Category: Sports

Concerned San Diegans Will Display a Message on SeaWorld’s 50th Anniversary

From Concerned San Diegans

Concerned San Diegans will display a message for A New Vision for SeaWorld on its 50th Anniversary, outside the location where it was founded. March 21, 2014, is the 50th Anniversary of SeaWorld, which started right here in San Diego. San Diegans concerned for the safety and welfare of the captive orcas and their human trainers will once more demonstrate outside the entrance to SeaWorld San Diego.

This Demonstration will be different in showcasing a new vision for Sea World in the 21st Century, based upon Dr. Naomi Rose’s proposal for seaside sanctuaries to which captive marine animal performers can retire and as recently proposed in AB 2140, the Orca Welfare and Safety Act.

WHEN: Noon to 3 pm on Friday, March 21, 2014

WHERE: Sea World Drive at Sea World Way, San Diego

By Ernie McCray

I just finished a nice read, Tucson a Basketball Town. It was written by Arizona hoop legends, Bob Elliott and Eric Money.

They, in a nice informative way, remind Arizona basketball fans that before Lute Olson came along and took the program to somewhat unbelievable heights that there was an era, in the 70’s, their era, that Tucson became a basketball town.

From One Green Planet

Not long after California State Assembly member Richard Bloom (D-Santa Monica) introduced what has been deemed the “Blackfish” bill, a piece of legislation that would ban orca entertainment and performances in California, backlash has already ensued.

SeaWorld, who would be directly affected by the bill, has already released their own statement about the legislation, condemning the “extreme activists” that Bloom is associating with and also asserting that the company follows “responsible” and “sustainable” business practices. (Captivity for profit is responsible and sustainable now? Who knew?)

By Ernie McCray

I remember one time, long ago, back in the day, hearing a guy say, about Bill Walton, “Aw, man, that dude can’t play no ball.” Hey, I don’t know what his definition of “playing ball” was but I had just, a few moments before, seen basketball played at a level or two above what you’d ordinarily see a teenage red-head high school kid do on a basketball court.

First of all he gangster slapped the notion of “white guys can’t jump.” I mean he blocked shots like he was …

Sure, Point Loma can claim Seamus O’Connor – he lives there. But the 16 year competed for Ireland on his snowboard at the Winter Olympics.

Here’s what the local can now claim:

• He just competed at an Olympics,
• He was the youngest entrant in slopestyle, the second youngest in halfpipe.
• He wore lime green ski pants. His parents held up a hand-written “Go Seamus” sign and waved Irish flags.
• He reached the semifinals in both events.
• He was born in Poway.
• His father grew up in England.
• His mother is from Siberia.

O’Connor was amazing; he almost landed a frontside 1260 on the last jump pass in the semifinal run but then he spun out at the bottom of the halfpipe. He had been fourth after the first semifinal run but hit ninth at the end, losing out in doing anything like advancing. Only 6 could advance.

Several years ago, as a new widow, I wrote an article about how lonesome it was to watch the Super Bowl without a companion to discuss it with. I have made it a point from that time on to always be with friends when the biggest game of the season plays. Today was no exception.

As the oldest of my group today, I was interested in the other comments about the commercials and the Half-Time shows. There was quite an age gap between us, and I was curious about their responses. As a group, there was total agreement that the game lacked excitement. Since I was the only one that wanted the Seahawks to win, I found that I had to temper my enthusiasm when the Seahawks scored the safety; when the return man from Seattle ran the ball the length of the football field; when Denver fumbled and the Seahawks recovered – how many times was that? – you get the picture.

When news broke last week that Point Loma’s Ortiz’s Taco Shop would be part of Mayor Todd Gloria’s bet between San Diego and Denver over Sunday’s NFL playoff game, it was news to the Ortiz family.

“We didn’t even know about the bet,” said Juan Ortiz, who has run the restaurant with his brother and parents since 2004.

Alex Roth, a spokesman for Interim Mayor Gloria’s office, said he did some research on social media to find a worthy restaurant for the bet and even checked out the place himself.

“We just wanted to have food that represented the best Mexican food in San Diego,” he said. “We wanted to make sure it was a product worthy of making a bet. And it was.”

Ortiz said Gloria also came to eat at the place last Tuesday, which sealed the deal.

Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers started Bolo Mania in San Diego. The folks at James Gang hopped on board – and did some nice business in the process.

Rivers has gained national attention for his choice of postgame attire – a bolo tie – during the Chargers five-game winning streak that included an improbable playoff win over the Cincinnati Bengals.

Last week, James Gang owner Paul Bearce helped fuel the fire when the OB printing company started making T-shirts with a bolo tie design that said “Fear the Bolo.”

It started on Tuesday morning, he recalls. “We had a customer come in looking for anything Charger.” But all they had was one shirt that said “Ocean Beach” in Chargers lettering. Not good enough.

We have a better idea of a bet between San Diego and Denver mayors on the eve of the Chargers vs Broncos game. Everyone by now has heard of the mayors’ bet with food from the two cities, but we think there is a urban product more appropriate.

What with the legalization of marijuana now in Colorado and the fact that medicinal herb is legal in California as the state’s voters have directed, why doesn’t San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria bet the Denver mayor on the best marijuana available in the respective cities?

Mayor Gloria has a whole wealth of pot dispensaries from which to choose from around town. How about some “Train Wreck” or “Kush” or just a sampling of the intoxicating herbs our proud city has to offer? Get some of that top shelf stuff, Todd.

By Ernie McCray

When San Diego State’s men’s gifted basketball players showed up at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas and rose from the 21st rated team to number 13 after destroying the Jayhawks’ dream of stretching a 68 game winning streak against non-Big XII teams to 69 – I couldn’t help but think, at the time, of how lucky those young athletes are in having Steve Fisher as their guide on this wonderful ride.

The man is clearly a wonderful coach, a master teacher if there ever was one. He knows how to connect with folks who are counting on him for guidance.

I know. I’m an educator by nature, in a way.

One of the best Mexican restaurants in the Point Loma – OB area is now part of a friendly wager between the mayors of San Diego and Denver over the Broncos-Chargers game this Sunday.

Interim San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria has included burritos from Ortiz’s Taco Shop on Voltaire as part of this bet.

Light winds prevail for 29th annual Rose Bowl Regatta

From Scuttlebutt Sailing News

Georgetown University and Point Loma High School will tell you that the 29th annual Rose Bowl Regatta was an event when it paid to pick your partner.

With 26 college teams from across the country and 63 high schools from California all sailing little 13-foot, 3-inch CFJ dinghies and winds varying from 2 knots Saturday to 7 or 8 knots on Sunday, nobody needed extra ballast.

As Point Loma assistant coach Nick Kaschak, said;

“Some of our events are guy-guy and some are guy-girl. This one was definitely guy-girl.”

Kaschak was calling the Point Loma shots in the absence of Coach Steve Hunt, who had a conflicting commitment to race Etchells in Florida on the weekend, but the San Diego team—with 110-pound Rebecca McElvain crewing for Scott Sinks on the lead boat, hardly missed a beat in seizing its eighth consecutive High School Gold fleet championship.