Apr 2009
How Does Mario Solis Keep His Job?
Among the great sports announcers we've had in LA
over the years, from the play-by-play superstars like
Vin Scully, Chick Hearn, Bill King, and Ralph Lawler,
and the reporting stars, like Jim Healy, Dick Enberg,
and Fred Roggin, there have been quite a few
incompetents, most of whom have come and gone rather
quickly. However, for some mysterious reason, the
totally inept Mario Solis goes on and on in his job
at KNBC.
His lack of knowledge of virtually every major sport is more than evident in each of his broadcasts, but the worst parts of his segments are the regular mispronouncements of the names of athletes and others. Sure, there are the occasional foreign or especially difficult names that any announcer may occasionally mispronounce. But, with Solis, it is more often than not either the name of a local player, or an easy name of another athlete in the news.
Last night, for example, on his broadcast on the late news on Channel 4, KNBC, within about a minute, he made not one, but two egregious errors. First, he totally butchered his pronunciation of long-time Dodger and current Seattle Mariner third baseman, Adrian Beltre, and then, in describing the Dodger-Rockie game, he called Rockie infielder Clint Barmes, Clint Barnes. Not only that, but in the repeat of that same broadcast aired early this morning, he cleaned up the audio tape so that his mispronouncement of Adrian Beltre sounded not nearly so bad, but having no clue about anything to do with seven-year major league veteran player Clint Barmes (pronounced Bar-Mess), he left that as it was.
My local news channel of choice is Channel 4. I really like the late news with Paul Moyer (recently retired after decades in LA news), Colleen Williams, and now Chuck Henry, but I dread the days Fred Roggin is off.
theHoundDawg
His lack of knowledge of virtually every major sport is more than evident in each of his broadcasts, but the worst parts of his segments are the regular mispronouncements of the names of athletes and others. Sure, there are the occasional foreign or especially difficult names that any announcer may occasionally mispronounce. But, with Solis, it is more often than not either the name of a local player, or an easy name of another athlete in the news.
Last night, for example, on his broadcast on the late news on Channel 4, KNBC, within about a minute, he made not one, but two egregious errors. First, he totally butchered his pronunciation of long-time Dodger and current Seattle Mariner third baseman, Adrian Beltre, and then, in describing the Dodger-Rockie game, he called Rockie infielder Clint Barmes, Clint Barnes. Not only that, but in the repeat of that same broadcast aired early this morning, he cleaned up the audio tape so that his mispronouncement of Adrian Beltre sounded not nearly so bad, but having no clue about anything to do with seven-year major league veteran player Clint Barmes (pronounced Bar-Mess), he left that as it was.
My local news channel of choice is Channel 4. I really like the late news with Paul Moyer (recently retired after decades in LA news), Colleen Williams, and now Chuck Henry, but I dread the days Fred Roggin is off.
theHoundDawg
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While We Were Away, Part 1
04/23/09 19:05 Filed in: Baseball
After being away from SoCal, and much of the sports
world, for almost nine days, some random thoughts:
The Angel pitching woes just keep getting worse. Since April 14, they have now also lost Dustin Moseley, Darren Oliver, and Kevin Jepsen; Brian Fuentes, Scott Shields and Jose Arredondo have ERAs of 13.50, 14.40, and 7.20, respectively, and tonight they are starting Matt Palmer, whose Triple-A ERA this season was approaching 12. Paul Byrd, Pedro Martinez, and maybe the late Art Fowler, are you busy at the moment?
Manny is heating up, and the Dodgers are still in first place, despite one reliable starting pitcher. As I'm writing this, Chad Billingsley is on his way to becoming the first pitcher to reach 4-0.
I saw a game at SAFECO Field in Seattle, and it's a great place to watch a game. Friendly, really helpful staff, great food, and wonderful site lines, seating, and other accutremonts make it one of the best partks I've been to. As an aside, as I saw Mike Sweeney go 3-for-3, I commented to one of the people I was with what a great hitter he could have been if not for so many debilitating injuries the past few years. Then I saw that he got injured yet again the next night.
The scumstripes are feeling the pressure from so many empty premium seats, and, according to Yahoo Sports are considering lowering their pricing from the obsene $2625 price tags they have been trying to extort from the rich and famous. If they don't improve attendance, and revenue, it would be real nice if the scumstripes have their new house that greed built forclosed.
theHoundDawg
The Angel pitching woes just keep getting worse. Since April 14, they have now also lost Dustin Moseley, Darren Oliver, and Kevin Jepsen; Brian Fuentes, Scott Shields and Jose Arredondo have ERAs of 13.50, 14.40, and 7.20, respectively, and tonight they are starting Matt Palmer, whose Triple-A ERA this season was approaching 12. Paul Byrd, Pedro Martinez, and maybe the late Art Fowler, are you busy at the moment?
