Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "Sports"

New Look for "World's Oldest Triathlon" Eppie's Great Race

2012-02-09T20:24:08Z

Popular Sacramento area triathlon, Eppie’s Great Race, announces the recent overhaul of its website, a new logo and an expanded social media presence. The website (www.eppiesgreatrace.org) takes a one-stop-shopping approach with registration and race information all in one place. The integrated registration system featured on the new site is powered by the NGIN website platform that turns the process into a positive, efficient and secure online experience for all participants.

Multimedia and printable detailed maps educate participants about the racecourse and how best to prepare for competing in the run-bike-paddle triathlon. The website also highlights the unique specialized programs offered by the event’s beneficiary, Sacramento County Therapeutic Recreation Services (TRS).

“There are a lot of changes we’re implementing as we prepare for next year’s 40th anniversary of Eppie’s Great Race,” said Eppie Johnson, race founder. “Our primary goal of the new website is to enhance the experience of race participants whether they are first-time competitors or seasoned athletes.”

Increased visibility on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter is encouraging easy communication between Eppie’s Great Race staff and athletes. The new logo is being incorporated in all Eppie’s Great Race marketing and communications for a contemporary, clean and cohesive feel to the 39-year-old paddling triathlon.

To view the new Eppie’s Great Race website, please visit www.eppiesgreatrace.org.

Registration is open for Eppie’s Great Race and Kids Duathlon that take place on July 21, 2012, along the American River Parkway in Sacramento and Rancho Cordova. Eppie’s Great Race is a fundraising event benefiting Sacramento County Therapeutic Recreation Services (TRS) that provides socialization, outings and support for individuals with various disabilities that reside in the greater Sacramento area. To date, Eppie’s Great Race has raised nearly $1 million for TRS.

For more information about Eppie’s Great Race, call 916.381.0255 or visit:
www.eppiesgreatrace.org
www.facebook.com/eppies.great.race
www.twitter.com/eppiesgreatrace

Major League Baseball returns to Sacramento in March

2012-02-09T01:10:39Z

Before the Sacramento River Cats begin the 2012 season in defense of their 10th division title in 12 years, one of the most successful American professional sports franchises will host one of Major League Baseball's most storied champions.

For the first time in half a decade Major League Baseball will be played in Sacramento as the River Cats host their parent affiliate Oakland Athletics on March 31, 2012. Following a successful 2011 season, in which Sacramento won its 10th Pacific Coast League South Division title, the River Cats kick off the 2012 season against some familiar faces who have found success at the Major League level.

The River Cats will host the four-time World Series champion Oakland A's for a fifth time – the first four were sellouts – at Raley Field in West Sacramento.

Since moving to Sacramento in 2000, the River Cats have been one of Minor League Baseball's most successful franchises – winning two Triple-A Championships (2007, 2008), four PCL Championships (2003, 2004, 2007, 2008) and drawing more fans than any other Minor League team over the past 12 seasons.

The roster of former Sacramento River Cats who had successful careers with the A's and the rest of Major League Baseball is an elite one.

Sacramento has graduated more than 200 players to the Majors, including 2002 Cy Young Award Winner Barry Zito, 2002 American League Rookie of the Year Eric Hinske and Dallas Braden, who famously pitched the 19th perfect game in MLB history for the A's on May 9, 2010.Braden, pitcher Brett Anderson, shortstop Cliff Pennington, catcher Kurt Suzuki and second baseman Jemile Weeks are among current A’s players who passed through Raley Field.

The March 31 exhibition game will be the first time a Major League team has played in Sacramento since the River Cats last hosted the A's in 2007. In 12 years, Raley Field has hosted eight Major League games – four between the River Cats and A's (2001, 2003, 2006, 2007), twice against the San Diego Padres in 2001 and the Colorado Rockies in 2004.

The A's will hit the bags at Raley Field against the River Cats just two days after a five-game tour through Japan.

For more information visit www.RiverCats.com/Oakland

Disclosure: Brett Ransford is a Media Relations intern with the Sacramento River Cats.

Family Circus workshops

2012-02-08T05:09:00Z

On Sunday morning at the University of California, Davis Mondavi Center, Kevin O’Connor, Slater Penney, Christine Germain and Emily Leap led two free workshops on rope climbing, juggling, building human pyramids and using the trapeze. Each 90-minute workshop accommodated 60 very lucky participants ranging from age 4 to adult. More than 300 people could not be accommodated.

Kevin O’Connor, an MFA choreography candidate and graduate of the National Circus School of Montreal, was the event’s organizer. O’Connor invited three other trained professionals to lead the four simultaneous workshops sponsored by the new UC Davis Institute for Exploration in Theatre, Dance and Performance.

The morning workshop buzzed with energy from participants, and a passion for teaching was exhibited by Slater Penney, an educator in physical theater and Emmy winner who opened the event and led the group through a series of warm-ups that included stretches for legs, torso and hands.

Other exercises included spatial awareness activities that required each participant to find a person to follow and to keep that person on their right. The catch here was not to tell the other person. Penney then directed the participants to locate another person and keep that person on the left. The key was to keep the original person to the right and add the second person.

After warming up and learning more about spatial awareness, Penney broke the group into three smaller groups of about 20 participants each for the first of three rotations of juggling, human pyramid building and aerialist work. Each group spent time in each of the three areas. The aerialist work was divided between rope climbing and trapeze work.

Penney led the group in juggling colored scarves and tennis balls. Scarves were wadded and dropped and participants were asked to perform while the scarf was floating to the ground. A waving of arms, dance moves and jumping took place before the pink, blue, orange, green and yellow scarves landed. Scarves were tossed high and caught on heads and juggled before participants were given tennis balls – first one, then two.

Penney refers to himself as a “Jack of all trades” and said that he loves teaching. His passion for teaching and for the circus arts shone as bright as his orange shirt. He leads programs for children from 5-10 years old at the International House in Davis.

The group next to Penney, led by Christine Germain, a dancer and an MFA student, worked on partnering skills and trust as they held hands and leaned back or placed themselves back to back and moved from standing to a squatting position and back. Germain told the group as she led them through the building of a small human pyramid that the lizard becomes the rock. Weight distribution was discussed, and no one fell over during the morning workshop.

Along the back wall, O’Connor led the third group through rope climbing. Perhaps the only disappointed participant was Katrina Hernes, an avid tree climber and gymnast, who was told that she would not be permitted to climb to the top of the ropes for safety reasons.

Rope climbers also worked with aerialist and dancer, Emily Leap, on the trapeze where she first demonstrated a spin and then guided participants, holding firmly to the small children.

Each group worked for approximately 20 minutes with each leader, and the time seemed too short for most when the 60 participants were reassembled for cool-down exercises led by O’Connor.

“As part of my upcoming MFA thesis presentation,” said O’Connor as he explained the reason for the workshops, “I wanted to activate the Mondavi space with a whole cross range of the surrounding Davis community. I wanted to bring people into the space to play, learn, meet each other and share ideas. I think more of these types of workshops could happen here so that the Mondavi center has a felt sense of being a creative space and force in the community.”

O’Connor, with collaborator Leap, will present dis/connect, a show that explores the idea of place, at the Mondavi Center for two weekends beginning February 16. The show will feature four additional dancer/circus artists and three vocalists and will be, according to O’Connor, “an interactive event that will move between a performance and audience participation,” with a soundscape featuring live vocalists.

Many attendees and several workshop leaders expressed a desire for more workshops like those presented Sunday where children and adults, and friends and family came together to learn more about themselves, about circus acts, and to enjoy themselves.

Intro to Photojournalism Workshop Feb. 21

2012-02-07T01:08:27Z

Photographs are an important part of storytelling and can often tell a story on their own. After a brief workshop hiatus, our first Sacramento Press workshop for 2012 will be on photojournalism. (The Journalism Open workshop wasn't a typical workshop for us.)

John Hernandez will teach an introductory photojournalism workshop from 6:30 - 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21 at the Sacramento Press office called "Introduction to Photojournalism."

Hernandez is a Sacramento-based photographer. He has professional experience in wedding, portrait and social documentary photography as well as various multimedia platforms, including audio slideshows. He has freelanced for ABS-CBN, a Filipino American news channel, and interned at The Sacramento Press. He has a journalism degree and Asian American studies minor from San Francisco State University.

He will discuss photojournalism – what it is and what it isn’t. Hernandez will also talk about equipment, tips for shooting and demonstrate how to make an audio slideshow.

Our office is located at 431 I St., Suite 107, in the Sacramento Valley Station station. We are in the same building complex as Starbucks.

We recommend you find parking on the street, bike or take light rail, as the Amtrak parking lot charges, and we cannot cover the cost of parking.

To RSVP, email workshops@sacramentopress.com. If you RSVP and decide later not to attend, please send us an email to notify us that you will not be coming so we can have an accurate head count.

Thanks, and we hope to see you here!

Comeback kids pull one out, Kings turn back Blazers 95-92

2012-02-04T02:01:42Z

Since Keith Smart took over coaching duties last month, the Kings have had very little practice time and never had everyone on the roster available for a game.

Things changed this week when the Kings were able to get more time in between games to work on their new game plans. Add that to a healthy Marcus Thornton returning to the lineup and, wham-o!, a team with real possibilities has emerged.

After being down at the half by nine and being throttled by LaMarcus Aldridge the entire time (19 points on 9-of-11 shooting with five rebounds), Smart changed up his formula in guarding the Blazers standout forward which led to a terrific third quarter as the Kings held on the beat the pesky Portland Trailblazers 95-92 on Thursday evening at Power Balance Pavilion.

The Kings came out hustling, but some dumb fouls on the defensive end turned into easy points for the Blazers.

DeMarcus Cousins looked good early but got into foul trouble quickly and didn’t play most of the first quarter.

Aldridge has a great jump shot from inside the circle and put his skills on display early in this one. It didn’t matter who was matched up defensively against him. The way Portland was moving the ball around the court kept Kings players constantly chasing the ball, and Aldridge found himself more open than not for most of the half.

The lone bright spot in the first half for the home team was the ice-cold-as-of-late John Salmons. Salmons had 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting that included two three-point bombs.

The wheels almost fell off in the second quarter as a bad mix of players had several defensive breakdowns. With J.J. Hickson, Isaiah Thomas, Travis Outlaw, Thornton and Chuck Hayes on the floor, it seemed that there wasn’t enough leadership or offensive firepower to keep up with Portland.

Smart noticed in time and stopped the bleeding by putting Cousins, Tyreke Evans and Jason Thompson back in the game with about 6:40 left in the second. Down by nine, that adjustment was enough to get Sacramento within three, until several Kings misses let the Blazers get the nine-point lead back before the buzzer.

The Kings scored six straight points as Evans and Cousins came out aggressive to open the third, until Cousins picked up two quick fouls that sent him to the pine early again.

With Cousins on the bench, it was time for Thompson to step up, and he did.

Thompson is having his best year to date and is a real force inside now for the Kings. Thompson finished with 13 points and 12 boards and was very active on the defensive end.

Thompson is fully aware of his improved play but doesn’t see it as a surprise. The way he tells it, if he didn’t have four different coaches in his four campaigns, things may be a little different for the man from Rider.

“It’s tough,” Thompson said after the contest. “Four different systems, and every coach wanted something differently out of me. For me, to keep my head and always staying ready for the future and being positive, then things can work out well.”

Good for J.T.! When you break it down, he’s been the most consistent player so far this season.

Once Evans slammed a ball home to tie the game at 63-63 late in the third, you could feel the momentum change. It seems that every time you just give the hometown faithful some hope, they jump out of their collective seats to show their support.

Thursday was no different.

The fans, who sat on their hands until this point, went crazy when Portland called a timeout to collect themselves.

When Salmons open the final stanza with a three, the fans stayed in the game the rest of the way.

Like the fans, Salmons has been waiting for his game to come around. Thursday, he had his best game of the season.

“It definitely feels good to hit shots,” he said. “When you’re not hitting shots like you’re supposed to, you get frustrated. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t frustrated. You just have to stick with it, keep going and try to continue to believe and keep working hard.”

The final moments saw rookie guard Isaiah Thomas get a jaw-dropping block and the Blazers miss two game-tying three-pointers.

Thornton had 20 in his return from a deep thigh contusion and said it’s hard to sit on the bench when you want to contribute so badly.

“It was very, very frustrating knowing I couldn’t get out there and help my team do anything,” he said. “It made me realize that me without basketball, I’m basically dead. Basketball is my life and has been my life since I was little, so I was just so happy to be out there with my teammates.”

KINGS NOTES: Evans had another solid all-around game with 18 points, five boards, five assists . . . Jimmer Fredette, Francisco Garcia and Donte Greene all had DNP-CDs (did not play - coach’s decision) . . . Chuck Hayes said he’s still being careful with his shoulder as any type of collision could dislocate it again . . . Former King Gerald Wallace was held in check and had only eight points and three boards.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF:

Darren Hall at www.darrenhallphotography.net/

Body Fit Challenge Offers People a Chance to Shed Pounds

2012-02-01T19:14:15Z

California Family Fitness (CFF) today announced that its’ next Body Fit Challenge (BFC) will begin Saturday, February 25, and interested individuals are encouraged to sign-up. The BFC is an eight-week long group training program, in which the participants are coached by a trainer through twice weekly group workout sessions, and educated on exercise habits, nutrition and lifestyle changes.

“The Body Fit Challenge has been a great success for our members since it first started three years ago,” said Randy Karr, president of California Family Fitness. “Throughout the duration of the BFC, participants have shed more than 35,000 pounds. We are very proud of the BFC, and are thrilled to be a part of such a life-changing program for so many people.”

At the end of the eight week program, prizes are awarded to the participants who lose the highest percentage of body weight at each CFF club, as well as the top male and female participants company-wide.

“I was hesitant at first to try the Body Fit Challenge because I was insecure about my ability to life weights. But, I decided to give it a try and I’m so glad I did,” said Liz Ramirez, CFF member and BFC participant. “My experience was amazing, and my trainer was phenomenal. She was positive, encouraging and motivated me to try harder every day. In eight short weeks I lost 36 pounds, and I feel better than I have ever felt before in my life.”

To find out more about California Family Fitness’ upcoming Body Fit Challenge, please click here. Both members and non-members are welcome to participate in this program.

Disclosure: Justin Dyke is a public relations professional representing California Family Fitness.

American Heart Association's Start Training 2012

2012-02-01T07:04:33Z

The American Heart Association (AHA) held its 2012 Start Training Team Kickoff on Saturday at the California Family Fitness Center in Folsom. The event included health screenings, nutritional and health information as well as a series of mentor and inspirational speeches.

This year’s run/walk half marathon will be held at the American River Parkway on April 28. Participants are required to raise a minimum of $500 through writing letters, email campaigns and personal fundraising websites.

The goal for this campaign is $100,000. By the kickoff meeting, a little over $6,000 had already been pledged.

Start Training is a team training program for AHA half marathon participants of all levels and abilities. The meeting gave people who attended a chance to meet the AHA, mentors and coaches, and culminated in a one-mile walk/run with the AHA team.

The team takes walkers and runners from the first step to the finish line of a marathon or half marathon event. Weekly group training meetings are scheduled to help participants raise funds for the AHA and the American Stroke Association. Mentor meet-ups are scheduled to be held at McKinley Park on Tuesdays. Practices are also conducted and led by experienced mentors.

Justin Carlino talks about his involvement as AHA mentor.

Team mentor Justin Carlino shared his story of living in a house with a long, steep driveway, which he and his wife walked every day. One day, he had to stop because of a shortness of breath. His doctor referred him to a local cardiologist, who diagnosed him with dilated cardiomyopathy, meaning his heart had continued to grow without subsequent growth of heart muscle.

“There were three possible causes: pregnancy, alcoholism, or poison,” Carlino said. “I’m a male who hardly drank alcohol except for an occasional glass of wine.”

After a few years, Carlino was referred to a Stanford Hospital cardiologist for further treatment. Treatment continued for 13 years.

Carlino had a pacemaker installed and was then put on the heart transplant list. Feeling horrible during a holiday, he called the cardiologist and was advised to come in the next day. His blood pressure at the time was 70 over 50, and he was immediately sent to the hospital. Two days later, a heart was available. After five hours of surgery, Carlino had a new heart.

At the time, the hospital had a transplant age cut-off at 70 but made an exception for this case. Carlino, at 73, became the oldest heart transplant recipient in Stanford’s history. Today there is no age limit for transplants at Stanford.

Carlino soon became a volunteer for the California Transplant Donor Network. It wasn’t until recently, at a presentation at the EMT training facility in Stockton, that he learned his pre-transplant condition was classified 1-A, which meant that at the time he had approximately two weeks to live without the transplant.

He now has a patch installed in his chest to correct a venal hernia, eye lenses after laser surgery for cataract removal, has had laser surgery to correct a prostate problem, surgery on his left hand to correct carpel tunnel syndrome, two lower back surgeries and surgery on his right elbow. He says the only original body parts he has are his legs and feet.

Seven and a half years after transplant, Carlino walks rapidly every day. His goal in supporting the AHA was to walk a half marathon.

“I got to the point of walking five miles a day, every day, and I’ve been doing that as soon as I was able to after the heart transplant,” he said. “So that put me in shape for this half marathon. I’ve never done something like that before.”

His strategy for that half marathon was to intentionally start last, at 567th place, to see how many walkers he could pass. He easily passed the first walker who was on crutches, and at the end of the race he had improved his standing by 318 places. His pace of 16.5 minutes per mile was a new record. This year’s goal is to beat that record.

“At the finish line, somebody tapped me on the shoulder,” he said. “I turned, and they gave me a medal. They also gave me a bottle of water, and I turned forward again and the legs said, ‘OK, are you happy we did it,’ then – boom! – I fell forward on my face.”

“I think the real reason I did it is because I had it in my mind,” he said. “I set my mind to it, and I didn’t veer. No rest stops, fluids were given to me during the walk. No potty stops. I just kept going.”

Pam Clements shares her inspirational story.

Stroke survivor Pam Clements also shared her story at the kickoff.

“One Saturday, six years ago, I was very happy,” she said. “I had saved my money and I was going shoe shopping. While I was shopping, and I had some shoes in my hand, something happened. All of a sudden, out of nowhere, I got this severe, sudden headache. I got really dizzy, and when I got dizzy I got scared, but I did not know what was happening to me.”

She sat down and believed she was going to die.

“I did not know the warning signs to a stroke,” she said, listing sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arms, or legs, confusion, trouble speaking or understanding, trouble seeing from one or both eyes, trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination, and severe headaches with no known cause. “If you’re having a stroke, you do not need to have all five of those symptoms. I did not have all five of them. I did not get confused, because I never put those shoes down.”

Two months later, a similar thing happened.

“I remember this day so vividly because I was so happy that day,” she said. “I was so happy, and I looked over at my husband and my little yorkie, and I said, ‘God, thank you for giving me such an awesome husband.’ And then moments later that same thing happened again.”

Clements’ husband took her to the emergency room immediately. At the time of the stroke, she was 48 years old, but she said there’s no age limit for a stroke.

“Just imagine waking up one day feeling good and then seconds later your whole life changes,” she said. “When this happened to me, I couldn’t get out of bed by myself, I couldn’t go to the bathroom, I couldn’t walk. I had to learn everything all over again.”

Mentors in AHA half marathon volunteer to help with training and encoruagement.

Each mentor had encouraging words for participants and was a good example of different ages and abilities and how the AHA had become part of their lives.

Participants and guests were then told what donations can do for the community.

“The reason we raise money for AHA is threefold; educate, spread the message you need to be aware of and tell friends and family,” said Erin Harris. Raising awareness and money for research are primary goals. Harris noted that the University of California, Davis had received $900,000 from AHA for research.

“The AHA has funded 12 Nobel Prize Winners for their work directly related to heart and strokes. This is huge and our passion is to make sure that this enthusiasm continues, to make sure we as a community not only know that we need to get health care but that we also have the tools to do that,” said Harris.

Harris said that $50,000 can fund a doctoral student for an entire year and reaching the goal of $100,000, “We can fund two of those just through this fundraising program, so that’s our goal.”

The presentation also included a game where questions were asked and someone in the crowd received a prize for answering correctly. The question of how to reach their goal was discussed during the game. Celia Cortez held a board with the top “5 Ways to Fundraise.” These five ways to raise funding included letter writing, online fundraising, matching gifts, social media and rummage sales.

Coach Raymond Martinez stated that participants were doing something fantastic not only for themselves but were also raising awareness and motivating others.

“We’re all in this together building to participate in that first half marathon,” said Martinez. “We’re going to make it fun for you. We can all go out and run a half marathon today but it just might take us forever. This program will allow us to participate safely and take our time building up to it so that when that day comes it’s more fun, it’s safer, we’re reducing our risk of injury and we’re going to have a good time on that day.”

Martinez said that as participants train it’s important to know that you do your best and stick to it. Participants were encouraged to have fun. He also introduced Daryl Parker, a professor of Exercise Physiology at California State University, Sacramento.

Parker is an exercise physiologist who works at Mercy General Hospital and is also a professor at CSUS. Parker indicated that he loves to come to this type of meeting and listen to speakers and mentors. Parker shared that their speeches motivate him as well. He spoke about the kinds of things people should expect during their training period.

Not all expectations are good, noted Parker. His presentation covered several key items participants of the half marathon should expect.

Parker explained that realistic expectations should be set in order to succeed.

“I have to bring research data otherwise people won’t believe me when I talk. Exercise is good, right? That’s what we came. Chronic exercise is good for you and research backs this. Regular exercise is good for the body. Don’t expect too much too fast as this takes time,” he said. “Keep showing up and success will follow, don’t expect too much too fast.”

Good and bad things follow exercise. Parker suggested setting a threshold and doing exercise. He compared it to a prescription and taking certain doses. A minimum dose should be taken to burn calories and suggested that it could be achieved by taking four to six hourly walks four to six times a week. Another dose could be done by running. You can burn more calories by running three times a week for 20 to 30 minutes. Parker indicated that these doses also serve as disease management.

The training introduction covered many topics and all of the speakers were inspirational. Volunteers at the event helped things go smoothly and they were all more than willing to answer any questions. Mercy General was thanked for their participation and for being a big supporter of the program.

After all the speeches were done, participants were able to do a one mile run/walk to complete the team kickoff meeting. Several runners completed the run quickly, and walkers were able to chat about their experience at the kickoff and talk about their training programs and goals for the April 28 half marathon.

Super Bowl hot spots in Sacramento

2012-02-01T03:40:48Z

For football fans still suffering from the San Francisco 49ers’ devastating loss to the New York Giants in the NFC Championship game, the Super Bowl may have lost some of its sparkle. But with Sacramento’s great bar scene, one can’t help but be drawn to the festivities.

The Giants face the New England Patriots in Sunday’s game, a rematch of the Super Bowl game four years ago in which the Giants ended the Patriots’ perfect season. The Sacramento Press found these spots to celebrate – or drown your sorrows.

BarWest Burgers & Wings
2724 J St.
476-4550
19 flatscreen televisions, one 10-foot projection screen

At BarWest, the festivities start at 9 a.m. with an eating contest. The brave can take on the “Hot Mess,” a concoction that General Manager Ryan Pierini said has only been conquered once before.

Contestants have 30 minutes to finish the plate – English muffins piled with six eggs, six slices of bacon, six sausage links and country potatoes, covered in Hollandaise sauce. Participants must sign up with the bar by Saturday.

Winners do not have to pay for their food, and they will receive a gift certificate. Anyone who attempts the feat, Pierini said, will receive a consolation prize – a “Super Bowl shot” of their choice.

“We hope to make this an annual tradition,” Pierini said.

Bud Light and Coors Light Girls will be on hand, passing out “bar bucks” good for $1 off beer.

Ink Eats and Drinks
2730 N St.
456-2800
Four televisions

If beer isn’t your thing, perhaps Ink Eats and Drinks will draw you in. The restaurant and bar is running margarita specials on Sunday as part of a promotion with Jose Cuervo Platino tequila.

The Platino Girls will be on site from 3 - 5 p.m., said Jocelyn McGregor, marketing and promotions manager for Ink Eats and Drinks.

In addition to $3 appetizer plates, various fruit-flavored margaritas will be available for $5, and a Jose Cuervo Tradicional “touchdown shot” for $3. For $6, patrons can have a Pabst Blue Ribbon with a shot of Jose Cuervo Tradicional, McGregor said.

Monkey Bar
2730 Capitol Ave.
442-8490
Two televisions

Get started early with Monkey Bar’s happy hour special, ending at 2 p.m. A bottomless mimosa for $10 and Absolut Bloody Marys for $5 are available, and various drink specials will be available throughout the game, Manager Stacey Stell said.

The Depot Video Bar
2001 K St.
441-6823
34 televisions

The Depot Video Bar may have the best shot at a great view for the game with 34 televisions. Each one will show the game, said employee Tim Shaw.

The bar will run happy hour specials throughout the day, including $1 draft domestic beers and $3 pitchers of Miller, Shaw said. Pizza and peanuts will also be on hand.

Streets of London
1804 J St.
498-1388
Three televisions, including a big screen behind the bar

The typical happy hour fare will be offered during the game at Streets of London, Manager Brooke Tachibana said. Customers can enjoy a 20-ounce beer for $4 or get a pitcher for $11. Well cocktails are available for $3.50.

R15
1431 R St.
930-9191
14 televisions

If football alone isn’t enough, R15 will have the Budweiser Girls on hand to give out T-shirts and hats, said Manager Chris Randone.

“We’re going to have some beer,” Randone said. “The game will be shown on every single one of our TVs.”

R15 will also offer its usual bar appetizers, including pizzas, sliders and quesadillas.

Alley Katz
2019 O St.
442-2682
Seven televisions

Starting at noon, Alley Katz will offer happy hour pricing for patrons. Bartender Jon Alford said to arrive early for the best shot at staking out a spot. The bar has seven booths, and extra cocktail tables will be brought in to accommodate the Super Bowl crowd.

“We’ll have our $30 beer towers,” Alford said. “They are a yard tall and have their own taps – kind of fun if you have a group.”

Alley Katz has more than 200 different beers available, as well as a full bar and a variety of appetizers and sandwiches available for under $12.

The Golden Bear
2326 K St.
441-2242
One television

Many northern Californians had hoped to see a local team playing on Sunday, but San Francisco 49ers fans still have a place to watch the game.

“What we’re really hoping to offer is a safe haven for disappointed 49ers fans,” said co-owner Kimio Bazett, a lifelong fan. He added that a surprise drink special will be available for anyone who comes in wearing 49ers gear.

The Golden Bear’s football fare will be a general, all-American barbecue party, Bazett said.

“Our chefs are whipping up something crazy,” Bazett said, and added that they’ll offer $1 off Miller High Life, to keep with the American beer theme.

Where will you watch the game, and which team do you want to see take the win?

Mayor: Responses to parking lessee search ‘promising’

2012-01-31T22:58:21Z

Mayor Kevin Johnson said 13 companies have expressed interest in leasing the city’s parking system for the next 50 years – a move he described as “promising” as the city looks to bring in $240 million to finance an arena through the process.

“(The responses) show a lot of interest. That is consistent with what we expected,” Mayor Kevin Johnson said Tuesday at his weekly press conference. “It is really encouraging.”

The 13 “letters of intent” arrived after the city sent more than 100 letters to parking operators across the nation in early January. The deadline for interested parties to respond was Monday.

The names of the interested companies will be released Thursday, Johnson said.

Although there is yet to be a completed term sheet outlining the conditions of a potential lease, Johnson said suggestions of parking rate increases could be a deal-breaker for the city.

“Some other cities (that leased their parking) have seen their parking rates go sky high, and that is just not acceptable for us,” he said.

Johnson wouldn’t speculate about how much a final contract might bring the city, but he said he believes the responses create a competitive environment where bidding will be pushed to the higher end of the estimated $180 million - $240 million range.

City staff and parking representatives will review the responses to verify qualifications and shorten the list of potential bidders, Johnson said. That “short list” should be ready for the City Council to consider by Feb. 14, he added.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Perennial Cellar Dwellars: What Happened to the Sacramento Kings?

2012-01-28T17:44:29Z

No trips to the playoffs since George W. Bush was just beginning his second term. No players on the roster even close to All-Star consideration. No recognition for a franchise that just a few years prior was playing in front of a national television audience seemingly on a weekly basis. Even the most optimistic onlookers have had few positive things to say about the Sacramento Kings for nearly a decade.

The Sacramento Kings have spent their last three drafts, where they selected with the fourth, fifth and 10th overall picks, stockpiling highly touted NCAA stars Tyreke Evans, DeMarcus Cousins and Jimmer Fredette. The mid-season acquisition of explosive scorer Marcus Thornton last February and an existing roster of capable and athletic ballplayers had legions of Sacramento fans buzzing that finally their beloved team would again be competitive, or at the very least play an exciting brand of basketball.

Just one month into this abbreviated NBA season, neither the former nor the latter ring true. Only four other teams in the league have won fewer games than the Kings, now with six wins in 19 games.

Head coach Paul Westphal was the first casualty by the team's poor performance, getting fired after seven games in early January. The team does hold the distinction of being the youngest in the league. That fact might lend credence to their struggles if not for the Oklahoma City Thunder, who are the second youngest team in the NBA, and they currently boast an impressive conference-leading 15-3 mark.

The Kings average a paltry 90.5 points per contest, good for 24th in the league. Defensively the team is yielding 102.6 per game, worst in the NBA. They are ranked 28th in three-point shooting, 24th in free-throw shooting and average just 15.7 assists per game, by far the worst.

Not much positive to draw from those statistics. It is astounding that the Kings have even won six games despite their rank in those key categories.

Excuses are few and far between for this franchise, and there are plenty of places to reasonably place blame. Geoff Petrie, the team's longtime basketball executive, has his fingerprints all over the scene of the crime. Petrie has been solely responsible for the construction of the roster since 1994. The NBA, like all professional sports, is an ultra competitive, “what have you done for me lately” high-stakes poker affair. Consequently, his two NBA Executive of the Year awards won in 1999 and 2001, while a remarkable achievement, feel like ancient history.

To be fair, Petrie can only spend what his owners will allow him to. Petrie has had the enormous burden of attempting to rebuild an aging, talentless roster despite an ownership group that has been pinching pennies since 2007.

The Maloofs continued to invest millions into their crown jewel, the Palms in Las Vegas, just as the recession began to take shape. They have liquified nearly all of their beloved assets, including their WNBA franchise, the Sacramento Monarchs, their beer distributorship in New Mexico and almost all of their stock in the Palms (the family now owns just 2 percent of the hotel they built).

Sacramento has finished among the lowest in team salary the last five years. It's no coincidence that the Maloofs’ financial peril corresponds with the Kings dwindling payroll. Last season, the team was forced to trade for a player (Marquis Daniels) who was nursing a career-threatening neck injury and never even dressed for a single game for the team, simply so the Kings could get to the league's minimum salary.

So while other teams are spending their summers offering multimillion dollar contracts to elite NBA free agents, the Kings are trading for players who can't even step foot on the court. Not exactly the best way to appease your eternally loyal fanbase.

The players themselves, of course, deserve a lion's share of the blame as well. Even if the Kings are less talented than their opponents most nights, at some point professional pride and competitive nature have to rise from within.

Tyreke Evans, the 2008-09 NBA Rookie of the Year, has seen production and efficiency drop at an alarming rate from his rookie year. Evans contributed one of the best rookie seasons in league history, becoming just one of four NBA players to average 20 points, five rebounds and five assists in their first year.

His second campaign, which was marred by plantar fasciitis, was abysmal. He saw dips in his scoring, rebounding, assists and field goal percentage. Just 19 games into the current season, Evans has been even worse. All aforementioned stats have dropped even further and his field goal percentage is a pathetic 40.5 percent.

Recent winners of the league's prestigious honor of Rookie of the Year include Kevin Durant, Derrick Rose and Blake Griffin. Those players have improved considerably every year and, not surprisingly, their teams have as well. Each of those three play for teams that will be in the playoffs and are vying for the ultimate prize. The Kings success, both short and long term, is tied directly to Evans' development.

Second year center DeMarcus Cousins has battled inconsistency and immaturity in his short time with the club. Cousins, just 21 years old, is blessed with outstanding offensive gifts. Soft hands, brilliant footwork in the post, a capable jumpshot that extends to 20 feet and an unusually high basketball IQ for a player who only played collegiately for one season. He also leads the NBA in charges taken and is currently sixth in rebounding, averaging 11 per game.

Cousins has been troubled by bouts of immaturity, however, including two different Kings-sanctioned suspensions for actions detrimental to the team and various other infractions since joining the squad.

Cousins has improved from his rookie year and, without question, has been better than Evans to this point. But if Sacramento is going to improve as a team and eventually return to glory, it is going to be on the strength of these two. The team itself would absolutely acknowledge that sentiment, as just days after drafting Cousins they erected two colossal 35-foot banners of each of the two franchise players. These two must continue to develop their games, but, more importantly, they must learn how to complement one another on the court.

Prized rookie Jimmer Fredette has struggled somewhat finding his place thus far. Offensively he has been hesitant at times, not certain whether to get others involved or look for his shot as he did so often in college. Fredette's offensive production recently has been markedly improved, scoring 19 and 20 points respectively in two of his last three games. Defensively he has struggled staying in front of his man on the perimeter, but that is almost to be expected by a first-year player. Though his turnovers are high, he has shown a penchant and, more importantly, a willingness to get others involved. Fredette hasn't been great, but he hasn't been a disappointment either.

Hard to place a lot of fault on any other individual on the team, as it is by in large a collection of either veteran role players or very green rookies trying their best to learn their way.

So where do the Kings go from here?

The season has just 47 games remaining, and all anyone can hope for is the team plays hard and gets better every night. The hope is interim coach Keith Smart can get the team to play together, play unselfishly, compete defensively and defend their home court.

In all likelihood, Sacramento will again finish among the worst teams in the league and thus will have the right to draft one of the premiere players in college basketball or international competition. Add him to the young nuceleus of talent that the Kings have accrued and fortunes could change quickly.

You often hear the idiom, “Rome wasn't built in a day.” But Sacramento has seen it happen. In just a few weeks following the pitiful 1997-98 season, the Kings traded for troubled All-Star Chris Webber, drafted Jason Williams, signed Vlade Divac as a free agent, and Serbian holdout Peja Stojakovic finally came overseas. In just a matter of weeks, the Kings were transformed from a laughingstock to a powerhouse.

Volunteer coaches needed for youth basketball league

2012-01-27T23:59:05Z

The Salvation Army of Sacramento is looking for some volunteers to coach in its youth basketball league (13 and under, 10 and under, and 7 and under).

League organizers are seeking individuals with a basketball background and experience managing youth activities.

Games are all played at The Salvation Army Ray Robinson Oak Park Community Center (located on the corner of Alhambra and Broadway).

For more information, please call 916-469-4620.

Disclosure: Syd Fong is the public relations director for The Salvation Army of Sacramento County. For more information about The Salvation Army, log onto www.salarmysacto.org or join the facebook page www.facebook.com/salvationarmysacramento

Boys Basketball: 17-1 Run Lifts Sacramento over McClatchy

2012-01-27T18:16:24Z

McClatchy High School boys basketball team hung with Sacramento High School for the first 16 minutes Wednesday night at McClatchy, but a 17-1 start to the second half for the Dragons ultimately buried the Lions 82-56.

The game was close in the first half, but 3 consecutive turnovers led to six unanswered points for the Dragons to end the half, giving them a 37-29 lead at the break.

“It was a good first half, they were doing everything we planned to do-move the ball, rotate the ball, but in the second-half we couldn’t get anything,” said McClatchy head coach Jeff Ota.

The Dragons (15-5, 7-0 Metro League Play) won their third straight game to continue their undefeated league season. While the Lions (8-12, 1-6 Metro League Play) have struggled, they looked very much alive in the first half.

Where the Dragons, would race down court, the Lions would fall right back into their defense. Then in the second half, the depth of the Dragons hurt the Lions. The Dragons who have 16 players listed on the roster and the Lions have 12, but only nine suited up Wednesday evening for McClatchy.

The Dragons were able to go on a 17-1 run to start the second half taking up the first five minutes of the third quarter and outscored McClatchy 21-7 in the quarter pushing their lead to 58-36 with eight minutes remaining.

In the final frame both defenses looked worn down, which leading to a 22 point quarter for the Lions and a 24 point quarter for the Dragons.

McClatchy senior point guard Darrelle Dixon led the Lions with a game-high 19 points, 11 of which came in the fourth quarter.

“He’s fantastic, he’s our engine, we tell him to bring up the ball, score, and create assists,” Ota said.

The Dragons were led by standout Darius Graham who finished with 18 points. The Dragons also got solid performances from Erick Kinney with 11 points, and also got 10 points and 6 blocks from James Hadnot.

Kings lose to Nuggets 122-93 in blowout, no one happy about effort

2012-01-27T02:49:13Z

The fans weren’t the only ones leaving the old barn early on Wednesday evening.

Quite honestly, they weren’t the only ones leaving embarrassed either.

By the time the press got into the Kings locker room after losing 122-93 in a blowout to the visiting Denver Nuggets, most of Sacramento’s players had left the arena also.

No Cousins, no Tyreke, not even Donte Greene hung out long enough to give their side of this ugly one-sided loss.

Keith Smart, the new coach of the 6-13 Kings, was alone at the podium to explain.

“Not what I expected,” Smart started his post-game press conference. “And I’m sure our fans didn’t expect that either. Kind of an embarrassing moment for our fans to watch us play that way.”

