PHILLIESSSS

Whether you are a Philly or a Boston fan, (hopefully a philly fan), make sure to keep up with the conference semi-finals between these two NHL teams! Boston is leading the series 1-0 after tonight's game at Philadelphia.

The Story of Tom Brady

Almost every person in the United States knows the name Tom Brady. People know him as an amazing quarterback that has led the New England Patriots to many victories including some at the Super Bowl. He has become one of the most well known and respected quarterback in the NFL, but many people do not know what he had to do to get there. A lot of times when people think of stars, like Tom Brady, they think these type of people were just, lets just say, given their talent and career and did not have to work too hard for it. They say that they did not have to over come many obstacles to get to where they are today. Tom Brady is a perfect example of an athlete that was not handed everything he wanted. In college, playing at the University of Michigan, he was a top football quarterback. As the draft arrived for the NFL that year, the names of the people drafted kept being called off as his was not. The 4th round came and went, along with the 5th. Finally, in the last round, he got picked to go to the New England Patriots. Not only was he picked in the last round, but was picked as one of the last in the overall draft. Although this was defeating that coaches did not see the type of player he wanted them to see, he was determined to prove everyone wrong. During his first years at the Patriots, he did not start, nor hardly play. However, one game when the starting quarterback was playing badly, he got his chance. And this chance was one that he did not take for granted. From that game on, he stole the starting quarterback spot and worked his way to the top by the use of his strong work ethic, determination to learn and continue to improve, and by taking everyday as if it was his last. This right here is my idea of a real athlete that is always looking to get better everyday and expects the best from himself day in and day out.

Womens National Team getting prepared!

Interested in seeing what our own WNT soccer team is doing to get ready for this years World Cup hosted in Germany??? Follow their blog at http://www.ussoccer.com/Social/WNT-Blog.aspx

Local Hero

ABC celebrated their 50th anniversary this week and as a tribute released their top 10 sports moments of the last fifty years. #7 on the charts was Brandi Chastain's winning penalty kick to win the 1999 World Cup. As many people know, Brandi is on campus almost everyday, proving to be our true local hero!

Physical or Mental: The Draft

Shortly following the end of the NFL lockdown, Thursday’s draft was absolutely not a let down. While I personally saw this coming, the end of the lockdown right before the draft, all in favor of the players, the draft still proved more exciting than those previous. First to go (first round, first pick) went to the Carolina Panthers took Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton. The young quarterback shows incredible talent, athletic ability and arm strength. Coaches and fellow players all see Newton’s abilities as a good chance to open up the Panthers’ running game. One worry: Newton has a big ego and lacks humility, which may give him a hard time in truly leading his team, as a quarterback must. Also a top prospect, Julio Jones was taken in the first round as the sixth pick to the Atlanta Falcons. Hopefully, Jones will be able to give the Falcons explosion as well as aggression, as he is known as one of the most elite playmaking receivers in the draft. Contraire to Newton, Jones is known for his maturity, work ethic and preparation which all give him the pro-style mentality. This draft leaves viewers, fans, listeners, critics, players, owners, coaches and me questioning: which proves more successful, an athletically gifted prospect with an ego and lack of leadership (not allowing him to be respected by his team), or the good athlete with all the mental makings of a pro? Personally, I think that Jones will prove to be a great pick. While these two play opposite positions, I still believe that what Jones has can’t be taught, and that every athlete must attain it. Likewise, Newton’s strength is his athleticism, but there is always a time in an athlete’s career where athleticism stops working. This season is sure to be one of the more interesting, and let’s see how all the rookies show… these are just some ideas and I’m Just Kickin’ it Around.

