To my friends that read blogs and those that don’t. To my collegues who put up with my off the wall thoughts.
I hope you all have a great last day of 2008 and just remember I won’t be working come the night of Jan. 8 as my Sooners look for National Championship No. 8!
May 2009 bring the Twins a title, the Vikes a new coach and the Knicks some more respect.
Here’s hoping the West River turns it around on the gridiron and South Dakota Mines makes a DAC title run.
Congrats to all the stars in our area, YOU made covering sports in 2008 grand and here’s hoping the RUSH can put the biscuit in the basket a time or two or maybe three!
So I will close the book on ‘08 and wait to see who makes the grade in ‘09 watching what else, FOOTBALL of course!
Happy New Year to all and here’s to you Billy Sims…
BOOMER SOONER brother man!
See you in Miami! For it’s about to be Gator season didn’t you know along with SAM I AM and a lil’ thing called Sooner Magic.

-Lenn

Wow.
After bloody Monday, three NFL coaches were given their walking papers, today’s biggest pink slip goes out to Mike Shanahan, the second longest-tenured NFL coach, who was fired by the Denver Broncos after the team lost a three-game lead with three games to go in the AFC West.

So much for what have you done for me lately!

Shanahan, 56, coached the Broncos since 1995, behind only Tennessee’s Jeff Fisher in tenure with one team. He led the Broncos to consecutive Super Bowl victories in 1998 and 1999 and compiled a record of 146-89 with the team.

Shanahan had three years left on his contract, worth about $20 million.

“I appreciate the 21 years that Mike Shanahan has given to the organization as an assistant and head coach, and the two Super Bowl wins in that time,” owner Pat Bowlen said in the statement. “His contributions hold a special place in Broncos history.”

Well now that Shanahan is history who’s next?
All I know is rent don’t buy!

-Lenn

The high school basketball season is in full swing and things are starting to take shape.

It was interesting to see the Pine Ridge Lady Thorpes (coming off their 3rd straight Lakota Nation Invitational title) play the Rapid City Central junior varsity in Spearfish. The Cobblers showed up with half their varsity — starters Jacqee Jasinski, Kattie Ranta, Lacey Lehmann, Betsy Moler and Andrea Johnson didn’t dress — and really handled the Thorpes, basically ending the game by halftime.

The cool thing about the game could be that it benefits both teams down the stretch. The Cobblers’ bench should gain some confidence with the win, while getting whipped should make the Thorpes hungry instead of resting on their LNI laurels. Central has a couple of really nice sophomores in Chelsey Biegler and Ashton Beaird. The future looks bright for Coach Blomme and the Cobblers. 

Stevens’ boys had the biggest win of the year for Class AA schools out here so far when they beat Huron on the road. Still, it doesn’t look too good for the big schools as far as playing at a state championship-caliber level. Sturgis got beat by double figures by Belle Fourche — right before the Broncs got beat by 30-plus by St. Thomas More. That’s a really bad sign for the state-wide competitiveness of our AA boys.

Speaking of the Cavaliers, they’re pretty good again. They look like a contender in Region 8A on both the girls’ and boys’ side of the ledger (and that’s not just because I’m related to half the team). Red Cloud isn’t as good or deep as they were last season (although they are still pretty darn good) and Custer, Hill City and Hot Springs all look to be better than they were last year in District 15A — but the Cavs are very balanced and explosive offensively without giving up much on the defensive end. Jake Roddy has really blossomed this year for Custer and Hill City has Andy Coy, who is another player capable of taking control of a game at the point. The District 15A boys’ tournament should be a fun one, especially if Custer and Red Cloud have an LNI rematch for the title. Still, I don’t know if those teams can handle More’s all-around attack.

Lead-Deadwood’s boys will try to close the gap on the Cavs as the season goes on in District 16A, but the ‘Diggers may not be a disciplined enough team for it. Playing an entirely unstructured style of half-court offense works fine against some teams, but against the Cavs’ team defense that will always be a recipe for a loss. On the girls’ side of things Newell will be right there again, but the Lady Cavs look like a state tournament contender if they can figure out how to consistently score the ball. Their lack of offense some nights will make some games closer than they should be, but More and Newell look to have the region’s two best girls’ teams thus far. Red Cloud, the Region 8A rep the past couple of seasons, has all-stater Marque Lunderman back but seems to really be missing graduated guards Shaina Clifford and Ida Clarke early in the year.

Region 7A looks to be the Pine Ridge girls’ to lose, but Little Wound and Ted Standing Soldier, Jr. will give them everything they want and more in District 14A while Todd County and Winner are lurking in District 13.

As for the boys, if anybody in Region 7A tops defending state champ Platte-Geddes (recent losers of a 99-90 contest in Parkston to SF Christian) it would be a massive upset. Winner looks like the only team possibly capable of it (and I don’t know how capable that is) but Pine Ridge’s Orrie Brown has shown the ability to explode offensively. You never know what might happen in a 32-minute game, but I’m going to pretend I do. The Black Panthers should be back at state.

What about Class B, you ask? Keep an eye on the White River boys (winners of the LNI over Custer) and the Wall, Harding County and White River girls. Don’t count out Philip’s girls making a little noise with some state championship volleyball players either. 

