I just returned from a night I never expected when going to a Thursday night game at 5/3rd Field in Dayton vs. the Peoria Chiefs!

The the first inning was insane. It started with a high velocity pitcher for the Peoria Chiefs hitting one of the Dragons. Anger built up, then he hit a Dragon in the head who was taken off the field on a stretcher.  A play later the pitcher had a collision with his own infielder that resulted in his teammate getting his leg broken. From there, after a long period of medical attention to his leg, the game resumed. Phipps then was on first. At the plate Angel Cabrera got hit with the next pitch thrown, in the right bicep. He was absolutely pissed off, and the Dragons manager was pissed off he wasn't thrown out. From there the game resumed, the Dragons got a hit in the infield and as Cabrera slid into second he made sure the Chiefs second basemen couldn't make the throw to first, then all hell broke out. In still be mad the Chiefs pitcher wasn't thrown out, the Dragons manager Scott came out to argue with the umpires after the Chiefs manager was yelling in anger about the play at second. From there one the third base line the Dragons and Chiefs manager were face to face, chest to chest. The Chiefs manager then gave a small shoulder push to the Dragons manager who returned the favor more sternly. Right at that point the Dragons dug out emptied. From there the Chiefs dugout emptied and coming off the pitching mound, the Chiefs pitcher in motion as he ran towards the Dragons dugout cocked and loaded a 90 mph fast ball pin point at their dugout (still not sure whether or not that pitch was what resulted in a Dragons fan getting injured, getting taken off in a stretcher with a neck brace). After the throw, a Dragon jumped on his back and put him in a choke hold. The players were throwing punches left and right, Phipps went in for a bat, punches thrown like it was UFC fight. Absolute insanity. 2 players from the Chiefs were arrested, 15 suspended total from both teams. Craziest sequence of events I had ever seen in my life.

Correction, that was just another manager, in retrospect I would guess it wasn't Ryne, but it got so heated in the fight, that former Dragons coach (now instructor for Reds) Freddy Benevides, in a Reds uniform, took on the Chiefs managerand seemed to whoop the shit out of him, had him pinned. Im still wondering who the Chiefs third base coach was, he looked a lot like Shaun Dunston, anyone know if thats true? Anyways, Players were kicking players in the ground, players were bleeding, Angel Cabrera's jersey was so bloody and torn up that he had to wear another number and blank jersey when play resumed an hour and a half later. It was insanity, I still couldn't fathom they decided to continue play. The Dragons handled the situation horribly also, just so you know, they did everything wrong. The cops werent in uniform, they never gave the fans any information, kept having ushers tell us to sit down like we were kids, tried to cover up the fan injury and relayed false information, part of why I think I started to believe that pitch wasn't the pitchers pitch that hit the fan. Then for the hour and a half we sat around with our thumbs up our ass confused, the Dragons had us sitting in silence confused as all get out while the players re-enacted the fight with each other, over and over again, beit the kicks they threw punched or whatever.

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Huston Street gains more suitors

Huston Street | Athletics | Interested: Dodgers? Mets? Reds?

Huston Street, who is currently being scouted by the Los Angeles Dodgers, is apparently now drawing interest from the Cincinnati Reds and New York Mets , the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

As reported on ESPN.coms "MLB Rumor Central"

With the need for a deeper bullpen I am diggin' this idea! Street and Coco would be a nasty duo to have waiting in reserve, and yes, I am talkin' bout' some playoffs!

If you didn't hear the news, Shawne Williams has gotten into a little bit of trouble however, one of the passengers he was driving got charged with possession of marijuana.

Heres the link to Indy Stars, Mike Wells article Pacers player's associate in legal trouble.

Truly disheartening and sad to say the least.

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Heres the article is posted below:

The thin ice Shawne Williams is standing on with the Indiana Pacers could be getting ready to break.
For the third time since Sept. 2007, one of Williams' associates from his hometown of Memphis has encountered legal trouble in Indianapolis.
Friday afternoon, Carmel police arrested Darrell Smith Jr., 21, a passenger in the car Williams was driving, after discovering Smith had a small amount of marijuana, Lt. Jeff Horner of the Carmel Police Dept. said.
Police stopped the car about 6 p.m. in the 4000 block of East 96th Street.
“Shawne Williams was not charged with anything,” Horner said. “He was given a window tint and seat belt violation. Mr. Smith’s marijuana charge is a misdemeanor.”

The car Williams was driving was not his.

Pacers president Larry Bird said last month the 22-year-old forward is on “very thin ice.”

Bird was unavailable for comment today.