Angel Savior

Time for me to be a little bit of a homer, but i believe it is totally justified in this case. When we talk about underrated players, or players not in the spotlight, it can be a little vague since there is no real way to gauge who gets talked about and who gets recognition. But is it safe to say that arguably the best player this season is not getting enough recognition? No, not Albert Pujols. Psh, neither Rockie studs Troy Tulowitzki or Carlos Gonzalez. How about last years MVPs, Josh Hamilton and Joey Votto? Nope and Nope. What if I were to tell you it is a pitcher. Well then its got to be Cliff Lee or Roy Halladay. Try again. Felix Hernandez or Tim Lincecum? Wrong and wrong. People, it's Angels top of the rotation man Jered Weaver. Hear me out here. After completing a 10 strikeout, complete game performance tonight against the Oakland Athletics, it is time to start giving this guy his due. The numbers don't lie, there can be an extremely strong argument made for Jered Weaver being the best player in baseball so far this year. He is 6-0 through the team's first 23 games, the last pitcher to do that was Randy Johnson and he won the Cy Young Award that year after finishing with 24 wins. He has two complete games, logged 45.2 innings, only 5 earned runs with an ERA of 0.99, has great control with only 10 walks, a WHIP of 0.79, and to top it off he leads the MLB with 49 strikeouts. He has virtually been un-hittable. His pitching repertoire is downright drop your jaw to the floor-sit you down-grab some pine-don't go crying to your mother-filthy. He is a joy to watch, and for Angels fan, who had a rough year last year, he has been a savior thus far this season. Plus, to top it all off the guy has got swag, which all of us So-Cal folks love. So how about it, let's start giving Jered Weaver some recognition. Thanks for letting me be a homer.


A la Jered Weaver on the bump, always go hard in the paint.

NFL Lockout-- OVER!

Finally, after seven long weeks, a US district judge ordered an end to the lockout, siding with the players in their fight against their owners about how they should divide up money. Here we go 49ers!!! New season, everyone's happy! Just kickin' it around!!!

Could it be?

With the wrap up of another great week of sports, I can't help but notice the role of the underdog in sports this year. From VCU to the Memphis Grizzlies, we got upsets brewing and underdogs ready to bite the big dogs. You could actually trace it all the way back to New Years Day, when TCU shocked the college football world by beating Wisconsin at the granddaddy of them all, the Rose Bowl. Then we had the Green Bay Packers, the lowest seed in the NFC, take the NFL by storm and win the Super Bowl. And who could forget the Cinderella runs made by Butler and VCU during college basketball's March Madness, because Madness is really what it was. And the trend continues; the Memphis Grizzlies are up 2-1 in their series with the top-seeded San Antonio Spurs, the Chicago Blackhawks have clawed their way back after being down 3-0 to tie the series up against the number 1 seeded Vancouver Canucks, and the Kansas City Royals and Cleveland Indians, regular members of the under .500 club, are the darlings of the young MLB season. But will the trend continue? Only time will tell, but for now the little guys are getting their shots and they are seizing the moments.


Always go hard in the paint.

Ducks Fly Home

Unfortunately, on Easter Sunday, the Anaheim Ducks ended their season with a 2-4 loss in game six in Nashville. The game was at a draw 2-2 by the end of the second period but the Ducks just couldnt hold on in the third, giving up 2 goals. The Ducks had a great run but hopefully they'll have better luck next season.

Don't Mess With Messi

Undoubtedly known as one of the greatest to ever play the beautiful game, Lionel Messi became the first player in Spain to score 50 goals in a single club season in a 2-0 victory over Osasuna Saturday night. Barcelona began the game with most of its regular starters resting in preparation for Wednesday’s Championships League semifinal match against Real Madrid. (This will be the third of four matches between the rival clubs in an 18-day span.) In the 24th minute of the match David Villa ended his 11–game goal drought slotting in a cross from Jeffren Jeffren. Messi replaced Villa in the second half and rolled in his league leading 31st goal with three minutes left in the game. This is Messi’s 177th goal with Barcelona which is one goal away from tying for third place in Barcelona’s career scoring list. Obtaining three points with their win over Osasuna, Barcelona sits comfortably in first place in the La Liga League. They are 8 points ahead of second place Real Madrid with five games remaining.

Battle for San Jose

Check out this video of San Jose Earthquakes goalkeeper Jon Busch and San Jose Sharks defenseman Jason Demers go one on one at the HP Pavilion.
Earthquakes vs. Sharks Shootout

Nostalgia

While watching the Giants play the Braves tonight, I couldn't help but reminisce about the 2010 NLDS, and when I say I couldn't help but reminisce, I mean it. They kept playing highlights from the series during the broadcast, but that's not the point. The point I'm making is that if the Braves had won that series like they probably should have, they could have just as easily won the World Series.

