No words needed. An amazing tribute and send off to the Yankees Captain and baseball icon. Courtesy of Jordan Brand!
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Q and A with the Philadelphia Phillies’ David Buchanan
I met Sarah and Ashley Buchanan nearly ten years ago. We were working as servers at one of the busiest sports bars in Atlanta. We quickly became friends and have remained so over the years. Sarah has been a baseball junkie since I’ve known her. It was fun to see her get all worked up about the Braves. It was also fun to listen to her talk about her little brother.
I can honesty tell you that Sarah and Ashley seemingly never had a doubt that their younger brother David Buchanan was going to be a big league pitcher. Who am I to not trust them? I really began following his career once he hit Georgia State University. He had already been drafted by the Mets at that point but decided to stay in college. Shortly thereafter he was drafted by the Phillies. Two drafts, two of the Braves’ biggest rivals.
Needless to say, David quickly worked his way up to Lehigh Valley and was a solid part of the Iron Pigs rotation. This spring he made it really hard for the Phillies to send him back down, but you knew he would not be gone for long. So I made sure that when he made one of his last Iron Pigs appearances against the Gwinnett Braves that I made the game. I’m glad I did as David was dealing that night and looked sharp. After I watched him beat the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, the team I cover for Yanks Go Yard, twice in the same month, I was ready for him to head to the bigs. One game later he did.
As you will see in the interview, nothing seems more important to David than the support of friends and family. I am so grateful that he took a few minutes to answer a few questions for me even with all the work and preparation he goes through everyday. So, without further ado, let’s meet David Buchanan:
Wayniac Nation: You were born in 1989, which means you grew up just a few miles from Fulton County and then Turner Field during the greatest era of Braves baseball. That being said, what were your emotions after being drafted by the Phillies?
David Buchanan: My emotions were 100% excitement! All of my life I had dreamed of being a professional player and was told by a ton of people that it probably wouldn’t happen. I was officially getting my chance by an amazing team. I knew the Phillies were good so I was ecstatic to get going!
WN: Your start on June 14th was part of history. What did it mean to you as a rookie, nonetheless, being part of such a huge day with Jimmy Rollins’ big hit and watching Mike Schmidt walk onto the field?
DB: Everyday that I walk into the clubhouse I get a chance to hang out with some of the biggest names in baseball. On top of that my coaches have had amazing careers as well. Even more so my manager is a Hall of Famer! Being focused on my start was the main thing on my mind but I knew what was going on with Jimmy. The whole day was amazing! Not only did the team win, Jimmy break the record, and Mike Schmidt congratulate him on the field, but my girlfriend Ashley was there as well to witness it. It was such a cool experience all the way around!
WN: June 19th, St. Louis. Shelby Miller. You get to face off against one of the brightest young pitching stars in the game. You come out and pitch arguably the best game of your young career: 7.2 innings pitched, one run, only one walk, and four strikeouts. Is there extra pressure there, not just in facing such a good team, but in dueling Shelby Miller?
DB: Honestly there was no added pressure toward the team. I approach every team and pitcher the same. If you start thinking about who is better and who isn’t that good you will find yourself in a bad spot. I was excited to throw that day especially because my second family from Arkansas, the Grants, had driven up to see me as well as my sister’s boyfriend and my godfather. Having family and friends there means everything, then having an outing like I did just capped it off.
WN: You are lucky to have some highly successful veterans on the pitching staff for your first run in the bigs. What have you taken from being able to prepare every day alongside AJ Burnett, Cole Hamels, and Cliff Lee?
DB: I can’t even begin to talk about how much I have learned and how much I am learning from those guys! I have developed a friendship with them which means even more. The knowledge that they all have and share with me is priceless. But what is even more impressive is how down to earth they are. All in all the kind of people/teammates they are to me, could never be stated justifiably enough.
WN: On June 29th in Philly you had your first go ‘round with your home town Braves. Was it really just another game? Were the butterflies jumping out of your stomach?
DB: It’s going to be a little different only because I will be facing a team that I literally spent my entire childhood rooting for: wearing shirts and hats, going to games, and pretending to be certain players in the back yard, it’s what I did all the time. So being in the place where I’m pitching against them was very surreal! I had so many friends texting and calling me, telling me that I was putting them in a very tight spot because they all love the Braves but they we’re going to root for me anyway. That definitely meant a lot to receive that kind of support. It was a really cool experience all the way around.
