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PUBLISHINGCEO & PUBLISHER

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERSBen Delanoy

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Jonathan DowningLuke Golden

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features & departments

departments

11 Community

12 Review/Book

31 Rides Gaming

33 Bloodlines

38 Review/Protein Shake Best/Worst

features

9 Cricket Revisited

10 How Has Sports Helped You?

18 How the Open Was Lost

21 The Designated Hitter

26 World Cup 2010: A Case For the Defense?

28 The Perfect Storm

15

TEAR OUT

36

21

South Carolina players mob teammate Scott Wingo, center, after he scored the winning run against UCLA on a single by Whit Merrifield in the 11th inning of game two of the best-of-three NCAA College World Series baseball finals, in Omaha, Neb., Tuesday, June 29th, 2010. South Carolina won the championship.

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College World Series

Serena Williams of the United States celebrates a point win over Russia’s Vera Zvonareva during their women’s singles final at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, Saturday, July 3rd, 2010.

Spain’s Rafael Nadal runs to make a backhand return to Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic during the men’s single’s final at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, Sunday, July 4th, 2010. Nadal defeated Berdych in straight sets.

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Wimbledon

o, you read my last article about the T20 match here in the US and got caught up in the cricket fever that’s sweeping the nation. You and your friends went out and bought cricket bats and, after hours of running around a nearby field playing Shawn of the Dead, you finally admitted you didn’t

know the first thing about cricket and went home after apologizing to the terrified children left in your wake. It’s alright to admit we don’t know what we’re doing when it comes to cricket. I mean, it looks like baseball. Those thingies behind the batter look like something out of croquet. As for the guys milling around the field, well, honestly they look like bored bystanders who wanted to watch some base, croquet, ball, thing. You know, considering the US beat the undefeated Canadian team (and they’re almost English, right), we should take a moment to get acquainted with baseball’s polite cousin. Let us begin. We’re used to looking at the world of fields as either a diamond or a grid marked out in yards. In cricket, you have the “pitch”; a swath of field about 66 feet long. I’m sure it’s measured in metric now, but I seem to have left my meter stick back in sixth grade when they swore to me the English system would soon be dead. The pitch is, well, a line. At either end are those sticks; remember the croquet thingies? That’s the “wicket” and the little stick on top is called the “bail”. These are no ordinary sticks as

the batter’s life seems to depend on them. That brings me to the batters. There are two of them at opposite ends of the pitch; one “striking” and the other not. There is also a pitcher, or “bowler”. The bowler’s job is to knock down the bail of the batter. Hits in cricket have as much to do with defending the wicket as they do with hitting the ball. Behind the wicket is the catcher, or “keeper”. Behind the bowler is the umpire. The game is played with eleven a side and traditionally, all team members get a turn at bat. Scoring is slightly more difficult than we are used to; having to do with both running and position. When the batter hits the ball, he and the opposite batter run, crossing mid pitch, toward each other’s wicket. They can cross as many times as they think they can get away with it, but must be back in their own “crease” before someone knocks over their wicket. Batters can also score by hitting the ball out of the play area. Crossing the line in the air scores six runs, on the ground, four. Batters are “out” when either the ball is caught, or their wicket is toppled, either by the bowler, or their own bat. So, now you have it. The mystifying world of cricket has been entrusted to you. Now go forth and make bowlers and batsmen and milling about fielders of all you chance upon. As perhaps the only former colony not to have embraced cricket, perhaps it is time. Besides, couldn’t you just see Hanley Ramirez with one of those things in his hands? Just a thought.

Australia’s Michael Hussey, right, plays a shot as England wicketkeeper Craig Kieswater, left, looks on during the third one day international at the Old Trafford cricket ground, Manchester, England, Sunday June 27th, 2010.

CriCketrevisited

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PREMIER PLAYERS 9

By C. Douglas McIntire

good sports

magine getting shot in the throat. No, really, the fear nay the terror of facing down a 9mm pointed roughly at your dome, hearing the discharge, and feeling the round tear through your flesh; turning every millisecond into a lifetime. What would go

through your mind; despair, acceptance of your fate? Now imagine waking up to the reality that although you survived, the bullet had severed your spinal cord, leaving you paralyzed from the chest down. In his book, “Why Sports Matter: Life Lessons of a Diehard Chicago Fan” Bill Renje, a lifelong athlete, experiences the unthinkable. After being shot down, Renje experiences the darkest moments of his life; surviving the attack that left him paralyzed. Refocusing his energies, he decided to begin training for quad wheelchair rugby. Enrolling in the University of Illinois where he eventually received his BA in Sociology and Master’s in Journalism, Renje began to retrain his body to match the athlete his mind always knew him to be.

From his rookie year of ’91-’92, Renje learned, not only a new sport, but how to master negotiating a new chair in a new environment. In ’92, he played with Illinois, developing his skills on the court as well as finding himself in the social and academic arena. Working with the Illinois team, Renje helped develop new strategies to play off other team’s strengths; racking up wins and urging his team forward. As the next couple of seasons passed, Renje saw his team grow on and off the court. In ’95, he was named to the All-Tournament team; one of thirty-six in his career. In his next season, it was announced that wheelchair rugby would be a Paralympic sport in the summer games in Atlanta. Through long trials, he found himself in the Olympic Village in Atlanta, representing the United States. Renje’s expectations for the Paralympics prepared him little for what he was about to experience. The crowds, the spectacle, and the grandeur; all of which he thought was rolled up and carted away when the Olympic Games had ended, remained to cheer the team on to gold. Assured his brief moment of fame would quickly flicker, Renje again proved his detractors wrong by earning two more gold medals and continuing on to have a successful career in wheelchair rugby. His faith, spirit, and perseverance have inspired countless athletes and proved once and for all that the athlete is not in the limbs, but in the heart. Renje and his wife Amy went on to other adventures as they sought to expand their family through international adoption. Guided by faith and an uncanny chain of events, Bill and Amy set their sights on Guatemala. After falling in love with baby Nico, the two began to traverse the minefield of red tape, politics, and unforeseen delays. Their long “birth pains” were finally rewarded when baby Nico came home to be greeted by all the Renje’s “team mates”. Amy has also given birth to twins.

