September 3, 2010
The Tenzone
It was about midnight the other night. I was standing out on my back patio allowing my black and tan mini dachshund and my overweight cockapoo a little time for bladder relief. And that smell was in the air. No, it wasn't the refinery. It was the smell of Fall.
It just so happens that I was enjoying an adult beverage and gazing at Orion. The lovely combination of flavor and smell always takes me back to one specific place: 1110 Gerald Avenue in Missoula. As a college freshman at the University of Montana I joined the Sigma Chi Fraternity, where during the fall, we spent our evenings sitting on the six-foot brick fence, enjoying adult beverages, and flirting with the co-eds. Those days remind me of my first bit of adult freedom...and football. So every time I throw one back in the calm Montana eve, I'm right back sitting on that fence, gazing on my pals in search for their next girlfriend, and getting ready for the next morning and the Griz game. That was 17 years ago now. My future bride and I spent last weekend at the Seeley Lake cabin of a great friend from those fraternity days. It was the first time the two had met and the first story he told her was one from my freshman year. (Thankfully, he didn't tell her the embarrassing ones!) Needless to say, the start of the football season always makes me a bit nostalgic. The Griz won their first national title during my college years. I recall the Walter Payton Award celebratory ceremony at Dahlberg Arena when Dave Dickenson was named National Player of the Year. They played for the national title twice in my four years at UM. Now, I'm starting my seventh season of covering the Griz for KFBB. They played for the title again my first year at the Fun Station. And of course, the last two seasons they did as well. I'm looking forward to seeing how things go in 2010. And I'm really looking forward to that smell...and that taste. JN 9/2/10 
I love the game of baseball. It’s the best way to get your sports-fill throughout the summer. But when you start to see those big, yellow, magic school buses roll down your street in the morning, you begin to get that giddy school-girl feeling from the depths of your stomach… football season is near.
Just days ago, the high school football season kicked off… a couple more days, all of the college ranks will be underway… and a few more days after that, the NFL. It’s like having three birthdays in one month. I got my first taste of Montana high school football this past weekend. I traveled up to Havre, to cover the Blue Ponies as they played host to Whitefish. Honestly, I couldn’t believe what I saw. Whitefish was on top 21-10 by the end of the first quarter. Then the switch was flipped… Havre went onto score 56 unanswered points, and won 66-21. That’s pretty insane. I have yet to experience an official 6-man or 8-man game (can’t wait for this Friday!), but the way the points were flying up on the scoreboard, that’s what it felt like. And as a sports reporter, you aren’t complaining. While I’m one for the more-than-occasional defensive battle, touchdowns and more touchdowns make for some pretty good highlights… and I had plenty to choose from. Add all those touchdowns to the Blue Ponies’ student section, and it was a great way to kick off the 2010 season. Kudos to the young men and women in the stands that help created enough noise to cause multiple Whitefish false starts. That’s not only passion for your team, but it’s also knowing how the 12th man can actually influence the final outcome. Oh football, how I’ve missed you so… -Zac 
Her divorce is final and she’s ready to talk. Elin Nordegren breaks her nine-month silence in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE magazine. “I have been through the stages of disbelief and shock, to anger and ultimately grief over the loss of the family I so badly wanted for my children,” she says in the magazine’s latest issue, out just days after her split from Tiger Woods was made official… In 19 hours over four visits to her Windermere, Fla., rental home, Nordegren shared never-before-seen personal photographs and opened up to PEOPLE about the emotional roller coaster she’s been on, her life as a mother to Sam, 3, and Charlie, 19 months, and her hopes for the future. … She tells the magazine this was her first – and last – interview, as she intends to remain a private person. (excerpt from People)
