn Dorsey at DT. His talent to worm into the backfield to get the big tackles and sacks is almost unparalleled. Not to mention sack machine DE Tyson Jackson and lockdown corner Chevis Jackson. Their schedule may be tough, but they have the talented defense and a youthful, talented offense. Expect to hear Tiger talk all year long.

Key Matchups: Virginia Tech, South Carolina, Florida, Auburn

Projected Finish: 11-1, (Loss to Auburn)

NCAA Preview: Breakout Teams

In our NCAA preview of the upcoming college football season, we will be examining the team in every conference ready to break loose and gain national attention. Here we go.

ACC- Virginia Tech Hokies: The Hokies have been overcome by greif with the overshadowing tragedy, yet tehy have found strength in their team, and have pulled closer to be able to contend for the BCS Championship. They anchor one of the most regarded and talented defenses in the NCAA; led by CB Victor Harris and LB Xavier Adibi. Their offense has growing talent, with a quiet RB in Branden Ore, with over 1000 yards and 16 touchdowns. They have a maturing quarterback in Sean Glennan who had an average year, and a young talent in Ike Whitaker waiting in the wings. Coach Beamer has led the team to several acheivements, such as an ACC Championship and a national championship. Also, the team has one of the toughest stadiums for visiting teams, Lane Stadium in Blacksburg. (With nearly 70,000 seating)

Key Matchups: At LSU, Boston College, FSU, Miami(FL)

Projected Finish: 10-2 (Losses to LSU and Miami(FL)

Big 10- Michigan Wolverines: The University of Michigan suffered a dissapointing end to last year's season, with losses to rival Ohio State, and USC in the Rose Bowl game. This year they have bounced back, retaining several key players; such as RB Mike Hart, QB Chad Henne, WR Mario Manningham and a revamped defense. At the helm, Chad Henne was excellent, throwing over 20 touchdowns and 2500 passing yards, and can only improve this year. Lloyd Carr has coached the Wolverines to a national championship in 1997, and 5 Big Ten titles during his tenure. The Wolverines also call the Big House home, which seats over 100,000 fans, one of the largest football stadiums in America.

Key Matchups: Notre Dame, Ohio State, at Michigan State, at Wisconsin

Projected Finish: 11-1 (Loss to Wisconsin)

Pac 10- USC Trojans: Yes we all know who they are, and they are definately back. John David Booty leads the team from the QB role, and had a breakout year last season, with a win in the Rose Bowl. Chauncey Washington at the RB spot led a loaded corps, with 700+ yards and 9 TD's. The USC defense is ready to shine, sacking QB Chad Henne several times in the Rose Bowl game against Michigan. Now, with Pete Carrol at the coachin spot who has won a National Championship before, this team can really go all the way.

Key Matchups: At Notre Dame, At California, At Nebraska, UCLA

Projected Finish: 11-1 (Loss to Notre Dame)

More on Part Two: SEC, WAC, Independents, Big East, Big 12

Hope Comes Alive

Hope comes alive. For the Denver Broncos the healing has strengthened, and an unwavering community has bonded for life. On January 1, 2007, Darrent Williams was slain in a senseless shooting in the streets of downtown Denver. The event rocked the football world, and altered lives of the community and players alike forever. Mourning would eventually subside, but just two months after the healing process would begin, fellow Bronco Damien Nash would collapse and never again awake. With continued support from citiznes across the country, hope came alive. Denver Bronco wideout Javon Walker, who was the last to see Williams alive, was shaken deeply by the tragedy. The Bronco community was lost, and now they have been found. With training camp continuing, players have found strength in numbers, and their actions have carried the hearts of thousands across the United States. The bonds of friendship have grown, never to falter, and the memories of Darrent Williams and Damien Nash have been proudly carried on by friends, family, fans, and teammates. Yet time goes on in Dove Valley, Colorado, where the Denver Broncos are preparing to play their first football game since the loss of cornerback Darrent Williams. Yet the Bronco players and coaches are not mourning, nor are they lost in emotions of greif and sadness. And now months after loss, the Denver Broncos are soaring full speed ahead, remembering fondly what was once there, and carrying on the dream for the ones that can't. Now with the season quickly approaching, they remember the smiling and energetic lives their late teammates and friends once proudly led, and they know. They know that whatever happens, memories will never fade, bonds will never falter, friendships never die, and hope comes alive.

MLB Game of the Day: Nationals vs Giants

Yes, the game that everybody knew would come one day. As Barry Bonds stepped up to the plate and hit that historic baseball, he would return to be the king of major league home runs. Number 756 would enable Bonds to stand alone, not amongst baseball's greats, but solely himself. To the spectacular, unforgettable, euphoric event that will uiltimately seat itself alongside baseball's finest moments. The first inning went by with no action, but it would be made up for later on in the ball game. Two Giant RBI's would tally a 2-0 lead after the second inning, and then the momentum would shift to the visiting Nationals team, who with a solo home run and a two run homer, took the lead 3-2. Bengie Molina's double home run would send himself and Bonds around to home plate, seizing the lead 4-3 in the process. Yet another home run would be tallied by the Nats, as Brain Schneider scored, tying the game on his solo shot effort. With all the home runs being scored, there was one player who would not be denied yesterday, as Barry Bonds stepped up to home plate and blasted career HR #756 in front of a his family and a sellout crowd of supporters. Bonds celebrated deservingly, and the home crowd enjoyed the lead once more. Randy Winn's run scoring base hit would give the Giants a 6-4 lead heading into th 8th inning. Would the Giants be able to make history and give the home crowd a 'W' on the schedule? Not if the Nats had anything to say about it. Four precisely planted hits from the Washington Nationals, to the crowd's dismay, would score four runs to give the Nats an 8-6 lead with one inning of play remaining. Despite their best efforts to preserve Bond's night of glory, the Giants would lose the game by the same score, 8-6.

MLB Game of the Day: Cubs vs Reds

In yesterday's game of the day, the soaring Cubs, the hottest team in the MLB lately, took to Cincinnatti, Ohio, to do battle with the Reds and their all-star slugger Ken Griffey Jr. The pitching matchup was interesting, with Carlos Zambrano opposing Matt Belisle. A double shot in the first inning scored two runs for the visiting Cubbies, and then Mark DeRosa's sac fly scored another run in the first, giving the Cubs a 2-0 on the road. It only got worse for the home team, as Derek Lee's home run in the 7th gave them not one, but two more runs to tack onto the lead. With a 4-0 lead heading to the eighth, the Reds were unable to mount anything in return, they were shut down my the intense pitching of Zambrano on the mound, and doomed them to a loss. To add insult to injury, the Cubs' Angel Pagan singled to center field, and two more runs scored in the ninth inning. 6-0 the final score. The hero of the game was Carlos Zambrano, who gained a win by not just his arm, but with the swing of the bat, as he wen 3 for 4 at the plate and helped to put runners closer to home plate. He also pitched the entire shutout game, and gained his 14th win. His season record is 14-7, and his helping the Cubs' magical roll toward the playoffs.

