Wood or Al?, Big Ten Network, NBA Draft, Navy Pitcher and S-A Death - Jun 17, 2008 | 11:05:30
- If you haven't voted in our new poll, make sure to do so soon. This week's question asks whether college baseball should be played with wood or aluminum bats.
- What a valiant effort from Rocco Mediate yesterday afternoon. Tiger Woods proved to be too much for the former Division II star, who lost on the tournament's 91st hole.
- It looks like Comcast and the Big Ten Network are going to put two years of bitter negotiations behind them and announce a long-term partnership. The deal will allow nearly twice as many homes to access the network.
- Yesterday afternoon was the deadline for underclassmen to opt out of the NBA draft and be able to return to school. North Carolina basketball fans are feeling pretty good today, as Wayne Ellington and Danny Green did just that. Ellington and Green, along with the return of player of the year Tyler Hansbrough, make the Tar Heels a big-time favorite to compete for the 2009 national title.
- Several other underclassmen have decided to remain in the draft, most notably Kansas' Mario Chalmers, West Virginia's Joe Alexander, and Kansas State's Bill Walker.
- In MLB news, the New York Mets announced the firing of their manager, Willie Randolph. While the team has unquestionably underachieved at 34-35 with one of the game's largest payrolls, they have won three of their last four games, including last night over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Like the big leagues, in college baseball, we often hear praise for coaches when a team is successful and blame them when a team struggles. Is that fair?
- In the CWS Miami and Georgia came out victorious. The results sent fourth-seeded Florida State home. Georgia is in the driver's seat to be one representative in the championship series, as the Miami-Stanford winner will need to beat the Bulldogs twice later this week. In the other side of the draw, Rice and LSU will tangle this afternoon in an elimination game, while North Carolina and Fresno State will go head-to-head tonight in a winner's bracket game.
- Navy pitcher Mitch Harris, who was recently drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 13th round, has been ordered to report for military duty for his five year obligation. This decision suspends Harris' baseball career for the time being. There have been exceptions granted to military athletes in the past, most recently Army football player Caleb Campbell, who was drafted by the Detroit Lions this year. This is obviously a tricky issue on both sides. What would be your solution?
- Finally, sad news out of Florida. Former Marshall football player Johnathan Goddard died Sunday after a motorcycle accident. The 2004 Mid-American Conference defensive player of the year played professionally in both the NFL and Arena Football League over his career.