Well it's a new year, and the Braves made some nice improvements to their roster, which people may not know since all the hub-bub in the off-season was about the Philadelphia Phillies and their 4-headed monster of a pitching staff.  The Braves have all the tools to make a post-season push. They have 4 very good, proven starters. They have a lot of young talent in their bullpen that's only going to improve as the season goes on. Lastly, their line-up has no easy outs in it, minus the pitcher's spot. Each player in that line-up is going to give a great at bat and has the threat to drive the ball out of the park if a pitcher slips up. Oh and they have a pretty good bench to boot. This 2011 Braves club, is a deep team, and a threat to make a World Series run, barring any major injuries, which is something you always have to take into consideration in any sport. I know it's not even May yet, but keep an eye on those Atlanta Braves, they'll get ya.

In what could be Chipper's last year, he would love it if the Atlanta Braves would Just Score.

Mock Alert

 The NFL draft is quickly approaching, less than a week away, and in the spirit of the season, I've decided to create my first round mock, with the help of ESPN.com.

1. Carolina Panthers: Cam Newton, QB, Auburn
2. Denver Broncos: Marcell Dareus, DT, Alabama
3. Buffalo Bills: Von Miller, OLB, Texas A&M
4. Cincinnati Bengals: A.J. Green, WR, Georgia
5. Arizona Cardinals: Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri
6. Cleveland Browns: Julio Jones, WR, Alabama
7. San Francisco 49ers: Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU
8. Tennessee Titans: Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn
9. Dallas Cowboys: Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska
10. Washington Redskins: J.J. Watt, DE, Wisconsin
11. Houston Texans: Robert Quinn, DE/OLB, North Carolina
12. Minnesota Vikings: Tyron Smith, OT, USC
13. Detroit Lions: Aldon Smith, DE, Missouri
14. St. Louis Rams: Corey Liuget, DT, Illinois
15. Miami Dolphins: Mike Pouncey, OG/C, Florida
16. Jacksonville Jaguars: Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Purdue
17. New England Patriots (From Oakland): Anthony Castonzo, OT, Boston College
18. San Diego Chargers: Cameron Jordan, DE, Cal
19. New York Giants: Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado
21. Kansas City Chiefs: Brooks Reed, DE/OLB, Arizona
22. Indianapolis Colts: Nate Soldier, OT, Colorado
23. Philadelphia Eagles: Akeem Ayers, OLB, UCLA
24. New Orleans Saints: Da'Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson
25. Seattle Seahawks: Derek Sherrod, OT, Mississippi State
26. Baltimore Ravens: Muhammad Wilkerson, DE, Ohio State
27. Atlanta Falcons: Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa
28. New England Patriots: Justin Houston, OLB, Georgia
29. Chicago Bears: Danny Watkins, OG, Baylor
30. New York Jets: Cameron Heyward, DE, Ohio State
31. Pittsburgh Steelers: Brandon Harris, CB, Miami (FL)
32. Green Bay Packers: Cameron Heyward, DE, Ohio State

That's my take on the first round. Stay tuned later this week when I'll add some insight on each of these picks.

And as always, Just Score.

Utah to sew the BCS???

As we know, in college football, everyone wants to get a bowl game, or better known as a BCS game. More importantly, each team wants to reach the National Championship game. However, to get to any of the BCS games, it is very tricky and some say it is not very fair. There are about six BCS conferences around the country where who ever wins their conference, they will get an automatic bid to a BCS game. But what about the other teams who are not in a BCS conference?? For example, a team like Utah who recently has been a powerhouse for their football program. Utah is in the Mountain West Conference, which is not a BCS conference. So in order for them to even have a chance at a BCS game, they have to have an outstanding schedule and record. However, even this is not enough sometimes. Last year, Utah had a phenomenal team, proving to be one of the best college football teams in the country. They definitely deserved a spot in the BCS National Championship game, but because they were not in a BCS league, they did not get in. Why? Well this is an issue that the University of Utah is dealing with right now. In college football, I do not think it is fair how they decide who gets to go to which BCS game and who does not. I do not blame Utah for sewing because it is not fair. Maybe this will be the year that some things change in the game of college football.

Real Madrid BABYYYYY

After 120 minutes of play in the Copa del Rey final, Christiano Ronaldo finally puts the ball in the net with a stunning header from a cross coming from the left flank. Messi on Barcelona a little upset... I would say so!