The team issued this statement: “While Shawne Williams was not involved in any arrest or any criminal wrongdoing, we are extremely upset and hugely disappointed he once again has put himself in a position that jeopardizes Shawne’s future as a member of the Indiana Pacers. I plan to meet with Shawne as soon as possible to discuss this further.”

In February, a man wanted on murder charges in Memphis, Tenn., was arrested after leaving Williams' home in a truck registered to Williams. The man, Gary Bohannon, also was with Williams when Williams was stopped for driving without a license Sept. 11, 2007.

Bohannon was found guilty of marijuana possession from that traffic stop. Williams apologized last year, saying he needed to make better choices.

With all the current news surrounding the L.A. Clippers focusing on the recent free agent signing of Baron Davis and the controversial loss of All-Star power forward Elton Brand (signed with the 76ers), nobody seems to have said a word about the Clippers renouncing the rights to the once coveted and currently recuperating guard Shaun Livingston.

Livingston, taken by Los Angeles as the fourth overall pick in the 2004 NBA draft, hasn't played since injuring his left knee in a game on Feb. 26, 2007. The Clippers declined to give him a $5.8 million qualifying offer this summer. In becoming an unrestricted free agent, the 6'7", 22 year old point guard is currently looking for work and hoping a team gives him a chance. With the jury still out on his knee, whoever takes a chance on Livingston is going to sign the Peoria, Illinois product at a discount. With open cap space and the ceiling of potential still so high for Shaun Livingston in my mind, the Pacers should take the risk and bring him to Indiana especially if Shaun is willing to sign to a league minimum contract.

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If check out T.J. Ford's Official Website, he obviously has plans of wearing number 11 for his new team, the Pacers. Believe me if you haven't checked out the link, I will explain, the main image on his website features the Pacers new PG Ford dribbling the rock with none other than Tinsley's old jersey, looks to me like it is officially time to say bye to Jamaal, my question is where is he going, who is going to take him, and how badly is he going to affect our future plans if we can't dump him?

but....

If you check our The Pacer Gift Shop Website, they seem to have a different answer. According to them Ford is going to be dawning Jalen Rose's old number, such a dilemma!

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2008-09 NBA Rookie Class: Top 50

By David Thorpe, Scouts Inc.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/rookies/rankings

1		Michael Beasley	MIA	19	PF	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
		Analysis: He made it look like it was just another game for ... more
2		Greg Oden	POR	20	C	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
		Analysis: This is based on his playing on two healthy legs, naturally. ... more
3		Rudy Fernandez	POR	23	G	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
		Analysis: I love players who have been productive in the best leagues ... more
4		Kevin Love	MIN	19	PF	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
		Analysis: I know his athleticism and overall physique are in question, but ... more
5		Derrick Rose	CHI	19	PG	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
		Analysis: Looked tentative and a bit sluggish early. Struggled using ball-screens, as ... more
6		O.J. Mayo	MEM	20	SG	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
		Analysis: Obviously, a talent like Mayo should rank higher. But the Grizzlies ... more
7		Danilo Gallinari	NYK	19	SF	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
		Analysis: Another highly skilled and experienced player from Europe, Gallinari is in ... more
8		Brook Lopez	NJN	20	C	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
		Analysis: Hustled up and down the floor, but struggled to make plays. ... more
9		Brandon Rush	IND	23	SG	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
		Analysis: Has a beautiful outside stroke and is ready to defend -- ... more
10		Russell Westbrook	SEA	19	SG	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
		Analysis: A special "glider" on the floor, like Monta Ellis and Leandro ... more

11		Courtney Lee	ORL	22	SG	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
		Analysis: Created some shots, but left a lot more out on the ... more
12		Jerryd Bayless	POR	19	PG	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
		Analysis: Should be looked at as a serious scoring option off the ... more
13		Roy Hibbert	TOR	21	C	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
		Analysis: Highly skilled and smart. And huge, too. Should be able to ... more
14		D.J. Augustin	CHA	20	PG	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
		Analysis: Ultra-quick with the ball, and a good shooter, too. His natural ... more
15		Joe Alexander	MIL	21	PF	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
		Analysis: The league loves athletic energy guys, and Alexander is that and ... more
16		Jason Thompson	SAC	21	C	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
		Analysis: The most surprising pick of the draft, Thompson is multitalented and ... more
17		Donte' Greene	HOU	20	SF	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
		Analysis: Pure shooters like Greene can find their way into the rotation. ... more
18		Robin Lopez	PHO	20	C	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
		Analysis: An agile and aggressive big, Lopez symbolizes the new Suns, who ... more
19		Nicolas Batum	POR	19	SF	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
		Analysis: I know that most stat gurus don't like him, but it's ... more
20		George Hill	SAS	22	PG	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
		Analysis: A surprising draft choice for the Spurs, but one that makes ... more

