Boise St. 33 Va.Tech 30 In a Thriller!
LANDOVER,Md - Ah ,the return of college football can just settle ones remorseful feelings about the economy, world problems, or whatever. When a game like Boise St. v Va. Tech plays out on ESPN Monday night like it thought it would be, is a fantastic way to end the first weekend of the 2010-11 NCAA football season. You can just about forget all those lousy cupcake games when a beauty like this one shows up. This is College football. Just when it looked like the VA Tech secondary was getting into the head of Boise’s QB Kellen Moore he finds an opening in the Hokie defense in the last minute for the go ahead TD pass to WR Austin Pettis. Moore finished with 215 yds passing 3 TD’s and No INT’s. Chris Peterson, Boise State Head Coach said “Were proud how our kids played. We still have a lot of things to clean up.” For the Hokies and their fans what a tough loss after fighting back from 17-0, only to lose it in the end 33-30. They’re a real good team (Va Tech) and one would hope they show up in a major Bowl this Season. The Broncos were the +1 dog and needed no points to help wagerers backing the Broncos. Boise State gets a bye next week, while the Hokies Host James Madison, their version of a cupcake game. -J Connelly
POSTS | jcon4, 7 Sep 10 | 
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You wouldn’t want to have ESPN covering tonight’s NCAA’s version of Monday Night football to have anything to do with the opening of Cupcake Weekend, thats for ESPN 3. Considering the teams on hand, Boise St. and Va Tech, both will be going at it hard and it has meaning. Not like the other cupcake games that went on this weekend. NCAA teams always have and will continue to do this every year. NCAA Powerhouses gotta eat their cupcake before than can really play for something that matters. Its kind of like their version of the NFL pre season which is basically unwatchable. So for most of the top 25 Collegian teams and others get their fun but only for a week, and by the way… it counts. So when Alabama is 10-0 , it means their really 9-0 due to Cupcake weekend. Here are some of the pre season ..errr…, week one cupcake blowouts:
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SAN DIEGO,CA – Where the Turf meets the Surf down in old Del Mar has completed its 3rd week of racing.The Southern California Thoroughbred Club has everything for everyone who visits the track for fun and for those who are serious. The beauty of the track itself and the surrounding area lends itself to those who understand how fun a trip to Del Mar can be. The Crowds in attendance showed in droves on opening day in which 45,000 plus came through the gate on a Wednesday to catch the fever. The attendance since has been between 9-25,000 to see if they can catch a long shot. For those who like to gain a bit of an edge when playing and wagering on Thoroughbreds here just a few notes and some observations I’ve come up with hopefully to help eliminate some horses in races. You need to feel you have some sort of an edge when playing the races. Please note that track conditions easily can change over the break (Mon & Tues). Still up to this point, here’s how it pans out:
Zenyatta barely won this race last year by beating 22-1 Annaba’s Creation by a head. Is Zenyatta vulnerable? Can she keep this up? It was close a couple of times and it takes a perfectly timed ride by Mike Smith, but she always seems to find a way. Dance To My Tune will probably be her closest rival tomorrow gave Zenyatta somewhat of a scare as she raced around the track as the front runner and Zenyatta caught her to win by a length at Santa Anita in March in the Santa Marguerita Handicap. R Interval who is shipping in from Keeneland to grab some spotlight and gets hot riding Rafael Bejarano to upset may have a chance. My guess is Zenyatta will be 1-9. There’s going to be prices on the others like from 15-1 to 40-1. Are you ready to beat Zenyatta?
OCEAN PORT,NJ – The Heavily favored Bob Baffert trained Lookin At Lucky (6-5) romped home to win The 1 Million Dollar Grade I Haskell Invitational by 4 lengths today at Monmouth Park. He wound up beating the 2nd choice Trappe Shot who finished 2nd (5-2) and the pace setting 3rd choice First Dude (5-1) who finshed third. Kentucky Derby Winner Super Saver(7-1) with Calvin Borel aboard was 3rd down the back stretch following the speed was met by Lookin At Lucky at the top of the stretch to what was looking like a stretch duel between the two. However that was short lived as rider Martin Garcia just let Lookin At Lucky have his way and found another gear that gave his mount a burst of speed that separated him from the field by four lengths in mid stretch and held that lead to win. Jockey Martin Garcia allowed the pace setters to have their way into the first turn and even followed a path what looked like 3 wide on purpose and knew exactly what he was doing when he seemingly relaxed his Colt down the back stretch and then glided his winner from 4th around horses on the far turn to give him an open run that Garcia knows how to do beautifully.
