It's Saturday!

Hooray! It's Saturday! Here's what's happening....

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Today is Compliment Your Mirror Day.

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Bettman, GMs to attend World Hockey Summit.

A look at 40 of the topr remaining free agents.

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Today is Disobedience Day.

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Today in Sports History:

1912 - Rube Marquand of the New York Giants set a baseball pitching record when earned his 19th consecutive win.

1937 - Del Mar race track opened in Del Mar, CA.

1947 - The Cleveland Indians purchased the contract of Larry Doby from the Neward Eagles of the Negro National League. Doby became the first black player to play in the American League.

1962 - Jackie Robinson became the first African American to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

1966 - Tony Cloninger (Atlanta Braves) became the first National League pitcher to hit two grand slams in one game.

2001 - The National Basketball Association (NBA) owners unanimously approved to move the Vancouver Grizzlies to Memphis for the 2001-02 season.

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Today is Stay out of the Sun Day.

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Durant on way to becoming a legend.

Cates starts season with a bang.

The Riders travel to Vancouver to play the BC Lions next Saturday at the reborn Empire Stadium. Kickoff is at 10:00pm EDT. Listen links are to the right on this blog.

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Dog Days start today. This time often yields the hottest days of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. Dog Days run through August 11th.











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The Minnesota Twins scored twice in the seventh inning last night to edge the Tampa Bay Rays 2-1, ending the Rays' two-game win streak, before 39,266 at Target Field in Minneapolis.

Tampa Bay took the lead with a run in the first. Evan Longoria bounced the ball over the wall in left field, scoring Carl Crawford and putting the Rays on top 1-0.

The lead would last until the seventh. Minnesota tied the game with two outs when former Ray Delmon Young chased home Jason Kubel. Young advanced to third on the play when Reid Brignac threw the ball away trying to throw out Kubel at home. Young scored moments later on a single up the middle by Danny Valencia and the Twins held on from there for the 2-1 win.

Minnesota's Scott Baker, expected to get the start for the American League in the All-Star game on July 13th got the win, allowing 1 run on 6 hits over 7 innings, striking out 8 and walking none. He squares his 2010 record at 7-7. Jon Rauch, who blew his fourth save the night before, pitched the ninth for his 18th save of the season. David Price went all the way for Tampa Bay, allowing 2 runs on just 4 hits, with 6 strike outs and 4 walks in 8 innings. He's now 11-4.

The Rays are now 46-33 and are third in the A.L. East, 1 1/2 games behind Boston and 2 games in back the Yankees. Tampa Bay continues their six-game road swing this afternoon, with the third of four games at Minnesota. First pitch at Target Field is at 4:10pm EDT. Coverage of the road swing is on 620AM WDAE and the Rays Radio Network. Today's game can be seen on FOX, with tomorrow's game airing on Sun Sports. After this road trip, the Rays come home for seven games, with three against Boston and four against Cleveland starting next Monday.

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Today is the start of Air Conditioning Appreciation Days, which run through August 15th.

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The Yankees lead the A.L. East by 1/2 game over Boston and 2 over Tampa Bay. Toronto is 8 back and Baltimore is 24 games behind.

In the A.L. Central, Minnesota is first by 1 game over Detroit. The White Sox are 2 games behind, Kansas City is 9 back and Cleveland is 12 1/2 games off the pace.

Out in the (not-so)wild A.L. West, Texas leads the Angels by 3 1/2 games, Oakland is 8 back and Seattle trails by 14.

In the N.L. East, Atlanta leads the Mets by 2 games, Philadelphia by 5, while Florida is 9 1/2 back and Washington is 12 behind.

In the N.L. Central, St. Louis leads leads Cincinnati by 1 1/2 games, Milwaukee is 9 1/2 back, the Cubs are 11 1/2 behind, Houston trails by 14, and Pittsburgh is 16 1/2 games behind.

San Diego leads the Dodgers by 3 1/2 games in the N.L. West, Colorado trails by 4, San Francisco is 6 1/2 behind and Arizona(who beat the Dodgers yesterday in new manager Kirk Gibson's first game) is still last, 15 games out of first.

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The International Cherry Pit Spitting Championship takes place today at Eau Claire, Michigan.

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Future UMD Bulldog Andy Welinksi leaves Minnesota High School hockey for spot in Green Bay.

Fighting Saints trim roster to 23.

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Meet our new baby sitter, Mr. Stan Lee Cup.






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From http://www.nascar.com
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Driving the No. 3 Wrangler Chevrolet in honor of his late father, Dale Earnhardt Jr. broke a Nationwide Series drought of almost four years in winning Friday's Subway Jalapeno 250 Nationwide Series race at Daytona International Speedway.

