Operating Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez's spread offense, quarterback Matt Scott has been money in the pocket

by Bob Young, columnist - Sept. 19, 2012 08:58 PM
azcentral sports

You know when you grab a pair of pants out of the closet, pull them on and find a $20 stuffed in the pocket?

That's sort of what happened to Rich Rodriguez when he replaced Mike Stoops as the University of Arizona's football coach.

Only for RichRod, having a quarterback seemingly born to run his zone-read spread offense already in pocket when he got to Tucson might feel now more like discovering a crisp C-note.

Matt Scott's value is increasing that quickly.

We would love to tell you that Rodriguez is cashing in because his predecessor smartly convinced Scott to redshirt in 2011 during what would have been his senior season.

However, Scott said redshirting as a senior was "mostly" his idea. "I felt like I had a lot more to prove, and I hadn't had a chance to start for a whole season yet," he said. "I needed to show what I could do."

In an age when athletes often transfer at the first sign that they're not going to get the playing time they expected, Scott's decision to stick it out at Arizona after he lost his starting job to Nick Foles in 2009 and push for a redshirt year last season not only is refreshing, it now looks pretty darned smart.

After three games under Rodriguez, Scott has completed 71.5 percent of his passes and ranks fourth nationally in total offense at 395 yards per game. The 3-0 Wildcats are averaging more than 600 yards and 46.3 points per game.

And if ever Scott is going to prove himself, it's this week when the 22nd-ranked Wildcats visit third-ranked Oregon in a game that could make punters obsolete.

"Matt, I think, is perfect for what Rich is doing offensively," Oregon coach Chip Kelly said this week. "He's one of the top guys in the country in total offense. And that's what he can really scare you with, because he throws it really well, but he has the speed and the athletic ability to hurt you in the run game."

Kelly, of course, ought to know. Oregon has perfected virtually the same zone-read spread offense run at precisely the same pants-on-fire pace.

But Scott admits he considered bolting out of town that fast when he was benched during the third game of his sophomore season after winning the job in a competition with Foles during spring and fall camps.

"I'm not going to lie," he said. "I didn't think it was really fair at all. But life isn't fair and you have to learn that the hard way sometimes. Things happen like that, and you have to make the best of the situation."

Foles made his first start for the Wildcats the next week at Oregon State and threw three touchdown passes. Scott was shoved into a pocket and mostly forgotten.

Foles, of course, went on to start for most of three seasons, went in the third round of the NFL draft to Philadelphia and will be the Eagles' backup quarterback when they visit the Cardinals on Sunday.

Still, there were hints of Scott's hidden value. He started two conference games in 2010 when Foles was injured and posted eye-popping results. He led Arizona to victories over Washington and UCLA while accounting for 688 yards in total offense.

When Foles returned, it was back to the closet for Scott despite a 4-1 record as a starter.

"I'm so happy for that guy after what he's been through," Arizona's senior guard Trace Biskin said. "It is really all about his perseverance. He could have easily left after that Iowa game.

"He talked to me a little bit and some of the other guys and his really close friends, and we kind of all encouraged him to stay. The big thing is, he's been positive about it the whole way. When Nick was playing and (Scott) wasn't, he was still encouraging him and being and a good teammate."

Scott said he might have left if not for former Arizona quarterbacks coach Frank Scelfo.

"Honestly, the thought crossed my mind, but I didn't think about it too long," he said. "I knew I was competing with Nick, who is a great quarterback. But my thing is, when you compete with people you get better. That's what drives me.

"And I felt like I was getting better here under Coach Scelfo. I was progressing and learning a lot at the quarterback position. He was helping me, so I didn't want to leave."

Nobody knows where the Wildcats and Rodriguez would be if Scott had bailed, but it probably wouldn't be 3-0, in the national rankings and playing Oregon on ESPN.

"We knew in the spring we had a guy we thought was pretty special," Rodriguez said. "We just didn't know how quickly he would learn the system."

When Stoops and his staff were fired, Scott's decision could have backfired.

"I didn't know where we were going from there," he said. "I was kind of excited to see who would come in, and when I heard it was going to be RichRod, then I was even more excited because of his background and track record.

"I knew it was a perfect fit."

Sort of like those pants with a bonus in the pocket.

Reach Young at 602-444-8271 or bob.young@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him at Twitter.com/BobYoungTHI.

20 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/articles/2012/09/19/20120919operating-arizona-coach-rich-rodriguezs-spread-offense-quarterback-matt-scott-has-been-money-pocket.html
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Arizona Diamondbacks shut down rookie RHP Trevor Bauer for rest of season

by Nick Piecoro - Sept. 19, 2012 10:01 PM
azcentral sports

For weeks, the Diamondbacks had appeared to be leaning toward bringing up right-hander Trevor Bauer from the minor leagues once Triple-A Reno's season ended. Even manager Kirk Gibson said on Tuesday afternoon the organization "thought it would be beneficial to (bring him) back."

But after Bauer struggled in the Triple-A championship game on Tuesday night -- a game Reno won 10-3 over Pawtucket -- the Diamondbacks announced Wednesday that their highly regarded prospect would not be returning to the big leagues, after all.

Although Bauer walked 17 batters in 16 1/3 innings in three minor-league playoff starts, the Diamondbacks said his recent performance was not a factor in the decision to end his season. Instead, they pointed to his innings total and the fact that they didn't want to bump someone from the rotation, go with a six-man rotation or have Bauer pitch out of the bullpen.

Either way, it was clear from listening to General Manager Kevin Towers that the Diamondbacks would like to see Bauer make changes to both how he pitches and in the way he prepares for his starts.

Towers said Bauer still needs to improve his fastball command, which Towers believes is largely responsible for Bauer's high walk total. He also said Bauer tends to get "a little bit strikeout happy," the implication being that he needs to pitch more to contact.

"I think for him, learning how to be a professional and to be a little bit more open-minded," Towers said. "There are a lot of people that want him to be successful. Sometimes when you're a young kid, (learning) to be a big-leaguer and what it takes to be a big-leaguer, handling adverse situations is sometimes tough. I think mentally he's making a lot of progress."

But Towers intimated that he'd like to see Bauer tone down his aggressive throwing program. Bauer is known for being an advocate of long-tossing, something he does between starts and on the days he starts. He credits it for building arm strength and helping him "sync up" his body before pitching.

Towers wondered if all the work Bauer puts in between starts contributed to his fluctuating velocity this season. On Tuesday, Bauer, who gave up two runs and walked seven in 4 2/3 innings, was working with a fastball in the 88-92 mph range. Towers said he witnessed Bauer hitting 95-96 mph while pitching for Mobile early in the season.

Towers said he met with Bauer on Tuesday, congratulating him on his solid season and encouraging him to reflect on changes he might want to make.

"I think it's really going to have to come from him," Towers said. "He's the type of kid that I think he feels pretty strong about the way he goes about doing things. I think he realizes now that after a full minor-league season, pitching every fifth day, it's different than it was in college. You know, saving your bullets."

Bauer had an eventful year. He posted a combined 2.23 ERA with 116 strikeouts in 93 innings between Double-A Mobile and Reno before being called to the majors in late June. But he struggled in four starts, posting a 6.06 ERA with 13 walks in 16 1/3 innings.

He returned to Triple-A and was given a three-week "breather" between starts, something the organization historically has done in the minors for its young pitchers. It was also a chance for Bauer to rest his sore groin, which he said had bothered him for much of the year.

Notes

The Diamondbacks added first baseman Mike Jacobs and outfielder A.J. Pollock to the roster. Jacobs, who while in the Rockies organization last season was suspended for testing positive for HGH, was emotional when talking about his return to the big leagues, where he hadn't been since 2010.

Outfielder Cole Gillespie was designated for assignment to create room for Jacobs on the 40-man roster.

Gibson said tests showed center fielder Chris Young's right quadricep, which he aggravated on Tuesday night, had not worsened. He hoped Young would be available as a pinch-hitter.

20 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/articles/2012/09/19/20120919arizona-diamondbacks-shut-down-rookie-rhp-trevor-bauer-rest-season.html
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Arizona Diamondbacks rally to beat the San Diego Padres

by Paul Coro - Sept. 19, 2012 09:36 PM
azcentral sports

D-Backs 6, Padres 2

Recap: The Diamondbacks won their third consecutive game with continued strong pitching backed by four doubles and two triples in a victory against San Diego at Chase Field.

Starting pitcher Trevor Cahill (12-11) stayed undefeated in his past four starts and had the support of three relievers tossing three shutout innings.

The Diamondbacks' offensive struggles at home have shown some signs of breaking with Sunday's 10-run game and Wednesday's win. Arizona trailed 2-0 before Justin Upton and Miguel Montero led off the fourth inning with doubles. Adam Eaton's fifth-inning triple, a liner to left-center, tied the game and he scored on a balk for a 3-2 lead in the fifth inning.

Paul Goldschmidt's 40th double, tying him for second in the National League, made it a three-run fifth inning and another triple from Ryan Wheeler in the eighth inning completed the scoring. Wheeler's hit scored Montero, who had been hit by a pitch for the second time, and Wheeler scored on a throwing error to third base.

Steady rocking and firing: Cahill won his third consecutive start Wednesday night, allowing two earned runs and lasting at least six innings in each game.

