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When doctors told Hampton point guard Jerica Jenkins that she had cancer, she cried for a long time that April day.It's an understandable reaction, even more so for a high school freshman, which she was at the time of the diagnosis of Hodgkin's lymphoma.
That day ended, and, so too did Jenkins' tears, as it's coming up on seven years since that day, and she hasn't wasted any water on her cancer.
"I was shocked," said Jenkins, a 5-foot-4 junior from Lancaster, Tex. "I didn't believe it. I was 14. I was like, 'There's no way I have cancer.' I just couldn't believe it. I cried right then. Then, I realized that I had to deal with it and move on."
There were enough tears to go around that first day when Jenkins got the diagnosis two days after a biopsy. She and her mother cried and prayed, and then got after beating Hodgkin's, a lymphoma with a relatively high treatment rate, if detected early.
Jenkins underwent six rounds of chemotherapy three times a week every three weeks for a few months, until the cancer was eradicated in November 2007. And it hasn't returned since.
That's not to say there haven't been anxious moments. Jenkins admits that she does worry at times about the cancer returning, particularly in those moments when she gets a little under the weather and her lymph nodes might enlarge, say, during a throat infection.
But Jenkins said those thoughts don't stay with her long.
"I don't sweat the small stuff, like with anything in life," said Jenkins. "But if something's going on, I feel like, 'It's not a big deal. OK. Calm down. Get over it. What happened, happened. It's not going to change. It's in the past. You have to look forward to the next thing.'"
Said teammate Melanie Warner: "She just plays like what else does she have to lose? Going through something like that (cancer) was really (tough) for her. She cherishes every moment of the game. She just plays. She gives her all every game."
Having that attitude was key for Jenkins just to get noticed. Because of her height, which is actually a couple inches shorter than what's listed in the game program, few colleges were interested in Jenkins out of high school, so she sent out DVDs.
"I don't sweat the small stuff, like with anything in life. But if something's going on, I feel like, 'It's not a big deal. OK. Calm down. Get over it. What happened, happened. It's not going to change. It's in the past. You have to look forward to the next thing."
-- Jerica Jenkins One of them landed at Hampton on the desk of previous coach Walter Mebane, who offered Jenkins a scholarship. When coach David Six, who had previously been the head of the intramural program got the job before last season, he inherited a player whom he says is "not quick, not athletic."
"But she gets it done," said Six. "She's crafty. And very headstrong. She's very confident in what she's doing. She's been able to parlay that into being a Division I player."
And a good one at that, as Jenkins is not only the Lady Pirates' leading scorer at 13 points a game, but she's third in all of women's basketball in assist-turnover ratio at 2.98:1, while her 7 assists per game are second in the NCAA behind Gonzaga's Courtney Vandersloot.
She's not only resourceful, but Jenkins' play inspires comparisons to a certain Peanuts character with security issues.
"People's comfort level goes up with her on the floor," said Six. "She gets you in your sweet spot. It's like having Linus' blanket around you. When we didn't have her, we turned the ball over 30 times a game."
With one regular season game left at Howard Thursday, the Lady Pirates (21-6) who have a 10-game win streak in play, have already wrapped up the MEAC regular season title. They'll almost certainly have to win the conference tournament to claim a second straight NCAA tournament bid, but non-conference wins over Florida and James Madison could get them off the No.16 line in the bracket should they get in.
But with a win over cancer in her pocket, you can bet that Jerica Jenkins won't be shedding any tears over something as easy as facing Connecticut or Baylor.
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e sentence after being convicted of the rape and murder of 22 year-old Jessica Bergsten.Convicted in 1992 after pleading guilty, Rogowski was eligible for his first parole hearing which was denied, he will be eligible for another hearing in 7 years.
The details of the murder of his ex girlfriends best friend are horrific and well documented in a very public case of a well known popular skater of the 80's. Gator was as popular as any skater during that era, including Christian Hosoi, Tony Hawk, Lance Mountain, and Steve Caballero. In 2003 the critically acclaimed documentary Stoked:The Rise and Fall of Gator chronicled the whole story behind his life.
He had it all in the way of lucrative endorsement deals, extreme popularity, and even rock star status as Skateboarding was becoming as popular than ever.
He was a major contributor to the movement that we all know and love today, it's hard not to think he could have been seen in the same light we see several Skateboarding legends from the 80's. We might have even seen him competing in the recent Quiksilver throw back to the 80's contests.
Most of the new skate generation has not heard this story before but for those who lived the movement the recent news of his denied parole sparks up the memories of a horrible story of a life of a young girl tragically cut short and the frustrating waste of a promising skateboarder.
If you get the opportunity, check out the 9 part series of Stoked: The Rise and Fall of Gator from youtube.
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GrindTV NEWSWIRE via Maloof Money Cup- Today, a new world record was set. Aldrin Garcia landed a 45" high ollie in the finals of the Maloof High Ollie Challenge claiming the $10,000 cash prize and unseating Danny Wainwright who has held the world record of 44.5 inches since 2000. Garcia also beat out pros including Torey Pudwill, Levi Brown, Luis Tolentino, Steve Nesser, Austyn Gillette and Anthony Schultz.
Held at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center as part of the new Ride Unltd...
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Liverpool fans burned a Fernando Torres jersey on Monday night, furious that the striker their club pried from his hometown team in Madrid for tens of millions of pounds left Merseyside after three-plus seasons for Chelsea's tens of millions of pounds.Torres probably didn't grow up dreaming of playing for the Reds or the Blues. His favorite team was Atl�tico, and he played at his boyhood club for a dozen years. Those ties were loosened only when Rafael Ben�tez came calling in 2007.
Liverpool fans may be angry, but Torres was never really theirs to begin with.
The final day of the European transfer window was yet another reminder that club soccer is a business first. Players are motivated largely by the trappings of the pro game -- the money, the titles, endorsements and prestige. That's not a criticism. It's the nature of the beast.
If it's inspiration, loyalty, permanence and passion that you're looking for, turn toward the international game. For the most part, national teams feature players wearing a shirt they've yearned to put on since they could walk. The money clearly is secondary, and they strive not for the next big contract, but for national glory, history, friends and family.
The soccer may not always be as good, and there's still a bit of recruitment here and there, but it's far more pure than what's on offer at the club level (except perhaps at Barcelona, which combines the best of both). Win a championship with your national team, and you're not a mercenary who earned his keep. You're a legend.
Last weekend, a relatively unknown, 25-year-old Japanese player named Tadanari Lee (photo) attained that status. The Sanfrecce Hiroshima forward, playing in just his second international match, scored the Asian Cup winner on a thunderous overtime volley against Australia.