### On the one hand, I do feel bad for Elin. I’ve read excerpts from the interview and she’s totally believable when she says she wanted none of this. And that she was completely blindsided by the fact that the guy she was living with was out with every lady he came across. I get that. She’s a human being and a mother and I’m sure it’s humiliating for her to have her personal life implode around her like this. On the other hand, PEOPLE admits that Elin and her publicist contacted them about doing this interview, not the other way around. I mean, why? If she’s so embarrassed and traumatized by it all, why pick the scab all over again? Why open up your personal life to the scrutiny if all you really want is to “remain a private person”? See, this is something I don’t get about celebrities. They act like it’s a burden to be famous, but when it suits their purposes, they want to expose their private lives like Adrian Grenier in Entourage this season. Sorry, sister. It doesn’t work like that. I have to think Elin had an ulterior motive here. Either simple revenge or to promote herself for some kind of a post-divorce career or a book deal or something. There is no chance that we have heard the last of her. -Ben 
When I first heard about Twitter, my first thought was – naturally - about the possibilities that having 140 characters to work with will open up for writing extended Haikus. Here’s my first crack:
What is this nonsense A new social media To tell people things. Twittering is lame. Why would anyone do this. I’d rather eat paste. Buuuuut what a difference an open mind (and a career in media) makes… I mean, have you TRIED Twitter? It’s terrific! For a guy like me with an attention span clocked at 2.3 seconds; the constant flow of information and updates satisfies my never-ending need for brain stimuli. And, now that I understand the lingo (@, #, RT, etc.), I’m taking my tweeting skills to the next level. My current followers – all 17 of them – are about to get more Helena sports updates and random musings/observations than they could ever POSSIBLY need. Twitter is about keeping your finger on the pulse of the world… And that’s what you can expect from KFBB sports tweets. If there’s breaking sports news… you’ll know about it. Instantly. If we see a Top-10 worthy play… you’ll read about it. In detail. If a coach/player says something profound… we’ll quote it. In quotes. So in a shameless follower grab - please follow me on twitter.. @TWylieSPORTS Thanks for reading TW 
The last-place Seattle Mariners fired manager Don Wakamatsu on Monday, more than halfway through a season that began with a boosted roster and hopes of making the playoffs for the first time since 2001. There were rumblings that Wakamatsu and general manager Jack Zduriencik weren't on speaking terms. Folks, it is very tough to run the operation smoothly when the manager and boss are not talking. The key to every relationship is communication.
This off-season the M's went out and made big changes to the roster by adding former Cy-young winner Cliff Lee, second baseman Chone Figgins, Brand League to the pen and Casey Kotchman over at first. These moves coupled with the Angels losing John Lackey, Figgins, and Vladimir Guerrero created expectations that clearly weren't realistic. Even though this season has gone backwards, fear not M's fans for the future isn't as bad as you might expect. Assuming the team gets the correct man in here to run the managerial position of course. Braves manager Bobby Cox, Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston and Cubs manager Lou Piniella have all announced they will retire after the season. Speculation on a replacement for Wakamatsu is sure to begin with former Rangers and Mets manager Bobby Valentine, currently working for ESPN after a successful stint managing the Chiba Lotte Marines in Japan. Regardless on who they decide to go with, the foundation is set. Lets take a quick look at what the future of the Mariners could look like. Catcher- Adam Moore- His power potential is limited, his plate discipline is just alright, and his defense could still use some refining, particularly with receiving. But he's a solid defensive catcher with some hitting ability, and it shouldn't be surprising to anyone if he emerges as Seattle's everyday catcher in somewhat short order. First Base- Justin Smoak- The prize return in the Cliff Lee to Texas deal. And in a place like Safeco Field that absolutely kills right-handed hitters, having someone who can hit from the left side is a big plus. When you deal an ace, you presumably want to get a potential star in return, generally speaking. I think that the M's definitely did