Sliding out of September...

Where has September gone? This month has flown by as we are in the final day of the month. With October coming tomorrow, that means MLB Playoff Baseball will be in full swing even though we have a 1 game playoff tonight for all the marbles in the AL Central. This is a big week in high school golf as conference tournaments and championships will be decided preceding regional play next week.

Prep Report
- The Marion Girls Golf Team is as good as anyone I can remember for girls golf in the state of Illinois. This team dominated the South Seven Conference meet yesterday winning by 46 strokes. They are a strong contender for a State Championship as well.
- Belleville East girls won the Southwestern Conference Golf Tournament yesterday.
- The SIRR will have their boys conference golf tournament today at Stone Creek Golf Course in Makanda, IL. This should be a very good day of golf not only from a team aspect but from an individual standpoint.
- Boys soccer in the South Seven is pretty tight right now. All the teams are pretty even as far as competition level goes and not very many games separate the teams. Marion is at Mt. Vernon and Carbondale is at Althoff in the first of a few matches to decide a conference champion. The Terriers got a big win over Centralia yesterday to help their cause.

College Sports
- If you get a chance, do some reading of the NCAA investigation into the Indiana Basketball program and Kelvin Sampson. It is definitely an interesting read as well as all the finger pointing going on.
- SIU Football is ranked 11th in the latest FCS Coaches Poll and 13th in the latest TSN FCS Poll.

Pro Sports
- The White Sox beat the Tigers yesterday. They will play the Twins tonight at 6:30pm with the winner taking the AL Central crown and advancing to the Playoffs to play the Tampa Bay Rays.
- The rest of the MLB Playoff Series will begin in earnest on Wednesday at various times during the day.
- Kyle Lohse was resigned by the Cardinals at 4 years, $40 million yesterday. The next question is how much money they will spend on other players or are they done with the money for the upcoming season.
- NBA will begin preseason training camps this week and weekend. It is hard to believe we are only a few weeks away from the start of the season.
- Since it slipped my mind, the NHL preseason has been going on for a couple of weeks already.
- It took a 46 yard FG but the Steelers finally beat the Ravens at home last night in an exciting overtime game. All news wasn't good as former Illinois RB Rashard Mendenhall was lost for the season due to injury.

What an exciting time of year?!?!?! You can't beat the fun of Playoff baseball and the games can't begin soon enough. I'm out.

DC

Changing of Seasons...

Rounding out the final days of September means the high school fall sports season looks to the post season while the MLB heads into October baseball. It also means cooler fall weather as we will see starting tomorrow. So many things beginning and ending in the sports world means big moments happening are just around the corner. Let's get right to a breakdown of the weekend.

Prep Report
- Marion won the Herrin Volleyball Tournament this past Saturday.
- The South Seven Girls Conference Golf Tournament will be today at the Rend Lake Golf Course.
- The IHSA has posted a Q and A about the upcoming Bass Fishing season and sport on their website.
- The Boys Soccer seeds and pairings have also been announced on the IHSA website.

College Sports
- Oklahoma is your new number one college football team after 3 of the Top 5 teams were beaten this past weekend. This sets a new record for most times being rated #1. The Sooners have done this 96 times moving past Notre Dame who has done it 95 times.
- Phil Fulmer, head coach at Tennessee, is feeling the heat after a 1-3 start to the season.
- DUKE won an ACC game for the first time in 25 tries after beating Virginia on Saturday.
- After beating Clemson (neutral site) and Georgia (on the road), it is time to give Alabama some major props for being a team worthy of National Championship contention.

Pro Sports
- The Brewers are in and the Mets are out. For the second straight year of having a 3 game lead or more in September, the Mets figured out a way to not make the Playoffs.
- The NL Playoffs are set up as follows: Cubs vs. Dodgers and Brewers vs. Phillies.
- The White Sox will play the Tigers today in a make-up game today at 1PM. If the Sox lose they are out. If they win, they would play Minnesota tomorrow in a game to decide who makes the AL Playoffs.
- Can we really have the MLB Playoffs without a New York team?
- Let the debate of MVP and Cy Young start in both leagues.
- Jimmie Johnson won the NASCAR race at Kansas City in a last lap dual with Carl Edwards which saw Edwards take the lead but hit the wall all on the final lap.
NFL Week 4
- Scott Linehan got the 6AM firing call this morning from the Rams. He will be replaced by former Saints head coach and Rams defensive coordinator Jim Haslett.
- After the Raiders gave up 25 points in the 4th quarter to the Chargers yesterday in a loss, the clock is ticking towards a Lane Kiffin firing as well.
- The Bears need to play on Sunday nights as they have 2 wins both on NBC Sunday Night Football.
- Washington shook up the NFC East yesterday with a win at Dallas. The Cowboys only ran the ball 8 times in the game. Looking and getting the big play is nice, but Dallas needs to learn running the football with the two backs they have is where they will get things done.
- Quietly at 4-0 and looking good...the Tennessee Titans...this team has a great defense and Jeff Fisher is an underrated coach in the NFL.

As I eagerly anticipate the beginning of the MLB playoffs, we get game number 162 today with the White Sox vs. the Tigers. That will have to do until they really start the Playoffs. I'm out.

DC

Rambling and Scrambling the First Weekend of Fall...

Man o' man...what a day in college football yesterday. Several upsets, several close finishes, and just flat out great games. Saturdays in the fall are great sports days. The high school scene takes a day to breathe but still some good information there, but the pro scene will cover being that is a beautiful fall day.

Prep Report
- As I have mentioned before, Cobden is the defending Class 1A Softball State Champions in Illinois. They are still playing well at 12-0 this fall and having won the Jackson, MO Softball Tournament yesterday.
- Elverado-Trico did score their first points of the season yesterday, but lost on the road 63-6 at Edwardsville Metro East Lutheran.
- With wins next Friday night, Anna-Jonesboro, Carterville, and Cahokia would go to 6-0 and clinch a playoff berth.
- Looking for some information on teams from the northern part of the state, there is a show on Comcast out of Chicago on Friday nights at 10:30. It gives plenty of highlights of football games and other prep events from that area. It is on Channel 665 on DirecTV but it gives a great source of high school information.

College Sports
- 3 of the top 5 teams in the country lost this weekend. USC, Florida, and Georgia all lost and that will cause a shakeup in the rankings.
- Illinois Football lost at Penn State last night. The program is to a point where they are going to have to win a game when they are in the spotlight and against quality competition. The last three times (USC, Missouri, and Penn State) have not went well.
- Finish of the day went to UNC beating Miami, FL. The Hurricanes threw a ball in the endzone for what looked to be a touchdown but was taken out of the hands of a WR by a UNC DB for an interception to win the game.
- SIU got a huge win at home last night vs. Northern Iowa in front of a crowd of over 14,000 and the 1983 National Championship football team.

Pro Sports
- Philadelphia won the NL East for the 2nd year in a row and clinched a Playoff berth.
- Milwaukee and the Mets are tied for the Wild Card spot. It comes down to either today depending on what happens or a one game playoff if necessary tomorrow.
- The Twins still lead the White Sox by a 1/2 game going into today.
- Jimmie Johnson sits on the pole for the race at Kansas today for NASCAR. This is race #3 of the Chase.
- Week 4 of the NFL is today. There are several interesting games on the schedule.
- If you are looking for the Rams game on TV today, don't. It will not be on as it did not sell out before the required deadline for TV to put the game on. The game that will be on in its place will be Washington at Dallas at 3:15PM.
- Donovan McNabb returns to his home city of Chicago as his Eagles will play on the NBC game tonight.
- Speaking of NBC NFL Football, the Madden Cruiser was spotted earlier in the week in Marion, IL.

It is mid-Sunday morning and the pre-game shows for NFL games are on. It is time for me to go find a recliner, remote, food, and drink. I'm out.

DC

A Saturday Smorgasboard...

Mid-afternoon on the first of the 2 day weekend, and this Saturday is already loaded with many things going on. Several upsets have happened and some are in progress in college football as we speak as well as MLB is in full swing to decide the final teams in the Playoffs. Week 5 is now in the books as one Saturday afternoon game has been completed which means we are half-way thru the season.

