Straight from the Sports Desk

OK, so after my last two blogs about three overtime games, tonight at Ferndale, with St. Bernard's ahead 48-46 with 33 seconds left, well, yes, the OT thought did enter my mind ... but the Crusaders wrapped it up in regulation.
It's the final week of the regular season, so with crunch time here, there are still some big impact games (for example, Fortuna at Mack girls, Del Norte at Eureka boys) ... the Little 4 boys' title is currently undecided (Hoopa Valley has 3 games left) ... other teams are jockeying for position into the Niclai tournament ... and others are playing for self-respect and pride ... it's a hectic yet fun time to be a sports reporter.

Posted by Neil Tarpey at 11:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In last week's blog ("Two too hot hoops games"), I referred to Arcata's 58-56 OT home win over Eureka (rematch: this Tuesday, the 29th), and St. Bernard's last-second 53-52 win at Hoopa Valley. Well, since that blog, I've seen four more North Coast nail-biters. Fortuna's 63-60 road win over Mack came down to multiple Panther 3-point attempts in the final seconds. In South Fork's home win over Hoopa the two teams were tied with 42 seconds left. McKinleyville beat Del Norte at home in a thrilling 63-58 double-OT. Eureka's edged Fortuna in an exciting 49-48 OT win before the noisy Husky faithful. (For more perspective about the tightly-packed Big 5 race, check out sports editor Erik Fraser's article in the Sunday, 27th edition.) Considering that I sometimes don't know my assignment until game day, holy moly guacamole, I have been bitten three times by overtime fever in as many weeks. No wonder that my sports-writing colleagues at The Times-Standard were calling me "O.T. Tarpey" and "Mr. Overtime."

Posted by Neil Tarpey at 05:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The x-factor Sunday for the Giants was ... Lawrence Tynes?

Yes indeed.

Lawrence James Henry Tynes, a 29-year-old Troy alum, proved to be the difference against the Green Bay Packers during the NFC Championship game on Sunday night.

After badly shanking a potential 36-yard game-winning field goal with four seconds left in regulation (to be fair, it was a high snap), Tynes, a native of Scotland, drilled a 47-yard attempt in overtime to make amends and grant the Giants access to the Super Bowl.

But, like many kickers in the NFL, he had help.

In one corner, he had a suddenly matured Eli Manning directing New York up the field. Shaking off the inconsistency which had defined his career up to this point, Manning’s accuracy and poise in the pocket got Tynes within conceivable kicking range.

In the other, he had Brett Farve.
The Packers gunslinger had momentum seemingly behind him.

Green Bay had just won the coin toss in overtime and were looking to drive the distance of the field to give the Pack a berth into the Big Dance.

That all ended when his throw landed in the hands of Giants cornerback Corey Webster. The INT would ultimately set up the game-winning boot by Tynes.

Farve’s performance throughout the contest was quite uncharacteristic of the 38-year-old signal caller.

It was highly publicized even before the game that the cold elements of Wisconsin belonged to the 17-year veteran.

The frozen tundra of Lambeau Field — which was so kinds to Favre throughout his decorated career — was suddenly an unforgiving adversary.

He struggled in the minus-3 degree temperature and finished 19-for-35 with both a pair of touchdowns and interceptions.

From the get-go, the Giants were the team that wanted the win the most.

Manning and wide receiver Plaxico Burress picked the once stout Packers defense apart while the Giants defense grinded the Green Bay offense to a halt.

Even though the G-Men were unable to get into the endzone, Tynes drilled two field goals before Favre found wide receiver Donald Driver streaking past Giants’ defenders for a Green Bay touchdown.

The window of hope that shined over Lambeau Field when Tynes missed the game-winner in regulation was abruptly shut when Favre miss fired in overtime.

It was eventually shattered when Tynes (who finished 3-for-5) nailed the kick that sent New York to Arizona for a showdown with the New England Patriots on Feb. 3.

Posted by Ray Aspuria at 07:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Honestly, the only place I thought I’d see a NFL team run go undefeated and win the grand daddy of them all was in a video game. It was in Madden NFL 2008 to be exact.

But after watching the Patriots top the San Diego Chargers 21-12 at the AFC Championship Game on Sunday, everyone might just see New England reach perfection, live and in color.

Running the gauntlet during the regular season is a feat that has already gone down as one of the greatest accomplishments in NFL history.

But to do it during the postseason ... preposterous, right?

Like them or hate them, you have to take your hats off to the Patriots.

Sitting pretty at 18-0 after a hard fought victory over the Chargers Bill Belichick’s team is one game away from achieving perfection.

