CRAZY HORSE

Just when you think it's over...the Padres rallied for another walk off win , this time against the visiting Orioles ...sweet swinging, and real big time hitter, Adrian Gonzalez , got the winning knock in the bottom of the 9th...moves the Pads into solo first, again...high drama as closer, Heath Bell , gave up a go ahead run in the top... In the next 6 weeks the hot topic is going to be... trades ...most of the scribes have us getting what we can for Gonzalez and Bell ... BUT ...we are producing and the smart thing is to re-sign them...we do need a power bat ...so, who and where?  And who do we give up to get?  Naw, I got no answers, I just got thoughts... Pebble Beach Open ... Lefty!   As this blogger has predicted, he was the one to beat ...and he moved into position in that highly touted pasture land... very formidable putting left him just a couple shots back...goofy tee times for the leaders today to accommodate the east coast feed ...not until 4:30...what? ...

Well, it wasn't the prettiest of games ...both teams wanted it in the worst way...and for a major portion of it, it was the worst ...the Celtics played their hearts out... "Sheed got the start and played real well...they had momentum and just couldn't hold it ...their defensive scheme on Kobe was marvelous...the Lakers ...outstanding time out usage by Phil Jackson ...every time they got one, he put the ball in the rest of the team's hands to score...in the flow of the game Kobe was ugly ...he continually shot within a double or triple team ...or made off balanced awful passes...kudos to the coach...they did rebound well...as you know, I predicted the Lakers in 6 ...and finally, if this game was played in Boston , the Celts would have won... Am I way off on this?  But is Pebble Beach GC an awful looking piece of pasture land?   I'm not talking about the scenery, which is amazing, but the course itself ...the greens look like splotches of ugly , they are ...

Not what you may be thinking...I defy you to find a better burger, anywhere... cheeseburger animal style from In-N-Out ...it's a grilled onion combo that is the best, Jerry, the best ...now, there are those out there that say...just get the toasted cheese , animal style...regardless, all fresh stuff, and the bun is grilled to boot...unfortunately, the franchise has yet to hit Orygun ...be patient my northern friends, it will come... Is it that the Blue Jays are a powerful team, or that the Padres are woefully weak?   Toronto won the series with an afternooner win...the Pads manager chose to not replace the month long struggling Kevin Correia after 4 or 5 innings...which led to an insurmountable deficit...???...the kid has been abysmal after his family tragedy and needs a break...c'mon Buddy, earn your keep ...on those same lines, the Pads have a day off before the struggling Orioles hit town...just what the doctor ordered...I hope...coincides with my son arriving and...

Well, ABC , you got what you wanted... a game 7 ...as the Lakers made short work of the Celtics last night... the difference?   Got to think it's the mastery of the big game by Phil Jackson ...who blends his superstars with his role players like no other...I think back to the others that he has coached...I'm talking "the Worm" Rodman, Scotty Pippen, the slow afoot Derek Fisher, Ron Artest...coupled with Shaq and Michael J...he just gets the most out of his teams... So, it comes down to one game ...can the Celtics play like they have for 3 of their good ones?  The one thing out there, every game has been different, and there is no carry over from one to the next...it's the Lakers ... sorry Boston peops... NCAA realignment ...the football gods have tried to change the scenery...Colorado and Nebraska moved...but, the rest of the former Big !2 stayed...the impetus there is Texas. ..the Longhorns make a lot of moolah...and they don't need to go anywhere to ...

The Ocotillo Earthquake ...rattled the Gaslamp last night at a mere 5.9 scale ...the walls shook, the glasses clanked, the dog barked, and I moved to the center of the room...don't think I'll ever get used to the natural movement of this earth's crust ...the center was in Ocotillo ( a cactus like thinger), just east of us on the Mexican border...I was watching the Pads game and there was a bunch of nervous laughter as it hit, for about 20 seconds....and the laughter subsided as the SD squad used their "B" team pitchers and conceded the loss to the Toronto Blue Jays, 6-3... ugly, ugly, ugly game ... serenity now... The NBA elongated series heats back up tonight in LA...I can't believe that I am actually pulling for the Lakers ...probably 'cuz I carry this hatred for former Jail Blazer Sheed , who continues his thuggish way of play ...and would win a ring... LA must get the ball inside to win the game...oh well, it is high drama... serenity now... J...

The perfect horse, of course, is the unbeaten mare ... Zenyatta ...who yesterday won it's 17th straight at Hollywood Park, up in LA...at least there is one winner up there ...slam...I digress...the atmosphere was begotten the best in sport, and make no mistake, this is the best in this sport...the race itself... Zenyatta is a come from behind type racer...and this was just the same as always...laboring behind all the rest early and in the stretch the patented close...except she was carrying a 9 pound weight differential...would that be the reason for the loss?  Nope, carefully ridden by  Mike S mith , she got up for the win...and the crowd went wild!  Non-stop applause lasted for 10 minutes as she pranced and paraded on the track to the winner's circle... special?   You bet... NBA ...OK, Laker fans , you are now in the panic mode ...the Celts won two of three at their place...and are a win away from capturing their 2nd crown in 3 years...this time, no bench ...

Very quietly, and I mean very quietly, the best team in the National League is the... San Diego Padres ...they play in the spacious, beautiful, Petco Park in the Gaslamp Area of SD ...have had some positive, but mostly negative moments in the last 6 to 8 seasons in their new park... NOW ...it is all achange...built with the best closing staff in the biz, yes I said the best...and, perhaps, the best clutch hitter in the game, Adrian Gonzalez , the Pads are continuing to amaze the baseball world...and finally, the local folks , too...the atmosphere in the park last night was electric ...not a split allegiance, like when the Dodgers and Giants come to town...but, in unison for the hometown boyz...taking the 2nd game of the Mariners series, 7-1...as Wade LeBlanc and the pen mopped it up...and AGonzo and Oscar Salazar homered in the win... it has been built... So do you like your World Soccer?   The whole world is involved, so that is good...and the U S A tied the Brits ye...