The Fryar Fan Club

Three seasons with the bird and you get your own fan club. I spotted the girl above at the Cowtown Rodeo last weekend and I could not believe my eyes when I saw that she was wearing an Irving Fryar t-shirt jersey, hey I never knew they made one. Hey you never know what you are going to find when you go to the rodeo. I'm wondering if there is someone out there with a Mike Zordich t-shirt jersey, if so please contact OTWT.

D.C. here we come

After the fun of the last couple of days, today I figured that I would try to get tickets to see Real Madrid and DC United in DC on Aug. 9. At first I figured there would be no way that I would get the tickets, but I was able to score a pair in Section 430. I know there not the best seats but it gives me, a United fan, a chance to see Ronnie and as I have stated here before I wish him all the best at Real except when it comes to playing United in the Champions League. Can not wait to go.

Happy Bastille Day

In honor of Bastille Day, OTWT features great moments in french football featuring everyone favorite colorful french striker Djibril Cisse.

Broken leg vs. Blackburn

Broken leg vs. Chinese National Team

So happy Bastille Day to all of the my french readers.

A new number 7

Best, Charlton, Cantona, Beckham, Ronaldo, and now Owen. Yes Owen. Manchester United announced today that former Kop hero Michael Owen will wear the famed number 7 shirt. It may sound a little strange to have the former Anfield legend wear the shirt, but if you think about it might make total sense.

People say Nani could one day fill Ronaldo's shoes, but giving him the famed jersey at this point in his career might bring him undo pressure.

Owen might not be the long term number 7 but he is a good choice to hang on to it in the short term until Nani is ready to take over full time.

Future Thoughts

The OTWT Scouting Department loves the MLB Futures Game and here are some of the departments thoughts on the game:

• The length of the rain delay has been so long that some players are now eligible for free agency.
• Feliz has electric stuff. The Rangers have great pitching in the minors. He might be up in the next couple of weeks.
• GM can not be happy that their prize kids are playing in rain like this.
• I bet Blue Jays scouts are really examining Kyle Drabek during his outing. He will be the center piece to any deal. Showed great command in his inning of work.
• Another Phillies guy takes the mound, Flande. The Jays will have their choice of pitchers in a trade. He has good stuff. A couple of years ago the Phillies system was terrible, now its loaded with high ceiling players. Ed Wade deserves a lot of credit for it.
• The M's Tyson Gillies has speed, speed, and more speed. He is not afraid to run.
• Colorado's Eric Young has surprising power. The home run he hit just kept going.
• Devils Rays prospect Desmond Jennings looks like the typical Rays outfield prospects, long and athletic.
• I could listen to Peter Gammons talk all day about prospects and the Cape Code League. A true legend.
• Astros Jason Castro showed off a great arm in gunning down a runner trying to steal third base. Besides the arm Castro also hit a home run. He is showing all of the tools.
• I can not believe that there have been 11 Futures Game. Alfonso Soriano the first MVP of the game, sounds weird.
• .190 against BA against for Casey Kelly, Red Sox, in the minors. Very impressive inning and his last for the season, now he is going to play SS after the game.

Simply The Best

I know it has taken awhile but here is how different newspapers cover Federer winning is record breaking grand slam in tennis. Fed is simply the best.

The Times of London

Basler Zeitung (Switzerland)

Chips to Trade

One of the best things about the South Atlantic League is seeing players that will have a huge impact on the Major League Baseball trade deadline. During the OTWT Scouting Departments trip to see the Lakewood BlueClaws, the single A affiliate of the Phillies, we reviewed some of the players that could be used in trades for the defending World Series Champions.

Travis D'Arnaud, a former first round pick, shows signs that he is going to hit and could be nice chip to have. Catchers are usually tough to come by, making his value a little higher. Baseball America says that he has a line drive swing and gap power.

Anthony Gose, the former second round pick, is a great athlete but it might take some time for his bat to come around. Some scouts might fall in love with him which could make his trade value a little higher. Baseball America says that he is the best athlete in the system and if it does not work out in the outfield he could always be a power arm.

Zachary Collier, a former first rounder, is another athlete that might generate some interest from other teams. According to Baseball America, Collier swing and build has brought comparisons to Garret Anderson.

With untouchables like Dominic Brown, Kyle Drabek, and Michael Taylor in the system. The Phillies will look to using their chips in Lakewood to go make a deal for a starting pitcher.

Professional Tailgating: Men with guns

The OTWT Scouting Department made another trip to the see the Lakewood BlueClaws this week and boy where there a lot of the men with radar guns at the game.

