Works Of Clay (and Other Big 12 Shockers)

In life it is a gven that the way you APProach it says alot about your ability to APPly yourself. It is also APParent that if the Good Lord provideth you with some amazing gifts, you can expect your peers to be APPrehensive. Suffice to say I wonder what the world is now thinking now that a double A division team (that was viewed as an APPetizer for a Big Ten Team) goes into 'The Big House' and puts the biggest smackdown in the history of college football, upsetting Michigan 34-32? Of course I speak of APPalachian State...winners of 15 straight! I saw the whole game while at work.

A whole host of Ohio State fans screamed themselves hoarse watching their Buckeyes win and the Blue and Maize go down...California made easy work of Tennessee. Phil Fulmer's ass is now in a stir, and I wonder if the Golden Bears will be a threat to the USC Trojans later in the year?

I was one of the millions happy to see Virginia Tech get back to playing football and trying as best as possible to get past a tragic situation. They looked good in the process. I was also impressed by the play of Matt Stafford's Bulldogs over Oklahoma State, and poor Todd Dodge now learns that it's a long way from high school football to the college level. That was one FUGLY loss in Norman this night! If you need to know the definition of FUGLY, think of a four letter word and the word ugly, then combine...

History made in Beantown as rookie pitcher Clay Buchholz tosses a no-hitter in his second ever start over Baltimore. Last pitcher to do that was Wilson Alvarez in 1991, also against Baltimore. The first pitcher to toss a no-no in his first start was 1953-Bobo Holliman! I find it funny when pitchers who are thin from Texas are referred to as 'lanky'. As if anyone from here comes from Corn-fed stock? Funny...

September also means that some pennant races go down to the wire while others pull away. The Angels are a lock. Not too sure about Detroit and Seattle. I look for the Red Sox to exact a little payback next time they meet New York. I also expect a little war of beanballing in Beantown!

The more I read and watch the more I want to give Rick Ankiel the comeback player of the year award. What that poor kid overcame as a pitcher to now achieve as an outfielder makes me smile. Tony LaRussa and players love this kid!

Frightening sight: Cardinal Juan Encarnacion took a line drive to the face Friday night. It sickened me to watch the replay. I immediately thought back to what Bryce Florie of the Red Sox sustained on a line drive off a Yankee bat in September of 2000.

I also thought back to 1976 when Steve Yeager took a broken jagged edge of bat to the throat in the on-deck circle. He then created that throat protector catchers now wear to keep balls from hitting...Old timers will remember what happened to Tony Conigliaro in a game 8/15/67 when he took a hit from Jack Hamilton.

1995 I also remember a beaning Kirby Puckett suffered at the hands of Dennis Martinez. 1986 Dickie Thon from Mike Torrez...Hate to see it, but it is sometimes an unavoidable part of the game. Here's wishing Mr Encarnacion a speedy and quick recovery. If you're a Cardinal fan, you have to ask,'Is there anything else we have to overcome?' Death, injuries, addictions, and freak accidents? Damn!

Speaking of freak accidents, it was seven years ago today that I became a single man again...Just admitting that tells me it's time to move on and get a life! I hope you're having a great Labor Day weekend...Hard to believe 'Mr Krikey' Steve Irwin left this great world one year ago Monday...

Over and out in Big D

Mr Will