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Kings fall short in Portland

Published on by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment

 

The purpose of pre-season games in the NBA is to learn the offensive and defensive systems plus evaluate how your talent fits into those systems. Winning is definitely a lower priority. In fact, a pre-season win is just icing on the cake.

On Sunday night in Portland, the Trail Blazers won the first half 53-44 after outscoring the Kings 30-19 in the first quarter. Sacramento won the second half 61-56. When you total up the points, the Kings lost to the Blazers 109-105. The Kings pre-season record fell to 3-2.

One important fact to know is forward DeMarcus Cousins did not play in the game. Following the theme of pre-season goals, he did not play in order to rest. The coaching staff knows that Cousins is starter and does not need to be evaluated.

Forward Patrick Patterson was the workhorse for the Kings in the contest. Patterson made 11 field goals, 3 – pointers, 2 free throws for his 27 points in 40:31 minutes of playing time.

Other Kings who scored in double digits were McLemore 23, Thomas 15, and Thornton 10. The Kings shot 41.2% (40-97) from the field including 11 3-pointers. The team shot 70.0% (14-20) from the free throw line.

The Kings posted 40 rebounds (13 OFF/27DEF), 24 assists, 10 steals while committing 7 turn-overs. The team committed 21 personal fouls.

The Sacramento coaching staff will no doubt be emphasizing two areas in practice on Monday. Shooting defense needs to improve. The Blazers shot 48.8% from the field in the game. Rebounding will be another area of the practice. The Blazers out rebounded the Kings 54-40.

Kings Notes: A MRI taken last Monday on Kings Forward Carl Landry revealed a tear in his left hip flexor muscle (rectus femoris). He injured the hip in a training camp practice. Surgery was performed last Tuesday in Philadelphia by Dr. William Meyers. The Kings will be without Landry for three to four months … The Kings next game will be a 7:00 PM tip-off on Wednesday versus the Golden State Warriors at Sleep Train Arena

Quakes draw Galaxy in thrilling Classico

Published on by sevan1789Leave a comment

[San Jose Earthquakes]

In soccer 0-0 draws are usually uninspiring and boring.  This game was anything but that.  The San Jose Earthquakes playoff hopes hang on by a thread after drawing nil nil against arch rivals LA Galaxy at the Stub Hub Center.  There was not too much drama however, the quality of play between the two teams was valiant.  

Quakes created numerous good chances in the second and deserved to win the game.  Winger Shea Salinas made the majority of the runs in the second half, Steven Lenhart almost tapped the ball into the back of the net but Galaxy defender Kofi Opare made a great tackle and goalkeeper Jaime Penedo collected the ball.  

The Quakes continually applied pressure to the Galaxy backline and almost found the goal they desperately needed when Wondo nearly got his boot onto a cross but the ball escaped him.  In a packed house of 25, 418 the Galaxy dominated possession and created some fantastic sequences of play but lacked the final key to unlocking San Jose’s defense.  They relied solely on counter attacks to catch the Quakes off guard.  

It was the same story in the first half; the Galaxy enjoyed the majority of possession however it was the Earthquakes who had the better chances to score goals.  Both Steven Lenhart and Chris Wondolowski forced fantastic saves out of Jaime Penedo who had about 5 saves to make in the first half alone.  Wheres Jon Busch had very little to worry about.  

Although the playoff picture looks practically impossible now the Earthquakes aren’t mathematically out of the playoffs.  They require the Colorado rapids to lose and must win their final match of the season against already eliminated FC Dallas.  However, Colorado’s vast superior goal difference makes the takes almost improbable.

Aces Shut the Bulls Down 5-0

Published on by M WalshLeave a comment

By Mary Walsh

ANCHORAGE- The Alaska Aces made the San Francisco Bulls pay dearly for ruining their home opener, beating the Bulls 5-0 on Saturday. It is hard to tell from the score, but the Bulls did show signs that they were working better as a team, leaving fewer gaping holes on defense.

