Cardinals 

    The St. Louis Cardinals were slated to have a great year this year, with a lot of veteran guys coming back and some promising young talent. They are under third year manager Mike Shildt. He has a record of 131-95. He has taken them to one postseason where they lost to the Washington Nationals, who went on to win the World Series. 

    They were going to be led at the plate this year by Paul Goldschmidt. Although he didn’t have his best year last year, he can turn it around and he has proven it. He has a career batting average of .292, while he was in a division with pitchers that have a great chance of getting into the hall of fame. Those being Clatyon Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Madison Bumgarner. The Cardinals young talent is led by Dylan Carlson, a highly talented outfielder. He is ranked seventeenth on the MLB prospect list. Their best infielder is Nolan Gorman a promising third basemen. 

the redbirds are going to be lead on the mound by cy young nominee Jack Flaherty, who had a record year last year and is being compared by many to the great bob Gibson.

this is a little different March april with no baseball being played right now because of the virus shutting everything down, it even canceled the end of spring training, opening day and it is still up in the air about when it will actually open.

The month of march is always an exciting time for college basketball fans as conference tournaments wrap up, selection Sunday is over, and its time for play-in-games and the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament. The play-in-games have a very unique feel to them, they have a different atmosphere than the rest of the tournament and its kind of a tournament to get into the tournament. The play-in-games are played in smaller arenas on the campuses of smaller schools like Dayton. they are packed with fans from the schools unlike the first and second rounds where it is fans from all the schools and basketball fans aswell.

The first round of the NCAA tournament includes 64 teams broken up into 4 regions, Midwest region, south region, west region, and the east region. Each region has 16 teams all seeded 1-16 the 1 playing the 16, 2 playing the 15, 3 and 13, and so on. The first day of the NCAA’s is a mixture of games from each region televised on CBS, TNT, TruTV, and TBS. different game in each region are played at different locations in the area that the region is in, for example the midwest region games are usually played in Louisville, Indy, Chicago, Columbus, Nashville, Lincoln, Kansas City, and Minneapolis.

This march is a tough pill to swallow for not just the fans not getting to watch their teams, fill out brackets, make bets, and attend games of the tourney. Business’s are without crucial advertising that they put out during the commercial slots during the tournament, and even business’s that sponsor the NCAA tourney as a whole like Recce’s, Capitol one, and Buick. But the players who worked so hard all year long don’t get the chance to compete for what they put in all the work for, and play on the biggest stage in college sports.

I have always been a die hard Indiana University Basketball fan, I have had very few days harder than March 14th, 2008. I was 10 years old sitting in elementary school decked out in my candy striped pants and hoosier jersey just like most game days for the hoosiers as a kid. 2008 was a great year to be a hoosier fan, great record, exciting players who were to be future NBA players, and a thirsty fan base. I had been to a few IU basketball games so far as a kid but nothing super intense or a markee matchup, and all my games attended were in assembly hall, which don’t get me wrong is the best atmosphere to watch a college hoops game in, in the country. Miss me with that Cameron Indoor crap, my high school gym is bigger. It was Lunch time for this 10 year old and I got called to the principals office for the first time in my life and that had me shaking in my candy stripes.

Get to the office and find my Uncle Brad who was freshman at Indiana that year and my dad both decked in their IU attire as well so I was pretty confused not knowing what the rest of the evening would hold. We were headed to indy to Attend the Big Ten Tournament that evening as the best IU team in recent years took on Minnesota on their way to claiming a big ten title before making a run in the NCAA’s, or so I hoped. Indiana lost on a last second shot to Minnesota in heartbreaking fashion comparable to the laettner shot against Kentucky. Broke my heart and planted a painful feeling towards the B1G tourney for the rest of my life inside me.

Fast forward to this year I have a very different feeling towards the Big ten tourney, a feeling of regretfulness. I regret that I did not appreciate what I had in the big ten tourney each march, giving me and millions of others what we all love, good competition, physical basketball, and a good cinderella story every once in a while. This year since the Big ten Tourney didn’t get played, it cut the season short for every athlete on each of the basketball teams, did not give them a chance to compete for a conference championship and even for others a chance to extend their seasons into the NCAA tournament and a chance to make a run at the night dance.

The Corona virus took away seasons from lots of athletes this spring. Basketball players got hit pretty hard… right when everyone seems to care the most, in March. Hoops players got their seasons cut short and even for some players got their chances to raise their draft stocks up before the NBA draft in June. This was a shot to the gut for so many and were all fighting to get through it together. We are united as athletes, D1,D2 it doesn’t matter. we are one.

oh boy, where to begin… with March Madness in full swing, the Indiana Hoosier Men’s Basketball team is sitting on the bubble. Record of 19-12 and conference record of 9-11 and no good wins on the road it makes for a tough case for Indiana to get an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament that begins in two weeks.

