Undersized, knobby-kneed and considered lazy. That's how people described one of the greatest sports underdogs of the 20th century. His name was Seabiscuit, and he went on to win the "match of the century" against favorite War Admiral at Pimlico during the height of the Depression.

Undersized, lacking a killer serve or volley, and inexperienced, Melanie Oudin's accomplishments don't yet rival Seabiscuit's but she's already stirring the public's imagination. Her victory Monday at the U.S. Open over the hard-hitting Nadia Petrova put her into the quarter-finals of a major for the first time.

Ms. Oudin's performance in Flushing Meadows lacks only two more victories (and perhaps a Cold War background) to make it complete. Her win against Ms. Petrova represented her third straight against top-seeded Russian women.

U.S. women's tennis is not in the sorry state of the U.S. men's, of course. The Williams sisters, Venus and Serena, are top players, and Serena may yet win the Open. But there's something extraordinary about seeing a 17-year-old nobody who would have had trouble making the top-200 rankings a year ago put on the kind of show Ms. Oudin has.

Continue reading "Seeing is believing: the USA's unlikely tennis star" »

Posted by Peter Jensen at 12:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
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Not to be overly cynical, but what message, exactly, were the students of Milford Mill Academy supposed to take away from yesterday's surprise anti-steroid talk by the New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez? He came to the school to discourage students from taking steroids by sharing his story, which goes something like this:

From 2001-2003, just after signing a contract with the Texas Rangers that made him the highest-paid player in the history of Major League Baseball, Rodriguez took steroids. During those years, he hit .305 and belted out an average of 52 home runs a year, about 10 more than his career average. He was named the American League's Most Valuable Player in 2003. During that time, he earned more than $75 million in salary, and who knows how much more in endorsements. He got traded the next year to the Yankees, the winningest team in the history of baseball, where he has made the playoffs four times and been named AL MVP twice. In a 2007 interview, he denied ever using steroids.

This spring, Sports Illustrated reported that his name was among those who had tested positive for steroids in supposedly anonymous testing in 2003. In an interview with ESPN, Rodriguez later admitted taking steroids from 2001-2003 but never before and never since. At a subsequent news conference, he provided vague answers about the circumstances of his illicit drug use.

He has not been suspended from the game, faced legal penalties or forfeited a dime in salary. He has declined to testify before Congress about steroids.

But he has, apparently, paid a terrible price. That price is occasionally talking to groups of high school students for a few minutes with no news media present to tell them that steroids are bad. Gee, that must be awful.

Posted by Andy Green at 9:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
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Baltimore may be the pick of Indy Racing League, but is Baltimore ready to embrace Indianapolis 500 cars zooming down city streets at 180 miles per hour? Baltimore Racing Development's announcement Monday that the IRL is ready to roll through Baltimore in 2011 is great news, but only if organizers can make their case that the benefits outweigh the headaches.

Small wonder that Mayor Sheila Dixon was left waving the caution flag. "The city must carefully consider the costs of this event ... against the competing economic interests," the mayor's statement explained.

Running Indy cars around the Inner Harbor would no doubt disrupt downtown traffic and create a substantial (and noisy) ruckus. It also costs money to properly pave the streets involved (although some repaving is already planned for the area). But the benefits are considerable: Up to $100 million in spending over three days. That's more than the Preakness-related events generate each year.

Continue reading "Vroom, vroom" »

Posted by Peter Jensen at 1:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)
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In fairness, President Barack Obama grew up in Hawaii and Indonesia without a dad, never played Little League and is certainly as athletic as one can expect for a president. But White Sox jacket or no, that guy really can't throw a baseball. He made some kind of awkward windup and lobbed a lazy, stiff-armed lefty toss toward the plate at Tuesday's All Star Game that was only saved from hitting the ground by the alert play of Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols, who stretched out and scooped it up. (Note to future presidents: first basemen, who pick throws out of the dirt all day long, may be the ideal choice for this activity.) My dad, who was in the stadium (and called me, obnoxiously, to rub it in), said it was quite clear that the president shouldn't quit his day job.

But did you see Pujols' great save on the Fox telecast? Nope. The camera stayed trained on Obama until the pitch had been safely caught. The producers didn't broadcast the traditional center field camera angle that would have shown both the pitcher and the catcher. Coincidence? Seems highly unlikely. Considering how embarrassing it was for the first President Bush (a standout baseball player in high school and college) when he bounced a pitch on the way to the plate (he said he was trying to throw a curveball), I'd bet the White House had some careful negotiations with Fox beforehand about camera angles. An administration as attentive to image as this one would hardly leave such a pivotal moment to chance.

