Feed: RSSMix.com Mix ID 1749122 - AggScore: 45.8

Boxing News Round-Up: Johnny Tapia, Paul Williams, Amir Khan, Carl Froch and More

The boxing fraternity was engulfed in tragedy this week after it emerged that former five time world champion Johnny Tapia had been found dead at his home in Alburquerque, New Mexico.

Tapia, 45, held titles at super flyweight, bantamweight and featherweight across a 65 fight career which spanned 23 years and took in fights with Marco Antonio Barrera and Manuel Medina.

The colourful Tapia was perhaps best remembered for his array of graphic body tattoos and tragic background- both of his parents were murdered before Tapia turned nine.

Tapia was last seen in the ring in 2011 when he compiled a points win over eight rounds against Mauricio Pastrana.

In a doubly tragic week, former two time welterweight world champion, Paul Williams, was left paralysed from the waist down following a motorbike accident.

The 30-year-old had been preparing for a September fight with unbeaten Mexican Saul Alvarez and had hoped to land a first title at light-middleweight with victory over ‘El Canelo’.

Williams (41-2) is still awaiting spinal surgery, however doctors have told the American that his chances of walking again are non-existent.

Elsewhere, Amir Khan has put the disappointment of missing out on a rematch with Lamont Peterson behind him and has announced a July meeting with undefeated American Danny Garcia.

Garcia (23-0) captured the WBC light-welterweight title in March with a routine points victory over Erik Morales and that belt will be on the line during the Mandalay Bay scrap with Khan.

Khan should know the destiny of his old WBA and IBF light-welterweight belts within the next few weeks as both bodies decide how to respond to Lamont Peterson’s drug test failure.

Finally, Carl Froch believes last Saturday’s stunning five round demolition of Lucian Bute means that his achievements in the sport have surpassed those of other legendary British names in the super middleweight division.

Froch (29-2) became a three-time world champion with his victory over Bute and he now believes that his resume trumps those of Chris Eubank, Joe Calzaghe, Steve Collins and Nigel Benn:

“If you’re asking me how I compare, I’ve eclipsed them, gone past them, it’s as simple as that,” said Froch.

Related Content

LIVE: Carl Froch Vs Lucian Bute

Froch’s final stand

Get more great boxing news and analyis over at Boxing Fancast.

2012 NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Finals Preview: Celtics vs. Heat Game 3

The scariest part of the Celtics loss to the Miami Heat on Wednesday in the second game of their Eastern Conference Final wasn’t that the Celts blew a 15-point lead or that Paul Pierce fouled out for the second time in three games. It was how well the Celtics played.

Rajon Rondo may never have had a better game in his six-year career. He probably isn’t going to have a better one in this postseason – or any postseason, for that matter. He scored 44 points, shot the ball well from the perimeter and singlehandedly willed the Celtics to the brink of victory.

But they lost. And that’s the problem.

The Celtics can’t really play a hell of a lot better than that. Sure, you can point to a few things – Brandon Bass could contribute more than eight points, Mickael Pietrus could contribute more than three and Keyon Dooling could contribute something other then six fouls in 15 ineffective minutes. Pierce could not foul out.

Realistically, though, they played pretty damn well. Rondo had the 44, Ray Allen (without his legs under him) had 13 points on 5-of-11 shooting, and he hit a huge three toward the end of regulation despite only being able to jump as high as Erik Spoelstra. Kevin Garnett didn’t shoot the ball great, but he still had 18 points and eight boards. Rondo, Garnett and Pierce combined for 85 points. As a team, the Celtics turned the ball over only eight times.

And they lost.

Then look at the other side, the way the Heat played. LeBron James was 7-of-20 from the floor. The team shot only 66-percent from the line, including an 18-for-24 performance from LeBron and 7-of-11 for Dwyane Wade. They both missed free throws at crucial points in the game.

They played a terrible first half in which Mario Chalmers was their leading scorer.

And they won.

This whole series isn’t quite as simple as I’m making it, but it’s close. The Heat didn’t play their best game, and they won. The Celtics played about as well as they can at this stage, and they lost. In Game 1, nobody walked away saying, “Man, the Heat took the Celtics’ best shot and still managed to come away with the win.” Nope, people thought that Boston played like crap. I didn’t want to rush to conclusions as to how the rest of the series was going to play out, because  I didn’t think that game was indicative of how well the Celtics were going to play going forward.

