Clippers Holiday Ticket Plan On Sale

The Los Angeles Clippers Holiday Ticket Plan is on sale now and can be purchased at www.clippers.com or by calling (866) 883-2238.

 

Give the gift of Clippers basketball this season with the Clippers Holiday Plan that allows fans to make their own four-game package by choosing from a list of  10 teams that includes NBA leaders like the Boston Celtics, Orlando Magic and Lakers. Prices for the Clippers Holiday Ticket Plan start at under $100, and good seats are available in the upper and lower level at STAPLES Center.

 

All Clipper fans will get a free throwback Blake Griffin or Eric Gordon jersey with each purchase.

 

Individual game tickets are no longer available for the Clippers game against the Miami Heat on Jan. 12. The only way for fans to watch the Clippers take on LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and the Miami Heat live at STAPLES Center is to purchase Clipper Partial Plans or full season tickets. To receive access to the best seats, fans can choose a season ticket package or partial plan starting as low as $250 by visiting www.clippers.com or calling (866) 883-2238. 

 

 

The Things You Consider When Traveling

Traveling for work can be either a perk or a hassle—depending on your job and where you have to go.  For me, traveling with professional sports teams is definitely a perk.  Flying charter is one of life’s cool little luxuries, especially when someone else is paying for it.

However, there are a couple of drawbacks to staying on the go. For one, my wife misses me while I’m gone--at least that’s what she tells me.  And even if she’s only saying that to stroke my ego, who am I to stop her?

Another issue with constant travel is losing track of the days of the week and dates of the month.  I don’t know about you, but when I travel, I have a hard time keeping up with Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.  I’m much more in touch with yesterday, today and tomorrow. 

And don’t even think about trying to ask me for the date.  If it’s not my birthday or a major holiday (my wife’s birthday falls into this category, by the way), I would have a better shot of telling you the numeric value for pi than the day’s date.  Thankfully, for me however, my iPhone has a handy dandy calendar feature.  So I may not know the answer, but I can quickly look it up.

I raise this last issue with work travel because I recently realized I haven’t posted a blog lately.  When you can’t keep up with the days of the week, it’s a lot harder to realize how much time has gone by from one moment to the next.

So to make up for lost time, I thought it might be best to share some of my random thoughts, questions and musings from the past several days. 

*    Did you know that no Phil Jackson-coached championship team has ever lost 4 games in a row?

*    Following the Clippers win over San Antonio Wednesday, LA held a 3-9 record over teams currently sporting a record over .500.  While Miami carried only a 1-7 mark over winning teams.

*    With players such as Blake Griffin, Shannon Brown, Russell Westbrook, LeBron James and Derrick Rose roaming the court today, I believe we are witnessing the most athletic era the NBA has ever seen.

*    Speaking of Blake Griffin, can you ever remember someone getting so many standing ovations on missed dunks and shots?
 

*    You have to give Dodgers owner Frank McCourt credit for staying true to his word.  He has said throughout his divorce proceedings, that his personal matters would not affect the team’s willingness and desire to bolster the roster.  And the recent off-season acquisitions definitely support his earlier statement.

  

*    I realize the BCS is a crock and bowl games are only concerned about selling the most tickets, but if Stanford doesn’t get to play in the Rose Bowl, it would be nothing short of a travesty.

*    Karl Dorrell’s record after his third season at UCLA was 22-15 overall and 14-10 in the PAC-10. Rick Neuheisel currently stands at 15-21 overall and 8-18 in conference.  So does that mean next season will be Neuheisel’s last if he doesn’t rally for double-digits wins?

*    I heard that some USC fans are a bit upset because the NCAA didn’t punish Auburn and Cam Newton after discovering that Newton’s father soliciting money from schools trying to sign this year’s Heisman Trophy front-runner.  But remember this, Reggie Bush and OJ Mayo knowingly accepted cash and other benefits directly.  There’s no evidence that Newton has done the same or even knew about his father’s attempts to secure money.  It may not be apples and oranges, but it’s definitely apples and pears.
 

*    And finally, I heard that Dancing With The Stars is considering adding Todd Palin to the show’s next lineup of contestants.  No offense to Sarah Palin’s husband or her daughter, Bristol, for that matter, but if they are going to continue to feature such “stars” (and that goes for “The Situation” too), then they should change the name of the show to Dancing With People Who Aren’t Really Stars But Can Still Bring In Big Ratings.

Blake Griffin Named Rookie of the Month

Los Angeles Clippers’ rookie forward Blake Griffin today was named the NBA’s Western Conference T-Mobile Rookie of the Month for games played from the start of the season (Oct. 26) through November. The New York Knicks’ Landry Fields won the award for the Eastern Conference. 

Griffin leads all rookies in scoring (20.2 ppg) and rebounding (11.6 rpg).  He also ranks second in minutes per game (35.5 mpg), fourth in assists (2.6 apg) and third in field goal percentage (.520).  On Nov. 20, Griffin scored 44 points, the most by a Clipper since Elton Brand scored that many in February, 2006. He also led the team with 15 rebounds and a season-high seven assists.
 

Fields ranks fourth among rookies in scoring (10.8 ppg), second in rebounding (7.1 rpg), eighth in assists (1.6 apg) and second in field goal percentage (.544).   He started all 19 games for the Knicks this season, leads all NBA guards in rebounds and is the only rookie in the top eight in scoring.   

Here is a recap of the month for both Griffin and Fields: 

Blake Griffin, LA Clippers
Nov. 20 vs. New York: Scored 44 points, and added 15 rebounds and seven assists in a 124-115 loss to the Knicks. 

Nov. 22 vs. New Orleans: Recorded 24 points, 13 rebounds and four assists in a 99-95 victory over the Hornets. 


Nov. 25 vs. Sacramento: Posted 25 points, 15 rebounds and five assists in a 110-82 win over the Kings. 

Nov. 28 vs. Utah: Tallied 35 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists in a 109-97 loss to the Jazz.
 


Landry Fields, New York Knicks

Nov. 12 @ Minnesota: Registered 16 points, 10 rebounds and three steals in a 112-103 loss to the Timberwolves. 


