October 2007 Archives

Dallastown High School and Shippensburg University graduate Nate Reider, who won the NCAA Division II national championship in the javelin is featured on the cover of the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) Strength and Conditioning journal Volume 29, Number 5.

Strength and Conditioning is the NSCA’s professional journal, which deals with athletes conditioning, training, sports medicine and science.

In May, Reider, the 2007 PSAC Track Men’s Field Athlete of the Year, captured the national title with his javelin throw of 217’-2”.

Michael Essien

Didier Drogba

Two of Chelsea's biggest Premier League stars lent their vocals to a new single that hopes to raise awareness of racism in Europe and elsewhere while raising money to combat childhood cancer.

Midfielder Michael Essien and striker Didier Drogba's charity single "Skin" went on sale last week, with all proceeds going to CLIC Sargent, a children's cancer charity in the UK.

Here's a quick update on some collegiate honors for some York County athletes:

Shelly Lobach

-- Shelly Lobach (South Western), a freshman at Lebanon Valley College, earned Rookie of the Year honors in the Commonwealth Conference. Lobach scored 10 goals and added eight assists to help LVC to a 19-0 record and a No. 2 ranking in Division III.

Former major league All-Star Jose Offerman walked away from court Tuesday, granted probation for a bat-wielding attack during an Atlantic League game that injured two members of the Bridgeport Bluefish this summer.

The Associated Press reports that Bridgeport Superior Court Judge James Ginocchio ordered Offerman, 38, to cover the medical expenses for the two Bridgeport players injured in the bench-clearing brawl.

Offerman has also been ordered to undergo anger management treatment.

But perhaps the most shocking news concerns the Atlantic League.

The regular season comes to an end for YAIAA football this Friday and Saturday as some teams will be fighting for a division title while others will be playing for pride. Friday’s schedule has the traditional rivalry games like Red Lion vs. Dallastown, and the Wildcats (4-1 div, 5-4 overall) are playing for the possibility of sharing a division title with William Penn (5-0, 8-1) in Division I.

West York (5-0, 8-1) has at least clinched a tie for the Division II title. Susquehannock (4-1, 5-4) will be looking to get past York Suburban and combining that with a loss by the Bulldogs to grab a tie for the Division II title. Delone Catholic (6-0, 7-2) has already clinched the Division III title.

Here’s a listing of the weekend’s schedule:

Sasquatch. It's a fun word. Always been one of my favorites. Loved that mysterious and utterly fake-looking photo (above) and film clip from the late 1960s that is imbedded in the pop culture of the 1970s. (Hey, who remembers "In Search Of..." with Leonard Nimoy?)

Loved those campy episodes of "The Six Million Dollar Man" that featured Bigfoot vs. our bionic hero.

And now, in the enlightened year of 2007, Sasquatch won't go away.

Heck, he might be here in Pennsylvania. Or so we're led to believe.

Rick Gross of Wrightsville called to say: “The Flyers are going back to their old style. A few outstanding players and the rest a bunch of goon-squad style players.”

A noon kickoff time has been set for Penn State's football game at Temple on Saturday, Nov. 10.

The game at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia is to be shown nationally on the ESPNU cable network.

Penn State hosts Purdue at noon Saturday.

Wheaties will honor the 2007 World Champion Boston Red Sox. Josh Beckett will be the man on the box, not World Series MVP Mike Lowell.

Tickets will be sold in advance for Friday's Red Lion at Dallastown high school football game. The annual "backyard brawl" will be played at 7 p.m. Friday at Dallastown.

The Red Lion athletic department will begin its ticket presale on Wednesday. Tickets may be purchased from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday and from 7:30 a.m. to noon on Friday in the high school main office.

At Dallastown, tickets wil be on sale from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in the high school main lobby, and, additionally, from 7:15 a.m. to 7:45 a.m. on Thursday and Friday in the pool lobby.

At both schools, tickets are $4 for adults and $2 for students.

Dallastown athletic director Tory Harvey said Friday's game will not sell out, and that the ticket presales are simply an opportunity to avoid the projected long lines at the gate on Friday.

