End of Year Chat

It's the winter holidays.

I'm slightly bored. Don't have much to say.

But hey, the Raptors are on a four game winning streak! It's the first of their season. Their next game will be against Charlotte, which hopefully won't be a repeat of that blowout a few weeks back.

It would be awesome to say that the Raptors have found their groove, but honestly though, they were playing against a Detroit squad that was short of their biggest stars like Gordon and Prince. Besides, the Raptors nearly squandered their lead yesterday afternoon. They played so well defensively in the first half, limiting Detroit to 38% and leading by 18 at the half. But when the thrid quarter came, Detroit went on a scoring high, draining 57% of their shots. The Raps were lucky to hold them off for a 7 point victory.

It just seems that the Raptors' victories are so tenuous all the time, unless they're playing against teams like New Jersey. But hey, look at how the Leafs have turned around their season. It just shows that in sports, anything can happen.

Was watching bobsleight and skeleton the other day-looks really really dangerous.

I'm planning to go to this: http://www.hhof.com/html/exOlyGold.shtml this week. Seems like a really neat display.

-D

Torchfever

So last Thursday, the glorious Olympic torch came to town! And thanks to VANOC organizers, the torch route went right through my neighbourhood!

But even more exciting, a Grade 12 student at my high school was a torchbearer along the route not too far down from our school. A lot of us went down there to cheer him on. Even a ton of teachers came too. It actually was a really big deal for all of us!

To see the Olympic flame on TV is one thing, but to see it in person is quite another. It was about 4 in the afternoon when our torchbearer came out along with the rest of the torchbearers along that particular stretch. Everyone was so excited. We were taking pictures, waving flags...it was true Canadian pride at work.

And then we made our way out to where Imad (our torchbearer) was supposed to begin his run. After more picture taking, the police cars and torch motorcade started coming down the road. Everyone was jumpy and restless. And then came the flame. I got goosebumps watching the exchange, and it wasn't from the cold either.

The most exciting part of the day was actually running alongside Imad as he jogged his 300 metres. It was quite epic to see the 50 or so supporters that came out, all running alongside him. As I was running, I was thinking to myself: This is soooo cool!!

So after about a minute or two, Imad finished his run. He passed the flame on to the next torchbearer. And all of us just stood there in awe, not able to stop ourselves from smiling and cheering. This experience was just so awesome for everybody. I mean, when's the next time any of us will be able to run alongside the Olympic flame?

-D

Roy Halladay/Olympic Torch

Today, Roy Halladay ended his Blue Jays career by putting on a Phillies cap in front of a plethora of inquisitive reporters. I can't say I was surprised but I'm very happy Roy's not in the AL East. Hopefully, he'll get a run at a championship that he so deserves but hopefully, when the Doc makes his return to the Rogers Centre perhaps next summer, the fans will give him a standing ovation even if the cap he tips will be a Phillies.

Cliff Lee was traded to the Mariners in the Halladay deal. That should make the West very interesting. Speaking of the West, Hideki Matsui signed on with the Angels for a one year deal today. John Lackey and Mike Cameron both signed with the Red Sox. I don't expect the Jays to compete next year, but hopefully, their year will come. Boy is a lot happening in baseball!

Tomorrow, the Olympic torch is set to be relayed not too far from where I live. On top of that, we have a student from our school who will be running the torch. That's really really exciting and we'll definitely be there to cheer him on!! In the evening, I will also be making my way down to Toronto City Hall for the celebration event.

Will post pics of the exciting stuff later!

-D

Recapping My 2009 Predictions

So this year, on January 2nd, which actually seems like yesterday, I posted 10 predictions on what I thought might happen in the world of sports in 2009.

Well...let's see how I did.

1. With the why they're playing, Team Canada will win the World Junior Hockey Championships.

Canada indeed did, capturing their 5th straight Junior Hockey Title! In a short few weeks, we'll be looking at Team Canada on the ice again, trying for their 6th consecutive gold.

2. Brian Burke proves to be the magical potion for the Toronto Maple Leafs, turning that team around, and bringing them to the playoffs.

The Leafs were...well, the Leafs once again this year. They failed to make the 2008-2009 postseason, and though Burke has made some significant moves, it's probably doubtful that they will make the postseason next April. But who knows, we've bounced back from a 0-7-1 start and are now only 5 points out of the 8th playoff spot.

3. The Boston Celtics, lead by the Big Three, repeats as NBA Champions.

They were good, but not good enough, as the Orlando Magics beat them in a tough and exciting series in the Eastern Conference semi-finals. This year, it looks like they are good again, but potentially not good enough. But you never know what might happen down the road.

4. Usain Bolt will break his own World Record in the 100 M Sprint...again. Do I dare say at the World Athletic Championships in Berlin?

I was so happy that Bolt proved me right. Boy, that man is just so fast-shaving more than .1 of a second off his own record. The new mark is now set at 9.58...how low can he go?

5. Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal continue to rule the tennis world, splitting the four grand slams. Federer takes the Aussie Open and reclaims Wimbledon. Nadal takes Roland Garros and breaks through in Flushing Meadows.

Nadal had a fabulous start to the tennis season, but an injury bug bit him hard, forcing him out early at the Roland Garros and missing the entire Wimbledon tournee. Federer did win 2 Grand Slams, but it was the French and the Wimbledon instead of the Aussie. Nadal met with kid star Juan Martin Del Potro in the semis in New York and succumbed to the eventual champion in straight sets.

6. In the 2009 World Aquatic Championships, Michael Phelps goes with a less rigorous program and takes home 4 gold medals.

He did go with a less rigorous program and still walked away with 5 golds. Now that there seems to be some competition in the swimming arena, London 2012 should be really fun.

7. The National League, after more than a decade, finally takes the MLB All Star Game in Busch Stadium in St. Louis.

The NL players went down in defeat again. The AL team struck first, then lost the lead, before retiring 18 straight NL batters and squeezing in 2 runs of their own. It was the shortest ASG in 21 years, at 2 hours and 31 minutes. At least we saw President Obama throw out a first pitch.

8. Japan wins their second straight title in the World Baseball Classic.

YES THEY DID!

9. Liu Xiang audaciously comes back from his defeat at the 2008 Beijing Olympics to reclaim the World Champion title, beating Dayron Rubles by a hair.

Liu Xiang's Achilles heal is still recovering from the 2008 injury he suffered in Beijing. So even though he didn't get to run on a track against Rubles this year, you can be sure that Liu will be back in shape for 2010.

10. Nastia Liukin once again beats her teammate Shawn Johnson at the 2009 World Gymnastic Championships for the Women's All-Around gold medal.

Yes, it was the Americans atop the podiums but it wasn't Liukin and Johnson. Instead, Bridget Sloan winning the gold and Bridget Bross winning the silver.

So this year, I went 3-10. That's better than '08 and come 2010, I'll be pumping out 10 more of those predictions.

-D

It's December!

There's like three weeks left in 2009! That's unbelievable.

It's also quite unbelievable that the Leafs are catching up to the Raptors' record! Though if the Raptors can play like they did last night against the Bulls, I think the Leafs might have a hard time keeping pace.

The Roy Halladay rumours are still circulating. There's talk that he may be traded to the Yankees for Joba Chamberlain or Phil Hughes. That would be a fatal mistake for Alex Anthopoulos. If Doc is to be traded, then the least he could do is send him out of this division so the Jays aren't victims of their own boobytraps.

There's a lot of Olympic fever right now in Canada. The torch is making its rounds through cities and towns across this great land. I think this weekend, the flame is in Montreal. In a short 10 days time, it will be in Toronto!! I'm really excited, and last night, I found out something that almost made me pee in my pants.

As it turns out, VANOC just released their detailed street route of the torch relay in Toronto last Friday. I took a look at it, and on Thursday, December 17, the torch is slated to go right by where I live. Now, that's exciting! It will be after school's out too, so I definitely look forward to making the 5 minute walk to see the torch go through my neighbourhood.

There will also be an event that evening at Nathan Phillips Square, which should be really exciting and jam packed with people. Plus, it'll be the second last day of school before the holiday break! Can you blame me for being excited?!

-D

P.S. When's it gonna start snowing here in TO?

Things Could Be Worse

The Raptosr have been playing like a bunch of high school kids lately. Listless. Banging shots off the rim. Giving up leads. Not helping out their best player even when he was taunted by a muscle-flexing Paul Pierce.

With a record of 7-10, the Raptors are perched, surprisingly, second in the Atlantic Division, behind the mighty Celts of Beantown. But winning just 40% of the games just isn't going to cut it. Both the Central and the Southeast are very strong this year. And yes, some say the November schedule was tough, but what does it say when the Raps lose by 39 points to Charlotte?!

But hey, things could be worse. Just look at the Nets and the Timberwolves, who have lost 16 and 15 straight games respectively. I truly have hope that the Raptors can make the postseason this year, after a dismal and messy year last season.

They only way they can do that is if they play like they did against Cleveland on opening night, and not lose to teams like Memphis and Charlotte again.

-D

The November Life

It's November...nothing much's goin' on.

School's been keepin' me busy.

