I came across this piece about George Steinbrenner, which I think is much more fitting than all those bullshit eulogies that have been coming out in the major United States publications:

George Steinbrenner was a loser. While insisting that nothing less than wining was acceptable, Steinbrenner owned the New York Yankees during the team's longest World Series drought since its first appearance in 1921, a dry spell directly attributable to Steinbrenner's insistent mismanagement.

Steinbrenner, who died on Tuesday at age 80, was a bully and a brat, devoid of humility, class, and civility, born on third base, deluded that he'd hit a triple, and convinced he had to tell the whole world how he'd done it. Famed for his bombast and for making himself bigger than his players and team, tolerated only because he had money and power, this Yankee Doodle Dandy born on the Fourth of July paved the way for America to become a loser by his example.

... Click here to read the rest of Muhammad Cohen's Guardian piece.

Shotgun Spratling

In honor of Netherlands playing in the World Cup final tonight against Spain, here is a video of a wonderful goal from the 1998 World Cup by Dennis Bergkamp.

However, possibly even better than the goal is the call of the goal, so turn up the volume (or put on your headphones if you are at work) and enjoy:

Shotgun Spratling

It happened yesterday.

What a crazy, wild ride it was. From the brink of elimination to salvation and a trip to the second round as champions of their group. It was draining, heart-wrenching, and yet one of my top five sporting moments. Games don’t end like that except in movies, but it happened yesterday.

I never expected to be so emotionally invested in a soccer game, but it happened yesterday. Watching with a packed house of nearly all Americans at an English pub in Cape Town, South Africa, I literally had tears of joy in my eyes after Landon Donovan rescued the United States with his rebound put back in the 91st minute.

“Wow.”

That’s all I could muster. I had to watch the replays over and over.

1. Because I had missed the goal initially. I had buried my head in my hands and was filling them with curses. I thought the keeper had gotten control of Clint Dempsey’s initial shot and had not seen the rebound that majestically trickled to the sprinting Donovan’s right foot.
2. Because I just couldn’t believe what had just happened.

As loud and obnoxious as I am typically, there are very few moments of pure, unadulterated joy where I can hardly speak, but instead just have to smile. The last time it happened was three years ago when I had just recorded the final out in the conference championship game in my final collegiate baseball game, but it happened again yesterday.

Though the vuvuzuelas are still blaring throughout the city of Cape Town, the hopes of a magical run through the World Cup tournament for South Africa have been dashed.

In what should be one of the most thrilling victories in South African soccer history, the rainbow nation defeated the storied Les Bleus of France 2-1 in Bleu-fontein. But because of their 3-0 loss to Uruguay last week, Bafana Bafana will not be advancing past the group stage, losing the goal differential tiebreaker to Mexico +1 to -2.

South Africa became the first host nation to not advance to the Round of 16 but had an entire country believing the miraculous could happen. Needing a five-goal swing (Uruguay winning margin + South Africa winning margin) in Tuesday’s matches, Bafana took the early lead on Bongani Khumalo's opening goal on a header (or shoulder-er) from a Siphiwe Tshabalala corner kick.

The goal sent the city of Cape Town into a frenzy. From the open window of my apartment, I could hear shouts, vuvuzuelas and cars honking in emphatic support, which only intensified when Katlego "Killer" Mphela scored the second goal in the 37th minute.

South Africa had the country believing the unlikely might just occur when they took the 2-0 lead into halftime. Coupled with Uruguay’s 1-0 lead over Mexico at halftime of the other Group A match taking place simultaneously, Bafana needed to score a second half goal while holding France scoreless and have Uruguay do the same to Mexico.

We went down to go into a local bar where we could try to watch both of the games at the same time. Unfortunately, the place we went was packed, so we optioned for another place within walking distance. It was packed to the brim as well, but since the second half was beginning, we squeezed in and joined the shouting fans, who ebbed and flowed with each opportunity Bafana had.

With no live score updates in the corner or on the bottom line as ESPN has or CBS during March Madness, everyone was constantly asking what the score of the Uruguay/Mexico clash was, but no one was willing enough to have the channel switched for even the slightest moment from South Africa’s game.

France scored in the 70th minute stabbing the hearts of everyone in the bar and all of the faithful Bafana Bafana supporters throughout the country. Those hearts all slowly bled out as the time continued to tick away, and it became more and more apparent that the miraculous would not occur on a Tuesday afternoon.

The fans cheered (and groaned when Tshbalala couldn’t finish an open look) until the referee’s final whistle. They even gave applause when the game ended and their team had defeated the previous World Cup runners-up, but unlike their opening game tie to Mexico, the fans quickly filed out of the bar with their heads slightly tilted down.

The country had rallied around Bafana Bafana only to have their dreams of a World Cup title falter just as 30 other teams will throughout the tournament. However, with the experience gained this year and the excitement that is nearly palpable throughout the country leading to more children playing soccer, hopefully South Africa will be a team to contend with in the future.

And when they do, they'll have one more fan in me.

Shotgun Spratling

I know it’s been a long hiatus since The Blue Workhorse has contributed to making your day more enjoyable, and I apologize to our two and a half loyal readers, who have naturally been devastated by the lack of posting.

