Quarterback: Carson Palmer
Running Backs: Doug Martin, Adrian Peterson, and Mikel LeShoure
Wide Receivers: Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker
Tight End: Brandon Myers
Kicker: Phil Dawson and Robbie Gould
Team Defense: Chicago
Defensive Players: Brian Urlacher and Michael Boley
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Monday, November 5, 2012
Monday Night Football Week 9 2012
This week, the offensive powerhouses of the host New Orleans Saints and visiting Philadelphia Eagles go at it. New Orleans began in the first quarter as Patrick Robinson picked off Michael Vick and took it 99 yards for a touchdown, and Garrett Hartley made the extra point. Philadelphia got on the board in the second quarter on an Alex Henery 22 yard field goal. The Saints padded the lead as Chris Ivory ran 22 yards for a touchdown, and Hartley nailed the extra point. New Orleans struck again as Drew Brees passed 1 yard for a touchdown to Marques Colston, and Hartley handled the extra point. The Eagles chipped away in the third quarter as Vick found DeSean Jackson for 77 yards and a touchdown, and Henery tacked on the PAT. Philadelphia got closer with a 37 yard field goal by Henery. The Saints shot back as Brees passed 6 yards to Jimmy Graham for a touchdown, and Hartley booted in the extra point. This ended the scoring at 28-13, with both teams moving to 3-5.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
How They Got Here: The Story of the 2012 San Francisco Giants Part 8
How They Got Here: The San Francisco Giants is a
one-by-one look at how each member of the 2012 World Series Champion San
Francisco Giants found their way to the squad. We'll look at all of the
players on the roster, as well as notable players who did not make the
postseason roster for whatever reason and the coaching staff and general
manager. Part eight delves into the young career of backup catcher Hector Sanchez.
Hector Sanchez was born on November 17, 1989, in Maracay, Venezuela. At age 17, he was signed to an amateur contract by the San Francisco Giants on July 12, 2006. He began his career in the Giants organization playing with their Dominican Summer League team in the abbreviated season rookie level league. He stayed with the DSL Giants for 2007 and 2008, posting a .325 batting average, eight home runs, and eighty-one runs batted in over two seasons. In 2009, he came to the states, playing in the Arizona League with the AZL Giants at the rookie level. His statistics here were also strong, as he hit .299 with one home run and twenty-two runs batted in. He is not considered a player who hits for high power. The 2010 season saw Sanchez step up to the Class A Augusta Greenjackets in the South Atlantic League, where his season numbers read .274 for batting average, with five home runs and thirty-one runs batted in. He was fast-tracked in 2011, appearing with the Class A Advanced San Jose Giants of the California League, where he hit .302 with eleven home runs and fifty-eight runs batted in, his best single season numbers since 2008 in the DSL. Sanchez skipped Class AA and went immediately to Class AAA Fresno to play with the Grizzlies in the latter parts of 2011, appearing in forty-six games with a .261 batting average, one home run, and twenty-six runs batted in. He earned his first major league call-up on July 15, 2011, to help shore up the Giants depleted catching situation. His time in San Francisco that year was mainly spent on the bench, but he appeared in thirteen games, with .258 for a batting average, and he only had one run batted in. While he was in Fresno, he established a connection with Giants starting pitcher Barry Zito, and Sanchez has frequently been used as Zito's personal pitcher since that time. In 2012, he spent a minimal amount of time with the Grizzlies, while the bulk of his time was spent as the backup catcher for the big league squad. He continued to start when Zito was up to pitch, and he established a .280 batting average with three home runs and thirty-four runs batted in. He also made his first postseason appearance in only his second season, and while he didn't contribute much in the playoffs, his presence as a possible pinch hitter, insurance policy should Buster Posey get hurt, and in the World Series, as a designated hitter, proved him a versatile and valuable part of the 2012 Giants World Series Championship.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
Hector Sanchez was born on November 17, 1989, in Maracay, Venezuela. At age 17, he was signed to an amateur contract by the San Francisco Giants on July 12, 2006. He began his career in the Giants organization playing with their Dominican Summer League team in the abbreviated season rookie level league. He stayed with the DSL Giants for 2007 and 2008, posting a .325 batting average, eight home runs, and eighty-one runs batted in over two seasons. In 2009, he came to the states, playing in the Arizona League with the AZL Giants at the rookie level. His statistics here were also strong, as he hit .299 with one home run and twenty-two runs batted in. He is not considered a player who hits for high power. The 2010 season saw Sanchez step up to the Class A Augusta Greenjackets in the South Atlantic League, where his season numbers read .274 for batting average, with five home runs and thirty-one runs batted in. He was fast-tracked in 2011, appearing with the Class A Advanced San Jose Giants of the California League, where he hit .302 with eleven home runs and fifty-eight runs batted in, his best single season numbers since 2008 in the DSL. Sanchez skipped Class AA and went immediately to Class AAA Fresno to play with the Grizzlies in the latter parts of 2011, appearing in forty-six games with a .261 batting average, one home run, and twenty-six runs batted in. He earned his first major league call-up on July 15, 2011, to help shore up the Giants depleted catching situation. His time in San Francisco that year was mainly spent on the bench, but he appeared in thirteen games, with .258 for a batting average, and he only had one run batted in. While he was in Fresno, he established a connection with Giants starting pitcher Barry Zito, and Sanchez has frequently been used as Zito's personal pitcher since that time. In 2012, he spent a minimal amount of time with the Grizzlies, while the bulk of his time was spent as the backup catcher for the big league squad. He continued to start when Zito was up to pitch, and he established a .280 batting average with three home runs and thirty-four runs batted in. He also made his first postseason appearance in only his second season, and while he didn't contribute much in the playoffs, his presence as a possible pinch hitter, insurance policy should Buster Posey get hurt, and in the World Series, as a designated hitter, proved him a versatile and valuable part of the 2012 Giants World Series Championship.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
NFL Afternoon/Night Games Week 9 2012
Four games here, beginning with...