Earnhardt's emotional win was the result of a collaboration between owner Richard Childress, Teresa Earnhardt, JR Motorsports and Hendrick Motorsports, which supplied the engine for the No. 3 car.

The victory, the 23rd of Earnhardt's career, was his first in the series since Aug. 19, 2006, when he took the checkered flag at Michigan. It was his first points win in any of NASCAR's top three series since June 15, 2008, when Earnhardt captured the Lifelock 400 Sprint Cup race, again at Michigan.

In a race that saw the debut of NASCAR's new Nationwide car, Earnhardt held off runner-up Joey Logano and third-place finisher Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in a green-white-checkered-flag finish that took the race two laps beyond its scheduled distance of 100 laps.

"I was so worried that I wasn't going to win, 'cause nothing but a win would get it-for everybody," Earnhardt said after getting hugs from Childress, crew chief Tony Eury Jr. and a multitude of others in victory lane. "If we didn't win, what a waste of time. ...

"I worked hard to try to win, not only for daddy-I'm proud of him going to the Hall of Fame, and he would be proud of this, I'm sure -- but just all these fans. I hope they enjoyed this. This is it -- no more '3' for me. That's it."

With a push from Justin Allgaier, Earnhardt took the lead for the first time on Lap 70, surging past Kyle Busch through Turns 1 and 2. On that same lap, NASCAR called a caution for debris on the backstretch. Pitting under the caution, Earnhardt retained his lead, thanks to a quick, problem-free stop by Earnhardt's No. 88 Cup crew, which volunteered for the race.

Earnhardt held the top spot through Lap 96, when NASCAR threw a debris caution that set up a two-lap run to the finish. Earnhardt stayed out on old tires, as did seven other contending cars, but Busch, Carl Edwards, Clint Bowyer, Trevor Bayne and Ryan Newman came to the pits for tires under the yellow.

The strategy didn't work for those drivers, as track position proved more beneficial that fresh rubber. Points leader Brad Keselowski and Kevin Harvick ran fourth and fifth, respectively, on old tires. Keselowski extended his margin in the standings to 277 points over second-place Edwards, who finished 11th Saturday.

But the day belonged to Earnhardt.

"It's emotional," he said. "I'm proud of myself. I'm proud to have done what I did with this group."

Childress, who won six Cup championships as Dale Earnhardt Sr.'s car owner, told Earnhardt Jr. his father would have been proud.

"He just said that daddy would have been happy, real happy," Earnhardt said. "And who would know better than him?"

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The Mount Rushmore Independance Day Celebration takes place today and tomorrow in South Dakota.

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Today in Elvis History:

1960 - Elvis Presley's father, Vernon, announced that he would remarry. Elvis' mother had died two years before.

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July is Freedom from Fear of Speaking Month.

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KARLSTAD, Sweden -- Nathan Sigmund (San Diego, Calif.) scored twice and Shawn Gawrys (St. Louis, Mo.) recorded a goal and three assists as the U.S. InLine National Team earned a 9-0 win over Slovakia here last night in the quarterfinal round of the 2010 International Ice Hockey Federation InLine Hockey World Championship. Team USA will face Canada in the semifinal round today (July 3) at 12 p.m. EDT.

"It was a good effort by us, but we still have a lot of room for improvement and we're still looking for that overall perfect game," said U.S. head coach Rob Chornomud. "We are building one game at a time and getting better every game."

Juaquin Chavira (Upland, Calif.) gave Team USA an early 1-0 lead when he scored just 49 seconds into the game. Sigmund fed Chavira a pass at the top of the crease, where the forward let go a quick wrist shot to put the U.S. on the scoreboard. With the U.S. on the power play, CJ Yoder (Colorado Springs, Colo.) increased the U.S. lead to 2-0 at the 3:45 mark of the first stanza with a one-timer off of a Gawrys pass from the right corner.

With the U.S. on the penalty kill late in the first period, Gerry Osterkamp (Covina, Calif.) notched a shorthanded goal, putting Team USA ahead, 3-0, heading into the first intermission.

Sigmund led off the scoring in the second period with a goal at the 4:17 mark to put the U.S. up, 4-0. With only 33 seconds left in the period, Team USA capitalized on a Slovakian turnover behind its net. Pat Maroon (St. Louis, Mo) and Yoder set up a passing sequence and Gawrys released a quick shot from the top of the crease to give Team USA a 5-0 lead at halftime.

