I know a lot of people around the world cannot figure out why baseball means so much to Americans. I can’t say for sure what it is for everyone else, I can only speak for myself. Yes the games are long and the seasons even longer. The game drags for a lot of the time you are watching it. But then out of nowhere it gets exciting. A player walks, then another one singles up the middle. Now there are two guys on and your favorite player, who can change the game with one swing of the bat, coming to the plate. Now in the middle of a team driven game, there becomes a one on one battle of mind and skill. The pitcher is backed into a corner. He can’t put the guy on, he would load the bases. But he also can’t give in because as I said this guy can change the game with one swing of the bat. Then there is the batter, standing alone at the plate trying to guess where the pitches are going to be. Is the pitcher going to surprise him and lay them over the plate. Or is he going to try and paint the corners and get him to chase bad pitches.

Depending on which team you are rooting for, the glorious outcome can come in a different fashions. The pitcher could strike him out, he could cause him to hit into a double play, or he could hit a meaningless fly ball out. Now if your for the batter you hope for other outcomes. Your biggest hope is for the player to hit a massive homerun that towers out of the stadium, putting a devastating blow to the game and the pitchers mindset. Or at the very least hit a long fly ball that gets a run home.

Now to a lot of you this may sound very shallow and unimportant. But to those that grew up listening and watching the game it is very important for many different reasons. For me baseball is summer. I see it live, watch it on TV or listen to it on the radio. They are all appealing in different ways. But the root of all them to me is the bond they have given me with my family. One of my earliest memories in life is going to a Cardinals game with my brother. I was five and he took me along with other. I remember walking through the tunnel going from darkness to light. Then seeing this huge stadium with people of all walks of life filling the seats. I don’t remember a whole lot about the game or the day other than those moments, what I do remember is I didn’t want to be anywhere else.

Baseball is part of America and it’s society. Probably more so than any other sport. It may have lost some of it’s thunder over the last decade or so with all the allegations of drug use and the increasing popularity of football. As I said though it is the sport that brought an everlasting bond between me and my family. Not that we don’t have others but this is the one that held through during anything. Because of the longevity that players in this game experience, many of my teams favorite players were still playing as I got interested in the game. Because they were may peoples favorites they became mine. So let me close by saying this, baseball wasn’t and still isn’t some meaningless game that tied up the airwaves. It was and always will be a way to connect to my family. It’s a way to bring back memories of times long forgotten. But most importantly it’s a strong common bond that bridges the gaps of different generations.

For the second time in less than a year, Bulls guard Larry Hughes and Nets forward Bobby Simmons could be on the move.

The Chicago Sun-Times reports the Bulls and Nets have “had serious trade talks” and “it’s up to the Nets to sign off” on a trade that would send Hughes to New Jersey for Simmons, a former member of the DePaul Blue Demons. Maurice Ager could also be on his way to the Bulls.

Hughes, who is averaging 12 points, 3.1 rebounds and 26.4 minutes, has two years left on a deal that pays him nearly $13 million per season. Simmons, averaging 7.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 26.5 minutes, makes more than $10 million over the next two seasons.

Hughes has not played in the Bulls’ last five games. The Chicago guard was part of a deadline deal last season that sent him from the Cavs to the Bulls. Simmons was part of an offseason trade that brought Yi Jianlian to New Jersey and sent Richard Jefferson to Milwaukee.

Abingdon (Ryan Thompson & Nick Andersen)
Brown County (Quinton Bradbury & Caleb Taylor)
B-PC/A (Skylar Van Tine & Logan Lovejoy)
Farmington (Israel Snyder & Tad Chatten)
Hamilton (Caleb Gray & Dylan Morris)
Illini Central (???) (If memory serves correctly…Alex Bradshaw & Landon Frye)
Illini West (Jacob Schmudlach & Cody Carson)
Kewanee (Peter Tanzillo & Zach Saey)
Knoxville (Chris Schmidt & T.J. Cramer)
Lewistown (Clayton Hatfill & Adam Valencia)
Macomb (Matt Buren & Davis Hendrickson)
Monmouth-Roseville (Ben Gillen & Brian Thompson)
Pittsfield (Jake McNulty & Garrett Howland)
Pleasant Plains (David Bergschneider & Evan Baietto)
Warsaw/Nauvoo-Colusa (Ben Kearse & Luke Bavery)
Barry Western (Tyler Harris & ???)

Personally, I remember traveling to small town gyms playing round ball in such locales as Neponset, Wyanet, Buda, New Bedford, Ohio, Lamoille, Malden, Ladd, and the list goes on. Some of these gyms occasionally host basketball contests, but like many defunct high schools, the gyms remain empty, with just memories of days gone by keeping them company.

I’ve noticed over the past few years, the many co-ops and consolidations eating up our favorite historical gyms. Many due to a small school getting eaten up by their large school neighbor, and former nemesis, while others become outdated the schools build anew.

While in Avon last night, it conjured up many gyms that have been forgotten in my mind. The high school of just 90 kids has such a retro feel. My broadcast was set behind the scorers table on what is the stage. The benches sit on the main playing floor, while the official scorers table sits above the floor on the stage. A unique gym that many have forgotten.

