Monday, Sept. 14 through Sunday, Sept. 20, 2020
Issue No. 346
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Oakland A's 3
Houston Astros 2
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The bright orange sunless sky which enveloped the Bay Area on Wednesday, Sept. 9, continued into evening and greeted both A's and Astros players as they took the field. At game time, normally in full sunshine at 6:10 p.m., required the stadium lights to be turned on. Photo by Rich Yee.
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Roberto Clemente Day was celebrated on Sept. 9, honoring one of baseball's brightest stars. Clemente played 18 seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates and was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1973, becoming both the first Latin American and Caribbean player to be enshrined. Clemente was an All-Star for 13 seasons, playing in 15 All-Star Games. He also was a two-time World Series champion. Photo by Rich Yee.
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Oakland infielder Tony Kemp was named the A's 2020 nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award, which recognizes a Major League player who best represents the game of baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy, and positive contributions both on the field and in the community. The Roberto Clemente Award is the most prestigious individual award for Major Leaguers. Photo by Rich Yee.
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Pinch-runner Stephen Piscotty (25) was caught in a run-down in the bottom of the ninth inning, having broken for the plate on contact from third base. Unfortunately Marcus Semien's ball did not leave the infield, resulting in the play at the plate. Photo by Rich Yee.
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Ramon Laureano’s (22) walk-off hit, set up by Sean Murphy’s walk and Tony Kemp's hit-by-pitch to lead off the ninth, capped the late A's comeback. Eager teammates could not wait to congratulate their savior. To view a game photo album, visit our Facebook Page and be sure to LIKE us or visit www.ultimatesportsguide.net. Photo by Rich Yee.
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Oakland A's 6
Houston Astros 0
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Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker Jr. (12) bumps fists with Oakland Athletics manager Bob Melvin (6) at home plate before the game at RingCentral Coliseum. Caption and photo by Darren Yamashita.
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Oakland Athletics pitcher Chris Bassitt blanked the Houston Astros for seven innings in the A's 6-0 victory on Monday, Sept. 7, at RingCentral Coliseum. Caption and photo by Darren Yamashita.
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Right fielder Stephen Piscotty chipped in with two singles, driving in one run and scoring another. To view a game photo album, visit our Facebook Page and be sure to LIKE us or visit www.ultimatesportsguide.net.
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Matt Chapman to have season-
ending hip surgery
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The Oakland A’s are going to be without their best player for the rest of the 2020 season. Their All-Star third baseman, Matt Chapman, was placed on the injured list with a strained right hip and will have season-ending surgery on the hip. Said manager Bob Melvin, “He's been a leader since the moment he arrived. It's one thing to look at the numbers, but there are also intangibles that we miss. This is quite a blow for us.” Photo by Darren Yamashita.
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Odds to win the 2020 World Series |
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San Francisco Giants -- 160/1 |
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Oakland Athletics -- 12/1 |
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For Your Handy Use
2020 San Francisco Giants Schedule
2020 Oakland A's Schedule
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Coco Crisp, bench coach, Cerritos College Falcons
In his second season as a member of the Falcon coaching staff is former Major League player Coco Crisp. A World Series winner with the Boston Red Sox in 2007, Crisp concluded his playing career in 2016 after 15-year career that saw him play for five organizations. Drafted in the 7th Round of the Major League Draft in 1999 out of Los Angeles Pierce College by the St. Louis Cardinals, Crisp played for four different affiliate organizations from 1999-2001 and was their 2001 Minor League Player of the Year. He made his major league debut in 2002 for the Cleveland Indians and spent four seasons there before being traded to the Boston Red Sox. After three seasons in Boston, Crisp was traded to Kansas City, where he spent the 2008 season before signing with the Oakland A’s to start the 2009 year. Crisp spent seven of his professional seasons with the A’s and concluded his career in 2016 with the Cleveland Indians. At one point in his A’s career, Crisp stole 36 consecutive bases, which is still a team record. Crisp joined the A’s broadcasting team in 2019 as a game analyst and was in the radio booth for 33 games. He resides in Rancho Mirage with his wife Maria, along with their three sons and one daughter.
Caption and photo by Kenny Karst.
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I'm entering my fourth season with the San Francisco 49ers after starting eight games last year and recording my first pick-six. For you music enthusiasts, my grandfather was a jazz/blues musician, most recognized for his hit, "Ain't Nobody's Business". Concept and photo by Darren Yamashita.