The juxtaposition between Lee's singular transcendent moment and the near absurdity of the transfer window left us interested in tracking down similar goals. The goals that secured at title that the scorer dreamed of winning in the shirt he was wearing, the goals that brought glory to both the player and a nation.
Our definition of such a goal will be based on Lee's -- it broke a tie in the competition's deciding game and proved to be the final tally in a match concluding with a one-goal margin. A true winner.
These goals are milestones in the history of the sport, yet many were new to us. We think they're worth watching and celebrating, so have compiled many of them here. So, in honor of Lee, Torres and as a reminder of how meaningful soccer can be, here's a one-stop repository of the biggest goals ever scored:
WORLD CUP
The earliest goal we could find (sorry, Angelo Schiavio) occurred more than 60 years ago and doesn't look like much, but it still has plenty of meaning. As Brazil 2014 approaches, the nightmare of the Maracanazo will be brought up again and again. Here's Uruguay's Alcides Ghiggia, scoring the goal that won the game, 2-1, and the 1950 World Cup for La Celeste in Rio de Janeiro.
Four years later, the favorites went down again. A Hungarian team that blasted Germany, 8-3, in the first round probably figured it was on its way again when it took a 2-0 lead in the final. But the Germans, as they would prove for the next half century, don't go down easily. Helmut Rahn scored the 84th-minute winner to cement "The Miracle of Bern."
Germany won its second World Cup in 1974, again coming from behind against a favorite who became famous for playing beautiful, but ultimately losing soccer. Johannes Neeskens gave the Netherlands an early lead, but the Germans won the trophy on Gerd Muller's 43rd-minute strike.
The Germans recovered from yet another deficit in the 1986 final, but they couldn't stop Diego Maradona. His 83rd-minute pass split the defense and Jorge Burruchaga provided the deft finishing touch, breaking a 2-2 deadlock as Argentina won its second World Cup.
The only goal on this list that came from the penalty spot was the decider in a dour 1990 final in Rome. Argentina goalkeeper Sergio Goycochea already had guided his side through two shootouts, but he couldn't stop Andreas Brehme's 85th-minute effort. Germany was champion for a third time.
And of course, Andr�s Iniesta rescued the 2010 final in Johannesburg and brought Spain a deserved first World Cup title (FanHouse was there -- you can read the story from Soccer City here.)
CONCACAF GOLD CUP
Luis Hern�ndez gives lifts Mexico to 1-0 win over the United States and the 1998 Gold Cup title -- its third straight -- with this header just before halftime in Los Angeles.
Daniel Osorno salvages regional pride, and gives Mexico Gold Cup No. 4, with this golden goal against guest Brazil in 2003.
Benny Feilhaber scores American soccer's goal of the decade as the U.S. comes from behind to defeat Mexico, 2-1, in the 2007 final at Soldier Field.
EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP
The Soviet Union won UEFA's first championship for national teams in 1960, defeating Yugoslavia, 2-1, in Paris. Viktor Ponedelnik headed in the overtime winner in a final between two countries that no longer exist.
A sharp, 84th-minute header from Marcelino Mart�nez lifted Spain to a 2-1 triumph over the Soviets in the 1964 final in Madrid.
Germany won its second European championship when Horst Hrubesch beat the Belgians in the 88th minute of the 1980 final in Rome.
Oliver Bierhoff introduced the world to the finality of the golden goal when his deflected shot confused Czech goalie Petr Kouba in the 1996 final at Wembley Stadium. Germany hasn't won a title since.
Four years later in Rotterdam, world champion France mounted an incredible comeback against Italy that was settled with David Trezeguet's overtime blast. Italy would get its revenge in Berlin six years later, when Trezeguet's shootout miss gave the Azzurri their fourth World Cup.
Greece ground out three stunning 1-0 upsets on its way to the 2004 title in Portugal. Angelos Charisteas scored the goal that defeated the hosts in the final.
Fernando Torres did the honors in 2008, leading Spain to a 1-0 win over Germany in Vienna and ending his country's 44-year trophy drought.
COPA AM�RICA
Uruguay defeated Chile, 1-0, in the 1987 final thanks to Pablo Bengoechea's rebound goal in the 56th minute. Chile has failed to make any of the nine finals since.
Rom�rio gives us a taste of things to come with the only goal of the 1989 final (against Uruguay at the Maracan� -- small revenge). It was Brazil's first Copa title in 40 years.
Argentina's most recent Copa Am�rica came all the way back in 1993, and it came thanks to Gabriel Batistuta. His well-taken 74th-minute goal was his second of the Guayaquil final and was enough to defeat Mexico, 2-1.
Mexico was the victim again in 2001 as Iv�n C�rdoba headed Colombia to the only major title in its history.
ASIAN CUP
Takuya Takagi brought Japan the first of its four continental championships with his first-half strike against Saudi Arabia in the 1992 final in Hiroshima.
Title No. 2 for the Blue Samurai came eight years later in Beirut. This time it was Shigeyoshi Mochizuki who bested the Saudis.
Perhaps the most improbable championship in the history of international soccer, Iraq's 2007 Asian Cup triumph was secured by Younis Mahmoud's 72nd-minute header in Jakarta.
AFRICAN NATIONS CUP
Nigeria was the villain of the piece in 1994. One year after Zambia's national team was wiped out in a plane crash on the way to a World Cup qualifier, the Chipolopolo embarked on an inspiring Nations Cup run in Tunisia. Emmanuel Amuneke, however, ended Zambia's hopes with his second goal of the final just after halftime.
Tunisia won its first and only championship in 2004 when Ziad Jaziri converted this second-half rebound against rival Morocco.
Shocking defending from Cameroon gave Mohamed Aboutrika the opportunity to break a scoreless tie in the 2008 final in Accra. Egypt won its second straight title.
This classy 85th-minute finish from Mohamed Nagy, known as Gedo, lifted Egypt to a 1-0 win over Ghana in Luanda, its third straight African championship and seventh overall.
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Last night, Pat Onstad made his second preseason start for the Black-and-Red following last week's announcement that he would be returning to the playing field. Playing 45 minutes in a 1-0 victory over the University of California Santa Barbara, Onstad is slowly regaining fitness as he competes for a starting job in United's goal. However, according to the player-coach, his primary concern is still bringing along United's current crop of netminders.�
Just when it seemed like you were getting used to your coaching duties, you are now making the transition back to the playing field. How are you finding the change?