It’s a thought that was once held as impossible to achieve in the modern era of the NFL at the start of the 2007 season.

Not any more.

Fast forward to today, with league MVP Tom Brady at the helm the Pats are one game away from establishing themselves as the best team in pro football, NFL fans — and the world for that matter — are on the cusp of seeing the inconceivable become a reality.

It was absurd to think New England was superior than any of the teams they would face at the beginning of the year. I mean, not even the video game incarnation of the Patriots can go undefeated in Madden. So how could they do it in real life?

While it can be argued the Patriots have been far from perfect — showing weakness against the Giants, Ravens and even the hobbled Chargers this year — the standings don’t lie.

New England is king fish, no matter how you slice it.

The Pats march to prove they were the best team in the league began shortly after the Spygate — The infamous taping of the Jets’ defensive signals by New England — incident in September.

Once the media and the NFL started to question just how good of a coach Belichick really was, he embarked on a mission to prove he didn’t need no stinkin’ tapes to win.

From that point on, the Patriots were a sizzling-hot knife slicing through the butter that was the NFL.
The combination of Brady, Randy Moss, Laurence Maroney and Wes Welker on offense coupled with Rodney Harrison, Asante Samuel, Teddy Bruschi and Junior Seau on defense overwhelmed the opposition.

Setting records and taking names, New England was unstoppable.

Sure there were bumps in the road.

But when you’re a speed bump with a monster truck like New England bearing down on you, what did you expect to happen.

When one part of the machine wasn’t working, an auxiliary unit was there to step up. Time and time again, when Brady wasn’t on his mark, backs and receivers found ways to make plays.

When Moss wasn’t open, Welker, Jabar Gaffney, running back Kevin Faulk, or tight end Benjamin Watson were there to prove they were more than ample targets.

During the few moments when New England’s offense wasn’t the dynamite group it had been, the stingy Patriot defense stepped up to shut out the opposition.

As unfair as it sounds, New England has proved time and time again it doesn’t have to be perfect to win. They can even be far from it and still come out victorious.

But the opposition?

Sadly, they have to be flawless in order to topple the Pats.

Come to think of it, defeating the Patriots kind of resembles a video game, doesn’t it?

Posted by Ray Aspuria at 06:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Ferndale's Jake Morris (22) and St. Bernard's Andrew Ayers were
inseparable on Friday night.
(Erik Fraser/The Times-Standard)


Nearly lost in the drama of Friday's fight between St. Bernard's and Ferndale for league supremacy was an intriguing game within the game — the one-on-one battle between the two teams' stars: the Crusaders' Andrew Ayers and the Wildcats' Jake Morris. It was a captivating individual matchup in a game that lived up to its billing and leaves the teams tied for the Little 4 lead.

"They're great opponents to watch against each other," said St. Bernard's coach Steve Thrap. "A good battle between two good players, kids who want to win."

Ayers and Morris are two of the most competitive, fiery athletes in the Humboldt-Del Norte Conference, and they have, shall we say, some history from the 2007 baseball season. Assigned to guard each other on Friday, there could have been some fireworks. But it didn't get there. Not quite.

"Ayers and Morris, that was a little bit of a battle," Ferndale head coach Justin Mora said with a slight smile. "I had to pull Jake out at one point and tell him, ‘Hey, you gotta settle down.'"

Mora says his charges "want to win more than anybody around," and that's largely a reflection of Morris' leadership. Simply put, he can't stand to lose, and plays with uncommon intensity, no matter what sport, no matter what the score. Ayers, while maybe slightly more controlled, matches Morris in his desire to win. For evidence, look no further than Wednesday's double-OT win over Hoopa, when Ayers refused to be denied down the stretch in a 27-point night.

So you knew that they'd be fun to watch butt heads. All night, the two shadowed each other. Ayers held Morris to just four points, and while Ayers himself managed to break double digits, he couldn't reproduce the offensive explosion that he had had on Wednesday. Many of Ayers' shots, especially in the second half when Ferndale made its run, were of the tough, low-percentage variety. I remember two in particular that were from the baseline, almost behind the backboard.

On Friday, Ayers and the Crusaders prevailed. WIth both teams at 2-1 in the Little 4, everything could be on the line when they meet again in the Cream City on Jan. 31.

Posted by Erik Fraser at 11:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

One of the things that makes sports so popular is that fans can connect with the athletes for whom they cheer. Sometimes you see a player go through tough times, personal strife and when you see them play well it's like you can share their joy. Maybe it's living vicariously through others, but isn't that what we do when we watch a tear-jerker on the silver screen?