NFL DRAFT 2011

The countdown begins for the 2011 NFL Draft on Thursday 4/28. Who will your team pick? Fox Sports creates in depth analysis and mocks to inform you on the big day.

Hot MLS Team

The Cup World Cup, that features teams from the regions of North America, Central America, and the Carribean, could feature one of the first MLS soccer teams ever. This team, Real Salt Lake, coming from Utah, just has to get past a Mexican Champion team in order to do so. Can Real's new style of play and Barcelona-inspired tactics get them to make US history??

Talladega Nights

Ricky Bobby had nothing on this Talledega (NASCAR) finish, as it tied for the closest in history... Jeff Gordon comes out ahead!

The Black Mamba

Kobe sits down with Magic to discuss issues like his offensive outburst and the Lakers’ upsetting loss to the Hornets. What he thinks the Lakers need to do to turn their game around…
Kobe talks to Magic

Dumb Jock?

It's a pretty well known rumor that some athletes are able to skate by on athleticism alone, leaving them lacking in the educational area... not Blaine Gabbert, who is has become a top prospect because of his brains and photographic memory.

Yahoo.com!

Just kickin' it around!!

Bronco Success!

Santa Clara University lies in the heart of the Silicon Valley and produces many graduates each year that make monumental strides in all fields. High School students are constantly looking at SCU to continue on in their educational journey. While SCU is challenging educationally, I believe that we also strive to the highest levels athletically. Yesterday, Sunday April 17, 2011 nearly 50 students athletes competed against other schools. SCU Softball sadly lost both of their conference games against Loyola Marymount. Sunday’s first game began with a rough start but the girls were able to make strides and make the second game quite a battle. Likewise, the SCU men’s baseball team lost against Saint Mary’s but overall, won the series 2-1. This is a great improvement over the previous weekend, and the Bronco’s look strong going into their next game against Stanford and the following series against San Francisco. Women’s Tennis and Water Polo both finished the weekend on wins. Tennis beat San Francisco in conference play, 6 to 1. Another strong win came with the WWP who beat Colorado State 11 to 5. Overall, SCU came out victorious on the weekend, and all teams are looking promising in up-coming matches. Every day, especially at this time of the year, there are games going on in all the sports: it is hard to keep up. That’s why were here, writing on Whole Lot’a Chatter. Out of all the games out there, I think that we have to keep ourselves up-to-date on our local teams. Congrats to great looking seasons by all these teams as well as other spring sports. I’ll keep you posted on these teams, but everyone reading this should try to make it out to some games to support our Broncos! Just kickin’ it around!

Time to Get Bold

What are we driving at here? It's mid-April we have playoffs in two sports leagues, the beginning of the season for another league, and a lockout looming in another. With all this happening, and we still have yet to make some bold predictions. That's just utterly unacceptable. Why make some bold predictions you ask. Because fortune favors the bold, so get at me:

NFL Prediction: A.J. Green, wide receiver from Georgia, turns out to be the best player in this year's draft class, and the NFL has a season but it will be shortened due to time constraints.

MLB Prediction: The Red Sox find their mojo, only to be upended in the World Series by the young and trendy Colorado Rockies.

NHL Prediction: Alex Ovechkin leads the Capitals to a Stanley Cup championship in a hard fought, gritty seven game series against the Sedin brothers and the Canucks.

NBA Prediction: The Lakers play a seven game series in the first, second, and third round, a la the Boston Celtics in 2008 on their championship run, and meet the Celtics in the finals. Kobe wills his team to victory and Phil Jackson closes the page on a historic career.

That is what I'm driving at. Always go hard in the paint.

Quack Attack!