Toronto sports teams gives me headaches. Jays aren't doing anything-though there are rumours that Halladay might be on his way to the Cubbies. We'll see how that one goes. I'm not familiar with who the Cubs have to offer, but personally, I don't expect the Doc to stay here long, despite wanting him to.

Other than that, it's really quite boring around here. It's November 20th already and it still hasn't snowed yet. Maybe that means we'll get more snow later on. It's actually so warm, it doesn't feel like winter's approaching at all. Except, it does get dark around 4:30 now.

Well, gotta get back to homework.

-D

Time to Catch Up

Wow, it does NOT seem like 11 days since I last posted.

Last week, I was sick in bed in 4 days with a bad headache and shingles. I had to miss quite a bit of school and it's quite labourous to catch up. We also held a school dance last Thursday and it went very successfully.

Last week was also important to the sports scene in Toronto. Two Fridays ago, the City of Toronto was awarded the 2015 Pan Am Games. That's a great victory for this city. We lost the 2 Olympics in 96 and 08, and some say this is like consolation prize. I see it as a step towards hosting an Olympics somewhere down the road though.

Some people think we should bid for the 2020 games, but I personally think we'd have no shot 'cause that would be just 10 years after Vancouver. 2024 is a more realistic goal, but I won't be surprised if we make a run at 2028. That seems so far away-but organizing an Olympics is a big thing and I think Toronto will be host to one one day.

-D

Thuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh Yankeeeeeeeeeees WIN!

27 outs to the 27th title.

It was an pretty easy ride for the Yanks, with the help of World Series MVP Godzilla, of course, to clinch their 27th franchise title, the most in pro sports history!

So I was right on with my prediction-but I'm still disappointed the Phillies lost-they were such a lovable team of Utleys and Rollins and Hamels and Happs and Felizes. But this wasn't meant to be their year. The Yankees just outpitched them and Brad Lidge's blown save was the turning point of the series.

Great job though to the Yankees gang-it's always nice to see a good group of players win what they deserve. It's amazing that Pettitte, Posada, Rivera, and Jeter now have 5 World Series rings!! FIVE!!! And hopefully one day, great guys like Teixeira, Cano, Melky, Damon will have just as many!

Congrats to the Yankees! Love 'em or hate 'em-they are the World Champions of baseball!!

-D

The Fall Classic

What else is there to talk about but the World Series?

With the Yankees up 2-1, and a crucial Game 4 tonight, this is as exciting as it can get. Not to mention, tonight, the Phillies will send Joe Blanton to the hill, hoping he can give them the same momentum he did in Game 4 of last year's series. Remember his home run?

The Yanks will counter with CC Sabathia on 3 days rest, which after his Game 1 performance, may be a stretch. If the Phils can feed of the home crowd and make CC work, they will get to the Yanks middle men, who as we've seen, are shaky at best.

I seriously think this series can go 7, with the pitching matchups that are coming up. And though I'm rooting for the Phillies, I just don't see them overcoming the Yankees in Yankee Stadium. But hey, Marlins did it in 03, so I'll keep my hopes up for now.

Raptors' lackluster defense today cost them another game. With a record of 1-2, they need to start getting on the right track. Though Bosh and Bargnani are doing a fantastic job!

-D

Who's It Gonna Be?

Game 6 of the ALCS is scheduled for 7:57 PM tonight, but apparently, rain is falling in NYC. Guess miracle and misfortune come hand in hand (Game 2 was supposed to be rained out, but was played in its entirety last Saturday night).

If this game does get underway, it's going to be Andy Pettitte vs. Joe Saunders. Odds would favour Pettitte, who is the all time winner during the postseason, whereas Saunders is young, inexperienced, and susceptible to the big game jitters. Nonetheless, Saunders has shined this October, posting an ERA of 2.57 (2 points lower than Pettitte). So, it should be an interesting match up.

We've seen some nailbiters in this series. Remember Game 2, when the Yanks walked off in the bottom of the 13th, after about 5 hours of play? Remember Game 3, when it was the Angels who walked off in extras? And remember Game 6 a couple nights ago, when Brian Fuentes walked the bases loaded with two outs and up a run, and finally popped Nick Swisher up on a 3-2 count? Now that's what I love about October baseball!!

Personally, I think the Yankees will take this series. The Angels will NOT win 2 straight on visitor's turf, especially when that turf is Yankee Stadium. As for the World Series, I still think the Yankees will win over the Phillies. But if I could wish for anything in the world, I would wish for a Phillies win. I'm not a Yankees-hater or anything, but I like the Phillies better.

Leafs are still dead last in the entire NHL with 0 wins and just 1 point overall. And I thought the Jays were depressing this season...

Raptors start play on Wednesday. They finished up with a 2-6 record, but it'll be interesting to see how the nagging injuries play out when the season starts. I think they've got a great shot at the playoffs if they stay healthy.

-D

October Baseball

Another post on October baseball.

It's been a fun one so far. The Yankees and Angels are playing in New York right now. Lackey vs. Sabathia. Sabathia has been amazing this post season and with the Yankees up 2-0 already, I think the Yanks have a pretty good chance of taking this one.

It's not the best baseball conditions in New York, but I don't think Robinson Cano's full gear face mask is necessary. It's also spitting some rain-boy, don't you wish you were still watching Dodgers baseball?

Speaking of the Dodgers, they SQUEAKED out a victory earlier today. So that series is tied 1-1. I think that one might go 7. Both teams have great pitching, great power, great running game. My pick would be the Phillies though. JA Happ perhaps buckled under the pressure today, but I think he'll be a star to shine in the future.

-D

Surprise! Surprise!

Cardinals swept!

Red Sox swept!

Could this really be happening?

You better believe it. With a loss to the Dodgers last night, the Cardinals, who were the first to clinch their division no less, was swept out of the NLDS. And with a 7-6 defeat at the hands of the Angels this afternoon, the Boston Red Sox are goin' home as well.

As a Red Sox-hater, the latter situation put a smile on my face. But as the for the former, I was disappointed that the Cards didn't make it past the first round. I wanted to see Pujols in the World Series again.

Twins Yankees tonight. It's going to be a close one I think. They're back in the Metrodome, which will no doubt favour the Twins. But the Yankees have been hot and they've been hot since May. As much as I want to see Mauer and co. advance, I have a feeling the Yanks will hand them a third straight loss.

It's October in Denver. That means snow!! Woot! After a postponement yesterday, the Rockies and Phillies will be back on the field today. The weather's not that better though. It's only 3 degrees Celsius there right now. Talk about cold! Imaging fouling a 90 mph fastball off the end of your bat in that weather...

-D

Rio de Janeiro 2016!

Some were surprised, but I was not.

Besides, when my dad predicts something to be true, you'd better believe it. And a couple weeks ago, he logically explained why Rio de Janeiro was going to be awarded the games. First of all, they were not going to give Europe consecutive games and it was too closely removed from Beijing for Tokyo to win. And seeing how South America had never hosted before, Rio would beat out Chicago in the end.

Of course, that was not the order in which the vote went down. I was very surprised that Chicago was knocked out first. A lot of analysis have been written on this and I'm not going to go into that here. But let me just say to everybody who blames the President for it, if he hadn't gone to Copenhagen, you would be criticizing him for not doing the very same act that you're criticizing him for doing right now. Know that the President at least tried his best and he was going to get heat, no matter what he did. But he is CERTAINLY NOT RESPONSIBLE for failing to bring the games to Chicago.

As a witness to history being made in 2001 as the IOC awarded the games to Beijing, I can honestly say that I know how the people in Rio feel. It's AWESOME!!!!!! To know that the world will come to YOUR country, to YOUR city, to YOUR neighbourhood, that's an incredible statement. Don't get me wrong, the Olympics do have a lot of flaws in them and thsoe flaws won't get fixed all at once, but the big picture is still pretty luminescent and I certainly look forward to the Olympics whenever they come.

Onto baseball, JP is FINALLY gone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I did a mini dance in my mind when I read that in the papers on Saturday morning. I believe Mr. Anthopoulos, our new, energetic GM is an experienced man, and he will offer a contrast to the JP philosophy (if he ever had one). It'll be interesting what he does with Roy Halladay. Will have to keep watch on that one.

Twins-Tigers one game playoff should be exciting! Remember last time, Rockies vs. Padres?

My pick for the World Series this year: the New York Yankees.

-D

Photo credit: Associated Press

NATIONAL DAY

On this very special October 1, I'm gonna deviate from my usual topic of sports and blog about CHINESE NATIONAL DAY!

Sixty years ago, in 1949, on October 1, at 3 PM, a fellow named Mao Zedong bellowed to the rest of the world: "Today, the People's Republic of China and the People's Government is established!"

I've been looking a lot of clips of that lately 'cause I've been feeling the Chinese spirit. This is the first major National Day celebration (60th) that I've witnessed, though I do vaguely remember the last military inspection on the 50th anniversary in 1999. But as an aspiring political science student, this is my first one that I've watched in context and with background info. Boy, was it ever exciting!

The sheer dominance of colours, people, and technology is amazing. On Tiananmen Square, the coordination of thousands holding up coloured flowers, the measured steps of the flag troopers, the massiveness of the military band. All of it, though staged, was epic in nature! Then, there was the military parade-the inspection of troops and equipment. That was simply humbling-to see so many, so coordinated, marching as one, past that historical part of China.