It's not surprising that top-ranked Ohio State beat Penn State.

But the way in which Ohio State won should open some eyes.

Ohio State's 37-17 victory unmasked a number of weaknesses.

What a month October is for Beantown.

The Red Sox, the best team in baseball most of the season, are playing in (and favored to win) the World Series.

The Patriots are crushing everyone in sight in one of the greatest early-season displays of dominance in NFL history.

The Celtics will open the NBA season to renewed expectations after acquiring the biggest fish available in Kevin Garnett.

And last, but not least, Boston College entered Thursday night’s game against Virginia Tech ranked No. 2 in the nation.

Wow. With that success who needs clam chowder and Sam Adams lager?

See one of these ...

... get one of these ...

... and we all celebrate.

Great news for fans of baseball and tacos.

If any player successfully steals a base in any World Series game, “every person in America” can get a free taco at Taco Bell. Any player, any base, any game.

Sounds easy, right? Well, you better check the fine print:

If you think taking the field beneath a crowd of about 110,000 screaming fans at Beaver Stadium for a primetime showdown with the Nittany Lions is intimidating for opposing players, just try getting to the field.

At Penn State, the visiting team's accommodations are, well, intimate. Players must negotiate their way through the raucous home crowd on the concourse beneath the stands in order to get to the tunnel that leads to the sidelines.

Ohio State players remember that walk well. Many of them made the intimidating trek two years ago, when the Buckeyes lost to Penn State, 17-10, in a similar primetime affair in 2005.

Some of them discussed that march in an Associated Press story:

Remember the name: Todd Boeckman.

He’s the new quarterback at Ohio State. He’s nothing like the old quarterback, Troy Smith. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing for the Buckeyes.

Boeckman might one day develop into a better quarterback. He’s already on his way. And he has an 8-0 record as starter to prove it.

Now look across the line of scrimmage. Remember the name: Maurice Evans.

Penn State sophomore Meggan Quinn, a Red Lion graduate, left, new Penn State women's basketball head coach Coquese Washington, center, and other members of the 2007-08 Lady Lions enjoy some laughs and levity during last Wednesday's media day in State College.

According to the Centre Daily Times, Quinn has been anxious to get back on the court since tearing the ACL and MCL in her right knee during a practice last February.

“It’s coming. I’m ready to get out there,” Quinn told the Centre Daily Times. “It’s been a long eight months. Last year wasn’t a good year for me. I didn’t get to play very much and this happened. ... I’m keeping my fingers crossed and doing a lot of praying.”

Paternoville is on the map again. Located feet from Gate A at Beaver Stadium, the tents are in place.

The kids are back at it, camping out in preparation for the biggest game on Penn State's schedule this season.

It appears Penn State will enjoy a record-setting night no matter the outcome of Friday's game.

ESPN Radio is seeking someone to join its College GameDay broadcast team for Saturday's Penn State vs. Ohio State college football game in State College.

All you need to do is send an e-mail ESPN Radio at reporter@espnradio.com. Tell them why they should hand the microphone over to you to report from a tailgate on campus this weekend. Entires should be no more than 50 words in the length and include your name, address and phone number where you can be reached.

A 3-week-old Patas Monkey looks at his mother as he is introduced to the public for the first time in the Budapest Zoo in Budapest, Hungary, last week. (Associated Press photo)

Rick Gross of Wrightsville called to say: “It was kind of sad about the passing of Max McGee. He was a great wide receiver and I had the pleasure of seeing him play a number of games. I saw him catch passes one-handed and make it look easy.”

ESPN’s College GameDay program, complete with host Chris Fowler and analysts Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit, will air from Penn State this Saturday.

The program will run from 10 a.m. to noon with other live segments throughout the day, as well as on Friday from 5 to 6 p.m. The public is invited to attend.

The Nittany Lions and No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes will play at 8 p.m. to a national audience on ABC.

ESPN Radio’s College GameDay also will originate from outside of Beaver Stadium from noon to 7 p.m. on Saturday.