Scouts looking for a trading partner for the upcoming trading deadline. OTWT Scouting Department noticed scouts from Brewers, Royals and Rockies checking out the action. Could a deal for Gil Meche be in the cards.

A moment of silence for former SAL President John Henry Moss, who recently passed.
Despite not having a radar gun, the OTWT Scouting Department still had scout type seats.
The BlueClaws Ground crew does a great job getting the tarp on the field

Rain delay can only mean one thing, watching another game on the big screen.

Over the next couple of days I will break down the prospects from Lakewood that could be moved as the deadline moves closer.

Really

When I first read the headline: Owen to United. I first thought it would be a great signing for Leeds, but the more I read I was surprised it was Manchester United. After thinking about it for a little bit, it might not be that bad an idea.
First of all its not going to cost a transfer fee and Owen's contract is going to based on performances so if he stinks he will not get paid. If it happens he will be an extra part and will not beat out of names such as Berba, Rooney, Walbeck, and Kico for starting spots. He could be a great asset coming off the bench in the 70 minute. While it sounds crazy to bring the former Kop legend to United, it does make sense on a couple of levels.

Professional Tailgating: Pork Roll Egg and Cheese races

Minor league baseball has hit an all new low, pork roll egg and cheese races. During the Lakewood BlueClaws game on Wednesday and during one of the innings the pork roll, egg and cheese all hit the field in a match race. Only in New Jersey can this be considered a classic.

It makes me proud to be from New Jersey.

The home of Bronze Balls

Eutaw Street at Oriole Park at Camden Yard is famous for one things, balls hitting the pavements. Everytime a home run leaves the Park and lands on Eutaw Street, no matter which team, the Orioles mark the spot with a bronze ball detaling the day, team, and the distance of the home run. While street is littered with great home run hitters, there are some names that just make you think about the game of baseball.

A great signing for the New York Yankees

Mr. Congress himself

A former Expo that was traded to the Dodgers for Pedro Martinez

And Mr. Papa

Professional Tailgating: All You Can Eat

So for a quick get away the OTWT Crew head for the sunny shores of Baltimore, yes Baltimore, what did you think that I was going to say Aruba. So the crew headed to see their beloved Nationals take on the Orioles.

Saint Cal is everywhere in Birdland, it almost gets annoying

All you can eat tickets are a good deal, this was just round one of many. Ice Cream Sandwiches included

The wall of fame features such great players of Gregg Olson and of course Brady Anderson.

Should a person who had a 30 game hitting streak have a higher batting average. So the Nats win in the end, but the highlight of the day had to be when the scoreboard showed the highlights of the US vs. Brazil Confed Cup final. The crowd went nuts when they found out that the states had the lead, but in the Brazil ended up being too much.

OTWT NHL Draft Notes

Another day, another draft, and another edition of the OTWT Scouting Department Notebook.

So here we go:

• There are a ton of Islander fans at the draft glad to see they made the trip to Montreal.
• Pronger to the Flyers, now all they need is a goaltender. The Flyers gave up a ton two first rounders and a young defenseman.
• Garth Snow had to pick Tavares. If not the fans would have burnt down the arena.
• Love the GM trying to speak French in honor of the draft being in Montreal. They sound like I did when I took French in middle school.
• Avs pick Matt Duchene gave everyone a lesson on the different sticks players use.
• Just saw a guy at the Ottawa Senators table playing on Twitter.
• Having Toronto GM Brian Burke wired for sound is awesome, so refreshing.
• Ottawa gets a steal in Jared Cowan, was great as a 17 year old in the Memorial Cup in 2007.
• All of the European draft picks have the classic slim ties. They are classic.
• The Preds selected my favorite player Windsors Ryan Ellis. Love him.
• Love the video of the high school players drafted, its like the old videos of european basketball players that are drafted in the NBA draft.

RIP MJ

Over the past couple of years, few players have kept the dance moves of Michael Jackson going like Donovan McNabb. So here is McNabb doing the moonwalk. He has also been know to break out the Thriller dance when he scores touchdowns. Our little tribute the greatness of Mr. Jackson.

NBA Draft Notes

Who doesn't love a good draft, here are some of the notes from the OTWT Scouting Department about the NBA Draft.

