Little League Cinderella Stopped Before Anything Started

This is crazy. The 2011 Little League World Series starts August 18th in South Williamsport, PA. 8 US teams and 8 international teams qualify for the tournament. In the LLWS's 65 year history there has been no team to qualify for Africa. But this year the Reverend John Foundation Little League Team from Uganda won the Middle East-Africa Region. However, tragedy struck the team yesterday as the US State Department rejected some their visa applications. 

Map of Uganda

Uganda's flag

Here's a background check on Uganda. It's capital is Kampala, which is also the home of the Rev. John Foundation Team. Uganda has two national languages, english and swahili. There s an estimated 34 million residents living in Uganda. It gained independence from the UK in 1963. It has an area of 236,040 km.

Here is what State Department spokesman Mark Toner said about the situation,"It is a difficult situation, I won't deny it. But you know, these cases are adjudicated by consular officials who look very closely at all the appropriate data, and they make their decisions based on that."

And here is what Stephen Keener, Little League Baseball and Softball President, said, "It is unfortunate, as we were very much looking forward to welcoming the first African team to the Little League Baseball World Series."

No, Steve, it is not unfortunate, it is tragic. The reasoning from the State Department was discrepancies in the Ugandans player's documents. What do you expect. It is hard to find and make these documents since some of their parents and guardians are illiterate and birth certificates are scarce. You can't blame the players. They don't play for money, they play for fun. What should be the 1st African team to play in the LLWS, Uganda was first introduced to baseball 8 years. They don't own any of the equipment. Just let them play.

This is like a cinderella story like never before. I believe LLB&S should fight for this teams right to play and come to the US. But even if they can't, the 2011 Little League Baseball World Series should not have a replacement for the Rev. John Foundation Team. The Uganda team should be the only team to represent the Middle East-Africa Region whether they play or not.

These kids from Kampala, Uganda should play in the Little League Baseball World Series

Grades For Two Crazy Days in the NFL

What a day in football! So many trades, so many moves, and so many questions that we are still wondering about. But in this post we will grade the big moves from yesterday and today.

The Eagles are making their push for a
title by getting Nnamdi

Asomugha signs with the Eagles                Grade: A++++

The Eagles are so lucky they got the best player in all of free agency, CB Nnamdi Asomugha. They are making their defensive better by 100,000%. That is all you need to know

Haynesworth is traded to the Patriots           Grade: B

The Patriots surprised the world twice. They traded not only for Ochocinco, but for DL Albert Haynesworth. To get the big D-Lineman all they need to give the Redskins a 2013 5th Round Pick. This is a good deal because the Pats need pass rush help and Haynesworth puts pressure on the QB. I just wonder if Haynesworth will put the work in.

Ochocinco is traded to the Patriots              Grade: A-

Ochocinco finally get his chance to win a Super Bowl.

The Patriots surprised everyone by trading for WR Chad Ochocinco. They need just to give Cincinnati a 2012 5th Round draft Pick and a 2013 6th Round Draft Pick to get the 4 time All-Pro. Ochocinco also restructured his contract to fit New England's cap. This is another Bill Bellacheck genius  move. The Patriots need a big time receiver who can go deep and Chad can be that guy. I also think Ochocinco will toned his antics down because he really wants to win a title.

Kolb is traded to the Cardinals                      Grade: A+

Kevin Kolb is no longer a back up. The Eagles traded him to the Cardinals for CB Dominque Rogers-Cromartie (Who will team up with Asomugha in the secondary) and 2012 2nd Round Pick. This deal is smart for both teams. The Cardinals needed a quarterback badly. Last year, the QBs that played for Arizona were horrible. Kevin will fit the need.

Bush is traded to the Dolphins                     Grade: A

Reggie Bush is taking his talents to South Beach

Reggie Bush's contract was too much for the Saints. They traded him to the Dolphins. The Dolphins needed to get a running back since Ronnie Brown is a free agent. Bush will work well in Miami. He will be the player the Dolphins want.

Joseph signs with the Texans                      Grade: A

What held the Houston Texans back last year, pass defensive. The secondary was dreadful. To fill that hole they decided to get Jonathan Joseph. Joseph was in the top 3 for conerbacks on the market. He will immediately make an impact.

Sproles signs with the Saints                       Grade: B

After trading away Reggie Bush the Saints got Darren Sproles. This deal is a needed one but I don't think it will make a big difference. Sproles is just like Reggie Bush, a running back who can run the ball, catch the ball, and be the kick returner. 

Beltran moves from New York to San Fran

Carlos Beltran is moving across the country 

The speculation has ended. Outfielder Carlos Beltran is moving away from the New York Mets, the team he has been with since 2005. The new home of Beltran is the Bay Area. The New York Mets traded Beltran to the Giants for pitching prospect Zach Wheeler. This deal is smart for both team. 


