Loaded with Sports in the Mid-Week

The weather is good and the schedule is loaded so there is no time to waste.

Prep Report
- The seeds for 3A and 4A baseball and softball will be decided tonight. They will officially be posted on the IHSA website tomorrow and then the pairings will officially be released on the same website on Friday.
- Harrisburg baseball has won 21 games in a row after beating Carterville yesterday 8-3.
- ZRC upset Trico yesterday 5-1 in baseball. Trico is a favorite to advance deep in postseason but don't count out the Tornadoes who are improving.
- Another school in Class 1A who has finally gotten to the .500 mark is Woodlawn. They are finding their stride and is another team that could advance deep.
- Johnston City softball has won 27 in a row after a 9 inning win over Carmi yesterday. As I have said, Carmi will be a tough out in postseason.
- JC and Carterville softball both have the day off today before their game tomorrow in Carterville.
- NCOE is now 11-4 in Class 1A softball and starting to find their stride.
- There are several big track meets this afternoon. The annual Chuck Oyler Invitational will be held at Benton today. Also the Girls Black Diamond Track Meet will be at Carmi and the Girls South Seven Track Meet will be at Centralia.

College Sports
- Ben Hansborough will transfer to Notre Dame after leaving Mississippi State after two seasons.
- The BCS is at it again to change the Division 1 college football system. An 8 team tournament at the end of the year is the way to go.
- There are still some signings happening at the college basketball level right now. All teams are still filling their rosters for the 08-09 season as well as waiting on those players that are going to take their name out of the NBA Draft.

Pro Sports
- The Suns and and Mavericks are out of the NBA Playoffs. The two teams who traded for aging veterans in Jason Kidd and Shaq didn't work. Also, it seemed the door of opportunity has closed for these two teams to win an NBA Championship.
- The NL Central is tied up between the Cubs and Cards. This race looks to be going on all year.
- Are these upcoming Summer Olympics the most talked about ever with China being the host?

Simply...it is time to roll. I'm out.

DC

Quality and Quantity

My schedule is picking up with softball games and a track meet to hopefully attend this week. I will be posting information on what I see at these events. It is only Tuesday, but the high school and pro sports ranks are filled with information.

Prep Report
- I was able to watch the Johnston City beat Pinckneyville 2-0 at the Perry Co. Fairgrounds yesterday. Kaley Coonce was a one woman wrecking crew for JC. She throws the complete game shutout and hit a solo HR in the Top of the 1st. JC is 26-0 and a showdown with arch-rival Carterville is on Thursday. Pinckneyville didn't throw Olivia Pittman(their ace) in this game. These 2 teams could meet in the Sectional Final at Pinckneyville again if things work out.
- As the schedule winds down and the weather stays dry, you are going to notice some very good baseball and softball games that are going to be played.
- Carmi vs. JC and Carterville vs. Herrin highlight the softball schedule today.
- Carterville beat Pinckneyville in baseball yesterday 3-1. They could meet in the first round of the Sectional if things work out.
- Marion vs. Pinckneyville, Harrisburg vs. Carterville, and Trico vs. ZRC highlight the baseball schedule today.
- The Mt. Vernon Relays will be held today at MVTHS. There will be some quailty track teams in that meet.
- Chester will be hosting a big boys and girls meet today as well.

Pro Sports
- The Giants have the most expensive bullpen with the $126 million contract of Barry Zito after he was demoted to middle relief.
- Do you think Roger Clemens would be in the mess he is in now had he just dealt with things right off the bat and told the truth about everything?
- Arizona Diamondbacks...playing like they should or above their heads? Time will tell.
- The Magic and Lakers are the first NBA teams to make the 2nd round. Atlanta vs. Boston and Philly vs. Detroit is going to go at least 6 games when many didn't think it would go past 4.
- Sam Vincent out of Charlotte...Larry Brown in Charlotte...the real question is will Larry Brown coach every NBA team? ;) ;) ;)
- How pitiful was the effort of the Denver Nuggets vs. the Lakers on and off the floor? Will George Karl keep his job?

Busy, busy is the sports world today. As we keep going ending April and staring the month of May, it will bring about a busy month of racing at the NASCAR and Indy Car level. As you can see, there are plenty of things going on. I'm out.

DC

Leading off the week...

The sports at the high school level are starting to heat up as they wind down to the postseason, while the weather is cooler than normal but dry which means we will have games. We are just 2 weeks away from girls track Sectionals and soccer Regionals. Yes, the 2007-2008 high school sports season is quickly coming to an end.

Prep Report
- 3A and 4A baseball and softball teams will seed their Regionals on Wednesday. The seeds will come out on Thursday and the pairings will come out on Friday.
- Baseball has several good matchups this afternoon. Pinckneyville vs. Carterville, Centralia vs. Wesclin, Goreville vs. Herrin all highlight the schedule.
- Softball also has some good games that feature Johnston City vs. Pinckneyville, Marion vs. Vienna, and Trico vs. Steeleville.
- The Franklin County track meet for the girls will be held today at West Frankfort.
- Eldorado hosts their annual girls invitational this afternoon with several quality teams such as Harrisburg and Carterville.

College Sports
- Johnny Dawkins is leaving DUKE to take the men's basketball job at Stanford. The previous three that left (Mike Brey, Tommy Ammaker, and Quinn Snyder) had little success at all.
- Beginning today, Mel Kiper is already breaking down the 2009 NFL Draft class. Yes, I am serious about this.
- I mentioned a few days ago that UCLA had their starting and backup QBs go down with injuries in spring practice. The #1 QB tore an ACL and is out for the year, while the #2 broke a foot and is out 6 to 8 weeks.

Pro Sports
- Cubs fans...no longer do we have to listen to AM radio to hear the Cubs. Just recently, 98.9 WISH FM has picked up the games in clear FM sound. They replace 810AM who had them on for years.
- Nick Hill of Du Quoin was not selected in the NFL Draft, but he signed a 3 year free agent deal with the Chicago Bears. He will be one of 4 quarterbacks on the roster. Congrats to Mr. Hill!!!
- Astros vs. Cardinals...mark down those games the rest of the year as these two teams tangled a couple of times on the field this past weekend in St. Louis.
- New report out on Roger Clemens today...it doesn't involve steroids but it still isn't good. You can check out various media sources today, but I will check out the same before posting anymore about it.
- The window of opportunity for the Dallas Mavericks to win a NBA Title is closing rapidly now being down 3 games to 1 to the New Orleans Hornets.
- Yes, the NHL Playoffs are still going on. Just a few short years ago, this sport was gathering big media coverage, but the sport is still feeling the affects of a year long strike a few years back.

I have set the table for the day with this post. The work week is beginning. I'm out.

DC

Break it down...

I am taking a break from college and pros on this post. Today is a good day to dive into the 1A and 2A baseball and softball pairings. The official schedule for these games is located on the IHSA website. No matter where you go this postseason, the sectionals could shape up to be very good this spring.

1A Softball
John A Logan Super-Sectional
Steeleville Sectional
- I have read about and been told about Cobden being very solid early this spring.
- Goreville, Trico, and Gallatin County are also on paper listed as regional favorites.
- Shawnee gets the long drive as they will play in the Trico Regional.
Red Hill Sectional
- Woodlawn is very young but good. They will be tough to contend with in postseason.
- Edwards County continues their tradition quality girls athletics with another top softball team.
- Names not familiar to our area in the 2 class system but with 4 classes that are regional favorites are Beecher City, Oblong, and Noble.

2A Softball
Nashville Super-Sectional
Pinckneyville Sectional
- If all falls into place, this sectional will be loaded.
- Regional favorites on paper:
at West Frankfort - Carmi or WF
at Massac County - Johnston City
at Sparta - Pinckneyville of AJ
at Carterville - Carterville or Nashville
- A couple of regionals have 4 out of 5 teams from the same division of the River to River Conf.
Newton Sectional
- Casey Westfield leads the way as a favorite to win the Newton Sectional.
- Names unfamiliar to our area as favorites in the Newton Sectional are Toldeo Cumberland, Greenville, and Teutopolis.
- Just like in Southern Illinois, more schools are getting much better at softball in central Illinois.

1A Baseball
SIU Super-Sectional
Goreville Sectional
- Carrier Mills will get a long drive to Marissa for their Regional games. If NCOE wins their opening round game, they will get to drive to Okawville for their Regional.
- Marissa, Trico, Goreville, Shawnee look very strong as favorites to win a regional.
- The chance for upsets is here with several teams that are very equal.
South Central Sectional
- South Central has a huge advantage by hosting both a Regional and Sectional.
- Dieterich, Louisville North Clay, and Altamont join SC as regional winner favorites.
- Several of these schools are in the Midland Trail Conference which is the same conference that Waltonville, Woodlawn, Webber, and Wayne City will be joining next school year.

