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JOURNALISM & TELEVISION
How to Make a TV News Resume Tape
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PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEO
How to Shoot Good Quality Video of Children
How to Learn Studio Lighting Basics
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How to Become a Good Investor
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How to Define Static Budgets
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MARTIAL ARTS
How to Do a Hapkido Forward Roll
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How to Do Ladder Curls for Your Biceps
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How to Teach Batting
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How to Get in Shape for Winter Sports
How to Become a Faster Moving Boxer
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TRAVEL
How to Improve Gas Mileage on a Long Road Trip
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How to Tour Minnesota
How to Load a Moving Van
How to Pack Dining Room Chairs in a Moving Truck
How to Pack a Moving Van
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| Chargers Should Have Won - Kent Ninomiya |
| 01.26.08 (4:03 pm) [edit] |
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Kent Ninomiya - It took me a week to pull myself together enough to write about the Chargers loss to the Patriots in the AFC championship game. My devistation was equal to my anticipation of a trip to the Superbowl. To make my pain worse, the Chargers could have won that game. If they were blown out and out played then I could shrug it off. Instead they kicked field goals when they should have scored touchdowns. Players expected to play didn't and the ones expected to sit played below their abilities. Then there's the coaching decision to punt the ball back to the Patriots late in the fourth quarter when trailing by 9 points. We could have just handed them the AFC championship trophy right then. Yes, a game they should have won hurts much more than a game where they were just beat. Kent Ninomiya
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| Michael Chang Honored - Kent Ninomiya |
| 01.25.08 (1:44 am) [edit] |
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Kent Ninomiya - Michael Chang is elected to the International Tennis Hall of Fame. This is a big moment for Asian American athletes. It validates the landmark career of this amazing athlete. Chang was just 17 years old when he won the 1989 French Open. He is still the youngest male player to win a Grand Slam title. Chang was also the first U.S. champion at the clay-court Grand Slam since Tony Trabert in 1955. It was an amazing thing to watch. He was so exhasted during his five-set upset of number 1 seed Ivan Lendl that he had to serve underhanded. Still he beat the best player in the world at the time and went on to defeat Stefan Edberg in the final. He never won another Grand Slam but finished runner-up three times at Grand Slam tournaments and won 34 singles titles. Chang reached a number 2 ranking in 1996. Not bad for a kid who was just 5'9" and 160 pounds. In an era when male tennis players were huge and dominated with power, Chang got it done with hustle and heart. Just like Tiger Woods with golf, Michael Chang inspired a generation of Asian American kids to enter the world of competitive tennis. Congratulations Michael, you deserve the honor. Kent Ninomiya
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| Suspension Crazy - Kent Ninomiya |
| 01.24.08 (12:08 am) [edit] |
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Kent Ninomiya - Suspending TV talent for off hand remarks seems to be in vogue these days. Now it's ESPN's Dana Jacobson who is on the hot seat. The co-host of "First Take" on ESPN2 is reportedly serving a one-week suspension for comments made at a January 11 roast of ESPN Radio personalities Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic. Jacobsen is said to have made vulgar comments about Notre Dame as a joke. Jacobson is a Michigan graduate who often kids Notre Dame alumnus Golic about the rivalry between the schools. Apparently it went too far. Jacobson reportedly made a number of apologies the next day to Greenberg and Golic, and issued a statement saying, "I am sorry. My remarks about Notre Dame were foolish and insensitive. I respect all religions and did not mean anything derogatory by my poorly chosen words. I also deeply regret the embarrassment I've caused ESPN and Mike and Mike." The apology wasn't good enough for ESPN.
The question I have is: would Jacobson have been suspended if the Golf Channel's Kelly Tilghman had not been disciplined for her comments about Tiger Woods recently. Then Golfweek ran a cover of a noose to exploit the controversy. Editor Dave Seanor got fired for approving it. It seems to be a feeding frenzy on TV talent.