I was living vicariously through Christina Bewley of the CR women's hoops team. She had a rough upbringing, I'm told, and played basketball for the first time last year. She was really coming along this year. She's quick, especially for a 5-11 player. Literally so quick that CR head coach Kara Newman puts her on the perimeter to cover guards. She's all heart when she plays. Her rebounds and put-backs ignite rallies, bring the crowd and her teammates to cheers. She pumps her fists for good plays whether she's on the court or the bench.
Last week, though, she was kicked off the team for disciplinary reasons that Newman wouldn't elaborate on. It pissed me off, to be honest. I want to see Christina excel. I want to see her find herself, see her incredible value through basketball. Now I can't and I'm pissed that I'm going to be deprived of it. Well, I just won't see it on the court. That doesn't mean I can't continue to live vicariously through her. I'll check in with Newman to find out how Christina's doing, and hopefully those days will be better for me cuz Newman gives me good news about her former player. Good luck, Christina.

Posted by Sean Quincey at 10:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Fred Dutton and Paul Conner have passed away. Fred was a big, thoughtful guy with a great laugh who genuinely cared about, and listened to, people he knew in all walks of life. Over the years Fred was active in helping out with Pop Warner football, Cutten Little League & Babe Ruth baseball and was an avid fisherman. I also liked it that Fred rooted for the Giants and 49ers. I always enjoyed my brief conversations with him — he was a great man. Connor was inducted into the California High School Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2005, and had been active in helping build Arcata High into a wrestling powerhouse in the 1980s. As a school counselor there — for 25 years? — he helped a lot of kids, and was obviously well-respected by the AHS students. Rest in peace, Fred and Paul.

Posted by Neil Tarpey at 06:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

In the past week, two of the high school hoops games that I have covered involved overtime or last-second heroics. By now (unless you're not a prep basketball fan or you have been out of town — in either case, thanks for checking out this blog) you've read or heard about Arcata's 58-56 OT win over Eureka last Friday, Jan. 11. Even though many people have focused on the high drama of the 4th quarter or OT, I found it to be a thrilling game from the beginning, with guys on both teams besides A & B (Allen & Bianco) stepping up to make great individual efforts. And up in Hoopa Valley on Tuesday, Jan.15, the women Warriors were up by seven in the final minutes but started turning over the ball while St. B's kept hitting their shots. Still, it was stunning when Redner's off-balance turnaround shot in the paint won the game 53-52. On my way back to the coast I was thankful that highways 96 and 299 were clear and dry with not much valley fog, so I could think about my story while I was driving. Two weeks ago it was rainy, windy and cold on my evening trip back and forth to the Valley, and I really had to pay attention to the road.

Posted by Neil Tarpey at 05:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

The mystery surrounding the future of the Raiders' head coach can certainly wear of both media and fans.

Without a single word coming out of the Silver and Black headquarters in Alameda and the rumors that persist both on the web and in Bay Area papers, no one but Al Davis and perhaps Lane Kiffin himself know if the 32-year-old head coach will be back roaming the sidelines.

However, there was a slight piece of evidence that Kiffin will remain the Raiders' sideline boss for at least one more season on Thursday.

According to the Oakland Tribune, the Raiders got a little start to their offseason preparations with the signing of running back Adimchinobe Echemandu on Thursday. Many might not even recognize the name, but "Joe" as he was called during training camp and the preseason, quitely led the Raiders in yardage at RB during the less-heralded preseason games.

The 27-year-old Cal alumn -- and the cousin of Raiders' cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha -- was cut by Oakland as the regular season commenced and later resurfaced with the Texans. His only substantial contribution in the 2007 season was a 62-yard, 10-rush attempt in week 8 against San Diego.

But, if there were a "Kiffin" type back, it would be "Joe".

A zone-blocking scheme specialist and an ample pass-catcher out of the backfield, his re-emergence on the Raiders' roster, even this early into the 2008 season, is a sign Kiffin will run things once more.

It also paves the way for "Joe" to perhaps establish himself as the third-running back in the Raider rotation and open up the doors for the departures of LaMont Jordan and even Dominic Rhodes if neccesary.

Despite the miniscule signing, Oakland can now perhaps focus on landing unrestricted free-agent and 1,009-yard rusher Justin Fargas to a long-term deal. And with the possible departures of Jordan and or Rhodes, Kiffin can get his long-awaited look at Michael Bush -- who Oakland drafted in the fourth round last year.

Kiffin voiced his displeasure during the season when Bush landed on the IR list because Oakland was afraid that cutting either Jordan or Rhodes mid-season would result either landing on AFC west foe's rosters as both Denver and Kansas City were hurting for a starting running back due to injuries.