July 30: This Day in the History of Sports

And We're Back!

This Day in Sports History

2001- Lance Armstrong became the first cyclist in its history to win a third consecutive Tour de France title, as he blazed through the competition, and returned the trophy to America.

July 24: This Day in the History of Sports

This Day in Sports History

1984- Future Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw retired from the NFL and pro football. Bradshaw has led the Steelers to four Super Bowl victories in 1974, 1975, 1978, and 1979. Bradshaw's pro football accomplishment include four Super Bowl rings, two Super Bowl MVP awards, the number one overall draft pick in the 1970 NFL draft, the NFL's MVP, a Bert Bell award for player of the year, three Pro Bowl appearances, and a berth in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

MLB Game of the Day: Mets vs Dodgers

In a game pitting East coast talent against West coast talent, The NY Mets were up for the challenge as they made the trip west to duel with the division leading LA Dodgers. The home team gave the visitors a hearty welcome, striking twice with base hits in the first and fourth innings to grasp the lead 2-0 heading into the midway point in the ball game. In the 6th inning, the baserunning talents of Jose Reyes and the hitting power of David Wright combined on two hits to tie the game 2-2. The effort would be countered, as Nomar Garciaparra tallied a two run homer for the Dodgers to give them a 4-2 lead over the Mets entering the 7th inning, a critical juncture in the game. Yet from then on, it was all Mets, as Carlos Beltran's sac fly scored one, and an error committed by infielder Matt Kemp allowed another run to score, tying the game and deadlocking it, forcing a series of extra inning play. Yet in the 10th inning, an unsuspected New York hero emerged, as Chip Ambres hit his first since 2005 while playing with the Kansas City Royals. Ambres' single scored a run, giving the Mets the win 5-4, and three wins out of the four game west coast series.

July 23: This Day in the History of Sports

This Day in Sports History

2000- American cyclist Lance Armstrong claimed victory during his second Tour de France competition, and his second victory all-tme in the event.

MLB Game of the Day: Tigers vs Royals

Another interesting game took place in Motown yesterday, as the Tigers looked to bounce back from a 10-2 drubbing from the day before, and the Royals looked to add back to back wins against the home team, but it would be a struggle all game long. A Royals single scored a run in the 1st inning, but it would be answered by the Tigers by a home run and double by Craig Monroe to give the Tigers the lead 2-1. Troy Pena would score to tie the game at 2 apiece, but it wouldn't last long, as Craig Monroe would blast a three-run homer out of the park to make the score 5-2 in the favor of the Tigers. A single by Ivan Rodriguez followed by a Gary Sheffield double in the fifth would ensure another two runs would be tallied, making the score at that point 7-3. Yet from the 6th inning to the 9th inning, the Royals dominated as they went on a 5-1 scoring run to tie the game 8-8 in the ninth inning. Extra innings would prove to be necessary, but Detroit Tiger Brandon Inge would emerge as the hero, as a two-run HR would make the game 10-8 final, giving the Tigers the win in dramatic fashion.

July 22: This Day in the History of Sports

This Day in Sports History

2005- NHL governers voted unanimously to agree on collective-based salary talks generated by the player's association. The agreement brought an end to the 310 day hockey lockout of the National Hockey League that had blocked out the entire 2004-2005 season.

MLB Game of the Day: Devil Rays vs. Angels

Yesterday in Tampa Bay, Florida, the bats were flying and the hits kept rolling all night long. The Devil Rays duked it out with the LA Angels yesterday, trying to add a win to their horrendous first half resume, and the Angels kept an eye out for what looked to be an easy blowout victory. It seemed like the Angels had taken control, as in no time they put a run up on the board in the first inning. Yet everything would fall apart from there, as runs would be relentlessly driven in by the home team. In the fourth inning, a single brought in a run tying the game at 1 apiece, and in the fifth inning a sacrifice groundout was well placed enough to score another run, and the score was 2-1 Rays. In the fifth, Carl Crawford stole third base, and an errand throw by Angel Joe Molina allowed Crawford to journey home for a 3-1 lead. Devil Ray slugger Ty Wigginton added another run with his solo shot to make the game 4-1 Devil Rays. As if that wasn't enough for the home crowd, Carlos Pena would smack a three run double with the bases loaded and send the ball deep enough into center field to bring home three runs, making the score a 7-1 Devil Ray advantage. In the ninth, the Angels could only score one run, and the Devil Rays got their much deserved win, by a final score of 7-2.

July 19: This Day in the History of Sports

This Day in the History of Sports

1909- Cleveland Indian Neal Ball recorded major league baseball's first unassisted triple play from the shortstop position in a duel against the Boston Red Sox ball club. One of rarest plays in baseball to date, the unnassisted triple play has only been recorded 13 times, recently this season, by a member of the Colorado Rockies.

MLB Game of the Day: Indians vs. White Sox

The game was set to be an interesting one, but seemingly one-sided, as the sliding White Sox did battle against the Cleveland Indians, whose incredible first half of the season puts them in prime position to lay claim to a pennant. Yet the dominant Indians were rendered seemingly helpless after getting on the board twice in the first inning, as the ChiSox took a swipe at the lead, scoring four runs to make the score 4-2 in the fifth and sixth innings. Trot Nixon put together an answer for Cleveland, with a base hit that scored a run. Yet in the ninth inning with the score 4-3 and the bases loaded, a wild pitch hit the batter, walking a run to home plate to give the White Sox a 5-3 lead with only half an inning of play to go. The fate of the game for the Indians would lie in the hands of pinch hitter Ryan Garko, who drove the game into extra innings with his double home run, tying the game 5-5. Two more innings of play remained until Ryan Garko would step up to the plate once again, and Garko would seal the game with a base hit single, that allowed Jason Michaels to score, giving the Cleveland Indians yet another win 6-5. The Cleveland Indians this season have won 15 games at the final swing of the bat, figuring into the incredulous 28 wins that they have claimed in comeback fashion.

