Final Four 2012 predictions

Kentucky logo - Flickr - Tach_RedGold&Green

With the final week of March is approaching, many NCAA fans are in anticipation for who will be crowned the champion of the NCAA tournament. The Kentucky Wildcats will win the competition by beating Ohio State Buckeyes. They have a great shooting average of 49.2%, the highest of the Final Four. Another reason is because earned their spot in the tournament with a record of 32-2.

Their forward Anthony Davis will be the key player in these games, with an average of 14.3 points per game with a 63.3% shooting percentage so far. Of all the competing teams, Davis has the highest shooting percentage and it will definitely be a big factor in Kentucky’s road to being the champion.

The Kentucky Wildcats are going to win!

The Kentucky Wildcats from Flickr.com by

Tach_RedGold&Green

The Kentucky Wildcats, Louisville Cardinals, Ohio State Buckeyes, and Kansas State have advanced to the Final Four. According to their present performance, it seems that the Wildcats are on their way to winning the National College Athletics Association. The Wildcats are now in first place with a record of 32 wins and two losses.

The arch-rival of the Wildcats is Louisville, which is now in fourth place. The Wildcats played against Louisville on December 31st, with Kentucky coming out on top 69-62. In this game Anthony Davis was a key player. Davis is number 23 and is a freshman in the NCAA. Against Louisville he scored 18 points and 11 rebounds. Davis averaged 14.3 points per game and ten rebounds per game. Now since the Wildcats have advanced even farther they have to face Louisville once again. Ray Glier noted Coach John Calipari saying, “I’m not worried about who we’re playing.” Kentucky is definitely on their way into earning another championship.

Kentucky to win NCAA championship

Wildcats in a previous game- Tachs_RedGold&Green-Flickr

The Kentucky Wildcats have high chances of becoming NCAA national champions. Kentucky’s unique talent gives it a special edge against other teams and with their skillful players and experienced coach, the Wildcats will be victors next week.

Kentucky, ranked second in the ESPN preseason poll, has played phenomenally as a team. With only two losses this season, they went on to defeat every NCAA opponent by double digits, the first team to do so since 2009. Freshman Anthony Davis, who received preseason All-America honors, is expected to be the star of the game. Forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is no less, scoring 24 points and grabbing 19 rebounds in their previous game against Louisville.

With their 15th appearance in the Final Four, there is no doubt some credit goes to their coach, John Calipari, the former NBA, UMass, and Memphis head coach. His ability to recruit high-caliber players has allowed the Wildcats to reach the Final Four.

Even technology foresees Kentucky’s victory. USA Today computer analyst Jeff Sagarin ran four billion computer simulations, and predicts that Kentucky will defeat Ohio State to win the national championship. He explains to USA Today, "Quite frankly I think this Kentucky team is a little better. The way Kentucky plays together; they are probably the most unselfish team I've seen in quite some time … I'd be very, very surprised if they get beat.”

The Wildcats will probably be national champions on Monday, for the first time since 1998.

Kentucky Wildcats, likely winner of the NCAA championship

Kentucky Wildcats logo / Flickr / Tack_RedGold&Green

While the Kentucky Wildcats haven’t won the NCAA championship in the last 14 years, they have all the tools to win it this year. The first seeded Wildcats have 16-0 league record and are 36-2 overall. They have only lost to the Indiana Hoosiers 73-72 and to the Vanderbilt Commodores 71-64. The Wildcats beat the Louisville Cardinals, the team that they are meeting on Saturday, 69-62 in an earlier game on December 31st.

One of the Wildcats biggest stars Anthony Davis banged up his knee against the Baylor, but he will play on Saturday. Davis has 14.3 average points, 10.1 rebounds, and 4.6 blocks. This alongside with another of the Wildcats stars Michael Kidd-Gilchrist’s average 12 points, eight rebounds, and one block per game, will certainly play a major part in the Kentucky Wildcats chance of winning. “What he does with his presence on the floor has made us from a Top 25 team to the No. 1 team,” said Wildcats coach John Calipari about Davis to ESPN.com

Kentucky has greatest chance to win Final Four tournament

As the NCAA tournament dwindles down to four, the champion is coming into focus. At the end of all this March Madness, the victor is going to be the favorite and #1 seeded, Kentucky Wildcats. Through the tournament, Kentucky has not had a real competition, easily winning the Southern region by scores of 81-66 against Western Kentucky, 87-71 against Iowa State,102-90 against Indiana, and 82-70 against Baylor. Kentucky is 36-2 this season and seems unbeatable. In the semi-final round, Kentucky takes on the #4 seeded Louisville from the Western region. Last time they faced Louisville on New Years Eve, Kentucky won by a score of 69-62. It looks as if this time it is going to be a repeat.

Freshman forward Anthony Davis has been a big threat for other teams. This season he has made 202 field goals and is averaging 14.3 points per game. He has been the team’s top scorer. Another key player is sophomore guard Doron Lamb. Lamb has sunk 73 three pointers this year and is averaging 13.6 points per game. If Kentucky continues to play the way that they are playing, they should be able to win it all.

The underdog Cardinals

Louisville Cardinals- flickr.com- Kevin Coles

With the NCAA Mens’ Final Four competition heating up, all of the teams will need to work their hardest in order to win. The University of Kentucky is a clear leader and an obvious favorite. One underestimated surprising team will be the Louisville Cardinals. The Cardinals are 30-9, (10-8 Big East) and have some major talent waiting to shine against Kentucky.

The game will be a fight for the state of Kentucky and Louisville will be counted out. With a side by side comparison of positions, Kentucky comes up as the favorite.

When you look at the bench, Louisville is far better. The Cardinals have an explosive bench which can heat the game up when it carries on. Russ Smith, a sophomore guard, is a spark plug who can change the offense and has one of the best perimeter defenses in the league. Another reason Louisville has a chance is the fact that Kentucky needs a fast paced game in order to thrive but Louisville can slow the game down well. Kentucky’s defensive master, Anthony Davis, needs a fast paced game to get the signature blocks he likes. Louisville has to focus on the game and strike at Kentucky’s weaknesses. If they can do that successfully, Louisville might have a third National Championship on their trophy shelf.

