John Henderson- from Nashville to the NFL

Photo courtesy of the Jacksonville Jaguars

John Henderson is an NFL star who grew up in Nashville. He's a nice guy- except when he gets on the field, when he has to be that brutal defensive lineman that offenses fear. He attended Pearl-Cohn and UT.

Nashville's Dobbins with the Dolphins

Nashville native Tim Dobbins has achieved remarkable success as a pro athlete. He is now in his fifth year in the NFL. After several years with the Chargers, he is currently vying for a starting spot with the Dolphins.

Dobbins attended Glencliff High and then junior college for two years before starring at Iowa State. He was All Big 12 at State.

Dobbins with the Chargers

Dobbins has made Nashville very proud.

More to come about Tim and his outstanding career.

Over 2,000 Fans See Titans First Practice

Fans turned out in droves in the heat to see the Titans suit up for the first time this season. Some pics:

CJ after a run during drills with the QB's

Sen'Derrick Marks and Jovan Haye with Coach Washburn

First Picture of VY and CJ

This picture is believed to be the first media picture
this season of VY handing off to CJ. It was taken
just after VY entered the drill and before present media
arrived to this far part of the three practice fields.

Mack Brown: Leadership Runs in the Family

Brown and a serviceman (used by permission)

“It’s in our blood.”

            That’s Mack Brown’s description of how coaching and leadership is part of the Brown families' heritage. And his older brother Watson says the same thing.

The heritage is also in education.

            “Everyone in our family was in the school business,” said Mack between photo shoots in Austin, just days before the start of preseason practice. “All the male role models in our family were people who believed in education, were principals and coaches.”

            Their grandfather, Eddie Watson, was a head coach and principal at Cookeville Central High School. At that time, he was the winningest high school football coach in Tennessee.

            Their father, Melvin, was a head coach, principal and superintendent.

            Their parents ran a disciplined, strict home and made sure their children worked hard, did well in school and developed character. Those same traits are prominent in the Brown brothers’ coaching styles today. They have a younger brother Mel as well. Their cousin Mel Brown, now principal at Mt. Juliet High School, is one of the winningest high school baseball coaches in Tennessee history. He built McGavock into a powerhouse program and then coached at Lipscomb.

            Both Watson and Mack attended Vanderbilt and played football there. Mack also played at Florida State.

            “Watson went to Vanderbilt to be a sportswriter,” said Mack. “And I went to Vanderbilt to be an attorney. But then our paths changed.”

“Our grandmother tried to get us to do something other than coaching. But it’s in our blood. Watching our grandfather and father had a big impression on us. Our grandfather was a strong coach.”

Bob Neyland's Son Recovering from Flood

Bob Neyland at the 44th Annual UT Picnic

Bob Neyland, the son of legendary Tennessee football coach and U.S. Army General Bob Neyland, lives right here in Nashville. He was at the Vols All-Sports picnic yesterday.

His home and belongings were severely damaged in the flood, and he is living now with friends in the Bellevue area.

Please help him and other victims out if you can. Thank you!

He certainly looks a lot like his father. Gen. Neyland built Tennessee football into the powerhouse program it was in the 20th Century. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

This coming season, UT will unveil a statue of Neyland at the stadium. It has cost $350,000 to make. The sculptor is the same one who does the statues for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

Vet Helps Pets through Acupuncture

Jennie Finch in Nashville for Diamonds-Bandits Series

Softball superstar Jennie Finch pitched a complete game shutout on Thursday night, her first day in Nashville for the Diamonds-Bandits series, a four-game series that ends on Sunday.

Finch before pitching in the Bandits-Diamonds game

Finch is of course perhaps the most famous softball player in the world. She's been a member of the USA National Team since 2003 and has become the face of women's pro and amateur softball in the US.

Finch, 30, is a fierce competitor and a charismatic spokesperson for softball and women's athletics.

Originally from So Cal, Finch's family means everything to her. She is married to MLB pitcher Casey Daigle (Astros) and has a two-year-old son. Her parents and two older brothers are very special to her as well.

"I owe everything I am and everything I have to my family," writes Finch on the USA website. "I am, and will forever be, grateful for their love and support."

The Bandits interim coach says that what makes Finch so special is her spirit.

"I think what separates her is her spirit," said Mike Steuerwald, "It's amazing to see her do so much to promote softball, even while having a family and everything."

This week was packed for Finch. She was in Anaheim for the All-Star Celebrity Classic, part of the MLB All-Star week, then flew to Nashville on Thursday morning, and pitched a complete game win Thursday night.

VU's Johnson Retires as Head Coach

Johnson addresses media after the announement

After eight years as head coach at Vandy, Bobby Johnson retired today.

At a packed press conference in the McGugin Center at Vandy, Johnson, Vice-Chancellor David Williams and interim head coach Robbie Caldwell addressed the media.

Johnson said his whole heart is not in it. He and his wife Catherine made this decision. Johnson hinted that they while they love Nashville, they would likely eventually live in their native So. Carolina, where most of their family lives.

Williams said Johnson told him about his desire to retire this past Monday, July 12. Johnson said he started thinking about it one month ago.

Johnson was emotional, especially when talking about his players, but did not shed any actual tears.

New Interim Head Coach Robbie Caldwell

Spencer Shines For the Diamonds

Spencer (R) chats with teammates

For pro softball player and college coach Chelsea Spencer, playing softball is almost second nature.

Spencer is the Diamonds' shortstop, key hitter and team leader. Now in her sixth season playing pro softball, Spencer keeps playing for many reasons, including her love for the game and her desire to be a role model for youngsters.

"I love the game of softball," she said before a recent game. "I have a passion for playing and coaching. And I think it's great for young women to have role models."

Spencer admits that this may be her last season playing pro ball. The rigors of the season and the game are very challenging- injuries, travelling and more.

Spencer grew up and still lives in the San Francisco Bay area. She is an assistant coach at Chabot College in San Fran, a school with over 14,000 students. Her goal is to be a Division I coach.