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The BEST Bay Area sports photos from
Michael Zagaris, Ed Jay, Rich Yee, Darren Yamashita,
Ron Sellers, Alex Ho, Rob Edwards, Kenneth Wong,
Timothy Reynolds and Larry Rosa
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Where The Bay Comes To Play! |
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Hardly Trivial by T. Buff |
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EVERYBODY reading this incredible Ultimate Sports Guide knows the first NBA MVP unanimously elected in 2016! Name one of the two NBA superstars who fell one vote short of unanimous in the year 2000 or 2013?
(See answer below...)
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"It's an ocean planet. As the oceans go, so goes the planet."
-- Bill Carvalho, Wild Planet founder and president
Wild Planet Foods has been honored with TWO awards by Whole Foods Market -- Global Supplier of the Year AND Environmental Stewardship! The annual awards recognize suppliers who embody Whole Foods Market's mission and values through a proven commitment to quality, environmental stewardship, organic integrity, innovation, and partnership.
More Awards and Counting!
Prevention -- 100 Cleanest Packaged Food Awards
Men's Health -- 125 Best Foods for Men
Prevention -- Eat Clean Best Packaged Foods
Every Day with Rachael Ray -- Brand New Buy
Better Homes and Gardens -- Catch of the Day
Clean Eating -- Clean Choice Awards
Natural Health -- 3rd Annual Good Food Awards
Runner's World -- Good Catch
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Badges? We don't need no stinkin' badges! |
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We have sent men to the moon, with names stitched onto their space suits, as if they needed name tags in outer space!
We split the atom! We invented the Internet, iPods, Post-it Notes and Velveeta.
We transplanted hearts, lungs, kidneys, faces and other various body parts, which actually stay attached. We are feverishly working on a Covid-19 vaccine.
One of us painted the Mona Lisa, sculpted David, composed the Fifth Symphony, wrote War and Peace, choreographed West Side Story and sang What's Going On.
Warning!
As you are aware, most of us are working remotely or remotely working. Business and social gatherings are all mostly virtual with Zoom negating the use of Name Tags. Without a vaccine this could be the Apocalypse for the Name Tag industry. If so, a few recollections from a happier time of face-to-face meetings up the Kazoo. We all looked forward to hobnobbing with friends and colleagues during our career journeys with the proper identification in clothes that didn’t include sweatpants, shorts, t-shirts and flip flops.
With the combined brilliance of the human race, are we still wandering in the desert when it comes to creating a fully functional name tag? Is manufacturing a sticky piece of paper beyond our engineering expertise? Why can't we find a simple way to peel the backing? Why do name tags always have a mind of their own and roll up when we are being introduced to a VIP? (We have all seen our proud name curl up into a fetal position, becoming unstuck from our lapel and float harmlessly to the floor.)
It is estimated that 467 million name tags are used in the U.S. every year. Believe it or not, there is a full line of pet name tags, so add a few bowsers to the total.
If you believe that algorithmic theory is confusing, check out the name tag choices at any office supply superstore. You can choose from the following array: sticky, pins, clasps, magnetic, digital, engraved, photo, die cut, biodegradable, transdermal, intracranial, henna, actual tattoos (ouch, but they don't fall off or run), breakaway with bulldog clip, retractable reel, carabiner, vertical, horizontal, virtual, compostable, flashing lights and the new invisible Zoom tag.
Best Practices
They say, (I have no idea who "They" are), it is placed on the right side so it is visible and in direct line with your handshake,. (We live in a right-sided dominant world. What happens when two lefty ambassadors try to settle a nasty border dispute. Could name tags on the wrong side lead to full scale thermonuclear war?)
Make sure your tag is above your breastbone and readable from 10 feet away.
Size Matters -- letters spelling out your name should be in a 18-point font or larger.
Location -- lapel, pocket, ripped t-shirt, hip or spaghetti strap, your choice.
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Would a name tag have improved Dobbs' fate? We'll never know...
Rules of Engagement
It is bad form to bring your own customized name tag to an event without getting permission from the meeting planner.
No screamed expletives while trying to find the microscopic flap necessary to peel off the elastic backing. Be aware that sadistic badge designers want you to think that the peel off is on the back when many of them are on the front.
Always bring a Band-Aid to cover the puncture wound caused by a mis-pinning.
Bring needle and thread to sew up clothing tears caused by substandard tags.
A Man with No-Name -- What to do if there is no name tag for you at check in? Get over it and Sharpie in your name. It's a great way to crash events.
Never, never put your mag-stripe room key or credit card next to your magnet-attached name tag. It can erase info causing great financial distress and the inability to get back into your hotel room at 3 AM.
The Future
So let's forget the global pandemic, oil spills, and umps screwing up perfect games. It is long overdue for the creation of a Presidential Commission on name tags. Hooray for the work on universal health care but a serviceable All-Purpose national name tag is a critical necessity.