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how has sports helped you?

Bill Renje after winning one of his Olympic Gold Medals.

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A Letter From Tonycommunity

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We made it through the first part of 2010 with a stronger resolve than ever. Even in our uncertain economy, we manage to continue providing for many needy communities and our efforts are gaining momentum. The credit goes to our dedicated staff and our amazing donors. But there is plenty of work to be done and we are up to the challenge. “I cannot stress enough the importance of skateparks in high-risk areas—they offer kids a safe place to go and something to do that gives them a sense of self-esteem they may never find anywhere else.” In 2009, we hosted two Stand Up For Skateparks Events (our sixth-annual in Beverly Hills and our first in Las Vegas), raising over $1.5-million. I think our experience showed—we’ve learned a great deal over the years, in terms of hosting successful events. And we are confident that we can do better this year. Last year we awarded $455,000 to 38 communities, and began 2010 with another $150,000 to 19 more. The best part of these statistics is that 77% of projects funded since THF’s inception are open. In total we’ve awarded 463 grants worth over 3.2-million dollars to help build public skateparks in low-income areas. I cannot stress enough the importance of skateparks in high-risk areas—they offer kids a safe place to go and something to do that gives them a sense of self-esteem they may never find anywhere else. This is especially true when those very kids were the ones petitioning the city

with the hope of getting their own place to skate. Once communities get their first park, they almost always build more because they see the enduring positive effects they have on kids. Not to mention that the parks get used from dawn to dusk. Our annual Stand Up For Skateparks benefit keeps growing. We look forward to two great events this year after setting a new standard in 2009. The sixth-annual Stand Up For Skateparks was held, once again, at Ron Burkle’s Green Acres estate in Beverly Hills, California, where a slew of celebrities and guests enjoyed plenty of activities and some great entertainment. The vert demo featured a virtual A-list of talent: Andy Macdonald, Pierre-Luc Gagnon, Kevin Staab, Lincoln Ueda, Simon Tabron, and Coco Zurita (plus yours truly). I even managed to pull my first 900 in years. Youths from the Watts district of Los Angeles were in attendance, and we managed to help raise $43,500 for a public skatepark project near the iconic Watts Towers. This project was brought to our attention via the dedicated skatepark advocates in Watts, not the least of whom is Los Angeles City Council Member Janice Hahn. We were honored to kickstart the funding for this landmark skatepark. In the months since Stand Up For Skateparks, we’ve managed to raise a total of $80,000 to get things rolling. Stand Up For Skateparks also traveled to Las Vegas, Nevada. Held at the Wynn Las Vegas, my ramp was placed on top of one of their swimming pools. The scene

was a surreal mix of action sports, celebrities, and amazing views. It was attended by the likes of Andre Agassi, Erik Estrada, BMX legend Mat Hoffman, Elaine Wynn, T.J. Lavin, Holly Madison, Sal Masekela, Aubrey O’Day, UFC fighters Chuck Liddell, Frank Mir, and Gray Maynard, UFC President Dana White, and others. And the Vert Demo featured Andy Macdonald, Bucky Lasek, Lyn-Z Adams Hawkins, and Kevin Staab, plus BMX pros Jamie Bestwick, Simon Tabron, and Dennis McCoy. The crowd was also treated to a special performance by Rancid. Our Pledge Drive raised $80,000 to improve Freedom Skatepark in East Las Vegas, a neighborhood challenged by high crime and poverty.

In such times of crisis that the national fabric becomes torn and many feel displaced and disconnected. Yet, there remain some individuals who take it upon themselves to offer hope; helping to present a new paradigm for a collective morale boost, by uniting families with neighborhoods. Within that effort, a unique “movement” is evolving by way of a New Jersey father, most proud of his two children, and dedicated to reaching out to all children, that they too may continue to pass on the once dear concept of “giving back”, as they become adults and raise children of their own. Bob Salomon is a name you will be hearing about. He is using the concept of children participating in sports as the vehicle to communicate his all encompassing goal of giving back. His first effort evolved through the game of baseball. More specifically, the illustrated children’s book, A Glove of Their Own, published in November 2008. The story is about a group of youngsters playing a pick-up game of baseball on a local neighborhood lot. Unfortunately, not all had bats and gloves to properly play. A retired gentleman comes across them playing, only to return another day with a duffle bag filled with used gloves, bats and balls from games gone by, used by his own children. He then donates them all to the group of children. It sets a good example for the children and serves to inspire them to keep

on playing the game they love. As a direct result of brainstorming with friends, the eventual co-authors of A Glove of Their Own, Debbie Moldovan, Keri Conkling and Lisa Funari-Willever, Salomon presented a written story, and later beautifully illustrated by Lauren Lambiase and published by Franklin Mason Press. The end result of this collaborative effort was not just a nice children’s story, but an extended benefit arose. It would serve as an example for children to be forthright, unselfish, giving and grateful. Equally important to Salomon, is that children are reminded to have fun while

he recession of 2008, long documented as the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, has impacted not only Wall Street and the American pocketbook, but the American psyche. As such, there has been a symptomatic

withdrawal not only by the American consumer, but by the American family and thus, by extension, the American neighborhood. This has left many communities unengaged and in a state of bewilderment, with others steeped within the depths of despair.