Spencer signs autographs for fans-
Diamonds 2, Pride 1 in background

Chelsea starred in college at Cal, a national powerhouse program in the most competitive state for baseball and softball. California natives fill up many slots on all the USA national teams.

Spencer was one of the leaders of the Cal Bears during their three straight appearances in the Women's College World Series finals in 2002, 2003 and 2004. They won it all in 2002. That is impressive indeed.

Growing up in San Francisco, her parents and her older sister and brother influenced her a lot throughout those years. She remembers watching her older sister intently during her sister's softball games.

"I love Nashville, and we as team are very happy here," she said. "The morale on the team is high. We just want to improve."

Tennessee Diamonds Softball

Monica Abbott speaks to some fans before a game

Nashville's newest pro sports team is the Tennessee Diamonds, the women's pro fastpitch softball team.

The Diamonds are one of four teams in the National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) women's softball league.

There are four teams this year in the NPF: USSSA Pride (based in Florida); Chicago Bandits; Akron Racers; and the Tennessee Diamonds.

The League was founded in 1997 and has made a resurgent comeback as of late. The league used to have six teams.

The league definitely boasts the top women's softball players in the nation and the world, most of them recent college grads who play in the summer and often coach during the school year.

The Diamonds have two former Tennessee stars- pitcher Monica Abbott and catcher Shannon Doepking, both former UT college stars.

Abbott is one of the greatest college softball pitchers of all time. She is originally from Salinas, California, in Monterey County on the Pacific Ocean.

The Diamonds roster and every NPF squad is full of softball stars, most of them from NCAA powerhouse programs across the nation.

The Diamonds have players from coast to coast and from virtually every major NCAA conference- the SEC, ACC, Big 12, PAC-10 and more.

Spencer and Scott Provide the Diamonds' Leadership

Shanel Scott takes some practice cuts before a game

Two Diamonds players helping lead the squad are shortstop Chelsea Spencer and outfielder Shanel Scott.

Spencer is in her sixth year in the NPF, while Scott is in her fourth.

More about these two outstanding players and leaders in a future post.

Chelsea Spencer is a team leader

104.5 The Zone Has Successful Charles Davis Radiothon

Local sports talk radio leader 104.5 The Zone, a la Plaster, Daunic and the crew, is in the midst of their 18th annual Charles David Foundation fundraising effort.

It has already been a big success. Yesterday the station had their annual Radiothon, with four hours of fundraising, auctioned items, interviews with Davis and his staff and wife, and much more.

As you know, Davis is from Nashville, attended McGavock High School and then Vandy, and starring for the Chicago Bulls during the Michael Jordan Era.

Davis has been giving back to Nashville and the inner city ever since.

The Titans, Predators, the Sounds and many more teams and groups donated goods and memorabilia, as well as staff volunteers for manning the phones.

There are three big dinners planned for late July. The cost is $250 per person to hear notable NFL stars and former stars, including Warren Moon, Gregg Williams, Jeff Fisher and staff and more.

C.M Newton Continues to Impact and Lead College Athletics

In his over 50 years of service and leadership, C.M. Newton has become of one college sports’ true leaders, innovators and pioneers. As a player, coach and administrator, Newton’s contributions to basketball, athletics, civil rights, people, higher education and more are almost unparalleled. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000.

           

Even in retirement, Newton continues to lead and impact college athletics and more. He is Chair of the NIT Selection Board and is on staff with the Southeastern Conference, as Special Assistant to the Commissioner for Basketball.

He was a head basketball coach for 28 years (1956-1980, 1982-1989) at three different schools. During his career, he compiled a 509-375 record (both NAIA and NCAA).

He then served as Athletics Director at Kentucky from 1989-2000, taking over during troubled times and leading the athletic program to prominence, including both the basketball and football programs.

            

Behind the scenes and headlines, a closer look reveals that Newton has had a profound and deep impact on basketball, on college athletics and in the area of civil rights. He has been a leader in regards to progressive rules changes, innovative advancements in USA national basketball, the advancement of women’s basketball and much more.

           

Moreover, Newton has been a civil rights pioneer, integrating the athletics programs at two colleges, Transylvania in Kentucky and the University of Alabama. He was the first coach at both schools to recruit a black student-athlete and integrate him into the athletic program.

            

Newton downplays his accomplishments, in characteristic humility.

           

“I’ve been very fortunate to be around a lot of very good people, who’ve provided leadership for me,” Newton said. “Any good things were the result of a lot of people spending a lot of time to help me.”

Newton grew up in south Florida, Ft. Lauderdale, in the 1930’s and 40’s. In those years, Ft. Lauderdale above Miami had grown as a result of the Florida land boom of the 1920’s. The population in the 1940’s was around 30-35,000, larger during World War II because of the military bases there.

Newton’s parents and two older siblings were all influences in his life. But his early years had their challenges as well.

            

“My mom and dad were very special people,” he said. “My father though was an alcoholic until I was 10 or 11 years old. He got sober and then he was a great role model.”

          

Newton was a star athlete in basketball and baseball, and his high school hoops coach and science teacher, Clois Caldwell, was a big influence on him.

            

“Coach Caldwell was probably a surrogate father in many ways for me. I admired him greatly.” Newton even dedicated a memorial to Caldwell at the Basketball Hall of Fame.

           

Newton’s older brother, Richard (less than two years older) was another big influence.

“Richard was my role model growing up. He was a really a self-made person,” said Newton. Richard Newton had a 30-year career in the military after attending West Point. Newton’s older sister, Jean, (12 years older) was an influence on the young C.M. She passed away when Newton was 25.

Young C.M. was a star baseball pitcher who would eventually play three years on minor league baseball with the Yankees.

“My father loved baseball,” said C.M. “And it was every kid’s dream back then to play pro baseball.” Newton was recruited by Adolph Rupp to play basketball at Kentucky and would go on to play on the National Championship team of 1950. Newton played but was not a starter.

to be continued...

Sounds Highlights

Cruz, De La Rosa, Olmedo and
Almonte chat before a game.