THE WACKY WEEK IN SPORTS: Independence Day Style
Yet another week of sports has found its way into the books. (Incidentally, I always wondered what books stuff seems to find its way into, especially with the Internet and Wikipedia these days. But I digress…) It’s also the last day of my ten day road trip up and down the east coast. After taking in a lovely Single-A Hickory Crawdads baseball game last night, I am ready to head home. But not before one last week in review from the road!
The final four in the World Cup is set. The host nation of Brazil is set to take on Germany on Tuesday, while the upstart Netherlands club, who sent my beloved Ticans of Costa Rica home yesterday vi penalty kicks, is ready to play Argentina. The big news moving forward is that two of the biggest names in the world will be absent from the pitch for the remainder of the Cup. Sergio Aguero of Argentina remained sidelined but hopes to be prepared for the semi finals, although it looks bleak. Brazil lost Beats By Dre spokesperson Neymar for the remainder of the Cup. He broke a vertebra in his back on a controversial play against Colombia and would eventually be airlifted to a hospital. His absence could invoke them to play stronger to bring home the Cup for him, or it could be a devastating blow as he is their clear cut leader. This past Tuesday brought an end to the United States impressive run. Although many were happy and proud of this team, I saw it a little differently. In case you missed last Wednesday’s story, here are the three reasons you should not be happy with the USMNT performance in the World Cup. Also, as depicted in the picture above, the largest locust in the history of the world assisted in a goal for Colombia’s James Rodriguez. After the game, the locust tested positive for PEDs.
Does Josh Gordon simply not want to play in the NFL? Justin Blackmon Part Deux was arrested on Saturday morning for a DUI after blowing a 0.9. This of course comes after he was caught in May for marijuana. While Gordon seems like a blast to hang out with, his 2015 season and career are clearly in jeopardy. This would be a huge blow to the Browns and fantasy geeks nationwide. For those of you who don’t know Josh Gordon, he was the guy who made Brandon Weeden, Brian Hoyer, and Jason “Captain Checkdown” Campbell look like NFL quarterbacks last season. Johnny Manziel reportedly tweeted how angry he was at Gordon as Mr. Football felt he was the only Browns’ player allowed to hog the limelight. In other big NFL news, Jimmy Graham was declared a tight end and not a wide receiver as he had hoped in his franchise tag ruling. So if you get a chance, please tweet Jimmy (whose own Twitter account says he’s a tight end, Einstein) and tell him how sorry you are for him that he has to make ONLY a little over seven million this season while he negotiates what will most likely be the largest tight end contract of all time.
Queen James and the Big Three are still currently unsigned in the NBA. Early reports were that LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh were negotiating amongst themselves to figure out a way to get all three back together on the Heat next season. Now, there are reports surfacing that James may indeed go his own way, with Phoenix being a potential suitor. I guess he figures Phoenix will be a shorter flight home from San Antonio when he loses to Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili, aka The Real Big Three, again next season. In other NBA news, the 2014 draft picks have started play in the Orlando Summer League. Shabazz Napier and Marcus Smart had shaky debuts but finished out strong. Nerlens Noel impressed everyone, dropping 19 points while grabbing two boards, and adding three assists, four steals and one block in his first professional performance.
How do you describe the play of Clayton Kershaw of late? Gnarly? Sick? Silly? Whatever you choose, Kershaw has decimated MLB lineups and has now dealt 36 consecutive scoreless innings over 32 innings while allowing a mere 13 hits while striking out 44 and walking four! That’s insane. Kershaw is honing in on his second consecutive season with an ERA under 1.90 and back-to-back Cy Young Awards. That would give him three in four years at the age of 26. That’s right, folks, Kershaw is just hitting his pitching prime. Throw on top of it that he just got paid some serious loot and unlike other divas in the world of sports, he’s still actually performing! We are watching something truly special in LA and pretty soon everyone of his starts is going to be a prime time game. Across the country, this past July 4th marked the 75th anniversary of Lou Gehrig’s immortal farewell speech. The greatest first baseman of all-time gave a speech on July 4, 1939 that rivals any ever given. It evokes tears and gives chills to every sports fan to this day.
BONEHEAD OF THE WEEK AWARD: Finally some NHL news that is worthy to write about. Philadelphia Flyers’ captain and forward Claude Giroux was arrested on Canada Day in Ontario for repeatedly grabbing a male police officer’s rear end. Seriously. I didn’t even have to make any of that up, so I say thank you Claude. According to USA Today, Giroux said, “”I regret my actions on Canada Day and sincerely apologize to my fans, teammates and the Philadelphia Flyers organization for my misguided attempt at humor.” Don’t sell yourself short, pal, you’re the funniest hockey player to ever live. Well, next to these guys at least:
There you have it. An entire week in less than 1000 words. Hope everyone had a good Fourth of July Weekend and stay tuned for another wacky week of sports!!!
