NASCAR News & Note
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
posted by Bryan May at 8:25 PM |
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
8:26pm
from my desk in the posh News10 Sports Suite
In keeping with my recent NASCAR theme, here are a few news & notes from this Saturdays Sprint Cup race in Richmond, Virginia and last Sunday's Aaron's 499 at Talladega.
Enjoy!
2008 Points
Rk Driver Points
1 Jeff Burton 1,347
2 Kyle Busch 1,325
3 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 1,268
4 Denny Hamlin 1,248
5 Jimmie Johnson 1,245
6 Kevin Harvick 1,208
7 Clint Bowyer 1,182
8 Greg Biffle 1,148
9 Tony Stewart 1,137
10 Carl Edwards 1,084
11 Ryan Newman 1,062
12 Juan Pablo Montoya 1,029
Pre-Race Schedule: Friday—Final Practice, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.; Qualifying, 5:40 p.m.
There He Goes: Kyle Busch On A Victory Roll
Soon-to-be 23-year-old Kyle Busch (No. 18 Pedigree Toyota) — his birthday is Friday — approaches Saturday night’s Crown Royal Presents The Dan Lowry 400 at Richmond International Raceway seeking the capstone to a personal puzzle.
Fresh off last Sunday’s victory at 2.66-mile Talladega Superspeedway, Busch needs only a short-track win to complete a “series circuit †— a victory at each size track on NASCAR’s national series schedules.
Busch leads all active drivers with seven wins spread across the three national series — the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (three), the NASCAR Nationwide Series (three) and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (one). With NASCAR Sprint Cup his primary focus, he’s also competing on an as-can basis in the other national series.
Last week’s victory took place on a restrictor-plate track. Busch won two weeks ago on a road course (the NASCAR Nationwide Series event at Mexico City). He’s also won at a 1.5-mile track (Texas Motor Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway), a 2-mile track (Auto Club Speedway) and a one-mile track (Phoenix International Raceway) so far this year.
Hamlin Hoping For A Hometown Win At Richmond
Kyle Busch and two-time series champion Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Toyota) may have grabbed bigger headlines last week at Talladega, but their Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota) could usurp them at Richmond.
The .75-mile oval is Hamlin’s home track — he hails from nearby Chesterfield, Va. — and a victory there would punctuate a successful early season.
Currently fourth in the NASCAR Sprint Cup standings, Hamlin trails leader Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet) by 99 points and the second-place Busch by 77 points. He’s 20 points behind third-place Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 National Guard/AMP Energy Chevrolet), plus riding momentum from last Sunday’s third-place finish at Talladega.
Already a 2008 Virginia winner, Hamlin won last month at Martinsville Speedway.
But, like Stewart, an Indiana native whose Holy Grail was winning at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (he’s done it twice in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series), Hamlin yearns for a Richmond victory. He was runner-up in the May 2006 event there, and is second in pre-race Driver Rating for Richmond (111.3).
“When I do have a good run at Richmond it means just a little bit more there than it does anywhere else,†Hamlin said.
In The Loop: Richmond Stats Spotlight Johnson, Harvick
Attention will be divvied among a number of storylines this weekend at Richmond.
There’s the Denny-Hamlin-returning-home angle. There’s the Dale Earnhardt Jr. returning to the scene of his last victory, two years ago this weekend. There’s the Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet) Richmond sweep in 2007. And, of course, there’s the special year Kyle Busch is having.
One driver under the radar, though, is Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet). Harvick, who very quietly is in sixth-place in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings, is phenomenal at Richmond – and may be the one favorite who few are talking about.
Harvick certainly has the stats to warrant a discussion. He won the fall Richmond race in 2006, and has finished in the top 10 in each of the past six Richmond races.
His numbers during that run are tops in the series. He leads in the following categories:
Driver Rating: 121.2Average Running Position: 5.6Fastest Laps Run: 259Average Green Flag Speed: 118.997 mphLaps in the Top 15: 2,267 (94.5%)Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green): 166
But if not Harvick, look for Hamlin to make a run at winning his hometown race.
Hamlin, from nearby Chesterfield, has come close a few times at Richmond. He finished second in the spring of 2006, and third in last year’s spring race. Hamlin trails only Harvick in Driver Rating (111.3) and Average Running Position (6.0).
Two other numbers are particularly strong. Hamlin has run 98.1% of the Richmond Laps in the Top 15. He also has 58 Fastest Laps Run, which is tied for 10th most since the inception of Loop Data in 2005 – he’s run only four races compared to six for most other drivers during that span.
One other driver to watch is Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge), who sorely needs a strong finish. Busch, currently 20th in the series standings, won at Richmond in the fall of 2005 and finished in the top 10 in each of the 2007 races. He has a Richmond Driver Rating of 100.8 (fifth-best) and an Average Running Position of 13.3 (eighth).
Two Years Ago: Earnhardt Jr. Hopes Victory Drought Will End At Richmond
Two years between victories, Dale Earnhardt Jr. arrives at Saturday’s Crown Royal Presents The Dan Lowry 400 at Richmond International Raceway four days shy of the exact anniversary:
May 7, 2006.
That’s when Earnhardt last hoisted a NASCAR Sprint Cup race trophy — a 71-event drought.
But the breakthrough could occur this week.
In third place in the NASCAR Sprint Cup standings, Earnhardt trails leader Jeff Burton by 79 points. He’s 57 points behind second-place Kyle Busch. Earnhardt also has a series-high seven top-10 finishes in nine events thus far.
And he and Tony Stewart lead all active drivers with three series wins each at Richmond.
Aside from those three wins, Earnhardt has seven top fives, nine top 10s and one DNF (did not finish) in 17 career starts there, with an average finish of 11.3
He has a series-high 334 Green Flag Passes there, according to pre-race Loop Data statistics.