After pulling out to an early 7-3 lead behind a couple of Jimmer Fredette jumpers - who started in place of an banged up Marcus Thornton, the flood gates broke and the Kings end of the paint opened up like Charlton Heston parting the Red Sea.

Way too easy.

Drive after drive after drive after drive to the rack. The Nuggets kept coming like the incoming tide - relentlessly.

And the Kings didn’t even put up a temporary barrier to stop the avalanche.

By the end of the first quarter, the Nuggets already had 22 points in the paint on 11-of-17 shooting. And they weren’t done yet. They would finish with an incredible 92 points in the paint! This is the most since the NBA began keeping track of this statistic!

Wave after wave after wave of Denver big men and small reaching the rim with uncanny ease.

By halftime, Denver lead 66-43 and the boo birds could already be heard in the old Arco rafters.

Danilo Gallinari, Nene, Kosta Koufos, Andre Miller, Al Harrington and even Ty Lawson before he got hurt were slicing through the lane without facing stiff competition or even a good knock down.

By the half, the Nuggets were shooting almost 60 percent and the Kings were just over 42 percent from the floor.

It wasn’t that the Nuggets ran the Kings off the floor, that wasn’t it at all. It was just that it seemed almost every time a Nuggets player went into the paint, he either scored or another Nugget player grabbed the board and tired to score.

The only defense at the rim for the Kings came in the form of DeMarcus Cousins. Cousins ended up with 17 points and 15 boards. The only other King with more than five rebounds was Greene who had six.

The shocking stat of the night had to be that Evans, who is usually good for 4.8 boards a game came away with none. That’s right, a goose egg - zero rebounds.

Not the sign of a team that is throwing everything they have into trying to get a win.

Jason Thompson, one of the only ones left to speak after the tough loss, ended with nine points and five boards but knew much more was needed.

“It’s frustrating,” said Thompson from his space in front of his locker after the game. “We didn’t take care of business. We knew what the game plan was. From the start, usually come out to a good start but this time we just went against the odds. We weren’t rebounding and we weren’t playing unselfish basketball.”

That’s it! Straight from the horse’s mouth, so to speak.

Thompson’s been here since the beginning. He’s unselfish to a fault most of the time and is finally having the kind of season the front office thought he could have when they drafted him four years ago.

Thompson knows the solution to what ails the team and holds out hope that the players can pull it off.

“We all got to look ourselves in the mirror and say how am I going to guard my man and how am I going to stop my man from scoring. At the end of the day, the great teams play team defense. But first you have to be able to stop your man and then worry about the help.”

The former Rutgers standout felt so strong about his case, he said it again.

“We all got to look ourselves in the mirror and not just worry about everyone getting buckets but worry about getting stops and rebounds and just let everything else come to us.”

KINGS NOTES: Fredette ended up with 19 points and had five three-pointers . . . The Nuggets had seven players in double figures scoring including Gallinari (23 points), Nene (16 points), Andre Miller (15 points, 10 assists), Al Harrington (10 points) and Corey Brewer (15 points) . . . Isaiah Thomas had ended with 16 points and had six assists . . . Ty Lawson hurt his foot or ankle and was seen leaving Power Balance Pavilion in a walking boot . . . To their credit, John Salmons, J.T., Thomas and Fredette were ready to answer questions from the media after the game . . . Thornton could miss another week or so with a deep bruise in his left thigh . . . Chuck Hayes should be on the floor again when the Kings travel to Utah to face the Jazz on Saturday

New Show "Sactown Famous" Highlights Local Talent and Culture

2012-01-25T22:28:53Z

Local producer and businessman Tony Savo announced today he will be hosting "Sactown Famous" a new reality show set to begin production in the Sacramento region late next week. The show will be produced by Savo's Coalition Media Group in association with One Mil Records and will spotlight the areas local talent, events and nightlife as well as feature exclusive interviews with the Capital city's biggest names.

Tony Savo says: "Sacramento's a very diverse and dynamic city and I think it should be celebrated. We got the Kings, the River Cats, the UFC's Urijah Faber and the Maloof's Global Skateboarding Initiative just for starters... there's a lot to take pride in if you call this place your home."

Savo a long time native of Sacramento first made a name for himself as the CEO and Producer of Coalition Fight Music a local band that has been featured on ESPN, Sky Sports (Fox Sports UK) USA Today and Tapout magazine for sponsoring World Champion UFC fighters Nick and Nate Diaz and Jake Sheilds. Last month Savo launched Coalition Media Group after announcing via his twitter account (@statecyde) that he had recently inked a deal with Samsung Web enabled TV and Europe's top fight promotion UCMMA to provide mobile MMA content to over 20 million smart phone subscribers around the globe. For more info contact sactownfamous@gmail.com

Disclosure: Danny Murphy is affiliated with Sactown Famous

10 Reasons Why a 50-Year Parking Agreement is Bad for Sacramento

2012-01-22T00:54:57Z

As our City leaders continue to debate how to finance an NBA-size arena in the downtown, climaxing with a final City Council vote in the next few weeks, here are ten reasons why I believe financing a new area with a 50-year "parking lot fee" agreement is not good for the financial and emotional well-being of our great City of Sacramento.

(1) Fifty-year agreements encourage abuse and escalation of fees. If the capitalist system depends upon free enterprise and competition, 50-year agreements are an invitation for corruption and exploitation. Immediately or gradually, we will all curse the day this deal was done, every time we park downtown.

(2) If you can afford $200-$500 for a family to see an arena-sized rock show or an NBA basketball game, an additional $15-$25 for parking doesn't seem like much. But if you have a "movie-theater-ticket-and-a-drink" budget, you go to the suburbs where the parking is free or at least affordable. Vouchers help big time for these thousands of consumers. Read between the lines of the contemplated parking fees - The City negotiators are desperate to "do the deal" and if free parking vouchers stand in the way, say good-bye to vouchers.

(3) Does anyone foresee a time in our great-grandchildren's lives (or fifty years?) when Sacramento becomes a center for corporate headquarters and major commerce? Not me. Given the current rules for NBA and major league sports arena financing, corporate underwriting is critical to the ongoing success of major league franchises. We don't have money for corporate "luxury boxes" now and we won't have enough in the future. Our biggest publicly owned company (a waste disposal firm) recently announced they are moving to Texas. I can't decide what part of this sentence bothers me the most. (a) As a City, are we not good enough for a company that hauls garbage? or (b) Why does a garbage truck company choosing to move to Texas makes such a big deal to our economy? Could this be an omen?

(4) The best "naming rights" deal the Maloof Family could come up with was a company that sells rubber bands for $30 and is currently sliding into bankruptcy. 50-year contracts for jacked-up parking fees sound more "cow-town" than 10,000 cowbells at a Lakers game.

(5) In the past decade, "silly money" mortgages were sold to good people with dreams bigger than their ability to pay. Selling the parking rights, for all of downtown, for the next fifty years, smacks of the same "Don't you want to aspire to enjoy a better life?" crap used by "vacation time share" salespeople. Once we do this deal, they will never stop calling. What will be the next proposal? Charging an admission to Old Sacramento?

(6) We are great as a "farm team" City. We love our AAA minor league River Cats with ticket prices we can afford. We love Friday night high school football. Our list of "home-grown" great ball players rivals any city in the nation. In Sacramento, we GROW great athletes –men and women - with tolerance, a solid work ethic, and excellent coaching. Let other cities bankrupt themselves chasing "parking lot dreams". We are smarter than that.

(7) Yes, a big league area would be good for local professional sports commentators. To move up to ESPN stature, you must have at least one major league sports team in your town. Do you now understand the motivation behind Grant Napear and others in "talk sports" radio, TV, and print? For the handful of big league sports commentators, this is a “jobs-bill” helping them each further their careers. Without the Kings, they would have to move too much more expensive cities to pursue their profession. How many of you are pro sports commentators wanting to work in New York or Los Angeles? I rest my case.

(8) Let’s organize ourselves and build a smaller downtown arena – one we can afford. Instead of 150 nights per year, let’s fill it up 300 nights with 12,000 music fans, families who love the circus, monster truck smash-ups, ice-skating clowns, high school volleyball championships, evangelical Christians, political conventions, and - your favorite affordable event. Why is building an arena big enough to keep the Kings in Sacramento - at any cost - the sole criteria for downtown improvement? Yes, this is a priority for Kings fans, our Mayor, the sports broadcasters, the Maloof family – maybe 20,000 local people, tops. Let’s do the math, re-prioritize, and adjust our planning.

(9) Wouldn't you rather have 300 nights of hustle and bustle downtown? Imagine, piling the family into the car, buying affordable event tickets, parking inexpensively within walking distance, eating out at great restaurants, dancing at diverse music clubs, and having more fun with fewer overpaid seven-foot millionaires to block the view? Now that's a town that pays its bills, raises great kids, and lives within its own skin.

(10) Financing an arena by collecting parking fees for fifty years just sounds cheap. Talk about a "nickel and dime" approach to big time sports. How about if we required City leaders and the Maloof family to stand on street-corners with a cardboard sign pleading with motorists "Spare Change for the Kings?" No, why would we ask them to do that - for the next 50 years - when we can install parking meters to achieve the same goal.

In conclusion, I really don't care what Charles Barkley and Phil Jackson think of us and neither should our community leaders. Grow up, Sacramento. Be bold and enjoy living within your means.... Isn't that the lesson of the Wall Street financial collapse? Make a budget and live within that budget. Be yourself, not what others think you should be. Live life in the moment and don't mortgage your future. These are the hard lessons we should have learned since 2008. Have we been paying attention?

City Council members, I ask you - 50 years - really? You are creating financial obligations for your great-grandchildren. In the year 2062, when they curse you for paying to park by the minute and for an arena that was demolished 25 years earlier - is this how you want to be remembered? Now that, my Sacramento friends, is a legacy I would rather avoid.

Disclosure: born in Sacramento at Mercy Hospital

The Little Things

2012-01-21T00:13:13Z

In search of a place to watch some of the last championship NFL games, the wife and I set out to Bisla’s Sports Lounge. It was incredible that I wanted to leave the house at all knowing The Steeler’s weren’t in the championships but I suppose life goes on. We have frequented Bisla’s on days when the bar has been less busy which seems to be the case when there is not a professional sporting event taking place. Bisla’s was empty when we arrived for the first game but as we suspected, the crowd poured in as the day went on.

Sports bars are generally known for having rowdy crowds, mediocre food and nonexistent service. I am happy to say this does not describe Bisla’s. This is a conclusion reached after several visits. My last two visits were made very enjoyable by a young server named Giovanni. This place has good energy which is key for a successful sports bar.

Good service can be defined in many ways but Giovanni knows the basics and beyond. The attention to detail we experienced was magnificent. Our glasses were never empty, nothing had to be repeated and he stayed a step ahead the entire time. When my wife ordered a burger, it was cooked to perfection. She wanted a side of mayonnaise and the lettuce was more of a chopped salad instead of a leaf, two things our server fixed immediately. She took her first bite, and the bacon was as hard as beef jerky. We informed Giovanni and he offered to have a new burger prepared with softer bacon on it.

When her new plate arrived, the meat was again prepared beautifully. The bacon was spot on and remembering that my wife originally wanted more mayonnaise, he had some extra put on the bun. In addition- he also remembered the original sub par lettuce and was sure to put a large, crisp piece in the sandwich for her. I remembered a prior visit where I was having a meeting at Bisla’s and again Giovanni was my server. My guest and I ordered some Happy Hour sliders and I removed the pickles. When we ordered a second set of sliders mine came without pickles. Out of curiosity I asked Giovanni about this and was told he noticed that I had piled them on my plate previously and took it upon himself to leave them off the next set.

Many of those reading this might say “so what?”- It’s simple, the behavior demonstrated by my server was a testament to the fact he was vividly aware of his surroundings. There have been fine dining restaurants I’ve visited where the service staff dropped the ball in areas where they clearly should not. Almost like the zombies in one of my son’s video games.
I don’t go to sports bars to be impressed with culinary creativity, although the food at Bisla’s is better than most. I go to sports bars hoping to find a good Happy Hour and service I can put in the attentive category.

Sometime during our visit Giovanni was done with his shift. The other staff we came into contact with seemed much less focused on guest service as they truly ignored us. Once again, Giovanni noticed this before leaving the building and fixed it. You will notice I mention Giovanni’s name repeatedly throughout this article and not the names of the Bisla’s staff that let us down. The reason is simple. Most restaurants and bars are fully aware of whom their slow performers are but few fully recognize their stars. I am also not trying to embarrass anyone here as I do like Bisla’s and taking into account 6 prior visits this was the only time anything like this had happened.
It’s a terrible shame the visit didn’t remain perfect throughout. I’ve been told I have high expectations of people who serve me and I suppose that’s true- if that means getting things right and checking to make sure I am alive every few minutes.

Overall I will go out on a limb and say Bisla’s is one of the best sports bars in Sacramento. Apparently the community agrees- Bisla’s took first place as Sacramento’s Best Sports Bar 2011 on “KCRA 3’s A-list”. They certainly have the best Happy Hour I have come into contact with in the past year. You will usually find me there on a Tueday when you get $1 sliders, $2 well drinks and $2 domestic beers from 3p–12a. There are different themes for every night as far as Happy Hour goes. Also worth mentioning is the fact that Bisla’s has a breakfast menu and serves $9 bottomless mimosas on Sunday’s. These are not your mother’s Sunday brunch mimosa’s kids- they are served up in pint glasses. You can learn more about Bisla’s at http://www.bislas.net . Parking is available on site and all major cards are accepted.

As always, please know I am in no way affiliated with this or any restaurant I review. My goal is to go out and slowly experience different aspects of the Sacramento dining scene then share those experiences with you.

Andy Soto

Resilient Kings rally back to defeat Pacers 92-88

2012-01-20T02:52:03Z

The Kings returned home after a tough five-game road trip to beat the Indiana Pacers 92-88 in a hard-fought battle at Power Balance Pavilion Wednesday night.

“I don’t know how, but somehow this group found a way,” Kings head coach Keith Smart said. “I don’t know how we did it, but this group has some resilience. They fought, they found a lineup that got us back into the game, and they closed it out. And that’s what I’m trying to get us to become: a team on any given night.”

On their eventful road trip, the Kings went 1-4 while earning their first road win, along with setting a new franchise record with only 23 points of the first half in a 99-60 rout by the Dallas Mavericks.

Sacramento came into Wednesday night with a 5-9 record, much due to their problem of making shots on the floor, and the league-worst shooting percentage at just 39.6 percent.

Despite their shooting woes continuing and only shooting 30.1 percent from the field against the Pacers, the Kings found a way to come back from a 14-point deficit going into the fourth quarter and come out with the victory.

Much of the win can be attributed to the zone defense that Smart turned to in the fourth, smothering the Pacers and only allowing eight points to be scored in the entire quarter.

“Our staff did a good job this morning in our meeting and saw that we could possibly play a zone,” Smart said after the game. “We were able to pull it out and get in the zone. The zone kind of kept them from posting our guys up, and it kept them from penetrating. It kept them on the perimeter. That’s what turned the game around.”

After trailing 80-66 after three quarters, the Kings eventually took an 88-87 lead when forward Francisco Garcia made two free throws with a little over two minutes remaining in the game.

Up by three at 90-87 with 5.6 seconds left to play, Smart decided to intentionally foul Pacers forward Danny Granger. Granger was called for a free throw violation while trying to intentionally miss the second attempt to get the ball back after making the first.

Garcia then made two free throws to seal the four-point victory for the Kings, ending their three-game losing streak.

Garcia and the rest of the Kings bench played a huge role in the victory, outscoring the Pacers bench 39-20. Garcia led the bench with 16 points, including 10 in the final quarter while rookie point guard Isaiah Thomas once again provided a spark while playing 20 minutes off the bench.

“They respect me. That’s the first and foremost,” Thomas said. “They respect me on and off the court. They know what I can bring, and I can’t let them down when I get in and get significant minutes.”

Kings big man DeMarcus Cousins recognizes the play of Thomas and understands the spark he provides the team every time he enters the game.

“Isaiah has been big for us all season,” Cousins said. “The more he plays, the more big plays he provides us.”

Thomas finished with eight points, one rebound, one assist and two steals. Five of Thomas’ eight points came in the fourth quarter.

Smart made a change in the starting roster, giving fourth-year forward Jason Thompson the nod instead of J.J. Hickson and was rewarded with Thompson’s hustle that provided nine points, nine rebounds and one assist in the first half. Thompson was only able to add one rebound to his numbers in the second half due to limited minutes.

“I’ve been very pleased with him,” Smart said of Thompson. “I’ve given him certain dynamic rules to follow, and he has been very, very good with what he’s doing, very patient. He’s being decisive. If he doesn’t have a move, he gets rid of the basketball and gets into the next play.”

Cousins once again dominated the boards, finishing with 13 points, 19 rebounds and two assists. En route to tying his career-high 19 rebounds, Cousins set a new franchise record for most offensive rebounds in a half with 10 hauled in during the first half.

“Once I’m zoned in, I’m going after everything,” Cousins said. “I’m not out there counting. I’m just trying to get everything that comes my way.”

In total, the Kings hauled in 30 offensive rebounds to go along with their 23 defensive rebounds. The Kings also made it to the free throw line 41 times but only made 68 percent from the line.

The Kings head back on the road for a three-game road trip starting with the San Antonio Spurs on Friday. The team will return home to take on the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday.

Photos by John Hernandez

Hansen, Gonzalez, and Paguyo Grab Nor-Cal Yoga Champion Titles

2012-01-17T04:09:15Z

Fans lined up outside Folsom’s Three Stages Theater to attend the ninth annual Northern California Yoga Asana Championships on Saturday. The event featured this year’s competitors showing off their three-minute routines all for the chance to move on to the national competition held in spring.

A group of Matt Guyton’s fans cheered him on with banners and posters. “We came to support last year’s champion, Matt Guyton, and first-time competitor Julie Strand,” said fan Laurel Hansen of Lincoln. “We all go to the Lincoln studio,” added fan Rena Garcia of Lincoln.

Many of the participating studio members brought crowds who quickly filled up the seats, cheering on the beginning and experienced competitors facing the accredited panel of judges.

Last year’s women’s Northern California champion, Hillary Stein (now Hillary Wall) co-hosted with her husband BJ Wall. The two introduced the men’s division competitors where 14 of the competitors showed talent and skill in a silent theater.

Each contestant had three minutes to demonstrate five traditional yoga poses, plus two poses of their own choice. Hillary Wall noted that each performance shows all aspects of a contestant’s life. The first two postures demonstrated the struggles that a yoga student faces. The next three poses show off the health of the spine, and finally the last two show the student’s personality.

As each contestant showed off their routine, an onlooker could see just how intense the training is for yoga. “Their bodies look like machines!” Stephanie Jackson of Reno said.

The youth division proved to be the most entertaining, showing off the flexibility and talent of eight young girls whos ages ranged from 10 to 15 years old. Quin Morrissey wowed the crowd with a full wheel posture at the end of her demonstration. Her fan whispered from the sidelines, “She nailed it.”

Once the final competitor of the youth division finished their demonstration, guest speaker and 2007 world champion Cynthia Wehr spoke about the attributes of a yoga champion. She said dedication, discovery and determination made her into a world champion. Wehr felt that these attributes would help with those who were practicing yoga.

As the women’s division started, the competition was fierce with 19 women vying for the title of Northern California champion.

Wall demonstrated her strength and flexibility in her final routine as the reigning women’s champion.

The men’s Northern California champion of 2012 was Ian Hansen of Oakland, whose demonstration was perfectly timed at exactly three minutes. Victoria Gonzalez of Stockton won the youth division, and the women’s champion was Ciara Paguyo also of Stockton.

The three will head to New York for the National Yoga Asana Competition on March 2nd-4th.

EasyRiders and their Hogs in Sac

2012-01-15T07:37:51Z

"The Biggest, Baddest Bike Show In North America" fills Sacramento streets this weekend.

It proclaims to be "all about amazing motorcycles- Americans and metrics, revived classics to tricked out customs, and from some of the worlds top bike builders to enthusiasts restoring or building bad ass bikes out of their garage."

The show includes motorcycle and motorsports manufacturers' exhibits and their reps to answer questions, live music, the Purrfect Angels, and vendors. And the opportunity to meet Chibs and Lyla from Sons of Anarchy, a drama on the American TV network FX.

This afternoon I happened upon the event. Driving on J St in front of the Convention Center I gawked at the bikes filling both sides of the street, as wel as side-streets.

And they roared touring through midtown and downtown!

So, I became a motorcycle groupie for the second time this week.

Here's some photos:

Check it out for tomorrow

Kings late-game struggles lead to 104-97 loss to Magic

2012-01-09T23:09:19Z

The Sacramento Kings failed to close the game as they fell to the Orlando Magic 104-97 on Sunday at Power Balance Pavilion.

The Kings were unable to capitalize on Magic big man Dwight Howard’s foul trouble. Howard started the game but was forced to leave the game at the 10:20 mark in the first quarter after two quick fouls on Kings big man DeMarcus Cousins.

Howard didn’t return until midway through the second but was quickly forced to leave the game once again as he was called for a bump foul on Cousins for his third foul of the night.

Howard only played 20 minutes all game and was held scoreless until he made a layup and made a free throw after the foul at 6:35 remaining in the game for his first points of the game. Howard also didn’t have his first rebound until there was 8:00 remaining in the game.

With Howard out, Cousins was able to make his mark on the court and give the Kings a 21-19 lead after the first quarter. Cousins finished 10 points, five rebounds and one block after the first quarter.

Cousins also found himself in foul trouble, getting called for his third foul with 1:42 remaining in the first half.

Kings fans also had a fright as they saw star point guard Tyreke Evans go to the floor in pain after coming down on his ankle. He was helped into the locker room with just under a minute remaining in the first half. Evans returned to start for the Kings in the second half and led the Kings in scoring with 28 points, eight assists and three assists.

Down 47-49, the Kings were still in the game even with guard Marcus Thornton not recording any points yet. Thornton didn’t make his first basket until the 10:35 mark in the third quarter. Thornton then hit the team’s first three of the night with 6:13 remaining in the third quarter, bringing the Magic’s lead to 65-61.

Thornton finished with 10 points in the third quarter, helping maintain just a two-point deficit as the Magic led 81-79 after three quarters of play.

Sacramento tied the game at 87-87 with 5:39 left in the game, but struggled defensively down the stretch, being outscored 17-10 the remainder of the game to lose 104-97.

“Late in the game we reverted to some bad basketball,” new Kings head coach Keith Smart said. “We stood on one side of the floor, and you can’t do that against good teams like this.”

Cousins also observed problems with how the Kings played late in the game and recognizes that they have some work to do but have already made progress during this young season.

“We have to get better at late-game situations, and keep our composure, and make some more moves,” Cousins said. “We are making a lot of strides. Just from the Knicks game to now, we are a whole different team. We just got to continue to work, and it’ll turn around.”

Kings rookie Jimmer Fredette finished with only two points, one rebound and one assist in 14 minutes of play.

Guard Jason Richardson led the Magic with 22 points, with Sacramento native Ryan Anderson contributing 19 points of his own. Anderson attended Oak Ridge High School in El Dorado Hills, Calif. before going to the University of California, Berkeley.

Like Evans, Thornton also went down with an injury early in the fourth quarter but later returned down the stretch.

“That’s the uniqueness of this team,” Smart said. “Guys are hurt, and they want to play. These guys have a heart and a desire to make this franchise better. I commend those guys for being hurt and wanting to come back in and play.”

The Kings now head on the road for eight of their next nine games, including five consecutive games starting on Tuesday against the Philadelphia 76ers. The Kings are 0-3 on the road this season.

“Getting our first win on the road, getting that monkey off our back — we just got to just come back with positive plan and just get it done,” forward Jason Thompson said. “Just take it one game at a time. It’s going to be a long road trip.”

Photos by David Alvarez

Polar Bear Plunge

2012-01-09T03:41:32Z

It’s a chilly January morning. Shivering, swimsuit-clad bodies surround Clunie Pool waiting for the countdown of the Polar Bear Plunge. In unison, the swimmers leap into the bracing 48-degree water. Like a comic film being rewound, they just as quickly leap back onto the pool deck. Most lasted a full three seconds before returning to the warmth of their towels and hot coffee.

What manner of motivation brought these hardy souls to the first annual Polar Bear Plunge sponsored by the City of Sacramento?

For most, it was a chance to support city pools. All proceeds of the event go towards keeping the pools open in the summer. Lesley Henriquez encouraged her daughter Gracie to take the plunge because “she’s on the swim team and we want to help the fabulous pools.”

Josh Lurie-Terrell had similar motivation but had to bribe his friends to do it with an offer of a dim sum lunch afterwards.

Grietje Reuter and Sharon Nelson also wanted to support a good cause and were willing to dive into frigid water for it because, “We are apparently not very bright,” they said.

Polar swimmers had their choice of pool entry methods. They could jump in from the side, dive off the board or enter via tube slides. Some were so energized that they tried all three methods. For others, once was enough.

Lifeguard Margaret Freiwald was hoping that she wouldn’t have to go into the icy water noting, “I want to keep my fingers and toes.”

She was given special instructions to watch swimmers for hypothermia symptoms, something she doesn’t see much of in the summer.

Aquatic Supervisor Terri Matal organized the January 7th Polar Bear Plunge and said that similar events are traditional around the New Year to support good causes and to “give people an opportunity to challenge themselves.” This year’s Sacramento event attracted nearly 100 people who contributed at least five dollars each to support community pool operations.

Donations can still be made through the non-profit Gifts to Share program at www.giftstoshare.org and specifying that you want your contribution to go towards city pools.

Sacramento velodrome project: Pedal fast, turn left

2012-01-08T22:40:58Z

For anyone who ever wanted to take cycling to a new level in Sacramento – or see some exciting bicycle track races – a local group has the answer: build a velodrome.

A velodrome, for those not yet immersed in the world of bicycle racing, is a stadium with a 250-meter oval race track – banked at 25 to 45 degrees – where cyclists race at speeds up to 50 miles per hour in front of nearly 1,000 spectators in the stands.

Most velodromes have track lengths between 150 and 500 meters, according to local cycling coach and bicycle mechanic Dean Alleger.

And, since there are only four velodromes in California (Carson, Encino, San Jose and Los Angeles) – and 22 in the nation – Alleger and a group of cycling enthusiasts want to build one for the Sacramento region.

“I would like to see a place for kids to learn and train,” Alleger said Friday, “and where people can go to see some great races and to ride in some great races.”

Alleger started the Sacramento Valley Velodrome Association in 2010 as a nonprofit organization with the goal of raising $4 million to construct and operate a velodrome for local cyclists of all ages and abilities.

A location has already been found – Granite Park near Power Inn Road – and Alleger has raised more than $20,000 for the project. He has even started collecting race bikes to use as rentals for racing in the future velodrome.

Alleger said he sees the project as the start of something big in Sacramento, and a way to get young people into a sport that could – one day – take them to the Olympics.

“We’d host racers from beginners all the way to world class,” Alleger said. “It would be a chance to get kids who really don’t have much to do to learn something exciting and develop skills in a great sport.”

Alleger said, in cycling, the peak age for a professional cycling racer is between 25 to 35 years old, but anyone can learn to ride – and race.

“There would be beginner sessions (at the velodrome) for people to get oriented with the track,” Alleger said, “and there would be sessions for racing. Anyone can do it that wants to give it a try.”

The Sacramento Valley Velodrome Association wants to capitalize on enthusiasm for cycling by hosting national cycling competitions, training adults and youths in track cycling and educating the public about bicycling and fitness, according to a press release Thursday.

As part of the effort to promote the idea of a velodrome, Alleger’s Savage Sprints – an organization that provides cycling coaching and training – has hosted a series of stationary bike races at local bicycle shops and at Hot Italian restaurant at 16th and Q streets.

According to the release, about 1,500 cyclists belong to the more than 50 cycling clubs in the Sacramento valley, and more than 6,700 people in the Sacramento area rode 1.35 million miles during “May is Bike Month.”

“People here ride bicycles – lots of people, lots of bicycles,” Alleger said. “A velodrome would be a big draw here.”

The board of directors at the Sacramento Valley Velodrome Association includes Kevin Hedahl, a senior accountant with the American Red Cross who was a collegiate national track champion; Carrie Lo, an investment analyst at a state agency who raced for McGuire Real Estate; Michael Sayers, a two-time member of the U.S. World Championship cycling team; and Larry Wolff, a local cardiologist who has two national track cycling titles and a third-place finish in a world championship race to his credit.

Lo said an important factor in having a velodrome is the focus on fitness.

“Cycling draws people of all ages, shapes and sizes,” Lo said Friday. “A velodrome provides a way to challenge ourselves and our youths to become better in many ways. It’s about getting kids to channel their energy in a new way, or learning something new or just challenging ourselves to get better at something.”

Lo said there have been efforts to get a velodrome in Sacramento in the past, but a variety of hurdles and red tape prevented the idea from getting anywhere.

“One thing different this time is (we are) developing interest at the grassroots level,” Lo said. “We want corporate sponsors, but we also want it to be built from the ground up so we have plenty of community support.”

Hedahl said having a velodrome is also about community.

“People enjoy coming together and watching velodrome racing,” Hedahl said. “We’re kind of like NASCAR – we go in circles and turn left, and it appeals to everyone. If you like cycling, you get to see some great races. If you don’t like cycling, you get to see some fantastic wrecks. Everyone wins.”

Hedahl said the track racing bikes are fixed-gear bikes – that means no brakes – so a sudden stop means a wreck.

“We can’t just stop pedaling after the race,” Hedahl said. “We pedal slower.”

Hedahl said it’s not an expensive sport to get into – but cost is relative.

“I had a friend that built up a bike to race for about $400,” Hedahl said, “and GT makes some cheap track frames that you can pick up used for about $75. Just add wheels and you’re ready to go.”

But, as with anything in cycling, Hedahl said, the price can get steep if you let it.

“You can get a custom Steve Rex frame and spend up to $3,000 or get a carbon fiber frame and spend up to $10,000,” Hedahl said. “Some pros out there spend $3,000 just on a wheel.”

But the price of the bike isn’t the point, Hedahl said. It’s about doing something fun and exciting.

Alleger said that, once financing is in place, the entire velodrome project could be up and ready for racing in about 120 days.

For more information about the velodrome project, visit the Sacramento Valley Velodrome Association website.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

#SmartBall helps Kings overcome 21-point gap, beat Bucks 103-100

2012-01-07T02:25:36Z

Unbelievable! Amazing! Jaw-dropping! Spectacular!

In sports writing, superlatives are greatly overused. Heck, even The Court Jester abuses the Queen’s English occasionally!

In this case, however, I think not!

After being down 58-37 at the half, being outshot from the floor 60.5 percent to 31.8 perccent in the first half and only scoring 12 points in the second quarter, it looked like another lackluster Kings performance would etch another loss in the standings Thursday evening.

Not so fast, my pretty!

After a day of showing Coach Paul Westphal the door, elevating assistant Keith Smart to the position full-time and holding a players-only film study session before the game, the Kings came out in the second half, scored 66 points and played great defense to pull off the improbable win against the Milwaukee Bucks 103-100 in what had to be the greatest home comeback victory in Sacramento Kings history.

Even though the Kings got out to a 13-6 lead, one could just feel that their recent poor play would be extended at least one more night. Eight turnovers in the first quarter and only shooting 25 percent in the second seemed like it would be enough to doom the Kings once again.

But here’s the thing.

The entire game, the Kings were moving the ball, driving to the basket and making the extra pass: everything Smart asked them to do in his first game as the man in charge. It’s just that the shots weren’t falling, and it seemed like every contested jumper by the Bucks was going through the net.

Tyreke Evans (26 points, 10 boards, 5 assists), Marcus Thornton (27 points, 5 boards) and DeMarcus Cousins (19 points, 15 boards, 2 steals) were the stars of the show.

Early in the game, it was Evans that gave the Kings even a small chance of pulling out a much-needed win by scoring 10 points in the first quarter. Other than that, Cousins was being aggressive, but his shots close to the rim were not going in.

The usually hot-starting Thornton was only one of eight from the field at the intermission. He was so displeased with his performance that he came out early from the halftime break and shot something like 30 three-point shots to try to find a rhythm.

It worked!

Thornton went nine of 15 and scored 25 of his 27 in the second half to help propel the comeback.

Even after the third quarter came to a close, the Kings still found themselves down 82-68.

Yet something was different. Was it just the Westphal firing that put extra energy into a team that was playing its third game in three nights and five in six nights?

I’ll let Cousins explain it to you.

“Everybody said it,” the Kings big man said. “You just felt free out there. You didn’t feel like you had 30-pound bags on your back. You felt good that we were having fun even though we were battling back the whole time. We were having fun working!”

Fun. A little three-letter word that might make all the difference in the world this lockout-shortened season for this team.

The fourth quarter was all Kings.

Despite Brandon Jennings killing it with 31 points and hitting six three-pointers along the way, the Kings pushed the ball hard and laid the smack down on defense. In the end, they outscored the Bucks in the fourth 35-18.

It was either Thornton hitting a jumper, Cousins taking it to the rack hard (and scoring) or Evans driving and getting to the free throw line that made the difference.

Sacramento closed the game on a 22-8 run but wouldn’t take their first lead since late in the first quarter until there was 18 seconds left in the game.

“I just told them to play hard,” Smart said in the post-game press conference. “Just play hard first, and after that your game will kick in. That’s all I said to them. I didn’t go in with a rah-rah speech. I just play hard, and things will start to happen.”

Evans agreed with Cousins in saying that things felt a little different against the Bucks.

“We were just out there playing free,” he said. “He’s a great coach. He’s putting in new things to help guys get looks at the rim and at the basket. We just have to work with him.”

It sounds like the start of a beautiful relationship.

Let’s hope the newly coined hash-tag for Twitter (#SmartBall) catches on in more ways than one! [You should explain this more. What does this have to do with the Kings?]

Kings notes: In the second quarter, Chuck Hayes suffered a dislocated left shoulder in a collision and is expected to be out three to four weeks . . . Despite the slow start and most of his jumpers falling short of the rim, John Salmons scored 13 and had six boards . . . J.J. Hickson had 11 rebounds and seven points . . . Kings went from shooting 31.8 percent shooting in the first half to 48.9 percent in the second half . . . Next game is at home versus the Orlando Magic on Sunday.

Local Yogis Prepare for the Big Day

2012-01-06T17:29:58Z

While many of us stuffed our faces and drank to our hearts’ desire over the holidays, the students of the Folsom Bikram Yoga studio were training and preparing for the ninth annual Northern California Regional Yoga Asana Championships on Jan. 14 in Folsom.

This year, the championships are being held at the Three Stages theater at Folsom Lake College. The event will feature competitors performing a series of yoga postures also known as yoga asana. Although the judges will be looking at particular physical skill, participants will also be judged on their emotional demeanor, mental tranquility and spiritual presence.

Each competitor is required to perform seven postures in three minutes, a feat that last year’s women’s champion winner Hillary Stein of Folsom easily accomplished.

Many students at the Folsom Bikram Yoga studio are competing in this year’s challenge. Nicole George, 29, of El Dorado Hills, is in her second year of competition.

“To help get ready, I usually do extra back bends,” she said.

George started her training about three months ago. Others like Matt Guyton, 35, of Citrus Heights, said he has been training since last year’s competition. In addition to the physical training, Guyton said other keys elements help him prepare as well.

“My diet does change some, just to see what works,” he said.

“I think I am most nervous about falling out of standing head to knee,” said first-year-competitor Vic Clement, 43, of Sacramento.

Many of the yoga asanas challenge a person’s strength, breathing and balance. Aaron Hutchinson, 41, of Folsom, said Bikram Yoga has helped him in training for his triathlon.

“All the elements work together—focus, balance and breathing,” he said.

All yogis (yoga practitioners) are competing to qualify for the U.S. Championship held in the spring in New York. Qualified competitors from each state are due to attend.

Stein will be the master of ceremonies and the event will feature 2007 Arizona Yoga Asana championship winner Cynthia Wehr as a guest speaker.

Three Stages is located at 10 College Parkway in Folsom. The competition is Jan. 14 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The cost to attend is $18 person.

Disclosure: Alexandria LaRoche is a student at Bikram Yoga Folsom

Keith Smart named Kings head coach

2012-01-06T01:08:08Z

The Sacramento Kings named Keith Smart head coach Thursday, promoting him from his position of assistant coach after firing Paul Westphal Thursday morning.

“Keith will bring a new perspective to the team as we try to move forward with the season,” Geoff Petrie, chief of basketball operations, said in a press release. “He’s very well prepared and will assume the job with some new ideas and new approaches of his own. We’re all excited and looking forward to working with him.”

Westphal was let go after about two and a half seasons where the Kings’ record was 51 wins and 120 losses. This season began with a win over the Los Angeles Lakers Dec. 26, but the Kings had only won two games going into Thursday’s home game against the Milwaukee Bucks.

The 47-year-old Smart served as head coach of the Golden State Warriors last year, and he has either played or coached professional basketball for 22 years, according to the release.

“I had a chance to work for Paul Westphal in the brief time that I’ve been here and really enjoyed it,” Smart said. “He was very supportive every step of the way. I want to thank Geoff Petrie and the Maloof family for giving me this opportunity. I’m looking forward to implementing a few new things with what we want to try to do with our basketball team. Hopefully, they’ll respond to what I want them to do, and I believe they will. I think our players will be excited with some of the ideas that I have for our team moving forward.”

In the release, Westphal said he asked for Smart to be added to the coaching staff last year.

“When I asked Geoff to add Keith Smart to our staff, I knew that he would be a tremendous asset going forward,” Westphal said. “Keith has my respect and blessing as he assumes the position he is exceptionally qualified to fill.”

