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April 14, 2009

"Golden Boy" De La Hoya announces retirement

"The Golden Boy," Oscar De La Hoya, ten-time world champion and a gold medalist in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, announced his retirement today, per BBC Sport.

After a career in which he went 39-6 with 30 knockouts, and was a champion in six different weight classes, it was hard for De La Hoya to say goodbye to the sport he loved so much. From an outdoor plaza across from the Staples Center where a statue of his person stands, he stated behind tears, "It's over inside the ring for me."

Losing four of his last seven fights, including the 8-round TKO to number-one boxer Manny Pacquiao in December of 2008 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, De La Hoya still had a hard time saying goodbye, going "back and forth" with his decision to stop competing at the highest level.

Even though he will be out of the ring, he still plans to pursue his company, Golden Boy Promotions, a combat sport promotional firm.

While some Twitterers saw this retirement coming for months...

CharmedForce Is anyone else surprised that De La Hoya is retiring? Srsly, I thought he already did. 14 Apr 2009 from web

amanjo De La Hoya officially throws in the towel. After his last fight, I'm only surprised it took him this long to quit. #boxing #sweetscience 14 Apr 2009 from Tweetie

kidvicarus Wow! Oscar de la Hoya retired today from boxing...not surprising since he got dominated on in his last fight... 14 Apr 2009 from TwitterBerry

lockhartline @headlinenews De la Hoya has been washed up for years, bout time he hung em up!! 14 Apr 2009 from web

...others were bittersweet about the legendary boxer stepping away from the ring:

Donnieholic78 gutted that De La Hoya has retired :(...was looking forward to him + Hatton...eventually happening. 14 Apr 2009 from web

NeRoOfROME missing "The Golden Boy" Oscar De La Hoya.. have a great retirement... You are definetly on my top five pound 4 pound fighters of all time! 14 Apr 2009 from web

FlowsWell De La Hoya retires! 1 less reason to watch boxing maybe he or mayweather will come back one day 14 Apr 2009 from mobile web

naNYminute Oscar De La Hoya retires from active fighting! A blow to the boxing world. A HUGE fan of the Golden Boy, I lay my head. 14 Apr 2009 from web

Crubalo Oscar De La Hoya has retired. He's been my fav overseas fighter since the 90's. He's calling it a day at the right time though. Legend. 14 Apr 2009 from TweetDeck

Per YouTube user PaulFVillarreal2, here is a clip of De La Hoya's retirement speech.

ESPN launches hyperlocal site in Chicago

ESPN launched a new site today to tap into the hyperlocal market with ESPNChicago.com.

The ESPN affiliate is a SportsCenter-style approach to covering Chicago's sports teams: Bulls, Bears, Blackhawks, Cubs, White Sox, Fire and Sky.

ESPN Chicago also has coverage of college teams in Illinois, plus Notre Dame, and prep sports in the state too.

The format of the site is set up similarly to ESPN.com, with a blue Chicago skyline background.

Chicagoans and others in the Twitterverse seem enthusiastic about an ESPN site with a Second City twist:

p462 The TV suggested I check out espnchicago.com, so I am. Its very nice to have a website dedicated to Chicago sports 14 Apr 2009 from TweetDeck

scotts_thoughts gotta admit ESPNChicago.com is pretty cool. hopefully seattle and maybe even vancouver one day. Can't wait for the Cutler coverage, haha. 14 Apr 2009 from TweetDeck

QW_Tommy Lovin espnchicago.com, ESPN has done something I love for 1st time in awhile... 14 Apr 2009 from TweetDeck

cscottmoody ESPNChicago.com - Finally something other than ESPN NY, er ESPN http://twurl.nl/k523vo 14 Apr 2009 from Tweetburner

DailyCubsTalk I love watching the daily Chicago Sportscenter on ESPNChicago.com 14 Apr 2009 from TwitterFox

chrisjensen33 My day just got way better, espn has a new website dedicated to chi town sports. www.espnchicago.com yes 14 Apr 2009 from txt

michaelshorman espnChicago is online! All da bears, all da time! 14 Apr 2009 from web

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Former Sun Devils Coach Bruce Synder loses cancer battle

Former Arizona State football coach, Bruce Synder, died yesterday at the age of 69 after losing a 10-month battle with cancer, per ESPN.com.

