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Posted by: Bradley McDonald

Congratulations to Danica Patrick, who became only the fourth woman to ever qualify for the Indianapolis 500. Not only did Danica qualify, but she led the race at one point and ended up finishing in fourth place, the highest ever for a woman driver. That's quite an accomplishment, especially when you consider she's only a 23-year old rookie.

Danica Patrick lived up to the hype. Now, what does she do for an encore?

Patrick stole the show at the Indianapolis 500, giving the guys a real run for their money and nearly grabbing the biggest purse in auto racing before finishing fourth.

The 5-foot-2, 100-pound rookie thrilled the 300,000 or so spectators at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway who spent much of the final 30 laps on their feet screaming and cheering as she tried to pull off the biggest upset in 89 years of Indy history.

Englishman Dan Wheldon got to celebrate in Victory Lane and will pocket at least $1.5 million, but Patrick gave Americans a new hero to follow in a sport dominated in recent years by foreign drivers.

In fact, only 14 of the 33 starters in Sunday's race were Americans.

After being the biggest surprise of the month -- turning some of the fastest speeds in practice and qualifying fourth -- the 23-year-old Patrick was almost good enough to take the checkered flag Sunday. She led three times for 19 laps and overcame a stalled engine in the pits and a crash on the track before a nearly empty fuel tank finally cost her this first shot at racing immortality.

Posted by: Bradley McDonald

Happy Memorial Day, everyone! I love these long weekends. They’re perfect for short road trips. I stuck around town for this one, though, since I’ve got a road trip planned for next weekend. We thought about heading to the beach, but inclement weather thwarted that idea. Instead, my girlfriend and I went to Target and bought a Slip-N-Slide for $10. I was going to use my 2-year old nephew as an excuse to buy one, but he didn’t even get a chance to play on it. But I figured out that a Slip-N-Slide is just as fun when you’re 26 as it is when you’re 6!

Speaking of 26, my birthday is this Thursday so I’ll be a year wiser (I’m trying to ignore the fact that 27 sounds a lot older than 26). I’ll be in Houston celebrating - that’s the planned road trip. I''m going to at least one Astros game and I’d like to invite Houston’s newest fan to join me. Welcome to the Astros fan club, Kris!

For those of you who haven’t been tuned in, I made a friendly “wager” with Kris, a Brewers fan, over the Astros/Brewers series over the weekend. Since the Astros took two out of three, Kris has to cheer for the Astros the rest of the year. But since I’m such a gracious winner, I’ll even pull for the Brew Crew some (especially when they play the Cubs).

Posted by: Bradley McDonald

I am happy to report that the Astros are on a one game winning streak! Houston took out the Cubs last night by a score of 5-1. Thirty more games like this one and we'll be in first place!

Kris, from Wisconsin, was so kind as to offer to share the Milwaukee Brewers with me. The Brewers are currently in second place in the NL Central, so I just may accept the offer.

I'll make a deal with you, Kris. The Brewers play the Astros this weekend, so if the Brewers win the series, I'll cheer for them the rest of the year. But if the 'Stros win, you have to become a Houston fan. Deal?

Posted by: Bradley McDonald

Over the past several days, I've been involved in conference calls and discussions with the braintrust (there's that word again, Wendy) of 90&9 about a much needed website redesign. Since 90&9 works totally off of volunteer work, it's tough to find the time and money for such a huge project, but it looks like we've found a deal.

I've seen the initial design and it's a total change, so don't worry if you come to our website one day and don't recognize it at first. It looks great, though, and I'm sure you will all agree once you see it!

I'll post more about it as the details are made available, but I wanted my readers to be the first to know. Another advantage of being in The Bench Warmer VIP Club!

Posted by: Bradley McDonald

The Phoenix Suns may have had the best record in the NBA regular season, but the Spurs proved they are the team to beat as they took a 2-0 lead over the Suns tonight. It's hard to believe a game could be played better than this one. Both teams shot over 50% from the field and over 70% from the free throw line. The Spurs hit the big shots when it counted, though, and they looked every bit like the playoff toughened team they are.

Last night, in somewhat of an upset, Detroit dealt the Miami Heat their first loss of the playoffs. Shaq played, but still seemed somewhat gimpy on his injured thigh. The Pistons defense had Dwyane Wade rattled from the beginning and he ended up shooting just 7-25 from the field. A lot of people, including me, forgot how good the Pistons defense really is. It won them a title last year and could do the same this year.

Posted by: Bradley McDonald

...new favorite baseball team. Must participate in Major League Baseball. Must be able to win more than one game per month away from the home stadium and must not be susceptible to 5+ game losing streaks. Must be able to hit over .250 collectively and drive in runners when they are in scoring position. Chicago Cubs need not apply. In fact, teams that regularly beat the Chicago Cubs are preferred. All those wishing to apply, please contact me at your earliest convenience. Applications will be accepted up until the All-Star break.