Kings fire Head Coach Paul Westphal

2012-01-05T20:22:00Z

The Sacramento Kings fired Head Coach Paul Westphal Thursday, citing a record of 51 wins and 120 losses in a little more than two seasons, team officials said in a press release.

“I want to thank Paul for all of his effort on behalf of the Kings,” said Geoff Petrie, chief of basketball operations. “Unfortunately, the overall performance level of the team has not approached what we felt was reasonable to expect. I wish him the best in his future endeavors.”

Westphal will be replaced by Assistant Coach Keith ~~Kevin~~ Smart, but Kings officials did not say whether the appointment is permanent.

“I would like to thank the Maloof family for the incredible opportunity they gave me to participate in the attempt to bring the Sacramento Kings back to prominence,” Westphal said in the release. “While the job is far from finished, I am proud of the strides we were able to make.”

The season opener against the Los Angeles Lakers on Dec. 26 was a resounding victory for the Kings, but lackluster performances followed, and a tiff played out in the media between Westphal and the Kings’ DeMarcus Cousins over an alleged request from Cousins to be traded, to much criticism from fans.

“Geoff Petrie and his staff have been nothing but honest and supportive throughout my time here,” Westphal said in the release. “They are first class in every way, and I wish them nothing but success. My hope is to see the fans of the Kings and the city of Sacramento rewarded with many years of great basketball.

“Finally, I want to thank my loyal staff and players for their efforts in attempting to climb out of the hole we shared. Nothing comes easy in the NBA, and I know they will not rest in their efforts to rebuild this team.”

Editorial Note: A spelling correction was made to this article after it was published.

River Cats to hire about 200 people

2012-01-05T01:31:20Z

The Sacramento River Cats organization is hiring for about 200 stadium jobs starting next week, and unlike previous years, this year’s jobs are being filled online – not at a job fair.

“There’s a wide variety of positions we’re hiring for,” said River Cats spokesman Nick Lozito. “They’re all positions that involve interaction with our fans, so we’re looking for people who are friendly and people who can help maintain what we’ve created here.”

Positions include grounds crew, ticket sales, in-game promotions crew, kid’s corner attendants and parking attendants.

Applicants don’t need to be experts on baseball, but they must be at least 18 years old, Lozito said. Before hiring, applicants will be drug tested and given a background check.

“The most important thing we’re looking for is someone who will fit in with the environment we’ve created here over our first 12 seasons,” Lozito said. “It’s a family environment, and we want someone who enjoys interacting with the community and helping others create a fun place.”

All jobs will be at Raley Field in West Sacramento, and none of them involve traveling with the team for away games. The first home game of the season is April 13. While there is no set deadline to apply, Lozito said the positions tend to fill up fast.

This year doesn’t bring any significant change in the number of positions open for the season, he added.

The creation of 200 positions – even though temporary – represents “an economic shot in the arm,” said West Sacramento Economic Development Coordinator Diane Richards.

“It’s a great entry-level job, and it’s a great asset to have Raley Field and the River Cats, especially with unemployment being so high,” she said.

Yolo County – where West Sacramento is located – has an unemployment rate of 12.2 percent, according to the most recent numbers, Richards said. West Sacramento itself has 18.6 percent unemployment. She added that unemployment in Sacramento County is 11 percent.

“These are tough times,” Richards said. “During the season, a lot of economic activity is centered around Raley Field. We have people from all over the region come here, and it’s definitely great to capture those dollars here.”

To apply for a position with the River Cats, visit the team’s website and click on the employment opportunities tab.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow him on Twitter @Brandon_Darnell.

Photos: New Year's Eve with Mickey Avalon

2012-01-03T07:10:46Z

Hollywood rapper Mickey Avalon headlined a New Year's Eve show at Ace of Spades on Saturday.

Supporting Avalon on the bill were 2ME, Richard the Rockstar, and producer Big Chocolate.

Photos by Steven Chea.

Wallpaper. at Ace of Spades

2012-01-03T02:48:13Z

A couple hundred people wanting to get an early start on 2012 partying headed down to Ace of Spades on Friday, where Oakland musician and frequent Sacramento visitor, Wallpaper., headlined an eclectic bill.

Starting the show was Chaotic Fusion, a drummer and DJ duo. DJ Oasis spun radio hits – "Teach Me How To Dougie," "Ghosts 'n' Stuff," "Last Resort" – while Radio 94.7 on-air personality Casey Lewis drummed along to the beat.

Performing next was Oakland-by-way-of-Panama Latin rap duo Los Rakas. Rhyming in Spanish over dancehall and hip-hop beats, the up and coming young pair were well-received by the slowly growing crowd.

Headliner Wallpaper. took the stage next, with the men of the group dressed to the nines in cheap tuxedos.

Wallpaper. is the solo project of Eric Frederic, who performs as Wallpaper. vocalist Ricky Reed.

Frederic received a music degree with a focus in composition from the University of California, Berkeley and now creates poppy party songs with lowest common denominator lyrics.

"That's a grown ass woman with a grown ass," is one example from the song, "Butt2Butt” (feat. Too $hort).

Although his two LP’s are called "Doodoo Face" and "#STUPiDFACEDD," the songs are well-produced and have sharp hooks. MTV uses Wallpaper. songs on shows like Jersey Shore, and sometimes this type of music resonates with everyone (see: LMFAO).

Kicking things off with the song, "Shotgun," Reed worked to establish a connection with the Sac crowd early, referencing past visits to the city.

"We're gonna take you right back to Press Club, Town House, Luigi's!"

Flanked by two drummers, a standing percussionist in the back and a female vocalist/dance partner, Reed and Wallpaper stayed hyphy the whole set and made sure the crowd did too.

At one point Reed lamented the fact that it was the day before New Year's Eve, and had the crowd do a mock countdown before performing the catchy, "Okay."

Later it was a short cover of Prince's "1999," played with a ukulele, before another sing-along ditty, "FUCKING BEST SONG EVERRR."

After Wallpaper. came back on stage for the encore, Reed let the crowd know that the band has a tradition where they finish a bottle of Jameson before coming back on.

Stupid, but fun.

Not bad for New Year's Eve eve.

Photos by Steven Chea

Kings defeat Hornets in second win of the season

2012-01-02T21:25:56Z

The Sacramento Kings ended a three-game losing streak Sunday night in a 96-80 win over the New Orleans Hornets.

Guard Tyreke Evans led the team with 27 points, scoring 13 points in the third quarter. Evans was also a force on the defense, and along with guard Marcus Thornton, who scored 25 points, helped the team dominate the second half of the game.

Noticeably absent from the court was center DeMarcus Cousins, who had been listed as a probable starter in the game. Kings Head Coach Paul Westphal issued a release before the game in which he said Cousins was asked to stay home after he demanded to be traded. Despite his absence, the Kings dominated the Hornets.

Westphal said he does not know if Cousins will make the road trip with the team.

The Kings were outscored by the Hornets in the first two periods and went into halftime down by 2 points. The team came back to the court in the third quarter to score 30 points to the Hornets’ 18 and kept the lead for the rest of the game.

Hornets center Emeka Okafor and forward Trevor Ariza each scored 6 points in the first quarter. They both continued to be productive on the court throughout the game, but their efforts were not enough to stop the Kings.

“What a difference a day makes,” said Westphal. “Even when we were missing shots, we were playing good basketball.”

The Kings went into the game shooting just 61 percent this season at the free throw line, but shot 86 percent Sunday night. The Kings barely edged the Hornets in field goals, shooting 41 percent to the Hornets’ 40. Still, it was enough to boost the team to a much needed win as they head out on the road.

The win improved the Kings’ record to 2-3, while the Hornets fell to .500 with a record of 2-2.

Forward Francisco Garcia made his first appearance of the season, and made back-to-back three point shots to start the final quarter of the game.

“I just feel good to be out there,” Garcia said. “I’m happy for my team. We work so hard every day.”

Westphal said he thought his team spaced the floor better, and that Evans and Thornton blended well together on the court.

“We did everything coach wanted us to do. We got to find a way to pull it together,” Evans said.

Evans had been struggling this season when he went into the game -- he was shooting just under 50 percent at the free throw line -- and was booed by fans in Saturday night’s game against the New York Knicks.

“You have to play this game with an attacking, light-hearted intensity,” Westphal said of Evans, adding that he told Evans to go out and have fun before the game.

The Kings play their next game against the Grizzlies in Memphis on Tuesday at 5 p.m.

To see a slideshow of the images from Sunday's game, click here.

Bulls defense holds strong as Kings rally falls short

2011-12-31T03:30:17Z

The Sacramento Kings suffered their second-straight loss as they fell to the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night by 108-98.

Last season’s MVP Derrick Rose finished the game with 19 points, one rebound and eight assists while playing only 32 minutes due to foul trouble for much of the second half. During that time, backup point guard C.J. Watson contributed nicely with eight points, five rebounds and nine assists of his own.

The Kings were once again led by their backcourt Tyreke Evans and Marcus Thornton. Evans finished with 19 points, two rebounds and two assists, while Thornton finished with 20 points, five rebounds and one assist. Kings big man DeMarcus Cousins finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds but fouled out in the fourth quarter.

Sacramento struggled to find their rhythm and stroke in the first quarter, allowing the Bulls to score 14 straight points and build a lead as great as 15 points, which the Kings cut down to six by the end of the quarter. In a theme that continued all night, the Kings were unable to defend in transition and allowed the Bulls to score 11 fast break points.

Down 15-30 with only 1:39 remaining in the first quarter, Kings guard Thornton started a late rally with a three-pointer. Following multiple misses by the Bulls, rookie Jimmer Fredette was able to hit on a step back jump shot, and J.J. Hickson added a couple more free throws to make the score 21-30 with only 23.7 seconds on the clock.

With the Kings defensive specialists in, Hickson stole Rose’s pass and sent it up court to rookie Isaiah Thomas who found Donte Greene for the layup to bring the score to 24-30 after one quarter of play.

But the Bulls’ lead proved to be too much for the Kings, as they were able to cut the lead to just one multiple times but were unable to ever take back the lead as the Bulls answered with runs of their own.

After trailing 60-53 at halftime, the Kings put on a 7-2 run early in the third quarter. Guard John Salmons hit a three, followed by layups by Cousins and Thornton to cut the lead to 62-60.

There, the Bulls again made a run of their own to extend their lead and keep the Kings behind. The Bulls ended the third quarter on a 11-2 run to lead the Kings 85-75 with just one quarter left to play.

“It was a great run for us,” Fredette said. “They’re a very good team. They know how to win basketball games. They won 62 of them last year. We wanted to take the lead, but they got a couple of easy baskets, a couple in transition and got it back up to 6 or 8, and we had to call a timeout. It’s up to us to get stops so that we can take the lead.”

The Kings missed an opportunity to apply pressure to the Bulls late in the fourth quarter when Salmons missed a three from the corner that would have made it a four-point game with 1:18 left. Instead, Thornton fouled Kings forward Luol Deng who made both free throws to give the Bulls a 105-96 lead with 1:16 remaining.

In the end, it was mostly free throws and transition defense that hurt the Kings once again.

The Kings got to the line 34 times but were only able to make 20 of those attempts — good enough for only 58.8 percent.

After struggling in transition defense against Portland on Tuesday, the Kings once again were tore up in transition by Rose and the Bulls offense. The Kings allowed a staggering 33 fast break points, which has proven to be a problem so far in this young season, causing concern with Kings head coach Paul Westphal.

“We have guys crashing the boards when they have no business doing so, we have guys not rotating back, we have guys going for steals in the back court,” Westphal said after the game. “The Bulls can run. Everybody knows that. We knew that, and we have to do a better job. If you want to win games, don’t give them layups. Make them run some offense.”

Veteran forward and Modesto native Chuck Hayes believes all the Kings had to do was be better in transition and the Kings would have won the game.

“If you get 20 fastbreak points, that’s impressive,” he said in the locker room after the game. “If you cut their 33 fastbreak points in half to 16 or 17, we win the game.”

The Kings are the youngest team in the NBA and currently have two new players in their starting rotation. Because of the lockout, the team has had limited time with each other thus far, a factor that some Kings believe has affected their ability to play together and will get better as the season proceeds.

“It’s just three games into the season and we are still getting a feel for each other,” Thornton said. “We are young, and as the season goes on we will get there.”

Westphal believes this Kings team has everything they need to become a winning team. They just need to commit to playing basketball as a team and not make costly mistakes.

“The guys in the locker room have to decide to go together into this incredibly difficult season that lies ahead, and then we will see how good we can be,” Westphal said. “I think we have everything we need to be a good team, and we should have won this game tonight. Our players need to decide if they’re going to be a good team or if they’re going to be a young team that uses that as their excuse.”

Photos by Ron Nabity

2011 recap: The fight to keep the Kings in Sacramento

2011-12-29T05:17:22Z

The question of whether Sacramento will get a new sports arena heated up this year, as Sacramento Kings owners threatened to relocate the team to Anaheim and potential arena sites – such as a land swap with Cal Expo – came and went.

Despite an emotional rollercoaster ride for Kings fans this year, supporters of the team refused to throw up their hands in defeat. Here’s what 2011 looked like from the bleachers.

As plans for a land swap between the state fairgrounds at Cal Expo and the current Natomas arena site fell through, a task force appointed by Mayor Kevin Johnson recommended that Sacramento developer group ICON-Taylor explore the viability of building an arena in the downtown area.

Business leaders from the Natomas Chamber of Commerce wanted the City Council to reject the task force recommendation, saying they felt Natomas was “fighting an uphill battle” against losing the then-named Arco Arena as the Kings’ home turf.

The owners of the Sacramento Kings, the Maloof family, confirmed suspicions that they were considering relocating the team to Anaheim by requesting a filing extension with the NBA to give the owners until at least April 14 – the day after the Kings season ended – to make a decision.

The NBA granted an extension to 5 p.m. May 2, and Kings fans went into overdrive to convince the Maloofs that the team should stay put.

Between a grassroots “Here We Stay” campaign, “painting the town purple” and sold-out games, there was little question of the importance Sacramentans placed on keeping the Kings in town.

Still, negotiations between the Maloofs and the city of Anaheim seemed to be well under way – until problems with financing emerged.

Anaheim was reportedly making plans to issue $75 million in lease revenue bonds to entice the team to move, but Sacramento city officials intervened, saying that the Maloofs would first have to repay $77 million in bond debt to Sacramento.

A private group successfully halted the issuance of the Anaheim bonds, and Billionaire Pittsburgh Penguins co-owner Ron Burkle stepped up with plans to buy the Sacramento Kings from the Maloofs to keep the team in Sacramento.

Just before the final filing deadline to officially request relocating the team, an NBA relocation committee came to town and took over the Kings offices to study the possibility of keeping the Kings in Sacramento. The committee was welcomed with open arms – and plenty of purple.

At almost the same time, tribal leaders from Thunder Valley Casino pledged $1 million toward the effort to stop the Kings from moving to Anaheim, bringing the total of business pledges to keep the Kings in Sacramento to more than $10 million.

In addition to business interests, retired Kings player Chris Webber pledged his support – along with additional financial backing from private investors – to keep the effort going.

Finally, on the day of the filing deadline, the Maloofs announced they would not move the Kings out of Sacramento – this year.

The question of an adequate arena was still open, however, and NBA officials said they would support the team moving next year if a new arena could not be built to replace the Kings’ current facility, Power Balance Pavilion.

After a huge push for ticket sales to the next season, the Maloofs asked Johnson to stand in for them at the NBA draft lottery in New Jersey.

In June, with four months before the start of the 2011-12 basketball season, Kings supporters got down to business formulating a plan for a new arena – this time, with the help of a coalition of interested parties from business, sports, finance and development sectors.

The coalition – called the “Think Big” committee – worked on a self-imposed 100-day deadline to come up with a “menu of options” for financing a new entertainment and sports complex to be built at the railyards site downtown.

The Think Big committee released a series of reports over the 100-day period that discussed financing options including strategic use of public land, user fees and leasing the city’s parking system.

Two opinion polls surfaced – one commissioned by the Think Big committee and one by City Councilwoman Sandy Sheedy – to gauge public support of a new sports and entertainment complex. Despite the opposing results of the polls, Johnson and members of the Think Big committee continue to pursue a plan to build an arena and keep the Kings in Sacramento.

The latest aspect of the financing plan – leasing the city’s parking system to a private operator for an up-front lump payment to get construction under way – is in the earliest stages.

What’s next for the Kings and the city of Sacramento?

2012 promises fervent action on the part of supporters, developers and the entire Think Big committee to have a solid arena plan in place before the March 1 deadline for Kings’ owners to once again attempt to relocate the team.

Meanwhile, Kings fans are filling seats for games, staying positive and hanging on for the final loop-de-loop of this wild ride.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Thornton, Kings defeat rival Lakers in season debut

2011-12-28T02:15:43Z

Following a long eight-month hiatus, the Sacramento Kings finally returned to Power Balance Pavilion and provided a sellout crowd with a 100-91 win over the rival Los Angeles Lakers.

After almost seeing their team move to Anaheim last season followed by a labor disagreement that caused a delay to the start of the season, Kings fans filled the arena for the Kings “blackout” game and were rewarded with a hard-fought victory by their new-look Kings.

Fans were loud and into the game before the ball was even tipped off. With the lights off, fans were instructed to activate the purple light sticks that they were given at the door, and continued cheering through much of a tribute video that followed the history of the Kings franchise.

In a game reminiscent of the rivalry from the early 2000’s, the Kings started the game with energy that lasted the entire game, which proved to be too much for a Lakers team that suffered a last-minute loss to the Chicago Bulls the night before.

Kings guard Marcus Thornton and Lakers star Kobe Bryant came out quickly and tried to get their respective teams going, each at seven points in the first quarter.

Kings rookie Jimmer Fredette entered his first regular season NBA game with 6:06 remaining in the first quarter. On his first possession, Fredette double dribbled, turning the ball over, but later scored his first NBA points on a 15-foot fadeaway jump shot that helped give the Kings a 21-20 lead after the first quarter.

Many new members of the Kings team were able to get going in the second quarter and make plays that helped extend the Kings lead in the first half.

At the 8:08 mark of the second quarter, Kings rookie Isaiah Thomas scored his first points in the NBA with a three from the corner that caused the Lakers to call a timeout.

Shortly after, Modesto native and new Kings forward Chuck Hayes was able to find the also newly-acquired Travis Outlaw on a deep outlet pass for an easy layup by Outlaw, who had beaten the Lakers defense. The bucket gave the Kings a 39-33 lead.

With just 20 seconds remaining in the first half, Kings point guard Tyreke Evans took advantage of a missed shot by Bryant and took the ball down the court for a driving layup that gave the Kings a 49-40 lead heading into halftime.

Though the Kings would never relinquish that lead, the Lakers gave their best effort to steal the victory away late in the game.

Metta World Peace, whose name was formerly Ron Artest, scored two consecutive baskets that cut the Kings lead to three at 89-86, but following some costly mistakes by the Lakers and a missed three by World Peace, Thornton was able to come off of a screen and hit a two-point jumper that iced the game and gave the Kings the season-opening 100-91 victory.

The Lakers Kobe Bryant led the game with 29 points. Marcus Thornton led the Kings with 27 points of his own, to go along with five rebounds and three assists. Thornton was also 4-7 from the three point line.

Kings rookie Fredette finished with only six points, but knows that he must keep attacking the basket.

“It is just going out there and trying to be aggressive and looking for my shots or my opportunities,” said Fredette. “It was just a great team effort tonight and a great win.”

The Kings out shot the Lakers from the three-point line, tallying 50 percent efficiency in three-point shooting while the Lakers only made 6.3 percent of their three-point attempts.

Newly acquired King Chuck Hayes finished with seven points and nine rebounds while he provided a solid veteran presence to this young Kings squad.

“Chuck Hayes is the glue of this team. We knew he would be the glue when we signed him,” said Kings head coach Paul Westphal. “He shows it everyday, whether it was guarding Gasol some, Artest some. He gets our defense going and he gets our offense going. He gave us 27 phenomenal minutes.”

Not only does the coach notice the presence that Hayes makes on this team, but Thornton also realizes the importance of having Hayes on the squad.

“Chuck Hayes is every little bit of 6 foot 6 inches. To battle Gasol, seven feet, like he did is great. And that’s what he brings to the team,” said Thornton in the locker room after the game.

The Kings, both old and new players on the squad, were pleased to see a sold-out crowd decked out in black in honor of the Kings “Back in Black” motto this season.

“I’ve heard they’re the greatest fans in the NBA and they showed it tonight,” said Fredette. “It was really loud in there and they really supported us with a packed house for the first game. It was really exciting to be able to go out there and play for the fans and win.”

Coach Westphal hopes to be able to provide a team that can keep the arena full and provide a similar atmosphere throughout the season.

“That’s how it is supposed to be in basketball,” said Westphal. “That’s how it feels when your team has the support behind it and delivers solid basketball. That’s the feeling that this building has had more often than not in its history and we are trying to get that feeling back and we want it every night.”

All photos by Ron Nabity

Mayor: City is at 'critical juncture' on the road to new arena

2011-12-28T01:41:33Z

Mayor Kevin Johnson spoke confidently Tuesday about the possibility of a new entertainment and sports complex becoming a reality for Sacramento – despite the challenges ahead.

“We are at a critical juncture in this process,” Johnson said. “On the court, our team needs to play well. Off the court, I feel good about the progress we’re making on the new entertainment sports complex and the financing.”

Johnson said that – on the public side of the equation – the city is moving forward with its “due diligence” on a plan to lease out the city parking system as part of the financial plan for a new arena.

“On the private side,” Johnson added, “AEG and ICON and all those folks are doing their part, and we are in negotiations now with the NBA and the Maloofs and all the parties involved. We’d like to be in a good position by the March 1 deadline.”

Proponents of a new sports and entertainment complex have until March 1 to solidify a plan to finance the new arena or the Kings owners will have an opportunity to file a request with the NBA to relocate the team.

At the Dec. 13 City Council meeting, Johnson and council members voted to gauge the interest of investors – through a process called “request for qualifications” – in taking over the city’s parking system as a key component of the finance picture for a new arena.

The RFQs were scheduled to be sent Dec. 22, but city consultants suggested holding off until after the new year, creating a delay in the process.

Johnson said that, despite the RFQs being issued later than expected, he has been assured by the city manager’s office that the delay will not affect the city timeline in a significant way.

“I was a little disappointed because I thought we could get (the RFQs) out even with the two weeks (of holidays) so people would know how things are going,” Johnson said Tuesday, “but I’ve been assured that it won’t slow us down at all.”

Once the city receives responses to the RFQs, the city manager and the City Council will have a better idea of how much the city’s parking assets may net. The initial analysis of the plan to lease the parking system showed a range of $170 million to just over $240 million.

Johnson said Tuesday, however, that he believes the gain from the parking assets for the entertainment and sports complex financing plan may be larger than anticipated.

“It’s not deeply rooted in science or empirical data,” Johnson said, “but I do think we can come in higher than we think – and that’s just my gut feeling.”

Johnson said he thinks the city and Kings fans have come a long way from April 13, when it seemed the Kings were about to play their last game in Sacramento.

“I think we are going to get it done, but there’s work to do,” Johnson said. “It’s going to be very challenging, and there are lots of moving parts (in the process), but I think council will step up, the NBA will step up and we will be able to create a win-win-win for all parties.”

The push for a new sports arena has been ramping up since the Sacramento Kings owners, the Maloof family, announced earlier in the year that they might move the team to Anaheim.

The Sacramento Press will take a more in-depth look Wednesday at how Sacramento has faced the possibility of losing the only major professional sports team in the city.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for the Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Hot Italian hosts second series of Savage Sprints

2011-12-27T01:04:37Z

For anyone wanting an energizing bike ride in January that won’t take them into the freezing winter cold, Hot Italian on 16th and Q streets has just the thing: Savage Sprints.

For the second year in a row, the Midtown restaurant is hosting a series of stationary bike races free to anyone who wants to show up and ride. The next racing event will be Jan. 8.

“They are small interval races of about 10 to 12 seconds (each),” Alisa Kuwabara, a supervisor at Hot Italian, said Friday. “It sounds short, but it’s really intense and gets your heart racing like crazy.”

The head-to-head races start with little kids on smaller bikes, and progress to adult races on larger bikes, Kuwabara said.

According to the Savage Sprints website, two or more competitors race side by side with a computer that calculates and displays the leader, the distance traveled, and the speed of each rider. The race distance is a simulated 250 meters and the fastest rider to the end of the distance wins.

The first races are for timing only – called “seeding” – to determine time brackets, the website states. Then the times are collected and the top 16 men and top 16 women advance to a normal bracket of eighth, quarter, semis and then to a final pair of racers to determine a winner.

All of the winners move on to championship brackets for the finale at the end of the season.

Steve Rex, owner of Rex Cycles in Sacramento, provides the stationary bikes for the races, and the series is set up in a bracket tournament schedule.

Kuwabara said racers of all ages are welcome to participate, and there are typically 40 to 50 riders racing each night of the series.

Participants really get into the race, Kuwabara said – some show up in their full cycling gear, and some even dress in costume for the occasion.

“We’ve had superheroes, nurses and all sorts of themes show up,” Kuwabara said. “People really have fun with it.”

According to Hot Italian co-owner Andrea Lepore, the races started after she saw a similar event at Rex Cycles a couple of years ago.

“I called (Rex) up and told him I thought having the races at our place would be great,” Lepore said. “He builds amazing bikes, and it looked like something people would really like to do.”

Winners are eligible for prizes such as T-shirts and other merchandise from Hot Italian, Lepore said, and Rex Cycles offers some merchandise prizes also.

“The Savage Sprints series are being held to raise awareness for the building of a velodrome here in Sacramento,” Lepore said.

A velodrome is a racing arena specifically for bicycles. The only other velodrome in northern California is in San Jose, Lepore said.

Representatives from the Sacramento Velodrome Association – a local nonprofit that initiated the project – were not immediately available for comment on this story.

“This is the second season we’ve had (Savage Sprints) at the restaurant, and it’s just gotten bigger and bigger,” Lepore said.

The number of competitors for each race is limited, Lepore said, and there are sometimes upwards of 150 to 200 spectators for each night of the series.

The next Savage Sprints will be Jan. 8 at Hot Italian. Signup for the races online at TimeYourRace.com, or on race day starting at 4 p.m. Racing will be from 5 - 7:30 p.m.

Hot Italian is sponsoring the races so no entry fee is required, however donations toward the velodrome project are welcome.

The remaining races will be held Jan. 22 and Feb. 5, and the tournament finale will be Feb. 19.

For more information about Savage Sprints and to pre-register for a racing spot, go to the race website.

More information about the velodrome project can be found here.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter with The Sacramento Press. follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Kings beat Warriors in last preseason tilt of the season, 95-91

2011-12-22T01:48:51Z

Twelve thousand plus in attendance for a preseason game told you that Kings head honcho Paul Westphal was right.

“It’s nice to have basketball back in this building, isn’t it?,” Westphal started his post game press conference.

It sure was!

A good crowd for the only home preseason game this season saw the Sacramento Kings tighten up the defense in the final minutes of the game and hold on to beat the Golden State Warriors 95-91 at Power Balance Pavilion on Tuesday evening.

Leading the way for the Kings was Marcus Thornton who had 21 points, seven boards and four assists and J.J. Hickson who scored 19 points and had nine rebounds.

Tyreke Evans scored the first basket of the new season on the home court with a net-ripping three to give the Kings an early 3-2 lead.

Tyler Honeycutt, the UCLA product that was one of the Kings second round picks, was hustling all over the court and making the Warriors take tougher shots in his first start as a King. Honeycutt got the start because John Salmons, the projected starter at small forward, is still nursing a thigh contusion.

Both teams love to run. In the first quarter alone, eight of the Warriors 19 points came off of the break.

David Lee was a thorn in the Kings side as the Warriors big man either finished with a dunk on the break or was hacked and sent to the line where he made four of his first five from the stripe. Lee finished with 30 points and 13 rebounds.

Thornton hit a couple of early long balls and a tough layup with two guys draped on him that helped give the Kings the lead after one quarter, 23-19.

With less than a minute to go in the first half, Warrior stud Stephen Curry rolled his ankle while trying to guard Jimmer Fredette. Fredette put a good move on the Warriors point guard and Curry couldn’t keep up and tweaked the same ankle that gave him trouble a good portion of last season. Curry would not return.

One highlight that Kings fans probably didn’t see coming was the two three-point bombs that newly acquired Travis Outlaw made in the second quarter. Outlaw, who is coming off of hand surgery, had a solid game considering he’s only attended a couple of Kings’ practices.

Another was watching Kings guard Isaiah Thomas sprint to the basket, beat two Warriors to the hoop and score on a sweet reverse lay in as the clock expired in the first half.

The second quarter was more of the same as the Kings would outscore the Warriors again by four points and lead at the half by eight, 49-41.

Sloppy play saw the Kings give away their eight point halftime lead in the third quarter. The Kings had 11 turnovers in the third, led by DeMarcus Cousins’ five giveaways.

Cousins has missed some practice time and it showed.

But when it really mattered, Cousins came through.

The second-year big man had a couple of steals and a crucial block in the last minute of the game that made a huge difference.

Cousins knew it was time to contribute in a different way.

“I’m really just trying to find a rhythm, it’s my first game back,” said Cousins after the game. “A tough game for me offensively, so I tried to do some key things on the defensive end to help the team win.”

Evans was another big reason the Kings held off the pesky Warriors. He had 10 points in the final period and, in general, just took over the game.

“It started with defense,” said Evans. I knew they were going to try and go to Monte (Ellis) a lot, so I took on the challenge and tried to make him take tough shots. I think that’s what we have to do to be a good team. We got to play good defense.”

With 27.1 seconds left, Thornton hit a three that blew the roof off of PBP and sealed the game for the Kings.

J.J. Hickson, who also hit seven of nine free throws, said he’s ready to do whatever the Kings need him to do. Whether it’s play the four or the five position, he can handle it.

“With me, I’m the type of player that is going to do whatever it takes to win,” said Hickson. “I’m not complaining what position I play, as long as we get it done. I don’t care who does what, as long as we get better individually and as a team, then that’s all we can ask for.”

KINGS NOTES: All three rookies scored in their home debut . . . Honeycutt had six, Fredette had 12 to accompany three boards and four assists and Thomas had eight points . . . Cousins had 10 boards and nine turnovers, mostly in that horrible third quarter . . . Francisco Garcia, Donte Greene and Hassan Whiteside all could have played but did not due to coach’s decision . . . The home opener is Monday against bitter rivals the Los Angeles Lakers

Photo Essay: Sacramento Kings' Fan Fest - 15 Nov. 2011

2011-12-18T08:43:15Z

The Kings were welcomed to a packed Power Balance Pavilion on Thursday night following their Media Day. They were divided into two teams who played four games up to twenty points each. The crowd was pleasantly delighted by the performance of their Kings, cheering for rookie Isaiah Thomas and Francisco Garcia. The final count of the games broke even at 2-2, but overall the crowd won knowing that their Kings have returned.

The Court Jester - Media Day musings, Cousins keeps 'em laughing

2011-12-16T04:47:25Z

With the season fast approaching, the Sacramento Kings held their annual Media Day on Thursday, December 15 at Power Balance Pavilion.

Every player had various duties on this busy day - multiple media obligations, shooting stand ups and bits for use in-game and even an open scrimmage, where fans across the valley will get their first chance at seeing this version of the new-look Kings.

With the addition of J.J. Hickson (via trade from Cleveland for Omri Casspi), the signing of free agent Chuck Hayes away from Houston and acquiring John Salmons via draft day trade involving Beno Udrih plus the drafting of three rookies in Jimmer Fredette, Isaiah Thomas and Tyler Honeycutt added to the three new assistant coaches added in the offseason. This could be the most changes that any one team has endured during one year.

Everyone that was anyone showed up at center court on the Kings home floor to get their time in front of someone's microphone.

The Court Jester was there and gathered these thoughts about the upcoming season, the new team chemistry and the how the Kings will play during this season.

Coach Westphal on expectations on the season - “We’re going to be better! I don’t have any hesitation in saying that. I like our team and I think we’re headed in the right direction.”

Coach Westphal on the shortened time allowed for camp and the effect of trying to put in his offensive and defensive sets - “There certainly is a lot to put in in a very short period of time. I think it’s important to us not to proceed as if we’re rushed. We need to put everything out there and be solid without rushing all the details. They way I’ve tried to do that is to put in the big picture first and then tweaked the details that need tweaking. If we had a summer and a pre-training camp time and then a month of training camp, we might start with the details and build outward. Now we’re starting with the big picture and building inward. We’re trying to do that so we don’t feel rushed and if we can stay healthy, I think it will work for us.”

Donte Greene on the emotions of the last game of the year last campaign - “A lot of emotions. I had a lot of fans coming up to me crying and saying they hope we stay. I was always one of the guys that was a front-runner for us staying here in Sacramento. I’ve been here going on four years, my family loves it here, it’s a beautiful city, so really wanted to stay. Now that we’re here, we need to make sure we stay here and make sure we start winning.”

Donte Greene on the black uniforms the team gets to sport for a few games this year - “The black uni’s are nice. I think we should have had them before. I ask for them in my second year in the league. We finally got them and I think it’s a perfect time for them.”

Donte Greene on coming into camp in better shape physically and more mature as a person - “Just being a professional athlete. That’s another part of me growing up. Last summer, we weren’t really on top of things, so summer I made sure I staying down on my weight and and in 20 pounds lighter than I did last year. Just trying to stay focused. I’m hungry and I’m trying to get another contract to stay in Sacramento. So hopefully that happens.”

Bobby Jackson on his new role as an assistant coach - “I look forward to it. It’s a learning process for me and I’m willing to learn for both of the Jims (Eyen and Todd), Keith Smart and Coach Paul. For me, I’m the new guy coming in and these guys have years of experience and that’s what I want to gain. Gain that experience, gain that knowledge and just learn from probably the best coaches in the league.”

Tyreke Evans on who has impressed him so far out of the news guys - “John (Salmons) is pretty good. I like the pickup when we got him. He’s a three man who can score the ball and play good defense. I think he is going be a great help to this team. Jimmer and the rookies have come in and played well. So I’m looking forward to see how they will play in a game.”

Tyreke Evans on the improvements the team has made in team speed and overall shooting - “I think that is going to be one of our main focuses this year is to try and run teams out of the gym. It’s a short season so I think the more we push the ball, the better chance we have to win.”

Francisco Garcia on his early training camp impressions - “We look pretty good in training camp. Everybody is in pretty good shape. We’re growing well together and think we are going to surprise a lot of people this year.”

Francisco Garcia on how good this year’s group of guys are - “This is the most talent we’ve ever had since I’ve been here. We have a lot of talent. We’re learning how to play together and are doing a pretty good job in training camp right now. We’re focussing a lot on defense.”

Jimmer Fredette on getting some early time to impress in the scrimmage and maybe the first preseason game after Tyreke slightly tweaked an ankle - “I’m just going to do whatever the coaches want me to do and I’ll just try and earn my spot with the playing time given by showing them that I can play with this team and do whatever it is that they want me to in order for this team to win.”

Jimmer Fredette on early comparisons to Tim Tebow - “I’ve heard comparisons, but I still haven’t stepped foot on an NBA floor. I did some good things in college and he did some great things in college as well. I think one thing that is a little bit similar is the naysayers saying what type of position we are. That we can’t do what we did in college in the NBA or the NFL. That remains to be seen from me, but he’s been proving that the last seven or eight weeks with what he’s been doing. I’m just trying to out there and play well, play me game and be a great player for this organization.”
J.J. Hickson on leadership - “I think I lead by example. I think I’m going to take it upon myself to be more vocal this year. Being that I played in the playoffs and got to the Eastern Conference finals, I know what it takes to be that type of team, to be a playoff team and to be a championship caliber type team. I’m in practice going hard in every drill, getting my shots up before and after practice and just doing things a leader is supposed to do.”

Marcus Thornton on the happiness he shared with his mom after signing the Kings offer - “Tears of joy, not that boo hoo crap. It’s great to have an organization that wants you for long term.”

Marcus Thornton on making a splash last year - “It was great timing. I just tried to sieze every moment of it. I just tried to go out there and play hard and to the best of my ability.”

Marcus Thornton on what he needs to improve in his game - “It’s going to start with my conditioning. Getting myself ready to play night in and night out. Getting my conditioning to where it needs to be. Playing against these guys in this league, there are no days off. I’m just going to get my conditioning better and things will fall into place after that.”

Chuck Hayes on showing the Kings players what it means to be tough - “It’s my will to win. I’m a competitive person and I try my best to teach these guys just the little things - the importance of them. We all have talent and can all play this game, but late in the game, our concentration and execution is going to help us win games and we have to make winning plays.”

Chuck Hayes on his game resembling Charles Barkley’s game - “Charles Barkley was my favorite basketball player. Every since I was younger, I was always built like him. I used to follow C-Webb a lot because I lived in Oakland when he was with the Warriors. Then when I moved to Modesto, he went to the Kings so it seemed like I followed his career as well. I’ve always been an undersized guy, a very powerful player - it’s just the way I am. I’ve played the big position since I was little and I’m going to finish playing this game by playing the big position.”

DeMarcus Cousins on, well, whatever he wanted to talk about. He opened the media session by cracking on the media guys and jokingly answering the early questions directed his way - “So, you gonna all stare at me or ask me questions?”

Someone asked him what the biggest difference between last year and this year has been - “We got black jerseys, hello?? Next question! You can’t scare no one with purple - running down the court looking all majestic.”