Cahill, who has not allowed a home run since Aug. 10, is now 12-0 this season when receiving at least three runs of support.

Cahill was in real danger with runners in scoring position only twice but ran his pitch count to 96 over six innings. Two double plays and plenty of ground balls kept San Diego's bats at bay. It was only when he yielded consecutive walks in the fourth inning that San Diego scored. With two outs, Cahill surrendered consecutive RBI singles in the bottom of the order to Will Venable and John Baker.Cahill was ahead with a 0-2 count on Venable, who extended the at-bat 10 pitches before pulling a change-up.

Quittin' time for Quentin? It is was pretty clear that San Diego left fielder Carlos Quentin was in pain Wednesday from the way he moved in the outfield and his early exit in the bottom of the fifth inning. It sure was painful watching him.

Quentin had missed the past six games with irritation in his right knee, which underwent surgery in the spring and kept him out for the season's first 49 games.

On back-to-back doubles toward the left-field line in Wednesday night's fourth inning, Quentin labored to get there. On Montero's high-soaring sliced double, Quentin even shook his head as he tried to get under a fly with plenty of hang time .

Quentin, the 30-year-old former Diamondbacks player, signed a three-year, $27 million extension through 2015 prior to his knee issues. He is hitting .263 this season with 16 home runs in 280 at bats.

Extra, extra: Upton doubled in successive innings to left field Wednesday night for his second game of two extra-base hits this week. Prior to those games, Upton had not had a multi-extra-base hit game since Aug. 11.

Upton is hitting .308 over the past 13 games with a six-game hitting streak.

--Paul Coro

View from the press box: Before the game, General Manager Kevin Towers spoke glowingly about rookie outfielder Adam Eaton and what he has shown in his brief time in the majors. Towers also said Eaton has "a little more sock in the bat" than what he's shown. Not long after, Eaton proved Towers right, lining a triple into the gap in left-center field. Eaton has had more of a slap-hitting approach in his brief time in the majors. It will be interesting to see if he will look to drive the ball more often as he becomes more comfortable in the major leagues.

--Nick Piecoro

20 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/articles/2012/09/19/20120919arizona-diamondbacks-rally-beat-san-diego-padres.html
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Arizona Diamondbacks give Mike Jacobs a second chance

by Paul Coro - Sept. 19, 2012 08:54 PM
azcental sports

For the past year, Mike Jacobs was no longer known for his power-filled rookie call-up in 2005 with the Mets, his 32-home run season with the Marlins in 2008 or his four years as a regular major-league starter.

He was Mike Jacobs, the only athlete in North American professional sport leagues to test positive for human growth hormone.

Jacobs' price was a 50-game suspension, an immediate release from the Colorado Rockies organization and the worry of whether his admitted mistake would keep him from ever feeling the joy he had Wednesday when he returned to the majors with the Diamondbacks.

It was an emotional Tuesday night, when the 31-year-old celebrated a Triple-A championship with the Reno Aces in Raleigh, N.C., and blended his champagne soaked face with tears when Diamondbacks General Manager Kevin Towers told him and teammate A.J. Pollock that they would join the Diamondbacks on Wednesday.

Recounting the moment that he told his wife Vanessa, Jacobs bit his lip to stop his quivering chin and hold back more tears as he gathered himself for a few seconds in the Chase Field dugout Wednesday evening.

"She was proud of me," Jacob said with his voice cracking. "You know she's been there through everything. She's been there through all the ups and downs."

Jacobs was just trying to find his way back to the majors with the Colorado Sky Sox when he was suspended on Aug. 11, 2011, a year after minor-league baseball began blood testing. Jacobs issued a statement of admission at the time that said in part, " ... In an attempt to overcome knee and back problems, I made the terrible decisions to take HGH."

The three trades Jacobs had experienced would test any player's confidence but he was now shaken that the label of a positive drug test would keep him from another major-league chance. He already had not played in the majors since April 2010.

"It's been a long time fighting to be here," Jacobs said. "You always question it. It's obviously in the back of the mind. I think what makes a man is a guy that can face the things he's done wrong and own up to them and then try to move on. I think people are a lot more forgiving than what people get credit for. I'm grateful for the opportunity. Whether I got back to the big leagues with the Diamondbacks or not, I was just grateful for the opportunity to be able to play baseball again."

Jacobs said he has seen people run from their mistakes and have that response blow up in their face. He felt quickly owning up to his error was the right thing to do and would help him earn his way back.

The Diamondbacks gave him that chance by signing him in January and he hit .279 with 18 home runs for Reno while mentoring younger players like now-Diamondbacks Adam Eaton, Jake Elmore and Ryan Wheeler. With a need for left-handed power, the first baseman's chance with Arizona could extend to the spring.

"It's kind of a great story," Diamondbacks General Manager Kevin Towers said. "After having the 50-game suspension and having to start off in extended spring, he was a leader down there with those kids. Then Bugsy (Reno Manager Brett Butler) said he asked him to take on a leadership role and help guys like Pollock and Eaton in Triple-A. He did so and helped that club win a championship. It's pretty amazing. You see guys with five or six years and have hit 30 homers in the big leagues. To get the call that he's coming up to the big leagues and be as emotional as he was, it's great to see. We told A.J. Pollock and he was more happy for Jacobs than he was for himself."

Jacobs still admitted to being surprised when he got the word Tuesday night. The emotions never stopped as he and Pollock took connecting flights to arrive in the Diamondbacks clubhouse on Wednesday afternoon. He gets to join his pupils like Eaton, who he said calls him "Father."

He also had to own up to his mistake once again, "face forward" as he says, and talk about history but in a much better place -- Chase Field, a place he had once targeted to make home.

Major League Baseball added HGH testing in the newest collective bargaining agreement. And despite how it turned his life upside-down, Jacobs is an advocate.

"I think that is something that would've been bargained for either way, whether it would have happened or not," Jacobs said. "I think that is something that is actually really good for baseball. I think that it should even go further steps than where it's at."

20 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/articles/2012/09/19/20120919arizona-diamondbacks-give-mike-jacobs-second-chance.html
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Arizona Cardinals receiver Andre Roberts lives up to praise

by Sarah McLellan and Kent Somers - Sept. 19, 2012 07:55 PM
azcentral sports

The information may have come second-hand, but word of the compliment eventually reached Cardinals receiver Andre Roberts.

When the praise is that encouraging, it's bound to sneak around the locker room.

A week ago, coach Ken Whisenhunt assessed Roberts' skill set, namely his physicality, and mentioned how his blocking skills reminded him of former Steelers great Hines Ward.

"(Hines) sets the standard, and I see a lot of that in Andre," Whisenhunt said. "That's pretty high praise for a young guy like Andre, but I think it's pretty accurate."

Rather than slink under the comparison, Roberts has seemed to thrive.

His 2-yard touchdown reception on Sunday against the Patriots was his second in as many games and tied his career high for a single season. He's now hauled in four touchdown passes in his past six games, continuing to build on the momentum he gained at the end of last season.

"You definitely love hearing things like that," Roberts said. "But just as he says that, you want to work to be that. You want to work to be better than that."

The recent surge in production is what Roberts wants, but he recognizes he's second in the pecking order.

"I'm not a No. 1 guy," he said. "I know I'm not always going to have a 100-yard game. I'm not going to have a touchdown every game, but it's always good to be a part of the offense."

Quick kicks

Defensive end Calais Campbell was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week for the first time in his five-year career.

Campbell is the first player in Cardinals history to win player of the week in two categories. He was the special teams player of the week in 2009. Campbell had two sacks, 10 tackles, two tackles for loss and three QB hits in the victory over New England last Sunday.

Starting tight end Todd Heap missed practice with a sprained knee on Wednesday, casting doubt on the chance he will play Sunday against the Eagles.

Whisenhunt said Heap, who suffered a sprained PCL, is improving. But Wednesday is a heavy day of practice, and missing it is not a good sign.

Heap, however, is in his 12th season, so he wouldn't need much mental preparation to be ready for the Eagles.

Heap was injured when he was hit late and out of bounds by Patriots safety Steve Gregory. Gregory could be facing a fine from the league for the hit.

If Heap can't play, Rob Housler will assume a larger role, especially in passing situations.

"It's not like I was preparing any differently in Week 1 or Week 2," Housler said.

"Now it's a matter of executing when they call your number. Obviously I might have my number called a little more now that 86 might be down, but it's all a matter of taking advantage of the opportunity."

Quarterback John Skelton (ankle) was the only other Cardinals player to miss practice.

Whisenhunt is not going to rule Skelton out, but it would seem difficult for him to play after missing an important day of practice.

20 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/articles/2012/09/19/20120919arizona-cardinals-receiver-andre-roberts-lives-up-praise.html
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Pac-12 examines policies of reporting football injuries

by Doug Haller - Sept. 19, 2012 07:02 PM
azcentral sports

Four weeks into the season, who would've guessed injuries would be such a popular discussion point in the Pac-12? (OK, Arizona's quick start and Stanford's upset of USC might be better topics.)

Still, the injury debate -- or rather the reporting of injuries -- has conference Commissioner Larry Scott thinking it's time that the Pac-12 looks into establishing a conference-wide injury report, similar to the one the NFL releases every week.