Posted by Andy Green at 11:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (33)
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I, the girl with a savings account that has been specifically named "Wimbledon fund," did not even bother watching the final this year.

Oh yes, I've heard from everyone that it was the greatest match ever played, Roddick played his heart out, and Federer finally, after all that, beat Pete Sampras' record with 15 Grand Slam wins. The trouble is, I knew all that before I even sat down to watch Roddick slip past Andy Murray on Friday. Federer was a lock, no matter how wicked Roddick's serve, because who -- besides Rafael Nadal -- can possibly beat Roger at a Grand Slam?

I'm just bored with it all. To me, tennis was at its most sublime about 10 years ago, when you were never quite sure who would come out on top: Sampras, Agassi, Hewitt, Safin, Rafter (whose autographed picture is a highlight in my dining room) or even an upstart such as Roddick or James Blake.

And by the way, Blakey, I love you, but stop losing in the first round and breaking my heart, OK?

Do we even know if this Swiss phenom is human? How can we be sure that the traditionally neutral Switzerland hasn't been pumping its research and development dollars into the perfect bionic tennis player, while the rest of the world has gotten bogged down in nuclear proliferation concerns?

So here's my plea: Won't some hot new tennis star break through at the U.S. Open in August and show this guy some real competition? (Sorry, Nadal, but you don't count. You're almost as perfect and boring as Mr. Grand Slam himself.) 

Let us know your most likely candidate (or why I should leave Federer alone) and you could win L. Jon Wertheim's Strokes of Genius: Federer, Nadal, and the Greatest Match Ever Played, which chronicles last year's monster of a Wimbeldon final. And please excuse Mr. Wertheim's title; how was he to know that Federer's win this year would be even more phenomenal?

(AP photo)

Posted by Nancy Knight at 1:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (22)
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Tuesday's op-ed by former Oriole Brady Anderson in defense of Peter Angelos continues to generate a tremendous response, with about half of the readers glad that someone is finally sticking up for the O's owner, and the other half saying Brady is delusional. In case you missed it, you can still read the op-ed on our site. Here are some highlights:

I find it laughable that someone who has achieved the type of success that enables one to purchase a Major League Baseball team can be casually dismissed by many as a "meddler." I have never understood this complaint of meddling; he owns the team. Indeed, this idea runs counter to the way that just about every other business in the world is run. I am certain many people would find it odd if their bosses sat by passively and idly as they ran the business anyway they chose.

... 

...two years ago, a valid argument could have been made against Mr. Angelos, and I am certain that he too would have acknowledged that the front office lacked stability. However, with the arrival of Andy MacPhail, one of the most respected men in baseball and the owner of two World Series rings, this criticism is off the mark as well. According to MacPhail, Angelos has given him full latitude to run the club.

...

I know Peter Angeles, and I have always considered the attacks on him unfair and malicious. I have met him in his office and had dinner with him on several occasions. During our conversations, I recall thinking that this is a compassionate, loyal man who truly cares about the Orioles, the fans, and the people of Baltimore.

Continue reading "Is Brady Anderson right about Peter Angelos?" »

Posted by Andy Green at 11:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
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People write in to say the darndest things. I offer this with no further comment:

On Friday the 8th of May, my family and I had the privilege to attend the game between the Orioles & the Yankees. Having never been to, and having always wanted to see Camden Yards, it was the perfect early Mother's Day gift. Coming from NY, and of course Yankee fans to boot, we couldn't wait for the game to start.

Unfortunately it turned into a nightmare for the five of us. Sitting behind us were four of the most obnoxious Baltimore Orioles fans: loud crude and downright mean spirited. I realize we all have a different definition of what a fan constitutes, and I do not begrudge any fan the loyalty they show the teams they love. But their behavior was more then we bargained for. We all finally got up and sat in the above court to watch the end of the game. We just couldn't stand another moment of any of them.

We will not be coming back to Baltimore soon, if ever. These four young men spoiled what was going to be a great experience, seeing Camden Yards and the game. At least going home we could say we had a great meal at LP Steamers, and the staff treated us like we were family.

What Baltimore has to define itself as a wonderful city and vacation spot, can easily be marred by the residents of Baltimore. Sad commentary on the true meaning of kindness and the true spirit of what baseball represents to each and every fan.

Thank you for your time, I am,

Sincerely yours,

Barbara C. Nickerson, Saugerties, N.Y.

Posted by Andy Green at 9:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (27)
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As everyone knows by now, Los Angeles Dodgers star Manny Ramirez has been suspended for 50 games after being linked to a substance banned by Major League Baseball. The slugger, it has been widely reported, will lose about $7.7 million of his $25 million salary this season because of the suspension.

