SBNation.com - All Posts |
- Roma and PSV reach agreement on Kevin Strootman
- 2013 MLB All-Star Game: Mariano Rivera named MVP
- Fat guy triple!
- Michael Jordan promotes brother in Bobcats' front office
- MLB All-Star Game 2013 results: American League cruises to 3-0 win
- Mariano Rivera bids farewell to the All-Star Game
- MLB All-Star Game: American League adds a run, Mariano Rivera pitches
- The ballad of the fan who ran on the field at the All-Star Game for Twitter (and was violently tackled)
| Roma and PSV reach agreement on Kevin Strootman Posted: 17 Jul 2013 01:46 AM PDT  According to PSV's official website, AS Roma have reached an agreement with the Dutch club over the transfer of midfielder Kevin Strootman. With an agreed fee of €17m plus potential for bonuses, the club has deemed the deal as "one of the most lucrative transfers in the history of PSV". Lucrative for PSV, yes, but the signing of Strootman is an expensive deal for Roma, a club with financial difficulties that's not playing in Europe this season and not likely to see Champions League in the next. But the Dutchman adds a piece of the giallorossi puzzle, that of the central midfielder that can control a match and ease pressure on the oh so shaky defense. With Roma's puzzle having been lying scattered over the past couple seasons, without even all the edge pieces connected to make that frame that's so essential when creating the final picture, it's apparent that the club have finally realized it's ok to spend a few bucks on essential upgrades. Strootman arrives in Rome for his medical on Wednesday, so assuming all goes well, expect to see him holding up a Roma shirt before the day is done. |
| 2013 MLB All-Star Game: Mariano Rivera named MVP Posted: 16 Jul 2013 08:51 PM PDT  After a dramatic entrance and a perfect eighth inning, Yankees closer Mariano Rivera was awarded the 2013 All-Star Game MVP. This award obviously comes as a bit of a gift to Rivera, the All-Star Game staple, in his final one. Rivera retired Jean Segura, Allen Craig and Carlos Gomez, pitching the eighth because American League manager Jim Leyland feared a scenario in which the game did not have a bottom of the ninth, and he wanted to ensure Rivera this special moment:
In a game where there really wasn't a standout player or candidate for the MVP, one can't complain about the decision to name Rivera the MVP. For a game that doesn't truly matter, it's difficult to get worked up over the selection of the MVP in any case. After all, when one remembers the 2013 All-Star Game, they will think of Rivera. This is likely the reason why he was chosen as the game's MVP. More from SB Nation:• American League wins, 3-0 | Mo Rivera named MVP • Mariano Rivera bids farewell to the All-Star Game • The ballad of the kid who ran on the field at the All-Star Game • Yoenis Cespedes wins the 2013 Home Run Derby • Longread: Brooklyn’s field of broken dreams This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 16 Jul 2013 08:41 PM PDT This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Michael Jordan promotes brother in Bobcats' front office Posted: 16 Jul 2013 08:32 PM PDT  NBA legend and current Charlotte Bobcats majority owner and executive Michael Jordan promoted his brother, Larry Jordan, to be the team's next director of player personnel, according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. The position was vacant for the past three years. Before that, Buzz Peterson held the role until he departed to become the head coach at nearby Appalachian State. Michael will defer to team president Ron Higgins in addition to Larry, who joins the staff in his new capacity after serving as the team director of special projects. Larry is the older brother of Michael and is the person Michael credits most for helping him ascend to basketball greatness, despite being 10 inches shorter. The two played one-on-one together often in their youth, and they starred together on their high school team before little brother went on to star with the Chicago Bulls. Big brother's basketball resume is impressive on its own merit, however. In addition to serving in the front office, Larry played professionally in the World Basketball League for the Chicago Express. More from SB Nation:• Flannery: The Kings start over • Ziller: Fighting over Rockets fans’ money • The Lakers' weird season, as seen from the end of the bench • Kent Bazemore, more than a hype man| Warriors committing to defense • The most asked question at Vegas Summer League | Complete coverage This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| MLB All-Star Game 2013 results: American League cruises to 3-0 win Posted: 16 Jul 2013 08:25 PM PDT  On the backs of their excellent pitching staff, the American League All-Star team shut out the National League All-Star team, 3-0. With the win, the AL snapped three years of National League victories and earned home-field advantage for its representative in the World Series. As far as All-Star games go, this one really wasn't one of the more exciting ones. The most memorable moments of the game were when Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano was hit by a pitch and had to leave the game, when a fan ran on the field because Twitter prompted him to, and Mariano Rivera's final All-Star Game appearance. The American League started off the scoring in the fourth inning on a sacrifice fly by Jose Bautista, which came after a double from Miguel Cabrera and a single that advanced him to third. The AL tacked on an extra run in the fifth when J.J. Hardy hit into a force out that scored Adam Jones. In the eighth inning, Jason Kipnis doubled in Salvador Perez to add a third run to the American League's lead. The National League hitters were kept off balance for most of the night by the American League pitching staff, which was started off by Tigers starter Max Scherzer. Mariano Rivera pitched the eighth instead of the ninth, out of fear from AL manager Jim Leyland that the game might not have a bottom of the ninth. Rivera sat the NL hitters down 1-2-3, and did so with the players from both sides snapping photos of the moment. Despite the game not being particularly memorable in terms of its moments, baseball's best did manage to flash some leather in this one. Brandon Phillips flashed his lack of leather when he turned a double play on Mike Trout by barehanding the throw from shortstop Troy Tulowitzki.
