UCONN Women lose to Stanford, Snap Long Win Streak

The Stanford Lady Cardinal gave the University of Connecticut Lady Huskies their last loss one thousand days ago...Tonight, they snapped UCONN's NCAA Men & Women's Collegiate Basketball record of 90 consecutive wins, with a 71-59 victory at Maples Pavilion on the campus of Stanford University. Stanford extends it's own home winning streak to 51 games. Jeanette Pohlen led the Lady Cardinal with 31 points and 9 rebounds. Perhaps the greatest Women's player in the world right now, Maya Moore, was held to just 14 points on 5-15 shooting.

I don't care what level of sports you are in, or if it's men or women, UCONN's win streak is one of the greatest in all of sports and should be celebrated. Stanford was the better team on the floor tonight, but what the UCONN women did for their sport was a good thing. It brought attention to all of women's college basketball like it has never seen before.

John Lennon & Monday Night Football

December 8, 2010, will mark the 30th anniversary of the death of John Lennon. As everyone knows, Lennon was shot and killed by obsessed fan, Mark David Chapman, outside of Lennon's apartment building in New York City. What does Lennon have to do with Monday Night Football you may wonder?

In 1970, Monday Night Football (MNF) began on ABC. Throughout the 1970s, it elevated the exposure of the NFL and made Monday nights must see television. The first broadcasters of MNF were Keith Jackson, Howard Cosell, and Don Meredith. In 1971, Frank Gifford replaced Jackson. As the young MNF franchise began to grow, guest appearances by sports, movie, and music stars in the booth, became commonplace. On December 9, 1974, Lennon was interviewed by Cosell (click here to see interview) during the game that night. What no one knew was that exactly six years and one day later, Lennon would be shot, and his shocking and tragic death would be told to the world on football's biggest stage by the man who interviewed him that night, Howard Cosell.

Farewell to a Cubs Legend

Over the past two summers, while driving across Northern Michigan for my job, I'd often tune my SiriusXM radio in to listen to Chicago Cubs games. The reason I listened wasn't because I was necessarily a Cubs fan, but it was to hear Ron Santo. Santo spent 14 of his 15 seasons, as a player, with the Cubs. A nine time All-Star and five time Gold Glove winner, he was one of the greatest third baseman of his generation. He should be in the Hall of Fame, but that is a conversation for another time. As a color commentator, however, he was not a Hall-of-Famer, but his game analysis wasn't his draw. Santo began broadcasting for the Cubs in 1990, and his appeal was his unapologetic passion and enthusiasm that he displayed during every Cub broadcast. He represented every Cub fan in the radio booth by cheering loudly for a homerun or expressing his disgust and disappointment when they committed an error. No one loved his team more than Santo loved the Cubs. His radio partner, play-by-play man Pat Hughes, was the perfect compliment to Santo's style. Hughes would set him up perfectly for a rant, or a story, without taking anything away from the flow of the game. They played off each other very well. Their partnership sadly ended, as we learned this morning, that we lost Ron Santo.

Santo suffered from several health issues. He was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when he was 18. He ended up having both legs amputated, one in 2001 and the other in 2002. Despite this, he continued to broadcast and also became a spokesman for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). On Wednesday, it was reported that he lapsed into a comma and ended up dying Thursday due to complications of diabetes and bladder cancer. He was 70 years old.

The Cubs lost it's biggest fan. For me, driving across Northern Michigan in the summer will never be the same.

Spark is Gone

Hall of Fame Cincinnati Reds & Detroit Tigers manager, George "Sparky" Anderson, passed away today at the age of 76. Anderson was the first manager in Major League Baseball history to win a World Series in each league and was sixth all-time in wins.

Anderson began his managerial career with the Reds in 1970 at the age of 36. He lead the Reds that year to the National League Pennant, with his team winning 102 games. The Reds swept the Pittsburgh Pirates in the National League Championship Series, but lost in the World Series, to the Baltimore Orioles in five games. He lead the Big Red Machine to four National League Pennants and back-to-back World Series Championships in 1975 and 1976. He won 863 career games in nine seasons before being fired after the 1978 season. After a great career with the Reds, he moved on to the Detroit Tigers, where my generation remembers him best.

Anderson was hired in June of 1979 by the Tigers, replacing Les Moss. He guided Detroit to a 56-50 record after taking over mid-season. The Tigers finished 5th in a very tough American League East that year, with an overall record of 85-76. That '79 season marked the second full season of the great double play combination of Lou Whitaker & Alan Trammell, the first full season of Jack Morris and Dan Petry, and the debut of Kirk Gibson. After a solid second place finish in 1983 to the eventual World Champion Baltimore Orioles, 1984 turned into a magical year for the Tigers.


Sparky's Bless You Boys of 1984 (as the Tigers were nicknamed), started out 35-5, a mark that still stands as the best 40 game start to a season in MLB history. They lead the AL East wire-to-wire, finishing with a 104-58 record, which is the most wins for a season in franchise history. The Tigers went on to sweep the Kansas City Royals in the American League Championship Series and defeated the San Diego Padres in the World Series. It was the Tigers first World Championship since 1968. The Tigers won the American League East in 1987, but lost in the ALCS to the Minnesota Twins in five games. The Tigers finished no higher than 2nd place (1988, 1991) in his remaining years as their manager. After the strike year of 1994, and heading into the 1995 season, Anderson refused to manage replacement players in Spring Training. After the shortened '95 season, he retired. In his 17 seasons as the Tigers manager, he finished with a 1331-1248 won/loss record.

Anderson managed 26 years overall, compiling 2194 wins, and posting a winning percentage of .545. He won a total of five pennants and three World Championships. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2000, by the Veteran's Committee. He was also known for making some outrageous statements when evaluating young talent, like calling Kirk Gibson the next Mickey Mantle or that little known Chris Pitaro would replace Lou Whitaker at second base. He was also given the moniker, Captain Hook, for his propensity to be quick in pulling pitchers. Sparky also was philanthropic, starting CATCH (Caring Athletes Teamed for Childrens and Henry Ford Hospitals) in 1987. It was a charity he was still active in through his retirement and the end of his life.


His big smile, and enthusiasm for the game of baseball will be sorely missed. The game has lost one of its' greatest ambassadors. Rest in peace Sparky Anderson, there will not be another like you ever again.

Giants Go Up 2-0 On Rangers

I'm really not surprised that the San Francisco Giants have taken a two games to none lead over the Texas Rangers in the 2010 World Series which began on Wednesday. What I am surprised about is the amount of runs they have scored, especially in Game 1 off of the seemingly unbeatable, Cliff Lee.