that by acquiring Smoak. Second Base- Dustin Ackley- Whether he'll ever become more than adequate defensively at second base remains to be seen, but he could presumably move to center field if things never work out there. Third Base- Chone Figgins- Signed a long term deal and will hopefully enjoy a bounce back season moving forward. Short Stop- Nick Franklin- Franklin is clearly one of the better shortstop prospects in the game right now. I mean, pretty much anyone could be considered an upgrade when you gave Yuniesky Betancourt nearly 700 PA year-in, year-out, but the Mariners have a shot at a legitimately above-average shortstop in Franklin. Outfield- Greg Halman- Franklin Gutierrez- Michael Saunders No. 1: RHP Felix Hernandez, 2013 Opening Day Age: 26, Current level: MLB No. 2: RHP Michael Pineda, 2013 Opening Day Age: 24, Current level: Triple-A No. 3: LHP Daniel Cortes, 2013 Opening Day Age: 26, Current level: Triple-A No. 4: LHP Mauricio Robles, 2013 Opening Day Age: 24, Current level: Double-A No. 5: RHP Blake Beavan, 2013 Opening Day Age: 24, Current level: Double-A A very young formidable rotation that will be anchored for years to come by King Felix. So once again, Mariners fans, fear not....a Kansas City Royal path is not one that you are headed down. Why do I know this you ask? Because if I were to write this for the Royals I would have gotten stuck at catcher. Ben Benc@maxmontana.com 
I'm generally a pretty happy person. I come into work every day: A. grateful to have a job and B. thankful that it is the job I've always wanted.
However, this past week, I've come into work an EXTREMELY happy person every day and I've left work an even happier person. Why you ask? HAVE YOU SEEN WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING FROM SPORTSCENTRAL AT THE MONTANA STATE FAIR? Last Thursday, I had the opportunity to learn how to call a horse race. When Jason called me while I was back home in Seattle on vacation to tell me I'd be doing this, I was a bit puzzled as to what he meant. I went into the story a little blind, but with the ever-important open mind. When I realized exactly what I'd be doing, 10 minutes before it happened, laughter almost took my life. Horse racing? It's about as familiar to me as...a fish is to dry land. As previously mentioned, my experience with horse racing runs about as deep as Eliza Doolittle's from the musical "My Fair Lady"... you know, in the scene where she's yelling "C'mon Dover c'mon Dover...Move your bloomin' arse!" My actual play-by-play call turned out to be nothing short of a minor train-wreck, but it was sure a joy learning how to do it. When else is that opportunity going to come in life? (Answer: Never. That's how well it went.) Next up in this week of fun was the Carnival Games. Now, most people who know me or have even met me just a few times know I have this overly competitive attitude. It's something I just can't help and I do let people know that it is something that cannot be curbed, no matter how much effort is put in. You can understand my frustration then, when I scored zero on multiple Carnival Games, which by the way, are WAY tougher than they look. Those games are not designed to let you win, I'll stand by that. But, nonetheless, Jason defeated me. He had to keep reminding me that it was all for fun, and yes, it ended up being fun, but the loss will haunt me until...the Montana State Fair 2011: A Shot at Redemption. Finally, the cherry of top of the sprinkles, on top of the whip cream of my week was Chicks N Chaps. Being relatively new to Montana (8 months now, time flies!), the rodeo is still a pretty fresh experience for me. It was awesome to have real cowboys "show me the ropes" of bull riding. barrel racing, and steer roping. Once again, laughter almost got the best of me atop that bucking barrel, but whew! I held on. I hope you enjoyed the fair and our coverage from it this week as much as I did! -Lindsey PS...Small World: While on vacation back home in Seattle this past weekend, I ran into (literally bumped into) Governor Schweitzer. What were the odds? A photo is posted on my KFBB Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/Lindsey.Thiry?ref=ts It's not that great because it was in the service tunnel underneath the stadium after the game....can't always get the perfect backdrop! And as always, are you tweeting? So am I. Follow @LindseyThiry 
My colleagues in Great Falls have been rather busy this week. Setting up a live block each day takes a lot of preparation and ability to perform under pressure.