Nonetheless, a ton of hard work goes into this kind of stuff and it's amazing, even after the Beijing Olympics, what China can produce. After havin witnessed that grandeur, I can't say how PROUD I am to be Chinese.

-D

Weather's Getting Cool

I really don't have much to say this week.

The Jays did alright, won a few games, lost a few. Still 28 games back, and .450 in the win % column. I have said all there is to say about them, so let's move on.

Played some tennis today. I'm absolutely lovin this sport!! There's something about it, despite the repetitiveness, that keeps me on the court. Love it! Love it!

My school's volleyball teams start their seasons next week. That should be exciting. I have a ton of friends on the team and it's always fun to go cheer for them. Can't wait.

-D

I (Heart) Juan Martin Del Potro

When he made the finals of the Rogers Cup, I was pleasantly surprised and wanted to know more about him.

Before he effortlessly cruised through the early rounds of the US Open, I picked Del Potro to face Roger Federer in the final.

When he beat Nadal to fulfill my prophecy, I was starting to like the guy a lot!

And when he outduelled the five-time reigning champion, I fell in love with him.

Think about it. A young, 20 year old, baby-faced Argentinian stud ousted the best player to ever step onto a tennis court. It took 5 sets and just over 4 hours, but Del Potro did it and he did in style. Though I never really expected him to put up much of a fight, I couldn't help but cheer for him towards the end of the match.

And to be honest, I didn't think he had a chance until that 4th set tiebreak, when Del Potro got the crowd roaring with several forehand winners and took the tiebreak convincingly, 7-4.

But you know, as much as I love this young kid from Argentina, my favourite player is still Roger Federer. He was the class act once again, in congratulating Del Potro on his first Grand Slam title. I think now that the pressure of the 14th and 15th titles are off his shoulders, Federer is playing much more relaxed and it showed in his acceptance speech. This time, he didn't shed a tear.

At the beginning of the year, I predicted that Nadal and Federer would share the year's 4 Grand Slams. Federer got the two he wanted, but Nadal's nagging injury kept him from adding more trophies to his mantlepiece. Next year, I think we'll see a whole new dynamic in men's tennis. There are 6 major players-Federer, Nadal, Murray, Djokovic, Roddick, and now Del Potro who can serve it up any day and win a major.

That should make 2010 an enthralling year!

-D

Photo credit: Olev Volkov

Profanity Galore

"Foot fault!"

That was the call that set Serena Williams on a rampage last night. I was sitting in front of my TV and there she was, swearing and gesturing at a small, innocent line judge. To be honest, it was shocking to see Serena do that. From seeing her at the Rogers Cup and all the interviews on TV, Serena was always a soft spoken, smiling, and nice lady. But last night, the words that were coming out of her mouth-it was just wow! You know what, I can't judge whether that foot fault was the correct call, but I definitely agree that she should have received that point penalty, which just so happened to be match point.

Williams' conduct was certainly inappropriate, but I still think of her as a sportsman. She has always been and I think she was just caught up in the moment. I know how she feels. Sometimes, there are days when it feels like nothing's going for you, when everything and everybody's against you. It's a frustrating feeling, and it can get a hold of your emotions sometimes. I don't blame her. I get uncharacteristically intense when I'm playing sports. It could have happened to anybody, and it was the appropriate consequence in the end.

It sure was interesting, but you gotta give Kim Clijsters credit. I have no doubt she would have taken the match even without that bizarre ending. She was just that good, making Serena run from one corner to the next, almost making Williams trip over herself sometimes. Though the other finalist, Caroline Wozniacki isn't the most famous player in the world, it should be a nice final. You can't have the exact same people win everything all the time right?

Is anybody watching this Nadal-Del Potro match right now? Boy, the Argentine kid is just DOMINATING Rafa. At the beginning of this tournament, I predicted that Del Potro would make it to the final, but I thought it'd be tougher than this. Del Potro's up 6-2, 6-2 and 5-2. That's just incredible. This kid has been something else this summer, and you know what, it makes next year even more exciting. The age of Federer/Nadal is definitely in the decline, and having all these valiant challengers is very exciting to watch.

-D

Photo credits: http://www.ktla.com/media/photo/2009-09/49234928.jpg (Getty Images/Associated Press)

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01479/del_potro_1479375c.jpg (The Telegraph)

**UPDATE**: Juan Martin Del Potro has just disposed Rafael Nadal 6-2, 6-2, 6-2. Incredible match. Incredible play from Del Potro. I'm starting love this guy. And he's only 20 years old!! Lovin' it! Lovin' it!

Brackets Shrinking in NYC

So my hometown girl Li Na lost this afternoon against Kim Clijsters. She just had too many unforced errors, and didn't hit enough winners. Final score was 6-2, 6-4. I really hoped she'd break into the semis, but hey, Clijsters getting there is a pretty good story by itself.

On the men's side, Andy Murray's been erased by 20 year old Marin Cilic. Boy that is big news. But you know, Andy just didn't look like he had it today, hitting balls long and into the net, even on his own serve. He went down in straight sets too, no less. Don't worry though, I really think Murray's first Grand Slam will eventually come.

Serena went through against Flavia Pennetta-great run by the Italian. Can't wait for Oudin-Wozniacki tomorrow. If there is a Serena-Oudin final, that would be freakin' amazing!!

Nadal-Monfils getting underway in a bit. Should be an easy match for Nadal, but I still don't think he'll make it to the final. Del Potro showed today just why I picked him, disposing of Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.

First day back at school, my Grade 11 year-should be an exciting one!

-D

The United States Open

So I'm watching Melanie Oudin right now face Nadia Petrova...man, this 17 year old is FIERCE!!!

In the first set, Oudin couldn't even hold serve, losing to Petrova 6-1. In the second set, she got into it big time, winning the tiebreak 7-1. Now, they're in the third set, tied 2-2. I really want to see Oudin win this one. I think she can make it to the final if she keeps fighting like this.

Earlier today, Kateryna Bondarenko beat Gisela Dulko in the fourth round 6-0, 6-0. What the heck is going on? Dulko didn't even qualify for the Rogers Cup. Bondarenko had to fight through the qualifying round here in Toronto. And they both make it to the fourth round in the US OPEN?!? I'm thoroughly confused.

I cheered for Kim Clijsters yesterday against Venus Williams. That was one hell of a match too. 6-0, 0-6, 6-4, I don't think I've ever seen that before. But you gotta feel for Williams, being cheered against in your own country.

Federer plays later today. My hometown girl Li Na plays tomorrow against Clijsters. Now, that is one test of loyalty. I really like Clijsters, but again, Li's not just from China, she's from my hometown!!! Who would you cheer for in a situation like that?

I still stick to my prediction of Del Potro making the final against Federer. But what do I know? I said Dementieva would win on the women's side.

To some baseball action, yesterday's Jays-Yankees game was one of the highlights of the 09 season. Halladay's one-hit wonder Friday night was also one of those highlights. Both these games were so exciting and dramatic. The Jays played relatively well against the Yankees, splitting the series against the likely AL East Champs.

And how 'bout the Brewers' triple play yesterday, eh?

This week is a classic example of what makes sports SOOOO awesome to watch!!

-D

The Jays are Depressing

There, I said it.

The Toronto Blue Jays are officially depressing. After that blazing start to what could have been an interesting season, the Jays have slipped down the pipeline to Hell. First, there were the rumours to trade Halladay, which screwed him up for this second half of the season. Then, we give Rios away for absolutely nothing. And while Hill and Lind have been the feel good factors during this 2009, it has generally been a downhill slide as far as optimism goes.

This September, I guess the Jays will be playing the role of spoiler again. I can't say enough how much JP Ricciardi needs to go!! The offseason, with him at the reigns, could again prove dramatic, as the Halladay Question will inevitably pop up again. And how bout Wells' lack of production? Do we enter a mode of rebuilding? Or do we try to buff up the team by increasin the payroll?

Yes, the Jays are depressing right now. But light moments like Lind's 8 RBI night always feel good. Unfortunately, we can only hope for more of those for the rest of September...until this team shows that they can contend. Hopefully, they won't turn into another Toronto Maple Leafs.

-D

The Rogers Cup

When I first applied to be a Rogers Cup volunteer back in June, I had little hope that I would be roaming the grounds of York University in August, because I had missed all the important deadlines. But luck would have it that in July, a few spots opened up and I was pulled off the waitlists. After going through the orientation and getting the free tickets and the uniforms, I felt pretty excited about the tournament.

Then, I had a job for a month. Before I knew it, August 15th was here. On opening Saturday, I went to visit the grounds with one of my friends. Then, the following morning, I was on my first shift, as an usher on Grandstand, the largest court outside of Rexall Centre. Sitting in the sun all day, I got ridiculously tanned, but the tennis was great.

On Opening Night on the 17th, I was there again for my second shift. It was just an amazing atmosphere. Then on Wednesday night, I went with a friend just to kick up our feet and watch tennis. Serena played that night and she won. Ivanovic also played that night and she lost.