The Giants scored only 697 runs this year (9th in the National League) which was 16 runs fewer than the Arizona Diamondbacks who finished with 97 losses and 27 games behind San Francisco in the National League (NL) West Division. The win on their great pitching, lead by starters Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain, and their lights out closer, Brian Wilson. They won so many agonizing, one run games that the Giants television announcers, Duane Kuiper and Mike Krukow, dubbed their offense and they way they win, "Torture". With the way the Giants have crushed the Rangers in the first two games in San Francisco, the only torture anyone is feeling is the Rangers and their fans.

In Game 1, with the score tied at 2-2, the Giants broke the game wide open in the 5th inning by scoring 6 runs, 5 off of starter Lee, knocking him out of the game. The Giants added 3 more runs in the 8th inning and ended up winning 11-7. Lee suffered his first post season loss (9 starts, 7-0, 1-No Decision, before loss) which could also have served as a huge psychological let down to the Rangers.

Game 2 started off as a great pitching duel between the Rangers' C.J. Wilson and the Giants' Matt Cain. Cain hadn't allowed an earned run in three postseason starts in 14 1/3 innings going into the game. The game was scoreless until the 5th, when Edgar Renteria hit a high pitch deep into the left field stands to put the Giants up 1-0. The Giants added another run in the 7th on a walk to Cody Ross and an RBI single by Juan Uribe. In the 8th inning, the wheels fell off the wagon for the Rangers, as none of their pitchers could find the plate. Darren O'Day started the 8th inning pitching for the Rangers, and got two strikeouts (Andres Torres & Freddy Sanchez). Buster Posey singled and then lefty Derek Holland came in relief of O'Day to face Nick Schierholtz (who was a defensive replacement for Pat Burrell in the 7th). Holland walked Schierholtz on four straight pitches. He then walked Ross on four straight pitches as well to load the bases. After three straight balls to Aubrey Huff, Holland finally threw a strike, but ended up walking Huff on the very next pitch, forcing in a run. Holland was relieved by Mark Lowe who then walked Uribe to force in the 4th run of the inning. Renteria worked the count full, and then drove a pitch down the left field line, driving in two runs to put the Giants up 6-0. Lowe was then relieved by Michael Kirkman, who became the fourth pitcher of the inning for Texas. Aaron Rowand pinched-hit for Mark Fontenot (who was announced as a pinch-hitter but did not hit) and hit a triple to drive in two more runs. Torres came up for the second time in the inning, and doubled in a run. Finally, Kirkman was able to strike out Sanchez (2nd time he struck out in the inning) to put out the fire. The Rangers were retired quietly in the 9th (David Murphy walked, but was stranded on second). The Giants took Game 2, 9-0, and Cain increased his streak of not giving up and earned run to 21 1/3.

While the Rangers may be down, they are heading back home to Arlington for Game 3 on Saturday. I think this series will come down to the Giants and Rangers starters in Games 3 and 4. In Game 3, the Giants will start Jonathan Sanchez, who lead the NL in walks with 96. The Rangers will give the ball to Colby Lewis, who pitched the game of his career, leading the way to eliminating the Yankees in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series. Game 4's probables will be Madison Bumgarner for the Giants and Tommy Hunter for the Rangers. There is an outside possibility, Cliff Lee could pitch Game 4 on short rest, but Rangers manager Ron Washington indicated before the series that he had no intention of doing so.

I think if the Rangers can get a solid start out of Lewis and Sanchez struggles like he did against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series, the Rangers could take Game 3. Plus the Rangers have put up good offensive numbers at hitter friendly Rangers Ballpark at Arlington, which could give them an advantage as well. Game 4 will be interesting if both Bumgarner and Hunter face each other. Both are young pitchers who have very little experience. If the Rangers do take Game 3, it would make Game 4 that more pivotal, and whatever one of these youngsters handles the big stage better, could change the course of the series for their team.

In case you haven't heard by now, the Texas Rangers have never been to the World Series in their franchise history (1961-present) and the San Francisco Giants have never won a title since moving to San Francisco, from New York, back in 1958. Whoever wins, it will mean so much for their respective cities as both have been starving for a Major League Baseball World Championship for more than 50 years.

Game 3 is set for Saturday. First pitch will be at 6:57pm, on Fox.

Outcry over Jeter Play Ridiculous

The media is making a big deal about Derek Jeter acting like he got hit by a pitch and "fooling" the umpire last night in the New York Yankees - Tampa Bay Rays game last night. They are calling him a cheater and charging him with poor sportsmanship. This is ridiculous and I couldn't disagree more.

In a sport that has officials, an athlete has no obligation to tell an umpire or an official if they have made the wrong call or not. For example, in the Cleveland Indians - Detroit Tigers game earlier this year when the Tigers' pitcher Armando Galarraga beat the Indians Jason Donald to the bag and was ruled safe and ruining his Perfect Game, you didn't hear ANYONE get on Donald for not admitting to the umpire that he was actually out. Jeter's job is to get on base any way he can. If it meant acting a little to sway the umpire into making a call, then you do it. Every professional athlete has made some attempt in their careers to deceive an umpire or an official, that's the way it is. It's not unsportsmanlike, it's part of the game. It would be different if they were playing an individualized sport where policing yourselves is the right thing to do. Team sports is not like that and there is no place for athletes to correct officials & umpires calls, it's simply not their job and they should not be expected to do it.

Brett Favre Please Just Retire

Brett Favre has done it again...No, not thrown another TD pass or interception. No, not scrambling around the field, avoiding tacklers, and firing a ball to a receiver for a first down. No, what I'm talking about is Favre has reportedly, according to good old text messaging to his Minnesota Viking teammates of last year, said that he is going to retire...for the THIRD time. No other sport, besides maybe boxing, has seen a single athlete announce he's retiring and then coming back, more often than Favre. He is either a guy who cannot stick with a decision, or he just likes the attention he brings to himself around this time every year.

It's obvious that he doesn't want to be part of training camp. A veteran like he is, doesn't need a long training camp and I can understand that. What I don't like is the fact that he holds his team hostage every year by not making a decision until the last minute. Just last year, on July 28, Favre said he was retiring only to comeback in late August. Granted he had probably the best year of his 19-year NFL career, but the way he goes about things is not fair to the team he is playing on and their fans.