That's a lot of moolah, and it gets one thinking: Is there a good purpose to which some of Manny's money could be put?

It's not unusual in baseball for teams to levy small fines for things like minor violations of clubhouse rules, like arriving late before a game. The cash is typically donated to a charity.

Odds are, the Dodgers have something in mind for Ramirez's lost $7.7 million other than giving it away. But why not at least consider donating a portion of it to one of the worthy organizations that promote healthful activitives -- and discourage drug use -- among low-income children?

The Dodgers' PR strategy seems to be to say as little as possible about the Ramirez scandal, apparently hoping that time (and home runs) will heal this wound. That may work. But putting, say, a half-million bucks into anti-drug efforts would likely generate much good will in the community, offering the team a chance to salvage something positive out of baseball's latest tawdry incident. 

PHOTO FROM THESPORTSIDIOT.COM

Posted by Michael Cross-Barnet at 9:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
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This past weekend, University of Maryland, Baltimore County won the national collegiate chess championship, beating its rival University of Texas-Dallas. It was a sweet victory after the Retrievers' drubbing by Texas last year. In chess, like any other college sport, winning championships seems to be the only goal.

UMBC won the title with the help of Mr. Leonid “the Chief” Kritz, who is the highest-rated college player and ranked 17th overall in the United States. Mr. Kritz, a 25-year-old Israeli, isn’t an ordinary freshman. He has played in international chess competitions since 2000, primarily in Europe for the German national team, reaching his hightest rating before making his way to Catonsville.

 My name is Doug Manzelmann and, as a UMBC student and an editorial intern at The Sun, I'm guest blogging in this space today. I’ve been watching the Retrievers' chess team for the past four years and I'm familiar with its success -- and reliance on older players in previous matches.

 In 2003, the school was in the national spotlight after one of its players, Alex Sherzer, a 32-year-old grand master, was arrested. His age had people questioning the UMBC roster and it turned out that two of his teammates were in their 40s. New regulations forced UMBC to remake its lineup with younger players, and they have done that.

 But Mr. Kritz’s play at UMBC is similar to allowing a probowl quarterback to return to a college team. UMBC's leaders like to talk about chess as an intellectual tool to develop young minds. If UMBC has a genuine interest in promoting chess among its students, the university should be recruiting young prospects on their way to college as well as grooming young players now on campus. I want UMBC to win as much as anyone, but with a team whose members are genuinely my peers. 

Posted by Ann Lolordo at 4:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Yet another potential racetrack owner has stepped forward -- technology CEO Halsey Minor has submitted a bid to buy Maryland's two thoroughbred racing tracks, Pimlico and Laurel and several others owned by Magna Entertainment Corp., which has filed for bankruptcy protection.

Mr. Minor, founder of CNET Networks, owns horses and has some family in Baltimore. He's not  local, but he is talking about rebuilding and investing in the two tracks, which they sorely need.

The lineup of possible owners is now three, according to reports in The Sun and The Blood Horse, and that's encouraging for the state of racing in Maryland and the future of the Preakness Stakes, which must remain in Maryland. 

What's critical for Maryland is that a new owner take seriously the history and significance of the horse industry here and look to creatively build on that, rather than view the tracks as just a potentially lucrative development venture. The state's decision to bring slots to Maryland represents the public's reinvestment in the horse industry and a new track owner should be similarly commited. The Preakness Stakes, the state's most lucrative one-day sporting event, belongs here and a reinvigorated horse industry would reinforce that bond. 

Posted by Ann Lolordo at 10:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
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As the Sweet 16 begin the second stage of the NCAA playoffs in pursuit of the national collegiate basketball championship, Maryland fans might take some small pleasure, despite the absence of the University of Maryland from that elite group, in the fact that there wouldn't be a game called basketball at all if it were not for Maryland's most beloved sport - lacrosse. It was a lacrosse player frustrated by a long Massachusetts winter who invented basketball as a way to pass the time until he could play lacrosse in the spring. John McPhee, an artful describer of life and sport, tells the tale in a long New Yorker piece where he credits lacrosse with also being the ancestor of soccer, hockey and water polo.

"Of these five games- with their picks and screens, their fast breaks and rotational defenses, their high degree of continuous motion- water polo, in its sluggish medium, is surely the most awkward, and lacrosse, at the other extreme, creates the fastest, and crispest accumulation of passes and is the prettiest to watch," says McPhee. We couldn't agree more.

Posted by Larry Williams at 6:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Sports