Thursday night was probably the wildest of all my shifts. With ominous clouds bearing down on Rexall Centre, I was tucked safely inside the Tennis Canada offices. And then came the wind, the funnel, and then a tornado. Though the tornado wasn't near us, the funnel was still visible from the stadium and due to that, everybody was evacuated indoors. Still, just shortly before 9, tennis was back on. That night, I also squeegeed a tennis court for the first time.

Thursday night, I came home at 1 in the morning. Friday morning, I had to catch a morning shift. On Saturday, I brought my parents along for the day session and a couple of my best buddies for the night session. That was a ton of fun.

Now today, it hit me how fast this tournament went by and how much fun I had. I'm a pretty nostalgic person by nature, and I'm going to miss volunteering at the Rogers Cup. It was so cool to see the teamwork from all the volunteers. And of course, seeing what makes the tennis happen over these 9 days-you know, the behind the scenes stuff.

I caught about 20 matches over the course of this week, including most of today's two finals. I also scored a few tennis balls, two tennis bottles left over from Dementieva's practice, sat in an umpire's chair, and stepped onto Centre Court. For now, I can only say that I can't wait to come back next year!

-D

Unboltlievable

9.58!

9.58!

9.58!

We need new adjectives to describe what Usain Bolt did in Berlin a couple days ago. To run 9.58 is one thing-and it's a darn incredible thing at that. But to shave 0.11 seconds off the world record is quite another. This is track and field, not swimming, and that kind of thing just does not happen everyday.

Tyson Gay, the man that proclaimed he could break Bolt's old record of 9.69 ran a formidable 9.71 behind Bolt. I wonder what kind of impact it has on a runner with someone as fast as Bolt up ahead. Does it make him go faster? If so, by how much? I really doubt that Gay could ever break Bolt's 9.58 but I do think Bolt will probably lower that mark at least once if not more during the course of his career. Important note for Bolt: KEEP HEALTHY!

And last but certainly not least, look what I wrote on this blog on January 2 of this year, as part of my 10 big sports predictions of 2009: "4. Usain Bolt will break his own World Record in the 100 M Sprint...again. Do I dare say at the World Athletic Championships in Berlin?"Accurate or what?

-D

Photo Credit: http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Sport/Pix/pictures/2009/8/16/1250457586230/Usain-Bolt-and-100-metres-001.jpg

A Metre Away

Today, I was down at the Rogers Cup at the Rexall Centre. It was free family weekend, and I have volunteering there starting tomorrow, so I felt I might as well check out the grounds.

It was a beautiful day first of all, a little bit hot, but sunny nonetheless. I had a lot of fun, with my friend Harry. Took tons of pics on Centre Court, watched a three set, somewhat exciting qualifying match and we went out for a stroll.

That's where we ran into a crowd of people. Ana Ivanovic was being ushered from one practice court to another. Maria Sharapova was coming out of the court that Ivanovic was going into. A golf cart was waiting to transport Sharapova somewhere else. A huge line formed to see her in person/ask for autographs.

Harry and I didn't get good spots for that one and we ended up with a couple mediocre pics. (We didn't have a pen or anything.) After watching Ivanovic practice, we crowded around the exit as she came out. Security tried desperately, to no avail, to get us into two lines. Then, they had to whisk her away whilst trying to control the crowd. Now, I got a couple really good pics of that scene (check 'em out!).

Overall, it was a great day. I can't wait to get to the volunteering part of it!

-D

Walk Off!

As the ball sailed over Nolan Reimold's head, the entire stadium stood up and cheered for Adam Lind. The Jays finally won a game. The whole team jumped onto the field. For a moment there, it did feel like we were back in 1993.

I was sitting in the upper deck for this one, in the first row, hoping that a foul ball would somehow come my way. It didn't, but it was nice to be with the other 28 000 fans reveling in a much needed celebration.

When I walked into the stadium, it was sunny. There was no action out on the field. I was disappointed. But about 15 minutes later, the Orioles started taking their BP hacks. During the course of BP, I got O's pitching coach Rick Kranitz to toss a ball up from the bullpen. It was a homer that landed there earlier. I had another shot at a ball when a homer hit the seats and bounced one row behind me. There was a three man scramble, and I lost. Nonetheless, I was happy to have my 10th career Major League baseball in tow.

With the threat of rain looming for the afternoon, the roof on the Rogers Centre closed during the 5th inning. The game itself, great. Brian Roberts injured his ankle on a foul ball. Brett Cecil strained his knee chasing a bunt. O's manager Dave Trembley had a heated argument with home plate umpire Cedarstrom but kept his seat in the dugout. Rios hit a bomb. And Adam Lind put the icing on the cake.

Great day to be at the ballpark!

-D

Rolen for Encarnacion

Has JP gone out of his mind?

Scott Rolen...arguably our best hitter right now, has been traded to the Cincinatti Reds for who? Edwin Encarnacion? Some career .267 hitter and a couple mediocre pitchers?

I'm sorry, but I just don't see the point of this. I seriously think JP Ricciardi isn't taking his job seriously and his record of consistent lapses in judgment is evidence of that. If the Jays want to become a competitive team, they need to get rid of JP. His skills are no where near Theo Epstein's or Pat Gillick's. He just doesn't know how to play the game.

Otherwise, Peavy to the White Sox...should be fun to watch how he carries them. Orlando Cabrera to the Twins. Victor Martinez to the Red Sox. Looks like the Indians are in serious rebuilding mode now.

David Ortize tested positive for steroids? I'm frankly not surprised at all. How else does a guy go suddenly from 10 home runs over the first few years to 31 homers in one year? I hope he handles it with class, but really, like I've always been stressing, baseball needs to look forwards, not backwards and I really hope Ortiz is clean now.

-D

The TTC Student Card Policy Petition

I'm currently trying to convince the Toronto Transit Commission to change their policy on the Student Discount Card.

Click on the URL to sign our petition: The TTC Student Card Policy Petition

Here's the actual text of the petition:

To: Mr. Adam Giambrone, Chair of the TTC
Mr. Joe Mihevc, Vice-Chair of the TTC
Members of the TTC Commission Board

In our society, there are few causes more noble than that of serving the people.

In our beloved City of Toronto, there are few organizations that serve more people than the Toronto Transit Commission.

The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) is one of the busiest transit systems in North America, serving more than 1.5 million riders daily. That amounts to nearly half a billion every year. The TTC charges $2.75 for regular adult fare, but fortunately, it has a reduced price for the benefit of students aged 13-19, who pay only $1.85. No doubt, this attracts a huge number of secondary school riders. In 2002, the number of riders paying student fare was 10 700 per day. However, the TTC also has a policy requiring all who pay student fare to carry a "TTC Student Discount Card". If they do not have one, students are required to pay adult fare. These Discount Cards are available for $5, and must be renewed annually. It does not apply to Seniors, who can pay the same reduced fare with a valid Photo ID.

While we are grateful for the student discount from the TTC, the policy of the Discount Card is, in our view, preposterous. There are many other forms of identification that the TTC could accept as proof of age, including but not limited to: School Photo ID, Driver's License, and Health Card. Also, by only requiring students to buy a Discount Card, the TTC is cultivating a culture of cynicism, subtly suggesting mistrust in our age group.

In addition, the TTC is a crown corporation. Its foremost goal should not be to make profits, but instead, serve the people of Toronto to the best of its ability.

Therefore, we, the undersigned riders of the TTC, propose the following OPTIONS for the Commission to consider:

1. Eliminate the TTC Student Discount Card and accept a valid, updated School Photo ID as proof-of-age.

This option has already been adopted by most transit commissions in the Greater Toronto Area: York Region, Durham Region, Mississauga, Oakville, and on GoTransit. Furthermore, many, many major North American cities have a similar policy, including, but not limited to: Windsor, North Bay, Halifax, Dallas, Denver, Calgary, Orlando, Oklahoma City, Phoenix, and Las Vegas.

2. Issue the TTC Student Discount Card, for free, for all students.

This option would show that the TTC is serious about attracting student riders. Again, this type of policy exists in many North American cities, including, but not limited to: Hamilton, Houston, and Vancouver. We believe that a slight change, such as in one of the two options above, will make the entire system work more conveniently and efficiently.

Not only is the card unnecessary, it is tarnishing the image of the TTC as a money-grabbing corporation. Students are in near unanimous agreement that the process of getting this card is simply a waste of time and it is clear that the cons of this policy greatly outweigh the pros. The change we are seeking will not create unforeseeable consequences.

Therefore, we implore the TTC to do what would serve the people right.

There is no cause more noble than that!

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

Hope you'll support our cause!!

-Danny

What's Better than a No Hitter...

A PERFECT GAME!!!!!!!!

That's exactly what Mark Buerhle hurled yesterday, in front of a delirious crowd at US Cellular Field. The first reaction I got when I read it in the paper this morning was: didn't that guy pitch a no-hitter already? Yes he did, and so he becomes only the 6th player ever to have pitched a no-no and a perfecto.

No hitters are rare, but they still happen once or twice a year. But perfect games have only been pitched 18 times in Major League history. That is elite company indeed!

I can't imagine what it's like to be in the stands during that game, as each batter was mowed down. Like I said, the fans went delirious after the final out. I would be too if I was there! I remember watching Dustin McGowan carry a no-hitter into the ninth inning in Toronto a couple years ago. The emotions I felt, the emotion of watching history...there's nothing to describe it. It's why I love baseball!