2A Baseball
SIU Super-Sectional
Harrisburg Sectional
- 4 of the 5 teams at Pinckneyville are from the Mississippi Division and 4 of the 5 teams at Herrin are from the Ohio Division.
- On paper, the favorites in the Regionals are:
at Pinckneyville - PCHS or Du Quoin
at Anna-Jonesboro - AJ or Carterville
at Herrin - Harrisburg
at Hamilton County - Carmi
- As even as these teams are, it will come down to the best team but maybe the team that catches a break to advance out of this Sectional.
Robinson Sectional
- Olney is favored to come out of the Robinson Sectional. Olney will also host a Regional.
- Teutopolis traditionally is a powerhouse in baseball, but their arch-rival Effingham St. Anthony is seeded higher in their regional. Look for a good battle here.
- Quality baseball in this area each year. With Flora, Champaign St. Thomas Moore, and Marshall being very good, it will be a very good team that reaches the SIU Super-Sectional.

Very similar things to the good and bad in the 4 class in baseball and softball as we saw in basketball. 1A teams may have to travel more and 2A teams will see their opponents 2 or more times in a season. However, just like with basketball, we need to let it play out for a few years to see if we like additional classes. Just by looking at things on paper, there could be some very good games through out this postseason. I'm out.

DC

A Cool Variety of Sports

The weather has cooled but you can see some very hot sporting events today. You have baseball, basketball, football, golf, racing, hockey, and others to name just a few. With that being the case, let's get to it.

Prep Report
- There are some interesting things with the pairings for 1A/2A baseball and softball. I am going to look at them a little more closely and comment later on them hopefully.
- As mentioned before, Rent One Ballpark in Marion has hosted several baseball games this spring. It will get more action today as more games are scheduled.
- Centralia is hosting a baseball tournament today with some 1A, 2A, and 3A teams. Those include Wesclin, Nashville, Centralia, Marion, Mascoutah, South Central, and Taylorville.
- Several baseball tournaments will take place today including at Cobden, Evansville, IN, Steeleville, and Cisne.
- Pinckneyville will play Casey-Westfield in softball today in what could be a Super-Sectional preview.
- Robinson, Steeleville, and Elverado will be hosting softball tournaments today.

College Sports
- Wow...Tyler Hansbrough of UNC is staying for his Senior season. That is good news if other Tar Heels return and not stay in the NBA Draft.
- UCLA had their starting and backup QB's injured during spring drills the other day. At least it is now and not the fall.
- Indiana has decided to allow Tom Crean to go off campus and recruit. This is a change due to the fact that self-imposed university sanctions stated he wouldn't be able to do that.

Pro Sports
- Today is the NFL Draft. This is a rather big sporting event to watch for many people. I enjoy listening to the New York crowd and whether they are happy or not with the Jets and Giants draft picks.
- Here's hoping I get to hear and see former Du Quoin and SIU QB Nick Hill get drafted.
- For those of you who overlooked the Spurs, you better think again. They are now up 3-0 on the Suns after another dismantling in Phoenix last night.
- Flip Saunders, head coach of the Detroit Pistons, has to be feeling the heat today. His team is down to the 76ers 2-1 in a series in which the Pistons should win easily.
- The DBacks are slithering away from the rest of the teams in the NL West. They have a 6.5 game lead already.
- The David Ortiz jersey that was buried under the new Yankee Stadium and was dug up fetched $175,000 for charity.
- Governor Blagojevich has proclaimed it Danica Patrick Day in Illinois today. This is in honor of her being the first woman to win an Indy Car race. It happened last Sunday.

There you have it. There is so much to watch all day and night long that it means it is time to get some work done. I'm out.

DC

Starting to peak at summer...

It has been nice to see the Little League fields full of activity the past few weeks in anticipation of the upcoming season. You know that summer is just around the corner when that starts to go on. The weather has been great, though some rain and much cooler temperatures are predicted for the next few days. There will be sports and let's get to it.

Prep Report
- The pairings and where teams are going for 1A/2A baseball and softball will come out today. Anyone want to guess that a team or two will be scratching their heads as to why they are in a regional?
- Herrin softball is starting to play better with a win over a good AJ team yesterday.
- Greenville is still looking for a head football coach at this late time of the spring. That is a quality job for a a team that went to the 3A Semi-Finals last year.
- Speaking of football, hearing some rumors of some teams struggling to find opponents to fill out a 9 game schedule.
- On paper, Harrisburg and Pinckneyville baseball seem to be the favorites in SI right now.
- There is lots of talk about Herrin boys winning a 1A State Championship this year, but don't forget about Du Quoin. They have been doing very well lately.
- Nashville is hosting a girls track meet today with several quality teams including Benton, Pinckneyville, Nashville, and AJ to name a few.
- Marion is hosting a big boys meet today.

College Sports
- With all of the early entries to the NBA Draft, now the wait will be to see who actually stays in the Draft and who returns to college.
- Indiana has to be real excited knowing that Kelvin Sampson is going to more than likely hired by the Milwaukee Bucks of the NBA.
- The AAU Basketball season is starting to pick up steam for the summer.
- It is hard to believe but college baseball and softball are about halfway through their seasons.

Pro Sports
- Chipper Jones of the Atlanta Braves is on fire right now. Those of you with him on your fantasy teams are loving that.
- It didn't take long for Frank Thomas to find a job. His former team the A's signed him for cheap as the Blue Jays will be paying most of his salary.
- Detroit is starting to climb back and play better baseball, but Florida is a major surprise early leading the NL East. However, I don't see the Fish leading all year.
- The NFL Draft is tomorrow for those of you who have no access to any type of media outlets.
- The weekend is loaded with NBA Playoff games on the schedule.
- NASCAR is back on the docket as the series is at Talledega this weekend.

Yes!!!...the weekend is just about here. I'm out.

DC

10,000...and counting

What does the title mean? You will have to read on and find out what it represents.

Prep Report
- The seedings for 1A and 2A baseball and softball were completed last night. The IHSA website will have the complete wrap up listed today. However, I am betting that you can find out seeds in many other places and ways.
- ZRC got a big win over a pretty good AJ baseball team yesterday.
- 1A Trico beat 3A Carbodale in baseball yesterday behind a no-hitter from Jake Carlock.
- JC and Carterville will play in a big softball game one week from today.
- 3A and 4A baseball and softball will seed their postseason next Wednesday.
- If you get a chance, go and check out the new football field and track facility at Carterville. This is a first class place.
- There are still several openings in the basketball world around Southern Illinois but there is no word on any of the positions.

Pro Sports
MLB
- The Chicago Cubs joined the NY/SF Giants as the only two franchises with 10,000 wins. The Cubs got it last night in a 10 inning 7-6 win in Colorado.
- The Tigers are making big lineup and position changes to stop their slide. Even with all of this, they still find themselves only 3 games back.
- Walt Jocketty is the new GM for the Reds. This can't make Cards fans happy.
- The NL West teams better wake up because Arizona could run off with that division.
- Greg Maddux still sits at 349 wins after the Padres blew a one run lead in the 9th to the Giants.
NBA
- Just how good is Kobe Bryant? He is one of a handful of players that each night he is on the TV, you have to watch just because he is playing.
- Jazz and Rockets will play Game 3 tonight for those Jerry Sloan fans.
- Boston was again very businesslike in their win over Atlanta. The Cs are on a mission.
- If Detroit doesn't go deep, how long before Flip Saunders gets the door?
NFL
- The Dallas Cowboys have acquired Pacman Jones from the Titans. A huge leap of faith has been taken by the Cowboys in signing him to a 4 year deal. If he works out, the Cowboys do have 2 shut down corners in Terrance Neuman and Jones. If not, Dallas will hear about this forever.
- The Dolphins have signed Jake Long as their #1 pick out of Michigan. That is a lot of money for a left tackle to have never played a down in the NFL.
- Former DQ and SIU QB Nick Hill is anxiously awaiting the Draft on Saturday.
- The NFL and Matt Walsh have reached a deal regarding SpyGate. We will have to wait for the ramifications.

Looks like our run of beautiful weather is going to end today with rain moving in. We can't say too much because we have been spoiled the past few days. Get out and enjoy before the rain hits. I'm out.

DC

Decisions, Decisions...

Who needs a primary...today is decision day for 1A and 2A baseball and softball teams. What you have done, haven't been able to get done, and what was cancelled by the weather will be factored in tonight at Regional Seeding meetings tonight. Also, pro sports have many things going on as well.