And then Manny Machado just had to go and do this...
As far as All-Star Games go, this one didn't have the in-game moments that our grandchildren will be asking about, but it had some nice moments, like Neil Diamond singing "Sweet Caroline" between the top and bottom half of the eighth inning, and the goose-bump-inducing Mariano Rivera entrance:
But also, this game being over means we are two days away from getting back to the regular season and the pennant chase. As fun as the All-Star Game is, it still doesn't beat the second-half, the trade deadline and the playoffs. But really, the biggest thing we should take away from Tuesday's All-Star Game is this:
More from SB Nation:• American League wins, 3-0 | Mo Rivera named MVP • Mariano Rivera bids farewell to the All-Star Game • The ballad of the kid who ran on the field at the All-Star Game • Yoenis Cespedes wins the 2013 Home Run Derby • Longread: Brooklyn’s field of broken dreams This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Mariano Rivera bids farewell to the All-Star Game Posted: 16 Jul 2013 08:16 PM PDT  Mariano Rivera completed another key leg of his farewell tour when he appeared in his ninth and final All-Star game on Tuesday at Citi Field in New York. Rivera has been named to 13 teams, but only pitched in nine, whether because the score didn't seem to require it, injury, or the manager just didn't get around to calling his name. However, it was something of a foregone conclusion that he would pitch in the 2013 given that a chance to see Mo go out on top was certain to be a highlight in a game that, since the advent of interleague play, cable television, and the Internet, has lacked a raison d'etre. Rivera has conceded little to age in this last season, and that's as it should be. Rivera has only one trick, the darting cutter, and it always seemed likely that Rivera would either retain something like peak ability or else cease to function altogether. Viewed in that light, his decision to leave something on the table rather than push his luck, is an act that echoes Joe DiMaggio's decision to hang ‘em up before anyone saw him struggle. In this, Rivera is not only protecting his image and defining the way he is remembered, but also doing all who admire him a favor. It mattered little that Rivera appeared not in his usual ninth-inning role, but rather in the eighth inning so that he could be certain of getting in the game (Leyland was afraid his team would blow the lead in the eighth and there would be no bottom of the ninth -- exposure to Jose Valverde has made him a fatalist). Again, despite Bud Selig and Fox Television's lame "This time it counts" folderol, the game counts for far less than the individuals in it -- what Bryce Harper did, the plays that Brandon Phillips and Manny Machado made, and Rivera's coast-to-coast TV curtain call. Rivera's being awarded the game's MVP trophy only underscored the reality that if there was anything that counted on Tuesday night, it wasn't the game. Not since Ted Williams was brought onto the field prior to the 1999 All-Star Game at Fenway Park was there a moment as touching as that which surrounded Rivera's entry into the game. He was alone on the diamond, his teammates and the opposition remaining in the dugouts so that he could receive the full affection of the crowd and respond in kind. Who could pitch after receiving that kind of accolade? Rivera was able to, throwing an uneventful inning. The man has all but been deified in New York, and this post is not intended to add to that -- no doubt, in the years to come, someone will find some fault to pick with the man, reveal that he doesn't tip well or he suffers from chronic bad breath. He is, after all, only human. For this one night, that was entirely beside the point. All that mattered was Rivera, his unique consistency and grace under pressure, and the rare sight of a man whose greatness was acknowledged not years after he was dead, but here, today, right in front of him. Anything else that happened in the 2013 All-Star Game was naught but a footnote to that. More from SB Nation:• American League wins, 3-0 | Mo Rivera named MVP • Mariano Rivera bids farewell to the All-Star Game • The ballad of the kid who ran on the field at the All-Star Game • Yoenis Cespedes wins the 2013 Home Run Derby • Longread: Brooklyn’s field of broken dreams This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| MLB All-Star Game: American League adds a run, Mariano Rivera pitches Posted: 16 Jul 2013 08:10 PM PDT  We'll start at the end, since that's where what really matters, from a historic perspective, happened. It began in the middle with Neil Diamond embarrassing himself with a rendition of "Sweet Caroline," but then future Hall of Famer and the greatest closer ever Mariano Rivera stepped in. Yes, in the eighth, not his typical ninth, but AL manager Jim Leyland wanted to guarantee that got the chance to pitch, rather than leaving the AL lead and Rivera's last opportunity to pitch to chance.
