The Sports Stew A jambalaya of local, regional, and national sports topics.

Once a week a question will be tossed out to local experts from WGEM and the Quincy Herald-Whig. Submit your question to sports@wgem.com.

QUESTION: Some are saying Hannibal’s close loss to QND on the football field was still a “good loss.” Is there ever such a thing as a “good loss” in high school sports?

DON O’BRIEN — Herald-Whig Sports Editor

I’m not one that thinks losing is a good thing at all. However, I think Hannibal will benefit much more from this loss than the Pirates would have in making the same mistakes in a win over an inferior opponent. Winning is the best perfume, it masks a lot of what may have gone wrong. You can bet that Hannibal won’t make the same mistakes the next they’re in a similar situation.

MATT KROCHESKI — WGEM Weekend Sports Anchor

While a loss is never a “good” thing, what can be said in Hannibal’s case is that they had a good, no wait, a spectacular performance. Though that it didn’t lead to a win, their performance on Friday spoke in high volumes and they can be proud of that. The lead that Hannibal had on QND was something a lot of people didn’t expect and I guarantee it that the majority of spectators who were at that game said to themselves, “Wow! Hannibal has a good football team.” Let’s not forget that the Pirates did what they did at 10th & Jackson which is a pretty hard place for any visiting team to play. Though losing is something nobody wants to experience, the Pirates’ performance is something to be proud of. The rest of the teams they’re playing are in for a real challenge.

JOSH HOUCHINS — WGEM SportsCenter Host

No. Coming from the state of Missouri where state championships are “handed out like grocery store samples,” according to a former colleague, I should be all for fairness and that everybody is a winner. Tons of hoops fans from Illinois still say everything is watered down with class expansion. They say not everybody can be a winner. Well, I agree. Ask the players off the record and they will say the same. No matter who a team loses to, the same thing will be said every time. Losing sucks.

MATT SCHUCKMAN — Herald-Whig Sports Writer

Was Hannibal's loss a "good loss?"

Certainly, a team can benefit from a “good loss.” As much as coaches and players prepare, some flaws aren’t exposed in practice or by lesser competition. A loss can show a team what areas it must improve and what it may be lacking in mental toughness. Sometimes, a loss simply is a wake-up call that reminds a talented team it cannot go through the motions. Not all losses are good, but occasionally, a team can experience a “good loss.”

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To hear Hooch’s MLB Power Rankings live, listen to WGEM SportsCenter every Tuesday from 7-9 a.m. on ESPN 1440 or www.wgemradio.com/sportscenter.

Feel free to submit your own rankings below.

Josh’s Rankings

1. Yankees (81-50) — Did you know: Pitching staff allowing less runs per game this year (4.11) than later year (4.62).

2. Rays (81-50) –- Did you know: Has only four less home wins (39) than Pirates have total wins (43).

3. Braves (76-55) -– Did you know: This team leads the league with 47 homes wins?

4. Padres (76-54) up 1 — Did you know: (via ESPN) Chris Denorfia has as many home runs (seven) as Matt Holliday and Alex Rodriguez.

5. Rangers (74-57) down 1 –- Did you know: Vladimir Guerrero is four RBI from being a 10-time 100-plus RBI man. That’s eight more than Roberto Clemente.

6. Twins (75-56) -– Did you know: Justin Morneau is tied for the team-high in homers (18) despite playing in a mere 81 games.

7. Reds (76-55) — Did you know: Joey Votto will make $525,000 this year. Reliever Nick Masset will make $1.1 million.

8. Red Sox (74-57) -– Did you know: If in the NL wild care race they would be leading it by one game. Instead they trail the Rays by seven in the AL.

Posted under Sports

* Take a trip with WGEM SportsCenter host Josh Houchins, as he recaps the weekend in his own weird way…

* What a weekend to start the high school football scene. I usually do not get as excited but for some crazy reason this weekend was a blast. And it all started Friday night when QND and Hannibal made us all sit back and say seemingly the lone word Matt Schuckman (doing color commentary for WGEM Radio) could get out for two straight minutes following QND’s comeback, “Wow!”

* Yes, the picture atop the screen is correct. Thanks to Boise State and its blue turf, we now have Eastern Washington giving us the red turf. It makes me want to scratch my eyes out. Thank God they are never on TV. 