Earnhardt also ranks in the top 10 of five other pre-race Richmond Loop Data statistics — Average Running Position (12.9, sixth-best), Driver Rating (89.9, 10th-best), Fastest Laps Run (96, seventh-best), Laps in the Top 15 (1,401, 10th-best) and Quality Passes (124, eighth-best).
“Seems like forever ago but I try not to think about it,†Earnhardt said. “I don’t want to be thinking of how long it’s been since a win, but knowing we have a shot at it every week and something or other happens is a little frustrating.â€
Denny Hamlin The Guest On This Week’s NASCAR Teleconference
On The Line: Denny Hamlin, fielded media questions during Tuesday’s weekly session:
On Racing At Richmond: “That is in the woods of my hometown right there, 15 minutes away. And so I'm going to have a lot of friends and family out there. Everyone knows that this is my Indy, I guess you could say.
On Teammate Kyle Busch: “He's definitely pushing hard. We're definitely doing our best to try to keep up with the Hendricks guys from last year. So I think we've definitely taken a couple of leaps as far as the gap's concerned.
And we know with Kyle's speed it's just going to push us to go faster and be better.â€
On Maturity: “There are a lot of things in this Cup Series that make you better. A lot of it is patience and the way you race guys and how they race you. The more experience you have, the different they race you. For me, I've gotten better but I think a lot of it has to be with just being out there for track time and getting used to the guys I race against each week.â€
Up Next: The Dodge Challenger 500 at Darlington Raceway
Next on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule is the Dodge Challenger 500 on Saturday, May 10 at Darlington Raceway. It’s the 11th of 36 races on the 2008 schedule.
Four-time series champion Jeff Gordon won last May at Darlington, an event that was postponed to Sunday because of inclement weather.
Clint Bowyer is the defending pole winner.
Gordon leads all active drivers with seven Darlington victories. Two-time series champion Bill Elliott, now driving part-time for Wood Brothers Racing, is next with five Darlington wins. Greg Biffle (No. 16 Dish Network Ford) has two.
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KYLE BUSCH WINS AT TALLADEGA
Sunday, April 27, 2008
posted by Bryan May at 4:53 PM |
Sunday April 27, 2008
4:53pm
From my Desk in the Posh News10 Sports Suite
Just to let you know we at News10 are in the process of launching a brand new NASCAR section on our sports page. You have my word as a fellow NASCAR fan it will be the best in the area, a place you will be able to come for all your NASCAR needs and to voice your opinions.
Until it's launched, I will be trying to update you on the latest NASCAR news/reports. Here's a recap of today's Aaron's 499 race at Talladega.
TALLADEGA, ALA. – Kyle Busch won racing's biggest crapshoot Sunday after a knuckle-cracking, tension-filled NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway.
After a multi-car wreck with 25 laps to go ruined Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart's chances, Busch battled his way to the front with some bold moves in the closing laps of a thrilling race.
Juan Pablo Montoya, the former Indy 500 winner and Formula One star, crossed the finish line in second, glued to the bumper of the winner.
The seventh caution flag of the day fell on the final lap, signaling the end of the race, when a gaggle of cars racing for finishing position started spinning behind the leaders.
The race which featured 52 lead changes among 20 drivers was totally unpredictable from start to finish with drivers swapping the lead several times on a single lap.
Denny Hamlin, who raced Stewart and Earnhardt for the lead throughout most of the race, finished third with rookie David Ragan fourth. Ragan also mixed it up with the leaders all day.
Brian Vickers was fifth, followed by Travis Kvapil, Casey Mears, Ryan Newman, Clint Bowyer and Earnhardt, who managed a 10th-place finish despite his car being damaged in the wreck.
It was a pins and needles afternoon with just about every driver leading for a spell. On the final restart, two-time champion Jimmie Johnson pushed Michael Waltrip to the front momentarily but the deck shuffled several times by the end. Johnson finished 13th and teammate Jeff Gordon, who challenged up front in the closing moments, wound up 21st.
Points leader Jeff Burton, who also ran with the frontrunners most of the overcast afternoon, was caught up in the last accident and finished 15th.
As heartbreaking as it was for Earnhardt and Stewart, substitute driver David Stremme –filling in for the injured Dario Franchitti – ran strong all day but was also eliminated in the final accident of the day.
Stewart jumped into the lead at the start on a balmy day at Talladega's two and a half mile speed emporium that has produced some of NASCAR's most exciting races.
By lap 10, Talladega favorite Earnhardt had moved from ninth to third.
It was a short day for Chip Ganassi Racing driver Reed Sorensen, who retired to the garage with engine problems after just five laps.
Behind the leaders Stewart, David Ragan and Earnhardt, pole winner Nemechek settled into fourth with veteran Schrader on his bumper.
Four-time series champion Gordon had moved from 20th to eighth by the 19th lap when former champion Matt Kenseth slid into the turn four wall for the first caution of the afternoon.
Nemechek lost valuable time in the pits while his crew switched his car from "qualifying mode" to "race mode," such as reconnecting belts like power steering that might produce a little more speed.
On the restart, Stewart was still leading with Kyle Busch second, Sadler third and Gordon fourth, followed by Brian Vickers, Earnhardt, Ragan, Jamie McMurray, Montoya and Scott Riggs.
Shortly afterwards, McMurray and Hamlin hooked up in the outside groove and streaked past Stewart and the others. After pushing McMurray to the front, Hamlin ducked to the bottom in turn one and took the lead himself on lap 33.
By lap 37, Earnhardt pulled out of line in front of Gordon and roared to the front, much to the delight of the huge, partisan crowd.
Clearly, the outside groove was the place to be. By lap 41, it was Earnhardt, Gordon, Paul Menard, Newman and Kevin Harvick, who started back in 39th position. Stewart and company had faded to 20th.
Hotshoe Carl Edwards brushed the wall and lost the draft during this period of the race.