The Sounds are battling for first place in the very tight PCL North Division. All four teams, including Iowa, Omaha and Memphis, have winning records and are within a game or so of each other.

Several Sounds players are playing particularly well this season.

Of the regulars, DH Erick Almonte has the highest BA at .308 with 56 hits.

Centerfielder Trent Oeltjen has the second-highest BA at .294 with 77 hits. Oeltjen is often the leadoff man. He has both speed and power and exhibiting both this season. He leads the team in SB's with 13. He also leads the team in doubles with 24 and has seven homers. Oeltjen spent several years in the Twins organization and came up through the ranks with players such as Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau.

Trent Oeltjen warms up on deck.

Shortstop Luis Cruz is batting .292 and is tied for the RBI team lead at 43. He leads the team in hits with 78. This smooth-fielding shortstop has spent considerable time in the majors with the Pirates.

Katin signs an autograph for a fan.

Brendan Katin is batting .291 with 34 hits. He leads the team with 10 home runs in 34 games.

Matt Gamel has been the regular third baseman lately and is batting .286.

First baseman Joe Koshansky is second in home runs with nine and is batting .259.

Koshansky with teammates after
a three-run homer.

Venezuela's Ray Olmedo Talks Baseball

One of the Brewers organization's top infielders is second baseman Ray Olmedo, who has spent much of five previous seasons in the majors. Olmedo is a regular starter for the AAA Nashville Sounds, now battling for first place in the PCL North Division with Iowa, Memphis and Omaha.

Olmedo, nicknamed "Rainer", has played in almost 200 big league games with the Reds and Blue Jays. He carries on the very strong Venezuelan baseball tradition in the majors and counts several of the Venezuelan baseball legends as mentors and coaches, including Omar Vizquel, Luis Aparicio and Dave Concepcion. Olmedo is grateful for his family, friends and coaches.

"I've had a lot of guys help me," said Olmedo outside the Sounds' clubhouse. "I've had a lot of good experiences that have helped me." Olmedo mentions he is good friends with fellow Venezuelan player Alex Gonzalez (Blue Jays) and has learned a lot from such players and legends as Ken Griffey, Jr., and Barry Larkin with the Reds. He is also grateful for his family.

"I'm very appreciative to my dad," said Olmedo. "He did everything with me, especially when I was little. He threw to me and my brother a lot, helping us get better. Now I have my wife and baby who really support me. They are my main motivation now." Olmedo has a three-year-old daughter.

NFL Star Chris Hope's Motivation

The Titans' Chris Hope continues to be one of the top safeties in the NFL. His outstanding career continues as he leads the Titans into the 2010 season. What motivates him?

While from the outside his work may seem glamorous, in reality it is hard, grueling work in a very competitive and demanding environment, where he not only has to perform but lead. He has dealt with injuries as well, just one of the many challenges of playing at this level. Hope was nice to take a few minutes to speak with a reporter after a recent OTA.

"I try to continue to get better," he said. "If I could establish myself as one of the best safeties in the league, I don't take that lightly. I want to get the respect of teammates, coaches, players around the league. When they see tape of me, I want them to see a good football player."

Hope said he works out seven days a week in the off-season, spending time both in his hometown Rock Hill, SC, near Charlotte, NC, as well as in Nashville. "Sundays might be a light workout," he added.

This college and pro star gives credit to coaches as well as his family for helping him along the way to get to this level.

"I've always had some great coaches. My high school coaches were great," said Hope. He listed some of the coaches who have influenced him, including Bobby Bowden at Florida State, Mickey Andrews, Cowher and Darren Perry in Pittsburgh, Dick LeBeau, Marcus Robertson, Fisher, Schwartz and Cecil in Tennessee and others.

"My parents and my grandparents have motivated me my whole life. I was always taught, 'If you don't work, you don't eat,' so it's been instilled in me from when I was young."

VY and Finnegan To Host Charity Golf Scramble on July 26

The Titans' Vince Young and Cortland Finnegan are teaming together to host the 1031 Celebrity Scramble 4 Kids on July 26 at the Governor's Club.

All proceeds will benefit the two players' foundations. Young's foundation assists charitable organizations in Tennessee and Texas and is dedicated to serving underprivileged children.

Finnegan's the ARK Foundation is committed to serving children with special needs and disabilities throughout the middle TN area.

Both players and their charities do tremendous work helping those in need.

What Is It About this Game We Love?......Baseball

The beautiful, wide open field.....the green grass and broad dimensions......like a field out in the country.....quiet, peaceful, calm.....dirt and grass and sun and wind and rain.....

The classic, historic ball parks....the beautiful, modern ball parks....the little league ball field across town, kept up by parents and friends.....

A game played in a park.....on a diamond. A park and a diamond. Two of our favorite things. And the goal is to "go home." That's another good thing.

It's fast and slow. It's short and long. It's simple yet complex. It's both an individual and a team sport- both at the same time.

The game is determined by both minute fractions of a distance and long, expansive distances.....(examples: the distance on the impact of ball and bat- and the distance of a long home run.)

There is a game within the game- many times over. There are literally countless things every game that the casual observer does not see....There is constant, vital communication throughout the game with no words spoken......drama without words

Every inning, every at-bat, every pitch is like a game in and of itself.

Thousands upon thousands of games have been played throughout its history, yet every game, even every inning, and is different and unique.

There is no clock or time limit. A game could last forever. An inning could last forever. An at-bat could last forever.

It takes place in the spring turning to summer....sunshine and birds singing and hot summer days.....longer days and shorter nights....no school.....

What is the perfect number? Perhaps it is the number three. How long is a game? Three times three. Nine innings.

What is another number denoting perfection? Ten. So how long is the playing and running surface, the base path, of this game? Let's see.....the length of the game (nine innings) multiplied times a number denoting perfection (ten) is ninety. Yea, that's sounds right....

Longest Pro Tennis Match Ever Today....

The longest pro tennis match EVER is still going.......it's not over yet.