Difficult. I think more than this stage in 2006 where Tim Hanley took a job with LA to be closer to his children, this is more unplanned. I was finished playing two months ago and was enjoying coaching, so I think the biggest transition to wrap my head around now is that I am fighting for a job. Trying to play again is the biggest difference between the two times, now and in 2006.�
How has your daily schedule changed now that you are taking reps again in training?
How does your experience in 2006, when you split coaching and playing duties, aid you in your current position with United?
I think I've always been a goalkeeper that is approachable. If another guy asked for advice or suggestions, I have always offered [to help]. The type of person I am and the way I have always approached the game is that I want to make guys around me better, even though we are competing for the same spot. That mentality doesn't change. I want to see our guys be successful - whether it's Chase [Harrison], Bill [Hamid], or Joe [Willis]. All of these guys can be successful goalkeepers, and I think I can help them along the way with my knowledge of the game.�
When Steve Cronin went down with injury in Florida, did you think about stepping onto the playing field immediately?
No, not at all. I think at first I just felt for Steve. I thought he had a real opportunity to establish himself again as a first string 'keeper in this League, and it was a great opportunity that doesn't come around very often. I think the goalkeeping position is one of the toughest to break into in the League, and Steve could see that window and I felt sorry for him. I've been there before - I've been there myself where opportunities have closed due to injury. By the same token, at that stage we turned around and concentrated on Bill [Hamid]. I think our biggest concern is that we don't want to push Bill. I think ultimately Bill's recovery time was the reason why I was asked to step in, but Bill is 20-years-old. The last thing we want to do now after a shoulder surgery is push him right back into it. We don't want to push him back too early, he's obviously the goalkeeper of the future at this club, and that's certainly why we have him here.�
How long do you see yourself being back in goal for the Black-and-Red?
To be honest with you, right now I'm just focused on this camp [in California]. We will see what happens, today there are moments where I feel good and then there are moments where I feel so far behind. You know, the last two months I was out of the game. I wasn't worried about my diet, I was eating what I wanted to eat. Although I am an active guy, I wasn't doing the exercises I needed to do in order to be a starting goalkeeper. I'm working on my fitness level right now, but the biggest thing I need to do is get comfortable [in goal] again. I think for Chase [Harrison] and Joe [Willis] this is tough for them because it's just more competition, but that's what this sport is about. We push one another, and hopefully those guys will look at it and say, 'I'm better than this guy', and decide to outplay me. If that's what comes from this, then this has been a great exercise. That's what we're hoping for, we're hoping that I am a short term solution to help D.C. United win games while pushing our current goalkeepers.�
Has your perspective of the team changed at all now that you are back on the field?
I love our mix of guys. I think we have a good young team, a good nucleus. The one thing I think we're lacking is someone in the back who has been there before with a bit of experience. You need someone with a good voice back there. We need that controlling voice back there, and anyone that has seen me play knows that is one of my strengths. Hopefully just having me in there, for the other 'keepers, they can pick up on that and become more vocal. Ultimately it's a stop-gap maneuver having me play, we want to make sure our guys that end up leading this team for years to come have the proper guidance.�
RELATED: Brettschneider, Onstad impress for DC in SoCal
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February 28 2011 Last updated at 12:17 AM ET
If you're like the rest of us at FanHouse, you can't wait for the season to begin, but we've got you covered until opening day arrives.
It's the FanHouse 15, a countdown of the 15 most talked about, blogged about, tweeted about, sensational stars of America's pastime.
Who will be number one?
The list continues with No. 2, the Yankees' Alex Rodriguez.
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Or it might not.
That's the tricky thing about match play. When competition begins Wednesday with 64 of the top ranked players in the world, there will be all sorts of intriguing possibilities. A few times over the years, promise has even delivered. In 2000, Darren Clarke beat Tiger Woods in the final. Woods won in 2003 by taking down David Toms in the final and won again in 2004 over Davis Love III. Woods defeated Stewart Cink in 2008. Even last year, although an all-England final, Ian Poulter's victory over Paul Casey had its viewing strengths.
But then there was 2001 when Steve Stricker beat Pierre Fulke in the Sunday final. Or 2007 when Henrik Stenson beat Geoff Ogilvy. And who doesn't remember Kevin Sutherland's 1-up decision over Scott McCarron in 2002?
Because players are eliminated as the week wears on, it is always possible that by the time Sunday's final match arrives, there is the possibility of a "Who's He?" taking on "Who Cares?"
That makes match play events fascinating in that much of the intrigue often occurs early in the week, and the final days can drag.
FORMAT
The top 64 players on the World Rankings after the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am qualified. Among those eligible, only Japan's Toru Taniguchi is missing, because of a neck injury. He was replaced by Stenson.
Wednesday will have 32 matches, and by Friday only 16 players will remain.
The quarterfinals will take place on Saturday, and the semifinals will go off Sunday morning. An 18-hole final will be played Sunday afternoon, along with a match to determine third and fourth place.
EARLY FUN
There's no shortage of potential upset matches. Englishman and World No. 1 Lee Westwood comes out of the blocks against Sweden's Stenson. Two No. 1 seeds have been eliminated in the event's 13-year history. Peter O'Malley beat Tiger Woods 2 & 1 in 2002 and last year Steve Stricker went down to defeat in the hands of Ross McGowan.
Poulter, the defending champion, will open with Stewart Cink. Two-time camp Geoff Ogilvy will face Padraig Harrington; Tiger meets Thomas Bjorn; Phil Mickelson starts with Brenden Jones; Stricker meets 17-year-old Italian Matteo Manassero, Luke Donald plays Charley Hoffman, Louis Oosthuizen draw Bo Van Pelt, Rory McIlroy goes against Jonathan Byrd, and Bubba Watson meets Bill Haas.
THE COURSE
The Ritz Carlton Golf Club at Dove Mountain was designed by Jack Nicklaus and opened in November of 2008. The resort offers 27 holes with tournament play scheduled for the Saguaro and Tortolita nines. The third nine, the Wild Burro, is Nicklaus' favorite of the three, but it was judged fan-unfriendly.
The course will be a par 72 and measure 7,849 yards but at an elevation of 3,500 feet. The greens and fairways are large.
FLASHBACK
Poulter didn't just beat United Kingdom countryman and close friend Paul Casey for the 2010 Accenture Match Play Championship, he became golf significant, advancing from his past role as an occasional background distraction to legitimate attraction.
And while the well-played 4 & 2 decision over Casey that went 34 holes may not have been a jolly-good attention getter in the colonies, at the least it provides something for golf to talk about other than Tiger Woods -- who earlier in the week make his first public appearance after an offseason of issues.