The Oakland Raiders hosting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Oakland started with a Sebastian Janikowski field goal of 29 yards in the first quarter. Tampa Bay took the lead in the second quarter on a Josh Freeman 20 yard touchdown pass to Vincent Jackson, and Connor Barth nailed the extra point. The Raiders took the lead as Carson Palmer passed 25 yards to Rod Streater for a touchdown, and Janikowski supplied the PAT. The Buccaneers took the lead back in the third quarter as Doug Martin ran 45 yards for a touchdown, and Barth was true with the extra point. Tampa Bay extended their lead when Freeman found Mike Williams for 4 yards and a touchdown, and Barth booted the extra point. The Buccaneers padded the lead again on a Martin touchdown run of 67 yards, and Barth iced the drive with the extra point. Oakland pulled back a little bit as Palmer passed 4 yards to Brandon Myers for a touchdown, and Janikowski made the extra point. Tampa Bay extended the lead as Martin ran 70 yards for a touchdown, and Barth dutifully kicked the extra point. The Raiders shot back as Palmer and Myers hooked up for a 1 yard touchdown connection, and Janikowski booted the extra point. Oakland chipped closer with Palmer passing 13 yards to Marcel Reese before finding Juron Criner on the two-point attempt. The Buccaneers put it away with Martin's fourth touchdown run of the game, a 1 yard rush, capped off by the Barth extra point. The final was 42-32, with Tampa Bay going to 4-4 and Oakland dropping to 3-5.
Up north, the Seattle Seahawks host the Minnesota Vikings. Minnesota led off with a first quarter Adrian Peterson 1 yard touchdown run, and Blair Walsh made the extra point. Seattle tied it as Russell Wilson passed 6 yards to Golden Tate for a touchdown, and Steven Hauschka booted the extra point. The Seahawks gained the lead as Wilson found Sidney Rice for 11 yards and a touchdown, followed by a Hauschka extra point. The Vikings tied it in the second quarter with a 4 yard Peterson touchdown run, and Walsh's extra point was the equalizer. Minnesota took the lead with a Walsh field goal of 36 yards. Seattle took the lead back as Wilson found Tate for 11 yards and another touchdown, but Hauschka was blocked on the extra point attempt. The Seahawks extended the lead with a third quarter 3 yard touchdown run by Marshawn Lynch, and Hauschka made the extra point this time. The Vikings replied with a 55 yard field goal by Walsh. Seattle extended their lead in the fourth quarter as Hauschka made a 40 yard field goal. This stood up for a 30-20 win, and both teams are now 5-4.
Back east, the New York Giants host the Pittsburgh Pirates. Pittsburgh opened in the second quarter as Ben Roethlisberger passed 4 yards to Emmanuel Sanders for a touchdown, and Shaun Suisham handled the extra point. New York tied it when Andre Brown ran 1 yard for a touchdown, and Lawrence Tynes made the extra point. The Giants took the lead as Roethlisberger's fumble was recovered by Michael Boley and returned 70 yards for a touchdown, allowing another Tynes extra point. The Steelers got some back as Suisham made a 30 yard field goal. New York extended the lead as Tynes made a 50 yard field goal in the third quarter. The Giants struck again as Tynes made a 23 yard field goal. Pittsburgh answered with Roethlisberger passing 51 yards to Mike Wallace for a touchdown, and Suisham booted the PAT. The Steelers took the lead with an Isaac Redman touchdown run of 1 yard, and Suisham made the extra point. This held up for a 24-20 final, and Pittsburgh goes to 5-3 while the Giants are now 6-3.
For the Night game, the Atlanta Falcons host the Dallas Cowboys. Dallas began with a first quarter Dan Bailey 23 yard field goal. The Cowboys added on as Bailey nailed a 32 yard field goal. Atlanta got on the board in the second quarter as Matt Bryant made a 45 yard field goal. The Falcons tied it as Bryant was true from 46 yards for a field goal. Atlanta gained the lead in the fourth quarter on a Michael Turner 3 yard touchdown run, and Bryant was true with the PAT. The Falcons padded the lead as Bryant kicked in a 36 yard field goal. Dallas shot back as Tony Romo passed 21 yards to Kevin Ogletree, and Bailey handled the extra point. Atlanta padded the lead on a Bryant 32 yard field goal. This made it 19-13, the final, with Atlanta moving to 8-0 while the Cowboys fall to 3-5.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
The Oakland Raiders hosting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Oakland started with a Sebastian Janikowski field goal of 29 yards in the first quarter. Tampa Bay took the lead in the second quarter on a Josh Freeman 20 yard touchdown pass to Vincent Jackson, and Connor Barth nailed the extra point. The Raiders took the lead as Carson Palmer passed 25 yards to Rod Streater for a touchdown, and Janikowski supplied the PAT. The Buccaneers took the lead back in the third quarter as Doug Martin ran 45 yards for a touchdown, and Barth was true with the extra point. Tampa Bay extended their lead when Freeman found Mike Williams for 4 yards and a touchdown, and Barth booted the extra point. The Buccaneers padded the lead again on a Martin touchdown run of 67 yards, and Barth iced the drive with the extra point. Oakland pulled back a little bit as Palmer passed 4 yards to Brandon Myers for a touchdown, and Janikowski made the extra point. Tampa Bay extended the lead as Martin ran 70 yards for a touchdown, and Barth dutifully kicked the extra point. The Raiders shot back as Palmer and Myers hooked up for a 1 yard touchdown connection, and Janikowski booted the extra point. Oakland chipped closer with Palmer passing 13 yards to Marcel Reese before finding Juron Criner on the two-point attempt. The Buccaneers put it away with Martin's fourth touchdown run of the game, a 1 yard rush, capped off by the Barth extra point. The final was 42-32, with Tampa Bay going to 4-4 and Oakland dropping to 3-5.