Nov. 16 @ Denver: Tallied 21 points, 17 rebounds and two steals in a 120-118 loss to the Nuggets. 


Nov. 23 vs. Charlotte: Scored 14 points in addition to seven rebounds, two assists, two blocks and one steal in a 110-107 win over the Bobcats. 

Nov. 28 @ Detroit: Posted 16 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and two steals in a 125-116 victory over the Pistons. 



Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference T-Mobile Rookies of the Month were New Jersey’s Derrick Favors, Philadelphia’s Evan Turner, Sacramento’s DeMarcus Cousins and Washington’s John Wall. 

DODGERS ANNOUNCE 2011 COACHING STAFF

--Six former Dodgers, including newcomers Davey Lopes and Dave Hansen, highlight a staff with 176 combined seasons of big league experience--

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers today announced their Major League coaching staff for the 2011 campaign under new manager Don Mattingly. The staff consists of four coaches that will be entering their first season on the Dodgers’ big league staff, including two former Major League managers and four coaches that have served a combined 42 years with the Dodgers on the Major League coaching level. The staff has logged 176 combined seasons playing, coaching or managing in the Major Leagues.

“I’m extremely excited about this coaching staff, which has a great combination of experience and youth that will create a positive environment for our team,” said Mattingly. “We’ve been able to reach back and bring in a number of coaches with Dodger roots and that’s one of the things that was very important to us. Not just the quality of the people and the experience they bring with them, but the history of this organization – where it came from and where we want to go.”


The coaches:

Dave Hansen – Hitting Instructor (first season)

Trey Hillman – Bench Coach (first season)

Rick Honeycutt – Pitching Coach (sixth season)

Ken Howell – Bullpen Coach (fourth season)

Davey Lopes – First Base Coach (first season)

Manny Mota – Coach (32nd season)

Jeff Pentland – Hitting Coach (fourth season)

Tim Wallach – Third Base Coach (first season)

Rob Flippo – Bullpen Catcher (10th season)

Mike Borzello – Bullpen Catcher (fourth season)


Hillman, 47, will begin his first season as the Dodgers’ bench coach after managing the Kansas City Royals from 2008-2010 (152-207). Prior to being named the 15th skipper in Royals’ history, Hillman piloted the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters from 2003-07 in the Japanese Pacific League. While in Japan, Hillman led the Fighters to the Japan series title in 2006, the club’s first championship since 1962. The Texas native compiled a .520 winning percentage and reached the playoffs in three of five seasons with Hokkaido Nippon while being named the Japan’s “Sportsman of the Year” by the Foreign Sportswriters of Japan in 2006. Hillman was the Rangers’ Director of Player Development in 2002 and was a skipper in the New York Yankees’ organization for 12 seasons from 1990-2001. While with the Yankees, Hillman compiled a record of 855-761 (.529), leading his teams to eight winning seasons and four postseason appearances. The former minor league shortstop won the Florida State League (A) Manager of the Year in 1996 and the International League (AAA) Manager of the Year in 1999.     

Honeycutt, 56, will enter his sixth consecutive season as the Dodgers’ pitching coach, making him the longest tenured full-time coach on the Dodgers’ staff. Since Honeycutt became the pitching coach in 2006, his staff has posted a 3.90 ERA, which is the best in baseball over that time. In 2009, the Dodgers led the Major Leagues with a 3.41 ERA and a .233 opponents’ batting average while tying for second with 1,272 strikeouts.

Howell, 49, enters his fourth season as the bullpen coach for Los Angeles and since he took over in 2008, the club’s relievers own a Major League-best 3.49 ERA. In his three seasons, the bullpen ranks first in the National League with 90 wins and a .237 opponents’ batting average while ranking third with 1,432 strikeouts. In 2009, the Dodger bullpen led the Majors with a 3.12 ERA. Howell pitched for seven seasons in the Major Leagues, including five with Los Angeles and posted a 3.95 career ERA.

Lopes, 65, played in Los Angeles from 1972-82, becoming part of the longest-tenured infield in Major League history along with Steve Garvey, Bill Russell and Ron Cey from 1973-81. With the Dodgers, he led the NL in stolen bases two times (1976-77), won a Gold Glove (’78) and played in four consecutive All-Star games (1978-81). Lopes’ 413 stolen bases are the second most in Dodger history behind Maury Wills and in 1978 he had a stretch of 35 bases without getting caught, which was then a Major League record. After his retirement in 1987, Lopes was the first base coach in Texas (1988-91), Baltimore (1992-94) and San Diego (1995-99) before getting hired to manage the Brewers from 2000-2002 (144-195). Lopes returned to San Diego from 2003-05 as their first base coach and filled the same role for Washington (2006) and Philadelphia (2007-10). While in Philadelphia, the Phillies made the playoffs in each of Lopes’ four seasons as he served as the baserunning and outfield instructor. From 2007-10, Lopes coached the Phillies to a Major League-best 84.3 cumulative stolen base percentage (501 SB/93 CS) with the club leading the Majors in that category in each of his four seasons, including a big league single-season record of 87.9% (138 SB/19 CS) in 2007. Philadelphia’s outfielders led the Majors with 136 outfield assists during Lopes’ time with the club.

Pentland, 63, has served as the Dodgers’ hitting instructor under Mattingly since July 1, 2008. This year he will be the full-time hitting coach in his 14th season as a coach on the Major League level. Since Pentland has come aboard, the Dodgers are hitting .263, which is tied for second in the National League over that time. He has previously served as the hitting coach for the Cubs (1997-2002), Royals (2002-05) and Mariners (2005-08) following a career in scouting, player development and coaching at the collegiate level.

