Page 2 August 8, 2013 Joe’s Sports Mistakes and Baseball Fired Up Pulls into First-Place Tie By Adam Serrao Rodriguez is owed $114 million through the by Downing Lakers are all about. Big market teams do what they himself on the field this year. In addition toyear of 2017 and ca’’t even find a way to getAttracting big name players is what sports can to go out their way to attract the biggest that contract, if A-Rod ties Willie Mays on the By Joe Snyder and best names out there to not only gain all-time home run list at 660 (he’s currently The Fired Up moved into a first place attention from a city’s fan base, but to also at 647), he will receive another $30 million tie with the Lakes in Hawthorne Parks make a run at a championship. Obviously in bonuses. Regardless of what happens and Recreation Division IV (ages 12-13) this is not the case in just basketball, but to A-Rod regarding the whole Biogenesis basketball play by downing the Lakers also baseball and maybe to a smaller extent PED scandal, unless he receives a lifelong 46-33 last Saturday at the Betty Ainsworth football too. LeBron James makes the Miami suspension, the Yankees will be on the hook Gymnasium. Fired Up held a 26-22 halftime Heat what they are. Likewise, Kobe makes for a massive contract that has gone wrong. lead, but had a couple of second half spurts the Lakers, Chris Paul makes the Clippers Even if Rodriguez gets back on the field, to lead by as many as 19 points and was and, as we learned over the summer, Dwight there’s no reason to believe that he will be hardly threatened. Howard now rules Houston. In basketball, of any help to the Yankees. Since 2007, the Jordan Caldwell led all scorers with 15 these big-name players get paid big, hefty third baseman hasn’t played in over 140 points for Fired Up. Richard Harris added salaries and oftentimes actually live up to games once. Also in the last two seasons, 12 points and Martin Jones chipped in nine. them. James, for instance, while one of A-Rod hasn’t hit more than 20 home runs or For the Lakers, Eddie Kemp led with 13 the highest paid players in the league, has knocked in more than 70 runs. His batting points, followed by Ryan Jotie with nine. delivered two championships to Miami. average has hovered below .286 since 2008 Andre and Eddie Jones contributed three Kobe--five to Los Angeles. In baseball, and he’s a lifetime .265 postseason hitter. points apiece. Both teams are tied for first, however, the story seems to be flipped. Seems like shelling out a 10-year contract each with 6-2 records in their division. Oftentimes, the biggest of contracts handed worth $275 million wasn’t the right thing ACTION ROUTS AIR FORCE out are done simply to lock up the name to do, even for A-Rod. Paying a player big The Action picked up its second win that goes on the back of the jersey for the money while he is in his prime is one thing, against six losses by routing a young Air life of a specific contract. Once the player but anything can happen over the duration of Force team 58-26 Saturday in Hawthorne gets paid, however, production almost 10 years, as A-Rod has shown us, and he is Parks and Recreation action on Saturday. Farley Anicnciacion of Action attempts basket during Saturday’s unquestionably and immediately falls off. yet another example of a big contract gone The Action was in total command, leading Hawthorne Recreation Division IV basketball action. Action rolled Championships are nowhere to be found and wrong that, barring suspension, will hurt the 10-2 after the first quarter, 23-7 at halftime over Air Force. Photo by Joe Snyder teams are left floundering in the wake of Yankees into the 2017 season. and 40-14 after three quarters. placed 43rd overall. Forty-six-year-old Jerry money poorly spent. That, combined with A lot of time has been spent discussing only Keying Action were Jackson Woulard Lopopolo, husband of Anneka, was 10th for the rampant use of PEDs, makes baseball two players, but there are many more across and Nathan Cabrera with 12 points each. the 45-49 age group in 57:13. one of the most mistake-ridden sports in the league benefiting from low production Anthony Hamilton had 10 points. The Air The top overall finisher was 17-year-old the world. and a heavy cash flow. Ryan Howard is Force was led by Sean Burford with seven Kevin Fink from San Pedro, timing 41:21. We’ve all seen what PEDs can do to a guaranteed $125 million over the next four points. Ivan Session and Donnell Williams Taking second and third respectively were player, a team and the city for which he years and can’t seem to get himself on the each put in five. 28-year-old Juan Delgadillo of Los Angeles plays. Ryan Braun was the latest casualty field either. Once a feared hitter, Howard DIVISION III: HARD WORK 36, in 41:24 and 43-year-old L.A. resident Alex and Alex Rodriguez may be the biggest now finds himself batting .253, .219 and .266 LAKERS 34 (OT) Kostich with a time of 41:28. named sufferer. The players aren’t the only over the last three seasons, respectively, with Hard Work’s basketball team proved its For the women, 22-year-old Taylor Spivey ones suffering, though. Let’s take the Los only 26 combined home runs since 2012 (the name as it worked overtime for a thrilling of Redondo Beach won at 44:06, followed by Angeles Angels of Anaheim, for instance. year his extension with the Phillies began). 