I have nothing but respect for what Favre has done on the field. He has established himself as the most prolific passer in the history of the National Football League. His passion for the game is evident just by watching him play. He is a Hall of Famer. What he also seems to be is a guy who is either so oblivious to the effects of his decision on others or is so arrogant that he expects teams to wait around for him or wants them to come crawling to him and get on their hands and knees and beg him to comeback. It's sickening to me. What's even worse, ESPN is doing a special dedicated to his retirement...again. I truly think most of ESPN's talent is synical about if this is truly the end of his career. ESPN's brass, however, are airing a special knowing it will draw ratings, whether you hate Favre or not, people are watching. Just like when they aired Lebron James self-indulging special, "The Decision", last month.

I think Favre has tainted his Hall of Fame career by the way he has handled his off seasons. I think it's a shame that what he may be known for most, especially if he decides to comeback again this year, is waffling on retiring, instead of all the records he's set and the way he played the game on the field. I truly hope this retirement is the final chapter to a storied career. I suspect he will be back again at the end of August, further tarnishing a great career.

Soccer: Stop the Diving!!!

I am not a huge Soccer fan by any stretch of the imagination. I respect the sport because it is the most popular sport in the world and it does have a certain element of gracefulness and beauty when it is played at the highest level. What turns me off the most about the game is the diving the players do. These players are supposed to be world class athletes and the World Cup is their biggest stage. To see these players barely get hit and go down like they've been shot by a firing squad, roll around in what looks like severe pain, then get up moments later like nothing happened is a disgrace and embarrassment to the sport, in my opinion. I have a hard time respecting any athlete that does that. If you get slid into, or knocked down, get back up and keep playing. I have not seen too many instances in this World Cup where a player has gotten severely injured. In the United States-Ghana game today, a few Ghana players went down and stayed down, especially in Extra Time, to milk the clock. These guys were not hurt at all. The referee did very little to speed up the game or call any of the players for diving.

If Soccer is going to get me to be a regular fan, these athletes are going to have to act like men and suck it up out there on the pitch. They need to stop acting like they are out there looking for an Academy Award nomination instead of playing for the sports most prestigious trophy, the World Cup. I admit though, I could be missing something, maybe it's my ignorance of the sport that doesn't give me the understanding as to why they dive like that. Regardless if that's the case or not, for these athletes to earn my respect and my interest in their sport, they are going to have to act like athletes and not actors. Soccer can be a very beautiful and graceful sport to watch, but there is nothing graceful about grown men falling in fake agony trying to get calls. That, in my opinion, is something Soccer officials need to take care of before the next World Cup.

Soccer Dives

Wednesday, June 23, 2010...One Crazy Day!

Today is one of those crazy days that doesn't happen too often. The USA Soccer team scores in stoppage time to avoid elimination...Two Men's Tennis players at Wimbledon played an epic 10 hour match over two days (that is still not over with yet)...Stephen Strasburg has another big game but loses on a bad call at the plate...A Hall of Fame Football player is indicted on rape charges...And to top it all off, a tremor felt in part of Michigan. This is definitely a crazy day...


USA Soccer's Dramatic Win



PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA - Team USA went into the last game of group play needing a win to get into the elimination round of the World Cup. If they lost, they were done, but if they played to a draw, they needed a few different scenarios to happen in order to advance. USA took on Algeria as England played Slovenia at the same time. England went up on Slovenia 1-0 in the 22nd minute of the game. At this point the US needed a win to advance, as a draw would not be enough. The US had several scoring chances against Algeria. In the 21st minute, Clint Dempsey, appeared to knock in a goal, however, the referee ruled him off-sides, nullifying the goal. Replays showed that the call was probably wrong. After a few more great scoring opportunities throughout the match, it appeared that the US was going to get another tough draw. Then, miraculously, in the 91st minute, almost a minute into stoppage time, USA soccer's best player, Landon Donovan, took a rebound off the goalkeeper and put the ball home from 7 feet away to give the US an improbable 1-0 lead and win. This was the first time the US has won their group in the World Cup since 1930. What a great day for USA Soccer and its' fans.

Epic Wimbledon Match That Won't End


WIMBLEDON, ENGLAND - Tennis has been played at Wimbledon since 1877. It has never seen a match like the one between American John Isner and France's Nicolas Mahut. They started their match on Tuesday night but was called after 4 sets and 2 hours, 54 minutes, due to darkness. They resumed play on Wednesday in the 5th Set. Over 7 hours, and 118 games later, the match was called again due to darkness. They have played 163 games total, so far, in all 5 sets, which is a record. Their almost 10 total hours of play, is about 3 1/2 hours more than the previous record that was set at the 2004 French Open. Compare this match to the length of the Major League Baseball game that was played on May 9, 1982. It was played between the Milwaukee Brewers & Chicago White Sox and went 25 innings, taking a mere 8 hours, 6 minutes (with the White Sox winning the game). Isner & Mahut will resume their match on Thursday. How much longer will it go? Stay tuned...

Strasburg Takes Tough Loss


WASHINGTON, DC - Washington Nationals rookie phenom, Stephen Strasburg, took the mound for his fourth Major League start against the Kansas City Royals earlier today. Strasburg impressed everyone again, going 6 innings, allowing 9 hits and 1 run while striking out 9 and walking none. His 9 strike outs gave him a total of 41 in his first four starts which breaks the previous record set by Cleveland's Herb Score (40 Ks) in 1955. The Royals scored their run on an RBI single by Jose Guillen in the 5th inning. The Nationals had an opportunity to score in the 6th inning. Roger Bernadina tried to score on an Adam Dunn single to right, but was thrown out by Jose Guillen. Replays clearly showed Bernadina's foot touching the plate before catcher Jason Kendall tagged him, but Home Plate Umpire Hunter Wendelstedt called him out. Despite Strasburg taking his first loss of his career, he still is showing that he can pitch in the big leagues, and pitch well. He has lived up to all the hype so far, but the true test will be when teams face him for a second time. We'll have to wait and see if he can stay dominant...

Hall of Fame Football Player Indicted


ROCKFORD COUNTY, NY - NFL Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor was indicted today on third-degree rape charges, patronizing a prostitute, among others. Taylor has had problems with the law before, mostly having to do with drugs. Over the past few years, he seemed to have gotten his life back on track appearing on ABC's Dancing With the Stars and was an endorser for NutriSystem. Taylor is a 10-Time Pro Bowler as well as an NFL MVP and three time Defensive Player of the Year. He was arrested on May 6th at the Holiday Inn in Ramapo, NY. He scheduled to be in court again on July 13.


Minor Earthquake in Midwest

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, a 5.0 Earthquake hit the Ontario-Quebec border region on Wednesday afternoon. The shaking could be felt in portions of Michigan, with reports in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Saginaw, and numerous other areas in the state. Obviously this isn't sports related, but this just caps off what was one crazy day!

A Retirement, Passing of a Legend, and a Historic Hitting Streak

Below is a recap of some of the top stories of this past week...