Prep Report
Week 5 Notes
- Mt. Vernon started the year 0-2, but is now 3-2 and 2-0 in the South Seven Conference.
- Harrisburg started the year 0-3, but is now 2-3 and 2-0 in the Ohio Division.
- Over 5,000 people saw Belleville West beat Belleville East on the road last night.
- All 10 games in the River to River Conference and BDC were won by double digits this weekend.
- Chase Fann of CZR kicked a 38 yard FG to put the Bearcats on top with under a minute to go. Zach Johnson of SVWW hit a 37 yarder to win it as time expired in this BDC rivalry game.
- Du Quoin beat Pinckneyville last night 42-6 in a game that took 78 minutes from opening kickoff to final horn.
- Elverado-Trico scored today for the first time this season, but were badly beaten to drop to 0-5 by Edwardsville Metro East Lutheran.
Week 5 Top Solo Efforts
- Zach Johnson (SVWW) - kicked 37 yard FG to beat CZR on the road.
- Zack Kester (Massac Co.) - threw for 166 yards and 4 TD passes in a win vs. Benton
- Steven Bleyer (Carterville) - ran for 173 yards and 3 TDs in a win vs. Johnston City.
Tidbits
- Herrin is hosting their annual volleyball tournament today.
- Centralia and Vienna are hosting boys golfing tournaments today.
- Several conference golf matches will take place this week.

College Football
- As I type here at 3:10PM there have already been 3 upsets this weekend. USC (Thursday), Florida, and Clemson have all been upset.
- NIU at SIU is tonight at 6PM in Carbondale. SIU is celebrating the 25th anniversary of their 1983 I-AA National Championship football team tonight.
- Is there a better show on ESPN than College Game Day on Saturday morning at 10AM? I don't believe there can be.

Pro Sports
- With the Astros being eliminated last night, the NL Wild Card will come down to the Mets and Brewers. The Mets have already won today while the Brewers are currently playing the Cubs.
- The Dodgers are in and will be on the road while the Cubs are in and they will be at home to begin the Playoffs. Their opponents are yet to be determined.
- The Red Sox will play the Angels in the first round in the AL. The other round will be Tampa Bay vs. the White Sox or Twins who will be crowned winner of the AL Central.
- The Rays became the first team since Baltimore in 1997 to win the AL East title last night that wasn't named Boston or New York.
- Juan Pablo Montoya won his first pole in Kansas City yesterday, but was DQed for an illegal setup on his car. Thus, Jimmie Johnson who qualified 2nd will lead the field off to the race tomorrow in NASCAR.
- The final PGA Golf Tournament of the Fed Ex Cup is taking place this weekend in Atlanta, GA. Anthony Kim and Sergio Garcia are continuing their Ryder Cup contest over to this weekend.
- Week 4 of the NFL is tomorrow.

With everything going on, I am leaving the blogosphere for today. I'm out.

DC

Plenty on the Docket...

Week 5 of the high school football season is here and there are some very good games around the area. The BDC has its annual Rivalry Week where teams with past histories of rival games get together. Speaking of football, the college football world was turned upside down last night when USC lost at Oregon State last night in a fantastic game. Also, the MLB is the headline story in the pro sports world with playoff spots still up for grabs but we also head into Week 4 of the NFL season as well.

Prep Report
Week 5 - Games of High Interest
- Benton at Massac County
(The Rangers make the trip down to play a very athletic Massac Co. team. The Rangers are coming off a big win over WF while the Patriots made two trips to Murphysboro last week to get a win due to weather.)
- Mt. Vernon at Marion
(South 7 matchup that has become quite the rivalry in recent years with conference and playoff games in the history. This game has playoff hopes riding on it as well.)
- WF at Harrisburg
(Bulldogs got their first win last week while WF had a tough loss at Benton. Can HBurg keep things rolling and can WF get back on track?)
- Carterville at Johnston City
(This is a huge BDC rivalry on any year, but with the Lions undefeated and the Indians at 3-1, this game has huge conference and playoff implications.)

College Sports
- ESPN has a traditional Thursday night game each week on during the fall for football. Last night may have been their best ever when USC lost at Oregon State in a great game. Memo to USC...if you can't run the football with success, then you probably aren't going to win many games.
- The Illinois at Penn State game tomorrow night is getting some much deserved hype for the game. Both teams are ranked and it will be on the prime time game on ABC.
- Locally, tomorrow night NIU is at SIU tomorrow night in a big conference game at McAndrew Stadium.

Pro Sports
- The Twins completed a sweep of the White Sox last night to go into first place in the AL Central by 1/2 game. The Sox host the Indians while the Twins host the Royals. Remember that the White Sox have a make up game with Detroit at home on Monday.
- Believe or not, the Brewers and the Mets are tied for the NL Wild Card. To think that the Brewers still have a chance at the playoffs is unbelievable. They host the Cubs this weekend.
- The Nationals are at the Phillies and the Mets host the Marlins. This will decide the NL East.
- With the D-Backs losing to the Cardinals, the Dodgers won the NL West yesterday and are in the playoffs under first year manager.
- Tampa Bay still has a 2 game lead with 3 games left over the Red Sox in AL East.
- Brett Favre is good to go to start in the game this weekend vs. Arizona.
- The 49ers will retire the #8 of Steve Young in a ceremony this year.
- NASCAR rolled through our area on the interstate this week. They were headed to Kansas City for race #3 of the Chase.

It is a busy Friday as you can tell in all of the sports world. It only gets better with the weekend starting. I'm out.

DC

Targeting in on a Thursday...

How good is the MLB right now? The final two spots in the NL are up for grabs, and the White Sox are on a virtual collapse after losing the first two games of a series to the Twins. We are on the eve of another night of high school football, but before that happens we have other sports that are going to take the stage today.

Prep Report
- Greenville will play the rest of their football games this 2008 season on the road.
- 1A beat 3A in volleyball the other night when SVW traveled to Mt. Vernon and won a volleyball match.
- Benton is hosting a huge cross country meet this afternoon at the Benton City park. Several schools with both boys and girls teams will be participating.
- Marion is at Carbondale today in boys soccer to continue their long running rivalry they have in that sport.

College Sports
- North Carolina at Miami in football this weekend marks the return of former Miami head coach Butch Davis for this the first time there.
- Georgia vs. Alabama is going to be a special SEC game this weekend.
- Nebraska AD Tom Osborne still has an eye on the football program. Being a former head coach there with much success, I doubt if he would let the program stray to far.

Pro Sports
- The Twins are going to make it interesting after beating the White Sox again last night. The lead is now 1/2 game for the Sox with one game left in the series.
- The Mets and Phillies lose while the Brewers won. This means the Phillies lead the Mets by 1 game while the Mets and the Brewers are now tied for the NL Wild Card. Weren't the Brewers done for last week?
- Weather is going to possibly play a factor in the Mets schedule. Big rains are expected in New York today which may affect the Cubs/Mets game.
- The Dodgers have clinched a share of the NL West title after another D-Backs loss to the Cardinals last night.
- Matt Millen has been fired as the CEO of the Detroit Lions. This has been long overdue.
- Plaxico Burress...is it so hard to do what you are supposed to do as a professional football player?

We are locked and loaded for a Thursday. I'm out.

DC

Mid-Week Milestones...

Several key events are going on at all levels. Whether it be championships being earned, streaks ending, or people taking on new roles in their line of work it is a rather interesting Wednesday.

Prep Report
- Massac County won the SIRR girls conference meet that was held at Hickory Ridge yesterday.
- Freeburg won the girls golf Cahokia Conference title yesterday.
- It seems that at times there are way to many tournaments during the basketball season. It is tough to field teams in tournaments each year. The Columbia-Freeburg Holiday Tournament found this out the hard way as their 10th team will be the Collinsville JV team.
- Pinckneyville Boys Basketball will be playing once again in the Pepsi Showcase held at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau, MO. They will be playing Miller Career Academy out of St. Louis.

College Sports
- Joe Paterno should be back on the sidelines coaching for Penn State when they host Illinois this Saturday night.
- Several Notre Dame football players are in some trouble after being at a weekend party on the Notre Dame campus.
- The ESPN family of networks will have 14 games in 23 hours on November 18th to kick off the season.

Pro Sports
- The reports are that Matt Millen is out as President of the Detroit Lions. Some believe that this is long overdue.
- Plaxico Burress was suspended 1 game (October 5th vs. Seattle) by the NY Giants for an undisclosed team violation.
- The Rams have benched Mark Bulger for 38 year old Trent Green as their starting QB.
- The Yankees, for the first time since 1995, have been officially eliminated from the playoffs.
- The Rays magic number for the AL East title is 2, but the Red Sox have clinched a spot in the Playoffs. The teams that are in the Playoffs now are Boston, Tampa Bay, and LA. The final spot will either be the Twins or White Sox.
- The Brewers are 1 game out of the NL Wild Card after a win last night. They trail the Mets who beat the Cubs last night.
- Chris Carpenter has a compressed nerve in his throwing shoulder which will need surgery.

