Showing posts with label Michigan State. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Michigan State. Show all posts

Monday, January 18, 2016

Sports Quotes of the Year: 2015

Quote of the Year: "Just give me two hours, and you're going to have 50, 60, 70 years of memories. Two hours, can you sacrifice, and reach down and give me two hours, so that you can have a lifetime of memories for you, your family, your kids and your kids' kids? That's the memories I'm talking about!"
-Tom Izzo

Quote of the Year (runner up): "A Cespedis for the rest of us"?
-Jerry Seinfeld

And the rest...
“Because Michael, face it -- the guy was basically average in terms of size, strength, speed, jumping ability, all the things that you seem to think make a great player.”
-Bill Walton on Michael Jordan

 “Don’t cry.”
-Rhonda Rousey to Bethe Correia after knocking her out

"Our goal was to come in here and make the 'Red Rifle' look like a Red Ryder BB gun, and I think we did that.”
-JJ Watt on Andy Dalton

"My heart can take the pounding, my mind can handle the grind, but my body knows it's time to say goodbye."
-Kobe Bryant

"In short, Mr. Rose has not presented credible evidence of a reconfigured life either by an honest acceptance by him of his wrongdoing, so clearly established by the Dowd Report, or by a rigorous, self-aware and sustained program of avoidance by him of all the circumstances that led to his permanent ineligibility in 1989. Absent such credible evidence, allowing him to work in the game presents an unacceptable risk of a future violation by him of Rule 21, and thus to the integrity of our sport. I, therefore, must reject Mr. Rose's application for reinstatement."
 -Rob Manfred

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Kirk Gibson: Detroit Tigers


Born: May 28, 1957

Attended Michigan State University

Set NFL combine record in 40

1978: Drafted by Tigers and St. Louis Cardinals (NFL)

Debut: September 8, 1979 (Tigers)

1983: Hit mammoth home run to Lumber Yard

1984: ALCS MVP

1984: Tigers win World Series

1984: Hit dramatic home run off Goose Gossage in World Series
 
1985: Almost hit a ball out of Yankee Stadium

1987: Hit dramatic home run off Tom Henke to spark Tiger comeback to win AL East

1987: Tigers lose ALCS

1988: Gibson granted free agency by arbiter who declared owners colluded against baseball free agents.

1988: Signed with Dodgers

1988: NL MVP

1988: Dodgers win World Series

1988: Hit GW walk off HR vs Dennis Eckersley in Game 1 World Series

1990: Signed with Royals

1992: Traded to Pirates

1993: Signed with Tigers

1995: Retired

1998-2002: Tiger broadcaster

2001: 2.5% of HOF vote (dropped off ballot)

2003-05: Tiger coach

2007: Diamondbacks coach

2010-present: Dbacks skipper

2011: NL Manager of the Year

2011: AZ wins NL West

Accomplishments:

2x World Champion

1984: ALCS MVP

1988 MVP

2011 NL Manager of the Year

1988 Silver Slugger

.268

255 HR

870 RBI

985 Runs

1553 Hits

284 SB

.815 OPS

106 runs (1988)

37 doubles (1985)

10 triples (1984)

20+ HR: 6x

20+ Steals: 6x

30+ Steals: 3x

.500 slugging: 2x

Postseason: .282, 7 HR, 21 RBI, .957 OPS, 9 SB (5 series)

As a Manager: 209-198 (.514)

Thursday, March 11, 2010

The Greatest NCAA Basketball Games by Decade

I only went back to the sixties for this.

1960s: Texas Western: 72 Kentucky: 65 (1966): Texas Western fielded an all black starting five and knocked off #1 Kentucky led by a guy named Adolph. It was the first time a major college program started five black players in a NCAA Championship Game. Texas Western was also the first team to start five blacks in any game earlier that year.