review/book

“The future ain’t what it used to be.” – Yogi BerraBy Diane M. Grassi

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playing the game of baseball, and all sports, and to point out that just being a kid is okay, too. It was only through A Glove of Their Own that Salomon realized his deep-felt obligation to become a facilitator of charitable efforts, not only by continuing to publish children’s sports stories, but by reaching out to a variety of organizations and media entities as well. The intent is to pique the interest of professional athletes, professional sports franchises, sports-affiliated businesses, community invested corporations, and non-profit agencies, among others. Salomon hopes to meld various partnerships to approach communities. These communities would then become their own facilitators with the intended goal of encouraging children’s participation in extra-curricular organized sports, funded by a combination of various entities and manifesting fundraisers nationwide. Charity is but a gift and giving back should ultimately come from the heart. And Salomon truly believes that children will see through those athletes who are merely going through the motions, thereby not setting a good example for them. He wants to work with those who are dedicated in their intent to reach out to the children in the community, and simply because it is the right thing to do, rather than to garner accolades for themselves. Salomon has duly impressed many already in the private sector such as Rich Lampmann, Director of Promotions and Public Relations of Modell’s Sporting Goods. “The memories of the pick-up games in the yard or at the field, stick with us for a lifetime. Bob and his team have taken this a step further and are not only promoting the game…but also using the games as a means of spreading sportsmanship and teamwork for the greater good.” Rick Redman, Vice President of Corporate Communications for the Louisville Slugger Museum and

Factory notes, “It’s a wonderful story that everyone can learn from; kids and adults. Plus, it’s tied to many great causes and provides the chance to donate funds to your favorite baseball charity. How could we say no to Bob Salomon? He has a drive and passion that’s unmatched.” There also are many retired athletes who have leant their support to A Glove of Their Own such as former MLB players Craig Biggio, Bernie Williams, Sean Casey, Jason Grilli, Tommy John, Roy White, Phil Niekro, Bud Harrelson, current Los Angeles Dodgers manager, Joe Torre, former Yankee great Yogi Berra and the Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center, and many others. Bob Salomon hopes to collaborate with active MLB players such as Joe Mauer, starting catcher for the

Minnesota Twins, and Nick Swisher, the right fielder for the New York Yankees. Both players are dedicated philanthropists in their own right, making giving back through charity a priority in their lives off the field. Salomon also wants to ensure that individuals can play a participatory role in whatever way they choose, in order to give back. It does not necessarily have to be on a grand scale or with relationship to an agency or corporate interest. Any small acts of kindness and involvement in neighborhoods and

communities is the intent of Salomon’s purpose; a purpose that started with a book. As such, books may be purchased through either agloveoftheirown.com or through franklinmasonpress.com. Franklin Mason Press donates $.10 from the sale of each book to the following organizations: Good Sports, Sports Gift, and Pitch In For Baseball. In addition, $3.00 per sold book will be given to any school or non-profit organization that joins Salomon’s effort.

“The future ain’t what it used to be.” – Yogi Berra

PREMIER PLAYERS 13

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Tyler Cathey, Center, of the Tampa Krewe, runs over members of Doylestown to help his rugby team to a 29-17 overtime win for the USA Men’s Club National Championship title last month. This is the first national rugby title for a Florida team. Tyler, an attorney with Holland & Knight, was named Man of the Match. (St. Petersburg Times Photo)

Out of My Way!

PREMIER PLAYERS 15

Sweet SixteenLos angeles Lakers guard derek fisher, center, holds the Larry O'Brien trophy as Kobe Bryant, right, holds the mVp trophy as they celebrate after beating the Boston Celtics, 83-79, in Game 7 of the nBa basketball finals thursday, June 17th, 2010, in Los angeles. at second left is Lakers' sasha Vujacic. the franchise has won 16 nBa Championships. 16 PREMIER PLAYERS

icture this, you are the 54 hole leader by 3 strokes at one of the four most prestigious events in golf. At 25 years old people view you as one of the more physically gifted young players in the

game, a rising star who is a threat to break into the established golfing hierarchy sooner rather than later. You are playing at Pebble Beach, on one of the most spectacularly beautiful courses in the entire world. It is a place where the rugged Pacific shoreline with its cliffs and crags threaten to take your breath away at every turn. The gusty sea breeze and challenging final day pin placement are going to make your work difficult but you are confident of winning. You have, after all, claimed victory here twice before. You are on top of your sporting world, there is no way this can go wrong. Now fast forward twenty minutes of your life. You are stood on the fourth tee in a state of total shock. The first three holes of the day on a course you had comfortably tamed in earlier rounds have ruined your tournament. You are Dustin Johnson, and your dream has become your worst nightmare.

For Johnson, Sunday was a meltdown of epic proportions. For all watching it was right up there with Greg Norman at the 1996 Masters and Jean Van de Velde at the 1999 British Open. The only difference was that Johnsons collapse came early in the day, oh and he did not have the pleasure of wading into the Barry Burn like his French counterpart.

How the OpenWas Lost

dustin Johnson watches his shot from the fairway on the ninth hole during the first round of the at&t national golf tournament at the aronimink Golf Club, thursday, July 1st, 2010, in newtown square, pennsylvania.

dustin Johnson tees off on the second hole during the first round of the at&t national golf tournament at the aronimink Golf Club, thursday, July 1st, 2010, in newtown square, pa.

PBy Steve Wright

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After preaching patience on Saturday night Johnson seemed to be following his mantra with a par on the opening hole. His troubles however soon began with a misplaced approach shot on the second leading to an awkward lie in heavy fescue near the right front bunker. The righty Johnson had to switch his stance to find an angle, and his left handed wedge barely made it out of the trap. In real trouble now, his fourth shot from thick rough popped up and travelled merely a few feet. Finally to compound his misery Johnson missed a 3 foot gimme for double bogey, and ended up with a 7. On the third Johnson pulled his tee shot into the vicinity of the 16th green wildly enough that the ball was lost. After a second tee shot on the hole and another missed putt, this time a ten footer, he had to be content with a double bogey and a tie for third at one over par. Confidence shot, his tournament was over. In Johnson’s defense he was far from the only golfer to lose the Open this weekend. At times on Sunday some of the games leading lights, players like Tiger, Mickelson and Ernie Els were in position to grab the tournament for themselves, and all faded meekly into the California air. Golf balls were flying into the Pacific so frequently on Sunday that you worried for sailors and marine life in equal measures. All this allowed steady Northern Irishman Graeme McDowell to par his way to one of golfs biggest prizes.