A Different Direction?
We can also take a completely different direction. In the 1948 classic movie, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, there is a scene in which the Mexican bandit leader, Gold Hat (played by Alfonso Bedoya), is trying to convince Fred C. Dobbs (Humphrey Bogart) that his banditos are really Mexican Federales.
Dobbs: "If you are the police, where are your badges?'
Gold Hat: "Badges, we ain't got no badges! We don't need no badges! I don't have to show you any stinking badges!"
In the world of social distancing, masks, virtual meetings, it could very well be that Gold Hat had a view of the future in which we won’t need “no stinking name tags.”
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Andy Dolich has over five decades of leadership in the sports industry, including executive positions in the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, pro soccer and lacrosse. Presently Dolich is COO of the Fan Controlled Football League (FCFL) and teaches sports business at Stanford's School of Continuing Studies.
Dolich is also co-author of the book:
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Camino Del Paraiso, with jockey Catalino Martinez, win the Rolling Green $65,000 Added with a time of 1:43.07 on Monday, Sept. 7. Owned by Paradise Road Ranch, LLC and trained by O. J. Jauregui.
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San Jose Earthquakes 0
LA Galaxy 0
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Quakes shutout California Clasico rival
SAN JOSE, Calif. - The San Jose Earthquakes tied the LA Galaxy 0-0 on Sunday night at Earthquakes Stadium. With the result, the Quakes snapped the Galaxy's four-match winning streak, the longest such streak in MLS heading into Sunday.
Head coach Matias Almeyda made five changes to the Starting XI from the team's most recent match against Seattle Sounders FC on Thursday.
With the match scoreless heading into the final moments, the Earthquakes thought they had a game-winner in the 89th minute when forward Andy Rios redirected a cross into the back of the net, but the goal was negated due to an offside decision.
The Earthquakes will now prepare to host the MLS is Back Tournament champion Portland Timbers twice next week, beginning on Wednesday, Sept. 16, presented Fastmetrics. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. PT and the match will be broadcast nationally on FOX Sports 1, KNBR 1050 and 1370 KZSF.
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Hardly Trivial by T. Buff |
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If you had forgotten, Steph Curry is the only unanimously elected NBA MVP. https://bit.ly/35yrJBs will take you to the story!
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https://lat.ms/3bV0Mco will take you to a Los Angeles Times write-up about the MVP vote with Shaq falling only one vote shy of unanimous in 2000,
a first after 45 years of NBA history.
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https://bit.ly/3mhgH9z will take you to the explanation by the only sportswriter who did not vote for Lebron James in the 2013 MVP vote.
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Ricky's Sports Bar --
GoFundMe page established to help
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SAN LEANDRO (CBS SF) — A well-known San Leandro sports bar may have to close after 74 years because of the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic on business, the bar’s owners said last week. Financial struggles could shut down Ricky’s Sports Theatre and Grill at 15028 Hesperian Blvd., which has been
open since 1946.
“Nobody wants to be in this spot,” owner Tina Ricardo said in an interview.
“I hope to get it back open.”
Ricky's has been closed during the shelter-in-place order and still has bills to pay, wrote supporter Dr. Robert Gingery, a vascular surgeon, on a GoFundMe page to raise money for the bar. Gingery is friends with the owners,
Tina and Ricky Ricardo.
To help this valuable and venerable community treasure, please visit the GoFundMe page: Save Ricky’s Sports Bar organized by Robert Gingery
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In the last seasons of the Oakland Raiders in Oakland, Ultimate Sports Guide photographer Ed Jay collected images and stories of some of the Raiders most passionate and beloved fans. To view and read their stories, click on this link and revisit your all-time favorites. Above, Jose “Big Daddy” Delgado.
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Who Am I?
San Francisco 49ers cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon!
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The San Francisco 49ers selected Ahkello Witherspoon in the third round (66th overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft and was the 11th cornerback selected. On May 12, 2017, the San Francisco 49ers signed Witherspoon to a four-year, $3.88 million contract with a signing bonus of $973,572.
On October 29, 2017, Witherspoon earned his first NFL start and recorded three solo tackles, a pass deflection, and picked off a pass attempt by Carson Wentz for his first NFL interception with the 49ers. Pro Football Focus graded Witherspoon the best player on the San Francisco 49ers during the matchup against the Eagles and credited him with allowing three receptions
on eight targets.
In the 2019 season-opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Witherspoon intercepted Jameis Winston and returned it 25 yards for a touchdown in the 31-17 road victory. He missed Weeks 5-10 with a foot injury but returned in Week 11 against the Arizona Cardinals. Witherspoon finished the regular season with 28 tackles, a career-high nine pass deflections, and an interception returned for a touchdown.