As it turns out, I was right. That game wasn’t indicative at all of the Celtics. If their team from Game 1 played aginast their team from Game 2, the Game 2 team would win by 20 points.

The Miami Heat beat the Game 2 team by four. They did take the Celtics best shot and still managed to come away with the win.

Over this stretch of success, the Pierce, Garnett, Allen and Rondo era, the Celtics have made a living by fighting back. Whenever they got down by a game, they rebounded with an all-out ballsy performance in the next one. That’s why they almost never seemed to lose two games in a row in the postseason. They certainly never did in the 2008 playoffs, the year they won it all, and the following year the only time they lost two in a row was to the Magic, the team that knocked them out.

In 2010, they lost two games in a row to the Magic after leading the series 3-0, but that doesn’t really count. They were never going to blow a 3-0 series lead. But in the Finals that year, they lost two games in a row to the Lakers, and lost the series.

Last season, the Celtics didn’t lose two in a row to the Knicks in the first round, but they lost the first two to the Heat in the second round and ended up losing the series.

What exactly am I getting at here? Well, historically, teams that have handled the Celtics bounce-back game, their “let’s show them who we really are” game, have gone on to win the series. The Celtics have never once backed down in that game after a loss, and more often than not, they’ve played their best game of the series. And they’ve won.

On Wednesday, they played what may go down as their best game of the series. They bounced back. They refused to lose. Rondo played 52 minutes, 63-year-old Garnett played 45 minutes, Allen and Pierce each played 43. The Celtics did everything they possibly could do to win the game and get back in the series. It just didn’t happen.

Now, there are other factors. If the Celtics win Game 3, everyone – including me – will have them squarely back in the series. They’ll be playing at home for the first time this series, which not only means they’ll have their own fans, but it also means that LeBron won’t nearly attempt more free throws than the entire Celtics game.

Because the reffing has been comically bad and has overwhelmingly favored the Heat, people are using that as a reason for optimism. The reffing will get better, so therefore a close game that the Heat won (Game 2) will become a Celtics victory.

That’s true. If the refs had been decent, the Celtics probably would have won Wednesday, and if the refs are decent on Friday, and the Celtics and Heat both repeat their performances from Wednesday, the Celtics will probably win that game.

Yet, then it gets tricky, the phrase if the “Celtics and Heat both repeat their performance from Wednesday.” The Celtics expended so much energy, and had to be so mentally taxed after losing a game they absolutely felt they should win, that it’s so hard to imagine them coming out and playing that well again. It won’t be for a lack of effort (I promise you that), but it might not be physically possible, and more than that, it might not be mentally possible.

Losing on Wednesday, after the effort they showed, was about as large a letdown as you can have besides blowing a 10-point lead in the last minute or something. Even with vastly improved reffing (we hope), will there be enough left in the tank for the Celtics to actually take advantage of the calls that go in their favor?

So here’s the general approach I’m taking going forward: I’m not giving up on the Boston Celtics just yet. I have no doubt that they will play as hard as they possibly can. If Game 2 showed us anything – besides the greatness of Rondo – it showed us that the Celtics aren’t going to roll over. They are as tough as it comes, no matter what Wally Szczerbiak says. They will fight tooth and nail to try to win Game 3, and they’ll do the same in Game 4, regardless of Game 3′s outcome. I hope they win, and I hope they prove me wrong. They’ve already done more than I expected this season, and they’ve proved me wrong a number of times.

The Heat aren’t going away, though, at least I don’t think they are. And the Heat aren’t going to struggle as much as they did for stretches on Wednesday.  I mean, maybe they’ll wilt in Boston when the pressure gets a little higher, or maybe Rondo will actually repeat his performance and go for the best two-game stretch of any player in NBA playoff history. It’s just kind of a hard sell.

Here’s a good way to look at it – losing Game 2 on Wednesday was like proposing to a woman, and her saying, “No, not right now. Maybe down the road, but I’m not ready.” In other words, the possibility is still there - theoretically - but barring some major turn of events, it’s not happening.

Well, the Celtics proposed to the Heat on Wednesday. The Heat said “No, not right now.” Much like a guy proposing to a girlfriend, the Celtics did everything right, got all their ducks in a row and presented the best package they can over. They even bought the biggest, most expensive ring out there – Rondo’s 44 point performance.