I watch Dana Jacobson on a regular basis. She is a classy professional who presents herself well while doing hours of live television involving contentious debate. She was making jokes at a roast. Did she go to far? Maybe, but come on, it was a roast. A McCarthy style witch hunt is brewing in the broadcast industry where everyone is hypersensitive about what they say and intent is determined by public opinion days after the fact. We need to be careful not to lose our freedoms of expression and press by pandering to "pile on" outrage. They are just words. Let's not make them about something they're not. Kent Ninomiya
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| Rivers or Volek? - Kent Ninomiya |
| 01.19.08 (8:52 pm) [edit] |
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Kent Ninomiya - The Chargers say Philip Rivers injury is worse than they thought. They are now listing him as doubtful for Sunday's AFC Championship game with the Patriots for his injured knee. If he doesn't play, or can't play well, the team's fate will ride on the shoulders of seldom used Billy Volek. The back up was impressive last week as he held off the Colts and increased San Diego's lead at the end of the game. Volek has a history of stepping in and stepping up. Over the NFL's past 39 seasons, no quarterback has thrown for more yards in his first 10 starts than Billy Volek. Of course Volek has made only 10 starts in his eight seasons. In 2004 he started for the injured Steve McNair in Tennessee. Volek passed for 918 yards and eight touchdowns in two games. He's just the fourth quarterback in NFL history to pass for more than 400 yards in back-to-back games. Will Volek be able to step up again and lead the Chargers to the Superbowl? Can he rise to the occasion and out shine perhaps the greatest quarterback of all time? If history shows us anything it's that Billy Volek makes the most of his time in the spotlight. This will be the brightest light to ever shine upon him. Kent Ninomiya
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| Steroid Strategy - Kent Ninomiya |
| 01.19.08 (8:28 pm) [edit] |
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Kent Ninomiya - In the old days, when an athlete was accused of using performance enhancing drugs they just came out and denied it. That strategy didn't work well for those who were actually guilty. Just ask Marion Jones who is heading to prison for six months for lying to investigators. Houston Astro shortstop Miguel Tejada is now under investigation by the FBI for allegedly lying to investigators about his possible steroid use. If he's found guilty he might go to prison as well. Athletes are realizing that covering up is often more costly than what they're accused of doing in the first place. Many are now listening to their attorneys and saying nothing. There's a reason Mark McGuire is rarely seen in public anymore and wont grant interviews to anyone. He knows that nothing he says will help his case or public perception. McGuire refused to implicate himself or possibly commit perjury when he testified before congress. It hurt him in the public eye but may keep him out of prison if he ever is found guilty of anything. Even Roger Clemens, who went on the offensive against his accuser, refuses to make statements that could end up harming him later. Expect more carefully worded statements when he eventually testifies to congress. The bottom line is, athletes are beginning to realize that people will not take their word for it. The smart ones know what they say can and will come back to haunt them. Kent Ninomiya
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| Chargers Hungry - Kent Ninomiya |
| 01.18.08 (10:38 pm) [edit] |
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Kent Ninomiya - What I love most about the Chargers being in the AFC Championship game is all the national attention they're getting. Being a smaller West Coast market, San Diego is often neglected by the sports networks. The prevailing view is that they don't have the national fan base the Patriots or Giants or Bears have. Well, they can't neglect them now. The Bolts are front and center in every sportscast. It's glorious to be able to turn on any TV anywhere in America and see my Chargers covered. However, even though they can't be neglected this week, they can be dismissed. All the so-called experts are declaring San Diego done for. The odds makers have them 13 point underdogs. The Patriots have all but been crowned the greatest team of all time. I beg to differ. Let's remember last year. The Chargers were in the spot the Patriots enjoy now. They came into the playoffs with a 14-2 record and #1 seed only to be dethroned by the Patriots. The Chargers entered that game at home cocky and comfortable. They became a victim of their own overconfidence. This year the Chargers are hungry. The started the season with a new coaching staff and a 1-3 record. They battled back to finish strong and take the first two playoff games despite devastating injuries. This team has heart and this team wants it. As eager as I am to see the Chargers ruin the Patriots' destiny of a perfect season, I am even more eager to see the so-called experts eat their words Sunday night after the game. Remember, Indianapolis was an 8 point favorite but San Diego took care of them with backup players. They are ready for the Patriots. Kent Ninomiya
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| Bud the Dud or Stud? - Kent Ninomiya |
| 01.18.08 (4:53 pm) [edit] |
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Kent Ninomiya - Bud is back! The big question around the baseball world is whether that's a good thing. MLB Commissioner Bud Selig just extended his contract another three years. He will be with us through 2012. This is somewhat unexpected. Selig hinted that it was time for him to retire. It is certainly an interesting time in baseball. It's enjoying unprecidented financial success while under fire for steroid allegations. So is Selig good or bad for baseball. I think he is a valueable asset. Baseball is going through its most dramatic change since integration. Its biggest stars are its biggest liability. Strange times we live in. Bud is responsible for the steroid controversy coming to the surface. He is not trying to sweep it under the rug. He encouraged the Mitchell report, accepts partial responsibility and vows to clean things up. He is not responsible for steroids. He is doing something about it. Baseball has also exploded economically in his tenure. MLB grossed more than 6 billion dollars last season. They set an attendance record of nearly 80 million. Both are records. Selig promises to expand the league even more, bringing more baseball to more regions of the country. If you are a baseball fan, Bud is a stud not a dud. Kent Ninomiya
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| Good Link - Kent Ninomiya |
| 01.17.08 (1:29 am) [edit] |
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Kent Ninomiya - I would like to recommend a blog right here on tblog. It's by OldSchool, a guy with a good grasp on sports issues. Lately he's been addressing the Roger Clemens steroids accusation issue. Check it out! Kent Ninomiya
http://oldschool.tblog.com/
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| New Padres - Kent Ninomiya |
| 01.16.08 (4:17 pm) [edit] |
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Kent Ninomiya - News on recent minor league signings in the Padres organizations from the associated press: Catcher Robert Fick, outfielder Jeff DaVanon and left-hander Mike Megrew agreed to minor league contracts with the San Diego Padres on Thursday and were invited to spring training.
Fick returns to the Padres after spending the last two seasons with the Washington Nationals. He was with the Padres in 2004 and 2005. He is a career .258 hitter in parts of 10 big league seasons with five teams.
DaVanon split the 2007 season between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Oakland Athletics, hitting .213. He's played parts of eight big league seasons with three teams, batting .259.
Megrew made 19 starts and had 21 appearances for Double-A Jacksonville in 2007, going 6-6 with a 5.30 ERA.