Once Cousins settled in, he was his typical charming self.

Cousins on differences between being a rookie and now - “Feels good. I don’t have to carry that pick bag anymore.” (referring to his pink Hollie Hobbie backpack) “We’ve got a talented group. We’ve got some veteran leadership. There is a lot of positive energy in the locker room and around the city, so it’s gonna be a new look, a new year for us.”

Cousins on how he tweak his ankle in practice the other day - “I stepped on the midget’s foot - Isaiah. He was definitely in the way,” he jokingly said.

Cousins on how he stayed in shape during the offseason - “Why would I tell you all my secrets? I’m in shape, that’s all that matters. We good!”

Every time he opens his mouth, the gathered masses are ready to burst out laughing. The guy is extremely funny and intelligent at the same time and a real treat to get to cover.

The Court Jester - A Smart addition to staff brings lots of experience

2011-12-14T01:36:08Z

Trust me, Keith Smart had options.

It was just the way Kings Head Coach Paul Westphal struck him during Westphal’s visit to his Bay Area home.

“Coach Paul was incredible as far as the process of trying to get me to come here,” said Smart after the first of two practices on Monday afternoon. “I mean, he came to my house and we sat in my living room for three hours talking about basketball philosophy. And he didn’t have to do that. When the decision came for them to come talk to me, I thought I would have had to come up to Sacramento. He said, ‘Hey, I’ll come visit with you.’ He came up and we sat and talked and I thought that was pretty good. This worked out perfect because it’s right down the highway from my home and I can see my family. My kids in high school and everything. Just being here and having a chance to get back into it again relatively quickly. When you get let go as a head coach, sometimes it doesn’t happen that fast, but I’m back in the teaching fold and learning mode again.”

“I’ve been fortunate to be around coaches that allow you to coach and Paul is one of those coaches as well. He takes input and information that you have and what you want to add to the team and he’s open to all that. It’s a good fit and it worked out really well with me coming here.”

The former head coach of the Golden State Warriors had a record last season of 36-46. But a worse than the Kings road record of 9-32 and the fact that the team never really got newly signed big man and solid rebounder David Lee to fit into what they were trying to accomplish in the East Bay led to his dismissal.

If you remember, Smart is probably known best for his 1987 Final Four heroics when he made a game-winning shot to lead Indiana to a National Championship over highly-touted Syracuse.

Smart has already looked back at what he could have done different in Oakland and intends on learning from past mistakes.

“You look at that you could have went with plays for guys at a certain situations of the game. Percentage-wise, if you go back and look at all the data from the year, you look at that maybe this guy could have done a little bit better in that situation than another guy that I had at that position from time to time. Maybe I should have gone to a particular player in a post up area a little bit more to kind of force the defense to adjust to us a little more. Little things like that.”

“But from managing the team and running a team, which I had a great coach that allowed me to to do a lot of work in Don Nelson, who gave me freedom to run the team and run practice. To have that experience already, that was a plus for me.”

Keith Smart has coaching in his blood.

Even before Don Nelson let him share the pine with him on an NBA bench, Smart was cutting his teeth in the CBA. In his first year as a head coach at any level, he led the Fort Wayne Fury to a franchise-record 31-win season and a spot in the playoffs.

The next season, he did it again. Playoff bound!

While in the CBA, he had an incredible 21 players signed away to NBA contracts. That just screams great coaching.

Smart, who is 47 now, then spent seven years alongside Don Nelson with the Warriors - the longest assistant coaching stint in Golden State history.

Smart knows he has a lot to offer the young Kings’ roster.

“I think that a coach really needs to be hands on in this environment,” said Smart. “Especially with the young players these days leaving school so early. They are still used to a coach being hands on. Until you get to a veteran team to where they pretty much know what they need to do. We need to make sure that we are holding these guys hands to help them to understand how to be a pro. And when they get to that point of being a pro, most of the time your team is going to be better.”

He also thinks that it’s great timing for him because of the influx of so many new players to the team. Another reason is that he can set an example going forward without having to revisit the past.

“I come in blind to everything that may have gone on,” said Smart. “I come in with the idea of teaching and going forward, not so much of looking back because I wasn’t here last year. We have some new pieces, some new players come in and everything fells like its brand new. So for me, I’m able to come in and just look at it from a coaching standpoint and say okay guys I need to do this, I want to do this and move from there as opposed to what went on and what happened and focusing on the negatives. I’m looking at what we can probably do this year to help turn things around and Coach Westphal has been great with all that.”

Coach Smart already sees that this team is unselfish and it started with the teachings of Coach Westphal.

“I think what Coach has done is try and get this team to share the ball, said Smart. “With a young team, that’s always hard because everyone is looking for their own identity. So what he’s tried to do is try and get the players to share and get the coaching staff to have a philosophy of getting them to play with each other and become a team. If they grow as a team, they will get better as a unit and start winning games. If they can understand how important the next guy is, that’s only going to help the team in the long run. And that is what this training camp here is all about.”

Coach Smart and the rest of the coaching staff will first get to see the impact they’ve had on this young team on Saturday, when the Kings travel to Oakland to play Golden State in their first of two preseason games.

On Friday, a look at Thursday’s Media Day and more insight to the season from Kings players.

The Court Jester - Better late than never, training camp begins anew

2011-12-13T02:43:47Z

The long-awaited, lockout-shortened Kings’ season is finally underway as training camp has opened in Natomas at Sacramento’s training facility in the Power Balance Pavilion parking lot.

Here are some observations from the second and third day of the two-week training camp.

State of the Kings Address

Each training camp, Geoff Petrie, the Kings’ President of Basketball Operations, addresses the media to discuss the offseason and his early training camp observations. This year was a lot different for Petrie as he and the staff are having to cram over a months worth of moves, discussions and preparation for the upcoming season in a two-week period.

Here are Petrie’s comments regarding various items during his stand up before the gathered media.

On how he likes the current makeup of the team - “I think at the moment, we are happy where we are. The team has been reconfigured from the last season, so a new group with the potential for what we think is improvement. They all came into camp in pretty good shape considering what turned out to be a very lengthy offseason. They seem focused and energetic and everybody’s glad to be back playing basketball.”

On major differences from last year’s campaign - “I think we are going to be a better shooting team. We’re going to be a better passing team. And I think we will be better able to attack teams offensively in more ways than we were last year.”

On how much room does the team still have under the salary cap considering the signing of Marcus Thornton (4 years, $31 million) and Chuck Hayes (4 years, $21.3 million) as well as rookies Jimmer Fredette, Tyler Honeycutt and Isaiah Thomas to contracts - “We’re still about a million dollars and change away from the minimum salary.”

On how happy he was with the general shape the players came into camp in - “Yeah, I am. In general, there are probably a couple of guys that need to lose a little bit of weight, but overall DeMarcus is ten pounds lighter than he was at the beginning of training camp a year ago. Tyreke is in better shape than he was at the start of camp last year. Marcus is within a few pounds of his game weight. John (Salmons) is in terrific shape. Fredette and all the rookies are fine. Again, considering the amount of time, we are pretty good shape that way.”

Geoff Petrie also emphasized that the team has a couple of offers out there and wouldn’t be surprised if they added another piece or two to the puzzle. At this point, it seems a backup point guard and maybe another big man could be in the mix.

He also sees the amnesty dominos to fall slowly considering that many teams are waiting to see who drops who and what other late deals some teams may be able to throw together.

The Curtain Rises

At some point during each practice, the long canvas shade that keeps the media shielded from the team’s on-court activities rises to allow the gathered newsmen and women to gaze upon the balance of Coach Paul Westpahl’s training drills.

So far this season, the curtain has risen early to allow the media a long look at will be this year’s incarnation of the Sacramento Kings.

Once practice is over, Coach Westphal give his thoughts on the days workout. Here are some of those thoughts from the second and third days of training camp.

On a potential three-guard set with Jimmer, Tyreke and Marcus Thornton and how it’s looked in practice - “It really worked well. At one point, they ran off about 12 or 15 points in a row. We were picking up full court - we’ll be doing a lot more of that this year - and creating some turnovers and early shots and they got out and were explosive. So that’s a combination that can be real effective.”

On how the young guys have looks so far - “Probably the best of everybody. I thought Whiteside had his moments, and Jimmer, Isaiah and Tyler all were excellent.”

On what might be missing from last year that you’ll need this year’s team to step up and get done - “I just think we are trying to grow as a team. We’ve added some players with some experience and some versatility and ball-handling ability. We’ll be a better shooting team. Hopefully healthier and we’ll have a little more depth.”

On whether the Kings will be more of a running team the season - “I think our personnel dictates that can extend the defense a little more effectively and I think we’re doing to try and do that.”

On how John Salmons is fitting in so far - “I think he’s doing an outstanding job! He’s a real pro and he knows where he’s supposed to be and why and he’s helping the other guys. He’s been real good at both ends.”

On J.J. Hickson - “I see a real athletic, dynamic player. He’s still feeling his way with where he’s supposed to be and why, but I think he’s somebody who can bring an element of athleticism to the game every time he comes in.”

Words from the Crown Keepers

Here are some comment from various players after a couple of workouts under their belts.

Isaiah Thomas on being a leader in college and now learning from leaders in the pros - “Because (in college) I was always was the one to lead and was telling people what to do, but now they’re telling me what to do. At the same time, when I do tell them what to do, they are listening too so it’s a mutual thing with all of us. I’m just trying to learn on the flow and learn everything from the vets and the guys that have been here a while.”

Isaiah Thomas on what the coaches are looking for from him - “Just to play hard and come in and bring energy and that’s what I’m going to do whether it’s score for myself or make plays for my teammates, I’m gonna do whatever I can to help the team win and get more wins. That’s my job!”

Isaiah Thomas on getting acclimated to the Sacramento area - “I’m trying to get lost just to see if I can find my way back to the hotel and things like that. I’m just trying to get more comfortable on the court and off.”

John Salmons on his expected leadership role with the team - “I’m just being myself man. I’m not the real vocal type. I just try to come in and be a professional and lead by example. I try and come in everyday and work hard and play the right way.”

John Salmons on what has impressed him the most so far in camp - “They way they share the ball. They are all looking to find the open guy, hitting cutters. I’ve been surprised by that the most.”

John Salmons on having a former teammate - Bobby Jackson - as a coach now - “I guess the longer you play, the more ex-teammates you have as coaches (laughs). Bobby’s cool. Bobby was cool when I was here. We always got along well so we’ll get along well with him as a coach.”

J.J. Hickson on putting in extra time after practice working on his shot - “It’s very important. I’m trying to get better every day. I’m trying to get better with the team so I think it starts with the individual first. I’m gonna get my extra work in when I need to.”

J.J. Hickson on being traded from Cleveland - “I was real surprised. I started in Cleveland. They taught me everything I know up to now. I’m gonna try and come here and let my defensive principals from Mike Brown and Byron Scott roll over into this team.”

J.J. Hickson on what his best attributes are - “I think I’m best when I’m running the floor. Setting screens against the offense real quick. The scoring is icing on the cake but I’m going to do what I have to do to make me and my teammates better.”

Tyler Honeycutt on what he’s already picked up on from the veteran players - “The movement on the floor, reading screens, staying in space and running. (Francisco) Garcia’s been talking to me a lot so I’m listening to him.”

Tyler Honeycutt on Garcia’s mentorship - “He’s been kind of looking over me like a big brother telling me where to go and making sure I’m on the right spots on the floor.”

Tyler Honeycutt on the speed of the game - “It’s like going from high school to college, now it’s college to the big boys. Everybody’s taller, faster, stronger, smarter and more athletic so I’m just trying to get used to that. Getting in the weight room to get stronger.”

Jason Thompson on the new crop of talent and the future of the Kings - “It’s starting to be good. It’s good that everyone is here and healthy. We’re just getting the reps in and putting in the offense, getting used to our defensive principals and get some continuity.”

Jason Thompson on helping the young guys - “Everyone started mature. We’re easing into things with Jimmer and Tyler and Isaiah and just giving them tips and helping them out as we’re learning as well.”

Chuck Hayes on settling in - “There is a lot of energy in the building with the youth and the excitement. I’m learning. I feel like a rookie. I’m learning guys style of play. Learning where they like to shoot the ball, their strength, their weaknesses and trying to get some kind of chemistry with them on the court.”

Chuck Hayes on if he’s, at 6’6”, always played in the middle - “I’ve always been the center from elementary to junior high a little bit in high school and a little bit in college. So playing the position was never foreign to me. I’ve always been the big kid. If you asked to me play point guard, I’d look terrible, but playing center to me is something I’ve been doing my whole life.”

Chuck Hayes on his defensive mindset going against bigger guys night after night - “Every game is a marathon. It’s a 48-minute game. The point is I just try to outwork and outlast my opponent, my guy individually. I try and wear him down and make him uncomfortable. There will be some moments where he’ll get the best of me, but you got to expect that because everybody is a professional. But throughout the 48-minute game, I have to be able to outlast him when it matters.”

Jimmer Fredette on the rush to get ready - “It’s been really exciting to start my first training camp and to start with the team. Everything is pretty accelerated because our first exhibition game is coming up real soon, but we’re doing a great job of trying to stay focused, get the plays down and get our defensive scheme down and all the terminology. It’s a learning process right now, but it’s going well.”

Jimmer Fredette on what about his game will help this team and it’s cohesiveness - “The biggest thing is just to go out there and play my game. If you show them respect, they’ll show respect back to you. Get them the ball when they’re open and take your open shots and hopefully you make them. That’s how you gain respect by going out there and playing as hard as you can, making the right decisions and being a good teammate.”

Tomorrow in The Court Jester, a conversation with the former head honcho of the Golden State Warriors and new Kings' assistant Keith Smart.

Heatwave loses in close match

2011-12-12T22:30:55Z

The Sacramento Heatwave lost in a close game against division rivals the San Francisco Rumble Sunday evening at Natomas High School with a final score of 105-100.

Despite the loss, and even though the game started two hours later than scheduled due to lack of a referee, the Heatwave put together one of their best games of the season, said Head Coach and team owner Reggie Davis.

The Heatwave went into the game hoping to shut down Rumble point guard Derek Foster, and in that, the team was successful, Davis said. Foster scored just six points in Sunday’s game.

“Foster is a prolific scorer and can put 30 points on the board,” Davis said before the game. “My goal is to not let him be too effective tonight.”

The Rumble took an early lead, and a series of fouls against them sent shooters to the free throw line often. The Heatwave had difficulty passing the ball, and the Rumble took advantage – the first quarter ended with the Heatwave down by 10 points.

In the second quarter, Heatwave guard Jason Washington scored 15 points and he helped to guide his team into the lead for the first time with just two minutes left in the half. The Heatwave scored 38 points in the quarter, while the Rumble added only 20 to its score. The two teams went into halftime with the Heatwave leading 53 to 45.

After the half, the Heatwave players returned to the court, but seemed to have lost their groove, tacking on only 21 points to the Rumble’s 33 points in the third quarter. The team faltered at the free throw line, missing four of six attempts, including two missed shots by power forward Michael Selling.

Sports fan Gary Weinberg, at his very first Heatwave game, said he already noticed a pattern with the team- they would come out strong, but then look lost on the court.

Down by four points at the start of the final quarter, the Heatwave came back strong, but three minutes in, the Rumble led by 10. The Heatwave recovered and were within two points of taking the lead with just over a minute left on the clock.

In the final seconds of the game, Heatwave shooters missed two crucial shots and turned the ball over to the Rumble, which ultimately took the win.

Going into the game, the Heatwave looked to avenge a playoff loss to the Rumble in 2010, said Davis, who called the match last year a “hotly contested game.”

“They played the best they’ve been playing,” Davis said. “I’m very happy with the way they performed this evening.”

The Heatwave heads out on an extended road trip and will play its next home game at 5 p.m. on Dec. 18 ~~7 p.m. on Jan. 27~~ at Natomas High School, located at 3301 Fong Ranch Road.

Editor's Note: The Sacramento Press editorial staff has edited this article to reflect a correction in the date of the next home game.

Hoops 4 Health (H4H)

2011-12-08T02:25:10Z

HOOPS FOR HEALTH
A SLAM DUNK FOR A HEALTHY COMMUNITY
AT THE OAK PARK COMMUNITY CENTER

Located at 3415 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd Sacramento, CA 95817

-Basketball skills for all youth
-Healthy Snacks
-Valuable Information
-Blood pressure/ Blood sugar testing station
(conducted by the Imani Clinic Organization)
-A safe and friendly enviornment

Our goal is to provide a replicable program which empowers the
youth to focus on its strengths through teamwork. We will also
provide access to healthy alternatives in efforts to curb drug use,
obesity and low self-esteem.

This program is a Imani Clinic / YXPlosion / Community
Collaborative

For more information call (916) 806-2770
E-mail H4H at hoops4health@ucdavis.edu or YXP markjacobs@yxpunite.org
Please ask for William Shepperd, Minh Dang or Mark Jacobs

Disclosure: Mark Jacobs is the President & CEO of YXPlosion

Grown-up spelling bee comes to Sacramento

2011-12-07T06:16:13Z

This is not your fourth grade spelling bee.

The Sacred City Derby Girls, Sacramento’s women’s roller derby league, along with Bows & Arrows, are bringing a grown-up spelling bee to Sacramento. The event will benefit the Gender Health Center, an organization that provides mental health counseling to the LGBT community with a focus on Sacramento’s transgender population.

Participants may sign up to spell at the event, beginning at 7 p.m. on Thursday at the Bows & Arrows store, located at 1815 19th St. The grown-up spelling bee will kick off at 8 p.m.

Alice White, whose derby name is “Standard” and skates for the Sacred City Derby Girls, said she got the idea from her home state of Minnesota, where a “drunken spelling bee” is a monthly affair in Minneapolis.

The event, open to anyone 18 years and older, will be structured in the same way as the Scripps National Spelling Bee, but as each round is completed, the remaining participants (21 and older) will be given tokens for $1 off of draught beer.

Draught beers include Lagunitas IPA, Northcoast Scrimshaw Pilsner, Allagash White and North Coast Red Seal Ale. The wine menu features wines from around the world, available both by the glass and the bottle. Various bottled beers are available as well.

“The idea is that as the words are getting harder, the contestants are getting drunker,” said Ben Hudson, executive director of the Gender Health Center, who will also be the event’s MC.

The judges will include a staff member from the Gender Health Center, Astralglide – a derby girl – and one other person, a mystery judge whose identity will be revealed at the event.

“There are a surprising amount of nerds,” White said about the Sacred City Derby Girls.

Many of the derby girls, including teachers, a doctoral candidate and women with various careers in the sciences, are expected to attend. Participants will be asked to make a donation of between $7 and $15, although more is welcome. Spectators are encouraged to attend, and there is no cover charge for admission. The winner will receive Sacred City Derby Girls’ gear, along with tickets to their first bout in February.

All proceeds from the spelling bee will go to the Gender Health Center. Hudson said he intends to use the funds to purchase a new phone system, as the organization currently has only one phone line. He said he hopes to raise $800 at the event.

White said she selected Bows & Arrows for the venue because it’s in a unique space, including outdoor seating, with beer, wine and food available for purchase at the event. Many other venues wanted a cut of the profits, and it was very important that 100 percent of the proceeds go the Gender Health Center, she added.

“We think the work they are doing at the health center is really awesome,” White said. “Having a strong mental health base is great, and we’re glad they are in our neighborhood.”

The Sacred City Derby Girls belong to the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association. The WFTDA updated its gender policy over the summer, White said. The new policy allows anyone, regardless of their gender at birth, to play women's roller derby as long as they currently identify as female. White said this is another reason the Gender Health Center was chosen as the beneficiary for the event.

Reunion Tour comes back and wins the Indoor Kickball Championship

2011-12-06T16:07:41Z

In the Xoso Sport & Social League final Indoor Kickball season of the year, and a championship game that featured the regular season's top two teams, #2 Reunion Tour pulled away from #1 Turn Your Head and Cough to win the 2011 Late Fall Indoor Kickball title 18-9.

Playoff night (last night) kicked off with the play-in matchup of #4 Balls to the Wall versus #5 The A-Team. Balls to the Wall (4-4) built a 19-6 lead after four innings but The A-Team (3-5) rallied with three runs in the fifth and eight more in the sixth before coming up short 19-17.

#4 Balls to the Wall advanced to the first semifinal where they faced #1 Turn Your Head and Cough (6-2). After holding Balls to the Wall scoreless for the first three innings, Turn Your Head and Cough steadily built a 16-1 lead going into the bottom of the sixth. Balls to the Wall was able to put six runs on the board before being shut down for a final score of 16-7.

The other playoff semifinal pitted #2 Reunion Tour (6-2) against #3 Gryffindor (5-3). Reunion Tour jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first inning before running away with the game 18-4 to set up a title showdown with #1 Turn Your Head and Cough.

This season's final presented an opportunity for Turn Your Head and Cough to avenge their only two losses of the season, both at the hands of Reunion Tour, 10-9 and 21-12. With excellent defense played by both sides and a scoreless tie after two innings, the game seemed headed for a low scoring finish. The Reunion Tour offense woke up with four runs in the third inning and tacked on eight more in the fourth with the help of "double damage" to lead 12-5 after four innings. Reunion Tour pushed the score to 18-6 in the top half of the sixth inning before putting away Turn Your Head and Cough by the final score of 18-9.

Cheers to the 2011 Late Fall Champions, Reunion Tour, and to all the teams for a great season! Many of the teams will now be moving over to coed dodgeball or volleyball during the winter months, so we'll see who comes out on top next time...

Disclosure: Nick is the founder of Xoso.

The Sacramento Press Journalism Open 2012 begins Jan. 1

2011-12-05T07:22:58Z

If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to publish your first article, consider the rewards of doing it on The Sacramento Press.

Last year we gave out thousands in cash prizes to winners of The Sacramento Press Journalism Open, and we’re ready to do it again.

This is the third year that we’ve hosted The Sacramento Press Journalism Open. The contest is pro-am, meaning writers of all skill levels are welcome to enter.

If you aren’t familiar with The Sacramento Press, we’re a hyperlocal online newspaper that focuses on community news. We aim to be the best source for local news and we would like you to help us achieve that by sharing your stories. No reporter knows more than you when it comes to issues affecting your neighborhood, your stance on why your daughter’s school should stay open, or an event you witnessed firsthand.

More than 1,700 people have written articles on The Sacramento Press since the site launched in October 2008. We look forward to seeing many new bylines – including yours – as the contest heats up.

We awarded prizes to 12 individuals last year, and this year we have $2,000 in prizes to give away.

The winning article for the Journalism Open 2011 was about the state of Sacramento’s bridges and was written by Isaac Gonzalez.

To see the list of last year’s winners, click here.

Before you publish your story, we highly recommend submitting your story for copy editing. We offer free copy editing to catch spelling errors and/or grammatical mistakes in your articles. To submit your story for copy editing, email the story to journalism@sacramentopress.com. Your edited story will be returned to you within 24-48 hours.*

*Depending on the volume of submissions being sent in for copy editing, it might take longer than the normal 24-hour turnaround time.

If you have questions about the copy editing process, email support@sacramentopress.com.

Publishing an article on The Sacramento Press is easier than you might think. To start writing, simply go to the top of this page and click the "Sign Up" button and follow the prompts. You will be asked for information and to accept our terms of use agreement. After you are signed up, click the "Write" button at the top of the page, create a Storyline and start writing.

We suggest that you write your story in a separate writing application (i.e. Word) and then, when you've finished and had it copy edited, cut and paste it into our site.

Important: Every story you enter/post on the site must be tagged "Open2012" in the tag section. Just write those words in the space provided under tags. You should also add tags to you story, especially choosing one of our “section” tags – Culture, Business, Politics and Sports – depending on which ones fits the story best.

Hit "Publish," and you have posted your first story on The Sacramento Press. You've also been entered in The Sacramento Press Journalism Open!

To enter a photo that is accompanying someone else's story, tag the story with the following: open2012yourname (example: open2012JoshRamsey).

Remember, no story is too small. Are you concerned about the safety of your neighborhood park? Do you have insight into the upcoming City Council election? Have a favorite landmark that you’d like to share? Write about it on The Sacramento Press and you could be walking away with the $600 grand prize.

So, what are you waiting for? Commit acts of journalism and be a part of the growing community of citizen journalists.

CATEGORIES & CRITERIA FOR JUDGING

Entries will be judged by our editorial staff, and that judgment will be subjective. But we will be using criteria for what we think good journalism is. Among those criteria are:

Accuracy: Facts, spelling and quotes should be correct. Double-check everything and use your computer’s spell check.
Writing style: Writing should be clear, concise and enjoyable.
Local focus: Stories should be set in Sacramento, Yolo, Placer or El Dorado counties.
Sourcing: Include a minimum of two living, breathing sources in your story. Quotes from people who know what you’re writing about will always enliven and improve your story. Aim to include different perspectives. Wikipedia, About.com, press releases and book or newspaper excerpts are not acceptable sources.
Impact: Your story will also be judged on how readers react in the conversation on The Sacramento Press, as well as how it is received in the real world.
Mostly though, we’ll judge entries based on how interesting they are, if they’re news or a new approach to an old story, how well-researched they are, the quality of the writing and the quotes.

Stories can be any length, but they must be original nonfiction about the Sacramento area.

Stories may not be re-posts from blogs or other publications, print or online.

Finally, we will give extra weight to high-quality photographs, either accompanying stories or standing on their own with explanatory captions.

RULES

To be eligible, stories must be posted on the site, by you (using your real name), between 12:01 a.m. on Jan. 1, 2012 and 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 31, 2012. We will be able to help you post either over the phone or in our office.*

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You must live or work in one of our four home counties listed above, and be at least 18 years of age. High school students under the age of 18 can enter if they have a parental consent form.*

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Be sure to reread and double check what you've written; once it is published on the site, it cannot be modified.

PRIZES

First Prize $600
Second Prize $400
Third Prize $200
Three $100 prizes for honorable mentions
$500 in prizes awarded to best photos

Entries will be judged by The Sacramento Press editorial and community outreach departments. All decisions will be final. Limit one prize per entrant. Winners will be announced on the site, Feb. 13, 2012.

Addendum: You must be 14 years of age or older to publish an article on The Sacramento Press and to enter the Journalism Open.

Selena Gomez, Gym Class Heroes at Jingle Ball

2011-12-03T02:32:21Z

107.9 The End's Jingle Ball 2011 went down at Power Balance Pavilion on Thursday night.

The concert featured performances by JoJo, Breathe Carolina, Cobra Starship, Gym Class Heroes, and Selena Gomez.

Photos by Steven Chea

Local youth dancer receives gold

2011-12-01T01:16:35Z

Angelina Baca has received a gold medal for her solo contemporary dance performance at this year’s Co-Dance Convention and Competition. Co-Dance is a national touring dance competition and convention that features not only a competition but master’s classes with current industry leaders and stars. Co-Dance’s Sacramento regional event was held November 4-6, 2011, at the Doubletree Hotel , with 17 dance studios from all over California and Nevada participating.

The gold medal is the culmination of months of hard work at the Contemporary Dance Conservatory in midtown Sacramento, where Baca is a student. Baca is also a member of the Teen Company that competed with two group dances, “Houses,” which received a gold, and “Fear,” which obtained a high silver finish. In addition, Baca participated in the master’s classes at the convention with teachers Robert Roldan and Kayla Radomski, both from the show “So You Think You Can Dance.”

“I thought Co-Dance was a good learning experience,” said Baca after the Co-Dance weekend. “I had a lot of fun in the master’s classes. I learned a lot from Robert and Kayla – they were the best teachers there. They taught me new choreography that I hadn’t done before. When I did the audition for scholarships with Kayla, I felt like I could really let go and flow with the music – like I could do anything.”

Dance has become a way of life for Baca. She trains at the studio two to three hours per day, five days per week, taking mostly ballet and contemporary classes, but also studying jazz, hip-hop and acting at the studio, all while maintaining a nearly 4.0 GPA. Her two younger sisters also dance at the studio.

Contemporary Dance Conservatory opened in Midtown Sacramento in May, 2011 at 213 26th Street and is co-owned by Artistic Director Lena Logan and her husband James Bahn. Logan has been Baca’s dance instructor and mentor for three years.

Baca has been studying dance since she was three years old, but has only been able to reach her potential after she was hand-picked by Logan. Since then, Baca’s progress and growth as a young dancer has been impressive and rapid. She now has over 20 live performances under her belt and has gained a new confidence in herself as Ms. Lena, as the dancers call her, constantly pushes her to achieve that which she did not think was possible.

The atmosphere at CDC is positive, welcoming and mellow, but by no means easy once you step on the dance floor. Logan challenges the dancers each and every day and gets to know the strengths and weaknesses of all the dancers. Baca has flourished in these conditions and credits Logan’s teaching style and approach.

“She makes us dig deep and pulls things out of us that we didn’t know were inside of us,” says Baca. “I knew when I started working with Ms. Lena that she was going to take me to a whole new level with my dancing.”

Baca’s next goal is to improve her individual scores and win a scholarship at the next competition in February. She will also be auditioning for entrance to the Performing Arts program at the Natomas Charter School in March and looks forward to going “en pointe” next year in ballet. Her dream is to be known as a dancer who makes the world look at this art form in a new and exciting way and to represent her hometown of Sacramento.

In addition, Baca hopes to obtain more sponsors before the spring portion of the dance season. She currently has three official sponsors responsible for helping her obtain her goal of debuting her first solo competition piece. Sponsors include Rene Domingo Photography/Blue Sky Marketing, 524 Restaurant in midtown, and Papillon Salon in Natomas. Friends and family also support her in her efforts to train and gain more experience in the competition arena.

Disclosure: Krista Baca is a dance mom at the Contemporary Dance Conservatory.

Talented Local Athletes from Arden Hills to Compete in Swim Meets in Arizona & Washington

2011-11-30T12:58:52Z

Led by Arden Hills USA Swim Team Head Coach & Director of Aquatics Brian Nabeta and his talented coaching staff, more than 50 young athletes training at Arden Hills Resort Club & Spa will travel to compete in two separate swim meets happening this week in Arizona and Washington.

In fact, a group of 30 young athletes (ages 9-14) training at Arden Hills Resort Club & Spa will compete in the 2011 Holiday Swim Festival taking place in Chandler, Arizona, on December 1 through 4, 2011. This annual competition is put on by the USA Swimming and the Desert Thunder Aquatics. Once available, meet results can be found at http://www.desertthunderaquatics.org/Home.jsp?team=dta.

Additionally, Coach Nabeta will accompany 26 members of the Arden Hills USA Swim Team (ages 14-18) who will compete in the 63rd Annual Husky Invitational at the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way, Washington, on December 2 through 4, 2011. This meet is coordinated by Pacific Northwest Swimming and, once available, results can be found at www.teamunify.com/Home.jsp?_tabid_=0&team=pnws2.

“We’re extremely proud of these young athletes who have worked long and hard to develop strong racing skills,” said Coach Nabeta. “I’m looking forward to watching our young athletes compete in these prestigious meets, and I truly hope the results demonstrate their skill level, natural talent and dedicated training.”

Open to all swimmers with athletes being placed according to skill level, Arden Hills has a year-round USA Swim Team that is recognized by USA Swimming as a Silver Medal team, one that is classified in the top two percent of all teams in the United States. First opened in 1954, Arden Hills Resort Club & Spa has trained an amazing number of world champion swimmers. In fact, athletes that have trained at Arden Hills have collectively set more than 200 world and American records, earned 31 Olympic medals, 21 gold, seven of which were won by legendary swimmer Mark Spitz.

Disclosure: Traci Rockefeller Cusack represents a number of businesses and organizations throughout the greater Sacramento area including Arden Hills Resort Club & Spa.

NBA lockout ends and hundreds return to work

2011-11-30T00:03:59Z

Mayor Kevin Johnson announced Tuesday that with the NBA lockout over – and the Sacramento Kings resuming their season – more than 700 workers at the Power Balance Pavilion will be able to return to their jobs.

“We are excited. With the lockout ended you will see people returning to work,” Johnson said.

Since the lockout began, Power Balance Pavilion employees have lost a significant amount of work, and businesses that rely on the traffic that NBA games bring in have suffered financially.

With the four-plus month lockout and all pre-season games cancelled and a shortened season ahead, employees have missed out on a substantial amount of work.

On Del Paso Boulevard, businesses have reported 20-30 percent losses in revenue due to the NBA lockout, Johnson said. “We need people to be working and we know money needs to be spent,” he added.

The range of employees feeling the impact of the NBA lockout is widespread.

The Hyatt Regency Sacramento, for example, is losing what Johnson speculated to be $50,000 a month due to NBA teams not visiting Sacramento for games and staying at the hotel.

The Kings will start their shortened 66-game season in late December.

Millions of dollars would have been lost if the lockout continued, Johnson said.

“We will be able to say ‘go Kings,’again,” he added.

Plans for the new arena in Sacramento continue to develop as the NBA season kicks off. Johnson said he hopes to get up to speed on all the components of the new entertainment and sports complex this week.

March 1, 2012 marks the date when Sacramento must have its plans finalized for the new arena. If not, the Maloof family, owner of the Sacramento Kings, has permission by the NBA to take the Kings elsewhere.

Dec. 13 is an important deadline in the planning process. According to the City of Sacramento website, the Sacramento Entertainment and Sports Complex must have finalized its “research, evaluations, negotiations on the finance (and) development and operation” plans by the Dec. 13 City Council meeting.

“We are excited the lockout is over and the city will do its best to step up and make a new sports entertainment center,” Johnson said.

Dirt Nasty at Ace of Spades

2011-11-28T05:15:20Z

If you don't know Dirt Nasty (aka ex-MTV VJ Simon Rex), take a look at some of his song titles and you'll know what you're getting into: "Suck My D***," "Baby D***" and "F*** Me I'm Famous."

It was all about the lowest common denominator at Ace of Spades on Saturday, as Nasty rapped for a crowd that was about half full. In addition to genitalia and sex, he also covered themes like cocaine use ("1980") and bestiality ("Animal Lover").

But that’s his shtick, so you were either there for the juvenile party raps or maybe to catch a glimpse of the actor who was in “Scary Movie 4” and an episode of “MTV Cribs.”

"He's hot! I don't even know his music. I came for him!" said Melissa Renee, 19.

Nasty had a lot of interaction with the crowd; making reference to the different drinking sections at Ace of Spades, talking about how drunk he was ("If I throw up on stage don't judge me!") and praising the quality of the females in Sacramento: "There's something in the water. Sacramento's got the hottest women ever. Why y'all have to have the hottest women in the Bay?”

Leaving the stage after a short 30-minute set with his DJ, Killer Cam, Nasty came back for a quick two-song encore, bringing a bunch of guys and girls on stage to dance and finish with the appropriately titled song "My D***."

Opening for Dirt Nasty were DJ Fedi, Status Goes, Richard the Rockstar and Rock & Rhyme.

Photos by Steven Chea

Kings Donte Greene excites basketball fans with Goon Squad Classic

2011-11-24T07:07:56Z

With no end in sight to the NBA lockout, Sacramento Kings forward Donte Greene gave Kings and NBA fans something to cheer about on Sunday evening at the Pavilion at UC Davis as he hosted the Goon Squad Classic.

Greene came up with the name because him and fellow teammates Jason Thompson and Pooh Jeter are known as the “Goon Squad,” as they jump up and down before Kings games to help pump up the crowd.

Since there has not been a labor agreement between the players and the owners of the NBA, Greene decided to host the Goon Squad Classic, a charity game that benefited numerous charities both locally and nationally.

It was the first time that the Sacramento region had seen professional basketball since the Kings played their last game in April, which left fans in fear that their team would be heading down south to Anaheim.

Greene’s main goal when putting together the exhibition game was to give Sacramento basketball fans something to cheer about again, along with making money for a good cause. In association with Greene, the Circle of Success Foundation helped organize the game, along with fellow Sacramento King Jason Thompson.

Although stars such as Oklahoma City Thunder Kevin Durant was not able to make it, and Washington Wizard John Wall was unable to play, the game featured many stars and solid lineups on both teams.

Greene was featured on the black squad, featuring players such as 76er’s big man and former King Spencer Hawes, Jason Thompson and Kings rookie Jimmer Fredette.

This exhibition game marked the first time Kings fans were able to see their new rookie and 10th overall pick Fredette play in front of the hometown crowd, and he didn’t disappoint. Seemingly every time after he dribbled the ball over half court, the crowd shouted at him in an attempt to show off his “Jimmer range.” The rookie appeased the hometown crowd, draining numerous shots from well behind the three-point arc.

The purple team featured Kings Tyreke Evans, DeMarcus Cousins, Hassan Whiteside, rookie Isaiah Thomas and Los Angeles Laker Matt Barnes, who was greeted to an uproar of boos when he was introduced.

As expected, the exhibition game featured little defense but was a showcase of the players athleticism, featuring numerous alley-oops and long-distance threes that continued to draw “oohs” and “ahhs” from the crowd.

But Greene did not just give the fans an opportunity to watch basketball again — he also gave the crowd numerous free shirts, with players available for autographs after the game. Greene also took the three different pairs of shoes he wore during the game, signed them and also threw those into the crowd.

Following little defense, the game ended with Greene’s team on top 167-164 as Tyreke Evans failed to make a desperation three-point attempt that would have tied the game at the end of the first regulation.

In addition to benefiting the Circle of Success Foundation, a portion of the proceeds also benefited the Save Ourselves Foundation for Breast Cancer, Sacramento Food and Clothing Bank, Crocker Riverside 4th R and Shriners Hospital for Children.