* High school football thoughts:

• QND and Hannibal — thank you for entertaining us.
• Highland and Unity-Payson picked up wins on the same Week 1 night for the first time since 1792. Rare factoid there for you to share at work.
• Best score of the night? Keokuk 29, Central Lee 2.
• Would like to see Mark Nemes, Daniel Weiman, and Ser Whitaker on the same team just for the heck of it.

* First American Pickers, then Pawn Stars, and now Swamp People? History Channel … well done.

* In order for the St. Louis Cardinals to win, this everyday lineup needs to produce. Schumaker (2B), Jay (RF), Pujols (1B), Holliday (LF), Rasmus (CF), Feliz (3B), Molina (C), Ryan (SS). Then you have players like Winn, Craig, and Lopez filling in. That lineup must win night-in and night-out for that team to make a push for October. Is it that simple? It doesn’t seem so.

Big fan of Ms. Oudin. I guess I need to figure out what sport she plays.

* In the least most shocking news of the weekend, Paris Hilton was arrested for cocaine possession. Her and her boyfriend were pulled over because there was a smell of marijuana coming from the car. Wait. The cops could smell it from their car? If that’s true that’s the best thing I have ever heard. I always thought scenes from Cheech and Chong would never happen in real life.

* Mizzou is quickly becoming the Bengals of college football. Three DUI arrests over the past month and now Derrick Washington gets charged for sexual assult of a tutor. It’s happened. Quin Snyder’s days at Mizzou finally wore off on Gary Pinkel. (OK, that’s a tad strong. No hate mail, please)

* Think I will pull for Melanie Oudin again this year in the U.S. Open. Just saying…

* And if you ever watched California Dreams (back in the day) or Baywatch when she aged a bit, Oudin reminds me of Kelly Packard.

* They say Roger Clemens could get up to 30 years in prison. That wouldn’t be the same as a Mike Tyson or say, a Rae Carruth, but could be similar to Mike Vick or Pete Rose. That’s if he gets just a couple of months. It would be amazing if he gets multiple years.

* And finally, you have to love family reunions. I ate way too much.

–HOOCH

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Once a week a question will be tossed out to local experts from WGEM and the Quincy Herald-Whig. Submit your question to sports@wgem.com.

Could QND be a surprise team this year? One local expert explains why.

What area team will provide the biggest surprise this fall in high school football?

BEN MARTH

I’ll give you two, one from each side of the Mississippi.

First off, I love what Matt Hudson is doing at Mark Twain. In his second season at his alma mater, Hudson (2010 People’s Choice for WGEM Coach of the Year) has his team physically and mentally able to push through the gauntlet that is the Clarence Cannon Conference. The Tigers’ schedule should have them fully prepared for what stacks up to be a favorable District slate. Must See TV — Week 7 vs. Clark County.

In Illinois, my pleasant surprise is Macomb. The Bombers are flying under the radar more so than any other team in West Central Illinois, hard to believe since Kelly Sears has had them in the playoffs nine out of the last 10 seasons. Granted a move to the WCC provides weekly tests, but it’s hard not to like a vastly improved offense with Seth Wickert under center, and a squad that will be better up front. Must See TV -– Week 9 vs. Central-Southeastern.

DON O’BRIEN

Taking a swipe at the low-hanging fruit here, but I’ll go with Quincy Notre Dame. I’ve been following the Raiders since 1997 — or for the majority of the Bill Connell era. The Raiders’ playoff runs have been cut short time and time again. I think it would be a huge story if the Raiders can finally make it to Champaign and play for — and win — a Class 4A state championship. The Raiders have all the pieces in place to make a historic run. It will be interesting to see if they can get it done.

MATT KROCHESKI

Though Brown County will be a good team, I’m still asking myself “just how good?” They return only THREE starters on both sides of the ball. If they do produce a team that was just as productive as last year’s, then I would want to know how this team keeps its winning tradition alive despite having to fill eight spots. It’s also a rare thing for me to see speed, which is what Brown County has, overcome a team with size. Then again, this is a new football environment for me so I think a lot will surprise me.

