bullets13

as a Texas fan... i'd be upset. it's not gonna happen, though.

wow, that's a bit of a shocker... HJ is definitely showing some growing pains this year.

pretty good game brewing!

SYDNEY, Australia -- John Daly smashed a spectator's camera into a tree while shooting a 6-over 78 in the first round of the Australian Open on Thursday, making it likely he will miss the cut for the third consecutive week Down Under. After pushing his tee shot wide on the ninth hole -- his last -- Daly walked into a clump of trees, where spectator Brad Clegg tried to take a picture at close range. Daly snatched the camera and smashed it against the nearest tree, telling the man, "You want it back, I'll buy you a new one." He later released a statement via tournament organizers saying Clegg got too close. "I was looking to take a drop and a camera was 6 inches away from my face. If I was 10 under, I would have felt the same," Daly said in the brief statement. "My eyes are still burning from the flash of the camera. "I feel it was very rude to put a camera that close to somebody's face in any situation. The guy that had the camera had already taken a dozen shots at close range." Without saying another word, Daly took his penalty drop, finished the hole with a bogey and stormed off the course immediately after signing his card. Asked if he would seek compensation, Clegg told the Australian Associated Press: "I don't think I'll be chasing him for the money. He's a big bloke!" Daly, who missed the cut at the Australian Masters and the PGA in the last two weeks and is being paid an appearance fee for his three-tournament trip to Australia, had three double bogeys, three bogeys and four birdies. Clegg said he didn't think he provoked Daly by going so close. "I was bold, but I wasn't unreasonable," Clegg said. Terms and conditions for tickets at the Australian Open prohibit the use of cameras on the course for spectators. Tournament director Trevor Herden told reporters the episode was "an unfortunate incident," but Daly would not face sanctions and confirmed the 42-year-old American would tee off in the second round on Friday. PGA of Australasia commissioner Ben Sellenger said the tour has the power to impose a fine or other sanctions, but this will remain confidential. "We're reviewing the incident to see if any action is appropriate," Sellenger said. Herden said he spoke to Clegg and the spectator realized he should not have been using the camera without proper accreditation. Organizers offered Clegg tickets for the weekend, but he declined. Daly is sensitive about cameras on the course, having required surgery earlier this year to fix a torn muscle in his stomach that he said he injured at the Honda Classic in 2007 when he tried to stop his swing after hearing the click of a fan's camera. Daly is making his first visit to Australia since 2002, when he left in controversial circumstances. After taking a triple-bogey 7 on his last hole at the Australian PGA at Coolum that year, Daly threw his putter and ball into a greenside pond and later failed to sign for a 78 on his scorecard, disqualifying himself from a tournament. Daly was later fined $5,600 by the Australasian PGA Tour and was ordered to write a letter of apology to a tour official he verbally abused, and to Craig Parry and his other playing partner, Greg Norman. Daly is trying to finish a difficult year on a positive note. He spent a night in jail on Oct. 27 after being found "extremely intoxicated and uncooperative," police said, outside a Hooters restaurant in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Daly hasn't had a PGA Tour card since 2006, when his two-year exemption expired from his last victory at the Buick Invitational in 2004. He made only five cuts in 17 starts on the PGA Tour this year and earned $56,000. His only bright spot in the past month was a final-round 62 at the Hong Kong Open en route to a 17th-place tie.