The victory was Poulter's first on American soil in addition to being his first World Golf Championship title. It also moved him to No. 5 on the World Golf Rankings, a career high.
"Feels just amazing," Poulter said. "Five or six years of hard work, coming over to change my residency, to be living in America, to finally win over here just means everything.
"I moved my family across. It's just so pleasing to be able to finally say now I'm a winner on the PGA Tour."
Casey, who needed one hole early Sunday to eliminate Camilo Villegas in 24-hole semifinal match that had was halted Saturday night by darkness, went 1 up with a birdie on the second hole, but never led again.
Poulter birdied the next hole to square the match and took the lead on No. 8. From there, he was 2 up after 18, 4 up through 26, and after Casey closed within two, came back with a birdie on the 33rd hole, hitting the day's best shot, to slam the door.
After missing the fairway badly to the right on the short par-4 and with mud caked on his ball, Poulter hit wedge to two feet for birdie.
"Probably one of the toughest shots I had," he said. "The ball had a lot of mud on it. It was quite a bare lie, because it was quite close to where the drain was. I hit that shot absolutely perfect."
BY THE NUMBERS
14: Years tournament has been played at four different courses.
9 & 8: Largest margin of victory in tournament history, by Tiger Woods over Stephen Ames, in 2006 opening round.
38: Holes played in longest championship match -- Jeff Maggert and Andrew Magee in 1999.
23: Players entered under age 30.
16: Wins in 33 career starts by Tiger Woods in WGC events.
AND OUR WINNER IS ...
Graeme McDowell.
What's the biggest stage in match play? That's right, the Ryder Cup.
Who played better the entire week of last year's European victory?
Graeme McDowell.
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There will be an MLS schedule on Thursday, finally. But don't expect all the confusion to be cleared up, and don't expect the pressure on the league to decrease.The list of dates and opponents MLS unveils will leave a host of unanswered questions about the upcoming season, as well as the more distant future. And of course, it will be subject to change.
The regular season begins in five weeks (the Los Angeles Galaxy will visit the Seattle Sounders on March 15, and the rest of the clubs will kick off four days later), and the fact that clubs and fans still don't have a full fixture list to work with has been a source of frustration and embarrassment.
That discontent reached the league's Fifth Avenue headquarters.
"We recognize that the timing of (the schedule's) release has caused some inconvenience and we appreciate our fans' continued patience," MLS said in a statement released last week.
Certainly the delay puts a burden on the clubs' ticketing and marketing employees, and it can be a strain on those hoping to plan to travel for a game or two. But the indignation that's been piling up on message boards, blogs and Twitter is missing the bigger picture.
First, MLS faces logistical challenges unique in American sports. The four U.S. representatives in the following season's CONCACAF Champions League aren't finalized until after the MLS Cup semifinals, which means the league can't even begin to work on the schedule until December.
Stadium issues also play a role. There are shared facilities, and two (Kansas City and Vancouver) scheduled to open midway through the season.
This year in particular, TV is an issue. The league's contract with Fox Soccer Channel has expired, and negotiations on a renewal have taken longer than anticipated. Networks (ESPN and Univision are the others) have significant input on the schedule.
In 2010, MLS unveiled its fixture list on Feb. 3, just a week ahead of this year. The English Premier League releases its schedule only two months ahead of time. Many other leagues, including La Liga, don't announce the exact date and kickoff time for a game until a week or two before, such is the influence of TV.
This year's MLS delay is unfortunate, but not unique or unprecedented.
The lack of the former means, in the short run, that the schedule unveiled this week will be a rough draft. Once FSC or a competitor signs on to broadcast MLS on the weekend, games will move to suit the network's plans.
In the long run, it signifies the league's continuing issues with both relevance and TV -- American soccer's last frontier. While ESPN and its SportsCenter frat boys continue to give MLS short shrift, the league reportedly is demanding a $20 million annual rights fee from FSC, way up from the $3 million in the previous deal. No wonder Fox is holding out.
The popularity of the World Cup proved there is an appetite in the U.S. for meaningful soccer. But networks are going to be reluctant to spend money and promotional resources on MLS as long as it struggles to deliver a compelling product that drives ratings.
That's where the playoff format (or lack thereof) comes in. The crushing anticlimax that was November's MLS Cup Final (the ratings were abysmal, down 44%, and the BMO Field stands half empty when Pablo Mastroeni lifted the trophy) was all the proof that should be needed that the league doesn't determine a champion in a manner that captivates fans.
No one ever questions whether the NFL, NBA, MLB or NHL titlist is deserving, and the conclusion of their campaigns is highly anticipated. Yet year after year, MLS asks fans and sponsors to invest in a lengthy regular season, only to see the league crown a champion with an abbreviated rock-paper-scissors competition that sucks all the meaning out of the preceding seven months of play.
That hasn't inspired people to tune in.
When MLS does settle on a postseason structure, we have a hunch that the likes of Landon Donovan and Thierry Henry won't play a role in the announcement. Yet that very recognizable pair joined commissioner Don Garber on a conference call last week to trumpet the decision to play July's all-star game at Red Bull Arena.
When the league's most recognizable stars are invited to help promote an exhibition game, yet we're more than a month past the promised unveiling of a new competition and playoff format, there is a sense of disconnect.
When MLS adds four games to the regular season and two clubs to the postseason -- thereby diluting the importance of an individual match and compressing the playoff window even further -- then acknowledges the need to make its product more meaningful and relevant, there is a sense of disconnect.
The MLS all-star game is a fun, one-night diversion (and way more compelling than its tired NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB counterparts). But the evidence that MLS and its players continue to rely too heavily on a tenuous association with the sport's biggest foreign brands remains. Donovan and Henry's participation furthers the concern.
That inclination has failed to inspire fans to care deeply about the league as a whole, or the MLS Cup playoffs, and it won't entice a TV network to invest money and time. Networks need a weekly audience. They need a grand finale, not a summer exhibition win over Chelsea or Manchester City. That hasn't worked.
FanHouse asked Garber to address the issue. Here's his entire response:
"It's something that we think about a lot. Clearly the priority is the league competition, but there are so many things that are going on with the sport in this country, that as a young league make it complicated and more difficult."You've got the (UEFA) Champions League, (which) is so important in European leagues, but our Champions League has not yet reached that level of importance. We want to compete well and get to the World Club Championship. Obviously there's (World Cup) qualifying that'll take place during this year and players that are going to be called away from their teams. The international clubs are still coming to our shores and very interested in expanding their brands in the United States, and we see that as an opportunity to pit our teams against those clubs.
