Texas Wins Longest NCAA Baseball Game

7 hours, 3 minutes. 10 pitchers. 683 pitches thrown. 171 atbats. 25 innings.

That's how long it took before the Texas Longhorns defeated the Boston College Golden Eagles 3-2 at UFCU DischFalk Field in Austin Saturday night (and Sunday morning). Texas' Travis Tucker had the game-winning RBI single in the top of the 25th inning to break the 18 scoreless innings in his record 12th at-bat in the game. But the hero was Texas reliever Austin Wood, who pitched 12 1/3 no-hit innings and finished with 169 pitches, striking out 14. The win, which broke the previous NCAA record of 23 innings played between Louisiana-Lafayette and McNeese State on March 27, 1971, puts the Longhorns one win away from advancing to a superregional which they would host next weekend.

2009 NBA Playoffs: My Conference Finals Preview

Western Conference
Denver Nuggets vs. Los Angeles Lakers
The Nuggets cruised by Dallas in 5, while the Lakers struggled with the Rockets, squeaking by in 7. Both teams can put up a lot of points, with the advantage with the Nuggets on the perimeter and the Lakers in the paint. I think it'll come down to each team's bench, with the Nuggets' bench being deeper and the Lakers' bench struggling.
Nuggets in 7
Eastern Conference
Orlando Magic vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
The Magic clawed past the defending champion Celtics in 7, while the Cavs swept Atlanta and are still unbeaten in the postseason. It'll be interesting to see how Cleveland responds to the 9 day layoff between games, whether it's rest or rust. Dwight Howard could have a big series, but the Cleveland guards and depth will more than account for him. Oh yeah, and also there's a #23 who won some MVP award who will not be stopped in this series.
Cavs in 6

My Playoff Record: 11-1

Yao Out for Rest of Playoffs

Well, if you haven't heard by now, Houston Rockets center Yao Ming has a stress fracture in his left foot, which will sideline him 8-12 weeks and the rest of the playoffs. This comes a day after the Rockets lost Game 3 of their Western Conference Semifinal series with the Lakers 108-94. My first reaction to this: shock and devastation. Third straight year this has happened to the Rockets. The basketball gods just have something against us. Sigh. Well, anyway, great season, Rockets, battling the entire way. Who knows what would have happened if we had our Big 3 healthy for the whole season. Tomorrow's Game 4 will be about heart. No matter the outcome, these Rockets have had a tremondous season, and are champions in my book.

2009 NBA Playoffs- Conference Semifinal Predictions

Western Conference
Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Lakers
The Rockets ended their 12 year first round hex, riding Luis Scola and Yao Ming to victory in 6 over the Blazers, while the Lakers breezed by the Jazz in 5. Shane Battier and Ron Artest will have their hands full with Kobe Bryant in this round, but the overall depth of the Lakers inside with Gasol, Odom, and Bynum will be the difference in the series.
Lakers in 6
Dallas Mavericks vs. Denver Nuggets
Dallas upset the Spurs in round one, winning the series easily in 5 games. The Nuggets did the same to the Hornets, setting up this exciting series. Lots of offense in this series. I like Denver's homecourt and their matchups in the end.
Nuggets in 6
Eastern Conference
Atlanta Hawks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
The Hawks won a very physical series with Miami in 7, while the Cavs swept the Pistons and are well rested. Injuries and the inability to stop LeBron dooms Atlanta.
Cavs in 5
Orlando Magic vs. Boston Celtics
The Dwight-less Magic stomped on the 76ers in the decisive Game 6 in an otherwise pretty even series. The Celtics won one of the most exciting first-round playoff matchups ever over the Bulls in 7. I think both teams are pretty evenly matched and it comes down to getting stops down the stretch in close games. In the end, I don't think that Boston, without Garnett, can contain Dwight Howard inside.
Magic in 7