• Beard and bow tie. Tell me James Harden is not old school and cool.
• Draft fashion has always been a big deal and Hasheem Thabeet’s watch is bigger then his arm. Never draft a guys whose watch is bigger then their arm.
• I think that Ricky Rubio could use a hair cut. From Spain to Minnesota talk about a climate change.
• Wow Knick fans are nuts. Don Nelson screws the Knicks again by taking Curry have to love that, years after being run out of town he still can stick it to them.
• Really missing Stephen A. Smith but it was good to see that he was active on twitter during the draft.
• There was a players from Guadalupe and the Congo just picked in the first round, who said the NBA was not international.
• I hope the Timberwolves are working a trade cause Rubio, Flynn and Lawson. That is three point guards for one ball. Reports suggest that Lawson is on his way to Denver for a future one.
• Who said Hansbrough made the wrong choice in going back to North Carolina, he was still a lottery pick. For all of the people that were hating on him, look he is a lottery pick.
• Ellington, Hansbrough, Lawson have it all. Nationals Championship rings and all three first round picks.
• The ACC rules. ACC has at least 6 picks in the first round for the 3rd time in five years (6 in 2007, 7 in 2005). This year the conference has seven, three from the Heels.

Welcome Back David

Since the 2001 British Open something has been missing from the PGA. The 2001 British Open was the last time before this weekends US Open that David Duval, in the responsibility of full disclosure he is my favorite player, was lurking around the leader board.

While Lucas Glover may have run off with the trophy this afternoon, Duval may have been the biggest story at Bethpage Black. For the last eight years the former Number 1 player in the world could not find his golf swing, but that appears to be changing. During the US Open, Duval swing looked back to the classic Duval swing when he was Number 1 in the world. The fans at the Black Course tried to will Duval and his trademark wrap around Oakley's to victory, but a second p lace is a great place to start. People forget that he was he was the person that took the Number 1 ranking away from Mr.. Woods.

Based on one good performance its hard to go nuts, but lets hope that is just the start of Duval getting really back on the track. With his tie for second Duval his now in the field for the next four majors, so maybe this is the start of the second coming of Duval.

This is why its a bad idea

Just think what would happen if the rain that has wrecks havoc on the 2014 US Open, like it has this year so far. Instead of screwing up one tournament it would wreck havoc on two of them. In 2014 for the first time in Open history one course will host both the Men's and Women's opens. Pinehurst #2 will do the honors.

While having both of the tournaments at the same site sounds like a great idea for a variety reasons, it does come with its drawbacks. If there would be a delay at the Men's Open it could destroy the Women's Open. Say by some act of god rain washes out a round of the Men's Open and plays gets pushed back to Monday. Then the course crew would have to change the set from the Men's Open to the Women's Open. So the earliest that a women would get a practice round would be Wednesday and it would simply be unfair to just give them one day of practice before they play in the biggest tournament in their sport. By having them both at the same site you are also asking people to spend a ton of money to go see both events.

While the thought was good any delay could cause an issue, it will be interesting to see what happens at Brandon Dunes in 2011 when both the Mens and Womens Amateur is held at the same venue.

It's Schedule Day in the EPL

The schedules have been released in England now its time to plan and look to the future. Thanks to Setanta for this pix

Who needs a TV for the US Open

The toughest test in golf is here. The USGA will be putting on the US Open at Bethpage Black in New York, but this years tournament has something new, twitter. All types of different players and media outlets are tweeting about the destruction that is about to happen this weekend at the black course. Everyone from the USGA to Ian Poulter to Stewart Cink.

Here are a couple of the better ones from this week so far:

• Ianjamespoulter http://twitpic.com/7kdag - Just got my gear for the week, balls gloves, waterproofs, I'm ready to rock. The course is awesome, long thou ...
• usopengolfOn the 2nd tee at the U.S. Open. Wandering back through the crowds after setup meeting. Send photo requests to @usopengolf. We'll shoot it!
• stewartcinkWho could've lost this ball in the weeds at Bethpage last week? Found this Nike in weeds near 18 green. http://yfrog.com/4rcv4j

With information like this who the hell needs to put on the TV this weekend.

The Best News for a Nationals Fan

You know your season is bad when excitement comes when a high school sophomore decides to go to junior college in order to be eligible for the 2010, well that is how bad it is. The Nats currently have a nine game lead in the race for the 2010 #1 pick, according to ESPN Keith Law. Around the country Nats fans rejoiced when word came from Nevada that SI Cover boy Bryce Harper decide to leave Las Vegas High School and enroll at College at Southern Nevada. So you are asking why Nats fan care, well because junior college players are eligible for the draft after one season. Harper has been hailed as a once in a lifetime type of prospects. He hits 500 feet home runs, throws left hand and hits 95 on the gun he is a organizations dream.

If Harper was not available, the #1 overall pick becomes a little less valuable with North Carolina pitcher Matt Harvey being the top choice. Harvey is an ok starting pitchers but he is no where in the class of this years #1 San Diego State pitcher Steven Strasburg.