Kentucky winning it all

Kentucky Wildcats' mascot- MegRobertsonNY- flickr.com

After winning against Baylor 82-70, Kentucky (16-0, 36-2 overall) is heading to the NCAA Final Four along with the Louisville Cardinals, the Ohio State Buckeyes, and the Kansas Jayhawks. The Kentucky Wildcats will face off against their rival the Louisville Cardinals to play what people is expecting to be, "the game of all ages." The Wildcats are the only team that beat every team during their playoff run by double digits, while average an astounding 88 points. They are also the only number one seed that has advanced to the NCAA Final Four. The Wildcats are consistent, playing well both in the regular season but also in the playoffs. Radio personality Chris McCarthy says "I am going to go with the consensus pick Kentucky Wildcats, who are clearly the best team remaining in the NCAA tournament," in his radio website.

The Wildcats’ roster includes several NBA prospects, such as freshmen Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. With the talent and a good coach, the Wildcats are the most prominent contender to become the NCAA national champions. Anthony Davis is the defensive stopper while Kidd-Gilchrist is the unstoppable offensive force. The combination of the talent in this group and their excitement to play will probably win them their first championship in 14 years.

Julie Chu: Queen of the Ice

Julie Chu courtesy of Union College Athletics

Hockey is one of the lesser known sports in the world; however, during the Winter Olympics, hockey emerges. When anybody thinks of hockey they think of rough, angry men, but Julie Chu has changed that stereotype. 

Julie Chu, professional women's hockey player, was born on March 13, 1982 in Bridgeport, Connecticut. She grew up playing soccer and figure skating, before playing hockey. Chu asked her father if she could trade in her toe picks for hockey pads. After playing in various boy’s teams, she switched to girls after seeing her potential to get hurt.

Chu graduated from Choate Rosemary Hall high school in 2001, after playing for their team. During that same year, she played in the Women’s World Ice Hockey Championship and helped the USA win silver. She was accepted into Harvard, but deferred her acceptance, due to her playing in the 2002 Winter Olympics. 

At 19, Chu played forward for the U.S Olympic ice hockey team  and was the first Asian-American to play for the team. She was able to help the USA get to second place, losing to Canada 5-2. 

While in Harvard, she played for their women’s ice hockey team. During her four years, she was a four-time All American. During her college career, she led the NCAA in scoring with 284 points and assists with 197. In 2007, she graduated from Harvard with a concentration in psychology. Chu earned the Patty Kazmaier Award in 2007, which is given to the best NCAA women’s ice hockey player. 

Chu is also very famous for her success in the 2008 Women’s World Ice Hockey Championship as a defender. She was acknowledged as an All-Star defender in the "mock" All-Star team. During this time, Chu played with the Minnesota Whitecaps in the WWHL. In 2010, she won the Clarkson Cup and MVP with the Whitecaps. In 2010-11, she joined the Montreal Stars in the CWHL and claimed her second consecutive Clarkson Cup title, becoming the first player to win the Clarkson Cup with two different teams.

Chu should be celebrated for breaking barriers, one being a gender barrier the other being a racial barrier. She is special in the fact that she is able to play a very physical sport on such a high level.  She is also special for being the first Asian-American on the USA National Women’s Ice Hockey Team. Chu also has the ability to play more than one position which gives her coach the chance to strengthen both defense and offense. She has been praised for her remarkable teamwork on and off the ice. 

"She's just one of the most positive persons I've ever met in life," said fellow forward, Gigi Marvin. "It's just such a joy to have that kind of person just constantly pushing you and encouraging you. ... There's no way you're going to not keep moving your feet with that encouragement in your ear." This year, Chu has been chosen to join many other hockey players in Connecticut’s Ice Hockey Hall of Fame.

Kristi Yamaguchi: Star of the Ice

Kristi Yamaguchi signed skates - cliff1066 / flickr

Kristi Yamaguchi, a talented figure skater, writer and dancer, is known for winning many prestigious awards including the 1992 Olympic gold medal for figure skating. Yamaguchi, who is of Japanese decent, was born in Hayward, California on July 12, 1971. Yamaguchi began skating when she was six years old while also taking ballet classes and therapy sessions for her club feet.

Yamaguchi performed in both pairs and singles competition and was equally successful in both. Yamaguchi and her skating partner, Rudy Galindo, won the U.S. Championship in pairs in both 1989 and 1990. After having a successful run in doubles competition Yamaguchi decided to spend all her time in singles completion. During her singles career she made her presence known by winning the World Championship and also the 1992 Olympic gold medal. Yamaguchi, by attaining the gold medal in 1992, made history by being the first person of Asian decent to win a medal. During the Olympics, she outperformed her 28 other contestants with a seemingly perfect routine. Her performance captivated many people like Michael Janofsky of the New York Times who said, “Yamaguchi performed tonight as if all that mattered was making people smile.” After her appearance in the Olympics, Yamagata became pro and toured around the world with Stars on Ice. Yamaguchi soon retired in 1994 and pursued other interest of hers like writing. Yamaguchi stated that she had never been good at writing, but was pushed to it because she enjoyed reading bedtime stories to both her daughters.

Yamaguchi published her autobiography Always Dream, as well as two other books, Pure Gold, and Figure Skating for Dummies. She then started to write children's books so that other parents could enjoy reading to their children like she did. "The whole process is really fun and interesting and I’ve definitely learned a lot in the last two years with these two books,” Yamaguchi said.  “What’s not to like about children’s picture books?” she asked in an article in teamusa.org. She wrote Dream Big, Little Pig and the sequel It's a Big World Little Pig, which published in March of 2012,  as bedtime stories that other mothers could read to their children like she does with her own.

Masanori Murakami, the first Japanese player in MLB

Masanori Murakami autographed photo

Baseball pitcher Masanori Murakami was the first Japanese baseball player to play in the major leagues. He came to the United States to play baseball in the minor leagues, but got promoted to the major leagues after showing excellent play. He started his career in Japan with the Nankai Hawks in 1962. In 1964 and 1965 he played for the San Francisco Giants. After those two years he went home to Japan, where he played baseball for another 17 years.

