Left Coast Sports Babe

So how good is it for headline writers in the San Francisco Bay Area?

The SF Giants have just picked up a pitcher by the name of Penny.

And the Stanford Cardinal’s starting quarterback is a kid by the name of Luck…

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And former USC quarterback John David Booty was cut by the Vikings.

Which means, of course, he’s waiting for another team to give him a Booty call.

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After a disappointing 2008 season, Notre Dame won their first game of the year over Nevada, 35-0. When asked about the impressive win, coach Charlie Weis said “These guys are hungry, a lot of it has to do with hunger.” Yeah, and a lot of it has to do with playing Nevada.”

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How stocked are the SF Giants with pitching? Besides Matt Cain, a hard-luck 13 and 4 with a 2.51 ERA… by the numbers, they have three Cy Young winners (Zito, Lincecum, Johnson), one guy who threw a no-hitter (Sanchez) , and two guys who dated Alyssa Milano (Zito and Penny)

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I apologize if this offends anyone, but, too hard to resist. San Diego Chargers star Shawne Merriman was arrested and charged with choking his girlfriend. Which is shocking. Usually the only choking the Chargers do is on the field.

Ozzie Guillen today said he saw Little Leagues play better than the White Sox. Which is ridiculous. Better than the Mets, maybe.

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The latest from the Pacific 10 in terms of scandals. Several football players at the University of Michigan have claimed the school is violating NCAA rules by making them spend far more that the mandatory limits on hours for practice and offseason training. And especially during the season they spent more than 20 hours a week on football activities.

One bright side here in terms of future deterrents, unlike some recent scandals where a team benefited hugely from an illegal player or academic practice, Michigan was 3-9 in 2008. Maybe the team would have been better off with more hours partying.

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Though I wonder what’s more laughable. The idea that Michigan cheated for a total of 3 wins. Or the idea that any major D1 football program has players spend only 20 hours a week on football related activities?

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Dwight Perry in the Seattle Times had an observation that Stanford fans may, or may not, enjoy on that new $50,000 donated bathroom for coach Jim Harbaugh’s office. You could spin it as the Cardinal having the season’s first bowl commitment.

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In our nation’s capital this week, most everyone is on vacation. Which means about as much gets done as in an average Washington week.

A T &T is coming under fire for its policy not to rehire employees over 40 who had previously retired. They may lose in the courts, on the other hand they are likely to become the official phone company of the Green Bay Packers.

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No one quite knows what Brett Favre’s role will be on the Vikings. One thing is for sure, they’re not going to let him anywhere NEAR the coin toss…..

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Wherever Plaxico Burress ends up in prison, he will be a highly prized recruit for the inmates’ football team. When asked if he would consider playing football in prison, Plaxico reportedly answered that he would take a shot at it.

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Plaxico Burress accepted a two year prison sentence sentence when he pled guilty to a weapons charge after accidentally shooting himself at a New York nightclub. Well, at least he answered that old question. “Is that a gun in your pants or are you just happy to see me?”

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USC’s top-ranked football team at least temporarily has already lost four starters to pre-season injuries. This could completely alter the players’ fall plans – they might actually have to go to class..

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Scientists used a CT scan on a 2,500 year old mummy at Stanford hospital, in preparation for an exhibition “Very Postmortem, Mummies and Medicine,” that will open in October in San Francisco. Apparently the scan revealed many fascinating details, including the fact he was buried holding a Brett Favre rookie card.

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South African runner Caster Semenya is facing questions about her gender after winning the 800 meter race at the World Championships. Apparently the question came up after she put on a new track suit and didn’t ask anyone “Do these pants make me look fat?”

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Oakland Raiders fans are equally divided over reports that their coach Tom Cable may have fought with an assistant coach and fractured the man’s jaw. Half think the coach should be suspended and the other half think the Raiders should sign him to play defense.
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The Florida Marlins have gotten at least 10 hits per game for 15 consecutive games. Meanwhile, the San Francisco Giants have gotten 10 hits in a week for 15 consecutive weeks.

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Manager Bruce Bochy of the Giants said he was not happy with his team’s approach to hitting. Which really surprised the players – their manager thinks they HAVE an approach to hitting?

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Kate Hudson and Alex Rodriguez remain an item. Rumor has it Kate is a little frustrated by how much time baseball takes in A-Rod’s life, but he has assured her that he will have a lot more free time by the middle of October.

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The Minnesota Vikings are giving Brett Favre over $20 million for two years. Although based on his performance with the Jets they are getting a subsidy under the “Cash for Clunkers” program.

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Commie pinko alert on the next joke:

While in the midst of his latest rant against healthcare reform, Rush Limbaugh made a tacky homosexual joke about Barney Frank. Guess Rush is a little testy about the fact that with reform, it will be harder for him to get his drugs from his maid.

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T.O. will be unable to play in Sunday’s preseason games for the Bills due to a sprained toe. Which means next week he will complain only half as much as usual about Edwards not getting him the ball.

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Hailey Glassman, met Jon Gosselin when she was 19 and her father gave Kate a “tummy tuck.” Now the 22 year old woman calls the Octodad her “first love.” But not, presumably, her last.

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From Bill Littlejohn
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At the University of Florida in Gainesville, 200,000 Brazilian free-tail bats were left homeless when a “bat house” built for them collapses.There haven’t been this many displaced Florida bats since the last Marlins fire sale.