THE WACKY WEEK OF SPORTS: Eat Your Heart Out, Iron Mike
What a week, folks! Highlighted by yet another Suarez attack, there was a lot that went down around the sports world. So, fasten you seat belts, Wayniacs, as we go around the world of sports.
Here’s a little known fact: Did you know that the odds of getting bit by a shark are approximately 3.7 million to one? That means that based on the Vegas line and the course of his career, you are less likely to get bit by a shark than Uruguay’s vampire-esque superstar Luis Suarez. Suarez put the World Cup center stage with his antics, biting Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini in a game which would eventually decide who was the last team to advance from Group D. Coincidentally, Uruguay would win, but Suarez would pay the price being suspended from soccer for the next four months. The US lost to Germany in a decisive game that still allowed the USMNT to advance for a match against Belgium this coming Tuesday. So you win a game, you draw a game, and then you lose a game… but you ultimately come out of the Group of Death alive. This all proves that Americans are still too stubborn and stupid to comprehend soccer. Can I get an amen, Ann Coulter?
Turning to America’s other pastime, baseball had an eventful week. The hair is a little bit shorter and the mustache is a bit more porn starrish, but when Tim Lincecum is feeling it, he still has the ability to wow any baseball fan. The Freak no hit the San Diego Padres for the second time in a calendar year this past Wednesday, missing a perfect game by a mere one walk of Chase Headley. The Angels’ young superstar, center fielder Mike Trout also blasted his way into the the headlines. Trout slammed a home run 489 feet into the fountains at Royals’ Stadium, proving the old adage: chicks dig the long ball.
The NBA had a lot going this past week. Currently, everyone but Norris Cole has opted out of their contracts in Miami. Now, throughout the month of July, we all get to play the Where will Queen James go? game. Who cares? Where ever it is he goes, he will win a lot of games, score a tremendous amount of points, and then lose to Tim Duncan in the NBA Finals who said he will return for another year. The NBA Draft was also this week, and of all the picks and trades that went down, none was better than Baylor’s Isaiah Austin. Austin, a projected first round pick, had to end his career before it started due to Marfan syndrome, yet Commissioner Adam Silver still called his name Thursday making Austin an honorary NBA draft pick. Between tossing that bum Sterling out on his racist rear end, not rigging the NBA Finals to let Bron win, and now this move, Silver is certainly gaining a lot of friends and momentum heading into his first full season as Commish.
The NHL had their draft as well.
Hail to the Not So Politically Correct Native Americans! The big news in the NFL this week came off the field, as the Redskins name and logo lost several of its trademarks and copy rights. It is looking more and more like Daniel Snyder will have to change his team name from the Redskins. Rumored replacement names have been the Affordable Health Cares, the Socialists, and Daniel Snyder’s Big Pile of Wasted Money. In Texans news, there is hope on the horizon, fellow Texans’ fans. Third string quarterback Case Keenum plans on reaching out to Andre Johnson to throw with during his hold out. Yea, that’s exactly what Andre needs. Everyday, AJ must be one step closer to losing his mind.
And lastly, everyone’s favorite troubled golfer Tiger Woods returned to the limelight this weekend at the Quicken Loans International… well, kind of. Woods didn’t do terribly in his first two rounds of his return, but it wasn’t good enough to make the cut. No red shirt this Sunday, but the golf world is happier their favorite feline is back.
What does the week in sports have in store? That’s the beauty of sports: you can read the Vegas lines and people’s predictions all you want, but they are about as accurate as a meteorologist. Until next time, let’s hope the Yanks beat the Sox in the rubber match tonight and make sure you have your red, white, and blue on Tuesday at 4 PM. In the immortal words of Journey: Don’t stop believing! USA… USA… USA!!!
The Bottomless World Cup: Mama Said Knock You Out!
Well, it wasn’t pretty but it certainly was entertaining. Suarez got hungry and the US lost to advance. On top of it, I only got 10 of my 16 teams to advance in my World Cup bracket at Verde. Spain really screwed me, but I was not alone. It was a historic showing for Spain as they set the new standard for worst performance by a defending champion.