LAS VEGAS -- The New York Mets overhauled their much-maligned bullpen with two big moves Wednesday, obtaining J.J. Putz from Seattle as part of a three-team, 12-player trade that gives them a set-up man for new closer Francisco Rodriguez. Hours after completing a $37 million, three-year contract with Rodriguez, New York dealt seven players -- six to the Mariners and one to Cleveland -- to get three back in a huge swap at the winter meetings. "All I kept on hearing in the streets of New York when you go get bagels in the morning was, 'Omar, please address the bullpen,'" Mets general manager Omar Minaya said. "Well, to all you Mets fans, we've addressed the bullpen." New York shipped reliever Aaron Heilman, outfielder Endy Chavez, lefty Jason Vargas and three minor leaguers to the Mariners for Putz, center fielder Jeremy Reed and reliever Sean Green in the first trade by new Seattle general manager Jack Zduriencik. Promising outfielder Franklin Gutierrez was sent from the Indians to Seattle. Cleveland got reliever Joe Smith from the Mets and 23-year-old second baseman Luis Valbuena from the Mariners. "It helps all of us," Zduriencik said. An All-Star in 2007 when he saved 40 games, Putz was 6-5 with a 3.88 ERA and 15 saves in 23 chances last season when he missed long stretches with rib cage and elbow injuries. But Minaya wasn't concerned about the pitcher's health, saying New York had a scout at his final game of the season and Putz maintained a 98-99 mph velocity. "It's about winning championships," Minaya said. "I've always said it's about the team and putting teams first and going for that ring. To win, you've got to sacrifice yourself." Before the trade was announced, Putz's agent, Craig Landis, said the right-hander wanted to remain a closer. But Minaya said he spoke with Putz, who was excited about his new team and role. "It's a new challenge and I'm excited about it," Putz said, according to the Seattle Times. "I'm going to a new team that's going to be very competitive. Frankie's a great closer and with Sean Green going as well, we should have a great bullpen." The Indians had been interested in acquiring Putz before nearing a two-year contract with free-agent closer Kerry Wood, who needed to take a physical before that deal could be finalized. Once the Indians closed in on Wood, the three-team trade came together quickly. "We dealt from an area of depth," Cleveland GM Mark Shapiro said, referring to his club's young outfielders. The key to the deal for Seattle was Gutierrez, who batted .248 with eight homers and 41 RBIs. A skilled defender, he played right field in Cleveland because the Indians have All-Star Grady Sizemore in center. "That's one of the things that we wanted to do is make our defense stronger," Zduriencik said. "I think it's helped us shore up our prospect status." Zduriencik said it was uncertain who would close for Seattle and too early to determine what role Heilman would have. Heilman was inconsistent in his set-up role with the Mets and would prefer to be a starter. He was 3-8 with a 5.21 ERA last season and was among the bullpen culprits as New York folded in September for the second straight season. When Billy Wagner got hurt, the rest of the relievers struggled as they tried to adjust to different roles. "We've proven that sometimes, unfortunately, one closer is not enough," Minaya said. Smith, a submarine-style right-hander who gets plenty of grounders, was 6-3 with a 3.55 ERA. "Joe Smith clearly goes right in the major league bullpen as a guy we've had long-term interest in," Shapiro said. "A different look, complements our 'pen well. We think he can be an important part of the back end of a 'pen." The three minor leaguers New York sent to Seattle were first baseman Mike Carp, right-hander Maikel Cleto and outfielder Ezequiel Carrera. Putz will earn $5.3 million next season, and the Mets inherit an $8.9 million option for 2010 with a $1 million buyout. New York had 29 blown saves in 72 chances this year, and its 4.25 bullpen ERA ranked 13th in the NL. "To get one closer like Frankie would have been a good winter. I think to get two guys like this is a great winter," Minaya said.

GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- New York Knicks guard Cuttino Mobley retired from the NBA on Thursday because of a heart disease that he said has gotten worse. Mobley said doctors told him he faced significant risks if he kept playing. The 11-year veteran said by walking away now, he could live a normal life. Mobley announced his decision at a press conference at the Knicks' training center, where he confirmed he has hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and said he had no choice but to end his career. "The specialists I've seen made it clear that my heart condition has gotten worse and I couldn't continue to play professional basketball without putting my health and life in serious danger," Mobley said. "As much as I want to keep playing in the NBA, I have no choice but to follow the advice of my doctors and step away from the league." The Knicks acquired Mobley last month from the Los Angeles Clippers. He never played for the Knicks after his physical exam and subsequent visits with specialists showed his condition was worse than previously thought. "The doctors said to not chance it and I feel as though they're right, having an 8-year old son, having a long life ahead of me, it's the smart thing," Mobley said. "It's a tough thing to swallow, but things in life happen, but you have to keep going." Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

anybody know of any road closings?

don't take this the wrong way, but... I HATE YOU. ;D gotta go to sleep, goodnight everyone!

i guess i still have to go teach tomorrow, huh?

we've got a ton! i've been outside for about two hours freezing my butt off. we made a pretty sweet snowman though.

it's been snowing HARD in the west end of beaumont for almost two hours!!!! we have a serious dusting here, and it's even sticking well on the concrete!!! this is awesome! i feel like a little kid

dang... nothing spells class more than a waffle house dinner in the snow ;D

man, i hate the yankees. maybe CC can turn into the next Carl Pavano

it's finally pooping out little snow kernels here.

sitting in beaumont... my friend a mile away is getting sleet/snow, i'm just getting rain

SHSU beat Texas Tech in Lubbock. What did they do? Bobby Knight gave us a 2 for 1. He loves Bob Marlin and a few of the other mid-major coaches in the region. BM is one of the coaches he took under his wing. BK took the SHSU coaching staff out to eat with his own when he came to Huntsville. What a class act! you left out where BK got mad about the poor service and threw the waiter through a window

pretty funny stuff

i just read the HJ/LCM article, and something jumped out at me... and i quote: "The Bears had one desperation shot with 0.85 left but Gonzales had to take a wild shot with two Hawks all up in his grill." was that really posted in the newspaper? The orange leader is given credit for the article.

i remember troop... he was the real deal as well.

no, of course not. do we expect smaller schools, or impoverished districts to spend thousands and thousands of dollars to put it in. Then we have to pay another official to operate it. absolutely not!

it sounds like either way Stowers isn't making a stink about it. he appears to be handling the situation with class.

67-58, FINAL!!!!! Texas in the top 5? soon

65-58, timeout, Texas ball

64-55, 36.2 left, Abrams to the line. Texas will be 7-1 with their only loss by one point to top-ten Notre Dame, and wins against #9 UCLA and #11 Villanova!!!

Texas ball, 1:03 left. Texas leads 63-55, but has missed 5 straight freethrows or this one would be beyond a doubt!