Congrats to Mark Buerhle! He got a call from the President. How cool is that?

-D

World Aquatic Championships

The swimmers and divers have finally gotten their time on mainstream media with the commencement of the World Aquatic Championships in Rome, Italy

This weekend and into mid next week, the divers will be going at it in the pool. Since this is the World's, there are 1 m, 3 m and 10 m events. China is NOT going to sweep the golds in Rome, because they've already lost a couple to the Russians and Mexicans. I do hope the Chinese do well though. The Canadians, led by Alexandre Despatie have already won a bronze (10 m men's synchro). Another highlight to watch will be Tom Daley, the 15 year old from Team GB. Always loved the guy's style, and combined with his age, int'l competitions with him are always interesting.

The Blue Jays won behind Doc Halladay this afternoon in a quick game, final score being 3-1. We are still below .500 right now and I think the team's performance between now and the trade deadline will really determine whether Halladay stays or goes. I would love to see him at least complete the season here in Toronto!

I have an orientation session for volunteering at the Rogers Cup of tennis in Toronto next month. That should be an amazing experience, though I do prefer to see the men in action though. Nonetheless, I've nothing to complain about.

-D

ASG

Was it Obama's night? Was it Carl Crawford's night? Was it Pujols' night? Was it Stan Musial's night?

After all the pomp and hype, after all the ceremonies and tributes, the 80th Major League All Star Game was one of the best in my memory.

They sure know how to throw a good party in St. Louis, inviting the President and all those every day heroes. It was nice to see an almost completely new generation of all stars-Mauer, Bay, Utley, Fielder...these guys will one day join the ranks of Mays, Mantle, Musial, and Aaron.

The game itself started off with a lot of excitement. It was special seeing Roy Halladay on the mound as the starting pitcher. It was even funnier watching him go up to the plate. Hey, he fouled two pitches off. What more can you ask for?

The AL scored 2, then the NL came back with 3. The AL tied it. Carl Crawford leaped at the wall to prevent the NL from going on top again. Then the AL scored the go ahead on a sac fly and Mariano Rivera came in to close the door. No wonder they call it the Midsummer's Classic.

-D

Photo Credit: Jeff Roberson-AP http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/15/AR2009071500341.html

Turkoglu to Raptors

I heard whispers of this news last week but now it's official:

Hedo Turkoglu is coming to the Toronto Raptors. This makes me feel very optimistic about our team. I know one player can't bring a championship, but I am very pleased that Bryan Colangelo made this move. I didn't like the Kapono trade in June, but Turkoglu is definitely a talent to be had! It was a complicated trade at that too, four teams, about 10 players, cash, and draft picks.

Jays...lost again. Even Halladay couldn't stop the bleeding. *Sigh*

-D

Back from DC

What a week it has been!

Last Wednesday, I set out on a family vacation to Washington DC, Philadelphia, and a few good universities in the area.

The trip itself was just amazing-so many sights we saw, so many things we experienced. DC is a fantastic place. I highly recommend anyone with a remote interest in history and politics to visit the city. There's really no experience like it. The city is filled with national institutions, museums, and memorials. I loved it!

Phila was less interesting. Independence Hall was fun. Philly Chinatown had some good restaurants and I had a cheese steak in the suburbs of the city. I also saw Georgetown, George Washington University, University of Pennsylvania, Swarthmore, Princeton, and Cornell. Some great schools. GWU, Georgetown and Swarthmore were my favourites.

Back to sports, I watched the latter half of the fifth set of the men's epic Wimbledon final last Sunday. That was some match. I was surprised that Federer was pushed so far by Roddick, but of course, it's more exciting this way. Still, no match will ever mirror last year's Nadal-Federer final in London. There can be no more rain delays and that cuts down on the potential drama.

But again, I don't think anything will equal this year's amazing fifth set. Thirty games is just preposterous-and in a good way because it was exciting. Roddick gave Federer a ride for his money, and he had to earn it in style. This is why Wimbledon is so great. US Open in about 6 weeks. From all the action we've seen this year, I can't wait!

Jays released BJ Ryan yesterday. Good move-the guy has been useless all year long and the young arms are coming up. As for the Jays losing 8 of their last 10, this pretty much kills their chances at making the postseason. Being 9 games back at the break is never a good thing because all the good teams usually gets better once August and September rolls around. We should take this as a rebuilding year to build more depth for future years which means no big moves at the deadline.

-D

Breaking Tradition

Tennis balls. Check. Strawberries and cream. Check. Green and purple ties. Check. Umbrellas. Check. Roof on Centre Court. Che...wait a second. There is a roof on Centre Court in London?

Yup. You better believe it. The roof is now officially in duty. On day 7 of an unusually dry tournament at the Wimbledon Championships, the newly installed, £80 million retractable was called into action at around 5 PM.

With raindrops sprinkling Centre Court, the grounds crew pulled the tarp cover across the field while the tournament organizers contemplated on using their newest gadget After a 5 minute wait, the roof began to move to the delight of the crowd who watched in amazement as a layer of cantilevered fabric made a shield against the sky.

When the roof completely shut out the rain 7 minutes later, the fans in the stands gave the retractable a roaring applause. With that, tradition was broken and we were going to play indoor tennis at Wimbledon!

With more reverberation as a result of the roof, every stroke of the racket and every roar from the crowd was amplified. It made for a cool sound effect as Dinara Safina and Amelie Mauresmo finished their match under the roof.

That set the scene for the match of the tournament so far. The pride of Scotland, third seeded youngster Andy Murray came trotting out to meet the hometown fans. Stanislas Wawrinka, of Switzerland was his opponent.

Wawrinka powered his way through the opening set 6-2 and even though the sky outside had cleared, the lid at Centre Court remained shut. In the second and third sets, Murray rallied the crowd back into the game, winning both by a score of 6-3. By the fourth set, it was pushing 9 o’clock in London. The moon was up and shining but with artificial lighting installed onto the
roof, they just kept on battling.

The match went past 9:35, the previous record for the latest finish ever at Wimbledon. Then, after a long, battle-filled, emotionally charged fifth set, Andy Murray closed the door on Wawrinka, winning 2-6, 6-3, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3.

The crowd under the roof and those gathered on the hill outside Centre Court jumped in celebration and headed for the Underground.

It was 10:39 PM, more than an hour past the unwritten Wimbledon Curfew.

With that appropriately exciting 4 hour duel between Murray and Wawrinka, history was made and tradition was broken at Wimbledon.

It only took 132 years.

-D

*The Daily Telegraph contributed to this article.

Photo credits: G. Penny: http://www.wimbledon.org/en_GB/news/photos/2009-06-29/200906291246297726560.html?glryid=2009-06-29/200906291246307977859

P. Pozzetti: http://www.wimbledon.org/en_GB/news/photos/2009-06-29/200906291246305075636.html?glryid=2009-06-29/200906291246308220265

Jays vs. Reds-June 23

My goal for this game: two baseballs.

What I actually ended up with was so much more.

Four friends and I arrived at the Rogers Centre around 5:15, 15 minutes before the gates were to open (we gotta make that earlier!). We didn't exactly get the best of seats, but I was just looking forward to batting practice nonetheless.

When we ran into the stadium, there was barely anyone in the seats. We gathered down at the right field foul line, but none of the Reds tossed a ball to anybody. So I left and joined some of my other friends up in the right field bleachers. There was about 45 minutes left and I was sure there were plenty of opportunities to snag baseballs.

There were a couple homers hit to left, but hardly any came to right. When one of the shots did come toward me, I lined myself up with it, scooted down a couple rows, kept my eye on the ball, stuck my glove up, and felt the weight of it strike the pocket. A man behind me let out a yell. I presumed it was in pleasure, so I thought I had lost the ball. When I pulled the glove back, there was the ball, perfectly clean, sitting in the pocket. I gave that one to my friend Prathik, who was attending his first baseball game.

Surprisingly, that was it for batting practice. I got nothing down at the dugout when the Reds and the ball boys trotted in. Once the game started, I tried to play the third out balls, but after five fruitless half innings, I became tired and went up to our assigned seats.

After the seventh inning stretch, my friends and I went down to the ground level concourse, and found some empty seats behind the Jays dugout. They were beautiful seats with a great view. The game was exciting too. We jumped on the board early with three homers. We led 6-0 til the 7th when the Reds scored 4. By the top of the ninth, it was 7-5 Jays and the crowd rose to its feet for the final out.

When that out was made, I quickly got into position behind the dugout. When the Jays trotted back in, they tossed a couple balls into the crowd, but none came my way. Then, unexpectedly, Lyle Overbay reappeared from the dugout and rolled his bat across the roof. I quickly got a grip on the handle and snagged it. Wow!

Though I was hoping for a ball, or the line up cards, the bat was even nicer. It had a nice splinter, as you can see, and Overbay's own autugraph inscripted into it. What was more concidental was the fact that the production date was written 3/12/2009, also know as my 16th birthday.

My goal was 2 baseballs, but I'll settle for an Overbay bat any day!

-D

Wimbledon Tomorrow!

I'm excited!