Of my four super upsets only two advanced, but again, I don’t think anyone, including half of Chile, saw Chile doing what they did to Spain. My Ticos from Costa Rica won a group that no one gave them a chance in and our own US of A came out of the Group of Death alive, but not so well. Hopefully, Jozy gets clearance and is able to suit up, but we shall see. Brazil and Chile kick off at noon today, so follow along the Knockout Round and root for yours truly to march on!
Tune in tomorrow for your Wacky Week in Sports. Until then, I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL WIN!!!
It’s G-r-r-reat!!! Tiger Woods Returns
Guess who’s back? Back again? Tiger’s back, and Dun-ten. Wayniac Nation’s golf expert, Mike Dunton (@dartbus1521) returns with a look at what to expect from the return of Tiger Woods. Does he win this weekend? Can he get to 19 majors?
Tiger is once again about to prowl the PGA tour, and nobody is happier than I am. Golf has lost its swagger since Tiger announced he had to repair a bulging disk in his back over two months ago. When Tiger shocks PGA Nation and wins his comeback tourney this weekend, the golf world will once again be his.
The Wacky Week in Sports
Welcome to the newest feature at Wayniac Nation. Every Sunday, I am going to take you the world of sports for the week that was. So sit back, grab some coffee, and let’s go around the world of sports!
The entire world has been engulfed by the World Cup this past week. Whether you love futbol or are one of those people who loves to bash it for being boring and soft (yet tune into baseball and LeBron James and his cramps), the numbers don’t lie: more people are watching than aren’t. Luis Suarez had two goals in his 2014 World Cup debut to send England packing before the knockout round for the first time in nearly 60 years. In just three short weeks, Suarez has to return to Liverpool for the start of The Barclays/ EPL season where I’m sure he will receive a very warm welcome. Spain, who has been ranked number one in the world since 2008 and are the reigning World Cup champs, were bounced by the Cinderella Chile national team. And then there is the good ol’ US of A. Our men’s national team pulled off a big win against Ghana in game one and later today, take on an injury-plagued, suspension-filled Portugal team. The US had two great goals against Ghana but played an otherwise uninspiring game, despite the fact that major sports sites gushed about their game one performance, proving what most of the world already knew: Americans know nothing about soccer. Jozy Altidore is out, our captain has a broken nose, and the man who put US Soccer on the map in Landon Donovan is sitting at home.
Speaking of boring sports, let’s turn to baseball. MLB’s biggest diva hadn’t been in the spot light for several months, so Alex Rodriguez returned to the headlines by dropping his lawsuit against the Yankees’ medical staff. Early reports indicate that A-Rod didn’t necessarily realize he was wrong, but ultimately discovered that no one gave a rat’s ass. On a serious note, the baseball world and San Diego mourned the passing of a great one. Tony Gwynn left us this week, but will always be remembered by his big hits and bigger smile. As a lifelong Gwynn fan, I paid tribute to him this past Tuesday. If you missed it, please check it out: The Loss of a Legend.
BONEHEAD OF THE WEEK AWARD: Hanley Ramirez, SS, Los Angeles Dodgers. The 30-year old, 10-year MLB veteran short stop made the biggest error of his career on Wednesday night. Ramirez threw away an easy out in the seventh inning an in doing so, he threw out Clayton Kershaw’s perfect game, which would have arguably been the best perfect game ever thrown. Kershaw was dealing Wednesday night, needing just 107 pitches en route to striking out 15 Rockies and walking none. Yet Hanley Ramirez couldn’t reach first base. Well done, dumb ass.
Big news in the world of golf: Lucy Li, an 11-year old prodigy, made big news appearing in the Women’s US Open becoming the youngest girl ever to do so. While she didn’t make the cut, she did extremely well with 78s on an extremely tough Pinehurt No. 2 course and finished 120th out of 154 contestants. I mean, really, how bad do those 34 women feel who lost to an 11-year old right now? Oh yea, Tiger Woods also returns this coming tournament. Waffle House waitress nation wide rejoice.
The NBA is done and the Spurs, as predicted here on Wayniac Nation, won their fifth championship. Which of course means all the talk has been about Pat Riley and his big three attention hounds in Miami. Will LeBron be back? Is Dywane Wade healthy enough? Is Chris Bosh really a dinosaur? No one seems to care that Tim Duncan, the greatest power forward of all time, is 38-years old and may retire. Everyone forgot that Tony Parker was banged up heading into the Finals and like Wade, his body seems to be wearing down. Oh yea, Gregg Popovich secured his fifth ring in 18 years. No one cares.
