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Behind The Scenes with Padres First Baseman Yonder Alonso

David Satriano — Tue, 14 May 2013 14:30:59 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WxNYZV7dBs Padres first baseman Yonder Alonso gave Class Act Sports an inside look into how he got to the big leagues and his daily routine during spring training prior to the start of the 2013 season. Growing up in Cuba, Alonso said his dad was a ball player but gave up his dream and came to the United States to provide a better life for he and his sister. "My dad was a baseball player in Cuba so he left that for us...he left his baseball career, he left his family there he left everybody there for a dream for me and my sister. Obviously getting to the big leagues was a big step for me but not only for me but it felt like my dad got to the big leagues too. Any chance I can get to bring him around and definitely hang out with me, he comes around all the time and I try to make him feel like he is a big league, too because he missed all that," Alonso told Jared Ginsberg and Victor Green of Class Act Sports in Florida before spring training started. Every player remembers their first at bat and hit, and Alonso had no problem recalling the circumstances in which he got his first hit. It was in 2010 when he was with the Reds. "That was nuts. Talking about a packed house. It was when St. Louis and the Reds were battling for first place. I think we were two games out of first place and they were in first place and we needed to win those games. I remember I was in the dugout and it was my first time in a big league stadium and I kept looking up like, "wow this is unbelievable. I cant believe they are here watching us play'. There was about 45,000 there and they told me, 'Hey get ready. You are going to pinch hit in the eighth. We had the lead at the time. I think it was 3-1. It was a FOX game so it was nationally televised so my heart was pumping, and I get in there and I remember just saying 'Just make contact. Don't strike out. See what happens,' and sure enough I hit a double down the line to left field," Alonso said. What made it more special was that Jon Jay, his good friend and former teammate at the University of Miami, was in the outfield at the time. "Jon Jay was in center field. I wanted the ball really bad. I kept looking at Jay in center field. He didn't even want to look at me. These two guys from Miami played college ball together. It just meant a lot," he told Class Act Sports. Alonso hasn't forgotten his dad, who helped him get to the big leagues, saying he calls him often to talk about everything, and always thinks about his dad after everything he does on the field. "For him, it was one of those moments where I was on deck and I was looking at him and he was crying and he just felt like he had made it. Any time I get a hit or I get a double, it's like he got it, too. Or if I go 0-for-4 with three strikeouts, it's like he struck, out too. He's my best friend. He is my dad," Alonso told Class Act Sports. After spending the entire season with the Padres last season and putting up nine home runs and 62 RBIs, Alonso is on pace to better those numbers this season. He has four homers, 23 RBIs and is batting .275 through 37 games. How does he stay consistent? "I make sure I get really tired before I hit so that way it goes into my hitting. So that way when it's September, October, I've been here before. It's something that I've done before. I've been tired but mentally I am strong. I am focused. Everybody's fresh when it's April. Later on when the season rolls around...that's when you really need to lock it down," Alonso said. And in case he is ever mired in a hitting slump, Alonso knows his defense need to be sharp. He has made one error in 338 chances this season. "Not all the time hitting is going to be there. A lot of the time its not going to be there, but you're defense needs to be there 100 percent because that will definitely save you ballgames, win you ballgames and not only can it win you ballgames but...I play first base. I can save someone's error, and I can save the game in one play. You might be 0-for-4 that day and having a bad day hitting, but ninth inning rolls around, they hit a line drive to the right, you gotta dive for it, you gotta catch it, you gotta make a good feed to the pitcher, you win the game," Alonso told Class Act Sports.