Completing yet another post is kind of like a milestone. I'm out.

DC

Tuesday Tidbits...

The first full day of fall feels a little like summer with the mid 80s floating around today. With it being a Tuesday, most of the sports are tad slow with news today. However, I was able to find some in each one today.

Prep Report
- SVW, undefeated in the BDC West volleyball, will play at Mt. Vernon tonight in a titanic tilt.
- Conference golf tournaments will be going on this week and next week in preparation for postseason play later.
- Defending 1A softball State Champion Cobden is currently 8-0 on this fall season.
- QB Darien Donald of Cahokia will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury that will require surgery.
- Dupo football ended their 21 game losing streak on Friday night at Red Bud with a 14-13 win. They will play CZR later this year.

College Sports
- Most pundits are playing the USC vs. whoever card already for the College Football National Championship.
- We are less than a month away from the start of practice for college basketball.

Pro Sports
- I know this isn't shocking, but some fans were arrested for taking things from Yankee Stadium on Sunday night.
- Lane Kiffin is still the coach of the Oakland Raiders which is contrary to reports that Al Davis has his finger on the fire button.
- The injury train continues for Jeremy Shockey of the Saints as he will be out 3 to 6 weeks with a sports hernia.
- With their win last night and a Mets loss, the Chicago Cubs have clinched home field advantage for the NL Playoffs.
- The NL West, NL East, AL East, and the AL Central is coming down to the wire.
- The White Sox begin a big series in Minnesota tonight.
- Brandon Webb won his 22nd game of the year for the D-Backs last night.
- Former NBA official Tim Donaghy will report to prison today to serve his term for gambling while officiating NBA games.

Big day of sports tonight with several key MLB series as well catching up on some DVR shows for me. I need to get this day started. I'm out.

DC

Ryding the Emotional Sports Wave...

To say the least, the emotional day in sports was in the forefront from the Ryder Cup to the night at Yankee Stadium. Lost of memories replayed and shown in those events took sports fans like myself back in time. It is hard to believe that Yankee Stadium of 85 years will be no more. However, the weekend is over and another work week awaits but first a recap of the events from yesterday.

Prep Report
- Elverado-Trico football has yet to score this season after 4 weeks. They will try to break that streak on the road at Edwardsville MEL on Saturday at 1PM.
- Has anyone else noticed the number of teams running the same offenses in football in the area?
- Bloomington Central Catholic beat Mt. Carmel 42-0 at The Pit on Saturday night to retain their #1 ranking in Class 4A.
- The Marion Girls Golf team continues to play a very tough schedule that allows them to compete against different teams and on different golf courses. They recently won a golf tournament in Lexington, KY over the weekend.
- There are several key volleyball matches this evening involving conference races.

College Sports
- Georgia will wear black uniforms in their game this week with Alabama.
- Vanderbilt...yes the Commodores...have cracked the Top 25 football rankings this week.
- Arkansas, Texas A&M, and Michigan are big time college football teams that are struggling mightily out of the gate this year.
- Illinois will be the prime time game on ABC this Saturday night when they travel to Penn State at 7PM.
- After a bye week, SIU will host Northern Iowa this Saturday.

Pro Sports
- How about the USA Team that won the Ryder Cup for the first time since 1999!!! It was a tremendous team effort all weekend. The question is...what affect, if any, did Tiger Woods absence have on the team?
- Yankee Stadium closed down for the final time last night. I was able to watch the pregame and postgame ceremonies on the YES Network on the satellite. If you are a baseball fan, goosebumps were on goosebumps as you watched the players be introduced that have played in that fantastic 85 year old building. Let me say it, there will never be another stadium in the history of sports like that one.
- The Houston Astros, over a week later, are still crying about having to play 2 games in Milwaukee. What they need to worry about is the first four months of the season and their performance during that time and hey...they had to agree to playing the 2 games there in the first place.
- The NL West, NL East, and AL Central in baseball are going down to the wire this week.
- Greg Biffle won his 2nd race in The Chase yesterday at Dover. Race #3 in the Chase is next weekend in Kansas City.
NFL Week 3
- How bad are the Rams and the Chiefs?
- Lane Kiffin is expected to be fired today by the Oakland Raiders. How long until the Rams fire Scott Linehan?
- The Colts are 0-2 in their new Lucas Oil Field Stadium after losses to Chicago and now Jacksonville.
- The Chargers are in a must win tonight at home vs. the Jets since the Broncos are 3-0 and leading the AFC West.
- The Cowboys defense stepped up last night in their 27-16 win at Green Bay. Also, if you have Miles Austin (WR for Dallas) on your fantasy team then you cleaned up last night after he had a touchdown catch.

There you have it. A day filled with emotions and other highlights that went on to be remembered for years to come. I'm out.

DC

Falling out of Summer...

Today is the last full day of Summer as we head into the season of fall. The leaves are starting to change a little bit each day as are the sports seasons that we fully enjoy. It has been an interesting weekend in the sports world both locally and nationally.

Prep Report
- I pulled off the trick of going to 3 high school football games in 24 hours. I was in Mt. Vernon on Friday (Rams vs. Althoff), Benton on Saturday afternoon (Rangers vs. Redbirds), and then Murphysboro on Saturday night (Red Devils vs. Massac County. It basically felt like the first round and weekend of the playoffs with games at different times.
- There was some shock that there weren't more people at the Murphy/Massac game last night. I thought that there would be more people at the game for two teams having pretty good seasons.
- Centralia currently has the longest losing streak in football in the state at 30 games after losing yesterday at Carbondale.
Looking Ahead to Week 5
- Benton will travel to Massac County in what will be a huge Ohio Division game after both teams opened up with wins yesterday in the conference.
- The BDC will have their annual Rivarly Week where all teams (with the exception of Elverado-Trico who plays Edwardsville MEL) will play their rivals.
Other Tidbits
- West Frankfort won their own volleyball tournament yesterday while AJ won the Chester Round Robin Volleyball tournament.
- I have been reading in local papers of golf matches not playing the usual singles formats, but playing different types of golf games such as scramble, 4 ball, and best ball much like the Ryder Cup. These are excellent ideas to give some variety to high school golfers.

College Sports
- I was able to catch the end of the LSU/Auburn game last night when I got home. This game lived up to the hype that it received most of the day.
- Ron Zook, Illinois football head coach, took in the East St. Louis vs. Belleville West game on Friday night. He was recruiting talent on both teams.
- My Heisman pick as of today is Chase Daniels of Missouri. This QB is phenomenal to wa
- Former SIU Head Football Coach Jerry Kill got his first win at NIU when they beat Indiana State 48-3 yesterday in DeKalb.
- Sleeper of the year in football...look no further then BYU. They aren't in a power conference but they are a very good football team who could find themselves in a BCS game in January.

Pro Sports
- NFL fans are savoring the many great games on tap for today. There are many close point spreads which means there should be some good games.
- NASCAR is in Dover for race #2 of the Chase. Jeff Gordon is on the pole for the race.
- The Ryder Cup will finish today with 12 singles matches starting at 11AM CST. The USA leads Europe 9-7 heading into play today.
- The Tampa Bay Rays have clinched a playoff spot. Now the question is will they win the AL East or clinch a Wild Card.
- Huge series on tap this mid-week when the White Sox travel to Minnesota. This will decide the AL Central Champion.
- For those wondering...I still have a smile on my face after the Cubs won the NL Central for the 2nd straight year. That will fade knowing the real prize that all Cubs fans want.

Enough is enough. Ryder Cup, NASCAR, MLB, and the NFL are all on the docket today and I have no time to waste. I'm out.

DC

Saturday Night is All Right for Blogging...

It is late on Saturday night but what a Saturday for me. First, the Cubs clinched the 2008 NL Central Division Championship today with a win over the Cardinals and the I got to see one of the best high school football games in a long time when Benton beat West Frankfort 20-17. Not tired, I decided to trek to the Murphysboro tonight for a Massac win over the Red Devils. Yes, it has been a busy day but time to get a post in for today.

