Category Archives: Other sports

I missed it earlier this week, but November 20 was the 20th anniversary of The Play, California’s amazing game-winning kick return against Stanford that culminated with a trombone player getting flattened in the end zone. Kevin Moen, the player who … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Charles Barkley is a man of his word, and Kenny Smith managed to keep his dignity intact. Best damn pregame show ever, with the added bonus that I got to mute Jesse Ventura. The silliest part of the whole thing … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Get ready, America – Charles Barkley is paying off his bet to kiss Kenny Smith’s ass tonight, though apparently it will be on the new TNT talk show Listen Up! instead of the TNT NBA pregame show as originally indicated. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Before the Rockets-Lakers game on Sunday, Charles Barkley announced that if Yao Ming were to score as many as 19 points in any game this year, he’d kiss Kenny Smith’s ass on national TV. Well, it’s time to pay up, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Hakeem Olajuwon got a stylish goodbye from the Rockets last night. The team presented him with the two championship banners that have hung in the Compaq Center since 1995, among other things. Something that has gotten overlooked in all of … Continue reading → Continue reading →

The Houston Rockets will honor Hakeem Olajuwon by retiring his number tonight. There’ll be a lot of emotion at the Compaq Center tonight. Happy trails, Hakeem. Continue reading →

Still trying to take my mind off politics… It was nice to see that Clark Gillies, the mostly unheralded linemate of Mike Bossy and Bryan Trottier for the New York Islanders get inducted into the Hall of Fame. The Islanders … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Texans, schmexans. Houston already has a championship football team. And their owner plays cornerback. Take that, Jerry Jones! Robin Howington awakes on a Saturday, makes a pot of coffee, turns on the VCR and studies a game film for the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Ken Goldstein was the first to call my attention to a little tempest at the World Bridge Federation’s Open Championships in Montreal this August. One of the gold medal winners, an Iceland-born American named Hjordis Eythorsdottir was denied her silver … Continue reading → Continue reading →

According to Sports Illustrated, the University of Texas is the best overall college for sports. I don’t actually care about that. What I do care about is that they listed Rice at #45, which just happens to be one spot … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Johnny Unitas, voted the best player of the NFL’s first 50 seasons, has died at the age of 69. Unintas, first to accumulate 40,000 passing yards, still holds the NFL record for throwing touchdown passes in 47 consecutive games. Continue reading →

On the way in to work this morning I heard a radio ad saying that David Carr bobblehead dolls are now available at McDonald’s for $4.99. They didn’t say if you had to buy a Happy Meal in order to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Well, the Texans won their debut NFL game yesterday, which can only mean one thing: The Chronicle has gone into hype overdrive, with a complete special section on our new beloved hometown heroes, surely the greatest thing this town has … Continue reading → Continue reading →

WNBA referee Bill Stokes has been discharged from the hospital ten days after suffering a heart attack during the Comets-Starzz playoff game. “I feel absolutely wonderful,” Stokes, 56, said in the lobby of Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital, where he underwent … Continue reading → Continue reading →

The Ain’t Life A Bitch award for daily jounalism goes to the Chron‘s Andrew Guy for drawing the lousy and thankless task of doing a puff piece on the Houston Texans cheerleaders. Alas, the online version of this story omits … Continue reading → Continue reading →

In today’s College Football Preview section, Chron sportswriter Fran Blinebury picks BYU to win the Western Athletic Conference title. That will be quite a feat, considering that BYU hasn’t been in the WAC since 1999, when they and seven other … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Not too surprisingly, Val Ackerman’s decision to keep playing Game 3 of the Comets-Starzz playoff series after the collapse of referee Bill Stokes has drawn a mixed reaction from Comets fans. Like I said, whatever she did someone was going … Continue reading → Continue reading →

25 years ago this November, LA Laker Kermit Washington nearly killed Houston Rockets forward (now head coach) Rudy Tomjanovich with a punch to the face. A book called The Punch about what happened is due out around then. According to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

WNBA referee Bill Stokes, who collapsed during last night’s Comets-Starzz playoff game, has been upgraded to serious condition. Still no details on what happened to him, but that’s good news. Via Larry, who gives a more detailed description of the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Last night I attended the Comets-Starzz playoff game (which, alas, the Comets lost) along with Larry. We had fun at the game, even if Larry was confused by Haley, the Comets mascot. Unfortunately, it wasn’t all fun. With about 15 … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Well, the Houston Texans made their debut last night, losing 34-17 to the Giants in a preseason game. I must confess that I didn’t watch. I love football, and I’ll root for the Texans, but I just can’t bring myself … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Here’s the funniest thing about Ryan Leaf’s announced retirement from the NFL: Leaf, who was once considered one of the top quarterback prospects in the game, threw a total of fourteen touchdown passes in his career. Walter Payton, who was … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Congratulations to Lance Armstrong for winning his fourth straight Tour de France. It’s an amazing accomplishment, no matter how you slice it, and despite what some dumbass sportswriters may think, makes Lance Armstrong on e of the world’s greatest athletes. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

From the news wires: A Gaelic football team has been disbanded after players were caught on a hotel security camera playing pool naked during a late night drinking session. County Roscommon’s Gaelic Athletic Association said the drastic decision to sack … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Football coaches, especially in Texas, are taking extra steps to protect their players during practice. Sadly, every year a few kids drop dead from heat exhaustion. Everyone was shocked when the Minnesota Vikings’ Korey Stringer died in training camp last … Continue reading → Continue reading →

If you’re looking for alternatives to baseball this weekend, the Chron has a couple for you: The second International Double Wicket Cricket Tournament is going on at the Astrodome, and the 25th World Series of Dog Shows is right next … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Trivia time Who is the only NBA player taller than 7’2″ who has played on a championship team? Read this article on the life and times of the league’s biggest players to find out. Anyone who gets this right is … Continue reading → Continue reading →

And right now everyone’s happy about this pick, including his new teammates and the ever feckless Chron sports columnists. Not that anyone outside of Houston noticed, but the Rockets also appear to have gotten a steal with their other first … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Looks like the path has been cleared for the Rockets to draft Yao Ming. Here’s a statement from the Rockets web page: Rockets general counsel Michael Goldberg issued the following statement today: “I received a letter early this morning from … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Times are tough for Anna Kournikova, who was bounced from Wimbledon in the first round and drew criticism for her behavior in a postgame interview. Continue reading →

The NYT’s Harvey Araton shoots down Risible Ralphie’s silly charges about fixed refereeing. Via Ken Layne. Oh, and for those who like to bemoan the lack of competitive balance in baseball, check out this Jayson Stark column which talks about … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Though it still wasn’t reported on ESPN, I have found Ralph Nader’s letter to NBA Commissioner David Stern. It’s good to know that like Al Gore, Nader has kept himself busy with Important Issues since the election. Continue reading →

All of a sudden my referral log is full of people searching for a letter that Ralph Nader sent to NBA Commissioner David Stern. What’s up with that? I can’t find anything at ESPN or Yahoo. Is there some group-mind … Continue reading → Continue reading →

I can’t believe I’m staring at the prospect of Lakers–Celtics in the NBA Finals. David Stern must be getting all verklempt at the thought. All I can say is that even if I have to relive that decade-long nightmare in … Continue reading → Continue reading →