Wallach, 53, spent the last two seasons managing the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes. While in Albuquerque, Wallach compiled a record of 152-135 (.530) and set an Albuquerque franchise record with 80 victories in 2009. He was named the 2009 Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year as well as Baseball America’s “Best Manager Prospect.” The five-time NL All-Star spent 17 seasons in the Majors as a player, including four with the Dodgers (1993-96). In 2004-05 he was the Dodgers’ Major League hitting coach and prior to that he coached and managed the Dodgers’ Single-A affiliate at San Bernardino (1997-98), coached at his alma mater Cal State Fullerton (2000) and managed Single-A Rancho Cucamonga in the Angels’ organization (2001). Wallach’s three sons have followed in his footsteps as Matt catches in the Dodger organization, Brett pitches in the Chicago Cubs’ system and Chad is a freshman infielder/pitcher on the Cal State Fullerton baseball team.

Mota will enter his 32nd season as a coach with the Dodgers and 42nd year overall in the organization.  He donned a Dodger uniform as a player in parts of 13 seasons from 1969-80 and 1982 and finished his career as the all-time leading pinch-hitter in Major League history. His tenure as a coach is the longest in Los Angeles Dodger history, as he has served as the club’s bench coach and hitting coach at various times during his career.

Hansen, 41, played 11 seasons with the Dodgers (1990-96, 1999-2002) during his 15-year Major League career and ranks sixth all-time with 139 career pinch-hits, including Dodger team records for most pinch-hits in a season (18 in 1993), pinch-hits in a career (110) and pinch-hit homers in a season (7 in 2000). Hansen joins the Dodger organization after four years in the Diamondbacks’ minor league system and the last three as their minor league hitting coordinator. He retired as player following the 2005 season and began his coaching career in 2007 as the hitting coach with Arizona’s Double-A affiliate, Mobile, where his hitters led the Southern League with a .271 batting average.

Flippo, 44, and Borzello, 40, will return as the bullpen catchers for their 10th and fourth seasons, respectively.

Eric Gordon's Returns To Indy Have Not Gone As Planned

It's been said that you can always go home again, but when you are a professional athlete, playing in front of your friends and family can be quite the burden.

As a standout at North Central High School, Clippers guard Eric Gordon played himself into one of the best players the city of Indianapolis has ever produced.  During his senior season in which he led North Central to the Indiana 4A championship game, Gordon averaged 29 points and six rebounds a game on his way to earning Mr. Basketball honors as the top prep player in Indiana.   
 
In a state where basketball is king, Gordon became part of the state's basketball royalty.

foxsportswest.com: Gordon No Homecoming King

LAKERS CENTER THEO RATLIFF HAS SUCCESSFUL KNEE SURGERY

  

El SEGUNDO – Los Angeles Lakers center Theo Ratliff underwent successful arthroscopic surgery to perform a partial meniscectomy on his left knee, it was announced today.

 

The surgery, which took approximately 30 minutes, was performed by Lakers team orthopedist Dr. Steve Lombardo of the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopedic Group.  Ratliff is expected to be out a minimum of 4-6 weeks.

 

Ratliff signed with the Lakers as a free agent this past summer on July 22.  In eight games this season, he is averaging 0.3 points, 1.6 rebounds and 0.63 blocks in 8.4 minutes. 

 

One of seven players in NBA history to capture the blocked shots title three or more times, Ratliff ranks 18th in NBA history in career blocked shots (1,968) and owns career averages of 7.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.43 blocks and 25.4 minutes in 808 games.               

 

 

 

Patience A Virtue For Clippers Fans

As the Clippers were on their way to starting the season a very disappointing 1-10, the moans and groans from Clippers Nation were coming fast and furious. Despite LA's recent rash of injuries, most fans viewed Monday's matchup with the Nets as a very winnable game. After all, New Jersey won only 12 games last season.

Of course, counting W's before a game is played is always a risky proposition. It may be cliche, but anybody can beat anybody on any given night. How do I know? That's what Oklahoma City players were saying after the Clippers beat them for their lone win of the season thus far.

Back to Monday night for a moment. I realize for some fans, being patient is not one of their strong suits, and when it comes to Clippers fans, most are sick and tired of being patient. And who could blame them?

However, don't let your lack of patience cloud your perspective.


foxsportswest.com:  Patience A Virtue For Clippers Fans

The Big Easy Is Too Easy For Monty Williams

John Wooden said that a coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment. 

At the professional level, that personality trait is even more vital.  Just ask Brad Childress.

When it comes to big money in elite sports, rarely is a coach's success - or failure - a result of his knowledge of X's and O's or his ability to compile game strategies.  No one reaches the elite level of competition without knowing what they are doing.

What ultimately determines a great coach - besides the overall talent level on the roster - is his ability to reach his players.  It doesn't matter what you are trying to tell your team if no one is listening. Getting a player's ear and keeping it is the most valuable trait a coach can have.

The latest coach to burst on the scene with such a trait seems to be New Orleans first-year coach Monty Williams, who has the Hornets off to the best start in franchise history.

foxsportswest.com:  The Big Easy Is Too Easy For Monty Williams

FUTURE PAC-12 CONFERENCE FOOTBALL SCHEDULES ANNOUNCED

WALNUT CREEK, Calif.--The Pac-10 announced today the 2011 Pac-12 football schedule and the eight-year rotation model used for future scheduling.

The 2011 season begins on Saturday, September 3 and culminates Saturday, December 3, with the first-ever Pac-12 Championship game. That game will be played at the home site of the division champion with the best overall conference record.

The 2012 schedule will include the same set of opponents as the 2011 schedule, with games played at opposite sites. Dates of those games are to be determined.

“We are pleased to follow the announcement of the Pac-12 North-South divisional alignment with the release of our 2011 football schedule, and a future conference football scheduling model that maintains important traditional rivalries, and will create some very exciting match-ups in our new 12-team conference,” stated Commissioner Larry Scott.