Manny is heating up, and the Dodgers are still in first place, despite one reliable starting pitcher. As I'm writing this, Chad Billingsley is on his way to becoming the first pitcher to reach 4-0.
I saw a game at SAFECO Field in Seattle, and it's a great place to watch a game. Friendly, really helpful staff, great food, and wonderful site lines, seating, and other accutremonts make it one of the best partks I've been to. As an aside, as I saw Mike Sweeney go 3-for-3, I commented to one of the people I was with what a great hitter he could have been if not for so many debilitating injuries the past few years. Then I saw that he got injured yet again the next night.
The scumstripes are feeling the pressure from so many empty premium seats, and, according to Yahoo Sports are considering lowering their pricing from the obsene $2625 price tags they have been trying to extort from the rich and famous. If they don't improve attendance, and revenue, it would be real nice if the scumstripes have their new house that greed built forclosed.
theHoundDawg
Out-of-Town
04/14/09 00:13 Filed in: Misc.
theHoundDawg will be away for a few days, and will
not be able to post again until April 23d.*
Have a good week.
_____
*theHoundDawg blog is on a different platform that allows remote posting, which I cannot do on the theHoundDawgSportsBlog.
Have a good week.
_____
*theHoundDawg blog is on a different platform that allows remote posting, which I cannot do on the theHoundDawgSportsBlog.
More Questions for Dodger Starting Staff
04/11/09 21:45 Filed in: Baseball
Eric Stults did a great job tonight, replacing
now-injured "Ace", Hiroki Kuroda, but with Kuroda out
and James McDonald's poor performance last night, the
Dodgers' starting staff is again in awful shape.
Pedro Martinez wants $5 million and the Dodgers'
reportedly have offered $1 million, but I really
doubt he would be the answer they need. Other free
agents out there include Paul Byrd, and though no
savior for the staff, he might be just as effective
as Pedro, at a less steep price tag.
Though Jonathan Broxton, Hong-Chih Kuo, and rookie Ronald Belisario have done well, overall the bulllpen has been disappointing. In particular Guillermo Mota and Cory Wade have had some rocky performances,
The first week is coming to a close, and the NL West looks much more competitive than the experts told us it would be. San Diego and Colorado may have more balanced teams than were expected, and San Francisco may just have enough offense to give their great staff more success than figured during the spring. It may be more than a two team race with Arizona, and the Dodgers have to make a move to add at least one more arm, even anticipating more quality starts from Stults.
theHoundDawg
Though Jonathan Broxton, Hong-Chih Kuo, and rookie Ronald Belisario have done well, overall the bulllpen has been disappointing. In particular Guillermo Mota and Cory Wade have had some rocky performances,
The first week is coming to a close, and the NL West looks much more competitive than the experts told us it would be. San Diego and Colorado may have more balanced teams than were expected, and San Francisco may just have enough offense to give their great staff more success than figured during the spring. It may be more than a two team race with Arizona, and the Dodgers have to make a move to add at least one more arm, even anticipating more quality starts from Stults.
theHoundDawg
It's About Time that the NCAA Gets Going on SC Crime Wave
04/09/09 14:42 Filed in: College
Basketball | College
Football
The LA Times reported this
morning that finally there is some
activity in their investigations of the shameful
culture of the flaunting of NCAA rules
throughout the sc athletic department. The
article states that the two
major investigations - those of the bush
football crimes and of the mayo basketball evils
- have been combined into a single
investigation.
This bodes well, as, first, it does show that the investigations are not lying dormant, but that there is activity on-going, and second, that the investigation involves the athletic department's lack of oversight as a whole, not just the failures of two sports programs.
For those with a short memory, you can find many of the details of the flagrant rule-breaking in the bush and mayo cases in some of my older "Crime" posts, especially that of Dec. 14, 2008, which can all be found here.
Get this wrapped up, NCAA, so that bush's ill-gotten Heisman is taken away, so that sc's equally ill-gotten football championship is stripped, and give this evil, evil group of miscreants, who pay for a golden image as well as athletic success, their well-deserved sports death penalty.
theHoundDawg
This bodes well, as, first, it does show that the investigations are not lying dormant, but that there is activity on-going, and second, that the investigation involves the athletic department's lack of oversight as a whole, not just the failures of two sports programs.