Synder is most remembered for leading the Sun Devils to an undefeated regular season in 1996 and to the 1997 Rose Bowl. He earned a consensus 1996 national coach of the year award as well as 13 other major coach of the year awards that season -- including the Paul "Bear" Bryant Award.

Additionally, he earned Pac-10 Coach of the Year twice -- at ASU and also at California in 1990. He was recently inducted into the ASU Athletic Hall of Distinction, serving the university's football team as head coach from 1992-2000 with a 126-105-5 record.

Arizona State fans mourned the loss and thanked Synder for his years as a Sun Devil:

Electroleon Goodbye to a great sun devil, Bruce Synder was one of the best. 13 Apr 2009 from web

oaklandlawyer RIP Bruce Synder, we loved you! 14 Apr 2009 from web

teamsantana thinks today's trio of heroes passing was a bit too much at once. R.I.P. Mark Fidrych, Bruce Synder and Harry Kalas! 14 Apr 2009 from web

dpatricklewis Good morning all, I just want to say thank you to Bruce Snyder for all those great years of ASU Football. RIP Bruce. 14 Apr 2009 from TweetDeck

finishthedrill condolences to family of former ASU HFC Bruce Snyder and the entire Sun Devil family!! 14 Apr 2009 from web

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Last June, Snyder was diagnosed with cancer. He is survived by his wife, three daughters, a son-in-law, two grandchildren, four sisters and two brothers.

April 13, 2009

Featured TwitPic: Opening Night at Citi Field

"wow. more citi field." (Posted by @GermainLussier, Monroe, New York, April 13, 2009)

Phils Hall of Fame broadcaster Kalas dies

Per the Philadelphia Inquirer, Phillies' announcer Harry Kalas, 73, died at 1:20 p.m. today.

While preparing for a game between the Phillies and Washington Nationals, Kalas collapsed in the press box and was rushed to the hospital. A cause of death has not been announced.

Known for his deep baritone, signature home run call ("Outta here!") and for singing "High Hopes" in celebration, Kalas began broadcasting Phillies' games in 1971. He also served as the voice-over narrator for NFL Films.

Across Twitter, fans paid their respects to the broadcast legend.

Champagne37 (State College, Pa.) thinks baseball in Heaven just got a whole lot better. Homerun...that ball is outta here! RIP Harry Kalas, you are a legend. <3 13 Apr 2009 from web

countylines (Cecil County, Md.) harry kalas has passed away...i really can't believe this...at least i heard him call a world series in my lifetime. 13 Apr 2009 from web

brianeison RIP to Harry Kalas, a tremendous voice for the Phils and NFL Films and we've lost another voice of great memories for multiple generations. 13 Apr 2009 from web

mseiden Its a somber day in the Seiden household and across the world. Goodbye Harry Kalas. "That balls outta here!". 13 Apr 2009 from TwitterBerry

metroelectrical (Easton, Pa.) Saddened by the loss of Phillies broadcaster Harry Kalas. Harry, you will be missed. 13 Apr 2009 from web

simplystrick (Wilmington, N.C.) harry the k is outttaaa heeerrrrreee, RIP Harry Kalas give Gene Hart a handshake for us... 13 Apr 2009 from web

dcstpaul (Oakland, Calif.) RIP Harry Kalas. Voice of the Phillies and NFL Films. You were the voice that brought baseball into my home when I was a kid. 13 Apr 2009 from txt

dmoody46 (Cincinnati, Ohio) Terrible week for baseball. Nick Adenhart on Thursday, and Phillies radio broadcaster Harry Kalas and '76 AL ROY Mark Fidrych today. 13 Apr 2009 from web

Corpaly (Pottsville, Pa.) Completely in shock harry kalas died:( 13 Apr 2009 from TwitterFon