Since the Buster Posey injury, the one thing the San Francisco Giants lack is a good hitter who can hit for power and contact. The team leaders in home runs, 1B Aubrey Huff and 3B Pablo Sandoval, have 9 homers. Huff also is the team leader in RBIs with 47, 10 more then the next player. No one has more then 90 hits.


Beltran fills that void. He is very good hitter with good speed and a good glove. He is hitting .289, 15 HRs, 66 RBIs, and 102 hits. That is major upgrade. Beltran can play any outfield spot so Giants manager can pick and choose where Beltran will play. Carlos will make the defending champions a lot better.

Zach Wheeler

The Mets, however, got the better part of the deal. They knew they weren't going to resign Beltran at the end of the year, when his contract is up. They knew they had to get rid of him. But they needed to receive a very good player in return. Wheeler was that player.


Zachary Wheeler was the 6th pick in the 2009 MLB Draft. Before the trade he was playing in the Giants High Class A team, the San Jose Giants. Wheeler is 6 foot, 3 inches and weighs 180 pounds. The 21 year old righty has many years in his career. 


The Mets do not have much good pitching, with the exception of Johan Santana, who hasn't played all year. Zach will help the Mets in the future with that problem. He is expected to be a very good major league player.


All in all, the Giants made a smart move in getting Carlos Beltran but the Mets got the better part of the deal in receiving Zach Wheeler.

NFL Free Agency and MLB Trade Deadline

Colby Rasmus is heading to Toronto

Cards Receive Pitching From Toronto After Toronto Traded With the White Sox 


The St Louis Cardinals have traded starting centerfielder Colby Rasmus, southpaws Trevor Miller and Brian Tallet, and right PJ Walters to the Toronto Blue Jays for outfielder Corey Patterson and pitchers Edwin Jackson, Octavio Dotel, and Mark Rzepczynski. A few hours earlier the White Sox traded righty Edwin Jackson and 3B Mark Teahen to the Blue Jays for Pitchers Jason Frasor and Zach Stewart. The reason for the St Louis-Toronto deal is simple. The Cardinals need pitching to make the playoffs. Rasmus is the key here. Toronto wouldn't make the deal if Rasmus wasn't in the deal. He will outfield depth, a good bat, and play good defensive.

Wil Nieves is switching teams and divisions 

Braves Trade For Catcher Nieves


The Atlanta Braves have received catcher Wil Nieves from the Milwaukee Brewers. The reason for this trade is because Braves All-Star Catcher Brian McCann has been placed on the 15 day disabled due to a strained oblique. 






Santonio Holmes Signs With The Jets

Santonio Holmes Is staying In Green and White

Star wideout Santonio Holmes has resigned with the New York Jets. The deal is 5 year, $50 million with 24 million guarantied. Due to the deal, it is unlikely that they will resign free agent WR Braylon Edwards. The Jets made the right move resigning Holmes who is a better receiver then Edwards.

Matt Hasselback

Hasselback Heads To Tennessee, Seattle, Buffalo, and Cincinnati Get QB's

The Tennessee Titans. The Seattle Seahawks signed Tavaris Jackson as a possible replacement for Hasselback. The Bills have signed QB Tyler Thigpen and the Bengals have signed QB Bruce Gradkowski.


DeAngelo Williams Resigns With Carolina

DeAngelo Williams 

Carolina will pay DeAngelo Williams $43 million over 5 years to keep him in Carolina. This is a great deal for Carolina. They keep one of the best backfields together (Williams and Jonathan Stewart). Carolina's Dynamic Duo will be joined by number 1 overall pick Cam Newton, who was a top rusher in college.


San Diego Gets Former Defensive Pro Bowlers
The San Diego Chargers have picked up 2 time Pro Bowlers, linebackers Takeo Spikes and saftey Bob Sanders. Signing these two defenders is a smart move by the Chargers, who usually have a weak defense.

The NFL Lockout is Over: What are the Top 3 Things to Look Out For

Today is great day in sports. The NFL Lockout is over. Football is back. You will remember where you were when you heard the NFL Lockout was over. It is that kind of day. Now that the lockout is over we don't have to worry about not having a season. However it is going to be a crazy couple of weeks. With so much to do and so much to figure out, surprises will happen left and right. Looking ahead, here are my 3 things to look out for in the next couple weeks.


3. Players Being Cut To Fit The Cap

Reggie Bush's Contract Means He Will Probably Be Cut By The Saints

Due to the new cap of 120 million many players with large contracts will need to be renegotiated so teams can be under the cap. If they can not reach a deal, the player will have to be released. One of the players that will most likely be released is Reggie Bush. Bush's $11,000,000 contract is way too much with the new salary cap and for his lack of production during his career. The future of Bush and others are in question thanks to the new salary cap.