In the third period, Maroon added to the U.S. lead with a goal at the 10:17 mark, deeking Slovakia goaltenderJozef Ondrejka and connecting on his shot. Shortly after, James Beilsten (St. Louis, Mo.) notched Team USA's second power-play goal of the game, putting the U.S. up, 7-0, after three periods.

Kyle Kraemer (St. Louis, Mo.) scored at 2:09 of the final stanza and Sigmund collected his second goal of the game at the 9:26 mark of the fourth period to complete the scoring. U.S. goaltender Tommy Tartaglione (Harbor City, Calif.) stopped all 16 shots he faced, while Ondrejka made 33 saves for Slovakia in the loss.

NOTES: Team USA went 2-for-5 on the power play, while Slovakia was 0-for-2 with the man advantage ... The U.S. has yet to surrender a first-half goal in the tournament ... Eight U.S. players recorded points in the contest ... For the full U.S. roster, click here ... Results and statistics from the tournament can be found here ... Rob Chornomud is serving as head coach for the 2010 U.S. InLine National Team for the second consecutive year, while former U.S. InLine National Team member Josh Milewski is serving as the assistant coach … In the 13-year history of the IIHF InLine Hockey World Championship, the United States has earned gold medals in 1996, 1997, 2004 and 2006; silver medals in 1998, 2001 and 2009; and bronze medals at the 2000, 2003 and 2005 tournaments. There was no tournament played in 1999.

GAME SUMMARY

Scoring By Period

USA 3 2 2 2 -- 9
SVK 0 0 0 0 -- 0

First Period - Scoring: 1, USA, Chavira (Sigmund), 0:49; 2, USA, Yoder (Gawrys), 3:45 (pp); 3, USA, Osterkamp (Beilsten), 10:20 (sh). Penalties: SVK, Preisinger (high sticking, double minor), 2:23; SVK, Ertel (hooking) 7:12; SVK, Trska (hooking), 8:15; USA, Tartaglione (holding-the-stick), 9:16.

Second Period - Scoring: 4, USA, Sigmund (unassisted), 4:17; 5, USA, Gawrys (Maroon, Yoder), 11:27. Penalties: None.

Third Period - Scoring: 6, USA, Maroon (Gawrys), 10:17; 7, USA, Beilsten (Gawrys, Maroon), 11:17 (pp). Penalties: SVK, Horsky (slashing), 11:05.

Fourth Period - Scoring: 8, USA, Kraemer (unassisted), 2:09; 9, USA, Sigmund (Osterkamp), 9:26. Penalties: SVK, Ertel (slashing), 11:59; USA, Beilsten (hooking), 11:59.

Shots by Period 1 2 3 4 Total
USA 16 10 7 9 42
SVK 1 6 2 7 16

Goaltenders (SH/SV) 1 2 3 4 Total
USA, Tartaglione, 48:00 1-1 6-6 2-2 7-7 16-16
SVK, Ondrejka 48:00 16-13 10-8 7-5 9-7 42-33

Power Play: USA 2-5; SVK 0-2
Penalties: USA 2-3; SVK 4-9

Team USA 2010 IIHF InLine Hockey World Championship Schedule
June 28-July 4 • Karlstad, Sweden
Date Opponent Time (Local/EDT)
Mon., June 28 Canada W, 7-2
Tues., June 29 Czech Republic W, 4-0
Wed., June 30 Germany W, 10-5
Fri., July 2 Slovakia W, 9-0
Sat., July 3 Canada 6 p.m./12 p.m.
Sun., July 4 Medal Round TBD

TOURNAMENT FORMAT

The 2010 IIHF InLine Hockey World Championship will include 16 teams divided into the Top Division and Division l. The United States will compete in the Top Division alongside Austria, Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Slovenia and Sweden. Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Croatia, Great Britain, Hungary, Japan and Slovakia will comprise Division I.

For the preliminary round, the two divisions will each be divided into two groups of four teams based on rankings (Top Division-groups A and B, Division I-groups C and D). Following round-robin play within each group, the two lowest ranked teams from the Top Division and the two top teams from the Division I will face off as part of play-in games to determine pools for the playoff round.

USA Hockey Announces 2010 U.S. Under-17 Select Team

U.S. Squad to Compete at the 2010 Under-17 Five Nations Tournament in Switzerland

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Twenty players who participated at USA Hockey's Boys' Select 16 Player Development Camp have been selected for the 2010 U.S. Under-17 Select Team that will compete at the 2010 Under-17 Five Nations Tournament Aug. 18-22, in Huttwil, Switzerland.

The Boys' Select 16 Player Development Camp took place from June 25-July 1, at the Sports Centre at MCC in Rochester, N.Y.