And it wasn’t good enough.

Related Content

One Game Does Not A Series Make

Why Wes Welker is Expendable

This Week In The Wild World Of Skip Bayless

Things That Pissed Me Off Last Week In The World Of Sports

Mayweather v. Cotto: Hate Him If You Want, But Realize Floyd’s Greatness

Celtics vs Hawks: Notes From The Garden

State Of The Sox: The Sell Out Streak Is Alive!

The Time Is Now To Move On From Youk

Seau’s Death Is As Shocking As It Is Sad

Things That Pissed Me Off Last Week In The World Of Sports

Fantasy Baseball: The Real Pedro Alvarez Just Stood Up

An NBA Grab Bag To Wrap Up The Season

Get more great sports analysis over at Extra Pine Tar.

College Football Analysis: How Will TCU, West Virginia Look in 2012?

We have been covering Big 12 football this week and today we take a look at how the two new additions to the conference will perform in their inaugural season.

Joining us once again is Jay Beck of Turfburner, Amanda Staver of Ride Schooner, Ride, Allen Kenney of Blatant Homerism, Flint Harris of Holy Turf, and the guys from EER Insider. Here is what they had to say about TCU and West Virginia.

Question # 4: How will the two new additions to the Big 12 perform this season?

Jay Beck – Turfburner.com: I think West Virginia will do very well.  One of the hardest aspects in switching conference is the unfamiliarity with all the new opponents on a team’s schedule.  While there will still be some adjustments to be made, Dana Holgorsen knows exactly what he’s getting into after having spent nine seasons coaching in the Big 12 which helps negate some of that to an extent.

From a talent perspective, the Mountaineers shouldn’t be far off from the top teams in the Big 12, especially on offense.  They have a great quarterback to go along with two great receivers and their style of play fits perfectly into the Big 12 (It’s funny how all this has worked out with Holgorsen as their head coach).

As for TCU, I can’t wait to see how they handle the step up in competition.  They’ve proven they can play with the big boys already, but doing it for one week is an entirely different deal than doing it for an entire season.

SMU, San Diego State, New Mexico, Boise State, Colorado State and UNLV were all part of the conference schedule last season.  Now take a look at the last five weeks of TCU’s schedule for 2012: @ Oklahoma State, @ West Virginia, Kansas State, @ Texas, Oklahoma.

They’re capable of beating any of those teams on a given week, but how are they going to hold up depth wise in five straight weeks?

I think TCU is probably looking at a 4-5 or 5-4 record in Big 12 games during their first season, but in the long run, they should become regulars in the top half of the league.

Amanda Staver – Ride Schooner, Ride: Both TCU and West Virginia were great additions to the Big XII. TCU logistically makes complete sense and both bring a lot to the table besides football. I believe WVU will have a bigger impact right out of the gates. The Frogs have a great first team, but right now their issue is depth. A lot of successful teams in the Big XII rely on the 2nd and 3rd units to make major impacts. Right now, TCU does not have that. After the drug debacle hitting the defense this offseason, that will be a problem with the high-powered offenses of their conference mates. I see TCU being middle of the road, with WVU somewhere above them.

Allen Kenney – Blatant Homerism: As I mentioned, I think WVU has the potential to challenge for the league title, especially considering that the Mountaineers draw prohibitive favorite Oklahoma at home. TCU is a notch below WVU in my mind.

However, while I realize that both of these programs have had some unquestionable success in the last decade, don’t underestimate what the overall boost in competition could mean to the bottom line for TCU and WVU. These are well-coached teams with solid players, but facing programs like Oklahoma and Texas from week to week presents a different challenge than Rutgers and Colorado St.

Flint Harris – Holy Turf: I think West Virginia has a chance to win the Big 12. Defense is not as important in the Big 12 compared to other conferences, so they may just outscore enough teams. The schedule does not set up well for TCU, and I see a bowl game in their future, but not an upper echelon destination.

EER Insider: I think the Big 12 did a magnificant job with the additions of West Virginia and TCU. Both teams, coming off successful 2011 seasons, will find themselves in the preseason Top 25 for 2012. One key componet that catches my eye, is both schools have talented defenses. We know both the Mountaineers and Horned Frogs can rack up points, but if they can shutdown their opponets, they may enter their new conference blazing.