Prep Report
Friday Night
- I attended the Althoff at Mt. Vernon game. Mt. Vernon is becoming a running back factory. Year in and year out they continue to produce those good backs and find themselves at 2-2 for the 2nd year in a row.
- The surprising game of the night was Hamilton County going on the road and shutting out CZR 20-0. Folks, the BDC is going to be a topsy-turvy sprint to the playoffs.
- Fairfield eaked out a 21-20 win over SVWW on the road and continued the Red Devils bad luck.
Saturday
- Mother Nature delayed the end of some games and those were finished today. The shocker was Harrisburg beating Herrin 7-0 on the road. The Tigers had one possession on offense in the 2nd half which tells you the Bulldog's record is very deceiving.
- Carbondale needed a last second TD to beat Centralia today 21-14 at home.
- Benton beat West Frankfort 20-17 in a classic today at Tabor Field. It was a total blast to be there with 3500 plus fans. That is the Rangers first win over WF in 5 years and tries.
Other High School Events
- Benton won the Flora Volleyball Tournament while Sesser-Valier Waltonville won the Massac County Volleyball Tournament today.

College Sports
- Florida looked very impressive today in Rocky Top easily handling Tennessee.
- Missouri struggled with a very underrated Buffalo team, but ECU found the upset of themselves this time as NC State pulled off the shocker.
- SIU and Illinois both had byes this week in their schedule.

Pro Sports
- Chicago Cubs...2008 NL Central Division Champions...It has a great ring to it but definitely not the prize that the team or us fans are going to be satisfied with.
- I thought it ironic today that the final out of the game was caught by former Cardinals and now looking good in Cub blue Jim Edmonds today. You know that had to be a very gratifying moment for him.
- Hard to believe, but the NBA preseason is upon us.
- NASCAR will race in Dover tomorrow on the one mile concrete track.
- Week 3 of the NFL kicks off tomorrow. Dallas at Green Bay is the highlight game of the weekend tomorrow night, but there is a fully loaded schedule of very good games.

Hey...been a long but very fun day. It is time for a little shut-eye. I'm out.

DC

Ryding into Friday...

I have the Ryder Cup fever today. I have watched a great deal of the morning 4 ball play and it is still even without Tiger Woods being there a great golf event to watch. With it being Friday, it is Week 4 of the high school football season. The key being that conference play kicks in for all conferences in the area. Also, there are other stories in the college and pro sports world that means I need to get to it.

Prep Report
-Week 4 Highlight Matchups
Cahokia at Marion - Cahokia 3-0 even with key injuries while Marion is starting to find their game.
Harrisburg at Herrin - Two teams heading in two different directions.
Althoff at Mt. Vernon - Both are trying to start fresh in the conference season.
- In fall softball, 1A State Champion Cobden got a third no-hitter of the fall season from Taylor Orsburn to beat Goreville 1-0 yesterday.
- Sesser-Valier Waltonville continues to roll through the BDC West with another win over Trico last night.

College Sports
- Colorado won a very entertaining game over West Virginia at home last night 17-14 in OT. This is the 2nd straight loss since WVU gave their head coach a contract extension.
- I am looking forward to the LSU/Auburn game on Saturday night. SEC football + many athletes + speed + power = what should be a tremendous game.
- You can also add the Florida at Tennessee matchup on Saturday afternoon which is always an interesting battle.
- Here is a link to the Top 25 ranked football teams and who they are playing this weekend. [http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=9187631724748598834]

Pro Sports
- The Ryder Cup is in full swing this morning in Louisville, KY. I think it is great this major golf event is happening practically right in our back yard.
- Yes, this event is still huge even if Tiger is not playing. The drama over 3 days is incredible.
- Your a rookie in the NBA starting your first season. Why do you do this Michael Beasley? [http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3596442]
- The buying of the Pittsburgh Steelers is becoming an interesting issue. [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3596666]
- The Cubs pulled off an exciting comeback vs. the Brewers yesterday to reduce their magic number to two. The Brewers have really struggled during September.
- Speaking of the NL Central, the Astros have lost 5 in a row after Ike changed their schedule last weekend. The Cardinals snapped their losing streak last night vs. the Reds.
- Speaking of the Cardinals, Adam Kennedy is looking for a trade. [http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3597316]
- NFL Referee Ed Hochuli is said to be devastated after blowing a call last Sunday. [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3596289]

The Ryder Cup on the first day has so much drama going on this morning already that I need to direct my attention to watching it as the USA is putting up a great fight vs. the Europeans. I'm out.

DC

A Thursday Pace...

Thursday usually kicks off a busy 3 days of prep sports and that is the case today. There is a full slate of events and games today followed by football tomorrow and then the big Benton vs. West Frankfort game on Saturday afternoon. However, the college and pro sports worlds are a little slower than normal as they ready for a big weekend as well.

Prep Report
- Sparta boys and girls cross country teams continue to do well this season. They won the Sparta Invitational yesterday and look for both teams to advance deep into the postseason.
- Donald Christenson of Hamilton County shot a 32 yesterday at the McLeansboro Golf Course.
- Andrew Mitchell of Benton shot a 71 at Kokopelli Golf Course in Marion, IL yesterday. Speaking from experience of playing that course several times, that is very impressive because that isn't one of the easiest golf courses to play.
- As Marion gets ready to host Cahokia tomorrow night, the Wildcats will have to be ready for a multiple set of QBs. [http://www.bnd.com/220/story/475660.html]

College Sports
- I love to watch college football. I am not sure I am used to turning on a TV and seeing a game on a Wednesday night like I did last night when Louisville beat Kansas State.
- Former Illini basketball player Jamar Smith has been sentenced. [http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=3594311]

Pro Sports
- The Brewers are still the odd team out in the NL Wild Card race as they, the Mets, and Phillies all won last night.
- Tampa Bay is here to stay after beating Boston 2 out of 3 at home the past 3 days.
- Ichiro of Seattle continues to tie and break hitting records in the MLB. [http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3594615]
- Michelle Wie shot a 65 on day 2 of qualifying for the LPGA next year. [http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/news/story?id=3594302]
- Curt Schilling can't pitch, but he can share opinions though. [http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3595012]

As I said, it is kind of a slow day in the sports world all around which is rare. So, I will shut it down until tomorrow. I'm out.

DC

Hard to Argue...

It is hard to argue this weather we are having right now. The small hint of fall in the air means all sports are in full swing. It is also hard to argue the big games and events in the sports world right now. Whether it is the high school season as teams march towards the middle of their season, or the pro sports world where the MLB is winding down towards to October baseball or the NFL heading already for Week 3 of the season. It is really, like the leaves, a very colorful time of year for sports.

Prep Report
- Starting off with the bizarre story of the day in high school sports...[http://www.bnd.com/430/story/474677.html]
- West Frankfort improved to 10-0 on the volleyball season with a win at Benton.
- SVW is 4-0 in the Black Diamond Conference as they beat arch-rival Christopher in volleyball last night.
- Here are the events for IHSA Activities Week. [http://www.ihsa.org/initiatives/activitiesWeek/]
- I know 3 weeks of the high school football season are in. I know that we can tell which teams are going to be strong and most likely in the playoffs. How can anyone predict and project who will be playing who this early???

College Sports
- Raise your hand if you are tired about hearing of Beanie Wells...RB at Ohio State!!!
- Indiana and the NCAA are still talking about the men's basketball program that has been investigated. [http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=3591649]
- From athlete to politics...here is an interesting read for the current election season. [http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/e60/news/story?id=3537700]

Pro Sports
- Ned Yost is saying all of the right things publicly, but he has to be a little frosted at being fired with 12 games to go.
- The firing didn't help the Brewers as they lost to the Cubs last night 5-4 and now are 9 games back in the NL Central and trail the New York Mets in the NL Wild Card.
- Tampa Bay has beaten Boston 7 out of 8 games in Tampa this season.
- More history in Yankee Stadium last night for Derek Jeter...[http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3592094]
- The aftermath of Ike may affect the Houston Texans and their home games this season. [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3591385]
- Also in that picture of the article, I am always amazed at how big Reliant Stadium is compared to the Astrodome.
- It seems on the surface the NFL is getting like the NHL where teams don't disclose and/or tell the really significance of injuries to players anymore.

Mid-week has arrived which means we are inching that much closer to the weekend. I'm out.

DC

Tuesday Blahs...

Tuesdays during the NFL season are a tad slow for me. Staying up late and watching the end of the NFL game on Monday night really can slow you down in the morning. I am hoping to catch a first wind quickly to jump start my day. Helping me to do this is the rush of sports that I have for you in this posting this morning.

Prep Sports
- West Frankfort won the prestigious Benton Volleyball Invitational on Saturday by beating Carlyle.
- Waltonville is a school with just over 100 students, and a girls golf team that will be making some noise over the next few years. They beat Sandoval yesterday in a match.
- Benton boys golf will rematch with Effingham St. Anthony today after a close loss earlier in the season.
- Like football, volleyball will kick into high gear with conference games all around this week.