To enjoy the 49ers victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers last September,
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Curt Flood, as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals
Jon Becker, of the Bay Area News Group, recalls the baseball life of Oakland's own Curt Flood, a major league baseball star, who passed away in 1997.
Jon's article is one in a series chronicling the Bay Area’s rich history of sports figures fighting for equality and highlights Flood's “solo fight against Major League Baseball in 1969 which ended with a Supreme Court defeat, but led to modern free agency and the freedom to choose that players still enjoy today. Flood, though, was essentially blackballed from the sport when he refused to go to Philadelphia after being traded by St. Louis.”
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Arif Khatib at Curt Flood Field. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Flood is eligible to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame as a contributor by the Golden Days Committee when it votes for the 2021 class in December and is being aided by Flood's friends and family.
“Arif Khatib, whose friendship with Flood goes back to the late ’70s, is also doing his part to ensure his friend’s legacy is finally taken care of. He’s co-authored a book that includes Flood’s tangled life story, and hopes to get In the Shadow of Obscurity published later this year.
As Khatib sees it, he’s doing nothing more than looking out for a friend.
“'I promised him I’d keep his name, sacrifices and contributions alive as long as I was still alive,'” he said.”
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The 2019 Fall/Winter edition of the Ultimate Sports Guide, a San Francisco Bay Area sports reference publication published twice a year for avid Bay Area and Northern California sports fans, is in the house. The Ultimate Sports Guide is distributed free of charge or may be ordered via subscription. Each seasonal edition provides professional and collegiate team coverage through commentary, photo essays and player profiles. To order, visit www.ultimatesportsguide.net or send $5 to: Ultimate Sports Guide,
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Back Issues
not to be missed!
Offering superb photography and
entertaining chronicles
* Click here for 2019 editions.
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Weekly Bay Area
Sports Calendar
Monday, September 14 through
Sunday, September 20, 2020
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Games for most major and minor league sports, including collegiate and high school teams,
have been cancelled.
Monday, September 14
Oakland A's @ Seattle Mariners, 2:10 p.m.
Oakland A's @ Seattle Mariners, to follow
Tuesday, September 15
San Francisco Giants @ Seattle Mariners, 6:40 p.m.
Oakland A's @ Colorado Rockies, 5:40 p.m.
Wednesday, September 16
San Francisco Giants @ Seattle Mariners, 6:40 p.m.
Oakland A's @ Colorado Rockies, 12:10 p.m.
San Jose Earthquakes @ Portland Timbers, 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, September 17
Friday, September 18
Oakland A's vs. San Francisco Giants, 6:40 p.m.
Saturday, September 19
Oakland A's vs. San Francisco Giants, 1:10 p.m.
San Jose Earthquakes @ Portland Timbers, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, September 20
San Francisco 49ers @ New York Jets, 10:10 a.m.
Oakland A's vs. San Francisco Giants, 1:10 p.m.
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Enjoy the
Under the ultra-skilled leadership of Cal graduate Ricky Liu, a team of talented Cal students assembled the elegant Ultimate Sports Guide website for your readers. Ricky's team included Natalie Leung, Yafei Liang and Kasey Woo. Visit www.ultimatesportsguide.net
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Need a website designed or tuned up?
We can help!
Write: sportstoday@ultimatesportsguide.net
or call (510) 845-2035
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Join Us As A Sponsor!
Economical and rewarding.
Write: sportstoday@ultimatesportsguide.net
or call (510) 845-2035
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The vast majority of student-athletes dreaming of athletic stardom won't make it to the pros. Yet, the discipline and skills they've developed while balancing a sport and academics make them ideally suited for satisfying careers elsewhere. In 20 Secrets to Success for NCAA Student-Athletes Who Won't Go Pro, the authors draw on personal experience, interviews, expert opinion, and industry data to provide a game plan for student-athletes through key transitions at each stage of their careers, from high school through college and beyond. Modeled on Stephen Covey's The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, this book provides a much-needed strategy for achieving career success. Readable and concise, it will be a valuable tool for students, parents, and sports administrators. To order, click here.
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5980 Stoneridge Drive, Ste. 122
Pleasanton, CA 94588-2723
CalBRE License #:01770629
Agent 510.512.2145
Office 925.847.8900
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Ultimate Sports Guide
P.O. Box 4515
Berkeley, CA 94704
510-845-2035
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The Ultimate Sports Guide is very appreciative to the ongoing contributions made by former staff photographer Kenny Karst, now retired. Mr. Karst continues to contribute through helpful ideas and his archives.
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