The racing was just what people expect to see at Talladega with two and three abreast racing keeping the crowd on its feet.
Earnhardt maintained the lead during several skirmishes but Vickers got out front briefly and held on for several laps. Earnhardt then fell in behind Menard and pushed him into the lead. Montoya got a push from Hamlin and led briefly but Earnhardt took over again on lap 53. Then Hamlin went out front. The lead was changing so fast, it was hard to keep up with who was first, and for how long.
Harvick took a turn in front, then Hamlin again. Then Earnhardt again at 60 laps of this 188-lap nail-biter.
After everyone had pitted under the green flag, Stewart was once again out front.
Vickers, who had been in the thick of things, spun his car exiting pit road and lost a lot of track position, all the way back to 30th spot.
By 70 laps, it was Stewart, Hamlin, Menard, Martin Truex Jr., Kvapil, Johnson, rookie Michael McDowell, Waltrip, Elliott Sadler and Bowyer. Earnhardt had dropped to 11th spot.
On lap 76, Indy 500 winner Sam Hornish Jr., scraped the wall slightly and had to make an unscheduled pit stop.
By the 80th lap, Earnhardt was back up to fourth just behind Johnson. Stewart and Hamlin were in front. The next lap, Earnhardt pushed Johnson towards the front but fell back in line, leaving Johnson in a fade-away position, all the way back to 15th.
Stewart and Hamlin were hooked together for several laps and Nemechek had worked his way back into the top 10.
Earnhardt took the lead again on lap 88 with the Stewart-Hamlin duo stuck on his bumper.
At the halfway mark, 94 laps, it was Earnhardt, Stewart, Hamlin, McMurray, Ragan, Menard, Waltrip, Newman, Truex, and Sadler.
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Talladega Nights
Thursday, April 24, 2008
posted by Bryan May at 9:53 PM |
Thursday, April 24 2008
9:54pm
From my desk in the Posh News10 Sports Suite
I love it when NASCAR rolls into Talladega. I know the drivers by and large don't care for the superspeedways, but from a fans standpoint every lap has the potential to be something to watch.
Don't know who's going to win this weekend, but I came across a good article talking about Dale Earnhardt, Jr. going to Talladega for the 1st time since switching to Hendrick Motorsports during the off-season. Hope you enjoy.
High expectations for Earnhardt at Talladega
By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
(April 24, 2008)
TALLADEGA, Ala. -- Don't call Dale Earnhardt Jr. a one-track pony.
It's true that five of Earnhardt's 17 career NASCAR Sprint Cup victories have come at the series' longest closed course, 2.66-mile Talladega Superspeedway. It's true that Earnhardt won four races in a row there from the fall race of 2001 through the spring event of 2003.
But Earnhardt also has 12 victories at places that are not Talladega, on venues as diverse as Atlanta, Richmond, Phoenix, Bristol and Chicagoland.
Forgive Earnhardt if he seems to have inherited his late father's uncanny knack of "seeing the air" at restrictor-plate racetracks, where the ability to work the draft is crucial to success. Earnhardt Sr. won 10 times at Talladega, including three of the last four races held there before his death in the 2001 Daytona 500.
Though Junior's ability to win at other speedways is a matter of record, it's hard to run contrary to conventional wisdom -- and conventional wisdom says Sunday's Aaron's 499 will be the race he breaks a winless streak that has stretched to 70 races since his last Cup victory, on May 6, 2006, at Richmond.
Nor does Earnhardt think that those expectations are unrealistic.
"We obviously had a lot of success at Talladega," Earnhardt said.
"There's no denying that. And I feel like we're going to have a good chance this weekend, and I'm motivated by that. But I've felt that way all year, really.
"Probably four or five years ago, I definitely went into these races with a little more confidence than I would carry into the other events.
But this season I've felt like we've had a shot every time we show up."
Since winning the non-points Budweiser Shootout in his competitive debut with Hendrick Motorsports in February, Earnhardt has posted six top-10 finishes in eight races that count toward the Cup championship. His best result came at Las Vegas, where he ran second to Carl Edwards.
Though Earnhardt is third in the championship standings, his fans won't be satisfied with anything less than a victory. Nowhere have the Earnhardts been more popular than at Talladega, and he expects that to continue with the new No. 88 AMP Energy Chevrolet he drives for owner Rick Hendrick.
"I'm pretty happy about taking the AMP car to Talladega for the first time," Earnhardt said. "The new package, the new team, the new number, everything. I'm looking forward to racing it in front of all those people.
"They've been so good to us and so dedicated and so supportive that you go into that race feeling like you owe them to put the car out front.
They came there to get on their feet, and they want to cheer, and they want to see that car take the lead. And really, that's all you think about, and that's what your main goal is once the green flag drops.
"But I think Rick's going to enjoy how the fans are excited about our program and excited about us as a racing team. I think he's going to enjoy that. At Talladega, the team's definitely going to have a lot of fun with it. The fans have really been great to us there."
Some of the fans at Talladega weren't so great to Jeff Gordon last spring, when he posted the 77th Cup victory of his career and moved past Earnhardt Sr. into sixth place on the all-time win list. Gordon did his celebratory burnouts under a shower of beer cans.
Up until last year, Gordon and Junior drove for rival organizations. Now they're teammates.
And now it's time for an Earnhardt to return to victory lane at Talladega.
"I definitely like running Talladega," Earnhardt said. "We won a lot of races there. Got a really big fan base there, and that means a lot to me to be able to go there and run good. Just being up front and leading some laps and getting the fans on their feet -- that's what I'm looking forward to."