"But at the end of the day our league competition needs to be the priority. It's a function of working with our clubs to make their teams more relevant ... ensuring that the regular season matters. Like with all ... sports in this country, having a compelling playoff format that builds interest to a championship game and figuring out ways as part of that we can ensure the regular season has more meaning that it's had in the past but also that the playoffs and Cup have a lot more meaning.
"These are things we think about every day. At the same time we've got to capture the interest of the international soccer fan, many of whom are not yet fully devoted MLS fans. And these kinds of friendlies and the all-star game are mechanisms, if you will, or tactics to be able to do that."
But it is related, and the conflicting priorities need to be resolved. The league would be a more compelling TV property if there was a sense that its games really mattered -- that the identity of its champion mattered. That's why what won't be announced Thursday is more important than what will be. Garber and Co. have some work to do if they're going to inject that meaning by the time the ESPN deal expires in four years.
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KITCHENER, Ontario, Canada -- A steely resolve came over Gabriel Landeskog's face when he was asked whether he did the right thing by moving to Canada in his mid-teens to play major junior hockey and possibly take a shortcut to the NHL.Landeskog (in yellow uniform in photo, right) is in his second season with the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League and the skills he used to become one of the youngest players ever in the Swedish Elite League a couple of years ago have also vaulted him to the top of the NHL's rankings of skaters in North America for the NHL Draft in June.
If selected first overall, Landeskog will be the first Swede to go that high since Mats Sundin went to the Quebec Nordiques in 1989.
"I thought it would be the best thing for my development," says Landeskog about coming to this side of the Atlantic Ocean. "I didn't want to be a guy playing five minutes a game in the Swedish Elite League. This is the junior NHL. It's the best junior league in the world and that's why I wanted to come here.
"And I also wanted to show the Swedish kids back home that this is a path you can take. It is a great life and it is a great experience. This is an experience you would never get in Sweden."
It was at the world under-18 championship in April 2009 when Landeskog first caught the attention of Kitchener coach Steve Spott, who was an assistant coach with Canada. After Landeskog scored a power-play goal, he skated by the Canadian bench and stared the Canadians down.
Spott, who is also the general manager of the Kitchener Rangers, made a mental note to himself to find out whom that kid was "because he's got a lot of moxie."
Spott met with Landeskog and then contacted his agent. Landeskog went to Kitchener for a visit shortly after and then went back to Sweden, where he sat down with his parents and they made up a list of pros and cons about moving.
The 16-year-old soon decided to pack his bags.
In Canada, major junior hockey is the highest level of hockey that's not at the pro level, and it's the main feeder system to the NHL.
Landeskog is billeted with a local family. He goes to high school in the morning and practices in the afternoon if the Rangers aren't playing that night. There are a lot of long bus trips, and a lot of routines that ultimately help prepare a player for the NHL.
Landeskog's style of play is suited to North America. He's what scouts call "a north-south player'' and he's good at it. While gifted offensively, he's also gritty, willing to block shots and plays well at both ends of the ice.
Landeskog struggled in the first half of his first season with the Rangers as he adjusted to his new team and new surroundings. But he picked up his game after Christmas two years ago and hasn't looked back.
When it became time to pick who would be captain of the Rangers this season, Spott said Landeskog was the logical candidate. Spott compares Landeskog to another former Kitchener Ranger, Mike Richards of the Philadelphia Flyers.
"He is confident and not cocky. I give him a lot of credit and when you get to know him, he is not a sheep who will follow the flock,'' said Spott about his captain. "He is his own man and he is mature beyond his years."
Landeskog was captain of a few teams when he played youth hockey in Sweden but he says it is a completely different thing being captain of the Rangers, which is one of the most storied major junior franchises in Canada. Its alumni include Scott Stevens, Larry Robinson, Paul Coffey and Al MacInnis, who are all in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
"It is more than wearing a C every night. There is more responsibility around the rink and out in the city,'' he said. "It is all about taking care of the guys and making sure the younger guys are following you, making sure they are working hard."
Landeskog missed the 2011 World Junior Championship in Buffalo because of an ankle injury that also kept him out of NHL/CHL Top Prospects Game in Toronto in mid-January. The game featured 40 of the top players eligible for the NHL Draft.
His priority for the remainder of the OHL season is to help Kitchener win the league championship and qualify for the Memorial Cup tournament, which is major junior hockey's version of the Stanley Cup Finals.
Last, but no means least on his list, is being the No. 1 pick in the draft.
"It would be a tremendous honor to go in the top 10 or be drafted in the first round but I can't think of that right now,'' said Landeskog. "A lot of people can speculate but I am here to play hockey and that is what I am going to do."
Spott said his prized player can expect to receive a lot more attention in the run to the playoffs, and how he handles that pressure will in part dictate where he goes in the draft.
"I think the big thing for him will be playoff success because teams will check him and teams will have their best defensive pairings against him and that is where he will have to separate himself as a pro and that will have a big say whether he goes one, two or three."
"I don't expect him back (playing for Kitchener next season). He will play zero games in the American Hockey League."
There is a good chance that Landeskog will be the top pick and if that doesn't happen, he will go in the top five.
At least one NHL general manager thinks Landeskog could play in the NHL today.
"I love the completeness of the player, He can score and he can check and he can play in the traffic areas and he has great determination,'' said Atlanta GM Rick Dudley.
"He is one of those players who is an absolute can't miss prospect and in fact, he is one of the players who you could say, if you asked him to play (in the NHL) now he could probably function.
"But he will play very shortly and he will be very good."
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Until he underwent hip surgery in May, the 36-year-old Boston Bruins veteran regarded himself as a one-legged goalie because of a hip injury.
"I had about two years there where I could only recover (after making a save) with one leg," he says. "I went over it with Bob Essensa, our goalie coach. He was trying to get me to practice using the correct leg and it was just impossible. I couldn't do it."
But now he can, and the Bruins are benefiting. With Thomas playing at the top of his game, Boston ranks as one of the Eastern Conference's elite teams.
He kept his NHL-leading goals against average below two per game Saturday as he backstopped the Bruins to a 3-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks, who sit first overall. Thomas made 27 saves and improved his career record against the league-leading Canucks to 3-0 with just the one goal against.
"It seems like he's on top of his game this year," says Vancouver winger Daniel Sedin.
But such dominant performances were rare last season. The then undisclosed hip injury got so bad that Thomas, the 2009 Vezina Trophy winner, was backing up Tuukka Rask late in the season and in the playoffs.
There was little doubt that his career would be in jeopardy unless he could regain his old Gumby-like form.
And he did. The Flint, Mich., native tops the NHL with a .939 save percentage and a number of other categories.