A RETIREMENT

Ken Griffey, Jr, the greatest center fielder of my generation, announced his retirement on Wednesday, June 2. He was only batting only .184 with no homeruns and seven runs batted in, in 33 games this season. Despite his struggles this season, Griffey left the game as one of the greatest players in the history of the game and a first ballot Hall of Famer. His sweet swing produced 630 career homeruns which ranks him fifth on the all-time list. He also won 10 Gold Glove Awards which ranks him second behind Willie Mays and Roberto Clemente (12 apiece) for the most ever by an outfielder in their career. He also made the All-Century team at the age of 29. His youthful enthusiasm for the game, his sweet swing, and his great defense will all be missed. He was my favorite player growing up, as well as the favorite of so many during his era. We were truly blessed to have seen such a talent during our lifetime.

A Passing of a Legend

John Wooden, 99, passed away on Friday, June 4th. Wooden was the Head Men's Basketball Coach at UCLA from 1948-1975. He won 10 National Championships (including 7 in a row from 1966-1973), won 620 career games, 38 game NCAA Tournament winning streak (1964-1974) and lead his team to an 88-game winning streak from 1971-1974. He also coached some of the greatest players in basketball history. What he will probably be remembered for most, from my era, was not for his coaching (since he retired from coaching 3 years before I was born) but his motivational books and pyramid of success. He wrote several books which were not really about basketball, but more about life. His quotes are legendary, "Be quick, but don't hurry", "Failing to prepare, is preparing to fail", and "Flexibility is the key to stability". There are many, many more as well. He was a true master of the spoken and written word. Another big part of his life, was the love affair he maintained with his wife Nell, after her death in 1985. She passed away on March 21st of that year. On the 21st of every month, from then until his passing, he wrote her a love letter. He placed it in an envelope and then on the pillow that she used to sleep on. He never remarried and was still very much in love with her until the day he died. It is a remarkable story of love and faith and one we should all learn about. Now that he has left us, he is now in heaven with her, and truly a happy man to be reunited with the love of his life, both in this life and beyond.



A Historic Hitting Streak

Before the last couple of weeks, no one had heard of Florida International's (FIU) Garrett Wittels and chances are, you still may not know him. He is a baseball player for FIU and yesterday tied Joe DiMaggio's (yes, that Joe DiMaggio) 56-game hitting streak. Having a hit in that many games in a row is an amazing feat. No one in the Major Leagues has even approached DiMaggio. Wittels needs a hit in his next two games to tie the all-time record at any level. Robin Ventura hit in 58 straight games in 1987 while at college at Oklahoma State. Wittels will be waiting months just to get his next at-bat. His FIU team was eliminated from the NCAA Coral Gables Regional by Dartmouth, 15-9. In that game, Wittels hit a double in his first at-bat to extend the streak, and added two more hits, including a single in his last at-bat of the season. Having to wait about eight months for his next at-bat will make it interesting as to whether or not he can extend hist streak and break Ventura's record. All I know is, that I will be watching and hoping the long layoff will not affect Wittel's and he can break the record that's stood for 23 years.

The Perfect Lesson

DETROIT, MI - Only five days removed from the Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Roy Halladay's Perfect Game, we were close to seeing history again, this time in Detroit and by a much lesser known pitcher. Armando Galarraga, who is two years removed from a 13 win season with the Detroit Tigers, set down the Cleveland Indians first 26 batters, on Wednesday night, without allowing a hit, a walk, a hit by pitch, or anyone to reach base on an error...In other words, he was perfect through 8 2/3 innings. It was an amazing showcase of control and of getting the Indians to chase pitches early in the count. He only went to a three ball count on one hitter. Entering the 9th inning he only had thrown 75 pitches. Even though his strikeout total was low (only 3), he kept the Indians hitters off balance all game long. Mark Grudzielanek lead off the 9th and hit a ball to deep left center field that Austin Jackson ran down with an over the shoulder catch on the warning track. The next batter, Mike Redmond grounded out to shortstop Ramon Santiago to retire the 26th consecutive hitter of the game. Then, it all came down to the 27th hitter for the Indians, Jason Donald.

Donald worked a 1-1 count. On the third pitch of the at-bat, Donald grounds a ball weakly towards second base. First baseman Miguel Cabrera ranges far to his right, fields the ball as Galarraga is making his way to first to cover the bag. Cabrera plants his right foot and throws a perfect throw to Galarraga. Galarraga catches the ball, just as his right foot hits the bag, a half step before Donald's. Game over, Perfect Game for Galarraga! But wait...first base umpire Jim Joyce shocked everyone by calling Donald safe. Everyone, players, coaches, fans both at Comerica Park and watching on television or listening on the radio, are stunned. Cabrera started to celebrate, but then put both hands on his head in disbelief. Second baseman Carlos Guillen jumped up then stopped in his tracks. Galarraga began to celebrate then, after hearing the call looked at Joyce and just smiled. Manager Jim Leyland went out to argue the call, but did so mildly. The announcers, both on TV and on Radio could not believe it. Even radio analyst Jim Price, who rarely says anything bad, called it a "terrible call". Everyone knew Galarraga got robbed of the first Perfect Game in the history of the Detroit Tigers and the 21st in the history of baseball (third of the year and second in just five days). Galarraga retired the next hitter, Trevor Crowe, to end the game. Catcher Alex Avila and Galarraga embrace at the mound as Leyland goes right at Joyce to chew him out. What happened immediately following the game, and over the next few day, however, was truly amazing.

After the game Joyce, a 22-year veteran MLB umpire, who is also very highly rated and well respected by everyone in baseball, looked at the replay in the umpire's dressing room. He said it only took him one view of the replay to see he blew the call. He was extremely upset that he cost Galarraga a piece of history (Click on Joyce's Reaction to hear his comments after the game). He then went to the Tigers' clubhouse and sought out both Galarraga and Leyland to apologize. A class act for someone who just cost the player, club, and game a piece of history. Amazingly, the criticism for Joyce came and went pretty quickly, and the support for him started. Galarraga & Leyland both took the high road in not ripping into Joyce. Everyone just seemed sad that history was prevented by a bad call. The Tigers gave Galarraga a beer celebration anyway in the clubhouse and called it a "28 out Perfect Game".


The next day, the Tigers went out of their way to show public support for Joyce. Joyce had home plate duties on Thursday and was visibly teary eyed as he and the other umpires walked through the tunnel behind home plate, to the field to a cheer from the crowd. Leyland had Galarraga take the line up card out to the umpires. You could tell that Joyce was touched by the moment as he gave Galarraga a big pat on the shoulder. Cabrera, before making his way to first base, gave Joyce a pat on the chest. The Tigers handled everything classy, even presenting Galarraga with a new Chevy Corvette. The way everything was handled made me proud to be a Tigers fan.