He told reporters last week that he plans to put the topic on the agenda of a Pac-12 athletic directors' meeting in October, just to see whether the Pac-12 should let schools dictate their own injury policies or if the conference should set standard guidelines.

Two incidents have put this on the front burner: Recently, USC banned a Los Angeles Daily News reporter for two weeks after he reported that a player had undergone surgery. USC has a policy that prohibits reporters from reporting injuries that are suffered during practice, but the Daily News reporter discovered the news through outside sources. (The ban later was lifted.)

Not much later, Washington coach Steve Sarkisian announced that coaches and players no longer would discuss injuries because he felt if others weren't doing so, why should the Huskies?

Todd Graham isn't a big fan of an injury report.

"This isn't professional football," the Arizona State coach told reporters Wednesday.

Two issues here: Federal privacy law often restricts schools from disclosing health issues of student-athletes. And not to be overlooked, many coaches feel that disclosing injuries could give opponents a competitive advantage. In fact, Oregon State coach Mike Riley disclosed on this week's Pac-12 teleconference that the Beavers have a graduate assistant monitor news reports for injury news.

Don't think Oregon State is alone.

Since his hire in December, Graham has been extremely open with media. Asking him about injuries, however, makes him hesitate. When senior running back Cameron Marshall didn't participate during preseason camp, he initially told reporters Marshall was simply fatigued. Later, Graham revealed that Marshall had a hamstring issue. (In fairness, Graham almost always has announced when a player is lost for the season due to injury.)

There's an element of gamesmanship to this. Before a trip to Sun Devil Stadium on Sept. 8, Illinois coach Tim Beckman listed quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase as a game-time decision because of an ankle injury. Was he deceiving the Sun Devils, forcing them to prepare for a player who wouldn't play? It's hard to say for sure, but Scheelhaase not only missed the ASU contest, he missed the Illini's contest against Charleston Southern the next week, too.

"I try to be as forthright as I can on those things," Graham said of discussing injuries. "The media coming to practice, you can see if a guy is dressed out or not dressed out. ... But being specific about a guy (who) has a beat-up shoulder and he's my quarterback? Oh, Coach, nobody would go after that shoulder would they?"

The rest of the Pac-12 is split on a possible injury report. Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez already issues a weekly report, something he did during his coaching days at Michigan.

"It just made it a lot easier," Rodriguez said.

"We didn't have to (answer) questions all week about it. The (Big Ten) has been doing it for a long time, and it seems like it's been a pretty effective way to do it, so we kind of adopted that policy."

Stanford's David Shaw is against an injury report.

"It's a need-to-know basis, and I don't believe people need to know every single bump and bruise that happens on a football team," he said.

Washington State coach Mike Leach's opinion? He simply thinks reporters need to worry about other issues.

"It's journalism at its most pitiful level," he said of injury reporting.

Reach The Heat Index at 602-444-4949 or at doug.haller@arizonarepublic.com.

20 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/articles/2012/09/05/20120905pac-examines-policies-reporting-football-injuries.html
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Arizona State wide receivers pushed to step up game

by Jeff Metcalfe - Sept. 19, 2012 08:05 PM
azcentral sports

Arizona State's wide receivers are catching more heat than passes in this still-young season.

The message that they must be more productive -- whether it's coming from coach Todd Graham, position coach DelVaughn Alexander or even from fans spoiled by ASU being in the top 15 nationally passing in the previous two seasons -- is being received loud and clear.

"I feel there's a lot of pressure on us right now," senior Jamal Miles said. "They're starting to say we're one of the lowest positions on the team. I don't take that lightly. I feel like we've got to go out and prove ourselves every time we go out on the field. I'm just going to try to make everything out of every opportunity I get."

Miles is the top returning receiver -- 30 catches for 361 yards and six touchdowns in 2011 -- at a position group that lost Gerell Robinson (77 catches, 1,397 yards, seven touchdowns), Aaron Pflugrad (44 catches, 665 yards, five touchdowns) and Mike Willie (36 catches, 566 yards, three touchdowns).

Mix in new quarterbacks replacing Brock Osweiler and a new coaching staff that is willing to play to ASU's rushing strength, and the steep learning curve for the passing game at this point is understandable.

H-back Chris Coyle has almost as many receiving yards (239) as the wide receivers total (277) through three games. Coyle and three running backs have a total of 473 receiving yards, 63 percent of the passing-offense production.

"The standards are high, the talent is high, but as far as our production goes, it's been average," Alexander said. "There's got to be a sense of buying in and urgency. There's got to be a consistency out of me as a coach letting those guys know I trust in the techniques I'm teaching. We've got to bridge that gap from the practice field to the game field real fast."

Miles, who sat out the season opener because of a suspension, entered the season with 24 career starts. No one else on the receiving depth chart had more than three. Quarterbacks Taylor Kelly and Michael Eubank are in their first playing season.

"It's going to take time because we've got a lot of inexperienced players," Miles said. "Eventually, we're going to come around and be a strong part of this team. It's just chemistry. We're got to make the quarterback feel comfortable out there and have him trust in us. Once we get all that together, it'll be a special deal."

Or maybe Graham needs more recruiting time to rebuild the receiver corps, and ASU simply will have to make do with what they have in his first season.

"I think they're going to make progress one way or another," Graham said. "Rick Smith is a young guy getting better every day. We feel Alonzo (Agwuenu) has had his best week. (Rashad) Ross and Miles are working hard. We've challenged Kevin Ozier to not just be a journeyman, step up and get better, don't just stay the same."

Ross, with track sprinting speed, is the outside receiver expected to stretch the field. But he had more drops (at least two) than catches (one for 16 yards) last week against Missouri, leading to some soul searching.

"I worried about it all weekend," Ross said. "When you drop your first pass and you drop your second pass, it's going to be pretty hard to catch your third pass because all you're thinking about is 'I've got to catch the ball, I've got to catch the ball.' It's like when you try too hard, it's not going to happen."

20 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/articles/2012/09/19/20120919arizona-state-wide-receivers-pushed-step-up-game.html
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Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kevin Kolb set to face former team in Philadelphia Eagles

by Kent Somers - Sept. 19, 2012 05:39 PM
azcentral sports

When it comes to serving an NFL apprenticeship, Philadelphia can be the worst, and best, of places. Four years there taught quarterback Kevin Kolb to accept pats on the back and kicks in the backside with the same facial expression.

Those four years served him well over his 14 months in Arizona, where very little has gone right for him.

He missed seven games last season because of injuries. The Cardinals had to bail out of the Peyton Manning pursuit last spring because they had a deadline for paying Kolb a $7 million signing bonus.

Then Kolb played poorly in the preseason and lost the starting job to John Skelton.

Kolb has handled the events of the past year as well as anyone could expect. He didn't lash out and he didn't sulk. He credits his even temperament to spending four years in a city where the words "even" and "tempered" rarely go together.

"The biggest thing I took is when it's high there, when things are going good, you can't buy into it because there is a lot of hype," he said. "Everybody is patting you on the back. And when it's low, good gosh, is the sun going to come up tomorrow?

"Although it's not quite like that here, it is the NFL and that's the way it is nowadays. As a quarterback especially, you have to be able to ride those waves and stay level-headed with every experience."

Kolb is not riding atop the wave now, but at least he's not crashing, either. He led the Cardinals to the go-ahead touchdown when Skelton went down in the season opener. And he played efficiently last week in an upset over the Patriots.

With Skelton still hobbling, Kolb is expected to start Sunday against his old team.

"I think Kevin is a heck of a quarterback," Eagles coach Andy Reid said. "I had him here and I know what he's capable of doing. You've seen here the last couple of games, how he's played and managed the game."

The Eagles were willing to trade Kolb because they had Michael Vick, who took over as starter after Kolb suffered a concussion in the opening game of the 2010 season.

He and Vick maintain a strong friendship.

"We just text one another about what's going on in our daily lives," Vick said. "We kind of kept football aside from everything that we had going on because at the end of the day, football is not everything. Kevin and I, we both appreciate our positions but we appreciate each other more."

Kolb still has a long way to go to prove the Cardinals made a wise decision in trading for him. They gave up cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and a second-round pick for Kolb and will have paid him $21 million by the end of the season.

Coaches wanted him to win the starting job this off-season, but in their view, Skelton outplayed Kolb

Kolb was disappointed in the decision, but he didn't mope, quarterbacks coach John McNulty said.

"During the week, I noticed he did a lot with the younger receivers, the linemen, talking to the backs," McNulty said. "He was working behind the scenes, so to speak, helping guys get ready for the game.

"Sometimes guys can be embarrassed, sulk or kind of hide. He really helped everybody during the week, and he obviously prepared himself well."

Coaches aren't asking Kolb or Skelton to be the next Kurt Warner, at least not now. What they want is for the quarterback to avoid negative plays and to make the obvious ones.

Kolb has done a good job of that the past two weeks, although he missed on two pass plays that could have resulted in big gains against the Patriots.

Still, there have been more bouquets than rocks tossed at Kolb this week. He learned in Philadelphia that it's important to know how to dodge both.

"I think, for the most part, people just try to criticize everybody in the world nowadays, so I don't even pay attention to it (criticism) and move on with my life."