"(The injury) gave me a greater appreciation just for being in the NHL and for being able to compete against the best players in the world," says Thomas. "It's given me a little bit of personal satisfaction to prove to myself that I can still not just play with these guys, but play pretty well."
Coach Claude Julien says Thomas has helped the club win a number of important games while delivering a steady effort.
"Last year, the way his season was going and some of the issues he had, (Rask) took over just by his play," says Julien. "So it's not about losing (the starter's job). It's about putting the best goaltender in at certain times. (Rask) really got hot for us and we utilized him. This year, we're in a position where (Thomas) has played well enough that he's taken over that spot."
Despite the uncertainty following surgery, Thomas posted eight straight wins at the start of the season -- the best showing in Bruins history, surpassing the six held by the legendary Tiny Thompson in 1937-38. His seven career shutouts, which rank him second in the league, are a career high. He is the first Bruins goaltender to post that many goose eggs since Byron Dafoe recorded 10 back in 1998-99.
Other impressive accomplishments: He was the winning goaltender in the all-star game, stopped Philadelphia 's Scott Hartnell on a penalty shot in December and even fought Montreal's Carey Price.
Which begs the question: When was the turning point in his recovery from his injury?
"The very first game in Czech (Republic against Phoenix) was a big game for me," he says. "I was feeling (good) after surgery and all the work that I did over the summer just to be back playing. It seemed like a long summer because I knew I was feeling so much better over the summer that I was kind of chomping at the bit to play again. I didn't know going into camp exactly how I was going to feel, because it was a long recovery ? all summer-long. I knew I felt better but, even at the beginning of camp, it was still a little sore at times."
"He had a tough time with injuries last year and he's playing the same way he did two years ago," says Vancouver goaltender Roberto Luongo.
Thomas continues to deliver lights-out netminding with an unorthodox style that can only be compared to the twists and turns of Dominik Hasek. However, Thomas has incorporated elements of the butterfly technique which is the style embraced by most NHLer's and minor hockey goalies alike, thanks to the efforts of goaltending gurus like Francois Allaire, but the Bruins goaltender is distinctly untechnical.
"Getting myself into position nowadays, I'd say, is a lot of technique," says Thomas. "The first save is, in general, a lot of technique. Just after the first save is kind of when it goes out the door."
Although Allaire, a former Anaheim Ducks goaltending coach, and others have perfected the butterfly technique, it was just coming into vogue when Thomas, who was drafted in the 11th round (217th overall) by the Quebec Noridiques in 1994 just before they became the Colorado Avalanche, turned pro at the age of 23 in 1997.
"Jacques Cloutier, in Colorado, he just tried to pound it into my head and made me learn it," says Thomas, who played four seasons at the University of Vermont before entering the pro ranks. "At the time, I didn't like it, because I was a pretty good goalie as it was. But it didn't take me too long to realize the benefits of some of these things. So I spent my whole rookie year, whether I was in the East Coast, the (now-defunct) IHL or Finland, because I played in all three leagues that year, every practice ? before practice and if I had the energy after practice ? I was practicing the techniques ... We covered so much. I didn't even know the pushes. I didn't even know how I was moving. I never thought about it. It's still that way today."
He still believes it's important to get training in the proper technical elements. But it's also important to freelance on a regular basis.
"I think you need to learn the technique," he says. You need to practice the technique. But when it comes game time, you have to do whatever it takes. Even in practice, there are certain times when you should do the goalie drills and practice the technique.
"Then during the game, you only use them when they're necessary. The rest of practice, you don't want to just get schooled on the practice technique the whole time. You need to find a way to stop it and play a little street hockey ... I've seen a lot of kids who have great technique, but they turn into robots and their arms are glued to their sides. They don't have that ability to move their shoulders. You have to be ready to move out of technique mode if you need to."
And what does Luongo, who loves the tight games in which he and Thomas have competed, think of his Boston counterpart's style?
"I don't think you have enough tape in the camera for that, bud," responds Luongo to a TV reporter. "I'll tell you what, he's probably the best goalie at battling. He battles hard, no matter what type of situation he's in. He's not going to give up on a play, and that's why he's so successful."
With his hybrid style, Thomas has become a poster boy for late bloomers. Although he has permeated the public consciousness in recent years, this is only his sixth full NHL season.
Before splitting the 2005-06 campaign between Boston and its Providence farm club, he logged many miles between the minors, Europe and Beantown. (He's still a big star in Finland after four stints there.)
Despite his battles with job security and his hip, he appears relaxed on game days. Many other teams' goaltenders have a policy of not talking to reporters after morning skates, but he answers questions willingly.
"I got to the NHL so late and I was so low on the bottom of the totem pole I never had that option (of refusing)," he says Thomas. "So I got used to it right from the start. It's not something that I tried to do different. I didn't know that there was another way when I was younger. I found out it doesn't bother me."
Neither does his lack of technique. Or his hip.
February 27 2011 Last updated at 09:41 AM ET
One of the busiest trade deadlines in recent memory resulted in general managers going on a shopping spree like no other with seemingly half the league exchanging players, draft picks and cold hard cash. The Miami Heat already made their big moves during the offseason and while they were indeed poking around for anyone useful in the clearance section, rival teams in the Eastern Conference such as the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics exchanged major players integral to their system deep into the regular season.The Heat can attest to the difficulties of trying to mesh players in a short amount of time under the spotlight. Before facing the new-look New York Knicks on Sunday, the team encountered a Washington Wizards team that has been in constant change each time they've played against them with Gilbert Arenas, Rashard Lewis, Mike Bibby, Kirk Hinrich and others shuffled in and out of the roster.
"These are the challenges in this league," said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, who's had to face plenty of criticism this season while trying to manage a new team with big personalities as one of the youngest coaches in the NBA. "We have ultimate respect for every opponent. Even the Wizards coming in here, they've been through a lot of injuries and a lot of change but now you can see what they're building around. They have a lot of interesting young talent."
For the Knicks, the goal of adding superstar talent after disciplining themselves to refrain from wildly spending has paid off in surprisingly quick fashion after losing out to LeBron James, their No. 1 target last summer, to the Heat. Nevertheless, the acquisition of Carmelo Anthony came at a huge cost and the glacial pace in which trade talks progressed so late into the season has robbed the team of precious time to jell together. With two All-Stars who must now learn to share the spotlight in New York, Dwyane Wade had the benefit of already having gone through the experience after Shaquille O'Neal was brought in early into his career. Even still, growing pains are still evident as he continues to get accustomed to playing with LeBron James and Chris Bosh.
