Want to test how squeamish you are? This is from the European Athletics Championships in Helsinki, Finland earlier this week, all with Olympic qualifying spots on the line. In one of the heats, Bulgarian 100m sprinter Georgi Kirilov Georgiev was noticeable limping with about 30 meters to go, and then … well … for as long as the video is up, you can probably figure it out yourself.
Yes, this is a baseball post. It’s incompetent umpire time! The New York Yankees hosted the Cleveland Indians tonight and in the top of the 7th with two outs, a difficult fly ball heading into the stands was dropped by left fielder DeWayne Wise. An out was called by umpire Mike DiMuro. Inning over. Wait what?
That’s right. Wise clearly doesn’t catch the ball upon replay but DiMuro calls an out anyway thinking he did catch it. What this video doesn’t show you is the guy in the red shirt who not only picks up the ball right in front of security, but proudly holds it up with DiMuro soon coming towards Wise to see if he did indeed catch it. DiMuro never asked to see the ball and pretty much figured it was a catch because Wise clutched his glove into a position where he made it seem as if he had the ball in his hand.
You would think the very first thing they tell you in umpire school in these situations is to actually see the item in question. NOPE! Mr. Umpire here is convinced enough from Wise’s empty (but folded!) glove and the top of the 7th is complete. It was probably inconsequential since it was a foul ball and the Indians lost 6-4 anyway, but holy crap is that gross incompetence. DiMuro should be suspended just for making such an obvious boo-boo.
I now leave you with our red-shirted friend on the far left of this screenshot. There was no second ball, he just caught the one DiMuro believed was in Wise’s glove.
Out.
Steve Bernier was terrible in Vancouver, but now he’s in New Jersey and he’s successfully killed off any chance of the Devils forcing an improbable game 7 against the LA Kings. His breathtakingly stupid blatant boarding penalty on Rob Scuderi gave the Kings a 5 minute power-play (and Bernier was subsequently tossed), and the Kings predictably scored 3 goals in that span to kill the game off as a contest. It’s 4-1 LA as of this post so I’ll just go on and congratulate the Los Angeles Kings for pulling off one of the great Stanley Cup playoff runs ever seen. They’ve deserved it and are clearly not some random #8 seed as found out by Vancouver, St. Louis, Phoenix, and now New Jersey. Also, given the number of ex-Flyers on the team, this is about as close as a Philadelphia fan can get to celebrating a Stanley Cup any time soon.
Oh, and here’s the footage of Bernier’s career going up in smoke.
There was no overtime last night in Boston. Your eyes were playing tricks on you. Portland, Maine’s WMTW has sorted everything out for you! Sports anchor Meghan Torjussen and her equally dimwitted producer deduced that like any other NBA game, an even score after four quarters of basketball means it ends in a tie!
The Heat avoid going back to Miami tied 2-2, instead they take their talents back to South Beach up 2-1-1. But wait! Game 2 also ended in overtime didn’t it? So that means this series is DEADLOCKED at 1-1-2 and if it even reaches the 2-2-3 line after game 7, they might have to go to a game 8, 9, and beyond until they find a winner!
And no, there is no defending a SPORTS ANCHOR for not having the immediate common sense to know no NBA game can end in a tie. I’m not passing that off as a Donovan McNabb-esque mistake, that entire clip reeks of not knowing the game. This is another one of several high-profile goofs by local TV stations across the country, including an LA anchor who was certain the Kings had the ball in the NHL playoffs, and a New York affiliate believing the New York Islanders are playing the Kings in the Stanley Cup Final.
Now if you’ll excuse me, the Oklahoma City Sonics are playing the San Antonio Spurs in game 5 of the NBA Western Conference Final……
Jurgen Klinsmann has disappointed many American soccer critics so far in his coaching tenure with the US Men’s National Team. He’s won 0 World Cups, CONCACAF Gold Cups, and has not won a match as head coach since January 2012! Shameful for someone who has been here since August 2011.
Well today Klinsmann’s American side went into Genoa, Italy having never beaten the Italians before. Zero wins out of their previous ten attempts, coupled with Italy having not lost in Genoa since the 1920s, made it seem like a difficult task for the USA. Fulham’s Clint Dempsey, having a career year in the Barclays Premier League, scored the only goal in the 55th minute to give the Americans an historic achievement in today’s friendly.
Dempsey has now scored 3 times under Klinsmann and this one was a special goal. The US has now beaten Italy for the first time ever and did it in Genoa with the Italians playing a mostly full-strength squad. It also proves the US can win matches against quality sides without Landon Donovan (out due to injury), making it easier for me to stomach ESPN’s broadcasts.
There are a couple of more friendlies (including Brazil and Canada) to be played before 2014 World Cup qualifying begins with a home match against a vaunted Antigua and Barbuda side.
You would think that in Chapel Hill, up 82-72 with 2:18 left, that North Carolina would be able to put away rivals Duke, especially after the Blue Devils inexplicably lost to Miami at home.
Clearly, you haven’t watched enough Duke vs. North Carolina.
North Carolina’s Tyler Zeller, who in fairness poured in 19 first half points, including the opening 7 for this team, was simply magnificent for Duke, particularly in the closing minute of regulation. After the Tar Heel lead dwindled down to 82-80, Zeller took to the free throw line with :44 left and calmly missed one of two, keeping the game at one possession for the Blue Devils.
Zeller went into total berserker mode on Duke’s next possession, tipping in Ryan Kelly’s tying three-point shot into his own net instead of corralling the basketball for a crucial rebound. Huge 2nd chance points for Duke, and Zeller provided it and the lead was down to 1. Zeller was fouled again with under 20 seconds left, and once again only hit one out of two free throws, giving Duke a chance to tie or win the game.
With the seconds ticking down, freshman sensation Austin Rivers was one-on-one with Tyler Zeller, and the 7-footer in clutch fashion defended with both arms down, leading to….well….this.
Duke ended the game on a 13-2 run and stunned North Carolina 85-84 thanks to Tyler Zeller, who put up one of the greatest crunch time performances in Blue Devil history. In that 13-2 run, Zeller scored 2 pts for Duke and took away 2 from North Carolina. Give that guy an honorary scholarship, Krzyzewski! (If they even exist)
On a completely serious note, that ending was insane and listening to Dick Vitale’s voice clearly not at 100% just makes me sad. Say what you want about him, but Dickie V in his prime would’ve outshouted both Dan Shulman and Jay Bilas in that sequence.
On another serious note, College Basketball > NBA. Not even a debate.
