Sports Quick Hits

Malfunctioning popcorn machine or Frank McCourt getting revenge?

Does anyone know if Frank McCourt was in Milwaukee Friday night? In the sixth inning of the Milwaukee Brewers vs. St. Louis Cardinals game a fire broke out in one of the right field concession stands at Miller Park. The fire was “caused” by a malfunctioning popcorn machine, or so Frank McCourt would have you believe!

Seems to coincidental that the Brewers would have a fire in their right field area, just like the Dodgers had on May 27 and 29. The Brewers were once owned by Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig. Could this be retribution for the possible siege of the Dodgers Selig may have to do on McCourt’s Dodgers???

All kidding aside, no one was hurt in the fire and the fire was quickly put out.

History was made last night at Miller Park when Tony La Russa’s managed his 5,000 career game. His game was spoiled when the Brewers won 8-0. La Russa is second on the career games managed list. La Russa has won 2,676 games and lost 2,320. He is third on the career wins list behind Connie Mack (3,731) and John McGraw (2,763). Connie Mack is first on MLB’s list with 7,755 games managed, a managing career that extended for 53 years (1894-1950) compared to La Russa’s 33 year career.

Public Urination is fun… until caught.

“Tiny” Nate Robinson was caught urinating at 2:00 a.m. Friday morning outside a bookstore in White Plains, New York. He was issued a summons by New York police and released. Robinson would later apologize via Twitter when he posted that he had made a silly mistake and it will never happen again. Hmm, wonder if he was intoxicated?

The many incarnations of Mike Tyson

Mike Tyson will enter the Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York on Sunday. The once lineal heavy weight champion of the world held the WBA, WBC, and IBF belts from August of 1987 until his historic knockout loss to James “Buster” Douglas on February 11, 1990. “Iron” Mike’s record at the time of his first loss was 37-1. Much can be said about his boxing career and the unfortunate turns that he took. The once “Baddest Man On The Planet” seemed to lose his way in the boxing ring once his long time trainer Cus D’amato passed away November 4, 1985.

Tyson’s career record is 50-6 (44 knockouts) with 2 No Decisions and 1 Disqualification. Tyson career losses: twice to Evander Holyfield, Lennox Lewis, Danny Williams, and Kevin McBride. He lost three of his last four fights before being forced into retirement in 2005.

Funny bet that can go unclaimed

Former NBA great Charles Barkley and Dan Le Batard, journalist for the Miami Herald, sports radio host, and frequent guest hosting appearances on Pardon the Interruption, have made a NBA Finals bet. If the Miami Heat wins the NBA Championship Barkley has to don a Speedo and pose for pictures on South Beach while being interviewed. If the Dallas Mavericks win, Le Batard has to pose in a Speedo and pose for pictures while interviewing Barkley on South Beach. The bet was made on air during Dan’s drive-time radio show on 790 The Ticket before game 5 of the NBA Finals on Thursday.

Just to clarify, the thought has to be funnier than the pictures… right? 

What would you like to clarify? Send me an email or post your comments. Show us your avatar! Don't forget to sign up for email notifications and as a reader/follower. Thanks for reading. HogManInLA

The Dodgers are good at this failing thing.

If you fail once, try to burn it again, and again, and again!

To prove that the Dodgers can truly do nothing right this season, McCourt and Co. “tried” to set Dodger Stadium on fire again early Sunday morning for insurance money but to no avail. The Los Angeles Fire Department is too good at their job, sorry Frank. LA Fire Department said a SECOND fire in two days broke out in the same storage area close to the right field reserved section due to paper products igniting. Luckily no one was hurt or injured during the fire.

Just to clarify:

How could there still be “paper products” dry enough to catch fire after being hosed down by the fire department the day before? Furthermore, how could there still be a fire hazard anywhere in Dodger Stadium, much less in the same location, after the previous fire? Who is running Dodger Stadium and why do they hate the Dodgers and their fans? When will Major League Baseball say enough is enough and take over the Dodgers? Even the NCAA would’ve come in and cleaned house by now!