The missed call immediately started a huge calling for the expansion of instant replay as well as whether or not the Commissioner of Major League Baseball, Bud Selig, should award Galarraga with the Perfect Game. I am not really one that likes instant replay in baseball, however, I'm not naive to think that baseball doesn't need something in place to correct egregious errors like this. My hope is that Selig and MLB are careful with how they will expand replay and they won't rush to implement it before the right system is ready.

Selig ruled on Thursday that he would not overturn Joyce's call and give Galarraga the perfect game, which I agree with. It is very difficult to go back and overturn a call like that and would open up the possibility of the Commissioner overturning other calls that would directly effect outcomes of games. While there are many arguments on both sides of the coin, I still maintain Selig made the right call on this one.

It was truly a wild situation, none that we have ever seen before. Yes, Galarraga was robbed of his place in baseball immortality, but I think the way he handled the situation will make him be remembered far longer than if he had actually pitched a Perfect Game. The way he handled himself should serve as the perfect lesson on how to handle adversity, for all of us.

A Perfect Experience

MIAMI, FLORIDA - Last weekend, I went on a trip to visit some good friends in the Ft. Lauderdale area. Doug Frimodig and I go way back to 6th grade, where we first met in the halls of Bullock Creek Middle School, in Midland, Michigan. The one thing that brought us together was our mutual love of sports, especially baseball. We went to numerous Detroit Tigers games as kids. As young as the age of 16, when we got our driver's licenses, we would drive down to old Tiger Stadium several times a summer, to take in some baseball. We have traveled to Wrigley Field in Chicago together to watch a game, as well as to Milwaukee to witness Mark McGwire make history with his 65th homerun in that magical summer of 1998. The last game we saw together was Game 4 of the 2006 American League Divisional Series. The mighty New York Yankees were on the verge of being eliminated by the Detroit Tigers. I was able to get some tickets and Doug drove all the way up from Virginia, where he was living at the time. Many forces had to align for that experience to happen and it did. It ranked, for both of us, as the single greatest sporting event we had ever seen in person...until Saturday, May 29, 2010, that is...

Doug and I had talked about seeing the Philadelphia Phillies play the Florida Marlins on Saturday night at Sun Life Stadium in Miami. We weren't entirely sure if we were going or not, but decided to go as the day progressed. We knew it would be a good pitching match up as Roy Halladay of the Phillies was taking on Josh Johnson of the Marlins. Halladay has been a great pitcher for the last several years. He came over to the Phillies this past off season from the Toronto Blue Jays. Johnson, is a young, up and coming pitcher, for the Marlins. We knew it would be a low scoring, pitcher's duel but what happened next, was truly unexpected.

The game started out with both pitchers in control. In the 3rd inning, the Phillies got on the board when Wilson Valdez (playing for the injured Jimmy Rollins) singled. Then Chase Utley hit a a line drive to center field that Cameron Maybin started in on, then went back too late. The ball hit off of Maybin's glove and rolled all the way to the wall. Valdez scored from first and Utley ended up on third base. The run was an unearned one, and turned out to be all that Halladay needed.

When the game went into the 4th innning, I elbowed Doug and pointed to the scoreboard. I said to him, "See what's going on right now?" He just shook his head and said, "Yep". We were careful not to say the words "Perfect Game" in fear of the jinx. We noticed early on that Halladay was keeping the ball low and had great command of his pitches. It appeared that we were on our way to witnessing a historic night, but you just never know in baseball, anything can happen.

The game moved on into the 5th, 6th, and 7th innings and still no hits or walks were given up by Halladay. As he retired hitter after hitter, we felt the excitement building. It was after the last hitter in the 7th when we knew perfection was within reach.

Halladay's last hitter in the bottom of the 7th inning was Hanley Ramirez. Ramirez who is one of the best players in all of baseball, and posed a huge obstacle for Halladay. If he could get passed Ramirez, his chances for a Perfect Game would increase tremendously. You could feel the excitement and tension building in the stadium as Halladay fell behind Ramirez, three balls and two strikes. Halladay's next pitch is a fastball that hits the inside part of the plate. Home plate umpire Mike DiMuro calls strike three as Ramirez stands at the plate in disbelief. We stood in disbelief as well, knowing we were witnessing something special. After Ramirez struck out, we started to alert everyone we could think of that a Perfect Game was happening, right before our eyes. As fans of the game of baseball first and foremost, we knew exactly how rare and historic a feat this would be, but only if Halladay could retire the next six hitters.

In the bottom of the 8th inning, the Marlins had Jorge Cantu, Dan Uggla, and Cody Ross up. Cantu hit a weak ground ball to third, Uggla struck out looking, and Ross popped out to shortstop. Twenty-four batters up, 24 batters down. Perfection was indeed within reach.

As the Phillies hitters are retired in order in the top of the 9th, the crowd of 25,086 stand as Halladay takes the mound one last time to try and write his place in history. The crowd, which had a lot of Phillies fans, was getting loud as the Marlins played their rally song to begin the 9th, hoping for a hit. The game was well within reach as Philadelphia held a slim, 1-0 lead. Luckily for Halladay, he was facing the bottom third of the order.



Mike Lamb lead off the inning. Lamb, pinch hitting for catcher Brett Hayes, hit a deep fly ball center field. Center Fielder, Shane Victorino was driven all the way back to the edge the warning track to make the catch for out number one. It was the longest hit ball of the night. Next up, veteran Wes Helms, who was pinch hitting for Maybin. Halladay worked Helms to a 1-2 count before throwing a low fastball on the inside corner that caught Helms looking for out number two. It was Halladay's 11th strikeout of the game. Now, all that was left between Halladay and perfection was another pinch hitter, Ronny Paulino.



As Paulino was walking to the plate, Doug and I are the most excited we have ever been at a sporting event. We could not believe our luck. What started out as two friends going to watch a baseball game on a nice night in South Florida with no real interest in who wins or loses, we were now completely immersed in what we were seeing and hoping to be a part of history. The crowd is standing up all around us in anticipation.

Paulino works the count to one ball and two strikes. On the fourth pitch of the at-bat, Paulino hits a weak grounder toward the shortstop. Third baseman Juan Castro, playing for the injured Placido Polanco, moves to his left, picks up the slow roller, spins and throws to first baseman Ryan Howard to retire Paulino.