With the Big Ten tournament in Indianapolis starting this week, the hoosiers look to get back on track in the first round of the B1G tourney and make a statement for their NCAA tournament resume with a win against Nebraska. Indiana lost 3 of their last 4 games to end the regular season losing at Purdue and at Illinois in back to back contests before beating Minnesota at home earlier this week. Wisconsin came into Bloomington riding a 7 game win streak on Saturday. The 24th ranked Badgers gave the hoosiers all they could handle and pulled away late with timely shots and hitting free throws down the stretch. Indiana will take on the Huskers Wednesday at 8:30 pm at bankers life field house in Indy.

ESPN had the game on Saturday against Wisconsin. In an odd situation, an Indiana basketball on the ESPN network was not being commentated by Dan Dakich. Dakich a former Indiana University player and later coach is one of the smartest basketball minds in the world today and hoosier fans give him grief for being brutally honest and speaking his opinions. I love it. This was the last chance for the hoosiers to really make a statement for their resume for the NCAA tournament against a ranked opponent. In typical Indiana Basketball fashion, the hoosier’s had a timely offensive drought down the stretch which to be completely honest, was totally expected after the season they’ve had.

the first half was dominated by the Indiana who was led by senior guard Devonte Green, and it also happened to be senior day. Green led the way in the first Half with 16 points to give the hoosiers a big boost heading into half time. But once again in typical Green fashion he was a no show in the second half scoring not a single bucket. which has been the story all year a ghost at times on the offensive end. the most frustrating part of IU’s season… Offensive woes, player inconsistency’s, and not being able to win a basketball game on the road….

But, as always never daunted, we can not falter. In the battle we are tried.. very tried, and true. Indiana we are all for you. Go Hoosiers.

For the First time since 1988 the NBA All-Star weekend took place in bean town, Chicago, Illinois. With a little bit of an updated arena from Chicago Stadium, the United Center was where basketballs biggest and brightest gathered to show off their skills and give the fans a show.

FRIDAY NIGHT

The weekend was kicked off on Friday night with the celebrity game. The two teams were coached by Sports world personalities Michael Wilbon and Stephen A. Smith, headline celebs from the game included rappers Quavo and Chance the Rapper. WNBA stars, country recording artist Kane Brown and more. The Celebrity game is followed up by the Rising Stars Challenge, which is two teams made up of players from all over the world that are up and comers in the NBA. One team is Team USA headlined by Ja Morant of the Grizzlies, Zion Williamson of the Pelicans and Trae Young of the Hawks. Team World featured young stars like RJ Barrett of the Knicks, Luka Doncic of the Mavericks, and Moe Wagner from the Wizards. This game was decided by 20 points, team USA beat team world 151 to 131. RJ Barrett of the New York Knicks from Canada led all scorers with 27.

NBA SKILLS CHALLENGE

The 3rd event of the night was the skills challenge, Bam Adebayo and Domantas Sabonis. Adebayo of the Miami Heat beat Sabonis of the Pacers in the finals. Buddy Hield of the kings beat Devin Booker of the Suns in the final round of the 3pt contest. The final event on Friday night was the Sprite slam dunk contest between 4 contestants: Dwight Howard- LA Lakers, Aaron Gordon- Orlando Magic, Pat Connington- Milwaukee Bucks and Derrick Jones Jr from the Miami heat. Jones ended the high flying contest with a win and capped off an exciting Friday night for NBA fans.

All- Star Saturday Night

This years All-Star game had a little bit of a somber tone with the passing of the late great Kobe Bryant. With the passing of Kobe, the NBA decided to change the format in his honor, the combined score of the first three quarters plus 24 would be the “goal score” that they had to get to in an untimed 4th quarter. This year the two captains were Giannis Antetokumpo and LeBron James, team Giannis started with Kemba walker of Boston, Trae Young of Atlanta, Giannis of the bucks, pascal Siakim of Toronto, and Joel Embid from Philadelphia. Team Lebrun came out with a star studded 5, Lebron, James Harden, Luka, kawhi Leonard of the Clippers, and Anthony Davis of the Lakers.

Kawhi Leonard of Team LeBron and also the LA Clipper’s was named the MVP of the game which was renamed the Kobe Bryant Most Valuable Player Award. Leonard ended the game with 30 points, Giannis ended with 25 for his team leading the way. Anthony Davis grabbed 9 rebounds for Lebron’s squad, just to be out matched on the glass by Giannis and Rudy Gobert.

Saturday night, The University if Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles welcomed the 19th ranked University of Missouri St. Louis to screaming eagle arena for the first time. Coach Rodney Watson and the boys are were riding a 4 game win streak coming into Saturday nights contest. Screaming Eagle arena held over 3 thousand fans for the battle of two good teams.