For those with a short memory, you can find many of the details of the flagrant rule-breaking in the bush and mayo cases in some of my older "Crime" posts, especially that of Dec. 14, 2008, which can all be found here.
Get this wrapped up, NCAA, so that bush's ill-gotten Heisman is taken away, so that sc's equally ill-gotten football championship is stripped, and give this evil, evil group of miscreants, who pay for a golden image as well as athletic success, their well-deserved sports death penalty.
theHoundDawg
Thought to be Dormant, Angels' Curse Returns with a Vengeance
04/09/09 08:33 Filed in: Baseball
For decades, there appeared to be a curse hovering
over the the Los Angeles-California-Anaheim-Los
Angeles Angels, who suffered through one tragedy
after another. Young and talented players, including
some stars and many potential stars, died tragic
deaths, many during the season. From the shooting
death of Lyman Bostock, to the brain tumor that took
Dick Wantz within a month of his major league debut,
to the numerous traffic fatalities including Mike
Miley, Bruce Heinbechner, and Chico Ruiz, and to the
suicide of former star Donnie Moore. Career changing
injuries were also part of the curse, exemplified by
the beanings suffered by Paul Schaal and Don Mincher.
Add to this, the devastating injuries suffered by
Bobby Valentine and the kidney disease that derailed
the career of Rick Reichardt. If something bad
happened, it seemed to always happen to an Angel.
After years of seeming calm, the curse has returned.
For a couple of years, we heard that Nick Adenhart had the tools to be a star. In three games last year, he pitched poorly, but this spring, with so many injured pitchers, he earned the opportunity to begin the season on the Angels roster, and in the rotation, and he started last night's game, showing everything that the team had said about him. He pitched six shutout innings, and appeared to be just what the Angels needed with three starters on the disabled list.
Then, a couple of hours after the game, he was killed in a Fullerton, CA traffic collision.
At this time, it is being said that another unnamed member of the Angels' organization was also killed in the accident.
And, this just two days after a fan died at Angels' Stadium, following the opening night game.
Our condolences to the Adenhart family and to the Angels' organization. Let's hope these are isolated incidents, to be followed by years of business-as-usual at Angels' Stadium.
theHoundDawg
After years of seeming calm, the curse has returned.
For a couple of years, we heard that Nick Adenhart had the tools to be a star. In three games last year, he pitched poorly, but this spring, with so many injured pitchers, he earned the opportunity to begin the season on the Angels roster, and in the rotation, and he started last night's game, showing everything that the team had said about him. He pitched six shutout innings, and appeared to be just what the Angels needed with three starters on the disabled list.
Then, a couple of hours after the game, he was killed in a Fullerton, CA traffic collision.
At this time, it is being said that another unnamed member of the Angels' organization was also killed in the accident.
And, this just two days after a fan died at Angels' Stadium, following the opening night game.
Our condolences to the Adenhart family and to the Angels' organization. Let's hope these are isolated incidents, to be followed by years of business-as-usual at Angels' Stadium.
theHoundDawg
the Season Starts in Fifteen Minutes
04/05/09 16:49 Filed in: Baseball
As the 2009 season is about to start, I think...
1) I underestimated the Royals. They should overtake the Tigers, and maybe even Chicago.
2) In perusing the 2009 Award Winners as picked by the experts at Yahoo, I think they're crazy. Milton Bradley? Kevin Slowey? Joey Votto? Huh?
MVP in the NL will be between Manny Ramirez and Ryan Braun. In the AL, between Dustin Pedroia and Grady Sizemore.
Cy Young in the NL will be between Cole Hamels and Tim Lincecum; in the AL between Roy Halladay and Josh Beckett.
3) season starting - no time for more.....
theHoundDawg
1) I underestimated the Royals. They should overtake the Tigers, and maybe even Chicago.
2) In perusing the 2009 Award Winners as picked by the experts at Yahoo, I think they're crazy. Milton Bradley? Kevin Slowey? Joey Votto? Huh?
MVP in the NL will be between Manny Ramirez and Ryan Braun. In the AL, between Dustin Pedroia and Grady Sizemore.
Cy Young in the NL will be between Cole Hamels and Tim Lincecum; in the AL between Roy Halladay and Josh Beckett.
3) season starting - no time for more.....
theHoundDawg
The Season Starts Sunday - This is How It Will End
04/03/09 21:31 Filed in: Baseball
AL 2009
Boston - A healthy Beckett and a return to form from Brad Penny, and the BoSox won't be caught.
Tampa - Last year was no fluke, but not enough with Boston in their division.
