The Roc and Manuch Blog

Palm Tree Perspective: Dodger Dog Days of Summer

CJ "L.A." Boyle — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 21:54:47 +0000

Hello Friends, hope the summer heat is treating you well. I know that melting under the summer sun has been on my short list of hobbies this season. With out further adieu lets crack this coconut.

All Star Broadcasters

I watched the All-Star game last week and I could not help but to think how much better it would be if we had some of the great Broadcasters call the game. I mean common it is the All-Star game, Have Vin Scully call the game. That would indeed make it a mid summer classic. All the MLB would have to do is allow the Fans vote for their favorite Broadcaster, this would be simple because the people who will vote in their Broadcaster would be the ones who would watch the game the most anyway. This isnt an assult on Joe Buck, wait what am I saying yes it is. He is better off calling Football games. I know that his dad was a quintessential Broadcaster, but he just doesnt share the same magic that his father did.

Speaking of All-Star Broadcaster, I got the chance to meet Vin Scully last friday and as you should know I am a Dodger Fan. Mr. Scully has been my persoanal insperation to getting into Braodcasting, and I just wanted to share how much of an honor it was to meet a person with such stature.

D’Backs Trades

If you are not a regular to the Palm Tree Perspective , I stated that one of the greatest needs for the Diamondbacks lied in the Bullpen. Well from here I am sitting, the D’Backs made a BIG move. I like the move to bringing in the tallest pitcher in the MLB. Jon Rauch is going to bring a great boost to this team, and to a pen that has be dreadful. In addition to bringing a big boost, I think that we are looking at our next closer because Brandon Lyon is not going to be in a D’Backs uni next year.

Tony Clark is the Great Mustafa, and he is going to add a great boost to an uptight locker room that is sorely missing Eric Byrnes’ attitude. I like what Clark is going to bring to the locker room, but I unfortunately do not believe that he is going to add much to the line-up. I feel that he was brought to this team for the attitude that he brings.

Brett ( Please Never Say His Last Name Again) Saga Continues

From now on I refuse to say Brett’s last name, I have nothing against him but I cannot believe that this is still the biggest story in the NFL going into camp. This story is 3 weeks long and I don’t feel it has the legs that most sports writers are giving it. So I am done, I am boycotting writing about Brett.

McCabe this Week

If you haven’t had a chance you should head over to Onairsportsradio.com and check out the podcasts from the week thus far. McCabe caught up with one of my former high school classmates and now a star at Stanford on Monday in Lawrence Hill, shockingly enough Kevin poses the question on who won one on one back in the day. Lets just say that the only chance I would have against Lawrence Hill is if I drew enough fouls to send me to the line or maybe if we were playing Baseketball or something….oh hell I would still get my butt kicked.

Kevin also caught up with Brian Stann who fights with the WEC, and D’Backs Broadcaster Daron Sutton this week on the show.

Hope ya’ll have a great rest of the week, and make sure you look out you never know when I will drop another coconut full of knowledge for you.

I found Billy!

Roc — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 16:24:58 +0000

Nothing against Walmart, but I found Billy Packer yesterday! He was nice enough to let me take a picture of him!

WNBA Brawl! Only in Detriot!

Roc — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 16:10:59 +0000

brawl index.cfm?fuseaction=tdi.morningBuzz
Here yah go! BRAWL

Tuesday 7/22/2008 Edition of Roc and Manuch

bryan — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 02:59:35 +0000

Tuesday 7/22/2008 Edition of Roc and Manuch

“Your Drive Home Sports Alternative”

HOUR 1

What would the Packers get for Brett Favre in a trade? The Giants got a 2^nd and a 5^th round pick for Jeremy Shockey. The Redskins acquire Jason Taylor for a 2^nd and a 6^th. Joe Montana was traded (along with safety David Whitemore and a 3^rd round pick) for the Chiefs first round pick. The Eagles obtained a 2^nd round pick for back up QB AJ Feeley and the Falcons secured a top 10 pick for Matt Schaub. Roc thinks that Favre has no value because he could be a real problem in Green Bay. Manuch, the QB homer, can’t see Favre going for anything less than a 3^rd round pick.