[Thanks for the recap, Brent!  Hard to take much from these games but at least the Pacers had a better day than the Bulls. Don't imagine they enjoyed seeing Michael Beasley put up 28 and 9 on them in 22 minutes . I know, it was a meaningless summer league game. - Cornrows] 

To watch the Pacers play during the Orlando Pro Summer, click here, but I must admit after watching the first game of the camp, the announcing was somewhat peculiar and not too informative. The games are aired via broadband for free on the Orlando Magic's website, I recommend muting your volume unless you enjoy inside jokes, giggling, and long conversations about Alfredo sauce and the Ellen show.

Not getting much insight from what was actually going on during the game itself, I had to come to my own conclusion albeit the only player the announcers seemed to extremely enjoy watching on the Pacers was, surprisingly, Vladimir Golubovic. One still must keep in mind, although Golubovic was talked about during the game more than any other player involved, including the 4th overall pick of the draft in Russell Westbrook, I still would likely conclude the announcers talked more about what they thought Oklahoma City should name their franchise than the players on the court. With an e-mail coming in from a viewer claiming the name of the O.K.C. team had been narrowed down to the Barons, Thunder, or Thunder Birds, the announcers came to the justly conclusion that the team will now be known throughout the Orlando Summer Pro League games as, you didn't guess it, the Oklahoma City Thunder Cats (Be sure to tune in they are a real treat.)

The Pacers next games you can tune in are as followed:

Tuesday, July 8, 2008
3rd Game vs. Chicago (Tip-off roughly around 7:30 pm)
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
3rd Game vs. Miami (Tip-off roughly around 7:30 pm)
Thursday, July 10, 2008
2nd Game vs. Orlando (Tip-off roughly around 5:30 pm)
Friday, July 11, 2008
1st Game vs. New Jersey (Tip-off roughly around 11 am)

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[I saw this today and had an absolute blast watching it. I knew he was into motocross bikes but had no idea how he was able to ride them. Now I do. Thanks for the post, Brent! - Cornrows]

Rik Smits, "The Dunkin' Dutchman", featured here in a great update by ESPN Videos on what one of the Pacers fans most beloved and most memorable centers of all time is up too since his playing days in the NBA. Enjoy, to be honest, how couldn't you? We love you Rik, in my mind Smits is hands down the best center in Indiana Pacers history!

In further researching Riks unfathomable new hobby on the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) official website, I found that "The Dunkin' Dutchman" really is a legitimate contender in the racing circuit he now competes.

In the Gallery of Champions Smits recent honors include:

- 2006: Ultimate Four-Stroke Champion (Intermediate) in the Northwest Maico & CZ Post-Vintage Motocross Series

- 2003: Tommy McDermott Trophy (Outstanding performance in cross country)

In digging even deeper into Riks retirement hobby it was also found that his sponsorship for his newly found love is provided by Metro Racing and the Indianapolis National Speedway, could the Pacers drafting the Hollander 2nd overall in 1988 NBA Draft be the source of Smits post-retirement endeavor, maybe, Indianapolis is nicknamed "The Racing Capital of the World"!

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In his article, Rookie Watch: Who are the early favorites for ROY?, David Thorpe of ESPN.com, predicts Brandon Rush and Roy Hibbert (the Pacers #11 and #17 selections in the NBA draft) to be among the top fifteen rookies with the best chance of earning the all coveted NBA Rookie of the Year honors.  Here is what Thorpe had to say about our young talent, enjoy!

(Keep in mind the list was of the top twenty rookie prospects heading into the 2008-09 season, which includes the likes of Greg Oden and Marc Gasol)

10. Brandon Rush, SG, Pacers
Has a beautiful outside stroke and is ready to defend -- a perfect fit in Indy. Newly acquired point guard T.J. Ford will get him shots in half-court sets and in transition.

15. Roy Hibbert, C, Pacers
Highly skilled and smart. And huge, too. Should be able to get minutes on this team and be a half-court option right away.

and who says big Hibbert doesn't have versatility?

With much debate about Chad Ford's numbers and estimation of where the Pacers will be standing when its all said in done with the cap relief they will get from the expiring contracts they have coming up in the summer of 2009, I dug in and did some research and believe I have a pretty good guestimate of where the Pacers will stand.  Looks to me like the Living Legend has the Pacers looking like a strong player in the summer of 2009 free agency, pretty exciting to say the least!

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