College Sports
- The SEC has 5 of the top 10 schools in the AP College Football poll this week.
- Arizona basketball has reported a possible violation. [http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=3590024]
- The tallest player in men's college basketball may not play this year. [http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=3589671]

Pro Sports
- The Brewers have fired Ned Yost with 2 weeks to go in the season. Is anyone else scratching their heads? This will either work and fire up the team, or set this organization back for many years.
- Speaking of fading, the Mets are starting to get the wrap of faders in September with another slump going on now after a loss to the Nationals and a collapse in 2007.
- The Red Sox and Rays are tied in the AL East after a win by Boston last night. These two are in but it is a matter of who is going to be playing who in the playoffs.
- Do realize the last game ever at the current Yankee Stadium will be on Sunday night?
- After Carlos Zambrano's no hitter on Sunday night, Ted Lilly went almost 7 full innings of no-hit ball yesterday. With the win the Cubs are now up 8 games on the Brewers in the NL Central.
- The NFL is going to come down on official Ed Hochuli for his blown call in the Chargers/Broncos game. [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3589407]
- Speaking of blown calls, the TD given at first to the Eagles last night when their receiver dropped the ball at the 1 yd. line to show off was terrible. You will see the play but that is a call that should never ever be missed.
- If you didn't see the MNF game between the Cowboys and the Eagles last night you missed a treat. The Cowboys won 41-37 in a classic.

The blood is pumping a little now after being up for a stretch of time which means the work day will test my energy level next. I'm out.

DC

Zambrano = No Hitter!!!

Obviously for me, the highlight of the day yesterday in sports was the no-hitter thrown by Carlos Zambrano. Listening to it on radio with Pat Hughes and Ron Santo was a delight that helped alleviate the no TV coverage. I could go on, but watch the highlights to get a true feel of the game and the call. Even with that, there was so much other sports on the agenda that we are filled to the brim.

Prep Sports
- Knock on wood, but it looks like a great week of weather for all prep sports activities this week.
- Carterville is hosting a golf tournament involving 4 teams today for boys golf.
- For South Seven schools, Althoff is going to be very good again. [http://www.bnd.com/220/story/472404.html]
- The fall bracket drawing was held in the IHSA offices on Friday. Here are the results. [http://www.ihsa.org/announce/2008-09/2008-09-12.htm]

College Sports
- I stand corrected as Illinois football stayed in the Top 25 even after a close home win over ULL.
- With BYU's 59-0 win over UCLA, the MWC is now 4-0 vs. the Pac-10 this year.
- Do you realize this may be the best USC team that Pete Carroll has ever had?
- After being injured on the sidelines during a game on Saturday, Notre Dame Head Coach Charlie Weis is putting off surgery. [http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3587599]

Pro Sports
- Carlos Zambrano was outstanding in his no-hitter vs. the Astros last night. The game was only on locally in Houston and Chicago due to ESPN rights on Sunday night. However, listening to Pat Hughes and Ron Santo do the game and then seeing the last inning with the WGN-TV call at the same time was a treat.
- The NL Wild Card is now tied between Philadelphia and Milwaukee thanks to a 4 game sweep by the Phillies over the Brewers this past weekend. The Astros are 2 games out while the Cardinals are still hanging around 4.5 games out.
- The battle for the AL East happens tonight when the Rays and Red Sox begin a series in Tampa. The Rays lead the Red Sox by 1 game.
- Greg Biffle won the first race of the Chase at Loudon yesterday in NASCAR.
- Let the Ryder Cup being...it is in our backyard in Louisville, KY.
Week 2 of the NFL
- The Chargers are snake bit. Week 1, they lose on a last second TD to the Panthers at home. Then yesterday, a blown call by the officials cost them in a loss at Denver.
- Also in the same game, what a gutsy call by Denver coach Mike Shanahan to go for 2 and win the game in regulation.
- Tom Brady who??? The Patriots looked just fine yesterday without him improving to 2-0 with a 19-10 win over the Jets and Brett Favre.
- How bad are the Chiefs and the Rams?
- As of now, Lane Kiffin is still the head coach of the Raiders.
- Kerry Collins is having a rebirth with the Titans leading them to a 2-0 record without Vince Young.
- I am ooking forward to a great rivalry game tonight with the Cowboys playing the Eagles.

Wow...looking back at what I typed there was plenty going on yesterday. With that...I'm out.

DC

Kicking off a Sunday...

The remnants of Hurricane Ike are in our area as I type. I don't recall seeing it blow so hard and rain so hard during a weather event. Hopefully by the end of the day we will have clearing skies and better weather. As for this day, it being a Sunday in September there is no shortage of any kind of sports on the TV as well as wrapping up another week of prep sports. Let's get to it.

Pro Sports
- Chester picked up their first win of the season last night over Clifton Central 28-19 while Cahokia improved to 3-0 with a 48-6 win at St. Louis Lutheran North.
- Here is an article on the Cahokia game from yesterday. [http://www.bnd.com/220/story/471531.html]
- The talk is already building for the West Frankfort at Benton football game next Saturday afternoon.
- AJ Soccer is off to a 5-1 start on the season after beating Olney on Saturday.

College Sports
- So much for hype of a game as it usually goes, USC easily handled Ohio State 35-3.
- Speaking of that game, year after year it is very obvious that speed in the Big 10 is still not up to par with the other schools in the power conferences.
- Here is a score I don't believe I have ever seen at any level, let alone modern day college football. Auburn beat Mississippi State 3-2 yesterday. [http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=282570344]
- UCLA has been running its mouth during the offseason about stepping up for LA dominance against USC. Losing 59-0 at BYU yesterday may quiet down their crowd a little bit.
- Look to see Illinois drop from the Top 25 after only beating ULL 20-17.
- A Seton Hall basketball player is suing the NCAA to try to get his eligibility back. [http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=3579204]

Pro Sports
- Hurricane Ike has postponed the Texans/Ravens game today that was supposed to be played in Houston. It will be played on November 9th.
- One game into the season, the Raiders and Al Davis are looking to fire a coach. [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3587018]
- A full slate of NFL games today with Steelers/Browns, Jets/Patriots, and Saints/Redskins highlighting the schedule today.
- NASCAR is at Loudon, NH today with the first of the races in the Chase.
- The Cubs and Astros are finally going to play. It won't be in Houston. They will play 2 games of their 3 game series that was scheduled for Houston in Milwaukee tonight and tomorrow afternoon.
- K-Rod of the Angels has broken the season record for most saves. He broke the record of Bobby Thigpen which was at 57. He still has 2 weeks to add to the record for the Angels who have over 90 wins.
- The Dodgers, after an 8 game losing streak a couple of weeks ago, have caught fire and are pulling away in the NL West.

The NFL pregame shows are in full swing and my attention needs to be directed to watching those. I'm out.

DC

Dealing in Thirds...

The high school football season is just about 1/3 over and we are starting to see some teams separate themselves from the group. Several good games last night including the OT thriller where Herrin beat Du Quoin. This leads up to the next five weeks when all the conferences will go full speed into conference play. Last but not least, it is Saturday which means college football as well as some important on and off the field topics in the pro sports world.

Prep Sports
- Massac County is hosting a boys and girls golf tournament today with several local and out of state teams participating.
- Benton is hosting their annual volleyball invitational today. Both the East Gym and Rich Herrin Gym will be in use today.
- At Mt. Vernon, the airport was the host of a huge cross country meet this morning. Not only high school but several local junior high teams participated.
Week 3 Football
- Du Quoin and Nashville both missed extra points and it cost them wins.
- Carterville has two shutouts at their new home field in 2 games, while Elverado-Trico hasn't scored yet in 3 weeks.
- 5 teams (Harrisburg, Pinckneyville, Chester, Centralia, SVWW, and Elverado-Trico) are all winless.
- Week 3 will wrap up with Cahokia at St. Louis Luthern North at 2:30PM today and then Clifton Central at Chester at 6PM tonight.
Week 3 Individual Efforts
- Travis Crawford (Benton) 12 carries for 107 yards and 3 TDs
- Darrell Mitchell (Mt. Vernon) 196 yards and 4 TDs
- Rik Hicks (Anna-Jonesboro) 13 carries for 143 yards and 4 TDs

College Sports
- Today is a big day for college football as is usual for a Saturday, games are wall to wall.
- OSU/USC and then Michigan at Notre Dame hightlight the big program games today.
- USF upset Kansas last night in Florida.
- West Virginia is rewarding their new head football coach. [http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3584432]
- Florida State still isn't done with the NCAA. [http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3583535]

Pro Sports
- The Cubs, Brewers, Astros, and Phillies are were rained out last night.
- Speaking of the Cubs and Astros, after seeing the damage to downtown Houston today I don't see them playing there this weekend.
- Cliff Lee won his 8th straight to improve to 22-2 for the Indians last night. Is there any doubt he is the AL Cy Young Award winner?
- Speaking of hot, Houston and the Dodgers are the hottest teams in the league right now.
- Rain cancelled qualifying for the NASCAR race in Loudon, NH tomorrow so the field will be set by the points standings.
- The Titans are having problems not only on the field but off with Vince Young. [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3584636]

Distractions abound today as I am trying to blog and also watch all of this football that is on. I have to eliminate one. I'm out.