Isner and Mahut are tied 59-59 in the fifth and final set of their first-round match at Wimbledon. Yes- that is 59 GAMES, not points. You must win by two in the final set.

There have been over 400 winners in the match. It was suspended for darkness after 10 HOURS of play.

Stay tuned for the rest of the match........if it ever ends.

Cruz is Hotter than a Mexican Summer Salsa Dance

The weather is hot, but the Nashville Sounds' Luis Cruz is hotter.

In the last two games, both wins, Cruz was 6 for 8 with 4 RBI and 2 runs scored. In both games he was 3 for 4. In the first of the two games, his only out was a line drive shot barely snow-coned by the third baseman. In fact, only a snow cone could put this fire out.

This guy is hotter than a Mexican salsa dance in July. And yes he is from Mexico. Cruz hails from Navajoa, Sonora, a city of about 150,000 in the northern state below Texas. So he is used to hot summers.

Keep up the great work, Luis. I hope you stay hot longer than the weather does.

Nashville Sounds International........

The current roster of the Nashville Sounds certainly has some geographic variety. The 24 players hail from 6 countries, 1 territory and 12 states.

Going along with the current international flavor of major league and pro baseball, the Sounds have players from, in addition to the USA: Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Canada and Australia.

The two countries perhaps somewhat unique on the list are Canada and Australia. The players on the road less traveled are Adam Stern from London, Ontario, and Trent Oeltjen from Sydney, Australia.

They are both living their dream of playing pro baseball. Both are outfielders. Stern is 30 and Oeltjen is 27. Both played for their national teams in international competition, including the Olympics.

They took time out of their hectic schedule to speak to reporters before a Monday game recently.

"Coming up through the ranks, it has been a great experience," said Oeltjen, shirtless, in the clubhouse. "My goal has been to make to the major leagues." He realized that goal last season with the Diamondbacks. He is one of only 26 players from Australia in the history of the major leagues.

Oeltjen is 6-1, 190 with speed and power and bats and throws lefty. He often bats lead-off and can hit the long ball. On this particular night, he tagged a home run about 390 feet, helping the Sounds win.

Stern has played with four organizations in his career and has spent parts of four seasons in the majors.

Being from Ontario in Canada, Stern described how players there do not get as much playing time because of the weather and the heavy emphasis on hockey.

"Our season was shorter and we only usually played on weekends," said Stern. "Playing college ball here helped me a lot." Stern and a group of players from the London area all played for the Univ. of Nebraska in the Big 12, some of the top college baseball in the nation. He was 2nd team All-Big 12 one season and turned pro after three years. Stern has also made it to the majors, with the Red Sox, Orioles and Brewers.

"There are more players from Canada these days, like Morneau and Jason Bay, so people are more aware of baseball in Canada," said Stern. Currently, there are approximately 19 players in the majors from Canada.

Oeltjen said that baseball is about "eighth or ninth" on the list of most popular sports in Australia, behind the leaders like rugby, cricket, swimming, tennis, golf and others. His dad is from the states, Seattle, and introduced Trent to baseball at a young age.

He played seven years in the Twins organization before playing for Arizona and now Milwaukee. He came up through the Twins farm system with Justin Morneau, Joe Mauer and others.

By the way, he likes living in Nashville. After greeting a reporter with a friendly "Hi, mate," he was asked about his adopted city.

"It's a nice place here," he said. "It's neat to go downtown and see all the music playing in the restaurants and bars."

Cruz and Almedo: Ballet Without Music

Ballet without music. Drama without words. A carnival without kewpie dolls.

That's how some have described baseball.

And in Nashville, music city USA, that sounds right. It rings true- especially up the box, where shortstop Luis Cruz and second baseman Ray Olmedo orchestrate the middle of the Sounds' defense.

Their defense is almost an art form- gracefully taking shape amidst the hard-nosed reality of baseball at the highest levels. In a recent series against Oklahoma City, 26 of the 48 players on the two rosters spent time in the major leagues last season. This is not your everyday baseball game- these are the top players in the world.

Cruz, from Mexico, and Olmedo, from Venezuela, have both spent considerable time in the majors.

Olmedo has spent five years in the bigs, four with Cincy and one with Toronto.

Cruz has spent parts of two seasons in the show with the Pirates.

Both are high character guys who are well-spoken and courteous. They make a tough, fast-paced sport look easy. Running to balls all over the field, jumping high during double plays, turning double plays faster than a salsa move on the dance floor, these guys are the real deal.

Manager Don Money Orchestrates the Sounds

Manager Don Money does much more than coach baseball. As the leader of the Nashville Sounds, he orchestrates a mind-boggling array of difficult tasks that only a baseball expert could accomplish. He runs a ball club and all its complexities competing at the highest levels of baseball in the world. And that is just the beginning.

For starters, Money has coached and managed at all three main levels of the minors, from high-A ball to now AAA, and knows the nuances of every level, including the majors. He himself played in the majors for 15 years, for the Phillies and Brewers, and was a four-time All-Star.

"Our job here is to prepare these guys for the next level," said Money from his office in the Sounds clubhouse, in the midst of writing reports and sipping steaming hot coffee. "It's a 30-person family here. In AAA the guys are a little older."

The casual observer may think that Money and his two assistants, Rich Gale and Sandy Guerrero, just coach baseball and go home. Not even close.

It's a long season, with 140-plus games, long road trips, bus rides and plane flights and 3 AM departures and late night hotel stays. His typical day is 12 hours-plus, filled with game prep, BP, coaching, reports, planning, communication with Brewers' executives.

So far this year, the Sounds roster has already had over 70 roster moves (players going up or down). Money is the point man with the Brewers for all those moves. He and his staff basically decide who is next in line to fill spots with the Brewers.

And in the midst of it all, he has fun. During an interview, two players, starters Adam Stern and Brendan Katin, step into his office to post something on his wall, asking Money something about the game only an hour away.

"See what I have to put up with?" Money cracked loud enough for the players to hear. They apologized and began singing his praises. In a long season like theirs, camaraderie is key.