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CLASS ACT: MOMENTS OF THE WEEK

David Satriano — Mon, 13 May 2013 18:37:07 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZUXTUrj4WM Matt Kemp and the Dodgers aren't having a great season so far and were swept by the Giants last weekend, but that didn't stop Kemp from making new friends - even some Giants fans - after what he did for one fan on Sunday night. Kemp had heard that there was a child at the game who was a Dodgers fan named Josh who was dealing with cancer and didn't have much longer to live. After the Dodgers lost the game, 4-3, Kemp walked over to him. He shook his hand, signed his baseball, and then gave him his hat, jersey and cleats. Josh's father and his friend were also present. Kemp had planned to meet with Josh, but giving him his cleats and jersey and hat wasn't planned, he just decided to do it. He also didn't know that he was being filmed at the time. Josh's friend took the video with his cellphone that has become an internet sensation with over 2 million Youtube views. After the video spread, Kemp received calls and texts from people telling him what a nice gesture that was. He said he remembers being a kid and his favorite basketball player not signing an autograph for him, and that really stuck with him. Josh may be sick and might not be able to talk, but Matt Kemp made sure he won't forget this day any time soon.

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Class Act Moments of the Week

David Satriano — Thu, 09 May 2013 17:31:38 +0000

NHL - The playoffs began last week, and the great thing about the playoffs is, anything can happen, especially in this shortened season. Almost everyone was quick to dismiss the Islanders as playoff threats against the heavily favored Penguins after a 5-0 loss in Game 1. But the Islanders won Game 2 in Pittsburgh and even had a lead in Game 3 before a heartbreaking overtime loss. True, they trail the series, 2-1, but it is far from over. The Senators, the No. 7 seed, have played excellent as well and own a 2-1 series lead over the No. 2 seeded Canadiens. And in the Western Conference, the Sharks are hardly playing like a six seed, dominating the Canucks with a 3-0 series lead thus far. NBA - The NBA playoffs continued, and no surprise here- The Heat and Spurs each swept their series. The Clippers and Nuggets lost in the first round out West, as did the Nets to the Bulls in the East in the only Game 7. The Knicks survived a scare from the Celtics but won in six games for their first series win since 2000. MLB - Tim Hudson earned his 200th career win last week pitching seven innings while allowing one run and three hits in a 3-1 win over the Nationals. It's a night he won't soon forget, especially since Hudson also hit his third career home run in the game. And just for good measure, he was named NL Player of the Week after winning both of his starts. Kentucky Derby - The fastest two minutes in sports took place this weekend at Churchill Downs in Kentucky. Orb, the co-favorite at post time made a late charge to win the race by 2 1/2 lengths. Long shot Golden Soul finished second with Revolutionary rounding out the trifecta. Now the stage will be set for the Preakness in two weeks to see if Orb can win the second leg of Racing's Triple Crown.

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CLASS ACT: Moments of the Week

David Satriano — Wed, 01 May 2013 16:30:14 +0000

The 2013 NFL Draft was last week, and there were many surprises and moments of the week, both good and bad. But no matter what team you are a fan of, everyone can agree that the Raiders first round pick of D.J. Hayden made everyone smile. NFL The No. 12 pick, Hayden is a cornerback who went to Houston. He was having an excellent year before a freak injury in practice sidelined him for the rest of the season. Hayden's chest collided with a teammates knee and it tore a vein in his heart. Medical experts say that kind of injury results in loss of life about 95 percent of the time, but Hayden was a rare exception. Despite not being able to see out of his left eye after the injury, his recovery has been nothing short of amazing and the Raiders should be more than thrilled with their draft pick, who will make an impact when he returns to the football field. In an era where many players often hold out or miss training camp because they want more money, and that is what the media tends to focus on, it's nice to see people talking about a young kid like Hayden getting his chance to play in the NFL after his dream was nearly shattered several months ago.