Prep Sports
- The seedings of 1A and 2A baseball and softball teams will be released tomorrow while the pairings and where teams are headed will be released on Friday.
- Benton baseball broke a 10 game losing streak with a win over WF yesterday.
- Harrisburg baseball is dominating many right now. They have outscored their opponents by over 85 runs the last few games.
- Murphysboro, AJ, and Goreville are quietly putting together good baseball seasons.
- ZRC pulled a David vs. Goliath win over Carbondale in softball the other day.
- JC and Carterville are racking up wins left and right. They play on May 1st.
- Mississippi Division of the River to River in softball is still very solid. Pinckneyville, AJ, and Nashville are going to be tough outs come postseason.
- Herrin nosed out Du Quoin 81 to 70 at West Frankfort yesterday in Boys track. These 2 finished 1-2 in the State Meet last spring.
- Big meets today are scheduled at AJ and Carmi.
- Finally, the classification cutoffs are out for 2008-2009 in the IHSA. Go to the following link to read more about it: http://www.ihsa.org/announce/2007-08/2008-04-22.htm

College Sports
- Stanford and UMass are getting closer to filling their mens basketball openings.
- Rodney Watson has been promoted to Associate Head Coach at SIU under Chris Lowery.
- A legend keeps going...Joe Paterno is back again with Penn State.
- Illinois football is getting much ink this spring after their trip to the Rose Bowl.
- How long after this NFL Draft will the predictions on 2009 begin?

Pro Sports
- The Chad Johnson vs. Bengals saga seems to be taking on a personal twist. The Bengals have shot down deals with several teams already and some of those deals should have been harder to pass up.
- The Miami Dolphins have signed their #1 pick Jake Long out of Michigan. So much for the suspense of the #1 pick on Saturday.
- Need a running back...the Seattle Seahawks cut Shaun Alexander yesterday.
- John Smoltz of the Atlanta Braves got his 3,000 career strike out last night.
- The Cubs are playing good baseball right now. Here is one person hoping it continues.
- The question now is...what American League team will pick up Frank Thomas. He would still make a very serviceable DH.
- How good is Chris Paul of the New Orleans Hornets?!?!?!
- The Spurs are toning down the upset bid of the Suns jumping out to a 2-0 lead in their series.
- The strategy at the end of NBA games is as intriguing to watch as any sports events.

Mid-week is here which means that much more closer to the weekend. I'm out.

DC

Tuning on the Sports...

Games, games, games...it is nice to get more and more in the book. Let's get to it.

Prep Report
- West Frankfort is hosting a huge track meet for boys today. Several very good individuals and teams will be on hand today.
- Carterville vs. Carmi in any sport...does it always seem they play close games? The Lions beat the Bulldogs yesterday in 10 innings 5-4.
- Benton will play West Frankfort today in a baseball game at Rent One Park in Marion.
- Sparta vs. Pinckneyville and Cobden vs. Vienna highlight the softball schedule today.
- Still awaiting word on any of the open head basketball coaching positions around Southern Illinois. There are a handful open but no word as of yet.
- Tomorrow night is the seeding meetings for 1A and 2A softball and baseball.

College Sports
- Drake hired Arizona State assistant Mark Phelps to replace Keno Davis
- Stanford is still in the interviewing candidates for their men's basketball job.
- Football coaches love the spring practice, but injuries are the worst thing that can happen in their annual spring games.

Pro Sports
- McLeansboro native Jerry Sloan has his Jazz up 2-0 on the Rockets after another road win last night in Houston.
- Cleveland vs. Washington is a very physical series.
- How is Isiah Thomas still employed with the Knicks and what is his job description exactly for $18 million a year?
- As I mentioned a few weeks ago, Hank Steinbrenner is going to be wild read all year. He spouted off yesterday about one of the Yankees pitchers who should start now and not be in the bullpen. Remember, it is only April.
- Cubs vs. Cardinals...race for the division just like 1989 is starting to take shape.
- Is anyone else tired of mock NFL Drafts?
- Did anyone see the 3 Presidential candidates on WWE last night? They had some absolutely funny WWE meant messages to the fans last night. It was pretty good. I am sure you can see them on youtube today.

Speaking of messages, the body and mind are telling me to get to work. I'm out.

DC

Shaking again...

Yes, for those of you that thought, "Did we have another earthquake again?" it did happen. It occurred about 12:38AM and I woke up from it. According to the USGS, it hit 4.5 on the Richter scale and it was in the same area as the one we had last Thursday morning. With it being Monday, it is time to start another week of sports, mainly on the prep level.

Prep Report
- The beautiful weather forecasted for today means that several events will take place today.
- You can bet there will be some previously cancelled games rescheduled for today.
- AJ vs. Pinckneyville in both baseball and softball are scheduled for today. These 2 games should be very good and highlight the prep schedule.
- Carterville went undefeated at the Tolono Unity Tournament this past Saturday. One of those wins was 4-0 over Casey-Westfield, a prominant power in softball. They could meet again in the Super-Sectional.
- Regional seeding meetings for 1A and 2A baseball and softball are Wednesday.

Pro Sports
- Kyle Busch is on fire winning his 3rd straight Nationwide series race in Mexico City yesterday.
- The NBA Playoffs are simply amazing. We had the first upset yesterday with Philly winning in Detroit. The Lakers look good, but wouldn't you playing the Nuggets who only fake playing defense.
- The Toronto Blue Jays have released DH Frank Thomas. He was struggling early and keeping him around and not playing him wouldn't have been good for either party.
- A-Rod and Jimmy Rollins are both hurt. Rollins is going to the DL and A-Rod may soon follow.
- Boo...not trying to scare you but Boo Weekley won on the PGA Tour yesterday.

Monday business is the name of the game for me today so I am going to get right to it. I'm out.

DC

Pros take center state...

Miserable cold, wet, and windy weather cancelled many events locally yesterday. This makes games the next two days so very important for 1A and 2A baseball and softball teams with seeding meetings coming up shortly. Also, with the warm weather of spring it means some exciting NBA playoffs and MLB action as the pros lead the coverage.

Prep Report
- Johnston City softball went 4-0 at the Wendy's Classic in Ashland, OH. Don't be surprised to see them get a #1 seed in a regional.
- Speaking of regionals, the 1A and 2A baseball and softball seeding meetings are this Wednesday evening.
- Sparta hosted the Buzz Bradley Track Meet on Friday. Sparta scored 138 points to outdistance Benton who had 95. On the boys side, Du Quoin won with a score of 115 over second place AJ at 96.
- Track season is quickly winding down with just a few weeks until sectional meets are held.
- With summer quickly approaching, the summer tournaments for basketball, 7 on 7 in football, and summer baseball are being scheduled. More information to come later.

College Sports
- 26,000 saw the Black and Gold Missouri football spring game yesterday. That was the biggest crowd ever to see that game. Winning adds excitement to a program.
- 80,000 people went to the Red and White game at Nebraska. Remember, this was just a spring game.
- SIU Head coach Dale Lennon was pleased with the effort of his team yesterday, especially on the offensive side of the football.
- In a couple of weekends, the Region 24 junior-college baseball tournament will be held at Rent One park in Marion. That is usually some very good baseball to watch.
- Tyler Hansbrough of North Carolina still hasn't said whether or not he is staying at UNC or entering the NBA Draft.


Pro Sports
NBA
- If the NBA Playoffs are going to be anything like Day 1, then this will be some of the most exciting playoffs ever. The game yesterday were remarkable with team and individual efforts going through the roof of excitement.
- Tim Duncan of the Spurs and Chris Paul of the Hornets were amazing.
- How good is it to see the Celtics and the Lakers as #1 seeds in the playoffs? Celtics/Hawks starting tonight brings back memories of Bird vs. Dominique in the 80's.
Auto Racing
- Danica Patrick won her first race on the Indy Car circuit in Japan yesterday. This was the first for her in 50 tries. With her being at Andretti Racing, you can expect more wins from her. She will be a favorite at Indy in May.
- The Sprint guys have the weekend off, but the Nationwide Series is heading to Mexico City today for some road course racing.
MLB
- The Red Sox have shaken off all that travel and now have the best record in the AL.
- Besides Arizona, the next best 3 records in the NL are in Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Louis. This Central Division race will be a dandy.
- Tim Lincecum of the Giants is a new young pitcher. 3-0 this year and with the stuff he has, he could be very good for a long time. He along with Barry Zito give the Giants a good start to a solid rotation.
- Besides Detroit, the most disappointing team has to be Houston.

MLB and NBA dominate the schedule today on TV. However, the weather is going to be very nice so time outside will be a must. I'm out.

DC

Surfing through a sports Saturday...

We are all battling the elements once again this morning. Looking ahead to the forecast for the week, it looks like we are going to get warmer, hit the 80 degree mark, and enjoy the sunshine. However, there are also plenty of things going on the TV and radio with sports this weekend to keep everyone entertained.