The NFL OTAs are still under way and Andre Johnson is still a no show. I’m sure that Bill O’Brien officially naming Ryan Fitzpatrick starting quarterback for my Houston Texans will change Johnson’s mind and have him running back to training camp.
And lastly, there is nothing to report from the NHL because, well quite frankly, who the hell cares about hockey anymore anyway? But seriously folks, the Rangers lost the Stanley Cup to the Los Angeles Kings. Hope you enjoyed it Rangers’ fans. If history has showed us anything, your team won’t be relevant for at least another 20 years.
There you have it, the world of sports in under 700 words. Now go get your red, white, and blue on because I BELIEVE…
The Loss of a Legend: RIP Tony Gwynn
I am a 39-year old baseball junkie. When I was eight, I became a Tony Gwynn fan. Everyone by now knows that I am a die hard Yankees fan. I have seen some great players that have come through the Bronx since I started watching baseball in 1983. None of them were ever able to over take Gwynn as my favorite.
Yesterday, social media, the internet, and sports stations were paying homage to this great human being with some beautiful commentary on his life. The entire time my phone was blowing up with people making sure I had heard the terrible news, as if I had lost a family member. Throughout the day yesterday, we heard and read a lot from reporters and friends recollecting his insanely amazing career. Today, I want to share with you the life of a legend from a Tony Gwynn super fan. I idolized this guy for so long that I have no problem admitting that Tim Kurkjian’s piece gave me the chills.
Continue on to my homage to a legend
Futbol, America’s Pastime: World Cup Commentary with Amelia
I couldn’t be prouder to introduce our newest writer to the Wayniac Nation family. She comes to us from her amazing travel blog The Adventures of Amelia in which, through photos and memoirs, she recollects her amazing journeys around the world. We have wanted to collaborate for some time, so what better time than the World Cup. Amelia has been to more than a dozen of this year’s World Cup qualifiers, so she looks to bring you worldly insights as she delves into the world of futbol and Americana.
Well guys, it’s finally upon us. We’re five days into the greatest sporting event in the world, and just hours away from the highly anticipated debut from the US Mens’ National Team. We’ve made it another four, unbearably long years to hear that sweet sound of vuvuzelas (just kidding, they won’t be there this time), Ian Darke’s dulcet announcing tones, and various rhythmic chants sung in languages we can’t even understand. Despite the 32 nationalities represented, we don’t need to be fluent in multiple languages to comprehend this magnificent event. The sport itself is communication enough. It’s called fútbol and it’s the most International language of them all. For me, it’s also the first romance language. From gruesome, mid-air head collisions, to footwork that would blow even David Copperfield’s mind, this sport is one of the finest worldwide. Brilliantly orchestrated dives from the likes of Balotelli and Dragba make for a spectacular performance for all you drama-types out there, while Cristiano Ronaldo’s perfectly sculpted abs are capable of turning even the girliest of girls into fans of ESPN this summer. And by the way, ladies, have you seen the Spanish team roster this year? Come. ON. And gentlemen, if the intense head-to-head play wasn’t enough for you, perhaps Adriana Lima’s Kia ads will do the trick. What doesn’t this event bring to the table? The 2014 World Cup is here, and it has something for everyone — even Americans.
An American, Honduran, English Lady’s view on futbol? Keep reading!!!
Happy Father’s Day Sports Style
It’s that magical time of year. The time of year when the grills are afire and the Coors Light are acoolin’. What better way to celebrate dear old dad than with BBQ, beer, and baseball?
Throughout the course of sports history, there have been quite a few powerful gene pools across the major US sports. Every one knows about Bobby Bonds and Barry Bonds, and if you don’t, you really need to put down the Dungeons and Dragons and come outside for a little while. The Bonds’ father and son duo combined for 1094 drug induced home runs over their notorious careers and stand as one of the most famous combos of all time. The Griffey’s were so nice, they had to name them twice! Ken and Junior not only combined for 782 home runs themselves, they actual hit back-to-back bombs in the same game. When my dad and I bonded, he snuck me to get ice cream when my mom said I couldn’t have any. These two were bashing back to backers. Don’t get me wrong, I love my dad and I love ice cream, but the closest me and my dear old dad came to baseball immortally was when he coached my 3rd grade little league team (which Wayniac Nation’s own Sport Illuminati was a member of 31 years ago!).
Keep reading for the newest Father/Son Sports Combos!!!
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