SPORTS HITS

This week we lost an icon that thrilled everyone with his music and touched many lives. Most people do not equate Michael Jackson with sports, but his music still is used by ball players even after his death. After hearing of his death many Major League players asked to use some of his songs as they walk to the plate or out of the bullpen. Several Milwaukee Brewer players did and are planning to use them longer as a tribute and respect for the great entertainer.

Most people do not realize that Michael jackson crossed many different boundaries and sports was just another one that he touched. His music will be around forever and will be missed, but his legacy will live forever and you might just hear his music at your favorite ball park as well.

If you have been following Sports Hits for anytime you have realized that we love sports of all kinds and the people who play it. This is why I have come up with the Sports Hits Hall Of Fame. At the top of this blog you will see a link where you can click on to read everyday about our newest addition to the Hall Of Fame.

Now the people who will be added to the Sports Hits Hall Of Fame are players who may not have the stats you need to get to the regular Hall of Fame in their sport, but still made a valuable contribution to their teams and help them win. There are many deserving players out their so look for the first entry tomorrow. You can also send me nominations in on who you think should be there as well. It can come from any sport men or women does not matter. This should be a lot of fun and your input is always something I look forward to.

Sasha Cohen is our Sports Lady Of The Day. She was born October 26, 1984 in Westwood California and is a figure skating star that has captured many people’s hearts. She is 24 years old and is gearing up for the 2010 Olympics. In 2006 she won a silver medal and should do much better in 2010. This beauty has talent, along with good looks and many people feel she will be a even bigger star after the 2010 Olympics. Only time will tell if that will happen or not.

I guess anymore no matter what sport you are in steroids are everywhere and that includes cycling. Tyler Hamilton announced that he is retiring from cycling after he failed a drug test which said he had the steroid DHEA an over-the-counter herbal antidepressant. He knew it was on the ban list so it a way it was his own fault. This is second offense so it was probably best for him to just retire anyway.

He also has some other issues he is going through so by retiring now he can get his life back on track. It seems no matter what sport we talk about anymore drugs play a big role in it and cycling is just another one we can add to the list.

It has been since the year 2000 that Team USA Basketball or Dream Team as they are called by many have won a gold medal in the Olympics, but no more. The United States outlasted a tough and gritty Spain group for a 118-107 win in the gold medal game.

Dwayne Wade tossed in 27 points and Kobe Bryant added 20 points as the United States won a shootout with Spain. This Dream Team was all about redemption and now they are the talk of the United States and the world. Hopefully most of these same players will come back for another trip to the Olympics and another gold medal.

With Manu Ginobili not able to play the whole game it was a fairly easy game for the United States. Team USA scored 21 of the first 25 points as they routed the Argentina National Team  y a score of 101-81. The United States now advance to the Gold Medal game against Spain. This is exactly where Dream Team wanted to be and now they are.

Most of the players on this team either played in the World Championships or the last Olympics when the United States settled for the bronze medal and this team wanted redemption. They still have one more game before that is possible. They still must come out and play hard if they want to capture the gold medal.

The Americans celebrated, but it was not the kind of celebration that they had hoped for. The United States beat Japan by a score of 8-4 to win the bronze medal. For most of the players it was very disappointing to get a Bronze medal when they were looking for a gold one.

Taylor Teagarden hit a tiebreaking two-run double in the fifth and Jason Donald followed with a two-run homer off the left-field foul pole to help pace the United States who again failed to bring home Gold. Just like I said before it’s time to bring in some better players are revamp our program, because it sure is not working for us.

The defending Olympic champion Cuba put the hammer down late as they easily beat the United States by a score of 10-2. Cuba is a team with a lot of talent and they proved it once again and will advance to the Gold Medal game again and the United States will once again dream of a silver medal as that is all they have left right now.

I think we need to consider sending a much better team for baseball then we field anymore as we just do not seem to get the job done. The Cuba team is loaded with stars and It is time that we do the same as well.

Many years ago you learn in life nothing is given and you must earn everything you get in life. Team USA softball found that out when they took on Japan and was on the short end of the 3-1 loss. This loss cost them the Gold Medal and Team USA goes home without the prize they wanted.

You have to tip your hat to Japan for giving Team USA the best game of the Olympics and they deserved to win the Gold as they earned it. Past accomplishments do not guarantee Gold as the Americans found out. This just goes to prove do not be to confident as on any given day you can be beat. If you do not believe me just as Team USA Softball about it. I am sure they have a story to tell you.

When Team USA Softball needs a big lift they look no further than Crystl Bustos as she hit a three-run homer to lift the United States to a 4-1 win over Japan. The United States have dominated Olympic competition lately, but it took nine innings to dispatch of Japan. This can happen in softball as you still must play the game no matter how many wins you have.

Most people think just because you have won 22 games in a row in Olympic softball every win will be easy it just does not work that way. Every team wants to knock you off and Japan came close to that. The United States now will play for the Gold Medal which could be their last in this sport for awhile as they are planning to discontinue this as an Olympic sport.