JOSH HOUCHINS

When the Tri-Rivers Conference witnessed two perennial powers (Clark County and Brookfield) move to the CCC, an opportunity arose right away for somebody else to lay claim to the title. The Knox County Eagles made major strides last year by winning its first playoff game in 29 years and this year it’s time to do something else it has not done in a while — win the TRC. Having a first-year coach (Alex Van Delft) and losing last year’s most underrated player in the area (Keenan Gillaspy) will provide many obstacles. A favorable schedule due to an undermanned TRC will make those obstacles a little less strenuous.   

All answers compiled by ESPN 1440 radio host Josh Houchins.

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To hear Hooch’s MLB Power Rankings live, listen to WGEM SportsCenter every Tuesday from 7-9 a.m. on ESPN 1440 or www.wgemradio.com/sportscenter.

Feel free to submit your own rankings below.

Josh’s Rankings

1. Yankees (77-48) — Only one win separates New York from road to away. That’s a good team.

2. Rays (77-48) up 1 –- You have to like how they have battled back following some tough times. Sweeping Texas last week had to feel nice.

3. Braves (73-52) up 1 -– God bless Jair Jurrjens and his awesome name. 

4. Rangers (70-54) down 2 — A tough stretch against the Rays knocked them down a peg. Tommy Hunter (6-3, 280) is one huge dude.

5. Padres (74-49) –- Ryan Ludwick’s hot start with the team has cooled as of late. Now hitting .237 with 18 Ks since arriving.

6. Twins (72-53) -– They have not lost a series since the All-Star Break. Steady as she goes…

7. Reds (72-53) up 1 — Since the dust-up with the Cardinals they are 8-2 since that Wednesday lost.

8. Red Sox (72-54) NR -– How crazy would it be to see Damon and Manny return? It would be awesome!

Posted under Sports

* Take a trip with WGEM SportsCenter host Josh Houchins, as he recaps the weekend in his own weird way…

* Well, goodbye, Lou. I will not miss you in Chicago blue because, well, you didn’t do a whole lot there. But I will miss the reminders of your days in Seattle and Cincinnati where no base was safe from your foot or umpire’s pants were safe from dirt.

* I will say it again that it seemed the entire year was just a do-over for Lou. The Cubbies were 43-52 on July 20 when he announced that 2010 would be his final season. They are 51-74 right now. Ouch. There was no “win one for the Gipper” going on there.

* I’m not even sure I watched the Little League World Series when I was even in little league. Oh, and they need to move the fences back … or test for steroids, either/or, because those kids hit way too many dingers.

* Thinking about starting a page on MySpace. I’ve heard good things.

I've seen some stupid movies in my time...

* Top Five Preseason HS Football Teams: 5) Clark County, 4) South Shelby, 3) Mark Twain, 2) QHS, and 1) QND. (NOTE: At 12:15 PM I had realized Illini West was left off and that was a mistake. They should be inserted at No. 3 and all others move back one. Sorry)

* Watch golfer David Howell hit a gong in middle of lake from 200 yards. I watched this thing twice it was so cool.

* Piranha 3D may be the dumbest-looking movie I have ever seen. I think the guys from The Expendables should have been put in charge of killing the piranhas. It’s based in Spring Break. HELLO! Sly Stallone and the boys with a ton of women around shooting and killing fish? Now that’s a great movie!

* Question: If you’re a Cardinals fan would you trade Colby Rasmus straight up for Chicago’s Tyler Colvin?

* Beyond Survival with Les Stroud starts August 27 at 9 p.m. on Discovery. Can’t wait to watch a guy try to survive in a wild landscape while I sit and eat Cheetos.

* Aaron Rodgers is set to have the best year for a quarterback this year. So far in two preseason (yes, it’s still preseason, I am aware) games he is 20 for 24 for 275 yards, three TDs, and no sacks. The Packers are looking good and also the team to beat in the NFC. That’s a little sneak peak at my NFL picks in the upcoming “WGEM SportsCenter makes NFL Predictions … and Then Laughs At Them Later” story that will be posted soon.

* And finally, it’s dumb to say Sunday was Jaime Garcia’s coming out party because he was 10-6 heading into the game. But he was a different pitcher on the mound. He looked liked that game was his game and he will tear you limb from limb if you tried taking it away from him. Maybe the mindset of Chris Carpenter is wearing off on him.