The Saturday Edge: As I mentioned in my previous post, I’m concerned about the attrition TCU has suffered in the past few weeks. I think their problems are going to be more on the defensive side of the ball. Losing most of their defensive backfield isn’t good news when you’re breaking into a wide open spread offense passing conference. With their bottom loaded schedule, TCU will have never faced this many loaded BCS teams in a row. I would feel differently about the Frogs if they hadn’t had so many of these distractions in the off-season. Still, you can’t automatically discount them. This is the same team that knocked off Boise last year on the blue turf, and very nearly did the same to RG3 and Baylor.  They also beat Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl a couple years ago, so they aren’t afraid to take on all comers.

West Virginia strength will be their offense, not their defense. The biggest question is are they going to be the West Virginia that scored 70 on Clemson in the Orange Bowl, or are they going to be the WV who played erratic throughout the season in the Big East? With their defensive coordinator now gone, will the defense (6 returning starters) be able to adjust to their new 3-4 scheme on the fly in Big 12 play? The Mountaineers will probably struggle away from home, but outscore their opponents at home. They have a favorable schedule, but those games at Texas, Texas Tech and defending Big 12 champs OSU will not be easy. I think West Virginia will be in the thick of the title race. But if they lose to OU at home, it’s all over for them, because they won’t beat both Texas in Austin and Texas Tech in Lubbock the following week.

Related Content

Big 12 Football: Most Improved & Overrated Teams

Big 12 Football: 2012′s Breakout Stars?

Texas is Phil Steele’s No. 1 surprise team of 2012

Big 12 Football: Who Will Challenge OU For the Conferece 

The Big 12: OU or Texas in 2012?

Get more great college football analysis over at Saturday Edge.

College Football Analysis: How Will Oklahoma, Texas Look in 2012?

Who is going to win the Big 12 this season? Here is the big problem in trying to predict what will happen in the Big 12 this year. It is a conference that is going through its second big transition in two years.

The Big 12 lost Nebraska, Colorado, Missouri and Texas A & M in the past 2 years. Now they’ve gained an entirely new dynamic in West Virginia, who comes from a totally new geographical location. They also add TCU, who is transitioning from a non-bcs conference status to their first BCS conference.

The Two New Teams

It is very easy to just dismiss both of these teams in their first year in the Big 12. West Virginia because they come from the worst BCS conference in the country, and TCU because they are going from playing the New Mexico’s and UNLV’s week in and week out to playing much better and deeper BCS schools.

In fact West Virginia and TCU are entering a conference that in 2011 was strong enough to qualify 8 out of 10 of their members for a bowl. And one other team who played their last game for a 6th win qualifying spot, and came up just short. So top to bottom the Big 12 was much tougher than either of the conferences that these two new members have come from.

Both of these two new members have some redeeming qualities that makes me think they can compete well in this league. TCU because they have one of the best coaches in the country in Gary Patterson. TCU also won a BCS bowl game over Wisconsin a couple years ago.

West Virginia because they have won their conference numerous times over the last decade and have 3 BCS bowl wins under their belts. They also have a loaded offense this year that ended the 2011 season on a high note with their 70 point explosion over Clemson in the Orange Bowl.

Both Newcomers Have Issues

A month ago my thinking was that TCU, because they were so young last year, had more upside potential than West Virginia. But with the recent drug scandal and suspensions, which included their best linebacker, I’m having my doubts about the Frogs in this first season in the league. Plus the fact that TCU loses most of their defensive backfield in a pass happy conference like the Big 12 is not a good combination.

West Virginia could have the same kind of problems on defense after losing their excellent underreated defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel, who joined Rich Rod at Arizona. They also lose two of their best pass rushers on the defensive line, including NFL first round draft choice Bruce Irvin at defensive end. Which isn’t a good thing when going up against the high powered passing attacks of OU, TCU and Texas Tech.

They are also going to the 3-4 defense from the 3-3-5, which can sometimes be a liability when going up against some of the better rushing attacks in the conference like Texas, KSU and Okie State. So although there aren’t really any questions surrounding West Virginia’s offense, which could be the best in the country, their defense is the wildcard here. They will also need to adjust to a new travel dynamic and play an entirely new schedule of teams that they aren’t familiar with.

Big 12 Scheduling Advantage

The two teams with the most favorable schedule in the Big 12 are Texas and West Virginia.  This is something we can’t take lightly in what will be a tightly contested conference race. This is the reason OU is + money to win it (+105). Much of this number is based soley on the name brand more than it is the Sooners being the standout team, which they’re really not.

