ROLL

TIDE

The BCS sucks, but not nearly as bad as a president who thinks it’s his place have everything in the country run to his personal satisfaction.  Obama is GREATLY over reaching his place once again.  It’s like he said a while back, having this much power really can go to your head and it obviously has with him.

Six of Alabama’s SEC opponents will have two weeks to prepare for the Tide in 2010, although Alabama also has an open date before one of those games — LSU. Saban said it’s uncertain what effect such a schedule will have on his team’s attempt to repeat as SEC and national champions.

Talk about tough, that’s gonna be tough.  It also shows how much respect these teams have for the Tide.  We’ll see if it’s warranted or not.

One of my wife’s uncles has been to camp two more than once, but I don’t believe that he’s ever made it to the top of Everest.  I can’t imagine how much dedication it must take and how much it must have hurt this 13 year old while training.  I guess that kids are able to handle some things better than adults and maybe this is one of them.  I really don’t know.  What I do know is that even if this kid was pushed by his dad, it took some hard work to achieve.  I mean look at how many people try over and over without ever making the peak.  Wow.  Congratulations!

Just how hard is it to climb Everest?

A minimum of 18 months to two years of training is a “feasible” amount of time to spend in preparation for the climb, he says. “No chance would I take a novice within a year and put them on Everest.”

The first step for an absolute beginner is to get the hang of walking with ice axes in hand and crampons on boots – sharp spikes which ease the perils of walking on ice. Mountaineering instructor Rob Johnson says even that can take a while. “They’re not heavy, but it’s a coordination thing.”

Youngest Everest climber hopes to inspire young people

American teenager Jordan Romero, 13, has just returned from the north side of the mountain.

He said he hoped other children would follow his example.

The teenager successfully made it to the top of the mountain on Saturday, accompanied by his father, stepmother and three Sherpa guides.

Looking sunburnt but healthy, Jordan Romero said it was a feeling like no other to stand on the summit of Mount Everest.

He said it was the hardest climb he had ever undertaken.

At 9:23 p.m., when he got pinch-hitter Ronny Paulino to hit a grounder to third for the 27th out, only then could Halladay bask in his moment – breaking into a big smile and wrapping his arms around catcher Carlos Ruiz before disappearing in a joyous, jumping gray-and-red mob of teammates.

via Philadelphia Phillies vs. Florida Marlins – Recap – May 29, 2010.

Imagine how hard it must be to strike out a professional baseball player, much less not allow a single batter to get a hit.  They even put their pinch hitters up and he didn’t allow them a hit either.  It’s quite an achievement.

Here’s something else worth mentioning:

The Marlins said they would give Halladay the pitching rubber as a souvenir, leading to a slightly surreal scene. The lights at Sun Life Stadium went out and fireworks began exploding two minutes after the game ended, with the field crew preparing for a postgame concert behind second base.

Working in the dark, four men went to work on the mound, digging up the slab where Halladay made history.

Now that’s class.

Bill Connelly, of Rock M Nation, has produced a statistical comparison for Football Outsiders that ranks the best college football teams in the last 100 years. Using a metric that gauged on points scored and points allowed – the same tool OTS relies on to derive his Pythagorean Wins statistics – Connelly created a historical comparison of every team in the past century of college football.

Today, over at Football Outsiders, he reveals that Alabama’s 1961 squad is ranked No. 2. Furthermore, no less that 12 Crimson Tide teams made the list, more than any other program in college football. Here is how Alabama fared in Connelly’s rankings.

via Ranking The Last 100 Years of Alabama Football – Roll ‘Bama Roll.

Chapman threw 25 pitches in his 1 1/3 innings of relief, and every one was at least 100 mph. He didn’t throw a slider. He didn’t throw a changeup. Why would he?
[...]

“I didn’t see it until the ball was behind me,” Gwynn said. “I was trying not to look at the radar reading because I’d be intimidated. I saw how hard he was throwing and just tried to be slow and work my hands.”

The 105-mph pitch was inside for a ball and evened the count at 2-2. Gwynn had fouled off the previous two pitches and fouled off the next before striking out. He ought to be pleased with his effort, forcing Chapman to make seven pitches, the slowest of which was 102 mph.

via Chapman throws fastest pitch ever recorded – MLB – Yahoo! Sports.