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Thursday, April 3, 2008
posted by Bryan May at 2:36 PM |
Thursday, April 3, 2008
2:37pm
From my desk in the Posh News10 Sports Suite
Wow, it's been nearly a month since I rambled on my blog here, so I've got a lot of catching up to do. Here goes, in no particular order
- The May family vacation to the island of Kauai last month was just what the doctor ordered. It's a good thing we went when we did, as we flew the now defunct Aloha Airlines to and from the Garden Island. The only downside to the trip was trying to explain to our 4-year old daughter why Mommy & Daddy can't go to work at News10 on Kauai every day. Needless to say she enjoyed her first trip to Hawaii and is already asking why we can't go back next week.
- In case you missed my ringing endorsement during the 11pm news Wednesday (4/2) night, if you make it to a Sacramento River Cats game this season... GET THE HOT CRAB SANDWICH! Dungeness and rock crab served hot on toasted garlic butter sourdough bread. If you like crab, you will not be disappointed. That said, Ryan Yamamoto and photographer Brandon Atchison preferred the hot pastrami with sauerkraut sandwich, which I personally thought was a close 2nd to the crab.
- Anybody taking bets on whether Ron Artest will be back with the Kings next season? His contract calls for him to decide if he wants to play another year in Sacramento or opt out and become a free agent. He has in the past said he is likely to go, only to change his stance a few weeks later and say he wants to stay. If he stays he will be paid close to 8 and-a-half million. He could very likely earn more if he opts out, but he's insisting it's not about the money.
- How you looking in your NCAA office bracket? I've got all four Final 4 teams alive in mine, and I'm in 1st place by 1-point over a few others here at News10. I've got UCLA beating North Carolina in the championship.
- Can someone please tell me why Major League Baseball decided to have the very first game of the regular season (the 1st two games, actually) played in Tokyo, Japan? I'm all for trying to expand baseball to the world's most populace country, but come one? Opening Day at 3am? Gimme a break, guys!
- NASCAR rolls into my home state of Texas this weekend with the Samsung 500 at the Texas Motor Speedway outside Dallas. I had the chance to attend one of the Texas races last year and loved it! As much as I love heading over to Infineon when the Cup guys roll into wine country, I do miss seeing racing on an oval.
- Just 8-games left in this years Kings season. Reggie has the Kings with one more win than Musselman managed last year. With remaining games against the playoff bound Lakers, Nuggets, (possibly) Warriors, Hornets, Spurs and Lakers again, the chances of adding to the 34 win total won't get any better than tonight against the Clippers and next Friday against Portland.
That's all for now. Sorry it took me so long to get an updated blog. Anybody hungy for a crab sandwich?
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What Say You?
Thursday, March 6, 2008
posted by Bryan May at 2:03 PM |
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Thursday, March 6 2008
2:03pm
From my desk in the posh News10 Sports Suite
I had this letter waiting in my News10 employee mailbox when I got to work this afternoon. My question is, do I open it or does Ryan open it? What say you? On an unrelated note, I'm looking forward to heading to Rocklin High School tonight to cover the 2nd round of the Nor-Cal basketball playoffs. I spent my Thursday & Friday at ARCO Arena last week covering the sectionals and thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere and the basketball. With all due respect to the graduating class of 2008, Ryan & I couldn't help but notice the majority of the guys and gals who were the real playmakers on their teams in the playoffs are all underclassmen. That said, we're looking at some really good basketball for the next several years to come. How you feeling about the Kings these days? Losers of 6 of their last 7 and showing signs of a locker room that goes through mood swings like Kobe went through their defense Tuesday night, they need to start showing some signs of cohesion and consistency or we may be looking at a repeat of the final few painful Musselman months last year. Speaking of the NBA, who ya picking to come out of the West this year? What a slugfest this season. For the record, Ryan Yamamoto and I are not related.
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What Say You?
Thursday, February 14, 2008
posted by Bryan May at 1:11 PM |
Happy Valentines Day!
Thursday, February 14, 2008
1:12pm
Loving Life while watching the qualifying races at Daytona from the posh News10 sports suite
Was it real or just a hoax? At the end of the 1st period of the Kings-Rockets game on News10 Wednesday night, a young man proposed to his girlfriend at midcourt of the Toyota Center. As the proposal began to unfold, Kings broadcaster Grant Napear joked with Jerry Reynolds, "I'm just waiting once for the gal to say no..." Sure enough, the young lady leans down, whispers something in her man's ear, then runs away. As she's running into the tunnel and off the court, Napear says, "I was just joking when I said that..." My question is, what it real? I've talked to a couple of people who were in the arena when it happened. They thought it was a joke at first, but by the time the game ended they were all thinking it was real. If you happened to see it, let me know what you thought. Speaking of letting me know what you thought... did you catch the Roger Clemens/Brian McNamee testimony in front of the congressional committee on capitol Hill Wednesday? If so, who do you believe?
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ARTEST: "We're Getting Tired Of Losing On The Road"
Sunday, February 10, 2008
posted by Bryan May at 10:03 PM |
Friday, February 8
8:00pm
From my seat behind the Jazz bench on press row at ARCO Arena
I took this cell phone picture while watching the Kings beat the Utah Jazz and stop their NBA best 10-game win streak. I couldn't help but think about the road that lies ahead for these Kings, and when I say road, I do mean road. The Kings were shown no love in the month of February by the NBA schedule makers. They play 9 of their next 10-games on the road, and have the brutal task of playing 5-sets of back-to-back games in February. For a team that's been quietly still talking about making a possible run to the playoffs this season these next ten games are either going to turn that quiet talk into a loud Slamson-like roar or silence them for the remainder of the '07-'08 season. The Kings are already 6 and-a-half games behind Golden State for the 8th and final playoff spot in the West and also need to leapfrog past Portland and Houston just to get the 8th spot. A sub-500 record on this stretch of road games and you can forget postponing that late April vacation. Ron Artest, he of the still active trade rumors, insists the Kings will come together over the next three weeks. "We gonna turn this thing around. No if's, and's or buts about it. We're going to turn this thing around. We're going to win the majority of those games and not just 5-and-4. We're going to win more than that on the road. We're getting tired of losing on the road," Artest told me recently. With Valentines Day just around the corner, it's going to be interesting to see how much love the Kings can muster on the road.