Fowler, Corso and Herbstreit last came to Penn State in 2005, also for the Ohio State game. Only last year’s GameDay from the Ohio State-Michigan drew a higher TV rating.

Tom Klinedinst of York writes: "Penn State doesn't need a new coaching plan as a recent opinion letter suggested. Instead, they need a new schedule! Nittany fans should be ashamed of the pitiful teams being placed on the schedule year after year. Yes, I understand you have a Big Ten schedule to follow, but the Big Ten teams have looked awful this year, not to mention getting beaten by teams like Appalachian State and North Dakota State. Please, I'm begging you, play somebody, ANYBODY, outside of your conference. To date, the four pudding-pies on the schedule are a combined 4 wins and 24 losses. Hardly a way to build national respect. Ohio State is adding USC and Miami in the next few years. Who is PSU adding? Eastern Michigan, Eastern Illinios, Coastal Carolina and Arkansas State. So for the next few years, it's more of the same, beat up on the pudding-pies, win a few Big Ten games, lose to the better teams in the Big Ten (How many loses in a row to Michigan now?) and go to the Pudding-pie Bowl sponsored by Swiss Miss."

What the heck?

Does anyone else think it's odd that current Baltimore Orioles Kevin Millar threw out the first pitch before Game 7 of the American League Championship Series at Fenway Park on Sunday night?

Sure, Millar was a member of the 2004 World Champion Red Sox. But he's currently being paid to play baseball for the Orioles, an American League East rival of the Red Sox.

Baltimore Sun blogger Bill Ordine says he wasn't offended by the Millar appearance. But I think Millar should have shown some more loyalty to his current employer and fans.

The Red Lion Lady Lion Basketball Booster Club’s annual 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament will be held on Nov. 10 at Red Lion Junior High School. There will be divisions for males and females from grades 3 through 12 and adult men.

The cost will be $70 and the registration deadline will be October 29th. Online registration and registration forms will be available at www.rlflash.homestead.com. Completed forms should be sent to 317 Linden Ave. Red Lion, PA 17356.

For questions, contact Marty Ness at 586-4574.

Two great Philadelphia Phillies left-handers -- Steve Carlton and Cole Hamels -- will appear at an autograph show on Nov. 10 at West Manchester Mall.

Carlton will sign autographs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Hamels will sign from 1:30-3:30 p.m.

According to www.kronbearsports.com, a Carlton autograph will cost $45 on photos up to 8x10s and baseballs and $75 for all other items. A Hamels autograph will run $35 on photos up to 8x10s or baseballs, $45 on 16x20s and $60 on all other items.

For $75, you can get both pitchers’ autographs on baseballs.

For details, call Kronbear Sports at 512-2242 or visit the Web site.

FOOTBALL: West York at Littlestown varsity football game has been postponed and rescheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Monday.

FIELD HOCKEY: The Biglerville at Shippensburg District 3 field hockey play-in game. That has been rescheduled for Saturday. No starting time is available yet.

FIELD HOCKEY: Today's regular-season game featuring Waynesboro at Fairfield has been cancelled.

The Susquehanna Rapids will conduct weekly girls' ice hockey skills sessions at the York City Ice Arena. The sessions are scheduled from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays.

The fees are $120 per person for eight sessions and $160 per person for 12 sessions.

More information is available here.

Here is a World Series forecast for you:

Snow.

It is a distinct possibility considering at least Games 3 and 4 of the Fall Classic will be hosted by the Colorado Rockies, in the high altitude of Denver.

Plus, it’s not like Boston or Cleveland are exactly warm-weather cities.

And consider this ... if the Series goes seven games, the final contest will be played Nov.1st.

This could give a new meaning to the term "winter ball."

Jeff Haldeman of York writes: “NFL commissioner Roger Goodell’s comment Monday in Arizona that a future Super Bowl may someday be played in London’s Wembley Stadium, given the enthusiasm overseas for the game, is an insult to every NFL fan in America!”