July 18: This Day in the History of Sports

This Day in Sports History

1927- After hitter Ty Cobb was traded from the Detroit Tigers to the Philadelphia Athletics, Cobb recorded his 4000th all-time hit. Cobb would only play another year in Philadelphia as a player before retiring, but he would hit 4191 total balls in his career before stepping out of major league baseball as a player. Cobb would not leave the game entirely, as he would go on to become a manager in major league baseball.

The Sideline: Fan Years to Remember

At the Sports Halo, I'm introducing a new interactive feature for all the fans and readers here. The Fan Years to Remember. Every fan here is encouraged to submit a story about their favorite team and one particular year that they will never forget. Stories should be sent to my email address, and they will be published here, and credit will be given when asked for. This new feature shows all the other readers what years stand out to them, and how the passion of sport continues to live on.

Thanks for helping out! No story will be rejected, and all will be published if asked for.

MLB Game of the Day: Giants vs. Cubs

Yet another consecutive game where the Chicago Cubs earn the game of the day appearance. Shocking. To the highlights. Barry Bonds would sit, making the game a battle of just two teams, no records, no media, just both riding for the win. The game remained scoreless until the third inning of play, where Koyie Hill's solo shot gave the Cubs a 1-0 lead over the visiting Giants. Yet two innings later in the fifth, Pedro Feliz would answer with a home run of his own to tie the game at 1 heading into the 6th inning of play. Guillermo Rodriguez's single cobined with an infielder's error would put the Giants over the top 2-1 in the eighth inning, or so they thought. Yet another comeback was in store from the roaring Cubbies. Aramiz Ramirez's double to deep right field electified the crowd, as two runners would score and the entire stadium would rise to their feet in excitement. The hometown Cubs would go on to take a 3-2 lead on the play, and it would hold to give the Cubs the win, and their fourth since the all-star break.

July 17: This Day in the History of Sports

This Day in the History of Sports

1994- The Brazilian soccer team paved their way to the World Cup of soccer final match to defeat the Italian national team to win their record setting all-time fourth World Cup championship, as they defeated Italy 3-2 in penalty kicks.

The Sideline: Visitor Locations

As its has been almost a month since the Sports Halo was created, its time to list the locations of all the viewers that have made this site so much fun to operate.



United States



New Jersey
New York
California
Alabama
Georgia
Iowa
Indiana
Illinois
North Carolina
Washington D.C.
Washington
Colorado
Texas
Virginia
Massachusetts
Pennsylvania
Arizona
Florida
Ohio
Minnesota
Missouri

Canada



Quebec
Ontario
Alberta
British Columbia
Newfoundland
Manitoba
New Brunswick
Nova Scotia



World Wide



Region Metropolitana, Chile
Madrid, Spain
Wales, England
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Lima, Peru
Zurich, Switzerland
Porto, Portugal
Oslo, Norway
Baden- wruttemberg, Germany
Geneva, Switzerland
Nordrhein-westfalen, Germany
Manila, Phillipines
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Delhi, India
Roskilde, Denmark
Tijuana, Mexico
Shah Alam, Malaysia
Schleswig-holstein, Germany
Singapore, Singapore
Turkey, Turkey
Helsinki, Finland
Paris, France
Pichincha, Ecuador
Veneto, Italy
New South Wales, Australia
Karnataka, India
Oolun Landi, Finland

This Post will be updated when new vistors are seen

MLB Game of the Day: Astros vs. Cubs

Yesterday's battle in the windy city was a tale of a comeback, and a home win in dramatic fashion, as the Houston Astros geared up to challenge the Cubs in Chicago. The Astros got hot fast, lighting up the scoreboard 5 times in the first two innings, including two hits from Lance Berkman that drove in runs. Yet the Cubby comeback would begin in the bottom of the second inning, as home runs from Derek Lee and Angel Pagan drove in 6 runs to give the Cubs a 6-5 lead going to the third inning. Mike Lamb of the Astros would then homer to tie the game at 6, yet in the next inning, Ryan Theriot would hit the game winning home run, making the game 7-6. Pitching and outfielding worked their magic for both teams, as no more runs would score, and the streaking Cubs continued their excellent win ratio.

July 16: This Day in the History of Sports

This Day in Sports History

1970- The Pittsburgh Pirate ball club played their inaugural game at their new home stadium, Three Rivers Stadium.

David Beckham Watch: Beckham Arrives

David Beckham arrived in Las Angeles to a stylish welcome to the MLS, as he proudly held up his Galaxy jersey sporting the number 23. Confetti seemed to rain from the skies Friday, as cannons fired up colored paper into the air at the LA Galaxy soccer stadium. Beckham met with the press as his wife, Victoria Beckham, posed for picture taking. Bechkham will make close to a yearly salary of five million dollars, not including commercial benefits. Beckham made the deal for playing time with the Galaxy while playing for Real Madrid, and his youthful talents powered the team to the Spanish league championship. Beckham will play his first game with the Las Angeles Galaxy on July 21, as he takes on Chelsea, a member of the French Premier League, who Beckham has much career experience against.

The Sideline: David Beckham Watch and Site Subscriptions

To all the readers and visitors of The Sports Halo, we are introducing two new features to the site. One focuses on one of the most influential athletes of our time, of course the face of soccer, David Beckham, who makes his debut in only one week. The Halo's David Beckham Watch will focus on Beckham's news and updates on his performance in the MLS. The Watch will cover his performance on the soccer pitch as well as his celebrity status and off field buzz in the United States.

The second update involves the subscription links on the left hand column of the Sports Halo. Subscribing is a free process, and it makes reading your favorite and most popular articles easier. Also, if you may choose, email alerts will be sent whenever an article is written, along with titles and labels of the post. Subscribe now and help out The Sports Halo!

MLB Game of the Day: Giants vs. Dodgers

Yesterday, fans eagerly crammed into AT@T Park to watch the S.F. Giants try to get their season back on track against the mighty Dodgers of Las Angeles, who were aiming for their 10th consecutive win. The game would be a thriller for all who viewed it, and it was worth the wait for its conclusion. The first inning up the the fourth would remain scoreless, but in the fifth, two Dodger singles along with two home runs would lead to a 6-0 lead, that would be cut down to a 6-2 Dodger lead. LA Dodger Jeff Kent, who had singled in the fifth to build the lead, singled once more to score another, making the lead 5 runs, 7-2. Yet in the eighth inning of play, Randy Winn's monumental grand slam shot gave the Giants the oppurtunity to tie the game at 7 and force extra innings of play. Giant Pedro Feliz would single into center field in the bottom of the ninth to push Bonds to home plate, and tie the game 7-7. Unable to score once more, extra innings were required. Play continued in San Francisco by the bay until the 12th inning, where Rafael Furcal's deep sac fly scored a run, giving the LA Dodgers a win, their 10th in a row, 8-7.