Up north, the Seattle Seahawks host the Minnesota Vikings. Minnesota led off with a first quarter Adrian Peterson 1 yard touchdown run, and Blair Walsh made the extra point. Seattle tied it as Russell Wilson passed 6 yards to Golden Tate for a touchdown, and Steven Hauschka booted the extra point. The Seahawks gained the lead as Wilson found Sidney Rice for 11 yards and a touchdown, followed by a Hauschka extra point. The Vikings tied it in the second quarter with a 4 yard Peterson touchdown run, and Walsh's extra point was the equalizer. Minnesota took the lead with a Walsh field goal of 36 yards. Seattle took the lead back as Wilson found Tate for 11 yards and another touchdown, but Hauschka was blocked on the extra point attempt. The Seahawks extended the lead with a third quarter 3 yard touchdown run by Marshawn Lynch, and Hauschka made the extra point this time. The Vikings replied with a 55 yard field goal by Walsh. Seattle extended their lead in the fourth quarter as Hauschka made a 40 yard field goal. This stood up for a 30-20 win, and both teams are now 5-4.
Back east, the New York Giants host the Pittsburgh Pirates. Pittsburgh opened in the second quarter as Ben Roethlisberger passed 4 yards to Emmanuel Sanders for a touchdown, and Shaun Suisham handled the extra point. New York tied it when Andre Brown ran 1 yard for a touchdown, and Lawrence Tynes made the extra point. The Giants took the lead as Roethlisberger's fumble was recovered by Michael Boley and returned 70 yards for a touchdown, allowing another Tynes extra point. The Steelers got some back as Suisham made a 30 yard field goal. New York extended the lead as Tynes made a 50 yard field goal in the third quarter. The Giants struck again as Tynes made a 23 yard field goal. Pittsburgh answered with Roethlisberger passing 51 yards to Mike Wallace for a touchdown, and Suisham booted the PAT. The Steelers took the lead with an Isaac Redman touchdown run of 1 yard, and Suisham made the extra point. This held up for a 24-20 final, and Pittsburgh goes to 5-3 while the Giants are now 6-3.
For the Night game, the Atlanta Falcons host the Dallas Cowboys. Dallas began with a first quarter Dan Bailey 23 yard field goal. The Cowboys added on as Bailey nailed a 32 yard field goal. Atlanta got on the board in the second quarter as Matt Bryant made a 45 yard field goal. The Falcons tied it as Bryant was true from 46 yards for a field goal. Atlanta gained the lead in the fourth quarter on a Michael Turner 3 yard touchdown run, and Bryant was true with the PAT. The Falcons padded the lead as Bryant kicked in a 36 yard field goal. Dallas shot back as Tony Romo passed 21 yards to Kevin Ogletree, and Bailey handled the extra point. Atlanta padded the lead on a Bryant 32 yard field goal. This made it 19-13, the final, with Atlanta moving to 8-0 while the Cowboys fall to 3-5.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
NFL Morning Games Week 9 2012
Back to splitting the games up again. Eight games roll early, beginning with...
The Indianapolis Colts hosting the Miami Dolphins. Miami led off with a first quarter Dan Carpenter field goal of 37 yards. Indianapolis took the lead as Andrew Luck passed 9 yards to Reggie Wayne for a touchdown, and Adam Vinatieri knocked in the extra point. The Dolphins took the lead in the second quarter as Ryan Tannehill passed 31 yards to Charles Clay, and Carpenter handled the extra point. The Colts retied it when Vinatieri kicked a 23 yard field goal. Miami took the lead back with an 18 yard Reggie Bush touchdown rush, and Carpenter booted the extra point. Indianapolis pulled back a bit with a Vinatieri 47 yard field goal. The Colts gained the lead when Luck passed 36 yards to T.Y. Hilton, and Vinatieri was good with the extra point. The Dolphins retied it in the fourth quarter as Carpenter nailed a 31 yard field goal. Indianapolis edged ahead on a Vinatieri field goal from 43 yards out. This was all they needed to win 23-20, with the Colts now standing at 5-3 while Miami falls to 4-4.
Down in Houston, the Texans host the Buffalo Bills. Houston began with a first quarter Matt Schaub touchdown pass of 39 yards to Owen Daniels, and Shayne Graham was there with the extra point. Buffalo got on the board as Rian Lindell kicked in a 22 yard field goal. The Bills got closer with a 38 yard field goal by Lindell. The Texans extended the lead in the third quarter on an Arian Foster 3 yard touchdown run, and Graham kicked the extra point. Buffalo replied as Lindell made a 39 yard field goal. Houston padded the lead as Schaub passed 5 yards to Garrett Graham for a touchdown, and then the other Graham made the PAT. This held up for a 21-9 win, with Houston now at 7-1 and Buffalo fell to 3-5.
Back north a bit, the Cleveland Browns welcome the Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore got going with a first quarter Ray Rice touchdown run of 8 yards, and Justin Tucker booted the extra point. The Ravens added on as Bernard Pierce ran 12 yards for a touchdown, and Tucker again made the extra point. Cleveland got on the board in the second quarter with a Phil Dawson 32 yard field goal. The Browns got closer as Dawson made a 28 yard field goal. Cleveland chipped away with a Dawson 29 yard field goal. The Browns kept going in the third quarter as Dawson made a 33 yard field goal. Cleveland got the lead as Dawson made a fourth quarter 41 yard field goal. Baltimore pulled back in front with a Joe Flacco touchdown pass of 19 yards to Torrey Smith, followed by a successful two point conversion to Anquan Boldin. The Ravens added on as Tucker made a 43 yard field goal. This ended the scoring at 25-15, with Baltimore improving to 6-2 and Cleveland dropping to 2-7.