Prep Report
- The weather is going to be a factor again today. It looks like rain will wash out some events but if you have a good field and/or a tarp you might be able to get games in.
- The weather got to many games yesterday before they could be completed.
- Before the rains came, Benton baseball hit back-to-back-to-back home runs yesterday in a game as well as 4 total in an inning. In the bottom of the 2nd, Benton got a 3 run home run from Jordan McMahon to get the Rangers within 4-3. Batters later, Devan Minor hit a ball off of the right field foul pole for another 3 run home run. Zack LaBuwi and Taylor Duncan followed up Minor with solo home runs. It is definitely a rarity to see 3 home runs in a row at any level.
- Johnston City Softball is playing some quality teams in the Wendy's Classic in Ashland, Ohio. Stiff competition will help them get ready for postseason around here.
- Nashville is hosting its annual softball tournament today. There will be a good mix of 1A and 2 A teams playing there if the weather holds out.
- After playing in Matoon yesterday, Carterville softball is playing in the Tolono Unity Tournament today.

College Sports
- SIU Football will be having its annual Maroon and White game today.
- More underclassmen are declaring for the NBA Draft. The names are coming fast and furious.
- ESPN and their networks will be showing several spring games today including Missouri.
- Michael Jordan is hosting an all-star game for the best high school talent in the country tonight. It will be on ESPN2.
- Wichita State baseball...how good is this program?
- I am enjoying seeing more and more coverage of softball and baseball on the satellite. There are some very good teams, players, and games to watch during the week.
- If you get a chance, watch some track and field on TV. This will also get you ready for the upcoming Olympics.

Pro Sports
- The Sonics will move from Seattle to Oklahoma City if they can get out of the last 2 years of their lease in Key Arena.
- The Knicks fired Isiah Thomas and reassigned him within the organization.
- Speaking of the NBA, the next season known as the playoffs begin tonight. There will be wall-to-wall coverage on TNT and ABC over the next few months. In fact, TNT will be going with their 40 games in 40 nights as they usually do. I can't wait to hear Doug Collins and Kevin Harlan team up to call games.
- Tom Glavine of the Atlanta Braves is on the DL. That is almost hard to believe with his durability over the years.
- The Brewers are holding their breath as Ben Sheets has hurt his arm again. Sheets is a free agent at the end of the year.
- St. Louis Cardinals...as long as TLR is leading the team they are going to win.

There is a brand new edition of the Southern Illinois Sports Connection out on the local shelves. Go get a copy. Off to battle the elements on the golf course. I'm out.

DC

Rumbling, Rocking, and Rolling...

Needless to say, we are all going to work today a little cheated on sleep after the 5.4 earthquake that many of us felt this morning at 4:37AM. Thankfully, there are no injuries or damage and mostly it seems that only lost sleep and some shaken nerves were it. That will be the news of the day but sports are also on tap for today as well as long as the weather holds out for early evening.

Prep Report
- There are a full slate of games and meets today.
- Sparta and East St. Louis are the sites of big track meets this afternoon with quality teams.
- Marion is hosting a huge girls track invitational today.
- Pinckneyville baseball will be at the Pleasant Plains Invitational this weekend.
- AJ vs. Du Quoin headlines the baseball schedule today. This is always a good matchup.
- West Frankfort boys won the Franklin County Track meet on Wednesday.
- There isn't any word yet on any of the open basketball jobs in the area.
- In the next two weeks, all 4 classes in baseball and softball will be seeded for regionals.

College Sports
- Travis Ford was officially introduced as the new men's basketball coach at Oklahoma State.
- Kevin Love of UCLA joins the expanding group of Frosh. heading to the NBA.
- Brandon Rush and Darrell Arthur of Kansas are entering the draft.
- Illinois is adding and subtracting basketball players so fast it is hard to keep track of.
- Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez seems to always be in the middle of something.

Pro Sports
- The Colorado Rockies and San Diego Padres played 22 innings that last 6 hours last night before the Rockies won 2-1.
- Chad Johnson of the Bengals is becoming a big problem for that organization.
- Tis the season for the NBA playoffs and coaches to be fired. It is hard to keep track of.
- Speaking of the NBA, the playoffs are this weekend.
- Memo to Los Angeles...the dream of an NFL team and stadium is over and has been since the Rams left.
- It is very interesting to look over past NFL Drafts and see who was good, a bust, and where everyone went and how they turned out.

I must keep moving around due to a lack of sleep that all of us encountered this morning. I'm out.

DC

Tardy...

I fully admit I am a little bit tardy with the blog today. Much stuff going on this morning but I am here and better late than never I guess.



Prep Sports

It was windy yesterday, but probably more windy today. This will factor into some performances during games and track meets this afternoon. This is much easier to deal with than rain.

- AJ keeps on rolling in baseball. Their only loss is to another very good team in Carterville but that is their only loss.

- Harrisburg is starting to run away with the Ohio Division in baseball.

- Pinckneyville softball has 21 games right now. Another big win for them yesterday over Murphysboro 3-2 in 8 innings at the Perry County Fairgrounds.

- Quick...name the last time you saw a softball game score of 13-12. I never have until yesterday when Crab Orchard beat Carrier Mills 13-12.

- The schedule is loaded today with games and events. This doesn't even count the makeup games that probably going on.



College Sports

- Oklahoma State has hired Travis Ford who was at Massachusetts. Ford turned down LSU and Providence to get this job.

- OSU was in Carbondale yesterday talking to SIU Head Coach Chris Lowery about their job before Ford was hired.

- Kevin Love of UCLA is expected to make his thoughts known on whether he is headed to the NBA or not this afternoon.

- The Big 10 network is pretty good for the major sports. It is refreshing to see the non-major sports get some TV time. Lots of good baseball, softball, and track are always on the network.

- Tis the season for recruits to be signed, and players on teams to be leaving for the winter and fall sports. It makes for some interesting reads on message boards.



Pro Sports

MLB

- Miguel Tejada...my how the years can fly. The Astros shortstop aged 2 years today when he announced he is actually 33 and not 31. Happy Birthdays to you!!!

- Who said the Cardinals would be winning this year? Oh yeah...it was me.

- Soriano out 15 days will hurt the Cubs more than you know offensively.

- The Tigers seem to be starting to play much better baseball with a big win over Cleveland last night on the road.

- I have MLB Ticket, but are all the Yankees/Red Sox games on every other channel or is it just me. ;)

NFL

- Steve McNair just threw the Baltimore Ravens a curve today by retiring.

- The Draft is now just over a week away.

NBA

- The regular season is over and the playoffs begin this weekend. I look forward to the playoffs each year because the level of playmaking goes through the roof. Cavs/Wizards, Suns/Spurs, and Jazz/Rockets look to be really good first round matchups.

- The roar you heard last night was the fans of the Knicks knowing that was the last game that Isiah Thomas will be involved with.

- The Bulls fired Scott Skiles and now their interim coach Jim Boylan today. There was too much player vs coach problems for Boylan to make it to next year.



I am going to finish watching some baseball and then mow the yard for the first time this year. Yes, the US Open golf rough has nothing on my yard right now. With that, I'm out.



DC

Rolling in sports

Ah...beautiful weather, tax day is passed, and now more sports to enjoy. Lots of prep sports to enjoy outside as well.

Prep Sports
- I got to see the Harrisburg baseball team play yesterday. This is a very young, smart, and good baseball team. They will be a handful come postseason time.
- Carterville softball was beaten at home for the first time in 36 games by Pinckneyville. That ends the 6th longest home winning streak in the state. You get the feeling this won't be the last time these two teams play this year.
- Benton won the Don Webb Girls Track Invitational on Monday easily outdistancing Carmi 151 to 89.
- Benton is hosting the Franklin County Track Meet today. All schools with boys and girls track teams will converge to win the title of best in Franklin County.
- WF and Benton baseball teams will play at Rent One Park on April 22nd in a makeup game that was scheduled to be at West Frankfort.
- There are plenty of games scheduled for today and many more that will be made up today as the weather is going to be perfect.

College Sports
- Add Derrick Rose to the list of players leaving early. He joins over freshmen OJ Mayo of USC and Michael Beasley of Kansas State as Frosh. leaving for the NBA.
- Keno Davis is the new head coach at Providence. Drake now has an opening.
- Oklahoma State and Stanford are also jobs that are still open.
- John Calipari got an extension from Memphis yesterday.
- Brad Stevens of Butler signed a 7 year deal after winning 30 games this year.

Pro Sports
- The NBA is down to their last games before the playoffs start this weekend.
- Isiah Thomas will (should) coach his last game for the New York Knicks tonight.
- Tiger Woods is out for 4 to 6 weeks after having arthroscopic surgery on his left knee.
- Dusty Baker returned to Wrigley Field last night but his Reds lost. He wasn't met with the warmest of greetings when he came onto the field to change pitchers.
- Pacman Jones didn't apply for reinstatement yesterday saying he wants a trade to happen first. Do you get the feeling the trade may never happen?
- If anyone else feels the need to join the herd of people putting out NFL Mock Drafts go right ahead. It is becoming very saturated these days with so many doing this.
- As I said, did anyone doubt the Cardinals would be winning in the MLB season?
- Alfonso Soriano could see DL time after hurting his right calf last night.