1970s: MSU: 75 Indiana State: 64 (1979): Before Magic and Bird, NBA games were shown on tape delay at midnight and there was no March Madness or Bracketology. Then came the 1979 Championship Game and the Laker-Celtic matchups of the 80s…

1980s: NC State: 54 Houston: 52 (1983): NC State had to run the table in the ACC Tournament to make the dance. In the Championship Game, they played the high flying Phi Slama Jama Houston Cougars. The game ended with Lorenzo Charles’ dunk off an air ball thrown up by Dereck Whittenburg.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KH1Jt2XATgE

1990s: Duke: 104 Kentucky: 103 (1992) Elite 8: In the greatest basketball game of all time, Duke trailed Kentucky 103-102 when Christian Laettner threw up a prayer in overtime. With 2.1 seconds remaining, Grant Hill threw the ball the length of the court, Laettner caught it, pivoted, dribbled, and tossed up his shot. Duke wins.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AY-iq58_oz4

2000s: George Mason: 86 Uconn: 84 (2006) Elite 8: In an improbable upset, the Patriots stun the Huskies in overtime to make the Final Four. George Mason was an 11 seed. This was not only one of the great upsets, but also a portend of the trend of mid-majors beating the big boys in major collegiate sports.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

2009 Sports Awards

Best Team: New York Yankees

Game of the Year: CMU: 29 MSU: 27 (Like I was going to pick anything else!)

Athlete of the Year: Peyton Manning

Play of the Year: Curtis Granderson's catch against Cleveland saving the game.

http://blogs.suntimes.com/sportsprose/2009/05/detroit_tigers_center_fielder.html

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Greatest Games of the 1960s

1. Tigers-Cardinals World Series Game 7 (October 10, 1968): Lolich vs. Gibson. The game is scoreless until the 7th. Curt Flood slipped on a fly ball by Jim Northrup. Three runs scored. Tigers win 4-1. Mickey Lolich went the distance for his 3rd win of the series. The two teams still trash talk about this series.

2. Michigan 24 OSU 12 (November 22, 1969): The previous year, the Barbarian Woody Hayes went for a 2-point conversion to add insult to injury and drop 50 on Michigan. The next year, the greatest team of all time went into Ann Arbor to face a former OSU assistant coach. Michigan beat Ohio State 24-12 ruining their year, returning Michigan to prominence, and launching the 10 year war.

3. 10-10 tie MSU-Notre Dame (November 10, 1966): This is sometimes called “the game of the century.” #2 MSU took on #1 Notre Dame. It ended in a tie and both teams claimed the national championship. Michigan State and National Championship go together like peanut butter and tuna fish.

4. Tigers-Cardinals World Series Game 5 (October 7, 1968): Tigers are down 3-1 in the series and down 3-2 in Game 5. Detroit rallies to take a 5-3 lead. Al Kaline had the big hit. Earlier, Willie Horton threw out Lou Brock at home. That 5th inning play turned the series. Why didn't Brock slide???

5. Tigers-Cardinals World Series Game 1 (October 2, 1968): Gibson (1.12 ERA) vs. McLain (31 wins). Cards win 4-0 and Gibson strikes out 17. Next to Don Larsen’s perfect game, it’s the greatest pitching performance in World Series History.

6. McLain’s 30th win (September 14, 1968): The Tigers rally in the 9th to beat the A’s 5-4. Norm Cash hit a 3 run shot in the 4th. Reggie Jackson homered for Oakland. In the 9th, Willie Horton singles in Mickey Stanley for the winner. McLain struck out 10 and became the first pitcher since 1934 to win 30 games.
7. Lions 17 Browns 16 Playoff Bowl (January 7, 1961): This was also known as the “Runner Up Bowl.” The second place Lions played the second place Browns. With the Lions winning 17-16 in the final seconds, Night Train Lane blocked an extra point and the Lions win.

8. Angels: 8 Tigers: 5 (October 1, 1967): The Tigers lost the second game of a double header on the final day of the season. This gave the pennant to the Boston Red Sox. It provided the motivation for 1968.

9. Jim Northrup hits 2 slams in one game (June 24, 1968): Tigers beat the Indians 14-3. Northrup hit a slam in the 5th and again in the 6th. He hit another one 5 days later. Player of the week anyone?

10. Howe breaks Rocket Richard’s goal scoring record (November 10, 1963): Gordie Howe would win the MVP that season. Wings beat Montreal 3-0.



 



 

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

2009 Football Preview

College Football:

BS Championship Game: Florida-Penn State

Big Ten: Penn State champs

Michigan: 8-4

MSU: 6-6

Ohio State: 9-3

Upset Special: CMU over MSU

Local:

Central Michigan: 11-1 (Loss at Arizona in week 1)

Eastern Michigan: 1-11

Western Michigan: 8-4

Notre Dame: 8-4

Pro Football:

Superbowl: Pats-Giants in a rematch

Lions: 2-14 and in the running for the quarterback of the next decade Sam Bradford...oh wait!