Wimbledon starts tomorrow! Though it won't be the same without Rafa Nadal. I was so looking forward to a Nadal-Federer rematch in the final, but that won't happen due to Nadal's knee injury. I think now I would like to see an Andy Murray-Roger Federer final because Murray will be in his home country.

The Wimbledon roof may look nice and shut out the rain and all but what a horrible idea! Imagine if last year's Nadal-Federer classic was played under the roof? It just wouldn't be the same if Wimbledon wasn't ever rained out again. It just isn't. Besides, they could have put that money to better use rather than destroy part of Wimbledon tradition. What do YOU think?

To baseball now. The Jays could have very well went home on a 6 game winning streak, instead they go 4-2, which is not that bad. They swept the Phillies (applause) and dropped two consecutive games in extras to the Nats before the bats broke out this afternoon, winning against Washington 9-4. It's a good sign certainly, and I hope they win again on Tuesday when I'll be at the Rogers Centre for the match up against the Reds.

Two more exams to go tomorrow and I'll be done my first half of high school!

-D

Photo credits: http://blog.nj.com/realtimesports_impact/2009/06/large_rafael-nadal-wimbledon-619.jpg

We're Talkin' Baseball!

To paraphrase Chuck Swirsky:

Jays win! Jays win! Jays win!

Again, with a good combined effort from the pitchers and the batting order, the Jays salvage the series in Philly under a steady rain. We got on board early, gave Scott Richmond 4 runs to work with, and added insurance for a 7-1 win. Aaron Hill hit another tater which was good to see. So that brings our record to 36-31, a much less impressive stand than just a month ago when we were still leading the division. Nonetheless, winning series on the road is always a good sign!

In other notable news, Scott Downs has suffered greatly from interleague play. Being an AL relief pitcher, going up to bat was probably already intimidating enough for Downs. But as he slapped at a pitch in the 10th inning last night, Downs stumbled out of the gate and hurt his foot. Now, he's been summoned to the DL. Horrible. Horrible. I had been a fan of interleague play, but now I understand what significant consequences it could have.

Ivan Rodriguez has now become the number 1 catcher in games caught. Now, he's a wonderful player in all, but like many in the game, there are some character issues and I wonder whether that's going to affect his chances in the quest for Cooperstown. As well, Omar Vizquel set the record for most hits by a Venezuelan. That's certainly great to see. I love Omar-great defensive shortstop. With nearly 3000 hits, Vizquel would definitely be on my ballot for the HOF. Now, only if he could secure it by reaching 3000.

-D

Federer Among Other Things

I know it's been a long while since I posted, but these past two weeks have been unbelievably crazy for me, both in and outside of school. I'm happy to say that I am finished with end of the year school work, and I only have exams left, which will come late next week.

I woke up early (well, 10:30's not that early) Sunday morning and caught the last set and a bit of the French Open final. I have to say, it was a breeze for Federer. I was glad to have witnesssed a great moment in sports history, when Roger finally hoisted that elusive 14th victory trophy, completing a coveted career Grand Slam.


Though the quality of the match may not have been as great as last year's Wimbledon, and it was over in less than 2 hours, Federer's win was every bit as amazing as any other. The fact that he has now won every surface and still has plenty of shots ahead of him is hard to fathom. This year's Wimbledon will be particularly exciting to watch-I'm hoping for another Federer-Nadal final. That would make this rivalry one of the greatest in sports history-sports history!

When I find the time, I shall write a long piece on Federer's win in Paris and his place in tennis history. In the meanwhile, it's nice to see the Blue Jays doing well. I might go to another game on June 23rd.

-D

Baseball and Tennis

It's nice to see the Blue Jays finally snap their funk. On Friday night, after more than 10 days of bad baseball, they finally picked themselves up and put a W on the board. Not only that, we won another series! Though we're still a game behind the Sox after a loss today, it is good to be back in contention (or feeling like it anyway).

The biggest news of the day, perhaps, came from Paris! At the fourth round of Roland Garros, Rafael Nadal, the four time French Open champion, lost his first ever match in Paris to an unseeded Swede named Robin Soderling. It wasn't close either, as Soderling knocked off Rafa in four sets. This changes the landscape of the tournament in a huge way. Federer faces minimal competition now as Djokovic was knocked off yesterday too. Andy Murray's chances of winning just went up by a whole lot and so did Andy Roddick's.

It's been an incredible tournament already. So many seeds are out early, in addition to the aforementioned, James Blake, Marat Safin, Nadia Petrova, Radek Stepanek, Gilles Simon, David Ferrer, Venus Williams, Elena Dementieva, Fernando Verdasco, and defending women's champion Ana Ivanovic.

Aleksandra Wozniak the Canadian and Serena Williams will go ahead tomorrow on Centre Court. Federer will play there too. It's going to be a wild ride no matter what. I'm lovin' tennis a whole lot right now.

-D

Downhill

Casey Janssen-3 runs in 6 innings.

Roy Halladay-0 runs in 7 innings.

Jays offense=first in the league.

Jays are in a 5 game losing streak.

You didn't expect to see those four lines mixed together, did you?

Well, it's happening right now and it's a bit painful to watch. We have led the high-octane AL East since day 1 and that lead is in serious jeopardy now. Both the Red Sox and the Yankees are just 0.5 back of the Jays. Fortunately, the Red Sox lost their second straight as well today.

The offense has been pathetic in the last 5 games. They were shutout yesterday, for what I presume to be the first time this season. They scored 3 runs today. They scored just 5 runs in three games in Boston. What happened to Aaron Hill's clutch hitting? What happened to Adam Lind's RBI machine?

Brett Cecil was shook up big time with 5 homers on Wednesday. He was sent down to AAA along with Robert Ray and Travis Snider. Overall, the rookies held the fort well and if Janssen and Romero return to form soon, we could still be playing .600 play through the summer, provided the hitting climbs out of this funk.

A losing streak was inevitable. It was a matter of time before the Jays slipped downhill for a while. Now, if they want to truly show baseball that the 09 Jays are contenders, they must get up fast. We can still win the next 3 of 4 games on this road trip and go home with a 30-20 record.

French Open's back!! Nadal's reign on clay has been challenged by Federer and Djokovic last week. Should be an exciting one. I'm rooting for Federer to make a breakthrough in this one, but Nadal's the prohibited favourite going into Roland Garros.

-D

Three!

So the White Sox have lost another to the Jays earlier this afternoon. Toronto's 24-14 now! Woot! I was down at the game last night and that was a blast!

I was downtown on a history field trip and got down to the Rogers Centre around 4:30. Got a bite to eat, slice of pizza with water for 3 bucks. Met my friend Kevin, negotiated with the scalpers to get 2 tickets for $20. Got in line at 5:15 and the gates opened right on time at 5:30.

I entered the stadium and ran down to the outfield baselines. There were 8 White Sox players playing catch. I asked Matt Thorton (or so I thought) for a ball and he said he'd hook me up one later. And he did. I gave that ball to Kevin and went up into the right field seats for BP home run balls.

There was a ball lying in the White Sox bullpen and I got a groundskeeper to toss it up. I chased a couple homers but couldn't get my hands on one. A couple Blue Jay fans kept asking DJ Carrasco to toss up a ball. DJ looked at them and asked them while smiling: "Where's your White Sox gear?" I waved my White Sox cap at him and he pointed at me to show: "Like that guy!" So that was number three of the day. At the end of BP, I tried unsuccessfully to get a couple autographs.

During the game, Kevin and I sat near the first base dugout, 32 rows back. The game itself was really exciting, especially when we pounded the Sox for 6 runs in the fourth. After the third out of that inning was made (flyout to CF Scott Podsednik), I sprinted down the steps to the camera bay with my White Sox cap and held out my glove. Scotty Pod ran in and tossed the ball to me just like that. It was nicely rubbed up and simply awesome.

At the end of the game, Kevin and I made our way down to the Jays dugout. I yelled for Vernon Wells to toss me the game ending ball but he gave it to a kid on my right. No biggie. I asked Brian Butterfield if he could give me the line up cards, but he said they requested the cards to be turned into the umps. So I thanked him and said no worries.

Fun night! Snagged four balls-personal record!

-D

Busted...Again

It was a long week for me. It was a long week for baseball.

Manny Ramirez got busted for steroids and has been suspended for 50 games. I wonder how many players would have tested positive if this type of punishment had been established in the 90's?

I've never liked the guy. He always struck me as an arrogant rich boy who thinks he can do anything he wants and get away with it. Some people say it's "Manny being Manny". Now that he's been caught for performance enhancers, I can only thank KARMA.

Jays lost another winnable game yesterday. We had runners on base, it seemed, every game, but we still walked away with a 5-3 loss. Richmond was solid save for that one rough inning. Otherwise, Tallet's going on the mound today, in 45 minutes time against Oakland again. We've got to win this series and bring some momentum going into a VERY IMPORTANT home series against the Yankees.

I'll be down at the Rogers Centre again next Friday.

-D

Sailing Right Along

Over the weekend, the Blue Jays swept their first series of the season, putting down the O's in three fabulous games that were won on basic baseball skills-pitching, hitting, defense.