–HOOCH

Posted under Sports

By Josh Houchins, WGEM Radio Host

I’m not sure whether it’s mixed martial arts, football or rugby, but I do know one thing — it’s frickin’ nuts!

The FFL is not for pansies

It’s called the Fight Football League and it’s based only in Italy. It’s said to be centered on Roman gladiator junk. It looks more like a bunch of guys who could not make the MMA league or the soccer/rugby team and wanted something else to do.

Can’t you picture Mike Tyson in his heyday playing in this league? Or Nolan Ryan at the end of his career? Or WGEM Sports Director, Ben Marth, after his days playing DI baseball?

The best part of this league is the promo video which you can see right here.

Posted under Sports

To hear Hooch’s MLB Power Rankings live, listen to WGEM SportsCenter every Tuesday from 7-9 a.m. on ESPN 1440 or www.wgemradio.com/sportscenter.

Feel free to submit your own rankings below.

Josh’s Rankings

1. Yankees (72-46) — Kerry Wood lookin’ OK with his new team. Hello, Hall of Fame!!!

2. Rangers (67-50) –- Held their own against some of the better teams in baseball. Split with Yankees and then took 2 of 3 against the Red Sox. Now facing the Rays.

3. Rays (72-46) up 1 -– Great game on Monday night against the Rangers. But still have to travel to Oakland and Anaheim following this set with Texas. Wonder if teams hate traveling to the West Coast as much as we hate watching late games? 

4. Braves (69-43) down 1 — Tim Hudson and Co. have been awesome. Offense has not.

5. Padres (70-47) –- Ryan Ludwick and Miggy Tejada have been really solid following trades. Maybe some of the best trades made so far this season by any team.

6. Twins (68-50) NR 1 -– Won 8 of 10 and now receiving good stuff from guys like Cuddyer and …

7. Giants (67-52) up 1 — Many are saying the addition of Jose Guillen could cause more harm than good. But, at least if there’s a fight you know he has your back.

8. Reds (67-51) down 1 -– How do you respond to getting your you-know-what handed to you by the Cardinals? Pound Josh Johnson and the fish.

Posted under Sports

* Take a trip with WGEM SportsCenter host Josh Houchins, as he recaps the weekend in his own weird way…

* Golf becomes the headline for two reasons these days — Tiger Woods or controversy. When you have both it’s amazing. But just as long as you can have one you’re OK. And it had the latter this weekend. Yes, you can blame Dustin Johnson for not knowing the rules. You can blame the PGA for allowing the gallery to stand in a bunker. But, my question goes to the course’s designer. Pete, did you really need to put over 1,200 bunkers on the course? What are they going to do next? Put a hill in center field with the flag poles in play?

* It will be interesting to see how the ratings changed for Sunday’s PGA Championship when it exploded for the final 30-45 minutes.

* Went and bought Madden 11 for PS3 last Wednesday and played it a little this weekend. I don’t think cheat codes would even help the St. Louis Rams.

*  You know who I feel a little bad for? Christian Laettner. While watching the 1992 Dream Team’s Hall of Fame induction Saturday morning on the Web the guy is hardly mentioned in anything. He was left off the celebratory montage shown prior to the speech. Then in Magic Johnson’s speech he saved Laettner for last, which made it seem like he truly did forget him.

Yep, the sign's correct!

* I had to post the best photo I have seen in a long time. Classic – “Not a bunker” says enough.

* Whoever created Flipsides Pretzel Crackers deserves a medal. Excellent! Wait. They have them in cheddar??!!!

* HBO’s Hard Knocks series, which follows an NFL team through Training Camp, has run its course. This year the New York Jets are the featured team and every coach/player/manager/owner/fan seems to be acting. Rex Ryan had a few funny sound bites. But once again, it’s HBO. I don’t like having things bleeped out on HBO. It’s like not showing cartoons on Cartoon Network. Or comedy on Comedy Central. Or music videos on MTV. Oh wait, the last one doesn’t work.

* Bought Seasons 3, 4, and 5 of Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Sounds like a marathon prior to Season 6 beginning Sept. 16.

