So,if you enjoy the inbox-stay tuned because there is a lot coming up.
We start with the oldest and work our way up with a Grantland "Requiem for a Dump",which serves as a goodbye to the last of the standing 1970's arena in the Nassau Coliseum.
I always laugh seeing games from there on TV because it really is a memory inducer of those 70's arenas,like my beloved Richfield Coliseum and the local Capital Centre.
I see the Nassau Coliseum and wonder how they would have aged.
The broadcasts are always at weird angles above the ice,the lighting is odd and it really has an older broadcast feel.
Rachel also have laughs at the various sponsors there,most notably the circulatory socks ad at CENTER ICE a few years back!
I guess King Edward Cigars wasn't available.
Grantland returns with a new series that looks at "Unheralded Rivalries" in college basketball.
I love stuff like this and the first installment was Indiana vs Purdue.
I rooted for Purdue often in the 80's and 90's as Ohio State was rarely anything to get excited about and I always respected Gene Keady a lot as a coach.
I was also a big Glenn Robinson fan,liked his game and his years as a Boilermaker were always fun to watch.
The Big Dog was quite a scorer and with better knees would have had an even better pro career than he had,which was pretty good as is...
I'm looking forward to seeing more from this series.....
The Pirates recently made a few minor trades,including adding former Hagerstown Suns infielder Steve Lombardozzi for cash considerations,but one got my attention and it might not affect either team at first.
The Pirates sent a strong arm in Bryton Trepagnier to the Braves for third baseman Edward Salcedo in a swap of 23 year olds that are still interesting to watch for 2015.
Trepagnier spent last season at High A Bradenton and composed interesting and much improved numbers than his previous season at Low A West Virginia.
Trepagnier throws hard (mid 90's) and keeps the ball down (allowed just one homer),so Atlanta may have gotten lucky on a future reliever if some kinks in his command can be worked out...
Pittsburgh received Edward Salcedo,a former shortstop that outgrew the position and is now at the hot corner.
Salcedo was thought of highly at one time,having received over a million dollar bonus,when he was signed out of the Dominican Republic.
However Salcedo has shown decent power (double digit homers each of the last 4 years up the ladder),combined with trouble getting on base (never a avg. higher than .248 or an OPS higher than .711) and decent speed for a big man (6'3) having notched steals in the 20's three times.
Salcedo played for AAA Gwinett last year,but if the Pirates are serious about rehabilitating him as a prospect-I'd think an assignment to AA Altoona might be a better idea.
It's a deal with potential for both teams that might also be forgotten in six months...
Fox Sports had a good article on the late Wayne Estes and their naming of the practice facility of Utah State's after the former Aggie star.
Estes passed away fifty years ago today after being electrocuted after a game that he complained about feeling numbness in his hands "like electric passing through them".
It's an interesting tale for the sports fan and the supernatural fans that like premonitions.
Estes was one of the top scorers in the country in 1965 with Rick Barry as they battled for the scoring title.
Look for a potential Forgotten Superstars appearance for Wayne Estes in the future...
When you follow Twitter and Facebook,you see a lot of friendly jabs at each other between teams and usually it's lighthearted and fun.
Not in the case of the Fresno Grizzlies and Sacramento RiverCats,who are taking shots at the other constantly and I haven't seen a subtle smile yet.
The Grizzlies lost their affiliation with the Giants to the RiverCats,which started a lot of this (Fresno is now with Houston) and through that along with some "stolen" ideas for promotions,these two swap less than kind banter all the time.
Usually in the minors,these types of things are as real as pro wrestling,but I've been assured by a employee of one of the teams that this is legitimate and very real.
I'm kinda caught in the middle (I follow both teams) as the Giants are now with Sacramento,but Fresno is the only team in the minors that follows me (Yeah,really the Suns and Keys don't, Ha Ha),so my heart is with the Grizzlies on this one!
And finally a goodbye to maybe the most underrated golfer ever as Billy Casper passed away at the age of 83.
Casper is seventh on the all time win list with 51 wins on tour with three of those being majors (2 U.S.Opens and a Masters) and had the bad luck to play at a time when the PGA tour had its strongest lineup of players as far as depth goes in its history.
Casper also was special to me for signing a picture and some cards and then adding a note that thanked ME for asking him.
There is still plenty in the inbox,so look for a mostly non-sports edition coming up soon!
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