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| Bully Rivers - Kent Ninomiya |
| 01.16.08 (4:06 pm) [edit] |
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Kent Ninomiya - What is wrong with Philip Rivers? Here he is on the verge of achieving a life long goal of playing in the Superbowl and he's acting like a playground bully. Rivers was shown on national television trash talking Indianapolis Colt fans at the end of the AFC divisional game. The video was repeated over and over on ESPN for days. You would have thought Rivers would have learned his lesson the last time this happened. He was caught jawing to the Denver Broncos at the end of the regular-season finale. The Chargers are not the Raiders. They have always been seen as the clean cut good guys. Rivers is doing everything he can to change that image. He is making the team look like a bunch of classless punks who need to be taught a lesson.
By all accounts teammates are embarrassed by Rivers. The team's biggest star LaDainian Tomlinson says "I think we're perceived as a trash-talking team, and I hate that. That's never been my style, to really trash talk. The only thing you can do about that to change is to just play the game and quit talking about different things. Eventually it will go away, but you have to win also. The problem is that if you trash talk and you lose, people say that, 'This team, all they can do is talk and they can't back it up.' I've heard that this year already."
Rivers is proving himself to be an immature jerk. The tragedy is he is surrounded by class professionals who are forced to work with him. Instead of the classy guys raising him up, Rivers is bringing them all down. The last thing the Chargers need is to give other teams more motivation to beat them. Rivers invites people to knock him on his ass. Let's hope he wises up and grows some humility and self esteem.
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| Cal Rebuilding - Kent Ninomiya |
| 01.16.08 (3:41 pm) [edit] |
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Kent Ninomiya - Cal Bear fans everywhere are devastated by the news that wide receiver DeSean Jackson is skipping his senior year to enter the NFL draft. The move is not unexpected, however we all hoped he would return to help Cal improve on this disappointing season. Jackson actually had a disappointing season himself. He was injured and inconsistent, but when he flashed his athletic brilliance it was spectacular. It all came down to his draft projection. He is rated as the number one receiver in the next draft which means he'll likely be taken high in the first round and rake in millions. His disappointing 2007 season gave Cal fans hope he would come back to improve his draft status. Since apparently his performance didn't hurt him too much he is gone. Jackson's departure reduces Cal to "rebuilding" status. There are no star receivers to take his place. Running back Justin Forsett is graduating and it's unclear who will step up as quarterback. I fear Cal's time may have passed. Kent Ninomiya
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| Cal Seniors - Kent Ninomiya |
| 01.14.08 (3:14 pm) [edit] |
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Kent Ninomiya - Six California Golden Bears appear in post season all star play this year. They include Thomas DeCoud, Justin Forsett, Mike Gibson, Lavelle Hawkins, Robert Jordan, and Craig Stevens. Wide receiver Robert Jordan was the Kai (west) team's top receiver with four catches for 84 yards in Saturday's game in the 2008 Cornerstone Hula Bowl at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu. Jordan scored the only touchdown of the game for his team. Safety Thomas DeCoud, running back Justin Forsett and receiver Lavelle Hawkins will play in the 59th annual Under Armour Senior Bowl on Saturday, Jan. 26 at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Ala.. Offensive tackle Mike Gibson and tight end Craig Stevens will play in the 83rd East-West Shrine Game this Saturday, Jan. 19. Cal has had 22 players participate in the Senior Bowl, including eight since Jeff Tedford's arrival - Tully Banta-Cain and Kyle Boller (2003); Lorenzo Alexander and J.J. Arrington (2005), Ryan O'Callaghan and Marvin Philip (2006) and Daymeion Hughes and Brandon Mebane (2007). All eight remain active in the NFL. Kent Ninomiya
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| Clemens Gamble - Kent Ninomiya |
| 01.14.08 (2:32 pm) [edit] |
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Kent Ninomiya - As Roger Clemens awaits his February 13th meeting with U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, he ponders the seemingly impossible task of clearing his name. The seven time Cy Young Award winner and, until recently, shoe in for the Hall of Fame, was named in the Mitchell Report as a user of steroids. The apparent source of the allegation is a sole trainer who claim he injected Clemens years ago. Clemens vehemently denies the allegation. He is doing what he can to fight it and the public perception that followed. He released statements, appeared on 60 Minutes, and filed a lawsuit against his accuser. Clemens also plans to testify before congress. He is doing more to clear his name than any other athlete who has been in this situation. If Clemens is guilty and there is convincing proof out there then he is in big trouble. Doing steroids is bad enough. Lying about it under oath will land you in prison. Just ask Marion Jones. However, if Clemens is not guilty then he is doing quite literally all he can. He is fortunate to have the money and resources to fight allegations in a way few others can. He will, no doubt, spend millions in his attempt to save his reputation. It will be worth the expense if he is able to turn around public perception and save his legacy. By all accounts it is a long shot. It is more unlikely than a 45 year old who can still throw a baseball like Clemens. He seems to realize this. "How do you prove a negative?" Clemens asked rhetorically at his news conference. "How do you do it?" His voice dripped with anger and frustration. Clemens is going for broke in this ordeal. Either he will be completely destroyed and disgraced or vindicated and held up as a working class hero for overcoming the establishment and unjust accusations. Either way he will carry indelible scars. What else can he do though? Kent Ninomiya
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| Back Ups Move On - Kent Ninomiya |
| 01.14.08 (2:31 pm) [edit] |