VIDEO: Sacramento State falls to Davis 23-19 in Causeway Classic showdown

2011-11-22T01:39:31Z

Sacramento State hosted the 58th annual Causeway Classic football game, its rivalry game against UC Davis Saturday at Hornet Stadium. The Hornets were hoping to win its third Causeway Classic game in four years, but unfortunately the Aggies did not let that happen as Davis defeated Sac State 23-19.

Sac State did not score until the second quarter when freshman defensive lineman Ben Cowger sacked Davis quarterback Randy Wright, causing Wright to fumble the ball into Davis’ end zone allowing Cowger to recover the ball for a Hornet touchdown. Davis however would answer back with a touchdown of its own when freshman running back Austin Edmondson rushed to the end zone from the 8-yard line.

During the second half, Davis’ defense was too much to handle for Sac State as the Hornets could not score until 0:01 left in the fourth quarter when freshman quarterback Garrett Saffron ran 30-yards into the end zone for the final touchdown to end the game. That was not enough to top the 13 points Davis scored in the second half.

The Hornets also had trouble stopping the Aggies’ rushing offense. Davis scored all its touchdowns from rushing plays and has a total of 206 rushing yards for the game compared to Sac State’s 114.

Saffron struggled throughout the game completing only 11-of-31 passes for 155 yards while Wright completed 14-of-23 of his passes and threw one interception.

This is Davis’ second Causeway Classic win in a row, but both wins came by slim margins of four points or less. Davis won last year’s Causeway Classic 17-16 at home. Both teams end the season with 4-7 records.

Heatwave takes the win

2011-11-21T20:15:12Z

The Sacramento Heatwave took its first win of the season against the Modesto Hawks on Sunday night at Natomas High School with a final score of 132 to 93. Despite the opponent’s strong shooters, the Heatwave players delivered excellent defense, which helped them control the game and take the win.

“Overall it was a great game and our best effort in this season so far,” said Reggie Davis, CEO, owner and head coach of the Heatwave. “The team is really starting to get looser, and the defense effort they put out tonight really made a difference.”

The first quarter started off with a close match. The Hawks scored the first shot of the game and seemed to be carrying the momentum.

Within minutes, power forward Michael Selling of the Heatwave scored the first eight points for the team. Selling scored 24 points for the Heatwave by the end of the game, more than any other player on the team.

With two minutes and 30 seconds to go in the first quarter, the pace of the game picked up. The intensity increased with a close game, with the Heatwave trailing 20-19.

In the last minutes of the first quarter, shooting guard Brian Parker forced a turnover and sank two free throws, putting Heatwave in the lead by one point.

In the second quarter, the Heatwave increased its defense with forcing the other team out of bounds and running out the shot clock. The game really revved up, ending at halftime with the Heatwave leading the Hawks 55-40, giving the Heatwave the confidence to keep up the momentum in the second half of the game.

Only scoring 16 points in the second quarter, compared to 24 in the first, the Hawks were losing the energy they had at the start of the game.

“We played really good defense, and that was the difference between tonight and the last two games of the season,” said Brandon Smith, assistant coach of the Heatwave. “To get the Hawks knocked off put us in a good place in our division.”

In the third quarter, guard Greg Doyle scored two three pointers in a row, and the Heatwave controlled the game. The Hawks lost the strong play that they had in the first quarter.

At the start of the fourth quarter, the Heatwave was in the lead, 88-66. The Heatwave led by double digits with nine minutes left in the fourth quarter.

Shooting guard Kendrick Grace tried to get the Hawks back into the game by scoring a three pointer after two consecutive three pointers by the Heatwave. Grace scored 33 points overall, the most of all players on his team and the Heatwave players. However, it wasn’t enough to change the course of the game.

The crowd went wild when Parker of the Heatwave dunked with a minute and 17 seconds left on the clock.

Grace made a jump shot in the remaining seconds of the fourth quarter, ending the game with a solid effort, but the Heatwave took the win with nearly a 40-point lead.

“We were confident that we were going to get the win. We had a lot of big shots tonight and really got it together,” said guard Don Moorman of the Heatwave.

The next home game for the Heatwave is Dec. 10 at Natomas High School when the team goes up against the Richmond Rockets. For more information about the Heatwave, visit the website here.

Skates, trains and automobiles

2011-11-16T23:47:35Z

November’s Second Saturday attendance appeared to have decreased this month. Two hot spots however thrived and attracted visitors to the monthly Second Saturday Art Walk. Art galleries and other establishments on 20th Street as well as businesses on K Street attracted large crowds.

Downtown Sacramento’s K Street, in another effort to jump start the commercial area, opened for vehicle traffic on Saturday.

A stage was set up on 12th and K Streets to accommodate an opening ceremony, a car parade, and other entertainment to celebrate the event.

Classic cars paraded down K Street for the first time in over 42 years. Reminiscent of cruising down the boulevards of San Francisco or Los Angeles several dozen cruisers delighted onlookers who gathered for the event.

After the parade Butoh Dancers, courtesy of Rowena & Takashi, took the stage to showcase their hair and makeup talent.

Mariachi Latino, courtesy of Mayahuel, played their brand of music as patrons of the restaurant and guests enjoyed being serenaded.

The Smirkers, courtesy of Marilyn’s on K, also performed for fans and friends.

The Spazmatics were the last act to take the stage at 12th and K and they thoroughly delighted the audience. They started their performance singing “Cars” by Gary Numan. Their performances of 80s rock are very whimsical, energetic, popular choices for dancing, great to listen to and a lot of fun to watch.

The Spazmatics’ performance was a great official ending to the Cars on K event. As the 12th and K Street stage closed down, so did many of the venues and art galleries that participate in the monthly Second Saturday Art Walk events.

Just down the street on K and 11th a skateboard course was set up and several people skated. The course was provided to coincide with Omar Salazar’s Nike SB shoe launch celebration. The shoe launch included a red carpet event hosted by District 30.

As I stopped to watch kids skateboarding on the made up course a skateboard piece of art was being created by Eddie Stein.

Stein’s piece was created using a metal loop and skateboards were attached to it creating art. Stein used skateboards he’s collected over the years. A plaque attached to the artwork indicated that another local artist, Ianna Frisby, helped create the concept.

Mehrad Saidi had been at the skating course early in the day and was on hand to show me around, as we discussed the significance of K Street and skateboarding and how appropriate it was to be there to have an Omar Salazar shoe launch event.

Saidi said, “K Street was a popular spot for skaters back in the 80s” and as he said this, Stein - who was working on his art piece -interjected, saying “I skated it.”

Discussing skating in the 80s, Stein said, “I’m not really an expert but I know they changed K Street Mall and they built all these concrete structures which we called tape barriers because that’s what they looked like. There were also all these fountains and different embankments that we used when we came to skate at night.”

Stein indicated they skated at night because they did not want to get in trouble with the authorities. He indicated it was considered a skate friendly place in the sense that they could meet other skaters and was a place to hang out and learn from others.

As Stein continued to work on his structure, he noted that it was an untitled piece and was going to be using 23 skateboards to complete the work. He noted that a Hobie skateboard used in the display was from the time period we were discussing. Stein also noted that his piece had been exhibited at the California Auto Museum. Stein noted, “In fact it was the very first installation art piece ever allowed in the California Auto Museum.”

People passing by stopped to look at the art piece and asked Stein questions. In the meantime skaters of various generations and ethnicities continued to skate the course. The love of skating was a common link.

District 30 was hosting the Salazar shoe launch later that evening and at their entrance Alma Campos of Forum Boutique had a table of her boutique designs on display. Joaquin Razo, the event planner for the Salazar event took me inside District 30 to reveal the set up for the evening’s red carpet event.

Luke Shawver of District 30 conveyed that several things were going to transpire during the evening in the club and surrounding establishments. He mentioned that DJ Chris Harnett would provide music for the evening and that drink specials were being offered at District 30, Pizza Rock and the Dive Bar.

District 30, along with other surrounding clubs, theaters and eateries on K Street look forward to increased traffic and hopefully increased business.

Legendary skateboarder Curtis Franklin was on hand to help the Salazar crew with the event. Franklin talked about skating in the 80s in Sacramento and said, “We used to come down to Sacramento and that’s how many of us met as kids.” Franklin noted that he skated with Stein saying, “He was a big guy back then and it’s still cool seeing him. Some of those boards are what I was doing when I was a kid.”

Franklin continues to skate and noted he has a skating set up in his back yard. I relayed that a neighbor of some friends had built a ramp in his backyard in Folsom and to my surprise Franklin knew who I was talking about.

Rekindling memories, Franklin stated with much enthusiasm, “Yeah, my buddy Roger, we all know each other. His last name is actually Folsom. When I was a kid, Roger and my buddy Randy Katen and others hung out with each other. Some of the guys you lose track of but everyone just keeps skating, or they stop and start skating as their kids begin.”

When asked why he was at the event, Franklin noted that he was there to support Salazar. Franklin’s passion for skating is quite evident and he noted the skating community is very tight. Franklin said, “Omar has the ability to bring people together, he’s really connected with the kids and he's a down to earth kid as well.”

In regards to the skateboarding community, Franklin explained that he was glad to see Salazar and others giving back to Sacramento. Franklin ended by saying, “It’s good that he’s giving back. If you don’t give back to this community you get kind of excommunicated. You have to know where you came from. I remember Omar skating with me when he was a little kid. He has a good family, good friends and a great foundation. He’s a positive and genuine kid.”

Pablo Salazar and Saidi later presented Franklin with a display board that read, “Their Perseverance Paved the Way for This Generation's Acceptance” and included the names of Sacramento skaters who continue to give back to the community. Names on the board included Matt Rodriguez, John Cardiel, Omar Salazar, Ricky Windsor, Brandon Biebel, Curtis Franklin, Stefan Janoski, Matt Palles and Mako Urabe.

Skaters enjoyed the ramps created by Casey Lindstrom. The Livermore native has lived in Sacramento for the past 14 years. When asked how long it took to build the ramps Lindstrom said, “It took about three days to put together the ramps and course. I build a lot of ramps for 28th and B (Skate Park).”

Lindstrom has been skating for over 25 years and also runs Casey’s Restoration, a construction business. He noted that lately he’s had a lot of free time and donates wood and other materials he may have during times of slow business. His commitment to skateboarding runs deep. “If I’m not working I’m doing something for the B,” Lindstrom said. Skaters keep him going and he explained, “Business has been slow and it’s a dog-eat-dog world. Skateboarding keeps me going and keeps people happy and that’s what it’s all about.”

District 30 celebrated the Cars on K Street after party that included the Nike SB shoe release and birthday party for Omar Salazar. Salazar celebrated with fans, friends and family.

Think Big announces Citizen Architect winner

2011-11-10T21:55:14Z

Local sporting goods store manager Troy Bedal walked away as the big winner Tuesday in the Think Big Sacramento Citizen Architect competition with a personalized brick Walk of Fame design inspired by a similar design at AT&T Park in San Francisco.

Bedal and the two runners-up – Shaun Baland, 42, a state worker from Lincoln, and Gary Bladen, 24, a recent UC Davis graduate working on sustainable development – gathered at City Hall for the announcement Tuesday along with Think Big committee members Greg Hayes and Carla Collins Mixon and local artist and competition judge David Garibaldi.

The competition – a contest to design a portion of the planned entertainment and sports complex – opened in July, and the top 20 field of design entries was narrowed to three in September.

Voting for the final winner concluded the first week of November.

Bedal, 30, said his design idea was meant to be a simple, cost-effective and eco-friendly way to commemorate everyone involved in making the arena a reality – starting with the members of the grassroots group that served as the support for the project.

“My heart is deeply with this community and with the die-hard movement that’s taken us to this point,” Bedal said. “It’s exciting to have something named after myself, something that I got involved in and put time and effort into. It’s unbelievable.”

According to the design description from the Think Big website, Bedal’s Walk of Fame will consist of bricks inscribed with each member’s name along with the name of the local grassroot campaigns they were involved with such as: Here We Stay, Here We Build, SacTown Royalty and citizen architects of Think Big Sacramento.

Bedal’s design was selected as the winner after more than 600 members of the public voted in the competition on the Think Big Facebook page, Mixon said.

Garibaldi said that what set Bedal’s design apart from the other entries was that it allowed for expansion beyond the initial installation.

“We can start with people being recognized for their work on the arena project,” Garibaldi said, “and then, throughout the years, we can recognize other people in the Sacramento region on the new Walk of Fame for their accomplishments, too.”

Runners-up Baland and Bladen both said they felt Bedal’s winning idea was a good one and they are happy for his success.

“The design contest was great, but it’s really secondary to the larger project,” Baland said after the announcement. “We just want to see an arena built. If our designs were there, great, if not we’ll go to watch a game.”

The next step toward getting a new entertainment sports complex in Sacramento is having a finalized financing plan to present to the City Council, according to Jeremiah Jackson, Think Big Sacramento project manager.

“(The Think Big team) has a lot of work to do still,” Jackson said Thursday. “We’re preparing a completed finance package for the council with all the details nailed down. There is a lot involved in that, but we’re committed to getting it lined out and ready to go.”

Jackson said Think Big representatives will make their next presentation on the proposed entertainment sports complex to the City Council Dec. 13.

Melissa Corker is a Staff Reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Mastodon brings the mosh pit to Ace of Spades

2011-11-05T22:51:45Z

The decibel level at Ace of Spades was raised to an ear-splitting high as prog-metal band Mastodon took the stage Wednesday, along with guests The Dillinger Escape Plan and Red Fang.

A sea of shaggy-haired metal heads packed the small venue to the brim, and the smell of spilled beer and old leather permeated the crowd.

Portland-based band Red Fang took the stage first, to an astonishing large following despite only recently debuting in the music scene two years ago. The band delivered an impressive set, with a heavy sludge metal sound reminiscent of The Melvins mixed with the bluesy riffs of Kyuss.

The band got the crowd energized immediately upon opening, headbanging between growled vocals and riff-heavy breakdowns. Red Fang is also scheduled to play the Blue Lamp on Dec. 8, which, after seeing them live, promises to be just as intense. Find out all of their tour dates and newest releases at http://www.redfang.net/.

As the lights dimmed for mathcore outfit The Dillinger Escape Plan, the crowd swelled as people made their way to the front to form a sizable mosh pit. With their complex rhythms and constant tempo switches, it was hard to follow the band's songs, which they made up for with a spastic stage presence.

To call their performance “wild” would be an understatement, as guitarists Ben Weinman and Jeff Tuttle sprang across the stage and stood atop their amp heads. The only time either guitarist stopped moving was to play a complicated solo, only to return to thrashing back and forth. Vocalist Greg Puciato growled guttural lyrics into the microphone while simultaneously climbing into the pit and crowdsurfing.

Toward the end of the set, the stage became part of the audience as Puciato hoisted a cymbal into the air, passed a guitar into the crowd and threw drumsticks across the stage. As the band cleared the stage, I noticed a lone drumstick that had become stuck in one of the beams above the crowd. Their stage presence was definitely something that would be hard to match. The Dillinger Escape Plan will continue to support Mastodon along with Red Fang through December. Find their tour dates at http://www.dillingerescapeplan.org/content/events.

However, as the lights dimmed for Mastodon, it was clear who the majority of the attendees came to see. Before the band made it to the stage, the crowd chanted and cheered "Mas-to-don!" and threw up the metal horns hand sign popularized by Ronnie James Dio.

As the first booming chord echoed from the stage, a simple backdrop lit up to display a psychedelic compilation of images mixed with deep red stage lights.

The band performed a flawless set, playing songs from each of their releases, including “Bedazzled Fingernails” off their newest record, “The Hunter.” During their 2007 single “Colony of Birchmen,” the band evoked a sing-along across the venue, with the crowd screaming the doom-laced lyrics, "Run! With! Death!" with outstretched fists.

The band’s albums have been critically acclaimed over the years for their complex yet accessible sound, but their live performances are just as heavy, if not heavier.

There is no doubt in my mind that after Wednesday night’s show, Mastodon not only solidified their place as metal giants, but they showed Sacramento they are still in their prime for many years to come.

Mastodon will continue to tour the with The Dillinger Escape Plan and Red Fang through December before embarking on massive tour across Europe with twenty-three planned shows. Find all of their tour information as well as their latest release, 'The Hunter', at http://www.mastodonrocks.com/.

Disclosure: Ever since the release of their 2006 album 'Blood Mountain', Mastodon has been one of my favorite metal bands. Their constant evolution in sound and flawless live performances set them apart from their counterparts in the metal genre.

Downtown Ice Rink Opens

2011-11-05T05:14:24Z

Kids were lined up and ready to skate on opening day of the downtown outdoor ice rink. A chill was in the air, adding to the feel of the upcoming holidays.

"There's nothing that says 'holidays' better than ice skating," Michael Ault, Executive Director of the Downtown Partnership said right before the rink opened.

And this is its 20th season. Skating was free today until 10 p.m.

Located at 7th & K Streets in downtown Sacramento it is open annually seven days a week from early November to mid-January.

The 7,000 sq. ft rink, across from the Westfield Plaza, is produced by the Downtown Partnership with numerous sponsors.

Here's photos from opening day;

Generally, hours are 2 to 8 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays; 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays.

Open daily November 4, 2011 – January 16, 2012
Monday – Thursday: 2 pm – 8 pm
Friday – Saturday: 10 am – 10 pm
Sunday – 10 am – 8 pm

For more info, CLICK HERE>>>>

Gym, Tan, Dodgeball win first title, and Team AP completes first 3-peat!

2011-11-05T00:00:32Z

Last night featured 150 local young professionals, competing for the right to claim Xoso Dodgeball Champion on their athletic resumes. Another 100 playoff hopefuls had already had their dreams of dodgeball glory fade into the distance. The Xoso Sport & Social League offers two divisions on Thursday evenings, separating veteran "A" league teams from newer "B" league teams.

On the B League side of the gym last night, Gym Tan Dodgeball proved that it doesn't always matter where you're seeded.

The Fall Season of Xoso dodgeball wrapped up last night with an epic night of playoffs and championship matchups. Coming into the night Drinkin' Team (6-2) and Titsburg Feelers (6-2) arrived with the top 2 seeds, while Gym Tan Dodgeball (5-3) and Hookers and Bacon (4-4) had earned the lowest seeds - 5th and 6th respectively.

In the opening round the first matchup contained little drama as Sexual Chocolate and Gym Tan Dodgeball(GTD) were set to square off in a battle of 4-seed vs 5-seed. Sexual Chocolate unfortunately didn't have the minimum number of players and so GTD was awarded a victory by forfeit and advanced to the semifinal round. The other quarterfinal matchup was a different story as the 3-seed, Ball Thugs & Harmony, went to battle against the 6-seed Hookers & Bacon. It was a close fight the entire game as the game progressed: 1-1, 2-1, and finally 3-1 with Hookers & Bacon finally able to distance themselves from Ball Thugs. Ball Thugs were not done however, as they whittled their competition down in the next game. This 5th and deciding game determined the match as time ran out on Ball Thugs, even though they had more players left as time expired, this additional point brought them a 3-2 loss and allowed Hookers & Bacon to complete the upset and move on to face Titsburg Feelers in the semifinals.

The Titsburg Feelers took advantage of their 1st round bye and used their rested arms to welcome Hookers & Bacon to the semifinal round. Hookers & Bacon put up a tough fight by winning 3 games, however the #2 seed proved to be too much and won convincingly 6-3. With their victory Titsburg earned a spot in the Championship game versus the winner of #5-seed Gym Tan and #1-seed Drinking Team. In this other semifinal match the top-seeded Drinking Team had a strong advantage as they battled GTD late into the match with a 3-2 lead, and time winding down at approximately the 4 minute mark. Gym Tan would not give up. GTD successfully tied the match up at 3-3 with just over 2 minutes remaining. With little time on the clock these two teams battled in one final game to determine who would move onto the Championship match. In an exciting and heated contest Gym Tan gutted it out and was able to secure a win in the final game for a 4-3 match victory.

The intensity and stakes only got higher as the Championship Match featured Gym Tan Dodgeball squaring off against the second-seeded Titsburg Feelers. The games in this final match were long and extremely hard-fought as each side knew what was at stake. They battled toe-to-toe for four exhausting matches and in the end were tied at 2-2, due to the Titsburg Feelers having more players on the court as time expired and Gym Tan missing a half-court basket as the whistle blew. The Championship was settled with one final sudden death game. The score was finally settled when the team that seemed to have the most fight in them, Gym Tan Dodgeball, was able to oust the final Titsburg Feeler and claim Xoso Dodgeball Championship status. Gym Tan was able to knock off the #1 AND #2 seeds to truly prove that, in the playoffs, it's anyones game.

Congrats to Gym Tan Dodgeball on their first championship!

On the "A" league side, Team AP survived to win their 3rd straight A League title.

In one of the most tightly contested dodgeball playoffs in recent memory, Team AP was able to secure their 3rd consecutive Thursday dodgeball crown. Usually seeded 1st or 2nd, AP (6-2) finished the regular season in 3rd place and faced the unusual challenge of not having a 1st round playoff bye and instead having to win three matches to clinch the championship. In round 1, AP struggled early against 6th seeded Bat S*** Crazy (2-1-5) before pulling away late to win 5-2. The other round 1 matchup saw 4th seed (o)(o) (4-4) knock off 5th seed Dirty Smurfs (4-4) also by the score of 5-2 to advance.

In the evening's first semifinal, top-seeded and undefeated D3: The Mighty Drunks (8-0) battled (o)(o) in a closer than anticipated match but emerged a 4-2 winner. Semifinal #2 was a tense affair that saw Team AP jump out to a 3-1 lead on a 2nd seeded Kendall's Bridesmaids (7-1) before Kendall's Bridemaids closed the gap to 3-2 and then evened the match at 3-3 by winning a 3-on-3 sudden death round after regulation time had expired. The squads then faced off in an untimed, winner-take-all 8-on-8 game won by AP to set up a championship showdown with longtime rivals D3.

This season's title match between AP and D3 marked the 4th time these rivals have squared off in the playoffs over the last few seasons. A determined D3 played hard to end AP's post-season dominance but was unable to slow down AP as they established a 4-1 lead in the first 20 minutes of the match. Energized by their earlier round scares, AP was in classic form for the championship round marked by their athleticism and unmatched throwing ability. D3 clawed back late to narrow the lead to 4-2 but ran out of time as AP closed out the match 5-2 and celebrated the first three-peat in Xoso history.

Congrats to Team AP!

Disclosure: Nick is the founder of Xoso.

Omar Salazar releases new Nike SB Pro Model shoe

2011-11-01T07:05:04Z

An outer space experience took place in Folsom as PLA Skateboarding hosted Omar Salazar’s newest shoe release. The Friday night event brought over 150 fans to celebrate the release of the new Omar Salazar Pro model shoe.

The free event hosted by PLA, located at 330 E. Bidwell Street, also included a photo show with photography by Greg Hunt, Joe Brook and Jeff Landi.

Visitors to the event were treated to free pizza from Pizzeria Classico of Folsom. Several of their delicious specialty pizzas were brought to PLA and the delivery driver made another trip to the pizzeria to bring back more food.

Ben Lutes and his crew at PLA did a great job showcasing Salazar’s Nike SB shoes and the photo exhibit as well as materials from other sponsors including Alien Workshop, Independent and Spitfire.

PLA has been providing professional skateboarding wear and other items for several years and their specialized gear brings many customers from Sacramento. Their knowledgeable staff is always helpful and courteous.

The event was scheduled to start at 8 p.m., but Salazar and PLA fans came early to socialize and talk skateboarding. PLA’s newest location hosted fans inside and outside.

The atmosphere was very relaxed and almost seemed more like a family reunion. Guests talked to friends and introduced themselves to others. Many of the younger guests arrived on skateboards, while others parked in front of the store.

Mehrad Saidi was on hand to introduce me to Pablo Salazar, Omar’s older brother, who provided some background on the Salazar family.

Omar Salazar calls Sacramento his home and has lived here for more than half his life. Salazar will turn 28 in just over a week and has already traveled to many parts of the world. His parents are from Chile ~~Peru~~ and Omar has two other brothers and a sister. With a brother and sister at hand, the event really began to look like a family reunion.

Nike Skateboarding released Salazar’s Nike SB last year and the new Nike Omar Salazar LR shoe incorporates even more of Salazar’s input. The new shoe is scheduled to be available worldwide next week at SB dealers and will, I’m sure, be a great birthday gift for Salazar.

Salazar has an easygoing personality and was readily available to fans and guests, posing for pictures and signing autographs. His fans greatly appreciated his demeanor. When asked what brought them to the event, one young fan by the name of Jacob was enthusiastic.

“Omar is the sickest skateboarder out there. He’s super nice and does some amazing stuff!”

The young fan said he frequently shops at PLA.

“I’m cool with Ben (Lutes) and I respect him… I’ve bought all my boards from them.”

Another fan identified himself as Robbie.

“I think he’s pretty sick,” said Robbie, referring to Salazar, “The owner of PLA said Omar was going to be here. I heard that and here I am.”

Jacob, Robbie and their other friends have been faithful PLA shoppers and were now being rewarded by PLA and Salazar. They were able to get signatures and pose for some photos with one of their heroes.

I caught up with Salazar later in the evening and asked him about the photo exhibition. Some of the photos were of a very young Sanchez and others were taken recently. Some of the photos were taken in Sacramento while others were taken in Mallorca, Spain and other sites.

“Spain is made for skating,” said Salazar.

One of the photos shows Salazar skating off a sculpture that I’m sure was not made for skating. The artwork illustrated Salazar’s need to skate places others dare not to. Another photo on the same wall showed Salazar doing a hippy jump in Sacramento.

I found out more about the idol as I continued through the photo exhibit. A silhouette photo showed Salazar and a street lamp.

“My nickname is outer space,” said Salazar. “I like space stuff and the photo shows a light and as I stood in front of it the shadow looked like a space helmet.”

Some shots were taken at an old waterpark somewhere in middle America that has since been torn down.

Another photo was of Salazar’s first trip to Australia when he became involved with Alien Workshop. His stunt resulted in him breaking bones in both hands. This happened on his first trip and first week with the company while filming a video.

A Thrasher magazine cover shot shows Salazar doing a jump on the corner of Vulcan and D Streets that took him three or four tries.

Salazar’s skating prowess has taken him to international locations including Chile, Cuba, Mexico, Spain, China and Australia. Salazar says he’s now been to almost every continent.

The festivities continued through the evening and people came and went in waves. Several of the younger guests were picked up by their parents. Businesses in the area that were still open enjoyed some brisk sales activity surrounding the event.

Before leaving the event, I was able to talk to Salazar for a few more minutes and took the opportunity to ask him where he might want to go that he has not gone before.

“Let me think about that,” said Salazar, “I think I would love to go to Africa. The last Maloof contest was in South Africa.”

Salazar noted that the contest had a $200,000 first prize award.

“I always wanted to go there just because I feel it’s kind of like the last frontier of the safari or the real true wilderness. It’s a sort of the true wild, wild world. We’re lucky it’s still there.”

When asked what was next on his schedule Salazar said he had a few upcoming projects.

“... I have some interviews; one of them is with Thrasher Magazine, one of the most respected magazines out of San Francisco. I’m working with a TransWorld video part with Alien Workshop and then my next big film that will be a full blown project will be the Nike Skateboard film. I think I’m going to be in the third film of three.”

Since there were many kids that came to the event, I asked him what advice he would give them should they want to pursue skating as a profession of lifestyle.

“One of the most important things that I’ve learned through my struggles is that every failure that’s happened to me really isn’t a failure; it’s just a learning experience. So whenever you encounter failure or a setback, don’t let it get to you. It’s just like a test… The rewards are limitless and you can always get what you want, you just have to have faith in yourself and don’t give up.”

Salazar is a young man with a bright future. The support he gets from his family is tremendous and he is always surrounding himself with good friends who are helping him achieve his dreams.

Fans are a big part of his success and he shows his appreciation by attending events such as these to show how much he values their support.

Sacramento makes an impact on many young professionals like Salazar, and they in turn are proud to call Sacramento their home. It’s always great to see Sacramento fans show their support, and Friday night they were at PLA to enjoy the company of one of their shining stars.

"Chocolate Salty Balls" Come Out of Nowhere to Win Recess Championship

2011-10-31T18:39:08Z

In a surprising turn of events, Chocolate Salty Balls emerged as Xoso Sport & Social League's Fall 2011 Recess League champions with a tense 2-1 volleyball victory over previously undefeated Green Dogs and Spam. CSB entered week 8 of the regular season in 4th place but was able to leapfrog over UR FIRED and Drexel Dragons into 2nd place by winning their final week matchup while the other playoff contenders lost.

For the two team playoff, CSB (3-3-2) chose to square off against #1 seed Green Dogs and Spam (8-0) in volleyball as opposed to the other Recess sports (Indoor Kickball and Dodgeball). Despite volleyball being CSB's strength and Green Dogs' weakness, it was Green Dogs that seized game one 21-17. On the verge of elimination, CSB came out strong in game two, winning handily 21-9, and set the stage for winner take all game three. CSB rode their game two momentum to a 15-10 lead and seemed in complete control before Green Dogs rallied to narrow the score to 16-14. Their efforts fell short, however, as CSB was able to rely on great serving to win points late to clinch the championship with a 21-17 game three win.

Disclosure: Written by a member of Xoso Sport & Social League

The Honey Badgers win Xoso's First Softball Championship!

2011-10-28T18:38:07Z

On Sunday, Xoso Sport & Social League concluded the inaugural season of Xoso Coed Softball.

As we've all heard when it comes to the playoffs... anything can happen. On Sunday, "anything" did.

The #1 seeded "We Got The Runs" had rolled through the regular season schedule, ending with an undefeated 8-0 record. In game one, they matched up against the #4 seeded, "Foul Balls and Dirty Bunts" who came in with a 3-5 record. FBaDB were playing shorthanded, but managed to hang in there against a full #1 team. "We Got the Runs" put up the maximum number of runs in the first inning, and lead 9-2 after one. FBaDB managed to get within five runs at the end of the second inning, and battled back to close to within six at games end.

In the other semi-final matchup, #2 "Just the Tip" (6-1-1) faced off against #3 "Honey Badgers" (5-3). The Honey Badgers put up two runs in the first, another four in both the 2nd and 3rd, and added two more in the fourth, to take a 12-4 lead into the final two inning. "Just the Tip" tried to rally back, but ended up falling, 12-6.

The Honey Badgers picked up where they left off in the championship game, putting up seven runs in the first inning. "We Got the Runs" rallied back, and trailed 14-8 after four innings but they just couldn't make up for the first inning outburst. The Honey Badgers came away with the first Xoso Softball Championship with a final score of 14-11.

Disclosure: Nick Berruezo is the founder of Xoso Sport & Social League

See what stories we're working on at The Sacramento Press

2011-10-27T20:03:11Z

After seeing that The Guardian newspaper had made its list of stories public to its readership for a two-week trial and invited them to participate by contacting its reporters, we thought it would be a good idea to do the same at The Sacramento Press.

Often, our editorial team learns about important facts and sources after our stories have been published. We value the knowledge and contributions that our readers and commenters add to the conversation thread, and we’d love to incorporate that into our stories as we are reporting.

We would also like to encourage more people to get involved as community contributors. Casey Kirk, director of community outreach, works closely with a group of community writers to coordinate press passes and interviews for concerts, arts events and other shows happening in the Sacramento region.

A live list of stories has been published on The Sacramento Press site. By going to the footer, where it says “Assignment List,” you can view stories our reporters and editorial interns are working on, as well as upcoming assignments that will be covered by our community contributors.

On that same page, there is also a list of assignments that have not been claimed yet. We reserve the privilege of arranging press passes for only our top community contributors. To learn about how to become a top community contributor, please contact support@sacramentopress.com.

Above or beside each story assignment, there will be a name of the reporter/contributor who will be doing that story. If you click on the name of the writer, you can email him or her tips, suggestions for sources or other information you feel is pertinent to that story.

For unclaimed stories that you are interested in covering, please email support@sacramentopress.com.

The lists will appear like this:

With your help, we can further develop stories and report on a broader range of hyperlocal news that is important to our readers.

To access the list of stories, please click here or visit this URL: www.sacramentopress.com/site/assignmentlist

Not all of our stories will be published to the web, as we want to keep some of our breaking stories private until they are posted online. Additionally, some of the assignments on the community contributor list will not be made public, so that our top community contributors are given precedence to the bigger-name events.

Please note that there is a lot of switching around on the reporters’ stories. Sometimes sources don’t get back to us in a timely manner or the story doesn’t turn out how we thought it would, so we assign a different story in its place and either push back the date or abandon the story altogether. We will keep the assignment list as up to date as possible.

We look forward to your input and suggestions in our reporters’ and interns’ stories. It is our hope that more of you will be encouraged to sign up to cover assignments when you see the list published online.

Heart breaking loss for Mountain Lions

2011-10-04T10:23:19Z

A fun and exciting game between the Omaha Nighthawks and the Sacramento Mountain Lions took place on Saturday.

The second game of the season started with Jeff Wolfert kicking off to Mountain Lions Aaron Woods. The fleet-footed Woods returned the ball 15 yards and the game was underway.

Hornet Stadium was filled; over 17,600 spectators of all ages were in the stands cheering on the home team. Fans came to watch an exciting game and enjoy great food and the company of hometown supporters on the sunny day.

The game started with some momentum for the Mountain Lions but ended with a missed field goal. The Nighthawks drove down to the Mountain Lions end of the field but they too missed a field goal. The first quarter ended with 6 turnovers. Although Sacramento controlled the ball for 10 and a half minutes, they were unable to score. Only Nighthawks were able to capitalize. They scored a touchdown with 2:24 left in the quarter as Shaud Williams rushed up the middle of the Mountain Lions defense for a 1-yard touchdown run. Jeff Wolfert followed with the extra point, making the score 7-0 in favor of the Nighthawks.

The second quarter started with Omaha controlling the ball and moving to the Mountain Lions side of the field. Their first drive of the quarter took five and a half minutes and ended with a Jeff Wolfert field goal attempt from the 52 yard line. The field goal was missed and gave Sacramento good field position.

The Mountain Lions finally began to capitalize with a Ryan Colburn to Reggie Williams pass that went for 36 yards. A roughing the passer penalty against Omaha gave Sacramento a first down on the Omaha 12 yard line, giving the home team a great opportunity to score. After a couple of Andre Dixon 3-yard runs, Colburn attempted a pass to JD Washington that went for only one yard.

The Mountain Lions were finally able to put up some points when Fabrizio Scaccia came to the field and connected on a field goal attempt making the score 7-3 in favor of Omaha.

Fans became more involved as Omaha fumbled the ball on their next possession. Sacramento tried to capitalize on the turnover right away. Colburn threw a deep pass to Reggie Williams but this time it was incomplete. After a 4-yard rush by Washington, Colburn connected with Galen Stone for 12 yards. The Mountain Lions drive resulted in a touchdown as Colburn completed a touchdown pass to Kenny Moore. After the extra point, Sacramento took the lead 10-7.

The score remained unchanged until Jeff Wolfert tied the score with a 23-yard field goal with less than a minute left in the half.

Sacramento fans were boisterous and supportive of their team. The crowd became louder as the Mountain Lions created key plays on offense and defense and became especially loud when souvenirs were tossed into the stands.

The Lady Lions cheerleading squad entertained both sidelines and helped lead cheer support for the team. A few sports mascots were on hand to entertain and mingle with fans as well as to participate in a half time football game.

As the second half started, the Nighthawks received the kickoff and drove down the field on 12 plays. Omaha moved the ball 35 yards on a drive that took 4:39 and scored a 56-yard field goal by Jeff Wolfert giving them the lead at 13-10.

Wolfert kicked the ball out of bounds at the kick off and gave the Mountain Lions great starting field position at their 40 yard line.

After a couple of passes that moved the ball to the Omaha 24, JD Washington took the handoff and rushed for 8 more yards over the right guard. Washington rushed the ball for three more plays as he rushed for 6 and 9 yards before scoring on a 1-yard run down the middle of the Omaha defense.

At this point, Denzel Washington, watching from the sidelines yelled out, “Yeah, that’s what I’m talking about!” as he cheered for his son. JD’s mom was also on the side cheering for her son and the Mountain Lions.

The drive took only 3:06 but gave the Mountain Lions not only the lead but the momentum as well. Scaccia followed with the extra point and by this time Sacramento retook the lead 17-13.

As leads changed the game became that much more interesting and fans were treated to a great game. On the next drive Omaha was able to score on another field goal by Wolfert from 42 yards out. Wolfert’s strong leg and accuracy continued to help Omaha. This was the only other score of the quarter and the score at this point was 17-16 in favor of Sacramento.

The fourth quarter was full of excitement as both teams scored on several drives including an 11-yard touchdown pass to Galen Stone to give Sacramento the lead at 23-16. After Omaha tied the game Colburn made a 50-yard touchdown pass to Dominique Jones. Omaha again tied the score at 30 on a Shaud Williams run of 9 yards at 4:57.

As the score was tied at 30, the Mountain Lions had six plays for a net gain of 9 yards and had to punt the ball with 1:59 left in the game.

Omaha used the remaining time wisely as they drove 44 yards down the field on seven plays. As the clock wound down, the Nighthawks called timeout with two seconds left, giving Wolfert another opportunity for a field goal. His attempt from 39 yards out broke the hearts of the Mountain Lions and their fans as Omaha won the game on the field goal.

A heartbreaking loss did not deter several of the Mountain Lions team members from signing autographs after the game. Many fans waited after the game to chat on the stands and discuss the game.