The Pennsylvania Game Commission is encouraging hunters who are successful in the upcoming deer seasons to consider participating in the state's Hunters Sharing the Harvest (HSH) program, which channels donations of venison to local food banks, soup kitchens and needy families.

Started in 1991, HSH has developed into a refined support service for organizations that assist the state's needy. Each year, Hunters Sharing the Harvest helps to deliver almost 200,000 meals to food banks, churches and social services feeding programs for meals provided to needy Pennsylvanians.

HSH has a statewide toll-free telephone number -- 866-474-2141 -- which can answer hunters' questions about where participating meat processors can be found or other general inquiries about the program.

For additional information, go to the Game Commission Web site or the HSH Web site.

....The Colorado Rockies swept the National League Championship Series and advanced to the World Series.

To read more about the Rockies' victory, check out our sister newspaper, The Denver Post.

Whether people know it or not, the Philadelphia Flyers are assembling a pretty talented hockey club after last year’s rough ride. Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren has made some fine moves to quickly improve his squad. He has acquired to date, through free agency or trades, offensively gifted center Daniel Briere, power-play quarterback defenseman Kimmo Timonen, tough winger Scott Hartnell and youngsters like forward Joffrey Lupul and defenseman Braydon Coburn.

One player that Holmgren could have left off the roster was Jesse Boulerice, who proved in quick fashion that he was a waste of an acquisition.

John L. Wallace of Dallastown writes: “If your boss expects a silk purse, he should at least give you a sow’s ear to work with. Unfortunately for Leo Mazzone, with the exception of Erik Bedard, the Orioles only provided the other end of the pig.”

Rick Gross of Wrightsville says: “How in the world is it that a ballplayer as fit as Ted Simmons ... never got any real consideration for the Hall of Fame?”

Here's an anonymous letter from a reader in Windsor Township:

1. The current state of the PSU football is a mess.

2.. I do not think Joe has control over his players. In fact I don't think he has control over himself after hearing about the road rage incident. I am 84 and he is 80. His generation gap with the players is too wide. He paces the guidelines and never smiles. He gets right in the face of players and officials and gives them hell. I have never seen him pat a player on the back when he did something good.

Spring Grove High School senior Kyle Murphy cheers for the Rockets during the team's final game at its current stadium on Friday. (James Robinson photo)

If you missed Jeff Frantz's column about the final game at the storied Spring Grove field, read it here.

The York Revolution front office staff has a new home, new offices and a new address.

The staff recently moved into Sovereign Bank Stadium, which has been given the official address of 5 Brooks Robinson Way, York, PA 17401.

Visitors to the stadium are directed to the visiting clubhouse, the temporary location for the ticket office, administrative offices and check-in located on Arch Street.

Littlestown's Jeremy Miller placed 25th in Sunday's "The Ultimate" super late-model feature at The Challenger Raceway in Indiana, Pa.

Miller placed last in his qualifying heat, qualified through the B-main and started the feature in 25th spot.

Billy Drake won the race and the $25,000 purse.

Anelya Hendricks of Greenville, S.C., watches as her monkey, named Gilligan T. Monkey, rides George the dog at the Arkansas State Fairgrounds in Little Rock, Ark., on Friday. (Associated Press photo)

Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Phillies re-signed their entire coaching staff through 2008, four days after manager Charlie Manuel got a contract extension.

Bench coach Jimy Williams, pitching coach Rich Dubee, hitting coach Milt Thompson, first-base coach Davey Lopes, third-base coach Steve Smith, bullpen coach Ramon Henderson and catching instructor Mick Billmeyer each had his contract renewed Saturday.

“I couldn’t be happier with the job my coaches did this year,” Manuel said. “Their hard work paid off in a big way when we won the division.”

Janet from Spring Garden Township writes: Joe Paterno is about education first, not football. He is the Mr. Clean of college football, and everyone knows it. Penn State has a great player graduation rate. Joe is a no nonsense guy and we all have great respect for the man and what he has accomplished. We were all so proud of the team's great comeback in the 2005-2006 season.