In recent years, I have broadcasted final games at the old “Farmerdome”, former home of the Farmington Farmers. A very unique gym in which the band plays overlooking the playing floor in the balcony. Cuba High School recently rebuilt as Farmington just did. I was fortunate to broadcast the final varsity boy’s basketball contest at the Cuba Cardinal Crackerbox.

For the vintage enthusiasts who would like to reminisce about these old gyms from deactivated high schools, many pictures abound at a website I am also associated with at www.illinoishsglorydays.com. The website was founded by Dave Nanninga and has become a fixture for those looking back as time moves forward. Please contribute any photos of defunct high schools if you have the chance.

As the score indicates, this was a great game throughout. This is a big rivalry between two teams that know each other very well. Both teams struggled offensively to find a rhythm, and the defense on both sides was intense. Jordan Zimmer may have had his best game of the season, carrying the Panthers offensively, scoring 29 points, while getting the defensive assignment of guarding Dakin Bolen. Zimmer hit an almost impossible baseline jupmer with seconds left to seal the victory for Delavan, putting them up 4. Hartem would hit a 3 pointer with 2 seconds remaining to reach the final score. Dakin Bolen led the Stags with 20.

This is INSANE!

St. Louis Cardinals

A group led by Bill DeWitt Jr. bought the Cardinals for $150M in 1995.
Forbes magazine valued the club at $460M in April, 2007.

• Opening Day payrolls for 25-man roster
  (salaries plus pro-rated signing bonuses):
  • 2007: $90,286,823 *
    
  • 2006: $88,891,371
  • 2005: $92,106,833
  • 2004: $83,228,333
  • 2003: $83,786,666
  • 2002: $74,660,875
  • 2001: $78,538,333
  • 2000: $63,900,000

Chicago Cubs

The Tribune Company bought the Cubs for $20.5M in 1981. Forbes magazine valued the club at $592M in April, 2007.

• Opening Day payrolls for 25-man roster
  (salaries plus pro-rated signing bonuses):
  • 2007: $ 99,670,332 *
    
  • 2006: $ 94,424,499
  • 2005: $ 87,032,933
  • 2004: $ 90,560,000
  • 2003: $ 79,868,333
  • 2002: $ 75,690,833
  • 2001: $ 64,715,833
  • 2000: $ 62,100,000

Chicago White Sox

A group led by Jerry Reinsdorf bought the White Sox for $20M in 1981.
Forbes magazine valued the club at $381M in April, 2007.

• Opening Day payrolls for 25-man roster
  (salaries plus pro-rated signing bonuses):
  • 2007: $108,671,833 *
    
  • 2006: $102,750,667
  • 2005: $ 75,178,000
    
  • 2004: $ 65,212,500
    
  • 2003: $ 51,010,000
    
  • 2002: $ 57,052,833
    
  • 2001: $ 65,628,667
    
  • 2000: $ 31,200,000

BTN President Mark Silverman and Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany and representatives of Fox Sports — which holds a 49 percent ownership share of the network — have resumed talks earlier this week with Comcast, the nation’s largest cable provider, as well as Charter. The sides had not held talks for more than a month.

“I’m reluctant to say anymore, but they have kept us abreast of the negotiations and who is involved,” Alvarez of the University of Wisconsin told his athletic board Friday at its monthly meeting.

Previously, the chief obstacle had been the Big Ten Network’s insistence that it be carried on no higher a price tier than expanded basic. The major cable operators preferred placement on a sports tier, arguing that BTN’s asking price per subscriber — $1.10 in some deals it has brokered with smaller operators — was too high.

The impasse has created much consternation among cable subscribers who were unable to watch four Rose Bowl bound Illini football games this fall — – and face the prospect of not being able to see a host of winter sports events, including the more than 15 men’s basketball games scheduled for BTN.

Pity me.

• Lance Briggs(linebacker)
• Tommy Harris (defensive tackle)
• Devin Hester (return specialist)
• Brendon Ayanbadejo (special teams specialist)

This makes three straight Pro Bowls for Briggs and Harris and two consecutive for Hester and Brendon. Congrats to those four and gives Bears fans a reason to watch the Pro Bowl!

“This is a very unexpected turn of events for us,” said Chiefs President Rocky Vonachen. “Our staff has been hard at work with their best off-season to date planning the 2008 promotional and ticket campaigns and having Ryne return is an added boost of excitement in the office and throughout the community. We look forward to providing Central Illinois with another outstanding season of baseball and entertainment to build off the record breaking success of 2007.”

Having Ryne in Peoria adds a lot of excitement to Chiefs games. I know the few games I went to – everyone wanted to see Ryne. Glad to hear he is back in Peoria for another year at least. Anyone else?

University of Illinois senior linebacker J Leman earned first-team All-America honors by ESPN.com and junior running back Rashard Mendenhall was named to the first-team for Pro Football Weekly. It is Leman’s ninth honor of the season and the third for Mendenhall. These players are two of the biggest reasons the Fighting Illini are headed to the 2008 Rose Bowl.

Good with J and Rashard. Mendenhall is going to be a FORCE next year as well!