Graeme mcdowell of northern Ireland, right, shakes hands with dustin Johnson after the third round of the u.s. Open golf tournament saturday, June 19th, 2010, at the pebble Beach Golf Links in pebble Beach, Calif.

Graeme mcdowell of northern Ireland holds up the u.s. Open trophy after winning the golf tournament sunday, June 20th, 2010, at the pebble Beach Golf Links in pebble Beach, Calif.

The story though begins and ends with Dustin Johnson. His round of 82, which resulted in him finishing in a four way tie for 8th at five over par, was the worst shot by a 54 hole leader in a major since 1911. They say golf is the cruelest sport in town, how Johnson bounces back from this cruelest of afternoons will define his young career.

PREMIER PLAYERS 19

The Designated HitterBy Chris Hodge

This year's All-Star Game at Angel Stadium

in Anaheim is going to have a variety of changes.

It’s actually the first year since 2003's awarding of World

Series home field advantage that anything in the game has changed. Among a host of changes, this All-Star Game will solidify the position of designated hitter into the game, no matter if the host is from the American League or the National League. The DH can be a valuable

method of keeping your pitcher healthy enough (both mentally and physically) to play at his best.

For the longest time, the DH was not invoked at all. However, it came into effect in American League All-Star

Games back in 1989, when the stakes became higher

for both sides. That was the year it was decided

continue on pg 23

Boston red sox designated hitter david Ortiz watches his fourth-inning solo home run off new York Yankees starting pitcher phil Hughes in a baseball game at Yankee stadium in new York, monday, may 17th, 2010.

PITCHING MOUND

SECOND BASE

THIRDBASE

INFIELD

HOMEPLATE

CATCHER

INFIELD/OUTFIELD GRASS LINE

FOUL LINE

YOUR 2010 AMERICAN LEAGUE ALL-STAR TEAM

FIRST BASE

SECOND BASE

SHORT STOP

THIRD BASE

CATCHER

DESIGNATED HITTER

LEFT OUTFIELD

RIGHT OUTFIELD

CENTER OUTFIELD

SHORTSTOP

PITCHING MOUND

SECOND BASE

FIRSTBASE

HOMEPLATE

CATCHER

INFIELD/OUTFIELD GRASS LINE

FOUL L

INE

YOUR 2010 NATIONAL LEAGUE ALL-STAR TEAM

FIRST BASE

SECOND BASE

SHORT STOP

THIRD BASE

CATCHER

DESIGNATED HITTER

LEFT OUTFIELD

RIGHT OUTFIELD

CENTER OUTFIELD

that the league who won the All-Stars would host the World Series that year. That tradition has added a note of unnecessary complexity, however. With one set of rules governing an All-Star Game when one league hosts it, and another set when the opposition does, one more statistic is added into the mix. And it could have been a painful statistic for the pitchers involved. After all, it's no mystery why the number of players on the All-Star roster has been creeping up since the 1998 expansion from 28 players to 30 per team. From there, it stayed steady until 2003, when the roster was built up to 32 players. Since the number of bases hasn't changed, and the outfield's shape remains perennially similar, it stands to reason that the number of pitchers would have to be the variable being expanded upon. Ever since 11 innings produced a 7-7 tie in Milwaukee, with neither team having any remaining pitchers, the expansions have come three more times. Out of this year's total of 34 players per team, 13 of those players

will be pitchers. And considering the level of rigor placed on these men by the demands of such a game, having a DH is more than just a tactical advantage for a team; it's a stroke of mercy for a body that can only take so much punishment. What is very interesting about the mechanics of pitching is that, while throwing a baseball is among the most intense and grueling activities which require one's shoulder, fatigue does not increase the instance of injury. In a study published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine in 2007, it was discovered that other than having a more upright trunk and a slower ball velocity, fatigue caused no other kinematic differences in a pitcher's movements. The shoulder and elbow underwent precisely the same movement in early innings and in later ones. If the pitching motion remains essentially identical but the force of subsequent pitches declines, it stands to reason that a pitcher only has so many throws in him during

Boston red sox catcher Victor martinez, left, reaches to tag out new York Yankees’ randy Winn (22) trying to score on francisco Cervelli’s single in the fourth inning of a baseball game at fenway park in Boston saturday, may 8th, 2010. Yankees’ nick swisher, top right, who watches at right, already scored on the hit. Home plate umpire adrian Johnson is at left, to make the call.

a game. And it further fatigues this vulnerable mechanism to also subject the pitchers on your team to having to bat, as well as performing their pitching duties. So in the interest of keeping at least one pitcher able to go the distance, the DH rule is a laudable example of good judgment and reason in the All-Star Game. Even though the new rule is that every All-Star Game from now on (until it changes again, perhaps) will feature a DH, it is interesting to note that there's some irony to this year's Game. Even if the new rule had not been put into place, since this year's All-Star takes place in an American League field, it would have featured a DH for both teams anyway. Considering that Jason Kubel of the Twins and David Ortiz of the Red Sox are two of the best DH hitters in the league right now, this rule should provide both men with a solid shot of being All-Stars. Considering how deep a threat Kubel tends to pose, and his rising average and adaptive nature with new ball parks, he has a serious shot, "name" players notwithstanding.

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He stands 6’5” at 250lbs of solid muscle….most of which is covered by 18 tattoos. One of the newest members of the Green Bay Packers receiving corps, Andrew Quarless loves his ink! The majority of Andrew’s work (done by Murda Ink), is of a religious nature. “Every morning, I wake up and look in the mirror and read the ‘Blessed’ tattoo that I have on my chest,” stated Andrew, “It reminds me that I am exactly that.” The big man isn’t done getting inked up just yet either….he is planning on adding to his collection by getting a portrait tat of his 6 month old son next. Andrew says he loves Green Bay and the fans, spending some of his off-time with fellow Tight End Jermichael Finley; however he really misses the time back at PSU….in fact he has circled the first game on the schedule when Green Bay travels back to the Keystone State to face the Philadelphia Eagles. Destined to make an immediate mark on the Packers roster, we say Aaron Rodgers just got “Blessed” with his newest target!