It was tough for Murakami to play baseball in his childhood. His dad wanted him to become a doctor. He was allowed to play in elementary school, but when he started in middle school his dad wanted him to get serious about a career as a doctor. Murakami had to play in secret. His dad found out about it, but as recalled in Remembering Japanese Baseball by Robert K. Fitts, he reluctantly agreed.

“Playing baseball is okay as long as you continue to study hard.”

As a 17-year-old he signed a contract with the Nankai Hawks. Two years later the major leagues allowed 40 players to come and play baseball in the minor leagues. Murakami was one of those chosen.

“First I thought I’d like to go to college, but then the team’s manager came to the house. He said if I signed a contract, he wanted me to study baseball in America. I promised him I would,” he said in Johnson, Miller, and Wong's San Francisco Giants: Where Have You Gone?

In 1964 Murakami played for the Fresno Grizzlies, the Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. The Grizzlies won the Californian League championship, where Murakami had a 1.78 ERA. The management liked Murakami so much that he got promoted to the Giants, where he pitched 15 innings in nine games with a 1.80 ERA.

After Murakami’s first year of playing for the Giants, his contract ran out, and he was supposed to go home to Japan, but the Giants wanted to extend his contract. The Nankai Hawks wanted him back. An agreement was reached; Murakami would play with the Giants for another year and then go back to Japan.

When Murakami came back to Japan he couldn’t play as well as he had done in the United States, because he tried to pitch overhand instead of sidearm which resulted in a sore arm.

“I was even in the hospital in April. When I got out the manager said, 'Throw anyway you like.' I felt he had given up on me but at the same time I felt ‘Yoshi’ – I’ll show them,” he said to Baseball Digest.

He switched back to his old sidearm pitch, with a few adjustments from how he had done in the United States, which improved his play a lot.

“Nankai is surprised by Murakami’s courage and his new spirit. I think he is going to be a real star now,” said a Japanese baseball writer.

After 17 years of playing in Japan he became a commentator for Tokyo’s NHK network. In 2001 he became manager for the Japanese national women’s team. He and his wife now live in Tokyo. He is pleased to see more and more Japanese baseball players in the United States.

“None of them know about me, because they weren’t born yet. For more than 30 years, no one else came. But I am proud to see them now,” Murakami said.

Well played Dragons!

HSMSE Volleyball Team

During the volleyball match between the High School for Math, Science, and Engineering, and Bronx Science's B- team on March 21, 2012, HSMSE came out on top winning all three sets. After being down by seven points at the start of the first set, the team picked it up and never looked back from that point.

Jeremy Wain-Hirschberg, setter of HSMSE, played a vital role in the victory. His athletic and acrobatic diving saves helped the team win all three sets. "I think our team played well, we had lots of mistakes we need to improve on, but it was a good game," said Wain-Hirschberg after the game. "No play is impossible on our team."

Benjamin Moosher helps Dragons win volleyball game

HSMSE Volleyball

HSMSE's volleyball team won its scrimmage game against the Bronx High School of Science "B" team.

Benjamin Moosher, middle hitter for the team, played well. He was strong in spiking, making several attacks and a few kills. His quick reaction to the ball allowed him to attack many times, and led to more kills. His blocking was good, and he jumped many times to slow the opponent's attacks.

Moosher's serves were adequate, but they sometimes resulted in errors with the ball hitting the net. Moosher acknowledges his weaknesses, saying, "I played OK ... but I could improve on my serving and hitting." It may have been these things that kept him from excelling on the court.

There is definitely room for improvement, but, overall, Moosher had a successful game.

Gutierrez a hope for HSMSE voleyball team

In a volleyball scrimmage against Bronx Science's "B" team on Wednesday, HSMSE won 3-0. Sophomore middle blocker, Dionys Gutierrez did not get a lot of playing time, but when he was in the game he made some positive plays. Although his two attacks never resulted in kills, Gutierrez did use his height as an advantage when he blocked a ball that resulted in a kill. He also did not commit an unforced error.

A problem that seemed to occur for Gutierrez was his aggressiveness. On one play, a pass looked intended for Gutierrez to spike but he let the ball go, and another player had to quickly react and was only able to lob the ball over the net. A possible spike was not made, but Gutierrez saw a little lack of aggression as a good thing because after the game he said, “I got out of people's way. Last year I didn't do that." 

The HSMSE volleyball team looks promising and is hoping to improve from a 5-7 record last year. Even though Gutierrez may not get a whole lot of playing time, a few key kills can be the difference in a game.

The HSMSE volleyball team's win

HSMSE Volleyball

On Wednesday afternoon, the High school for Math, Science, and Engineering’s volleyball team won their  exhibition match against Bronx High School of Science's "B" team. HSMSE had a victory with a well played three set sweep.

Bronx Science started the game with a seven point lead, and they quickly lost it as HSMSE fought back in the second half of their first set. Over the span of the match the scores were close but HSMSE managed to pull off the win for the set each time. These close matches led to the sweep, leaving Bronx Science without a win.

Rudy Outar, HSMSE’s outside hitter, had a great game, but he did not lead the team in kills. However, he played a significant role in their win. He had nine attacks, two kills, and two errors throughout the match, but the errors were minor mistakes he can prevent from happening next game. He said in an interview, "I need to improve on positioning the ball." Ending the game with only two errors had a positive impact on the team for the time he spent on the court. HSMSE should continue what they are doing and prepare for their next match this week.

Xinghai Zhang, working to strengthen the team

HSMSE Volleyball

The boys' volleyball team for the High School for Math Science and Engineering didn’t have a good start as they lost to A. Phillip Randolph Campus High School; however, during a scrimmage game against Bronx Science High School's "B" team, they managed to show improvements the team made by getting a huge victory of winning all three sets.