The hard fought game was very entertaining as both teams moved the ball and scored on several opportunities. The final score 33-30 in Omaha’s favor brought the Mountain Lions overall record to 0-2 while the Nighthawks even their games at 1 win and 1 loss.

The Mountain Lions next home game is on October 15 against the Virginia Destroyers. The game starts at 7:00 p.m. and tickets can be purchased by calling (916) 383-5466 or by logging on to the Sacramento Mountain Lions website.

City Council to vote on $550,000 in consultant fees for arena financing

2011-09-27T01:17:07Z

The City Council will consider approving $550,000 in fees Tuesday to bring in experts on sports finance, parking, investment banking and municipal finance to help dig through the details of a complex – and uncertain – arena financing plan.

At the Sept. 13 council meeting, City Manager John Shirey told council members that, in order to “proceed with due diligence” on the proposed arena project, the city would need the help of outside professional services.

“The City Council and the public deserve to have good information in order to make good decisions,” Assistant City Manager John Dangberg said Monday.

Members of the arena focus group, Think Big Sacramento, presented a much-anticipated 100-Day Report to the City Council on Sept. 13 that outlined a “menu” of financing options for the proposed entertainment and sports complex.

Although the report covered nearly 60 possible funding streams, it left many questions unanswered about specifics of the financing.

To get the needed answers, Shirey, Dangberg and city staff are turning to consultants – industry-specific experts in specialized fields related to arena financing and contract negotiation.

“We are in the process of trying to make a very big decision on a large piece of public infrastructure that will have lasting impact on the city if it goes forward,” Dangberg said.

If the City Council directs the city manager to negotiate the proposed contracts, Dangberg – who is taking the lead on the project for the City Manager’s office – and the consultants will have a lot of work ahead of them, Dangberg said.

“We will study the revenue and finance option streams that were identified in the Think Big (100-day) report,” Dangberg said, “including legal and policy issues and the capacity to carry debt.”

Consultants will also analyze the value of city parking assets and determine if the city can leverage those into a significant contribution to the project as outlined in the Think Big report.

Dangeberg said they will concurrently start discussing the “framework” for a feasible project with the ICON-Taylor group and the NBA.

The proposed consultant contracts total $550,000, including $75,000 for contingencies. The terms of the contracts will vary from two to six months, depending on the nature of the contract, Dangberg said.

One of the consultant contracts being recommended to the City Council is a $125,000 contract with Barrett Sports Group.

Barrett’s expertise is exclusively in sports finance consulting, Dangberg said, and the firm has been evaluating the sports complex proposal and providing advice to city staff since late June.

“The history and knowledge that (Barrett) has on the project is so valuable,” Dangberg said. “They have specific and specialized knowledge of this particular project, so it wouldn’t make sense to bring anyone else in at this point.”

Other consultants have not been selected yet.

$180,000 of the total funding will come from the city’s Parking Fund and the remaining $375,000 will come from the Capitol Improvement Project (CIP) Fund balance, according to city staff. The CIP fund is money left over from capital improvement projects that is made available for one-time uses.

One time funding is not something generally used to add staff or programs because it is not ongoing funding, city spokeswoman Amy Williams said Monday.

“Our guiding principal has always been protecting the taxpayers,” Jeremiah Jackson, Think Big Sacramento project manager, said Monday. “That’s what these consultants are being hired to do.”

“When you buy a house, you hire experts like roof inspectors, pest inspectors and home inspectors to make sure that you get what you’re paying for,” Jackson said. “If you don’t get experts then you’re negotiating from blindness.”

Jackson said that, when dealing with groups like the NBA and the Sacramento Kings’ owners who will have experts in their corners, it makes sense for the city to have experts in its corner too.

“We have great city staff, but they don’t do big stadium deals day in and day out,” Jackson said. “If we can bring in (people) who have that experience, we’re doing the smart thing.”

R.E. Graswich, special assistant to the mayor, said Monday that, from the mayor’s standpoint, the proposed entertainment and sports complex is a project worth 4,100 jobs and $7 billion in economic activity over 30 years.

“Is it worth the $550,000 to get to that point?” Graswich added. “We think so.”

The City Council will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday in council chambers at City Hall, 925 I St.

Melissa Corker is a Staff Reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

CSUS women's volleyball takes on Northern Arizona

2011-09-26T00:47:26Z

California State University, Sacramento (CSUS) put on its game face this Thursday as it went up against undefeated, 11 win, Northern Arizona. CSUS’ current ranking was 5-8. Thursday’s match also marked CSUS’ opener game into the Big Sky conference; Arizona arrived with an already 2-0 Big Sky lead.

The match started promptly at 7pm with the national anthem and a half-filled stadium. Low attendance did nothing to impede the noise factor in the gym. Though they were few, loud fans filled the stadium with hoots and whistles as the volleyball match started. Sac State’s cheerleaders and dance team were in full force with green and gold pompons, while nearby parents applauded and stomped their feet.

To engage the crowd even further, starting players threw out gifts to the crowd as each female Hornet was announced. Sac State’s opening line-up consisted largely of upper classmen, an obvious reflection of a team made up ¾ juniors and seniors.

However it was Sac State sophomore, Kayla Beal who was to lay down the first point of the night, assisted by Hannah Hettinga, another fellow sophomore.

The competition remained tight throughout the first of five games, as Arizona brought on a handful of line-drives, fought back heavily with double blocks and smart tip play.

Midway through the first game, Arizona pulled away with a 3+ point lead that continued through till game end, 25-18 Arizona.

Second game, first point claimed again by Sac State. Points rack up as Sac State sets up numerous quick middle attacks to carry themselves to a clean sweep against Arizona, 25-15.

With each team having won one game, each university took a break to reflect and strategize for the remaining games. Fans were entertained with a performance by the cheerleading and dance team as well as a “serving competition” for audience members of all ages and sizes. Servers, who landed volleyball into the basket on the other side of the net, won a Hornet Bookstore gift certificate and audible praise over the speaker system. Twenty or so people rushed into participate, but winning serve went to Mr. Dad and his two blond toddlers, who served more under the net, than over.

Start of game three came with an augmented crowd. As football and basketball practice ended, fellow athletes filed into the gym, roaring their support for the lady Hornets. Some fans dressed up for the occasion, green body paint slathered on their face “Braveheart” style, and numbers highlighted on their chest.

The energy half way through Thursdays match was intensified as game three fell again to Arizona, 25-18 and game four to Sac State, 25-20.

With a two-two win, game five would be the tie breaker. Fans took to their feet as Arizona and Sac State raced to reach game point 15, first.

While tightly fought with strong blocks, sharp serves and fast digs, Arizona came away the match victory, 15-7.

Good sportsmanship shone as Hornets gathered to encourage themselves for future games to come and congratulate their opponents.

After a few games on the road, check out the Hornets tackle Portland State and Eastern Washington when they arrive back home on October 7th and 8th at 7pm.

NBA cancels 43 preseason games, postpones training camps

2011-09-23T20:19:47Z

The NBA announced Friday that it would be postponing player training camps "indefinitely" and canceling 43 preseason games for the 2011-12 basketball season in a press release.

The text of the press release is below:

The NBA announced today that player training camps for the 2011-12 season have been postponed indefinitely because a new collective bargaining agreement has not been reached with the National Basketball Players Association. Training camps were scheduled to open on October 3.

In addition, the league canceled all preseason games scheduled from October 9 through October 15.

“We have regretfully reached the point on the calendar where we are not able to open training camps on time and need to cancel the first week of preseason games,” said NBA Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver. “We will make further decisions as warranted.”

A spokesperson for The Sacramento Kings said Friday he could not comment on the announcement.

Mountain Lions were ready to pounce, fell short

2011-09-19T06:33:14Z

Their opening game Saturday night at Hornet Stadium was a night of record-making, but that did not help the Mountain Lions as they suffered a loss at the hand of the Las Vegas Locomotives 23-17.

The night was warm and the game was a sell-out as over 20,000 fans watched the game, making it the biggest United Football League (UFL) attendance at an opening game and beating last year by over 10,000.

Yet despite the overwhelming attendance and inspirational rendition of the National Anthem by Pauletta Pearson Washington (Mrs. Denzel Washington), the game was ominous from the get-go for the Sacramento Mountain Lions when the Locos won the coin toss. After that it was a constant battle.

Mountain Lions’ kicker Fabrizio Scaccia gave the Locos a run for their money in the first quarter by kicking a successful 43-yard field-goal, giving the Mountain Lions the first score of the night of 3-0.

The Locos were dealt a blow when defensive back Jamal Lewis left the field with a knee injury, but the team did not fall behind and powered out the first touchdown when Locos quarterback Chase Clements rushed from the third-yard-line.

This was followed by a successful field-goal by Locos’ kicker Aaron Pettrey, giving the Locos a 7-3 lead.

The Locos’ were on fire and ensured the opening game would be one for the books when wide receiver Sammie Parker caught an 85-yard pass from Clement— making UFL history.

The Mountain Lions grew fierce as defensive end Jason Parker sacked Clement in the second quarter.

But the Locos put an end to that rally when running back DeDe Dorsey rushed up the middle for 11 yards to score the second touchdown of the evening.

The Locos finished off the second quarter with another successful field-goal by Pettrey, making the score 17-3.

Mick Martin and The Blues Rockers performed during halftime, giving the Lions a chance to recuperate.

The Mountain Lions took the field with new hope when Lions Quarterback Ryan Colburn passed to wide receiver Reggie Williams for six yards, scoring the Lions’ first touchdown of the night. Scaccia scored a successful field-goal, bringing the score up 17-10 at the end of the third quarter.

The fourth quarter did not bode well for either team.

Both the Lions and the Locos received fouls for unnecessary roughness. Lions’ cornerback Ronnie Prude and Locos’ Parker were both ejected from the game.

The Locos were allowed a field-goal attempt, which Pettrey hit, giving them a 20-10 lead.

The Mountain Lions took another hit when tight end Kai Brown did an illegal block, giving the Locos a 10-yard gain. The Lions pursued and gained enough yards for yet another field-goal completed by Pettrey, bumping them up 23-10.

The Mountain Lions were not about to give up, and Colburn completed a pass to Brown, scoring another touchdown.

With the score 23-17, the Mountain Lions were hungry for victory, but time was running out. The Lions pushed to make a play instead of a field-goal, and fell short of a touchdown. They got a first-down just as time was called.

“You should never really go for it on the fourth,” said Mountain Lions Coach Dennis Green. “You try to work with the emotion of the players. If they think they can get it (and) everybody feels so, you do it, but you should always take points.”

“It was that type of game,” Green added. “I thought we played hard the first (quarter), I thought we played hard in the fourth quarter. I thought we could push ’em back and do it, but we couldn’t push ’em back.”

Rookie Ryan Colburn, starting quarterback for the Mountain Lions, said he thought the game felt good, even with the loss.

“I thought the atmosphere overall was fantastic,” said Mountain Lions starting quarterback Ryan Colburn. “I thought our fans were into the game. It was an exciting crowd, it really, I think energized us.”

Colburn said he didn’t think the loss came down to one play.

“Ultimately … we moved the ball - we just missed some key opportunities,” Colburn said.

Colburn, whom Coach Green said played hard and competitively, lived up to the coach’s expectations.

Colburn had 26 completed passes out of 35 attempts and an overall gain of 256 yards.

“We’ll get a chance to rest and heal up, and we’ll get ready for Omaha,” Colburn said.

The Mountain Lions will play a home game against the Omaha Nighthawks on Oct. 1 at Hornet Stadium.

Photos by Ron Nabity

River Cats rally falls short, season over

2011-09-17T18:13:43Z

The Sacramento River Cats fell to the Omaha Storm Chasers 11-6 Friday night at Raley Field, completing Omaha’s sweep for the Pacific Coast League Championship and ending the River Cats season. It in Omaha’s first PCL Championship in franchise history.

After dropping the first two games in Omaha, the River Cats hoped to overcome the deficit just as they did against the Reno Aces in the Pacific Conference Championship Series.

The River Cats sent out right-hander Travis Banwart to the mound. Last series, against the Reno Aces, Banwart also pitched in an elimination game and pitched 6.0 innings pitched, two earned runs on five hits with three strike outs and one walk.

Banwart looked to be continuing where he left off last series, tossing a 1-2-3 inning with a strikeout in the first.

The Cats looked to get on the board against Omaha Storm Chaser’s starting pitcher Mike Montgomery. Montgomery only lasted 3.0 innings and gave up five earned runs on six hits and four walks in his only postseason outing before Friday night. But Friday’s night proved to be different, as he continued Omaha’s dominance in the postseason on the mound.

The Storm Chaser’s pitching staff only allowed 38 hits in 57.0 innings before Friday’s game, good enough for a .186 opponents batting average.

Sacramento had a chance to get to Montgomery early with runners on first and second with two outs and left fielder Adrian Cardenas up to bat. But Cardenas, who is batting .250 for the playoffs, struck out to end the threat.

The Storm Chasers came right back with a 2-out rally of their own. Shortstop Irving Falu started the rally with a single to left field, before being hit home by a hard-hit double by catcher Manny Pina. Second baseman Lance Zawadzki hit a double of his own to get Pina home and take a 2-0 lead before third baseman Kurt Mertins lined out to end the inning.

Banwart encountered another Omaha rally in the top of the third inning, when he gave up an infield single, hit a batter, and walked a batter to load the bases with one out.

But this time the River Cats were able to escape without any more damage. Banwart struck out Omaha first baseman Kila Ka’aihue, and got Falu to fly out to center field to end the threat.

But Omaha got to Banwart and the River Cats again in the fifth inning. Omaha’s fifth-inning rally begin with Sacramento right fielder Grant Green dropping a fly ball that allowed Omaha’s David Lough to get to third base with one out.

After getting Lorenzo Cain to ground out, keeping Lough on third, Banwart intentionally walked designated hitter Clint Robinson to get to Ka’aihue with two outs. But Sacramento manger Darren Bush’s strategy failed.

Ka’aihue singled to score Lough and Falu hit a bloop single to score Robinson, forcing Bush to turn to his bullpen with the score 4-0.

Sacramento’s Trey Barham came in to pitch and walked the first batter he faced to load the bases with two outs. Zawadzki then hit a single that slipped through the left side of the infield defense to score two more runs and increase Omaha’s lead to 6-0 in the fifth. Mertins, the ninth batter for Omaha in the fifth, struck out to end the inning.

Omaha wasn’t done there. Lough hit his first home run of the postseason, a 2-run home run to deep right-center field on a 2-2 pitch, to bring Omaha’s lead to 8-0.

Sacramento’s offense finally came alive with a rally the bottom of the sixth inning when Omaha pulled Montgomery to give the mound to its relievers. Montgomery exited the game after 5.0 innings pitched, allowing no runs on three hits and three walks while striking out six.

With runners on first and third in the sixth inning, designated hitter Andy LaRoche got his first hit of the postseason: a double down the left-field line that scored third baseman Josh Donaldson from third.

Shortstop Tyler Ladendorf then scored LaRoche and Green after catcher Joel Galarraga struck out looking, bringing the score to 8-3 going into the seventh inning.

There, Omaha would come right back and extend their lead again by scoring two more runs. The first came when Mertins dropped a sacrifice bunt that Sacramento pitcher Bruce Billings trapped, and threw the ball over second baseman’s head allowing Zawadski to advance to third and Pina to score from second. Pina eventually scored on a Dyson single to bring the score to 10-3.

The River Cats once again showed their resilience in the bottom of the seventh inning, tacking on another two runs to bring the deficit back to five.

Sacramento’s first baseman Chris Carter hit a solo home run to deep left field in the ninth inning, but in the end, the River Cats had fallen behind too far as they eventually fell to the Storm Chasers 11-6, thus ending their season.

Carter’s home run in the ninth extended his streak with an RBI in each of Sacramento’s playoff games this postseason. It also gave him his ninth home run in 17 playoff games played for the River Cats.

Sacramento will have to wait until April for another chance to earn their eighth PCL Championship.

Think Big announces Citizen Architect finalists

2011-09-16T22:19:39Z

Designs for an outdoor amphitheater, an open-air plaza and a walk of fame were announced Tuesday as the top three contenders in the Think Big Sacramento Citizen Architect competition – a contest to design a portion of the planned entertainment sports complex.

The contest, which began in July, has been touted by the Think Big Sacramento committee as a way for the public to “leave its legacy” on the new complex, according to a press release.

Ideas submitted by Troy Bedal, a sporting goods store manager from Roseville, Shaun Baland, a state worker from Lincoln, and Gary Bladen, a recent UC Davis graduate working on sustainable development, were chosen as the top three out of more than 20 submissions.

Think Big Sacramento Project Manager Jeremiah Jackson said the design competition was intended to give members of the public – people who aren’t necessarily artists, architects or actual designers – a chance to put a personal stamp on the arena project.

“It’s all about concepts and ideas,” Jackson said. “We wanted (a design) that could really become an iconic symbol for community engagement.”

When the contest began, Mayor Kevin Johnson said, he hoped it would encourage someone from the public to create a “symbol of Sacramento and the surrounding region” and to build on the “grassroots support that has kept the Kings in Sacramento.”

A panel of celebrity judges, including local artist David Garibaldi and mixed martial artist Urijah Faber, narrowed down entries to the three finalists. The final winner will be selected by members of the public who vote in an online poll on the project’s website.

“To have a new project like this where the fans get to have a hand in it is just awesome,” Faber said Tuesday. “It’s great to give people an opportunity to be involved.”

Garibaldi congratulated the finalists on using a “creative process” to understand that developing their ideas was “more than just having an idea – it’s the inspiration behind it, too.”

According to a press release, entries were judged on feasibility and viability, design and creativity, and regional pride and sustainability.

Baland’s idea of a small outdoor amphitheater draws on inspiration from Cesar Chavez Park as a place for a variety of pre- and post-event activities.

“I envision a place for fans to gather, have a good time and have free entertainment and converse with each other before big events,” Baland said.

Bedal designed a walkway of bricks – a “walk of fame,” he called it – as a simple yet cost-effective idea.

The pathway would extend from the curb at the edge of the street to the front doors of the arena. Walls along the side of the pathway would showcase busts of local heroes and sports figures.

“Each brick will be personalized for everyone (who supported) the idea of a new arena,” Bedal said.

Bladen, a self-described “lifelong Kings fan,” submitted a plan for an environmentally friendly, open-air plaza. It would feature a terraced garden and lights powered by rooftop solar panels.

“It’s a celebration of what I think are the region’s main attributes: land, sun, water and a unique ecology,” Bladen said.

“People are our biggest commodity,” Think Big committee member Greg Hayes said Tuesday. “We want this arena to be about the people of this region.”

Hayes said online voting began Wednesday, and polls will remain open until the first week in November.

See the finalists’ designs and cast your vote HERE.

Melissa Corker is a Staff Reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Heroes of the American Red Cross

2011-09-16T19:11:13Z

Did you know there is a hero in all of us?

A parole officer, two teen lifeguards, a one hundred year old senior citizen, a doctor, and a scientist were among those recognized by the American Red Cross for their life changing efforts in the capital region.

Nominated by their peers, these honorees exemplified the characteristics of a hero such as courage, selflessness, and perseverance. They were recognized at a luncheon at the Doubletree Hotel in Arden on Thursday, September 15, 2011.

Here are the award recipients and their deeds.

Good Samaritan Adult Hero – Sean Ferguson, 43, called upon his 15 years of American Red Cross training to rescue a teen boy who was struck by oncoming traffic.

Animal Rescue Hero – Patty Letawsky, co-founded the We Pay to Spay program. She is the driving force behind a local dog rescue program, and has personally saved more than 100 dogs from euthanasia.

Military Veteran Hero – Sacramento Patriot Guard Riders banded together to protect soldiers from protesters. They also regularly attend welcome home, send-offs, and funerals of soldiers totaling nearly one hundred missions annually.

Good Samaritan Youth Hero – Wayne Batchelor, 16, used his recently completed ARC lifeguard training to courageously dive into a pool to pull a young girl out of the water to safety.

Law Enforcement Heroes – Deputy Mark Limbird and Deputy Matt Silvey worked together to face down a heavily armed man in a residential neighborhood who was endangering the lives of officers and residents.

Spirit of the Red Cross Hero – Todd Reiners volunteers to help women and children stricken by homelessness in the region and helped reunite a homeless man with his family after 13 years.

Professional Rescuer Hero – Brittany Martin, 16, courageously performed CPR to save the life of a 4-year-old boy using her ARC lifeguard training.

Medical Professional Hero – Dr. Mark Drabkin, a Sacramento ophthalmologist performed many sight restoring operations and trained local doctors in developing countries including Ghana, Nicaragua, Nepal, and the Philippines.

Good Samaritan Senior Hero – Bob Fletcher, who just celebrated his 100th birthday, gave up his job as an agricultural inspector to temporarily care for three Japanese owned farms during World War II, preventing the mortgage from lapsing and protecting the families’ livelihood. Bob received his award citing his wife's support of sixty six years and received a standing ovation from the hundreds of attendees present.

Workplace Hero – Anita Turley rescued a coworker who was suffering from sudden cardiac arrest. She is now traveling the country teaching others the life saving techniques she used to save a life.

Hero of the Year – Selena Li, dedicated more than 1,000 hours of her free time since freshman year in high school to develop a potential alternative treatment for liver cancer. Because of her work, she was able to develop a potential alternative treatment that is more widely available and more efficient than existing transplant and chemotherapy treatments.

Military Hero – US Army Corporal Jarus Perez was awarded the Purple Heart for pulling an unconscious comrade to safety after their unit was attacked while he was injured by an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan. While he received the best of care in the military for his injuries, he realized that local school children do not have the same care. In order to raise awareness and funds for health care for kids, he persevered a fifty-mile run recognizing each of the fifty states that require substantial healthcare reform.

“We all have potential to be heroes,” Perez says. “There are many ways to act. Get involved locally with organizations like the Red Cross. Be prepared with first aid/CPR training and give generously with your time, energy, and resources to help others.”

So what are we waiting for? The hero is in all of us.

Be the change you want to see.

Disclosure: Kati Garner is an American Red Cross volunteer. Amabelle Ocampo is trained in First Aid/CPR and is an emergency first response volunteer in her workplace.

Sacramento Mountain Lions Season Starting Saturday

2011-09-16T00:30:16Z

Did you know Sacramento has a professional football team? That's right. The Sacramento Mountain Lions, one of the four United Football League teams (the other three being Las Vegas, Omaha, and Virginia) start their season this Saturday at CSUS Hornet Stadium. They face two-time champion Las Vegas Locomotives in what is sure to be an exciting opening game.

Rookie Sacramento quarterback, Ryan Coburn, looks like he has the potential to be a good quarterback, but the Vegas defense is powerful, and in the past four meetings Las Vegas defense picked off eight passes, and allowed only one touchdown pass. But Sacramento has new wide receiver, Reggie Willams, who played five seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars and was a first-round draft selection. Williams caught 10 touchdown passes in the 2007 NFL season.

Also, look for running back Cory Ross, the UFL's all-time leading rusher and receiver. Aaron Woods, a return specialist who had last season's first punt-return touchdown of 60 yards. And defensive end Josh Savage, fourth in the UFL last season with 4 1/2 sacks.

On the Las Vegas side, look for Running back Dede Dorsey, the UFL second all-time leading rusher (742 yards) and third all-time leading receiver (46 catches). Linebacker Teddy Lehman is the UFL all-time leader in total tackles (104)... Punter Danny Baugher is the UFL all-time leader in gross punting average (44.2). So the Mountain Lions are going to have their hands full.

The opening season game is this Saturday, 17 September at 7:30pm, at CSUS Hornet Stadium.

As the Summer Winds Down, Runners Gear up for the Autumn Running Season

2011-09-15T17:52:41Z

For the next few months, running enthusiasts will have the opportunity to participate in a number of fantastic races across California. The Sacramento region in particular is full of events for people of all ages, skill levels and interests. Whether you are an avid runner or just looking for a healthy way to support the community, consider joining in a local 5K or 10K race. Most races benefit a nonprofit organization, so you will be benefiting your body, mind and spirit! Here are some upcoming events to consider:

Gold Rush Fun Run & Walk
October 8, 2011, Placerville, CA
This family and dog friendly event features 10 Mile, 10K, 5K, and 1 mile race courses along the El Dorado Trail, plus raffle prizes and more!
Benefits: INALLIANCE, a nonprofit providing support to people with developmental disabilities in the greater Sacramento area.

El Dorado Trail Blazin' 2011
October 23, 2011, El Dorado County, CA
This event is open to runners, walkers, bicyclists, equestrians, etc. and features a series of activities and a BBQ on the El Dorado Trail.
Benefits: Friends of El Dorado Trail, a nonprofit dedicated to completing the El Dorado Trail as an alternative transportation and recreation corridor of hiking, biking and equestrian trails, from Sacramento through El Dorado County and up to South Lake Tahoe.

Four Bridges Half Marathon
October 13, 2011, Folsom, CA
This event features a festive Halloween theme, a one day Haunted House Health & Fitness Expo, and one of California's most scenic courses around beautiful Lake Natoma in Folsom (15 miles east of Sacramento near Folsom Lake).
Benefits: Ongoing trail improvements at Lake Natoma.

Davis Turkey Trot
November 19, 2011, Davis, CA
This event is family and community-oriented and offers eight different events and distances, with something for every age group and ability.
Benefits: A Change of Pace Foundation, dedicated to providing fun, safe exercise-oriented events in the community.

Clarksburg Country Run
November 13, 2011, Clarksburg, CA
This event breaks away from the city and shows some small town hospitality. The Run offers a variety of race distances and you can enjoy a hot meal after the race.
Benefits: Clarksburg Community Groups including Boy Scouts, Fire Fighters, Cub Scouts, The Soccer Club, and Clarksburg Schools.

Disclosure: Jessica Bean works for INALLIANCE and is a member of the Friends of the El Dorado Trail.

Whirring in The Joy Formidable at Harlow's

2011-09-12T09:08:36Z

The band’s name says it all. Joy, an emotion evoked by well being, success, and good fortune or the prospect of having one’s desires. Formidable, a feeling of awe and admiration from grandeur and great strength combines the artistry of the trio formed in 2007 from North Wales -- Ritzy Bryan on guitar and vocals, Rhydian Dafydd on bass guitar, and Matt Thomas on drums.

This is a band that should be seen live. The recorded music, especially the new song “Whirring,” is good. But the trio thrives before live audiences.

Live, the band lives up to its name projecting a soul-filling joy. Whether you are a sweaty youth in the crowded mosh pit or a 40-something professional grooving to the band from the safety of the bar, Joy Formidable delivers. Ritzy Bryan’s guitar riffs, her voice even her facial expressions were all delivered with charismatic intensity. The concert, in the tight confines of Harlow’s, was one Mr. Toad’s wild ride.

This band is ideal for open air performances in front of thousands of people like Outside Lands Music Festival and Lollapalooza. Harlow’s was way too small of a venue to contain The Joy Formidable. To see the band in a more intimate venue is a lucky break for Sacramento. Kudos to Radio 94.7 for arranging the band’s appearance.

The trio has developed a buzz around the song “Whirring,” from the EP “The Big Roar,” with Foo Fighters’ front-man Dave Grohl tweeting that it could be the 2011 song of the year. I thought Grohl’s tweet was over the top until I saw the band. “Whirring” is best enjoyed live -- the band’s full intensity comes through.

The mix of mellow intellectuals chilling at the bar with hard rockers thumping up a storm showed the wide range of people who enjoy this loud, alt rock, shoegazing, band that combines edgy heavy metal with choral pop. The Joy Formidable is steadily developing a larger fan base by incorporating what's cool in other types of music to create their own.

Ritzy Bryan knows how to connect. In her black suede long sleeve frock, icy blond symmetrical coif, and tights with short boots, she jumped, trashed about, and broke through a highly optimistic, bubbly persona with manic depressive anger and rage. Her expressions changed erratically from innocence to jerky runaway robot pushing that velocity into a see-saw of pink clouds. High fives with fans and eye contact engaged concert goers, even those wedged in the crevices of the club.

They played “A Heavy Abacus”,” Greyhounds in the Slips”, “Austere”, “Ostrich”, “The Greatest Light is the greatest shade”, “Cradle”, “Buoy”, and “Whirring”. They also came back for an encore performance with “Magnify” and “I don’t want to see you like this”.

Just so you don’t feel left out, here’s a treat --front row seats to "Whirring" at Harlow’s, and you don’t even have to brave the mosh pit. Once you see this video, we’re convinced you’ll want to see The Joy Formidable live too.

Fans like the Mota family drove all the way from Reno, Nevada because they wanted to see the band again. The first time at Outside Lands, the second at Harlow’s on Saturday night. “I kind of wish I brought my fourteen year old son.” commented Debbie Mota, 47. “He would have rocked with that drummer,” she adds.

River Cats avoid elimination, win 8-2

2011-09-11T16:43:46Z

The Sacramento River Cats again avoided elimination from the postseason as they defeated the Reno Aces 8-2 at Raley Field on Saturday night.

The River Cats were able to bring the series to 2-2 and force a game 5 after falling behind in the series 0-2 to the Aces earlier in the week.

“After dropping two games in Reno, we are just fortunate enough to have put ourselves in a situation to play tomorrow,” said River Cats second baseman Wes Timmons. “There’s no pressure now, in reality, the pressure is on them now. Nobody wants to go up 2-0 and then lose.”

The River Cats quickly pounced on Reno’s starting pitcher Gaby Hernandez. Starting center fielder Jermaine Mitchell hit a lead-off triple to deep right-center field before scoring on a Chris Carter single to give Sacramento the early lead.

Sacramento built on their lead in the 2nd inning when catcher Joel Galarraga hit a single that scored Grant Green from second base. Starting short stop Tyler Ladendorf then hit a sacrifice bunt that moved Stephen Parker and Galarraga into scoring position with one out. Following a strikeout by Mitchell, Timmons was able to hit a two-out single to score two more runs and bring the River Cats lead to 4-0 heading into the 3rd inning.

The River Cats would tack on two more runs in the bottom of the 4th inning when third baseman Josh Donaldson hit a two-out triple that scored Timmons and Ladendorf who were on base after a walk and being hit by a pitch, respectively.

Sacramento starting pitcher Carlos Hernandez kept the Aces were off the scoreboard until the top of the 6th inning. After two singles and a walk to load the bases, Reno’s starting first baseman Andy Tracy hit a two-out single to score two runs for the Aces and bring the deficit to 6-2.

Much to the joy of his River Cats manager Darren Bush, Hernandez pitched 5.2 solid innings, giving up six hits, two runs, while walking two and striking out four.

Souza then came in to relieve Hernandez to pitch to Reno catcher Lucas May with the bases loaded. May battled Souza in a 13-pitch at bat that included a hard-hit foul ball that left the ball park. May would eventually ground out to third base to end the threat.

The River Cats quickly got those two runs back on a Timmons home run over the left field wall in the bottom of the 6th inning, bringing the score to 8-2.

The River Cats look to get the crowd into the game again on Sunday when they play in the decisive game 5.

“We have had a great crowd all year, we have sold out numerous times. This is one of the most faithful crowds I’ve played in front of,” said Timmons.

The River Cats face the Reno Aces in game 5 at Raley Field at 1:05 p.m. on Sunday, with the winner advancing to the Pacific Coast League Championship Series.

Lenny DiNardo takes the mound for the River Cats, going up against Aces Tom Layne. The River Cats are 1-4 in franchise history when playing in game 5 of a playoff series.

Urban Rifle Hike

2011-09-11T14:34:18Z

Sacramento to Rancho Cordova

I decided to take advantage of the lull between the hot, and the soon to arrive stormy weather and go for a hike to the gun range today. I needed to prepare for hunting season, and the best way is to suit up and practice a little. You don't want your first day out in the field to be the testing ground for you and your gear, because it usually costs some dough to go on safari, and these days, that's a big concern. You could end up spending a hundred or two, and come home empty handed and with pulled muscles or who knows what other ailments. Before I went abalone diving for the first time each year, I always took a quick check out dive locally for the same reasons. So I put on my hiking boots, grabbed my 30.06 and 20 rounds in a waistband carrier, along with a bottle of water and a small amount of cash for range fees and emergencies. I slung the .06 across my back and headed out from home shortly after noon. My route was a little less than "as the crow flies" due to school zones, but I guessed the trip was 10 miles one way. The temperature was hot, but not unbearable, and the sun was beating down pretty good, but that's one of the hazards you may have to endure if you hunt in the warmer parts of the north state.

I had to cross the freeway almost immediately and then headed for the straight line of Folsom blvd. Folsom was to be the straighest and longest leg of the tour. Traffic was pretty heavy actually, and it wasn't long before I found myself waiting to cross several lights, most on the freeway onramps.I had made it a little past Bradshaw road, and only about a half mile from home when I heard sirens and suddenly saw two different units in the oncoming side of traffic. I swear I thought they were headed elsewhere, because one looked like he was passing the other, but I found out that I was their call. Turns out there were several more behind me, but I am deaf in one side, and was concentrating on the two that were in my immediate front. Those two stopped and took up firing positions from their cars, one a handgun, and the other a rifle. Next, came orders being barked out from several people, both fore and aft. I couldn't tell you how many units were there at that point, but it was more than five, and from several agencies. They began giving me conflicting orders because they weren't at all in sync, but I yelled out that I have a hearing problem and told them that they were not being consistent. You know, one guy is yelling don't move, and another is yelling put your hands out away from your body, etc, etc.

I ended up face down on Folsom Blvd on the hot pavement with probably a hundred cars stopped on both directions watching this. They cuffed me, and started drilling me with a few questions, to which I just answered that I was going to the gun range. they got me up and walked me to the car, put me in and then drove off the street to a business parking lot. There was some discussions to the effect they just needed to check me out and make sure that I was or wasn't something. So there I sat in the back of a unit with several others inspecting my gear, my rifle, my rounds, and a few other personal effects. Every so often one would come and tell me it wasn't going to take long. After a bit someone came and asked where I lived, home address, because I don't have that on anything I had with me. My license has a PO box, and they found that stashed in a side pocket of my little camera case. I don't care that they know where I live, so I gave them my street. They asked if the gun was registered to me at that address, and I doubt that really, having moved once since we bought that twenty years or more back.

One smart ass cop, and I don't remember which one made an off handed comment as to my hearing loss as he shook my hearing protection in front of me. Something to the effect of "If he's deaf, he doesn't need these". I let that one go, because when your half deaf you get people making stupid comments from time to time, but anyone that shoots at a range, even a smart ass, is required to wear hearing protection, even if you're born with no ears. Them's the rules out there. So after a little time someone came and got me out and said that I was going to be freed, but also started questioning me about where I was going, and what I was doing. There was some rhetorical question about me testing them, to which I just told them I was actually testing myself. I reiterated that I was going to the range and gearing up for the season, to which another said the range is like 10 miles from here. He asked if I would like a ride there, to which I flatly refused (who wants a ride in the back of a patrol unit?), and I told them I was well aware of the distance and that exercise was part of the plan. I reminded whomever it was I was standing next to that I was told I was to be freed, and didn't like being lectured while wearing handcuffs. So I was released, and there was some further questioning of my judgement in a veiled sense. One cop said I should at least open the bolt on my rifle as I walked, but I mentioned I had ten miles alongside the road and I wasn't about to get dirt in there. Another pointed out that my route was to take me through a bad part of town, and I reminded him that I have lived in the bad part of town here for quite awhile. Actually, the part he was referring to is somewhat worse alright, but at least it's a busy street and there would be witnesses to call for ambulances or whatever. I was allowed to gather up my stuff, re-sling the rifle, and headed out with a few of them still shaking their heads as if they did not believe I was going to complete my hike. I headed back down Folsom Blvd at a little increase in speed, having lost a half hour or so with that episode. I saw quite a few units pass me from time to time for the next hour or more, but maybe they were keeping an eye on me for safety reasons.

So that was the cop encounter for the tour, but that's also not the end of the discourse for the day. I'll catch you up on that next, because I still had nine miles of city slickers to go. Just to recap though, there were many units that ended up responding, CHP, County sheriff, and City police. I didn't get hurt or anything, but my good pair of glasses were scratched up pretty badly while I was down on the pavement. I am a little more concerned than yesterday about the manner in which gun owners are percieved, and the loss of what I consider our better ways of life. Also, I did make the gun range, and it was more than ten miles. I think I'll be paying a price for that tomorrow.

After my detainment was over, and I gathered up my stuff, I asked the cops whether they were going to ticket me for jaywalking if I crossed the street to pick up my route again. One told me to go back to the crosswalk, but backtracking didn't seem efficient, so I headed east again without the protection of shade trees. After about a half mile I found another light to cross, and headed to the shadier side of the street. As I cross, and being half deaf I've learned the hard way that you have to look all around you because the normal sound warnings are not there, I had plenty of opportunity to look at everyone. Many, many people were astounded by the very sight of a slung rifle in public. You could also see them on cell phones, most likely dialing 911. I resumed my eastward direction and picked up the pace to make up lost time. The heat was becoming more apparent by now, and the trees started getting fewer in between. I passed a homeless looking chap with a pit bull on a leash, but he just smiled. Soon a car rolled up behind me and when I glanced back he was on the cell phone. After a bit he passed me at a good clip. Next I passed a light rail station with numerous people disembarking, Most were younger kids, and had the "what the hell" look on their faces. One guy said "that guys just walkin' around with a rifle". I passed a few more lights and crosswalks, at which many more people gawked, and several more got on their cells. Only got a couple of honks the whole trip, but amazement was probably the most common, with surprise next, and bafflement third. I'll bet the cops got a hundred calls after I left them. I made my way across the freeway again to head up Zinfandel drive and take it to White Rock. On the down side of the overpass I waited for a light, and a car with a mother and her probably eight year old son stopped for the light. The kid's mouth fell open and got all wide-eyed in surprise, and that soon got mom's attention, and they both soon smiled. That was probably the most positive response I had all day!