With the transition that is happening in the Big 12 and the different schedules each team has to adjust to, and the possibilty that even more teams will be added on in the next couple years, I think it’s going to be an extremely difficult conference to predict until it becomes stabilized.

I would like to give you an idea of exactly how West Virginia and TCU will match up against the best in the Big 12, but I think it’s a tough call. Anybody who tells you differently is just guessing at it. I’ve heard and read from a lot of experts in the field, and even they can’t agree on what will happen this season.

One thing I feel pretty strong about is nobody from the Bug 12 will be competeting for the National Championship in 2012. There are just too many question marks involving the top teams. I don’t believe anybody in the Big 12 will get out with less than 2 losses each. In fact two losses will probably win it or tie for the conference title this year. West Virginia won their conference with a 9-3 record last year. It wouldn’t surprise me in the least if we saw something similar happen in the Big 12 this year.

Way Too Early Big 12 Rankings

Right now my order of team strength based on my best guess from returning personnel and schedules are:

1. Oklahoma: A shakey number one because of their WR situation and the loss of their 4 best defensive players. A difficult schedule includes playing West Virginia, TCU, Texas Tech and Texas on the road. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if we see for the second year in a row neither OU or Texas winning the conference title. It’s THAT tight folks!

2. Texas: Only because they have the most room for improvement from last season. Plus they’ll have the best defense and one of the most favorable schedules in the conference. Something tells me though that they are probably a year away. It all depends on the progress of QB David Ash and the offense.

3. West Virginia: By a whisker. Mainly because of a favorable schedule and the offseason problems at TCU. If everything falls right and this team somehow wins the conference in their first year, I see things getting much more difficult for them after Geno Smith leaves, and their schedule gets much harder. They are catching the Big 12 at the best possible time when they are relatively down from last season, and in transition.

4. Kansas State & TCU (tie): KSU will need to replace 3 starters on the OL. Plus they won’t be sneaking up on anybody this year. That’s a big deal because KSU played 8 games last year that were decided by a TD or less, and they went 7-1 in those games. This season their schedule is brutal in having to travel to West Virginia, OU, TCU, Iowa State and Baylor, in addition to playing Miami at home.

The Wildcats went 9-3 ATS last year. Although I think they’ll be very competetive in every game, I don’t see another 10-2 season. I think 8 wins is a more realistic number. Another big problem for TCU is their Big 12 schedule. It is very bottom loaded with their last 5 games played against KSU, OSU, WV, Texas and OU…Ouch!

Related Content

Big 12 Football: Most Improved & Overrated Teams

Big 12 Football: 2012′s Breakout Stars?

Texas is Phil Steele’s No. 1 surprise team of 2012

Big 12 Football: Who Will Challenge OU For the Conferece 

The Big 12: OU or Texas in 2012?

Get more great college football analysis over at Saturday Edge.

MMA Video: UFC 148 Silva vs. Sonnen II Preview

The UFC has released an official preview for UFC 148: Silva vs. Sonnen II, which features the main event fighters. In the main event, Anderson Silva will defend his UFC middleweight title against Chael Sonnen for a second time.

The two previously met in 2010, with Silva scoring a submission victory in the fifth round after being down on the scorecards. Since that time, Sonnen has made it his mission to get a rematch, and on July 7, that will come true.

Check out the video preview below for Silva-Sonnen II:

Related Content

• Kenny Florian Makes His Retirement Official
• "The Ultimate Fighter: Live Finale" Weigh-Ins: Main Event, TUF Finale Official
• Video: "UFC 148: Silva Vs. Sonnen II" Preview
• Bellator Adds Brazilian Bantamweight Rafael Silva To Roster
• Isaac Vallie-Flagg Talks Victory Over JZ Cavalcante & His Future
• Video: 'The Ultimate Fighter: Live Finale' Weigh-Ins
• Jon Jones' DWI Mugshot, More Details Released
• Martin Kampmann Seeking An Impressive Finish Over Ellenberger
• Michael Chiesa On Facing His Teammate At The TUF Finale: "It's Just Business"
• Shane Carwin Eyeing Fall Return, Warns Potential Opponents

Get more great MMA news and analysis over at Fightline.