As you can see, the Astros season is beginning to bother me. I chalked up their early struggles to youth and hoped the young guys would start hitting the ball. Well, after 45 games, Houston is at the bottom of the entire league in runs scored, so my hope is beginning to wear thin. At least it can't get much worse.

I'm still going to cheer them on, though. It's tough to get rid of a first love. :)

I think I've become a bit spoiled over the years. Even though the Astros have never been to the World Series, they've made the playoffs 5 out of the last 8 years and have had only one losing season since '92, so it's tough to adjust to last place.

Oh, well. At least LSU is playing well as the college season turns into tourney time. The Tigers ended up winning a share of the SEC West title on the last day and will go into the SEC tournament as the overall No. 2 seed.

Posted by: Bradley McDonald

Just when drama was building in the NBA playoffs, the Pistons, Suns, and Spurs all ran off and won their next two games. Except for Miami/Washington (it only took the Heat four games), every series ended in six games. Don't these guys know there's a script to follow? I want Game 7's and drama!

The next round may be a little better, with a spot in the Championships on the line. A few questions linger:

• Can the Spurs keep up with the Suns, with Tim Duncan beat up?
• Will Shaq be able to play for Miami? Will they need him to beat Detroit?

We shall see. My thoughts: the Spurs are good enough to beat the Suns even if they are a little hobbled. Dwyane Wade will take care of the Pistons without Shaq, if he has to. He's won without Shaq in the past and he can do it again.

Posted by: Bradley McDonald

Remember Afleet Alex? The horse that I told you about before the Kentucky Derby won the Preakness today, even though he was knocked to his knees after another horse bumped into him. There's a sermon in that somewhere. It's not how many times ya get knocked down; it's what you do after you get up! Can I get an AMEN?! :)

Anyway, the Preakness is the second race of the three "Triple Crown" races. Since Giacomo, who won the Kentucky Derby, finished third today in the Preakness, this will only be the third time in nine years that there won't be a horse going for the "Triple Crown" at the Belmont.

Posted by: Bradley McDonald

Here's an article that sheds some light on a few players for the Atlanta Braves. Even though I'm not a Braves fan (and the Braves have put the Astros out of the playoffs a few times), I respect what Atlanta does on the field. They've won more games over the last 14 years than any other team. It's almost a given every year that they'll be in the playoffs. But this article doesn't focus on baseball accomplishments; it focuses on the faith of the players.

However, there is a dimension to the Atlanta Braves team that transcends athletic prowess, Silver Slugger awards, Gold Glove awards and division championships; that is faith and character. In fact, the Lord Jesus Christ has some visible and very vocal ambassadors on this year's team.

For example, Smoltz, the stalwart right-hander, grew up as a Catholic in Michigan. Reflecting on his religious heritage the talented pitcher commented, "I was taught moral principles from childhood and tried to win God's approval by good works, but I was motivated by guilt. I finally came to realize that if anyone is trying to impress God, it is not of Him. Then in 1995 as a result of the Braves chapel services led by Walt Wiley, I came to understand my need to have a personal relationship with Christ."

Neither is first baseman Adam LaRoche shy about speaking of the importance of having a personal relationship with Christ. The All-American high school star stated, "My goal is not to make a lot of money or acquire fame, but to daily walk by faith."

Julio Franco, who is MLB's oldest current player and will become 47 on August 23, declared, "I've been a Christian for 15 years." Franco sat at his locker, unwrapped a rather large Subway sandwich and twisted the top off a gallon jar of apple juice, then paused to bow his head and give thanks for God's blessings and provisions. It is likely that all who were in the room noted his prayer of thanksgiving.

Posted by: Bradley McDonald

All of a sudden, we've got a little drama in the NBA Playoffs. Sonics-Spurs, Pacers-Pistons, and Mavericks-Suns are all in the midst of a 2-2 series.

I thought the Pacers-Pistons series would be a good one, but I had no idea the Sonics would be this competitive against the Spurs. Same goes for the Mavericks against the Suns. I didn't think the Dallas crew could handle Nash and his runnin' Suns.

I still believe in the Spurs and the Suns, but at least now it'll be a little more interesting.

Posted by: Bradley McDonald

I attended an LSU baseball game this weekend with Dave Buncho and his curse still liveth. The Tigers got pounded by a very good Tennessee team that night, but came back to win the final two games of the series. There's only one more week of regular season games left and then things get exciting. That's when the tournaments begin, with the College World Series topping it off in June.

Us LSU fans are a little spoiled when it comes to college baseball, since the Tigers piled up 5 National Championships in the 90s. Now, just getting to the World Series isn't enough; the Tigers have to win it all for people to be satisfied around here.