Trainer Bob Baffert expressed how unbelievable the colt has been training, and that “he’s finally come out of his shell, he’s grown up now, and stamped himself to what a great horse he is.” Baffert also expressed that the colt is so much better than he was earlier, so much that he wished the Kentucky Derby was in a month. He seems to strictly be a dirt running horse (as opposed to California synthetic racing surfaces), which may lead him toward the Travers Stakes late August at Saratoga. That idea most likely keep him away from the Pacific Classic at Del Mar later this month. However at this moment there is no dispute as to who the best 3 year old Colt in the Nation is. Looking At Lucky’s racing skill supersedes his name as being anything but lucky. -J. Connelly
There once was a man named Charlie. He was most feared on days where the big money mattered. He was good at it and he did it for almost 50 years. Charlie Whittingham was considered as one of the best thoroughbred trainers during his time. He became the all time leading trainer at Santa Anita and Hollywood Park. He saddled over 250 stakes winners including 2 Kentucky Derby winners. (Ferdinand and Sunday Silence). Throughout his long tenure, he kept his competitive edge right to the end. Whenever there was a Stakes or Handicap especially on Turf at Hollywood Park, Santa Anita or Del Mar, you could be sure that Charlie’s barn, full of turf running professionals had a hoof in those races and it was a blast to watch! He was known as “The Bald Eagle”. He was a bald headed, tall, thin and lurking man with the Woody Hayes type of hat. His public persona seemed a man of poise and ease. During those years, I was in awe of him at what he did with his presence in the Southern California Horse Racing scene in the 80′s and 90′s. His turf running monsters would always show up and run their hearts out for him and their owners. He always had them ready to win! A few that come to mind: Greinton; Rivlia; Dahar; Flawlessly. There’s others but the point is Charlie was the man in his day. His turf battles with the other notable turf trainers such as Bobby Frankel and Neil Drysdale were spectacular enough that even bettors with losing tickets went home knowing they saw brilliance on turf. Charlie Whittingham is no longer with us. His passing was felt by many in 1999, and he is recognized at all tracks with his history, and has a Grade I Turf Race named in his Honor at Hollywood Park.
His career not as prolonged as Charlie Whittingham’s, nonetheless he brought back a spirit of Charlie with his two Graded Turf winners for the opening weekend at Del Mar. On Saturday he saddled the 7-5 favorite The Usual QT with his most confident jockey aboard, Victor Espinoza in the Grade I Eddie Read , run at 1-1/8 miles on turf. Espinoza sat him 3rd in a field of 7 until he hit the top of the stretch 3 wide and gained the advantage in mid stretch to win by 2 lengths and take the $180,000 prize for first place. He bested a fine field of other Grade I winners. A very nice win! On Sunday James had another beauty waiting for her turn, Evening Jewel. He had the 3 yr old filly ready for a one mile Turf run in the Grade II San Clemente Handicap. The favored filly at 8-5 with Espinoza aboard along with a field of nine other horses, ran 4th around the track until it mattered and found her best stride in mid stretch and won by a length for Cassidy’s weekend turf sweep and gained a $150,000 for first place. Its been noted that the owners of Evening Jewel, Mr. and Mrs. Tom Braly are going through a difficult time as Tom battles with cancer.A very nice nice gift!
The Classic races in Horse Racing are awesome. There’s nothing like the Triple Crown. However Graded Turf Racing is just something different that brings out the pureness of the sport. Although he wasn’t wearing the Woody Hayes hat, but with a Yankee cap that Cassidy has given us a shot back to the days of the Bald Eagle.