2012 NBA Western Conference Finals Recap: Spurs vs. Thunder Game 3

#1 SAN ANTONIO SPURS 82 @ #2 OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER 102
WEST Finals * Game 3 * Spurs lead series, 2-1

The Thunder made ONE huge adjustment that made the difference in this game. Thabo Sefolosha was set to guard Tony Parker.

The Spurs were in the game for only about the first 15 minutes. And even then, the Thunder got off to such a blazing start that this night just seemed to belong to Oklahoma City's boys.

Parker couldn't penetrate (heh-heh, heh-heh) like he wanted to. The Spurs, who scored 92 points in the paint in the first two games, couldn't do anything inside (44-24 advantage by the THUNDER). The passing lanes weren't as open as they used to. San Antonio turned the ball over 21 times.

As for the Thunder? It was kind of weird to see them move the ball around. But they did it to the tune of 23 assists. OKC took care of the ball and only turned the rock over seven times. And while their usual trio didn't set the world on fire, that same Sefolosha guy poured in 19 points (4/10 behind the arc). He even added 6 rebounds and 6 steals. EASILY the main difference in the game.

Oklahoma City led as many as 27 points. No Clipper comeback was going to happen. And now Coach Pop has to figure out how to counter this Thabo wrinkle.

Kevin Durant led OKC with 22 points while Russell Westbrook had a 10-7-9 line. Parker only went for 16 points, which is the same amount of points that Stephen Jackson got. Tim Duncan shot 5/15 and finished with 11 points.

But let's give Mr. Thabo Sefolosha a shoutout. Thabo is straight out of Switzerland and, quite honestly, I don't know very many famous people from Switzerland. Well... there's Roger Federer...

Let's see what happens in the East next.

Follow Rey-Rey on Twitter: @TheNoLookPass. And "LIKE" us on FaceBook. Thank you!

Related Content

TNLP Talks To A.C. Green

2012 2nd Round Playoff Preview (San Antonio Spurs)

2012 2nd Round Playoff Preview (Los Angeles Clippers)

2012 Playoff Recap (Day 17)

2012 Playoff Exit Talk (Memphis Grizzlies)

2012 2nd Round Playoff Preview (Los Angeles Lakers)

2012 2nd Round Playoff Preview (Oklahoma City Thunder)

2012 Playoff Preview (Conference Semifinal Picks!)

2012 2nd Round Playoff Preview (Miami Heat)

LeBron James Wins His Third MVP Award

Get more great NBA stuff over at The No Look Pass

"The 3,000 Hit Club" is an Interesting Read, but Not Without Flaws

Sports Publishing’s updated version of The 3,000 Hit Club, by authors Fred McHane and Stuart Shea, is an entertaining series of sketches about arguably the greatest collection of hitters in Major League Baseball history: those men who recorded at least 3,000 base hits during their careers. For years that number was a guaranteed ticket to Cooperstown, and nearly everyone included in this book is in the Hall of Fame. Starting with Pete Rose, the all-time leader with 4,256 hits, and finishing with Roberto Clemente, who managed exactly 3,000 hits in a career cut tragically short, the book takes the reader through every era of American big league baseball in a quick, engaging read. Its generous use of statistics stays just this side of overbearing so that the casual fan of the game should enjoy these stories. And the sketches aren’t linked, so the reader can pick the book up, choose one of the 28 greats to read about and not feel as if he’s jumped in on the middle of the story.

The 208-page book is peppered with colorful anecdotes about these greats that will delight lovers of the game. According to Lefty Grove, Honus Wagner’s arms were so long he “could tie his shoes without bending over.” Paul Waner, “a low ball hitter and a high ball drinker,” according to Wagner, was once so hung over that all he could manage was to hit a record-setting 4 doubles in one game off of Dizzy Dean. On a more inspiring note, we find out that Lou Brock learned the economy of motion that made him a great base runner from football great Deacon Jones and Olympic legend Jesse Owens. These stories and others keep the reader turning the pages, hoping for more.

The stories also remind us that the game has always been played by mere mortals. The authors refuse to shy away from the serious flaws and demons of these great, if mortal, athletes. For instance, their portrait of Cap Anson, the first to reach the 3,000-hit plateau, is downright ugly. Anson, a product of the late 19th century, was a stone-cold racist who played a major role in establishing the racial barrier that plagued MLB until 1947. Likewise, the reader who expects to encounter the miserable character that was Ty Cobb won’t be disappointed.