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NHL Playoff Rundown

David Satriano — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 23:22:46 +0000

Class Act Sports breaks down the first round of the NHL playoffs, which begin Tuesday night. Eastern Conference: (1) Penguins vs. (8) Islanders Season series: Penguins, 4-1-0 The Penguins were the class of the East all season and had the top offense in the league with guys like Chris Kunitz, Kris Letang, James Neal, Evgeni Malkin and Pascal Dupuis. But just for good measure, they acquired Brenden Morrow and Jarome Iginla at the trading deadline. With Sidney Crosby set to return soon after surgery to repair his broken jaw that he ironically suffered against the Islanders. The Islanders are led by MVP candidate John Tavares, whose 28 goals ranked third in the league. Making their first playoff appearance in six seasons, the Islanders ended the season on a hot streak, but drew the worst possible matchup, and will be lucky to win a game. Prediction: Penguins in five (2) Canadiens vs. (7) Senators Season series: Canadiens, 2-1-1 Montreal won the Northeast Division and gets to face the rival Senators in one of the best matchups of the first round. Both have excellent goaltending. Montreal has Carey Price (21-13-4, three shutouts) while Ottawa has Craig Anderson (12-9-2, .941 save percentage, 1.69 goals against average, three shutouts). Both also have one of the two best defenseman in the game. Montreal has P.K. Subban, who led all defenseman with 38 points, while Ottawa has last years Norris trophy winner in Erik Karlsson. He tore his Achilles and managed two return in less than two months, notching four assists in three games. So this series will come down to offense, since both teams are matched evenly defensively and in the net. Montreal ranks fourth in goals per game and Ottawa is 27th. Prediction: Canadiens in six (3) Capitals vs. (6) Rangers Season series: Rangers, 2-0-1 This is the fourth time in the past five seasons that these two teams will meet in the playoffs. Last season, it was the Rangers winning in seven games, but the Capitals took the two previous postseason meetings. The Rangers were supposed to be Cup contenders but had a rough season before righting the ship. The Capitals were the worst team in the league at one point, but bounced back in a huge way. Offensively, the Capitals have Alex Ovechkin, who has scored a league-high 24 goals since March. The Rangers have Rick Nash, who has been up-and-down, and Brad Richards, who used a late-season stretch to end with decent numbers. Henrik Lundqvist may be better than Braden Holtby, but in a matchup between two of the hottest teams in the league, I like the one with Ovechkin. Prediction: Capitals in six (4) Bruins vs. (5) Maple Leafs Season series: Bruins, 3-0-1 The Bruins dominated the regular season series, but stumbled to a 2-7 record to end the season. No one can blame them as they have undoubtedly had other things on their mind. The Maple Leafs are in the playoffs for the first time since 2004, and you can bet they’ll want to stick around for a while. If you go by experience, the Bruins, who won the Stanley Cup in 2011 clearly have the advantage, but in this matchup between two Original Six franchises, go with youthful exuberance. Prediction: Maple Leafs in seven Western Conference: (1) Blackhawks vs. (8) Wild Season series: Blackhawks, 2-0-1 Chicago was clearly the best team all season. The Presidents’ Trophy winners started the season 21-0-3, and can do it all. They rank second in goals, first in goals against, and third in penalty kill percentage. Minnesota signed Zach Parise and Ryan Suter in the off-season but had to sweat out the entire season, not clinching a playoff berth until a win on the final night. Still, this team has many issues, and Chicago could make this one quick. Prediction: Blackhawks in five (2) Ducks vs. (7) Red Wings Season series: Red Wings, 2-1 The Red Wings are in the playoffs for the 22nd year in a row, but have never been this low of a seed. The needed four wins in a row at the end of the season to sneak in, and have the offense and goaltending, although the question has always been this teams age. On the other side are the Ducks, who for most of the season, were the best team not named the Blackhawks. Their advantage is they can use either goalie – Jonas Hiller or Viktor Fasth – at any time. The smart pick might be to take the experienced and aged Red Wings, but Anaheim is more balanced. Prediction: Ducks in seven (3) Canucks vs. (6) Sharks Season series: Sharks, 3-0 This could be the most intriguing series to figure out. The Canucks, who made the finals two seasons ago lost in the first round last year as a No. 1 seed. San Jose, who has always had trouble in the playoffs, also lost in the opening round last season. The Canucks could be without Cory Schneider to start the series, and while Roberto Luongo is good, his confidence is never there in the playoffs and he was almost traded in the offseason. The Sedin twins provide a lot of the offense, and the blueliners also score, as Dan Hamhuis and Alexander Elder each had 22 points. The Sharks have Antti Niemi in net, who tied for the league lead with 24 wins and had four shutouts with a more-than-impressive .924 save percentage. They’ll find a way to muster a big goal when necessary. Prediction: Sharks in seven (4) Blues vs. (5) Kings Season series: Kings, 3-0 These teams met last season in the second round in what was the first of many upsets by the Kings, who swept St. Louis. The Kings suffered the Stanley Cup hangover at the beginning of the year, but rebounded nicely to finish fifth in the conference. Jonathan Quick has not played nearly as well as he did last season, but maybe he will wake up in the playoffs. The Blues used a three-man rotation in the net due to injuries, and the starter right now, Brian Elliot, was the odd man out for most of the season. Hard to argue that since he’s allowed a combined three goals in three games. And they have balance, as 13 players have scored 10 or more points. As the defending champions, Los Angeles has a target on their back, but the task might be too tough for St. Louis. Prediction: Kings in six

