Risser’s Ramblings – Sports Along the Line is a post from: Rail Life

ASU football dominates today’s column…

The biggest story has to be Big Brock’s decision to leave ASU for the NFL.  Personally, I think it’ s the right call.  As Paula Boivin accurately stated in her Arizona Republic column this week, If he’s got to learn a new system next year, he might as well get paid for it…

Which leads us to Todd Graham.  Love his enthusiasm.  Can’t wait to see what he does with the Sun Devils.  Not so in love with the way he left Pittsburgh… and Tulsa…and Rice…

Saguaro High School coach John Sanders wins his 4th state title in 5 years and gets canned this week.  He upset a lot of people when he sat his starters the last game of the regular season against rival Chaparral.  Rumor is that he is  interviewing with Graham at ASU this week.  This could be huge if it means Player of the Year Saguaro running back DJ Foster signs a letter of intent with the Devils…

The Suns have held five of their first seven opponents to under 100 and are ranked 10th in the league in defense.  The Suns in the top ten in defense??  wow…

It was a nice win over USC in LA, but the Sun Devils basketball team struggles continue.  No Jahii Carson, leading scorer sophomore Keala King has left the program, and Kyle Cain and Chris Colvin are indefinitely suspended…

For all you MLB fans, there are no sweeter words than “Arizona Diamondback pitchers and catchers report on February 20th, position players report on February 25th.”  Just over 6 weeks away…

Today’s quiz:  Who are Mike Bercovici, Taylor Kelly and Michael Eubank?  Answer: The three QB’s that will battle for ASU’s starting job in 2012…

I’m sure the strike has a lot to do with my lack of excitement about the NBA season so far.  Maybe after the SuperBowl…

Bill Risser, when not hard at work for Chicago Title, can be found at the movies with his wife or on the golf course with his son. He also has a fantasy sports problem, as he participates in 3 NFL leagues, an MLB league, a NASCAR league and a PGA Tour league. Follow him on Twitter –@billrisser

Risser’s Ramblings – Sports Along The Line is a post from: Rail Life

It’s been a while since my last post, so let’s get caught up with the sports world along the line…  

If the Diamondbacks run into October has left you wanting more action on the diamond, check out some potential future MLB superstars in the Arizona Fall League.  The Phoenix Desert Dogs play at Phoenix Muni, and the season runs for another three weeks…

Speaking of the Dbacks, check out the great images in this AZCentral story about the history of Chase Field.  Were you at any of these games?

Sun Devils football is back in the polls at 21 after a bye week.  A banged up Colorado team visits on Saturday for homecoming…

So, right about now we should be discussing the Suns and whether or not Lopez should be kept or traded, or can Channing Frye continue his development into a force on the court, but instead, we listen to millionaires argue with other millionaires over billions of dollars…

ASU Men’s Basketball has had three twenty win seasons under Coach Herb Sendek in five years.  ASU had three twenty win seasons in the 25 years prior to Sendek’s arrival…

The ASU Women’s basketball season under interim head coach Joseph Anders begins on 11/11/11 against UC Riverside.  They play at noon right before the men (Montana St.) at 2:30pm.  Doubleheader anyone?

The Diamondbacks have 6 players on the Salt River Rafters AFL team.  Games are usually at 12:35, and with the weather hitting the perfect range, maybe we need to play a little hooky…

Bill Risser, when not hard at work for Chicago Title, can be found at the movies with his wife or on the golf course with his son. He also has a fantasy sports problem, as he participates in 3 NFL leagues, an MLB league, a NASCAR league and a PGA Tour league. Follow him on Twitter –@billrisser

Rail Life Pic Of The Week – ASU Looking To Hop To It is a post from: Rail Life

So, where is Jahii Carson? Sun Devil fans are beginning to hear rumors of all kinds when it comes to the highly recruited / highly anticipated “point guard of the future.”

