The Vancouver Hockey Riots 2011

Someone was inside with a video camera:



* I can't believe I had hockey "rights" up there for a week. Idiot.

Oh, Seve Has Left Us

I first blogged about Seve Ballesteros being diagnosed with brain cancer shortly after it was reported in October 2008. I've updated those posts several times, and now the story has sadly come to an end.

Seve Ballesteros, the charismatic Spanish golfer who won the Masters twice and the British Open three times and helped propel Europe’s rise in the Ryder Cup competition with the United States, died early Saturday at his home in northern Spain, where his struggle with brain cancer had gained wide attention in the sports world. He was 54.

The story resonated with me for a few reasons: I remembered watching him as a kid with my dad, and how calm and cool and smiling he was—a sportsman who actually deserved his fame; I was playing golf a little at the time the news came out; and, most importantly to myself, my sister Nancy had died of the very same disease four years earlier. She was just 42, and I spent a lot of the eighteen months she lasted after diagnosis with her, and hers and our family, so I actually know a lot more about this particular form of cancer than I'd like.

Anyway, Seve kept a great spirit throughout this, as the times he spoke publicly or sent messages to his fans show, and he lasted much longer than the disease usually allows. And I'm just sad he's gone. Much warmth and condolences to his family and his many, many friends.

So long, Seve Ballesteros.

"ROONEYYYY!"

Good god in heaven just listen to the sound of this first. Close your eyes and listen to the first seven seconds. Listen to the announcer shout the name, and go speechless, and listen to what they mean when they say a crowd "explodes." This is a moment that explains why there is such a thing as "sport."

GO DUCKS!

They don't have the game on the telly in Sydney, but I'll be keeping tabs online.

Oh well. Hell of a try.

Seve Calls the European Ryder Cup Team

Seve Ballesteros called the European Ryder Cup team this week to tell them what life's really about. Looks like it worked. 14 1/2 -13 1/2 - wow! Wish I'd seen it.

Congratulations, E-Team. And well played, Americans, what a comeback.

P.S. For several posts on Seve, who has been battling brain cancer for many months, hit the "Seve Ballesteros" tag just below this post.

"...then he admitted that he could not see anything."

Horrifying story from Mt. Everest:

As the team descended, Mr Kinloch's guides noticed that he seemed to lose co-ordination. He would slip and stumble, then resume walking normally. After an hour, he made a surprising request to the team leader, David O'Brien, to be shown how to get down the ladders. At first he said he was having difficulty seeing, then he admitted that he could not see anything.

It took four hours for Mr O'Brien and a sherpa to help the stricken climber down to Mushroom Rock, barely 1,000ft below the summit. Two more sherpas arrived and for the next eight hours they all struggled to bring Mr Kinloch,28, down the mountain, administering drugs and oxygen. But they were now dangerously close to needing rescue themselves, and had to abandon him and struggled back into camp at 5.30am, exhausted and suffering from hypothermia and frostbite.

RIP Peter Kinloch.

"Hockey final: Stanley Cup Game 7 on steroids"

That might be a bit much, McClatchy, but what the hell, it is truly awesome hockey.

12:15 p.m. Go, Ryan Miller.

Update: Congratulations, Canada. Great game, U.S. And Sid the Kid - Canada already has the Mounties and the maple leaf. They don't need another freaking icon.

Memories of the Big Red Machine

Nice interview with Tony Pérez. Simply because I just had a memory of a spectacular catch he made in either the 1975 or 1976 World Series. It was a line drive over Pérez's head (playing at first), and he jumped into the air so quickly and snagged it.

Memory's a weird thing.

"Police describe him as 'upset' and say he was wearing a Calgary Flames shirt."

Oh, hockey, the sport of kings...and other people.

Top 50 Sportscasters

American Sportscasters Online has come up with a list of the Top 50 Sportscasters of All Time. First ten:

1 - Vin Scully

2 - Mel Allen

3- Red Barber

4- Curt Gowdy

5- Howard Cosell

6- Bob Costas

7 - Jim McKay

9 - Al Michaels

10 - Dick Enberg

I dont' care much one way or the other, but I think Cosell should have been top three at least. And: Bill Walton's on the list. Bill Walton. Did I miss something? I mean I like the guy alright, but Top 50 sportscasters? Bizarre.

But I did this post just to point out that the ASO somehow missed WGR's (Buffalo, NY) "Voice of the Sabres," Rick Jeanneret (the guy pictured in the suspenders above). You don't know hockey excitement - and hockey is, as everyone knows, the most exciting sport there is - until you listen to Jeanneret call a game. One small example, "Top shelf, where mumma hides the cookies!"

Another Surgery for Seve Ballesteros

Seve Ballesteros's brain tumor is malignant, located deep in his brain, and another surgery is necessary.

Seve's message to his fans.

* Main Seve post here.

7-0 in the 7th

You now have to believe that the Red Sox are going to the Series. How can you not?

Ken Davidoff says they lose 6-2 on Saturday. He's wrong.

35,000 call in sick in Boston. My head hurts for them.

And a, uh, Red Sox fan. Probably not safe for work.

Seve Ballesteros: surgery to remove brain tumor [updts]

Oh. Final update, May 8, 2011.


[Several updates at bottom, last on May 6, 2011.]

Golf.com:

MADRID, Spain (AP) — Seve Ballesteros had surgery to remove a brain tumor, and the 51-year-old golf great was conscious and stable Wednesday.