The University of Rutgers has gotten creative in it’s dealings with Greg Schiano. They have found a way to pay him indirectly through a 3^rd party. The problem is they didn’t make the information public. Roc sees nothing wrong with, since Rutgers is a public university, Manuch points out they should make all their financial records public.

HOUR 2

We had our Jam Session with Jamal Anderson to start the 2^nd hour and he brought along a special guest; Fergie. R&M talked with Fergie for a couple minutes, talked about Fergie with Jamal for 10 minutes, then finally made their way to football.

Washington DC was featured in our Home Town Report with CBS 9’s Brett Haber. Brett and the guys went over the Dbacks acquisition of Nationals reliever Jon Rauch, what impact Jason Taylor will have on the Redskins, and the Wizards keeping Gilbert Arenas and Antwan Jamison.

HOUR 3

The Olympic Men’s basketball team is in Vegas getting ready for the Olympics and Senior National Basketball Managing Director Jerry Colangelo joined Roc and Manuch. They discussed the challenge of rebuilding USA’s national basketball program, the upcoming Olympics, and how they have set up the United States for future success in international basketball competition.

Wednesday’s Show

*Rick Horrow

*Brad Steinke

*NBA Great Bob Lanier

*Home Town Report: Miami

Time for Lineart to Prove he’s a TRUE NFL QB:

Manuch — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 18:16:53 +0000

Matt Lineart, who’s entering his 3rd season as the starting quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals, should have one thing and one thing only on his mind….FOOTBALL!!

This will be a HUGE year for the young QB. He will need to show the Cardinals organization, the fans, but most of all, his Cardinals teammates, that he is serious and focused about pro football. He needs to eat, breath, sleep, talk, and immerse himself so deep into his role, that the ONLY thing on his mind this year, is FOOTBALL.

He doesn’t need to take them to the play-offs, but he needs to show he can manage a game plan on a consistent basis, week in and week out.

He needs to take that next step of of the process, in order to prove he is worthy of the starting position that was given to him by head coach Ken Whisenhunt.

In the NFL, the 3rd year of any player, regardless of what position he plays, is a tall tale sign of what the future will hold for that individual. It’s a time where the player has to start proving he belongs, or the team will start to look elsewhere for a free agent, or replace the player with a draft choice.

Matt Lineart is at a crossroads of his short career. He has to show more than anything he can handle the pro game, and produce just enough, to show that he is making the progress that ALL have hoped for.

With the big bucks these qb’s are getting right out of college, has put an unrealistic time frame for them to start producing at a quicker pace than in years past.

For Matt Lineart, his time is now to show that he is capeable of being a legitimate starter in the NFL, and serious about it.

Have fun watching Lineart and the rest of the Cardinals at Camp in Flagstaff.

Manuch

Monday 7/21/2008 Edition of Roc and Manuch

bryan — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 02:34:50 +0000

Monday 7/21/2008 Edition of Roc and Manuch
“Your Drive Home Sports Alternative”

HOUR 1

Start the show off with the weekend in review. The Diamondbacks are coming off losing 2 of 3 to the rival Los Angeles Dodgers, including a devastating loss in the 9^th inning Sunday afternoon.

The ESPY’s were last night, Roc and Manuch couldn’t get enough of it. I on the other hand do not understand the fascination. How can something that is not even on live be so good? I will give them credit; the Justin Timberlake bits were funny. I think R&M have a bit of a man crush on the former Nsync member.

Craig Fouhy from ABC 15 joined us for his Fact or Fouhy segment. 3 Fact’s and 2 Fouhy’s. The guys talked Diamondbacks and if Matt Barnes would have an impact on the Suns this season.

HOUR 2

With the Cubs in town, today’s Home Town Report was the city of Chicago with Chicago Tribune’s Fred Mitchell. Topics on the platter were the Bears’ quarterback situation and the city’s two MLB teams.