Halladay has his Perfect Game. Only the 20th Perfect Game in 130 plus years of Major League Baseball. Amazing. After the final out was made, Doug and I gave each other a high five and started yelling and applauding with the crowd. We truly were in shock that we had witnessed a piece of history, one that we will surely never be a part of in person, for the rest of our lives.

It was truly a historic and great night. One that neither Doug nor I, will ever forget for the rest of our lives. Thank you Roy Halladay for providing us with a perfect experience.

When Cheating Doesn't Matter

There seems to be a big difference if someone uses performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) (or some other type of drug that gives you an edge), in football than there is in baseball. If a baseball player is caught using PEDs the fans are outraged and the media is all over it. If a football player is caught, no one seems to care, let alone, still gets an award. Take the case of Brian Cushing.



Cushing is a rookie linebacker for the Houston Texans. In January he was voted by the Associated Press (AP) as their Defensive Rookie of the year. It was found out last Friday, that Cushing tested positive for human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in September. HCG is not a steroid, but it is used to increase a body's testosterone levels after using a cycle of anabolic steroids, therefore making it a banned masking agent. Cushing was tested several times throughout the season and all tests were negative. The reason we didn't hear about it until this past Friday was due to his appeal of the suspension. The league upheld the suspension and now Cushing is suspended for the first four weeks of the upcoming football season. After news of the suspension, the AP decided to revote for the Defensive Rookie of the Year award today. Who wins the revote? None other than Brian Cushing.

I have several issues with this whole situation. First, I don't know how a player can appeal a PED related suspension and not have his appeal heard until AFTER the season. Second, when Cushing's suspension was announced on Friday, it was pretty much a non-news story. I, who watches and reads a ton about sports every day, didn't even know about it until Monday when I heard about it on Mike and Mike in the Morning on ESPN Radio (they were also making an issue out of not hearing about it until Monday either). I also have a huge issue with these writers who voted for a player who cheated. A lot of baseball writers will not vote for anyone who is either suspected of, has been proven to use, or even played in the so-called steroid era. Are some of the football writers setting their own precedent by saying they don't care if a player uses PEDs? When Manny Ramirez, of the Los Angeles Dodgers, tested positive for the same masking agent and was suspended 50 games by Major League Baseball last year, it was a a HUGE story for days and weeks. When Shawne Merriman was suspended for four games in 2006 for steroids, he still made the Pro Bowl (The NFL subsequently passed a rule banning players who are suspended for PEDs, from winning any post season awards or attending the Pro Bowl). Why is their no outrage for football players who are caught or suspected of using PEDs?

I do not like the fact that baseball players get ripped for PED use while football players do not. I don't want to hear that baseball holds their numbers and records in higher esteem than other sports. So what if they do? That doesn't matter at all or take away from the fact that cheating, is cheating, no matter what sport you are in. We either ignore all players use of PEDs or we show outrage for it across the world of sports, not just baseball.

Michigan Says Good-Bye to a Legend

DETROIT,MI - Ernie Harwell, THE voice of the Detroit Tigers for 42 years, passed away on Tuesday, after an eight month battle with cancer. While the news of his passing didn't come as a surprise, it still was hard to accept.

It was just last September when Harwell announced he had inoperable cancer of his pancreas. While the news hit Tiger fans and the entire baseball world hard, Harwell maintained a positive attitude. In numerous interviews after the announcement, he said that he had accepted his fate. He remarked that the good Lord has blessed him with a wonderful life and that he accepted whatever God had in store for him. A remarkable attitude by a remarkable man.

Career

Ernie Harwell got his start as a Major League announcer in 1948 when Red Barber, then the great Brooklyn Dodgers announcer, fell ill. General Manager Branch Rickey needed someone to replace Barber immediately and called down to the Atlanta Crackers of the Southern League, inquiring about their announcer, Ernie Harwell. The Crackers told Rickey that they would give them Harwell, but that they needed a catcher in return. Rickey agreed and traded minor league catcher, Cliff Dapper, to Atlanta for Harwell. He was the only announcer ever to be traded for a player.

Harwell called Dodger games from 1948-1949, then moved onto the New York Giants (1950-1953). After the brief stop with the Giants he moved onto Baltimore to call Orioles games from 1954-1959. Then, in 1960 he teamed up with another Tiger great, George Kell, and started calling Tigers games. For the next four decades, he developed a relationship with Tiger fans that is seldom seen between an announcer and a team's fans. A lot of teams had their own great announcers...The Los Angeles Dodgers with Vin Scully (60 years), the Cincinnati Reds with Marty Brennaman (36 years), and I'm sure fans of those teams have their own unique stories, but I can only speak of Harwell.

Popularity and Draw

Each announcer has their own style. Harwell's style was like you were sitting there watching a game with an old friend. Growing up for me, I was lucky to have four really good announcers to listen to. There was George Kell and Al Kaline on the television side and Ernie Harwell and Paul Carey on the radio side. I began really watching baseball in the 1987 season, the season the Tigers won their last Division title. I remember listening to a ton of games on the radio, as Harwell and Carey described the action. Harwell had such an easy going style. He would paint the perfect picture of what was happening and you could easily close your eyes and visualize the action in your head. His soothing, smooth voice with that southern drawl, put you at ease and really made you feel like he was talking directly to you. He would also mix in great stories while taking nothing away from the current action that was taking place in front of him. That's not easy to do. His phrases of "Long Gone", "He stood there like the house by the side of the road and watched that one go by", "Two for the price of one", "A man from Midland (or Saginaw, or Warren or Windsor, etc) caught that one", became a part of Michigan lore. He was as part of the Tigers as any player or coach or manager. As players would come and go, he was the one constant we knew we could count on.

Retirement

Harwell retired in 2002. Upon his retirement, however, he made frequent trips to the ballpark and even made some appearances in the broadcast booth. He would occasionally show up on an ESPN telecast when they were in town, or even fill in a few times on Fox Sports Detroit. Whenever he was on, we would cherish every word he uttered. We knew his appearances would be few and far between, but it also brought us back to the days when he called the action. Whenever I heard he was going to be on somewhere, I called my dad right away to let him know. Or if he heard, he would call me. That's how much Harwell meant to us Tiger fans. It was always an event when he would pop into a booth, even if it was only for an inning. As the years went by, those appearances were less and less. His last appearance at Comerica Park, was on the field. It was September 16, 2009, and he came to say good-bye. In a moving speech (that appeared to be unrehearsed and from the heart), he thanked Tiger fans for all their support and loyalty. It was a chance for us all to say farewell to a man that meant so much to all of us.