The Bulls went in to their second game in Alaska without Dean Ouellet, who was described as having a non-specific upper body injury. If the team was thrown by that development, it didn’t show as they started the game with more composure in the defensive zone than they displayed in the first game. Despite taking too many penalties and giving up more goals than in the previous game, the team actually had more chances and showed signs of improvement.

San Francisco looked sharp to start the game. Things looked bright when Dale Mitchell had a great opportunity on a breakaway. Aces goaltender Joni Ortio was ready for him and thwarted the Bulls’ best chance to take an early lead.

A lapse in defensive focus gave the Aces a 3 on 2 and the 1-0 lead at 10:01 of the first. The goal was scored by Jordan Kremyr, with assists to Dustin Molle and Tommy Mele. That goal took the wind out of the Bulls and they too much time trapped in their own zone. They finished the period credited with only two shots on goal to Alaska’s 17.

The second period got interesting quickly when Dylan King took a boarding penalty while the Bulls were already killing Luke Judson‘s hooking penalty. Kris Belan, Scott Langdon and Kyle Bigos valiantly killed off a 5 on 3 that lasted for over a minute. Judson came out of the box at the end of his penalty and helped them clear the zone. The Bulls killed off the rest of the penalty and within a couple of shifts seemed invigorated by that success.

Defenseman Kyle Bigos was assigned to the Bulls by the AHL Worcester Sharks. He was conspicuous during the troubled second period, making a number of critical interceptions and clears for his team. Bulls goaltender Tyler Beskorowany doesn’t leave a lot of dangerous rebounds but it was a good sign that Bulls skaters were there to clean them up anyway.

The Bulls were taking too many penalties in the period, and it cost them when the Aces scored on their third power play of the period. That power play goal scored by Evan Trupp, with assists to Peter Sivak and Zach Davies.

Ironically, the Bulls more than doubled their first period shot total during the first half of the second period. They finally earned a power play at 11:58 of the period. It did not start out well as the Bulls let Aces center Nick Mazzolini break the other way unfettered. Narrowly escaping another goal against, the Bulls held the zone for the rest of the power play. They came close but lacked polish and didn’t score. Less than two minutes later, the Bulls were on the penalty kill again, this time with Jordan Morrison in the box. The Bulls killed off the penalty and responded with some good offensive rushes. Still they didn’t score and by the end of the period it was evident that they’d spent too much time short-handed. They had lost a step, but they had also outshot the Aces 8-6 in the period.

The Aces jumped into the third period with an early goal, a second for Evan Trupp off a cross-crease pass from Peter Sivak. As if killing penalties were the Bulls’ theme of the night, Mark Lee went to the box at 4:51 for cross-checking. Before that ended, Brett Parnham was called for the same and the Bulls were down two men. The team survived that but did not make it through their next penalty, Alaska’s seventh power play of the game. That put the Bulls in a 4-0 hole. Alaska’s fourth goal was scored by B.J. Crum, with assists to Sivak and Mazzolini.

A power play at 10:20 of the third gave the Bulls some energy. Alaska seemed to sit back on their four goal lead, still able to frustrate the Bulls’ offense. In the last two minutes of the game, Zach Davies took advantage of Scott Langdon’s errant pass up the boards and scored the Aces’ fifth goal.

The Bulls finished the game on the penalty kill. Sullivan Arena played “All By Myself” while Chris Crane went to the box. To make matters worse, the refs gave Crane four minutes for his high stick.

Scoring summary: Alaska: Jordan Kremyr (Molle, Mele) 11:59, Evan Trupp(PPG, Sivak, Davies) 9:57, Trupp (Sivak, Mazzolini) 1:47, B.J. Crum (PPG Sivak, Mazzolini) 7:55, Zach Davies (Sivak) 18:02. Alaska killed 3 of 3 penalties. Joni Ortio made 17 saves for the win. 

San Francisco killed 7 of 9 penalties and Tyler Beskorowany made 34 saves on 39 shots for San Francisco.