Bush if you remember was a first-round talent coming out of Louisville before a broken leg derailed his NFL run. In college he has the size, power, and speed comperable to the Giants' Brandon Jacobs and if he can return to form in the NFL, Oakland could be set at running back with Fargas, Bush and "Joe." and maybe even the head coach -- for one more season at least.

Posted by Ray Aspuria at 03:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Representatives from HSU are down at the American Football Coaches' Association Convention this weekend holding "informal interviews" with candidates who could fill the school's head football coaching vacancy. Here's a list of five questions that HSU should ask them.

1. Given HSU's difficulties to draw top-flight talent, how would you convince a prospect to come here, especially on a non-scholarship?
- HSU is not going to outspend anybody when it comes to scholarships. It would seem to have a big advantage with California recruits since it is the only D2 football program in the state, but it's still an extremely tough assignment to bring quality players here. Personnel can make all the difference.

2. How important do you think it is to attract local recruits?
- It's unrealistic to think HSU could have kept Rey Maualuga or Maurice Purify (both Eureka High grads) around, but what about guys like former Del Norte quarterback Cody Leslie or Ferndale guys like John Thurston and Chris Hubbard or Jeff Hindley? Word is current Del Norte QB Chad Freeman wants to go to HSU. Will they bring him on? Any chance Saxon Schultz, Cody Hoffman, Roger McCovey will go there in the coming years? Greg Allen, anyone?

3. How can you bring more money into the program?
- This one is straight-forward. HSU relies on the relatively small, but generous, community for much of its funding and budget woes at the school will make it tough for the athletic department to request any money from administration. How can the new coach help get the school more competitive in terms of scholarship dollars and operating funds?

4. What new ideas can you bring to the offense and defense?
- College of the Redwoods was No. 2 in the state in rushing largely because it switched to the spread offense that is infecting college football today. Can the new coach do for HSU what Michigan hopes Rich Rodriguez (formerly of West Virginia) will do for the Wolverines?

5. What is your weakness?
- HSU pays three full-time assistants for a reason. How much does the new coach plan to use assistants and coordinators. Is he open to ideas from them?

Posted by Sean Quincey at 11:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

The HSU women looked awful on offense through the first half on Saturday night against UCSD, but their rebounding and solid second half gave them the win.
The offense hardly ever got into a rhythm in the first half, with a ton a their plays ending in poor shots or turnovers, 22 of them to be exact. HSU struggled dribbling and penetrating the lane, and for some reason seemed to fancy the long, cross-court passes.
Luckily, they have Kayla Henry and Brittany Taylor, who dominated the glass. In the second half, HSU cleaned up its act and finally started draining shots, looking like the HSU team they could be.
Trisha Alaba is a fantastic point guard who can distribute the ball well and HSU has weapons that can produce points from anywhere on the floor.
It was a big win over UC San Diego, but the big question is whether they can play well on a consistent basis.

The HSU men, on the other hand, are consistent as long as their lineup is, too.
With Devin Peal out, HSU played awfully against Sonoma earlier this week. With him in, the offense went inside and out and the team was aggressive on both ends of the floor.
In all the hoop-la surrounding Peal's decision to play despite a torn ligament in his thumb is Grayson Moyer and Will Sheufelt.
Moyer has led HSU in scoring in key games, including Saturday night and on Dec. 22 when they beat then-No. 7 Seattle University. Sheufelt fuels the offense and is a force on defense.
Did you see him sky to get that rebound late in Saturday's game? He snatched it up near the rim even before 6-foot-9 Cy Vandemeer could touch it! Sheufelt is listed at 6-2, though he's probably at least an inch shorter than that.

Posted by Sean Quincey at 11:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

See the title?

That's the only words I could think of when I found out Rob Ryan was returning as the Raiders defensive coordinator next year. Well, maybe not in those exact words ... my real reaction is not quite proper for print.

According to Josh Dubow -- the Associated Press Raiders' beat writer -- Ryan will return for another year at the helm of Oakland's defense (if we can call it that).

This is quite a turn of events from news earlier in the week. NFL Newtork reported on Monday Ryan was fired.

Then MediaNews (Contra Costa Times, San Jose Mercury News) jumped into the fray and said he was gone too.

Now, Friday, Jan. 4. 2008, Ryan is apparently back to man an under acheiving defense.

Hooray ....

This is what linebacker Kirk Morrison told the AP regarding the situation:

“My defensive coaches have done a great job,” linebacker Kirk Morrison said. “My three years under three head coaches, they have been the mainstay of this football team. They kept us together.”

