Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Would You Wear This On the Course?
Have you seen the new helmet umbrella? Nope? Well, that's it in the photo at right. It's designed for the busy street commuter who has too many thinks to juggle – cell phone, coffee, keys, whatever – to hold an umbrella on a rainy day. I know this isn't sports related, but you may see these things popping up at ballparks or golf course or wherever. Can you imagine Tiger Woods putting at Augusta wearing that thing? Oh, the helmet umbrella was invented by a former tennis player. That fact makes this post sports related, right?
Schmidt A Hit With Seminoles
Rain washed out Florida State's opportunity to challenge the National League East champion Philadelphia Phillies Tuesday night at an exhibition in Clearwater, Fla. Heavy rains hit Bright House Networks Field at approximately 6 p.m. and poured for an hour and a half before the game was called at 7:45 p.m. The Seminoles, however, did get a chance to visit with Phillies players in the clubhouse and spoke with former Phillie and Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt. The photo above is of Schmidt – he's the fella with the jacket over his head – back in 2003 when he along with Gary Maddox, John Kruk, Bobby Abreu and Larry Bowa were recognized for being voted by fans to the All-Vet team.
You Already Know This...
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know I haven't updated The Rainout Blog since last Friday and I totally missed the biggest sports rain out story of the year so far. Why didn't I write anything over the past several days about the Auto Club 500 rain delay and postponement, you ask? (I'm sure you've been scratching your head for days over this one.) The reason is because A) I was away from my computer, by choice, over the weekend, B) I've been busy, so suck it, and C) maybe I've been a bit lazy.
Anyway, you already know all the details that the Cup race was delayed over and over Sunday and ultimately postponed until Monday. So, there's no need for me to rehash the details.
Besides, you already know about the Nationwide race being postponed until Monday and that it was run right after the Auto Club 500. You already know that practices and qualifying sessions were delayed and postponed. You already know that water was seeping from the track. (Did you see the cool footage of the guys making saw cuts into the track?) You already know that standing water on the track caused a crash in the first 25 laps that involved Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Denny Hamlin. You already know that those guys fussed and complained about the track not being ready. You already know that Jeff Gordon remained classy through it all, as usual. (What's up with that guy?) You already know that Tony Stewart began building an ark during the second rain delay Sunday. Ok, maybe you didn’t know that, but now you do.
Friday, February 22, 2008
We're Talkin' 'Bout Practice
NASCAR Cup Series practice is being delayed by rain at the California Speedway in Fontana. The Auto Club 500 practice is being televised on Speed. I wonder if Speed is showing reruns of The Andy Griffith Show during the rain delay.This isn't sports related, but you have to see the photo that accompanies this story about a snow storm in the Northeast.
Happy Friday to ya!
Another Day, Another Cricket Delay
From AFP: Sri Lankan batsmen Chamara Silva (left) and Tillakaratne Dilshan walk off as heavy rain stops play in Melbourne on February 22, 2008. Sri Lanka's chances of reaching the tri-series finals were dealt a serious blow when Australia beat them by 24 runs in a rain-shortened one-day match.
MLB Gets Rain Out Insurance
Major League Baseball has teamed up with Storm Exchange, Inc. for a pretty good insurance plan to protect teams financially against rain outs, snow outs and other weather-related risks. The newly-announced Weather Hedging Program for Major League Baseball provides teams with a way to offset the financial impact of rain and unseasonably cold temperatures. Read more about the plan at centredaily.com.
Jackets Hoops Called Because of Rain
I've told you before that I really don't pay much attention to basketball, and here's proof: I totally missed the news last night about Virginia's game at Georgia Tech being rained out. Well, technically, the game was called off because of a leaky roof at Alexander Memorial Coliseum. Initially, tipoff was postponed for 20 minutes, but then the game was called off when maintenance crews at the arena could not guarantee the leaks would stop. The court was wet in the lane near the Yellow Jackets' bench.
Weather forecasts had called for between two and three inches of rain in the Atlanta area Thursday night. The two schools are working on a make-up date.
The Jackets and Cavs stink this year, so I'm not sure anyone really cares if the game is ever played. However, there is one postponement at the University of Virginia that I'm sure will tick off a lot of folks on this Friday night. The Van Halen concert has been postponed.
Friday, February 15, 2008
I Gotta Get To Bed Now
I linked to this Boston Globe photo below, but it’s too cool of a shot not to post here. Plus, when photos are posted on this page, they eventually show up in the galley at the top right. Anyway, the pic is of Red Sox reliever Hideki Okajima and his interpreter, Jeff Yamaguchi, walking under an umbrella from the team’s indoor batting cages to the clubhouse. No big deal, just a cool photo. Good night everybody. It's 2:42 in the morning. I gotta get some sleep.
Writing In The Rain
What do baseball players do during rain delays? One player, journeyman catcher Chris Coste of the Phillies, has taken time to work on his book during rain showers at the ol’ ballyard."When I officially sat down to begin writing, it was kind of intimidating, because I was wondering, 'How could I possibly find time to do this?'" Coste says. "But honestly, there's tons of down time during the season. There were times during rain delays that I'd pop open my laptop and get going. And it was easy to get in the baseball mindset. I was able to almost recapture the same emotions because it was during the season."