One player that played well was Xinghai Zhang. Zhang is an outside hitter for the HSMSE boys’ volleyball team. He may not be a star player on the team, but he knows what to do. Although when he first entered, he made a few unforced errors hitting the net, he earned the points back with an ace, had a few digs, and even tried for a few kills. Zhang said he didn’t do his best in this game, and was also nervous for some parts. However, he managed to get encouragements from his teammates; one teammate he felt that encourages him the most is Kevin Chun. Though Zhang did well in most parts, he believes he needs to improve on helping the team cover. If he does improve on covering, his skills will help the team accomplish more than before.

Every contribution counts

HSMSE Volleyball

The volleyball game on March 21st was thrilling for the High School for Math, Science, and Engineering Dragons fans. After Bronx Science "B" team scored seven consecutive points to start the game, the HSMSE volleyball team came through and got a win in the first set. The crowd then went crazy and that gave momentum to the HSMSE team. The team would then win the next two sets. Although senior Kevin Chun would've probably won the MVP of the game if there was one, his teammates played great as well. Sophomore Spencer Sharp, playing opposite hitter, helped to contribute to his team's victory. Even though Sharp only contributed with a few good set passes with one error in the first set, he managed to do the be that he could. He stayed sharp on court and he didn't let that one error bring him down for the rest of the game.

When interviewed after the game, Sharp said, "I was worried that the team would break down because of the amount of pressure, but I thought they weren't a better team than we are." According to Sharp, the HSMSE volleyball team trains every weekday. It shows that practice helps them improve their game but also improve their determination. Sharp might not have shown his maximum potential in the game, but he still brought motivation to the team. During the time-outs, Sharp listens carefully to Coach Nicholas Diunte, showing that he is a good athlete that is willing to learn from his mistakes.

Kenneth Hungria valuabe setter for the HSMSE volleyball team

HSMSE Volleyball

Kenneth Hungria, setter for the HSMSE volleyball team, played an exceptional game against the Bronx Science "B" volleyball team. Hungria set the ball at least 30 times during the game with seven assists and only a few errors.

Hungria was the setter that was on the court longest of all the setters of the team, but he did switch out with the others regularly during the game. He said, “This is a way for us to optimize play. I don’t play front row, because I’m small.” Coach Diunte explained the reason for Hungria being substituted for a taller front row player. "Using two setters allows our team to bring in an extra blocker to compensate for our loss of height."

Hungria also contributed the team by making 11 out of 12 serves. One of those serves even scored an ace for the team. “I serve the ball in a curve. I don’t think they expected that,” he said about his serve.

One of the few errors that Hungria made, was on a ball that was spiked just above his head. He managed to jump backwards and dig the ball, but he wasn’t able to pass it to another player. “The ball just came to fast for me. My reaction let me hit the ball, but I wasn’t able to make it a pass,” he said.

HSMSE boys' volleyball outplays Bronx Science "B" team

HSMSE player getting ready for the ball

Kevin Chun is a senior libero for the High School for Math, Science and Engineering boys’ volleyball team. In their scrimmage match against the Bronx High School of Science's "B" team, Chun held off the offense to give the Dragons a win. Chun’s job as a libero is to dig and pass the ball to the setter to set up their offense.

Chun used his quick hands in order to get great digs that kept easy spikes from scoring important points. He had digs that set up the setter which led to great spikes by the outside hitters. Chun was able to keep the game going when balls went out of bounds and when the team couldn’t get to the ball in time. Chun used his communication skills to call the ball in order to limit confusion. The lack of communication was eminent in the beginning of the game until Chun started calling his passes. He was also superb in serving. He had three aces and all of his serves were inbound. His accuracy was spot on and he visibly aimed for the center of the court, Bronx Science’s weakness.

Chun should be commended for his amazing hustle. When the team lost interest in a supposedly out of bounds ball, Chun would move quickly to the back court to save the ball. He gave hope to the team as he constantly kept the ball alive and gave the team more chances to score. “[My game play] will keep the game alive and give us more chances,” said Chun when asked about how his game play will affect the season.

The Dragons win again!

HSMSE Volleyball

On March 21, High School for Math, Science and Engineering's volleyball team, the Dragons, played a scrimmage against Bronx High School of Science's "B" volleyball team, the Wolverines. The Dragons ended up with the victory, but the Wolverines put up a great fight. One key player for the game was Yassine Khaliqui.  Khaliqui is a junior that has been playing on the Dragons' team for two seasons.

The Dragons won this game, but there were some flaws in their playing. First of all, there was little to no communication happening. Therefore, there was a lot of confusion in the air as well as collisions. Another blemish was the repeated mistake of blocks.When attempting a block, the hands are supposed to be out in front so that the ball does not roll onto the floor. The team members were not able to control this, which led to many points being scored by the other team.

Khaliqui played a very well game today, but had troubles with blocking. In today's game  Khaliqui was able to pick up four kills in his eight attack attempts. This is a great record and not only that, but it seemed that Khaliqui has been working on his blocks because he was able to get two blocks in this game. Another key feature Khaliqui has added to the team was his assists. In total Khaliqui received three assists without being a setter. In an interview Khaliqui was asked what he could do to improve. He replied, "I can improve on hitting and blocks. Wait and I need to be less hot."

The future of the Dragons seems very bright and it seems that they are looking at a chance for the playoffs. If the Dragons and Khaliqui can continue playing this they are almost guaranteed to go to the playoffs, but they must cover up their flaws. 

Haixia Zheng encourages others to follow their dreams

Photo of Haixia Zheng- WNBA.com

Athletes with an Asian background have shaped the world of sports in various different ways. Chinese female basketball player Haixia Zheng is one of those people. Born on March 7, 1967 in Tuocheng, Shanqui County, Henan Province, China, no one had expected her to grow to become one of the best Asian female athletes the world has ever seen.


Although Zheng was just an ordinary child, she came to be six feet tall at the age of 12. She also started to play basketball at that time, discovering that she liked the sport and had the skills to compete due to her extraordinary size. She was selected by the Wuhan Army club at the age of 13, and in 1983 (age 16), she was playing for the national team. Zheng grew to be six feet eight inches, and she was playing well in China.

