Day One of large school state baseball tournament

Since forming Class 6A in Oklahoma high school athletics in 1996 it has been the East side schools dominating the scene in high school baseball over the West.

The West is still looking for their first title since Norman did it in 1995. Tahlequah won the first 6A title in 1996, but Owasso rules the roost with eight titles. Jenks has three and Union has two since the inception.

Carl Albert has two titles and Chickasha has one and that is all the West can show off since 1996 in Class 5A.

Day one of the 2010 high school baseball tournament proved to be no different for 6A and 5A as the East went a perfect 8-0.

Class 6A Scores:

Owasso defeated Norman North, 6-3
Broken Arrow defeated Putnam City North 8-1
Jenks defeated Edmond Memorial 5-4
Union defeated Edmond Santa Fe 8-7 in 8 innings

Edmond Santa Fe eliminated Putnam City North 6-3
Norman North led Edmond Memorial 8-6 when lighting delayed the game

Thursday’s schedule:

Broken Arrow vs Tulsa Union 4:00
Loser above vs Edmond Santa Fe 6:30

Owasso vs Jenks 4:00
Loser above vs Norman North/Edmond Memorial 6:30

Class 5A Scores:

Collinsville defeated Duncan 7-4
Claremore defeated Chickasha 9-2
Kelley defeated Deer Creek 10-5
Tulsa Washington defeated Carl Albert

Carl Albert eliminated Duncan 10-2
Deer Creek eliminated Chickasha 8-4

Thursday’s Schedule:

Claremore vs Tulsa Washington 4:00
Loser above vs Deer Creek 6:30

Collinsville vs Bishop Kelley 4:00
Loser above vs Carl Albert 6:30

Sources: Missouri and Nebraska offered by Big 10

A Kansas City radio station is reporting that the Big Ten Conference has made offers to Big 12 schools Missouri and Nebraska to join the league.

Both schools would have to pay fine to the Big 12 for leaving. Big 10 has also made offers to Notre Dame and Rutgers according to the source.

Not sure Missouri and Nebraska can say no to the offer. History says stay with the Big 12/Big 8. Money says run to the Big 10.

Read more!

Philly fan left shocked, rightfully so?

To tase, or not to tase?

AP Photo

A police officer used a Taser gun to apprehend a 17-year-old fan who ran onto the field during a Phillies game Monday night, and the team and the police are investigating whether it was an appropriate use of force.

It has been common over the years for moronic, drunken, or naked fans and sometimes all three combined to run out on to fields, tennis courts, and golf courses. Naturally, they are escorted off and charged.

We have seen tennis stars stabbed from behind and a first base coach attacked by a father and son. Obviously, a Taser gun was much-needed in those scenario’s.

AP Photo

So the question is to tase, or not to these morons?

I have no problem with the tasing that took place Monday night. In fact, is that the reason why Taser guns were brought on?

Was that 17-year-old kid (I assume they did not know that he was 17 chasing him around) going to hurt someone? Probably not, but it is a safe assumption the officers told him to stop.

In the past in the situations it was a chase and then a dog pile and the criminal is hammered down and held down with force. The Taser has it effects, but I have seen more cuts and bloods in police scuffles then I have with Tasers. I know this because I watch Cops.

To use a Taser gun, police are required to be tased themselves and say it last about five seconds. To my knowledge there is no side effect and I have always seen people walk away as I did Monday night and weekly on Cops after being tased.

Foster moving on so we can move on

Well, the news of former Guthrie stand-out Donte’ Foster signing to play college football with Ohio University has brought a big smile to my and many others faces, and at the same time we can close a chapter and move on.

Donte’ was special in his high school athletic career that we all watched unfold in front of us in football, basketball, and track, but we also learned he is an even better young adult off the field and court.

The big question for Donte’ and college was is he going to play basketball or football out of high school? He had offers from football schools, but was wanting to see what basketball schools may have to offer.

At the end of the process, Foster wanted to be a Oklahoma State Cowboy and a football player. Guthrian’s wanted him a Cowboy and Cowboy fans wanted him, but the scholarship offer never came.