Then there’s Eddie Collins’ frank admission that the 1919 Chicago White Sox, a team that feuded bitterly all season before 8 of them conspired to throw the World Series, was probably the greatest team he ever saw, a notion that belies sport adages about the importance of chemistry, teamwork and other so-called “intangibles.” Finally, Carl Yastrzemski’s “punishing” desire to succeed while having to follow in the footsteps of the great Ted Williams provides a glimpse of the freakish drive that must have been a fundamental quality of each of these men.

The book is not without its misses, however. Some are structural, while others are more worrisome. On the structural side, many of the sketches tail off in an unsatisfying way. McHane and Shea often seem to be in a hurry to get to the next story before closing out the current one. For example, the comparatively extensive treatment of Cobb’s post-baseball life is hard to reconcile with the single paragraph devoted to George Brett’s life since retiring. Additionally, while the fact that the sketches stand on their own is a strength of the book, it is also a weakness.

The authors end up repeating the story about the controversial batting title of 1910 in two separate chapters. For some reason they chose to go into more detail describing the controversy in the chapter on Nap Lajoie than they did in the chapter on Ty Cobb. And while the editors provide updates as to the status of Cal Ripken, Jr., and Tony Gwynn, pointing out that both were inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007, they fail to provide similar updates for Paul Molitor (HOF 2004) or Eddie Murray (HOF 2003). The result of all of this is a book that is at times uneven.

Those structural issues are not as important as certain factual issues. For a baseball junkie, the occasional factual errors in the book are disturbing, mostly because they’ll cause that sort of reader to wonder what else might be wrong. For instance, the famous “pine tar incident” involving George Brett is chronicled in the book. The authors get the umpire who called Brett out wrong. Tim McLelland was the umpire that Brett charged after McLelland inspected the bat and called him out, not Joe Brinkman. Likewise, in the section on Derek Jeter, the Yankees are credited with winning the World Series in 2006. The St. Louis Cardinals beat the Detroit Tigers in 2006.

The Tigers eliminated the Yankees in the ALDS. Maybe 2006 is a typo for 2009. If that’s the case, the editing needs work as there are several such typos throughout the book. For example, the “update” to the Cal Ripken, Jr., entry refers to “MLB” as “MBL.” A small error, but, come on, the whole book is about MLB. How do you miss that one? Additionally, this updated volume correctly notes that Jeter’s 3,000th hit was a home run. However, a later chapter credits Wade Boggs with being the only member of the club to reach 3,000 hits in that fashion. This updated version needs, well, updating. The casual fan may not notice or care about such details, but baseball devotees who wallow in detail will find these and other similar items off-putting.

All in all, its noted shortcomings aside, the newest edition of The 3,000 Hit Club is an enjoyable read with plenty for both casual fans of the game and for those to whom baseball is more of an obsession than a casual pastime.

• More MLB Coverage

Jonathan Dyer has been a baseball fanatic since playing Little League in the 1960s, and he’s been following the Oakland A’s since moving to the Bay Area in the late 1970s when he watched Rickey Henderson play for Billy Martin. Dyer, the author of three novels, now brings his long-term perspective to writing about baseball, connecting the modern game to its historic context. You may email Jonathan directly at jpdyer@sbcglobal.net or follow him on Twitter @dyer_jp. You can follow his progress on two new novels he’s writing at www.booksbyjonathandyer.webs.com

Columbia Regional Weekend Schedule: South Carolina, Clemson, Coastal Carolina, Manhattan

The South Carolina baseball team is ready to play host to this weekend’s regional action. Hope you read our "seeded outlook" and here is this weekend's schedule:

Friday, June 1
Game 1 – No. 2 Clemson vs. No. 3 Coastal Carolina – Noon p.m. (ESPNU/ESPN3)
Game 2 – No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 4 Manhattan – 4 p.m. (ESPNU/ESPN3)

Saturday, June 2
Game 3 – Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2 – Noon p.m. (ESPNU/ESPN3)
Game 4 – Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2 – 4 p.m. (ESPNU/ESPN3)

Sunday, June 3
Game 5 – Winner of Game 3 vs. Loser of Game 4 – Noon p.m. (ESPNU/ESPN3)
Game 6 – Winner of Game 5 vs. Winner of Game 4 – 4 p.m. (ESPNU/ESPN3)

Monday, June 4
Game 7 – If Necessary – 7 p.m. (ESPNU/ESPN3)

Get more great South Carolina sports analysis over at Leftover Hot Dog.

