Houston Blogs: Houston Sports Blog

CHRONICLE CUTS SOME VERY GOOD PEOPLE

Was sad to hear about the deep layoffs at the Chronicle. I know we're in challenging financial times, but to see talented people like Fran Blinebury, MK Bower, Michael Murphy and Steve Campbell, among others go is a blow to journalism in this city. Fran was a columnist, a great one. After you read one of his pieces, you'd say...hmmm...agree or disagree he made you think. And that's what a good columnist does. And Steve Campbell was a terrific writer, yet for some reason he was made a photographer. My thoughts are with all these good people. 

On another front, the Rockets beat themselves last night in Utah by trying to run the ball with the big men in and making bad shots. Real simple, but fixable. Besides if they did'nt play Utah in the first round there would be few complaints.

We Deserve Better

I've lived in Houston all my life.  Went to school here, have worked here and have made a living reporting on Houston sports teams.

And now I'm fed up.

We live in a first class city. Wonderful people. A can do attitude like no other place. Knock us down, we get right back up, bigger and better. With one exception: our pro sports teams.

With the exception of the mid-90's Rockets, and the 2005 World Series, our pro sports teams are awash in mediocrity. Don't tell me about the Comets and Dynamo. Baseball, football and NBA basketball are the three major sports that reflect most on cities.

We've seen some incredible collapses, yesterday being just one more. We've been patient enough. We deserve better. The Houston area is better than that.

I've heard enough about "keep battling","next year", and "played hard".Houston is a winning city. Our teams are not. It's past time they were.

Skate Houston 2008

This weekend hundreds of ice skaters are racing down to Sugar Land for one of Houston's largest competitions of the year. Skate Houston 2008, put on by the Texas Gulf Coast Figure Skating Club, attracts more than 350 competitors to Fort Bend County who participate in 140 events. (READ MORE)

SEE PHOTOS OF THE EVENT

Pasadena little league plays Japanese team

Pasadena residents might have been taken aback by the Japanese flag flying over Spiller Field Thursday night.

That's because the Pasadena Pan American Little League had a special opponent from very far away. Team Hadano came all the way from Japan to play the team of 12 year olds made up of several Pasadena-area teams. [READ MORE]

- WATCH THE VIDEO

- SEE THE PHOTOS

Extra Innings – Humble instructor heading to 2008 summer Olympics

Congrats to Extra Innings – Humble instructor, Matt Rogelstad who is going to Beijing:

Recently, Extra Innings – Humble instructor, Matt Rogelstad announced that he has earned the right to play for the Canadian Olympic baseball team in the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Following the qualifying tournament in Taiwan, Rogelstad will be heading back to Florida for Spring Training with the Washington Nationals organization.  Rogelstad will return to Extra Innings to continue his instructional lessons in the fall. 

Before joining the team at Extra Innings, Rogelstad had already been playing for in the Washington Nationals organization.  He also played collegiate baseball at Arkansas State University.  He was the starting shortstop and the team leader in batting average and RBIs.  He was also voted the NCAA toughest to strike out award winner for Division I baseball. 

The park's web site is www.extrainnings-humble.com.