Foster then decided to try to walk on with Mike Gundy’s Cowboys’ in hopes of earning a scholarship, but had a change of heart during summer work-outs and received a scholarship to play basketball at Seminole State junior college.

Naturally, he averaged 12.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 1.8 assists per contest from his guard position. He led the Trojans to the finals of the NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) Region 2 Tournament, earning All-Tournament honors in the process.

Funny thing: does success just happen to follow Foster, or does success come from him? This is why the ceiling (now the football sky) is high for the Bobcat wide receiver to be.

The Ohio football team just had a wide receiver drafted in this past NFL draft in Taylor Price. Price was taken by the New England Patriots in the third round (90th overall). He is the all time leading receiver with 149 career catches for the Bobcats.

The Bobcats are led by a popular name in Frank Solich, a former Nebraska coordinator and head coach. Solich was just named as coach of the year in the  Mid-American Conference.

Ohio played in the Little Caesars Bowl game and completed a 9-5 season with a lost to Marshall in their final game.

Good news is that Ohio will have three regular season games on the ESPN family of networks including Buffalo on Thursday evening (Nov. 4, 7:30 p.m. ET) on ESPNU, before traveling to Temple for a Tuesday night (Nov. 16, 8 p.m.) affair on ESPN2. The team will wrap up the regular season with a Friday trip to Kent State (Nov. 26) for a game that could be carried on ESPNU or ESPN360.com.

We all wanted Donte’ to be a Cowboy, but now he is a Bobcat and the Bobcats just got an increase of fans from Guthrie and Oklahoma.

NBA jersey sales are in for 08-09

When the NBA announced their top-selling jersey for the 2008-2009 the other day, my first thought was Lebron James more than likely came away with that honor.

However, Lebron plays in Cleveland and Kobe Bryant plays in Los Angeles (lala land).

Kobe’s No. 24 jersey was the top-selling jersey and was followed by Lebron. Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant No. 35  jersey cracked the top 10.

08-09 NBA Jersey Sales

1.) Kobe Bryant
2.) Lebron James
3.) Kevin Garnett
4.) Derrick Rose
5.) Dwight Howard
6.) Dwyane Wade
7.) Chris Paul
8.) Paul Pierce
9.) Kevin Durant
10.) Carmelo Anthony

The Lakers were top’s in merchandise followed by Boston, Cleveland, Chicago, and New York.

If you google me, I have the answer

I have many, many mysterious spies out there in internet land and they are reporting.

Funny enough, someone googled, “did chris evans play sports in high school.”

Well, for the record yes I did. I lettered in basketball and baseball all four seasons at Guthrie High School. I have pictures with bad hair cuts for proof.

I was even luckily enough to go to multiple state tournaments, where we made the semi’s my junior year in both basketball and baseball. Those are painful memories that I am now trying to eliminate as I type. Should have played in the finals in both of those sports way back in 1995.

Perhaps, it is one of my El Reno basketball coaches checking in on me. After all, I am the reason why they won regionals and area. Still waiting on my medal though.

Colorado leaving Big XII; OSU to the North?

The Pac 1o Conference is close to be becoming the Pac 12 and according to someone close to the situation says Colorado and Utah will be the 11th and 12th school to fulfill the conference.

Utah is close to 100% and Colorado is near as a great possibility according to the source.

Naturally, that leaves a void in the Big 12 if Colorado jumps ship and I believe it’s a good move for the Buffs, but who fills the spot in the Big 12?

Most popular choices would be from the state of Texas with Houston and TCU. A popular choice from the North would be Colorado State. Tulsa and New Mexico make interesting cases, but TCU makes the most sense to me. TCU would indeed some facility upgrades to be on par.

If a Texas team or south team were to be brought in, could that possibly move Oklahoma State to the North division? Obviously, you can not have seven teams in the South and five in the North. Stillwater is the team closer to the current North teams geography wise.

If you’re an Oklahoma State fan would this be a good move? You leave the dreaded and the toughest division in college football. The South, arguably, is currently the better division in basketball, but not much change despite having to play Kansas one more time in the regular season.

The Pac 10 may make things very interesting here soon.