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Kent Ninomiya - The Chargers battle their way to an impressive victory over the defending Superbowl champion Colts with clutch performances by Darren Sproles, Michael Turner, and Billy Volek. Who?! Most of the Chargers' headline starters were sidelined with injury including LaDainian Tomlinson, Philip Rivers, and Lorenzo Neal. Antonio Gates played with his dislocated toe but wasn't very effective. The backups were extremely effective and stepped up when they needed to. Darren Sproles rushed 56-yards for a touchdown on the last play of the third quarter. Michael Turner carried the ball 17 times for 71 yards. Billy Volek led the Chargers 78 yards on eight plays and scored his first career touchdown with a 1 yard quarterback sneak with 4:50 remaining. It sealed the lead and the victory for San Diego. Meanwhile the Colts had all their stars on the field. Payton Manning came out firing and even had Marvin Harrison back on their home field after resting for a bye week. The Colts had no excuse. Even the referees seemed to want the Colts to win. They took points off the board just before the half on a questionable holding call when the Chargers ran back a punt for an apparent touchdown. There was also a phantom pass interference call they saved an important Colts drive. It had me thinking NFL conspiracy. However, the Chargers just wanted it more and muscled it out until the end. The refs and the Colts couldn't overcome the Chargers will. It was a glorious moment for a San Diego fan. Kent Ninomiya
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| Golf Under Fire - Kent Ninomiya |
| 01.13.08 (2:12 am) [edit] |
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Kent Ninomiya - A few words about the suspension of Kelly Tilghman. The Golf Channel anchor will leave partner Nick Faldo and the network for two weeks as punishment for her comment that golfers should "lynch" Tiger Woods "in a dark alley" if they want to catch up to him. It was a stupid thing to say but no one believes she meant it literally. Tiger Woods, through his agent, said it was a non issue. The Golf Channel treated it as if it was no big deal and kept Tilghman on the air for several days after the comment. It wasn't until the next week when there was a public outcry and Rev. Al Sharpton called for Tilghman's firing that the Golf Channel took action. Suddenly they condemned her words. They released a statement saying "there is simply no place on our network for offensive language like this." Hmmm... such outrage. Why did it take them so long to feel it? I see hypocrisy here. If there is no room on the Golf Channel for that language then Tilghman should have been yanked from the air immediately. If it was a non issue then she should not be suspended. If you are going to take a moral stand then you have to make up your mind. You can't have it both ways. The late suspension was a compromise to hopefully get angry African Americans off the Golf Network's back. Tilghman's suspension conveniently ends just in time for her to work the Buick Invitational on January 24. It will be Tiger Woods' 2008 debut. I guess the Golf Network's timing isn't completely off... not when it comes to scheduling their outrage. Kent Ninomiya
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| Chargers get ready - Kent Ninomiya |
| 01.12.08 (4:45 pm) [edit] |
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Kent Ninomiya - Some good news and some bad news for the Chargers going into their playoff game with the Colts tomorrow. Pro Bowl Tight End Antonio Gates is not practicing while he rehabs his dislocated left big toe, but All-Pro fullback Lorenzo Neal is practicing and is expected to play. He missed a month after breaking his lower left leg. Neal was certainly missed by LT who rushed for only 64 yards last week. If Gates can't play, he'll be replaced by Brandon Manumaleuna. He's still a threat but he's no Gates who was San Diego's leading receiver for the fourth straight season, with 75 catches for 984 yards and nine touchdowns. The defense will need to step up if they expect to beat the rested Colts. Perhaps they can repeat their 6 interception performance from earlier in the season. Kent Ninomiya
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| Asian Athletes |
| 01.12.08 (4:35 pm) [edit] |
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Kent Ninomiya - Take a look at the leader board at the Sony Open. K.J. Choi is the big story. He is leading thanks to his amazing 5 under 65. It's a monumental turn around from his last place finish among the 31 winners at Kapalua for the Mercedes-Benz Championship seven days ago. He leads Kevin Na by two strokes. Another big story is Tadd Fujikawa. Last year he became the youngest player in 50 years to make the cut on the PGA Tour. The 17-year-old from Honolulu failed to make the cut this time but he's the focus of attention whenever he plays just like Michelle Wie and Tiger Woods. Do you notice anything about the names? Every one of them if Asian or of Asian ancestry. Tiger is the undisputed face of Golf yet many don't realize that he is more Asian than he is black. Asian athletes are moving to the forefront of American athletics. Gone are the days of the meek Asian stereotype. Baseball is full of Asian stars like Ichiro. Basketball has Yao Ming. Football has Hines Ward. The list goes on and on in sports ranging from tennis to figure skating to soccer to hockey. It's good for the future of sports to have role models of every color. It inspires young athletes to strive for their dreams. These pioneers represent far more than they know. They are like Jackie Robinson breaking down barriers both real and imagined. Kent Ninomiya
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| Mack on Track to come Back - Kent Ninomiya |
| 01.12.08 (4:34 pm) [edit] |
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Mack Back - Kent Ninomiya
Kent Ninomiya - Good news for Cal Bear fans. All American center Alex Mack will return for his senior season. This is a big deal. Considering the issues we had at the quarterback position this season, breaking in a new center would compound the problem. Center is arguably the most important position in football after the quarterback. Mack earned All-America honors from several organizations. he was a finalist for the Rimington Trophy for the nation's top center and the won the Morris Trophy in the Pac-10 for outstanding lineman. Mel Kiper named him the number 1 junior center this past season. Mack was one of just three unanimous selections to the All-Pac-10 first team and a semifinalist for the Rotary Lombardi Award. The 6-5 300-pound Mack is as smart as you would expect a Berkeley student to be. The legal studies major earned ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District honors for the second straight year and was named to the Pac-10 All-Academic First Team. He expects to get his bachelor's degree in legal studies in May and pursue graduate studies in the fall. Kent Ninomiya
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| Sports, Race and Words - Kent Ninomiya |
| 01.09.08 (2:00 pm) [edit] |
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Kent Ninomiya - Should someone lose their job and career for saying the wrong thing? Is it right that years of unblemished service be wiped out by a single off hand comment? The answer is... it depends. Last Friday, Golf Channel anchor Kelly Tilghman said young pro golfers trying to catch up to Tiger Woods should "lynch him in a back alley." Naturally this comment sparked outrage since Tiger Woods is part African American. The anger further intensified as Tilghman was allowed to appear on the air all day Saturday as if nothing happened. She issued an on-air apology Sunday and said he apologized directly to Tiger Woods, however she remained on the air that day. The Golf Channel issued a statement saying "we regret if any viewers were offended by Kelly's choice of words."
