McIlroy Hangs on For First Major Championship

About two months ago, Rory led the Masters at twelve-under par heading to the final day.  He ended up shooting a 8-over 80 the final day and lost any chance of winning his first Major Championship.  Charl Schwartzel ended up shooting a 6-under 66 for his first career PGA Tour victory and Major.  After McIlroy set numerous U.S. Open records and had a eight stroke lead heading into today's final round, many questioned he had the ability to finish the tournament.  The result would be different this time.  He continued to dominate the field, with four birdies, two bogeys, and twelve pars on the way to a 2-under 69.  With his 8-under for the tournament, Jason Day has finished as the runner-up in the last two Major Championships.  Schwartzel and Kevin Chappel were the low men today with their 5-under 66.  Y.E. Yang, who was in second going into the final day, tied for third with Robert Garrigus and Lee Westwood at 6-under.

The many records McIlroy broke this weekend included the fastest to double-digits under par (26 holes), lowest first 36 hole score (131), most strokes under par for 36 holes (11-under), tied the largest 36-hole lead (6 strokes), lowest first 54 holes (199), most strokes under par for 54 holes (14-under), lowest 72-hole total (268), most strokes under par for 72 holes (16-under), and best score at any point in a U.S. Open (17-under in 4th round today).  McIlroy will be a joy to watch as his game evolves and could be the next great player. Time will only determine that.

Texas Falls to Florida in CWS Opener; Will Meet Tar Heels Monday

As the #7 Longhorns prepared for the College World Series opener, they knew the match-up would be a tough one.  The Florida Gators had a high-powered offense that had scored over 50 more home runs than Texas had all season.  Texas had relied on their small-ball offense during the regular season, but began to struggle in the Big 12 Tournament.  After struggling in both the Regional and Super-Regional, Texas finally advanced to their record 34th trip to Omaha after a remarkable 5-0 record in elimination games.

As tonight's game began, it looked as if Texas would finally play their way through the Winner's Bracket.  They had scored three runs in the top of the third inning with their productive small-ball offense.  In the bottom of the inning, the Gators began to get to Texas Ace Taylor Jungmann, who allowed four runs in the next two innings on the way to his third straight loss in the NCAA Tournament.  Florida went on to win 8-4, sending the Longhorns to yet another loser's bracket.  All the Longhorns can do is take one game at a time as they prepare for yet another elimination game against #3 North Carolina on Monday.   This Texas team has the chance to do what few teams have done in the past, losing the first game of the College World Series on the way to the National Championship.

2011 College World Series Preview

College World Series (6/18-6/29)

Stadium: TD Ameritrade Park (First time in over 60 years CWS not played at Rosenblatt Stadium)

City: Omaha, Nebraska

Opening Round Games

Saturday June 18^th:

#3 North Carolina vs. #6 Vanderbilt-2pm ET

#2 Florida vs. #7 Texas-7pm ET

Sunday June 19^th:

#1 Virginia vs. California-2pm ET

#4 South Carolina vs. Texas A&M-7pm ET

#5 Florida State and #8 Rice were the only nationally ranked teams not to advance to the College World Series.

Breaking Down the Teams

#1 Virginia

Coach: Brian O’Connor (8 seasons)

Record: 54-10

CWS History: 2009, 2011

National Championships: none

2011 Postseason: 5-1

Charlottesville Regional:

June 3^rd: Def. Navy 6-0

June 4^th: Def. St. John’s 10-2

June 5^th: Def. East Carolina 13-1

Charlottesville Super Regional:

June 11^th: Def. UC Irvine 6-0

June 12^th: Lost 6-4 to UC Irvine

June 13^th: Def. UC Irvine 3-2

#2 Florida

Coach: Kevin O’Sullivan (4 seasons)

Record: 50-17

CWS History: 1988, 1991, 1996, 1998, 2005, 2010, 2011

National Championships: none

2011 Postseason: 5-1

Gainesville Regional:

June 3^rd: Def. Manhattan 17-3

June 4^th: Def. Miami (FL) 5-4

June 5^th: Def. Miami (FL) 11-4

Gainesville Super Regional:

June 10^th: Def. Miss. St. 11-1

June 11^th: Lost 4-3 to Miss. St.