However, I come to you humbly asking your forgiveness with the explanation that I’ve been having a hell of a time keeping up with this “life” thing to go along with keeping up with The Blue Workhorse. One of the causes for my lack of posting to the site has been because of my contributions to building up USC’s online publication – Neon Tommy – and in particular the sports section.

Here is a sampling of the sports work I’ve contributed to Neon Tommy this year:

• Not Everyone Should Be Allowed To Wear 42 - commentary on Jackie Robinson Day
• Simmons Works Hard To Make Family Proud - profile on USC basketball player Marcus Simmons
• After 20 Years of Dominance, Long Beach State Struggles To Return To Form - troubles of the Long Beach State Dirtbags baseball team to maintain their success level
• Educated Baller Brings Hope To Compton Youth - story about a guy who won $140,000 at a Lakers' game and the youth program he and he brother are working to help the kids of Compton

And a couple of non-sports stories:

• Closing Of Care Center Could Put Patients In Peril
  
• PETA To Gore: Pledge To Go Veg

I also began a nightly podcast for Neon Tommy called the Shotgun Spread Formation where we covered the day’s sports news and highlights and then had 5-10 minutes of analysis about a different sport every night. Here a couple of examples of our better shows:

• Shotgun Spread Formation: Raise Me Up
• Shotgun Spread Formation: Combine Game-Changers

For some reason, my grad school professors at USC don’t understand that I need to be faithful to each and every one (or half) of you that reads The Blue Workhorse. Instead, they think I should be out covering random stories or doing assignments so that I can get the same receipt as the rest of my classmates after next year.

As the final projects and finals exams began to become due toward the end of the semester, I just did not have the opportunity to keep the site updated and express my sports opinions to the fullest here on The Blue Workhorse.

After finals ended in mid-May, I continued to work for Neon Tommy covering a variety of topics and also for The Daily Trojan, USC’s daily newspaper, where I was one of the beat writers assigned to cover the underwhelming baseball team.

Then in the final week of May, four of my college baseball teammates flew out from Tennessee to join me and fellow The Blue Workhorse writer, Peter Alan Herbert, for a week of California baseball. After they flew in on a Saturday night, we went to Dodger Stadium on Sunday, Angel Stadium on Monday, Petco Park on Tuesday and Wednesday, had a tourism off day on Thursday and then traveled north to AT&T Park in San Francisco for games on Friday and Saturday.

It was a hell of a trip getting to see six games at four different stadiums in seven days. It was a jam-packed week that included the ultimate breakfast sandwich, Pink's, Roscoe's, and multiple In-N-Out trips, but it was nothing compared to the Sunday after we returned from San Francisco.

We got in around 4 a.m. I got a two-hour nap before rising early to begin packing. Not only was I having to pack to leave for my current journey – a two-month long internship in South Africa – but also having to pack everything I own in Los Angeles into my car so it could be parked in the garage at the Herberts’ apartment where I will be living beginning in August when I return to the United States.

It was quite a rushed and heart-pounding day. I hadn’t had time to pack anything previously because of our baseball trip, and I had to be at LAX around 2 p.m. I was running around the house piling whatever I found into containers to stuff into my car. It will probably take me a while to figure out where exactly everything I own is when I return home.

Even though it didn’t work out exactly how I had previously planned, everything did, luckily, work out and I didn’t miss my flight or anything like that. Of course, there is the potential that I could return home to find spoiled food sitting in my car, but I’m crossing my fingers that doesn’t happen.

After a stopover in Dubai, I am currently in Cape Town, South Africa working for the Cape Town Community Newspapers. The internet here is sometimes sketchy, the vuvuzuelas are constantly blowing and the various meats here are absolutely amazing, but now that I’m settled in, you can expect regular posting…especially since I’ve got plenty of opinions about this little soccer tournament that is currently taking place.

Until the next post, I bid you adieu.

Shotgun Spratling

Who had the best Elite 8 performance?

...and then there were 4. What started with the 65 best college basketball teams in the land is now down to 4.

Tennessee and Michigan State went down to the wire with the Spartans able to hit the crucial free throw. West Virginia took advantage of Kentucky's inability to hit a three-point basket.

Baylor couldn't keep Duke off the offensive boards late in the game. And Butler continued the dream taking advantage of a tired Kansas State team.

Each will head just seven miles away from Butler's campus to Lucas Oil Stadium with thoughts of national championship, and it is only thanks to some great individual performances throughout the NCAA men's basketball tournament. But who had the most outstanding individual performance in the Elite Eight?

We've given you the candidates for the most outstanding performances in the 1st Round, 2nd Round, and Sweet 16, but who has earned the right to be named the 'Elite Eight Workhorse?' In honor of the elite eight, here are the eight candidates:

This photo of the night comes from the Elite 8 matchup between Duke and Baylor. What exactly is Brian "Sabertooth" Zoubek screaming? Submit your creative caption.

We've given you the candidates for the players who have had the most outstanding performances in the first two rounds (1st Round Workhorse & 2nd Round Workhorse).

After a Sweet 16 that a number of games decided down the stretch and one helluva double overtime game in Salt Lake City between Kansas State and Xavier, we're back with the Sweet 16 candidates.

So who had the single most outstanding performance? Who deserves the honor of being the 'Sweet 16 Workhorse?' The candidates (in alphabetical order) with a POLL for you to vote (at the bottom):