However, there are nagging questions. Why hasn't he won a national title in over 20 years? Why does he seem to be surprised by the play calls both offensively and defensively, judging by his incredulous reactions? Does he berate his coaches on the sidelines as they give him the "Yeah, OK pal" look? Are his quarterbacks getting worse? Is he continuing to coach because of his ego and not the betterment of PSU football? Is the infamous PSU/PItt rivalry non-existent because of Joe's vindictiveness? Is his son Jay Paterno a problem on many levels? Are his offensive coaches using game plans and plays that are too old and too conservative? Is he not using effectively the talented players that he has?

I hope your readers can answer some of my questions.

Jake Griest of Airville writes: "Last season the Phillies had their share of highs and lows. The NL East championship being the icing on the cake. I wouldn't have missed it for the world. Thanks for the ride. I'll be following again next year."

West Virginia senior Johnny Dingle and freshman Scooter Berry, defensive linemen for the Mountaineers.

The Associated Press

STATE COLLEGE — Suspended Penn State running back Austin Scott has been accused of raping a woman at his on-campus apartment after meeting her at a bar.

Scott, 22, was arraigned Friday on charges of rape, sexual assault and two counts of aggravated indecent assault, all felonies, in connection with the Oct. 5 encounter.

Scott declined to comment as he left the courtroom Friday.

Maybe Joe Paterno didn't really go all road-rage crazy after all.

Of course, rumors involving alleged incidents have a way of changing from one day to the next, one hour to the next.

Internet sites and bloggers have been having a field day with the gossip about the 80-year-old coach losing his cool with another motorist while driving around State College this past weekend.

Just when you thought Penn State coach Joe Paterno's disingenuousness couldn't be any more obvious ...

And if he's not disingenuous, then he's just plain stupid. Either way, it's not right.

(Above: Penn State football coach Joe Paterno gets into his car after his weekly news conference on Tuesday in State College.)

Was it the start of a bizarre urban legend? Or was it perhaps a great showcase of intrepid citizen journalism?

The jury is still out on those questions.

But one thing is for sure: Twenty years ago, the "story" of Penn State football coach Joe Paterno's bizarre (and unconfirmed) "road rage" incident would not have spread like wildfire, as it has the past couple of days.

No, only in the Internet Age can a story with so few confirmable facts spread this quickly.

The Morning Call of Allentown reports that suspended Penn State running back Austin Scott returned to classes at Penn State on Monday. Says his mother, JoAnn Scott: ''We've been advised not to comment until we get to the bottom of the misunderstanding. ... I don't know about whether he'll return to the team at all."

Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Daily News reports that "several sources" say Scott had broken curfew, leading to his suspension.

Obviously, there's much more to come in this story.

Faye Hilbert of York writes: "As a paid subscriber to the York Sunday News, I feel I have a right to be very upset about your coverage or should I say lack of coverage on the NHL or the AHL. It is very demeaning to the sport of hockey when the only thing your writer can write is "Welcome Back Goons". It is also demeaning to the NHL fans in this area when you say that "American fans can now ignore it until the Stanley Cup". I am a huge hockey fan and follow quite a few hockey clubs in this area including the Flyers, Penguins and Capitals. Not to mention the Hershey Bears who by the way have many season ticket holders in this area. I am sure they would love to have more coverage on not only the Bears but their parent team the Capitals as well. Even if the television coverage for the NHL or AHL is very limited in the area, there are MANY fans in this area including myself that would love to read more about the sport other than "Welcome Back Goons". Perhaps you need to hire writers that can not only write a good sport column but can give EACH sport the coverage it deserves. After all, hockey has been around for a very long time and you could at least treat it with the same respect you give to the other sports you cover. But I guess if that does not happen I will just have to start purchasing the Harrisburg Patriot instead of the York Sunday News to get my hockey coverage at least I will get to read something on the game other than "Welcome Back Goons". That's just pathetic."

