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!

Griffey to Stay in Ohio

Although Ken Griffey Jr.'s talent levels are far superior to the rest of the Cincinnati Reds team that can't come close to a bid in the World Series, Griffey is setting an example for other talented players stuck on a downhill team in professional baseball. That would be to stop pestering the organization for a trade and to stop publicizing their intentions to the media. Griffey announced that he will finish his playing time in Cincinatti and then get a new contract with another team, even though he could be picked up immedietely by another ball club. Although it could be viewed as a stange fit for a possible all-star candidate, its his choice and he made the right one.

MLB: Another chewed up Baltimore manager

After massive fan resentment, in the form of paper bags over heads at games, the struggling Orioles finally decided to listen: by letting go of manager Sam Perlozzo. Perlozzo was responsable for importing a high-cost bullpen, one that chewed up the organization's money but could not produce on gameday. The move was forseen by the Orioles' slump at last place and their eight game losing drive that culminated in Perlozzo losing his job. The Orioles haven't had much success, and their failures may not be credited to their manager's faulty work either. Their current record is now 29-40, worst in their division and fith worse in the MLB. To make things worse, the Sam Perlozzo's bullpen recruiting cost an irreplaceable 42 million dollars of Orioles money, adding insult to the team's seasonal inuries. Perlozzo's successor will be bullpen manager Dave Trembley, and will start his duties when the team heads off to face the San Diego Padres early next week.

NBA: The Rise of a Dynasty?

As sports fans should know by now, the San Antonio Spurs blanked the Cleveland Cavaliers to win their fourth NBA title in a sweep to gain their fourth franchise title win in recent memory. Yet, the more interesting story to be discussed is not about their win, but of the team they are becoming and what the future holds for them. The question is: will the Spurs keep up this winning tradition, and could they move up to join the NBA's all time great teams? The answer is yes. The most recent dynasty was the Los Angeles Lakers, but with the loss of key players, they have nearly evaporated. But the Spurs have seemingly kept their all star players. Tim Duncan continues their superb run as he will most likely return for next season. Tony Parker, the young point guard from France has electrified the game, and with his youth, will most likely stay in San Antonio for a good deal longer. Nobody can forget the three point shooting skills of Bruce Bowen and Manu Ginobli, both of which have been a part of the Spurs and neither looks to make a name elsewhere. The point is, the Spurs have the talent, and the winning potential. And fans should think twice before denying this team its dynamic state of play.

Compromise between former Blue Devils and Duke Univesity

From the campus in North Carolina, the campus spokesperson has divulged that the Duke school board and administration has come to an agreement with the three members of the Duke Blue Devils lacrosse program. All three, Colin Finnerty, Reade Sedigmann, and Dave Evans all recieved compensation for the costs that were billed to them after several months of costly litigation. The school announced that it would be effective to move on and forget about the case now that its outcome has been decided.

Jets QB Pennington on the Rise

Although the NFL quarterback has been a professional quarterback for eight full seasons, he has only been fully active for one, heading into his second after this offseason. This specifc player would be the Jets' Chad Pennington, whose skills and abilities have been limited throughout his NFL career. Yet under the new offensive system of head coach Eric Mangini, and Chad's ability to keep himself healthy, coaching staff within the Jets organization have noticed drastic improvements this offseason in Pennington's throwing performance during team workouts. Pennington has been singled out by several teammates as a man on the mend, such as top target Lavernaues Coles. As with physical increased performance, Pennington has gained confidence for the playing field as well. "Last year, I was trying to make sure I could get on the field, call the plays and make as many throws as possible," he said. "This year, I have all of the confidence in the world to make all of the throws and all of the different types of ball placement that we need to make, and I can work on those. Pennington is looking to take the New York Jets farther than last season, as they made the playoffs as a wild card, but were eliminated by the New England Patriots on Wild Card Weekend.

College World Series: Day 3

Surprises awaited some of the powerhouse teams in the CWS yesterday with Rice, Louisville, North Carolina, and Mississippi State all in action. First up, Cardinals Bulldogs. Mississippi State has been no stranger to the College World Series, yet they looked completely unprofessional yesterday. They were already struggling, losing Friday night to the North Carolina Tar Heels after giving up a six-run inning, with a final score of 8-5. Yesterday, the Louisville Cardinals steamrolled the Bulldogs, jumping out to an 8-0 lead and then eventually polishing them off with a final 12-4 win. The win makes history, as it sends the Bulldogs home without a College World Series win for the first time in nearly 36 years of their school history.