July 15: This Day in the History of Sports

This Day in Sports History

1973- Hall of fame pitcher Nolan Ryan, then with the California Angels, became the first pitcher in almost two decades of American baseball to record two no-hitter wins in a single season.

MLB Game of the Day: Indians vs. Royals

It was a pairing of a club that was aiming for the pennant, and another that simply aims to do better than the previous year. The Cleveland Indians attempted to continue their fantastic season, as they battled the floundering and struggling Kansas City Royals who were trying to gain a W on the schedule to open up their three game road series. A sacrifice single brought in a run for the Royals to officially open up the scoring and give the visting team a 1-0 lead that would be answered in the bottom of the second, immedietely evening up the score. Two more base hits in the top of the third inning would give the lead to the Royals 3-1, but in the bottom of the inning, the Indians would create a more manageable 3-2 Royals lead. After tying the game at three, Victor Martinez singled to center field to bring in a run and give the Indians a 4-3 lead. Yet in the top of the ninth, Tony Pena's sac fly brought a runner home, and tied the already spectacular game at 4 heading to the Indians batting attempts in the bottom of the ninth. Yet in the bottom of the ninth inning, fans were sent into borderline euphoria, as a single to center field scored a run, giving the Indians yet another victory, 5-4.

July 14: This Day in the History of Sports

This Day in Sports History

1968- Current home run record holder Hank Aaron with 755 career home runs, with the Atlanta Braves, hit his 500th career home run on his own chase for the former home run record held by Yankee great Babe Ruth, who had tallied 714 in his illustrious career.

MLB Game of the Day: Tigers vs. Mariners

Although there weren't many interesting games yesterday because of the return from the all-star break, the on ethat stood out to me was a duel out in the northwest, with the Seattle Mariners taking on the Tigers from Detroit. The Tigers would score first, and then again in the third inning to make the score 2-0 in favor of the Tigers. But then in the bottom of the fifth inning, a sloppy outfielding play with overthrown balls resulted in an ejection and also three Mariners runs. Good outfielding from then on for both teams would seal the deal and the Mariners would take home a win and snap the Tigers win streak with a score of 3-2.

July 13: This Day in the History of Sports

This Day in Sports History

1930- The first World Cup of soccer competition tournament was held in the city of Montevideo, Uruguay, with thirteen national teams in contention. The champion was the host nation of Uruguay, first to win the World Cup of soccer, as they defeated Argentina in the final match by a score of 4-2.

July 12: This Day in the History of Sports

This Day in Sports History

1984- Former all-time great Philadelpia Phillies pitcher Steve Carlton notched his 100th strikeout of the 1984 season for the 18th consecutive year.

The Sideline: Post Alerts

Because we have a lack of comments at the Sports Halo, only the Baseball game of the Day and the Day in History features will be up and running until further notice. If readers could send in their own sports stories to my email address, they will be posted here.

Help Wanted: If possible, fans that wish to participate in story and feature ideas are needed. Here are the categories that would be apprecieated.

Baseball News Watcher
NCAA Specialist
International Sports Specialsit
Any fan that can provide anything about their favorite teams!

Thanks for helping out!

MLB All Star Game: AL vs NL

The midsummer classic had arrived, and the National League team was ready to take on the American League team. The game was a great one, and one exceptional hit will be remembered by all who witnessed it. In the first inning, Ken Griffey Jr. was able to bat in a run while Jose Reyes scored to put the NL up 1-0. The score would remain the same until the 5th inning, where Ichiro Suziki would hit the game's most memorable play. Suzuki would hit the ball into deep right field against the wall, and with his speed, he ran the bases and beat the throw to home and scored a two run in the park home run. The incredible play left the crowd stunned and made the score 2-1 AL. In the next inning, Carl Crawford homered to give the Al a lead of 3-1 over the struggling NL squad, yet in the same inning, Griffey would pop up far enough for Carlos Beltran to score and make the game 3-2. Yet in the 8th inning, the AL team began to make an effort to close out the game, as Victor Martinez would score a two run homer to give the Al a 5-2 lead heading to the bottom of the eighth. A comeback would begin in the ninth as the NL scored two runs, but it would fail, as the American League team held on to win the all star match up 5-4.

Special Mention: Ichrio Suzuki was honored as the game's MVP, as his inside the park home run clinched the award in convincing fashion.

July 11: This Day in the History of Sports

This Day in Sports History

1914- Babe Ruth, Hall of Famer and holder of the home run record for decades made his pro major league debut for the Red Sox in Boston, eventually starting one of the most honored careers, yet would be traded and his greatness would follow to New York.

MLB: 2007 Home Run Derby Recap

Amid the festivities that all-star games carry, none may be as anticipated as the baseball home run derby. The seats were packed at AT@T Park in San Francisco, and McCovey Cove was packed with kayaks full of fans eager to catch a baseball that homered over the side. The stage was set for the home run derby. Here was a list of the competitors.

Justin Morneu- Minnesota Twins
Matt Holliday - Colorado Rockies
Magglio Ordonez- Detroit Tigers
Vladimir Guerrero- Las Angeles Angels
Alex Rios- Toronto Blue Jays
Prince Fielder- Milwaukee Brewers
Albert Pujols- St. Louis Cardinals
Ryan Howard- Philadelphia Phillies

The first round was filled with suprises, as the highest number of runs batted out of the park was only 5. Another surprise was the performance of defending champion Ryan Howard. Howard batted well, but only decked three, and was left out of the second round. The players that advanced to the second round were Albert Pujols, Matt Holliday, Vladimir Guerrero and Alex Rios. Rios lit up the second sound, with the most in the entire competition, but he would be challenged by one of the other players. After Guerreo came back and knocked out Matt Holliday from the competition by one run, Albert would come up short by a run and the finals would be Guerrero and Rios. Here were the stats after the second round.

Matt Holliday- 13
Alex Rios- 17
Vladimir Guerrero- 14
Albert Pujols- 13

In the final round, Rios came up short, with only two home runs, and Guerrero polished off the trophy, hitting a run into deep center field to secure the victory.