During games, in which Money not only manages but also coaches third base, he has fun with fans. They know he sometimes randomly tosses a ball to fans above the dugout. Sure enough, in the game that night, he followed through. About 30-40 sets of hands reached for it, with one fan getting a nice souvenir from the manager and former Major Leaguer.

All is all, what Money and his staff do is impressive.

Interviews with Cruz and Davis in Nashville

This past weekend, several Texas Ranger budding stars were in Nashville to face the Sounds as Okla. City faced Nashville. The Sounds won three of four from the Red Hawks.

Nelson Cruz, AL All-Star last season and former Sound, was on a rehab assignment. He hit 33 homers last year for the Rangers.

"It was a dream come true playing in the All-Star game," said Cruz before Sunday's game. "Playing with Pujols, Jeter, Howard and those guys, it was special." Cruz, from the Dominican Republic, speaks with the typical Latino accent. He is a fan favorite and was signing autographs for fans throughout his two-day stint in Nashville.

Chris Davis, only 24 years old, played most of last season with the Rangers and hit 21 home runs. He is 6-3, 230, and is hitting about .360 this year for the Red Hawks. He plays first base.

"I think one key I've learned in hitting is to stay within myself and don't do too much," said Davis after a Red Hawk win. "I've had some good hitting coaches here the last few years that have helped me a lot. Clint Hurdle this year has been a great hitting coach.'

In the last game of the series, Davis went 3-4 with a home run and a double.

Some of the Best Baseball in the World....

So, you might think that the Nashville Sounds club is just another minor league ball team. Re-think that.

In a recent home series against Okla. City, 26 of the 48 players on the two rosters spent time in the major leagues last year, with a total of 12 big league teams.

Both teams rosters in this series were filled with some of the best players in the world- from all over the world (six countries and one territory, Puerto Rico).

In addition, seven players who began the season with the Sounds have been called up and are currently with the Brewers. From last years Sounds team, shortstop Alcides Escobar, only 24 years old, now starts for the Brewers and is considered one of the rising superstars of the majors. Not to mention Brewers superstars Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun.

For any baseball fan, the names of major leaguers in this Nashville-Okla. City series were evident: Garko, Nelson Cruz (former Sound and AL All-Star last season), Chris Davis (21 HRs last year for the Rangers), and Jarrod Saltalamacchia- yes, he has the longest name in the history of the major leagues, unofficially.

Two coaches in the series are former major leaguers as well- Sounds manager Don Money and pitching coach Rich Gale.

Essentially, Sounds baseball is some of the best baseball in the world. Period.

The Sounds Help Local Baseball Recover From the Flood

The Nashville Sounds, the Sounds Foundation and Sponsors are helping local baseball organizations recover from the catastrophic flood in Nashville on May 1.

The Sounds and the "Play Ball!" Project sponsors have already donated more than $70,000 in cash and equipment to help leagues in five different cities in middle TN recover. The fields and leagues that were damaged and are receiving this much-needed help are: Mt. Juliet, Hendersonville, Ashland City, Bellevue and Shelby Park.

Five future Sounds home games will be dedicated to these five cities/neighborhoods, in late July and early August. The Sounds are donating a total of 12,000 tickets to those games- or the potential of $120,000. The Sounds ask people to come out and help the leagues recover.

The Project will assist up to 15,000 young ballplayers and 40 athletic fields in the area.

Chris Johnson Hosts Football Camp in Nashville

NFL and Titans' running back Chris Johnson will host his 2010 Old Spice Chris Johnson Football Camp tomorrow in Nashville from 9 to 2 PM. The camp will take place at Battle Ground Academy and costs $99.

Johnson is the media rage right now due to his contract dispute with the Titans. He is going into the third year of a five-year contract and feels he should make more than the approx. $550,000 he will make this year.

He was the NFL's Offensive Player of the Year last year, when he became only the sixth player ever to rush for over 2,000 yards. He also now holds the single-season record for yards from scrimmage, with 2,509 yards.

Johnson will turn 25 years old in September. Football experts say that Johnson will have about a four or five year window to perform at the level he performs now.

Baseball Coach in NYC Molds Youth

Baseball coach and mentor Carlos Macaco Ferreira teaches and leads young people using something they all have in common: baseball.

And actually, Ferreira serves people all the time- he is a full-time Nurse and medical aide at Columbia University Medical Center, where he has worked for many years. Away from work, he has coached youth baseball teams of all ages. Many in this tight-knit neighborhood in New York City consider him a pillar of influence on young people. Macaco, like many he has coached, is a native of the DR- the Dominican Republic.

While working full-time in the medical field in New York City, Macaco diligently coaches youth baseball teams- and more importantly mentors and molds the young people on his teams.

"It's a good feeling when you can help the kids out," said Ferreira from his apartment in the Big Apple. "I like to see them out of the streets."

He continues: "I tell the kids there are two opportunities to be a professional: in school and in baseball. If you go to the streets, you don't have an opportunity for anything."

While most of his players go on to typical New York City and American lives, some do end up in pro baseball. In fact, one of his players, who considers Macaco a father-figure, just happens to be one of the best baseball players ever- Manny Ramirez of the Dodgers.

Relevant Media is pursuing a story about Carlos, Manny and the many boys and young people Carlos has influenced and mentored. More on this soon.

Derek Jeter's Story

Derek Jeter is without a doubt one the most outstanding pro athletes today. Most sports fans know about his success with the Yankees, but what about his story- how did he get there? How does he do it?

Jeter’s career has an almost storybook feel. As a child, he talked about and dreamed of one day playing for the Yankees. He is now living that dream- and is one of the most successful and famous Yankees ever.

He presents 10 guiding principles, or lessons, in his book “The Life You Imagine” that helped get him to where he is today. The book contains success and self-help principles as well as his own personal story.

Jeter grew up in mainly in Kalamazoo, Michigan (western MI.) He spent summers until age 13 in New Jersey with his grandmother. He is candid about his childhood and training. He gives the credit for his success to his parents as well as to his grandparents.