Across Ohio, the Cincinnati Bengals host the Denver Broncos. Denver was first to score with a first quarter field goal by Matt Prater from 43 yards away. Cincinnati tied it in the second quarter on a Mike Nugent field goal from 28 yards out. The Broncos took the lead in the second quarter with a 13 yard touchdown pass from Peyton Manning to Eric Decker, and Prater kicked in the extra point. Denver extended the lead on a 105 yard kickoff return in the third quarter by Trindon Holliday, and Prater supplied the extra point. The Bengals answered as Andy Dalton passed 10 yards for a touchdown to A.J. Green, and Nugent knocked in the extra point. Cincinnati pulled closer with a 49 field goal from Nugent. The Bengals took the lead in the fourth quarter as BenJarvus Green-Ellis ran 2 yards for a touchdown, and Nugent tacked on the extra point. The Broncos shot back when Manning passed 1 yard for a touchdown to Joel Dreessen, and Prater made his extra point. Denver kept going with a Manning pass of 4 yards to Decker for another touchdown, and Prater was true with the extra point. Nugent pulled Cincinnati in range with a 41 yard field goal, but it wasn't enough to avoid the 31-23 loss. The Broncos are now 5-3 while the Bengals drop to 3-5.
South to Tennessee, where the Tennessee Titans host the Chicago Bears. Chicago started with a first quarter blocked punt as Brett Kern tried to kick the ball away, allowing Corey Wootton to pick the ball up and run it in 5 yards for a touchdown, and Robbie Gould ended the play with an extra point. Tennessee got on the board as Chicago committed a penalty in the end zone, resulting in a safety. The Bears padded the lead on an 8 yard Matt Forte touchdown run, and Gould was there with the extra point. Chicago struck again as Brian Urlacher picked off Matt Hasselbeck and ran it in 46 yards for a touchdown, allowing Gould another PAT. The Bears kept going as Jay Cutler passed 13 yards to Brandon Marshall for a touchdown, and Gould kicked the extra point. Chicago added on in the second quarter as Gould made a 40 yard field goal. The Titans answered with a Rob Bironas 39 yard field goal. Tennessee chipped away in the third quarter as Hasselbeck passed 30 yards to Nate Washington for a touchdown, and Bironas recorded the extra point. The Bears replied on a 25 yard Gould field goal. Chicago got some more as Gould was good with a 22 yard field goal. The Bears extended the lead again in the fourth quarter as Cutler passed 39 yards to Marshall for a touchdown, and Gould was again true with the extra point. Chicago struck again when Cutler found Marshall for 5 yards and a touchdown, and Gould was there for the extra point. The Titans pulled back with an 80 yard touchdown run by Chris Johnson, and the two point attempt from Hasselbeck to Kenny Britt was also good. They got no closer, falling 51-20, allowing the Bears to move to 7-1 while the Titans fall to 3-6.
Southeast to Jacksonville, as the Jaguars bring in the Detroit Lions. Detroit got going in the second quarter as Mikel LeShoure ran 7 yards for a touchdown, and Jason Hanson was true on the PAT. The Lions added on as LeShoure ran 1 yard for a touchdown, and Hanson made another extra point. Detroit kept going with a third touchdown rush by LeShoure, an 8 yard run, and Hanson kicked the extra point again. The Lions extended the lead in the fourth quarter as Hanson kicked a 42 yard field goal. Jacksonville got on the board as Blaine Gabbert passed 5 yards to Micheal Spurlock for a touchdown, and then he converted the two point attempt to Rashad Jennings. Detroit replied with Joique Bell running 10 yards for a touchdown, and Hanson knocked in the extra point. The Jaguars answered back as Gabbert passed 6 yards to Justin Blackmon for a touchdown, but he failed to convert the two-point attempt. This made it 31-14, a final, with Detroit moving to 4-4 and Jacksonville dropping to 1-7.
Back to the north, the Green Bay Packers host the Arizona Cardinals. Green Bay opened in the first quarter as Aaron Rodgers passed 13 yards to Randall Cobb for a touchdown, and Mason Crosby kicked in the extra point. Arizona tied the game in the second quarter as LaRod Stephens-Howling ran 1 yard for a touchdown and Jay Feely made the extra point. The Packers took the lead back on another Rodgers touchdown pass to Cobb, this time for 21 yards, and Crosby again made the PAT. Green Bay got some more as Rodgers found James Jones for 28 yards and a touchdown, and Crosby was true on the extra point. The Packers struck again in the third quarter as Crosby made a 33 yard field goal. The Cardinals got some back with John Skelton passing 31 yards to Larry Fitzgerald for a touchdown, and Feely tacked on the extra point. Arizona got some back with a 20 yard Feely field goal. Green Bay answered as Rodgers passed 72 yards for a touchdown to Tom Crabtree, and Crosby supplied the extra point. This concluded the scoring at 31-17, with Green Bay now standing at 6-3 while Arizona dips to 4-5.