"They're going to face some ups and downs throughout this year," Wade said. "They have to get used to playing with each other. At the same time, you have to keep both of them happy and get them in their comfort zones. That's going to be the toughest part for coach (Mike) D'Antoni. Melo is going to shoot his shots. No one's going to stop Melo from shooting his shots. But (D'Antoni) is one of the best offensive minds that we have in this game."
Spoelstra also gave his peer a vote of confidence that the Knicks can sort themselves out in quick fashion, especially on the offensive side of the court.
"If any coach can handle that, he's proven that he's done it before," he said. "In Phoenix they had multiple scorers and were able to find enough balance. It was never an issue really and they scored a lot of points. I anticipate they'll do the same. When you're on the other side of it, you see the talent they have and the ability they have to score and put pressure on the defense."
Perhaps no player has endured as much as criticism, right or wrong, as Bosh has after leaving the Toronto Raptors as their leader in virtually every major statistical category. With the Heat struggling against the top teams in the league, Bosh's words serve as a reminder that his own team still has a lot of questions about themselves that remain unresolved to this day.
"Things are going to be a little different," he said. "I'm sure (the Knicks) are going to have some chemistry kinks to work out. They're still a dangerous team and they have a lot of talent.
"But you never know a team's true potential until they're put in different situations or if they go on a streak or if it's going to work at all. They have their work cut out for them."
Follow Surya Fernandez on Twitter at @SuryaHeatNBA. For more news, exclusive content, and detailed analysis on the Miami Heat please visit www.HotHotHoops.com
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GrindTV NEWSWIRE via Maloof Money Cup- Today, a new world record was set. Aldrin Garcia landed a 45" high ollie in the finals of the Maloof High Ollie Challenge claiming the $10,000 cash prize and unseating Danny Wainwright who has held the world record of 44.5 inches since 2000. Garcia also beat out pros including Torey Pudwill, Levi Brown, Luis Tolentino, Steve Nesser, Austyn Gillette and Anthony Schultz.
Held at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center as part of the new Ride Unltd...
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February 26 2011 Last updated at 10:15 AM ET
If you're like the rest of us at FanHouse, you can't wait for the season to begin. We've got you covered until opening day arrives.
It's the FanHouse 15, a countdown of the 15 most talked about, blogged about, tweeted about, sensational stars of America's pastime. Who will be number one?
The list continues with No. 5, Nationals' phenom Stephen Strasburg.
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After going through an extreme roster makeover this offseason, it seems as though D.C. United have more new faces than those returning from previous seasons.
Devon McTavish is one of those holdovers from 2010. The unheralded, versatile player enters his sixth season in DC and is looking to further cement his role in a changing squad.
However, for the duration of his D.C. United career, McTavish has primarily been known as a reserve player, and time will tell if that is the same way he fits in with this year?s team.
?Of course I want to be a starter, that?s obviously my goal,? McTavish said, "but I think more importantly is actually getting the team back to where it belongs: making the playoffs."
His ability to play just about anywhere on the field ? he?s played at every position except forward in his five-year career ? means that he?s an important commodity for United?s roster.
McTavish also boasts significant experience at a high level ? he?s made 83 appearances in league, US Open Cup and CONCACAF play, logging more than 6,000 minutes in his career. He spent time last year playing in central defense and as a right back when United was hit with injury difficulties.
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McTavish is also in another unique group. He?s one of 10 current United players who have also been a teammate of Ben Olsen's during the head coach's playing days.
?He approaches coaching the way he approached the game as a player,? McTavish said of Olsen. ?I think he?s the same guy ? the fight and desire you saw on the field, he has the same tenacity as a coach. If you?re not going a good job he?s going to tell you just like he did as a player.?
Given the current outlook of DC?s roster, McTavish?s five years of MLS experience ranks among the more veteran contingent of the group. And despite being just 26, he?s realized that he might have to play a more vocal role with guys who could see time ahead of him.
?It is something I kind of realized in the offseason that I?m probably going to be relied upon just to give support to some guys who are maybe playing ahead of me," he said, "just to give them pointers and things I?ve learned along the way.?
Join the chat on MLSsoccer.com for the Columbus Crew-Real Salt Lake CONCACAF Champions League match on Tuesday, beginning at 7:45 pm ET!
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Brian Ebersole made his UFC debut this weekend at UFC 127, and he did something we've never seen anyone do in the UFC before: He shaved his chest hair into an arrow, pointing up to his own face.What would make a man shave his chest hair in this way? I have no idea. Ebersole is an odd bird, known for participating in some strange fights and pulling off some unusual moves during his 60-plus fights on the small-time MMA circuit, so maybe he just thought turning his chest hair into an arrow was one more way of distinguishing himself.
Maybe the chest hair was a lucky charm.
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UFC 127 Fight Night Photos
Jon Fitch strikes BJ Penn at UFC 127 on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2011 at the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia.
Daniel Herbertson, FanHouse
Daniel Herbertson, FanHouse
Tiequan Zhang submits Jason Reinhardt at UFC 127 on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2011 at the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia.
Tiequan Zhang celebrates his submission win over Jason Reinhardt at UFC 127 on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2011 at the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia.
Tiequan Zhang celebrates his submission win over Jason Reinhardt at UFC 127 on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2011 at the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia.
Mark Hunt punches Chris Tuchscherer at UFC 127 on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2011 at the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia.
Mark Hunt drills Chris Tuchscherer at UFC 127 on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2011 at the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia.
Mark Hunt drills Chris Tuchscherer at UFC 127 on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2011 at the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia.
Chris Tuchscherer leaves the Octagon bloody at UFC 127 on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2011 at the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia.
Curt Warburton ground and pounds Maciej Jewtuszko at UFC 127 on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2011 at the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia.
Curt Warburton ground and pounds Maciej Jewtuszko at UFC 127 on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2011 at the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia.
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In a battle of former Ultimate Fighter housemates, Kyle Noke made quick work of Chris Camozzi, winning a first-round submission at UFC 127.Noke hurt Camozzi with a couple of strikes in the first minute of the fight, then got double underhooks in the clinch, threw Camozzi down and got on top of him in mount. From there Noke spun around, took Camozzi's back, sunk in a rear-naked choke and forced Camozzi to tap.
The whole fight lasted just 95 seconds.
"I was expecting a stand-up war from Chris, but we went to the ground and I was able to get the submission," Noke said afterward. "Thanks to Greg Jackson. At Jackson's we work hard every day. Mr. Jackson, thank you, sir."