Tiger Woods is apparently taking the high road and not making an issue out of it. Woods' agent is quotes as saying "It is a complete non-issue. Kelly and Tiger are friends. It might have been a poor choice of words, but there was absolutely no ill intent whatsoever."
It is entirely reasonable to assume that Tilghman did not mean to offend anyone and is not a racist. It was most likely a slip of the tongue and she did not realize the context of the word "lynch" when she said it. So then, what should be her "punishment" if anything? The Golf Channel is obviously concentrating on intent. Since she has no ill will then it's a simple matter of apologizing. The fact that their viewer base is primarily white and not overall offended by her remark anyway also limits their motivation to dole out any punishment. To some this makes the Golf Channel seem apathetic and racist. Other groups out there are horribly offended and want Tilghman's head. It doesn't matter to them that Woods himself says he's not offended and is willing to drop the matter. They want to make an example out of Tilghman as if punishing her will stop others from making slips of the tongue in the future.
I have worked in television for more than 20 years now. Many comments have passed my lips that came out differently than I intended them. When you talk for a living on live television you sometimes say stupid and inadvertently offensive things without realizing it. Is that a punishable offense? One time in San Francisco I was chatting on air with my co anchor about a man who found several stolen Oscar statues in a trash dumpster. His reward for returning them was an invitation to the Academy Awards ceremony in the next day or two. I commented that I hoped he had time to find something nice to wear since the Academy Awards are all about what people are wearing. The man happened to be African American. One viewer was greatly offended by my comment and wrote a letter accusing me of being a blatant racist. He said I claimed African Americans are too poor and stupid to dress themselves. I have quite honestly never had that thought in my life and was not thinking about the man's race at all when making the comment. I was talking about clothes. Despite this the viewer was irate. I personally expressed my regret to the viewer if my comments offended him and explained that I did not mean what he believed I did. It did not satisfy him and he continued to be angry and convinced I was a racist. Nothing I could say or do would satisfy him. He just wanted to be offended.
I have also been on the other side of misspoken words. I was hired to be a primary anchor at a television station in Minneapolis and partnered with an African American woman. The general manager who hired me was a visionary. He was willing to create an all minority main anchor team in an overwhelmingly white market. When asked about this, he said when it comes to anchors it didn't matter the color of their skin or the "slant" of their eyes. Columnists and Asian American groups around the country took it upon themselves to be offended by the "slant" comment. Some called for the general manager's firing. They didn't bother to ask me if I was offended. I wasn't. I knew this man to be honorable and brave. He took a huge risk hiring me and was in no way a racist. His words came out wrong. That's all. The story diminished what should have been a hugely positive story about the landmark all minority anchor team in Minnesota. Those who were so offended missed an opportunity to focus on a positive accomplishment by being petty and negative.