My First Round Record: 7-1

2009 NFL Draft

First Round
1 Detroit Lions: Matthew Stafford (QB) Georgia
2 St. Louis Rams: Jason Smith (OT) Baylor
3 Kansas City Chiefs: Tyson Jackson (DE) LSU
4 Seattle Seahawks: Aaron Curry (OLB) W Forest
5 NY Jets*: Mark Sanchez (QB) USC
6 Cincinnati Bengals: Andre Smith (OT) Alabama
7 Oakland Raiders: Darrius Heyward-Bey (WR) Maryland
8 Jacksonville Jaguars: Eugene Monroe (OT) Virginia
9 Green Bay Packers: B.J. Raji (DT) BC
10 San Francisco 49ers: Michael Crabtree (WR) Texas Tech
11 Buffalo Bills: Aaron Maybin (DE) Penn State
12 Denver Broncos: Knowshon Moreno (RB) Georgia
13 Washington Redskins: Brian Orakpo (DE) Texas
14 New Orleans Saints: Malcolm Jenkins (CB) Ohio St
15 Houston Texans: Brian Cushing (OLB) USC
16 San Diego Chargers: Larry English (DE) N Illinois
17 Tampa Bay Buccaneers*: Josh Freeman (QB) Kansas St
18 Denver Broncos: Robert Ayers (DE) Tennessee
19 Philadelphia Eagles*: Jeremy Maclin (WR) Missouri
20 Detroit Lions: Brandon Pettigrew (TE) Oklahoma St
21 Cleveland Browns^: Alex Mack (C) California
22 Minnesota Vikings: Percy Harvin (WR) Florida
23 Baltimore Ravens♣: Michael Oher (OT) Ole Miss
24 Atlanta Falcons: Peria Jerry (DT) Ole Miss
25 Miami Dolphins: Vontae Davis (CB) Illinois
26 Green Bay Packers♣: Clay Matthews (OLB) USC
27 Indianapolis Colts: Donald Brown (RB) UConn
28 Buffalo Bills: Eric Wood (C) Louisville
29 New York Giants: Hakeem Nicks (WR) UNC
30 Tennessee Titans: Kenny Britt (WR) Rutgers
31 Arizona Cardinals: Chris Wells (RB) Ohio St
32 Pittsburgh Steelers: Evander Hood (DT) Missouri

*trade with Cleveland Browns
^trade with Philadelphia Eagles
♣trade with New England Patriots

2009 NBA Playoffs- First Round Predictions

Western Conference
Lakers in 5 over Jazz : That terrible road record ends Utah's season
Rockets in 6 over Trailblazers: Pretty much a toss up, but matchups and experience favor Yao and Houston
Spurs in 7 over Mavericks: Limping into the playoffs with Manu Ginobili will level the playing field in this Texas showdown. I like Parker running past Kidd in the end.
Nuggets in 7 over Hornets: Billups vs. Paul is marquee matchup at point guard, but it will come down to other superior talent (JR Smith, Carmelo Anthony) in the perimeter for the Nuggets to end their drought.
Eastern Conference
Cavaliers in 4 over Pistons: LeBron's first victim, an injury-riddled Detroit team that went 0-4 against Cleveland in the regular season.
Hawks in 7 over Heat: D-Wade is best player in series, but I don't think he can singlehandedly carry them against a good Atlanta home team.
Magic in 6 over 76ers: Nothing Philly throws at Dwight Howard inside will be enough to stop him and his great shooting team.
Celtics in 5 over Bulls: No KG could mean big trouble for Boston. But not in this round.

Angel Cabrera Wins Masters

Golf drama at Augusta National ends with a third straight unlikely champion. Angel Cabrera beat Kenny Perry and Chad Campbell in a sudden death playoff Sunday to capture his first Masters championship and his second major. All three ended at -12 after 72 holes. At the first playoff hole at 18, Cabrera hit his tee shot into the trees down the right side. But he amazingly landed the ball back onto the fairway with his second shot, which sounded like it hit a tree branch, and saved par with a 8 foot putt. Campbell, meanwhile, landed his second shot from the fairway into the bunker and was unable to save his par. Perry chipped from just off the green with his third shot to within 2 feet to force a second playoff hole at #10. There, Perry's second shot went left past the hole, and Cabrera two putted for the first green jacket for his native Argentina. Perry, 48, was trying to become the oldest ever Masters champion, but blew a two shot lead with bogeys on 17 and 18.