But hold on a sec. Let me just say that I got TWO baseballs from Friday night's match. I got there for BP as usual. I asked the groundscrew in the bullpen to throw up a ball that was lying on the grass/turf. He tossed it up to my friend instead. No worries. That was cool.

For the next half an hour, there were quite a few homers that came to my section. One headed right for the first row. I lined myself up with it. I stuck my glove out, instead it zoomed by and richocheted off the second row. This other, older man and I struggled for it. I swooped it up blindly and the two of us made peace.

That was the only ball I received in BP. We wandered around for most of the game. The ushers let us go down to the Jays dugout with two outs in the ninth. I darted down to the dugout roof as soon as the ball was put into play. The Jays came out in celebration. Travis Snider and one other player had a ball in their hands. I yelled for it. Snider tossed it to another section. The other player tossed it in my direction, but being the short kid I am, I stood no chance against the taller, more aggressive, and may I say gloveless people behind me.

However, I made my way to the end of the dugout where the batboy was still cleaning up. I asked him if there was any chance of getting a ball. He said to wait up a sec. After he finished his business, he took some balls out of a bucket and handed to all the kids who he had promised. What a nice guy! This ball was nicely rubbed up with mud. It might've been game used as there was a little brown scuff.

Friday night was fun! And especially because earlier in the day, I had been declared the winner of my school's student council elections. So as of right now, I am the President-elect of the Student Leadership Council. There's a hell lotta work to do but when your hardwork pays off, it's an amazing feeling. I have alot of ambitious plans for next year and I'm really excited to start working with the new council.

-D

Lost Series #1

The Toronto Blue Jays have finally lost a series...it sounds weird, but after a close 8-6 defeat at the hands of the Kansas City Royals earlier today, the Jays 6-series winning streak. The difference this series was pitching. Kansas City had three solidly pitched games. We only had one. That was the difference and I think the injury bug might be starting to bite now.

Tomorrow, I'll be heading down to the Rogers Centre to see the Jays take on the Orioles. Halladay's on the mound, so that should be fun. I'm also looking forward to snagging a ball or two while I'm there.

We voted in our student council elections today. As I wrote in my last post, I have been really busy running a presidential campaign. I feel really good about my chances and I'm especially confident after the speeches yesterday. We're hoping for the results to come out tomorrow. Wish me luck. *Fingers crossed*

-D

So the Joyful Ride Continues

Eighteen games into their new season, the Toronto Blue Jays have the best record in baseball. As a Jays fan, is there any other statement that would make me happier? Last night at US Cellular Field, the Jays put on an offensive fireworks show, exploding for 21 hits and 14 runs. At the same time, Brian Tallet, Bill Murphy and Bryan Bullington combined for a 6 hit shutout. It came on the heels of the announcement that Ricky Romero and BJ Ryan were headed for the DL. With a slew of pitchers now on the DL, it gives you a smile to see the unlikely candidates stepping up to do a fine job and the offense picking them up big time.

They're playing again at US Cellular tonight and have already pounded Buerhle for 2 runs in the top of the 2nd. Brian Burres is making his first start of the season for the Blue Jays tonight. If they could keep up this consistency through the next 5 months, the Jays will be in the picture for October. But again, A LOT of things can happen, so just enjoy the good play while you can!

D'you know the NFL Draft was today??

I've been really busy at my school running for Student Council President. Last week was LONG and next week will be even more intense with the speeches on Wednesday and vote on Thursday. I'm really looking for a challenge by running for this position. It's a risk, I know, but I really want to make our school a better place. Wish me luck.

-D

PS: I snagged a ball last Saturday when I went to the game against Oakland!

How Bout 'Em Jays?!

If the Jays keep playing like this, they're going to make the playoffs no problem. With a record of 6-3 going into tonight's game, the Jays have once again broken out the bats in Minnesota. In the 8th inning, they're leading the Twins 10-2. I can't say enough about this team's offense. Everybody's contributing to the hit barrages too. Michael Barrett hit a homer tonight. Lind has a dozen RBIs. Snider was the difference in the game a couple night's ago. Hill's hot. Wells' doing well. It's terrific to see this team start off the year with a fabulous run, as I believe it sets the tone for the rest of the year.

I actually have hope that they can contend come September. There is a feeling that the 2009 Jays are an organized team. While our bullpen have not...excelled, but the bats are making up for it big time. It seems like every night, when somebody on the team's not doing so well, another player is stepping up to fill his shoes. That's the way the game is supposed to be played. That's the way that championships are won.

The Jays are not necessarily the most conventional contenders this year. We don't have $200 million to spend like some clubs. We have nights when the Rogers Centre is not even a quarter full. But with the way this team's playing, I doubt those days with 12 000 fans in the seats are going to last.

To be honest, I am a bit surprised with the way the Jays have roared out of the gate. The previous few years, it has always felt like they had no chance since the beginning. And now, there is hope. All I can say is that I will be there to support this team along the way, no matter what happens.

-D

PS: Happy Jackie Robinson Day!

MLB Predictions

Here they are, my predictions for the 2009 MLB Season:

AL West

Team Record GB

Los Angeles Angels 95-67 --
Texas Rangers 84-78 11
Oakland Athletics 80-82 15
Seattle Mariners 69-93 26


AL Central

Team Record GB

Cleveland Indians 90-72 --
Kansas City Royals 86-76 4
Minnesota Twins 85-77 5
Chicago White Sox 83-79 7
Detroit Tigers 74-88 16

AL East

Team Record GB

New York Yankees 94-68 --
Tampa Bay Rays 91-71 3
Toronto Blue Jays 88-74 6
Boston Red Sox 86-76 8
Baltimore Orioles 70-92 24

Wild Card: Tampa Bay Rays

NL West

Team Record GB

Colorado Rockies 87-75 --
Los Angeles Dodgers 83-79 4
San Francisco Giants 79-83 8
Arizona Diamondbacks 75-87 12
San Diego Padres 70-92 17

NL Central

Team Record GB

Milwaukee Brewers 97-65 --
Chicago Cubs 96-66 1
Houston Astros 88-74 9
St. Louis Cardinals 86-76 11
Cincinnati Reds 81-81 13
Pittsburgh Pirates 78-84 16

NL East

Team Record GB

Philadelphia Phillies 99-63 --
Atlanta Braves 91-71 8
New York Mets 89-73 10
Florida Marlins 82-80 17
Washington Nationals 64-98 35

NL Wild Card: Chicago Cubs

There you have it, let's see what happens 159 games down the road!

The Blue Jays are actually leading their division right now, with a record of 3-1!!! Woohoo!!

Last night, I was down at the Rogers Centre for the match against the Tigers. Brandon Inge's homer in the 6th inning landed in my section, 9 seats away, but I was impeded from making an attempt at grabbing it as I was seated near the aisle, on the other side of where the ball landed.

Also met Zack Hample last night! That was real exciting! Check out his blog, if you don't know who he is. He's authored 2 books, with a third coming, and has nearly 4000 baseballs in his collection. Got him to sign my ticket stub and we had a nice conversation together. You are so cool, Zack!

I wanted to comment on the fan behaviour at the Rogers Centre on Opening Night. If you haven't read the news, the Tigers were pulled off the field in the top of the 8th inning as several baseballs were thrown at the left fielder. There were other projectiles on the field, such as paper airplanes. Jim Leyland felt that the situation was dangerous enough that he decided to pull his team. The fans, who were uninformed of the situation, became rowdy and threw even more things onto the field. It was very chaotic and extremely embarrassing. It doesn't not represent Toronto as a city, and certainly does not represent the Blue Jays fanbase. To be honest, I was shocked at how long the delay was. It was really appalling, and I never hope to see such a thing happen in Toronto, ever again. It's just so immature!

In some sad news today, 22 year old Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart passed away in a car accident mere hours after he shut out the A's through 6 innings. I read the MLB story by Tom Singer and it was very heartbreaking. Think about it. This young kid, with a well-merited spot in the starting rotation of a major league team, comes out one night, shuts down the A's. The next thing you know, he's killed in a hit-and-run. It's beyond sad. May he rest in peace!

-D

The Boys of Summer

Boy am I happy baseball is BACK!!!

The banners, the home made signs, the thundersticks, foam fingers, smell of the grass, crack of the bat, fans begging for autographs, negotiating with security for better seats...those are the dog days of summer, hanging out at the ballpark!

Funny how I say summer. Today, on this the Opening Day of the 33rd Blue Jays season, snow fell in Toronto. I'm not kidding. When I woke up this morning, the temperature was 1 degree Celsius (about 33 F) and snow flakes were actually flying in the sky. It's sort of reminiscent of the first ever game in Jays history, where they had to get snowplows to help clear the field at Exhibition Stadium. But this is the Rogers Centre, we've got a roof, and rain or shine, we play ball! Games in the South Side of Chicago and Fenway were postponed due to similar inclement weather.

I wonder if this is going to be like the April we had in 2007, where about two dozen delays were blamed on the weather. Remember how the Cleveland Indians cancelled 4 games because a foot of snow fell courtesy of winds from Lake Erie and had to temporarily move to Milwaukee only to be met with 6 more inches of the white stuff? That was a brutally cold month, where I remember watching fans in Atlanta huddled together in blankets at Braves games. That was when the big sluggers were afraid to swing because it stung their hand badly if the ball struck the end of the bat.