This weekend’s scrimmage and the recent team photo shoot were held without Carson. We all know the kid has some amazing talent and can dang near jump out of the gym. He is as quick as a cat and has been pretty outspoken about his desire to be the home-town guy for the Devils. Waiting for an academic clearance appears to be the sticking point. While Carson did transfer high schools once in his career, that shouldn’t be a big deal. Some have said there could be an issue with a class he took online this summer at another school while playing for Team USA. With some luck, they can get the necessary information transferred, soon. Hopefully, the online class wasn’t taken at the same time he was on the court…

I saw Jahii play a couple of games for Mesa High last year and was impressed with his amazing natural abilities. I hope he has everything needed to get into class and get on the court for the Sun Devils this year. To me, his high school team didn’t appear to be the most disciplined team around. Having f bombs thrown at high school kids during time outs didn’t exactly seem to be what they needed. Maybe Sendek can mold this talented baller into something special.

Most Sun Devil fans haven’t seen much of Carson. Check out this video below. Not only can he jump like crazy, but he is lightning quick and has a good feel for the game. 

Remember, Rail Life has a Phoenix Light Rail Group on Flickr. Basically, we want to share some of our pictures from the community and allow people to add their pics (or videos), as well. These can be light rail related, but we also want pics or videos of your favorite spot, restaurant, sports team, community, event etc.

Huge Slam – Committed Diamondback Fans is a post from: Rail Life

The excitement of playoff baseball is hard to beat. Last night’s game at Chase Field absolutely lived up to the major league hype and the Dbacks came up BIG time for themselves and for the fans. While it was a great win by the entire team, the pitching of rookie Josh Collmenter and the electrifying GRAND SLAM from Paul Goldschmidt were worth well more than the price of admission.

The Slam:

With two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning the Brewers decided to have Shaun Marcum walk Miguel Montero and load the bases for Goldschmidt. The ensuing battle resulted in a blast that will be remembered around here for many years to come. For those of us lucky enough to be at the game, you could feel the excitement in the air. There was a feeling that Paul OWNED that spot, that the pitcher knew he was doomed. Fear of giving up the long ball with two outs was too much for Marcum to handle, and he was jacked by Goldschmidt. Needless to say, the place went nuts, textbook story line for playoff baseball.

The pic below shows 4 runs in the bottom of the 5th, blasted by #44. The Diamondbacks weren’t done yet and beat the Brewers 8-1.

Committed Fans:

I’m pretty sure the odds are hugely stacked against the Diamondbacks coming back from being down 0-2 to the Brewers, but I’m also pretty sure this team is used to low expectations. It seems like the fans are ready to do their part to help the team win at home. We have reports of fans coming from as far away as Yuma. Heck there was a mention of fans coming all the way from Norway to see the game yesterday. While Dean Ouellette of Chandler isn’t exactly coming from any crazy distance, he will be spending his 20th wedding anniversary at the game. No, he won’t be spending it with his wife, he will be cuddling up to a Diamond Dog, a few cold beers, and his buddy Kevin. I’m glad to hear that this productive dad ( with 5 kids ) has a loving wife that still says she is committed to their next 20 years. Hey, we’re Diamondback fans, this is the playoffs, it’s kind of a big deal. :)

So, if you are heading to Chase Field for some playoff baseball tonight, don’t forget these helpful tips…

Most of the 20 mile route contains 2 sets of tracks where the trains run next to each other. At each station, you simply board a train heading in your desired direction. For instance, many of the stations are built in the middle of the street. If you are boarding a train on Apache Boulevard, you will enter the station and the west bound train will pick you up on the north side of the station, while the east bound trains allow passengers to board on the south side of the station. However, in downtown Phoenix, the tracks split and form a single track for north/south and east/west trains.

The stop at 3rd St/Jefferson is right outside of Chase Field and US Airways Center. Most people know there is a light rail stop at 3rd St/Jefferson near Chase Field, but new light rail riders might not realize that this is an east bound train. No worries, you just need to know how to get around.

View Phoenix Valley METRO Light Rail in a larger map

If coming the North, you arrive right outside of the door at 3rd/Jefferson, but when going home you will walk about a block and a half to the 3rd St/Washington stop. The reverse is true for people coming from the East Valley. When coming to the game, exit at 3rd / Washington and head south to the ballpark…

Remember:

Purchase a light rail pass: For just $3.50 you can ride the light rail to and from Chase Field.

Park and Ride: All park and ride lots are FREE. If you don’t live near the light rail line, these lots are always a good bet and a great value.