Finally, the early games end in DC, as the Washington Redskins host the Carolina Panthers. Washington struck first in the first quarter as Kai Forbath kicked a 47 yard field goal. Carolina took the lead as DeAngelo Williamsran farther than he has all year ran 30 yards for a touchdown, and Justin Medlock handled the extra point. The Panthers added on in the second quarter as Cam Newton passed 19 yards to Steve Smith, and Medlock made the extra point. The Redskins pulled back in the third quarter as Forbath made a 25 yard field goal. Carolina extended the lead with a fourth quarter Newton touchdown run, iced off by Medlock's extra point. Washington tried a late rally as Evan Royster ran 2 yards for a touchdown, and Forbath booted the PAT, but this only made it 21-13 final. Carolina is now 2-6 while Washington falls to 3-6.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
The Indianapolis Colts hosting the Miami Dolphins. Miami led off with a first quarter Dan Carpenter field goal of 37 yards. Indianapolis took the lead as Andrew Luck passed 9 yards to Reggie Wayne for a touchdown, and Adam Vinatieri knocked in the extra point. The Dolphins took the lead in the second quarter as Ryan Tannehill passed 31 yards to Charles Clay, and Carpenter handled the extra point. The Colts retied it when Vinatieri kicked a 23 yard field goal. Miami took the lead back with an 18 yard Reggie Bush touchdown rush, and Carpenter booted the extra point. Indianapolis pulled back a bit with a Vinatieri 47 yard field goal. The Colts gained the lead when Luck passed 36 yards to T.Y. Hilton, and Vinatieri was good with the extra point. The Dolphins retied it in the fourth quarter as Carpenter nailed a 31 yard field goal. Indianapolis edged ahead on a Vinatieri field goal from 43 yards out. This was all they needed to win 23-20, with the Colts now standing at 5-3 while Miami falls to 4-4.
Down in Houston, the Texans host the Buffalo Bills. Houston began with a first quarter Matt Schaub touchdown pass of 39 yards to Owen Daniels, and Shayne Graham was there with the extra point. Buffalo got on the board as Rian Lindell kicked in a 22 yard field goal. The Bills got closer with a 38 yard field goal by Lindell. The Texans extended the lead in the third quarter on an Arian Foster 3 yard touchdown run, and Graham kicked the extra point. Buffalo replied as Lindell made a 39 yard field goal. Houston padded the lead as Schaub passed 5 yards to Garrett Graham for a touchdown, and then the other Graham made the PAT. This held up for a 21-9 win, with Houston now at 7-1 and Buffalo fell to 3-5.
Back north a bit, the Cleveland Browns welcome the Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore got going with a first quarter Ray Rice touchdown run of 8 yards, and Justin Tucker booted the extra point. The Ravens added on as Bernard Pierce ran 12 yards for a touchdown, and Tucker again made the extra point. Cleveland got on the board in the second quarter with a Phil Dawson 32 yard field goal. The Browns got closer as Dawson made a 28 yard field goal. Cleveland chipped away with a Dawson 29 yard field goal. The Browns kept going in the third quarter as Dawson made a 33 yard field goal. Cleveland got the lead as Dawson made a fourth quarter 41 yard field goal. Baltimore pulled back in front with a Joe Flacco touchdown pass of 19 yards to Torrey Smith, followed by a successful two point conversion to Anquan Boldin. The Ravens added on as Tucker made a 43 yard field goal. This ended the scoring at 25-15, with Baltimore improving to 6-2 and Cleveland dropping to 2-7.
Across Ohio, the Cincinnati Bengals host the Denver Broncos. Denver was first to score with a first quarter field goal by Matt Prater from 43 yards away. Cincinnati tied it in the second quarter on a Mike Nugent field goal from 28 yards out. The Broncos took the lead in the second quarter with a 13 yard touchdown pass from Peyton Manning to Eric Decker, and Prater kicked in the extra point. Denver extended the lead on a 105 yard kickoff return in the third quarter by Trindon Holliday, and Prater supplied the extra point. The Bengals answered as Andy Dalton passed 10 yards for a touchdown to A.J. Green, and Nugent knocked in the extra point. Cincinnati pulled closer with a 49 field goal from Nugent. The Bengals took the lead in the fourth quarter as BenJarvus Green-Ellis ran 2 yards for a touchdown, and Nugent tacked on the extra point. The Broncos shot back when Manning passed 1 yard for a touchdown to Joel Dreessen, and Prater made his extra point. Denver kept going with a Manning pass of 4 yards to Decker for another touchdown, and Prater was true with the extra point. Nugent pulled Cincinnati in range with a 41 yard field goal, but it wasn't enough to avoid the 31-23 loss. The Broncos are now 5-3 while the Bengals drop to 3-5.
South to Tennessee, where the Tennessee Titans host the Chicago Bears. Chicago started with a first quarter blocked punt as Brett Kern tried to kick the ball away, allowing Corey Wootton to pick the ball up and run it in 5 yards for a touchdown, and Robbie Gould ended the play with an extra point. Tennessee got on the board as Chicago committed a penalty in the end zone, resulting in a safety. The Bears padded the lead on an 8 yard Matt Forte touchdown run, and Gould was there with the extra point. Chicago struck again as Brian Urlacher picked off Matt Hasselbeck and ran it in 46 yards for a touchdown, allowing Gould another PAT. The Bears kept going as Jay Cutler passed 13 yards to Brandon Marshall for a touchdown, and Gould kicked the extra point. Chicago added on in the second quarter as Gould made a 40 yard field goal. The Titans answered with a Rob Bironas 39 yard field goal. Tennessee chipped away in the third quarter as Hasselbeck passed 30 yards to Nate Washington for a touchdown, and Bironas recorded the extra point. The Bears replied on a 25 yard Gould field goal. Chicago got some more as Gould was good with a 22 yard field goal. The Bears extended the lead again in the fourth quarter as Cutler passed 39 yards to Marshall for a touchdown, and Gould was again true with the extra point. Chicago struck again when Cutler found Marshall for 5 yards and a touchdown, and Gould was there for the extra point. The Titans pulled back with an 80 yard touchdown run by Chris Johnson, and the two point attempt from Hasselbeck to Kenny Britt was also good. They got no closer, falling 51-20, allowing the Bears to move to 7-1 while the Titans fall to 3-6.