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Brad's Good News/Bad News
Monday, February 4, 2008
posted by Bryan May at 5:29 PM |
Monday, February 4, 2008
5:29pm
From my desk in the posh News10 Sports Suite Pretty interesting 48-hours for Kings center Brad Miller. His Superbowl Sunday included slicing the index finger on his right hand to the extent he had to have 9-stitches to close it up. When I asked Brad at practice this afternoon how it happened, he replied,
"trying to help out. Last time I help do dishes. It was all me. Trying to clean dishes. Just slipped right off the knife. Old knives, you couldn't cut an onion. These obviously are pretty darn sharp." Miller says he hopes to play in the Kings home game Wednesday night against Seattle. Head Coach Reggie Theus says he hasn't heard otherwise. Miller's Sunday slip was followed by good news Monday (February 4). He got a text message from one of the Kings media relations higher up's informing him he was chosen as the Western Conference player of the week. In the Kings three home wins last week, Miller posted averages of 22 points, 18.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.6 steals, and 2.0 blocks per game. Miller shares the weekly honor with former King Hedo Turkoglu, who was chosen as the Eastern Conference player of the week.
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"Are You A Sports Fan?"
Sunday, January 20, 2008
posted by Bryan May at 11:44 PM |
Sunday, January 20
11:44pm
From my desk in the posh News10 Sports suite
I was thumbing through a stack of old business cards I have in my desk this past week when I came across one that jogged my memory. The year was 1991. I was the Sports Director at KJAC-TV in Port Arthur, Texas. I was flying back home after covering the Houston Astros spring training baseball camp in Kissimmee, Florida. I sat down in my window seat and began looking through my newly acquired Houston Astros Media guide. After a few moments, a gentleman sat down beside me. We exchanged the normal flight pleasantries. When I finished looking through my media guide, the gentleman next to me asked, "Are you a sports fan?" I answered yes, and told him what I did for a living. I then asked him if he was a sports fan. He answered yes, and proceeded to tell me he had just two days earlier been hired by the Dallas Cowboys as their new offensive coordinator. Being a huge Cowboys fan, I immediately knew his name, but did not at the time recognize his face. We exchanged business cards and talked sports the entire flight. He actually picked my brain a bit as to who to be weary of in the Dallas area media. As you can see I still have his business card. I wonder if he still has mine?
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Blowing Kisses
Friday, January 18, 2008
posted by Bryan May at 10:29 PM |
Friday, January 18
10:29pm
From my desk in the posh News10 Sports suite
Gotta give credit where credit is due. The Kings win over Detroit tonight was gutsy and big. I personally loved watching Ron Artest blowing kisses to the crowd after hitting a couple of big shots. The Pistons crowd booed Ron routinely every time he touched the ball. Keep in mind, this is the same building where the infamous "Malice In The Palace" fight took place back in 2004 when Ron was playing for the Indiana Pacers. I love the fact the Kings bench outscored the Pistons bench 60 to 5! I love the fact the Kings only committed 12 turnovers tonight.
Now, it's on to Indiana, where Ron Artest should have even greater incentive to blow kisses to the crowd. Don't forget to watch Saturday's game on News10. Tipoff at 4pm.
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Gentlemen, Start Your Engines!!!
Thursday, January 17, 2008
posted by Bryan May at 11:45 PM |
Thursday, January 17
11:45pm
From my desk in the Posh News10 Sports suite
Just 30 more days until the Daytona 500! For those of you who don't watch my sportscast on a regular basis (and really... shame on you!!!) I am a huge NASCAR fan. Yes, I've heard all the Southern jokes and bootleg stories about the sport. Here's my argument as to why I think NASCAR provides the greatest thrill in all of sports:
There are only two major sports where you have to face off against the entire field of competition every single weekend -- golf and racing. In every other major sport, it's one team vs. one team or one player vs. another. In golf and racing, you've got to beat the entire field, the best of the best every weekend.
Here's where racing sets itself apart from golf. If, let's say, Tiger Woods, is on his game, then there's nothing any other player can do to stop him. If Phil makes an eagle on 15 it still should have no impact on Tiger's final score. But in racing, you can have the fastest car, be leading the race, and someone else makes a mistake and takes you out of the race. Bingo! That's why NASCAR's so intense.
In 30-days, we'll get the command to start our engines. I'm counting down the days!
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NFL Playoffs & C-Webb
Sunday, January 13, 2008
posted by Bryan May at 10:18 PM |
Sunday, January 13
10:19pm
From my desk in the posh News10 Sports Annex
First things first, I grew up in Texas a lifelong Dallas Cowboys fan, so I'm more than a little bummed at the way today's NFL playoff went. That said, I was impressed with what the San Diego Chargers were able to do against the Colts, and with their starting QB & RB out with injuries. I don't think the Colts have much of a chance against New England, but then again, I didn't think they had much of a chance today.
If the Cowboys did have to lose in the playoffs, I'm just glad it was this weekend as opposed to next weekend. For those of you who saw it, I had a bet with our Assistant News Director, Michael Langley. He's a Packer-Backer. We bet back when the 'Boys beat the Cheeseheads in the regular season and ole Mike had to wear my replica Cowboys helmet on his head all day long. The stakes were even higher for the playoffs. Winner got to pick whatever jersey he wanted. I was going to go with the Roger Staubach throwback #12 jersey -- $74.99 online. Loser had to buy the jersey, wear it around all day, then give it to the winner. With Dallas losing today, all I'm out is a coke to Chargers fan Patty Souza.
Be sure to check out the featured video section for my interview with Chris Webber. I met up with Chris at his Natomas area "Center Court With C-Webb" restaurant. We talked about everything from soul food, to his long term future, to his immediate plans which include playing for a team within the next two weeks.