In 1997, she entered the WNBA joining the Los Angeles Sparks. She played all 34 games in the WNBA in her first year, averaging 9.3 ppg and 4.4 rpg. She only played six games the next season and that was the end of her career. While her stats were average, she was facing better athletes in the WNBA compared to China. While playing for the national team in China, Zheng averaged an astounding 26 ppg and 13 rpg with an 83% field-goal percentage. The differences of scoring and rebound production is so great, people can immediately see the big changes.

Zheng didn’t play as well as she did in China due to several reasons. First, she was never quick on her feet, couldn’t jump well, and didn’t have good hands. She wasn’t fluent with English, and that may be a reason of lack of communication with her coaches and teammates. Zheng is a great athlete, it’s just that she wasn’t used to the American style of play. Her role change also affected how she played. In China she was always the go-to player, but here she was only a small part of the team. Through her translator Wendy Chang, Zheng said "The way I played in China was very different from the way they want me to play here," in a Los Angeles Times article by Earl Gustkey. "I was the center of the action, but here I must not only play in the paint. I have to be more mobile.“

Even though she had trouble playing in the WNBA, she managed to win two awards, the 1997 WNBA Sportsmanship Award and the WNBA’s first Bud Light Shooting Champion for being the most accurate shooter in the league, shooting .618 from the field. Zheng always had a high field-goal percentage; maybe this is because of the seven hours of practices. Or it may be her height which allows her to get close to the basket abd take easy shots. This shows that race might not be a factor; it’s actually the work ethic that makes some athlete better than others.

"I need to be much better at understanding team concepts. I hope my coaches and teammates will continue to help me change my habits, to meet the requirements of my new team." Said Zheng in a Los Angeles Times article by Earl Gutskey. She seemed to be a hard-working athlete, which means she did want to help her team win. This shows that sometimes Asian athletes often don’t get the chance to prove that they have the ability to compete and play well.

She came before notable Chinese athletes such as Yao Ming, Yi Jianlian, and now Jeremy Lin. She showed others that it’s possible for an Asian to compete in an American league. She influenced others because she rose over everyone from China and became the first to come to American professional basketball.

To encourage others to pursue their dreams, "Never stop pursuing your dreams. There is not a finish line in your career or the success you can get from it. It's just like studying, if you want to be successful, you should never stop making efforts to learn more." Zheng said in her WNBA profile page.

Ichiro more than just a player

Ichiro Suzuki -Miguel Michan - Flickr

 

 

Ichiro Suzuki is not just an inspiration to Japan, but to all baseball fans. He is one of the best players in baseball history with all of the tools to be successful.

Ichiro was born in Kasugai, Japan on October 22, 1973 and practiced baseball daily with his father. After playing eight years in the Pacific League in Japan, where he hit .353, he became a free agent. The Seattle Mariners were interested in Ichiro and signed him. However critics believed that Ichiro would not perform well in the majors because of his small size and people thought he wouldn’t be able to endure the long 162 game season."I'm anxious to face them (major league pitchers) all, but in reality I'm looking forward most to (Boston's) Pedro Martinez," Ichiro said in 2000, the year before his major league debut.

Ichiro proved critics wrong right away. In 2001, Ichiro’s first year in the majors, he hit .350 and stole 56 bases. Not only was he the obvious 2001 Rookie of the Year choice, but he also took MVP honors. There was no longer a doubt in anyone’s mind that Ichiro wasn’t suited for the majors.

Two-thousand-four was a record setting year for Ichiro. He hit an unbelievable .372 and set the single season record with 262 hits. From 2001 to 2010, Ichiro hit above .300 and had over 200 hits in each season. Finally in 2011, his single season batting average sunk below .300 and he did not attain 200 hits, batting .272.

Ichiro currently has a .326 career average, 2428 hits, stole 423 bases, and has a great chance of being the first player to be elected to both the Japanese and MLB Hall of Fame.The speedy, smart, clutch-hitting outfielder has since become possibly the best player in baseball," the Seattle Times wrote. Ichiro surpassed Major League standards. He also became the first Japanese every day position player to play in the Majors, showing that Japanese players can be just as good or better than American baseball players.

Biography of Golfer Se Ri Pak

Se Ri Pak - Keith_Allison - flickr.com

Se Ri Pak was born on September 28, 1977. She is a South Korean professional golfer, who is now playing on the LPGA Tour. Within ten years of playing professionally, in November 2007 she was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Se Ri Pak did not start playing golf as a child. She ran track, which helped her build up the powerful thighs and legs she later used in her golf swing to create amazing stability and balance.

Even though Pak did not start golf as a child she still managed to win 30 amateur tournaments in South Korea. She became a professional golf player in 1996. Over the next two years she played 14 events on the Korean LPGA. She won six times and finished second for the other seven times.

Pak’s first and second wins in U.S.A., were majors. Her first win was the LPGA Championship, and her second win was U.S. Women Open. In her second win, she won by twenty at the competition, defeating Jenny Chuasiriporn. Pak won again the next week at the Jamie Farr Kroger Classic.

She won four tournaments in 1999, and five tournaments each in 2001 and 2002. From 1998 to 2006 Pak won five major championships. Winning that many tournaments and major championships is a difficult thing for any athlete to do. 

At the 2005 McDonald's LPGA Championship, Pak missed the cut for the first time in 29 majors. In an interview quoted from the PGA Tour's website she said that she is trying to find a balance between her career and her personal life, "I've been a little bit unhappy about everything, my game, big game. I'm not really enjoying it at all, and I'm not doing anything with my ability. I know what I needed, a much better balance. I'm always putting a lot of pressure on myself." Eventually it was discovered that she had a finger injury. In 2006 she came back and won the McDonald's LPGA championship for the third time.

When Pak first joined the LPGA tour she was the only Korean player. Now years past more Koreans are starting to join. Pak has influenced a lot of young Korean golfer players to join the LPGA.

"I have given them the confidence to come out here," Pak said to the World Golf Hall of Fame. " I think of them as my sisters."

Dr. Sammy Lee did not allow anything to pull him down

From Wikimedia/Sammy Lee

Dr. Sammy Lee won the Olympic gold medal for platform diving in 1948 and 1952, becoming the first Asian American to ever do so. He was born on August 1, 1920 to a family that worked as farmers in Hawaii. Lee had to face many barriers from his youth to the beginning of his career. During the 1940’s Lee experienced racial tension due to the conflict of World War II, but persisted despite the hostility at the time.