2011 Pac-12 Football Schedule
Thurs., Sept. 1
Montana State at Utah

Sat., Sept. 3
Northern Arizona at Arizona
UC Davis at Arizona State
Minnesota at USC
UCLA at Houston
California (game to be scheduled)
San Jose State at Stanford
Oregon vs. LSU
Oregon State (game to be scheduled)
Eastern Washington at Washington
Idaho State at Washington State
Colorado at Hawaii

Sat., Sept. 10
Utah at USC
Arizona at Oklahoma State
Missouri at Arizona State
San Jose State at UCLA
California (game to be scheduled)
Stanford at Duke
Nevada at Oregon
Oregon State at Wisconsin
Hawaii at Washington
UNLV at Washington State
Colorado (game to be scheduled)

Sat., Sept. 17
Stanford at Arizona
Arizona State at Illinois
Syracuse at USC
Texas at UCLA
California (game to be scheduled)
Oregon (game to be scheduled)
Washington at Nebraska
Washington State at San Diego State
Colorado vs. Colorado State
Utah at BYU

Sat., Sept. 24
Oregon at Arizona
USC at Arizona State
UCLA at Oregon State
California at Washington
Colorado at Ohio State

Sat., Oct. 1
Arizona at USC
Oregon State at Arizona State
UCLA at Stanford
Washington at Utah
Washington State at Colorado

Thurs., Oct. 6
California at Oregon

Sat., Oct. 8
Arizona at Oregon State
Arizona State at Utah
Washington State at UCLA
Colorado at Stanford

Thurs., Oct. 13
USC at California

Sat., Oct. 15
Arizona State at Oregon
Stanford at Washington State
Colorado at Washington
BYU at Oregon State
Utah at Pittsburgh

Thurs., Oct. 20
UCLA at Arizona

Sat., Oct. 22
Utah at California
Washington at Stanford
Oregon at Colorado
Oregon State at Washington State
USC at Notre Dame

Sat., Oct. 29
Arizona at Washington
Colorado at Arizona State
Stanford at USC
California at UCLA
Washington State at Oregon
Oregon State at Utah

Sat., Nov. 5
Utah at Arizona
Arizona State at UCLA
USC at Colorado
Washington State at California
Stanford at Oregon State
Oregon at Washington

Sat., Nov. 12
Arizona at Colorado
Arizona State at Washington State
Washington at USC
UCLA at Utah
Oregon State at California
Oregon at Stanford

Sat., Nov. 19
Arizona at Arizona State
USC at Oregon
Colorado at UCLA
California at Stanford
Washington at Oregon State
Utah at Washington State

Sat., Nov. 26
California at Arizona State
UCLA at USC
Oregon State at Oregon
Washington State at Washington
Colorado at Utah
Louisiana-Lafayette at Arizona
Notre Dame at Stanford

Sat., Dec. 3
Pac-12 Championship Game

Bledsoe Running Away With Unexpected Opportunity

Imagine that your company is holding this huge showcase at the convention center.  Thousands of people are going to be there, and your boss has given you a role in the event, albeit a minor one. 

Shortly after you arrive at the venue however, you discover a major change to your role.  On the schedule of events, your name is now listed as the emcee for the showcase instead of your company vice president.  You will now be responsible for making sure that all the presentations run smoothly and seamlessly.

Not exactly the way you would want to make your company-sponsored public speaking debut, right?

Well, that's sort of what happened this week to Eric Bledsoe, who made his first career NBA start with just a couple of hours notice Monday against San Antonio.

Considering the circumstances, not much was expected of the Clippers rookie point guard except from Bledsoe himself.


foxsportswest.com: Bledsoe Makes Most Of His Chance

Colin Cowherd Goes Off The Wall With Rant On Wizards Rookie

Too often these days, we are quick to criticize people and their actions without ever having met that person or learned more about what led to their actions.  In a microwave-infused society, the speed of the reaction seems to be more important than the accuracy and/or fairness of the reaction.

Such ill-advised impatience usually results in a greater chance of someone not only saying something stupid, but appearing to have a one-sided, self-serving agenda.  The latest example of this trend is ESPN Radio’s Colin Cowherd’s rant on Wizards rookie John Wall doing “The Dougie” during pregame introductions Tuesday night.

Cowherd went off about Wall saying, "Before the game started, he spent 34 seconds doing the Dougie. That tells me all I need to know about J-Wow. Then he opened his mouth later and confirmed it: not a sharp guy. All about him."

Actually, Colin, Wall is anything BUT "all about him".

Wall Pass:  Cowherd Called Out

Going 1-on-1 With Baron Davis

Coming into this Clippers season, there were two questions fans were constantly asking and they usually came in the following order:

1)  How’s Blake’s knee?

2)  How’s Baron’s attitude?

If you saw Blake Griffin play in any preseason games this month, then you already know the answer to No. 1.  He’s definitely 100% healthy and ready to go.

As far as No. 2 goes, however, that one may not be as easy to answer with any confidence.  Since training camp opened, Baron Davis seemed to be saying and doing all the right things, except for that little issue with his conditioning, or lack thereof.

Regardless though of what Davis was saying to the media, I wanted to talk to him face-to-face and away from other reporters to get a true sense of his emotions going into this season.

Here’s part of that conversation.  Judge for yourself.

foxsportswest.com:  Going 1-on-1 With Baron Davis
 

PAC 12 Announces Conference Division Alignments

--New Policies Established for Revenue Sharing, Football Divisional Structure, Football Championship Game and Schedules for all other Sports--

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (October 21, 2010) - The Pac-12 Conference took major steps to transform itself into a dynamic new enterprise by forming two football divisions that maintain traditional rivalries, creating the first-ever Pac-12 football championship game, establishing schedule models for all other sports and agreeing to move to an equal revenue sharing plan for the !rst time in conference history, it was announced today.

The Chancellors and Presidents of the 12 member institutions voted to create a new North-South division structure that allows the conference to continue to play its traditional rivalry games, including the long-standing annual games among the California schools, delivers a football championship game to the home !eld of the top team in the conference standings and is easy for fans to follow.

“Our key objective was to transform the Pac-10 to a modern 12-team conference that has long term strength, increased value, competitive balance and is fan friendly and we have done that with these monumental decisions today,” Commissioner Larry Scott said. “By unanimously adopting a plan for equal revenue sharing we have created a conference with a strong foundation for long term success. It’s an exciting day for the Pac-12 and all of our fans.”