I made my way up White Rock Road without any real problems, and there being a little less traffic, I saw less aghast people. As I passed a sign waver on the corner of White Rock and Sunrise, many people were staring at me from inside and outside of the Burger King on the corner. I guess those sign wavers do really get people's attention. By now, my shoulder is showing signs of wear from the sling, and I've slowed a little in pace. My one bottle of water is nearing the end, and it's still plenty hot. I was sweating profusely, and my upper shirt was half drenched. It was about here when I started questioning my ability to make the gun range, as my legs were tired, and I was developing some blisters on the feet. I pressed on, and only ran across a road construction crew alongside Sunrise Blvd. One hard hat guy smiled and waved. I could now see the gun range ahead and tried to pick up my pace after downing the last swig of water. The range is set back on Douglas, and I decided to take a shortcut through the open field as opposed to going all the way around. After about ten or so minutes of trudging through dried grass and weeds, I noticed I was suddenly amid broken skeet. A quick look around and I realized I was at the outer end of the shotgun range, and luckily nobody was using it. I tried a course deviation that would take me along the outer edges of the broken skeet pattern, and then walked up behind that part of the range. Somewhere along here a rangemaster met me and asked why I was on the range like that. I told him I had no idea that was the case until I saw the skeet, and also told him there was not fences or even a sign anywhere from that direction. He started telling me that I shouldn't walk on any fields out here because there was no public land, and that it was all private,... yada yadda..(not true either, as there is a huge regional park just up the street).

The interview continued with him asking how I got there, to which I answered "I walked". Then he asked me a rhetorical question in regards to whether I walked with my rifle that way, and didn't the cops meet up with me. I mentioned that I had encountered the police, and that it was not particularly pleasant, but I made the trip anyway. Next, he asked why I was here. I told him I came to use the rifle range, to which he said that they might not let me shoot because I broke the rules and was on the skeet range. I reminded him I was not aware that I was entering the range, and reminded him again that there were no signs or fences, and also asked what happens if some kids get in there that way. As we walked towards the office he asked how was I getting back, and by now, I wasn't sure if I was able to walk, so I told him it depended on how I felt after I shoot. He once again made a comment about maybe I wasn't going to be able to use the range because of the manner in which I arrived. After a minute he said they were going to let me shoot, but handed me a one page document in relation to the rules, and demanded I read the entire thing first. No problem; and nothing on their about open carry, but you could tell that was an issue now. He asked if I had hearing protection, and I pointed to the counter where I had placed my equipment. He said he could rent me some if I didn't have any, and then made a point of telling me he could sell me a case for the rifle, and stood there with this condescending look waiting for me to answer that "with ok, let me see what you got." You could tell that this sort of public display is not something they care for, and certainly don't like. I was a bit taken aback by this flavor at a gun shop. I paid my range fees, bought another bottle of water and headed out. From here it was clear sailing with the exception of too much sweat getting in my eyes for the next 30 minutes or so, and in my tired and weakened condition, the steel buttplate on my rifle quickly took a toll on my shoulder. The light t-shirt was no help either. There was no 1 inch grouping today, but did manage to keep them all on the target and within acceptable game kill standards at 100 yards.

I called for a ride home, and my wife came shortly after. The walk was over ten miles, and I'd place it closer to eleven with all the zig-zagging. I'm definately out of shape and requiring some rest today, but planning to make the trip again soon, although I am going to give the dispatchers a courtesy call next time.

Disclosure: Davi Rodrigues is current chief officer of Save Our State, and a proponent of native born citizen rights and opportunities

River Cats beat Reno 5-2 in must-win game to keep title hopes alive

2011-09-10T09:54:42Z

With everything they’ve worked for the entire season on the line, the Sacramento River Cats found themselves down 0-2 after two games of the first round of the Pacific Coast League Playoffs.

After losing the first two games in Reno, 7-4 and 4-2, the Cats force a fourth game after beating the Reno Aces 5-2 at Raley Field on Friday evening and keep the best-of-five series alive.

That’s good news for the team with the best record in the regular season.

Josh Donaldson, who went 1-for-3 with two RBI, knew that it was just a matter of time before the offense woke up.

“It’s something that we really haven’t been tested all year because we had such a big league all year”, said Donaldson as he left the field. “But you know what? We showed our colors today and we’re going to come out tomorrow and try to do it again!”

The River Cats wasted no time in getting to Aces starter Kevin Mulvey. With two outs, Chris Carter, who hit a homer in each of the first two games of this series, continued his nice run by singling a soft ground ball that Mulvey deflected and shortstop Angel Berroa couldn’t get to in time.

Josh Donaldson came up next and ripped a line shot over center fielder Ryan Langerhans’ head for a run-scoring double that gave the Cats the first run on the scoreboard.

The not-so-funny thing was that it was the River Cats first lead of the series.

Reno wasted no time in getting that run back in the second when, with two outs, Cole Gillespie hit a solo shot that bounced off the midway point of the left field foul pole banner.

Donaldson continued his fine hitting by knocking in lead-off hitter Jermaine Mitchell on a sacrifice fly in the third to get Sacramento back their one run lead.

It didn’t last long as Reno started to get to Cats starter Travis Banwart when Andy Tracy led off the fifth with a deep shot that easily cleared the Jiffy Lube sign in right center.

A controversial call in the Cats part of the fifth when Mitchell attempted a steal of second after getting on by a hit by pitch. The Aces shortstop Berroa ran in front of second baseman Tony Abreu to grab the throw from the catcher and he tried a swipe tag on Mitchell as he slide into second. The second base umpire Barry Larson, who’s view was blocked on the play, called Mitchell out on the tag. The problem was that everyone at Raley Field didn’t think the tag was made including Cats skipper Darren Bush, who went out to argue the call to no avail.

The play effectivly ended the start of a rally for the home team.

With two on and one out in the seventh, Wes Timmons lined a shot right to left fielder Evan Frey that he snagged, but it was deep enough to get Tyler Ladendorf home for the go-ahead run.

The funny thing was that Timmons almost didn’t give himself the chance to get the needed RBI. After initially getting some kind of bunt sign, he wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do on the upcoming pitches so he had to run down to the third base coaching box and confer with Bush to make sure.

“Bushy and I got a thing,” said Timmons, who admitted the season would have been for naught had the Cats lost on this occasion. “I was looking to set up a safety squeeze or something like that, but I got the signs mixed up so he told me he wanted me to swing. With that said, God is good.”

The wheels came off for the Aces when the next hitter, Carter, torched the pitch from Esmerling Vasquez and sent it well over the wall in left center. The ball bounced once on the top of the Cats clubhouse and then out of Raley Field. What a bomb!

Carter has hit a home run in each of the first three games of the series and has just been hitting the cover off the ball lately. He put it simply when asked what’s gotten into him over the last couple of weeks.

“I’ve just been trying to square things up and keep it low and not try to do so much with it,” said the Cats big man.

Jordan Norberto came into the game in the seventh and pitched two high quality innings before giving way to closer Fernando Cabrera.

Pitching coach Scott Emerson was very pleased with his staff’s effort on this night. When Norberto was mentioned, he sounded had some nice things to say.

“I thought he did a good job of being aggressive and attacking the strike zone. He had six up, six down and a good slider tonight. Any time he’s down with his fastball, he’s tough to hit with that mid-nineties fastball.”

Cabrera would allow two runners on base in the final frame to put a minor scare into the home crowd, but buckled down and struck out the last two hitters of the contest.

Banwart was happy to get his part of the job done and hand it over to the closing crew.

“It meant a lot to get that win and not go home early,” said Banwart. “I just came out there and tried to treat it like another game. I focused in and I scouted hitters the last two games and their place and felt like I had great command of everything and threw a lot of strikes.”

Bush was very complementary about his starting pitcher’s effort.

“He did a great job just like he has been," said Bush. "He attacked the zone, he moved the ball around and he kept it down. He gave up two home runs - both solo home runs. That’s because he was commanding the baseball and was doing a good job. Outstanding!”

The Cats try to get even in their best-of-five series on Saturday night at Raley Field at 7pm.

Be there!

PHOTOS COURTESY OF:

RON NABITY PHOTOGRAPHY

Fashion's Night Out: Sexy Shoes, Swag, and Mayor Johnson

2011-09-10T05:46:43Z

The line between runway deities and real people was blurred on Thursday night.

That’s because the global Fashion’s Night Out show at Pavilions on Howe and Fair Oaks featured real people from all walks of life, not just magazine covers. Movers, shakers and other people of influence in Sacramento's community gathered to restore consumer confidence and support the UC Davis Children’s Hospital.

The night’s theme: When you look good, you feel good. When you have the feeling of fulfillment, you won’t have the tendency to give up. Whatever you decide to do with your life, do it with style.

For the 38 inspiring real-life role models on stage, how looking good, leads to feeling good, and being motivated is the common thread. Backstage, preparations were underway for the 100-foot plus catwalk lined with VIP spectators under the white sparkling lights of the trees. Photographers were ready for action. The synergy of a good life with style was infectious.

Here are some quotes from the models when asked how the clothing enhanced their lives:

• “I think it’s a great to gather new ideas using what you may already have in your own closet.” Skylar Mundy, 19, a fashion student and blogger who works part-time at Starbucks for survival in this tough economy.

• “I feel young, vibrant, and a true woman,” shared Ashley Andrews, 31, whose husband, Todd, runs a dental practice near McKinley Park.

• “I felt incredibly luxurious and special,” added Daniel Farley, 47, Vice President of Hamilton Jewelers.

• “I feel like a bohemian princess. Love the feathers. How you feel, your attitude is brought out in what you create for yourself,” said J.J. Fox, 42, a life coach; as she showed off the feather necklace she wore during the show.

• “I was comfortable with myself even with the ascot. It was great to support the cause,” said Sean O’Brien, 28.

• “It was lovely,” said a smiling Jodi Hicks, 40, VP of Governmental Relations for the California Medical Association. “I had a lot more fun than I expected, a really good time. I never had clothes, make up, hair done up before.”

Outfits coordinated by shops and stylists of Pavilions reflected personal style & attitude. The stores are Calla Lily, Franco Ferrini Shoes, Hamilton Jeweler, It’s a Small World, Pavilion Salon Shoes, Madam Butterfly, Patrick James, Julius Clothing, Daitaro, and Lucy. They were backed by Bella Bru, Piattis, and Ruth Chris Steak House who served appetizers and drinks for themore than two hundred VIP guests in the evening.

Those who came to cheer on friends and savor outfits paired with sexy shoes were just as fashionable as the models strutting on the catwalk. A short video clip of the finale can be viewed here.

“We came to support our friend Kara Turner, to shop one of our favorite boutiques Madam Butterfly, and hang out with Kevin Johnson,” says Stefania Aragon, 41 from Roseville.

On a girl's night out with Melinda Yodar, 43 from Fair Oaks and Stephanie Ferre, 41, from Roseville, the trio enjoyed the festivities and look forward to a glimpse of Fashion's Night Out in 2012.

How to Care for Your Car and Spare The Air

2011-09-09T22:50:29Z

How to Care for Your Car and Spare The Air
Tips on Taking Better Care of Your Car While Reducing Air Pollution

We all know that owning a car is an ongoing responsibility that requires dedication, time, effort and money. Ultimately, the lifespan and value of a car depends on the amount of care it’s given along the way. The everyday care and simple “tune-ups” can be quite easy to brush to the side in the rush of our everyday lives, but a task that we wish we would have stayed on top of by the time we’re forking over the big bucks to pay for parts and labor to fix major car problems.

Personal car use is the nation’s biggest contributor to air pollution. For this reason, keeping up with the everyday general maintenance of your car is not only a benefit to you, but a huge benefit to the environment as well. The Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District and the air districts of the Sacramento region recommends these quick and easy tips to avoiding bigger car problems down the road, while reducing the amount of emissions released into the atmosphere, which is a major contributor to air pollution.

1. Drive smart
There are a number of things that you can do while driving that will save gas, cut down on the wear and tear on your car and reduce air pollution:

Try not to brake and accelerate abruptly. The constant revving of your engine is sometimes unnecessary and only wastes gas, releasing more emissions into the atmosphere. If you’re in stop-and-go traffic, or on a long stretch of stop lights, taking it easy on the gas pedal will save you money and reduce your car’s emissions.
Idle less. If you find yourself waiting for the train or in stopped traffic for more than 30 seconds, turning your engine off instead of idling will actually save gas and release fewer emissions than if you were to keep your car running.
Take advantage of your cruise control. A steady speed on the freeway can save up to 33 percent of the gas you burn, while using less energy and reducing the release of emissions.

2. Drive less
Most of us have grown to be quite dependent on our cars. So much so, that we forget the simplicity of using other means of transportation which can be quite beneficial to our health. Using alternative transportation also cuts down drastically on air pollution. Here are some other options to consider:

For close, quick errands, ride your bike. A one-hour bike ride can burn off the amount of calories that are in a quarter pound burger. If you’re going to burn something, it’s better to burn off calories that you don’t want than gas you will have to replace!
Carpool or take public transportation. Driving less will help keep the air clean, but it will also cut back on gas expenses and keep the mileage on your car low so it will last longer and have a higher resale value. If you want to carpool, but don’t know anyone going in the same direction, you can become a member of the Sacramento Region Commuter Club at SacramentoCommuterClub.org. Thousands of its members are saving money and doing their part to Spare The Air by carpooling with others.
Pick one day a week to avoid driving all together. Bike to work if it’s close enough. Otherwise use public transportation or carpool. Leaving your car at home one day a week will prevent 55 pounds of pollution from being emitted into our air each year while preserving the value of your car.

3. Keep up with your car’s maintenance
Making sure that your car is “up-to-speed” on its maintenance will extend its life, increases its resale value and save you money in the long run. The healthier your car is, the fewer emissions it will release into the atmosphere while on the road. Here are some things to remember:

Get those tune-ups. Pick a day for your errands and while you’re out, find a close and convenient place to drop off your car for a quick tune-up. There are parts of your car that require maintenance or replacing, which sometimes aren’t evident until examined by a mechanic. These can include vacuum and coolant hoses, transmission belts, engine belts, air filters and staying on top of your car manufacturer’s recommended frequency of oil changes.
Fill up in the evening, and don’t top off. Fueling your car once the sun goes down releases fewer emissions. Once your tank’s full, avoid spilling gas and “topping off” because as it evaporates, the gas turns into air pollution.
Keep your tires properly inflated. When you stop to fill up your tank, make sure your tires have the recommended amount of air. This will minimize wear on your tires while increasing your car's ratio of miles per gallon.

As a result of a joint community effort, high readings of air pollution have declined in the region resulting in fewer Spare The Air days. But our work isn’t done! We’re still being exposed to levels of ozone pollution that can cause long-term health effects. For more information on the Spare The Air campaign, follow us @AQMD on Twitter, SpareTheAir Scooter on Facebook or visit www.SpareTheAir.com where you can find facts on air pollution, helpful tips on avoiding exposure to air pollution and a free daily Air Alert email which provides information on the quality of air all throughout the Sacramento region.

Disclosure: On behalf of the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District

Step Up and Step Out - AIDS Run/Walk 2011

2011-09-09T06:57:26Z

Would it surprise you to know that AIDS rates are on the rise again?

As someone who lost only a few friends to AIDS, but was nearly frozen with fearful anticipation waiting for the results of that first test in the ‘80s, it certainly surprised me! It further amazed me that anyone who has seen the devastation the results of a compromised immune system can cause would continue to engage in risky and potentially fatal behavior.

But they do.

But the most disturbing information by far, was that one of the reasons that HIV continues to spread is that it’s considered by many in high-risk groups to be “no big deal.” The rationale—if it can be considered that—is that people do so well on the medication (think Magic Johnson) that it’s not really the death sentence it used to be.

If only it was so simple.

The truly rational mind would realize that contracting AIDS is a crapshoot. Once you are positive for HIV, the odds that you will die from any number of things go up. You are vulnerable. Medication works well for some people, and not for others. Medication is hugely expensive. HIV/AIDS is a preexisting condition, so if you are not Magic Johnson and need to get health insurance, this can be a problem.

Where HIV/AIDS is concerned, not only is ignorance not bliss, it is suicide.

Or murder.

That’s where AIDS Walk comes in. The Sac Valley AIDS Run/Walk is, ostensibly, a fundraiser, but, in reality, isn’t one of the big moneymakers for the cause. It’s most important function is to raise community awareness about the disease and the organizations that fight it and serve the sufferers and survivors.

Co-chair Julie Kennedy talked with me about how this year’s run/walk differs from past events.

Most notably, the walking course is only half as long. The former course was a 5K, or about 3 miles. This year the revised course will leave the Capitol and head toward the Tower Bridge and back, for a total of 1.5 miles.

“It will save us money on street closures and police escorts, which is a factor to consider in this economy,” admits Julie Kennedy, “But more importantly, it will also allow survivors to participate more comfortably, which has been a concern in previous years.”

The runners’ route will remain a 5K.

Julie Kennedy is also hoping the shorter route will bring a sense of community back to the event. She’s hoping to see the return of tribute signs, and the costumes and camaraderie of years past.--whatever it takes to get people reengaged.

Kennedy also works at CARES, a nonprofit HIV/AIDS clinic in Midtown.

“I recently had a 19-year old test positive, “ she tells me, “The HIV tester was talking with him and he was excited that it was his birthday the next day. He was telling her about his birthday plans.” She paused a moment.

“Then she went down the hall to get the results, and she has to tell him it’s positive. She wanted to cry.”

There are too many stories just as sad, she said.

So if there were one final thing she could say, it would be,

“If I could say just one thing,” she says, as we are about to part company. “It would be, Help! AIDS needs help. Please walk. If you can’t walk, donate.”

She pauses, thinking about the clients she will return to.

“Let’s bring this back into the light.”

You can register a team or as an individual on line in advance at www.sacvalleyaidsrunwalk.org or in person up until the beginning of the event, which will be held on Sunday, September 18.

AIDS Walk is a Capital City AIDS Fund event that benefits number of charitable organizations. This year, among them will be CARES, who will use the money to support their Positive Speakers Program; Breaking Barriers, who provide mobile testing and transportation for people with HIV; Sacramento Gay & Lesbian Center; Sunburst Project, a camp for children with a parent who has HIV; Golden Rule Services, serving gay men of color; Harm Reduction Services, providing needle exchange and HIV testing; Oak Park Outreach needle exchange; Sierra Foothills AIDS Foundation of Auburn; and Chico Stonewall Democratic Club.

Think Big 100-day report: Immigrant investors and parking potential

2011-09-09T05:17:02Z

A federal funding program allowing foreign investors to provide low-interest loans in return for green cards was one potential arena funding source highlighted in the long-awaited Think Big Sacramento Committee report, which was revealed to the public at a Sacramento Press Club luncheon Thursday.

The program, while not a solution in its own right, could buy time, allowing publicly owned land to increase in value for sale at a higher rate, according to officials. Both of those options are parts of the “menu of options” the Think Big Sacramento group was tasked with providing earlier this year.

More than 120 business leaders, a few Kings fans and most of Sacramento’s media gathered for the presentation of the 50-page report detailing financing options to build an entertainment and sports complex in Sacramento’s railyards.

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson and many of the 72 members of the region-wide committee known as Think Big Sacramento, including co-chairs state Senate Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg of Sacramento and State Senator Ted Gaines of Roseville, were present to speak and to hear from arena finance expert Dan Barrett about various ways to build an arena in a challenging economy.

And Barrett had to do that within strict parameters set by the mayor to acknowledge that the public is in no mood for new, broad taxes.

The Nexus Report – so-named because each financing method on the menu has a direct connection to the new complex – identifies three main revenue categories: private investment, public participation and user fees.

Included among the many options discussed in the report are the sale of city property, the introduction of ticket surcharges and public-private partnerships for lease-back payments and private investment money.

None of that is new, though – Think Big has put out one report after another over the past four months describing those aspects of the project.

What was new Thursday was a proposed funding mechanism called EB5 – a federal program that allows foreign investors to provide low-interest loans in return for green cards.

The EB5 program has been around for 20 years, and it has been a successful means of getting up-front investment capital for public projects.

According to the U.S. Department of Citizenship and Immigration Services, the EB5 program is a pathway for an immigrant investor to “gain lawful permanent residence for themselves and their immediate family.”

The program requires a minimum capital investment of $500,000 to $1 million, and the projects funded must “create or preserve 10 full-time jobs for qualifying U.S. workers” within two years.

“EB5 is a mechanism, not a source,” Jackson said. “Its a loan – the money has to be paid back, so it doesn’t really solve the problem.”

But it does buy time.

If the market isn’t quite right to sell public property, EB5 funding can bridge the gap until actual revenues start to flow from what is now being called the Entertainment and Sports Complex, or ESC for short, according to Chris Lehane, Think Big executive director.

“It allows us the flexibility to move forward with the project,” Lehane said.

EB5 funding works something like a “bridge loan” in residential financing: a short-term, low-interest loan that makes money immediately available for initial construction.

“It isn’t a silver bullet,” said Barrett, founder of Barrett Sports Group, a sports management consulting firm. “Multiple revenue streams are still going to be required to make (a new arena) a reality.”

One of those “multiple streams” discussed in Thursday’s report comes from the income potential of parking opportunities in the downtown area.

“The city has a few options (on parking),” Jackson said, “and depending on which way (City Council) decides to go, we could get a good amount of money from it.”

Parking options under consideration include selling the city parking inventory to a private party, or leasing the city’s parking assets to a third party and collecting lease payments.

“A public-private partnership with parking would give us money up front,” Jackson said, “and we could maintain control long-term. That puts less pressure on (the city) having to get bonds to help pay for the (sports) complex.”

Jackson said that, although the specifics of parking revenue options still need to be hammered out, “it does have a lot of potential to help solve funding issues.”

The Think Big Sacramento initiative was launched in June and includes a group of 72 business, community and public leaders from the Sacramento region.

The report released Thursday is the result of the committee researching financing options and gathering support for the project under a self-imposed deadline of 100 days.

Think Big Sacramento has until March to firm up a plan for a new arena or the Sacramento Kings will have another opportunity to file a request with the NBA to relocate the team.

Think Big Sacramento committee members will make a formal presentation to the City Council Sept. 13, setting the stage for the next step toward building a new entertainment sports complex in Sacramento.

“This is an innovative approach to financing a project like this,” said Jeremiah Jackson, Think Big Sacramento project manager.

“Other cities just pass a sales tax and pay for an arena,” Jackson said, “That’s simple, but it doesn’t have a direct connection to the facility.”

If the last attempt to get taxpayers to foot the bill is any indication, it’s not what the public wants, either: In 2006, a quarter-cent sales tax to help pay for an arena was overwhelmingly voted down by Sacramento county voters.

Still, public enthusiasm has remained solidly in favor of a new sports and entertainment complex in Sacramento.

“Five months ago, it was all but certain the Kings would be moving to Anaheim,” Johnson said. “But, the community stepped up and said, ‘We aren’t going to sit on our hands and do nothing.’ ”

Melissa Corker is a Staff Reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Battle at the Capital

2011-09-08T04:12:23Z

The second annual Battle at the Capital football competition took place at Del Oro High School’s Golden Eagle Stadium over Labor Day weekend. Along with a series of football games, the event honored those who have given their lives in the armed forces. Proceeds from the event will benefit wounded veterans.

The event has been so successful that next year’s will take place in both Northern and Southern California. Should the growth continue, organizers are shaping expansion plans that may spread across the United States.

The Battle at the Capital kicked off with a golf tournament on Aug. 29 at Sun City Lincoln Hills. The Wounded Veteran tournament was a successful fundraiser.

The Del Oro High freshmen and J.V. football teams faced Westlake High on Friday night. The Armed Services/Pat Tillman Memorial game had Del Oro going against San Jose’s Leland High in a varsity game.

Several vendors set up along the perimeter of a baseball field along the way to the stadium. Booths representing all areas of military service were set up to disseminate information and answer any questions.

A memorial was erected toward the center of the field, including a Traveling Tribute Wall. The Military Expo included exhibits of every branch of our nation’s armed forces and displays of military vehicles.

The four games on Saturday featured Capital Christian against Scotts Valley, Bear River against Hug (Reno), Pleasant Grove against Lincoln (Stockton). The Remembrance and Wounded Veteran Memorial game featured Del Oro against Westlake.

Sunday’s games featured two Pop Warner games in the “midgets”category: 11- to 14-year-olds. In the first midgets game, the Del Campo Junior Cougars led the game from start to finish, beating the Granite Bay Junior Grizzlies.

The second game pitted the Woodland Junior Wolves against the Roseville Junior Tigers. The game started off fairly evenly, and during the first quarter the score was Woodland 6 and Roseville 8. Things did not get better for Woodland as Roseville’s offensive machine took over.

Woodland played their hearts out, but injuries and the small size of their squad, in terms of the number of players, prevented them from making substitutions as the game went on. Exhausted and weary, Woodland was soundly defeated.

After each game, a player from each team received the Character Award for exhibiting outstanding character and sportsmanship. It was great to see these young kids play. Many of these players will move to high school football next year.

The audience filled up the stands in anticipation of the Placer County Sheriff Guns going up against the Nevada County Sheriff Posse in the Battle of the Badges.

Prior to the game, the U.S. Army Silver Wings Jump Team amazed the audience with their skills. The team consisted of three jumpers who parachuted from a Coast Guard plane carrier.

The Guns, considered the home team, had a great crowd on their side of the field. Both teams seemed courteous toward each other, in some cases helping each other up off the ground.

The game was sort of sloppy at the beginning as both teams fumbled and lost possession, but Placer County took control and led 18-0 by halftime. During the break, the audience was treated to a performance by the Lad Lions, the Mountain Lions’ cheerleading squad, and a K-9 unit demonstration.

The Guns maintained their energy in the second half for a final score of 33-8.

The event brought together the community, law enforcement, military branches, sponsors and football to honor the military.

A short video highlights many of the activities that transpired during Labor Day weekend. The teams for next year’s Battle at the Capital have already been selected, and preparation for the event has also begun.

The Joy Formidable at Harlow's

2011-09-08T01:50:01Z

If you're looking for an example of a band in the middle of making it big, look no further than The Joy Formidable.

Formed in North Wales, the now London-based power trio has been riding a monster wave of success this year, touring and playing major U.K. and U.S. festivals – Reading, Coachella, Lollapalooza – and garnering praise from critics and their musical peers alike.

They made such an impression on Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters earlier this year that he took to Twitter to sing their praises: "I would like to personally thank The Joy Formidable for writing the song of the year "Whirring". xxx Dave". The band will open several dates with Foo Fighters in November.

The band has a massive, noisy sound: chunky guitar riffs, overdriven bass, and pounding drums, all laced with the sweet vocals of firecracker front woman Ritzy Bryan. A chance to catch them up close and personal should not be passed.

The Joy Formidable will perform at Harlow's this Saturday at 10 p.m. Tim Reynolds, the ridiculously talented guitarist of the Dave Matthews Band, plays an earlier show the same day at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are a steal at $13.50.

Video Storytelling Tips and Shortcuts Workshop Sept. 22

2011-09-07T21:17:19Z

Thank you to everyone who attended Jeffrey Callison's workshop on "The Art and Craft of Interviewing" last month. If you missed the workshop, you can read the recap and watch the video here.

The Sacramento Press has another first-time workshop presenter for September: KXTV News10 Reporter George Warren.

Multimedia journalist Andrew Nixon taught a workshop in July titled "Intro to Video Storytelling;" we'll resume the topic of video storytelling with Warren's workshop: "Video Storytelling Tips and Shortcuts."

The workshop will be from 6:30 - 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 22, at The Sacramento Press office.

Warren will discuss how to produce memorable stories with minimum time and effort. Warren will go over how to do more (interviewing, shooting and editing videos) with less - a staff of one.

Warren just celebrated his 30th anniversary as an Emmy-winning reporter/multimedia journalist with KXTV News10.

He started in the business by shooting his own stories in a small market (on 16mm film!) and in recent years has come full circle - working by himself once again.

Badges will be awarded to participants for attending the workshop. To become a verified community contributor, please bring a government-issued ID.

Our office is located at 431 I St., Suite 107, in the Amtrak station. We are in the same building complex as Starbucks.

We recommend you find parking on the street, bike or take light rail, as the Amtrak parking lot charges $2 per half hour, and we cannot cover the cost of parking. If you take light rail, we will give you two passes when you get here - one to cover your trip here and one to cover your trip back.

To RSVP, email workshops@sacramentopress.com. If you RSVP and decide later not to attend, please send us an email to notify us that you will not be coming so we can have an accurate head count.

Thanks, and we hope to see you here!

Weightlifting Competition at Arden Hills this Sunday!

2011-09-06T18:23:22Z

Don’t miss your chance to watch talented local athletes compete in a weightlifting competition where they hoist as much as twice their body weight over their heads!

Put on by the Strength & Conditioning instructors at Arden Hills Resort Club & Spa, you’ll see Olympic lifts including the “Snatch” and the “Clean and Jerk.” Don’t miss the fourth annual T. Brooks Open (re-named to honor former Sacramento State Coach Terrance Brooks who recently passed away) on Sunday, September 11, beginning at 10 a.m. The special event will take place on an outdoor tennis stadium at Arden Hills. Spectators are welcome to enjoy an exciting athletic competition at an amazing facility.

For more information, call 916-955-1586 or visit www.ardenhills.net.

Disclosure: Traci Rockefeller Cusack represents a number of businesses and organizations throughout the greater Sacramento area including Arden Hills Resort Club & Spa.

River Cats win seventh in a row and on a roll as playoffs loom

2011-09-03T00:29:46Z

It was the last regular season game of the year.

A chance for the team to thank the fans for being such great guests all year long and an equal chance for the River Cats diehards to cheer one last time during a great campaign.

From the Sacramento players greeting loyal guests at every entrance to Raley Field to the pre-game fireworks booming from center field to the River Cats own regular season player awards - all of it took place before the contest in front of the fifth sellout of the year - 14,014 roaring fans. Everything fell into place on Thursday evening for the Cats to win their last home game of the regular season 7-1 against the Las Vegas 51’s.

The game started out as a pitcher’s duel through the first two innings with 51’s starter Chad Beck matching zeros with Cats starter and team pitcher-of-the-year Graham Godfrey.

In the bottom of the third, Cats first baseman Chris Carter ripped a ball into left field for a clean double with one out. After Josh Donaldson put runners on the corners with only one out with his single, Michael Taylor, who was selected by his teammates as defensive player-of-the-year, torched a shot well over the left field wall that bounced off of the top of the Jackson Rancheria “Home Run Terrace” roof.

Forget the minors - that ball would have cleared any fence in the majors!

Las Vegas would get one back the following inning when the three of the first five batters singled. Chris Woodward was the last of the trio and garnered an RBI in the process.

The Cats threatened again in the fifth when Carter doubled for the second time, then Donaldson and Taylor walked to load the bags with no outs.

Cats home run leader and offensive player-of-the-year Jai Miller strode to the plate. The seventh pitch to Miller was a wild pitch that allowed Carter to score from third. With Miller still batting, he lifted the tenth pitch he saw high into right-center field for a sacrifice fly.

One more run would score when Las Vegas right fielder Adam Loewen’s throw was a little offline as it came into the infield and arrived at third base. The ball got away from Jayson Nix at third and rolled into the Cats dugout for another run in the frame.

After five, the Cat led 6-1.

In the sixth, Wes Timmons, this writer’s favorite River Cat player, extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a long single. Timmons has been on fire since being recalled from Midland 11 games ago by hitting well over .400. He also has three home runs, 15 RBI and 11 walks since returning to Sacramento.

Timmons, who was voted the teams’s most improved player, as always, first thanks the man upstairs.

“I’m blessed,” said the 10-year veteran. “I’m blessed to back here and to be healthy. We battled that ankle injury for the first half of the season so finally feel like I’m healthy enough to play at a level that I know I’m capable of playing.”

“And I have to thank Bushy for fighting to get me back up here. I easily could have ended the year there and missed out on all the fun here. So I’m fortunate to be back and to have Bushy in my corner.”

Manager Darren Bush was in his corner the entire time, it’s just that certain circumstances dictate who must play where sometimes during the season.

Nonetheless, Bush was just as happy to have Timmons back in the fold for the playoffs.

“Wes was deserving to be here the whole time,” said the Cats’ skipper. “Having him back here - he pushed his way back here, I mean he was hitting .380 or something. I’m real happy for him and it’s been great to have him back in the clubhouse for sure.”

Godfrey handed it over to Jordan Norberto and Vinnie Chulk - who was named the teammate of the year - to finish the game. He threw 97 pitches, 73 of them being strikes in another fine performance for the man that started the season at Double-A Midland. Godfrey was his normal self by throwing six innings, giving up only six hits and one run while striking out five. Just another day at the office for one of the best pitchers in all the minors.

Godfrey told me how much it meant to receive his pitcher-of-the-year award before the game, but reminded me in the process that he thought he was ready to have that breakout year.

“It means a lot,” said Godfrey, who ended the regular season with a record of 14-3. “It means so much, especially, like you said, where I started off the year. I knew I was going to have a good year this year. Once I was able to come to Sacramento, I knew that things were going to take off from there.”

“Just being with this group of guys, this coaching staff - I kind of held onto something and enjoyed the ride. It’s easy to have a great year like this when you are surrounded by a bunch of guys that work as hard as they do. Our defense is outstanding, the offense is probably the best in the minors right now so it just makes my job so much easier.”

Bush can’t say enough about his most consistent pitcher throughout the season.

“He takes the ball and goes out there and dominates,” said Bush. “He did it again tonight. Graham’s always been ready for the baseball, always been prepared. Thank goodness he’s had some opportunities to go up there and help that club (A’s). When he comes down here, he has one thing on his mind - take the ball, compete and win. It’s paid off for him.”

GAME NOTES:

Here is a list of the team’s regular season awards:

Graham Godfrey - Pitcher of the year
Michael Taylor - Defensive player of the year
Josh Donaldson - Most exciting player of the year
Wes Timmons - Most improved player of the year
Adrian Cardenas - Most versatile player of the year
Vinnie Chulk - Teammate of the year
Jai Miller - Offensive player of the year
Jai Miller - MVP

PHOTOS COURTESY OF:

DAVID ALVAREZ

The Naked and Famous at Harlow's

2011-09-02T08:49:39Z

On the last day of August, Harlows was filled with a crowd of stadium-sized intensity. The New Zealand indie rock band defined The Naked and Famous philosophy. Naked in the way that Alisa Xayalith and Thom Powers vocal combination brought the crowd to climax then mellowed down to rise again, in roller coaster action.

Auckland’s five-piece delivered exquisite dream pop, oscillating between the calculatedly energetic beat, glitzy rhythms, and airy synthesizers underneath.

Xayalith wearing all black, in a long sleeve top, mini skirt, tights, and short boots was definitely not naked but sexy nonetheless, confident in her barely five-foot tall frame. She was smoking! She faced the drummer in the back to regroup between songs, refresh, and wipe the sweat off her brow, or fall in exhaustion.

Fans waited over an hour to mesh with the electronica lifestyle offered by this up and coming band nominated for the BBC’s Sound of 2011 and topping the New Zealand chart at No.1 in 2010 – the first New Zealand artist in three years to do so.

The show was like air for the 20-somethings whose exchange with the band appeased their needs and vice versa. The “Passive Me Aggressive You” debut album released in September of 2010 definitely caters to the young, whose lyrical obsessions center around love, mistakes, sleep, and parties.

Hollywood has discovered the band and Wednesday’s set featured several songs used in TV shows. “Punching in a Dream” was featured in Vampire Diaries. With its care-free lyrics and upbeat electronic dance discord, that song set the mood for the night at Harlow’s. “The Sun” a tantalizing song, and “Young Blood” were both used in the tv show Gossip Girl.

Also in Wednesday’s set, “The Bells” enchanted. “Eyes” and “DADADA” saw and freed the spirit of youth. Calmed by Xayalith’s vibe was the pairing of an acoustic guitar in the beginning of “No Way” then picked up again into upbeat rhythm running with “Girls Like You.”

An edge of MGMT and Radiohead was present in the repertoire. Powers and Xayalith said they grew up listening to Massive Attack, Bjork, PJ Harvey and Tricky.

But their intensity, like their sound, is really all their own. After six months of constant touring, this band of four dudes in T-shirts and jeans with a hot Asian doll in the middle still had plenty of energy.

“It sure is full in here. We’re coming back.” Powers still trying to catch his breath from the performance.

They did with an encore and the crowd went home sweaty and satisfied.

New Think Big report: strategic use of public land

2011-09-02T04:36:31Z

Take some vacant, unused city-owned land, sell the land to investors for development and reap the benefits of construction jobs, economic growth and money to help finance a new downtown arena.

That’s the latest idea being considered by the Think Big Sacramento committee, according to a report released at a press conference Thursday.

The press conference was held at a city-owned dirt lot at the corner of Front and V streets, which is one of the examples cited in the report of public land that could be sold for profit – and would result in jobs related to the development of the property.

“Properties like this could be put in the mix to draw and generate money from developers,” said Think Big Sacramento Executive Director Chris Lehane.

“That (money) could help with the development and construction costs of building an arena,” Lehane said.

The city of Sacramento owns approximately 2,400 pieces of land that are currently undeveloped, vacant or producing very little revenue to the public, according to the report.