20 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/articles/2012/09/19/20120919arizona-cardinals-quarterback-kevin-kolb-set-face-former-team-philadelphia-eagles.html
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NHL cancels September slate of preseason games

by Rachel Cohen - Sept. 19, 2012 04:00 PM
Associated Press

NEW YORK -- The NHL canceled its entire September preseason game schedule Wednesday, the first on-ice casualty of the four-day lockout.

The league is wiping out all games through Sept. 30, a move it deems "necessary because of the absence of a collective bargaining agreement" with the players' association.

The Coyotes had a home split-squad matchup against the defending Stanley Cup champion Kings and road games against the Kings (split-squad), Ducks and Sharks canceled. The team is new scheduled to start preseason play Oct. 1 at Vancouver.

The NHL also said the 2012 Kraft Hockeyville preseason game, scheduled for Oct. 3 in Belleville, Ontario, has been postponed until 2013, bringing the total to 60 games called off Wednesday.

The regular season is scheduled to begin on Oct. 11.

NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said the league has "no set policy on cancellations" of other games.

Also Wednesday, a person familiar with the plan says NHL employees at the league offices will switch to a four-day work week Oct. 1 because of the lockout.

The move will effectively cut salaries by 20 percent. The person spoke on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the NHL hadn't made the plan public.

The Florida Panthers and Ottawa Senators have let staff go because of the lockout, while several other teams have said they don't have any plans to do so as of now.

The league locked out its players at 12:01 a.m. Sunday, its fourth shutdown since 1992.

The preseason cancellations included a Washington Capitals game against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sept. 26 in Baltimore.

Last year, in the inaugural Baltimore Hockey Classic, the Capitals hosted the Nashville Predators and drew a sold-out crowd.

20 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/articles/2012/09/19/20120919nhl-cancels-september-slate-preseason-games.html
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Arizona Cardinals DE Calais Campbell named NFC Defensive Player of the Week

by Kent Somers - Sept. 19, 2012 09:28 AM
azcentral sports

Cardinals defensive end Calais Campbell on Wednesday was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week for the first time in his five-year career.

Campbell is the first player in Cardinals history to win Player of the Week in two categories. He was the Special Teams Player of the Week in 2009.

On Sunday, Campbell had two sacks, 10 tackles, two tackles for loss and three quarterback hits in the victory over New England.

The Cardinals held New England to 18 points, snapping the Patriots streak of 25 consecutive home games scoring at least 20 points.

20 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/articles/2012/09/19/20120919arizona-cardinals-calais-campbell-nfc-defensive-player-of-week.html
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Former Phoenix Sun Grant Hill leaves a giant legacy

by Dan Bickley - Sept. 18, 2012 08:39 PM
azcentral sports columnist

Two of our favorite basketball players have moved to Los Angeles.

One has been branded a traitor. The other should've never left.

When Steve Nash returns as a member of the Lakers on Jan. 30, the mood at US Airways Center will be unpredictable and strange. Many fans won't be able to look past the color of his jersey, and how a favorite Sun now plays for a nemesis.

When Grant Hill returns on Dec. 23 as a member of the Clippers, there will be no internal conflict or questions of loyalty. He should hear the ovation of a lifetime.

"I don't think anybody thought that either of us would be out here in LA," Hill said.

Theoretically, Nash had to go. He wanted too much money. His presence would've put the Suns back in NBA quicksand, good enough to linger like a playoff team, bad enough to compete for nothing of consequence.

Hill is another story.

During his five years in Phoenix, Hill cobbled together an amazing legacy. You could argue that no Suns player has ever done more for less.

He played in 381 games over five years. He delivered great leadership. He became a lockdown defender. Nearing the age of 40, he was assigned to guard the NBA's most lethal players on a nightly basis, from Kevin Durant to Kobe Bryant to LeBron James.

He did a selfless, remarkable job.

For his efforts, he earned $16.6 million over five years. Twice he re-signed with the team after being low-balled in negotiations. For a starter playing major minutes and making a major impact, the financial numbers are ridiculous.

Now Hill is playing for a division rival. The Suns say they don't know how it all went south. And if you listen between the lines, you can hear the disappointment in Hill's voice.

He knew the team felt compelled to move on without Nash. He wasn't thrilled with negotiations in Phoenix, where talks began around the NBA minimum ($1.3 million). He eventually signed for $1.9 million with the Clippers.

"It's interesting," Hill said. "I had dinner with (Clippers point guard) Chauncey (Billups) when I was in (Las) Vegas covering the Olympic team, and we didn't even talk about the Clippers. It didn't even come up. We hung out and talked about other things.

"And then I met with (head coach) Vinny (Del Negro) almost as a favor, just because I had known him, played against him and he had worked for the Suns my first year. I just really liked what he was saying. (But) they weren't really the team that I was looking at."

This is a touchy subject for everyone, and feelings must be hurt. When he became a player agent, Lon Babby's first NBA client was Grant Hill, who probably recruited his next 10 clients by word of mouth. Hill was also the guy who recommended Babby to Suns owner Robert Sarver, who sold Babby's reputation to a room full of skeptical players.

It's similar to what Luis Gonzalez endured with the Diamondbacks. Once, Jeff Moorad was his agent, receiving hefty commissions from Gonzalez. Then Moorad was an owner playing hardball with his former client, forcing him to finish his career with the Dodgers and Marlins.

For the athlete, that kind of change in relationship can't be easy.

"It was tough because not only did we get to the Western Conference finals (in 2009-10), but I think if you talked to anybody on that team, that was really just a special team, a special group of guys, a kind of bond that we had," Hill said. "We had talent, obviously, but there was a real connection and togetherness on the court. And then it quickly changed."

Neither Hill nor the Suns wish to elaborate on his departure. Vitriol serves no one's interests, and Babby envisions Hill rejoining the Suns' front office when he's done playing, stating, "I look forward to the day that we'll be working together again, if he wants to do that."

Still, this is a shame. Who would've better mentored Michael Beasley? Who would've been a better leader on a team that doesn't really have one at the moment?

The answer: No one.

Alas, Hill is moving on. He's participating in the Jerry Colangelo Basketball Hall of Fame Golf Classic Thursday at the Wigwam Resort, and then he'll head back to his apartment in Los Angeles, where he's now expected to help beat the Suns, and beat their former point guard.

"I really felt tremendous joy playing in the desert, for the fans and for that organization," Hill said. "I might not have been the best player. But I'm proud that I can look myself in the mirror and know that I played my hardest and gave it my all. And I think the fans appreciated how I competed and how I conducted myself off the court. I had come from a tough situation in Orlando, and to be received like I was, to be included as part of their family, was a great experience for me."

And a great experience for us. Make sure you remind Hill of that when he returns in an enemy jersey, the one he never thought he'd be wearing.

Reach Bickley at dan.bickley@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8253. Follow him at twitter.com/danbickley. Listen to "Bickley and MJ" weekdays at 2-6 p.m. on XTRA Sports 910.

19 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/articles/2012/09/18/20120918former-phoenix-sun-grant-hill-leaves-giant-legacy.html
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Champions points race likely will be tight

Sept. 18, 2012 10:48 PM
azcentral sports

Last year at San Francisco's TPC Harding Park, Tom Lehman didn't know whether he was going to win the Champions Tour's seasonlong Schwab Cup points race until the final putts dropped Sunday at the Schwab Cup Championship.

And with the points competition even tighter this year for the Schwab Cup's top prize of a $1 million annuity, Lehman figures it might be even more exciting this year when the season-ending Schwab Cup Championship moves to Desert Mountain Club's Cochise Course on Oct. 29-Nov. 4.

Mark Calcavecchia ultimately finished in a four-way tie for second behind Jay Don Blake in the tournament and, consequently, 74 points behind Lehman and also second in the points race last year.

"It was right down to the last putt," said Lehman, who appeared Tuesday along with Blake at Schwab Cup Media Day at Desert Mountain. "There was a lot of drama.

"I'm expecting the same thing this year. The Schwab Cup Championship is worth double points, so you can make a big move in a hurry. Anyone who is within 700 points of the lead probably has a chance to win, so it's going to be great."

There are currently four players within 700 points of Lehman, who again leads the standings. Blake is more than 1,500 points back, but is hoping to move closer with three tournaments still to play before the Schwab Cup Championship.

"I'm trying to stay patient with my game," he said. "I'm hitting the ball well enough. I just need to get in a rhythm and let it happen."

Blake finds himself in the unusual circumstance of defending a tournament championship on a course he has never played. The Schwab Cup Championship now is rotating between Desert Mountain and Harding Park.

And Blake probably won't get a chance to play the layout until tournament week because the Cochise Course will be closed for 60 days leading up to the tournament to ensure it is in pristine condition.

Tournament Director Ian Knight joked that Shawn Emerson, Desert Mountain's director of agronomy, promises the course will "play like the U.S. Open and putt like Augusta."

"So why am I playing?" Lehman cracked.

-- Bob Young

Colangelo Classic

Some of basketball's biggest stars and brightest personalities converge at the Wigwam Golf Resort in Litchfield Park today and Thursday for the Jerry Colangelo Basketball Hall of Fame Golf Classic.

More than 60 Basketball Hall of Famers and celebrities will be in attendance for the first annual tournament, and among those scheduled to participate are Rick Barry,Clyde Drexler and Dominique Wilkins, as well as Suns coach Alvin Gentry and former Suns forward Grant Hill.