“This has been a very thorough process that created a lot of discussion and has delivered results that we are all very excited about,” said Michael Crow, President of Arizona State University and Chairman of the Pac-10 CEO Group. “The engagement we have received from all 12 member institutions and their Presidents and Chancellors has been tremendous. We have an ambitious plan for the future of our conference and all of that input was vital in allowing us to take these transformational steps.”

The new divisions will feature California, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford, Washington and Washington
State in the North and Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, UCLA, USC, and Utah in the South. Each school will play !ve divisional games, and four cross-divisional games each year. To preserve all of the historic rivalries, including those among the California schools, the new scheduling format locks in annual inter-divisional games between the Northern and Southern California teams, that date back to the 1930s.

The traditional rivalries like Oregon-Oregon State (113 meetings), Cal-Stanford (112), Washington-
Washington State (102), Arizona-Arizona State (83) and UCLA-USC (79) will continue to be played at the end of each season. Not to be lost, USC has played Stanford (98 times) and Cal (89) more than it has faced cross town rival UCLA (79). Meanwhile USC, Cal and Stanford tie as UCLA’s most frequent opponent at 79 meetings apiece. The divisions were formed based on the combination of rivalries, location and competitive balance.

“Not only did we achieve a competitive balance in our divisions, but we were also able to preserve our traditional rivalries as cornerstones of our conference,” Scott said. “These great annual battles have produced some of the most memorable moments in sports history. It was imperative that we kept them in tact.”

The inaugural Pac-12 Championship game will be played in December 2011 at the home stadium of the team with the best overall conference record, ensuring a full stadium and an electric collegiate atmosphere be!tting of a major conference championship game.

There will not be divisions for Pac-12 basketball or any other sports. In men’s and women’s basketball, the teams will play an 18-game conference schedule that will include home and home games with traditional rivals, six rotating home and homes and single play games against the remaining four teams in the Conference.

ANGELS ANNOUNCE 50th ANNIVERSARY FAN PROMOTIONS

The Angels Wednesday released their first round of events for the 12-month 50th Anniversary celebration. More Than “A” Night will provide Angel fans the unique experience to celebrate Angels Baseball with a night at Disneyland where the park will be closed to the public. To be entered into the More Than “A” Night sweepstakes, fans can participate in the Angels 50th Anniversary Quiz online at angelsbaseball.com/50.

Answer all of the questions successfully and fans will be entered to win a pair of passes to More Than “A” Night. Fans can take the quiz now through November 10, 2010. More Than “A” Night will take place on Thursday, November 18th.

The Be “A” Star Contest offers fans the opportunity to share their fondest Angel memory or moment from the past 50 years with winners to be featured in a 2011 Angels television commercial. Fans can enter the Be “A” Star Contest online at angelsbaseball.com/50 through November 12th, 2010 with a brief essay or video entry. Submissions will be evaluated on clarity of description, originality, how memorable the moment was and if the moment carries any historical significance to the Angels.

Upon donation of a new, unwrapped toy to the Angels Baseball Foundation, Halo Holiday Photo allows fans the chance to step onto the field at Angel Stadium and take their holiday photo on home plate. The Angels Strike Force and Santa Claus will be on-site as well for photo opportunities during this unique holiday event.

The first 1,000 fans to donate a toy will also receive a commemorative Angels picture frame courtesy of Rental-Living.com. Halo Holiday Photo is scheduled to take place at Angel Stadium on Monday November 22nd from 2-4 pm, Tuesday November 23rd from 2-4 pm and Wednesday November 24th from 9am-1pm.

For more details surrounding the Angels 50th Anniversary visit angelsbaseball.com/50


Angels Baseball 50th Anniversary Celebration
The Angels unveiled their 2011 plans surrounding the club’s 50th Anniversary and accompanying year-round celebration on Friday September 24th, 2010. The 2011 Angels campaign theme is More Than “A” Season, an event that will encompass a 12-month celebration of 50 years of Angels Baseball. Throughout the year, Angels fans will experience a season unlike any they have ever seen before. The 50th Anniversary is about the fans and their celebration of great moments throughout Angels’ history. Many unique events are centered on fan interaction including retro nights and giveaways, 81 first pitches with former Halos, special programming on Fox Sports West, AM830 and more.

DODGERS SIGN TED LILLY

--2010 trade acquisition and former Dodger farmhand returns to Los Angeles through 2013--

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers announced today that they have signed left-handed pitcher Ted Lilly to a three-year contract. General Manager Ned Colletti made the announcement.

“Ted helped stabilize our rotation both in terms of his pitching ability and his leadership,” said Colletti. “He gave us everything we were looking for in a veteran pitcher down the stretch last season.” 

Lilly, 34, went 7-4 with a 3.52 ERA in 12 starts for the Dodgers after being acquired from the Cubs with Ryan Theriot in exchange for Blake DeWitt, Kyle Smit and Bret Wallach hours before the trade deadline. The left-hander won his first five starts with Los Angeles from Aug. 3-24, becoming the first Dodger pitcher to do so since Kazuhisa Ishii won his first six starts with the team in 2002. Lilly received the lowest run support in the Major Leagues at just 2.88 runs per game and allowed three runs or less in 22 of his 30 outings.

Overall, the southpaw finished 10-12 with a 3.62 ERA in 30 combined starts with the Dodgers and Cubs.

The Torrance native has reached double figures in victories in each of the past eight seasons, including 12 or more wins in six of the last eight, since 2003.  The only other pitchers in the Major Leagues to have double figures in victories over the last eight consecutive seasons are C.C. Sabathia (2001-10), Johan Santana (2003-10), Derek Lowe (2002-10), Mark Buehrle (2001-10), Jon Garland (2002-10), John Lackey (2003-10) and Javier Vazquez (2000-10).   He owns a 113-96 career record and a 4.18 ERA in 12 seasons with the Expos, Yankees, A’s, Blue Jays, Cubs and Dodgers.

Lilly’s .587 winning percentage (54-38) since 2007 ranks eighth among all big league left-handers and his 103 victories since 2003 are tied for 12th among all active pitchers.