Whether you like the Dodgers or not, they used to be a proud organization with a great deal of talent and an amazing farm system. The Dodgers won NL pennants 5 times in the 1950’s, three times in the 1960’s, three times in the 1970’s, and twice in the 1980’s. The ‘90’s began like another dominant run was in the making. For five straight years the Dodgers had a new stud coming up through the organization winning MLB’s Rookie of the Year Award; 1992 Eric Karros, 1993 Mike Piazza, 1994 Raul Mondesi, 1995 Hideo Nomo, and in 1996 Todd Hollandsworth. Now the Dodgers only have two bright young position talents in right fielder Andre Either and center fielder Matt Kemp and one great young pitcher in Clayton Kershaw… and that’s it!

Fans should not expect the Dodgers or any organization to roll out a Rookie of the Year winner like the Dodgers did for 5 years in a row. But one would think that talent would have translated to something to brag about for the organization and their fans. The Dodgers have not won a National League Pennant since their last World Series win in 1988! Translation, they have not been to the World Series since 1988! They’ve only won the NL West 4 times since ’88; winning in 1995, 2004, 2008, and 2009. Thankfully Bud Selig instituted the Wild Card format in baseball in 1994 but not used until 1995 due to the MLB strike in 1994 (poor Matt Williams, he should’ve hit over 60 dingers that year, and the Cleveland Indians). In typical fashion, the Dodgers have only taken advantage of a Wild Card berth twice since ’95; in 1996 and 2006.

Fans in LA deserve better from the Dodgers organization and their owners! Here’s to hoping that whomever buys the Dodgers (please let it be Mark Cuban!) uses the Dodgers as a legitimate baseball team and not as a pay check or a tax write-off.

Post script:

Thank God the Dodgers still have Vin Scully! It is heartbreaking hearing Mr. Scully trying to stir enthusiasm and bring optimism to Dodgers' fans when there has been little to nothing to cheer about on the field. How Scully has not turned into Harry Doyle from “Major League” is a testament to his professionalism.

Cubs’ fans take a deep breath and relax. I know your story is more horrifying and heart wrenching. You have goats and curses to deal with and a fan in Bartman that is the poster child for north side hate. This was about the Dodgers, not baseball’s loveable perennial losers. 

What would you like to clarify? Send me an email or post your comments.

Show us your avatar! Don't forget to sign up for email notifications and as a reader/follower.

Curious Sports News

Sports Conspiracy Theorist? Maybe but here are some curious pieces of news!

Jose Bautista, the sometimes right fielder and sometimes third baseman for the Toronto Blue Jays, belted his 20^th homerun of the year Saturday against the Cleveland Indians. Bautista is on pace to hit over 60 homeruns this season. How can a can a career journeyman (Baltimore, Kansas City, Pittsburgh twice, Tampa Bay, and Toronto), who is now 30 years old, all of the sudden hit 54 homeruns in 2010 and possibly hit 50 or 60 this year when his previous season’s best was 16 homeruns in 2006?!?! Hate to be skeptical but… something doesn’t seem on the up and up here. All the talk has been about his stance being changed which has lead to his increased homerun production. If Sammy Sosa could understand English again, he would tell us that's what helped his playing career as well!

ABC and the NFL?

Is it a coincident that the NFL has a television contract with ABC and ESPN, both under the same ownership, and all of these NFL players keep winning or placing in the top three on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars”?

Checkout the results:

Jerry Rice, Hall of Fame wide receiver, came in second in the winter of 2006, Emmit Smith, Hall of Fame running back, won in the fall of 2006, Jason Taylor, former Miami Dolphins and NY Jets defensive end, came in second in the spring of 2008, Warren Sapp, former defensive lineman for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Oakland Raiders, came in second in fall of 2008, and Hines Ward, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver, won in the spring of 2011; linebacker Kirstie Alley came in second!

Burn it down maybe we can get insurance money for it!

Did Frank McCourt try to burn down Dodger Stadium Saturday night for the insurance money? In the 5^th inning of the Dodger’s game versus the Florida Marlins, smoke billowed out of the upper tier sections in right field down into the bleacher sections. Los Angeles Fire Department officials said the fire was caused by paper igniting in a storage section below the reserved sections. The fire was quickly put out and no one was hurt at Dodger Stadium… this time.

Nothing has gone right for the Dodger’s this season. Nothing!!! Of course the Dodgers lost that game as well.

What would you like to clarify? Send me an email or post your comments. 

Show us your avatar! Don't forget to sign up for email notifications and as a reader/follower.

Thanks for reading. 

 HogManInLA