The Bulls play next in Idaho, on Wednesday at 6:10 PT. Listen on KNBR.com or watch on AmericaOneSports.com. The team’s full schedule can be found on their website.

Beskorowany Shines In Bulls’ Road Start

Published on by M WalshLeave a comment

By Mary Walsh

San Francisco’s penalty kill was impressive in their first meeting with the Alaska Aces, but it is safe to say that goaltender Tyler Beskorowany stole the game for the Bulls. The final score was 2-1 Bulls, but the official shot clock favored Alaska 45-19. Beskorowany outdid himself. It was almost unsettling to watch him turn away shot after shot, including all but one of the breakaways that the Bulls allowed. “How good is this goalie?” one observer asked Bulls’ broadcaster  Jason Lockhart during intermission. Beskorowany answered that question during long stretches of sustained Alaska offense. The Bulls’ goals were scored very early (Jordan Morrison from Scott Langdon 2:22 into the first) and late (Brett Parnham from Dale Mitchell and Mark Lee 13:44 into the third) in the game. In the meantime, the Bulls’ new goaltender was that good. Really, that good.

The Bulls faced Beskorowany four times last season, and he was memorable for more than his name. The Bulls scored four times against him in their first meeting, but didn’t come close to that again for the rest of the season. In their final meeting, the goalie shut the Bulls out. No wonder Bulls President Pat Curcio was happy to sign the big goaltender for this season.

No goaltender is infallible, he will have off nights, he will be unlucky at times. Even with a goaltender who makes a spectacular start, it is critical for the rest of the team to do their part. Early in the season, after relatively little time to practice together, it is to be expected that the Bulls will have some communication glitches to sort out. Those glitches were most evident in their defensive schemes. The team allowed multiple breakaways and failed to hold the zone at inopportune times, sometimes doing both at once. Their Friday performance suggested that the team wasn’t reading each other very well, yet the Bulls killed all five penalties assigned to them. In that, fans can find hope. The team does know how to defend, they just need to smooth the edges between offense and defense.

Starting the season with an 18 day road trip is taxing in many ways, and some will downplay the team bonding value of such a trip. For an ECHL team, it really is a significant inconvenience. They don’t leave ice at home for players to practice on (see Grand National Rodeo schedule), and they can’t travel with the whole roster. Still, no one denies that a road trip has value for team chemistry. Playing in multiple arenas, being thrown together in transit and training, at work and at rest, all of this will give the Bulls plenty of time to communicate.

Starting the season against arguably the best opponent in the west is a blistering trial by fire for the team. On the plus side, several Bulls ended last season against the Aces, so the formidable opponent is familiar. Either way, winning on such steeply tilted ice as the Bulls did in their first game is something to be proud of. A win is a win. Bulls fans can look forward to seeing less harrowing wins if the team sorts out their defensive cues.

Bulls win Season opener 2-1

Published on by philliptorres2013Leave a comment

By Phillip Torres

October 18, 2013

Sports Radio Service

ANCHORAGE, ALASKA-The San Francisco Bulls defeated the Alaska Aces 2-1 in their season opener in the franchises second year of existence on Friday night at Sullivan Arena. Brett Parnham knocked in the game winner in a spectacular third and final period.

Second year Bull and Alternate captain Jordan Morrison scored the first goal of the game for both teams as he scored off of a Scott Langdon shot that was deflected. The goal by Morrison was scored at the 2:22 mark in the opening period to make it 1-0 Bulls.

Tim Coffman tied the score at 1-1 with a goal past Bulls’ goaltender Tyler Beskorowany in the second period. That was the only missed goal that the Bulls new goalie missed on the night as he stopped 44 out of 45 shots on the evening.

The San Francisco Bulls will be back on the ice tomorrow as they will take on the Alaska Aces once again at 8:15 pm PT.

Phillip Torres covers the Bulls for Sportsradioservice.com

Chicago’s Cuban connection

Published on by lleonardbwLeave a comment

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

Now José Abreu (a powerful first baseman) signs with the Chicago White Sox, for six years and $68 million, largest first time contract for an international player in Major League history. But wait, there is more Cuban flavor with the Chicago White Sox. Their regular left fielder Dayan Viciedo, is from Cuba, as well as their regular shortstop Alexei Ramírez.