La Paz hospital said there were no complications from Tuesday's surgery. Spanish state news agency Efe reported the operation lasted 12 hours.

The hospital said a sizable part of the tumor was removed. It was not immediately known if it was malignant and it would be several days before the results were announced.

"Sizable part." Damn. Speedy recovery, Seve.

Seve's homepage, which I wish I'd seen before:

Madrid, October 12th, 2008

“Once that I have been able to inform my three kids (two of them were not in Spain) and their mother, I now can inform you about the illness that I am suffering. After a thorough medical check-up realized at La Paz Hospital in Madrid, a brain tumour has been detected.

During the whole of my career I have been one of the bests facing obstacles in golf courses. Now I want to be the best facing the most difficult match of my life, with all my strength, and counting on all of you who are sending me encouraging messages.

Next Tuesday I will have a biopsy performed, and then the doctors will decide how to proceed.

I have always felt very close to people who suffer serious life threatening diseases, even more severe than mine. I want to remind them that with courage, faith, serenity, confidence and lots of mental strength we have to face every situation no matter how difficult it is.

Now, my wish is to ask for respect for my family and specially for my kids. We will keep you informed.

Lastly, I want to thank from the bottom of my heart all of you for your kind interest and for all your support.”

Thank you very much.

Kindest regards,
Seve Ballesteros

Seve on wikipedia.

Update: More here. (10/23/08)

Update II: Seve sends a message to his fans. (12/31/08)

Update III: February 13, 2009: My spirit is "unshakeable."

Update IV: March 31, 2009. Seve talks to reporters for the first time (BBC):

MADRID (AP) — An emotional Seve Ballesteros has spoken publicly for the first time about his fight against a cancerous brain tumor.

The 51-year-old Ballesteros looked frail and thin in photos published by Spanish sports daily Marca on Tuesday along with the golf great's first interview since he was diagnosed with a malignant tumor in the right side of his brain nearly six months ago.

"This is the most important shot of my life. I'm fighting to win my sixth major," Marca quoted the five-time major winner as saying. "Life has given me a second chance."

I guess I haven't mentioned this before, but my sister Nancy was diagnosed with brain cancer in March, 2003. She went through three surgeries, chemo, radiation, and lived for 18 months longer. She was 42 when she died, and Nancy was the first of my direct family - parents and eleven children - to die. It's weird to say it was a beautiful 18 months, because it was of course full of pain and fear and frustration and anger and more un-fun things, but Nancy was such a beautiful person through all of it, an embodiment of grace that I'm not sure I've ever encountered before, that it really was a high point, along with a very, very low, of my, and mine and her family's, life.

It appears that Seve is a good and graceful fighter of this disease, too. Keep up the good fight, Seve, you still have a lot to give your family and friends, and a bunch of us out here, too.

Just found this PDF at Seve's Web site. It's got some great photos of him working out, and looking damn good.

Update V: Another letter from Seve to fans here.

Update VI: I missed a message dated August 11. Six rounds of chemo finished and radiotherapy started. A few more weeks of that, I guess.

Update VII: March 24, 2010, Seve speaks about Tiger's chances at the Masters.

Update July 9, 2010: Seve will not make it St. Andrews. That's a tough article to read.

Update October 3.

Update May 6, 2011: This is the first we've heard about Seve in a long time, which I've always taken as a good thing. The news today, however, is unfortunately not good:

THE BALLESTEROS FAMILY INFORMS THAT SEVE’S NEUROLOGICAL CONDITION HAS SUFFERED A SEVERE DETERIORATION.

THE FAMILY WILL INFORM ACCORDINGLY ABOUT ANY CHANGE IN HIS HEALTH CONDITION AND TAKES THIS OPPORTUNITY OF THANKING EVERYONE FOR THE SUPPORT THAT BOTH SEVE AND HIS OWN FAMILY HAVE BEEN RECEIVING DURING ALL THIS TIME.

THEY ALSO INDICATE THAT THEY WILL PROMPTLY REPORT ON THE STATE OF THE SPANISH CHAMPION THROUGH THE WEBSITE WWW.SEVEBALLESTEROS.COM

We're Ready For the Chinks!

Holy crap. The Spanish women's tennis team actually put this photo on their Web site. It was captioned "We are prepared for China." These guys stuck a similar pose.

You'd think that at least one of them would say, "Uh, maybe this isn't such a good idea." But no.

CNN: Steroids Lead to Sex Change in Athlete

And I thought it just made your skull grow four sizes. Nope.

Favre to Jets

Weird. That's all I have to say about that.

Go Bills.

College Football Finish Extraordinaire

Okay, even if you don't like football, or sports in general, see if you don't find yourself coming out of your chair as you watch this. Bonus: small time announcers losing their minds at the end.



Print version here.

Bonds Will Retire

Barry Bonds hit 2 HRs yesterday, bringing him to a total of 753. Damn, that's a lot of home runs.

Here's my breaking news on this: Barry Bonds will retire from baseball when he gets to 754 home runs, just one shy of Henry Aaron, so Hammerin' Hank can keep the cherished all time record. Bonds will round the bases with a smile on his face, tip his hat to the crowd, and, even if it's still the first inning, he will walk through the dugout, through the locker room, out the back door, and out of active professional baseball forever.

This will obliterate any questions about Bonds regarding "cheating" via steroids, and will actually make him one of baseball's most loved characters of all time.

Way to go, Barry. Way to go.

Video Montage to 2006-7 Buffalo Sabres

A thing of beauty. Wish I could post the goal from last night by Briere. Not up yet.