Quick (maybe) Update

San Antonio just beat Los Angeles in the Western Conference Finals of the WNBA! Holy cow was I on the edge of my seat. It was just that intense. San Antonio did a good job at slowing down LA's bigs...but LA doesn't just have Candace Parker, Lisa Leslie, and DeLisha Milton-Jones...the other players produced as well. The game seriously came down to probably the last..four...five posessions. A stop, an overthrow, two big shots...I don't even remember how it went. All I know is that Becky Hammon came out with 35 points. She was on a mission, and I believe with this game...Mission Accomplished. I also really liked the play of Erin Buescher, she played outstanding posting up on Candace Parker. Maybe it's just cause she's a former Monarch and well...how can you NOT like Erin Buescher? If you haven't seen Sophia Young's buzzer beating/game winning shot from game 2...I suggest you do...it's a good one.

On the East, New York couldn't contain Deanna Nolan and well...she basically decided to take control and the Shock took over in the 4th Quarter. Detroit was able to put the series to a game 3.

In other news, things are going just peachy with me. I'm looking for new places to eat and I'd ask anyone who's from my area to let me know, but really...there's not much out here. I'm actually ahead on my assignment for next week (amazingly) and well I can't complain any. I'll leave this one pretty short and simple...if you want more little snippets, I'd go to my xanga...cause yes lamely, I do post on both...why not one? I have no idea. Oh well.

Oh I Need Sports in my Life...

Ok, so I really don't, but it's always nice to look forward to a little Sports action.

Did anyone happen to catch SNL with Michael Phelps? Of course you did!! Who didn't?? I, of course, recorded it like a dork haha. The first few skits were pretty funny, but towards the end it was lacking a bit. A lot of people complained about Phelps' lack of acting skills, but c'mon people...he's a swimmer! Of course he won't be the BEST at acting haha. I really thought they could've done some more funny stuff with the "Charles Barkley Skit" I mean...Bela Karolyi is a fairly easy target for Parodies. I thought they could have done so much more...or do a little bit of the "UNDERAGED CHINESE GYMNASTS!!!" hahah. Ok that's horrible, but I still stand by my guess that one of them had to have been 8! Of course...I have no proof haha. Anyways, James Franco's on this weekend's SNL, so I'm excited about that! He's absolutely the definition of "Adorable."

Last night was UFC Fight Night! Usually Fight Night's don't have the big namers like Chuck Liddell, Anderson Silva, or Randy Couture, but I still watch them. Last night's fights didn't disappoint. I thought the Danzig/Guida fight was pretty good, and Nate Diaz bugs me...I think it's his "Mike Tyson" like lisp. But I give it to the guy...he was able to escape a lot of Josh Neer's submission tries by doing his little twirl thing. Overall, can't complain....but I do wish Herman beat what's his face...that cocky dude...why can't I remember his name!! haha.

Tonight's the start of the WNBA Playoffs...whoo hoo!!! Matchups are Sacramento vs. San Antonio, Los Angeles vs. Seattle, Detroit vs. Indiana, and Connecticut vs. New York. Hopefully I won't be seeing some Yellow/Purple, and Blue/Red in the finals haha...meaning Detroit and LA...granted they are great teams, I'm just tired of Detroit in the finals, and I'm tired of all the Candace Parker hype. I know...I sound like a hater, but hey! I'm not completely a hater...I vote for Candace when she's on the US team haha. I guess it's a little bit of the UConn Huskies fan in me!

Hmm...nothing else really going on in my world of sports...not like you folks care. I don't really feel like sharing much of anything else...I think I'll be saving that for a later time...and you all say..."Whoop dee doo!!!"

Oooo Oprah and the UFC

Who saw Oprah's season premiere??? I just finished watching it, and it was nice to see the Olympians all together. Yes, I'm lame and I still miss the Olympics cause for huge sports fans like me...it's is absolutely one of the best times of the year!! I would say it's a National Holiday in my book. Is that a little lame?? Maybe. But I can't help it, I love me my Olympics. The only thing that kind of sucked about the show was the interviews weren't long (understandable) and she only introduced the Women's Soccer Team and Women's Basketball Team. I was hoping she'd give a little interview with them. She only spoke to Jennie Finch for like 30 seconds hahah and that's it. It was fairly lame. Oh well, still I loved it because Michael Phelps was there. Although his shoes...just weren't working. I should say "loafers." Now he is the only guy that I think can pull off the Speedo...so you would think that a guy would could pull off a Speedo...could pull of Loafers right?? haha. Still...he's the cutest guy ever :) Anyways, it was still a nice little show. I wished it could've been longer, and ya...I wish I was there. But hey...there are always other ways to make your dreams come true (mine being to meet like half of the athletes there!!)