DC

Almost 1/3 of the Way Home...

It is week 3 of the high school football season already and after tonight 1/3 of the season is going to be in the books. Crossing those fingers will help to hopefully get us some dry weather during the games tonight at the one tomorrow night (Clifton Central at Chester 6PM). Let's get right to things since so much is on the agenda.

Prep Report
- Football Games of Note in Week 3
Du Quoin at Herrin...seems like each year this is one of the better games of the year.
CZR at Carterville...BDC lead is at stake with an upstart vs. the stalwart in the conference.
Harrisburg at Marion...Old South 7 rivals hook up in a must win for Harrisburg.
AJ at Massac County...Inter-division rivalry in the SIRR with playoff rematch potential.
Mt. Vernon at Triad...Must win for the Rams on the road to the Metro East.
- Wayne City is hosting a volleyball tournament this weekend. Several good teams from our northeastern part of Southern Illinois will be participating.

College Sports
- Florida State is really happy that the NCAA found no academic cheating going on in their program. [http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3583535]
- The media hype for OSU/USC on Saturday is reaching a fever pitch. I am ready for the game.
- The historic LA Coliseum has undergone some renovations over the past year. [http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3582742]
- Michigan plays Notre Dame tomorrow in football. Is this the quietest pre-game for these two teams in the series history?

Pro Sports
- Hurricane Ike is playing havoc with the MLB schedule. The Astros have cancelled their games for Friday and Saturday with the Cubs. The teams will hopefully play a DH on Sunday and one game on Monday to get the series in.
- Speaking of the Cubs, they have to be feeling pretty good after taking 2 out of 3 from the Cardinals during the past 3 days and going 5.5 games up on the Brewers.
- The Astros remain hot beating the Pirates again and have moved to within 3 games of the NL Wild Card spot behind the Brewers and Phillies.
- The only team to clinch a playoff spot so far as the LA Angels in the AL West.
- Is anyone else not surprised that with the Cowboys and Eagles playing on Monday night that the talk is growing between players each day? [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3582112]

Time to roll with the weekend and another night of football. I'm out.

DC

Watching the Weather...

Being a Thursday, it is the eve of another big sports weekend. The MLB is taking center stage during the week with big games in all divisions. September and October baseball are hard to beat. We sit and watch the weather as well for the weekend as it looks like rain is going to play havoc with all kinds of events.

Prep Report
- The IHSA has come out with the postseason assignments for golf, cross country, tennis, soccer, volleyball, and swimming/diving. You can check this out at www.ihsa.org.
- As I listen and watch forecasts in the past 24 hours, it looks to be a very wet weekend starting tonight with football games being affected tomorrow night with rain.
- Marion Girls Golf won the AJ Invitational yesterday easily outdistancing the field by 26 strokes.

College Sports
- Hurricane Ike has forced the cancellation of the Arkansas at Texas game. [http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3580979]
- On the flip side, LSU will still have their game on Saturday. [http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3579983]
- It looks like both USC and Ohio State will be as healthy as teams can get for their big matchup on Saturday night.

Pro Sports
- A series that will play a big role in who wins the NL Wild Card will begin tonight in Philadelphia when Milwaukee comes to town for a 4 game series.
- The Cubs got a huge effort from Ted Lilly as they won 4-3 over the Cards. The rubber game of the series will be tonight.
- With the loss, the Cardinals are now behind the Brewers, Phillies, and the hard charging Houston Astros who are 9-1 in their last 10 games for the NL Wild Card.
- The Rays have made a statement by winning 2 out of 3 games in Boston the past 3 days and going up 2.5 games in the AL East.
- Joining the Astros, the Dodgers are the other "hot" team in the NL.
- Here is what NBA Rookies shouldn't do. [http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3579879]
- Brian Griese will start for the Bucs with Jeff Garcia being injured.

This week has flown by for a 5 day work week as we roll towards the weekend. I'm out.

DC

Mid-Week March...

Mid-week has arrived. There really is a down time during the mid-week time when there is no football to watch. Can anyone win the NL Central? It seems that none of the top three teams are playing very well recently. The hype for OSU-USC football this week is growing by the day to being too much. Speaking of to much, let me stop the introduction and get to the post for the day.

Prep Sports
- The IHSA has set their agenda for Activities Week. [http://www.ihsa.org/announce/2008-09/2008-09-08.htm]
- The weather forecast is looking very rainy for Friday night games as of today.
- Olney and Anna-Jonesboro are hosting 2 girls golf tournaments today. There are going to be several very good teams and individuals playing in these 2 tournaments.
- Greenville High School still has issues with their football field reconstruction.

College Sports
- Do you think this might end up on a bulletin board for Michigan and their upcoming game with Notre Dame? [http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3578311]
- The hot seat for coaches has already begun. [http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3578280]
- SIU will try to beat another Division one school this weekend in football when they travel to Northwestern.

Pro Sports
- Does anyone want to win the NL Central? The Cubs are 2-8, the Brewers 3-7, and the Cardinals 4-6 in their last 10 games.
- Here is a Zambrano and Harden update. [http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3578659]
- The Red Sox and the Rays have played a very good series with the Rays now up 1.5 games on Boston in the AL East.
- The Mets are red hot and Carlos Delgado is making a major push for MVP.
- Speaking of hot, the Dodgers have expanded their lead to 2.5 games in the NL West.
- Shawne Merriman played one game for the Chargers and has decided to have season ending knee surgery.
- By the way...have the Jets become the favorite in the NFL AFC East?

Time to march on with the rest of the day. I'm out.

DC

A Hint of Fall...

Cooler temperatures have rolled in this morning and it feels like fall. This gives you the feel of football, cross country, and other fall sports that happen during this time. If you are going to attend some events tonight, long sleeves and jackets are definitely going to have to be worn. With the cool weather, the MLB is heating up with games and week 1 of the NFL season is in the books with several injuries to many key players.

Prep Sports
- The early forecast for Friday night predicts heavy rain which will affect the football games in a major way.
- It is a full schedule today with all the fall sports in full swing.
- SVW volleyball is off to a 3-0 start this year after a win over Woodlawn last night.

College Sports
- Josh Bone has left the SIU Men's Basketball team and has decided to transfer.
- Hurricane Ike hasn't hit the United States yet but look for many college football games to possibly be moved or canceled this weekend.
- USC hosts Ohio State this weekend. So much is the hype, that the game has its own place on the ESPN Bottom Line this week.

Pro Sports
- Tom Brady will have surgery on his right knee and will miss the entire 2008 season.
- One week of the NFL season is in and it seems to me that there are more injuries after week 1 than normal.
- Packers win...Aaron Rodgers is a hero...at least for this week.
- I was pretty impressed over the weekend with the NFL Rookies.
- The Reds scored 3 runs in the 9th to beat the Brewers last night. This is the second day in a row they have done that with the first being vs. the Cubs.
- Gary Sheffield has hit the 250,000 home run in the history of the MLB. [http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=280908106]
- Knock...knock...that would be the Red Sox who have climbed to within a 1/2 game of the Rays after a win last night vs. Tampa Bay.
- Cubs/Cards begin a 3 game series tonight in St. Louis.
- Speaking of the Cardinals, they will go with another closer as Chris Carpenter will get that job.

It is time to fall into another work day. I'm out.

DC

NFL + Training Room = Roster moves

Monday, Monday...if you are an NFL team you come to the practice facility hoping to see most of your players not in the training room. However, several teams are battling the injury bug and having to revamp rosters after week 1. The closing of Week 1 will have two games tonight on ESPN to wrap it up. With the week beginning, we also look forward to the week 3 schedule in football for high school. Finally, the MLB is crazy this time of year with crucial games going on each day.