Speaking of checking things out, you should also read my co-workers blog. Ryan Yamamoto is spending two weeks traveling around India with his girlfriend. VERY interesting stuff from his travels.
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Wait, why am I here on a Friday?
Friday, January 11, 2008
posted by Bryan May at 10:45 PM |
Friday, January 11
10:45pm
From my desk in the posh News10 Sports suite
Ryan Yamamoto is getting some well deserved time off. Good news for him, bad news for me. Anytime Ryan or I take off the other person winds up working extra days. I'm normally off on Friday's (except during high school football season), so tonight is a bonus day of blogging for me.
Kevin Martin was told by the Kings medical staff he has been cleared to play. He is likely to come off the bench and play in his first game in over a month Saturday night when the Indiana Pacers come to ARCO. With Mike Bibby's 2008 debut scheduled for Wednesday, the Kings will be just Ron Artest shy of a full, healthy roster. I've been overall impressed with the way the guys have weathered through this storm of injuries. It should be interesting to see if the chemistry is safe once they start truly fighting for playing minutes.
TGIF?
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Fatigue
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
posted by Bryan May at 11:45 PM |
Tuesday, January 8
11:45pm
From my desk in the posh News10 Sports Suite
Nice win by the Kings tonight(104-100 over Orlando), despite the fact they blew almost all of a 15-point lead late in the 4th quarter. Still, a win is a win, right. Reggie Theus talked a bit about how the Kings have struggled to close out games. He blames part of the issue on fatigue. Can't say I blame him for saying that. Considering he's without roughly 60-points per night without the services of the injured Ron Artest, Mike Bibby & Kevin Martin, I have to give he and his team a bit of a pass on fatigue. The good news is Bibby is scheduled to return a week from Wednesday and Kevin Martin shouldn't be far behind.
If this team can somehow weather all these injury problems they just might be a scary team the 2nd half of the season. There's a lot of guys getting a lot of minutes (i.e. experience) due to injuries. As Mikki Moore told us recently, he's made a career taking advantage of "situations."
On a completely unrelated note, just 40-days until the Daytona 500! Gentlemen, get ready to start your engines!!!
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New Year's Resolutions
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
posted by Bryan May at 10:54 PM |
New Years Day (Tuesday)
10:54pm
From my desk in the posh News10 Sports suite
I took this picture of the TV screen (off the sweet 1972 Videotek low-defination TV in our sports suite) while watching bowl games today. I couldn't help but think during my bowl-a-thon of a couple of items. Which leads me to my New Years resolutions for 2008. - I resolve to never take for granted what a good job I have. I got paid to watch 6 bowl games today. Life is good!
- I resolve NOT to apply for the head coaching job of the San Francisco 49'ers, should Mike Nolan get fired.
- I resolve to write the powers that be with the BCS and tell them all what a crock their computer system is. Can you imagine how much excitement we'd be looking at if we had a true college playoff in football this season.
- I resolve to try and blog more in 2008.
Happy New Year!!!
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Artest Could be Out 2-4 weeks
Sunday, December 30, 2007
posted by Bryan May at 11:50 PM |
Sunday, December 30, 2007
11:50pm
From my desk in the posh News10 Sports Suite
Here's the official word from the Kings on Ron Artest's injuried elbow.
Sacramento Kings forward Ron Artest will travel to New York City tonight for a consultation tomorrow afternoon (12/31/07) with Dr. Michelle Carlson in regards to the bone chip in his right elbow.
Word is if Artest needs surgery he'll likely be out 2-4 weeks. We should know more Monday or Tuesday.
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It's 40 below?
Thursday, December 20, 2007
posted by Bryan May at 2:08 PM |
Thursday, December 20
2:08pm
From my desk in the posh News10 sports suite
I'm putting together a profile feature story on Sacramento Monarchs guard Ticha Penicheiro. More specifically, I'm putting together a story with Ticha on what it's like to spend your winter/spring and part of the summer playing basketball in Russia.
The highest salary any WNBA player can make is about $90,000. Not great, but not bad considering their season only lasts 4-months. That leaves 8-months for WNBA players to try and earn a little extra cash. Enter: The Euro League.
Most of the WNBA's better players head overseas and play in any number of European leagues as soon as the WNBA season is over. Over the past 5-6 years Russia has emerged as the leading place to play. While the weather in Russia, 40-below zero for months at a time, isn't something to wish for, the money is. Top players there can easily earn a half-a-million dollars for 8-months of hooping.
Ticha talked to me about what their living conditions are like, how they get around the city, how they find places to live, etc. Pretty interesting stuff. Check it out on News10 at 6 if you get a chance. If you miss it, you know the drill. We put the story on News10.net and you watch it over & over & over again.
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Now that was impressive!
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
posted by Bryan May at 11:42 PM |
Wednesday, December 19
11:42pm
From my desk in the posh News10 sports suite
I gotta give credit where credit is due. The Sacramento Kings are coming home with a 3-2 record on their 5-game East coast road swing. Considering they hadn't won a road game all season when this trip began, not bad. Considering they're still playing without Kevin Martin & Mike Bibby, not bad. Considering they've been on the road for over a week and played 5-games in 8 days, not bad.
Ironic to think they may have a better record on this road trip than they will on their upcoming home stand. Denver (14-10) comes in Sunday. Boston (20-3) rolls in the day after Christmas. Philadelphia (10-15) is the only team with a losing record on the home stand, a home stand that ends with Phoenix (18-8) rolling in next Sunday.
There's plenty of time to try and figure out the home stand. For now it's a holly jolly homecoming.