New York - More bucks, more losses. Girardi may not last the season. Pressure on Teixeira won't be pretty.
Toronto - Could have been vastly improved but for injuries to Marcum and McGowan.
Baltimore - By July, theHoundDawg may be their fourth starter.
Cleveland - Healthy Martinez, Hafner, and Pavano, and the Tribe is back.
Minnesota - Baker, Bonser and Neshek - too many injured pitchers.
Chicago - Would need BIG comebacks from too many to challenge.
Detroit - Best thing going is no more Sheffield, but pitching is too suspect
Kansas City - They seemed to be building on their young starters, but sending down Bannister and Hochevar while giving spots to Ramirez and Ponson are major steps backward.
Los Angeles - Second Best team in AL when healthy, and starting season with injuries to three starters should not effect division runaway.
Oakland - Much improved but too much depends on totally inexperienced starters.
Texas - As always, questionable pitching, but no longer the offensive machine of past few seasons.
Seattle - Ten more wins still means last place. Outfield was a disaster before Ichiro got sick.
Division series - Los Angeles over Tampa and Boston over Cleveland
Championship Series - Boston over Los Angeles
NL 2009
Los Angeles - Top-notch offense, defense, bullpen, but will go only as far as their starters will take them.
Arizona - Pretty much the same as with LA, but D'Backs have no Manny.
San Francisco - Reverse of division's top teams - starting pitching and lots of question marks. OF and catching are set, but that infield?
San Diego - Improved from last year, but young talent not ready to compete for top three spots.
Colorado - Not the power-laden team of the past, and questionable pitching depth, but biggest problem is no more Matt Holliday, plus Jeff Francis gone for the season.
Milwaukee - Outstanding offense and despite loss of Sabathia and Sheets, staff has good mix of savey, dependable vets and young talent.
St. Louis - Return of Chris Carpenter solidifies starters, but big voids in bullpen, and infield looks like Pujols and three guys from central casting. Glaus return from injury is always tenuous.
Chicago - No team depending on Milton Bradley and Rich Harden will ever win anything.
Houston - Only health, depth of starting staff keep then behind Cubs.
Cincinnati - Overrated pitching staff won't keep up with up-and-coming offense, plus too many questions in outfield.
Pittsburgh - Lots of young talent on the field, but lack of same on staff will keep them in cellar, unless Karstens and Ohlehdorf suddenly become major league pitchers.
Philadelphia - Improved pitching from start of season and except for Ibanez for Burrell, same team on field as last year's champs.
New York - Addition of great closer more than offset by signing of worst person in baseball, G. Sheffield.
Atlanta - Will go as far as totally revamped pitching will take them, plus rookie CF Jordan Schafer must be for real.
Florida - Health of returning starters, poor defense, big question marks at 3B and entire outfield, all point to disappointing season.
Washington - Addition of Adam Dunn not nearly enough.
Division series - Los Angeles over Milwaukee and Philadelphia over Arizona
Championship Series - Philadelphia over Los Angeles
Boston over Philadelphia in World Series
theHoundDawg
Boston - A healthy Beckett and a return to form from Brad Penny, and the BoSox won't be caught.
Tampa - Last year was no fluke, but not enough with Boston in their division.
New York - More bucks, more losses. Girardi may not last the season. Pressure on Teixeira won't be pretty.
Toronto - Could have been vastly improved but for injuries to Marcum and McGowan.
Baltimore - By July, theHoundDawg may be their fourth starter.
Cleveland - Healthy Martinez, Hafner, and Pavano, and the Tribe is back.
Minnesota - Baker, Bonser and Neshek - too many injured pitchers.
Chicago - Would need BIG comebacks from too many to challenge.
Detroit - Best thing going is no more Sheffield, but pitching is too suspect
Kansas City - They seemed to be building on their young starters, but sending down Bannister and Hochevar while giving spots to Ramirez and Ponson are major steps backward.
Los Angeles - Second Best team in AL when healthy, and starting season with injuries to three starters should not effect division runaway.
Oakland - Much improved but too much depends on totally inexperienced starters.
Texas - As always, questionable pitching, but no longer the offensive machine of past few seasons.
Seattle - Ten more wins still means last place. Outfield was a disaster before Ichiro got sick.
Division series - Los Angeles over Tampa and Boston over Cleveland
Championship Series - Boston over Los Angeles
NL 2009
Los Angeles - Top-notch offense, defense, bullpen, but will go only as far as their starters will take them.
Arizona - Pretty much the same as with LA, but D'Backs have no Manny.