He says his parents are the “two most incredible people I know”, and “I can’t recall ever witnessing a set of parents who have been more devoted and more supportive to their two children than my mom and dad…” (xxii.) He writes that “my parents are my world.” (64).

His father Charles “was my role model” (64). Jeter writes than his father has an “easy yet stern way about him…and was very competitive and never let me win unless I earned it.” (64).

Charles obviously is the most influential person in Jeter’s life. Tragically, Charles never knew his own father, a circumstance that made Jeter’s father “much more determined to be an active parent.” Charles realized that he needed more discipline and direction in his training years, something that a father could have provided. The elder Jeter made sure to give Derek these things.

Charles was himself a good athlete and received a baseball college scholarship- and wonders if he could have played pro baseball if he had had a father to “push him harder and in the right direction.” (63)

Throughout Jeter’s childhood, his father always won the games they would play (sports, board games, etc). Jeter tells the story of the first time the younger Jeter beat his father in a one-on-one hoops game. His father pushed him to compete and win.

The family of four (he has a younger sister) were middle class, his father a counselor and his mother an accountant. His parents were very involved in their children’s lives- encouraging, supportive, positive and strict. Jeter writes about the detailed contracts that his parents would write and make the children sign, with strict guidelines for the coming school year. Jeter was for all intents a model youth and teen and was well-behaved, a top student and of course a star athlete at a diverse high school.

The family faced adversity. The biracial parents (his father is black) were treated disrespectfully at times. Jeter and his sister were sometimes made fun of. People doubted Jeter’s dreams of playing pro ball.

Jeter was named national high school baseball player of the year in 1992. Scouts knew he was great- he was drafted sixth overall that year.

After struggling his first two years in the pros (he “cried a lot” and felt “overwhelmed”)

But throughout his story, from his childhood to his youth to today, he maintained strong belief and confidence that he would indeed be a successful major league baseball player one day. For example, Jeter says his father would say the young Jeter has “more inner arrogance than anyone he has ever met.”

Jeter writes passionately about how he achieved his dreams- and how he still strives for success today. Things began to click during his third year in the pros. Through practicing the book’s lessons and principles, he began to blossom into the superstar he is today.

Throughout his career, Jeter has been a model superstar and role model. Though one of the biggest celebrities in sports, he is grounded and maintains what seems like a normal, well-adjusted personal life. He continues to be one of the best baseball players in the world. The principles he teaches certainly seem to work.

Rafael Nadal's Story

Nadal, only 24, has been ranked among the top players in the world for five years now. He has been a pro since age 17. A fierce competitor with great mental toughness, off the court he is well-mannered, soft-spoken and comes across sometimes as shy.

One of the secrets of his success is his tight-knit family, as his father and uncles have been influential in his life. The entire extended family, including Nadal, his father and four aunts and uncles and others, all live in the same apartment complex in Manacor, a complex owned by Nadal’s grandfather. Nadal’s father owns a restaurant and window glass company. He has one younger sister.

One of the uncles, Toni, has been Nadal’s tennis coach since his youth. Two other uncles, Miguel and Rafael, were pro soccer players. Miguel, now 43, is a superstar in Spain, having played pro soccer for 19 years, and Rafael played in the second league. Toni has been a tennis teaching pro. It is obviously an athletic family, one that knows how to deal with stardom.

The Nadal family, from Spain, is from and lives in a town (Manacor, pop: 40,000) on the largest island off the coast of Spain, Mallorca (pop: 846,000).

His parents, family and his coach Toni has instilled character, work ethic and strong moral values in Nadal. Toni introduced Nadal to tennis (at age 3 or 4) and has coached him ever since. Nadal played soccer and tennis until age 12, when his father made him choose between the two so his schoolwork did not suffer.

He won a regional 12-under tournament at age 9, and around that time Toni encouraged him to switch and play left-handed, which because of his shot style would give him an advantage. It worked. Left-handers, especially with Nadal’s top-spin shots, often have an advantage against opponents. Nadal’s shots often go higher (top-spin) and take advantage of angles. Also, more shots go to the opponents’ back-hand, which is usually their weaker side.

Nadal speaks English only about “25%”, according to him, and Toni does not speak English.

Hall of Famer Johnny Majors and His Outstanding Career

            If there is one person and one family who may be most emblematic of athletics in the state of Tennessee, it might be John Majors and the Majors family.

            Johnny Majors’ football career has spanned over 60 years and continues today. In his 29-year head coaching career, he amassed a 185-137-10 record.

His playing career at Tennessee was so successful he was inducted in the College Football Hall of Fame in 1987 as a player.

            The Majors family of eight, originally from Lynchburg, 75 miles south of Nashville, is Tennessee’s first family of football. Father Shirley was a college and high school head coach for 28 years. His five boys all became star college football players, two of them All-Americans. They played at Tennessee, Florida State and Sewanee.

            Just as great as their athletic accomplishments is their spirit and loyalty to faith, family and friends. They all have lived rich and full lives outside of football. The children, in order, are: John, Joe, Bill, Shirley Ann, Larry and Bob.

            Johnny and his wife of many years Mary Lynn today live in east Tennessee near their two children. Johnny, 75, never seems to slow down, speaking, leading coaching clinics across the nation, supporting worthy charitable causes and continuing to be a dynamic and visible leader in athletics and beyond.  

            Majors calls his father Shirley “the real Coach Majors.” (5). He was head coach at small college power Sewanee from 1957-1977. Before that, after working for years as a farmer and barber, Shirley was head coach at Huntland High for eight years, until 1956. Shirley and wife Elizabeth and the family lived in Lynchburg until Johnny was 14, when the family moved to Huntland. Shirley was an outstanding athlete in his own right. The children would follow in his footsteps.

            First, there is Johnny. Brother Joe went on to become a well-known lobbyist and leader in Nashville. Bill was a rising coaching star rise before his tragic death in a car accident in 1965.