USI was led by Indianapolis native, junior forward Emmanuel Little. Little the 6’6 junior who was named 2nd team all GLVC the season before scored 21 points of 8 of 11 shooting and 5 of 7 from the free throw line and Brought down 16 boards which was a season high. Little’s Double double was accompanied by another Indy native, junior Guard Mateo Rivera who dropped in 15 and grabbed 9 boards. Both Little and Rivera played 33 minutes a piece. Rivera who’s averaging 12.5 points per game is a staple in the eagle backcourt has been distributing the basketball well for the eagles in the second half of the season and consistently all year long.

USI is 19-5 on the season and has just 4 games left before the conference tournament starts with 2 of the 4 games taking place in screaming eagle arena. A battle against Lewis a GLVC opponent this coming Saturday and the a rematch with conference foe and 1 of the 5 teams that have beaten the eagles this year, Indy to close out the season on Saturday Feb. 29th. The Eagles sit a 11-5 and in 4th place in the GLVC with four games left in conference play they look to move up in the standings for the conference tournament.

The 2020 NHL All-Star game was held in St. Louis, Missouri on January 25th at the Enterprise center which is the home of the St. Louis Blues hockey team. The NHL All-Star weekend Is much like the MLB and NBA in the activities that take place and the fan interaction and involvement. Different competitions take place along with the actual NHL All Star’s going at it on the 25th. All-Star weekend gives fans entertainment in competitions that they have enjoyed for years. The NHL crowned some new winners this year as these gentlemen took home the top spot in their respective competitions at the 2020 NHL All-Star weekend:

• Fastest Skater: Matthew Barzal, New York Islanders
• Save Streak: Jordan Binnington, St. Louis Blues
• Accuracy Shooting: Jaccob Slavin, Carolina Hurricanes
• Hardest Shot: Shea Weber, Montreal Canadiens
• Shooting Stars: Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks

There was a twist to the weekend that a lot of fans enjoyed, a women’s elite 3 vs 3 game. The game was 2 10 minute periods with a running clock, where American women took on Canadian women. The Canadians won the contest by a tally of 2-1, Hillary Knight had the lone goal for the Americans.

Then the big show kicked off and it was the Pacific division stars in a battle with the Atlantic division stars. where the Atlantic division lost 5-4 after beating the metropolitan all stars in a semi final round to make it to the championship. The NHL has a little different setup when it comes to the actual game itself, most All-star games are two teams and they play one game. But the NHL plays 2 semi final rounds to get to the final and then the winners square off in the same night as they played the first game.

Hey, guys my Name is Brice Stuteville, I’m a junior at the University of Southern Indiana. I am a sports management major with a focus in the sports marketing field.

I am also a pitcher on the Baseball team at USI. I am originally from Rockport, Indiana which is about 30 minutes east of Evansville. Rockport is tiny, not much goes on in a small midwestern town that gets noticed by the outside media and surrounding areas, except for a perennial statewide baseball powerhouse like South Spencer high school which is where I played for 4 years. The people of Rockport are like none other when it comes to supporting the Rebel baseball teams year after year, they love Rebel Baseball just as much as the players do.

Sports have always been a huge part of my life and I take great pride in my abilities as an athlete and where I came from when it comes to my alma mater in Baseball. Not many programs have ever had as much success in an 11 year span like South Spencer had so we all take great pride in how good we were over the past decade. We played at the best ballpark in the state of Indiana called Joe Hargis field and there is just something special about that old yard that still gets my blood flowing and my eyes get as wide as a little kid every time I step foot on it or even watch a game from the famous outfield seats off of Jim haaff Blvd, hence the name of the site.. Thoughts from jim Haaff Blvd. Jim Haaff actually is the best coach the state of Indiana has ever seen, his state record for all-time wins speaks for itself. I consider myself pretty lucky because I got to play for Coach Haaff for 2 years, and For my 4 years of high school baseball, I played for one of if not The best coaches in Indiana baseball history, Brian Kuester. Coach instilled a toughness and attitude in his players that gave them the confidence to be the best they could be on the field and in life. “Time is money baby, be on the hop.”

I’ve been around the block per say in my three years of college so far, my first semester of my freshman year I played at Brunswick Community college which is a junior college in Wilmington, North Carolina which was great but some unfortunate events led to a relocation a little closer to home. So I landed in Fairfield, Illinois which is where Frontier Community college is, another junior college where I played my freshman and sophomore seasons before committing to USI and coming back home to play my last two years of college baseball. I’ve have been successful, and I have failed, I have seen a lot of places because of sports and met a lot of great people along the way. So I have many opinions on sports and love to share my knowledge of topics going on in the sports world today.

Enjoy the ride, and remember…. Time is money baby, let’s be on the hop.