player’s Ink

T It is not unusual for strong defensive sides to win big tournaments. You only have to look at Inter Milan who won the European Champions League in May, deemed to be the most prestigious club competition in the world. Their success stemmed from having a strong defense with Brazil’s trio of goalkeeper Julio Cesar, center half Lucio and full back Maicon teaming up with the superb Argentine duo of center half Javier Zanetti and holding midfielder Esteban Cambiasso patrolling in front of the back four. The thing is, these are world class players but this year’s World Cup is seeing sterling defensive displays from North Korea, New Zealand, Switzerland and Algeria. Barring ex-Arsenal defender Philippe Senderos, none of these sides have a recognizable name in the side yet

they held the likes of England, Spain and Brazil at bay for long periods. In Switzerland’s case they hit Spain with a classic sucker punch goal through Gelson Fernandes and claimed a famous 1-0 win. So how have these sides achieved such results? It seems like a combination of good tactics and self belief by the defensive side, frustration from the attacking side and the new ‘Jabulani’ football are the cause of all these stalemates. The self belief may come

hus far, strong, rigid defensive performances have snuffed out the attack of more illustrious opposition. The majority of the games have been very close which should be conducive to entertaining viewing. After all, watching

a succession of routs would become dull fairly quickly. Yet this tournament has produced only a handful of top class performances with the 2-2 draw between the United States and Slovenia being possibly the best match of the tournament so far. Germany and Argentina have also produced thrilling football but the rest of the competition has been marked by one team holding their defensive line and the favored team trying to break down that wall.

WORLD CUP 2010: A CASE FOR THE DEFENSE?

By Patrick Lynch

The old adage that offense wins games and defense wins trophies may well be accurate yet again during this year’s World Cup.

26 PREMIER PLAYERS

algeria goalkeeper rais m’Bolhi, left, blocks a shot by united states’ Landon donovan, right, during the World Cup group C soccer match between the united states and algeria at the Loftus Versfeld stadium in pretoria, south africa, Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010.

from the pride and honor of representing your country at the World Cup and the fact that only South Africa have home advantage. In all sports, home advantage is of paramount importance and explains why so many soccer teams cave in when they try to play defensively away from home. The supposed ‘contenders’ such as Spain and England have not helped themselves with their tactics however. England possess no creative player besides Joe Cole who is on the bench. Their inability to break down Algeria can be explained by poor tactics. Continually hitting high balls will not work against most sides, especially when the target is Emile Heskey, a player who is simply not international class. Yet how come Spain also failed against Switzerland? They have creativity in the form of Xavi and Iniesta and David Villa up front. They became frustrated and started to run out of ideas when it became apparent that Switzerland were not going to lie down. The goal was a shock and the Spanish never really recovered. Indeed, if you look at the few occasions when a defensive wall have been breached, it has generally been poor goalkeeping that has undone the defense’s hard work. Algeria’s Faouzi Chaouchi allowed Slovenia to scrape a 1-0 win and Japan’s Eiji Kawashima made a terrible error as his country lost 1-0 to Holland after easily containing the Dutch up to that point. Australia are the only side to have attempted to play a high defensive line and this was disastrous as they were crushed 4-0 by Germany in their opening match. The ‘Jabulani’ (Zulu for ‘rejoice‘) football used in the tournament has also been blamed for some of the poor displays. Most of the goalkeepers in South Africa have condemned the ball though the mistakes made so far have been more to do with poor judgment than any football problems. Outfield players have also voiced concerns and the long range shooting has been dismal thus far with Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso hitting two of the best strikes against the woodwork. There has also been a lot of over-hit passes which makes attacks easier to defend against. So what does this mean for the tournament? If sides like Switzerland and Algeria can hold fancied sides scoreless, then a side like Italy will be exceedingly dangerous indeed. Diego Maradona will regret leaving the aforementioned Inter Milan duo of Cambiasso and Zanetti out of his Argentine squad. Spain and England are in trouble and Germany suffered a shock loss to Serbia after yet another great defensive display by an underdog side. Brazil look more defensively capable than usual despite

their lapse in concentration against North Korea but Italy and their ability to grind out results could be the side to rule the world like they did in 2006. Sides like the ‘Magnificent Magyars’ of Hungary in 1954 who had extraordinary attacking talent do not always win the big tournaments, while sides that know how to keep a clean sheet usually do.

PREMIER PLAYERS 27

united states’ edson Buddle, top, and algeria’s rafik Halliche, left, fight for the ball during the World Cup group C soccer match between the united states and algeria at the Loftus Versfeld stadium in pretoria, south africa, Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010.

england’s Gareth Barry, right, and slovenia’s Zlatan Ljubijankic, bottom, go for the ball during the World Cup group C soccer match between slovenia and england at nelson mandela Bay stadium in port elizabeth, south africa, Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010.

The Perfect Stormgames, and one near-perfect game snatched away by an incorrect call all before the All Star break.

“That shouldn’t happen,” said McRae, who last managed with the Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays in 2002.

But it happened.

On April 17th, Colorado Rockies righty Ubaldo Jimenez pitched the first no-hitter in the Rockies 18-year history and the first of this season when Jimenez held the Atlanta Braves hitless.

Dallas Braden upstaged Jimenez.

Less than a month later, on May 9th, Braden, a left-handed pitcher with the Oakland Athletics, hurled the season’s first perfect game, handcuffing the Tampa Bay Rays on Mother’s Day. Being on the wrong side of no-hitters has become a real problem for the Rays, but we’ll discuss that later.

TAMPA – Hal McRae paused before he answered. The question: “Why do you think pitching is dominating Major League Baseball?”

Of course, there aren’t easy answers to the question, and McRae, who has 25 years combined experience as a player and manager in professional baseball, gave an honest opinion.

“I don’t know. I don’t think the pitching has improved that much,” said McRae, who was a designated hitter for the 1985 World Series champion Kansas City Royals. “Maybe, the position players aren’t getting it done (hitting).”

Former Red Sox pitcher Dick Drago reiterated those sentiments “I don’t know the answer to that one. I really don’t think there is one…it’s just the way it goes.”

