Catching up on the summer in sports

By Eric Lorenz
West Times Staff

ASU
The Sun Devils claimed the Women’s College World Series with a dominant 11-0 trouncing of Texas A&M in the title game, needing only two games in the best-of-three series to claim ASU’s first national softball title. The 11-0 final score was the largest blowout in NCAA championship history.

Led by Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year Katie Burkhart and Pac-10 Player of the Year Kaitlin Cochran, the Sun Devils made quick work of the competition, going undefeated in the tournament. Burkhart went 5-0 in the College World Series with 53 strikeouts, finishing the season with a 41-5 record, a 0.75 ERA and 513 strikeouts. Against Texas A&M, she threw a complete game shutout with 13 strikeouts.

Cochran, meanwhile, was given only limited opportunities to hurt opposing teams as she was routinely walked. But Cochran, who hit .439 on the season, got a pitch she liked and sent it sailing for a 3-run home run in the fifth inning, giving ASU a 4-0 lead. The Sun Devils would tack on seven runs in the seventh inning to punctuate the fact.

Clint Myers was named the Pac-10 Coach of the Year after leading the Devils to a 66-5 record.


NBA
This summer saw hopes realized and dreams born anew.

On the court June 17, the Boston Celtics ran over the Los Angeles Lakers in five games as the trio of Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce brought the city its first title since 1986, and in the process secured the first championship for all three players.

Pierce, who had suffered through losing seasons with Boston since coming to town as a rookie in 1998, was named the NBA Finals MVP.

But while the city of Boston celebrated, 29 teams were left to think about next year, and several cities have a legitimate reason to smile.

Philadelphia snagged All-Star forward Elton Brand in free agency while the Los Angeles Clippers picked up talented-but-inconsistent PG Baron Davis. In wheeling and dealing news, Houston traded for the ever-enigmatic Ron Artest in an effort to compete with the best in the West, Toronto acquired forward Jermaine O‘Neal from Indiana for point guard T.J. Ford, Richard Jefferson was dealt to Milwaukee, and Marcus Camby was sent to the Clippers for virtually nothing.

But trades and free agency aren’t the only places where dreams are born, and both the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat are hoping that is the case. Chicago, with the No. 1 pick in the 2008 Draft, selected point guard Derrick Rose and Miami took Michael Beasley No. 2. Both players look to be impact players in the near future.

But possibly the saddest news for the NBA over the summer was the relocation of the Seattle Sonics to Oklahoma City beginning for this upcoming season. The new team, the Oklahoma City Thunder, leaves behind 41 years of history in Seattle, including the 1979 NBA Championship.


MLB
The MLB season is a marathon, not a sprint. But as the teams race towards the finish line, much has transpired to get where the teams are.

Easily the biggest surprise of the 2008 season has been the play of the young Tampa Bay Rays. Cellar-dwellers every year since 1998, the franchise’s inaugural season, this year they lead the vaunted AL East. Tampa Bay currently leads both the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees, with the Yanks looking like they will miss the playoffs for the first year since 1994 (the year of the strike) and have their streak of 13 consecutive playoff appearances snapped.

Other tight races in the league include the AL Central (White Sox and Twins), NL West (Dodgers and Diamondbacks), NL Central (Cubs and Brewers) and NL East (Mets and Phillies). Only the Angels, who enjoy a comfortable double-digit game cushion on second-place Texas, are a lock to win their division.

Baseball also saw some drama unfold in July. That marked both the All-Star Game held in Yankee Stadium, and a trading whirlwind that saw the likes of Ken Griffey Jr. (White Sox), Manny Ramirez (Dodgers), Ivan Rodriguez (Yankees), CC Sabathia (Brewers), Rich Harden (Cubs), Jason Bay (Red Sox) and Mark Teixeira (Braves) all changed addresses.


NHL
June 4 saw the Stanley Cup return to the city of Detroit.
The Detroit Red Wings, who claimed their 11th Stanley Cup title with a 3-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins and won the series 4-2, have won the title more times than any other NHL team.

It appeared that No. 11 was just a matter of time as Detroit cruised into the Stanley Cup Finals to meet the upstart Penguins squad led by phenom Sidney Crosby. Detroit took the first two games and survived some scares from Pittsburgh to secure the crown.

Henrik Zetterberg was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP.

The win was not an easy one for Detroit, however. After failing to close out the Pens in Game 5 in what turned into a 4-3 triple-OT thriller, the Red Wings were given another scare when Marian Hossa netted a goal with 1:27 remaining in regulation to put the score at 3-2.

After the Stanley Cup had been hoisted, however, it was back to building for next year for NHL teams. Among those who got significant help from the free agency pool: Canucks (Pavol Demitra), Red Wings (Marian Hossa), Wilds (Mike Green), Ducks (Corey Perry), Black hawks (Cristobal Huet), Blue Jackets (Mike Commodore), and Rangers (Wade Redden).

The Rangers also acquired Nikolai Zherdev from the Blue Jackets for Fedor Tyutin while the Maple Leafs sent Bryan McCabe and a pick to the Florida Panthers for Mike Van Ryn.


NFL
The NFL season may be under way, but the fates of those 32 teams were decided in the summer.

The NFL draft provided last year’s also-rans a chance at redemption. The Miami Dolphins grabbed OT Jake Long first overall, and the St. Louis Rams took Chris Long second. Atlanta took QB Matt Ryan No. 3 and RB Darren McFadden went No. 4 to the Raiders.

After the draft, the teams set to signing and dealing. Dominic Rhodes (Colts) headed a lackluster free agency period as most big-name free agents elected to remain with their current teams. But on the trading block, big names were the norm. Adam “Pacman” Jones was dealt by Tennessee to Dallas, Jeremy Shockey was sent packing by the New York Giants to New Orleans and Jason Taylor wound up moving cross country from Miami to Washington.

But the biggest deal of the offseason was the end of both Brett Favre’s short-lived retirement and tenure as QB of the Packers. Favre was dealt from Green Bay to the New York Jets on Aug. 6.


WNBA
In an Olympic year, the WNBA season takes a long pause so that players may compete for national glory. But now that the Olympics are over, it’s down to business as usual. At the moment, that business is making the playoffs for many.

With only eight of the 14 WNBA teams able to make the playoffs and seven of those spots already claimed (Connecticut, Detroit, New York, Indiana, San Antonio, Seattle and Los Angeles), the battle for the final spot will be a dogfight.

The Phoenix Mercury, last season’s champ, currently trail the Sacramento Monarchs for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference with both Houston and Minnesota just behind them in the standings.

But while races heat up, one player is making waves. Rookie Candace Parker, a standout player for Tennessee, has re-energized the Los Angeles Sparks and is well on her way to winning Rookie of the Year. She leads the league in rebounding and is fifth in scoring.


NASCAR
The good ol’ boys have been racing since February to get to this point, and 12 drivers can now officially begin the Chase for the Cup.

Kyle Busch, winner of eight of the 26 races thus far ran, will start in first place in point standings with only 10 races left to run. Carl Edwards, winner of six races this year, will be in second while last year’s champ, Jimmie Johnson, will begin in third place.

Rounding out the field for the Chase are Dale Earnhardt Jr., Clint Bowyer, Denny Hamlin, Jeff Burton, Tony Stewart, Greg Biffle, Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick and Matt Kenseth.

Surprisingly, the trio of Gordon, Stewart and Earnhardt Jr. have only one win between them.