Lee went on to became a doctor. He received his M.D. from the University of Southern California School of Medicine. He followed his training at USC by serving in the U.S. Army Medical Corps in Korea due to the lack of doctors during World War two. Even with almost no free time to spare, Lee was able to squeeze in time for diving practice.

When Lee entered the Olympics he was set on earning a place in an American society for Korean-Americans. In an article from USAdiver.com, the author noted Lee saying, "Well, that's an entirely separate civilization [Korea]. They had their own language which I cannot speak, but we are a separate entity.”

During the 1940s, the bombing of Pearl Harbor brought tension to all Asians in the United States. Lee faced racism without any hesitation. Instead of taking racism to heart, he ignored it. In a Los Angeles Times article, Lee never let racism block his march to diving glory, Jerry Crowe heard Lee saying, "It inspired me to perform."

Lee faced racism was during his years at high school. Lee was the vice-president and wanted an opportunity at being president. When Lee went to become president, his principal told him not to run because he was Asian. Lee was disheartened and eneded up not running.

Lee is a perfect example of a person that has struggled to become successful. People should look up to him as a role model because he was able to become a great athlete as well as an intellectual man despite the racial barriers he faced.  

Michael Chang: Outstanding Athlete

Chang at 1994 Thriftway Championships
-James Marvin Phelps-Flickr

With all the “Linsanity,” nowadays, people often forget Michael Chang, an Asian American who achieved success in sports years before Lin.

Chang was born February 22, 1972 in Hoboken, New Jersey to Chinese parents. His father, Joe, had fled China’s Communist regime and came to America in 1966, where he met and married Chang’s mother, Betty. As a child, Chang’s older brother Carl taught him to play tennis and Chang worked intensively to hone his skills. He participated in and won numerous youth championships, setting several “youngest-ever” records.

In the year 1988, at the age of 16, Chang turned pro. About a year later, at just 17 years old, he won the French Open, becoming the first American to win it in 34 years. He also became the youngest male to win a Grand Slam.

Chang, at 5’8” and 135 pounds, because of his stature, was often told he couldn’t excel in tennis, but he went on to defeat opponents larger than him, using his perseverance and speed on the court. At the French Open, he defeated top ranked Ivan Lendl and went on to beat third ranked Stefan Edberg.

Later in his career, Chang continued to maintain his high level of success. He played in three more Grand Slam finals and won the Davis Cup. Throughout the ‘90s, he remained in the top 10 of the ATP world rankings, even reaching as high as number two. He retired in 2003, and in 2008, was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Chang believes that Asian Americans should play in more sports, and shake off the stereotypes that have been attributed to them. He acknowledges, though, that they will face some resentment "You're going to have a little bit of racism," Chang said "Unfortunately it's to be expected. Sometimes people put things up that they might find humorous. It's difficult sometimes when you have somebody who is of a different culture trying to make light of something that is maybe not quite something that they understand."

Overall, Chang, an unparalleled tennis player, is a paragon of Chinese American athletic excellence.

Don Wakamatsu: One of the many overlooked Asian-American athletes

Don Wakamatsu - by Keith Allison on Flickr

Since the rise of Jeremy Lin, many Asian-Americans feel proud to see him discouraging stereotypes. However, there were a lot of Asian-American athletes all around sports in America that did not get as much attention as Lin. One example is Don Wakamatsu, former Major League Baseball player and current bench coach for the Toronto Blue Jays.

For the majority of Wakamatsu’s career he played in the minor leagues and barely got a chance to be a starter on a Major League Baseball team. This made many people overlook Wakamatsu, but the few Asian-Americans that noticed him viewed him as an example of cultural variety spreading throughout sports. This was important because there were not many professional baseball players from an Asian descent.

Wakamatsu had his first chance in a MLB game on May 22, 1991 against the California Angels for the Chicago White Sox. He felt the pressure from the White Sox fans. In an interview with The Telegraph-Herald he said, “It’s bad enough catching your first game, but to catch a knuckle-ball is added pressure.” Under the pressure Wakamatsu managed to hit a single, where he injured his shoulder. This injury got worse over time and due to that the White Sox released him a few months later. He returned to the minor leagues and spent the last five years of his career playing there, but he did not give up on baseball.

Wakamatsu got back into baseball in 1997 to coach in the minor leagues. In 2003 he was promoted and started coaching in the major league to become the Texas Rangers’ bench coach. In 2008 he was named manager of the Seattle Mariners, making him the first Asian-American manager in MLB. Two years later he was fired and after coaching various teams he was picked up in 2010 by the Blue Jays. Today he still remains as their bench coach.

Striking through barriers

Michelle Wie
Picture from Keith Allison at Flickr.com

Many people have dreams, but do any of them have dreams as large as Michelle Wie? The 22-year-old Wie is an American professional golfer on the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour. She was born in Honolulu, Hawaii and is set to graduate Stanford University this month. Wie’s dream was not to play on the LPGA Tour like other female golfers, but to play in the PGA and Masters.

Many have played in The Masters, but none have been female. Wie had the dream to play in The Masters and become a full fledged PGA Tour card carrying member since the seventh grade. Wie’s pursue to chase after her dreams inspired many others to not give up on theirs.

At the age of four, Wie was introduced to golf by her father Byung-Wook “B.J." Wie, who emmigrated to the USA from South Korea. Besides coaching her daughter, B.J. Wie also often served as his daughters caddy. Not long after starting golf, she could drive the ball 100 yards, and by the time she was 12,  Wie could drive the ball more than 300 yards. 

As she advanced toward her goals, she also broke many records on the way. As early as age 10, she broke the record by became the youngest qualifier of USGA Women's Amateur Public Links Championship. Soon she had more victories and shattered more records for youngest ever in almost every category of golf in Hawaii. At the age 14, she played in the Sony Open, her first PGA Tour. Though she missed the cut by one stroke, she had managed to fulfill a part of her dreams. During that game, Tour veteran J.P. Hayes in an article by Golf Today compared Wie to Tiger Woods, "It was amazing she could shoot those scores at 14. I don't care if it's a boy or a girl. Tiger played out here when he was a teenager and he didn't even come close to makinga cut." By the time Wie was 16, she turned into a professional golf player. Two years later, she got her first LPGA tour card.