July 10: This Day in the History of Sports

This Day in Sports History

1993- An athletic representative of Kenya, Yobes Ondieki, became the first male sprinter to run 10,000 meters in a time span of under just 27 minutes. This set a landmark world record for the sport that atheletes still try to attain today.

The Sideline: MLB Game of the Day Feature Postponed

As there are no more games scheduled in baseball until after the completion of the all-star break, this feature of the site will no longer be active for the moment. If you have any suggestions for other features you would like to see here at The Sports Halo, please feel free to email them to me at:

BroncoinJersey@gmail.com

Thanks for helping to improve this site!

July 9: This Day in the History of Sports

This Day in Sports History

2000- All time great male tennis player Pete Sampras recorded another win representing the United States at the men's singles tennis tournament at Wimbledon at England. The win was his fourth win at Wimbledon in a row, and giving him a total of seven at that location. The win also established a new record, as it gave him his 13th Grand Slam title victory.

MLB Game of the Day: Tigers vs. Red Sox

In an epic match up between two of the best teams in baseball today, a thriller was in the making was to take place in Michigan, with the Detroit Tigers facing off with the leading Boston Red Sox. David Ortiz would open up the scoring for the Red Sox with a double home run to make the score 2-0. Although the game wouldn't see much offensive action during many of the later innings, it would be revived when Tiger Craig Monroe would double to the outfield to double up and tie the game at two in the 5th. With a great pitcher duel going, there would be no further scoring, and the top notch game would enter extra innings. With the game lengthening, it would take until the 13th inning for a hero to emerge, and that hero was Detroit Tiger Ivan Rodriguez. In the bottom of the 13th inning, Rodriguez decked a ball out of the park with a walk off home run, winning the game and sending the sellout crowd into pandemonium while dealing a a loss to the red hot Red Sox.

July 8: This Day in the History of Sports

This Day in Sports History

2003- All time great goalie Dominik Hasek announced his return from retirement and stated publicly that he would play once again in the NHL for the Detroit Red Wings as their starting goaltender.

July 7: This day in the History of Sports

This Day in Sports History

1990- Female tennis player and now legend Martina Navratilova from Czechoslovakia, won her ninth Wimbeldon women's title in convincing fashion, setting a record for women's tennis.

MLB Game of the Day: Twins vs. White Sox

This game was one of the most thrilling and high scoring games I have ever witnessed, and its going to be hard to describe every scoring detail, but I'll do my best. The matchup took place in the heart of Illinois, where the struggling Chicago White Sox were desperate to get their season anywhere close to on track, as they took on the Minnesota Twins ball club. Following a shutout to the Twins the day before, the White Sox took the field just trying to prevent a sweep. Yet neither team knew that the game would be the highest scoring game in nearly a decade. Lets roll the highlights. Minnesota drove home four runs in the 1st inning, and were determined to close out the game early. Yet the White Sox scored three more runs combined with a Twins run to make the score 5-3 heading into the third inning. A run brought in apiece made the score 6-4 entering the fourth inning. The next inning could have been the Sox's worst nightmare, as several base hits scored 6 runs for the Twins, making the score an overwhelming 12-4. The game could have been viewed as over by now, but the Sox would fight back. In the 5th inning, two more runs for the Twins was answered by three from the White Sox, making the score a more managebale 14-7. The next innning was not devoid of any action, as the Sox would bring home another runner to cut the lead to six runs. Minnesota revived the action in the 7th, as they scored four more runs, yet the Sox battled as they scored two of their own, making the score a mind blowing 18-10 at the Seventh Inning Stretch. In the eigth, two more runs for the Twins was only countered by a sole Sox run, making the score 20-11, and denying a phesible chance for a comeback. Although three White Sox players would reach home plate in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Twins had already secured the win, but had made the game a thriller, with a final score of 20-14 Twins. The game was the highest scoring match up since 1999, and in yesterday's game, a grand total of 34 runs were tallied as one of the most spectacular games of the season drew to a close.

July 6: This Day in the History of Sports

Sorry for not having any of yesterday's features up on the blog, but I'll keep on track as long as I have readers and comments. Lets get things going again!

This Day in Sports History

1933- In the city of Chicago, Illinois, the greatest baseball players in the country gathered for the first official major league baseball all-star match up. The teams were made up of players from the National league and American league respectively. In the first all-star game, the American League team defeated the National League team by a score of 4-2. This all-star game tradition still continues today in baseball, and the annual game for 2007 will be held in the upcoming week in San Francisco.

July 4: This Day in the History of Sports

Happy Independence Day!

This Day in the History of Sports

1980- Deep in the 'Heart of Texas' Hall of Fame pitcher, Nolan Ryan, recorded his landmark strikeout total with the Houston Astros, with 3,000 career strikeouts.

July 3: This Day in the History of Sports

This Day in Sports History

1962- Jackie Robinson, an all-time great slugger at the plate, continued to destroy the national color barrier, as he became the first African- American to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame located in Cooperstown, New York.

MLB Game of the Day: Yankees vs. Twins

A match up that promised a possible turnaround for the New York Yankees team, the game against the Twins yesterday could spell do or die for any Yankees fan. It would be a pitcher duel, with longtime player Roger Clemens starting for the New Yorkers, and young Boof Bonser, whose lightning throwing speeds had guided the Twins to several victories. Now for the highlights from Yankee Stadium. Johnny Damon scored early in the first to open up the scoring with a 1-0 lead. In the next inning, a hit brought Cuddyer around to home to tie the game at 1. Several scoreless innings would follow both teams, until the 6th. When the Yankees were at bat, they blew the game open, with a walk with bases loaded to bring a runner home, and a single to the outfield that would bring two runners home later in the inning. Their scoring drive would give the Yankees a 5-1 lead which they would hold thanks to the strong pitching from Roger Clemens and good closing efforts. For more about Clemens, he clinched his 350th career pro baseball win, bumping him up to 8th in the all-time wins list, and making him the first to achieve the milestone victory since Hall of Fame pitcher Warren Spahn. In other Yankee news, Alex Rodriguez suffered a hamstring injury while tripping over Justin Morneau, and left the game.

The Sideline: Get Active in Commenting!

I've been tracking the site views of my blog and I'm happy to say there are plenty of sports viewers and hopefully sports fans, but the minimal comments on this site still remain. Although the views are gradually increasing, I can't say the same for the comments on the articles that I post here. If you can, take some time to write just some comments on the most interesting articles contained in this blog, as hard work has gone into writing these articles. Also, feedback on the first post about this site would be valuable as I could use it to improce this blog and my writing.