Prep Report
- Week 3 is a marker for the schedule. We will be 1/3 of the way through the season, and then River to River and South Seven will go to conference play after that.
- AJ/Massac Co. and Du Quoin/Herrin highlight the schedule this week.
- CZR vs. Carterville highlights the BDC schedule with the winner having a leg up on the BDC title.
- How come the River the River Conference Schools don't play each other in weeks 1,2,3, and 9? It would make scheduling easier and make for intriguing matchups.

Pro Sports
- The first Sunday of the NFL was brutal on some teams and their QBs. Tom Brady (Patriots), Vince Young (Titans), and Brody Croyle (Chiefs) all were injured and will miss time this season.
- Tom Brady is likely to miss much if not all of the season as his knee has some major damage.
- Did the Rams forget the start of the season was yesterday?
- Did the Bears really just go in to the Colts' new stadium and beat them on Sunday night with Kyle Orton as QB?
- The NASCAR Chase field is set. [http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/nascar/cup/news/story?id=3574415]
- The world of tennis is starting to change on the women's side. [http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/tennis/usopen08/columns/story?columnist=garber_greg&id=3575069]
- IMO...the Cubs are trying to lose every way possible during the past two weeks.
- Chris Young of the Padres threw a near perfect game vs. the Brewers yesterday.
- The Dodgers swept the D-Backs to propel themselves into a 1.5 game lead in the NL West. The Dodgers lost 8 in a row a week ago and now have won 8 in a row.

Having cruised through lunch, the day continues with a long 5 day work week after working only 4 last week. Why are 5 day work weeks tougher after a 4 day work week? I'm out.

DC

Get Your Popcorn Ready...

There is so many different sports on today that everyone needs to get their tv, extra tvs, vcrs, and dvrs ready for the day. In fact, there are so many things on today I need to get right to the post.

Prep Report
- Marion is solidifying themselves as a major contender for a State Championship in girls golf this year. They dominated a field at the U-High Golf Invitational yesterday in Normal, IL. The Lady Wildcats won the team event by 35 shots and Cassie Rushing won the individual portion of the tournament.
- Massac County edged out Benton by 6 shots to win their own invitational yesterday. Dustin Korte of Massac County was in the individual winner of the tournament.
- Waterloo beat Murphysboro in the championship of the SI Preview Tournament of Volleyball yesterday at Carbondale High School.
- Isn't it about time that high school football joins the NFL and college football in eliminating the use of the horse collar tackle? I am sick of seeing it and have been for quite a long time.

College Sports
- What in the world was the official thinking in the BYU/Washington game yesterday by throwing a flag for celebrating a TD with teammates? Check out the link. [http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=282500264]
- Missouri and Illinois looked very good in wins over lesser opponents yesterday, while SIU opened up their season with a 37-31 win over Hampton in Carbondale last night.
- Eastern Carolina is the upset darlings so far this year after a big win over West Virginia yesterday.
- Here is an interesting article on a player trying to gain another year of college football eligibility. [http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3569162]
- All in all, the day of college football was pretty mild with not a lot of upsets and very few premiere matchups. That changes next Saturday night when Ohio State travels to USC.

Pro Sports
- NASCAR will race at noon today in Richmond, VA. After this race, the field of 12 drivers competing in the Chase will be set. Kasey Kahne, currently in 14th place, is the furthest down the points standings still with a chance to get in.
- The BMW Golf Championship will finish up today in St. Louis. Jim Furyk set a course record there yesterday with a 10 under 62 in round 2.
- The US Open for tennis will finish one men's semifinal as well as the woman's final today. The Men's final will be played tomorrow.
- The NFL has a full slate of games today. There are so many intriguing story lines it is hard to really pick one. Just think, not counting today, 16 more weeks of regular season NFL football are in store.
- Here is a case of when you get hurt, you should tell your team you play for the truth. [http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3574017]
- The Cubs broke a 6 game losing streak last night beating the Reds 14-9. Alfonso Soriano hit 3 home runs in the game.
- I like what Piniella has told the Cubs. He said the time for everyone to get to play is over. If you produce, you will continue to play. If not, you will sit by him.
- The Brewers got a complete game from Ben Sheets to keep place with the Cubs, while the Dodgers beat the D-Backs for the 2nd game in a row to take over the NL West lead.
- Quietly, the White Sox have crept out to a 2.5 game lead in the AL Central.

Wheeewww!!! I am done. It is time for me to garner a position of rest on a piece of furniture and watch all of the sports on today. I'm out.

DC

Full Steam Ahead...

Week 2 of football is in the books. We start to sort out the contenders, pretenders, and those still finding their way. There are some outstanding matchups waiting in Week 3 next week. College football begins its second weekend of games. As I type, there are some quality matchups and possible upsets going on. It is also a busy day in the pro sports world as well. All in all, we are rolling in sports right now.

Prep Report
- The IHSA has moved its wrestling and baskebtall rules meetings to the online style. [http://www.ihsa.org/announce/2008-09/2008-09-05.htm]
- Carbondale is hosting their annual SI Preview Volleyball tournament today at CCHS.
- The Marion girls golf team is playing at the Normal U-High Golf Tournament today. This will be a stiff test against some good competition from around the state.
Week 2 - Review
- James Austin of Carbondale rushed for 295 yards and 5 TDs in a win over Heath, KY.
- CZR beats JC 15-14 and slowly the Bearcats are moving out of the shadow of being an underdog into the spotlight of being a BDC contender.
- Elverado-Trico and SVWW are the only area teams to have not scored a point in a game.
- Du Quoin, Herrin, Columbia, and Breese Mater Dei continue to impress after 2 weeks.
- Benton was able to score 3 TDs on Sparta in the first quarter last night.

College Sports
- Miami at Florida is the highlight game of the day from the Swamp in Gainesville.
- Michigan, currently in a dogfight with Miami, OH, could start the season 0-2 for the second year in a row with a loss.
- Even with the mismatches on paper today, there are already several games that are closer than expected.
- Several cities are bargaining for the Men's Basketball Final Four. [http://ukbasketball.bloginky.com/]

Pro Sports
- NASCAR will run their Sprint and Nationwide races tomorrow in Richmond, VA. [ http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/nascar/news/story?id=3571670]
- The PGA is in St. Louis this weekend. The course, city, and other factors are getting rave reviews from the PGA brass.
- The Dodgers are now a 1/2 game back of Arizona after a win last night. There are 2 games left in the series between the two this weekend.
- Where have the Cubs of March-August gone?
- Rick Ankiel may be done for the year with that muscle injury in his rib cage. [http://www.bnd.com/sports/cardinals/story/462557.html]
- There was a near no-hitter in Seattle last night vs. the Yankees.
- The Pirates and Giants not only battled themselves but also an earthquake during their game last night.

With it being a beautiful day outside, I can't stay at the keyboard all day. I'm out.

DC

Rushing into Week 2...

The weekend is here and we jump into the second week of the high school football season. There are several good match ups this evening and it looks like the weather is going to hold up for a beautiful evening of football. The second weekend of college football already had an upset last night, while we are rolling in the pro sports world with the NFL season having kicked off.

Prep Report
- Week 2 of the high school football season is tonight. Here are the games of interest:
Harrisburg at Du Quoin (tradition rich and great football programs)
Breese Mater Dei at Nashville (undefeated teams with good offenses meet up)
Fairfield at Massac County (final matchup in a 2 year series between the two teams)
Carterville at Carmi (two rival teams...two teams going different directions in 2008)
- Pinckneyville is hosting several very good girls golf teams today at the lady Panther Invitational. It will be at the Red Hawk Country Club.
- Marissa continues to host a volleyball tournament with several teams from our area as well as the Metro East.

College Sports
- Did Vandy just beat Steve Spurrier last night? My...how far has the value of offensive genius Steve Spurrier dropped? #24
- The Ohio State at USC game is over a week away, but the hype and hiding of injured players for both sides is already beginning.

Pro Sports
- The NFL Season has kicked off and the Giants looked like the Super Bowl Champions they are by beating the Washington Redskins 16-7. The rest of the games of the first weekend are Sunday and Monday evening.
- Interesting thought by ESPN...who will do better without playing a snap in the preseason...Peyton Manning or Tom Brady?
- Ocho Cinco will have his name on the back of his jersey. [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3569580]
- NASCAR will race tomorrow night at Richmond, VA. This is the last race before the 12 drivers earn their way into The Chase.
- Carlos Zambrano has inflammation in his shoulder and will be able to pitch soon. All Cubs fans breathed a sigh of relief with that one.
- Do you think ticket prices at St. Louis are expensive? Check this out...[http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3569711]
- The Cubs are on a 5 game losing streak...the Brewers are on a 4 game losing streak...who will win the NL Central?
- The first use of Instant Replay was used on an A-Rod home run the other night. It took 2 minutes and 15 seconds to review and the system worked very well.