Of course one of the greatest Major League baseball players, still alive at age 88, works for the Chicago White Sox in their front office,  Orestes(Minnie) Miñoso. Minoso is the only player to have played professionally in seven different decades. He was the last major leaguer to have played in the 1940s, to play a major league game. He played in the Major Leagues from 1949 until 1980.

For years the Cuban Marxist government has tried to jail and prevent high profile players from escaping the island, but recently from Céspedes, to Iglesias to Puig and now Abreu, their decrepit system of government has much bigger problems than to prevent these players from leaving the island.

All sports in Cuba are under the aegis of the Cuban government, since 1962, Fidel Castro and his cohorts banned professional sports, in the largest of the Caribbean islands. Cuban athletes like regular Cuban citizens do not enjoy the freedom of traveling in and out of the island.

                                                          

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the vice president of the Major League Baseball Hispanic Museum and does News and Commentary each week

San Francisco Bulls announce Opening Day roster

Published on by kahlilnajar7Leave a comment

Bulls

by Kahlil Najar

SAN FRANCISCO –

The San Francisco Bulls announced today their Opening Day Roster. The new roster consists of  two goaltenders (Tyler Beskorowany and J.P. Anderson), seven defensemen (Kyle Bigos, Andrew Eastman, Josh Kidd, Dylan King, Damon Kipp, Scott Langdon and Steven Tarasuk) and 11 forwards (Kris Belan, Chris Crane, Brett Findlay, Luke Judson, Mark Lee, Ryan McDonough, Dale Mitchell, Jordan Morrison, Christian Ouellet, Dean Ouellet and Brett Parnham).

There is some veteran leadership coming back as there are seven players returning for the Bulls: King, Langdon, Belan, Findlay, Morrison, C. Ouellet and D. Ouellet. Last years top goal scorer Peter Sivak is not on this years roster as he signed with the Alaska Aces this off-season and will face off against his former team in the first game of the season this Friday in Anchorage.

 

Just as predicted Puig solves Dodgers ills

Published on by lleonardbwLeave a comment
That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary

LOS ANGELES–Yasiel Puig the Dodgers young slugger and outfielder saved the Dodgers season he’s the Cuban kid 22 years old and that energy is contagious to everybody on the Dodgers that it even rubbed off on Hanley Ramirez who wasn’t having fun in Miami with the Marlins and here he is.
Ramirez was a miserable human being, he didn’t want to talk to anybody, he never gave his teammates even a smile, never gave an interview with the press, Ramirez went to the Dodgers and when the Dodgers brought up Puig and now Ramirez is the happiest man in the world he’s producing and said after game three that he would do anything for the organization.
That’s what’s happens in baseball, baseball is not as physical as football, basketball or hockey, it’s a mental game and the Dodgers are a happy bunch and their producing. Magic Johnson is part owner of the team, the Dodgers are getting all the money in the world. Of all the parks in the world the largest attendance, the largest capacity is Dodgers stadium.
There are over 53,000 people that fit into the park at Chavez Ravine and their coming back and I wouldn’t be surprised after losing the first two games in St.Louis they won Monday night and they came back and they have done it three times in 1955 they were done the Yankees had a big lead and they came back and they were the Brooklyn Dodgers at that time.
In 1965 they lost the first two games of the World Series to the Minnesota Twins turned it around and won four in a row and won the World Championship. In 1981 they were down to the Yankees and they came back to win. This is not new territory for the Dodgers they’ve been down in the series before and their going to win the National League the Dodgers are the most likely to go all the way and win the World Series.
Raiders can’t get it together: Nobody expected the Raiders to do too much this year. I haven’t heard anybody saying that the Raiders are going to win five or six games. Most predictions were three wins or four wins at most. Then last Sunday they faced the Kansas Chiefs who are perfect at 6-0 and facing former 49ers quarterback Alex Smith where people around the Bay Area are saying “oh the 49ers should have kept him he should be their starting quarterback now.”
Smith has had a terrific start and he’s throwing games that’s almost like “in your face 49ers here I’m” with one of the best starts in Kansas City Chiefs history at 6-0. Everything is clicking for Smith over in KC. Smith was a good quarterback he got in the mud with all the quarterback controversies with the franchise of the 49ers.
This is good to see and I’m glad for Smith and the Chiefs and I can not say the same for the Raiders, their very inconsistent with their quarterback in Terrelle Pryor and they have a lot of problems on that team and since the first day of the year Pryor should have run a little bit more and Pryor was throwing the ball and had problems and Pryor and that offense needs a lot of adjustments.
Edward Lake II second 49ers construction worker to be killed at new stadium: Edward Lake II a delivery truck driver was killed on Monday as he was crushed to death by a steel rebar at the 49ers new stadium in Santa Clara. Lake was 60 and became the second casualty in four months at the Niners new digs which is set to open August 2014.
The job site was shut down all day on Monday due to state investigations but reopened on Tuesday, it’s sad, it’s a tragedy, it happens. I have seen the production of the construction crew and the results of the new Niners stadium and I’ve seen it when you fly over the stadium out of San Jose Airport  and the cost of the stadium is over one billion dollars.  
With all the safety, and all the helmets they wear and this happens it’s not a bad rap for the 49ers or anybody but construction is a tough job and when your building a new stadium with so much going on on the property there’s something that could happen and I’m very sad by this death at the 49ers new stadium and I hope it doesn’t dampen the move for the 49ers in 2014.
Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the vice president of the Major League Baseball Hispanic Museum and does News and Commentary for Sportstalk Radio

Beavs head to Berkeley

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By George Devine, Sr.

After taking a 37-10 beating from eleventh-ranked UCLA at the Rose Bowl, the Bears return to Memorial Stadium to host Oregon State at 7:30 p.m. PDT on Saturday, October 19.

The game against UCLA was characterized by the toll of injuries to the Bears, but the Cal defense showed an improvement early in the game. Still, the Bruins took an early 17-0 lead. Quarterback Jared Goff, leader of the “Bear Raid” was limited to 215 passing yards.

By this time in the season it is clear that Sonny Dykes’ reputation as a coach strong on offense but not on defense is well deserved, even with the improved performance at Pasadena, and he will have to correct that situation. Cal’s defense was eventually in trouble against the Bruins, and will be so again against the Beavers. In their 52-24 win over Washington State, Oregon State benefited from Sean Mannion’s school record of 493 passing yards, and Brandin Cooks’ three touchdowns, plus two by Storm Woods.

Bulls lose to Condors 4-3, winless in preseason

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By Kahlil Najar

BAKERSFIELD – In their final preseason game, the San Francisco Bulls lost to the Bakersfield Condors, 4-3. Jordan Morrison, Brett Parnham, and Josh Kidd had goals for the Bulls and J.P. Anderson was able to turn away 28 shots.

The Condors got on the board first with a goal from Gary Steffes at 5:35.The Bulls answered back as Jordan Morrison scored his first goal of the preseason on a nice tip-in play with assists going to Rowe and Belan. Parham contributed his goal of the night when he beat Bunz stick-side with 10:21 gone in the first and made it a 2-1 Bulls lead. Not to be outdone the Condors scored less than two minutes later on a Brett Lutes goal to tie it up at 2-2 at the end of 20 minutes.

Forty seconds into the second period, Nicholas Tremblay gave Bakersfield the lead with an unassisted goal bringing the score to 3-2. After some roughhousing on both sides, the Bulls Josh Kidd tied the game on a liner from the blue line for a score of 3-3. With just over three minutes remaining, Tyler Brenner  scored the game winner with a little over three minutes left in the second to make it a final score of 4-3.

The regular season begins next weekend on October 18 in Alaska, where the Bulls will take on the Aces for the first of a two-game set.