*Jennie Finch, Jessica Mendoza, and the USWNT Blog blogged about the Oprah Show...I'd check it out...it gives a little extra insight :)
http://jenniefinch27.blogspot.com
http://blog.jmendoza.com
http://wnt-ussoccer.blogspot.com

Moving on...did anyone catch UFC 88??? It wasn't the best of fights...poor Chuck got knocked out by Rashad Evans...and I have to give it to him, cause he timed/aimed that punch perfectly. Chuck was down for what seemed to be forever. I kept thinking (jokingly), "He killed the Ice Man!" Chuck was definitely put to sleep, but thank goodness he was able to get up and walk. Cause my oh my...what a wait! The other fights weren't too great. I felt Matt Hammil (sp?) didn't want to hurt Rich Franklin...even though he did get a good gash under Rich's eyebrow. I won't explain too much detail, cause I could barely look at that thing! Dan Henderson's fight was alright...and well..that was about it. I probably won't get UFC 89...but I'm definitely looking forward to the Couture/Lesnar fight and the Silva/Cote fight...although I think Patrick will get BEAT! haha.

So until next time folks that's all I have for you! I'm off to study to become Michael Phelps' Athletic Trainer (hey I can dream can't I?)

-Shayne

Did you Vote for Jessica Mendoza as Sportswoman of the Year?

Unless you follow USA Softball, most of you probably didn't even know to vote, or that there was a vote going on for someone to be picked as Sportswoman of the Year. But if you actually did, I hope you voted for Jessica. Granted this is based off of sports performance, and ya ya we all know that great new rookie in the WNBA Candace Parker, or the soccer great that is known simply as Marta, but if you haven't heard about who Jessica Mendoza is...you're definitely missing out. Yes, she's a softball player...yes...she's a GREAT softball player...and you know what...she's probably the MOST Passionate person I know (not personally haha)!! I've never seen someone who exudes such a passion for a single sport. If you have ever watched a video about her talking about Softball, talking about the girls who play it...I mean WOW. You can hear the love she has for this sport the second the first word comes out of her mouth. Her face simply lights up talking about it. She's a great player and she doesn't even know it. Nor, do I think, will she accept it. It's hard to try to explain someone's passion without having anyone hear it, see it, or feel it for themselves...but let me tell you...I surely hope you voted for her because she is definitely a TRUE All-Around Athlete. I feel she is more deserving of being Sportswoman of the Year than the next. So I hope you voted...cause I sure did! I can't say it's not too late to vote because the polls closed yesterday. Shucks. I will keep this short because if I were to try to explain to all of you exactly why Jessica deserves this...it'll take up a lot of time haha. I won't waste any of yours if you feel I have thus wasted your time right now! But anyhoots, fingers crossed that she won it!

Check out this Vid from nbcolympics.com
http://www.nbcolympics.com/video/share.html?videoid=0811_SFTMendoza2_JA070

Back to School....

Yes, it's that time again. The Back to School Madness! I am back in class. So far...it's going alright. I have six classes: Intro Athletic Training + Lab, Intro Sports Psych, ASL, Human Sexuality, and another Kines class that I don't know what the name is haha. So yes it is that time again where I wake up at 6 in the morning to get to school by 730, to get to class on time. I know right...I'm one of those...half an hour early people. Parking's just that much better being earlier. Since it is the first week of school I've been waking up at 540 in the morning, because parking's a complete beezy in the fall semester. Thus, I'm tired as I type this.

So anyways, I figured no one wants to know about classes or school and all that dandy junk right? Right. I think. So lets do some random snippets.

Now I believe my last post was about the Olympics. At least the US Softball Team. Ugh, still renders at my wee bitty heart. I'm still left speechless. I'm loving that new Nike commercial they have for it. It's cute.





I watched some Rachel Ray today. She made some tasty looking pinwheels. Make of meat of course. If you didn't know...I'm carnivorous! I don't know what it is. I'm still dying to try the Brazilian restaurant we have here in town!! I can't believe I didn't know about it sooner!!! All you can eat meat, what's not to love?

Michael Phelps is in London. I wish he was there when I was. That would have just topped the trip off completely. I'd probably cry and have a heart attack or faint, or something along those lines. We have yet to set a Wedding Date. HA! Whatever right?



I'm a little sore since I worked out yesterday. It's definitely been a while...and my oh my. We did exercise stations. Those went fine, but it was just the sprint back. We did a little competition race thing...so two rows of stations and race back to tag your teammate. I feel it in my legs.

I went and saw Housebunny. I don't remember if I wrote about it. It was alright. Not as funny as I thought it was going to be. They pretty much showed most of the funny parts in the commercial. I'd still buy it to add to my collection. Anna Faris is hilarious!