The bottom line here is that words are powerful, but they're just words. A sum of a person's character and accomplishments can not be reduced to a single inadvertent comment no matter what it is. If there's a pattern of offensive behavior or words, that's different. If it's a single off hand statement then it should be judged in the context under which it is said. Making a big deal about an innocent statement harms the movement for equality. If the mainstream sees minorities as over sensitive and unreasonable then they will ignore legitimate complaints. Likewise, the mainstream needs to understand that offensive comments do harm us all and use these incidents as opportunities to focus on removing them from our lexicon. There is work to do on both sides. Kent Ninomiya
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| Beatable Colts - Kent Ninomiya |
| 01.08.08 (12:02 pm) [edit] |
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Kent Ninomiya - Can the San Diego Chargers beat the Indianapolis Colts in Indiana? That answer to that question is an unwavering depends. The Chargers beat Payton Manning's squad earlier this season but only because he was having a horrible game. The Chargers are a little beat up with Antonio Gates questionable due to a sprained big toe and LT coming off an anemic performance against Tennessee. They are also coming off a high from getting their first playoff victory since 1995. Will that deflate their desire for this upcoming game or fire them up for more? The Chargers are certainly hot winning their last 7 games straight. Even embattled quarterback Philip Rivers showed glimmers of brilliance driving his team down field when LT was stumped. It will depend on whether the Chargers show up ready to play. They can certainly beat the Colts if they believe they can. I am predicting a Patriots loss to the Jaguars this weekend so this could be their most challenging test before the Superbowl. Kent Ninomiya
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| USA today poll - Kent Ninomiya |
| 01.08.08 (11:42 am) [edit] |
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Kent Ninomiya - These are the final standings in the USA today coaches poll for the 2007 college football season. Notice how Ohio State dropped to 4th from first after being blown out. I actually think they should have fallen more. The most shocking thing is that Missouri finished 5th and Kansas finished 7th. They both won but Kansas was in a BCS bowl and Missouri wasn't. Missouri beat Kansas so they should have been. Maybe the coaches are trying to fix a wrong committed by the BCS. Sadly Cal did not make the list though they did receive 8 votes. I guess their bowl victory over Air Force impressed a few coaches. Remember when they were about to take over the number one spot from LSU? That was a long time ago. Kent Ninomiya
TEAM PTS PVS ---- --- ---
1. LSU (60) (12-2) 1,500 2
2. USC (11-2) 1,380 6
3. GEORGIA (11-2) 1,370 4
4. OHIO ST (11-2) 1,287 1
5. MISSOURI (12-2) 1,241 7
6. WEST VIRGINIA (11-2) 1,239 9
7. KANSAS (12-1) 1,217 8
8. OKLAHOMA (11-3) 1,016 3
9. VIRGINIA TECH (11-3) 979 5
10. TEXAS (10-3) 924 17
11. BOSTON COLLEGE (11-3) 898 14
12. TENNESSEE (10-4) 826 18
13. ARIZONA ST (10-3) 635 11
14. (tie) AUBURN (9-4) 624 21
14. (tie) BYU (11-2) 624 19
16. FLORIDA (9-4) 567 12
17. HAWAII (12-1) 427 10
18. ILLINOIS (9-4) 416 13
19. MICHIGAN (9-4) 413 NR
20. CINCINNATI (10-3) 376 23
21. WISCONSIN (9-4) 333 15
22. CLEMSON (9-4) 319 16
23. TEXAS TECH (9-4) 242 NR
24. OREGON (9-4) 192 NR
25. PENN ST (9-4) 127 NR
Dropped Out: No. 20 VIRGINIA, No. 22 BOISE ST, No. 24ARKANSAS, No. 25 SOUTH FLORIDA
Others Receiving Votes: OREGON ST 108, VIRGINIA 71, WAKEFOREST 53, BOISE ST 33, FRESNO ST 11, KENTUCKY 11,CALIFORNIA 8, CONNECTICUT 8, MISSISSIPPI ST 7, SOUTH FLORIDA6, TULSA 5, UCF 4, UTAH 2, ARKANSAS 1.
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| Baseball in crisis - Kent Ninomiya |
| 01.08.08 (1:17 am) [edit] |
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Kent Ninomiya - What is an innocent man supposed to sound like? Do we know? If I asked what a guilty man sounds like I'm sure I would get all sorts of answers, but an innocent man is harder to identify. This is the no win situation facing Roger Clemens. No matter what he does he will look and sound guilty to many just because he was accused. This is the gross injustice inflicted by our media culture. While the courts are supposed to assume innocence until guilt is proven, it is the opposite in the media. Public perception is always to assume guilt. The tragedy is that even if a celebrity is later proved to be innocent, people generally don't remember that. Roger Clemens seems to realize that he is ruined no matter what he does. Still he is releasing statements, holding news conferences and suing his accuser. He is doing what he can to clear his name even though he realizes it will never be enough. Celebrity is an unforgiving double edged sword. It will slice you a path to the front of the line then cut you down where you stand. In my career I've witnessed countless lives ruined by unsubstantiated accusations. I do not know if Roger Clemens is guilty or not, but I will strive to give him the benefit of the doubt while due process is observed. I do this even though I know my media colleagues wont. I urge my fellow journalists to consider what they do on a daily basis. Our job as journalists is to uncover the truth and report the facts. Giving false impressions by repeating unproven accusations as fact is wrong. Let's do the right thing. Kent Ninomiya
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| New Look Bears - Kent Ninomiya |
| 01.06.08 (10:25 pm) [edit] |
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Kent Ninomiya - Big news on coaching changes for the California Golden Bears. This from calbears dot com: The University of California football program has hired two new coaches, head coach Jeff Tedford announced on Sunday. Frank Cignetti, Jr., has been hired as the Golden Bears' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, while Al Simmons will join the program as its defensive backs coach.
Jim Michalczik will continue as the team's offensive line coach and will also be the Bears' assistant offensive coordinator and assistant head coach. Kevin Daft, who served as the program's quarterbacks coach for the 2007 season, will move to wide receivers coach, replacing Dan Ferrigno, who has left Cal to pursue other opportunities. Graduate assistant Tosh Lupoi has been promoted to defensive line coach, replacing Ken Delgado, who has accepted a position at another school.
"The restructuring of our offensive staff enables me to focus more on program-wide head coaching duties," Tedford said. "This is not a reflection on the performance of any of the assistant coaches. It has more to do with maximizing my efficiency as a head coach."
Cignetti, who brings 19 years of coaching experience at both the collegiate and professional levels to the program, joins the Bears after coaching the San Francisco 49ers' quarterbacks for the 2007 campaign.