Have some fun! Grab some grub before, during and after the game. Heck, this is playoff baseball, you deserve it! :)  

View Light Rail Drinks in a larger map

Diamondbacks in 5!

Risser’s Ramblings – Sports Along the Line is a post from: Rail Life

Think ASU linebacker Vontaze Burfict will be fun to watch? These guys do: Walter Camp Award, Bronco Nagurski Award, Lombardi Award, Butkus Award and the Bednarik Award. All have Vontaze on their pre-season watch lists… The latest holder of the title “Comeback Kids” has to be the Arizona Diamondbacks. After 124 games and 69 wins, 35 of those wins were come from behind… Great season but tough ending for the Rattlers. 73-70 loss on a TD with no time on the clock in the Championship Game … After the Georgetown men’s basketball team massive brawl in China, will locked out Suns or other NBA players still go there? Probably not. China announced today that only current free agents that would commit for the entire season in China can play… The Class of 2015 (my son included) had their big Fall welcome at Wells Fargo Arena this past week. Here’s a quick video of their Sun Devil spirit. Opening game is September 1st against UC Davis… After a rough start to their season, the Mercury took over sole possession of second place, just 4 games behind Minnesota with 10 games to play… A 2.5 game lead in late August means the D’Backs are going to make September (and hopefully October) fun for local baseball fans… A Raillife welcome to the new Men’s Golf Head Coach Tim Mickelson. Yep, little brother of ASU’s own Phil is now at the helm… I’ll be out of town, but you don’t want to miss the Black-Out against Missouri on Friday, September 9th at 7:30pm. Those black uni’s are way cool…

Bill Risser, when not hard at work for Chicago Title, can be found at the movies with his wife or on the golf course with his son. He also has a fantasy sports problem, as he participates in 3 NFL leagues, an MLB league, a NASCAR league and a PGA Tour league. Follow him on Twitter –@billrisser

Rail Life Pic Of The Week – That’s A Wrap is a post from: Rail Life

This past week, METRO unveiled a new 2011 MLB All Star Game wrap on one of their trains. Justin Upton and Luis Gonzalez were on hand to introduce the new look for the upcoming All Star Game. The train is wrapped on the outside and is also the first train to have graphics on the interior ceiling of the light rail cars.

Justin Upton and Luis Gonzalez love the train! :)

Interior shot of new METRO All Star game advertisements.

In the videos below, the Diamondback’s, Major League Baseball and METRO light rail are encouraging fans to use our trains during the 2011 MLB All Star Game festivities.

“I really encourage everyone to use METRO light rail during this event.”

METRO thanks MLB and says: "METRO is more than just this train, METRO is about getting people around town and we’re going to do a lot of that over the All Star weekend." Obviously, the trains will be taking people to and from their hotels near the light rail line, to places to grab some food or a beer along the line and to many of the sites and attractions that are anxiously awaiting some of the dollars that will be spent during the All Star game festivities.

Remember, Rail Life has a Phoenix Light Rail Group on Flickr. Basically, we want to share some of our pictures from the community and allow people to add their pics (or videos), as well. These can be light rail related, but we also want pics or videos of your favorite spot, restaurant, sports team, community, event etc.

Risser’s Ramblings – Sports Along the Line is a post from: Rail Life

For the first time in school history, the PAC 10 Champion ASU softball team is awarded the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Division 1 Championships.  First game is this Friday against North Dakota State at 5pm at Farrington Stadium.  Fear the Fork…  The DBacks come home after a 3-6 road trip.  First up – San Diego on Tuesday at 6:40.  Let’s see if some home cooking can get those bats heated up…   Suns CEO and President Rick Welts revealed he is gay in a NY Times story on Sunday.  One day, hopefully soon, this sort of news will be a non-story…  Amy LePeilbet, who played soccer at ASU, has made the U.S. women’s World Cup soccer team…  The Diamondbacks World Series championship season was really 10 years ago?  wow…   The 5 time national champion ASU baseball team, currently ranked 5th in the nation, wraps up the regular season this week.  A hearing on the appeal of the 1 year post-season ban is today in Dallas.  It probably will not affect the team this year if the ban is upheld, but it will in 2012…  The Rattlers give up 10 points in the final 21 seconds to lose a heartbreaker to Chicago Saturday night.  They are, however, 7-2 and still hold the top spot in the West…   Vontaze Burfict, former Pac-10 Freshman defensive Player of the Year, was named Lindy’s pre-season National Defensive Player of the Year.   The Devils defense is going to be a lot of fun to watch in 2011…   Former ASU star James Harden is playing a big role in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s march to the Western Conference Finals.  Nailed 4 treys in the Game 7 win against the Grizzlies… Saturday’s Dbacks win over the Dodgers was one for the record books.  It was the first time in baseball history a team had allowed one hit, no earned runs, struck out 10 batters, and lost the game.  Couldn’t happen to a better team…