Elsewhere, national top seeds Rice and North Carolina fought to move on in Omaha, yet the outcome was decidedly one sided. After their bullpen had its greatest collapse of the season, the Tar Heels would go on to give up 14 runs in a 14-4 loss to the Rice Owls, who are on a momentous hot streak that could possibly carry them into the finals. With the win, Rice moves closer to a finals berth, and the loss will send North Carolina into the pits as they face elimination in the loser's bracket.

More from the 2007 College World Series to follow!

Parkour: The King of Extreme Sports

Not popular in the United States, the extreme sport of parkour has taken Europe by storm. This practice takes extreme concentration, focus, and skill to complete a task that which seems simple, is not at all what it seems. The primary goal of parkour is basically to get from Point A to Point B, wherever that may be. It sounds simple, but when demonstrated, is mind-blowing. (Prohibited in certain areas due to its risky nature, parkour SHOULD NOT BE TRIED AT HOME!) Check out David Belle for example, a parkour extraordinare. Check out this video and be amazed!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imDLv5_0POw

(Credit given to a good, informative friend for this post)

Bonds publicity grows daily

As Barry Bonds gets closer to one of the most, if the most coveted stat in baseball, television stations and channels have discussed the possiblity of having greater viewing when Bonds gets closer to and breaks Hank Aaron's home run record. Whether it be the heated debate over steroid use, batting skill or just the curiosity of non-baseball watchers, Bonds' fame, or infamous nature depending on the viewer, is growing by the day.

Notre Dame QB undergoes medical work on throwing arm

A valid source revealed that newly recruited Notre Dame Irish quarterback Jimmy Clauson underwent a minor medical action for problems he experienced in his throwing elbow. Clauson's father stated to the press that his son had played through his final year of high school with a non-football injury in his arm and after the season found out it was bothering him in his performance. After the process for bone spurs found in Clauson's elbow was, the team representative stated that Jimmy Clauson would be healthy enough to practice with the rest of the team for their group practices in August in South Bend.

Saban's Policies Critized as Member leaves Team

Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban has drawn strong complaints, not from the media, but from a player. Backup Tide quarterback Jimmy Barnes filed for a transfer due to what he claimed was unprofessional handling of the players on the Alabama sqaud. Although Saban was supposedly shocked at the comments made by one of his own players, Barnes held firm on his standpoint. To be honest with you, it's the way [Saban] is treating kids," John Barnes told The Birmingham News . "What Jimmy told Saban was he was not going to give up his dignity and be treated like that." Barnes reviewed his choice to transfer with others on the roster, and made it evident that he was firm on heading to a D-1AA program because of Saban's actions.

"Sid the Kid" Lays Claim to Hart Trophy

Teenage hockey phenomenon Sidney Crosby has been making waves in the NHL, and his actions culminated in his nomination as the 2007 National Hockey League's Most Valuable Player, as he was awarded the Hart Memorial Trophy at this year's award ceremony in Toronto, Canada. Crosby, aged 19 years, becomes the youngest player in history to recieve this award since Wayne Gretzky. Crosby's notable mentions were his 120 points, for which he also recieved the Art Ross trophy. Crosby won the award in a landslide over Canucks' goalie Roberto Luongo, and continues his ascent to stardom in the modern National Hockey League.

Edwards clinches victory in Michigan

In Michigan, rising star racer Carl Edwards claimed victory at Michigan International Speedway and snapped his 52-race Nextel Cup losing streak. "It was very difficult to stay composed, especially when Martin was closing in," Edwards said. "To me, second place would have felt the same as chopping off my arm. I wanted to win. That's it." Even the fans of other racers left the track with a sight they'll never forget: Edwards' signature backflip off the top of his car, and actually sticking it like a professional gymnast.