"Frank brings a wealth of knowledge, energy and experience to our staff," Tedford said. "He has a great reputation as a top offensive mind and play-caller at both the college and NFL levels. We're excited to add his abilities to our offensive staff." Simmons, a Bay Area product, returns for his second stint on the Golden Bear staff after serving as Cal's cornerbacks coach from 1998-2000. He coached at Arizona State last season.
"We are also excited with the addition of Al Simmons," Tedford said. "Al has great experience at both the college and pro levels and he brings great knowledge of the Pac-10. He is known as a great technician and we've always respected the way his players have performed."
Prior to joining the 49ers, Cignetti worked with the University of North Carolina (offensive coordinator, 2006), Fresno State (offensive coordinator, 2002-05), New Orleans Saints (quarterbacks, 2000-01), Kansas City Chiefs (quality control, 1999), Indiana University of Pennsylvania (offensive coordinator, 1997-98; quarterbacks, 1995-98; secondary, 1993-94; receivers, 1990-92) and the University of Pittsburgh (graduate assistant, 1989).
On the collegiate level, the Pittsburgh product has been part of five bowl game staffs, with victories in four of those, including wins over Georgia Tech (2002, Silicon Valley), UCLA (2003, Silicon Valley) and Virginia (2004, MPC Computers). Cignetti also helped IUP to the Division II national championship game twice and the semifinals four times. He has also served on coaching staffs in the Senior Bowl and the East-West Shrine games. He was part of a division championship with the Saints in 2000.
During his four years at Fresno State, Cignetti's offenses twice finished among the nation's top 10 in scoring and third-down conversions. In 2004, the Bulldogs averaged 52.8 points per game over the final six games of the season and became just the sixth team in NCAA history to score 50 or more points in four consecutive contests.
An all-conference safety at IUP, Cignetti played for his father, Frank, Sr., who served as the head coach at IUP and West Virginia for 24 seasons. He helped the Indians to the school's first-ever appearance in a national playoff game in 1987.
After his playing career at IUP, Cignetti served as a graduate assistant at Pitt in 1989, helping the Panthers to a 9-3 record and a Sun Bowl victory over Texas A&M. He then joined his father's staff at his alma mater, serving as a positional coach for seven years before being promoted to offensive coordinator for his final two seasons.
Simmons, who replaces R. Todd Littlejohn as Cal's defensive backs coach, brings over 20 years of coaching experience to the Golden Bears' defense. He spent the last two seasons as Arizona State's cornerbacks and co-special teams coach. He had a one-year stop at San Jose State as the cornerbacks coach in 2005 after two seasons on the San Francisco 49ers staff. He has also coached at Oregon State (2001-02), Cal (1998-2000), Idaho State (1997), Montana State (1995-96), San Francisco State (1994) and Cal State Hayward (1986-93). As an undergrad, Simmons was an all-conference safety at Cal State Hayward.
During his first stint at Cal, Simmons was key in the transformation of one-time tailback Deltha O'Neal into an All-America defensive back. O'Neal was the first cornerback selected in the 2000 NFL Draft.
The Golden Bears posted their sixth straight winning season in 2007, capping the year with a come-from-behind 42-36 triumph over Air Force in the Bell Helicopters Armed Forces Bowl. The bowl victory was the fourth for Tedford - no other Cal coach has won more than two. It is the first time in program history that Cal has advanced to five straight bowl games and the first time in over 50 years that the Bears have posted five straight winning seasons.
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| Passing on Canseco - Kent Ninomiya |
| 01.06.08 (10:21 pm) [edit] |
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Kent Ninomiya - Maybe Jose Canseco wont fatten his wallet with another sleezy book about steroids and baseball after all. ESPN says Canseco is having a hard time finding a writer to actually do the work. The guy he wanted to do it says he's passing because Canseco has nothing. Can Canseco find someone sleezy enough to write the book anyway? Probably, but his limited credibility is taking a hit with this writer passing on the project.
(ESPN) Former Sports Illustrated associate editor Don Yaeger, who had initially planned on collaborating on Jose Canseco's next book, has decided against working with the former slugger, according to a published report. "I'm passing," Yaeger told the New York Daily News. "I had a chance to review the Jose Canseco [material] that he provided me. I don't think there's a book there. I don't know what they're going to do. I don't think he's got what he claims to have, certainly doesn't have what he claims to have on A-Rod. There's no meat on the bones."
Canseco finalized a deal for his sequel to "Juiced" and it is expected to hit bookstores by Opening Day of the 2008 season, two New York newspapers reported last month.
The working title of the book is "Vindicated."
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| congratulations now get to work - Kent Ninomiya |
| 01.06.08 (10:14 pm) [edit] |
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Kent Ninomiya - Chargers win! They get the monkey off their back by breaking a 14 year curse. They haven't won a playoff game since the Chargers were in the Superbowl in 1994. That's four losses in a row. We saw glimmers of their true selves today in their 17-6 victory over the Tennesee Titans. Still there is reason for concern. The high powered offense was downright anemic most of the game. Down 6-3 at halftime?! Philip Rivers was screaming at everyone again yet failing to hit his receivers. Antonio Gates left in the second quarter with a sprained toe and is questionable for the next game with the Colts. Usually reliable Nate Kaeding missed an easy field goal. Yes they finally won a playoff game but they have far to go. The Colts are next and the Patriots are probably after that. Celebrate briefly then get back to work. Kent Ninomiya
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| Dangerous Dodgers - Kent Ninomiya |
| 01.03.08 (12:16 am) [edit] |
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Kent Ninomiya - The Padres are going to have their hands full dealing with the Dodgers next season. Not only did they upgrade their manager to Joe Torre, they are loading up with premier players. Many of them are coming from Asia. They include newly added Hiroki Kuroda, Hong-Chih Kuo, Takashi Saito, and Chin-Lung Hu.