At Dodger Stadium, Lilly tossed a two-hit shutout on Aug. 19 and went 4-1 with a 2.09 ERA (10 ER/43.0 IP) in six starts. While in a Dodger uniform, the opposition hit just .163 against him at home.

This season, Lilly tossed at least 6.0 innings in 24 of his 30 starts and went at least 7.0 frames in 15 of the 30 outings. He walked just 44 batters in 193.2 innings for an average of 2.04 walks per nine innings, the second-lowest mark in the National League behind Roy Halladay (1.08).

Lilly joined the Dodgers on July 31, 2010, 12 years to the day that he was traded as a minor league farmhand. On July 31, 1998, Los Angeles acquired Mark Grudzielanek, Carlos Perez and Hiram Bocachica from the Montreal Expos in exchange for Lilly, Peter Bergeron and Jonathon Tucker.

While with the Cubs on June 14 of this season, Lilly took a no-hitter into the ninth inning before the White Sox’ Juan Pierre came off the bench to break up the bid. On May 10, 1997, Lilly threw a no-hitter against Lake Elsinore for Single-A San Bernardino in the Dodgers’ farm system.

Lilly lives in Oakhurst, CA with his wife Natasha and their seven-month-old son, Ted Lilly, IV.

Upstart Could Be Lakers Biggest Challenge

One of the most discussed topic of this NBA preseason is who will present the biggest challenge to the Lakers quest for another three-peat. 

Will it be LeBron, Wade and Bosh in Miami? 

What about Boston and the Big 3 plus Shaq? 

Or will the most dangerous challenge come from within the conference?  If you ask the Lakers, the answer just may be the latter.

No diehard Lakers or Celtics fan will ever forget last year’s epic seven-game series, which ended with the Lakers cutting down the nets for the 16th time in franchise history thanks to an 83-79 win in the deciding game.  Considering how physically and emotionally draining that series seemed to be, one might argue that the Boston series was the Lakers’ most difficult postseason series in 2010. 

Well, one might be wrong.


foxsportswest.com: Upstart Could Be Lakers Biggest Challenge

Magic Johnson Sells Ownership Stake In The Lakers

By Mike Bresnahan
Los Angeles Times

Magic Johnson will forever be connected with the Lakers, but he can't be called part-owner of the team any longer.

Johnson sold his 4.5% ownership stake in the franchise to billionaire season-ticket holder Patrick Soon-Shiong, the team said Monday.

Johnson, 51, has become wealthy from his business ventures since retiring from basketball, including commercial real estate, health clubs and restaurants.

But Johnson, who wore No. 32 on the way to becoming a Hall of Fame guard for the Lakers, is a relative pauper compared with Soon-Shiong, a surgeon and biotech investor ranked No. 46 among the nation's wealthiest people by Forbes magazine this year. His estimated worth is $5.6 billion.

Soon-Shiong, 58, said in a statement that it was "an honor to be part of the Lakers family and the nation's foremost basketball franchise."

Read more..  



UPDATE:  Even though Johnson reportedly received "an offer he couldn't refuse" for his stake in the Lakers, which was approximately worth $27 million, many of you might still find it hard to believe Johnson would simply sell his ownership share for a big profit.  Well, it seems as though such inclinations could be spot on.

SportsbyBrooks.com has some interesting information regarding Johnson making a run at owning another NBA franchise, and his stake would be a lot bigger than 4.5%.

AP NEWSWRITING INTERNSHIPS DEADLINE OCTOBER 26th

The Associated Press offers a highly selective, 12-week, individually tailored training program for students who are aspiring print, photo, broadcast, graphics and multimedia journalists.

We're seeking potential applicants for Summer 2011 internships right now!


AM I ELIGIBLE?

The internship is open to full-time juniors, seniors and graduate students at American colleges and universities.

HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE IN THE PROGRAM?

Up to 22 interns are selected.

WHAT ARE THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PROGRAM?

You get to work in an AP bureau under the supervision of a designated trainer. You get paid. And you get to cover breaking news that may be featured in many media outlets.

WHEN DOES THE PROGRAM START?
Start dates may be anytime between mid-May and mid-June, depending on your schedule.

FOR MORE INFO CLICK HERE:   AP NEWSWRITING INTERNSHIPS - SUMMER 2011

What's Griffin's Impact on Clippers' Wins?

By Don MacLean
FOX Sports West & PRIME TICKET    

October 13, 2010

It’s that time of year. Hoops season is upon us and everyone is getting geared up for the NBA regular season. Baseball is moving out of Southern California’s consciousness and basketball is moving in. 

How do I know it’s that time of year (other than the fact that we are getting ready for another great year of Clippers Basketball on Prime Ticket)? I know because of the questions. When I’m out and about people are asking me how the Clippers are going to be this year, if Blake Griffin is really that good, and are the Clippers going to make the playoffs this year. I enjoy sharing my insight with people that follow the Clippers and it seems like this year there have been more questions and more interest which is a good thing. So we decided to get your opinion.  

For the last week our community poll question on the Clippers page at foxsportswest.com has asked how many more games the Clippers will win with Blake Griffin. The choices are A) 5-10, B) 10-15 or C) 15+. The question is still up on the website so you can still weigh in, but since it’s been a week I decided to check in on the results so far. 




foxsportswest.com: What's Blake Griffin's Impact on Clippers' Wins?

Chargers To Release Shawne Merriman

The San Diego Chargers placed linebacker Shawne Merriman on Reserve-Injured with a calf injury and a “minor-injury designation (less than six-week injury)”, which means the six-year veteran must be released by the team when he becomes healthy.

Merriman saw limited action in the season’s first five weeks. An Achilles injury forced him to miss the season opener in Kansas City. He saw limited action in Week 2 versus Jacksonville. He suffered a calf injury in Week 3 at Seattle and missed the team’s victory over Arizona in Week 4.  He re-injured his calf last week in Oakland.

The Chargers now list four linebackers on Reserve-Injured: Donald Butler, James Holt, Jyles Tucker and Merriman.  Linebacker Larry English also has missed three games and is expected to miss 2-4 more weeks.

