Category Archives: Sports

My Adventures in the 2012 MLB Season

Posted on October 4, 2012 | 2 Comments

I got the MLB assignment in March. As a member of our MLB highlight unit, I’d get assigned to series featuring some of the big names and big teams. I was slightly hesitant going into the season…I’ve always been a huge Red Sox fan, but never a huge baseball fan in general.

That quickly changed when bananas things started happening during my games. Over the last six months, I became very fortunate to witness crazy catches, mangers flipping their lid, walk-offs, and even a no-hitter.

So here they are…in chronological order, the best, coolest, most ridiculous things that happened during games I cut highlights for during the 2012 baseball season.

June 2: Johan Santana’s no-hitter – I told my story about this pretty much right after it happened. It made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside and so happy for all Mets fans. Especially the ones in attendance, who made my job easier by going absolutely ballistic with each out.

June 27: Mike Trout’s over-the-wall catch – The Troutster was already well on my radar when I got assigned to this Angels-Orioles game in late June, but he was just coming into the national spotlight. When someone makes a fantastic defensive play in a baseball, it is customary to yell “WEB GEM!” in screening, so the baseball staff is aware. When Trout made this catch in the bottom of the 1st, I yelled like Howard Dean.

Just one of the many absurd baseball things Trout did, in possibly the greatest rookie the game has ever seen. Trout has me hook, line and sinker (see what I did there?) for the next 15 years. Continue reading →

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Posted in baseball, Sports, TV, Work

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Brain Capacity, Getting Coached and Making Space

Posted on October 1, 2012 | 1 Comment

I woke up this morning, initially at 6:15, with the divine intention to go to yoga. After falling asleep after 2:30a (I worked till 1:30a), that absolutely was not happening. I fell back asleep, and woke at my much more normal time of 10a. When I woke up the second time, I felt better than I had in the morning in a while. My head was clear, my body was comfortable…I felt strangely amazing. I didn’t get out of bed for another half hour or so, because I was just so…ahhhhhh.

Due to my work schedule, sometimes I wind up sleeping until noon, and spend the next hour feeling groggy and internally kicking myself for sleeping so late. YOU COULD HAVE GOTTEN YOUR WATCH FIXED. YOU COULD HAVE GONE TO THE GYM. YOU COULD HAVE WRITTEN SOMETHING. YOU ARE A WASTE OF HUMAN SPACE TODAY! (I imagine this internal voice sounds like Bill Belichick talking in hushed-but-still-infuriated tones after a loss, but in all caps, naturally).

So, why was this morning different? Continue reading →

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Posted in Life in General, Personal Development, Sports

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Russell Wilson, the Three P’s and That Game Monday Night

Posted on September 26, 2012 | Leave a comment

I went into work on Monday night, ready to get my first good look at Russell Wilson. Part of my pre-game research ritual is hopping on Twitter, scanning for tweets from players that could be a part of my highlight. Wilson, whose Twitter handle is both punny and amazing, didn’t post anything of note to put in my highlight, but he did post his new ad for Levi’s.

First of all, I just have to say, DAYYYYUM.

Second of all, I love the ad and the way Wilson – no, Russell – tells his story. It just FEELS like we’re on a first name basis, doesn’t it? It’s like we’re new friends who’ve met a few times, we’ve gotten past the small talk, and are getting into real, deep conversations about our lives. It’s not forced, it just sort of happens. I think that speaks to the type of person he is, and credit Levi’s for letting his character shine through.

Third of all, the three P’s he learned from his dad. All of us have those lessons we carry from our parents, always. They are iron-clad truths that we swear by, and I love that Wilson carries his dad’s legacy through them.

So how do those three P’s apply to the madness that was Monday night? Continue reading →

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Posted in Football, Life in General, Sports, Work

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Going Undefeated

Posted on August 15, 2012 | Leave a comment

I am not a huge movie person. Over the years, it’s become unappealing for me to sit still for two hours, leaving my worries at the cineplex door and entering into the world the film creates. Because of this, I’ve become very picky with the movies I do see. I make plans, I get excited, I anxiously wait for the room to darken.