June 12^th: Def. Miss St. 8-6

#3 North Carolina

Coach: Mike Fox (13 seasons)

Record: 50-14

CWS History: 1960, 1966, 1978, 1989, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011

National Championships: none

2011 Postseason: 5-0

Chapel Hill Regional:

June 3^rd: Def. Maine 5-0

June 4^th: Def. James Madison 14-0

June 5^th: Def. James Madison 9-3

Chapel Hill Regional:

June 10^th: Def. Stanford 5-2

June 11^th: Def. Stanford 7-5

#4 South Carolina

Coach: Ray Tanner (15 seasons)

Record: 50-14

CWS History: 1975, 1977, 1981, 1982, 1985, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2010, 2011

National Championships: 2010

2011 Postseason: 5-0

Columbia Regional:

June 3^rd: Def. Georgia Southern 2-1

June 4^th: Def. Stetson 11-5

June 5^th: Def. Stetson 8-2

Columbia Super Regional:

June 11^th: Def. Connecticut 5-1

June 12^th: Def. Connecticut 8-2

#6 Vanderbilt

Coach: Tim Corbin (7 seasons)

Record: 52-10

CWS History: 2011

National Championships: none

2011 Postseason: 5-0

Nashville Regional:

June 3^rd: Def. Belmont 10-0

June 4^th: Def. Troy 10-2

June 5^th: Def. Belmont 6-1

Nashville Super Regional:

June 10^th: Def. Oregon State 11-1

June 11^th: Def. Oregon State9-3

#7 Texas

Coach: Augie Garrido (15 seasons)

Record: 49-17

CWS History: 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1957, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1989, 1992, 1993, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2011

National Championships: 1949, 1950, 1975, 1983, 2002, 2005

2011 Postseason: 6-2

Austin Regional:

June 3^rd: Def. Princeton 5-3

June 4^th: Lost 7-5 to Kent State

June 5^th: Def. Texas State 4-3

June 5^th: Def. Kent State 9-3

June 6^th: Def. Kent State 5-0

Austin Super Regional:

June 10^th: Lost 3-1 to Arizona State

June 11^th: Def. Arizona State 5-1

June 12^th: Def. Arizona State 4-2

Texas A&M

Coach: Rob Childress (6 seasons)

Record: 46-20

CWS History: 1951, 1964, 1993, 1999, 2011

National Championships: none

2011 Postseason: 5-2

College Station Regional:

June 3^rd: Def. Wright State 11-0

June 4^th: Def. Seton Hall 6-3

June 5^th: Lost 7-4 to Arizona

June 7^th: Def. Arizona 3-0

Tallahassee Super Regional:

June 11^th: Def. Florida State 6-2

June 12^th: Lost 23-9 to Florida State

June 13^th: Def. Florida State 11-2

California

Coach: Dave Esquer (12 seasons)

Record: 37-21

CWS History: 1947, 1957, 1980, 1988, 1992, 2011

National Championships: 1947, 1957

2011 Postseason: 6-1

Houston Regional:

June 3^rd: Lost 6-4 to Baylor

June 4^th: Def. Alcorn State 10-6

June 5^th: Def. Rice 6-3

June 5^th: Def. Baylor 8-0

June 6^th: Def. Baylor 9-8

Santa Clara Super Regional:

June 11^th: Def. Dallas Baptist 7-0

June 12^th: Def. Dallas Baptist 6-2

McIlroy Cruises to 36-Hole Lead, Multiple Records

When the U.S. Open began yesterday morning at the Congressional in Maryland, Rory McIlroy was not considered a favorite heading into the year's best golf tournament found in the states.  After a six-under sixty-five and a bogie-free round yesterday, McIlroy continued to dominate the field, with two birdies and a eagle through today's first eight holes.  He became the fastest player in U.S. Open history to get to ten-under in a U.S. Open (twenty-six holes).  The Northern Irishman continued to amaze on the back nine, adding three more birdies on the next eight holes for a remarkable thirteen-under for the U.S. Open, the lowest score recorded in a U.S. Open.  Although he finished with a double-bogey on eighteen today that snapped a record thirty-five consecutive holes in a U.S. Open without a bogey, he still leads the tournament by six strokes heading to the weekend and holds the best thirty-six hole score in U.S. Open history at eleven-under.