It's Friday. The weekend is near. Time to put a good day of work in on the final day of the week. I'm out.

DC

Kicking It Off...

The remnants of Hurricane Gustav are here as it is raining all around the area this morning. This will affect events today and tomorrow after the rain is done. The NFL officially begins its season tonight on NBC so get your fantasy draft and game picks done quickly. Also, the NL Central may be one of the toughest divisions in baseball with 4 teams .500 or better as far as overall records. It is a wet Thursday, but the sports world continues to turn.

Prep Report
- Football fields are going to take a beating tonight during freshman games around the area. The Frosh. will like playing in the rain, but the people that take care of the fields won't like it.
- Sarah Haas has won the award for IHSA Girls Golf Coach of the Year. She is the girls golf coach at Carterville High School.
- Here is the QB that Centralia gets to deal with tomorrow night. [http://www.bnd.com/220/story/459768.html]
- Caleb Miller of Hamilton County shot a 3 under 33 at the Stardust Golf Course in Johnston City yesterday. That is very impressive with the tough Par 3s on that course.
- Rain today will possibly cancel some golf matches, baseball and softball, and cross country events.
- The rain today will make for spongy and muddy football fields tomorrow night.

College Sports
- A couple of former KU stars from this past season have gotten themselves into some very big trouble with the NBA. [http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3567481]
- Hurricane Gustav and the aftermath is canceling some football games this weekend in the South.
- Here is the bottom rated 10 college football teams in the NCAA according to ESPN. [http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?page=bottom10081]

Pro Sports
- Oklahoma City of the NBA has selected Thunder as their nickname.
- The NFL opens tonight with the Washington Redskins at the New York Giants on NBC.
- The Lions have struggles on the field, and now off the field. [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3567561]
- So much for the theory of the weak NL Central, the top four teams in the division would be leading the NL West.
- Speaking of the NL Central, the top 3 teams have hit a rough spot and are struggling to win games.
- Carlos Zambrano will take an MRI today to see if anything is wrong with his arm. Several different rumors are going around as to what the problem is and what may really not be a problem.
- 600 people watched the Marlins play the Braves in Florida yesterday.

With the NFL starting tonight, I need to get a full day of work in. I'm out.

DC

Testing the Mind...

I begin today with a trivia question for you. The answer will come at the end of the this post.

Which team has the best record in the NL Central since the All-Star Game?
A. Chicago Cubs
B. Milwaukee Brewers
C. St. Louis Cardinals
D. Houston Astros

Prep Report
- Some schools are having Volley for the Cure nights at their volleyball games. Sesser-Valier had their night last night. [http://www.ihsa.org/announce/2008-09/2008-08-29.htm]
- Here is the latest AP Football polls for Class 1A-8A. [http://www.pjstar.com/preps/x467285663]
- Massac County edged Benton in the first match between the two of the year yesterday by one stroke. These two will play many more close ones this year.
- Mt. Vernon Soccer took a major stride in their program yesterday by beating Carbondale 4-2.

Pro Sports
- The Cubs have taken a couple of hits to their pitching staff lately. Rich Harden was pushed back a couple of days for cautionary reasons, and now Carlos Zambrano left the game with some type of arm injury.
- The Astros are playing the role of spoiler at this time perfectly. They have swept the Cardinals and the first two games of the Cubs series this week.
- Ben Sheets will pitch as scheduled in his next start as his groin injury is not serious.
- Don't look now, but the Dodgers are climbing closer to first in the NL West.
- The LPGA has adopted a language policy. Some players aren't happy. [http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/news/story?id=3565662]

Answer to the Trivia Question
- The Houston Astros have the best record in the NL Central since the All-Star Game. They are 29-15 and playing the best baseball in the division right now. I'm out.

DC

Let the Work Week Begin...

3 day weekends are great but when they end, the reality of the work week hits pretty strongly. The bright side is this work week is only 4 days. I have included several good links to stories in newspapers and websites today in all three sections.

Prep Report
- Sparta is looking for a new girls basketball coach after the resignation of Wendy Bauersachs.
- Here is a story about the 2004 Cairo boys basketball team that was in the Chicago Tribune. [http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/magazine/chi-mxa0810magcairoaug10,0,3113870.story]
- The forecast is showing that rain will factor into freshman games on Thursday night and games will be impacted with soggy fields on Friday night.
- ESL lost in their game at Paul Brown Field in Cincy over the weekend. [http://www.bnd.com/220/story/456086.html]
- There is an absolute full schedule of sports starting today. Golf, cross country, and volleyball are in full swing now.

College Sports
- Football saved the best for last as UCLA beat Tennessee 27-24 in overtime to end up the opening weekend of the football season.
- Oklahoma is dealing with some issues this morning in their athletic department after two athletes were stabbed at a night club. [http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3564339]
- Several teams are battling injuries after just one week of the season.
- How does the Final Four and economy get along? Ask San Antonio...[http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=3558651]

Pro Sports
- Adrian Beltre of the Mariners and Stephen Drew of the D-Backs both hit for the cycle yesterday. Here is the story. [http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=280901113]
- Cliff Lee of the Indians became the first 20 game winner in the MLB with a win over the White Sox yesterday.
- Greg Maddux of the Dodgers got his 354th career win last night tying Roger Clemens for 8th all-time on the wins list for pitchers. [http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=280901119]
- Boston has a 3 game lead in the AL Wild Card race. The question will be if their pitching staff will remain healthy.
- The Brewers are holding their breaths as Ben Sheets left the game vs. the Mets yesterday with a strained groin.
- The Jacksonville Jaguars are going to open up their season under difficult circumstances. [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3564534]

I hope you enjoyed the links. I'm out.

DC

Shooting into September...

I rose early to get some golf in this morning. Golf scrambles sometimes are shotgun started and some courses actually have used a gun to signal to start. This morning, it sounded like I was playing next to a shooting range as today is the first day of dove season and many hunters were taking advantage. With that being the case, let's load up and get in the sports world this morning.

Prep Report
- The IHSA has released its Sportspersons of the Year. [http://www.ihsa.org/announce/2008-09/2008-08-25.htm]
- This week kicks off a full week of volleyball and cross country games and meets.
- Some stats that stood out to me in Week 1 of football:
1. Centralia only had 2 first downs vs. Salem
2. Du Quoin threw the ball 21 times vs. Bethalto Civic Memorial.
3. SVWW had only 2 first downs and 23 total yards vs. Carterville.
4. Pinckneyville had 356 total yards in a loss at Red Bud.

College Sports
- My how the mighty have fallen...Louisville used to dominate Kentucky on the football field. After a 27-2 win by UK yesterday, that marks the 2nd year in a row the men in BLUE have won.
- Tennessee at UCLA is the highlight Labor Day night game tonight on ABC. This game is very interesting. First, it is tough for teams to head west and win while UCLA opens up under a new head coach.
- SIU Men's Basketball seems to be doing well on their tour of Canada this weekend. This gives Coach Lowery time to work with all of his players before the real practice begins.
- SIU Football opens up this week with Hampton.

Pro Sports
- Let me jump in the line of people that believe C.C. Sabathia of the Brewers had a no-hitter taken away yesterday at Pittsburgh.
- MLB races tightened up a bit in the NL during the weekend.
- David Eckstein has been traded from the Blue Jays to the D-Backs.
- The Cardinals are saying that Chris Carpenter is available in the bullpen. Here is what I would do. I would give it one more week to see where the Cards are at in the Wild Card, and if they aren't close Carpenter would pitch again in 2009.
- Carlos Zambrano of the Cubs was scratched from his start yesterday due to arm fatigue. IMO, he throws if the Cubs lead is considerably smaller than what it is currently.
- Jimmie Johnson dominated at Fontana last night to win the NASCAR race. He along with Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch, Dale, Jr, and Jeff Burton have all qualified for the Chase. The final race before the Chase happens Saturday night at Richmond.

WWE
I will need to take a nap sometime today. I attended a WWE event in St. Louis last night. The rarity was that both WWE RAW (airs on USA on Monday night) and WWE SmackDown (airs on CW on Friday night) were both taped. Both shows will air at their regularly scheduled times this week. The wrestling started at 7PM and the last wrestler left the ring at 11:30PM. 2 shows for the price of 1 was definitely worth the trip. Let me also say these wrestlers really do a good job of making a point to slap fives and hug the kids at ringside during and after the show.

Being the final day of the 3 day weekend, it is time for me to fully enjoy it. I'm out.

DC