"We've had a great response on the part of the players and the Hall of Famers, and we've had a great response from the community," Jerry Colangelo said of the tournament. "I was hopeful that we'd have a good turnout and we have exceeded that, so I'm very thankful."

Events kick off today, including USA Basketball memorabilia auctions, VIP business forums and a pairings dinner. The tournament begins at 7:30 a.m. Thursday with a shotgun start, and will be played on the Wigwam Gold, Patriot and Heritage courses.

For more information on the events, go to hoophall.com/colangelohofgolf.

-- Tyler Killian

ASU women win

The fourth-ranked Arizona State women's golf team shot a 2-over 866 (280-292-294) at the Dale McNamara Invitational in Tulsa, Okla., to take home the team championship at the tournament named for head coach Melissa Luellen's mother.

Junior Daniela Ordonez was ASU's top individual, shooting a 3-under 213 (71-71-71) to finish in second place. Junior Laura Blanco recorded the best finish of her career, finishing in a tie for sixth place with an even-par 216 (70-72-74).

Phoenix citizen committee

An ad hoc citizens' golf committee established by the Phoenix Parks and Recreation Board will be holding a series of public meetings during the next several weeks to discuss options for the city's golf program in light of the ongoing deficit of its golf courses.

All meetings begin at 6 p.m. and will feature a set presentation of financial and operational information on Phoenix golf courses and the local golf market, after which visitors will be able to ask questions and submit comments. The next meeting is set for Tuesday at the Maryvale Community Center. The following events are set for Oct. 3 at John Jacobs Elementary School, Oct. 9 at Cesar Chavez Library and Oct. 17 at Pueblo Grande Museum.

19 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/articles/2012/09/18/20120918champions-points-race-likely-will-tight.html
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What's up with former ASU track athlete Marcus Brunson

by Jeff Metcalfe - Sept. 18, 2012 10:36 PM
azcentral sports

Then: 1996 Arizona high school track champion in the 100-, 200- and 400-meter at Tempe Marcos de Niza High. Played football and ran track at Wyoming (1996-98) before transferring to Arizona State. Set ASU 100 school record (10.10 seconds) in 1999 and is former NCAA indoor 60 record holder (6.46). He was Pac-10 Male Track Athlete of the Year in 2001. Ran 100 personal record 9.99 during his professional career in 2006.

Now: Head trainer at Athletic Republic in Tempe and coach with AR Stars youth-track team. Will be inducted into the ASU Sports Hall of Fame on Saturday.

Age: 34.

Question: What's your reaction to being named to the ASU Sports Hall of Fame?

A: I wasn't expecting that at all. Not to say that I don't think that I deserved it. It was the last thing of my mind. I remember being a little kid and my dad taking me up there to look at the athletes in the Hall of Fame and just never really thought that I'd be one.

I'm starting to see how big an honor it really is. I always knew it was, but when it's you sometimes you really don't see the vastness of it until people around you start to encourage you and tell you what it's really about. It's taking it to a whole different level. I just look at the other athletes already in that Hall of Fame. To be mentioned with them is mind blowing.

Q: Are you surprised to still be ASU's 60 and 100 record holder?

A: That 60-meter record I knew would stay around for awhile because at one point it was the collegiate record. The 100, just given the talent of athletes that's come through there after me, for that to still be standing is amazing. I've talked to some of those athletes, and I always let them know I thought they were going to break it. I know they've got that guy (Ryan) Milus over there now, and that's what I've been telling him, just go ahead and shatter all those records. That's what they're made for.

The (100) record I broke was Ron Brown's, and everybody knows what kind of athlete he was. I remember growing up watching him play in the NFL. That was a major accomplishment just to break that record. I remember when I did it I was in shock. What's even crazier is how fast the time goes by. I still remember setting it. I work with kids now and they let me know how old I am all the time. But it's fun to see the new generation come up. They really don't have limitations with their idol being Usain BoltCQ and he's running 9.5 video game times. The sky is really the limit now.

Q: It seems that someone like Bolt always comes along to inspire.

A: I was a football/track athlete and in 1996 when I saw Michael JohnsonCQ set that 200-meter record that's when my whole focus shifted. That's what I want to do with my life. When he ran that 19.32, it expanded our mind to what was possible and produced a whole lot of track athletes. Bolt wasn't as big a surprise. No one saw that type of speed (for Johnson). He just pulled something out of his hat. That's just the nature of the Olympics. It brings the best out of you. I got a chance to run with Michael Johnson his last year in the game (on a relay). I was in seventh heaven.

Q: How do you look at your pro career?

A: I would have loved to make the Olympics, but I was always batting this injury or that injury. The hamstrings really hamstrung my career. But I was still able to accomplish a whole lot and made my name on the European circuit. I was fortunate enough to travel to places I never thought I'd be able to go to. I got to No. 4 in the world after coaching myself. I didn't accomplish everything I wanted to, but I'm proud and happy of what I did accomplish.

Q: Injuries held you back trying to qualify for the 2008 Olympics?

A: I sustained some injuries early that indoor season that threw off my fitness. I was still kind of scrambling trying to get ready for the Olympics Trials. I left a lot on the table because I wasn't in the best shape of my life going into that meet. I retired after the 2009 season. I got to a point where I wasn't motivated like I needed to be to compete on an international level and was ready to do something different. That's when I moved toward training the next generation of athletes. It's the perfect transition for me because it gives me an avenue to teach kids everything I've learned, good and bad. I'm there not to just show them how to run properly but to get their mind right in what kind of things to expect as they progress from level to level. That's my biggest contribution, not just technique enhancement.

Q: Is your football career still important to you?

A: I'm still friends with pretty much all the people still up there (at Wyoming) that I was friends with at the time. That's an important part and proud part of my life. I was part of that national team where we made it to the Las Vegas Bowl and took me from the small high school level to the national scene. I had an opportunity to play behind (wide receiver) Marcus Harris.CQ He gave me a lot of food for thought for what I carried over to the track.

Q: Did you transfer to ASU simply to concentrate on track?

A: I wanted to be a track athlete coming out of high school but didn't have any offers. It was like not go to school or go to school where somebody said they wanted to give you a scholarship. It was kind of financial decision really. I always had plans to run track, and that was my main goal. The success I had running track at Wyoming kind of brought ASU around to the table. The timing worked out perfectly. That was right when my dad got diagnosed with cancer so it was a good time to come back home. I was able to spend the last couple of years with him.

Q: What's it like working with youth?

A: One of the athletes (Simon Whitefield) I train won the state 100 for his division. That was pretty much like me winning the championship how excited I was. I never thought it would be like that. It was good to share it with him.

19 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/articles/2012/09/05/20120905whats-up-former-asu-track-athlete-marcus-brunson.html
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Arizona Diamondbacks' Gerardo Parra having 'hard' time with limited play

by Nick Piecoro - Sept. 18, 2012 10:21 PM
azcentral sports

On the day Gerardo Parra arrived at Salt River Fields for the start of spring training, he was upbeat and positive about the new role in which he found himself.

Forced to become the fourth outfielder, he said all the right things. That he was a team player. That he would do whatever was asked. That all he wanted was to win.

But nearing the end of a disappointing season for the Diamondbacks and in the middle of what has been a frustrating month for him, Parra sounded worn down by the way things have transpired and uncertain about what lies ahead.

"It's really hard," Parra said. "It's up to the manager to put me in the lineup."

That hasn't happened very often lately for Parra, who was on the bench again for Tuesday night's series opener against the San Diego Padres. Parra entered the game in the first inning when Chris Young reinjured his right quad.

Parra has started just four games in the month of September, largely a byproduct of the Diamondbacks giving an extended look to rookie outfielder Adam Eaton.

Throughout the season, Parra has been unwilling to talk about the difficulty of sporadic playing time, but he acknowledged it Tuesday.

"It's not easy when you're not playing every day," he said.

"Everything (is harder). Your timing (at the plate). Your legs from running. Defense in the outfield. It's not easy."

When asked about next season, Parra said he hopes the Diamondbacks find a way for him to play more regularly.

"But that's not in my hands," he said. "I don't know what will happen next year. I'll be ready for everything."

And what if they don't create a spot for him, would he want to be traded?

"I want to stay here, but if they trade me to another team where I can play every day, I'll be happy, too," he said. "But I don't think about playing for another team. I'm just thinking about playing for the D-Backs."

Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson said he's aware of Parra's frustration; the two met last week while the team was in San Francisco, not long after Eaton was summoned to the majors.

"He was disappointed," Gibson said.

"We've had four really good outfielders all year and now we have an additional one with Adam Eaton," he continued. "We want to see the difference in our lineup with (Eaton) in there. My opinion on Parra is as high it's ever been. And he's always ready to play."

The Diamondbacks are widely expected to explore trading right fielder Justin Upton and/or Young in the off-season. It's unclear whether Parra fits into their long-term plans.

After all, after Parra hit .290 last season and won a Gold Glove, the Diamondbacks still felt compelled to sign free-agent outfielder Jason Kubel to a two-year deal to take over in left field.

Parra's numbers have fallen off across the board. In 354 at-bats, he is hitting .271 with a .332 on-base and .390 slugging.