It wasn't a save, but he made it count nonetheless, and managed to hold on to the American League's 3-0 lead by retiring Jean Segura, pinch-hitter Allen Craig, and Carlos Gomez in order. The AL All-Stars pushed their lead to three a half-inning earlier thanks to Cleveland Indians' second baseman Jason Kipnis, who made his presence felt with an RBI double off of Braves' closer Craig Kimbrel. It was of the ground rule variety, and pushed Royals' catcher Salvador Perez across the plate. Perez would then catch Mo Rivera, which seems like the kind of thing catching Greg Holland has been preparing him to do. More from SB Nation:• Yoenis Cespedes wins the 2013 Home Run Derby • Your Chris Berman "BACK BACK BACK" megamix • Who are these guys? Meet the 39 first-time All-Stars |
| Posted: 16 Jul 2013 08:06 PM PDT  During the fifth inning of the 2013 MLB All-Star Game at Citi Field, a fan sprinted onto the field. Because it is 2013, and the person in question is a recent high school graduate, every instant of the decision-making process leading up to interrupting one of America's most beloved sporting events and getting viciously tackled by security can be found on Twitter. The person in question is named Dylan Masone. His Twitter feed looks a lot like the reason you should be glad Twitter didn't exist when you were in high school, and may or may not include occasional droppings of the N-bomb. Tuesday, he started to make it clear he was going to the All-Star Game. He tweeted a picture of himself in his Robinson Cano jersey -- bad choice at Citi Field, bruh -- and then, made the fateful promise:
As you can see, he got more than the requisite 1,000 retweets. And unlike some people, who ask for 50,000 RTs and then DON'T go on a date with Kate Upton or whoever, Dylan was ready to pounce.
He saw the tweet numbers rising:
(Is there really any need to bring Justin Tuck into this?) And rising:
And rising:
But before we get to his sprint, let us introduce two more characters to the dramatis personae: Dylan's concerned momApparently informed by somebody who saw one of the 1,000-plus RT's and did not want her boy to go to prison:
Dylan's girlfriendWho is just as big a Twitterhound as her soon-to-be-tackled BF:
She remained confident that Dylan didn't have the guts:
But sweetened the pot:
And with an angry mom and a swooning girlfriend, our young protagonist got ready to take the stage:
HIS MOM WAS SERIOUSLY NOT ENTERTAINED:
"I got 1,000 RT's, ma" has never been successfully used as an excuse.
And that's where Masone's Twitter feed understandably leaves us for the evening, the ultimate cliffhanger. But thanks to the thousands of photographers at the game, we can chronicle his journey, a tragedy in three parts: Act 1: The Glory
Photo Credit: USA Today Sports Act 2: The Fall
Photo credit: The Star-Ledger Act 3: The End
Photo Credit: USA Today Sports I think this is the ultimate sign NSA wiretapping does not go far enough. Dude literally said he was going to run onto the field, and yet no precog deep in the bowels of Citi Field alerted security to the fact that this was going to happen. Then again, I suppose if the Mets had precogs, Ike Davis would never have started a single game this year. Although Masone was quickly disposed of and hauled off into Mets Prison, which is actually a fully functioning old-timey sheriff's office with big WANTED posters for Mo Vaughn and Bobby Bonilla's agent, that's not the end of his tale. While Masone won't be heard from until his captors release him, we can watch the blossoming pride of his better half unfolding on Twitter.
True romance, there. Now we can watch the events unfold in her eyes:
DRAMA!!!!
oh lol it was just a jk we're cool lmao But her pride quickly turns to panic:
But at the end of the day, she was swept off her feet by her boyfriend's valiant deeds:
And by the fact that he just wasted all his grad party money:
This is more than the story of an idiot who wanted to run onto a field on national television and get beaten up by strong men with the power and authority to arrest him. Yes, it's also the story of an idiot who wanted to run onto a field on national television and get beaten up by strong men with the power and authority to arrest him, but it's so much more. It's a story about young love, about passion and the will to succeed against all odds. About setting a goal and achieving it, the American dream. And it's also the story of a kid who blew his grad party cash and who is TOTALLY grounded, because his mom is legitimately super-pissed. More from SB Nation:• American League wins, 3-0 | Mo Rivera named MVP • Mariano Rivera bids farewell to the All-Star Game • The ballad of the kid who ran on the field at the All-Star Game |
| You are subscribed to email updates from SBNation.com - All Posts To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
No comments:
Post a Comment