36-34 victory over the Lakers in Hawthorne runner-up Mary Short (age 21, Westchester, Perhaps the biggest signing in the history of Josh Hamilton was supposed to team up with Parks and Recreation Division III action 44:30) and third place Any Dantzler (45, the franchise has been Albert Pujols. After Pujols and be the savior for the Angels. After on Saturday. Skylar Knight led Hard Work L.A., 45:30). coming to the Angels last year, Pujols has his 43-home run season last year, Hamilton is with 14 points. FOUR LOCALS VIE AT USC looked like anything but himself. A 10- enjoying a five-year deal worth $125 million SBST HAS FINE SHOWING IN Four players who hail from Inglewood are year, $242 million contract brought Pujols while batting .221 with 16 home runs in his PIER-TO-PIER preparing to open the 2013 season with the to Anaheim from the St. Louis Cardinals. first year with the Angels. Even Andre Ethier Ammela Sakovich-Lopopolo won her age University of Southern California football team. The one-time .359 hitter with a career high of the Dodgers is taking advantage of a new group and David Neilan was second in the The Trojans began the season at University of 49 home runs has been limited to a .285 five-year $85 million contract while batting division for the Hawthorne-based South Bay of Hawaii on August 29 at 8 p.m. Pacific average with 30 home runs in his first year .265 with seven home runs. Other horrible Swim Team at last Sunday’s Surf Festival Daylight Time. with the club and a .258 average with 17 contracts in MLB history: Darren Dreifort of Denny Crum Two-Mile Hermosa Beach Perhaps the top player hailing from home runs in this, his second year with the the Dodgers for five years and $55 million, to Manhattan Beach Pier Ocean Swim. Inglewood is ex-Gardena Serra High standout Angels. Many Pujols supporters will say that Barry Zito of the Giants for seven years and junior wide receiver his lack of production has been caused by a $126 million--and who can forget Andruw Marqise Lee. Last foot injury that has recently sidelined him Jones wasting two years of Dodgers fans’ season as a sophomore, for perhaps the rest of the season. Since hopes with his $36.2 million deal. Lee was an all- the 2009 season, however, the 33-year-old, Bad contracts are given out across the American and received nine-time All-Star’s statistics have been entire sports world and sometimes there is the Biletnikoff Award gradually and drastically dropping off year no possible way to gain the hindsight to for being the nation’s by year until now--where he finds himself know how the money dished out will be top college receiver. in his worst season ever. With eight years effectively used. In the world of baseball, In 13 games in 2012, and $212 million remaining on his back- though, money is spent so frivolously that Lee caught 118 passes loaded contract, the recently hobbled Pujols it has almost become ridiculous. Maybe it for 1,721 yards and 15 looks to be in a world of hurt on the field, is because the league has cracked down on touchdowns--both PAC but seems to now have enough free time PEDs so much that the game’s “biggest 12 Conference season in between rehab stints to appreciate all of stars” are now underperforming and finding records. In just two the extra cash that Arte Moreno and the themselves injured more often than not. Or seasons, Lee already Angels have thrown his way. Mark Pujols maybe a 10-year contract is simply too long has 191 receptions down as one huge mistake for the Angels of a deal to be giving out to players who The South Bay Swim Club was active in last Sunday’s International Surf Festival- for 2,864 yards (an that won’t just hurt the team this year, but may or may not be in their primes. One Denny Crum Hermosa Beach to Manhattan Beach Two-Mile Ocean Swim. Four of average of 15 yards for the next eight years to come. way or the other, though, owners throughout these finishers include, left to right, Jay Hoeschler, David Neilan (second for male per catch. He is also Albert Pujols isn’t the only big name out baseball will continue to attract the game’s 45-49agegroup),JerryLopopoloandfemale35-39winnerAnnekaSakovich-Lopopolo. a standout long jumper there who is in decline and owed a lot of biggest names with dollar signs and feel the Photo by Joe Snyder with USC’s track and money. Look east to New York and you’ll hurt once they settle in and acquire comfort field team. find Alex Rodriguez’s contract that the on their golden dugout benches--pockets Sakovich-Lopopolo, who lives in Manhattan Ex-Inglewood High cornerback Davian Yankees are so fervently trying to unload. overflowing with green, paper-like potential. • Beach, captured the female 35-39-year-old Shelton will be a sophomore with the Trojans. age group at 50 minutes and 29 seconds. Also from Inglewood include ex-Crenshaw event,” Sakovich-Loppolo said. “It is a his senior season. The former high school Follow UsHigh all-American Hayes Pulard, who enters overall. “This was a greatth She finished 59 hometown favorite. Every year, this is a great race.” Sakovich-Lopolo finished second in 107 tackles in 2012. Pullard is a linebacker. on Twitterall-American started all 13 games and had her 35-39 age category last year. Sophomore Jordan Simmons, who was an Neilan finished as the runner-up for the all-American at Encino Crespi High, will play @heraldpub 45-49 male age division, clocking 49:43. He at offensive tackle and guard. •
Lawndale 08_08_13
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