Southeast to Jacksonville, as the Jaguars bring in the Detroit Lions. Detroit got going in the second quarter as Mikel LeShoure ran 7 yards for a touchdown, and Jason Hanson was true on the PAT. The Lions added on as LeShoure ran 1 yard for a touchdown, and Hanson made another extra point. Detroit kept going with a third touchdown rush by LeShoure, an 8 yard run, and Hanson kicked the extra point again. The Lions extended the lead in the fourth quarter as Hanson kicked a 42 yard field goal. Jacksonville got on the board as Blaine Gabbert passed 5 yards to Micheal Spurlock for a touchdown, and then he converted the two point attempt to Rashad Jennings. Detroit replied with Joique Bell running 10 yards for a touchdown, and Hanson knocked in the extra point. The Jaguars answered back as Gabbert passed 6 yards to Justin Blackmon for a touchdown, but he failed to convert the two-point attempt. This made it 31-14, a final, with Detroit moving to 4-4 and Jacksonville dropping to 1-7.
Back to the north, the Green Bay Packers host the Arizona Cardinals. Green Bay opened in the first quarter as Aaron Rodgers passed 13 yards to Randall Cobb for a touchdown, and Mason Crosby kicked in the extra point. Arizona tied the game in the second quarter as LaRod Stephens-Howling ran 1 yard for a touchdown and Jay Feely made the extra point. The Packers took the lead back on another Rodgers touchdown pass to Cobb, this time for 21 yards, and Crosby again made the PAT. Green Bay got some more as Rodgers found James Jones for 28 yards and a touchdown, and Crosby was true on the extra point. The Packers struck again in the third quarter as Crosby made a 33 yard field goal. The Cardinals got some back with John Skelton passing 31 yards to Larry Fitzgerald for a touchdown, and Feely tacked on the extra point. Arizona got some back with a 20 yard Feely field goal. Green Bay answered as Rodgers passed 72 yards for a touchdown to Tom Crabtree, and Crosby supplied the extra point. This concluded the scoring at 31-17, with Green Bay now standing at 6-3 while Arizona dips to 4-5.
Finally, the early games end in DC, as the Washington Redskins host the Carolina Panthers. Washington struck first in the first quarter as Kai Forbath kicked a 47 yard field goal. Carolina took the lead as DeAngelo Williams
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
KHL November 4th 2012
This is the last game until November 14th, so I get a pretty much immediate vacation from KHL work. So far, so good in my opinion. Just to let you all know, I will blog the KHL throughout the end of their postseason regardless of if the NHL returns from their work stoppage. Here's the last game to hold you over for awhile, with...
Dinamo Minsk hosting Dinamo Riga. Mikael Tellqvist tends the twine for Riga while Pekka Rinne does the same for Minsk. Minsk began in the first period with a goal by Alexander Kitarov, assisted by Alexander Kulakov and Lukas Krajicek. Minsk extended the lead in the second period as Tim Stapleton found the back of the net, with helpers provided by Geoff Platt and Teemu Laine. The third period saw no scoring, resulting in a 2-0 Minsk victory. The three stars belong to Rinne (27 save shutout), Kitarov, and Stapleton.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
Dinamo Minsk hosting Dinamo Riga. Mikael Tellqvist tends the twine for Riga while Pekka Rinne does the same for Minsk. Minsk began in the first period with a goal by Alexander Kitarov, assisted by Alexander Kulakov and Lukas Krajicek. Minsk extended the lead in the second period as Tim Stapleton found the back of the net, with helpers provided by Geoff Platt and Teemu Laine. The third period saw no scoring, resulting in a 2-0 Minsk victory. The three stars belong to Rinne (27 save shutout), Kitarov, and Stapleton.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
How They Got Here: The Story of the 2012 San Francisco Giants Part 7
How They Got Here: The San Francisco Giants is a
one-by-one look at how each member of the 2012 World Series Champion San
Francisco Giants found their way to the squad. We'll look at all of the
players on the roster, as well as notable players who did not make the
postseason roster for whatever reason and the coaching staff and general
manager. Part seven tells us the story of the interesting Aubrey Huff.