Is Tropic Thunder any good? I guess I have to wait till Ross posts his talky blog about it. He went to see it with Dr. Neighbor. Don't know what I'm talking about?! It's the Ross Blog folks!

So I don't know why I have a xanga and this puppy. Maybe I'll cancel one and keep the other. It's a thought.

The WNBA is starting back up. I hear it starts up on Thursday. I don't know who's playing that day or if it's on tv. I've been a little bad keeping up. I've been on an Olympics high.

What's up with all these Food Network shows showing beef??

I had some sushi today. It was yummy! Just a little too big. Note to all: Good sushi is bite sized! That's according to my papa...born and bred in Japan hah. Not that that means anything really.

This show is interesting...the Food Detectives show. Oh and don't microwave grapes...they burn up in flames!!!

Well I can't really think of anything else at the moment. So I'm gonna explore this site more and see what I can do to spruce it up.

Until Next Time Folks!
-Shayne

US Softball, No. US Soccer, Yes!

At 330am yesterday morning I woke up anticipating a showdown between the US Softball team and Japan for Gold in the Beijing Olympics. Prior to the Gold Medal match up, the two teams met twice before, where the US came out on top. But in yesterday's game, my heart broke and I was left stunned. Japan had defeated the US 3-1 in the Gold Medal match.

It didn't seem possible. No one's supposed to beat this US team. They're unstoppable. They're 22-0 in the Olympics. Their battery is the best in the world 1-9. But yesterday Japan's ace pitcher Yukiko Ueno proved to be the hero of the games. I don't know the exact statistics of how many pitches she threw in two days, or how many innings she pitched, but my hope was that she would tire and the US would capitalize on it. But as the innings went on, it seemed like Ueno was still on top of her game. Cat Osterman started the game, and unfortunately two of her rise balls were hit. One was a home run. When I saw it...I didn't panic. Because the US has been down before, and came back for the win. I was still confident. However something didn't sit right. I was sitting there watching the game, and something didn't seem quite right. I don't know what it was.

As the game went on I was hoping for the table setters of Natasha Watley and Caitlin Lowe would slap and use their incredible speed to get on base. Then has a base hit for Jessica Mendoza and hey, how about a Crystl Bustos home run. But it didn't happen that way. No matter how hard I wished for it. Crystl Bustos was able to get a home run to cut Japan's lead 2-1. In the last inning with 2 outs and Japan up 3-1, I remember praying for a miracle hit, that one hit that'll solidify an unsure win. Vicky Galindo singled to get on first, then Caitlin Lowe stepped up. I envisioned another World Championship like win where Jessica Mendoza had a home run double and the US defeated Japan 3-0. I just remember hoping Caitlin Lowe would make it to first, Galindo to second, with Mendoza on deck. It seemed plausible. But it just didn't happen. Lowe was out at first and Japan erupted in jubilation of having one of the biggest upsets in the Olympics.

I sat there in shock. I didn't cry for the US. I didn't cry at all. It felt unreal. Even right now, I still can't believe it happened. If anything was a sure thing in this Olympics, I felt it was Softball's fourth consecutive gold medal. But it just didn't happen that way. How I wish it did. Because Softball was voted out of the 2012 London Olympics, this was probably the last time seeing many of these players. I can say I'm just a "baby" still, following this team late. I followed them a little during the Athens Olympics. But this year I followed them through and through. This was a team I was thoroughly proud to support. After familiarizing myself with the players and the legacy this team has had, I didn't want anything more than for them to win the Gold. To leave it all on the field, and go out strong.

It just didn't seem right that this was the way it was all going to end. After all their hard work leading up to that very moment in four years, they left with a silver medal. A medal where some wouldn't mind having at all. But for this Gold Standard Team, is was like a disappointment. I sat there stunned wondering if I, as a fan, soaked in all I could of this sport and team. As it was the last time I was going to see Crystl Bustos, Tairia Flowers, Kelly Kretschman, Lovieanne Jung, and Laura Berg playing internationally as they retired and left their cleats on the field. But was it the last time I would see pitchers Jennie Finch, Cat Osterman, and Monica Abbott? or the last time I was going to see Jessica Mendoza, Caitlin Lowe, Natasha Watley, and everyone else on this team? It could have very well been. I think I did enough to have had enjoyed it to its fullest. Even if that meant waking up at 330am to watch a game that didn't have the outcome many thought it would.

Now a day later I still don't believe the articles I'm reading about the loss. I still don't believe the pictures. I still think it's all just a bad dream. Although I don't doubt Japan's passion or talent within this sport, I just felt no one deserved it more than the US. It almost doesn't seem fair. The US defeated Japan in the semifinals to get into the gold medal game. Why play them again in the gold medal match? It didn't seem right. The only positive I could take out of this was that maybe this US loss was exactly what this sport needed to prove that the rest of the world is catching up to the amazing powerhouse team that is the United States of America.