Farrell Evans from Golf.com was up next. He could not believe the Michelle Wie situation. How hard is it to remember to sign your score card?

Roc and Manuch want to do their version of the ESPY’s. There topics will be a little bit different than the award show. Who knows what they will come up with.

HOUR 3

In hour 3 we were joined by Steve “Snapper” Jones. They discussed if the United States Men’s basketball team can take Gold in the Olympics, the Oklahoma City/Seattle situation, and the NBA Summer League.

Tuesday’s Show

*Jerry Colangelo

*Jam Session with Jamal Anderson

Idiot of the Day, Ahh Month!

Roc — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 12:27:11 +0000

Come on! Are you kidding me? Michelle Wie was one round to FINALLY living up to her potential and then she screws up like this! She failed to sign her scorecard before leaving the scoring area. A no, no! A basic golf rule! It’s like remembering to wear your golf shoes!

Wie was so close to the $255,000 winner’s purse or the $155,252 second prize, which would have put her comfortably within the top 80 money winners for the year—and virtually guaranteeing her a place on the LPGA Tour next year.

In a way I want to feel bad, but I can’t! It’s such a basic rule. She needs to go back to Q school and learn her shit!

If you remember, she was disqualified from her pro debut at the 2005 Samsung World Championship for taking an improper drop.

Oh Michelle! Stay in school!

Gotta Love A Good Cat Fight

Roc — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 12:16:39 +0000

Cat Fight

Picture of the Day - No words necessary!

Roc — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 12:01:51 +0000

Pirates catcher Ryan Doumit offers some encouragement to starter Yoslan Herrera. He got knocked out in the second inning!

Calling All Sports Rewind

CJ "L.A." Boyle — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 18:15:27 +0000

Hello Friends,

CLICK HERE for the Calling All Sports Rewind featuring Hall of Fame Boxer George Foreman and Hall of Fame Phillies 3rd Baseman Mike Schmidt

-CJ

Palm Tree Perspective: Soccer gives me Hope

CJ "L.A." Boyle — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 03:54:18 +0000

Hello Friends, so at the Diamondbacks game tonight a little coconut fell to me from good ol’ Kevin McCabe.

Hope Solo

Well I finally have something to watch this year when the USA national team goes to China. Look at this doll, she his the lovely Hope Solo. Lets all HOPE that there is a reoccurance of what Brandy Chastaine pulled in the womens world cup.

HOPE you enjoy your weekend!

Win A Date With Natalie - If You Can Get There Before Roc!

Roc — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 21:22:54 +0000

Yes, this is no joke! Roc will win a date with the beautiful and very talented Natalie Gulbis! But since I like to think of myself as a “Wingman”, I am going to allow you to slim chance at beating me to Natalie. Here is the link, but you’re really wasting your time. DATEWITHNATALIE

DOWN GOES DITKA!

Roc — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 20:54:25 +0000

This is so funny! It was posted by Mike Florio of www.profootballtalk.com.

Clay Travis of Deadspin has unearthed a video of former Bears coach Mike Ditka behaving like a bear in a bingo hall. Here it is.

In the clip that reportedly was created in 2001 at (based on the sign in the background) an apparent roast of Ditka. When Paul Hornung is introduced as the next speaker, and Ditka stands to applaud, Ditka somehow knocks an entire table forward, sending it off the dais into into the crowd.

Then Hornung gives Ditka a playful shove, sending Da Coach careening into Da Curtain.

It’s great, but we still can’t figure out how he managed to knock over an entire table simply by standing up. Our best explanation? Perhaps back in 2001, he didn’t need pharmaceuticals to become “Iron Mike.”