It is hard to believe that mid-week is here. That leaves half a week to get something done. I'm out.

DC

Tax Day

It is nice to see TV broadcasts, websites, and fish wraps loaded with scores from area games and track meets. The sun and dry will mean once again many prep events will get played today.

Prep Sports
- There is still no word on the positions of boys basketball coach at Johnston City and Mt. Vernon.
- Class 1A and 2A baseball and softball teams are just over a week away from meeting to seed regionals. This may be the toughest year to seed with very few games played.
- Summer Basketball tournaments are starting to take shape. I am making a list of those and will put these on here for all you basketball fans who want to watch in summer.

Pro Sports
- At 1PM, the 2008 NFL Schedule will come out. This will list the week by week schedule as well as the times of the games and stations they will be on. This is the appetizer for the NFL Draft which will happen in 2 weeks. Based on 2007 records, the New England Patriots have the easiest schedule while the Pittsburgh Steelers have most difficult schedule.
- Michael Beasley of Kansas State announced he would be entering the NBA Draft yesterday.
-The NBA is setting up for a very exciting playoff run. The Eastern Conference is balanced but the playoffs in the Western Conference will be very exciting with 8 teams who could win it all.

A simple reminder to all, if you haven't paid your taxes yet, today is the last day to do so. I'm out.

DC

Sun + Dry = Monday Sports Mania

The sun is out and things are starting to dry up. This means there will be plenty of prep sports action in the area that will be played.

Prep Sports
- There is a full schedule of games and track meets scheduled for today.
- As we go on over the next few weeks, you can expect non-conference games to be cancelled and replaced by games in conference that need to be played.
- As for today, there are several excellent matchups on both the baseball and softball side today. - It will be very nice to see in the fish wraps and on the internet scores of many games that are going to be played.
- Benton will be hosting the Don Webb Invitational this afternoon.
- Massac County and Eldorado will also be hosting invitationals today.

College Sports
- There is still no hire for the Oklahoma State and Stanford positions.
- Michael Beasley of Kansas State will announce if he will turn pro today. Is there any doubt that he will turn pro?
- Spring football practice for football teams is on going around the country.
- SIU baseball was swept by Bradley over the weekend at home.

Pro Sports
- Trevor Immelman became the first person since 1980 to lead all 4 rounds of the Masters and win the tournament. He never really was threatened by anyone on the final day. Tiger Woods finished 2nd and didn't really have his A game.
- The buried jersey of David Ortiz was dug up at the site of the new Yankee Stadium. A concrete worker who is a Boston fan put it there, and then confessed to not wanting to be responsible for possibly jinxing the Yankees.
- The NFL Draft is just 2 weeks away. Expect the information on this event to pick up on many sports stations.
- Hockey fans are living it up these days with the NHL Playoffs in full swing. The NBA season will also wrap up this week and the playoffs beginning shortly.

The beginning of a new week means that there is plenty of work to get done. I'm out.

DC

Flakes of Sports

April 13...the first thing I notice when I go outside early this morning is the faint trace of snow flakes flying through the air as well as my breath. Low temps and the possibility of a frost are there the next two nights. I had to check my calendar to make sure it was mid-April but then I remembered it kind of did the same thing last year at this time.

Track Update
- The Centralia Relays will be run tomorrrow as they were cancelled yesterday.
- Newton scored 129 points to beat Benton at 115 in a girls track meet at Robinson on Friday.

Softball
- Johnston City and Carterville both went 3-0 at the Southern Illinois Softball Showcase yesterday. These two teams are undefeated at 15-0 and are on a course to meet in a game at Carterville in a couple of weeks.
- Pinckneyville went 2-1 yesterday by beating Dupo and Piasa SW but losing to Edwardsville. After playing 8 game this week, they are now 16-2.
- Marissa won the Lady Jacket Diamond Classic in Chester yesterday.

Baseball
- ZRC won their own invitational beating WSV and JC in games yesterday.
- Shawnee split with Carterville in a doubleheader yesterday.
- AJ just keeps on winning after beating Carbondale. This team will be a force come postseason.

College Football Spring Practice
- 72,000 came to watch Alabama and their spring practice game. Those are some serious football fans.
- It is that time of year where teams are going through spring drills. To get your college football fix like me, ESPN joins the Big 10 network and CSTV as places to watch these events and to get you caught up for the 2008 season.
- SIU, SEMO, and Murray State are also in the middle of spring practice. The weather going on right now fits football season to a tee for these teams.

NASCAR
- Jimmie Johnson rolled the dice staying out and not taking on gas to win a race in Phoenix last night. The Sprint Cup guys will have next weekend off before going to Talledega.
- We are not very far away from the racing month of May to begin. The Coca-Cola 600, NASCAR All-Star Race, and Indy 500 highlight the month.

The Masters
- Trevor Immelman leads after 3 rounds at The Masters. However, Tiger woods is lurking just a few shots back. It will be interesting to see the golfers who haven't been in the final pairings of a major and how they handle the pressure. Also, if Tiger gets on a roll today and the gallery gets involved, it doesn't bode well for the rest of the field.
- The weather conditions will be a challenge for caddy and golfer alike today. There will be some strong winds on the course to make shot selection important as well as drying out and making the greens much faster.

MLB
- Pope Benedict will celebrate Mass this week at Yankee Stadium and Nationals Stadium in D.C.
- Check out the link for the level of rivalry and humor of the Yankees/Red Sox rivalry. It is amazing what a buried t-shirt will do to people.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3344825
- The Tigers bad things continue to happen after almost being no-hit yesterday in their loss to the White Sox. Motown may be Downtown if the Tigers can't start winning.

So much to watch and so much DVR to use today. I will be doing much TV watching today with the cold and wet weather outside. I'm out.

DC

Spring....BRRRRRRRR

Wait 5 minutes and the weather will change...one of the unofficial lines of Southern Illinois. Thursday we are dealing with rain and severe storms, and this weekend we will be dealing with a chance for snow showers and belowing freezing temperatures. The good part is that it will be mainly dry and thus many events can take place.

Prep Report
- Pinckneyville Softball is taking the lead in the Mississippi Division after wins over AJ and Nashville this week.
- Speaking of Pinckneyville, they will be hosting the Southern Illinois Softball Showcase. 8 teams including Carterville, Pleasant Plains, Edwardsville, Johnston City, Pinckneyville, and others will be playing 3 games each today. Many of these teams are state ranked.
- Several games and doubleheaders are scheduled for the day. You can also bet some rained out games are also going to be played today.
- The tradition rich Centralia Relays will be ran today at Centralia High School. You will see some of the better track talent from around the state at this event.

All-Star Basketball Games
There are two all star basketball games in the area tonight. The first is at 7:15 tonight at Carbondale High School. It is the All-Star Classic hosted by Wendell Wheeler. The other is the McDonald's Riverwar at the brand new Chaifetz Arena on the campus of St. Louis University. SLU recruits Kyle Cassity of Pinckneyville and Brett Thompson of Vienna will be playing together for the first time at 7:45PM tonight. SIU will be well represented with Illinois Mr. Basketball Kevin Dillard of Homewood-Flossmoor as well as McCluer North's Torres Roundtree and Anthony Booker.

Eikenberg to Return
Dana Eikenberg will be the head coach of the SIU Women's Basketball program. After an internal investigation by the athletics department, she will be remain in that position. She will have some major recruiting to do after the seniors have graduated and several underclassmen have left the program.

College Football Fix
ESPN will be showing some spring football practice from college football today. If you need that football fix, that will help you a little bit.

The Masters
Trevor Immelman leads after two rounds at 8 under. Tiger Woods has struggled through the first two rounds but don't count him out. Phil Mickelson is playing well and looking like a real contender. This is the most scenic golf course in the world with the way they keep it manicured.

MLB
How nice it is to have baseball on the TV!!!
- Brandon Webb of the Diamondbacks has started the year 3-0 and is looking dominant.
- The Detroit Tigers are calling for a mulligan after starting 2-8 this year and now Dontrelle Willis has injured his knee in some way.
- The Red Sox are 5-6 and are showing signs of a World Series hangover.
- Albert Pujols is on fire after confrontation with Brandon Backe in Houston.
- How good is Kosuke Fukudome of the Chicago Cubs? He is real pleasure to watch.

Enjoy the weekend and bundle up if you are heading out to local events today. I'm out.

DC

Preparing for the weekend...

Rain has again altered the schedule yesterday and probably will to some extent today.

Prep Sports
There are games and meets scheduled for today. Those fields that drain the best and/or have tarps will have games. I would expect some track meets to get ran today.