The U.S. roster features 12 forwards, including Brian Morgan (Windham, N.H.), who finished the Boys' Select 16 Player Development Camp with 10 points (5-5), including three power-play goals. Nicholas Schilkey (Smiths Creek, Mich.) recorded eight points (6-2) and Joseph Cox (Chelsea, Mich.) finished the camp with seven points (4-3).

Anchoring the six-man blueline corps for Team USA will be Teddy Doherty (Hopkinton, Mass.), who led all defensemen at the Player Development Camp with five points (3-2) and Grant Webermin (Novi, Mich.), who finished with three points (1-2).

Sharing the goaltending duties at the 2010 Under-17 Five Nations Tournament will be Brandon Hope (Canton, Mich.) and James Howe (Northville, Mich.). Howe played in five games in the Boys' Select 16 Player Development Camp and compiled a 2.80 goals-against average and .909 save percentage, while Hope also played in five games at the camp (4.00, .868).

For a complete roster click here.

NOTES: The 2010 Under-17 Five Nations Tournament will include teams from the Czech Republic, Germany, Slovakia, Switzerland and the United States ... Sean Tremblay will serve as head coach and Matt Herr as assistant coach for the 2010 U.S. Under-17 Select Team ... Tremblay served as the assistant coach for the gold medal-winning U.S. Under-17 Select Team at the 2006 Under-17 Three Nations Tournament in Rochester, N.Y. He serves as general manager and head coach of the Eastern Junior Hockey League's New Hampshire Junior Monarchs ... Herr has been the head varsity hockey coach at the Kent School in Kent, Conn. since 2005 ... Tremblay and Herr are both Level 4 USA Hockey certified coaches ... The 20 players on the U.S. roster represent nine states, with eight players coming from the state of Michigan ... The annual USA Hockey Select 16 Player Development Camp provides top young players with concentrated on- and off-ice training and instruction as well as the opportunity to compete at a national level against other players from their age group.

Team USA 2010 Under-17 Five Nations Tournament Schedule
August 18-22 • Huttwil, Switzerland

Date Opponent Time (Local/EDT)

Tues., Aug. 18 Czech Republic 4:30 p.m. (10:30 a.m.)
Thurs., Aug. 20 Slovakia 3:30 p.m. (9:30 a.m.)
Fri., Aug. 21 Switzerland 7:30 p.m. (1:30 p.m.)
Sat., Aug. 22 Germany 11:30 a.m. (5:30 a.m.)

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July in National Horseradish Month.

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From http://www.tampabaystorm.com
The Tampa Bay Storm (9-3, 2-1) won its seventh straight game in front of a crowd of 15, 704 at the St. Pete Times Forum on Friday, defeating the Midwest Division-leading Chicago Rush (9-4, 4-2) by a 68-60 decision. The matchup between the two division leaders was televised as the NFL Network’s AFL Game of the Week.

The victory not only helped the South Division leaders maintain first place in the American Conference, but also put an end to Chicago’s three game win streak. Friday’s win also was Tampa Bay’s first over Chicago since May 10, 2002 when the Storm defeated the Rush 66-53 in Tampa.

Quarterback Brett Dietz’s six-yard touchdown pass to Tyrone Timmons within the game’s final three minutes broke the game open for the Storm and sealed the win, giving the home team an 11-point lead late in the fourth quarter after being up by just four. The game-deciding score was set up by a series of key defensive plays, including Brandon Hefflin’s interception on a potential-tying two-point conversion attempt and Michael Hawthorne’s onside kick recovery, as well as his forced fumble that was returned for a touchdown by Erick McIntosh. Kelvin Kinney also registered two sacks on the night.

Dietz led Tampa Bay with 359 passing yards and eight scores, out-performing his counterpart, Chicago signal caller Russ Michna, who completed 26 of 38 passes for 334 yards and seven touchdowns. Coming off a record-setting performance last week against Bossier-Shreveport, Hank Edwards turned in another big game, leading all Storm receivers with 172 yards and four scores. Teammate Tyrone Timmons found the paint three times for the Storm.

Tampa Bay jumped out to a 14-13 lead at the end of the first quarter despite giving up the game’s opening score to Chicago. Michna got things started when he connected with Alan Turner from 42 yards out to put the Rush up 7-0. Dietz, perfect after going seven-for-seven passing in the initial quarter, countered by finding Edwards in the paint to tie the score at a touchdown apiece. Both Turner and Edwards each scored once more in the period, but a missed extra point by Chicago’s Chris Gould allowed Tampa Bay to take a one-point advantage into the second quarter. Turner capped the night with a four-touchdown performance.

