30 Runs? Congrats, Rudy.

I think my timing on Rudy talk yesterday could have been better.

The Rangers scored a modern day record 30 runs, so I guess the Rudy parade is scheduled for today. Just forget about the last 8 years.

30 Runs? Rudy. Horrible hitting stats? Not Rudy.

Record Time …

• Summary: After looking at the score, it's hard to believe the Orioles led this game 3-0 at one point. The Rangers' 30 runs sets a modern MLB record, surpassing the mark of 29 runs that were scored by the Red Sox (June 8, 1950) and White Sox (April 23, 1955). It's the second-most runs all-time as the Chicago Colts (now the Cubs) scored 36 against the Louisville Colonels on June 29, 1897. Jarrod Saltalamacchia led the Rangers' charge, going 4-for-6 with two homers, five runs and seven RBIs.

• Home run heroes: Ramon Vazquez had two homers, while Travis Metcalf and Marlon Byrd both hit grand slams.

• Anyone got the Ravens' number?: The Baltimore Ravens, who play across the parking lot from the Orioles, haven't allowed 30 points since Week 12 in 2005.

• More scoring notes: The Rangers are the first team with four players (Metcalf, Byrd, Saltalamacchia, Vazquez) with four RBIs since the Phillies on May 17, 1979 (Rose, Maddux, Schmidt, Boone). This is the sixth time that a team has scored 9-plus runs in two innings.

• Quotable: "I knew we'd get the bats going, but I never expected anything like this. When the faucet is on, you want it to stay on. You never want to cut it off." -- Texas manager Ron Washington

The Baltimore Sun looks at the history of it all …

The Rangers did all their Game 1 scoring in four innings, sending nine men to the plate in the fourth, 14 in the sixth, 13 in the eighth and 10 in the ninth. And Trembley couldn't stop the bleeding.

"It's been a long day today," he said. "Whatever we threw, they hit it. They say hitting's contagious and that certainly was the case in the first game. I've never seen anything like it."

Daniel Cabrera (9-13) allowed six runs and nine hits in five-plus innings. Brian Burres was charged with eight runs and eight hits in two-thirds of an inning. Rob Bell allowed seven runs and five hits, with three walks, in 1 1/3 innings. Paul Shuey surrendered nine runs and seven hits, with three walks, in two innings.

There's no exaggerating how long it has been since baseball has seen this kind of offensive display. The 30 runs scored are the fourth most in major league history. The Chicago Colts (now the Cubs) defeated the Louisville Royals, 36-7, in 1897. No American League team has surpassed the Rangers' output, with the Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox totaling 29 in 1950 and 1955, respectively.

To put the game in further perspective: Erik Bedard has allowed 31 runs in his past 17 starts. The Orioles gave up 30 over nine innings.

They actually took a 3-0 lead against Rangers starter Kason Gabbard, scoring once in the first and twice in the third. But Cabrera allowed five runs in the fourth after loading the bases on two infield hits -- including a potential double-play grounder from Jason Botts that shortstop Miguel Tejada couldn't handle to his backhand side -- and a walk.

The home clubhouse was closed between games, leaving a terse Trembley as the lone spokesman. He didn't meet with his players. "There's nothing that needs to be said," Trembley said.

The Orioles' previous record for most hits allowed was 26 against the Chicago White Sox in 1981. They most runs they surrendered before yesterday were 26 against the Rangers in April 1996 -- a game that included shortstop Manny Alexander's debut as a pitcher. It was the largest margin of defeat in team history.

The Rangers became only the second team in 50 years to have four players total four or more RBIs in the same game. They also set a club record for most runs in a doubleheader before Game 2 started.

The Record Books …

Game 1 facts

• The 30 runs were the most ever allowed by the Orioles.

• The 29 hits were a Rangers record and the most the Orioles have ever allowed.

• The 27-run margin represented the largest margin of defeat in Orioles history.

• Orioles relievers allowed 20 hits and 24 earned runs (72.00 ERA) in three innings.

• The Rangers hit two grand slams for only the second time in club history.

• Texas tied a club record with 10 hits in the sixth inning.