- Padraic

My dad is here to visit me for the holidays and we spent a large chunk of Saturday watching college football games. It took us until the second game to get frustrated with instant replay.

First, the official who is reviewing the plays needs to take a cue from the Miller High Life guy and use some common sense. Too often those at home see a call as plain as day and  the offical either makes the opposite call or takes 10 minutes to make the obvious call.

Second, many of the officals simply don’t seem to know the rules. They make a call and can’t explain it only further disappointing fans.

Finally, if you have it use it to make the right call or get rid of it.

Jeff

Anyone that knows me knows that I am a last minute kind of guy. So with Christmas fast approaching I thought why not buy some RUSH merchandise to support the newest pro team in town and clear up my shopping list at the same time?
NOTE: I was a week out in my quest, which is a record for me. so that’s +168 hours if your scoring at home.
First stop Scheels; “No we can’t sell their merchandise anymore since the season started,” I was told.
Side note: There is a RUSH cart at the mall full of RUSH merchandise outside of Scheels with no prices, who to contact or where to buy any of their stuff.
Second stop Civic Center; No you can only buy merchandise before the games. Next Rush game Dec. 26!
Third stop phone call to Rush office; “Hello, I am just answering the phones right now, No I don’t know where anybody is to answer your question.”
Fourth stop Internet; It tells me that Scheel’s is the place to buy their merchandise or to call the RUSH office. Oh I could order stuff online and it could be shipped to me.
Great. I live in the same city and can place an order to have someone get it to UPS which will then deliver it to me. PRICELESS…
In no way do I expect the RUSH to have a Pro Shop like the Denver Broncos, but why can’t someone buy RUSH merchandise in person for the local PRO sports team at a location in the city?
I know where I can buy RC POST 22 merchandise or any of the area high schools stuff.
I have been to two hockey games and plan on attending many more. So I am not trying to be negative in any way.
I just want to point out something that strikes me as something odd.
Guess I will have to buy my Christmas RUSH items at the next game and wait till Dec. 25 rolls around. Oh well at least I will done early!
GO RUSH! Hope you don’t mind my TWINS hat at your next game.

–Lenn

After spending some time putting the year-end stories on the pages for Sunday’s paper, I had to give some serious consideration as to whether 2008 is the best-ever year in sports. I know I’m only 28, but what I saw this year is quite impressive.

For instance (And you can look in Sunday’s paper for complete year-end coverage)
- Giants beating previously undefeated Patriots
- Phelps’ eight medals at Olympics
- Celtics’ worst to first, and beating rival Lakers in finals
- All No. 1 seeds in the NCAA basketball tournament, plus an overtime final
- Another BCS mess
- Rays make the World Series, Yankees don’t
- Tiger Woods limps to win in playoff at U.S. Open
- We may also get the NFL’s first 0-16 team.

If someone really has an argument for a better year, let’s hear it. I doubt you have it.

- Russo

It’s always neat to see who comes out of the woodwork at the start of a high school basketball season to make their mark. At this point a couple of names you’ll probably hear a lot more of include sharpshooting Jordan Trohkimoinen of Newell and super soph Brandon Bassett of St. Thomas More. Who else will make a big splash this season?

Jim Holland

The Irish won a bowl game (finally) and the Celtics lost to the Lakers (ugh) but not until they had won 19 games in a row. All in all, it really wasn’t too shabby a Christmas for this fan. Now, I’m just pumped to watch the Broncos continue their sorry slide out of the playoffs in the sorriest division in the NFL.

Poetic justice would be if Ed Hochuli was reffing, blew a call that benefited the Chargers and then the instant replay at Qualcomm Stadium was broken and there was no way to reverse it.

That would be a Merry Christmas indeed.

Go Chargers. Beat the Donkeys.

- Padraic

The Rapid City Journal sports staff put together its top stories of 2008. The meeting sparked a lot of debate, which is always fun when you get guys sitting around a table arguing. Anyway, the stories come out next week.

Here are the stories that made the list, in no particular order. Which one is your top story of the year?

Andrew

Rapid City Rush inaugural season

U.S. Olympic softball team visits Rapid City

Shane Van Boening reaches No. 1

Canyon Lake Little League takes city for a ride to Williamsport, Pa.

Wil Collins makes the PGA grade

Tragedy strikes in Rapid City, Hill City

NAU shuts down athletic department

Becky Hammon’s Olympic year

Philip volleyball wins state title

Stevens track sets new national record

After listening to countless alerts that Mark Teixeira signed with the Yankees, I had to ask myself: Is anyone really surprised?

No one should be surprised that the Yankees are spending big money this year. After not making the playoffs for the first time in 13 years, they have to fill the seats in the new ‘five-story hotel’ of a stadium that will open this spring.

So what did they do? They went out and signed the best pitchers and hitter available on the market - CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Teixeira.

But here is the surprise: The Yankees still have money to spent, even after the deals for Sabathia and Burnett, they still have salary available since Mussina, Abreu and a host of other players are off the roster.

So what will their next move be? The Yankees have already said they have ruled out Manny Ramirez.

- Russo