Bill Risser, when not hard at work for Chicago Title, can be found at the movies with his wife or on the golf course with his son. He also has a fantasy sports problem, as he participates in 3 NFL leagues, an MLB league, a NASCAR league and a PGA Tour league. Follow him on Twitter –@billrisser

]]> http://raillife.com/blog/2011/05/17/rissers-ramblings-sports-along-the-line/feed/ 0 http://raillife.com/blog/2011/04/22/asu-spring-game-2011/ http://raillife.com/blog/2011/04/22/asu-spring-game-2011/#comments Fri, 22 Apr 2011 14:16:45 +0000 Rail Life http://raillife.com/?p=4683 ASU Spring Game – 2011 is a post from: Rail Life

Rail Life Pic Of The Week – How About Them Devils is a post from: Rail Life

This past week, ASU unveiled their new uniforms. So far, I have heard mostly positive remarks. Personally, I like them.

The black uniforms seem to have had the most reaction but I like some of the other combinations, as well.

The video below shows the new uniforms and the photo above is one I took at Tuesday’s press conference when they were first made available to the public. I’m curious to hear more reactions from Sun Devil fans. Sure, they want to increase sales and revenue, but the look is quite a bit different than what we have had in the past.

This coming Saturday is the annual Spring Game at sun Devil Stadium. I hope to see you there!

Remember, Rail Life has a Phoenix Light Rail Group on Flickr. Basically, we want to share some of our pictures from the community and allow people to add their pics (or videos), as well. These can be light rail related, but we also want pics or videos of your favorite spot, restaurant, sports team, community, event etc.

It’s Time For New ASU Uniforms: Bye Bye Sparky is a post from: Rail Life

*Update: see pics of the new ASU uniforms at the bottom of this page.*

I have been hearing talk of new ASU uniforms for a while now. At first I was hesitant, but my hesitation has turned to excitement for the upcoming changes. Apparently, there will be new color schemes for the Devils, along with a new helmet featuring a pitchfork but no Sparky. To be clear, it is my understanding that ASU does NOT intend to get rid of Sparky as the mascot, just to take him off of the helmets and replace him with a pitchfork.

Scout.com had this to say about the new ASU uniforms that should be announced today:

• Sparky is no longer on the helmets. The new helmet logo is a pitchfork design, angled horizontally toward the front of the helmet.

• There are two helmets: matte gold and matte BFBS.

• Three uniform sets: maroon, white, and BFBS, all of which can be mixed and matched.

• The shoulders will have pitchfork-prong stries, sort of like a treble hook.

• There’s a new Nike-designed number font (which will also be used on the school’s basketball and baseball jerseys).

While this is just speculation until we see what is really going to happen, people have seen some of the current ASU product put on sale at deep discounts to make room for the new arrivals. That’s cool with me because my kids LOVE Sparky and I’ll probably stock up before the start of the season.

According to the House of Sparky, there will be an unveiling of the new ASU uniforms at 2pm today. Apparently, the new uniforms have been designed by Nike and some mock ups have surfaced, but I have only seen unofficial artwork.

Reasons for the change could be many ($), but I am looking forward to checking out what they have for us and am curious to see how ASU students, faculty and Sun Devil fans react.

At ASU, “It’s Time” for a change. This year should be exciting for Sun Devil fans. I think change is good…

Watch the announcement live today at 2PM on Fox Sports AZ or head to the MU to see it for yourself!

Go Devils!

“People might ask why we’re changing”, the video below answers that question.

These are a few photos of the new ASU uniforms that were shot at the press conference.

New ASU football uniforms:

New black logo:

New maroon logo:

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