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Inside the Posh News10 Sports Suite
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
posted by Bryan May at 10:38 PM |
Tuesday, December 18 10:38pm From my desk in the posh News10 Sports suite Just got through editing the Kings highlights from tonight's win over New Jersey for the 11pm sportscast. I didn't get to actually sit and watch the entire game, but what I did was was impressive. True, the Kings were taking on the sub-500 Nets, a team with a rare losing record at home. That said, this is a very banged up Kings team still playing without arguably two of their best players in Kevin Martin & Mike Bibby. I saw good hustle and a lot of effort from Artest, Miller, Garcia & especially John Salmons, who had a new career high tonight with 31. Kings are now 2-and-2 on this brutal 5-game road trip. A win over Milwaukee Wednesday night would make this trip a great confidence boost heading home for the holidays. I usually begin all my blogs letting you know I'm blogging from my desk inside the posh News10 sports suite. I've gotten a few emails wanting to know just how posh a suite it is, so I snapped a picture of our sports suite. Enjoy!
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NCAA Final 4
Monday, December 17, 2007
posted by Bryan May at 7:22 PM |
Monday, December 17
7:23pm
From my desk in the posh News10 Sports Suite
It was refreshing to head out to ARCO this past week to cover the NCAA Volleyball Final 4. These ladies were here right about the time the Mitchell report on steriod use in baseball broke. I couldn't help but think of the contrast. On one hand you've got professional athletes, paid millions and millions of dollars playing a game every kid in American would love to play. So what do some of these guys do? Anything and everything possible to keep that career alive. I've heard from at least two of the named players in the report say basically the same thing: "Never thought I'd do them but I had an injury and I panicked." On the other hand, you've got young ladies playing not for money, but for school pride. Playing because they love volleyball and want to win.
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Oh Say Can You See...
Sunday, December 16, 2007
posted by Bryan May at 10:20 PM |
Sunday, December 16
10:20pm
From my desk in the posh News10 Sports Suite
One of the greatest perks of this job is being able to attend numerous live sporting events. I am blessed to be able to make it to almost every single Kings home game throughout the season, stand on the sidelines of some great high school football games, watch the NCAA Final 4 in volleyball as well as various events scattered throughout the year. That said, I've noticed what I personally consider a rather disturbing sight over the past couple of years.
Why don't more people place their hand over their heart during the national anthem? Glancing around ARCO over the past few Kings games, I'd bet at least 90% of the fans standing don't have their hands over their heart. Granted, I fully realize I'm coming across like a patriotic homer right now. That's not my intention. I'm simply wondering why were we as a nation so patriotic for the few months after 9-11, but now it once again seems the uncool thing to do.
While I'm asking the question, I also have to pass kudos along where they're deserved. The Dallas Mavericks will roll into ARCO in a little less than a month. Pay close attention during the national anthem when they play here. You will see every single player, coach and trainer on their team standing with their hand over their heart during the national anthem, and that includes guys like Dirk Nowitzki who's a citizen of Germany. Although I've never broached the subject with him, I suspect head coach Avery Johnson has let his players know it's not an option.
Again, I'm not writing this to preach or point fingers. I'm just wondering why and when we decided to stop caring.
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This Is A Test Of The Emergency Blog system
posted by Bryan May at 8:22 PM |
The last three blogs I've written weren't posted, so I'm just writing a test.
Mic check, one, two three.
If this were a real post the information you just read would self destruct in 6 seconds.
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Adios, 2007 FNF!
Sunday, December 2, 2007
posted by Bryan May at 7:38 PM |
Sunday, December 2
7:39pm
From my desk in the Posh News10 sports suite
This past Friday night was our last full-blown night of high school football coverage, or as we commonly call it here at News10, FNF (Friday night football). Granted, there are still games to be played and champions to be crowned but we are finished with our full-scale Friday night coverage. The games that are left to be played will be played on Saturday. What started for us back in early September ended for me at Folsom High School this past Friday watching Granite Bay beat Del Oro for the Sac-Joaquin Section II Championship. Over the past 3-months I've had the privilege of watching some spectacular high school football. I've had the chance to talk to some of the best athletes in Northern California, many of whom will continue their careers at the next level in college next year and a few will likely end up playing on Sunday's somewhere down the line. I've talked X's & O's with some of the brightest coaches in the Sac-Joaquin section. I've met some proud parents who live for watching their kids on Friday nights. I've been able to watch first hand 16, 17 & 18 year olds enjoying some of the biggest accomplishments of their young lives and coming together following bitter heartbreak. I've also had some of the best tri-tip money can buy in Northern California cooked by some truly dedicated booster club members throughout the area. It takes a team to cover a team. We here at News10 send a team of guys out each and every Friday to capture the essence of high school and bring it to you every Friday at eleven. Our photographers crisscross a huge section of Northern California throughout the season. They are out there not just because it's their job, but because they too love being on the sidelines and reliving that feeling of Friday night lights. Most if not all of them come to us before the season ever starts to sign up for shooting FNF. As we say goodbye to another season, I'd like to thank the photographers who made it all possible for us. These guys have shot every play of every game you enjoyed on News10 this season. Thanks guys! BRANDON ATCHISON (pictured) DAVE NOVICK JOHN LARIMORE PIERRE NOUJAIM BARRY WHITE TOM WHITAKER JEFF BAUR TOM WAGNER KELLY BOHREN RODNEY SPEED CHRIS GARVEY ANDY MARTINEZ
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Ron vs. Reggie
Thursday, November 29, 2007
posted by Bryan May at 12:00 PM |
Thursday, November 29
12:00pm
From my desk in the Posh News10 Sports Suite
Interesting interviews coming from the Kings following Wednesday night's loss to Golden State. In case you missed News10 at 11 Wednesday, Ryan Yamamoto put together soundbites from Reggie Theus and Ron Artest. While Reggie opened up saying he thought his players shot way too many jump shots and didn't take advantage of being in a bonus situation by driving to the hole and hopefully getting to the free throw line, Ron followed by saying he thought the team didn't shoot enough jump shots. Said this team has great shooters on it and they just need to keep shooting. Theus said he was disappointed the team let several chances to win slip through their fingers. Ron said it was all good and the game was, "fun." Reggie said the loss could hurt their chances late in the season of making any kind of postseason run. Ron said, again, it's all good and he's been in this sitatuion before. I honestly think both men completely believe what they were saying. My question for you is, which one do you buy?