Though Wie have not reached any of her dreams yet, she continues to improve. Many have faith that she will one day fulfill her dreams and break more barriers in golf. 

Yanks start all over again, hoping for different result

If there was one real question that the New York Yankees had going into the 2012 season, it was whether they had enough pitching depth. General Manager Brian Cashman took care of that question by signing two pitchers who performed well last season, 23-year-old Michael Pineda from the Seattle Mariners, and 37-year-old Hiroki Kuroda from the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Pineda, who will only be pitching in his 2nd year in the majors, posted a 3.74 ERA last year and was voted to the All Star Game. Pineda is a humongous 6-7 280 lbs and possess a devastating fastball and slider giving him promising talent for the future. However, his changeup is what needs work and is “below average,” as Cashman said.

The Japanese pitcher, Kuroda, has four years of experience in the majors and has established himself as one of the few Japanese pitchers that has not had a tough transition from the Japanese league to MLB. His career 3.45 ERA is impressive and Kuroda is assured a spot on the starting rotation alongside CC Sabathia, Ivan Nova, Michael Pindea, and either Phil Hughes or Freddy Garcia. A concern is that, in recent years, the American League has been tougher pitchers than the National League. The top four teams in runs scored last year were all from the American League and with the addition of two sluggers, Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder making the transition from the NL to the AL, it might be even tougher for pitchers.

While the Yankees appear to have a good starting rotation, they are also solid in the bullpen. Theoretically, if the Yankees starting pitching can get through six innings with the lead, the game looks promising with, Rafael Soriano, David Robertson, and the best closer in all of baseball, Mariano Rivera working out of the bullpen. Joba Chamberlain, a promising bullpen pitcher, had a season ending injury last year and will make a return to the bullpen most likely a little before the All Star break.

On offense the Yankees are a threat as usual with second baseman Robinson Cano, and center fielder Curtis Granderson. Both Cano and Granderson were candidates for the MVP award last year. Granderson blasted 41 homers and had 119 RBIs and Cano batted .302 with 118 RBIs. First baseman Mark Texeria and third baseman Alex Rodriguez are looking for bounce back years in 2012 after Texeria’s average was way down and Rodriguez plagued with injuries. If the two sluggers are productive in 2012, the Yankees should win the AL East and have a great chance to go all the way.

The Yankees finished with an impressive 97-65 record last year winning the AL East. However the season ended in disappointment after losing to the Detroit Tigers in the ALDS. The Yankees are hoping for a better finish this year. After winning only one World Series in the past 11 years, they are due for another title. With a promising team, the Yankees are set up for a 28th World Championship.

Ryan Braun overturned steroids conviction

Ryan Braun - Steven_Paluch - Flickr

Milwaukee Brewers left fielder and reigning National League MVP Ryan Braun tested positive for PED (performance enhancing drugs) on Saturday, October 1, 2011 during Game 1 of last year’s National League Division Series. This case was overturned because Braun's urine sample was send to the laboratory nearly 48 hours later.

This is the first time in history of baseball that has successfully challenged a steroid related punishment. He could have been suspended for 50 games if his second test was denied.

Braun was tested at the beginning of the playoffs and learned in late October that he had reached the level of testosterone usage. According to a person who knows about the results said that the test showed a prohibited substance in Braun’s body, but not a drug or a steroid. 

Soon after the first test result came out, Braun took a second test in an independent laboratory, and the second result showed that he had normal level of testosterone.

So which test shows the real results? The first test shows that Braun is taking steroids and the second test that Braun did in an independent laboratory showed that he had normal levels of testosterone?

Well, Braun himself was really happy with the result of the second test. "It is the first step in restoring my good name and reputation. We were able to get through this because I am innocent and the truth is on our side," Braun said.

While Braun is claiming that he did not take steroids, Dino Laurenzi Jr., the man who collected Braun's first urine sample claims that he was doing what he was being instructed to do; however, Braun argued that keeping a sample at a collector's home violated baseball's drug testing rules.

Laurenzi has worked for the Major League Baseball's Comprehensive Drug Testing since 2005 and performed more than 600 collections during four separate seasons and for five different teams. Laurenzi said that the sample was sealed correctly and was not tampered with. He says that he kept the samples in the basement of his home over the weekend until FedEx opened and could ship them immediately like any occasions.

For now, Braun is still playing for the Milwaukee Brewers but if Braun starts to hit fewer home runs, and steal fewer bases after the test, then suspicions would arise about Braun's positive test.

Air ball for the HSMSE girls' basketball team

HSMSE girls' team vs the Institue for Collaborative Education
photo form Tom Henning

This season for the girls’ basketball team at the High School for Math Science and Engineering was their worst year ever, with a 1-15 record. The team now needs to step it up and earn back their pride and glory.

The main reason for the bad record is the inexperience of the players. Sophomore forward,  Mikaela Bloch, describes some of the inexperience problem as, “Not looking at the basket when making the shot.” As these fresh members move in, the experienced players graduate. Donna Fintzi, the team’s leading scorer, seems to have most of the pressure on her after five seniors graduated last year and four graduating this year.

However, there were signs of improvement as the season unfolded. For instance, their two games with  Manhattan Village Academy, the HSMSE girls lost by a score of 55-6. During their second game together, the HSMSE girls moved closer to a victory with a score of 45-16.

The second game against Manhattan Village Academy show large improvements made by their members. They showed improvement both offensively and defensively in the second game.

This season is too late for a comeback, but next season is uncertain. A frustrated Fintzi sees the team having difficulties next season with the loss of four players. However, from these steady improvements, the team may rise to one of the best in the B-division.

Jeremy Lin's future with the Knicks

Jeremy Lin / MattBritt00 / Flickr

In the past few weeks Jeremy Lin’s popularity soared after he recorded 25 points, five rebounds, and seven assists on February 3rd against the New Jersey Nets. That game earned him a spot in the New York Knicks' starting line-up.