This season, it’s hard to explain four no-hitters, including two perfect

Philadelphia Phillies ace Roy Halladay got in on the stellar pitching outings when he tossed the season’s second perfect game – the 20th in Major League history -- May 29th in a victory over the Florida Marlins.

Then, there was the perfect game that wasn’t.

On June 2nd, Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga retired 26 consecutive Cleveland Indians, and on the 27th with a perfect game in his grasp, umpire Jim Joyce blew a call at first base when he called Indians’ Jason Donald safe, which stripped Galarraga of the no-hitter and, essentially, the perfect game.

Now back to the Rays’ hitting issues.

Tampa Bay has been the victim of three no-hitters in the past two seasons. Arizona Diamondbacks hard-throwing, right-handed pitcher Edwin Jackson threw the first no-hitter of his

28 PREMIER PLAYERS

By Ryan T. Boyd

Steven Strasburg from the Washington Nationals

Is Pitching Dominating MLB ?

career against the Rays on June 25th. If you are counting at home, Tampa Bay has went hitless twice times this season. The Rays have more than proved to be inept at hitting especially with the team owning a lackluster .252 batting average.

It was perfect revenge for Jackson, who spent three of his eight Major League seasons with the Rays before being traded to the Detroit Tigers after the 2008 campaign.

“It still hurts,” Rays pitcher Jeff Niemann told the Tampa Tribune a day after absorbing the no-no. “We’re trying to win games and not trying to be part of that kind of baseball history. It’s not fun. It’s not enjoyable at all.”

Yet, Tampa Bay boasts one of the top pitching staffs in the league. As a unit, the Rays own a 3.50 ERA, the fourth-best earned-run average in all of baseball.

Leaving McRae flabbergasted at

the rate pitching has ruled hitting in Major League Baseball.

“I’m amazed at the domination of the pitching,” McRae said, “not only with the no-hitters, but look at the number of shutouts. The frequency and the numbers are an anomaly. The pitchers shouldn’t dominate the hitters the way they are. These are the same pitchers and hitters (from last year).”

That is, however, with the exception of one rookie pitcher, Stephen Strasburg.

“That kid is just phenomenal to me,” exclaimed Drago, when asked his thoughts on Strasburg.

The Washington Nationals right-handed flame thrower was last year’s overall No. 1 draft pick, and his rise has been impressive. Strasberg blazed through the minor leagues and made a splash in his heavily anticipated debut on June 8, fanning 14 Pittsburgh Pirates’ batters. His fastball tops out at 100 mph, and Strasburg has great command of a wick curve ball and nasty slider.

Strasburg has a 2-2 record in five starts and sports a 2.27 ERA with 48 strikeouts and only seven walks. With a young pitcher come the assumptions that his dominance will be short-lived when teams face Strasburg for a second time.

Teams don’t know his tendencies. Teams don’t know his weaknesses. And teams will file into the film room to break down Strasburg’s game.

It might not make a difference, though.

“He has the ability to throw strikes when he wants to and balls when he wants to,” McRae said of Strasburg. “He has a really good base-on-balls total, and Strasburg just has great stuff.”

Of course, there’s speculation of

why pitching is dominating pro baseball again. One of the major whispers is with Major League Baseball cracking down on the use of steroids and HGH from the majors down through the minors it’s slowed hitters bat speed and reduced batters power. Could there be some truth in these rumors? Yes.

But there are other reasons for pitchers strong hold on pro baseball this season.

“Technology and the physical side of the game is different than when I was playing in the 1980s,” said Steve Frey, a nine-year MLB veteran pitcher and current pitching coach at the Pendleton School at IMG Academies in Bradenton, Fla.

Frey, who posted an 18-15 career record, said the use of computers allow pitchers to break down every angle of their pitching motion and hitters swing, in essence, making all baseball players better.

“Baseball has changed even with the way players workout now,” Frey added.

“Nowadays, they lift with different types of movement and there are machines that you use only for swinging motions. Machines have become more sports isolated.”

However, we all know momentums are a major part of sports. Right now, pitchers have the upper hand of hitters, but that momentum can change with one swing of the bat.

“Normally, that’s how it works,” McRae said. “So I think that will happen this season.”

PREMIER PLAYERS 29

League First-Year Player Draft. These players will be eligible to play for one year. The league starts on June 19th and ends sometime in the middle of August. This league is a great opportunity for a player that is not ready to give up the dream of playing professional baseball. Mike Piazza was drafted in the 62nd round of the 1988 draft, and he turned out to be the greatest hitting catcher of all time. Brien Taylor was the 1st overall pick in the 1991 draft by the New York Yankees. He broke his shoulder defending his brother in a bar fight and never threw a pitch in Major League Baseball. Whether a player is drafted in the first round, the last round, or signed as a free agent out of college or an Independent League, all they can ask for is a shot. Anyone playing in the Peach State League will have that one shot to get signed and try to be that next Cinderella Story like Mike Piazza.

If you are a true baseball fan, you would know that June and July are important months for the game. June signifies the Major League First-Year Player Draft. Players that get drafted, dream of being future champions and all-stars in Major League Baseball. The All-Star game is played in middle July and signifies the half-way point of the regular season. Getting drafted means that a player has a shot to make it to the big leagues; and that’s all you can ask for, is a chance. However, if you don’t get drafted, there are other ways to keep the dream alive. A player can go to local try outs and try to get picked up by a minor league affiliate or an Independent League team. Or, they could try out for the brand new Peach State League. This inaugural season puts a creative twist on getting signed. The league is made up of four teams that play at the historic Luther Williams Field in Macon, Georgia. The teams will be made up of talented college players who go undrafted in the June Major

30 PREMIER PLAYERS

Peach State League

Keeping the Dream AliveBy: Joel Cardieri

mike piazza is surrounded by young Japanese baseball players in tokyo during his career. the dodgers’ catcher was sharing his enthusiasm about

baseball with young Japanese fans in a baseball clinic.