The Australian Noke was the crowd favorite in Sydney, and he gave the fans a performance to cheer about.
http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,localizationConfig,entry&id=987245&pid=987244&uts=1298795955
http://www.aolcdn.com/ke/media_gallery/v1/ke_media_gallery_wrapper.swf
UFC 127 Fight Night Photos
Jon Fitch strikes BJ Penn at UFC 127 on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2011 at the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia.
Daniel Herbertson, FanHouse
Daniel Herbertson, FanHouse
Tiequan Zhang submits Jason Reinhardt at UFC 127 on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2011 at the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia.
Tiequan Zhang celebrates his submission win over Jason Reinhardt at UFC 127 on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2011 at the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia.
Tiequan Zhang celebrates his submission win over Jason Reinhardt at UFC 127 on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2011 at the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia.
Mark Hunt punches Chris Tuchscherer at UFC 127 on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2011 at the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia.
Mark Hunt drills Chris Tuchscherer at UFC 127 on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2011 at the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia.
Mark Hunt drills Chris Tuchscherer at UFC 127 on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2011 at the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia.
Chris Tuchscherer leaves the Octagon bloody at UFC 127 on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2011 at the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia.
Curt Warburton ground and pounds Maciej Jewtuszko at UFC 127 on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2011 at the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia.
Curt Warburton ground and pounds Maciej Jewtuszko at UFC 127 on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2011 at the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia.
February 26 2011 Last updated at 10:10 AM ET
Twenty-seven-year-old center Erik Christensen, who was sidelined with a sprained MCL for 16 games in January and returned on Feb. 5, had not recorded a point in 11 consecutive contests for the Rangers. On Friday, he not only broke out of his slump, each of his linemates, Brian Boyle and Vinny Prospal, recorded a goal and an assist, as the line exploded for four of the team's six goals on the night.
"A big part of our team is getting contributions from different guys because we don't have our superstar (Marian Gaborik) in the lineup and we're not the real skilled team up front," said Christensen. "Getting different guys contributing every night is big for us to maintain our position in the standings."
The Blueshirts are three points ahead of Carolina for seventh place in the East and they trail the Capitals, who have one game in hand, by four points for fifth place.
"The past couple games he's been more assertive I guess," Tortorella said. "He's wanted the puck and he's gotten the puck. I know he's worked very hard away from the puck in order to get more ice time here."
For someone who has had a tough time being aggressive and stringing together consistent efforts on the ice, Christensen was very pleased with his performance.
"Well it's always great to contribute ? coming back from a knee injury, I've really been cold," Christensen said. "I've only really been scoring in shootouts. I just want to keep doing that ? going to the areas where I scored tonight right in front of the net ? those are the kind of areas the puck will come to you."
The Rangers also received goals from defenseman Steve Eminger, who returned to the lineup after being scratched in nine of the past ten games, and rookie center Derek Stepan. The balanced attack on offense ? along with standout contributions on defense from Ryan McDonagh, who filled in for Marc Staal as a top-pair defenseman, and Michael Sauer, who had an assist and an early fight that set the tone early, reveal just how versatile and resilient this team has become.
"The great part of this team is we have guys that stepped up during the year here when guys have been out of the lineup and it opened the door for other guys here to get more responsibility," Henrik Lundqvist said. "It's important that players accept more minutes and responsibility and see it as a great challenge."
Dan Girardi sees the team-wide scoring output as a stepping stone for these players as the season's final stretch nears.
"Guys are going to have confidence going into the last 19 games here, our push towards getting a good spot in the playoffs," Girardi said.
Despite the amount of injuries and reliance on young talent, the Rangers have managed to stay in the thick of things in the East because everyone is chipping in ? and Tortorella is encouraged by the progress.
"As we keep on grinding away here, the whole team continues to grow," Tortorella said.
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February 25 2011 Last updated at 01:44 PM ET
SURPRISE, Ariz. -- It's been a dozen years that Adrian Beltre has been a major leaguer, and for the most part they've been good ones.When he went looking for a job this winter, however, the Gold Glove-winning third baseman looked to address the deficiencies he saw in his career. He's only been to the postseason once, with the Dodgers in 2004, and that, he says, has to change.
Small wonder then that he opted to connect with the Texas Rangers, the defending American League champions. The Rangers went to the World Series in 2010, and Beltre says it's his belief they are in excellent position to get there again.
"There were other ways I could have gone," said Beltre, who considered signing with Angels or A's in order to stay close to his Southern California home. "I've accomplished a lot in my career but this team gives me a chance to get to the World Series.
"I've been in the big leagues 12 years and only played in the playoffs once. That doesn't sit well with me. I don't have a ring, and I want one."
Beltre is off to a bit of a slow start. He's developed a calf injury that will keep him out of action for the first 10-14 days of spring training games. That's not a problem for manager Ron Washington, who says he expects that by the time April rolls around, Beltre will be patrolling third base daily for his team.
"You just can't pry Adrian Beltre out of the lineup," Washington said. "That's his history. That's the kind of guy he is. That's part of what makes him a special baseball player."
Beltre found new life in Boston last year, hitting .321 with 28 homers and 102 RBI after signing as a free agent with the Red Sox following five years in Seattle. And it wasn't just his numbers that improved. It was the quality of his baseball life.
"Boston is a great place to play," he said. "You'd get to the park and 30 minutes before the game would start the stands would be full. And they'd stay until the last out. You couldn't ask for better fans or for a better experience."
That being said, the Red Sox' push for Beltre's services wasn't significant once another Adrian -- Gonzalez, that is -- came on the scene. Boston's successful pursuit of the Padres' longtime first baseman meant that the field was open for Beltre. The A's were a contender for a while, as were the Angels, but the package offered by the Rangers was hard to beat.
It's not just that he got a five-year, $80 million deal with an option for a sixth year. It was more that the Rangers, who have a young and improving pitching staff, a solid lineup and aggressive management, seemed to be a team that could make it deep in the postseason multiple times during Beltre's Texas odyssey.
"It's never been about numbers for me," Beltre said. "My numbers are good, but I've always been about winning. Looking at the players in this clubhouse, I have the feeling that the playoff chances here are very good. And for me, that's the fun of baseball, to be in the playoffs consistently.
"I'm overdue."
John is a National Baseball Writer for AOL FanHouse. He covered the Seattle Mariners from 2000-2009 for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, and seattlepostglobe.org and the Oakland A's for two decades at the Oakland Tribune and The Daily Review (Hayward, CA). He is a multiple Associated Press Sports Editors award winner for his baseball coverage. A member of the Baseball Writers Association of America, he is a Hall of Fame voter.
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