* It’s not a best man speech until the best man talks about the groom’s junk. Very awkward. Yet very funny.

* Why didn’t the cubs play the entire season like they did this weekend against St. Louis? Cubs fans should be even more frustrated with their team.

* And finally, word came out that Jean-Claude Van Damme said he was too busy to be in The Expendablesand also that all Sly Stallone would tell him about the movie was that it had a lot of violence and would make a lot of money. Van Damme preferred a plot.

– HOOCH

Posted under Sports

By Josh Houchins, WGEM Radio Host

As you have seen this week I am slightly enamored with The Expendables, which comes to theaters tonight. It has every actor I grew up loving to watch beat up and kill people without any warning or thought. The only addition that would have been nice to see is Jean Claude Van Damme. The world may explode, or even go back to another dimension like when Alex Trebak says his name backwards on Family Guy, though, if that happened.

While taking a look this week at some of the best, AND WORST, movies in these guys’ careers, many of their characters started taking on a new persona of itself. So, hope you enjoy this collection of comparisons.

**Top 10 MLB contenders (five from each league) compared to past roles from the cast of The Expendables**

NATIONAL LEAGUE

A team that was at its highest point earlier, struggled for a while, and is on it’s way back to the top. Manager Bobby Cox is on his way out and wants to go out with a bang — similar to how The Ram (Mickey Rourke) went out in The Wrestler. Plus, Omar Infante sounds like the Iranian he fights at the end.               

This past week against the Reds, St. Louis seemed to find a look of aggression. Something they may had had in the past. Which goes hand-in-hand with Jet Li’s Unleashed. Li is a “dog” for loan and when his collar is taken off all hell breaks lose as he goes after the enemies of his master. The Reds seemed to unleashed something in the Cardinals not many had seen.

When the season started you wondered how long the Reds would last. Then they started to add some players and things looked positive. Well, then the bottom fell out and the season could be over. Similar to Bruce Willis in The Sixth Sense. Fans have been cheering the entire time only to watch their team simply be dead at the end.    

A true MLB All-Star (Adrian Gonzalez) leads a group of no-name guys wearing camo (only on certain days the Padres wear them, I know) into the jungle that is the NL Playoffs. Other Padres have been there before but never came back with anything. Gonzo is Dutch (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and the Padres are his team of mercenaries fighting the Predator. Can Gonzo do like Dutch and win? The Predator may win in this movie.

With one pitcher with long hair and the rest of the rotation just so-so, the Giants resemble John J. Rambo from all of the First Blood movies. Only one of the flicks were any good (First Blood) which is similar to San Fran and Tim Lincecum. He’s a man trying to forget the past and move on — just like Rambo was from Vietnam. Stallone even looks a bit like Lincecum with that awesome hair.                    

AMERICAN LEAGUE               

Does any team remind one more of Rocky Balboa from Rocky III than the Yankees? Wow! The Yankees won it all again last year and did it with some new players (yes, some were bought), but then realized that for them to get back there they will have to do it with Phil Hughes, Nick Swisher, and Brett Gardner. They have to get back to the basics. Just like Rocky did by going to Apollo’s gym to relearn how to fight.

The Rays are fast. They go a mile-a-minute all the time. And it’s usually with somebody you have never heard of. They lead the stolen bases (by a ton) category and are only caught 20-percent of the time. Jason Statham’s character Frank Martin in The Transporter is the same. Drives like a madman all the time and always saves the day … giving the world a ray of sunshine. (I should delete the last line. Oh well…)             

Only one team on the list is built around its manager and that would by the White Sox. Ozzie Guillen seems like a crazy man at times, but then will do something to make you think he’s really just an odd genius. Hey, sounds like Whiplash in Iron Man 2! SIDE NOTE: Crazy enough that Guillen and Rourke actually remind me of each other. Two guys I would be scared to death to party with on a Saturday night. Scary dudes.                   

                                                                           Duh.              

Maybe this fits better years ago when every single member of the Texas Rangers took steroids and bloated the game, but it can still work today. Dolph Lundgren’s Ivan Drago character in Rocky IV was one of the best. I can really see Cliff Lee staring at any New York Yankee and saying, “I must break you.”

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