All-Star Game
The 21st Annual All-Star Classic will take place at Carbdondale High School tomorrow night at 7:15. Wendell Wheeler has put this event on all of these years and he does an outstanding job. It will be one last time to see the Seniors play in a prep basketball game type setting.

College Basketball
- Bill Self told Oklahoma State (his alma mater) thanks but I am staying at Kansas. Now the question is who OSU will go after next.
- Trent Johnson was introduced as the new head coach at LSU. Stanford is now officially available.
- Travis Ford turned down Providence and LSU to stay at Massachusetts.
- The flood of underclassmen declaring for the NBA Draft continues each day.
- Ready for next year already? ESPN has Dick Vitale and Andy Katz ranking teams for 2008-2009. The problem is the underclassmen staying or going as well as the finalization of the recruiting classes for each team hasn't been completed.

The Masters
Round 1 is in the books and it was played in some absolutely gorgeous weather. Trevor Immelman and Justin Rose shot 4 under 68 for the lead. Phil Mickelson is 1 under and Tiger Woods shot even. Round 2 is underway as I type.

MLB
- The Cubs are on a 5 game winning streak after sweeping Pittsburgh.
- The Tigers have won a game but are now 1-8.
- How crazy is the unbalanced schedule in MLB with the travel and the amount you play a team?

NHL
Did you know the playoffs have started?

NBA
The season is starting wrap up. The run to June known as the playoffs is just around the corner.

Speaking of "around the corner," that would describe the weekend and the beginning of my Friday. I'm out.

DC

Not again...

Like a broken record, but there won't be too many events played today with the heavy rain we are getting this morning as well as more heavy rain and severe storms forecast for later this evening. However, there are plenty of things to watch on the TV to keep a sports fan entertained.

Mississippi Division Baseball
I have mentioned before that the softball side is very tough this year. As this spring season starts to add games, it seems the baseball side is as well. Pinckneyville is good as is Nashville, AJ (already with a win over PCHS), and now Du Quoin is starting to round into shape.

Track Update
- The Benton Girls track team won their own Jim Minton Memorial Rangerette Relays earlier in the week. They scored 101 points while Herrin finished 2nd with 80.
- The Nashville boys track team was very strong winning several events in their own invitational earlier in the week.

Boys Basketball Job Updates
Many people have been asking about the jobs in the area that remain vacant. Currently, there is nothing new to report. However, as soon as something factual shakes, I will let you know.

College Signees
As the spring season winds towards graduation, there are several area athletes that will be continuing their sport careers at the college level. As this list grows, I will be keeping tabs and getting those names out.

Candace First Again
Fresh off winning a 2nd straight National Championship at Tennessee in basketball, Candace Parker was selected #1 in the WNBA draft by the Los Angeles Sparks. Remember, she played her high school ball in the state of Illinois at Naperville Central High School. She also lead her team to back-to-back State Championships while she was there.

Men's College Basketball
- LSU is trying to fill their job opening with Stanford coach Trent Johnson. An opening at Stanford will lead to more jobs being left open.
- OJ Mayo of USC has declared he is eligible for the NBA Draft. That is no surprise.
- John Calipari of Memphis was named coach of the year. That is a consolation prize to him after losing the National Championship on Monday night.
- The list of players continues to grow as to those who are leaving early for the NBA Draft or who want to test the waters to see if they are draft eligible.

Why Brandon Backe...why?
Houston Astros pitcher Brandon Backe thought it would be a good idea to get into a verbal confrontation before last night's game with Albert Pujols. This was over Pujols sliding hard into Houston's catcher during Tuesday night's game. So, with that being the case, Pujols hits 2 home runs last night in a win vs. Houston. Way to go Brandon, you have made him mad and really given him inspiration against the Astros. Oh yeah, Mr. Backe, you better have your A+ game when you face him this season.

Cubs/Pirates = Free Baseball
These two teams have hooked up for 2 extra innings games this week. The first on Monday went 12 innings with the Cubs winning 10-8. The second game last night went 16 innings with the Cubs winning 6-4.

The Masters
The most beautiful and some would argue best tradtion tournament opens up today at Augusta. I am sure with the rainy and cold weather predicted the next few days many golfers like myself will be tuning in quite a bit.

Again, keep an eye to the sky today as this weather is going to possibly turn severe later this afternoon, this evening, and tonight. Be safe...I'm out.

DC

Full of Sports

Dry weather meant lots of prep sports action yesterday. That is good news for everyone. Candace Parker leaves UT with 2 National Championships after last night.

Tuesday Softball
- 14 innings of softball...that is what Jim Muir and I broadcasted yesterday as Murphysboro beat Benton 3-2 at the Benton City Park. Good game with not much offense. Benton starting pitcher went all 14 innings which is remarkable. The run scored by Murphysboro in the Top of the 14th was on an error when a ground ball back to the pitcher was mishandled for an error. That is what happens in those games when many innings leads to tired physical and mental mistakes.
- Pinckneyville Softball has something on AJ Softball. Last year in the regional, a rain delay made the game continued until the next day. PCHS came back and won. Yesterday, PCHS rallied with 3 runs on the road to beat AJ again.
- I have already talked about the Mississippi Division of softball this year. Add AJ to that bunch of teams with Pinckneyville, Nashville, and Sparta that are pretty good.
- A Thought...whatever happened to the days of seeing 1-0 or 2-1 scores in softball. I am guessing the hitting has finally caught up with the pitching in softball.

Tuesday Baseball
- Carterville and Harrisburg continue to roll with big conference wins yesterday. These two teams are pretty dominating.
- Du Quoin may be finding their stride with a 9 inning win over Sparta yesterday. This team has potential to get much better as the season rolls on.
- It still amazes me to see some teams haven't played more than 6 or 7 games all year.

Wednesday Prep Schedule
Another good day of weather will mean more games today. Baseball has several good matchups with Herrin vs. Carbondale, Althoff vs. Nashville, and Flora at Carmi. The schedule for softball is light but WSV vs Woodlawn and Herrin vs. Marion are the highlighted rivalry games for the day.

Par 3 Game anyone?
Check out ESPN today at 2PM today. The Par 3 game at The Masters will be going on. It is a fun and relaxing day for the pros to play but much skill is shown off before the seriousness of the first major of the year starts tomorrow.

Women's College Basketball
UT dominated Stanford last night 64-48 to win their 2nd straight National Championship. Candace Parker leaves with 2 Titles in 3 years at UT and will be the #1 draft pick of the Los Angeles Sparks in today's WNBA Draft.

Men's College Basketball
- Let the offseason begin...Bill Self is looking for "security" which means added years and money to his contract at KU.
- If not Self at OSU, then who will be hired.
- Who is going to LSU? That job has gotten very little ink and not much happening on that job front. Travis Ford of UMass turned the job down yesterday.
- Darren Collison and Kevin Love are rumored to be leaving UCLA for the Pros.
- Many other players will be coming out the next few weeks announcing their intentions.

MLB
- How nice was it yesterday to see Bill Buckner get a rousing ovation at Fenway Park yesterday? He has been through so much since 1986 it was nice of the fans.
- Detroit still unraveling right along at 0-7 after a loss to Boston. OUCH!!!
- Greg Gagne has blown 2 saves now for the Brewers. You know he is feeling the heat as is manager Ned Yost.

FUNNY END NOTE
This was funny, but yet, made me wonder why someone would do this. As someone was pulling out of the Benton City Park parking lot, a foul ball from the softball game was hit and after a couple of bounces on the pavement, the ball hit that vehicle. The driver gets out, looks at his vehicle, walks around, and sees the softball on the ground. The driver picks up the softball, looks at his car, takes the softball, and leaves the park. Ok, I have heard of taking your ball and leaving when mad, but never taking another person's ball and leaving. PLEASE...a reminder, there are no souvenirs at high school games like at MLB games.

I'm out...

DC

Rock-Chalk Jayhawk kind of day...

The Men's College Basketball season is officially over, practice for the Masters is underway, MLB is in full swing, and teams around Southern Illinois got many games in yesterday. However, that beautiful weather from the last 3 days is gone as we are in for some rain the next few days.

Prep Sports
More good games scheduled today if the weather holds. In baseball, Pinckneyville vs. AJ, Eldorado vs. JC, and Fairfield vs. Hamilton County are on the docket as highlighted games. On the softball side it is Murphysboro vs. Benton, ZRC vs. Carterville, and Herrin vs. WF. Several boys track meets are also going on at WF, Herrin, Alton, and Centralia today. The broken record continues with "weather permitting" being used when talking about getting games played today.