Thanks for your time and help, lets make this site even better!

July 2: This Day in the History of Sports

This Day in Sports History

1995- Las Angeles Dodger Hideo Nomo became the first Japenese player to play in a major league all-star game, as he started as a pitcher for the National League team

NHL Free Agency Moves

New splashes have been made by superstar skaters in the National Hockey League, as its the season for change: the free agency period that is. Many of the league's best have switched teams by deciding not to renew contracts and to sign with a different franchise. Before the free agency period officially started, the experts tried to determine where the chips would fall, but some moves were just too surprising for words. Some of the players on the move were Scott Gomez, Ryan Smyth, Chris Drury, Brian Rafalski, and Daniel Briere. Here is a list of the big-name transactions.

Chris Drury: Sabres to Rangers
Ryan Smyth- Islanders to Avalanche
Petr Sykora- Oilers to Penguins
Daniel Briere- Sabres to Flyers
Jason Smith- Oilers to Flyers
Brian Rafalski- Devils to Red Wings
Scott Gomez- Devils to Rangers
Jason Blake- Islanders to Maple Leafs

More updates on NHL free agency to come.

June 29: This Day in the History of Sports

This Day in Sports History

1941- Slugger Joe DiMaggio records a base hit in his 42nd game in a row, breaking the long standing 19 year record set by all timer George Sisler in 1922.

MLB Game of the Day: Athletics vs. Indians

This match up featured the floundering Oakland Athletics trying to snap their recent losing history against the soaring Indians from Cleveland. Oakland ended their seemingly ongoing hitting woes with a run in the 1st and two runs in the 2nd, creating a 3-0 lead that would last until the 5th inning. The Indians would then score a run in the bottom of the 5th inning to cut the A's lead down to two runs. The comeback would be aided by the A's inability to score in the later innings. The Indians' comeback would culminate with a three-run homer in the 7th inning, and give them a 4-3 lead that would last the rest of the game. The Oakland A's scoring woes continued, as they would go seven scoreless innings and drop a three run lead and eventually the game.

The 'Big Hurt' gets 500 home Runs

In the Twin City, Toronto Blue Jay Frank Thomas hit his 500th home run, making him the 21st hitter to join the exclusive club. The hit came in Thomas' premier hitting city, Minnesota, where he has the most ballpark blasts. Thomas had hit his 499th home run back in Toronto against the the Colorado Rockies, but has a drought of hits, going 0-9 at bats at one time. Thomas now joins the elite company of Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, and Sammy Sosa, as he now quests for even more success.

College World Series: Beavers win over Tar Heels, claim title again

After a long, hard, tough, regular season of play, the Oregon State Beavers showed champion status once again, winning consecutive college baseball championships. Oregon State showed great resiliance, carving a path through their CWS bracket last week to head into the finals undefeated to await their challenger. Although their opposition, the North Carolina Tar Heels were experienced and talented enough, the Beavers wiped them away 11-4 to put the Tar Heels on the brink of elimination. Then, it was time for Oregon State to prove their champion status, and they did so, bringing in runs and hits to win over the Heels 9-3. The Beavers now are the most recent team in College World Series history to win back to back titles.

P.S. Sorry to a good friend who strongly roots for UNC, they'll be back next year!

Blue Jays vs. Rockies

This was a special match up to me because it was a game that I was actually in attendance for. My family and I basically just stumbled upon the Rogers Centre a few blocks from our hotel, and bought tickets for the game, just 25 dollars each. We didn't even know that the Rockies were playing. Despite it being a shutout and one-sided game early, history was almost made at a classic game. Lets roll the literary highlights!

Doughnuts remained on the scoreboard until the bottom of the third, until Blue Jay lead off hitter Vernon Wells decked a triple home run deep into left field to make it 3-0. In the 4th inning, DH Frank Thomas hit a home run for his 499 in his career. In the 5th inning, another runner came home, expanding the Jays lead to 5-0, where it would remain until the end of the game. Yet the real story was unknown pitcher Dustin McGowan, rebounding from a horrendous start against the Los Angeles Dodgers the week before. McGowan seemed like a seasoned pitcher on the mound, not allowing any hits, base runners, and only permitted one hitter to take a walk in the entire game. McGowan delivered 73 strikes in his fantastic outing, and much to the delight of those in attendance, delivered seven strikeouts, and won pizza for the entire crowd. McGowan shut out the Rockies, and his bid for a no hitter was only ruined in the top of the ninth inning, his first career full game and shutout, also completing the Jays' sweep of the Colorado Rockies.

June 28: This Day in the History of Sports

Sorry I missed a week, but lets get back on track!

This Day is Sports History

1971- After a fierce debate in the Supreme Court, the justices rule that superstar boxer Muhammad Ali was not guilty of his draft avoidance charge given to him at the state level, and was legalized to compete again.

Hockey Hall of Fame

While on my trip in downtown Toronto, I took some time to visit the Hockey Hall of Fame. I got to see many of the fantastic things and read about the history of hockey in North America. First, there was a movie that explained the historical significance of Lord Stanley's Cup throughout the 1900's, and how it was battled for by Edmonton and Carolina in the 2006 Finals. Then, one of my favorite parts, were the display cases containing the hockey gear that the hall of famers and all-time greats wore. There were the goalie pads and masks, some belonging to Grant Fuhr, Patrick Roy, and Ken Dryden. There were also the displays belonging to the stellar forwards, including 'Super' Mario Lemieux, Bobby Hull, Bobby Orr and Mark Messier. There was also a series of display cases that displayed jerseys of superstar current players and recently retired, such as forward Ryan Smyth, Sidney Crosby, and former Devil captain Scott Stevens. There was also a large wing dedicated to college hockey; containing jerseys, helmets, pads, and sticks from programs such as Michigan, Boston College, and Michigan State. Another wing included world hockey and its in-depth lore. The impressive exhibits presented memorabilia from Sweden, Russia, U.S.A., Mexico, Canada, and Switzerland. Also was a plaque remembering American hero and hockey coach Herb Brooks, who tragically passed away several years ago and was inducted into the Hall of Fame after his death. Last but not least, there was an interactive shootout station, where you try to score on a virtual goalie, and truly I scored 5/5. What an experience that was!

The Sideline: Taking a much needed vacation

For the next ten days, I'll be off on vacation in Toronto to visit my family. I'll also be vistiting the NHL Hall of Fame in downton Toronto, along with Wayne Gretzky's Club. So from tomorrow until July 2, I might not be able to keep up with some of the daily features of the Sports Halo, but don't stop reading! Please feel free to comment on the already existing articles here and I'll be back with lots more! See you all later!