"He's pretty much never been on the bench in his career, and he comes into this season as a fourth outfielder, it's just tough for him," catcher Miguel Montero said. "He's had a great attitude. If you look at him, if he's mad or disappointed, he doesn't show it. That's a great thing. He's a great teammate. You always see him cheering for everybody."

19 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/articles/2012/09/18/20120918arizona-diamondbacks-gerardo-parra-having-hard-time-limited-play.html
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Arizona Diamondbacks' Willie Bloomquist earns award nomination

by Scott Bordow - Sept. 18, 2012 10:09 PM
azcentral sports

It's been a rough five weeks for infielder Willie Bloomquist, who has been bothered by a back injury and has made just one appearance, as a pinch-hitter, since Aug. 8.

But on Tuesday, Bloomquist had a smile on his face as he talked about being named the Diamondbacks' 2012 nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award, presented to a player who makes positive contributions to his team and his community.

"Obviously it's a huge honor. I'm really humbled by it," Bloomquist said. "For me to be the nominee for this organization is a pretty cool thing."

Since 2011, Bloomquist has hosted a Phoenix Children's Hospital patient and his/her family to a VIP day during one game of each home stand at Chase Field. Also, Bloomquist and his wife, Lisa, began the "The Abe and Max Fund," named after two patients who made a lasting impact on Bloomquist when they visited Chase Field.

The fund raises money to buy electronics and games for Phoenix Children's Hospital; it started with a $5,000 donation from the Bloomquist family.

As for his availability, Bloomquist said his back is feeling better but that he was still a few days away from baseball activities. Bloomquist conceded there's a possibility he might not play again this season.

"It's very tough for me to say I'm done for the year when we still have games left," Bloomquist said. "We'll see what the situation is at the point and time I'm able to play."

Return engagement

Trevor Bauer might be on his way back to Arizona.

The rookie right-hander, who pitched in the Triple-A championship game Tuesday, could be called up and get a major league start before the end of the season. General Manager Kevin Towers flew to Durham, N.C., to watch Bauer pitch, and a decision could come within the next couple of days, manager Kirk Gibson said.

"We think it would be beneficial for him to be back," Gibson said of Bauer, who was 1-2 with a 6.06 ERA earlier this year.

It's uncertain how Bauer would fit into the rotation. Barring injury, Ian Kennedy is scheduled to pitch the final game of the season, and Gibson said a starter's turn would have to be skipped to fit Bauer in.

"I don't know anybody that wants to miss a start but at the same time if we feel somebody should miss a start, he would be the likely choice," Gibson said.

One pitch

Chris Young, who has been bothered by a right quadriceps injury, made his first start since Sept. 3 but it didn't last long.

On the game's first pitch, Young chased down a ball hit by San Diego shortstop Everth Cabrera near the right-center field wall and immediately motioned to the Diamondbacks' bench that he needed to come out.

The short appearance continued a frustrating season for the D-Backs' center fielder. Young was hitting .410 when he went on the disabled list April 18 for a month, and after playing in 156 games each of the past two years, he won't top 110 this season.

"It sucks a little bit to get hurt a couple of times during the season," Young said. "It's my first time missing this much playing time."

Short hops

Suns' point guard Goran Dragic will throw out the ceremonial first pitch before Wednesday's game against the Padres. ... Gibson won his 200th game Sunday as Diamondbacks manager. Bob Melvin has the most victories of any Arizona manager (337), followed by Bob Brenly (303) and Buck Showalter (250). ... The Reno Aces won the Triple-A national championship game Tuesday, beating Pawtucket, 10-3. Reno becomes the third D-Backs' minor-league affiliate to win a title this year.

19 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/articles/2012/09/18/20120918arizona-diamondbacks-willie-bloomquist-earns-award-nomination.html
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2 big weeks in golf, 2 different prizes

by Doug Ferguson - Sept. 18, 2012 08:54 PM
Associated Press

ATLANTA - Two big weeks in golf could not be more different.

East Lake has the top 30 players on the PGA Tour. Medinah will have 24 of the top 35 players in the world.

One pays $10 million to the winner. The other doesn't pay a dime.

If there's a similarity between the Tour Championship and the Ryder Cup, it's the value players place on winning them.

"One is monetary, the other is pride," Steve Stricker said Tuesday. "This is playing for your year. You can do a lot of good things, and you're playing for a lot of money. Next week you're playing for something totally different. You're playing for your country, with teammates. But if you talk to any player, I guarantee they would want to win either one. It would mean a lot."

The flag-waving, foot-stomping crowd that has waited two years for the most exciting three days in golf might find this hard to believe, but the players gathered at East Lake for the FedEx Cup finale are thinking only of winning the Tour Championship.

Because that's all they can win this week.

Tiger Woods was roasted by the British press in 2002 when a World Golf Championship was staged at Mount Juliet in Ireland the week before the Ryder Cup. After taking a 1-shot lead after the opening round, Woods was asked which was more important for him to win. He chose the WGC event and its $1 million purse over taking a 17-inch gold trophy home on the team plane.

"Why? I can think of a million reasons," Woods said, a tongue-in-cheek remark that backfired.

Oddly enough, just about every Ryder Cup player at Mount Juliet felt the same way. Two different tournaments. Two important weeks. One at a time.

Justin Rose was working on his bunker play at East Lake when the rain finally gave way to patchy skies. He walked over to chat with Keegan Bradley, who was chipping out of the rough. Rose is playing in his second Ryder Cup. Bradley will be making his debut next week.

The topic?

Rose was commiserating with Bradley over the New England Patriots losing at home to the Cardinals on Sunday.

The Ryder Cup will get here soon enough.

For now, the focus is on the final event of the FedEx Cup that comes with a $10 million bonus and a five-year exemption on the PGA Tour.

This is the big conclusion the PGA Tour envisioned for the FedEx Cup, especially with this lineup of stars who occupy the top five seeds and only have to win the Tour Championship to capture the $10 million prize -- Rory McIlroy, Woods, Nick Watney, Phil Mickelson, and Brandt Snedeker. The three playoff events leading up to the Tour Championship have been nothing short of blockbuster, with all the top names on the leaderboard week after week.

And this week, anyone at East Lake still has a chance.

"It's an individual game, and that's how ultimately you're going to be remembered in this game," Rose said. "You can win the Ryder Cup and lose three of four matches, and it will be an amazing week. But I don't think you come out of it a better player. You win this week, in this scenario, you come out of it a better player."

19 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/articles/2012/09/18/20120918big-weeks-golf-different-prizes.html
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Baseball stat geeks latching on to WAR to value players

by Nick Piecoro - Sept. 18, 2012 09:40 PM
azcentral sports

The stat of the moment that best defines the player of the moment is clear in its love for the Angels' Mike Trout, expressing in no uncertain terms that Trout has been baseball's best player this season. And that it's not even close.

The stat is called Wins Above Replacement -- or WAR, for short -- and with awards talk already upon us, now might be a good time to talk about a stat you might be hearing a lot about if you follow baseball in the Internet age.

So here's what WAR does for position players: It puts a value on everything a player can do in a game, whether it's hitting a home run, stealing a base, making a far-ranging catch or going first to third on a single. You name it, WAR quantifies it.

It takes those values and adjusts them for the player's home park and his position. It also compares them to a generic player, someone who might be found waiting in Triple-A, and combines them into one number that represents how many wins he's worth above that "replacement player."

There are two sites, Fan Graphs and Baseball-Reference, that generate their own versions of the stat, and they agree: Trout is really good.

According to fWAR (internet baseball jargon for Fan Graph's WAR), Trout is worth 9.3 wins above replacement. Baseball-Reference (or bWAR) is even higher on him, pegging his value at 10.2. The closest AL player is the Yankees' Robinson Cano, who is 3.0 and 3.5 wins behind, depending on the site.

Trout has been the game's best offensive player, contributing 51.5 runs, per Fan Graphs. He's been the second-best baserunner (6.1 runs). And he's been the eighth-best defender (saving 13 runs). All of this matches up with more traditional measures. Trout is a .329 hitter with 27 homers, 45 steals and a highlight reel filled with tremendous defensive plays.

Fan Graphs writer Dave Cameron says WAR shouldn't be looked at as an end-all, be-all number, but rather a "really useful grouping mechanism." What WAR tells us about the National League this year is that Andrew McCutchen, Buster Posey and Ryan Braun are all having similar seasons, he said.

"And if you're going to pick an MVP, it should be someone out of that group," he said.

And there are skeptical people out there, and it seems much of their doubt is focused on WAR's defensive component. Fan Graphs uses Ultimate Zone Rating (UZR), a stat that requires human scorers to evaluate each defensive play individually. Cameron believes people question UZR because it can sometimes fly in the face of common beliefs.

"One of the things that we've been told is that speed and defense don't slump," he said. "I think in our minds we just believe that defense should be a constant, that good defensive players are good every day. I think the data shows that it's not true."

Sometimes WAR will spit out a number that might cause you to either want to completely disregard it or make you rethink everything, depending on your level of open-mindedness.

Take the Diamondbacks' Jason Kubel, who has an fWAR of 1.9 and a bWAR of 0.7. He ranks in the same group as Mariners second baseman Dustin Ackley, who owns a .232 average, and the Pirates' Clint Barmes, a shortstop hitting .225.