2012 Lamborghini Gallardo superleggera spyderWhich new whip has all the athletes dipping into their bonus checks? this could only be the 2012 Lamborghini Gallardo Lp570-4 superleggera spyder which boasts a 5.2 liter V10 engine with an output of 570hp. Zero to sixty speeds are an eyebrow raising 3.4 seconds….about as fast as it will take for Ocho Cinco to buy one once it hits the market this fall!

rides

the actual game of golf featured within tiger ’11 is as good as it’s ever been. the biggest change towards that front is the addition of the focus meter. In previous editions of tiger, players had the ability to add power to their drives, spin the ball mid-flight, and even see previews of their putts. In ’11, all of those things are possible, though they come at a focus price; every bit of spin or power takes some focus away, and putt previews take a lot of focus.

PREMIER PLAYERS 31

gamingTiger Woods PGA Tour 11

Platform(s): PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360

Publisher: EA Sports

ESRB Rating: Everyone (6+)

CDN Price: $69.99

US Price: $59.99

where are they now?

Mike Rucker

32 PREMIER PLAYERS

After 8 years of wreaking havoc on opposing quarterbacks and couple deep in retirement, former Carolina Panthers Defensive End Mike Rucker still displays his Panther colors…..literally! Mike is currently the color commentator for all of the Panther’s preseason games and is still very proud to call Charlotte home. When Mike isn’t partaking in the game he thrived in, he runs a very successful real estate firm, Vision Group Realty, which specializes in relocation properties for athletes, celebrities and everyone in between. Aside from work, Ruck and the family get to enjoy all the leisure that North Carolina has to offer including fishing, camping and boating to name a few. While thoroughly embraces the family time, he admitted that he missed the camaraderie and practical jokes that he and his teammates used to play on one another, stating “The same jokes we used to play on each other don’t go over well with the wife and kids!”

The sweetest swing in baseball rolled into Seattle with more fanfare than Soundgarden, Nirvana, and Pearl Jam combined in 1989. The prodigal son of the senior of the Ken’s, Griffey Jr. recently retired from Major League Baseball on June 2, 2010, stating that his declining playing time was a major factor in his decision to part from the game he and his father both excelled at. Junior retires with 630 home runs, making him one of only six major league players to achieve this feat. The apple didn’t fall from the tree as Ken

Griffey Sr., although not as prolific a deep ball threat finished his career 12 points ahead of his son with a .296 batting average. Griffey Sr. spent most of his career playing for the Cincinnati Reds but retired with the same franchise as Jr. in Seattle. Junior mirrored his father with a short stint in Cincy before returning to the Mariners. The genetic duo combined for a .290 batting average, 782 home runs, and 2695 RBIs…something that won’t soon be duplicated by any lineage.

bloodlines

Ken Griffey Jr. & Sr.

PREMIER PLAYERS 33

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travel

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“Hey, did you see Boom Boom Mancini kill that guy in the ring?” Boxing was an evolution of man’s violent tendency to raid, pillage, and plunder; a tightly regulated venue for us to vicariously partake in senseless, bloody mayhem, safe in the knowledge that genitals will stay in tact and eyeballs will, for now, remain in their current location. It was a true love story of art imitating life. Two athletes would act out war; confined by ropes, refs, and a strict point system. Recently however, with the rise of MMA, we see the different story of life imitating art. From Enter the Dragon to the insane anarcho-terrorism of Fight Club, a growing base has devolved back into the brutality of true war. It’s an ends of the means that even the movie industry couldn’t have predicted. Although Hollywood has always known that the masses are still enamored with the Roman Coliseum and the spectacle

of gore, they never knew the feeding frenzy would distill into made for TV bloodsport. In comparison, there is really little wonder why MMA is toppling the world of boxing. In boxing, young fighters are discovered and nurtured by agents. The lucky few go on to wait in line to get a shot at moving further up the ladder. Again, if fate smiles upon you, you may get a shot at the top. Well, if you’re really lucky, you get hooked up with a great promoter and manage your winnings better than Leon Spinx (I think he literally became a janitor when his career ended). Mixed Martial Arts, on the other hand, broke into the mainstream in the days of reality television. No longer content to follow the rise of the

So, you grew up on Jean Claude Van Damme and Stephen Segal before he became a bloated caricature of himself, kicking the snot out of the bad guys in a way that your father’s Rocky Balboa never could have imagined and now you find yourself in the 18 to 24 year old demographic and hungry for more? Chances are you made the easy slide from movie goer to Mixed Martial Art fan quicker than you can say Tyler Durden. Call it what you will: Mixed Martial Arts, Ultimate Fighting, Attack of the Terminally Testosteroned. It all ends up the same with some guy kicking the bejesus out of another for fame and glory. What ever happened to the kinder, gentler days of toe-to-toe slugfests that coined such phrases as “toe the line” and

The First Rule of Fight Club…By C. Douglas Mclntire

36 PREMIER PLAYERS

Brock Lesnar celebrates his second round victory over shane Carwin during their ufC heavyweight mixed martial arts title match saturday, July 3, 2010, at the mGm Grand Garden arena in Las Vegas.

hometown favorite, viewers were able to watch the spectacle of tournament style fights. Don’t want to sit through ten rounds of carefully placed punches? You can always tune in to watch a parade of guys quickly dispatch each other with surgical precision. Sometimes it looks like a roadhouse brawl, sometimes a Hollywood plot device where even the ancient Egyptians knew martial arts (The Mummy movies! I’m not alone here, am I?) but the images keep changing as the crowd is allowed to work themselves into a froth a la “professional” wrestling. Wrestling, however dubious as it is, provided years as a proving ground for real fights. It’s the perfect storm of over the top fans, blood, and brawling that is quickly earning MMA the sponsorship it needs to be a real, legitimate, powerhouse. For those corporate sponsors early to jump onboard with MMA, the benefits are tangible. The demographic that follow the sport are the biggest spenders out there. Want to sell beer, burgers, and Harley’s? Investing in MMA is the biggest bang for the buck. Early reluctance by some sponsors to get on the bandwagon has resulted in premium ad space for those daring enough to cash in on uber machismo; and why not? Again, look to the wrestling model. If it doesn’t hurt your company’s credibility to invest advertisement dollars in a fake sporting event, why draw a shameful line at legitimate martial arts? At the end of the day, if the coliseum were still open for business, we would not only watch it, but it would garner more advertisement dollars per minute than the Super Bowl. Ask me for proof? Sit there with a straight face and tell me you haven’t watched a match, a youtube clip of one, or at least a Jackass episode. It’s what the Germans call Schadenfreude and it’s the delicious joy we take in the misfortune, or in this case,