Kansas Jayhawks, National Champions
The 2008 National Champions reside in Lawrence, Kansas. KU beat Memphis in just the 7th OT Championship game last night 75-68. It was a very good game with several runs by each team, good defense, clutch shot making, and big plays. This is the 3rd Title for KU and first since 1988 when Danny Manning played and Larry Brown coached at KU.
- There were several key events in the game, but the foul out of Joey Dorsey in regulation really gave KU a boost but really left Memphis with little inside presence in the overtime.
- How could Bill Self leave Illinois for Kansas? I believe the question was answered last night with the winning of a National Championship.
- Big decisions...Self is in the catbird seat right now. He wins a National Championship and his alma mater, Oklahoma State, is ready to back up the Brink's truck to his front door and lure him away. He has said he would listen which should make KU fans very uneasy.
- What was Roy Williams doing wearing a KU sticker on his shirt and sitting in the Kansas section? I would love to hear a reasonable explanation.
- Memphis had that Title right in their grasp and couldn't get it done. To be that close and not get it, that hurt will not go away.

Men's Basketball Offseason
- Marquette assistant Brent Williams has been hired at Marquette to keep things in the family.
- As mentioned, Oklahoma State will offer their job to Bill Self first before looking elsewhere. With that much money to spend at OSU, all teams and fans are going to be a little nervous.
- Ben Hansborough has decided to transfer from Mississippi State. He is a sophomore who played a considerable amount of time as well as started many games. It will be interesting to see where he lands.
- Now we wait to see where coaches go, who leaves for the pros early, and the spring recruiting period to happen. The season never ends.

Women's National Championship
Stanford will play Tennessee tonight in Tampa, Florida for the National Championship. These two powerful and tradition rich programs should put on a show tonight. This will mark the end of the collegiate career of Candace Parker at UT. She will be drafted #1 by the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA tomorrow unless something unforseen happens.

So much in the sports world going on, that there will be some catching up for me this evening on reading and watching sports events. For now...I'm out.

DC

One Shining Moment...

Tonight is the night that the video "One Shining Moment" is played after the National Championship game. Everyone knows the song and many will be singing it tonight and tomorrow. For us around here, one shining moment could be the sunshine we are to receive today before rain sets in once again.

Baseball/Softball/Track
The schedule is full of games and meets today. It seems the weather is going to hold out and give at least one day for activities. Conference games are in full swing on both sides.
On the baseball side, it was Du Quoin vs. AJ, WSV vs. Woodlawn, Harrisburg at Murphysboro, and Sparta at Nashville as the highlighted games.
Softball will see Sparta at Nashville, WF at Massac County, and Vienna at Eldorado as the highlighted games.
In girls track, Benton is hosting the Jim Minton Relays, while Sesser-Valier and Murhphysboro are hosting girls meets as well. Eldorado is hosting a boys meet today. With very few meets so far, these will be a real measure of what everyone can do.

College Basketball
Kansas vs. Memphis for all the marbles tonight in Men's College Basketball. This game should be very exciting and expect a fast paced game. The winner of this game may be the first team to play defense.
The women played their semi-finals last night. Stanford and Tennesee won just crushing my dreams of a UT and UCONN matchup. Stanford and Tennessee will play for the title tomorrow night.
Western Kentucky hired Texas assistant Ken McDonald to be their head coach. This leaves Oklahoma State and Marquette as open as far as big conference jobs left open.

MLB
- Can Detroit win a game? They have started 0-6 and all of their games have been at home.
- The Cardinals keep on winning. A sweep of the Nationals makes their record 5-1.
- The NL East has no teams above .500 yet for the season.
- The Cubs seem to be getting on track with 2 out of 3 wins against Houston this weekend.

NASCAR
Carl Edwards won his 3rd race of the season at Texas yesterday. He was rather dominant. The guys move to Phoenix next week for a Saturday night race.

Monday is going to be dry so get out and enjoy those prep sporting events today. I'm out.

DC

Sunny Sports on a Sunday...

We have been blessed to have two beautiful days this weekend weather wise. It is nice to get outside and enjoy the sunshine and warm weather even though the ground is saturated. It is nice to read on the internet and in the local fish wrap and see scores from baseball and softball games from yesterday.

Prep Report
- Kayley Coonce of Johnston City threw a no-hitter in a 7-0 win over Herrin yesterday.
- JC Lady Indians are now 11-0 after beating both Herrin and Casey Westfield. This team, as will many in 2A in the South, looks very loaded.
- Harrisburg baseball swept a pair from Class 3A Lincoln yesterday. With a record of 12-1 and hosting a Sectional this year, it would not surprise me to see the Bulldogs go deep in the postseason. Also, they will be good for years to come as many underclassmen are getting significant playing time.
- Carterville went to the Sectional Final last year and again is very good this year. They beat AJ 9-0 yesterday. The Lions are Class 2A.
- With the rain we have had, certain facilities really stand out as able to host games. The players, coaches, and towns should be proud when you have places to play games like these.
-I look for many games to be played tomorrow with the sunny and dry weather yesterday and today. From what I am hearing, coaches and players alike are tired of practicing in the gym.

Illinois Mr. Basketball
Kevin Dillard of Homewood-Flossmoor was named Mr. Basketball in Illinois yesterday. He has signed to play for SIU next year. This marks the first time that SIU will have Mr. Basketball of Illinois play for them. Locally, Kyle Cassity of Pinckneyville finished 12th in the voting.

Men's Final Four
The dream matchups turned into a couple of nightmares yesterday. Memphis was very dominating, more physical, and more athletic than UCLA. Last year's Illinois Mr. Basketball Derrick Rose of Memphis was tremendous and obviously with one more good game he will go pro. In game two, you could have divided it into thirds with Kansas winning the beginning and end of their game with North Carolina. The Jayhawks looked very good and dominated UNC like no one had previously this year. The real question from this game is does Tyler Hansborough come back for his Senior season now that he still hasn't won a National Championship with the Tar Heels. The matchup tomorrow night of Kansas and Memphis will feature no shortage of fast break basketball and athleticism above the rim.

Women's Final Four
In Tampa Bay tonight, the National Semi-Finals for the women will be played. Stanford will play UCONN and LSU will play Tennessee. These are four powerhouse programs playing and always with good coaches and players for each. I am rooting for UCONN and UT to win since Geno and Pat Summitt would get to coach against each other. It is well documented their dislike of each other.

MLB
- The Cardinals are off to their best start in 8 years with a record of 4-1.
- The woes of the Tigers continue. They are now 0-5 after another loss yesterday. This was even after a no-hitter through most of the game was pitched by Dontrelle Willis
- Carlos Zambrano will get his 2nd start of the year for the Cubs today. It will be interesting to see if he makes it through the game without the arm and hand cramps that plagued his first start.
- The Yanks are in last and the Red Sox are in 4th in the AL East. Detroit and Cleveland are doing the game in the AL Central. Do you really think this will last from these 4 favorites?
- What can you learn after one week of baseball? The answer...the season is a marathon and not a sprint so we are a long way from knowing the trends of what these teams are going to do.

NHL
The NHL regular season will wrap up today with the playoffs beginning later this week. The playoffs will end sometime in June. It seems like hockey wins the award for "season that seems to take forever but you hear very little about it which is not like it used to be."

NASCAR
The guys will race today in Texas at one of the fastest tracks on the circuit. Dale Jr. starts on the pole in his #88. Expect some high speeds, exciting passing, and some wrecks on this wild track.

The Masters
I am geeked already as the most scenic golf tournament begins in Augusta, Georgia this week when The Masters takes place. There is no better scenery on a golf course then there. It also gives the golfer more of an itch to get outside and play. The Par 3 contest is on Wednesday which makes for some great TV previous to the tournament starting on Thursday.

It is a Sunday in April and as you can tell there is a lot going on in the world of sports. There is much to watch today and tonight. I will squeeze in some golf today even though it was a saturated, wet, and muddy mess at times on the course yesterday. Get out and enjoy the sunshine and weather today but also don't forget about all the sports on TV and radio today. I'm out.

DC

Final Four Semi-Final Saturday...

A sunny Saturday is beginning to great us today so it looks like there will be some high school baseball and softball games going on today. Hopefully things can dry out a little bit and some events can get played. Sound like a broken record don't I?

Hall of Fame for Al Martin
Congratulations to Du Quoin head football coach Al Martin. He will be inducted into the Illinois High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame today.

Prep Schedule
There are many events scheduled for today. Some games have been cancelled and moved to different sites. Check with schools before heading out today to be sure games are still on and what times they are being played. I know players are very eager to play games instead of practicing in the gyms.

Men's Final Four
Semi-Final Day of the NCAA Men's Basketball season will happen in San Antonio at the Final Four. For the first time, all 4 number one seeds are playing. Each game has a team with a possible lottery pick for the NBA Draft as well as 4 very good teams. I expect two excellent games today and a dandy National Championshp game on Monday night.