How can Kubel, a player with 29 home runs, a .514 slugging and a league-leading 13 outfield assists, be rated so harshly? Part of it, certainly, is his position and what the average left fielder tends to produce. Another part, Cameron says, is Chase Field.

"I think he's really getting dinged hard by the fact that everyone hits well at Chase Field," he said.

WAR might not be perfect, but it also might bring us closer to accurately evaluating players' performance. One thing's certain: It's the trendy stat of the moment, and you'll probably be hearing it cited more and more as the MVP debates heat up.

Reach The Heat Index at nick.piecoro@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8680.

19 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/articles/2012/09/18/20120918baseball-stat-geeks-latching-war-value-players.html
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Teams feeling the Arizona Cardinals rush

by Kent Somers - Sept. 18, 2012 09:52 PM
azcentral sports

It was big news in New England last Sunday that Stephen Gostkowski, the most accurate kicker in Patriots' franchise history, missed a 42-yard field-goal try with one second left to assure the Cardinals of victory.

But for the Cardinals, watching a reliable kicker miss was business as usual. And it provided proof more that their prowess for blocking kicks and punts might be messing with the minds of opponents.

"We put so much pressure on the field-goal teams," cornerback Patrick Peterson said. "They have to do nothing but respect what we do." - What the Cardinals do is block a lot of kicks: 15 since 2008. That's more than anyone else in the NFL. - They blocked five in 2011 and have two this year: a blocked field-goal against Seattle in the season opener and a blocked punt last week against the Patriots.

Success helps. Last week, linebacker Quentin Groves almost blocked a punt early in the game. He begged special teams coach Kevin Spencer for another opportunity. Spencer gave it to him, and Groves blocked a punt that the Cardinals turned into a touchdown.

"It's a little bit like blood in the water for sharks," Cardinals kicker Jay Feely said. "You get a little taste and you want more."

And the Cardinals believe that ability leads to more missed field goals, because opponents know they have to get to the ball quickly and get the ball high enough.

"You absolutely see it," Feely said. "You get in those situations and guys speed up, they change their technique. You worry about getting it blocked instead of focusing on the fundamentals that are going to help you make the kick."

It's a theory that's hard to prove, but the Cardinals have plenty of anecdotal evidence.

In 2010, Raiders kicker Sebastian Janikowski missed a 32-yard field at the end of the game.

Last year, 49ers kicker David Akers set an NFL record by making 44 field-goal attempts. He missed only eight -- and four of those came against the Cardinals.

Cowboys kicker Dan Bailey had made 26 consecutive field-goal tries when he missed a 49-yarder at the end of the fourth quarter.

And the Bengals Mike Nugent had missed only twice in the first 14 games last year. In the 15th, against Arizona, he missed twice.

"I'm not pretending I'm an expert on what they go through and their approach to making kicks or whatever," linebacker Paris Lenon said, "but I would liken it to basketball. If you've got a known shot blocker in your way, it might have an effect on your shot."

The Cardinals credit their success to a unique blend of talents, attitude and coaching.

Not many teams have a defensive end like 6-foot-8 Calais Campbell rushing from up the middle.

He had three blocks a year ago and the blocked field goal against Seattle was the sixth blocked kick of his career.

The Cardinals also have speed off the edges from defensive backs Patrick Peterson and rookie Justin Bethel. Bethel blocked nine kicks in college at Presbyterian, and he had three in the preseason.

Just as importantly, the other players on the field are willing to do some dirty work. That means guys such as defensive linemen Darnell Dockett and David Carter working hard to get a push up the middle. That might mean Lenon pushing Campbell from behind, maybe getting him a yard or so deeper than he would otherwise.

Lenon also makes the calls on the field and can adjust how the Cardinals rush, based on what the punt team is showing.

"People don't see the push or the guys inside," Campbell said. "I kind of just ride the stream and jump up and balance myself. I think everybody tries to block it; it just helps that I'm 6-8."

There is more than one field-goal rush call, too. Spencer has a handful that he uses, some more than others.

"We try to get matchups and find weaknesses, just like offensive and defensive coaches," Spencer said. "The guys have just bought in and I'm proud of it. And it hasn't just been pink frosting. We've won some games with these things."

Coach Ken Whisenhunt emphasizes rushing kickers, not only because of the potential big play that could result, but also a means of measuring his players' efforts.

A team that's given up won't rush a point-after attempt nearly so hard as one that isn't just going through the motions.

"You can give up on that play, especially after a touchdown," Lenon said. "It's like, 'I'm just trying to get to the sideline.' A lot of guys could approach it that way, but we don't. It's a big part of what we do."

It's an attitude that Whisenhunt and Spencer brought with them from the Steelers. Former coach Bill Cowher emphasized it as a way to measure a team's mental toughness.

"Sometimes guys are tired," Spencer said. "It could be the end of a 10-play drive. They are disappointed and sometimes guys go through the motions. We don't tolerate that here. It's a football play."

The Cardinals are Feely's fifth team and this is his 12th NFL season. He's never been with a team that emphasized blocking kicks more than the Cardinals do.

"Some coaches will say, 'Well, let's not give up a fake, let's be safe,' " Feely said.

"We're a very aggressive team. I've never heard a head coach put an emphasis on field-goal block like this team. He talks about it all the time."

No one on the Cardinals sideline felt good when Gostkowski took the field for the final kick last week. But they felt hopeful, because they had witnessed good kickers fail in that situation before.

Maybe Gostkowski just mis-hit the kick, something he might not do again this season. Or maybe he hit it poorly because he was worried about a block. Who can say?

But Spencer knows one thing.

"I thought, 'If I have to be in this situation, this is a heck of a group to be in it with.' "

Coach's corner

"That's what today's NFL is. You have to have your young guys play. Patrick (Peterson) did it for us last year a lot. David Carter did it. Sam Acho did it. Young guys have got to step up and fit in. If you can get that to happen, it builds a pretty strong team, because now those guys understand how they have to do it. Jamell is under a lot of pressure from Patrick, from some of these young players, to do it the right way. And when you see it show up on the field it makes a difference for you."

--Ken Whisenhunt when asked about rookie Jamell Fleming playing 98 percent of the defensive plays.

Stat pack

2-0 - The Cardinals are 2-0 for the first time since 2008 and for the fourth time since 1988 (2012, 2008, 1991, 1989). They haven't been 3-0 since 1974 when they won their first seven.

9 of 11 - The Cardinals have won 9 of their last 11 games. Four were in overtime. The other five were decided by fewer than five points.

62.3 - In his past four games, which included an abbreviated appearance versus the 49ers in 2011, Kevin Kolb has completed 62.3 percent of his passes with three touchdowns and no interceptions.

2 - RB Ryan Williams has fumbled in each of the two NFL games in which he's played.

1 - The Cardinals yielded one sack against the Patriots. That's fewer than in any game in 2011.

The Cardinals have blocked 15 kicks since 2008 - That's more than anyone else in the NFL.

19 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/articles/2012/09/18/20120918teams-feeling-arizona-cardinals-rush.html
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Arizona Diamondbacks finally win at home against San Diego Padres

Sept. 18, 2012 09:22 PM
Associated Press

PHOENIX -- Ian Kennedy gave up one run in eight innings for his 14th victory, Miguel Montero drove in two runs with two doubles and the Arizona Diamondbacks finally got a home win over the San Diego Padres, 3-2 on Tuesday night.

San Diego was 6-0 in Arizona this season before dropping the series opener.

Kennedy (14-11) overcame a 30-pitch first inning, scattering seven hits. A 21-game winner in 2011, Kennedy is 8-3 in his last 12 starts.

Eric Stults (6-3) gave up three runs and five hits in six innings in his first loss since June 3. The left-hander had gone 5-0 with a 2.08 ERA in seven starts since rejoining the Padres rotation on Aug. 6.

19 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/articles/2012/09/18/20120918arizona-diamondbacks-win-home-against-san-diego-padres.html
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Outside the huddle: Arizona Cardinals CB William Gay discusses QB background, girlfriend and more

by Bob McManaman - Sept. 18, 2012 09:17 PM
azcentral sports

Each week, azcentral sports spotlights a Cardinals player for a series of on-the-spot, off-beat questions.

Today: William Gay, cornerback

Question: So you were teammates at Louisville with your current teammate Kerry Rhodes. Tell me, was he as talkative then as he is now?

Answer: Yeah. Kerry is a born leader. He had that at Louisville and he had that being a quarterback back in high school. You take those characteristics from the position you played and you still keep them. He's always been a guy that motivates so I'm pretty used to it.

Q: You were a quarterback at Rickards High School in Tallahassee, Fla., weren't you?

A: I wouldn't call it a quarterback, I'd just say athlete.

Q: What do you mean?

A: When I played quarterback, the most I usually threw in a game was like six passes. They were deep throws, but I never threw the ball 20 times or anything like that. We ran the option.

Q: So you were like Michigan's Denard Robinson then?

A: Yeah, pretty much. He's a great quarterback. But when I got to Louisville, they told me they didn't need me to play quarterback, just play defensive back.

Q: I understand you have a girlfriend that's quite an athlete. She's a track star, right?

A: Yes, her name is Natasha Hastings and she runs the 400 meters. A great athlete, an Olympian. She made the 2008 team and has been on world-championship teams. She's got gold medals everywhere, just a natural-born athlete.