SAINT ANDREWS, Scotland – “Louis Who?” “How do you say his name?” “Where is he from?” “Look how little he is.” ”Man, he smacks the ball!” “He’s like a machine!” ” He’s strong and steady” Thats some of the thoughts and words coming from the home of Golf in Saint Andrews Scotland, as South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen demolishes the World’s best field at the 2010 British Open. He gained his first lead on the 7th hole in the 2nd round in which he never relinquished. Most people thought, even Tom Watson on Friday afternoon after his 12 under five stroke lead, how this young man would stand up to the pressure of Major Championship Golf as the leader after two rounds. He didn’t budge! Chased by Paul Casey in the final round but for only a few holes as the relentless steady play by Oosthuizen may have even rattled Casey a bit by eagling the par 4 9th hole after driving the green behind Casey who only managed a two putt, Louis drained his 40 footer. The win was pretty much over when Casey triple bogeyed 12 giving Oosthuizen his wide unneeded margin to just play cool smart golf the rest of the way. He finished up at 16 under to win by seven strokes! Commentators on ESPN were totally in awe of the young man as they could only be impressed by his flawless swing, coolness and professionalism. His stroll up Eighteen was well recognized by the home crowd of Scotland, where it all began. Not too many people knew his name four days ago, but will now be remembered forever! Cheers Mate! By J.Connelly
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa Its been called “The Beautiful Game” the sport of soccer has, but this World Cup Final was anything but. A record 13 Yellow cards were doled out. Seemingly for the Dutch they were given 8 of them. However that has been part of their game. It was just enough though for Spain to use it against them to capitalize. Lots of tries and misses seemed to plague the contest which may have gotten both teams frustrated with their inability to score for more than 115 minutes. Holland’s John Hietinga picked up his second yellow near his goal to the dismay of Holland followers he was sent off the pitch after the yellow turned Red. Spain was given a man advantage for the remainder 11 minutes or so, and Spain found an opening. It was Andres Iniesta open in the box took a short pass from Fabregas and directed a quick strike off the arms of Holland’s Keeper Stekelenburg in the 116′ into the back of the net for the game’s only goal. The joy of relief for the Spainards and their followers was to continue to the end of extra time as Spain wins the 2010 World Cup.
Steven A Smith, he is holding to the belief of his that Lebron will head south to Miami to complete the what could possibly be one of the greatest trios collected to perform on an NBA court in recent history. Prominent Sports Journalist, and radio host Steven A. Smith who is well respected had come out earlier last week with this report and has been steadfast with it since. Speaking with Grant Napear who is guest hosting on the Jim Rome Show has validated his belief again that Lebron James will make the move to Miami and use the TV time to gracefully bow out of Cleveland and thank them for the years of appreciation toward him as a player and to the Cleveland Cavaliers. I wonder where the Soccer Octopus would have Lebron go to?
[Cape Town, South Africa] The Dutch know the main thing about World Cup Football… They know how to win games. Thats all it takes! It doesn’t have have to be smooth, rhythmic, poetic, or creative like Brazil. Just get the ball into the other teams net more times than they do. That’s Dutch football. A feisty bunch of team players who don’t seem to give up until the job is done, did what they needed to do and defeated Uruguay 3-2 in Cape Town. On the other hand, too bad for Uruguay. A very good team that had some unfortunate circumstances entering in their semi final with The Netherlands. Without their formidable striker in Luis Suarez, they also had to bear without their main force of the suspended defender Jorge Fucile and captain Diego Lugano, who came off injured in the first half of the quarterfinal against Ghana. Uruguay’s Diego Forlan, as awesome as this guy is on a pitch, just couldn’t do it all himself. I almost would have bet he could, but withheld that task. The Dutch are a good team that was better than Uruguay. Enough so that they move to the finals of the World Cup 2010. 
The opening goal in the 18th minute by Holland’s Giovanni Van Bronckhorst was a sight to behold for those who witnessed it as it happened. A frozen rope that found the upper inside right corner of the net from 25m made it 1-0. Uruguay not to be outdone when Diego Forlan figured he needed to make something happen. In the 41′ he sent a rocketing Jabulani ball that the Dutch Keeper Stekelenburg could only flirt with by the tips of his fingers due to the fierce velocity as he watched it pierce the back of the net. It was nothing but a World Class goal that tied it 1-1. The dutch force provided the deciding goals by (70′) Wesley Sneijder 