Posted by: Bradley McDonald

This could be interesting...

Baseball's long wait for a World Cup-style international tournament, with the game's best players representing their countries, is over.

Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association jointly announced Wednesday that the "World Baseball Classic," a 16-nation tournament featuring the world's best players competing for their home countries, will be played in March 2006.

Just think how much excitement the World Cup generates for soccer fans. There are a lot of fanatical baseball fans around the world, too, so this would be a real treat.

Don't think the U.S. would walk through this tournament, though. ESPN's Page 2 has some potential lineups for counties and the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico would be pretty stacked. Not to mention Japan, who has many good players that choose not to play in the U.S. Major Leagues.

Posted by: Bradley McDonald

A few notes about the second round of the NBA Playoffs.

• Miami and San Antonio still look unbeatable (both have 2-0 leads in their series).
  
• Phoenix also looks tough, with newly named MVP Steve Nash. Amare Stoudemire must have the most number of dunks ever in one season thanks to Nash. It'll be fun to see Phoenix versus San Antonio in a seven game series. They have contrasting styles - the Suns like to run and gun and the Spurs are primarily a defensive, half-court oriented team.
• The Detroit/Indiana matchup will probably be the best series of the 2nd round. This is a matchup of the two teams involved in the brawl back in November. I doubt there will be any fights this time around, but the Pacers are still feeling the effects of that incident. Ron Artest, who was suspended for the season, was a major part of the Pacers team and he may have made the difference between an NBA Finals team and a 2nd round-and-out team.

Posted by: Bradley McDonald

Posted by: Bradley McDonald

Happy Mother's day to all moms out there (especially mine). In honor of mothers everywhere, I bring you a snippet of an ee cummings poem. You can read the whole thing here.

if there are any heavens my mother will(all by herself)have
one. It will not be a pansy heaven nor
a fragile heaven of lilies-of-the-valley but
it will be a heaven of blackred roses

Posted by: Bradley McDonald

Speaking of the Derby...

Being at a horse race a couple of weeks ago has piqued my interest in the Kentucky Derby. If you need a horse to cheer for, I submit to you Afleet Alex and a few reasons to cheer for him.

• The horse had to be bottle fed after birth, because his mother could not nurse.
  
• His breeder was diagnosed with cancer in 2002 and given 3 months to live but he'll be at Churchill Downs tomorrow.
  
• He is owned by a group of everyday people from Philadelphia (no multi-million dollar, George Steinbrenner types here).
  
• He will be ridden by a 26-year old jockey who wasn't supposed to be racing in the derby, but who is so close to the horse that they both had a lung infection at the same time.
  
• The trainer of Afleet Alex has been working with horses for 30 years, but finally (this is his first Derby, too) has a chance to validate his life's work.

Read this article on espn.com by Pat Forde, to get the full effect.

I see the jaded look in your eye. I hear the distrust in your voice. Your defenses are up, your cynicism is keen.

Too many dark, divisive stories have diminished the games you once loved unconditionally and naively. There are steroids in baseball and officiating conspiracy theories in the NBA playoffs -- but then again, at least there are NBA playoffs. There is no such competition for the Stanley Cup.

But here gallops your spring pick-me-up. Good old horse racing, coming through again, right on cue. Here is a story you can wrap your arms around, without skepticism. Here is a story that won't stop, about a horse that won't stop delivering new thrills and fresh goosebumps.

Here is Afleet Alex, heir to the warm feelings left by Kentucky Derby predecessors Funny Cide and Smarty Jones. He's ready to run for the roses Saturday. He's ready to reward the dreamers who helped him get this far. And he's ready to remind the jaded that it's still a joy to be a sports fan.

Posted by: Bradley McDonald

From the department of "NOW I've seen it all"...

On the eve of the Kentucky Derby, I bring you another great racing event:

World Championship Cockroach Racing

(Increased font size for dramatic emphasis)

It seems the folks in Australia are lacking in the entertainment department. I don't even know what to say about it, except "sick!" This article says it best:

Only in Australia would they celebrate their national holiday by racing cockroaches.

Yes, that's right I'm talking about those pooey brown, hairy legged, skin crawling, under the fridge indulgers and lights out kitchen partiers that infest much of the land Down Under.

On a day when most countries would be flag raising, parading the streets and celebrating their nationhood Australians head to the pub for some serious cockroach action.

A sport that has become a bit of a tradition.

At the Story Bridge Hotel in Brisbane they've been racing the insects every hot summery January 26 for the past 21 years. It all started in 1982 when two barflies began arguing that the roaches from his part of town were the fastest in Brisbane. They tested their alcohol-fuelled convictions in a parking garage, the bar crowd enjoyed it and thus the races were born.

Now described as "the greatest gathering of thoroughbred cockroaches in the known universe" the event has not come of age that much. There's a bit of sponsorship, TV cameras, microphones and live bands but much of the tradition has remained the same.