Terry Kircher and Kevin Diehl recently finished first in the Friday Night Men's Michelob Ultra Golf League at the Briarwood Golf Course. They previously won the title in 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2003 and 2004. Finishing in second place were Jack Waples and Jeff Webb. Third-place finishers were Steve McKinley and Bob Myers.

York College men’s soccer player Jon Ports has been named the Spartan Athlete of the Week for Oct. 1-7.

Ports, a sophomore forward from Baltimore, led the Spartans to a 3-0 week as they defeated Gallaudet, 11-0, on Monday, Marymount, 4-0, on Wednesday, and St. Mary’s, 2-1, on Saturday afternoon. The three wins lift the Spartans to 12-1 for the year and 5-1 in the CAC. York is currently ranked sixth in the nation according to d3kicks.com.

"Jon brings a dangerous and composed presence to our attack,” stated men's soccer coach Mark Ludwig in a news release. “He has been outstanding for us all season long.”

Read more about Ports by clicking here.

Jason Webb of York writes: "I can not believe how the Fox network here in York can play an infomercial when the Indy Colts are playing a game in the Midwest and (they) are televising it in the midwest! This viewing area is too full of East Coast teams. Switch it up a bit and get some Midwest games going on when it's available! Tired of the same old lineup locally."

PBA greats Parker Bohn III, left, and Johnny Petraglia, right, pose with Matt Jones, 10, of Manchester, Md., Sunday at Colony Park Lanes North after they conducted an instructional clinic as part of Customer Appreciation Days. More than 45 bowlers attended the clinic. (Photo submitted by Barry Sparks)

For more on the visit by Bohn and Petraglia, see the upcoming story in tomorrow morning's York Daily Record.

The Associated Press

HARRISBURG — A 64-year-old retired state worker has been honored for hiking all 780 miles of Pennsylvania’s 18 state forest trails — braving bugs, snakes and foul weather — a feat recognized for only about a half-dozen hikers.

John Monn received the State Forest Trails Award on Sept. 29 from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Keystone Trails Association.

“It’s part of my life to hike,” Monn said. “It takes me away from all the distractions.”

The Pennsylvania Game Commission, in an effort to get its side of the story out to hunters and interested Pennsylvania residents has developed eight new brochures to explain why and how the agency manages deer, and the factors, variables and intangibles that influence this evolving management process.

The York Revolution and its ownership group, Opening Day Partners, has changed the way it will acquire players in 2008.

While Adam Gladstone, the head of baseball operations, remains in charge of York, he will no longer be in charge of acquiring players for Camden, Lancaster and Bridgeport. ODP's process of acquiring players drew criticism. and late in the season Somerset manager Sparky Lyle questioned the competitive integrity of the franchises operated by ODP.

In a related move, Lancaster has named Keith Lupton as the leader for its player procurement process.

Rick Saxon of Briarwood Golf Clubs reports that Keith Kohl scored a double eagle on Friday while playing the par-5 11th hole at Briarwood West. Kohl hit a driver and then holed out with a 3-wood on his second shot. It was witnessed by Roger Gingerich.

Says Karen Carroll of New Freedom: “I believe WOYK-AM 1350 fills a need in the York market regardless if the teams it airs lose frequently. It sure beats the constant right-wing diatribe from WSBA-AM 910.”

Jim Slinksy, the outspoken outdoors columnist from Jim Slinsky's Outdoor Talk Network, sent us the following column (included here unedited and unabridged) regarding a deer management town meeting held late last month in Coudersport:

From Ken Rohrbaugh of Jacobus: "Oh no, has anyone noticed the Phillies' playoff games are on WOYK 1350 AM. The DUNG has turned, Phillies lose two games. Who cares about Redskins, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Phillies or Penn St, or the Yankees. Time for the Orioles, Ravens, Terps and Wizards to Rule."

From Darwin Doll of Springettsbury Township: “Poor Michigan, they broke the rules and are rewarded for having an ineligible player. I guarantee you it would have been different if Penn State had an ineligible player. The Cinderellas of the Big Ten — it is so blatant, it stinks. What was their penalty? I am sure they said they won’t do it again. Boo Hoo.”