(ESPN) With the acquisition of Hiroki Kuroda, the Los Angeles Dodgers have purchased a gem. The 32-year-old right-hander is a real no-nonsense player with a top-notch track record.
"He's got a good fastball and three or four above-average pitches that he can throw in the zone," said Marty Brown, who managed Kuroda the past two seasons with the Hiroshima Carp.
Kuroda, who has a 3.69 career ERA and 103-89 record, did more to help his team win from 2002 to 2007 than any other pitcher in Japan. The only player who contributed as much to his team's success per season over that period was current Red Sox right-hander
Hiroki Kuroda's three-year, $35.3 million deal with the Dodgers includes a $7.3 million signing bonus. Although the newest Dodger is best known for his ability to get ground balls, Brown says what's special is Kuroda's knack for stepping up late in the game.
"He's similar to Pedro Martinez in that respect," Brown said by telephone last week. "They are different kinds of pitchers, but they both have that ability.
"He [Kuroda] will be in the sixth or seventh inning, sailing along, and he gets into a little trouble. Suddenly he grabs another gear. He has that competitive nature. We've all seen Pedro do that for so many years."
Yet, as with most ace pitchers, there is always the fear that mammoth pitch counts in games, between games and in the preseason will bring Kuroda down to earth sooner or later. When Brown arrived to take over his former club in 2006, he began putting his 6-foot-1, 190-pound ace on a pitch count, while shifting him as much as possible to four days' rest instead of six.
The new skipper also patched Hiroshima's porous defense, and despite a season that was punctuated by an elbow injury, Kuroda posted one of the nation's most impressive starting pitching seasons in nearly 20 years. In 2006, he rang up a 1.85 ERA despite working in a hitters' league and in Japan's toughest park for pitchers.
"I think Kuroda will be someone's No. 3 starter and will get just as many [ground balls] here as he did there," new Kansas City Royals manager Trey Hillman said last Wednesday in an e-mail. "He pitched and was successful in one of the smallest parks in Japan, and I also think he is a workhorse that will continue to eat up innings here in the States."
Kuroda was eligible to file for free agency a year ago, but between elbow surgery in the United States in November 2006 and his father's failing health, the right-hander opted to remain in Hiroshima for another year.
He was on track for another superb season in 2007 until it unraveled at the very end of July. From July 31 on, his ERA jumped by a run and a half to 4.58.
Brown believes his righty was looking away from the small-market Carp, who had finished in the bottom of the Central League for 10 straight seasons.
"There were some promises made to him [Kuroda], about what the team would do to keep him, and most of those did not materialize," Brown said. "We were going to be more competitive, and then there was all the focus on [Tomonori] Maeda."
Since filing for free agency in November, Kuroda's focus has all been on pitching in the majors.
He seems a good match for Dodger Stadium because he doesn't give up many home runs or walks. Growing up in a park where you have to pitch inside, Kuroda locates his fastball well to both sides of the plate. Although he depends on a two-seamer and his breaking pitches to feed his infielders' assist totals, his location allows him to get strikeouts when necessary.
While he will certainly need to adjust to more different situations than he faced in Japan, Kuroda has all the tools he needs to succeed and is unafraid to use them.
"He has a way of leaving everything on the field," Brown said.
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| the better game - Kent Ninomiya |
| 01.03.08 (12:08 am) [edit] |
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Kent Ninomiya - Make no mistake. Sports is entertainment. It isn't just sports. It is entertainment. It is live entertainment. It is TV entertainment. It is the subject of movies and fictional programming. In many ways it is the purest of drama. It is more exciting than any script and more real than any reality show. It also offers us a wonderful variety of genres within every sport. Over the weekend I found myself watching several football games at the same time. I flipped back and forth from channel to channel after virtually every play. Some of the games were professional NFL match ups while some were college bowl games. When compared side by side the differences in the games are striking. The pro game is cleaner and streamlined. Defensive players make tackles, receivers run their routes, quarterbacks throw the ball where they intend to and kickers rarely miss. It's almost too sanitary and downright boring when compared to the free for all of a college game. Even a good college team gives you the feel of a playground picked squad sometimes. The ball is tossed up for grabs, fumbles and bad snaps happen at unexpected times, blocked kicks and big plays abound. I watched a team intercept the ball only to give it right back with an interception on the next play then get it back on a fumble a few plays later. No lead is safe when a high powered offense is on a roll. It's very exciting and any team can beat any other. This upset laden season proves that. Given a choice give me the college game any day. I morn the end of the season. Kent Ninomiya
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| Happy New Year! - Kent Ninomiya |
| 01.01.08 (11:13 pm) [edit] |
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Kent Ninomiya - I would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year! I hope your 2008 is fullfilling and fruitful. Let's all treat each other well and work toward peace and harmony. Kent Ninomiya
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