UCLA Will Wear New Jersey At Oregon On Oct. 21

UCLA and adidas unveiled their new TECHFIT compression football jerseys Monday. Featuring a ground-breaking compression fit and weighing 30 percent lighter than standard football jerseys, the adidas TECHFIT jersey will help players be lighter and faster on the field.

The UCLA Bruins will wear the new adidas TECHFIT jerseys on Thursday, Oct. 21 as they visit Oregon at 6 pm PT on ESPN.

"adidas and UCLA have had a great relationship for over a decade and we are excited about this new, cutting-edge product adidas has produced for our players," said UCLA Head Coach Rick Neuheisel. "The new jersey has a compression fit and is harder for our opponents to grab. It will also keep our players cool, thanks to the material and ventilation system, and it has a great look to it. Some of the players had a chance to sample it and we are excited to wear them for the first time at Oregon on Oct. 21."

UCLA, adidas Announce New Football Jersey

Nike Golf Introduces The New Nike SQ MACHSPEED Black

BEAVERTON, Ore. -- Capitalizing on the power of aerodynamics found in the Nike SQ MACHSPEED Driver that was released last spring, Nike Golf is taking the notion of  aerodynamics efficiency to the next level with its new SQ MACHSPEED Black Driver.

Available at retail November 26, 2010, the Nike SQ MACHSPEED Black Driver has two 460cc round and square heads and features a sleek black profile to ensure that the air moves quickly and cleanly over the club head with each swing.  Through optimal aerodynamics (360° air flow across the drivers), the Nike SQ MACHSPEED Black generates faster club head speed by reducing drag. A deeper face allows for the delivery of greater ball speed across the face resulting in greater distance on off center hits.  The face of the club head is tall and tapers quickly, enabling more forgiveness.  Also differentiating from its predecessor, the SQ MACHSPEED, is in the performance of ball flight. The SQ MACHSPEED Black produces a lower ball flight and lower spin rates than the original SQ MACHSPEED, thus helping to create longer drives.

Available in round and square-shape, the SQ MACHSPEED Black Drivers offer Nike's STR8-FIT technology, which delivers eight face angle options - two degrees open and two degrees closed.  The square version promotes forgiveness and stability.  The round version is for golfers who desire more workability and shot shaping. Both drivers come with Mitsubishi Rayon lightweight Fubuki shafts which allow for maximum speed.

The Nike SQ MACHSPEED Black driver is loaded with a combination of ground-breaking technology that was born from the minds of Nike Golf's team of engineers.

Availability:  November 26, 2010

Rocky Season Comes To A Close For The Halos

As I sit here and watch the Angels wrap up their 2010 season against the AL West champion Rangers, I am compelled to look back on the Halos season of disappointment and its hopeful season of redemption in 2011.

With such short memories and attention spans these days, too many fans expect their team to be in the playoffs contending for championships every season.  The problem with that type of expectation is that it’s simply silly.

Only 8 teams make the MLB postseason, meaning 22 teams are left on the outside of the playoff picture every year.  In other words, teams have a much better chance (73%) of missing the postseason rather than playing (27%) for a World Series title.  So ease up, Angels fans, having gone to the playoffs each of the last 3 years is a pretty good run.

Having said that, I know for a fact that missing out on the postseason this year does not sit very well with owner Arte Moreno, GM Tony Reagins or manager Mike Scioscia.  All three have indicated that a thorough examination of the organization will start immediately so a plan can be put in place to get this team back on the road to a World Series title.

Based on some of my conversations with team personnel, players and coaches, here are some things that must happen before the 2011 season gets underway.


foxsportswest.com: Rocky Season Comes To A Close For The Halos

PAC-10 REPRIMANDS OREGON FOOTBALL COACH

WALNUT CREEK, Calif.--University of Oregon head football coach Chip Kelly has been reprimanded by the Pac-10 Conference for comments he made about the officiating at last Saturday’s game against Stanford, Commissioner Larry Scott announced today. Kelly’s comments were aired on ABC as part of a half-time interview conducted by Erin Andrews.

“The Pac-10 has specific rules that prohibit our coaches from making public comments about officiating, and this prohibition specifically includes comments that create doubts about the credibility of the Conference’s officiating program,” stated Scott. “The Conference expects each Pac-10 coach to adhere to our standards of conduct and to conduct himself or herself in a manner which will reflect credit on the institution and the Conference.”

Kobe On Beating LeBron 1-on-1: "I'd Do That In My Sleep!"

Just before LeBron James was about to win his first NBA MVP award, I did an interview with Kobe Bryant for Lakers Live, in which I asked him who was the best basketball player in the world.  He gave me a very modest and politically correct answer talking about how great of a player LeBron had become through the years and that he likely deserved the MVP that season.

Being the seasoned reporter that I am, I quickly pointed out to Kobe that he didn't exactly answer my question about who was the best player in the world.  So I then posed a different question to the reigning MVP at the time.

Me:  "Who would win a game of 1-on-1 between you and LeBron?"

Kobe (without hesitation):  "Come on, man.  Me. All day long!"

There are some who still like to argue the point that LeBron is the best player in the world right now, despite him being able to reach the Finals in any of the last three seasons.  Of course, getting to the Finals is more about a team rather than a particular player.  Thus, we are back to the question I posed to Kobe two years ago about going head-to-head against LeBron.

And if even considered entertaining the thought that Kobe may have softened his stance on his ability to crush LeBron in a game of 1-on-1, check out this interview with Kobe during the Lakers current European road trip.

LAKERS INDIVIDUAL GAME TICKETS TO GO ON SALE OCTOBER 2

EL SEGUNDO - Individual game tickets for the Los Angeles Lakers’ 2010-11 season will go on sale this Saturday, October 2, it was announced today.

The tickets will go on sale at 10:00am at all Ticketmaster locations, online at www.ticketmaster.com and by telephone at 1-800-4NBATIX. There will be a limit of four tickets per person per game.

There are approximately 1,000 tickets available for each Lakers home game.  Tickets will not be available for purchase at the STAPLES Center Box Office on this date.