Friday, 4/15, the Anaheim Ducks took the second game 5-3 against the Nashville Predators in their run for the Stanly Cup. The Ducks were off to a great start with two Power Play goals from Corey Perry and Teemu Selanne within the first six minutes of the game. This was Perry’s 50th goal of the season and Selanne’s 31st. To start the second period, Nashville’s Shea Weber scored a Power Play goal to keep things close but shortly after, Bobby Ryan stepped up for the Ducks to tip the third goal in. Ryan Getzlaf protected the Ducks lead with a successful wrist shot, ending the second period 4-1. The third period opened with a Power Play goal from Nashville’s Patric Hornqvistand. Ten minutes later, the Predators capitalized again with a goal by Joel Ward. Both teams quickly became more cautious about their penalties so they wouldn’t have to suffer playing a man down. With the score at 4-3 and the predators gaining momentum, Ducks fans were on their toes. With 53 seconds left in the game, Bobby Ryan eased the tension by scoring his second goal of the night securing the lead at 5-3 and the series (1-1). Anaheim’s goaltender, Ray Emery, deserved the win tonight saving over 30 shots on goal.

After reviewing film of the game Friday night, Bobby Ryan was called to a disciplinary hearing with NHL officials. Ryan was accused of un-sports-man-like conduct; stepping on the foot of Nashville’s defenseman Jonathon Blum. Though no penalty was called during the game and there was no talk of the incident in the after game press conference, the foul was clearly caught on film. After the hearing Saturday afternoon, Ryan was disappointed with his punishment; a two game suspension. Ryan, a key player in the Ducks offensive top line, will be forced to sit and watch his team play in Nashville for game three and four of the Western Conference Quarterfinals. He will be eligible to play in game five Friday night back at the Anaheim Honda Center.

A hero once more!

Joe Pavelski scored in OT for the SJ Sharks to give them a win in their first play off game against the Kings!!!!

Oh Barry.....

Barry Bonds, the home run king, was found guilty of obstruction of justice yesterday afternoon. The jurors failed to reach a verdict on the other three counts, so the trial will continue. I think this trial goes way beyond Barry, to most all the players in his league, as many avid baseball fans have doubted titles won, both individually and as a team, because of the effects of steroids. My verdict, more important than putting retired players on trial, we should find a better way to make sure NO ONE is on steroids to bring baseball back to it's former, untainted, glory.

Just kickin' it around...

U.S. Prepares for Germany

After the unfortunate 2-1 loss to England Saturday, 4/2, the U.S. Women’s Soccer team now prepares to face Mexico on Sunday June 5th at Red Bull Arena. This will be the last match before the team departs for a pre-Women’s World Cup training camp in Austria. The U.S. opens the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup hosted in Germany against Korea DPR on June 28 followed by Colombia on July 2nd and Sweden on July 6th.

Royality to the OC

The NBA’s deadline to formally apply for relocation is April 18th, so rumors about the Sacramento Kings moving to Anaheim’s Honda Center should be settled this week. A spokesman for the Maloof Brothers (owners of the Kings) said that they have not yet filed for relocation. So if they do decided to move, will they be called the Sacramento Kings of Anaheim?

Just a bunch of miSFits...

Tommy Lasorda once said, “The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a man’s determination.” On Tuesday night, April 12th, 2011, the San Francisco Giants fought until the very end with determination. After suffering a disappointing 6-1 loss the previous night against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Giants would face their L.A. opponent once again at their home field of AT&T Park. Starting pitchers, Giant’s Tim Lincecom (1-1) and Dodger’s Chad Billingsly (1-1), pitched a scoreless 3 innings but in the top of the 4th, the Giants were disrupted by a series of singles and Matt Kemp’s line drive to right field scoring Jamey Carroll. The order continued with James Looney reaching first on a fielding error by First baseman Brandon Belt, scoring in Andre Ethier and advancing Kemp to Third. Kemp made it home off of former Giant Juan Uribe’s double to right field leaving the Giants in a 3-0 hole. The Giants responded immediately in the bottom of the 4th. Freddy Sanchez doubled on a fly ball to right field and was knocked home by Buster Posey’s ground ball single to left field. Posey, who was just presented his 2010 Rookie of the Year Award Sunday 4/10, then scored right away as Pablo Sandoval, also known as “the Panda”, doubled to right field. Even though the inning ended with L.A. leading 3-2, the Dodgers were certainly feeling the heat. With no hits in the top of the 5th for the Dodgers, the Giants gained momentum with Belt’s single to left field. Lincecum’s sacrifice bunt advanced Belt to second then without delay was driven in by Arron Rowand. With the game tied up at 3-3 Posey stepped up once again to answer the call, hitting in Rowand with a line drive single to center field. The Giants were on fire, but the game was far from over. With the bases loaded for the Dodgers in the top of the 6th, Giant’s manager Bruce Bochy, called for a pitching change. Guillermo Mota entered the game relieving Lincecum and closing out the inning with a strike out and a pop out. Giants fans hopeful for a win, were soon disappointed by Dodger Marcuz Thames who hit a homerun in the top of the 7th to tie the game up. However, with the tension high, the Giants once again responded with a triple by Rowan. Following the order, a wild pitch to Sanchez got away from Dodger catcher Rod Barajas scoring in Rowand. The Giants finished the game in the 9th with Brian “Fear the Beard” Wilson striking out the side. The Giants win with 5 runs, 9 hits and 1 error over the Dodgers with 4 runs, 8 hits and 0 errors. Thanks for listening! This is Lauren Matheson, Doin' the Math.

