I know my sportscasting days are over, but its still in my blood and that is never going to change. So obviously now is the perfect time to take a look back at what happened this past year in the Valley sports scene.

First of all, almost exactly one year ago, the Fiesta Bowl gave us one of, if not the most exciting games in history when Boise State shocked the world and beat Oklahoma. It wasn't just that they won, it was HOW they won. Trick play after trick play, ending of course with that statue of liberty miracle. Right on the heels of that game, came the inaugural BCS championship game (also played in Glendale). Florida ran all over Ohio State to become national champions.

March Madness headlines centered on the ASU womens team. The Sun Devils made it all the way to the Elite 8.

Spring brought us the Phoenix Suns completing another fantastic regular season, only to have their hearts broken yet again in the playoffs. They lost to the Spurs in the Western Conference Semi-finals. The series was marred with controversy when NBA Commissioner David Stern suspended Amare Stoudemire for game 5.

Summer brought us the "boys of summer" and what a surprise the Diamondbacks turned out to be! They ended up making it all the way to the NLCS. They lost to the Rockies in that series but everyone in this state was very proud of what the team accomplished. That can also be said about the Phoenix Mercury. Diana Taurasi and company won the WNBA Championship. Congratulations certainly go out to them.

Autumn brought optimism for the Arizona Cardinals. A new head coach and a new attitude gave us a winning team.......for a while. The Cardinals again missed the playoffs but finished the season with a very respectable 8-8 record. Speaking of football and new coaches......Dennis Erickson and the ASU Sun Devils finished their season with a 10-2 record and for a short time, were in the national championship hunt. However, their season ended on a down note, losing in the Holiday Bowl to Texas.

Its been a great 2007, now lets all look forward to what 2008 brings!!!

It's a 15-foot, uncontested shot. You have a full 10 seconds to take it. Yet why do so many NBA teams not take full advantage of shooting free throws? Since the NBA season is starting to heat up, I thought I'd write about something that always amazes me in basketball. I think, especially in the NBA, teams should at least shoot 80 percent from the line. If you look at the statistics this season, you'll only find 2 teams that are shooting better than 80 percent right now.
Most teams are in the middle to low 70's and there are some that are even in the 60 percent range. That's unforgivable! Let me say this again.......ITS A 15-FOOT UNCONTESTED SHOT!!!!!

Steve Nash began this year 53 of 53 from the line and is currently shooting over 94 percent. He will most likely end his career having the best free throw percentage in league history. I'm not asking everyone to be like him, but making 8 out of every 10 you attempt should be commonplace if you're a pro basketball player.
I'll tell you how bad the free throw shooting has become around the league. In a game last week, the Houston Rockets were at one point, 1-16 from the line. I know 6-year olds that came make 5 of 16!!

It's well documented that Shaquille O'Neal has been one of the worst free throw shooters the NBA has ever seen. His career percentage right now is at 52 percent. The scary thing is that there seems to be more and more guys in the league following his lead from the line. My advice to those guys is simple.....instead of practicing dunks and pull-up 3's, take some time and shoot a few extra free throws.....you'll win more basketball games if you do.

Let me get this straight. Two of the most dominant players in the history of baseball (my favorite sport), are cheaters (allegedly). Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens have put up numbers over the past decade that seemingly almost defy logic.....and now we know why (allegedly). Bonds being on the list in yesterdays Mitchell report documenting heavy steroid use in baseball, wasn't a surprise, but Clemens' inclusion was. Even though I assumed he was "enhanced", actually seeing his name in print was shocking. After all, this is possibly the greatest pitcher ever. Now his legacy is forever tarnished by a decision he made which was fueled by ego and greed (allegedly).

Clemens was the biggest name in the Mitchell report, but there were 75 others. Many of those also surprised me. Having to tell my 11-year old son that one of his favorite players was caught cheating (allegedly), was a very hard thing to do. His face dropped when I told him Paul Lo Duca was included. That angers and saddens me all at the same time. I love baseball and always will, and I can forgive these guys, but I'll never forget what they did to put such a negative light on this great game.

What I fear is that this report will do nothing but create a huge "he said, she said" situation that will linger for years. I fear none of these guys will come out and say, "Yes I did that, I'm sorry and I'll do whatever I can to make this better." I think they'll all just deny these accusations and baseball will fall further and further into a game of cloudy questions and suspicions. I hope I'm wrong. I also hope that this report somehow leads to more advanced testing for HGH which is the current drug players are taking (allegedly), because its undetectable through urine tests.

The scary thing about yesterdays report is that I know it only scratches the surface. These 76 names came from just 3 sources. You know that so many others just "got away" with using performance-enhancing drugs because their providers weren't questioned or they were just better about hiding it.

Say it ain't so...........but I know it all is (allegedly).

That title probably makes you lose your appetite. For me, it makes my mouth water.
Being Italian, I've eaten pasta my entire life. Growing up, we had it on Thursdays and Sundays. Today I eat it close to 3 or 4 times a week and each time I have it, gravy is involved. Now I know what you're saying........."Gravy!?!?!?!"

Yes, gravy. Its the word my family uses for "sauce". Many other Italian families also use the term, but if you're not Italian, it sounds crazy. I've gotten so many odd looks from people over the years whenever I use the term. I can understand because when you buy pasta "sauce" from the store, that is exactly what it says on the jar. However, growing up in my family, it was forbidden to ever "buy" gravy. It was always homemade. My grandmother and mother would let it simmer for hours with meatballs and pork providing the flavor. So in fact, it was "gravy." Just not the kind most people think of. One of my many pasta memories as a kid was having "bread and gravy" while we waited for dinner. "Bread and sauce" just doesn't sound right to me, even now.


As you can tell by this blog, I'm hungry. Chances are before long, I'll be eating pasta today, and you can bet that I'll have it with "gravy".

Music is a huge part of my life all year round, and since these are the holidays, Christmas music takes center stage. To go on record, I can't listen to Christmas music until the day after Thanksgiving....it just doesn't seem right before that. Now that we're into December, I'm in big-time holiday music mode.

Without question, my favorite Christmas song is "The Christmas Song." Many don't recognize the title, but everybody knows it just as soon as the first line of the song is sung. That line is: "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire." Mel Torme is the co-writer of this classic. However, there is a catch to this being my favorite holiday tune. Its only my favorite when Nat King Cole sings it. Every other recording of this song just doesn't "do it" for me. Fortunately, his is the most played version. When I hear him singing it, it immediately takes me back to my childhood yuletide memories. I can almost "see" my grandparents on Christmas Eve when that song is played. That makes it very special to me. Music can be so powerful.

Next time you hear Nat King Cole singing that song on the radio during this holiday
season, I hope you really take some time to listen to the beauty of the lyrics and melody. Hopefully it'll fill you with the holiday spirit. Because what Mel Torme wrote really is true.....
"And so I'm offering this simple phrase, to kids from one to ninety-two. Although its been said, many times, many ways....Merry Christmas to you."