But from my chair in Bozeman, things are not nearly as hectic in the present. There's a lull between the inevitable end to the Legion season (with the exception of the Gallatin Valley Outlaws in the Class A Northwest Regional) and what's to come in the proceeding months. Of course, that doesn't mean things aren't happening in the Bozeman-Butte market. We've had a Little League World Series regional, the East-West Shrine Game and the 10K state championship within the span of a few weeks. But we are without the ebb and flow of a regular season right now. Fear not -- for this is just the calm before the storm known as...football season. It's back, folks. Next Monday, the 2010 Montana State Bobcats will take the field for the first time with a complete roster (spring practices are without the incoming freshmen). Two days later, Bob Green leads his Orediggers of Montana Tech back on the gridiron. And two days after that, Bozeman and Butte Central High Schools will hold their first practices. (You can bet when I found out when Butte and Belgrade High Schools start things up, I'll be on it.) Yes, this is when things get real good. Colleges and high schools are back in business, and that means it's time for loyal alumni to get rowdy. What's more entertaining than some serious trash talk between Cats and Griz fans? I mean, just go to bobcatnation.com, scan through the topics, and look for the posts by Griz fans (or "trolls" in this case). Hilarious one-liners and zingers ensue. But for now, all the trash talk is speculative. We can all make outlandish claims about our favorite teams, but who really knows for sure at this point. For the time being, all we can do is wonder what the 2010 football season has in store for us. But by this time next week, the ball will be rolling with full steam ahead. The Cats opener is just 28 days away. With that in mind, let's all take a few easy breaths while we still can, before the storm hits and all hands are on deck. A.J. Donatoni ajdonatoni@maxmontana.com 
As Jason mentioned in a previous blog post, it’s obvious that baseball IS back in Great Falls.
The AA contender from the Electric City, the Chargers, made it all the way to the championship game at the state tournament in Medicine Hat, Alberta… and because of that run to the championship game, ole Zac was allowed to make a run for the border. With the magnitude of the possibility that the Chargers could be bringing home a state title for the first time in more than three decades, Newschannel 5 was kind enough to send me to our neighbors to the north, to cover the championship game. I was so pumped when I heard I would get to leave the country to cover one of our local teams. I’ve only left the country once, and that was by plane… but obviously with the Canadian border being right around 100 miles away, this was my first opportunity to DRIVE to another country. Crossing into Canada was an interesting experience. There I had to wait in a pretty long drive-thru type line to hand my passport to the official… and from there I didn’t really know what to expect. The official asked me several questions about what I planned on doing in Canada, and how long I was going to be there. He then asked me to pull to the side, and go inside… where I would be asked many more questions about my plans inside of the Canadian border. I felt slightly un-welcomed because of all the intensive questions, but the officials apparently didn’t see me as too much of a threat, and I was on my way to Medicine Hat. The baseball that I witnessed at the state tournament was extraordinary. The Chargers were able to defeat the two-time defending champs, Billings Scarlets, only to come up against the powerful Missoula Mavericks. The games were played with very few errors, and every outcome came down to the wire. At the end of the day, someone had to lose, while the Missoula Mavericks were the cream that rose to the top. After the celebration of winning, and the sting of losing seemed to simmer a bit… it was time to head back to the states. Getting back into the land of the free, and the home of the brave was actually quite simple. After waiting in the drive-thru line and a quick look at my passport, I was welcomed back to America with quick smile and a wave. All in all, my first experience in Canada was a good one… and I’m looking forward to going back in the near future! Zac Glover 
As the dialogue renewed this winter, there were parents and supporters of American Legion Baseball in Great Falls concerned about the merging of the Stallions and Electrics.