Schmidty Today With Roc And Manuch

Roc — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 14:56:50 +0000

Michael Jack Schmidt was born September 27, 1949 in Dayton, Ohio. He played his complete professional baseball career for the Philadelphia Phillies and became the game’s greatest third basemen. With an unparallel blend of power and defense he slugged 548 home runs, belting 40 or more long balls in three separate seasons and hitting over 30 home runs 10 other times. In 1967, Schmidt joined the Ohio University and became known as the school’s best baseball player. At this level he mostly played as a shortstop. The Phillies drafted Schmidt from Ohio University in the second round of the 1971 draft. Before having been drafted he spent his two seasons in the minor league. His first full season in 1973 was probably a great disaster for his career and indeed the worst rookie season ever recorded by a player who after completing his career became the Baseball Hall of Famer. In 1974 he proved to be productive and lead the NL in home runs. The same season he hit one of the longest singles in ML that slacked from the crown of Astrodome, 329 feet from the plate and 117 feet in the air. For the rest of the 1970s Schmidt performed extremely well at bat and with the glove, winning two more home run titles and a succession of Gold Gloves.

From 1976 to 1978 he assisted the poor Phillies to win three back-to-back division titles. A very powerfully built, tough man, Schmidt was one of the best contestants of his time. In 1975, he played with an injured shoulder and incredibly hit a career-high 180 times. In July 1976 in a playoff against the Cubs he hit his first homer. In 1978 he became the captain of the team but found the responsibility to be pretty inconvenient and suffered an off year. In 1979 with the arrival of Pete Rose, Schmidt was relieved and once again came back in his form. He began to hit the ball to all fields, rather than trying to pull each pitch over the left-field fence, and recorded the highest home run totals of his career, 45 in 1979 and 48 in 1980. In 1980, he led the NL to amazing heights. He hit 2 home runs with a .381 average and won the National League’s Most Valuable Player Award in a unanimous vote.

His 48 homers in 1980 are the most ever in a single season by a third baseman. He was even named the “Sporting News” Player of the Decade for the 1980s. The Phillies eventually reached the World Series and for the first time in the history of the team history rolled on to a victory after defeating Kansas City Royals. Schmidt became the MVP of the World Series, hitting two homers and driving in seven runs. In 1983, Schmidt led the Phillies back to the World Series and broke the 40-homer and 100-RBI hurdle again. But their overall performance was miserable since they lost the title in the hands of Baltimore Orioles. The same season he became the highest-paid ballplayer, signing for $2.1 million per year. In 1986 Schmidt he won his third MVP Award though the Phillies did not perform up to the mark. He created a record for a third baseman after winning his third MVP honor. He missed most of his 1988 season due to the injuries and after the 1989 season he decided to retire. Since his retirement, the team in his honor has retired his jersey #20. He finished his baseball career. with 548 home runs and 1,595 RBI. He was also named “Greatest Phillie Ever.” In 1995 he became the US Baseball Hall of Fame inductee. He became only the 31st player to be elected in his first year of eligibility.

Palm Tree Perspective: All Star Edition

CJ "L.A." Boyle — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 05:34:34 +0000

Hello Friends, It is now time again for a much needed Palm Tree Perspective. This time there is a bit of an All-Star tinge to it.
The All Star Game

Despite the painfulness of the game lasting over 4 hours, I would have to say that this was one of the best All-Star games of recent memory. I believe that the MLB All-Star game is simply the best and most competitive game in all of the major four sports. The Basketball All-Star game there is no defense, No one cares about the Pro Bowl, and nobody but me watches the NHL All-Star game (What I like Hockey).

There were a countless amount of plays that if made in a regular game would be on a season ending greatest hits real. Tejada had a handful of amazing plays, and my boy Russell Martin had at least three game saving plays. The Pitching for both sides was simply dumbfounding. I could not believe that of all 15 innings the game lasted, there were only 4 innings where there was any scoring.

Brett Favre

OK I don’t want to talk about Brett Favre but I guess I would be not doing my job if I didn’t at least touch upon it. So here we go. Brett Favre can still play, but that doest change the fact that he said that he did not feel he didn’t have it in him anymore. When you say you cant play, you cant play. And If you even think that there is a chance that you would be able to play next year…..THEN DON’T RETIRE DUMMY. There thats all I needed to say about that subject.

And I am spent, Dodgers are in town this weekend so you all know where I will be. Have a good weekend and Mahala.