Two other examples in the report included an empty lot at Second Street and Capitol Mall – with an estimated value between $8.5 and $14.8 million – and the Plaza Office Building at 921 Tenth St. – with an estimated value between $480,000 and $1.2 million, despite the presence of hazardous materials that make the building less desirable for buyers.

Selling some of that land to private developers is one potential financing option that the committee is considering to build a new entertainment sports complex downtown.

Lehane and the Think Big Sacramento committee have been working under a self-imposed 100 day deadline to put together a final “menu” of funding options for the arena project.

“Our core focus has been on identifying revenue streams that have a relationship to the actual facility,” Lehane said.

By “relationship,” Lehane said he means revenue that would come from businesses that benefit from being located near the new complex, or from people who use the facility (such as ticket holders or event sponsors).

Lehane also included entities within the public domain that “would not otherwise exist except for the arena or are enhanced because of the arena,” such as hotels that build near the arena for out of town visitors to the arena, or new businesses that are built as part of the development of public land bought from the city.

Jack Reynan, a homebuilder with Artisan Communities and a Think Big Sacramento committee member, said that development of the sold property would do more than bring short-term construction jobs during the development stages.

“The creation of a modern arena and facilities would unquestionably revitalize the surrounding areas,” Reynan said, “creating more jobs which would, in turn, almost certainly increase demand for housing.”

The Think Big committee report said city-owned land located near the proposed arena site could see a high demand and increased value when an arena is built – a demand that will turn into long-term benefits for the city.

“A facility that creates jobs in construction, generates revenue for the city and has people working here day in and day out,” Lehane said, “that’s the sort of thing that leads to a transformation in economic development for the city.”

Think Big committee members are already seeking private developers who might be interested in buying and developing city-owned properties, said David Taylor, a developer and investor with David S. Taylor Interests.

“(Private investors) will be more willing to invest more money into development (in the area),” Taylor said, “as long as the public sector is willing to bring money to create the infrastructure.”

If the public will invest in the private-public partnership of a new arena, Taylor said, the city could “get their money back plus some” over the next 20 to 30 years.

“That’s worth it in my view,” Taylor added.

In total, the Think Big committee has reviewed more than 70 funding options for private-public partnerships to make it possible to build the new sports entertainment complex.

Final funding recommendations from the Think Big committee will be released Sept. 8 at a luncheon hosted by The Sacramento Press Club.

Lehane said the committee pared down the list of possible properties to sell from 2,400 to about 19 or 20. Details of those properties will be released as part of the Sept. 8 report.

Think Big Sacramento committee members will present a follow-up report to the City Council on Sept. 13.

Read the Think Big Sacramento report here.

Melissa Corker is a Staff Reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Deal Ticket has relaunched on a new platform.

2011-09-01T18:46:19Z

Like its distinctively independent, hyperlocal approach to news coverage and commentary on the Sacramento area, The Sacramento Press delivers Deal Ticket, its version of the national trend in online deals, which is a weekly deal program that offers consumers 51-90% off on Sacramento’s top businesses every Tuesday through Friday.

Deal Ticket sales representatives are able to partner face to face with local businesses to produce effective offers for local consumers.

“Deal Ticket worked out really well for my business,” said Abraham Sanchez, owner of Article Consignment Boutique. “It was a great opportunity to have not only new people, it worked out for my existing clients to get some good deals and bring back recurring business.”

He added that it was very easy and well-organized and the deal process went exactly as it was explained to him.

“It was successful and profitable for me,” he said. “It allowed new people to come in and, of course, those people referred others. I would consider it a great success for me and my business.”

Deal Ticket has featured local greats such as Tuli Bistro, Article Consignment Boutique, Scrub Boys, Squeeze Inn and Asha Yoga. Deals have ranged from local restaurants, hair salons, yoga, photography, tanning, car washes, massages and much more.

The Deal Ticket team works hard to tailor every offer specifically for the local Sacramento market, even in the face of competitive national daily discount behemoths such as Groupon and Living Social. Deal Tickets local edge comes from their customer service – a real person is available to speak to businesses and customers that participate in the deal program.

“We’re trying to make Deal Ticket fun, affordable, easy to buy and, most of all, credible,” said Ben Ilfeld, co-founder of The Sacramento Press and Macer Media. “Our emphasis with The Sacramento Press and SLOAN has always been ‘hyperlocal’ for news, commentary and advertising. Deal Ticket is about taking branding to a ‘hyperlocal’ level for area businesses that participate.”

Deal Ticket is continually looking for ways to improve – The Sacramento Press recently relaunched its weekly deal program on a brand-new platform built from the ground up with all-new features.

Deal Ticket still provides consumers with a fantastic weekly deal program, but on a much-improved platform. With this new system, several changes have been made to benefit consumers and make the process of purchasing and redeeming Deal Tickets easier. They know that there are many daily deal options to choose from, but consumers can trust that every Deal Ticket is hand-selected.

Features on the new platform include:

- Manage and print purchased deal vouchers through Deal Ticket’s website.
- Access to personal accounts 24/7.
- Track purchased vouchers, both used and available to be redeemed.
- Sign up and log in with your Facebook account for more convenient access.
- Credit card information is securely saved to provide a smoother checkout process, and all credit/debit cards are accepted, making for easy, quick and secure checkouts.
- Share a $5 invitation bonus on featured deals (Each friend who signs up gets a $5 credit, and you get a $5 credit after your friend's first purchase).
- And much more!

Don’t miss this week’s deal! Do you Shabu-shabu? In the winter of 2009, Shabu Japanese Fondue was the first of its kind in Midtown Sacramento. Shabu provides traditional Japanese-style hot pot, serving the finest ingredients, quality meat, fresh seafood and vegetables with broths and sauces made in-house daily. Grab a friend and head over to Shabu – just $7 for $15 of Japanese Fondue!

If you would like to sign up for Deal Ticket, go to: https://deals.sacramentopress.com

Disclosure: Dina Neils is a full-time Sacramento Press employee.

Speed and pitching take River Cats to Victory

2011-09-01T05:20:25Z

Having already clinched the Pacific Coast League Pacific South division, the Sacramento River Cats won their fifth game in a row. A crowd of 10,638 fans at Raley Field watched the hometown team defeat the Las Vegas 51s 5-1. The Cats have now won 13 of their last 16 games.

The first three innings were scoreless. Las Vegas threatened in the first inning with a single and a walk, but the rally ended when Adam Loewen struck out for the third out with men on first and second. The River Cats started off weak in the first inning as Jermaine Mitchell and Adrian Cardenas grounded out and Wes Timmons struck out.

Tyson Ross settled down and began taking control of the situation as he put Las Vegas’ next three batters down in order. Las Vegas’ next turn was highlighted by Darin Mastroianni stealing second and then third base for his 16th and 17th steals of the year. The 51s, however, could not get the runner home as Ricardo Nanita hit a long fly out to Mitchell, who used his speed to catch the ball on the warning track.

As the fourth inning started, Ross once again put down the Las Vegas batters in order. He continued to pitch inside and used the breaking ball to keep batters at bay.

As the River Cats took to the bat, Mitchell put his speed to the test once again as he put down a bunt past pitcher Chad Gaudin and was safe at first base. Gaudin must have been a bit rattled, as he threw a wild pitch that allowed Mitchell to move to second base. After Cardenas flied out, Chris Carter followed with a single to right field, and the speedy Mitchell came home to score the first run of the evening.

At the top of the fifth, the 51s threatened but did not score, and as the midpoint in the game came the Sacramento River Cats took advantage and scored four more runs after Jai Miller flied out to right field.

Gaudin did not help his cause as he gave a single to Landon Powell and then hit Josh Donaldson. Adam Rosales followed with a single to load up the bases. Mitchell continued to have a great game as he doubled to left field, scoring two runs. Wes Timmons continued to ignite the River Cats as he singled to right field, scoring another run and making the score 4-0. After Cardenas struck out and with Carter batting, Mitchell stole his 12th base of the year, taking home.

Gaudin was replaced by Winston Abreu after walking Carter. Abreu made Michael Taylor fly out to center field, ending the inning, but by this point the River Cats were up 5-0 and had scored all the runs they would need to win the game.

The 51s were able to put their one and only run of the evening on the scoreboard on the top of the sixth as Jayson Nix started the inning with a single to left field. After Adam Loewen flied out Ryan Shealy doubled to left field. Shealy’s double brought Nix home.

Ross pitched a great game and was replaced by Bruce Billings at the bottom of the seventh. The River Cats pitching staff of Ross, Billings and Andrew Carignan (who pitched the last inning), secured another win for the hometown team. Ross won the decision, bringing his record to 3-2 while Gaudin was the losing pitcher, bringing his record to 2-2.

This will be the River Cats’ last home series for the year as they continue to face Las Vegas on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1.

Sacramento will be facing off against the Reno Aces beginning on Sept. 7 at Reno. The first playoff game at home will be on Sept. 9. Reno will be making their first PCL playoff appearance since the team moved from Tucson after the 2008 season.

SacPress on Insight: Chickens, redistricting and fish bowls

2011-08-31T01:17:31Z

I filled in for David Watts Barton Tuesday morning for the weekly segment of The Sacramento Press on Capital Public Radio's “Insight,” and Jeffrey Callison and I talked about chicken keeping, a record-setting City Council meeting on redistricting and a few fun additions to the central city – including a restaurant that serves drinks in fish bowls.

The Sacramento City Council may pass an ordinance at its meeting Tuesday night that will allow residents to keep up to three egg-laying chickens in their backyards – as long as the chickens are enclosed and the enclosure is 20 feet away from the neighbors’ homes.

Residents would need to apply for a permit and pay to renew it each year. There is a $15 fee per household and $10 fee per chicken.

The Department of Animal Care Services will be responsible for enforcing the ordinance, however, the department won’t get involved unless neighbors make complaints.

The Maydestone Building renovation is set to be completed in mid-September after roughly a year of construction.

The D&S Development, Inc., project cost $7 million, and tenants are expected to start renting Oct. 1.

The four-story building houses 32 units, with spaces varying in size from 300 - 700 square feet and rents between $700 and $1500.

Some of the original features of the building were kept intact, including the original windows that use a rope-and-pulley system and restored pull-out beds and dressers. New features include solar-powered water heaters and energy-efficient heating and air conditioning units.

The two-year taxi moratorium in Sacramento – that was enacted Aug. 4 – has caused a lot of stir among commenters on The Sacramento Press.

We decided to look into it further and find out why the city staff proposed a moratorium – where no new taxi permits will be issued – in the first place.

The city was receiving complaints from both cab drivers and businesses that there were too many taxis in Sacramento so city staff decided to study the industry.

There are currently more than 500 taxis in the city of Sacramento – a number that has grown 66 percent since 2004, while the population has grown 8 percent during that time.

City staff will study similar-sized cities to see how Sacramento compares and see how problems like traffic congestion and passenger complaints can be resolved. The study is expected to take two years.

After five hours of public comment and a record 103 people who signed up to give public comment – the City Council approved a revised Neighborhoods 2.0 map Tuesday in a 6-3 vote.

The map draws the district boundaries right down Stockton Boulevard and places the UC Davis Med Center in District 6 instead of in District 5, which outraged many Oak Park residents.

City Hall was a packed house with nearly 500 people attending the council meeting.

The final vote on a new redistricting map will take place Sept. 6.

The unofficial “Mayor of Midtown,” Andy Ekstrom, passed away just over a year ago, and last Wednesday, friends and family gathered at the MARRS building to remember him and dedicate a sculpture in his honor.

Artist Marc Foster created the 10-foot-tall, 9,000-lb. sculpture, which is made of steel and layers of concrete. Funds are currently being raised to help cover the cost of constructing the sculpture. So far, $6,500 has been raised and friends and family are hoping to raise and additional $15,000 to cover the rest of the costs.

BarWest Burgers & Wings at 2724 J St. opened Thursday. It occupies the space where Aura used to be.

The restaurant’s menu emphasizes burgers and wings, and it also has a few interesting dessert items: deep-fried ding dongs and funnel cakes.

Some of the popular alcoholic drinks on the menu are the 64-ounce fish bowls, which come with four long straws and are served in fish bowls.

BarWest has been responsive to customer feedback, reading Yelp! reviews and making adjustments where necessary. Co-owner Trevor Shults said he is working to improve customer service after seeing complaints on Yelp! The menu has also been updated so that fries now come with burgers. Originally, fries had to be ordered separately, but after customers complained about this, Shults said they changed that and increased the price of burgers.

Last but not least, we talked about the Sacramento Man Hunt coming up on Saturday.

More than 200 people have signed up for this tag-like game that begins at 10 p.m. at the entrance to Old Sacramento and ends at midnight at the Safeway on Alhambra Boulevard.

There are two teams of people: runners and chasers. Runners get a seven-minute head start and must travel on foot to the destination, while chasers can get around in any vehicle of their choosing.

Chasers “catch” runners by tagging them with two hands, and once runners have been tagged, they become chasers.

The winner doesn’t receive a prize, just bragging rights.

New Reichmuth Skate Park Grand Opening Celebration: August 31, 2011 at 11:00 a.m.

2011-08-30T20:41:15Z

Sacramento City Councilmember Rob Fong, community, local skateboarders and the City’s Parks and Recreation Department to celebrate grand opening of Reichmuth Skate Park.

Wednesday, August 31, 2011
11 A.M.
Reichmuth Park (6135 Gloria Drive)

Reichmuth park improvements include a skate park, concrete walkways, a seating area, bike racks, a security camera and signage. The total construction cost was approximately $227,600. Funding for this project came from Park Impact Fees which come from development projects in this planning area. This funding cannot be used for park maintenance, operations or other City Departments. Construction began in November 2010 and was completed in August 2011.

Race for the Arts 2011

2011-08-30T04:37:28Z

Over a thousand runners of all ages participated in a 5K run/walk during Saturday’s Race for the Arts. After the race, runners, family and friends were able to enjoy several dozen booths offering resources and information regarding art programs in Sacramento and surrounding areas.

As is usually the case at events such as this, hundreds of volunteers helped in ensuring the event was a success. Besides volunteers, many sponsors and performers entertained guests at William Land Park on the beautiful, sunny day.

The Race for the Arts has a clearly outlined mission.

“Race for the Arts is a nonprofit organization that raises funds and awareness for California nonprofit performing, cultural and visual arts organizations and for school music, drama and art programs.”

Two words can be said for Saturday’s event, “mission accomplished.”

Race for the Arts celebrated its 13th year promoting theatre, dance, music and art. Runners raised funds via pledges to benefit an art designated organization or school. In today’s economy, many arts programs have become endangered by cutbacks, and Race for the Arts has made it a primary goal to raise awareness and donations through events such as this.

The race, scheduled to start at 8:30 in the morning, was accompanied by perfect weather. Several parents raced alongside their kids and in some cases, pushed a stroller through the race as well.

A children’s run was scheduled for 9:30 and was divided into three different distances and age groups. A 220 yard run for four year olds had several little runners participating. A 440 yard run suited the 5-6 year olds and a 1/2 mile run for ages 7-12 provided delightful fun for kids, parents and spectators.

A list of the 5K run/walk participants and their times can be seen at the Race for the Arts 2011 website.

Over 150 schools and art organizations received pledges and were well represented in the run. Several runners were in costume to highlight their organization and others just wore costumes for fun.

“Everyone ready for the 13th Annual Race for the Arts?” asked an announcer and a trumpet played "First call" to gather the runners to the start line. Team Mad Cat cyclists led the race as runners lined up behind them. The cyclists helped keep the runners on course.

Once the race started, it didn’t take long for the faster runners to make it back. A little after 16 minutes, Thomas Buxton of Sacramento made it to the finish line as the first overall winner. Runners were timed using D-tag timing and with a chip time of 16:06.9 and a gun time of 16:07.6, Buxton made quick pace to win the event.

Ballerinas, mothers and fathers pushing strollers, lone runners and group of runners crossed the line at various stages and they all enjoyed being part of the event. One of the participants, Betty Simin from Folsom, came in with a time of 1:02:34.7. Simin is 85 years old.

After the 5K run/walk was over, the children’s fun run began. Several parents ran with their kids and encouraged them on. After a false start, the race began and the children ran their little hearts out. It was a delight to watch.

All fun run participants received a medal after crossing the finish line.

Once the races were over, everyone made their way to the vendor and organizational booths. Many of Sacramento’s outstanding art organizations, schools and similar programs had representatives on hand.

Local organization, For Arts’ Sake, had Deborah Edward and Veronica Delgado on hand promoting For Arts’ Sake and Sacramento Artober.

Guests were able to enjoy theatre, dance, song and music performances by many groups who had informational booths. Performers used the amphitheatre to showcase their talents.

Many parents were on hand to support their children or to get their children involved. Angelica Landon from Sacramento brought her children to witness some of the performances and see if they would be interested in becoming involved.

“My two kids are always singing and dancing at home and I thought it would be a good idea to show them young performers at this event. I’ve talked to a couple of the performing schools and I’m looking at getting my children into one of the schools. I think this is a great event and I’m thankful all these organizations were present,” said Landon.

Over 40 interactive stations showcased some of the best arts programs in Sacramento. Event coordinator Sally Rice did a great job putting the event together. It was great to see families out at William Land Park enjoying the great outdoors, music, art and performances. Art in Sacramento benefits greatly from events such as these and it’s great to see all these organizations together under the Race for the Arts umbrella.

Pour for Prevention benefit for CAP Center

2011-08-29T04:01:30Z

A child is reported abused or neglected every minute in America. The Child Abuse Prevention Center is working to change that.

The CAP Center serves more than 140,000 children annually and manages the Child Abuse Prevention Council of Sacramento, Inc., Safe Kids California, Lift the Children and Prevent Child Abuse California.

Pour for Prevention was a benefit held for the CAP Center that incorporated food, art and, of course, lots of wine, with 100 percent of the proceeds going toward preventing child abuse. Over 16 vintners and eateries participated, and 15 artists displayed works in Jon Stevenson's historic three-story home/gallery/special events venue located on 1724 N St.

“Eighty percent of the photography I do is for donation, in order to benefit causes like the CAP’s” said Darrell O’ Sullivan, whose nature photographs of Lake Tahoe and Death Valley were on display.

Outside the home, individuals were given empty wine glasses and encouraged to stroll from table to table in order to fill it.

To complement the red wines, Capital Confections offered chocolate truffles. To accompany the whites, Mama Kim’s served chicken skewers and salmon banh mi.

“It’s been a great time,” said guest Melissa Pagluica, holding up her half-full glass of wine, “for a wonderful cause.”

Gladiators take over Thunder Valley

2011-08-28T05:52:22Z

“Unleashed” – a Gladiators Challenge (GC) Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event took place at Thunder Valley Casino and Resort this evening. The fight featured many of the top contenders in the MMA; including four title fights and two contender fights.

“Unleashed” showcased a title match between the GC Super Heavyweight Champion, Rick Vardell, and MMA legend Dan “The Beast” Severn, GC Middleweight Champion James “The Educator” Fanshier defending his strap against Keith “KO Kid” Berry, and a GC Heavyweight Championship fight between title-holder Rob “Caveman” Jackson and fan favorite Deutsch Pu’u.

The packed crowd at Thunder Valley Casino showed their support for the sport of MMA and their favorite fighters. Cheers and screams could be heard throughout the stadium from the first fight to the last.

Marc McLaughlin is a contributing writer and photographer for the Sacramento Press.

Think Big says 'pay to play' is another way to go for arena financing

2011-08-25T04:11:51Z

At the upcoming meeting of the Think Big Sacramento committee Friday, committee members will discuss construction loans for a new arena/sports complex and yet another potential financing idea: user fees.

For a project that organizers believe will bring regional public benefits of $7 billion in revenue over 30 years and 4,100 new jobs, working out the kinks of financing everything is a challenge.

The Think Big committee has been under a self-imposed deadline to come up with a “menu” of financing options – essentially, a 100-day brainstorm session that committee members hope will result in finding a viable way to pay for the $387 million endeavor.

Think Big has already determined that financing will require public-private partnership, and committee members have focused that definition to include private participation, public participation and – according to a report released Aug. 18 – user fees.

“User fees are ways to identify revenue sources from entities that will be benefiting from the arena,” said Think Big Sacramento Executive Director Chris Lehane in an email Wednesday.

Entities such as attendees who will go to the arena and pay a ticket fee, Lehane said, or businesses in the proximity of the arena that will benefit from 300,000 more people coming to the city.

The reasoning for this, simply put, is that “the people who use it should bear the greatest responsibility of paying for it,” said Think Big Sacramento project manager, Jeremiah Jackson.

User fees could be arena fees that are included in the price of things sold at the venue, such as food, drinks and merchandise, or it could be ticket fees – a $1 to $3 surcharge on the price of a ticket, for example.

User fees could also come in the form of naming rights (think: Power Balance Pavilion, AT&T Park, Staples Center), or the creation of Business Improvement Districts (BID).

The core of a BID is self-assessment – businesses and restaurants agree to pay a certain percentage on top of whatever else they’re selling, because they know they’re going to get a certain amount of increased business from being near the arena.

“With 3.1 million new visitors to downtown each year,” Jackson said, “we’ll expect to see increased spending at all of the businesses nearby.”

This concept of a BID has seen some success in areas like Portland, where the BID contributed about $21.5 M to the construction of a streetcar system, and in San Francisco, where 11 BIDs funded a variety of downtown revitalization projects around the ballpark.

Michael Ault, president of the Downtown Sacramento Partnership, which represents 56 blocks in the downtown core including 800 property owners and merchants, said he is not entirely sold on the idea for Sacramento, however.

“If business and restaurant owners can readily identify an upside that justifies an assessment district,” Ault said Wednesday, “it could be a good thing.”

Ault said the the Downtown Sacramento Partnership hasn’t yet been engaged in any discussion of “real numbers” with the Think Big team yet, so he is hesitant to say how much support the idea would get.

“How much (fee assessment) are we talking about? For how long? At what level?” Ault said. “Until we know any of that, it’s hard to really say anything.”

According to a poll conducted for the Think Big committee, public support for user fees is strong.

Seventy-four percent of people polled said they would support the idea of charging for naming rights on the facility, and 57 percent supported a ticket surcharge and/or arena fees, the recent Think Big report states.

Ticket fees are common at similar entertainment and sports complexes, said Think Big representatives.

“Staples Center in Los Angeles has had them for years,” Jackson said Wednesday. “The Staples Center even has a contract with the NBA that allows them to raise it up to about $3 per seat.”

The Think Big report estimates user fees from ticket surcharges could total to about $20 million a year in revenue.

Naming rights have netted huge benefits for similar arena projects, too, arena representatives said.

For example, Amway Center in Orlando opened in 2010, and the city gets about $6.5 million annually from the naming rights contract with Amway. In Memphis, there’s the FedEx Forum that brings an average of $4.5 million annually.

“The name of the game,” Jackson said, “is to determine who are the parties that benefit from (the complex) and how can we spread some responsibility (for paying for it) across that group?”

Jackson said the Think Big committee is considering numerous ideas on financing, and incorporating user fees is just one part of that.

The 100-day summary report – including the full menu of financing options for a new sports/entertainment complex – is scheduled to be presented at the Sacramento Press Club luncheon on Sept. 8.

A follow-up report will be made to City Council at the council meeting on Sept. 13.

Read the user fees report here.

Melissa Corker is a Staff Reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Law enforcement, firefighters box for charity

2011-08-22T05:31:59Z

Law enforcement and correctional officers, military personnel and a firefighter went toe to toe in the boxing ring Saturday night, raising money for charity in the Battle of the Badges Fight Series: Road to the Championship.

Held in the intimate courtyard setting of Liquid Nightclub in Citrus Heights, the well-attended event benefitted charities including the Armed Forces Foundation, Firefighters Burn Institute and Sacramento Sheriff's Toy Project.

Battle of the Badges Fight Series events are a lead-up to the title fight at Battle of the Badges VIII. Last year's Battle of the Badges VII was held in August at Memorial Auditorium.

All bouts had a three-round limit, and on the card Saturday were 10 preliminary matches and one main event, featuring heavyweights Bryan Williams (Fresno PD) vs. Mike Gomez (CDC-CSP Sac).

Highlights of the evening for the crowd included a lights-out KO of David Richardson (CDC Solano) by Chris McElroy (CDC CSP Sac) and a brutal pummeling of Mike Hernandez (El Cerrito PD) by Noel Montes (CDC-CCPOA) that went the full three rounds and left Hernandez's face covered in blood.

All boxers were ranked by the United Combat Association and the matches were officiated by the California State Athletic Commission. Visit the Battle of the Badges website for information on upcoming bouts.

Fight results:

1. Brent Burkhart (CDC-DVI) defeated Gary Mungia (Army)

2. Jed McNamara (Dept of ABC) defeated Jose Hermosillo (Williams PD)

3. Dru McDonald (Sac Fire) defeated Craig Hamblin (CDC Solano)

4. Fracnsico Flores (Stanislaus County Sheriff) defeated Neil Tremethick (Army)

5. Brenden Reavis (CPS) defeated Javier Banuelos (CDC CSP-Sac)

6. Ruben Jones (CHP) defeated Eduardo Barajas (Williams PD)

7. James Davis (CDC-Folsom) defeated Craig Colosimo (CDC - Mule Creek)

8. Chris McElroy (CDC CSP Sac) defeated David Richardson (CDC Solano)

9. Chris Martinez (Avenal PD) defeated Orlando Rivera (Border Patrol)

10. Noel Montes (CDC CCPOA) defeated Mike Hernandez (El Cerrito PD)

11. Bryan Williams (Fresno PD) defeated Mike Gomez (CDC CSP Sac)

All images copyright: Steven Chea

111-mile Sac River Swim Successful!

2011-08-21T19:18:41Z

Jamie Patrick, a San Francisco business man, did an amazing thing. He swam 111 miles in 31 hours • 16 minutes using only his arms, legs and hands. No fins or propulsion machine.His water journey began in Princeton, in Colusa county on ~~Aug. 21~~ August 19 at noon and ended in Old Sacramento, emerging from the water Sat. Aug. 20 at 7:22pm.

He averaged about 3.5 mph.
He pulled himself out onto a long dock under the Tower Bridge and was greeted by many fans.
His face was red with large areas covered in zinc oxide for sunburn protection.It was a non-stop journey. He was constantly given small chunks of food every 20 minutes by one of two kayakers that always flank him as he swam. He had to keep hydrated with water and liquids containing electrolytes.

A Winnebago motor home drove along the river as a support vehicle.

Neil McDunagh, a friend waiting for him to finish, said earlier he swam out to Patrick several miles up river before arriving in Old Sac.

McDunagh said that Patrick would play verbal word games with whoever was in the kayaks to keep himself sane.Patrick undertook this challenge as a fundraiser for promoting literacy for schoolchildren.

He is an old hand at extreme water challenges. For a list of his accomplishments, GO HERE.

Today, on his website, this was posted at 8:45am - "Jamie is up and feeling amazing this morning. Sore in the expected places. We all had an amazing time on the river and can't thank everyone enough for the support we received."

River Cats give one away in pitchers duel, lose 2-1 to Isotopes

2011-08-20T02:13:05Z

Josh Donaldson scored the lone run for the Sacramento River Cats on Thursday night, and it was his throwing error in the eighth inning that allowed the Albuquerque Isotopes to score the go-ahead and eventual winning run to beat Sacramento 2-1.

The starting pitchers were impressive as they held the offense in check. There was a scattering of hits, and the teams managed to score one run apiece through seven innings.

Center fielder Jermaine Mitchell opened the River Cats’ half of the first inning with a hit to left field, but he was thrown out at second attempting to stretch a single into a double. Donaldson then singled to center field and was driven home on a double down the left field line by third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff to give the River Cats their only run of the game.

Kouzemanoff was the River Cats’ best player on the night as he went three-for-four with a single and two doubles.

The Isotopes tied the game in the sixth when first baseman Jerry Sands hit the first pitch he saw to center field for a home run.

With the game tied at 1 going into the eighth inning, Michael Benacka was on in relief for the River Cats. He was able to record a strikeout and a groundout from the first two batters faced, but Isotopes catcher Tim Federowicz smacked a double to left field, and designated hitter A.J. Ellis followed with a walk to keep the inning going.

The No. 9 hitter Ivan Ochoa was up, and a wild pitch from Benacka was recovered by Donaldson, who threw to Kouzmanoff at third base in an attempt to get Federowicz out and end the inning. Unfortunately, the ball got away from Kouzmanoff, and Federowicz crossed the plate, giving the Isotopes a 2-1 lead.

Each starting pitcher recorded seven strikeouts. The Isotopes’ John Ely gave up six hits and walked two over 6 ⅔, while the River Cats’ Travis Banwart allowed seven hits in six innings of work.

In their hunt for the playoffs, the River Cats did manage to reduce their “magic number” to clinch the division to nine games as second-place Las Vegas lost their game Thursday.

The River Cats conclude this home stand Friday night as they face one-time teammate Dana Eveland before they go back on the road to Tucson and Fresno.

River Cats walk away with 13-inning victory against Albuquerque Isotopes, 4-3

2011-08-18T17:11:28Z

The River Cats took their third consecutive win Wednesday afternoon after a 13-inning game against the Alberquerque Isotopes. The Cats won with a walk-off after catcher Anthony Recker hit a bases-loaded single allowing second baseman Andy LaRoche and left fielder Michael Taylor to advance and score two runs for a 4-3 lead.

At the top of the 13th, however, a Sacramento victory was not certain after LaRoche – making his first minor league pitching appearance – allowed the Isotopes to score with a ground-rule double to left field, breaking the five-inning long tie 3-2.

Though LaRoche finished as winning pitcher, seven of the 14 Cats pitchers left the bullpen to relieve and help earn a Cat’s victory. In 9.1 innings, there were 8 strike-outs and no runs or walks.

“I was just thinking: throw the ball as hard as I can and aim right down the middle,” LaRoche said in regards to his pitching. Fastballs, sliders and change-ups were his primary pitching styles.

The game began with two scoreless innings. The Isotopes scored the first runs of of the day in third after third baseman Russ Mitchell singled on a line drive to center field, allowing a run by shortstop Ivan Ochoa. Mitchell advanced to second base after an error by center fielder Jermaine Mitchell.

A pitch by Cats’ starter Josh Outman hit Isotopes outfielder Jamie Hoffman while at bat and he walked to first. A wild pitch to A.J. Ellis allowed the third walk of the inning and Mitchell scored the second run of the game, leaving bases loaded, 2-0

After three walks and a hit by pitch, Outman was relieved by Andrew Carignan before the end of the inning. Outman finished 2.2 innings with 72 pitches, two runs and five walks. Since the start of the month, he raised his ERA from 3.21 to 4.05.

Another three scoreless innings passed before the Cats tied the game at the bottom of the seventh. A run by first baseman Chris Carter and a suicide bunt by Recker allowed LaRoche to advance from third, tying the game 2-2.

“We worked on that play during spring training. We watched a video on it, worked on it a couple times,” Recker said. “The only thing that ran through my mind was get the bunt down.”

By the end of the ninth, the teams were still stalled. Four extra-innings were played before either team advanced.

At the top of the 13th right fielder Jamie Hoffman singled to first and with Ellis at bat, stole second – showing the first signs of breaking the 2-2 stalemate. Ellis hit a ground rule double to left field and Hoffman scored, 3-2.

Behind at the bottom of the 13th, Carter singled on a ground ball to third base. LaRoche reached on a force attempt after a missed catch error by second basemen Ivan De Jesus with an assist from shortstop Ivan Ochoa. Carter advanced to third with LaRoche at second.

Isotopes’ pitcher David Pfeiffer intentionally allowed Taylor a walk, leaving bases loaded. Outfielder Jai Miller grounded out and Carter was out at home.

Recker hit the winning fly ball to left-center field with LaRoche on third and Taylor on second scoring for the lead and the team’s fifth walk-off victory since July 17.

“I thought I was out off the bat,” Recker said after hitting the winning ball. “But I’ll take a double, that’s all right, too.”

Recker had struggled in recent games hitting .205 in August with a 2-11 streak in the last series and four strikeouts and one walk.

In regards to Recker’s performance, River Cats manager Darren Bush said that Recker really came through for the team.

“You’re not always going to be good,” he said. “But hopefully you’re good at the right times.”

Wednesday’s win was the sixth Cats extra-inning victory of the season, 6-3.

The River Cats will face the Albuquerque Isotopes for the third time in a four-game series at Raley Field 7:05 p.m. Thursday.

Photos by Ron Nabity

Cats stay on winning track as Godfrey shines again in 7-3 win

2011-08-17T23:19:08Z

When you think about it, Graham Godfrey’s path was not on the fast track.

In fact, for a guy that started the season with Double-A Midland, where he is today is a huge leap in the right direction.

As Godfrey told me earlier this year, it was just one small mechanical thing he changed and voila, a steady, dominating pitcher was born.

With Godfrey pitching nearly lights out, the Sacramento River Cats stayed on the winning side of things with a 7-3 victory over the Albuquerque Isotopes at Raley Field on Tuesday evening in front of 10,016 happy fans.

The win gives him a league tying 12 and he’s only two away from tying the Sacramento franchise record of 14.

What would that accomplishment mean to the guy that could be leading the PCL in almost every pitching category if he'd been with the team all season?

“Personally, it will mean a lot, but right now I’m really focused on trying to get the team into the playoffs. We’ve got a good grasp of first place right now and hopefully we can lock it down and keep everything rolling into the playoffs. If I can pick up a win or two, that’s great, but what’s on everybody’s mind right now is getting to the playoffs and showing what this team is all about.”

After Godfrey got out of a small jam in the top of the first, trouble arose for Isotope moundsman Joe Newby right away.

Newby, owner of a 5.36 ERA, was a little out of control and getting hit hard in more ways than one. He led off the game with a walk to Jermaine Mitchell and a clean single by Adrian Cardenas.

During Kevin Kouzmanoff’s at-bat, Newby threw a wild pitch that just got by catcher Tim Federowicz. Mitchell sprinted towards the plate trying to score the first run of the game when Newby received the ball back from his catcher and had to awkwardly attempt a tag on the barreling-in Mitchell. Mitchell appeared to cleat Newby’s right foot on the play.

After a brief visit with the trainer, Newby elected to continue pitching in the contest.

He didn’t last long.

Kouzmanoff ended up taking a base on balls and, after a ground out by Josh Donaldson, Chris Carter torched a 2-1 pitch into left field that scored Kouz and gave the Cats a 2-0 lead.

Apparently, the right foot of Newby was hurting enough that he left the field of play with the trainer after the Carter at-bat. Newby’s line was one for the books - one-third of an inning pitched, two hits, four earned runs, two walks and two wild pitches! Quite an outing!

Adam Rosales would plate another run before the inning ended when he singled in Carter. The frame would end there as Andy LaRoche was thrown out at the plate trying to score from second on the play.

As Godfrey was bearing down - three straight fly outs to center in the second, the opposite could be said of Francisco Felix, the emergency pitching replacement for the injured Newby.

Cardenas, who went 4-for-5 and an RBI, said the Cats know they have a great chance to win when Godfrey’s on the mound.

“You just know he’s gonna go out there and give it his best, regardless of what happens,” said the 23-year old. “Usually, it’s a performance like tonight where, if it wasn’t for that sixth inning, it would be another six inning shutout. But that’s Graham, he’s been that way all year and he deserves to be in the big leagues right now.”

Besides the run in the first, Felix would give up another in the second on Donaldson’s second RBI in as many innings when he plated Mitchell on a fielder’s choice.

It was all quiet for the next couple of innings until a crack in Godfrey’s armor was starting to develop.

After getting taken deep on three fly ball outs in the fifth, he gave up three straight hits to lead off the sixth inning. After a lead-off single by Joe Becker, Brad Coon tripled down the right field line to score Becker for the first Albuquerque run of the game. The next hitter, Ivan De Jesus Jr., singled and scored Coon from third.

That was enough for a visit to the mound by Cats pitching coach Scott Emerson in an effort to settle down his starter.

The pep talk did some good as Godfrey settled in and struck out the two of the next three hitters to set down the Isotopes with minimal damage inflicted.

In the frame, a great play by Rosales at short helped get Godfrey out of the jam when he made a diving stop on Russ Mitchell’s shot up the middle. While laying on the ground, Rosales tried flipping the ball to LaRoche, but the it semi-stuck in his glove and barely trickled to LaRoche in time to get the runner at second base. The play probably saved another run from scoring in the inning.

In the eighth, the Cats etched some more digits on the Raley Field scoreboard when Cardenas singled in Anthony Recker, who had walked to lead off the inning. Kouzmanoff was up next and hit a shot to the shortstop who looked like he would turn two easily. De Jesus, Jr. flipped the ball to Becker at second but Becker double-pumped the throw, which caused him to be late with the ball and allowed Kouz to get an RBI and be safe at first on the play.

Jordan Norberto pitched a good final two innings of relief having four strikeouts and only allowing a two-out solo home run in the ninth by Jamie Hoffman.

With two strong pitching performances turning into two wins in a row, Darren Bush was pleased the guys are getting back on track and playing proper baseball at the proper time.

“We played better games in that Round Rock series and we played good again tonight,” said the soft-spoken manager of the now 72-52 River Cats.

Taking things in the proverbial day-by-day fashion works for Bush and it’s that attitude that has spread to the entire team and staff over the course of his first year in Sacramento.

“We need to make sure we stay focused on the game that day and not get caught up in anything else,” continued Bush. “We’re here to play a baseball game tomorrow at twelve o’clock, not two weeks from now. We’re here to play tomorrow and we need to focus on playing that game on that day. Everything else will take care of itself. You ask about fine tuning? Just play that game and you’ll play fundamentally sound.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF:

STEVEN CHEA