Tampa Bay and Chicago matched each other score for score in the second stanza, with both teams recording a pair of touchdowns apiece through the air and one on the ground. Turner reeled in his third touchdown reception of the night, but was matched by Dietz’s score to Sedrick Robinson that brought the score to 21-20 in favor of the home team.

Turner’s score, the Rush’s first of the quarter, was nearly broken up by Brandon Hefflin, but the Chicago receiver was able to control the tipped ball and bring it down into his hands for six points. Tampa Bay’s defense would not be denied however, as it continued to apply pressure in the secondary and on the line of scrimmage. With Chicago driving and looking to score, Daryon Brutely and Erick McIntosh recorded a pair of pass break-ups to keep the Rush out of the endzone. Following a touchdown each from both teams, Kelvin Kinney maintained the defensive presence by sacking Michna with 45 seconds left in the half. Albeit a strong effort, Chicago’s Clifton Smith rushed in a redzone touchdown shortly after, but was contested by a score by Terrence Royal which allowed Tampa Bay to take a 35-34 lead into the half.

Tampa Bay’s defense continued to control the pace of the game even after the half. Chicago only found the endzone one time in the quarter by means of a 13-yard pass from Michna to the game’s leading receiver Marco Thomas, while Dietz completed a pair of touchdown passes to Hank Edwards. Dietz’s first strike came from 45 yards out, while the other included Edwards making the extra effort and stretching the ball over the goal line as he out-ran a defender. Chicago tried valiantly to close the small margin towards the end of the period, but penalties, a pair of incomplete passes and a tough presence by Storm defenders in the secondary prevented the opposition from putting additional points on the board.

With Chicago down by just two points following a touchdown by Syvelle Newton to open the fourth quarter, Tampa Bay’s defense and special teams came up with numerous big plays that ultimately determined the outcome of the game after shifting the momentum in the Storm’s favor and building a comfortable lead. After Tampa Bay took a 55-47 lead early in the final period, Kelvin Kinney recorded his second sack of the game, setting the tone for numerous pass break-ups and tipped passes from Daryon Brutley and the Storm defensive line.

Perhaps the game’s turning point and decisive play occurred after Clifton Smith found the endzone for the second time on the night. Down 55-53 with just over three minutes remaining, defensive back Brandon Hefflin intercepted a pass on Chicago’s two-point conversion attempt, which prevented the Rush from tying the contest.

Tampa Bay’s special teams took over from there, as Michael Hawthorne recovered an onside kick attempt on the ensuing kickoff. Even though Dietz padded the lead by tossing a six-yard pass to Tyrone Timmons, once again the defense countered with another spectacular play. On Chicago’s next offensive drive, receiver Syvelle Newton caught a pass from Michna, only to be stripped by Hawthorne before the ball fell directly into the hands of Erick McIntosh, who returned the fumble for a touchdown to seal the win.

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Lou Gehrig Day, made famous by Gehrig's "Luckiest Man on the face of the Earth" speech, was held at Yankee Stadium on this day in 1939.

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Coming up:

Tonight --

Baseball: Tampa Bay Rays at Minnesota Twins 4:10pm EDT

Nascar Sprint Cup Series: Coke Zero 400 powered by Coca-Cola at Dayton International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida 7:30pm EDT

Sunday --

Baseball: Tampa Bay Rays at Minnesota Twins 2:10pm EDT

Indy Cars: Camping World Grand Prix at The Glen in Watkins Glen, New York 3:30pm EDT

Monday --

Baseball: Boston Red Sox at Tampa Bay Rays 7:10pm EDT

Tuesday --

Baseball: Boston Red Sox at Tampa Bay Rays 7:10pm EDT

Wednesday --

Baseball: Boston Red Sox at Tampa Bay Rays 7:10pm EDT

Thursday --

Baseball: Cleveland Indians at Tampa Bay Rays 7:10pm EDT

Friday --

Baseball: Cleveland Indians at Tampa Bay Rays 7:10pm EDT

Nascar Nationwide Series: Dollar General 300 powered by Coca-Cola at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois 7:30pm EDT

Arena Football: Tampa Bay Storm at Dallas Vigilantes 8:00pm EDT

Saturday --

Baseball: Cleveland Indians at Tampa Bay Rays 7:10pm EDT

Nascar Sprint Cup Series: LifeLock.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois 7:30pm EDT

CFL Football: Saskatchewan Roughriders at BC Lions 10:00pm EDT

Sunday --

Baseball: Cleveland Indians at Tampa Bay Rays 1:40pm EDT

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That's it for this day. See you tomorrow!