One Final Good-Bye

It was a cool, crisp Thursday morning in downtown Detroit with barely a cloud in the sky. Fans from across the state of Michigan (and perhaps even further away) gathered at Comerica Park to pay their last respects to a Michigan legend. When I arrived, the line was wrapped around the corner from the main entrance of the stadium. Harwell's body lay in repose, just inside Gate A, next to his statue that was erected in 2002. The mood in line was somber. I could hear some people telling their stories of Harwell. I also noticed some people carrying flowers that were put beneath his casket and his statue. I saw people from many generations. Kids in strollers brought by parents who grew up listening to him. I saw older people who had listened to him since the beginning. You could tell a lot of people were dressed for work, either stopping before or taking some time during, to pay homage to a man that became their friend. The marquees at The Fillmore and at the Fox Theater had messages to Harwell. It was just a beautiful scene on a beautiful morning.

It didn't take long for the line to make their way through the stadium gates to where Harwell lay. As I got closer, I could see big pictures, that were on easels, of him, his wife, and more. As I enter the park I put my camera down and tried to take in the whole scene. The casket was open and you could see him dressed in a dark blue jacket, with that hat he always loved to wear. As I passed by, I silently said a few words to him and how much he meant to me, my family, and to everyone. I wish I would of had more time to stand there, but I said as much as I could as I slowly walked by. It is a moment I will never forget and I'm glad I was able to make it down there to see him one last time.


After passing by his casket an unexpected person was there thanking everyone for coming. As I looked at Mr. Harwell for the last time, I turned and say an outstretched hand out of the corner of my eye. As I turn to shake it, I looked up and it was none other than the Tigers President, CEO, and General Manager, Dave Dombrowski. I hadn't paid any attention to what was ahead past the casket as I was concentrating on taking in the whole scene. So to my surprise, Dombrowski was there. It was a class move by a class organization. It made me proud to be a Tiger fan.


A Final Word

It's so hard to believe that Ernie Harwell is gone. That we will never hear his powerful voice again, except on tape. It's hard to believe a voice that linked many a generation has been silenced forever. Life goes on, baseball will still be played, but one thing we Tiger fans will never forget, is the voice of our youth, the voice of our adulthood, and THE voice of the Tigers. It will live on forever, in all of us.

Ernie Harwell 1918-2010

Ernie Harwell, Hall of Fame broadcaster, songwriter, and devout Christian, died Tuesday evening at the age of 92 after nearly a year long battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his wife of 68 years, Lulu, and their four children. He was a legendary figure in the state of Michigan and will be missed by generations of Tigers fans. I will have a longer story about Harwell in the coming days, as he was to so many Michiganders, a major part of my life growing up.




Below is a link to Harwell's farewell to fans at Comerica Park on September 16, 2009.


//mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=6688931&c_id=mlb

Not Just Another Loons Victory

MIDLAND, MI - Saturday was Bullock Creek School Spirit Night at the Ft. Wayne Tin Caps - Great Lakes Loons game that took place at Dow Diamond. The Loons are hosting a contest between several area schools to see who has the best school spirit. The Bullock Creek Spirit Night happened to fall on a day where the Lancer family lost one of its' most well respected & important members.

Tom Gilstad, who worked for Bullock Creek schools for 31 years, and was Superintendent from 1997 through his retirement in 2001, passed away Saturday afternoon at the age of 63. Mr. Gilstad was very well respected by everyone in the Bullock Creek community. He always had a smile and a positive attitude, even as he battled cancer. Admittedly, I did not know him well, but got to know him a little better during the 2009 Loons season as I began to hang out with his sons, Kyle, Chris & Chad.

He was absolutely wonderful to me every time I saw him. He always had a hearty hello for me, a big hand shake, pat on the back and something funny to say. When former Los Angeles Dodgers manager, Tommy Lasorda, visited Dow Diamaond last year, my cousin Stephanie and I, stood and listened as Mr. Gilstad told us a story about hanging out with Lasorda one night. He was so excited about it and was amazed at how nice Lasorda was and how great his stories were. You could tell, it was a great moment for him. That's the person I will always remember. Someone who loved life, loved his family, was always positive and could make friends with anybody. A truly special person.

Starting out, the game was secondary in all of the minds of the Lancer community. The Loons jumped out to a 2-0 lead early, thanks to two solo homeruns by first baseman Jerry Sands. Towards the end of the fourth inning, with the game tied at two, the Gilstad family slowly made their way through the concourse of Dow Diamond. They were greeted by the Lancer family with open arms and support as they made their way to their seats in section 102, where they have had half season tickets for the last couple of years. The reason they were there was, as Kyle said later, it just "felt right being there" and for a video tribute that Bullock Creek had prepared to honor Mr. Gilstad.

As the family settled into their seats in the top of the 6th inning, Ft. Wayne began to comeback in the game. After allowing back to back walks to open up the 6th, Loons starter Brett Wallach, was taken out of the game and replaced by Justin Miller. Miller proceeded to hit the first batter he faced, walked the next one, and threw a wild pitch. The inning seemed to drag on, as the Tin Caps knocked Miller out and scored 3 runs in the inning to take a 4-3 lead. The anticipation of the inning ending was growing as the family was anxious to see the video tribute. Finally the inning ended when new Loons pitcher, J.B. Paxson, struck out Jonathan Alia. Sitting next to the Gilstad family, you could see the anticipation on their faces as Loons public address announcer, Jerry O'Donnell, directed the fans to the scoreboard for a "Special Tribute". After about a minute, O'Donnell announced there were technical difficulties and the video would be played later in the game. This caused a chuckle amongst the family. I was thinking Mr. Gilstad was playing a little joke on everyone and that was the "technical difficulty".

The game moved on through the end of the 6th inning and into the 7th inning stretch, with still no video. We sang Take Me Out to the Ballgame, as Bullock Creek's principal, Charlie Schwedler led the crowd in the singing. The game stayed at 4-3 through the end of the 7th. Just as the 7th inning ended, we heard O'Donnell again direct everyone's attention to the video board for a special tribute. The video was played and it was incredible. It was a powerful, one minute video, that chronicled Gilstad's love for The Creek and his love for all the kids who came through there, both past and present. It was a very emotional moment for everyone, especially the family.

After the video played, the top of the 8th began. Almost on cue, the first hitter for the Tin Caps, Nathan Freiman, hits a high pop up to second base. I'm not sure if I was the only one who thought this, but that pop up to the heavens, right after that video, was almost an acknowledgement to Mr. Gilstad. That may sound like a reach, but I truly believe that. It was a powerful moment that happened immediately after the playing of that video. I just happen to think that it happened for a reason.