The concerns were legitimate. As I sat through some of the joint board meetings and other meetings-of-the-baseball-minds, the concerns varied from 'will my kid play' to 'is this the right decision for all of the youngsters who want to play baseball at the highest levels.' Once the decision was made and the seasons began, some supporters were bothered because the younger kids were sent to the Stallions, the older (but not ready for AA) kids were sent to the Electrics, and the best of the city's best were made Chargers. As it ended, the Stallions (with one win in 28 Northern District games) stuggled, while the Electrics (who won the North's regular season and tournament titles) marched into the State A Tournament with a 57-14 record. But at this point the off-season choices have to recognized as the right ones for returning Great Falls to it's Legion baseball glory. The Chargers completed one of the most successful seasons in the city's history. They won 49 of their 73 games and played for the State AA Championship. Unfortunately, they were the second best team in the state. Missoula won its ninth championship to head to regionals with a 63-9 record. The Electrics produced an amazing winning percentage winning 60 of their 76 contests. They too played for a state championship. What's amazing about their run is their age versus that of their competition: 16 and 17 year-olds taking on 18 year-olds. The Volts lost 11-10 in 10 innings to the defending State A Champion Laurel Dodgers (a team comprised of 18-year-old players). As a product of Legion baseball in Great Falls, I have to admit, I'm disappointed, yet hopeful and proud. And it goes to show what we long suspected: the baseball talent in Great Falls rivals that of the other sports here. In the big three (football, basketball, and baseball) Great Falls was by far the most dominant city in the state. CMR won the State AA football championship, defended its State AA basketball championship, and our schools combined to play in two more state baseball championships. So really...all I have left is to paraphrase George Costanza. "We're back, baby. We're back!" JN 8/2/10 
Sadly, when I think of the Little League World Series these days, this is the first thing that pops in my head:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7p_SqhqFqJs&feature=related While my college friends and I agreed this video was one of the funniest, yet most depressing things we had ever seen (we saw it live and replayed it on the DVR about 20 times), it still meant we were tuned into the LLWS. And why not? Baseball is awesome to begin with, but watching the kids go at it serves as a great time to reminisce about our own good old playing days. And it's back -- when the summer winds down, it's time for the best Little Leaguers around the world to fight for their right to play in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. But that's only the division that gets all the national attention. What most people forget (or aren't even aware of), is that there are several divisions of the LLWS not only for baseball, but softball as well. Both "sports" are divided into four leagues: Little, Junior, Senior and Big. As you could imagine, they are divided by age limits. But the only division that people really hear about on ESPN is Little League in the baseball division. Right now, a lesser-known regional tournament is taking place right here in Montana. Butte is the home to the West Regional Tournament of the Softball Senior League World Series. And in case you forgot, the Northwest/Mile High Little League of Butte advanced to the World Series last year and won two games in the world tournament. This year, things are a little bleaker for the host team, only because the turnover has been massive. But hope is not lost, Montanans -- the Mt. Jumbo/Mt. Sentinel Little League out of Missoula just may be the favorites to get out of the region this year. And it was Missoula that finished runner-up to Butte last year in this regional. So the next logical step for a Missoula league that brings back a lot of its players, is to get to the world tournament in Delaware on August 8. The tournament runs through next Wednesday, and it should be exciting to see if Missoula will be one of the five U.S. representatives in the LLWS. There's so much to enjoy about Little League baseball. ESPN wouldn't dedicate a month to it if there wasn't. It lets us reflect on our youth and remember how fun it was to go outside in the summer and throw a ball around before our innocent minds were corrupted by all that comes with growing up. And of course, there's always the sense of pride for the local league or the U.S. against the world. Look, I think it would be really cool if Montana could send a team to the LLWS for a second year in a row. Seeing a team from our humble part of the country move on to take on the best young players in the world...that's something the whole state could get behind. Today, the west region. Tomorrow...the world. A.J. Donatoni ajdonatoni@maxmontana.com |
Missoula
Current Temp
49.0 °F
Fair
Wind
:
Calm
Pressure
:
1024.7 mb
Humidity
:
71 %
Butte
Current Temp
40.0 °F
Fair
Wind
:
Southeast at 6.9 MPH (6 KT)
Pressure
:
1025.7 mb
Humidity
:
77 %
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