4.07.2008

Hey! It's a sports blog now!

The void had existed since I moved from California some 12 years ago.

Sure, a handful of times a year, I could fill it. But like so many addictions, no amount of binging on the intoxicating essence of Dodger baseball could quench my ever-deepening thirst.

Since moving outside the broadcasting scope of KCAL-Los Angeles, I was lucky to catch three, maybe four Dodger games per season, tops, on ESPN, WGN or TBS. The Dodgers haven't done much in the playoffs this century, so opportunities to watch my bums were, to me, on par with national holidays.

But then, this year, I finally did it.

Major League Baseball's been offering its MLB.tv service for a few seasons now, broadcasting every "out-of-market" MLB game live, on the internet. I dipped my toe in the water last year, going with the radio package — and listening to the games was a step forward in my fanboy progression — but this year I decided to go big and pony up for the video service.

And, as predictably as a late-season slide by the Dodgers, I love my decision. I can now watch every Dodger game in relative clarity (other than the ones against the Marlins, due to weaksauce territorial blackout restrictions) and every few games, get to hear the greatest announcer in the history of sport, Vin Scully.

And watch, I have.

I've caught every game this young season, giving me a front seat to what could be a historic year for the boys in blue. Young, farmed talent, players fans can get behind, and a stand-up manager (Joe Torre) have created the first sniff of expectations for the Dodgers since 1981, and I consider my subscription an investment in future bragging rights. In fact, I'll go ahead and timestamp a deep playoff run by 2010.

In other news for sports fans, Oregon State finally convinced someone to be its men's basketball coach today.

Craig Robinson, whose biggest claims to fame are 1) Former Ivy League player of the year 2) Two-year head coach at basketball power Brown and 3)Barack Obama's brother-in-law, barely has a winning record record and just two years of experience.

He's a no-name when most were expecting OSU AD Bob DeCarolis to hire a big one, and he's never coached (or recruited) the west coast.

Still, I understand the hire.

Robinson is an intellectual, with a Princeton diploma and an MBA. He's a stand-up cat who will do it right, and he'll graduate guys. Of course, the biggest worry outside of the athletic director/school president circle, however, has nothing to do with all that bullshit: Fans want to win, and that's something the once-feared Beavs haven't done in a while.

If coaching is a matter of outsmarting an opponent, I'll give Robinson the benefit of the doubt. If it's based on recruiting, well, Robinson instantly opens up our efforts on the east coast and his native Chicago, perhaps giving us opportunities at guys we'd never heard of. And having a newbie recruiting the left side won't exactly be detrimental to a team that has no credibility in any state that touches the Pacific to begin with.

This is what one his former players, all-Ivy League guard Damon Huffman, said about him (courtesy Brooks Hatch of G-T):

“There are definitely better days ahead” for the Beavers, he said. “We were in a similar situation. In my first three years we didn’t have a winning season. Last year we broke the school record for wins (19, in Robinson’s second year there), against the toughest schedule in school history.

“Obviously he expects you to work hard. But you have to put the work in on your own time, he’s not going to babysit you and hold your hand. He expects a lot out of his players, has the highest expectations for them.

I feel good about it, but not enough to timestamp anything about the Beavers.

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