November 2008 - Posts

Ohio State Makes it Five Straight Over Michigan
22 November 08 09:45 PM | scoutmom | 2 comment(s)

Just to make sure this was TRULY the worst season in 129 years for Michigan, Ohio State whipped 'em good today, winning their fifth straight game - the first time in 105 meetings to win 5 straight - over the hapless Wolverines by an incredibly lopsided 42-7. Ohio State's margin was the biggest by either team in the rivalry since Woody Hayes was coach and oversaw a 50-14 rout of Michigan in 1968.

And even though Penn State has wrapped up the Big 10 Conference, by beating Michigan State and guaranteeing a trip to the Rose Bowl, 10th-ranked Ohio State is right behind them.  Both have a 7-1 conference record, but Penn State is 11-1 overall, Ohio is 10-2.  The Big 10 is certainly the powerhouse in NCAA football this year, with 4 teams ranked in the top 25:

Penn State #8

Ohio State #10

Michigan State # 15

Northwestern #24


 

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Cubs' Geovany Soto Named NL Rookie of the Year
10 November 08 02:45 PM | scoutmom | 1 comment(s)
Cubs' Geovany Soto named NL ROY

Photo courtesy Charles Rex Arbogast/AP & MLB

Cubs catcher Geovany Soto was named National League Rookie of the Year Monday by the Baseball Writers Association of America.  Soto garnered 31 of the 32 1st place votes cast to receive an honor well deserved.  He batted .285 with 26 homers and 86 RBIs.  He's the first catcher to win the honor in 15 years, when Mike Piazza won.

Soto is also the first Cub to win it since Kerry Wood in 1998.  Not only are his hitting stats impressive, Soto also knows how to handle a veteran pitching staff.  The Cubs finished with the 3rd lowest RA in the National League.

"For a young catcher, he handles pitchers as well as anybody I've been around," Chicago pitching coach Larry Rothschild said.

Geovany had an unbelievable season - first rookie catcher to start an All-Star game, twice NL Rookie of the Month, first to rookie catcher to hit at least 30 doubles and 20 homers in a single season, and he caught Carlos Zambrano's no-hitter in September.  He's nothing if not modest.  "I just want to win ballgames, and this is all extra," Soto said after the historic game against the Houston Astros. "This is awesome. Enough about me, it's [Carlos'] day. He was pitching, and he deserves all the credit."

From the time he was three, Soto's dad was behind him.  "If it wasn't for my dad, I wouldn't be here," Soto said. "Sometimes it was tough love. I wanted to be riding my bike and enjoying my childhood, but he got on top of me and said, 'You need to work out, you need to stay on top of things.' Now I understand why he did it. He knew he had a son who could make it and could be pretty good. He didn't want me to throw that opportunity away.

The award is well deserved.  Congrats to you, Geovany!

Now, if we can just get Ron Santo into the Hall of Fame...

 

 

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The Importance of Real Friends
07 November 08 09:10 AM | scoutmom | 1 comment(s)

Make sure you have friends in all aspects of your life.  Friends where you work, friends where you play, friends where you hang out.  They are the most important thing in your life.  You may not realize it right now, but down the road there will come a day when something truly great or truly awful happens in your life and you will need to pick up the phone and call a friend to be there with you right now. 

As you grow older, you will understand the importance of having someone you can call your friend not just an acquaintance or someone I know from wherever.  A real, live person you can share with.

Let’s just say I had a big dose of reality from someone yesterday and I wanted to share this with you.  So, call up one of your friends and plan something for this weekend.  Go do something!  Have a great time.  Enjoy your life with a friend.

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