June 21: This Day in The History of Sports

Time for another new daily function on the Sports Halo: This Day in Sports History. In this feature, I'll post the most well-known sports event (or events) in sports history for every day I can, so lets get started with today, June 21.

This Day in Sports History

1939- Baseball great Lou Gehrig quits baseball due to his unknown illness at the time, never to return to the sport again.

1997- The WNBA plays its first ever game with the New York Liberty beating the Los Angeles Sparks by 10 points, 67-57, and opening up a league for professional women's athletics

MLB Game of the Day: Royals v. Cardinals

In the most recent game of the day, it was a gritty series deciding match up between the Kansas City Royals and the reigning champion St. Louis Cardinals. Nobody could have expected the roller coaster battle that would be staged yesterday in the heart of Missouri that would take hours to decide. Now onto the story. The Royals would open the game up with a strong first inning, putting 3 runs over the home team to close out the inning 3-1 after a Cardinal score in the bottom of the first. The action would pick up once again in the 5th inning, with Kansas increasing their lead to 4-1, only to see the Cardinals tie the game at 4 heading into the sixth inning. In the sixth inning, the Royals broke the tie with two runs, one of which was repaid by the Cardinals in the 7th to make the game 6-5. In the bottom of the ninth with the score the same, St.Louis hero Albert Pujols doubled into the outfield to bring a runner home and tie the game at 6. The fierce battle would continue into extra innings, and neither team could oust the other. Through 4 1/2 innings of overtime, no runs were batted in, until the Cardinals' Ryan Ludwick would nail a solo home run in the bottom of the 14th inning to close out one of the most breathtaking extra inning games of the season so far.

Sosa joins elite with 600 home runs

Sammy Sosa made baseball history in an ironic way Wednesday, as he hit a home run to give him his 600th in his career and now puts him in the same league as Willie Mays, Babe Ruth, Barry Bonds and Hank Aaron, the 600 HR club. The ironic part was that it came against his former team, the Chicago Cubs, to hand them another loss in the process. Sosa was filled with emotion after the hit, intertwined with his major league past and present. "It was something that cannot be explained," Sosa said. "Getting my 600th against the Chicago Cubs, and my first team was the Texas Rangers. It's like everything clicked. My emotions, I don't know what they are."

NFL: Top Teams in the NFC

1. New Orleans Saints- After what they did last season, it may be a hard act to follow, but they have one of the most talented squads in the NFL, and clearly the NFC. Rallying behind quarterback Drew Brees, who was surprisingly one of the best in the league last year and Reggie Bush, the superstar who can put on the speed to avoid defenders and catch out of the backfield, this team is ready to roll. Marques Colston is back from and injury that kept him sidelined for most of the season, and Deuce McCallister's overshadowed nature will allow him to quietly have another great season.

2. Seattle Seahawks- After their injury-plagued season last year, losing Matt Hasslebeck along with Shaun Alexander, this team is ready to make another roll to the playoffs. With seasoned head coach Mike Holmgren at the helm of the franchise, and superstar Deion Branch poised to have a better year, the Seahawks are on of the NFC's elite heading into next season.

3. Philadelphia Eagles- The Eagles are ready to turn around their season while hoping to keep their starting quarterback Donovan McNabb healthy. They've cultivated their past draft picks to get them ready for this year, including Hank Baskett and Kevin Kolb, should they need to fill in for a starter. The team made a great choice in picking up Takeo Spikes, a veteran linebacker that will anchor the defense along with Sean Considine, Brian Dawkins and Lito Sheppard. And nobody can forget the ever- growing talents of running back Brian Westbrook.

4. San Francisco 49ers- This team is growing with each game they play, and their youthful talents continue to shine, particularly in the games they won last year. Quarterback Alex Smith grew in confidence within the pocket and helped to get their offense rolling. Hidden gem Frank Gore powered the other half of their offense to be one of the best running backs in the NFL. They made a controversial decision in picking up Bills cornerback Nate Clements this off season. Although he carried a hefty price tag, he was worth the talent and also will help to back the defense this year.

5. Dallas Cowboys- This team came up short last year, but look for a bounce back after their heart breaker in Seattle. Led by the most publicized Tony Romo, who will look to improve his pocket presence this off season, and the arrival of the new head coach Wade Phillips, the team is looking to move in a different direction from the Bill Parcells era. Terrel Owens should be straightened out under the disciplinary action of Phillips, and the team as a whole should benefit from the change in coaching staff and roster changes. Look for some major talent to spring up in "Big D" this year!

NFL: Top AFC Teams

1. New England Patriots- As a whole team, they deserve all the praise that they deserve. Looking at Brady's stats with a withering receiving corps last year, and reasoning what they will be with the newly added wide outs this year, the results could be scary. They made some fantastic pickups during the course of the off season, including Adalius Thomas from the Ravens, Dante Stallworth from the Eagles, and Randy Moss from the Raiders. By drastically improving their offense and defense, they are worthy of the top team in the AFC position this off season.

2. Denver Broncos- Although other teams could fit here, the Broncos have one of the most balanced rosters in the NFL year in and year out and will continue the trend this year. Their cornerback tandem is possibly the scariest in the NFL, riding the one of the best corners in history, Champ Bailey and terrifying Dre Bly who was acquired this off season. They've got key players back from injury, such as Sam Brandon, Nick Ferguson, and Rod Smith. They recently picked up Travis Henry, a 1000 yard back in some of the worst offensive lines in the NFL, just imagine his skill level in Denver. With all these weapons around him, quarterback Jay Cutler who will be in his first full year as a starter, can take advantage of the talent around him to shred opposing teams defenses.

3. San Diego Chargers- This team looks to rebound from their offseason losses of a head coach, offensive and defensive coordinators and their tight end coach. They now have an experienced coaching leader in Norv Turner, who has been with Super Bowl teams before. The returning talent of L.T. combined with the emerging skill of Phillip Rivers will be able to give opposing teams a scare before walking out onto the playing field.

4. Indianapolis Colts- Although they are defending champions, they had some losses over the off season, Dominic Rhodes, Nick Harper, and Cato June all left the team. Yet they still have their powerhouse and leadership qualities in Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison, and Reggie Wayne. The challenge will be seeing how they adjust to the rising teams in their conference and division, such as the Titans, Texans, and Jaguars.