In football, Joe starred as a QB at Florida State. Bill was a tailback at UT. Larry was a tailback at Sewanee. Bob was a two-time All-American at UT as a defensive back.

A synopsis of Majors’ career:

Assistant

1957-1959- Tennessee- Wyatt

1960-1963- Miss. St.- Wade/Davis

1964-1967- Arkansas- Broyles

Head Coach

1968-1972- Iowa St.- Big Eight

1973-1976- Pittsburgh- Independent

1977-1992- Tennessee- SEC

1993-1996- Pittsburgh- Big East

            Majors four head coaching jobs spanned 29 years from 1968 to 1996.

In the first two, Iowa State (five years) and Pittsburgh (four years), he turned around the two programs, taking them from losing to winning programs.

In the second, at Pittsburgh, he engineered one of the most remarkable turnarounds ever in college football. In the nine years before Majors arrived, Pitt had an overall record of 22-68-2 and had not had one winning season. The Panthers, an independent program, had a difficult schedule with annual rivalries against the likes of Notre Dame, Penn State and West Virginia.

In Majors’ four years there, facing the same stiff competition, Pitt was 33-13 and appeared in three bowl games, culminating in the 1976 National Championship season and a 12-0 record. Majors had indeed arrived on the national football stage.

At Tennessee, he brought the vaunted Tennessee program back to national prominence. Playing in arguably the toughest conference in the nation, Majors’ Tennessee teams went to bowl games 11 out of 15 seasons and had only one season with a conference record below .500. In his final three seasons, his teams were 29-6 and appeared in three different BCS bowl games (before the actual establishment of the BCS.) His overall record at Tennessee was 116-62-8, a .65 winning percentage.

            Majors’ coaching career reads like a virtual who’s who in college and pro football. He has coached with and mentored a host of coaches and leaders around the nation. Through it all, he has maintained a commitment to people and a passion for his work. In the midst of the pressure of being a leader, Majors keeps it all in perspective with deep friendships, camaraderie and humor.

            As a player, Majors was a All-American tailback and runner-up for the Heisman Trophy. Majors was like a coach on the field, calling the plays and playing both ways (NCAA rules required players, not coaches, to call the plays.) That year, he led Tennessee to a 10-1 record and a Sugar Bowl appearance. It would be the Vols’ second-best winning percentage in the 38-year period from 1951 to 1989, when Majors led UT to an 11-1 Cotton Bowl season.

            After playing one year of pro football in the CFL (Montreal), Majors immediately began his coaching career at Tennessee under Bowden Wyatt, his coach as a player for his last two seasons. During his three years as coach, Majors was the assistant freshman coach in charge of the backs.

            Wyatt coached Tennessee for eight seasons (1958-1965) and was a protégé of Gen. Bob Neyland. Wyatt was a college coach for 16 years total. The three seasons Majors was at UT the Vols were 15-12-3.

            At UT, Majors coached and recruited with the likes of Jim McDonald, Skeeter Bailey, Ralph Chancey and George Cafego, who worked with five UT coaches in his 30-year coaching career. Cafego is one of the great early Vol superstars, a Heisman finalist who played several years in the pros, interrupted by his service in World War II.

            It was during this time that Majors met his wife Mary Lynn. They were married in 1959 and have now been together over 50 years. Mary Lynn has been the perfect coaches’ wife, always supportive and possessing a charismatic personality and quick wit.

            Majors got to know and work with the great Gen. Bob Neyland while coaching at UT. While he did work directly under him, the General’s influence on Majors is unmistakable.

First, Majors played for Wyatt, one of Neyland’s many protégé’s. Then, as a coach for three years at UT, Majors was able to spend considerable time with Neyland, who was close to the football program in his retirement. Neyland would attend staff meetings and the like. Majors would often pick his brain for football principles and so forth.

A later coaching position, assistant for four years under the legendary Frank Broyles at Arkansas (1964-1967), just before becoming a head coach, had an unmistakable Neyland influence. Majors’ time under Broyles had a deep impact on Majors’ coaching style and philosophy.

Broyles’ three mentors had all played for Neyland at UT, and two of them had coached under him. Broyles played for and coached under Bobby Dodd (UT ’31) at Georgia Tech. He then coached under Bob Woodruff at Florida (UT ’39). He was hired at Arkansas by John Barnhill (UT ’28). Neyland, Broyles and Dodd are in the CF HOF.

            Neyland’s influence on football in those days was widespread and vast. Neyland would transform the Tennessee program during his three different stints and 21 years as head coach. He served admirably in the U.S. Army during World War II from 1941 to 1945, missing five football seasons. In the 1960’s, there were more than 15 major college coaches around the nation who had played for Neyland at UT.

At Miss. St. from 1960-1963, from age 25 to 29, Majors coached under Wade Walker (later AD at Oklahoma) for three years and then Paul Davis in his final year there. Davis was HC at MSU from 1963 to 1966 and then later was DC and Asst. Head Coach at Auburn for 17 years under Shug Jordan, Doug Barfield and Pat Dye, from 1967 to 1990.

Majors was defensive backs coach for three years. In his final year, 1963, he was offensive play caller and offensive backs coach. That year, 1963, Miss. State was 7-2-2 and had one of its best seasons ever even until 1980. That year, with Johnny calling the offensive plays, the Bulldogs went to their fourth bowl in history and their only bowl between 1941 and 1974.

Majors also coached at State with Ken Donahue, who would later join Majors as DC at UT after being longtime Assistant Head Coach under Bear Bryant at Alabama.

Majors was definitely on the fast track. In terms of his coaching training, he learned from some of the best in the business. His next job, his last before becoming a head coach, was under a future Hall of Famer. He coached from 1964 to 1967 (age 29 to 33) under Frank Broyles at Arkansas.

Frank Broyles transformed the University of Arkansas football and is a legendary figure in Arkansas athletic history. He was head coach there from 1958-1976 and was Athletic Director from 1974 until his retirement in 2007.