College Basketball Tidbits
- Eric Gordon of Indiana has announced he will enter the NBA Draft. Was anyone shocked?
- Former Stanford coach Mike Montgomery has agreed to be the coach at California. He joins that long list of college coaches who went to the NBA, failed, and now comes back to college.
- Oklahoma State, Marquette, and Western Kentucky are still open. WKU has been interviewing this past week though.

MLB
- Only one team who started the season 0-4 made the World Series. That was th 1985 St. Louis Cardinals. No team has started 0-4 and won the World Series. Detroit, who stands 0-4, might be getting a little nervous.
- Say what you want, Tony LaRussa always figures out ways to get his teams to win.
- All the NL teams who made the playoffs in 2007 have a .500 record or worse right now.
- Average ticket price to see the Yankees in Yankee Stadium runs about $41.40...WOW!!!

NASCAR
If you haven't seen the highlights, you need to check out the brutal qualifying wreck of Michael McDowell at Texas yesterday. He hit the wall at 180mph, the car barrel-rolled about 8 times, and then he walked away with only a slight limp. Credit NASCAR over the years for increasing and making safety better for these drivers.

With such a busy sports Saturday, it is time to get on with the day and enjoy. I'm out.

DC

Friday Full of Sports Briefings

The rain cancelled many events yesterday. It looks like we are going to get some dry weather the next few days.

Baseball/Softball/Track
There are many events scheduled again today and tomorrow. Of course, it will depend on the weather with the sun and wind and if everything will dry out.

Basketball Jobs
There is still no official word on the job openings for high school basketball jobs in the area. However, as soon as I hear anything, I will blog it.

Final Four Weekend
The end of the college basketball season is upon us. The Men's Final Four is in San Antonio and the Women's Final Four is in Tampa Bay. Four number one seeds are on the men's sides and two matchups of one vs. two are on the women's side. The Men will play on Saturday and Monday and the women will play Sunday and Tuesday.

OSU, Marquette, and Western Kentucky
Three jobs open...three jobs getting much attention as to who are going to fill those positions. OSU has boosters to pay big dollars, Marquette has several rumored names, and WKU is looking all over the country. Look for something to get done at these schools over the next week or two. By the way, there will be plenty of interviews and "non-official interviews" going on for many positions across the country at this weekends Final Four in San Antonio and Tampa Bay.

NIT
Ohio State defeated UMass last night 92-85 to win the NIT Championship. This comes one year after OSU lost to Florida in the National Championship game.

MLB Tidbits
- Kansas Royals are 3-0 after sweeping the Detroit Tigers on the road. This is the only surprise team leading a division because the other teams leading are favorites and picked by many.
- It is the first full weekend of MLB games. Several good games and pitching matchups are on the slate.
- Mike Hampton of the Braves is back on the DL with a strained pectoral muscle. He was injured while warming up for a start last night vs. Pittsburgh.
- Cincinnati Bengals...can they have any more off the field and offseason headlines?

Hopefully the weather will dry up and we can get some prep events going and the local golf courses to dry up. Have a good Friday...I'm out.

DC

Rainy Thursday

Like a broken record, the weather keeps giving us more rain. I don't look for many if any events to be going on today at the high school level in the area.

Prep Sports
The docket is full of games for baseball and softball as well as meets for tracks today. As mentioned before, the weather will play a huge roll if there are games and meets to be run.

River to River Mississippi Softball
How good is this division? Pinckneyville, Sparta, and Nashville are all off to great starts this year. The thing is these teams are all Class 2A so they will have to get through each other to advance to State.

Interesting...
In reading the local fish wraps and websites, the weather is playing havoc with the number of games that are being played. There aren't many teams with a lot of games played. We are about a month away from Regionals which means game experience will be at a premium.

NIT Finals
Ohio State will play Massachusetts tonight in the finals of the NIT. Rumors are swirling that Travis Ford is rumored to be in line for jobs that are open right now. The 3rd place game will have Florida vs. Mississippi in an SEC rematch of a game this year.

MLB
Sad state of affairs in Baltimore when only 10,000 people showed up for Game 2 of the season. This doesn't bode well for a once proud and winning franchise. It seems they have lost ground to the Washington Nationals as the premiere team in that area.

The Mets came back to the pack a little bit yesterday when Pedro Martinez was put on the shelf with a hamstring problem for 4 to 6 weeks. They need him healthy to be an elite team.

Milwaukee is on a roll with 2 straight wins over the Cubs in Chicago.

Dusty Baker got his first win as the manager of the Reds yesterday.

Finally, I had to see it to believe it, but there was an actual rain delay in Los Angeles for the Dodgers and Giants game. The ground crew struggled a little bit getting the tarp out and probably that was from lack of experience in doing the job. So see, there are others struggling with the rain as well.

Time to go...make a positive out of this rainy day...I'm out.

DC

Mid-Week

Sunshine will cover the area today so we expect to get several high school events in today. The problem is we are expecting heavy rain starting tonight going through Friday morning.

Baseball/Softball/Track
Carterville softball continues to roll with another win yesterday as did the Harrisburg Baseball team. Pinckneyville got a big win over Du Quoin in baseball yesterday. These teams are going to be favorites come May in postseason. Speaking of that, Regional seeding meetings for 1A and 2A baseball and softball are 3 weeks from today.

There is a full slate of action scheduled to today in all three sports. If you have a tarp, you better put it on after the games tonight with the rains coming in.

Crimson and Crean
Indiana has decided to hire former Marquette coach Tom Crean as their new head coach to replace Kelvin Sampson and Dan Dakich. A formal announcement will come later in the week.

OSU = Sutton-less
Sean Sutton has resigned the head coaching position at Oklahoma State. He was the replacement for his father Eddie Sutton for two seasons. The coaching search is going to be wide open as the boosters there have plenty of money to spend.

Womens Final Four
Sunday and Tuesday will be the Womens Final Four in Tampa Bay, Florida. The matchups are UCONN vs. Stanford and Tennessee vs. LSU. These are four powerhouses in the womens basketball landscape.

MLB and Payroll
Isn't it so nice to have MLB on the TV at night?

The team payroll stats are out for the 2008 season. Leading the way as expected is the New York Yankees at $209 million. The next four in line are Detroi, New York Mets, Boston, and the Chicago White Sox. The Cubs are 7th and the Cardinals are 11th.

Time to go...enjoy your Wednesday...I'm out.

DC

Better Late than Never...

I am a little later than normal for blogging this Tuesday morning. However, it is better late than never so here we go.

Forfeit
The St. Louis Cardinals have forfeited their game yesterday vs. the Colorado Rockies. To find out more, read more at the bottom of the blog.

Girls Soccer Postseason
Here is the 2A postseason sites for our local girls soccer teams in the area.
Carbondale, Granite City, Mascoutah, and Troy Triad will host regionals that will feed into the Belleville Althoff Sectional. Jerseyville, Mattoon, Quincy, and a site to be determined later will feed into a Sectional site to be announced. The winner at Belleville Althoff and the site to be announced will play in the Granite City Sectional.

Baseball/Softball/Track
The weather will play a factor in baseball and softball today. There will be very few games played today due to wet grounds. Track meets should be able to happen in many spots today.

College Basketball Tidbits
There are many juicy happenings the week of and the week following the Final Four. Here are some that have broken over the last 24 hours.
- Stephen Curry of Davidson will come back to school for his junior year.
- Darrin Horn has left Western Kentucy and is the new head coach at South Carolina.
- Jack Owens has left SIU and been named an assistant on the staff at Purdue. He was hired to SIU in 2003 by Matt Painter who is the head coach at Purdue.

Mr. Wildcat
It is truly a very sad day in the commonwealth of Kentucky. The equiment manager for the Kentucky Basketball team for 48 seasons, Bill Keightley, has passed away at 81. This man was a part of 3 National Championships, 8 Final Four appearances, saw 57% of the UK games in history, and saw 1,113 UK wins. He also was there for 6 coaches (Rupp, Hall, Sutton, Pitino, Smith, and Gillispie.) This man was truly an icon and national basketball treasure. He will be missed very much and it won't be the same for UK games next year and not see him sitting on the bench in his usual position. My thoughts and prayers are with his family.

MLB Opening Day Notes
The baseball season is underway and more openers will happen tomorrow. The weather played a role with rainouts and cold. Big performers of the day were:
- Kosuke Fukudome with the Cubs going 3-3 and a game tying home run in the 9th inning.
- Johan Santana was very impressive in a win in his Mets debut vs. Florida.
- Tom Glavine returned to the Atlanta Braves with a start last night vs. Pittsburgh.
- Barry Zito looked unimpressive again with the Giants in an opening day start.'
- Joe Torre was his first game as Dodgers manager.

Cardinals Forfeit Update
Here is the information from above concerning the Cardinals forfeit. It is April Fools Day and thus it was only a trick. I'm out.

DC