Aubrey Huff III was born on December 20, 1976, in Marion, Ohio. He grew up in Mineral Wells, Texas, and from age six onward, had the misfortune of living in a one-parent household after a tragic domestic dispute claimed the life of his father, who was a bystander when the altercation occurred. Despite the early scars, Huff was able to continue a life in sports, and at both Mineral Wells High School and Brewer High School in Fort Worth, Texas, he played baseball and basketball. Huff split his college time between Vernon College, and was named 1996 Most Valuable Player, before transferring to the University of Miami for his last two years. At University of Miami, he had the following accomplishments to his name: single game runs record (5), most doubles in a game (4), both in his junior year, and in his senior year he had the fourth-best batting average for a single season at .412, second best slugging percentage, .768, twenty-one home runs (fifth best), and a record ninety-five runs batted in. Baseball America, The Sporting News, and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association named him a first team All-American. His career .400 batting average and .719 slugging percentage at University of Miami earned him a spot in their Sports Hall of Fame. In 1998, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays drafted him in the fifth round. He spent time during that season at the Class A level Charleston RiverDogs, in the South Atlantic League. In 1999, he played the full season with the Class AA Orlando Rays of the Southern League. His numbers remained strong at both levels, as he held his average over .300 and hit for a modest amount of power and run production. In 2000, he made another step up to play with the Class AAA Durham Bulls of Durham, North Carolina in the International League. He was with them until the beginning of August, again posting numbers north of .300 with twenty home runs and seventy-six runs batted in. From August 1st to the end of the year, Huff was with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, playing mostly third base in a starting role, where he hit .287 with four home runs and fourteen runs batted in during the two-month span of time. He began the 2001 season in Durham again, but joined the Rays on April 13th, manning the corner infield positions and occasionally appearing as the designated hitter as well. His numbers fell off dramatically for the whole season, as he struggled to hit the ground running in his first full season, and he was even sent back to Durham in late August. It was his worst season at the time. He again started the season at Durham in 2002, after spending time on the disabled list due to a broken cheekbone. He started very strong in Durham, and earned a late May call-up, resulting in him staying with Tampa Bay for the rest of the season. He hit .313 with twenty-three home runs and fifty-nine runs batted in throughout the year in a very strong rebound campaign. His home run total led the team despite his missing the first two months of the season. In 2003, he had two new things happen. First, he began the year and played the entire season with the Devil Rays, appearing in all 162 games. He also became the starting right fielder, his first professional experience in the outfield. This was a defining season for Huff, who batted .311 with thirty-four home runs and 107 runs batted in, falling just two hits short of two hundred. His total numbers for the year have been matched only by eleven players in the history of the major leagues. In 2004, Huff went back to third base, and his numbers experienced a negligible decline, hitting .297 with twenty-nine home runs and 104 runs batted in. His 398 game streak of starts ended on August 22nd, when he sat out with a back injury. The 2005 season saw Huff go back to right field, but his numbers took a second drop, with a .261 batting average, twenty-two home runs, and ninety-two runs batted in. He did achieve his 100th home run and first grand slam during the season, but overall it was a disappointing effort for the versatile Huff. For the 2006 season, Huff transitioned back to third base, and his numbers made a slight improvement. He made his first appearance on the disabled list on April 12th with a knee injury, and he made his rehabilitation appearances with Visalia Oaks in the Class A Advanced California League. He hit .283 with the Devils Rays during this time, but he was deemed expendable on July 12, 2006, as he was traded with cash to the Houston Astros in exchange for Mitch Talbot and eventual utility man Ben Zobrist. His numbers with the Astros were worse than those he had with Tampa Bay, and he struggled to find his form for the rest of the year. On January 3, 2007, he signed a free agent deal with the Baltimore Orioles. With the Orioles, he played some first base and served time as the designated hitter. He rebounded here, hitting .280 in his first season, and he also hit fifteen home runs with seventy-two runs batted in. On June 29th, he became the fourth Orioles player to hit for the cycle, and also recorded his 1,000th hit and 200th double in the same game. In 2008, he switched his number in honor of a former teammate, Joe Kennedy, which saw Huff wear number 17. Huff played inspired baseball that season, regaining his early career numbers in full fashion by hitting .304 with thirty-two home runs and 108 runs batted in. He was designated the team's Most Valuable Player, and was also the designated hitter of the year as recognized by the Edgar Martinez award. Alas, he failed to hold onto the strong numbers and suffered a very forgettable 2009 season. With the Orioles, he only managed a .253 average, and on August 17th, he was traded to the Detroit Tigers for minor-leaguer Brett Jacobson. His limited time with the Tigers was even worse, and they did not bring him back for the 2010 season. The San Francisco Giants took the chance for 2010 with Huff, where he played first base, left field, and right field depending on the needs the lineup presented. The change of scenery served Huff well, as he helped the Giants reach the playoffs by posting a .290 average with twenty-six home runs and eighty-six runs batted in. He wasn't as effective in the playoffs, but his contribution of a .268 average with a home run and eight runs batted in were enough to help the Giants to the World Series Championship that year, and also earned him a contract extension. He also coined the phrase "Rally Thong" for the Giants postseason run, as he revealed he wore a red thong when the Giants needed a big win. In 2011, he continued to play for San Francisco, but the championship hangover appeared to wear on him a bit. Altogether, his numbers slumped drastically, and as regression (along with a key injury to Buster Posey) hit the Giants, they all failed to make the playoffs for a chance to defend their title. San Francisco made the rebound in 2012, but Huff was not on board, and his numbers dipped even lower, falling below the Mendoza line for the first time in a full season in his career. He spent three stints on the disabled list, struggling with anxiety issues and knee tendinitis. While his numbers were far from usual, he was still brought along for the ride on the postseason roster, making his appearances as a pinch hitter. His production in the postseason was also below average, but his presence on the roster earned him his second championship in three years. Considering all that he's been through, I wish him the best as he makes an attempt to rebound somewhere new next season.