The game moved ahead to the bottom of the 9th inning now, with the score still 4-3. We are all hoping for a Loons win in memory of Mr. Gilstad. The Tin Caps insert their closer, Nick Schumacher, to try and preserve the one run lead. Loons fans didn't have to wait long, as right fielder, Blake Smith, drove a ball over the right field wall for a game tying, solo homerun. We all broke into the Funky Feather as Smith rounds the bases and touches home to tie the game. The inning continues as the next hitter, J.T. Wise grounds out. Then Rafael Ynoa singles and then moves to third on a ground out by Johan Garcia. This puts the Loons' potential winning run on 3rd base with 2 outs. The next hitter, Christian Lara walks. Austin Yount, who is struggling early on this season hitting only .083, gets intentionally walked to load the bases. This puts a force at any base with Brian Cavazos-Galvez coming to the plate. Cavazos-Galvez hits a ground ball to shortstop Jonathan Galvez, who with Lara crossing right in front of him, bobbles the ball. Galvez reaches out for the ball, trying to recover and get the force out at second, but the ball, almost as if someone was reaching down to move it ever so slightly, rolls just out of the reach of his finger tips. Ynoa crosses the plate and the Loons comeback to win the game 5-4. It was almost as if Mr. Gilstad had a hand in that last play, moving the ball ever so slightly forward out of the reach of the shortstop, to allow the winning run to score.

With the Loons winning, it ended a long and emotional day for the Gilstad family. I think them being there was, in a way, semi-therapeutic. It was a place they knew their father, husband, brother, and friend would want them to be...celebrating a Loons win, with not just any community, but the Lancer community. A community that he held dear to his heart, and a place that will always remember and hold Tom Gilstad dear to their hearts as well.

Millen Adds to Draft Day "Legacy"

About 45 minutes ago (time of this post is 2:09pm), Matt Millen appeared on ESPN's Draft coverage. He was talking to ESPN's Ron Jaworski and during their playful exchange, Millen called Jaws a "Polack". Millen was forced to apologize somewhere off the set, alone, after a commercial break. Immediately after the apology, they showed the set with Trey Wingo, Jaws, Todd McShay, & Mel Kiper, Jr., and you can tell it was a bit awkward. While, I really don't think this was anything major, but leave it to Millen to screw up another draft day. Maybe he was making up for the fact that he couldn't draft another wide receiver...

An Honest Golfer

Imagine you are on the PGA Tour and looking for your first ever victory. You have just tied one of the best golfers, Jim Furyk, on the 18th hole and are heading to a playoff. This is the position that Brian Davis was in last weekend at the Verizon Heritage tournament in Hilton Head, South Carolina. He was in prime position to win his first tournament on the tour, but what happened next was almost unbelievable.

On the playoff hole, Davis hit a 7-iron that hit off the side of the green and bounced into some rough that had grass, twigs, and reeds. His next shot would be difficult. As Davis took his backswing, he barely hit a loose reed with his club...a violation of rule 13.4c, which states: The player must not "Touch or move a loose impediment lying in or touching the hazard." The thing is, no one noticed that he had hit the reed but him. Immediately, he called over a rules official and told him that he thought he had hit something on his backswing. After reviewing the tape, it was ruled he did indeed commit a violation, and was penalized two strokes. Davis then conceded to Furyk who subsequently won the tournament and over one million dollars. Davis earned just over $600,000 for 2nd place. His honestly cost him, not only his first PGA win, but over $400,000.

Golf has a certain etiquette to it that the players abide by. It's a gentlemanly game that players are supposed to police themselves and be honest when committing a penalty, if they are aware of it. This would never happen in a team sport, nor should it. Athletes in team sports are brought up completely different. With that said, I'm not sure how many golfers would have admitted this same mistake with so much on the line. This is a rule that, if you and I were out on the golf course, we'd more than likely ignore.

The question is, would you do the same thing knowing it would cost you a ton of money and your first (and maybe only) pro win? Brian Davis did and he deserves to be applauded (with a polite golf clap, of course).

Loons Pennant Race

Today, the Great Lakes Loons, in conjunction with Dow and their Dow Live Earth Run for Water, held the 4th Annual Loons 6K Pennant Run & Walk that started, & finished just outside of Dow Diamond in Midland. The weather was cool and overcast with some peaks of the sun during the race. Nine time Olympic Gold Medalist, Carl Lewis was at the race. He said a few words before the start (thankfully he didn't sing the National Anthem) and walked with a group of young girls from the group, "Girls on the Run".



I haven't watched too many races, but I'm always amazed at the diversity of the people that run. There were kids that looked like they were as young as 5 or 6, and adults that looked like they were in their 70s. A lot of them had strong, sprints to the finish. It was truly amazing. My brother, Justin, as well as another friend of mine, Chris Gilstad, both ran in the race. Justin's time was 27:58, good for 107th out of over a thousand participants. He was also 10th in his age group (Male 25-29; 25 participants in age group ). Chris finished with a time of 25:52, good for 50th place. He finished 5th in his age group (Male 35-39; 25 participants in age group). I'm not sure what their personal bests are, but those are pretty respectable times. In the 6K walk, Jeannette Gilstad, and her daughter Paige, both had solid finishes, as well. In addition to those four, there were several other recognizable faces that I saw cross the finish line, including Great Lakes Loons President & General Manager, Paul Barbeau.

It was a great event, that was only one, of hundreds held around the world, to make aware of the problems with drinking water. I hope the other events were as successful as the one held in Midland today.

Here are the final results from the races:

Men 6K Run Results

1. Adam Terwillegar 21:13
2. Benjamin Reed 21:38
3. John Billette 21:52
4. Mitch Hartnagle 22:01
5. Jeff Van Dusen 22:07


Women 6K Run Results

1. Adriana Young 21:47
2. Stephanie Mendyk 25:40
3. Lynn Sauve 25:59
4. Amy Smith 26:13
5. Suzanne Billette 26:18


Men 6K Walk Results

1. Johnny Olsey 33:29
2. Rick Huber 33:32
3. Paul Hugo 37:29
4. Jude Kole 40:20
5. Scott Luce 44:27


Women 6k Walk Results

1. Lori Lynn Short 39:42
2. Shelly Huber 41:13
3. Jennifer Wiesenauer 41:26
4. Jaime Gardiner 42:07
5. Connie Zvara 43:28











The runners at the starting line









The runners anticipating the start. Can you spot Chris Gilstad?









The runners are off!









The overall winner of the 6K Run crossing the finish line









Chris Gilstad finishing the 6K Run strong









Justin Wirtz finishing the 6K Run






Jeannette & Paige Gilstad crossing the Finish Line after their 6K Walk