Posted by: Bradley McDonald

Posted by: Bradley McDonald

Be sure to check out A Month In My Life to visit our newest resident, Joel Johns from Atlanta, GA. He's a student at Gateway College of Evangalism and he'll be blogging from their chorale tour, so that should be interesting.

Also, from our editor-in-chief, Kent Curry:

Mother's Day is around the corner & we'd like to celebrate your Mom. So, in 100 words or less, complete this: "I love my Mom because..." Submit your thoughts to: editor@ninetyandnine.com by Thursday, May 5 and it will appear the Monday after Mother's Day (because Mothers deserve more than one day of celebration).

Posted by: Bradley McDonald

Houston Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy was fined $100,000 after speaking out against officiating earlier this week. Van Gundy said that officials were targeting his center, Yao Ming, because Mavericks owner Mark Cuban complained to the league. Van Gundy alleges that he received this information from a referee not working the playoffs.

It appears to me that commissioner David Stern overreacted on this incident. Coaches have always tried to gain advantages with referees by speaking out publicly and a lot of them have been fined, but never for $100,000. Stern was definitely not happy, though, apparently because Van Gundy won't reveal his source.

From ESPN.com:

"If he's going to say things like that, he's not going to continue in this league," Stern said. "If the attitude reflected in those comments continues to be public, he's going to have a big problem with me as long as I'm commissioner."

After the Rockets' 103-100 loss to the Mavericks in Game 5 Monday night, Van Gundy called Stern's statement "interesting." But the coach stood by what he had said.

"I didn't see anything wrong with what I said," Van Gundy explained. "But certainly, obviously, for a statement like that to come out, he obviously differs. … That's all right."

Stern said the league is both furious at what Van Gundy said and that he refuses to divulge the official he claims told him that referees "were looking at Yao harder because of Mark's complaints" to the league office.

"This is the first case I can remember when an allegation has been made and the perpetrator hasn't cooperated," Stern said. "At this time of year, there usually is a craziness in the land that has to do with referees as coaches jockey for position. This one, in our view, set a new low for that. That's why the fine is what it was and that's why the investigation is continuing."

Well, if you like a soap opera, there ya go! Van Gundy must've stole Stern's girlfriend in college or something; it looks like a personal dislike to me.

Posted by: Bradley McDonald

Lee Ann would be proud of me. I found time to read a book!

I just finished Ball Four, a recount of a year in Jim Bouton's life as a professional baseball player in 1969. The book received a lot of attention recently when Jose Canseco's book came out, because Ball Four was one of the first "tell-all" books in sports and supposedly caused quite a bit of controversy when it originally came out. Since Sports Illustrated rated it number three on it's "Top 100 Sports Books of All Time" list, I decided to check it out.

The book is written in diary form and it basically describes the everyday interactions of players in that day, which doesn't sound too much different from players today. Bouton writes about drinking, locker-room pranks, disagreeing with coaches, and even drugs, but it's his wit that makes the book a good read. Some of the pranks and player-interactions that Bouton describes are very comical.

If Ball Four had been released today it probably wouldn't have caused much of a stir, because there have been plenty of "tell-all" accounts since then and we know, especially with the steroid scandal, that ball players are humans, too. Ball Four definitely gets the point across that Major League players are completely fallible. Bouton didn't save himself from the criticism either, and I got the picture of him as being self-conscious about his abilities and trying to fit in with the other players. He gets down on himself when he doesn't do well and wonders if players respect him, but he keeps the whole mood of the book light-hearted with his witty, and sometimes irreverent, comments.

The last line of the book is a great quote and sums up how Bouton feels about baseball: "You spend a good piece of your life gripping a baseball and in the end it turns out that it was the other way around all the time."

It was interesting to get a behind-the-scenes view of players and it turns out, it's not too much different than how my high-school baseball team acted! I would recommend Ball Four as a light read, but be forewarned, there is some graphic language involved.

Posted by: Bradley McDonald

Some notes from this past weekend:

• Both of the number one seeded NBA playoff teams (Suns and Heat) advanced by sweeping their opponents. So much for parity in the NBA.
• Ray Allen scored 45 points to lead Seattle to a 3-1 advantage over the Kings. His release is so quick that defenders sometimes are just getting off the ground when his shot is already in the basket. When he is on like he was last night, it's a beautiful thing to watch.
  
• The Astros took 2 out of 3 from the Cubs this weekend to stay in the middle of the NL Central pack. Even if the Astros were in last place, I'd be happy to see them beat the Cubs. Growing up, all of my friends were Cubs fans, so I was greatly outnumbered. I still get harassed (and do some harrassing) due to the Cubs/Astros rivalry, but it's all in good fun. I still love to see the Cubs fail, though.