Barry Bonds Reaching for Immortaility in Loss

San Francisco Giant slugger Barry Bonds is continuing his run for baseball immortality as he hit another home run in Fenway Park today, in a loss to the Red Sox 9-5. The run gives Bonds his 748th home run, putting him just eight runs away from Hank Aaron's all-time record. An nteresting stat about the hit was that it came from a pitch from Tim Wakefield, who played with Bonds during his career as a Pittsburgh Pirate. Wakefield becomes the impressive 441st pitcher that Barry Bonds has been credited for knocking a run out of the park from.

MLB Game of the Day: Brewers vs. Twins

As the storming Brew Crew headed off to Minnesota to take on the Twins, they had no idea it would be this much of a thriller. The Twins took a commanding 5-0 lead through three innings before the Brewers would strike back. The Brewers would threaten to climb back in the came with key hits that turned into RBI's and through eight innings, the Brewers had cut the Twins' lead to only 2, with the score 9-7. The Brewers would convert and score two runs that would tie the game at 9 going into the bottom of the ninth. Unfortunately, their efforts would be spoilt, as the Twins' Justin Morneau would hit a walk-off home run that would win the game for the Twins 10-9.

The Sideline: Comment on your team!

I would like to make this post to learn about the teams all the viewers to this blog are in to, so I'll start.

Football- Denver Broncos, my number one team!

Hockey- New Jersey Devils, Edmonton Oilers, Dallas Stars

Baseball- Houston Astros, Detroit Tigers, Toronto Blue Jays

Basketball- Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns

NCAA- Michigan Wolverines, North Carolina Tar Heels

Examining the NFL

As new additions have been made through free agency and the NFL Draft, its time to cast my votes for the best teams in the NFL in the upcoming season.

Best Offense- New England Patriots: With seasoned quarterback behind Tom Brady and the additions of Dante Stallworth and the more publicized Randy Moss, the recieving corps will be something to cheer about in the Northeast. Along with running back Lawrence Maroney and an upgraded offensive line, the Pats will have the force to go deep into the postseason this year.

Runners Up- Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks

Best Defense- Baltimore Ravens: The annual favorite returns behind the experience of Ray Lewis and Pro Bowl nightmare Ed Reed. This team tops the charts because of their all around talent in the pass rush, run blitzing and sack totals. Again they will take this category in my mind.

Runners Up- Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles, Denver Broncos

Sleeper Quarterback- Jay Cutler: Although he has a strong arm and talent around him, Jay has been strongly underrated outside of the mile high city. He has taken a backseat to others in his draft year, namely Vince Young and Matt Leinart who have had better college careers, but look for Cutler to step up as the quarterback Broncos fans have looked for him to be. Look, I'm not saying he'll be the next Bradshaw or Montana, but he will have a tremendous year this season.

Runners Up- Chad Pennington, Rex Grossman, Alex Smith

Sleeper Defense- Jacksonville Jaguars: This team has not been getting the credit they deserve for being a good solid defense. They held their ground against teams like the powerhouse Colts offense who they play twice a year, and have given their team a chance to win. This team should spring up this season and should get more credit than they do now.

Runners Up- Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers

Most Overrated Player- Randy Moss: The guy obviously has talent, and I won't deny he deserves a certain degree of praise, but I mean really. The guy hasn't done so hot in recent years, and hasn't donned a Patriots jersey on gameday yet. Point is for all you supporters out there, don't be so hasty to patronize Moss for work he hasn't done.

Runners Up- Vince Young, Terrel Owens, Donovan McNabb

NHL Seasonal Awards

As the 2007 Stanley Cup Playoffs have come to a close, its time to hand out awards to to best players of the season. Now, for who walked away from the ceremony empty handed and those who were awarded the hardware.


2006-07 NHL awards winners
Award
Player, team

Hart
Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh

Vezina
Martin Brodeur, New Jersey

Norris
Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit

Jack Adams
Alain Vigneault, Vancouver

Calder
Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh

Selke
Rod Brind'Amour, Carolina

Lady Byng
Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit

Pearson
Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh

Masterton
Phil Kessel, Boston

King Clancy
Saku Koivu, Montreal

The Sports Halo

Welcome to the Sports Halo. I love to post about sports and I guess this is the place to do it. Posts about any and all sports are most definately guaranteed. Whether it be football, hockey, basketball, baseball, lacrosse or any game in between, I'd love to talk about it! Welcome to the Sports Halo everyone, and I hope you enjoy it!