So Back Softball for 2016!

Switching gears and sports completely...

The US Women's Soccer team also had a gold medal match against Brazil. I have to say that that was the best soccer game I have ever seen. Maybe it was because it was the Olympics, or because this was the gold medal game, but in all honestly, I was left awestruck. The two teams went scoreless in the full 90 minutes of play which led them to go into two overtime 15 minutes halves. Wow, it was the LONGEST 15 minutes. US midfielder Carli Llyod shot a rocket in the 6th minute of extra time. It was Shannon MacMillan like...and wow. I went nuts! US goalkeeper Hope Solo came up with some HUGE saves and it would be too hard for me to describe them to you. Just use your imagination. They were really good. The US defense was on point, and as Hope Solo put it, the defense won the game. Brazil had many chances to tie the game, but came up just short. The US was able to hang on for 30 minutes for the Gold Medal. It was exciting, and definitely not the outcome many had predicted. It was almost like another "upset" but with the US coming out on top.

This is what I love most about the Olympics...great games, great players, and the outcomes could go any way.

I Hate Being Sick!

Yes I'm complaining just a little bit, but I do honestly don't like being sick. It sucks a lot! Well tonight's a pretty laid back Olympic night for a fan. I'm happy about that. I'll be watching US Softball and some Gymnastics. I think that's it. I wasn't able to fall asleep very well, so I was up and "ready" for the Softball game scheduled for 430am my time (pacific). Although it was tough because who wants to wake up that early?! I was proud to be watching the girl's play amazing as always! We ended up beating Netherlands 8-0. Jessica Mendoza, Cystl Bustos, and Tairia Flowers had some homers. Bergie made an amazing catch in the outfiled

Olympic Fever and the Common Cold

Well I have both. It's been a long week of watching the Olympics. After beating the 24 hour flu during the Opening Ceremonies, and then now coming down with a cold a week into the Olympics I'm feeling fairly ugh. Colds are something I don't particularly care for. But anyhoots, I've definitely been busy staying up watching almost everything. To give you an idea of a busy day for a fan, it's a little bit of everything: Swimming, Beach Volleyball, Gymnastics, Softball, Soccer, Basketball, and yes Badminton when the Softball game isn't quite ready yet. I've also watched some Syncro diving and rowing whilst waiting or any of the aforementioned. I've also been enjoying reading some athletes blogs online as well. I know, it makes me sound like a dork right?? Just call me a fan. So I've been following the Women's National Soccer Team's blog, Jennie Finch's blog, and Jessica Mendoza's. Overall, it sounds like they're all having a terrific time in China!

Luckily tonight's tv schedule will be more lenient than it has in the past few days. Michael Phelps...yes my future husband (HA!...a girl can dream right?) will be swimming for his 8th gold medal. He's already tied Mark Spitz with 7 last night by really...what has been said a "fingernail" of a finish (.01 seconds). For a second I had thought he didn't get it, and what do you know...he did. It was crazy. But yes he's going for another...I believe in the team im. I could be wrong, it's hard to keep up here. Is there beach volleyball on tonight? Man I don't even know. What about Gymnastics individual events? O goodness...I think I'll be checking the schedule. I do know there is Softball. The US Team plays the Netherlands. Unfortunately it's on at 9pm (my time) instead it's on at 4am. Oy.

So anyways folks, there's really no point to this blog here...just well...me "rambling." I suppose I'll write a little more later. But right now...I just want to sleep. Darn the Olympic Fever and the Common Cold!!!

-Shayne

Re-Done...Did...Do

I had previously intended to use this as a blog for my fellow Bulldogs, but you know...I'm just gonna use this sucker as my own. I do write on xanga as well, but hey...why not write some stuff here too? There's no point in wasting this site. So just an overview of what you can be in for here:

I'm a sports nut...so expect postings on the Sacramento Monarchs, WNBA, US Women's National Soccer Team/ Basketball Team/ Softball Team. Also since it's the olympics...yes, expect that too. Also some UFC postings.

I'm fairly random, so expect random thoughts. I like to call them, "Snippets." It'll be things like:
"I'm hungry." "Rachel Ray just may Pizagna." So random sentences...in no particular order.

Well...anything else that comes to mind.

I'm currently thinking of doing a couple posts probably tonight...A Bring Back Softball to the Olympics post is definitely coming up, and well...I'm in love with Michael Phelps and he's racing tonight...so expect something about that too haha. Until Later Folks!

-Shayne