Q: How long have you been going out with her?

A: Two and a half years.

Q: How'd you meet her?

A: I met her down in Miami during the off-season. She was there celebrating her birthday and we ran into each other. I couldn't let her go after that.

Q: What was the one line or thing you said that made her fall for you?

A: I don't know. I was just being myself. It must have just been the swag and the demeanor that I have about myself.

Q: Confidence. Is that what it is?

A: (Laughs) I'm from Florida. That's all we do.

Q: Yeah, Darnell Dockett tells me that all the time. But hey, when you came here on your free-agent visit, you weren't so confident or cocky that you demanded to be a starter, correct? You were just willing to fill whatever role you could?

A: See, the demeanor I have, coming from where I come from, it's all about wins. You don't worry about stats. You don't worry about whether you're starting. It's about Ws , because at the end of the day, that's what the fans care about, that's what the league cares about and that's what people remember you by. They don't care if you started eight, nine 10 years. Who cares? How many games did you win? How many championships you got? That's my demeanor.

Q: The Cardinals have embraced that type of philosophy lately. Could you see some of that in this team when you signed here?

A: Well, before I even signed, I asked the head coach what direction the team was going because it starts at the top with leadership. And he (Ken Whisenhunt) told me, "We're all about wins and winning championships." That's the only thing I wanted to know. He said, "I don't care what the name is on the back of the jersey, I just want to win." When he said that, that's what brought me to the mindset where you know it's legitimate.

Q: So Coach Whiz has some swag, too, huh?

A: Yeah. Because he let me know, "I'm not promising you nothing. I'm putting the best guys on the field." I told him, "Good, that's all I can ask for."

Q: The defense has played two pretty stellar games now. How happy are you to see the progression you're making as a unit?

A: We've got a lot more to do. Going 2-0 don't say nothing about our season, so you just move on and you've got to know you've been here before, you know how to win. You've got to stay on an even keel or you're going to get knocked down by somebody. That's what you're going to see out of me all year. I'm not going to get too high and I'm not going to get too low.

Q: Tell us about the William Gay off the field that we don't know. What's he like?

A: The same. I don't change for nobody. What you see on the field is what you see off the field. Like I said, I don't get too high and I don't get too low.

Q: Yeah, but you seem really approachable and introspective about things. Do you consider yourself a deep thinker?

A: Not necessarily a deep thinker. I'm from the South so my Southern hospitality makes me approachable.

Q: If you invited me and a date over to you and your girlfriend's place, what kind if hospitality would we get?

A: First, I'm going to offer you a bottle of water to make sure you're not thirsty. And then I'll let my girlfriend entertain y'all because she knows how to entertain guests. Whatever you need, this is your house for the moment. It's not my house. I'll sit back, y'all sit back, and we'll just enjoy ourselves.

Q: Sounds great. But what if I wanted a beer instead of a bottle of water?

A: (Laughs) Ain't no beer in our house, man. We're athletes.

19 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/articles/2012/09/18/20120918outside-huddle-arizona-cardinals-cb-william-gay-discusses-qb-background-girlfriend-more.html
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ASU football getting much-needed size from Mike Pennel

by Doug Haller - Sept. 18, 2012 05:44 PM
azcentral sports

Arizona State coach Todd Graham admits: The Sun Devils need Mike Pennel.

The junior defensive tackle, who stands 6-feet-5 and 355 pounds, gives ASU much-needed size on the defensive front.

Through three games, the Sun Devils have started no one taller than 6-1. But Pennel's adjustment from Scottsdale Community College has been slow.

He played in the opener, splitting time with the first and second teams, but he missed the Illinois contest because of a team suspension. Tweeted Pennel: "I want to (apologize) to the sundevil fans and my family for letting them down this week. I will be back next week and this won't happen again."

Pennel returned in Saturday's loss at Missouri, playing a key role in ASU's four-man front. He finished with two tackles and had a quarterback hurry. Graham said he was proud of Pennel for both his performance and his approach.

"At the end of the day, there's only one way we're going to do things and for some people it comes easier than others," Graham said. "In a very short period of time, we've had a lot of newness. I'm new. We brought in a lot of new players that are playing. It's been quicker for some and not as quick for others.

"Probably the reason he hasn't played as much is I'm not going to change one single thing. We're going to have one vision as a program. Kids need that kind of structure. That's what will pay off for us down the road."

Norvell addresses rotation of quarterbacks

ASU offensive coordinator Mike Norvell on Tuesday talked with reporters for the first time since Saturday's loss.

He addressed his rotation of quarterbacks Taylor Kelly and Michael Eubank and where it failed in the Missouri loss. A portion of the exchange:

How difficult is it to determine when you put another quarterback into the game?

"I don't want the first time we work on something (to be) when we step on that field. We have a specific plan of what we want to do. We go with what we work on. That's something that didn't work out the way we wanted Saturday night. We did have a miscommunication on one of the plays in the red zone, which is totally unacceptable and we have to get that corrected as coaches. But I look back at it, the first two weeks, everything worked smoothly. The third week we come up about an inch short. It's something we need to definitely improve on."

How do your judge your performance as an offensive coordinator?

"Whether we win or we lose ... I'm extremely hard on myself, making sure I'm giving these guys the best opportunity to be successful. Obviously, when you lose there are a lot more plays you look back at (and think), 'Boy, I'd like to have this one back, I'd like to have that one,' but we got to trust what we do. Each week that we go in and work, we do a great job, I got a great staff on offense putting together a game plan for us to be successful. ... One of the biggest disappointments in (Saturday's game) is that we started off slow. We turned the ball over, the punt, the interception, those things really set us back. And then it was 17-0 and I think our guys just started to press a little too much. They missed a couple progressions, missed going through their reads. Those are things that we can't have."

If a quarterback is in a good rhythm, how does that factor into your decision making?

"It's a feel. As we're rolling down the field, there are certain times that I've had in my mind that I wanted to put Eubank in, and I decided not to because Taylor was rolling. There's been times in the earlier games that I wanted to start off with Eubank and then get Taylor in during the middle of the series. But if Eubank gets rolling, I try to leave those guys so they can do that. The situation in the game the other night, we were moving the ball down the field and we got inside the 3, and we had a set plan that we wanted to do what we had worked on (in practice). It came up a few inches short."

News, notes and observations

Change could be coming among ASU's starting receivers.

Freshman Richard Smith and junior Kyle Middlebrooks had first-team reps, long with junior Kevin Ozier, for the portion of practice that media were allowed to observe. (About three plays.) Two we haven't seen much of this season: juniors Alonzo Agwuenu and J.J. Holliday. At times in preseason camp, both ran with the first-team. For the first two weeks of camp, Holliday drew praise from both Graham and receivers coach DelVaughn Alexander. Both players were on the field late in Saturday's loss at Missouri, the through three weeks, they have have a combined one catch.

Tuesday, Graham was asked what they need to to do get on the field. His response: "One of the big things I try to tell them is that they're going to run 3.2 miles in practice every day. You can run it full speed and get better. Our guys have never seen that, so they don't know that they're not where they need to be in practicing. They look at me sometimes like, 'What are you talking about?' But the reason why we have trouble with some of the timing of our passes -- and this is not something that happened last week, this was in Week 1. On Game Days, we're running a different speed. You can't do that. You have to practice a timing offense full speed every day. And that's something we have not mastered yet. That's something they have to understand. ... Our rhythm passing game is the least to catch hold right now. It's been all run, play-action pass and those types of things. We need to get that going."

ASU is looking at changes on special teams, too.

Graham said senior Charles Beatty may join the kick-off cover unit and walk-on Andy Garcia likely will see more action. Don't know Garcia? That's because he just joined the team two weeks ago when the roster expanded. A 2009 graduate of Nogales High, Garcia was an all-state running back as a junior and an all-state receiver as a sophomore. After spending time at Pima Community College, he transferred to ASU. In Saturday's loss, Garcia not only traveled, which is rare for a walk-on, he also played as a gunner on the kick-off team. He practiced there again Tuesday.

"He showed some good things," Graham said. Junior linebacker Grandville Taylor, sophomore Marcus Washington, junior linebacker Brandon Johnson, and junior receiver Kyle Middlebrooks also could have bigger special-teams roles.

Offensive line coach Bob Connelly's assessment of the line in Saturday's loss: "We didn't do good enough. We didn't control the line of scrimmage. We let the noise get to us. The silent count got us. We were late off the ball. Our eyes weren't where they needed to be because of the anticipation of the snap count. We had five off-sides penalties, which obviously is not acceptable, period. And we didn't run the ball like we needed to."

The reserve offensive lineman who's shown improvement: sophomore tackle Tyler Sulka."He's the guy that's probably improved the most since fall camp," Connelly said. The offensive-line coach said sophomore guard Sil Ajawara also has earned more playing time.

Senior linebacker Brandon Magee pointed out that last Saturday marked the first time he has played every defensive snap since the Arizona game in 2010. "I was a little tired after (the Missouri game)," said Magee, who missed last season with an Achilles injury. He didn't play much in Week 1 because of the lobsided score and missed the Illinois win because of a concussion.

Follow me at Twitter.com/DougHaller.

19 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/articles/2012/09/18/20120918asu-football-getting-much-needed-size-from-mike-pennel.html
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