Additional Info About Jon Jones' DWI Arrest Emerges

Celebrity gossip website TMZ has gotten their hands on and released UFC light heavyweight champion Jon "Bones" Jones' mugshot from his recent arrest for suspicion of driving while intoxicated.

The 24-year-old crashed his Bentley into a telephone pole in the early morning hours of May 26 and has since pled guilty to one charge of driving while intoxicated. He entered a plea bargain and should avoid jail time; his sentencing will occur on June 19.

According to a report published by Sports Illustrated, Jones was accompanied by two 25-year-old females at the time of the crash. Both women sustained minor injuries.

You can check out the mugshot below:

Related Content

• Kenny Florian Makes His Retirement Official
• "The Ultimate Fighter: Live Finale" Weigh-Ins: Main Event, TUF Finale Official
• Video: "UFC 148: Silva Vs. Sonnen II" Preview
• Bellator Adds Brazilian Bantamweight Rafael Silva To Roster
• Isaac Vallie-Flagg Talks Victory Over JZ Cavalcante & His Future
• Video: 'The Ultimate Fighter: Live Finale' Weigh-Ins
• Jon Jones' DWI Mugshot, More Details Released
• Martin Kampmann Seeking An Impressive Finish Over Ellenberger
• Michael Chiesa On Facing His Teammate At The TUF Finale: "It's Just Business"
• Shane Carwin Eyeing Fall Return, Warns Potential Opponents

Get more great MMA news and analysis over at Fightline.

Arianny Celeste Explains Domestic Violence Arrest

You already know that UFC ring card girl Arianny Celeste was arrested along with her boyfriend (now likely her ex) Praveen Chandra in Las Vegas on domestic violence charges.

Over the past few days, more details surrounding the incident have emerged, with Celeste now claiming that Chandra choked her during the fracas and that any physical retaliation she mounted was as a result.

"I was defending myself after he choked me twice," the 26-year-old told HollyScoop.

Just for fun, or in case you haven't seen them, you can check out the couple's mugshot below.

Related Content

• Kenny Florian Makes His Retirement Official
• "The Ultimate Fighter: Live Finale" Weigh-Ins: Main Event, TUF Finale Official
• Video: "UFC 148: Silva Vs. Sonnen II" Preview
• Bellator Adds Brazilian Bantamweight Rafael Silva To Roster
• Isaac Vallie-Flagg Talks Victory Over JZ Cavalcante & His Future
• Video: 'The Ultimate Fighter: Live Finale' Weigh-Ins
• Jon Jones' DWI Mugshot, More Details Released
• Martin Kampmann Seeking An Impressive Finish Over Ellenberger
• Michael Chiesa On Facing His Teammate At The TUF Finale: "It's Just Business"
• Shane Carwin Eyeing Fall Return, Warns Potential Opponents

Get more great MMA news and analysis over at Fightline.

Video: Bob Dylan Gets Presidential Medal of Freedom from Pres. Obama

Any idiot can get a knighthood. Gary Barlow’s spent the last month ensuring a sword round the ears in the not too distant future. It just requires some charity work and basic toadying. But you have to be really fricking special to get the Presidential Medal of Freedom – the highest civilian honour an American can receive. And you know who is that special? Bob Dylan. That’s who. And he didn’t even take his shades off.

Also getting medals at the ceremony, smiling nervously and waving at their dad holding a camcorder, were novelist Toni Morrison, astronaut John Glenn, retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, former Israeli President Shimon Peres and Jan Karski, Polish underground officer who reported on the Nazi Holocaust.

Several musician have received the honour before Bob. But no shit ones. We’re talking the A-list of the A-list.

Dylan didn’t say anything, obviously. But Obama gave a nice speech, saying:

"By the time he was 23, Bob’s voice, with its weight, its unique, gravelly power was redefining not just what music sounded like, but the message it carried and how it made people feel. Today, everybody from Bruce Springsteen to U2 owes Bob a debt of gratitude. There is not a bigger giant in the history of American music."

Wish he hadn’t mentioned U2. Bono feeds off presidential namechecks, like a mosquito on a cow.

Here he is getting his prize. We like the arm pat at the end.