Having watched quarterback Tim Tebow in two preseason games with the New England Patriots, Gerry Callahan of the Boston Herald observed: “Watching him play quarterback is like watching Jose Canseco pitch in a major league game. Watching him play quarterback after Tom Brady is like watching Canseco relieve Sandy Koufax.” . . . Tebow didn’t get in for even one play Thursday as the Patriots lost 40-9 to the Detroit Lions. . . . According to Scott Ostler of the San Francisco Chronicle, Tiger Woods is “the greatest golfer to never win a major since 2008.” . . .
The Semlin Valley Golf Club in Cache Creek opened in 1982 and is operated by a non-profit society. Unfortunately, financial challenges may force it to close at the end of this season. Wanting to keep the wolves from the door, the club is holding a FUNdraising tournament on Sept. 2 — that’s Labour Day Monday — with all prizes and food donated. It’s a scramble format with a 10 a.m. shotgun start, and it’s $50 all in. For more info, call the clubhouse at 250-457-6666. . . .
Three Kamloopsians are among the nominees for Special Olympics B.C.’s five annual awards for 2013. Marilee Manning is one of 12 nominees for the Spirit of Sport Award, while Edith Cobb is among 10 nominees for the Grassroots Coach Award, and Greg Veale is one of nine nominees for the President’s Award. The winners will be revealed over the coming weeks on the SOBC website. . . . “What’s the big deal about Wayne Gretzky babysitting Robin Thicke when Gretz was traded to the Kings?” wonders R.J. Currie of sportsdeke.com. “By then Dave Semenko had spent years babysitting Gretzky.” . . .
Spencer Conn, a six-year-old from Grayson, Ga., recently hit five home runs on consecutive pitches over two games. Noted Bartt Davis of the Las Vegas Review-Journal: “No word on whether Conn has been tested for enhanced levels of Flintstones vitamins.” . . . Apparently, O.J. Simpson has gained close to 100 pounds while in a Nevada prison. Notes comedy writer Alex Kaseberg: “O.J. Simpson is so fat from eating donuts now he wants to go find the real crullers.” . . .
Here’s Janice Hough, from over there at leftcoastsportsbabe.com: “In California, the Sonoma Valley High School Boosters had a fundraising event threatened with cancellation because they were serving homemade wines (some made by well-known winemakers.) Guess they should have done something less dangerous, like raffle off a gun?” . . . Here’s Hough, again: “Possible reaction from SEC teams to the allegation that Johnny Manziel was paid for signing autographs? ‘See, this comes from teaching players how to write.’ ” . . . And one more from Hough: “Jennifer Lopez will apparently be returning to American Idol this year. Translation, neither of them had a better offer.” . . . Hough, who lives in Palo Alto, Calif., actually has a bit of a connection to Kamloops. Her son, Carey Schwartz, played in KIBT in 2009. He was on the pitching staff of the Alaska Goldpanners and, in fact, got the save in the championship game. “That was one of the most fun weekends I can remember,” says Hough, who was here for the tournament. . . . Schwartz is at Rutgers U working on a doctorate in clinical psychology. He plans on becoming a sports psychologist. . . .
“So here’s what Ryan Braun did when he got caught using drugs the first time,” writes Len Berman of ThatsSports.com. “According to Yahoo! Sports, he called other Major League stars to profess his innocence and he accused the urine collector of being an anti-Semitic Cubs fan. I have one question. Is sleazebag one word or two?” . . . One more from Berman: “Allen Iverson is reportedly ready to announce his retirement from the NBA. Maybe the fact he hasn’t played in three years has something to do with it.” . . .
“The NFL announced (last) week it’s going to crack down on excessive celebrations,” writes Ian Hamilton of the Regina Leader-Post. “That means New York Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie will only have to go to two of his 12 kids’ birthday parties.” . . . Hamilton wasn’t the only person commenting on the NFL ban. Here’s Conan O’Brien of late night TV fame: “NFL players are being told not to show off too much after a touchdown, a sack or a murder.” . . . One more from Hamilton: “Tiger Woods didn’t play the back nine of Wednesday’s pro-am at The Barclays in Jersey City, N.J., suggesting his neck and back were stiff because of a hotel bed that was too soft. Woods also claimed his chair was too hard and his porridge was too hot.” . . . Then there’s Richmond blogger T.C. Chong’s view of the situation: “Tiger Woods, complaining of a sore neck and back, did not play the back nine of the pro-am Wednesday in New Jersey because he said his mistress, I mean mattress, at the hotel was too soft.” . . .
From legendary baseball writer Murray Chass: “Bill (Killer) Kane died last week at the age of 75 and looked 105. That’s what smoking, drinking and working for George Steinbrenner can do. Kane was the Yankees’ traveling secretary for most of the first 15 years that Steinbrenner owned the team. He was fired many times during his tenure, but Steinbrenner always rehired him. He was the poor man’s Billy Martin.” . . . Third baseman Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees is 11 home runs shy of 660, which would tie him with the great Willie Mays. And should A-Rod get there, the Yankees will have to pay him a US$6-million bonus. . . . Gee, hope that didn’t ruin your day.
(Gregg Drinnan is sports editor of The Daily News. He is at gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca, gdrinnan.blogspot.ca and twitter.com/gdrinnan. Keeping Score appears Saturdays, except when it doesn’t.)
There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.
Posts