That sounds great.

Now if only the defense can get it together and actually play on Sundays.

But here's the underlying issue here folks: Lane Kiffin has been undermined. It's another example of how owner Al Davis errodes the power of the head coach, makes his choice, and disregards the guy who's supposed to be making these decisions.

How is Lane supposed to run his team now?

He not only lost credibility amongst his defensive players, but now, those same players know Kiffin doesn't have absolute power.

Here's a quick shout out to Lane: If you want to leave Oakland behind and have complete control in the collgiate ranks, I WOULDN'T BLAME YOU.

The mess that is the Oakland Raiders continues.

Posted by Ray Aspuria at 04:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

How can the Knicks continue to keep Isiah Thomas as head coach? IT traded for and built the deplorable dynamo that is currently 8-22. IT coaches the team that occupies spot No. 28 of the 30 NBA teams — in other words, only Miami and Minnesota have worse records. IT certainly has earned his title of president of vice (aka vice president) with his sexist, narcissistic demeanor. And now the Madison Square Garden ushers have handed out cards warning court-side fans to not heckle IT? Telling NYC fans to not heckle one of their teams is tantamount to telling a two-year old child to not say "No!" And aren't these the same fans who pay the salaries of IT and his totally overpaid, non-cohesive devotees? IT must have some good dirt on James Dolan, for IT's boss to look the other way. IT states that he believes that "one day we will win a championship here ... "(and that he will be a part of it). IT's best move would be to fire himself as coach. Then, having set a good example, Dolan could fire IT.

Posted by Neil Tarpey at 04:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Well, that's it.

Warren Sapp officially retired today. He spoke with Raiders' beat writer Steve Corkran from the Contra Costa Times and said, "I'm done."

Sapp actually told Raiders' owner Al Davis on Friday he was planning on calling it a career and -- per the Times -- Davis wanted Warren to think it over and give him a final answer.

The 35-year-old defensive tackle didn't change his mind.

Sapp was one of the more interesting personalities and players to watch during his tenure in the NFL. I went from loathing the man to loving him as soon as he put on his Silver and Black No. 99 jersey.

Isn't that funny? When one of the best players in the league is performing against your favorite squad, you hate him. But as soon as he joins the team, you shower him with love and forget his antics prior.

I remember when Tampa destroyed the Raiders in the Super Bowl in 2002. I hated every Buc on that team. Then came 2004, Sapp was a free agent -- after the Bucs determined the feisty defensive tackle didn't have anything left in the tank -- and was about to sign with the Bengals. Davis gave Drew Rosenhaus a call and bada-bing, bada-boom, Sapp was a Raider.

Although Sapp's final year in the NFL and Raider uniform wasn't as dominate as years past (51 tackles and 2 sacks), teams still had to respect him. His biggest year in a Raider uni was last season when he had 47 tackles and 10 sacks. It appeared the Sapp of old was back.

But after shedding 50+ pounds in the offseason, the sleek No. 99 just didn't have the push or power he had once had. Facing constant double teams throughout the year, Sapp's impact didn't show up on the stat sheet.

He was a vocal leader and he reprimanded the younger kids when it had to be done. But he lifted them up as well. During the Raiders season-ending loss to the Chargers last Sunday, rookie wide receiver Johnnie Lee Higgins miffed a punt resulting in a San Diego touchdown.

The CBS camera followed Higgins to the sideline where he was met by Sapp. While no audio was coming through, you could read Sapp's lips. He was telling the rookie to forget about it and keep your head up. You're a rookie and things happen.

Instead of beating Higgins like a government mule by berating him, he gave him words of encouragement. Note this: Higgins has had his fair share of miffed punt returns.

Like him or hate him, Sapp is sure to be a first ballot Hall of Famer when his time comes. He finished with 573 tackles, 96.5 sacks and 4 interceptions as an interior lineman. He also caught two touchdown passes as a TE in goal line packages for Tampa.

With Sapp deciding to leave the league and the 49ers Bryant Young doing the same, the NFL has lost two of the best interior lineman to lace up the shoes.

Young was a professional, through and through. Sapp on the other hand, at times seemed like the anti-Young. But he sure as hell was fun to watch.

This leaves a big void in the middle of the D-line for Oakland.

They'll either get the No. 3 or No. 4 pick in the NFL Draft. It's a prime spot to land either LSU's Glen Dorsey or USC's Sedrick Ellis, both young, penetrating defensive tackles.

Here's to hoping Oakland doesn't screw this one up and actually takes somebody worth while.

Posted by Ray Aspuria at 02:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)