For more information regarding tickets for individual games, as well as a list of premium games, please visit the Lakers website at www.lakers.com

CLIPPERS INDIVIDUAL GAME TICKETS TO GO ON SALE SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2

The Los Angeles Clippers announced today that individual game tickets will go on sale Saturday, October 2 at 10:00 AM. To purchase single game tickets, Clippers fans can visit: clippers.com, ticketmaster.com or call 800-4NBA-TIX.

Tickets can also be purchased at the STAPLES Center Box Office and Ticketmaster Centers including select Wal-Mart locations, La Curacao and The Beverly Center beginning at 10:00 AM.

Highlights of the schedule include visits from Kobe Bryant and the NBA Champion Lakers on Dec. 8 and Jan. 16, as well as contests vs. Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic on Dec. 12 and Kevin Garnett and the Boston Celtics on Feb. 26.


CLIPPERS INDIVIDUAL GAME TICKETS TO GO ON SALE SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2

NABJ/New York Times Leadership Academy To Be Held November 2010 – August 2011

Application Deadline: October 1, 2010



WHO IS THIS FOR? Beginning or mid-career managers.


WHAT IS IT?
The Leadership Academy is a unique training and development program for print and Web journalists who are, or aspire to become, newsroom managers. Beginning or mid-career managers will be guided through the issues and challenges of newsroom leadership, and will gain skills necessary to lead in a rapidly-changing media world.

Journalists selected to attend the Academy will receive all expense paid leadership training at The Times during the fall and at Harvard University through the Maynard Institute Media Academy in January and March (each session at Harvard is a week long). The group will come together one last time at the summer NABJ convention to share their experience with interested colleagues.

Applicants should have two to five years experience in one or more management positions. Deadline for applications is October 1, 2010.


HOW DO I APPLY?

The Leadership Academy is open to newspaper and Web journalists with strong leadership and managerial potential who want to further develop their skills. Applicants may come from a range of newsroom experience including--but not limited to—department or section heads, deputy or assistant editors, assignment editors, slots, photo editors, photographers, designers, graphics editors and Web editors.


An application must contain ALL of the following:

1. The application form, completed and signed
DOWNLOAD APPLICATION HERE:
http://www.nabj.org/resource/resmgr/docs/application-leadership_acade.pdf

2. Your resume
3. A letter of recommendation
4. Proof of membership in NABJ

Applications may be obtained and information provided by contacting the coordinator of the Leadership Academy Juanita Powell-Brunson, at 212 556-3599 or poweljf@nytimes.com.

Applicants must be able to meet the time requirements including two days in November or December in New York; one week at Harvard in January, another week at Harvard in March; and the NABJ convention in August.

Deadline:  Applications must be postmarked by October 1 and mailed to:



CONTACT
The NABJ/New York Times Leadership Academy
Attn: Dana Canedy
Senior Editor
PO Box 2690
Times Square Station
New York, NY 10108

For more info, visit: www.nabj.org

Bay Area Anchor Famous For Singletary Interview Gets The Boot

Maybe you've heard about the infamous live interview 49ers Head Coach Mike Singletary did recently with KPIX sports anchor Dennis O'Donnell. In case you haven't seen the video, you should watch it below.

Having just recently viewed the video myself, I felt the need to voice my opinions here.

I think what Singletary did to O'Donnell on the air was completely uncalled for and downright disrespectful. But beyond that, for O'Donnell to be removed from that special segment is even more ridiculous in my mind.

Not only were O'Donnell's questions timely and topical in wake of a recent Yahoo! Sports article, he was giving Singletary a chance to set the record straight in the team's special segment on KPIX's newscast, which I'm sure is where 49ers fans expect to get the most direct information regarding the team. Even if Singletary didn't know or respect that, he's certainly aware of the money the station pays for that access. And for that reason, he should have been more cooperative during O'Donnell's interview.

Being a sportscaster myself, I just hate the idea that the station and team executives didn't do what was right and have Singletary apologize to O'Donnell. Instead, as we often see in Corporate America, KPIX station execs seemed to bend over backwards to appease the 49ers. It seems as though being a slave to the almighty dollar supersedes doing the right thing.

Bad Year For Minorities In Broadcast Journalism

The minorities in the United States increased as a percentage of population from 2009 to 2010, but at the same time, minority staffing in radio and television news departments was decreasing, and in neither case did the numbers reflect the total population, according to the latest RTDNA/Hofstra University study.

In 2010, minorities made up 35.3% of total population, but comprised only 20.2% of TV news staffing and an almost invisible 5% of radio staffing. The 2009 numbers were 34.4%, 21.8% and 8.9% respectively.

rbr.com:  Bad Year For Minorities In Broadcast Journalism

Blake Griffin Profiled In Men's Fitness

Even before the Clippers made him the #1 overall draft pick last summer, Blake Griffin's high-intensity, military-inspired workouts were becoming legendary.  Prior to suffering a fractured knee cap in last year's final preseason game, the Oklahoma native was poised to enter the league with one of the most physically fit bodies the NBA had ever seen.

And he didn't sculp that body just in the weight room or on the sand dunes.  Griffin is part of a small, but ever-growing portion of NBA players who are using yoga as a major part of their conditioning programs. 

"I learned a lot the past year, the importance of being patient and finding the positive in every situation, said Griffin in the latest edition of Men's Fitness. "My mindset was to not just sit around, but to also get better and try out some new things."

Not only is yoga a good way to prevent injuries due to increased flexibility, but it can also play a significant part in the rehab from a major injury.  That's right, "down dogs" and "warrior twos" can be just as important as resistance band exercises and laps in the pool.



Men's Fitness:  The Big Warrior Returns

Year-end Thoughts On The Dodgers

I attended my last Dodgers game of the season Sunday.  While the team still has a few more games to play, my year-long assignment of covering the Dodgers is now complete as I will soon start the transition to my NBA duties, along with a handful of Angels games remaining on my schedule.

As I watched the Dodgers rally for an 11-inning, 7-6 win over the Rockies, several thoughts pertaining to the team ran through my mind.  Here they are, starting at the top.


foxsportswest.com: Year-end Thoughts On The Dodgers