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CLASS ACT: Moments of the Week

David Satriano — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 19:29:44 +0000

NBA Last weekend, the NBA playoffs started, and there was a noticeable trend in each of the eight games played: The home team won every one of them. While this is rare, the NBA is different than the other major sports in that most times, the good teams are the ones left standing in the end. In fact, only one game was even close. That was the Nuggets, who beat the Warriors 97-95 on a layup by Andre Miller with under two seconds remaining. The Knicks used stout defense holding the Celtics to eight points in the fourth quarter in an 85-78 win, and the Nets (106-89 win over the Bulls) and Clippers (112-91 win over the Grizzlies) were on the right end of blowouts. On Sunday, it was more of the same as all the home teams won by 12 points or more, highlighted by Paul George's triple double (23 points, 11 rebounds, 12 assists) as the Jazz crushed the Pacers, 107-91. In the other games, the Lakers topped the Spurs (91-79), the Heat beat the Bucks (110-87) and the Thunder dismantled the Rockets (120-91). With a month-and-a-half still remaining in the playoffs, only time will tell what other Class Act Moments the NBA will provide.

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Class Act Sports Presents PLAYOFF HOOPS 2.0

David Satriano — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 15:37:43 +0000

Categories: Sports

Tags: App, Class Act Apps, iOS App, NBA, Playoff Hoops

Think you know more about the upcoming basketball playoffs than your friends, family, and co-workers? Well then, it’s time to [...]

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Inspirational Jack Hoffman gets his own Trading Card

David Satriano — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 15:28:20 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Jmisv1Spck Fans always get excited for the annual football spring game, which signifies the unofficial start of the college football season. But last week in Nebraska that wasn’t the main story. That’s because seven-year old Jack Hoffman, who has brain cancer, took a snap and scored a 69-yard touchdown, racing down the field in an emotional scene at Memorial Stadium in Nebraska. Hoffman, who has been undergoing chemotherapy, lined up next to Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez who handed him the ball and used some blocking before running into the end zone. Both teams celebrated and lifted Jack on their shoulders in front of 60,000 people. He first came in contact with the Nebraska team after befriending running back Rex Burkhead last season, and this is a moment little Jack will never forget. The video, posted by Nebraska Athletics on YouTube, became an internet sensation after amassing over 7 million hits in a week. It has also helped raise awareness and funding for the “Team Jack Foundation” which is dedicated to brain cancer research. But the inspiring story didn’t end there. Trading card company Upper Deck announced earlier in the week that Jack would get his own trading card. There will be a limited number printed, not for sale, but rather for Jack to sign and auction off with the proceeds going towards his foundation. It’s great to see such an inspirational story, especially one involving athletes using their status for an excellent cause. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPj7nI4MCnQ

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Best Games of Each Week of the 2013 NFL Season

David Satriano — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 15:18:55 +0000