Maybe we should be optimistic. They ARE forecasting the weather to turn much nicer by the Easter long weekend. I'm just glad baseball's back and be sure look for my predictions on the league standings tomorrow.

So the Jays have started the year 1-0. It was quite a game too, 12-5 the final score against the Tigers. Adam Lind is in all likelihood going to be the MLB leader in RBIs through the next couple of days. He collected 6 Ribbies tonight with a fabulous 4 hit performance. Travis Snider knocked a home run. Vernon Wells smashed a double in the first. Every Jay had a hit. Now, if the pitching could hold up, and our offense keeps pounding opponents night after night like this, the Jays could capture the division crown.

There was some very appalling fan disturbances at the Rogers Centre tonight. People were throwing objects onto the field, and the game was almost forfeited in Detroit's favour. It was just nasty stuff, and I hope it doesn't ever happen again!

-D

April

Well, so tomorrow is April Fool's. A quarter of the year has already gone by, isn't that amazing?

I will be going to two more Raptor games in April, on the 5th and 12th. The 12th is Fan Appreciation Day, so that should be real fun. Speaking of the Raps, they've been doing quite well lately. Where was these intense efforts early on in the season? I think Bryan Colangelo needs to reshape this team over the summer. On paper, we're a middle of the pack team, but I think a few moves here and there could push us to the position we were in in 2006-2007.

The Jays season is starting next Monday. I can't wait! Ricky Romero secured the 4th spot in the starting rotation yesterday. That was a bit of a surprise for me. The fifth spot is still undecided, but I think Scott Richmond would be a good choice for it.

My leadership retreat over the weekend was incredibly awesome. I brought back a lot of new friendships, new memories, and new knowledge. I always have this way of measuring a long day. When I go to bed at night, I always think back to what I did that morning. If it seems like an eternity ago, then I count it as a long day. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday were all very long days. But they were fun too. It was amazing to share that experience with 60 other prospective leaders, and more than a dozen more members of the TDSB SuperCouncil. It's an experience that I will never forget, and probably one that will prove to be life-changing when I look back on it in the future.

-D

Weekend Getaway

Was down at the Air Canada Centre for the Raptors-Bucks game yesterday. I have to say, that was one of the best games I watched this season so far. We led from beginning to end, won by 9. Bargnani poured in more than 20 points again. But the crowd was at best two thirds full. Can't really blame 'em though, Wednesday night, against an 11th place team, and the Raps aren't the most attractive team in the league right now.

I heard the Leafs had a 0.03% chance of making the playoffs. But that was earlier this week, so who knows, might be down to zero by now.

Blue Jays start regular season play in just 2 weeks! So excited! Last year, the roof was closed for all 3 games I went to. I hope I get to watch some outdoor baseball this year.

It's been a busy week, and I'll be at a leadership camp over the weekend. It's been gloomy and rainy here in Toronto for most of this week. But the weekend getaway should be fun/

-D

The Arc of History

Since mid-November, I have been working on a writing project-a book.

The title is "The Arc of History" and the subject is, what else but the 2008 Presidential Election. Mainly, I wanted a record of history for myself, written by myself. I wanted for some way for the legacy of this election to carry on. And since I changed so much as a person during these past two years, I wanted to record some of the more personal moments during the campaign.

Right now, I have about 47 000 words done, and by my projection, the book should be about 95 000-100 000 words in length after it's finished. Since I'm extremely busy with activities in school, it's taking me quite a while to put the project together. I hope to have the manuscript done by late July. Then, I will decide whether I want to self publish this, or contact a publishing company. In the meanwhile, I wanted to share a few excerpts from the book with you. Feel free to make any suggestions! I'll need it.

So today, I'm going to share a bit from the chapter titled "IOWA":

I let out a chuckle when Keith Olbermann proclaimed on the January 2nd, 2008 edition of Countdown: “Nearly two years after the first candidate announced, a year since the heavy hitters declared, somebody somewhere finally votes…” The modern American election cycle does, occasionally, want to make me want to laugh. It seems a bit strange that in a country so technologically and economically advanced, it would take over 2 years, more than half a presidential term to select an actual President. It gets even funnier. On the same Countdown show, Olbermann says: “Iowa, consisting of 1/100th of the nation‘s population, an estimated 6 percent of whom will caucus tomorrow, meaning the first milestone of the campaign to elect the 44th president will be determined by .06 of 1 percent of the country.” Somewhere in American politics, there’s a batch of irony and hilarity mixed in with the exhilarating caucuses and serious debates and relentless TV ads. You know how long it takes for the Canadians to dissolve Parliament, call an election, inform the country, hold the debates, run the ads, knock on the doors, vote, elect a new government, and swear in the new Cabinet? Less than 8 weeks!

Iowa is the focal point of every election, being the first state to cast ballots (or count heads in the Democrats’ case) in the primary season. For some candidates, Iowa is the difference between political termination and political stardom. The Iowa Caucuses cost a thick stack of money as well. The price tag on the 2008 caucuses was around $60 million. This encompassed the ad blitz which hit Iowa all throughout the holiday season. In virtually every city and town in the Hawkeye State, during practically every commercial break on TV or radio, Iowans were bombasted with campaign messages from literally every candidate, Democrat and Republican. And since Iowa is First in the Nation, this means that the slate of candidates has yet to be whittled. In 2008, this meant choosing between 17 candidates. This is no easy task, as candidates in the same party support, more or less, the same policies and present similar agendas. It ends up being much like a high school student council election, where most votes are won by popularity and character, not substance.

There was one thing that was abundant before Iowans went to caucus-the candidate debates. These debates, and there’s a massive stack of the tapes somewhere in Rockefeller Center, were solely between candidates within one party. Whether they were radio debates, or good ol’ podium debates, or even YouTube debates, there were 17 of them in total before January 3rd, 2008. The YouTube debates were arguably a little bit interesting, but the rest were generally bland in nature as candidates within the party pick at each other’s bones. The last Democratic one came on December 13th, 2007, three weeks before Iowans went out to caucus. That debate, held in Johnston, Iowa, part of Des Moines Metropolitan Area, was carried by CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC, three channels which would enjoy the highest ratings during the 2008 presidential election. In a turning point election like 2008, rigorous debate was for certain to be had.

Debate performance was one viscous yardstick to how strong a candidate was. The more set-in-stone and hard measuring tool was your polls. The pollsters were enjoying every bit of the ’08 campaign as well, for this was their chance to shine in national spotlight. Things were so tight for the Democrats in Iowa that multiple polls from multiple polling companies were released daily. For the first half of 2007, the polls in Iowa showed a competitive race between Hillary Clinton, the first viable woman candidate for president and John Edwards, who came in second in Iowa in 2004. But as fall came and the leaves started changing colour, the scope of the tide in Iowa started to turn as well. Barack Obama’s numbers began to slowly but steadily rise, thanks to his effective internet campaign and Edwards’ support began to fade ever so slightly. By December, Obama started jumping ahead in a few polls, and the race was declared a three way dead heat between the three main candidates-Clinton, Obama, and Edwards.

Ironically, I had absolutely no idea what a how the caucuses work when Iowans went out to do exactly just that on January 3rd. Though these words were tossed around in the media like a football, I was actually confused as to what the difference was between a caucus and a primary. Pundits expected you to understand their jargonous conversations, so naturally, I consulted the internet. And thanks to Wikipedia, the caucusing process was explained to me in a stunningly clear fashion. It turns out that Democrats and Republicans have different ways of going about caucusing. The Democrats use what I perceive to be a very traditional and kind of fun method of, basically, counting heads. All the caucus-goers gather in a spacious common room, usually in a community institution such as a church, library or occasionally, a neighbor’s house. Each candidate is assigned one specific corner/area in the room. All caucus-goers are welcome, as long as they are registered under the party whose caucus they plan to participate in, even if their registration was just 5 minutes old, or had just switched at the door. As well, a rarity in the Iowa caucuses is that 17 year olds are allowed to participate, provided that they reach the universal suffrage age by the time of the general election.

Again, each candidate is assigned a specific spot in the room, in which all his or her supporters will gather to form a “preference group”. Usually, the scene is pleasantly raucous once the actual caucusing starts. Everybody has 30 minutes to align themselves into preference groups, usually coordinated by energetic and vocal precinct captains. For half an hour, democracy shines! There is a plethora of debate in the room between the candidates, and some fierce competition for undecided voters. Preference groups attempt to enlarge themselves as much as possible by dragging anyone who is willing to stand with them. After this half hour period is up, a preliminary head count is done to weed out the “unviable” candidates-those whose preference groups account for less than 15% of all participants. One easy example to comprehend the process is if there are 100 caucus-goers, the candidates with less than 15 supporters after the first 30 minutes are deemed “unviable”. After that, a second 30 minute alignment period gets underway. Those in the “unviable” camps have two choices, join a group that is viable, or band together with other unviable supporters to form a larger, viable group for one of the candidates. Though the process demands little of the average caucus-goer-go to your local school gym, stand in line for 20 minutes, and go home-the negotiation that goes on in the caucuses is intense and indeed, very healthily democratic.

Comments?

-D