Coste’s book is about his journey through the minor leaguers that eventually landed him in the major leagues in 2006 as “The 33-Year-Old Rookie.” Read more here.
Cold, Wet Sox
Think it’s always sunny, cozy and warm in Florida during spring training? Think again. Temperatures were in the mid-40s and Red Sox pitching prospect Michael Bowden could see his breath during a workout at the team’s training facility in Fort Myers when Boston Globe photographer Jim Davis snapped this photo. But don’t feel bad for the champs; temperatures climbed to near by mid-day.Here’s another neat pic from Davis catching Red Sox reliever Hideki Okajima and his interpreter, Jeff Yamaguchi, under an umbrella walking from the team’s indoor batting cages to the clubhouse.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Chicago Wants Hockey At Soldier Field
The Chicago Blackhawks, like a lot of NHL teams and the cities that call those teams home, really, really want to host an outdoor hockey in Soldier Field next year. Why wouldn't they? The Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins packed 71,000 fans into Ralph Wilson Stadium on Jan. 1 and attracted a decent TV rating on a day that's long been reserved for college football bowl games. According to this story, those involved, and those who could potentially be involved, would also like to include a college hockey game on the docket and a way to allow the public to skate on the outdoor rink during the week leading up to those games. The NHL has not yet announced whether an outdoor game will be played next season.
Leafs Skate Outdoors
The Toronto Maple Leafs held an outdoor practice Monday for about 250 school kids at a refurbished rink in East Toronto. According to this story, the wind chill dipped to near minus 20, and, as you can see in this photo gallery, there was leftover snow all around the rink and neighborhood.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Rain Ks Matsuzaka Workout
Yippe! We have our first sight of rain at spring training. In this Associated Press photo, Boston Red Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka is seen darting off the field at the World Series Champs' Fort Myers, Fla., complex during a driving rain storm this morning. The second-year Japanese pitcher was in the middle of a workout – no doubt tossing a few gyroballs – when the rain began to pour. Speaking of major league hurlers, Roger Clemens is getting hit pretty hard on Capitol Hill at the moment.
Update: This is from Amalie Benjamin's blog on Boston.com:
Right around 9:30 a.m., the clouds started looking a little ominous. The thunder and lightning were clearly indicating rain was coming. And, yet, Daisuke Matsuzaka remained out on a far bullpen mound without a golf car in sight.
About 15 minutes later, after much of the media had taken refuge in the locker room as the gusts of rain started soaking the facility, Matsuzaka burst through the door, rain dripping off his mullet, his shirt dark red with rain, and his breath short. He had sprinted from the far mound, clearly demonstrating his speed -- Masa Hoshino, his interpreter, plus a group of other personnel. He laughed as he walked in.
And speaking of Matsuzaka, the pitcher has been parking his monster white Hummer in a prime parking spot right by the locker room door, while Hoshino has been driving around in ... a Kia. Not everyone can be a star starter, I guess.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Wrigley Ice
It sure looks cold outside Wrigley Field right now. Check out the Web cam and see for yourself. I could go for a hot cup of coffee inside the McDonald's across the street. The photo featured to the right is not from today, but from a snowed-out Cubs game with the Astros on April 11.
Don't forget: Only two more days until pitchers and catchers report to spring training.
Heinz To Remain Natural
Yesterday I promised to post about the Pittsburgh Steelers decision to stick with natural grass at Heinz Field. After some quick research today, I notice that story has been reported… everywhere!!! Anyway, the quickie version is the Steelers organization talked with its players and with the University of Pittsburgh, which shares Heinz Field with the Steelers, and found that overwhelmingly those groups support keeping natural grass. If you want to read mainstream media accounts of this story, here's a long list Google-y good of links. Enjoy!
Twins New Open-Air Ballyard Promises Fun Aprils Ahead
Every time I check the Minnesota Twins ballpark construction cam, there is snow on the ground. And I do mean every time. As of 10:14 a.m. local time, snow was scattered about and the temperature was 6 degrees in Minneapolis. When the Twinkies begin play in the ballpark in 2010, there may be some interesting Aprils in that place. You can view the construction cam here.
Here is a video report from KARE 11 showing construction workers pouring the ballpark's first concrete on a cold late January day. The temperature was minus 4 degrees when the crews began the process at 6 a.m.
Promises Are Made To Be Broken
I made a promise here sometime last year that I would never again write about cricket rain delays. I'm breaking the promise today. I have nothing against cricket; I just know nothing about the sport. But we are experiencing a bit of downtime on The Rainout Blog as we are caught between football and baseball seasons. Plus, I love this Reuters photo. The pic was taken Tuesday from behind a window at a soggy Seddon Park during the second one-day match between New Zealand and England. The cricket park is located in Hamilton, New Zealand. There's a great photo of a sunny day at Seddon Park on the facility's web site. If you're still jonesing for more cricket rain delay information, check this photo and cutline.
Monday, February 11, 2008
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