In his last game before All-Star weekend against the Miami Heat he struggled to bring the Lin-sanity to South Beach, ending the game with eight points and eight turnovers. This game left people questioning Lin’s skills.

In his first game back from All-Star weekend Lin had 19 points along with 13 assists against the Cleveland Cavaliers, proving that he is still capable of what he was doing a few weeks ago. He played consistently, with 14 points in each of the past two games and averaging four turnovers.

Throughout the season Lin was criticized on his average of 5.6 turnovers per game. Against the Cavaliers he had only one turnover, which is an improvement from his recent games. This game hints that he can maintain a low amount of turnovers and keep his average of 21 points in his past 16 games.

2012 NBA All-Star Weekend recap

All-Star Game 2012- flickr.com- markomni

The Amway Center in Orlando, Florida was home to the 2012 NBA All-Star Game. From February 24^th- 26^th, the best players of the NBA, both past and present came together to show off their skills. They enjoyed six different contests that were all a good way of leaving the playoff runs for laughs and fun. It was a critical break that had some crazy basketball action, all hosted by Orlando Magic center, Dwight Howard.

The weekend kicked off on Friday, February 24, with the Rookie vs. Sophomore game formerly known as the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge. Team Shaq coached by Shaquille O’Neal versus Team Chuck coached by Charles Barkley was the showdown. The main event was the New York Knicks newly found star player, Jeremy Lin. The star of the game wasn’t Lin, but a rookie for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Kyrie Irving. Irving dominated the game, scoring 34 points and shooting 8-8 from the three-point line. Irving’s Cavaliers teammate, Tristan Thompson, led Team Shaq with 20 points.

Saturday, February 25, showcased specialized skills, ranging from shooting to speed and dunking. The Shooting Stars competition finals came down to Team Texas with ex-Rocket Kenny Smith, rookie Chandler Parsons, Sophia Young and Team New York with Landry Fields, Cappie Pondexter, and one of the greatest sharpshooters of all time, Allan Houston. Team Texas posted a time of 47.6 seconds, but it couldn’t stop Team New York who won with a time of 37.3 seconds.

The Skills Challenge, an obstacle course for the most agile point guards in the league starred defending champ Deron Williams of the Nets, Rajon Rondo, and the Spurs Tony Parker. Tony Parker won with a time of 32.8 seconds.

The action really heated up during the Three Point contest and Slam Dunk Contest. The Three Point Contest came down to Kevin Durant and rebounding monster, Kevin Love. The contest was close, but came down to the last money ball of the tiebreaker for Durant and he missed it to score a 14 whereas Love scored a 16.

The most controversial competition of the weekend was the Slam Dunk Competition. All participants were newcomers to the competition. Chase Budinger finished his three dunks with a spectacular reverse blindfolded dunk to honor homage to Cedric Ceballos. Jeremy Evans finished with a Karl Malone tribute where he jumped over comedian Kevin Hart. This dunk was controversial since Kevin Hart is only 5’ 2”, which isn't an astounding feat for a great leaper.

On Sunday, February 26^th, it was a tale of the conferences to end the All-Star Weekend. The West had star players like Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant and the East had LeBron James and Dwayne Wade. Kevin Durant was the MVP with 34 points and Kobe Bryant earned some fame for passing Michael Jordan to lead all-time scoring in the All Star Game. James ended the night with 36 points and some great dunks, whereas Wade ended with a triple double. One unlikely star was Los Angeles Clippers’ Blake Griffin, who turned up the heat to score 22 points and picked off James’ pass when the East had a chance to tie. "I can't turn the ball over like that," James said. "I let my team down, but overall it was a great weekend."

The West always had dominated the game, but gave up an 18-point lead. "With all these great players on the floor, you never know what will happen. Guys making big shots and they cut it down to one. We were up 18 [at halftime]," Durant said.

The 2012 NBA All-Star Weekend

All Star 2012- Cinefilo- Flickr

The 2012 All Star Weekend at the Amway Center in Orlando was a spectacular show of the NBA players’ abilities. Kobe Bryant broke Michael Jordan's record for most career All-Star points, while Kevin Durant took home MVP honors. Other players showed their skills in the various challenges that comprise the All-Star Weekend.

 The Western Conference defeated the Eastern Conference in the All-Star Game 152-149. The West got off to a quick head start and had 88 points by the first half. By the third quarter, things changed and LeBron James hit three three-pointers and cut the West’s lead from 21 to 12. Shortly thereafter, Dwyane Wade’s hard foul of Bryant gave him a nasal fracture. Despite his injury, Bryant then surpassed Michael Jordan’s record of 262 points for most All-Star career points on a dunk and now has 271. By the fourth quarter, Bryant and Russell Westbrook’s great scoring led the West to a victory.

Former Knicks player Allan Houston’s half court shot won Team New York the Shooting Stars Challenge. The team consisted of Houston, WNBA player Cappie Pointdexter, and Knicks player Landry Fields.

Kevin Love beat Durant, Mario Chalmers, Anthony Morrow and others to win the Three Point Shootout. In an amazing performance of ability, Love won two tiebreakers, one with Chalmers and one with Durant, to claim the ultimate victory.

Fan votes named Jeremy Evans winner of the Slam Dunk Contest. The Utah Jazz player started off with a bad play, but then shocked the crowd with his most amazing dunk. Gordon Hayward, a fellow player, sat on a chair and threw two balls in the air. Evans jumped over him and dunked both.

In the Rising Stars challenge, Team Shaq defeated Team Chuck 146-133. Kyrie Irving played phenomenally, showing his skills with an alley-oop to Paul George and several long range shots. He finished with 36 points. Others, though, didn’t play very well. Jeremy Lin, a previous sensation, made only two points. As Team Shaq co-head coach Ron Adams thought, it was an enjoyable game for all. "There were a lot of dunks," he said in an Associated Press article "I think the guys had fun … it was a fun game. Interesting game."

Overall, The All-Star Weekend was an impressive performance of the NBA’s best players.