With the release of the 2013 NFL schedule, Class Act Sports looks at the best games of each week in 2013: Week 1: Ravens at Broncos For the first time in a decade, the defending Super Bowl Champion will open up on the road, due to a scheduling conflict. Fresh off a new contract, Joe Flacco will return to Denver to face Peyton Manning in a rematch of an overtime playoff game last year. Week 2: Broncos at Giants In what could be the third and final installment of the Manning Bowl, Eli and Peyton square off at Metlife Stadium for the third time. Big brother Peyton has won both previous meetings. Week 3: Texans at Ravens Safety Ed Reed, who spent his entire career with the Ravens before signing with the Texans this off-season returns to face his old mates for the first time. Week 4: Patriots at Falcons A game featuring the two teams that lost in the conference championship games last year, you can expect a lot of points on the board with Tom Brady and Matt Ryan square off. Week 5: Lions at Packers Whenever these two NFC North rivals get together, it’s always entertaining. The Packers have owned the series the last two years, with a perfect 4-0 record. Week 6: Saints at Patriots Drew Brees wants to put the Saints’ dismal 2012 season behind and return New Orleans to the playoffs. Their schedule isn’t easy, but this should be a good one. Week 7: Broncos at Colts In what could be the game of the year, Peyton Manning will surely get a warm reception when he steps onto the field in Indianapolis. The future Hall of Famer led the Colts – who are doing just fine with Andrew Luck - to their only Super Bowl win in 2007. Week 8: Giants at Eagles The second matchup in four weeks between division rivals should be interesting, especially with new coach Chip Kelly on the Eagles sideline. Week 9: Steelers at Patriots Two of the top teams in the AFC clash in a game that could go a long way in determining eventual playoff seeding. Week 10: Seattle at Atlanta A rematch of an NFC Divisional playoff game last season, which the Falcons had a 20-0 lead before the Seahawks came all the way back and led 28-27 in the final minute. But Atlanta hit the game winning field goal for a thrilling 30-28 win. Week 11: Ravens at Bears Chicago failed to make the playoffs last year despite a 10-6 record, but the defense was one of the best in the league. Expect this game against the Ravens to be low scoring. Week 12: Broncos at Patriots It’s always entertaining when Tom Brady and Peyton Manning face off against one another. Last year the Patriots won the annual meeting, 31-21. Week 13: Giants at Redskins Robert Griffin III ran wild over the Giants in both matchups last season and will get to show off his legs again if he is completely healed from a knee injury. Week 14: Seahawks at 49ers Quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Colin Kaepernick proved they were two of the best in the league last year. This will be a game filled with a lot of runs and quarterback draws. Week 15: Packers at Cowboys The Cowboys haven’t made the playoffs since 2009, but a late-season win against Aaron Rodgers and Co. could help that post-season push. Week 16: Falcons at 49ers The Falcons Super Bowl dreams were cut short after blowing a 17-point lead in their own house to the 49ers. You can beat Tony Gonzalez, who finally won the first playoff game of his career last season, has this one circled on his calendar. Week 17: Eagles at Cowboys In a week that features only divisional matchups, this one seems the most likely to decide a division title. Dallas has lost Week 17 the past two seasons with a “win-and-get-in” scenario, and could get a third shot in 2013.

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CLASS ACT: Moments of the Week

David Satriano — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 17:25:00 +0000

PGA

Sunday produced another memorable moment in Augusta, Georgia, the site of the Masters. In a thrilling sudden-death playoff, that took two holes to decide, Adam Scott defeated former Masters winner Angel Cabrera with a birdie putt. The 32-year old became the first Australian ever to win the Masters.

Scott had finished tied for second at the 2011 Masters after having the lead on the second-to-last hole. Last year, he almost won the U.S. Open Championship but a poor final round left him one stroke behind the eventual winner Ernie Els. On the 18th hole in the final round, Scott made a putt and celebrated as if he had won, but then saw on a TV monitor later that Cabrera birdied that hole to force the playoff.

But this time, there would be no heartbreak for Scott, who finally won his first major after so many close calls. If anyone deserved the win at the 2013 Masters, it was Scott.

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