In response to Tuesday’s Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners meeting, state Rep. Keith Gillespie, R-Hellam, is questioning preliminary approval of removing the requirement that hunters wear fluorescent orange during spring gobbler season.

“I cannot imagine wandering out in the woods without my orange gear,” Gillespie stated in a news release. “As it is, this is probably the most dangerous time to be in the woods."

Currently, hunters must wear 100 square inches of orange on their head, chest and back combined when moving.

“One of the commissioners apparently inferred that we should scrap the regulation because many hunters were ignoring it," Gillespie added. “That same commissioner said he would continue to wear an orange hat while hunting.

So Joe Paterno thinks there is nothing wrong with Penn State’s offense — especially his quarterback, whom the coach defends to no end.

That is great thinking, Joe.

Actually, it is probably wishful thinking.

Make no mistake, JoePa is a legend. He has done more for Penn State than any other coach has done for their respective institutions.

However, as a fan of another school in the Big Ten, I sincerely hope that Paterno gets another five-year extension.

From Sue Fair of Dover: “You have this Tim Dahlberg. He may be right. He may be wrong. But the Phillies wouldn’t be in the playoffs if they were a bad team. Look what happened to the Mets. I’m a Phillies fan and I don’t like to see them get put down all the time.”

From Rick Gross of Wrightsville: “I wonder how those people who said that Brett Favre wasn’t among the 100 best players in the league feel now.”

The Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA — Colorado Rockies manager Clint Hurdle downplayed video that showed closer Manny Corpas pouring liquid on his body in the bullpen before pitching against Philadelphia in Game 1 of their NL playoff series.

Corpas was caught by TBS cameras on Wednesday taking a sip of a liquid out of a cup, then pouring some down the back of his neck and all over the front of his jersey. Corpas, who earned the save in Colorado’s 4-2 win, patted his chest and rubbed his fingers before throwing a pitch.

“I still haven’t looked at the tape so I still don’t know what happened,” Hurdle said Thursday before Game 2. “Until I get further direction from somebody else, I think we’ll handle it internally.”

Because the Rockies wear black road jerseys, any wet spots would have been difficult to detect. Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said he had nothing to say about Corpas’ actions.

The York City Tigers, who are unbeaten at 6-0 this season, will host the Annapolis Thunder at 7 p.m. Saturday at Small Field in York.

We have recently launched York Wiki, an online encyclopedia for all things York County.

What's a wiki? To quote Wikipedia, it's "a medium which can be edited by anyone with access to it, and provides an easy method for linking from one page to another. Wikis are typically collaborative websites."

York Wiki is fledgling site. There's not much content at all there right now. That's where you come in. Post a YorkWiki page for your business, your club or organization, your school, yourself or even your favorite local hangout. Link to your own site and to other people's wikis to share even more information. It's free, and anyone can make an update.

I'll be posting starter biographies and topics about York County sports in the coming months. You can feel free to modify those entries, add to them, link to them and -- of course -- create new ones.

From Phillies.com

SS Jimmy Rollins
RF Shane Victorino
2B Chase Utley
1B Ryan Howard
CF Aaron Rowand
LF Pat Burrell
3B Wes Helms
C Carlos Ruiz
P Cole Hamels

The Hershey Bears' season starts tonight. Here's a story looking at the season ahead.

And click for the rest of this entry for the 2007-08 schedule.

Cole Hamels will be on the mound when the Phillies face the Colorado Rockies in Game 1 of the National League Division Series at 3:07 p.m. today in Philadelphia.

The game will be televised on TBS.

Kevin Hartnett of York writes: "Has anyone noticed that anything that WOYK-1350 AM touches immediately turns to dung? The Redskins, Notre Dame and Pittsburgh football, the Phillies. ... Oh wait, the Phillies just made the playoffs, after WOYK dropped them for the Orioles this year!”

Carl Arnold of Jacobus writes: "If Penn State does not have a quarterback problem, this means they must have a coaching problem. The offense must be taught to cover the defensive backs.”