pummeling of another. Think of it as slipping on a banana, over and over again. Corporate America is coming around, though, and as the economy rebounds and frees up advertising budgets, audiences will reap the benefits of over-funded venues as well as the evils that come with the mainstream: overpriced tickets, corporate control, and the fight for new celebrity endorsements. One such endorsee built their brand selling MMA T-Shirts out of the back of their car in front of UFC event arenas. TapOut, now a multi-million dollar company is being sold all over the world and is the most recognizable MMA apparel brand. TapOut is no subject to controversy however, and is currently in the news in the ongoing Fedor / UFC saga. The monopoly which is the UFC and Dana White, is attempting to block a branded t-shirt deal between Fedor and TapOut by imposing a potential

ban against the clothing giant due to the UFC’s inability to reach a contract deal to sign Fedor and his management team M-1 Global. Of course, the through-the-roof ratings that Strikeforce just received from their Showtime televised bout in which Fabricio Werdum shocked the world by triangle-choking Fedor, had nothing to do with the increased animosity…..right Dana?

PREMIER PLAYERS 37

fabricio Werdum Vs fedor emelianenko

Kim Couture and felice Herrig

review

Premier Players has selected four of the top selling Ready To Drink Protein/Meal Replacement Drinks for review. We have selected Chocolate as our flavor across the board:

Ready To Drink Protein Shake

EAS Chocolate Fudge Myoplex

300 Calories, 60 from Fat42 grams of Protein7 grams of Fat2 grams of Sugars

Overall the flavor and the consistency were decent however the post workout recovery left our test subject feeling nothing as far as muscle recovery and appetite suppressant.

Overall Grade = C

Labrada Chocolate Ice Cream

260 Calories, 80 from Fat40 grams of Protein9 grams of Fat0 grams of Sugar

Chocolate Ice Cream flavor was good, however left a chalky aftertaste feeling. Again, as with the Myoplex, did nothing for post workout recovery….rather left the test subject feeling “flat”.

Overall Grade = C-

Cytosport Chocolate Muscle Milk

230 Calories, 100 from Fat22 grams of Protein11 grams of Fat5 grams of Sugar

By far the best tasting of the 4 RTD’s tested, which is clearly indicated by the lack of protein, and increase in both fats and sugars, in comparison with the other test brands. Did feel much more satiated after consuming the product, but again most likely due to the fat content.

Overall Grade = B-

VPX Chocolate Dream Protein Rush

240 Calories, 45 from Fat40 grams of Protein5 grams of Fat1 gram of Sugar

Clearly the winner as far as Protein to Fat to Sugar ratio. Noticed a nice full feeling all the way around after consuming this RTD. The only downfall was the Chocolate Dream tasted more like Black Licorice than anything but hey we’ll substitute quality for taste any day!

Overall Grade: B+

38 PREMIER PLAYERS

1. The Natural – If you can sit through a movie lead by Redford’s feathered dome and monotone performances then more power to you. The only thing “Natural” about this movie is the 12-pack of Natural Ice you’d need to sleep through it.

2. Bull Durham – Costner ruined all movies fore and aft Waterworld with one performance. Perpetual 80’s love interest Susan Sarandon carries about as much sex appeal as Gena Davis in Beetlejuice.

3. Angels In The Outfield – “Who’s The Casting Director?” Really… Tony Danza? Thanks but No Thanks. I’d rather be draped in Alyssa Milano’s Yankees Touch Collection at Fenway.

4. Hardball – Okay Neo, Shane Falco, or whatever role you were grossly miscast in beside “Ted” which was spot-on. Not even the presence of Diane lane could detract from horrible acting and the overused white “dude” coaching a team of African American kids or vice versa scenario.

5. The Fan – I typically like Deniro as a “twisted pocketknife salesman” who is fanatical about the San Francisco Giants, however it is unfortunate that even if we hypothetically infused Joe Pesci into stabbing Juan Primo along with Deniro in the steam room, we still couldn’t save The Fan from Snipe’s kiss of death.

best/worst

1. The Sandlot – “Smalls, you mean to tell me you went home, swiped a ball that was signed by BABE RUTH, brought it out here and actually played with it?” Picture the cast of Goodfellas, subtract 40-50 years in age and voila…..

2. Eight Men Out – Has there ever been a bad john Cusack film? Ok, so we’ll give him a pass on Must Love Dogs, however this dramatization of 1919 Chicago “Black Sox” scandal is a must watch for baseball fans!

3. The Bad News Bears – Perfect scenario…drunk coach played by Walter Matthau, tries his hand (or lack of) at mentoring a team of misfit kids. Awesome performance by a young Steve Nash, as rebellious star “Kelly Leak”.

4. Major League – Charlie Sheen accurately portrays his real life antics on the diamond with everything reminiscent of the 80’s baseball that we grew to love. “Just a reminder, fans, comin’ up is our “Die-hard Night” here at the stadium. Free admission to anyone who was actually alive the last time the Indians won a pennant.” (that was for our editor…)

5. The Pride of The Yankees – Classic film, based on the life of Lou Gehrig. It’s one of those films to watch… on your film bucket list.

Best

Worst

PREMIER PLAYERS 39

Baseball Movies

Baseball Movies

on deck

The football season is among us and in our next issue we select our Top 25 college teams and our Heisman favorites.

You won’t want to miss it! Get your free online subscription now at www.premierplayers.com

in ourNEXTissue

40 PREMIER PLAYERS

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