Man United vs Barcelona

Check out this link to get an inside scoop on the Champions League Semi-Finals!

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/soccer/04/12/cl.roundup.ap/index.html

Giants vs. Doders

The San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers rival is a tale as old as time. Baseball is an American pastime and since my first Giants games, I have been a die-hard fan. While many Giants fans have simply “jumped on the bandwagon” since their World Series Title in 2010, there are still many other teams out there, with fans just as dedicated. Opening day the Giants and Dodgers faced off, sure to put on a great game. Before the game a man named Brian Stow was brutally attacked outside Dodger Stadium. Many of us living in Santa Clara don’t realize how sad this story is and how close to home it should have hit. Stow is a 42-year-old paramedic for Santa Clara County and often worked SCU sporting events as well as others held on campus. These paramedics are at all of our games, and we depend on them to be there if our lives are put in danger, and they have succeeded. Sadly, Stow has been in a medically induced coma suffering severe brain damage. Monday night, April 11, 2011 the Giants and Dodgers faced off once again, but with a drastically different beginning. Both teams stood together, facing the crowd as they honored Brian Stow and talked about what it was to be a true fan. The Giants didn’t pull out as the victors in the game but it was monumental showing that we are all fans of the game above all else, and we need to remember that when we think about what happened to our local hero, Brian Stow. The second game of the series is going on as we speak, and the Giants are sure to keep their lead (they’re up 5 to 4 in the top of the 8^th!).

Just kickin’ it around.

Is Serena Back???

Tennis fans, Serena is on her way back to the court! At least, she is back playing tennis in hope of returning to play as fast as she can. The number one ranked player in the world, Serena Williams, has been out the past eight months with lets just say, more than a few injuries.

The beginning of her injuries began after she won her fourth singles championship at the All England Club last year. While at a restaurant shortly after, she accidentally stepped on a piece of glass that sliced into her foot. Just this injury alone called for not one operation, but two, in order for her to be healed. After she thought she would be cleared, and out of trouble, she found out that she had blood clots in her lungs. Treatment began instantly to clear out the clots that lived in her body. Now, after a long road of recovery, set backs, and struggles, Serena has appeared on the court for the first time today. They say, sometimes injuries can make a person that much better when they return to play. Injuries make a person smarter, stronger, and appreciate the game that much more. Even being out for this long, she still is ranked Number 10 this week in the WTA rankings. Do not over look her, because she is on her way back to being one of the top players in the world once again.

Lay it all on the Pitch

Down Again

The hottest team for the first two weeks of the season has taken a hit with the loss of Josh Hamilton, their All Star Centerfielder, today. He broke the upper portion of his arm on a head first slide into home plate. This is big news for the Texas Rangers who will most definitely have trouble trying to replace Hamilton's production.
Hamilton later called his slide a stupid play, but I personally love the fire that he brings to the baseball field with him, and I find it hard to knock a player that is going all out, all the time. Maybe it was a stupid play, but at least he left it all on the field, which is more than you can say about many other professional athletes.

Keeping Josh Hamilton's go hard spirit in mind, always remember, Just Score.

MY OH MY!