When Undefeated was released in theaters a few months back, I was disappointed to find out it wasn’t playing anywhere near home. When it won the Oscar for Best Documentary, my desire to see it grew. Ed Cunningham, one of the film’s producers, is also an ESPN college football analyst, so when I found out that there would be a screening at work, I was giddy.

So today, I saw Undefeated. And laughed. And cried. And left wanting to help people. Continue reading →

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Posted in Football, Movies, Personal Development, Sports

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Don’t Be a Clown, Bro: A Life Philosophy

Posted on July 11, 2012 | 2 Comments

So you may or may not be familiar with 19-year-old Bryce Harper, All-Star outfielder for the Washington Nationals. A few weeks ago, after being asked in Toronto if he’ll enjoy a victory beer (again, he’s 19, which is legal in Canada but not in US), he famously responded to the reporter, “That’s a clown question, bro.”

The video and the phrase quickly went viral. Harper went so far as to trademark the phrase, and his sponsor, Under Armour, has cashed in and used it to create maybe the most fantastic shirt I’ve seen this year. They sold out in less than 48 hours…cue my sad face.

The shirt is emblazoned with the phrase, “Don’t Be a Clown Bro” As much as it is a reference to Harper’s original answer, a forever quotable sports phrase and instant Internet punch line, I feel like it’s an effective way to approach everyday life. What does “Don’t Be a Clown Bro” really mean?

We’re all in this together…don’t try to make others look bad for comedic benefit.

You’re the best version of yourself. Stick to it.

Man laws and lady code. They’re actual things. Try to stick to those, too.

Don’t deceive.

Just be real.

Am I the only one gaining valuable insights from a 19-year-old?

[crickets] [one person says, "That's a clown question, Meg."]

FINE. Wisdom comes from unlikely places, OK?

PS I’m waiting for my homeboy and Bryce Harper’s bro (not ACTUAL bro, but friendly bro) Mike Trout to say something super sassy, hasn’t happened yet. My hopes are high for you, Mike. Don’t disappoint me.

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Posted in baseball, Life in General, Uncategorized

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TGIF: An Olympic Invite, A Photo Bomb, and Weddings

Posted on July 6, 2012 | 1 Comment

My weekly attempt to highlight why sports are awesome for those that don’t find them so.

Finding out you’re going to the Olympics via Twitter? Sure, why not? Swimmer Ricky Berens found out he was headed to London, when Michael Phelps’ swim coach, Bob Bowman, tweeted that Phelps would not be taking part in the 200 freestyle, opening up a spot for another American. That happened to Berens. I love this and will definitely keep an eye on Berens in the pool later this summer.

Josh Hamilton (or HAMilton, as I like to call him) is pretty adept at hitting bombs. As it turns out, he’s a pretty good photobomber as well.

Y’all can have your celebrity marriages that end too soon. I’ll take US Men’s National Team member Charlie Davies and his lovely wife, Nina, who got married last weekend. Davies posted dozens of photos from the pre- and post-wedding festivities on Instagram (I can’t link to a lot of the best ones, so you just have to look at his whole feed on the app, he’s @chuckdeezy10). Davies’ name might ring a bell…he nearly died in a horrific car crash back in 2009, just after he and his teammates had qualified for the 2010 World Cup. Davies faced a long road to recovery, and did so. He looks incredibly happy and healthy, and every single wedding capture made me smile. All the best to him and the very lucky Mrs. Davies. Also, good grief his friends are good-looking.

Finally, more best wishes to Miami Dolphins wide receiver Chad Johnson, who married reality star Evelyn Lozada on Wednesday. The mention here is not so much that they got married…it’s more because of one special guest. 66-year-old Cheryl Minton recently lost her husband, and reached out to Johnson on Twitter to keep her in his prayers. Johnson did so much more…he flew Minton to St. Maarten and invited her to the ceremony.

Hope you all have a great week and enjoy the weekend!

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Posted in Likes and Loves, Sports

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