As an aside, since we are now one week into this project, I would like to give credit where credit is due. I get my information and season statistics from Yahoo! Sports, personal information and accomplishments from Wikipedia.org, and minor league statistics, transaction information, and position information from Baseball-Reference.com. Without these well operated websites, this project would not be possible and I thank their dedication to accurate information for allowing me to dabble in the art of journalism. If you would like to cite my articles from the How They Got Here series, please also mention the above websites. Thank You.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
Aubrey Huff III was born on December 20, 1976, in Marion, Ohio. He grew up in Mineral Wells, Texas, and from age six onward, had the misfortune of living in a one-parent household after a tragic domestic dispute claimed the life of his father, who was a bystander when the altercation occurred. Despite the early scars, Huff was able to continue a life in sports, and at both Mineral Wells High School and Brewer High School in Fort Worth, Texas, he played baseball and basketball. Huff split his college time between Vernon College, and was named 1996 Most Valuable Player, before transferring to the University of Miami for his last two years. At University of Miami, he had the following accomplishments to his name: single game runs record (5), most doubles in a game (4), both in his junior year, and in his senior year he had the fourth-best batting average for a single season at .412, second best slugging percentage, .768, twenty-one home runs (fifth best), and a record ninety-five runs batted in. Baseball America, The Sporting News, and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association named him a first team All-American. His career .400 batting average and .719 slugging percentage at University of Miami earned him a spot in their Sports Hall of Fame. In 1998, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays drafted him in the fifth round. He spent time during that season at the Class A level Charleston RiverDogs, in the South Atlantic League. In 1999, he played the full season with the Class AA Orlando Rays of the Southern League. His numbers remained strong at both levels, as he held his average over .300 and hit for a modest amount of power and run production. In 2000, he made another step up to play with the Class AAA Durham Bulls of Durham, North Carolina in the International League. He was with them until the beginning of August, again posting numbers north of .300 with twenty home runs and seventy-six runs batted in. From August 1st to the end of the year, Huff was with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, playing mostly third base in a starting role, where he hit .287 with four home runs and fourteen runs batted in during the two-month span of time. He began the 2001 season in Durham again, but joined the Rays on April 13th, manning the corner infield positions and occasionally appearing as the designated hitter as well. His numbers fell off dramatically for the whole season, as he struggled to hit the ground running in his first full season, and he was even sent back to Durham in late August. It was his worst season at the time. He again started the season at Durham in 2002, after spending time on the disabled list due to a broken cheekbone. He started very strong in Durham, and earned a late May call-up, resulting in him staying with Tampa Bay for the rest of the season. He hit .313 with twenty-three home runs and fifty-nine runs batted in throughout the year in a very strong rebound campaign. His home run total led the team despite his missing the first two months of the season. In 2003, he had two new things happen. First, he began the year and played the entire season with the Devil Rays, appearing in all 162 games. He also became the starting right fielder, his first professional experience in the outfield. This was a defining season for Huff, who batted .311 with thirty-four home runs and 107 runs batted in, falling just two hits short of two hundred. His total numbers for the year have been matched only by eleven players in the history of the major leagues. In 2004, Huff went back to third base, and his numbers experienced a negligible decline, hitting .297 with twenty-nine home runs and 104 runs batted in. His 398 game streak of starts ended on August 22nd, when he sat out with a back injury. The 2005 season saw Huff go back to right field, but his numbers took a second drop, with a .261 batting average, twenty-two home runs, and ninety-two runs batted in. He did achieve his 100th home run and first grand slam during the season, but overall it was a disappointing effort for the versatile Huff. For the 2006 season, Huff transitioned back to third base, and his numbers made a slight improvement. He made his first appearance on the disabled list on April 12th with a knee injury, and he made his rehabilitation appearances with Visalia Oaks in the Class A Advanced California League. He hit .283 with the Devils Rays during this time, but he was deemed expendable on July 12, 2006, as he was traded with cash to the Houston Astros in exchange for Mitch Talbot and eventual utility man Ben Zobrist. His numbers with the Astros were worse than those he had with Tampa Bay, and he struggled to find his form for the rest of the year. On January 3, 2007, he signed a free agent deal with the Baltimore Orioles. With the Orioles, he played some first base and served time as the designated hitter. He rebounded here, hitting .280 in his first season, and he also hit fifteen home runs with seventy-two runs batted in. On June 29th, he became the fourth Orioles player to hit for the cycle, and also recorded his 1,000th hit and 200th double in the same game. In 2008, he switched his number in honor of a former teammate, Joe Kennedy, which saw Huff wear number 17. Huff played inspired baseball that season, regaining his early career numbers in full fashion by hitting .304 with thirty-two home runs and 108 runs batted in. He was designated the team's Most Valuable Player, and was also the designated hitter of the year as recognized by the Edgar Martinez award. Alas, he failed to hold onto the strong numbers and suffered a very forgettable 2009 season. With the Orioles, he only managed a .253 average, and on August 17th, he was traded to the Detroit Tigers for minor-leaguer Brett Jacobson. His limited time with the Tigers was even worse, and they did not bring him back for the 2010 season. The San Francisco Giants took the chance for 2010 with Huff, where he played first base, left field, and right field depending on the needs the lineup presented. The change of scenery served Huff well, as he helped the Giants reach the playoffs by posting a .290 average with twenty-six home runs and eighty-six runs batted in. He wasn't as effective in the playoffs, but his contribution of a .268 average with a home run and eight runs batted in were enough to help the Giants to the World Series Championship that year, and also earned him a contract extension. He also coined the phrase "Rally Thong" for the Giants postseason run, as he revealed he wore a red thong when the Giants needed a big win. In 2011, he continued to play for San Francisco, but the championship hangover appeared to wear on him a bit. Altogether, his numbers slumped drastically, and as regression (along with a key injury to Buster Posey) hit the Giants, they all failed to make the playoffs for a chance to defend their title. San Francisco made the rebound in 2012, but Huff was not on board, and his numbers dipped even lower, falling below the Mendoza line for the first time in a full season in his career. He spent three stints on the disabled list, struggling with anxiety issues and knee tendinitis. While his numbers were far from usual, he was still brought along for the ride on the postseason roster, making his appearances as a pinch hitter. His production in the postseason was also below average, but his presence on the roster earned him his second championship in three years. Considering all that he's been through, I wish him the best as he makes an attempt to rebound somewhere new next season.
As an aside, since we are now one week into this project, I would like to give credit where credit is due. I get my information and season statistics from Yahoo! Sports, personal information and accomplishments from Wikipedia.org, and minor league statistics, transaction information, and position information from Baseball-Reference.com. Without these well operated websites, this project would not be possible and I thank their dedication to accurate information for allowing me to dabble in the art of journalism. If you would like to cite my articles from the How They Got Here series, please also mention the above websites. Thank You.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
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