Here's a story to cap off a great weekend in sports; David Niehaus, the play by play announcer for the Seattle Mariners who held the position since the Mariners inaugural season in 1977, passed away during the 2010 baseball season. A legend in Seattle and throughout the baseball community, Niehaus was awarded by the Baseball Hall of Fame with the highest honor that a baseball broadcaster can receive in 2008, while some of his calls are among the most memorable in baseball history. After his death in 2010 Seattle based hip hop artist Macklemore and his producer Ryan Lewis made a song to tribute the life of Dave Niehaus. The song was so touching and so inspirational that the Mariners organization decided to have Macklemore and Ryan Lewis perform their song before the Mariners opening day game just this past Friday, which can be seen here:

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=13598275

While this story may seem to hit home solely for Seattle Mariners fans, it is clear that the performance taps into the hearts and minds of a much broader audience. In fact, the tribute embodied the passion and love that baseball, and all sports for that matter, can instill into someone. From play by play announcers to superstar athletes and everything in between, sports is a huge part of many people's lives. And it's not just hooting and hollering at your tv during a game or wearing your team's jersey around town, it's about the ardor and emotion that it can transpire in us. The raw emotion of losing someone that is apart of your organization or simply from your team losing a game shows the essence of sports. We grow up idolizing the people we hear and see on tv, and they become legends to us. They are the heroes we imitate on the playground, the voices that run through our head before we go to bed, the coaches we cry over when they retire, they are our Zeus and Poseidon, gods so big and strong that in our mind no one can conquer them. That ladies and gentlemen, is what we live for.

R.I.P. David Niehaus (February 19, 1935 – November 10, 2010)

Always go hard in the paint.

Who I am

Welcome to Whole Lot'a Chatter where my plan, along with other authors, is to fill you in on the happenings of the sports world. My name is Michael Romero, and I'm from the bay area, so most of my sports allegiance lies in the teams here. I also know a lot of information about other areas of the nation as well, and my goal is to be as diverse as I possibly can. I'm going to focus on the sports that are currently in season such as basketball, baseball, hockey, and also throw in some NFL draft talk while I'm at it. Enjoy the chatter.

And remember, just score.

Hello!!

Welcome to Whole Lot'a Chatter! My name is Alexis (Lexie) Rubattino and I go to Santa Clara University. I'm a goalkeeper on the SCU women's soccer team and majoring in math. To find my love for soccer, I tried just about every other sport/hobby and still like to follow all of them. At home, ESPN is always on the TV and I have learned that being up-to-date with sports can really take you places (they're big conversation starters!!) - that's why I'm here!! I'm Lexie... Just kickin' it around.

Hiii from Ellie Rice

Welcome to a Whole Lot'a Chatter!! My name is Ellie Rice and I am a freshman student at Santa Clara University. I am currently on the Women's soccer team here and I am planning on majoring in Psychology. I was born in Jackson Hole, Wyoming and lived there my whole life. I have two sisters that both play soccer too. My older sister plays soccer at the University of Wyoming and my younger sister will be joining me here next year to play soccer with me. Sports is a big part of my family's life. My dad ran track at Clemson University, while my mom has always held a big interest in watching sports and working out. And as far as professional sports teams, we are huge Philly fans. Sports has taught me a lot about life lessons in general and continues to be a huge part of my life. Have a good day, Lay it all on the Pitch

Who am I?

My name is Lauren Matheson and I was born and raised in Orange County, California. I am a sophomore at Santa Clara University majoring in Communications. I play on the SCU Womens Soccer team and I would have to admit that a good majority of my time and energy is dedicated to that. Since I spend so much time around soccer, many of my blogs will be discussing either MLS teams, National teams and/or my own SCU team. My other favorite sport is baseball. It's spring time, which means you can catch atleast 3-4 baseball games a week, collegate or MLB. For this blog I will be talking about a specific game/match that I watched with an emphasis on the stats. Thanks and see ya next time Lauren Matheson Doin' the Math

Where I'm coming from

Welcome to Whole Lot'a Chatter, where sports is the subject and chatter is the premium. I am Chase Arthur, a contributing author to this blog along with a passionate and devoted sports fan. Just to introduce myself, I am from Southern California and naturally that is where a lot of my sports allegiances lie. Having said that, my sports knowledge ranges to other areas of the nation and globe as well. We're in a great era of communication and sports, and we here at Whole Lot'a Chatter are just trying to contribute to the growth of each, so have at it.

Chase Arthur, and remember always go hard in the paint.