2. How will the Rookies Fair?

12th Pick Christian Ponder Is The
Player Most Efferted By The Lockout

Since players have not been able to talk with their head coaches, work out with team trainers, and get advise from position coaches. Most don't even have play books. Who does this effect the most...Rookies. They need to learn the new play book, master plays, meet and befriend new teammates and coaches, earn their coaches trust, learn how to handle the media, and much, much more. They also need to structure their contracts, which will give them sustancially less money then last years draft picks due to the new CBA. The rookie under the most pressure is the 12th pick in the 2011 Draft, quarterback Christian Ponder. Ponder, who went to the Minnesota Vikings, is epected to be their starter if they cannot sign another quarterback. If they cannot get another QB, Ponder will be under a lot of pressure.


1. The Courting of Nnamdi Asomugha 

Nnamdi Asomagha won't be wearing Raiders Black and Silver,
Soon we will find out his new colors.

Nnamdi Asomugha is not only the beat free agent available but is the best defensive back in the league. We know he will not return to Oakland which means he will be a free agent. His numbers do not back it up, but there is a reason for that. No quarterback dares to throw his way. If a QB does, it will not end good. Asomugha is the ultimate shutdown cornerback. All 32 teams want Nnamdi. Since he is one of the smartest players in the league (He is a grad of Cal Berkley) he will easily fit into a new system. However not all of them can afford the money he will get. Top contenders to get him are the Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys, and New York Jets. However a team I think that has a good possibility of getting Asomugha are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They have a lot of cap room and since Aqib Talib is having legal issues and Ronde Barber not getting any younger, the Bucs look like a good spot he said that.

The New Winnipeg Jets Logo

The New Winnipeg Jets released their logo on Friday. True North Sports & Entertainment, the owner of the Jets, decided they wanted a new logo. With a new logo there would be no chance of having one of the 4 logos the original team wore. The color scheme was also in question. Would it stay the same or would their be new colors?

Well the logo was worth the wait for Jets and Hockey fans. The logo is easily one of the better ones in the NHL. The logo starts with a small gray circle. Then inside of the gray circle is a big blue circle. A gray jet is in the middle of that with the top of the jet heading north. Part of the blue circle at the top is cut-off to fit the jet. Underneath the jet is a maple leaf in red.

On the left is the Jets Primary Logo, on the top right is the secondary logo and the bottom right is the script logo.

The new Jets logo is much better then the 4 original Jets logos. Their original logo, which was used from 1972-1974, was not very well made and is easily the worst one of the Jets logos. The 2nd and 3rd primary logos are pretty much the same. The only difference is the 2nd Jets logo's red is lighter then the 3rd logo. I like the 3rd logo as the best of the original Jets 4 logos. The last logo was is a fine logo that had no flaws but does not have any interesting and exciting features either.

The 4 Original Jets Primary Logos

In conclusion, the new Winnipeg Jets have a great new logo that is superior to those of the past and shows the Jets are ready to play.

Why and Where One of the Best Shortstops In Baseball Could Possibly End Up?

With the MLB Trade Deadline approaching, fans and players a like are waiting to see the big deals. Many stars including Padres Closer Heath Bell and Mets Outfielder Carlos Beltran are expected to be wearing new uniforms when August hits. Marlins Shortstop Hanley Ramirez is someone who didn't expect to here rumors about him moving. However, the rumors have circulated  that he will be moved.

Hanley Ramirez is not a favorite of the Marlins Front Office,
is this a sign of a trade yet to come.

How? Jeff Conine appeared on The Dan Le Betard Show show Friday. Conine is a special assistant to Marlins President David Samson. When asked about if he would trade Hanley, Jeff said, "If it were up to me, probably." It didn't stop their, Conine continued to talk about Ramirez, which included him say he gets frustrated with Ramirez "on a nightly basis" and "I think there are some nights where he doesn't try as hard as he should." 


What does this mean for the 3-Time All-Star. Does he stay in Florida or does he move on. There is no other news on Ramirez moving on. His contract is a problem. Hanley is in the 3rd year of a 6 year, 70 million dollar deal. He makes 11 million this year and then 15 million next year, 15.5 in 2013, and 16 in his final year. Who can pick up that contract and who would take that risk.

Will the Pirates be the next home of Hanley Ramirez?
I believe it is the best fit for Hanley.

One team come to mind as a perfect fit, the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates are in the pennant race for the 1st time since 1992. They need a bat to add to thier line-up that has no power hitter. Pittsburgh only has one hitter who has  more then 10 HR's (Pirates Star Outfielder Andrew McCutchen with 14.) Hanley could be that bat. He has had 20+ homers the last 4 years. 


The starting Shortstop for "the Bucs" is Ronny Cedeno. He is batting .256, 2 HR's, and 24 RBI's. Hanley, who is coming off a bad start to the season is starting to heat up. Even thought he is having an off year, Hanley is a big upgrade to the Pirates.


The Pirates have one of the best farm systems in baseball and I think they would be willing to give up prospects for Hanley.


All in all, if Hanley Ramirez is going to move teams I think the Pirates are the right place for him.