30 or more

Major league baseball teams that have scored 30 or more runs in a game:

SINCE 1900

30: Texas at Orioles, Aug. 22, 2007 (AL)

BEFORE 1900

36: Chicago vs. Louisville, June 29, 1897 (NL)

35: Chicago vs. Cleveland, July 24, 1882 (NL)

31: Chicago vs. Buffalo, July 3, 1883 (NL)

30: Chicago vs. Louisville, July 22, 1876 (NL)

30: Boston vs. Detroit, June 9, 1883 (NL)

30: Philadelphia at Buffalo, June 26, 1890 (PL*)

30: Milwaukee vs. Washington, Sept. 10, 1891 (AA*)

30: Cincinnati vs. Louisville, June 18, 1893 (NL)

DeMarcus Ware wants sack records! …And I want them, too…

Let's get this straight.

Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware is not a trash talker or the boastful type.
He generally is not caught up in personal numbers.

But when it comes to his excitement about the Cowboys' new blitz-happy defensive scheme under coach Wade Phillips, Ware can't help himself.

A Pro Bowler last year after notching 11.5 sacks, Ware's goals are jaw-dropping in 2007.

He wants to top San Diego's Shawne Merriman and finish as the NFL's sack leader.

He wants to top Harvey Martin's club record for sacks in a season of 23, set in 1977.
Not coincidentally, that also would be an NFL record. Since the NFL didn't start keeping sack totals until 1982, New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan's 22.5 set in 2001 is the official mark.

"I'm going to try to go get it," said the normally media-shy Ware, who once he finally got the words out repeated them.

"Yes, I'm going to try to go get it."

Part of it is the competitor in Ware talking. He has been compared to Merriman since they were selected 11th and 12th, respectively, by the Cowboys and Chargers in the 2005 draft.

Merriman, who led the NFL in sacks last season with 17 and has notched 27 the past two years, is considered the league's best pass rusher.

"Well, as a pass-rush guy, you are going to look at sacks," Ware said. "That establishes your productivity. You want to be at the top. If you are not at the top, you are going to want to get there."

Part of it is a simple matter of deductive reasoning.

Ware, who notched eight sacks as a rookie, became the first Cowboys player to record double-digit sacks in a season since Tony Tolbert had 12 in 1996.

Now he is going from Bill Parcells' conservative 3-4 scheme to Phillips' aggressive 3-4, under which Merriman thrived the past two years with Phillips as his defensive coordinator.

More important, Ware will get to do what he does best on an every-down basis.

Bobby Carpenter – Bust? …Seldom do good players get jerked around this much…

Bobby Carpenter was moved to inside linebacker in the off-season. But he's back at outside linebacker, there as insurance should Greg Ellis not be ready to play by the first game of the regular season.

Carpenter played outside linebacker at the end of last season, so he's comfortable with the position. And he's OK with it, too.

"I'm just trying to get on the field," he said. "If I play three series at inside and three series outside, that's a pretty good game. Play special teams; I'm trying to get on the field.

"I'm comfortable wherever I can get on the field -- inside or outside."

W-O-W: Sooner vs. Longhorn takes a terrible turn …

The rancor in the Red River Rivalry apparently doesn't die between football or basketball seasons.

An Oklahoma City man has been charged with aggravated assault and battery, accused of causing extensive damage to another man's scrotum just because he wore a University of Texas shirt into a local bar.

Allen Michael Beckett, 53, has not been arrested on the felony charge, which was filed Monday in Oklahoma County District Court. It carries up to five years in prison if he is convicted.

Beckett is accused of having launched a verbal attack on Brian Thomas when the other man walked into Henry Hudson's Pub at 3509 NW 58 on June 17, according to court documents.

Thomas said Beckett, whom he had never met, called him "everything under the sun” for wearing a Longhorns T-shirt into the bar.

He said he and his friend sat at a table in the corner and tried to ignore the other man, but other man — who apparently is a University of Oklahoma fan — kept screaming at him.

Thomas said he decided he'd had enough after about 20 minutes of Beckett's abuse so he went to the bar to pay his tab. When he turned around, he said Beckett grabbed his crotch and refused to let go.

Thomas hit the other man several times before several bar patrons intervened, but Thomas said Beckett didn't let go until Thomas heard his scrotum tear and blood ran down his leg.

Thomas, who grew up a Texas fan, said it took more than 60 stitches to close his wound.