San Francisco - Reverse of division's top teams - starting pitching and lots of question marks. OF and catching are set, but that infield?
San Diego - Improved from last year, but young talent not ready to compete for top three spots.
Colorado - Not the power-laden team of the past, and questionable pitching depth, but biggest problem is no more Matt Holliday, plus Jeff Francis gone for the season.
Milwaukee - Outstanding offense and despite loss of Sabathia and Sheets, staff has good mix of savey, dependable vets and young talent.
St. Louis - Return of Chris Carpenter solidifies starters, but big voids in bullpen, and infield looks like Pujols and three guys from central casting. Glaus return from injury is always tenuous.
Chicago - No team depending on Milton Bradley and Rich Harden will ever win anything.
Houston - Only health, depth of starting staff keep then behind Cubs.
Cincinnati - Overrated pitching staff won't keep up with up-and-coming offense, plus too many questions in outfield.
Pittsburgh - Lots of young talent on the field, but lack of same on staff will keep them in cellar, unless Karstens and Ohlehdorf suddenly become major league pitchers.
Philadelphia - Improved pitching from start of season and except for Ibanez for Burrell, same team on field as last year's champs.
New York - Addition of great closer more than offset by signing of worst person in baseball, G. Sheffield.
Atlanta - Will go as far as totally revamped pitching will take them, plus rookie CF Jordan Schafer must be for real.
Florida - Health of returning starters, poor defense, big question marks at 3B and entire outfield, all point to disappointing season.
Washington - Addition of Adam Dunn not nearly enough.
Division series - Los Angeles over Milwaukee and Philadelphia over Arizona
Championship Series - Philadelphia over Los Angeles
Boston over Philadelphia in World Series
theHoundDawg
Broncos and Bears Really Help Each Other
04/02/09 23:22 Filed in: NFL
Today's trade between Denver and Chicago is one that,
though one sided when considering value for value,
does figure to really help each team.
Chicago gave up way to much for a young, unproven, QB - their own established NFL starting QB, and four draft choices, two number ones, a three and a five - but they got the quarterback they've been looking for for twenty years, a young, talented star-in-the-making, who could lead them back to the Super Bowl, perhaps even winning one.
Denver made out like a bandit, getting a competent starter to replace Cutler, and all those high draft choices they can use to build a great young defense, and maybe find another talented young QB for the future.
theHoundDawg
Chicago gave up way to much for a young, unproven, QB - their own established NFL starting QB, and four draft choices, two number ones, a three and a five - but they got the quarterback they've been looking for for twenty years, a young, talented star-in-the-making, who could lead them back to the Super Bowl, perhaps even winning one.
Denver made out like a bandit, getting a competent starter to replace Cutler, and all those high draft choices they can use to build a great young defense, and maybe find another talented young QB for the future.
theHoundDawg
NOT So Fast
04/02/09 23:14 Filed in: College
Basketball
Bye-Bye, Timmie
04/02/09 08:34 Filed in: College
Basketball
On this great day in SoCal for college sports, we
celebrate the run across the California-Arizona
border by the brain surgeon's slimeball t floyd. May
he continue his questionable recruiting, blind-eye to
supporter and agent payoffs, and on-court thug
mentality in SoAz.
I'm sure Arizona students, alumni, and supporters are just itching to see who will be the Wildcat's version of Leonard Washington, assaulting opposing players on the court with reckless abandon, and who will furnish his dorm with the best and biggest entertainment center agents' money can buy, besting even the pro complex oj mayo flaunted in front of the sc coaching staff. Oh, and will floyd's hooks carry along Renardo Sidney, or will he just find some other 300 pound pay-me-and-my-family NOW rent-a-stud in time for his first season in the desert?
So many questions to answer before next fall.
One other question: Does his getting out of town perhaps signal that the NCAA is finally getting something done on their multiple brain surgeons investigations?
theHoundDawg
I'm sure Arizona students, alumni, and supporters are just itching to see who will be the Wildcat's version of Leonard Washington, assaulting opposing players on the court with reckless abandon, and who will furnish his dorm with the best and biggest entertainment center agents' money can buy, besting even the pro complex oj mayo flaunted in front of the sc coaching staff. Oh, and will floyd's hooks carry along Renardo Sidney, or will he just find some other 300 pound pay-me-and-my-family NOW rent-a-stud in time for his first season in the desert?
So many questions to answer before next fall.
One other question: Does his getting out of town perhaps signal that the NCAA is finally getting something done on their multiple brain surgeons investigations?
theHoundDawg