Majors calls Broyles “one of the smartest men I’ve ever known in college football.” (100). Broyles was “a mover and a shaker, a man of great imagination.” (101). Majors coached with a group of men who would go on to remarkable careers.

For the first three of his four years there, Majors coached the defensive backs. In his final year, he coached the offensive backs and called the plays. The Razorbacks, in the Southwest Conference with the likes of Texas, Texas A&M, SMU, Baylor, etc, were 33-8-1 during Majors’ years there. One of Majors’ top players was Kenny Hatfield, who would later become a star coach at four schools, including Clemson and Arkansas.

A sad part of these years is that Johnny’s beloved middle brother, Bill, passed away tragically in a car-train accident on the way to work. Only 25, Bill was already a budding college coach. His left behind his wife Linnie and two sons.

Majors’ first head coaching job, at Iowa State in Ames, was a tough situation, to say the least. Majors coached there from 1968-1972, from age 33 to 37.

Majors faced an uphill climb at Iowa State for many reasons- perhaps the toughest conference in the nation (the Big Eight, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Okla. St., Kansas, etc), small budget, no tradition and more. But Majors’ teams improved steadily during those five years. Majors put Iowa State football on the map, appearing in the first bowl games in the history of the university. The team went 8-4 and 5-6-1 in his final two seasons, appearing in bowl games both years.

Majors’ staff was outstanding and included future superstar coaches Jackie Sherrill and Jimmy Johnson.

            The staff included future coaching luminaries Hayden Fry, Doug Dickey, Bill Pace and Hootie Ingram. Fry and Dickey would go on to have Hall of Fame coaching careers (both were inducted in 2003.) Dickey was a successful head coach at Tennessee and Florida and was the AD at UT for the last seven years of Majors’ tenure there.

            Ingram was a major college coach and AD for 40 years from 1956 to 1995, finishing his career as AD at Florida State and then Alabama.

             Other assistants Majors worked with at Arkansas were Bill Pace, later OC for Majors at UT, Jim McKenzie, Merv Johnson, Barry Switzer and Jimmy Johnson.

            Pitt was an uphill battle too- and Majors ended up on the mountaintop.

            The Panthers had won only four games in the last two years and had not had a winning season in nine years. They were 22-68-1 during those nine years. Majors promptly had four straight winning seasons. He led them to three bowl games, with the 1973 team going to Pitt’s first bowl in 17 years. Returning Pitt to national prominence, Majors’ 1976 team won the National Championship, going 12-0, the school’s second consensus NC.

           

           

            The decision to leave Pitt for Tennessee “was the most difficult decision I’ve ever had to make.” (151). Majors’ family, and in some ways he himself, wanted to stay in Pittsburgh. But the dream of reviving his alma mater in his home state, the challenge of it all, was the clincher. Bill Battle at UT resigned during the 1976 season, and UT wanted Majors.

            After the 1976 season, Majors was on top of the college football coaching world. Everyone at Pitt loved him- and still loved him many years later after he left Tennessee, so much so they hired him again the year he finished at UT in 1992. He would go on to serve at Pitt as head football coach for four years and then as one of the top athletic administrators from 1993 to his retirement in 2007.

            His first speech, delivered at a basketball game, was memorable. In it, Majors coined the phrase “my blood runneth deep orange.” 

            The first few years were tough. Tennessee’s storied program had not had a winning conference record in four years. They faced some of the toughest competition in the nation, facing powerhouses like Alabama, Georgia and Florida every year.

Majors brought most of his Pitt staff to Knoxville. Some of the facilities were rundown, including the dorm.

The Vols were 9-12-1 in his first two seasons. Majors writes that “no group of players I have ever coached meant more to me” than the group from those years. They included Robert Shaw, Roland James, Brent Watson, Pert Jenkins, Dennis Wolfe, John Chavis, Jimmy Streater and Scot Farrar.

The 1979 season was Majors’ first UT bowl team. They finished 7-4 and appeared in the Bluebonnet Bowl. The season included three close losses to eventual national champion Alabama, Rutgers and Purdue in the bowl.

            After a 5-6 season in 1980 and a slow start in 1981, a “gutsy bunch of players” went on to win eight games in ’81, appearing in the Garden State Bowl. The 1981 bowl team began a streak of seven bowl years in a row. Despite losing some key players in ‘81, players like Steve Alatorre, Willie Gault (NFL, Bears) and Fuad Reveiz helped the Vols finish 8-4.

            The 1982 team appeared in the Peach Bowl (now Chick-fil-A) and finished with a 6-5-1 record. One of the highlights of the season was the Vols’ 35-28 win over Bryant and Alabama, beginning a four-game win streak over the Tide- and breaking an 11-game win streak the Tide had over the Vols. Well-known players like Reggie White, Alan Cockrell, Chuck Coleman, Gault and Reveiz led the team that year.

            The next season, ’83, was the best yet. The team finished 9-3 and won the Citrus Bowl over Maryland. The squad had big victories over LSU and ‘Bama. Reggie White and Willie Gault were the leaders and went on to NFL stardom.

            The 1984 season was solid, with a 7-4-1 record and Sun Bowl appearance. The stars were QB Tony Robinson, WR Tim McGee and RB Johnnie Jones. Majors knew he needed to improve the defense, so he brought in Ken Donahue from Alabama to bolster the defensive staff.

            Majors now had an outstanding staff: Mel Foels, Ron Zook, Dick Bumpas on D; Walt Harris, Phil Fulmer, Doug Matthews, Kippy Brown and David Cutcliffe on O.

            That 1985 season turned out to be magical. The Vols finished 9-1-2 and ranked 4^th in the nation. Tennessee won big in the Sugar Bowl over Miami, 35-7. Some of the top players were Robinson, McGee, Darryl Dickey, LB Dale Jones and many more.

            His coaching career is without a doubt a Hall of Fame career as well. He compiled a 185-137-10 record. Along the way he won three SEC Championships at Tennessee and a National Championship at Pittsburgh.

            Majors coached NCAA football for 40 years at five different schools.