5. New York Jets- This is a highly questionable call here, yet their talent could lead them to near the top of the conference. They bolstered their defense by drafting Darrelle Revis at cornerback, and with the rapidly improving Chad Pennigton at the helm of quarterback, this team may be able to pose a serious threat in the AFC and make this prediction come true.

MLB Game of the Day: Rockies vs. Yankees

The match up could have been easily decided on paper, but nobody expected that the Colorado Rockies would be the one to win and rain on the Yankees' winning parade. Although New York jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning, the Rockies would even the score in the bottom of the third inning. The Rockies would go on to score twice in the 5th and 6th innings, making the score 3-1. The score remained the same until the top of the ninth, where it threatened to give the Yanks the lead with runners in scoring position. Yet a strong outfield caught the base runners off guard, sealing the victory for the Colorado Rockies. Most of the credit for only one run allowed should go to Rockies pitcher Josh Fogg, who limited the famous slugging squad to only four total hits in over seven complete innings, giving the Colorado batters the chance to knock in runs to seal the deal.

NHL: Retirement in the Cards for Niedermayer?

In the National Hockey League, winning the Stanley Cup is the ultimate goal. Some players can brag they have claimed it at least once, and some of the most elite have had the chance to skate with it twice. Yet one player in the NHL has lifted Lord Stanley's Cup not once, not twice, but four times in his illustrious career. This would be all-star defense man and current captain of the Anaheim Ducks, Scott Niedermayer. Niedermayer played with the New Jersey Devil dynasty, winning the Stanley Cup three times; in 1995, 2000, and 2003. After being traded away, he played with the Ducks and his younger brother Rob Niedermayer, and found success with the system, and this year won the Stanley Cup for the fourth time in his career. Yet after achieving the most sought after goal in sports, is there any reason for the champ to stick around? I mean look at his resume: Four Stanley Cup rings with two different teams, A Norris trophy for best defense man, and a Conn Smythe for playoff MVP with the Ducks. And although he may retire at a young age, 33, Niedermayer has been in the NHL for a good deal of time, and his opinion was received well by his former defensive line mate Scott Stevens, who retired as the New Jersey Devils' captain after 22 seasons in the NHL. Stevens shared his wisdom with his former teammate and friend as Niedermayer came to a critical juncture in his career, "You look at what he's done, he's won everything you can pretty much win," said Stevens. "And sometimes that's a factor in retiring, when you've done it all."

Remembering Terry Hoeppner

The Indiana University community took a large hit Tuesday, as their head football coach Terry Hoeppner passed away at the age of 59 in Bloomington. Terry's cause of death related to a brain tumor that had plagued him for more than a year, shutting down his vital systems and keeping him out of public life. Hoeppner had taken multiple leaves of absence to deal with his tumorous growth, and the most recent being in February of 2007. He had only coached at Indiana for two seasons, but developed special relationships with many of the players on the team's roster. He had also served as a head coach for Miami (Ohio), and as their head coach for eight years, led them to a winning record of 57-39 and also to back-to-back bowl appearances. Often known for dedication, passion and his enigmatic nature, Terry Hoeppner will not be forgotten by the Indiana community and also of those he has touched in so many ways.

Terry Hoeppner- 59 years of Hoosier passion and dedication

MLB Game of the Day: Tigers vs. Nationals

To the viewers eye, this game may have seemed like a potential blowout with the Tigers' skill and talent. Even to fans in the stadium, it way have been a walkaway game halfway. But that was not what it became. Although the Nationals held Detroit to a 3-1 lead through four innings, they would allow six runs in the fifth inning, making the score a demoralizing 9-1. Many fans could have expected to leave by then, it wasn't a bad idea at the time, but they would miss a classic comeback. Being shortstop Christian Guzman who hit two runs in the game, the Nationals would climb back with a 4-run inning in the sixth and a 3 run inning in the ninth. Although they had taken the match back to a great game, they couldn't finish the comeback, and dropped one to the Tigers 9-8 despite shutting them out for four straight innings and scoring seven unanswered runs.

NFL: Concussion Issue brought to National Attention

A big time issue has finally weaseled its way into the eyes of the NFL, as addressing concussions in football players related to diseases later on in life. Organized by highly active comissioner Roger Goodell, the concussion awareness program is a component of a series of off-field triggered activities, due to examinations of deceased football players that sustained concussions during their careers. One investigation has been carried on in research facilities across the country for nearly 15 years, and studies show that multiple serious concussions could tie into the development of dementia and Alzheimer's disease in elderly stages of life. Because of these project developments, Goodell hopes to improve the condition of concussion handling for NFL team trainers and members of medical staffs to create a safer game for players all across the nation.

New case increases Bengals arrests to 10

In the middle of the night from Huntington, West Virginia, the Cincinatti Bengals' off-field woes just got worse. How you may ask, can a team with this many problems get worse? Well just ask Quincy Wilson. The Bengals tailback was charged with loitering and failure to disperse from a wedding party at a public estblishment after requests from the owners and local police officials. The former West Viginia Mountaineer was arrested, spent the night in jail and will head to the district court for trial next week. It may seem terribly strange that a team can have this amout of trouble on their hands, but when you are a GM and have got ten arrest cases to deal with, I don't think you would be a very happy camper.

Former NY Giant Arrington injured in bike crash

Former Giants linebacker LaVar Arrington was checked into a hospital in Maryland due to serious injuries that he sustained when his motorcycle swerved and collided with a guardrail on a Maryland highway. State police officials investigated and divulged that a helmet was being used and he was not under the influence of alcoholic substances. Arrington sustained unnamed injuries, but it is reported that broken bones were suffered regarding the high speed collision. Arrington's injuries are not in any way fatal, but he will need medical care for some time. Arrington played for the New York Giants under head coach Tom Coughlin, but was released following their playoff elimination as the organization opened up free agency. He is currently an unsigned, unrestricted NFL free agent.

NHL: Flyers acquire Hartnell and Timonen from Nasville

The Philadelphia Flyers just acquired some firepower to put up a fight in the Eastern Conference next season, as they exchanged a first round draft choice for the rights to forward Scott Hartnell along with those to defenseman Kimmo Timonen. Both players will boost the Flyers team after they lost all star forward Peter Forsberg to the Nashville Predators around the 2007 trade deadline. Oddly enough, the No. 23 overall pick was the same pick that Nasville had sent to close out the deal for Peter Forsberg in the first place. Well, you know what they say, what goes around comes around!