Y.E. Yang, currently in second at five-under for the tournament, is one of thirteen other players currently under par chasing McIlroy for the lead heading to the weekend.  Five players are currently tied for third at two-under, including Zach Johnson, Matt Kuchar, and Sergio Garcia.  With the cut line at four-over, only one member of the newly-hit musical group, Golf Boys, made the cut.  Bubba Watson led the way at four-over, Hunter Mahan and Rickie Fowler barely missed the cut at five-over, and Ben Crane finished at six-over for the two days.  The next two days should be entertaining as McIlroy will vie for his first career Major Championship and his second career PGA Tour win.

Texas Evens Series, Pivotal Game 3 Tomorrow

After a disastrous effort in the opening game of the Austin Super Regional last night, the Longhorns were on the brink of elimination in Game 2 today.  Representing the away team in tonight's game, Texas was able to take advantage early and score first.  After Texas' first six batters were shut down, the Texas offense needed a spark. Montalbano, Texas' first base runner of the night, began the top of the third with a walk.  Four batters and one out later, Montalbano would score on Payton's sacrifice fly.  The Horns left the inning with a 1-0 lead.  Each team scored in the sixth and the game remained close until Texas came up to the plate in the top of the ninth.  Texas' Etier hit his second home run of the year, a three run home run to left field that narrowly stayed fair for a 5-1 lead.

In the bottom of the ninth, Knebel came in to close out the game for Texas.  He had two straight strikeouts and a grounder for the save.  Cole Green won his eighth game of the year and Knebel earned his eighteenth save of the year.  Since the year's NCAA Tournament began, the Texas Longhorns are undefeated in elimination games (4-0).  Game 3 will be played at UFCU Disch-Falk Field tomorrow night at 6pm.

Possible European/Canada Expansion For NBA

When NBA Commissioner David Stern announced the NBA would add a five-team European division by the end of the decade, I found the idea intriguing.  Basketball is the second most popular sport overseas (behind soccer) and already has the fans to support a NBA expansion team.  The NBA has become an international league, with many of our biggest stars coming from other countries.  Sites such as London, Paris, Madrid, and Rome have come up as possible homes for the new franchises.  The possible expansion would also improve competition because the league would bring in many of the world's best players.

If the NBA expands, it should look into adding a sixth team so there would be six divisions of six teams.  Vancouver, who lost the Grizzlies in 2001 to Memphis, would be a great home for an expansion team.  Vancouver currently has a team in the Canadian Football League, National Hockey League, Major League Soccer, and four other professional sporting leagues, so it has the fans to support a NBA team.  Vancouver was also a great host city for the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Although an expansion probably won't happen for a few years, the NBA's first priority is to resolve the labor agreement, so a lockout doesn't have to occur.  The NBA Playoffs this year had some of the best games in years and it would be disappointing not to have games next year.  To conclude, an expansion of the NBA to other countries would improve the world's best basketball league.

Possible MLB Realignment Discussed

Today it was announced that Major League Baseball was discussing a possible realignment of its 30 teams with the Players Association.  The new scenario would elminate all six divisions, so their would be 15 teams in each league vying for five playoff spots.  This would allow the five best teams from each league to make the playoffs.  Since the National League currently has two more teams than the American League, one of its teams would change leagues.  The team that was brought up was the Houston Astros, so they could strengthen their rivalry with the Texas Rangers.

Although the realignment is only a possibility at the current time, the idea could help baseball.  It would make the World Series more of a championship series between the two league champions.  The MLB would have a similar system to the WNBA and MLS.  Neither League has divisions, so it allows only the best teams to fight for both the conference's and the league's championship.  Originally, Baseball had a system similar to this but eventually added divisions.  It would make baseball more enjoyable and exciting.