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Grading the Kings So Far
Sunday, November 11, 2007
posted by Bryan May at 11:41 PM |
Sunday, November 11
11:41pm
From my desk in the posh News10 Sports Suite
Six games into the season, what grade would you give the Kings so far? That's a really tough question, isn't it? Considering no Mike Bibby, no Ron Artest and we've seen just a few minutes of Spencer Hawes. I've seen the Kings play at a higher level than I expected at times and there have been a few moments when I didn't think they could beat the News10 softball team.
Overall though, I like what I see. Kevin Martin is the 2nd leading scorer in the NBA as I write this. His 28 points per game average is 2nd only to Kobe Bryant's 30. K-Mart is also tied with LeBron for 1st place in the entire NBA for most minutes played. Both are averaging a shade under 42-minutes per game, and I watched Martin play nearly 46 minutes Friday night on the 1st night of a back-to-back.
While Martin has been the most consistent King so far, John Salmons, Brad Miller, Mikki Moore and Francisco Garcia have all had good moments and bad moments. Along the line of the bad moments, I do like to see Reggie Theus pull guys off the floor when they've done something wrong. Friday night against Cleveland I watched as Theus yanked Mikki Moore out of a game. The two met face to face and had about a 30-second "chat", before Moore was sent back into the game. He never even had a seat on the bench.
I've watched Greg Popovich do that in San Antonio for years now, and we all know how well it's worked for Pop. We all know these guys can have fragile ego's at times, but it's nice to see Theus let them know when they've screwed up.
How about it Kings fans? What grade would you give the guys 6-games into this season?
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Oh No, 0-3
Sunday, November 4, 2007
posted by Bryan May at 10:36 PM |
Sunday, November 4 10:36pm From my desk in the posh News10 Sports suite How many of you are surprised the Kings are returning home from their season opening road trip 0-3? With no Mike Bibby, no Ron Artest and a team still trying to tweak a new system under 1st year head coach Reggie Theus, I suspect we all knew this season had the potential to get off to a rocky start. What I didn't expect was the manner in which the Kings have lost. A 14 point loss to a not so good New Orleans Hornets team to open the season. That was followed by a 16 point loss to the defending NBA champion San Antonio Spurs and followed finally by Saturday's 21 point loss in Dallas to the Mavericks. Now comes the home opener Tuesday night against Seattle. The Sonics are 0-3 as I write this Sunday night. It's a long, long, long season and way too early to call any game a "must win." That said, Tuesday's home opener is as close to a must win for the Kings as you could have at this point in the season. I'm sure you've noticed the commercials advertising tickets still available for Tuesday's home opener. Lest we not forget, the Kings currently have the longest active home sellout streak in the NBA, 354 games dating back dating back to the 1999 season. That streak will most certainly be broken sometime soon. The Kings front office folks are just hoping for a good showing Tuesday to prolong the streak as long as possible.
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Beno Udrih
Friday, November 2, 2007
posted by Bryan May at 2:23 PM |
Friday, November 2
2:23pm
From my desk in the posh News10 Sports suite
SACRAMENTO, CA ---- The Sacramento Kings today signed free agent guard Beno Udrih to a contract.
The 6-3, 205-pound guard averaged 4.7 points (.369 FG%, .287 3pt%, .883 FT%), 1.1 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game in 73 games (started one) with the San Antonio Spurs in 2006-07.
Udrih was selected by the Spurs in the first round (28th overall) of the 2004 NBA Draft. The Slovenian guard played three seasons with San Antonio before being traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for a 2008 second-round draft pick (10/29/07). Minnesota then requested waivers on Udrih before his signing with Sacramento as a free agent.
In three seasons in San Antonio, Udrih appeared in 207 regular season games, averaging 5.2 points and 1.8 assists in 13.0 minutes per game. He was a member of the Spurs Championship teams in 2004-05 and 2006-07.
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On The Block?
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
posted by Bryan May at 10:25 PM |
Wednesday, October 31 (HAPPY HALLOWEEN!) 10:25pm From my desk in the posh News10 sports suite ESPN The magazine's Ric Bucher reported Wednesday the Kings were oh so close to pulling the trigger on a 3-team trade that would have sent Ron Artest to the Lakers, Kobe Bryant to the Chicago Bulls and Ben Gordon and P.J. Brown to Sacramento. In the end one of the three teams involved opted out and the deal fell apart early this afternoon. That's not to say those three teams or the Kings and someone else aren't still working on something. It's no secret the Kings need help at the point guard position now that Mike Bibby is out for the first three-months of the season. I didn't even report the fact that the Kings waived Mustafa Shakur in my 11pm sportscast Wednesday. After averaging only 2 points in 5 minutes per game in the preseason, it just wasn't that big of a deal. But Ryan Yamamoto brought up a good point upon hearing of the move. "They're getting the roster ready for a trade," he observed. We shall see.
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What Is Your Hindsight?
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
posted by Bryan May at 11:40 PM |
 Tuesday, October 30
11:40pm
From my desk in the posh News10 Sports Suite
With the NBA regular season tipping off Wednesday evening, I have one hypothetical question for Kings fans.
If you were Geoff Petrie and you could go back in time, knowing what you know now with injuries and productivity, and could un-do the Peja Stojakovic for Ron Artest trade, would you?
I'd love to hear some things on this.
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M*A*S*H
Monday, October 29, 2007
posted by Bryan May at 8:05 PM |
Monday, October 29
8:04pm
From my desk in the posh N
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