Month: August 2008 (Page 22 of 50)

Jeff Kent on Vin Scully: ‘He talks too much.’

During a recent broadcasting, Dodgers’ play by play announcer Vin Scully made reference that Manny Ramirez has helped Jeff Kent hit better since he was acquired from Boston at the trade deadline.

But you see Jeff Kent doesn’t need help. Jeff Kent is the greatest baseball player known to man and how dare Vin Scully think other wise.

Below is what Kent said to L.A. Times columnist T.J. Simers in response to Scully’s comments.

“We all love you, Vin,” Kent added with a mischievous grin, “but you still talk too much.”

“Scully is making the same point everyone else is making,” I said. “He says the stats indicate you are having success hitting behind Ramirez — tell me that isn’t the case.”

“See my answer to the first question,” said Kent, and sometimes you wonder if he sleeps with his bed against a wall forcing him to always wake up on the wrong side. “Listen, I’m so tired of talking about this stuff. It diminishes my whole career and all the hard work. I take it as an insult.

“I’m 40. You don’t get better when you are 40.”

“It’s so pathetic,” he said. “You guys write about things happening in a week’s time. That’s why we don’t like you. Baseball is a six-month game.”

“What did I hit last year? Without Manny? How do you explain that? What’s my career average? What will I be hitting at the end of this season?”

“Manny was only hitting .300 in Boston with 20 home runs,” Kent said, as a prelude to the sarcastic kicker. “And he’s doing way better than that here — so I’m helping Manny.”

“I’ve been here four years and I have never seen Vin Scully down here in the clubhouse,” Kent said. “How does Vin Scully know me? How does Vin Scully know Derek Lowe?”

“Everyone says I’m hitting now because some guy says so on TV?” he says, and first time someone has ever called Scully “some guy.”

Later in the article, Kent does say that there’s no question Manny “has given this team new life with another hitter in the middle of the lineup.” So if you’re Kent, why not say that first? Why be snarky and somewhat disrespectful to a legend like Vin Scully for making a simple observation? (Not only that, but a spot on observation, too.)

Hey Kent, calling Vin Scully “some guy” diminishes his whole career and all of his hard work, too. But F Vin Scully right? The nerve of him to say you hit better with protection in the lineup…

May-Treanor/Walsh sweep Brazil, will play for gold

You’d think playing for a shot at the gold medal game would be tougher than this.

Not when you’re Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh and you’re riding a 107-game winning streak.

The duo dispatched their second Brazilian team in as many matches, ousting Renata and Talita, 21-12 and 21-14, and will move on to face Tian Jia and Wang of China for the gold. The final match will be televised live in the Eastern and Central time zones at 11 PM/10 PM on Wednesday night on NBC. (We lowly Pacific time zoners don’t get the honor of seeing the match live because NBC is too lazy to produce a separate broadcast for us. Hello, McFly! Misty May and Kerri Walsh are from California! People here might want to see the match live, you dig? Grrr.)

Color commentator Karch Kiraly said during tonight’s broadcast that if the duo is able to win gold in these Olympics, they’ll be hands down the best team – men’s or women’s – ever to play beach volleyball. That’s high praise from the salty dog.

Ato Boldon said something stupid today

Ato Boldon answered a question from Bob Costas about Usain Bolt’s terrific 100m world record run at the beginning of NBC’s primetime coverage on Monday night.

Costas: “How in the world was he able to run 9.69?”

Boldon: “I haven’t had a chance to really wrap my mind around it yet, but a lot of people are just still awestruck by what he was able to do. We just didn’t think that someone that tall would be able to run that sort of time. And… uh… just a great performance, and so far the performance, by far, of these Games.

By far? Mr. Boldon, I’d like to introduce you to Michael Phelps. Not sure if you’ve heard, but he had a pretty good week in the pool.

Receiver no longer an issue for Falcons

In the weeks leading up to the kickoff the 2008 NFL Season, I’ll take a look at position groups that could potentially lift teams to new heights, or bury them and their postseason hopes. Today I take a look at how the Atlanta Falcons built their receiving corps through the draft.

Before Michael Vick traded in his football uniform for penitentiary garb, pundits loved to state on a yearly basis how the Atlanta Falcons needed better weapons for Vick to throw to.

Those pundits don’t have to worry about the Falcons not supplying No. 3 overall pick Matt Ryan with enough weapons, because the receiving corps is now arguably the strength of Atlanta’s offense. (Although a running game that now features Michael Turner and Jerious Norwood isn’t too shabby either.)

In his first two years with the Falcons, Roddy White was developing into surefire first round bust with every pass he let drop through his fingertips. But after hauling in 83 receptions for 1,202 yards and six touchdowns in 2007, White proved that he could be a capable No. 1 receiver in the NFL. He not only has the size and quickness to create separation from defenders, but he also attacks the ball in the air and has demonstrated supreme confidence (two things he lacked in his first two seasons). Even with the rookie Ryan or Chris Redman starting, many expect White to at least match his production from last season.

Joining White is former 2007 third round pick Laurent Robinson. Even though an injury has sidetracked his progress, the former Iowa State star has received rave reviews this summer and flashed potential in the final games of the 2007 season. Like White, Robinson has excellent speed and quickness, and can create plays in space. He’s expected to start once he’s healthy and playing opposite White might net him plenty of opportunities to make plays.

While he’s been a bit of a disappointment thus far in his career, former first rounder Michael Jenkins gives the Falcons a nice, big target in the red zone. Rookie third round pick Harry Douglas has also been incredibly impressive in camp and thus far in preseason, while Brian Finneran gives Atlanta a sure handed veteran if he can bounce back from having two knee surgeries the past two years. (The Falcons also have Joe Horn on their roster, although he’s likely to be traded or cut given how he’s expressed that he wants out of Atlanta.)

Granted, the Falcons offense is expected to struggle behind a rookie starter in Ryan and a suspect offensive line. And while there are high expectations for Robinson and Douglas, it might take a season or two for them to fully develop. Still, no longer is wide receiver a pressing issue in Atlanta.

Breaking news: Alicia Sacramone is hot

So I’m watching the coverage of the women’s gymnastics from last night, and announcer Al Trautwig comments that Alicia Sacramone (whose struggles during the team competition probably cost the U.S. the gold medal) is the second most searched-for athlete (after Michael Phelps) at nbcolympics.com. He seems surprised by that fact and is oblivious to other… um… facts.

Sure, her story is interesting, but Al, come on, we both know why she’s the second most searched-for athlete, don’t we?

Before anyone gets on my case, she’s 20 years old.

Turns out she throws a mean punch too.

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