Sweden 1, USA 0 Jen Chang assures me that there are a few good signs, though …

1. The talent gap seems to have narrowed somewhat between Sweden and the U.S. -- I've had this discussion before with colleagues in the ESPN offices who are U.S. soccer fans, i.e. that Sweden is a far greater soccer power than the U.S. (pretty obvious to me, but apparently not so much to U.S. fans). That said, with Henrik Larsson retiring and Frederik Ljungberg in decline -- the Swedes really only have one 'special' player these days -- Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Take Ibrahimovic out of the Swedish lineup today, and man-for-man the Swedes really aren't that much more talented than the U.S. lineup (although the Swedish defense inspires a lot more confidence with its positioning than the U.S. defense does). Of course the X-factor here is that Sweden does have a player of the ilk of Ibrahimovic, which the U.S. doesn't -- but if I'm a Swedish fan, I'd be worried that there doesn't seem to be more Larssons or Ibrahimovics on the horizon.

2. The U.S. played well but never looked like winning. I actually thought the U.S. had a good showing overall and a lot of positive aspects, but it only created two clear-cut chances and you never got the feeling that the U.S. was going to win. Granted, the winning goal shouldn't have counted since Kim Kallstrom's strike came only after Kennedy Bakirciouglu had rather blatantly pushed off on U.S. defender Steve Cherundolo. However, the Swedes had the better chances throughout and it seemed to be only a matter of time before Ibrahimovic scored. Of particular concern to Bradley will be the way the U.S. was consistently exposed on the flanks during the Swedish counterattacks. On the positive side, DaMarcus Beasley was the standout tonight (aside from his miss of an early U.S. chance), and seems to be playing with more confidence again.

3. Once again, the lack of a finisher hurts the U.S. It's become obvious that the U.S. desperately requires a dangerous forward at the senior level and someone to complement Landon Donovan more effectively. The U.S. might have only had two clear chances against Sweden, but both were golden opportunities to score. Clint Dempsey is a decent temporary stopgap measure in a pinch at forward, but far from an ideal solution at that spot, and he doesn't look entirely comfortable in that position anyway. It's time to call up the Red Bulls' Jozy Altidore to the team and forget the fact that he's 17 -- he's easily as good as any forward in MLS and he's hardly likely to be any worse than what Eddie Johnson, Charlie Davies and others have shown for the U.S. lately. Speaking of the 'others' -- Kamani Hill looked pretty lively against Sweden, I wouldn't mind seeing more of him either.

Cowlishaw on the Bronx is Burning …a show I am strangely drawn to….

It's not often that I get hooked on a television show. It's even more seldom that I get hooked on one that I'm not even sure is any good.

But when The Bronx is Burning concludes next Tuesday night with Reggie Jackson hitting three home runs to lift the Yankees past the Dodgers in Game 6 – hope I didn't spoil that for anyone – I'm going to want to go back and watch all eight episodes again. And I'm fairly confident some offshoot of ESPN will allow me to do that.

This is despite the fact that the cartoon character Oliver Platt has chosen to play bears no resemblance to the George Steinbrenner he's supposed to be playing.
Notice of disclosure: Yes, I do work for ESPN but, no, I am not shilling for the network. I don't think everything they do works. I'm not sure the "Who's Now" tournament that played out on SportsCenter this summer was the greatest concept to come out of Bristol.

Some of The Bronx is Burning is a little on the cheesy side. The actor who plays Reggie Jackson has a few of his mannerisms down but not many. The cuts from made-for-TV action to the actual 1977 footage can be a little disturbing.

And why Mickey Rivers has been given such a small role is strange.

But the tale of the Yankees in the summer and fall of 1977 against the backdrop of the Summer of Fear created by the Son of Sam killings is a compelling storyline.
And the heavy use of ABC footage takes me back to college and a special time when the Yankees, after years of slumber, were just starting to return to greatness.
Actually, what they call the "Backstory" at the end of episodes is as good or better than the series itself, featuring interviews with Steinbrenner, Jackson, members of the New York media who covered the team – just about all the principals of the story except for the late Billy Martin.

After you've watched seven episodes, it's easy to start thinking of John Turturro, standing on the dugout steps, hands in his pockets, as Martin. Even if they overdid it on the Dumbo ears, he's terrific at capturing the Yankee manager's paranoia.

Hard News Alert: Modano and Ford married …no report that she ripped Stars management at wedding…

Stars center Mike Modano and pop star Willa Ford will be married Saturday in a small ceremony in Athens, Texas, a team spokesman said Monday.

The couple announced their engagement in November. They dated on and off for more than four years.

Ford is a native of Ruskin, Fla. The singer-actress most recently appeared on ABC's Dancing With the Stars. She had a hit with the song "I Wanna Be Bad."

Straight Cash Homey is a site dedicated to random humans wearing outdated sports jerseys….Like it.

Kige on Eli v Tiki



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