We're halfway through the high school football season, and you know what that means? Time for District 3 power rankings.

The rankings are used to determine who advances to the district playoffs. With five weeks to play, it's far too early to say who's in and who's out. But holding a good rank now doesn't hurt.

The YAIAA highlights, by class:

I'm not sure there are words for this photo. Anyone have any caption ideas? E-mail me.

Writes Tom Hensel of Spring Grove: "It sure looks like WOYK-AM 1350 made the really wrong decision, choosing to broadcast the 69-93 Orioles, 27 games back, over the playoff-bound Phillies.”

On Monday evening, Colorado and San Diego decided to take their sweet old time in determining the final participant for MLB's postseason. The Rockies won (9-8) in the bottom of the 13th inning and will face the Phillies starting on Wednesday.

Here's the schedule for the best-of-five series between the Rockies and Phillies:

Wedneday: Colorado at Philadelphia, 3 p.m.

Thursday: Colorado at Philadelphia, 3 p.m.

Saturday: Philadelphia at Colorado, 9:30 p.m.

Sunday, Philadelphia at Colorado, 10 p.m. (if necessary)

Tuesday, Oct. 9th, Colorado at Philadelphia, 6:30 p.m. (if necessary)

The recovering Michigan Wolverines are now being investigated by the Big Ten Conference.

Michigan officials have suspended special teams player Artis Chambers for the rest of the season after announcing last weekend that he actually should have been ineligible all along.

Chambers, though, played in three games before Michigan realized the error — including the 14-9 victory over Penn State. The Wolverines have now won three-straight after starting 0-2.

Sunday's postgame celebration by the Phillies was interrupted by one of the most uncomfortable moments in Philadelphia sports history.

Hall-of-Fame broadcaster Harry Kalas -- with a beer in one hand and the field microphone in the other, tried unsuccessfully to lead the jubilant fans in singing Sinatra's "High Hopes."

It ended up being a solo act, and poor Harry, well -- let's just say the voice of the Phillies isn't a singing voice.

Jimmy Rollins hopes the Phillies can deliver just their second ever World Series crown.

From the unintentional humor department comes this Associated Press story:

PHILADELPHIA — With their 10,000th franchise loss just a memory, the surging Philadelphia Phillies celebrated their unlikely NL East title at City Hall on Monday amid thousands of delirious fans.

Patience Jacobs, a fan for half a century, sported a threadbare 1970s-era T-shirt featuring Bugs Bunny in a Phillies uniform.

“I go way back to when they blew it like the Mets,” said the 70-year-old Philadelphian, referring to the Phillies’ epic late-season collapse in 1964.

This year’s team fought back from a seven-game deficit with just 17 games left to earn a playoff berth for the first time since 1993. And they did it in dramatic fashion, beating the Washington Nationals 6-1 at home on the regular season’s final day as the New York Mets concluded their historic slide with an 8-1 loss to the Florida Marlins.

The Phillies begin the postseason Wednesday when they host the winner of Monday night’s wild-card playoff between San Diego and Colorado.

Organizers called Monday’s noontime event the biggest pep rally in city history. Tightly packed fans encircled City Hall and spilled across the street to LOVE Park and beyond. They waved “Fightin’ Phils” towels and roared “M-V-P! M-V-P!” when shortstop Jimmy Rollins took the stage.

“Lo and behold, the National League East belongs to one team and one city, and that’s the City of Brotherly Love, baby,” a gleeful Rollins said. He had raised eyebrows last winter when he predicted the Phillies were the team to beat in the division.

“We did this for a city that’s been longing for something from this baseball team for a long time,” Rollins said. “But we’re not done yet. ... This is party Number One. We’re working on party Number Two, party Number Three (and a) parade down Broad Street.”

Fans in Philadelphia are starved for a championship. The last major title came in 1983 when the 76ers won the NBA crown.

John L. Wallace of Dallastown writes: “Note to Phillies’ MVP Jimmy Rollins: Please accept my humble apology. I doubted. You were right. My bad.”