Final Edition

Hey there sports fans and welcome to tonight's final edition of the Wide World of Wildcats. Over the course of the semester, I have had the pleasure of posting about various sports topics whether it be athlete profiles, my experiences or game highlights. Every week, I have looked forward to my next post and have loved having the opportunity to pick a sports related topic that everyone would enjoy and want to read. I have learned a significant amount about blogging and have come to love it. Blogging is something that is so easy to do and it is the quickest way to get out what you want to say. It is easily accessible to anyone and everyone and it is so simple to use. I would highly recommend blogging to anyone who enjoys writing.

One of the most useful tools I picked up by my blog is how to effectively write about sports. Before this, I hadn't done much sports writing at all, but this blog gave me the opportunity to practice each week. I'm glad I was able to cover a variety of sports and tell about my experiences. I truly have a passion and fascination for all sports and this blog further proved that a career in sports needs to be in my future. 

I appreciate everyone who took the time to check in each week and read what I had going on. It has been a good ride for the past four months and I could not have asked for a better class assignment. From sunny Tucson, Arizona, thanks for the support and until next time, Bear Down!

Stefanos Michael, International Track Star

      Stefanos Michael competing in long jump

Good afternoon sports fans and welcome to this weeks edition of Wide World of Wildcats. I hope you all are enjoying your weekend and the NBA playoffs which are now underway. To get things started, I had the pleasure of meeting and talking to one of UA's international athletes, Stefanos Michael, who I will later be doing a more in-depth story on. Here's a preview of his life and his journey to the U.S. and the UA.

Stefanos grew up in Cyprus, an island not too far from Greece, with a population about the size of Tucson. Growing up, he loved to play basketball, but when he was 13-years-old, he started practicing the long jump. When he was 16, he was the third best jumper in all of Cyprus. At 17, he was the best in Cyprus. He then became the fourth best in all of Greece and Cyprus and in 2003, he qualified for the Youth World Champion

ship in Canada. 

After high school and lyceum, Stefanos, served in the military, a requirement in Cyprus. Due to a bad coaching experience, Stefanos stopped jumping and stopped competing. It wasn't until after his time in the military when he started practicing again.

"It's hard to be an athlete and a student in Cyprus," Stefanos said. "They don't care about athletes there."

After a year of studying at the University of Cyprus, Stefanos decided he wanted to come to the United States.

"I came here to have a better future in sports and school."

He decided on the University of Arizona because it's a "good school, has good weather and a good team in track."

      Stefanos in competition

Being an international athlete, the initial adjustment to the U.S. was challenging, but he was able to adjust quickly.

"The hard part is missing your family," said Stefanos, who only sees his family twice a year, but talks to them on the phone twice a week. "The hard thing for me is the language."

Although English is taught at school back in Cyprus, Stefanos admits that he never paid attention. It wasn't until the military when he started to learn it. Greek is his first language.

Today, Stefanos could not be happier about his decision to come to UA where he is a sophomore majoring in Electrical Engineering. 

"This is a good environment for athletes," Stefanos said. "Everyone is helping and supporting here."

Stefanos hopes to attend graduate school after completing his undergrad at UA. He also hopes to continue competing in the long jump.

"I look to jump good so I can show my appreciation. That's the thing I want to do," Stefanos said. "I want to thank my coach, Sheldon Blockburger, head coach, Coach Fred Harvey and manager Francesca Green for their support for everything they do for me and the team."

For more on Stefanos, please visit the Arizona Athletics website and in a few weeks, check out borderbeat.net.

That wraps up this weeks edition. Tune in next week for a final farewell of the Wide World of Wildcats. Until then, Bear Down!

      Stefanos (in blue) taking a break during competition

FC Barcelona and Camp Nou

     FC Barcelona "More than a club"


Hey there sports fans and welcome to this weeks edition of Wide World of Wildcats. I am currently home in Sacramento, relaxing and enjoying some quality time with my family. When I arrived home, my parents had saved an article about me from our local newspaper, the Sacramento Bee, about FC Barcelona, specifically their stadium, Camp Nou. Last semester (Fall 2008), I had the opportunity to study abroad in Barcelona. It was by far the best time of my life and I loved every second of it, especially when it came to soccer. With that said, FC Barcelona (the city's soccer team) is one of the best teams in the world and they have been through a lot to get to where they are today. The article I read said that you have not truly experienced Barcelona unless you have been to a FC Barcelona game at Camp Nou. While abroad, I was lucky enough to not only attend an FC Barcelona game, but I was also able to take a tour of Camp Nou. Here's what I have for you.

     VIP seats in Camp Nou

History

The first stadium FC Barcelona played in was Les Corts in 1922. The s

tadium held only 20,000 people and it was quickly decided they needed more room. In 1957, Camp Nou was opened and is still the home of FC Bar

celona. Camp Nou holds over 98,000 people and is the largest stadium in Europe.

    Goal and part of Camp Nou

FC Barcelona

FC Barcelona was founded in 1899 and FC Barcelona stands for Futbol Club Barcelona. Their slogan is "Mes que un club" which translates to "More than a club." Their colors are scarlet and blue. Each jersey has UNICEF printed on it as  each year FC Barcelona donates $1.9 million to the charity. They have won numerous championships and are one of the most successful futbol clubs in Europe. Their biggest rival is Real Madrid and every year they face-off in El Clasico. Today, FC Barcelona's best and most notable players in the world is Argentian-born Lionel Messi who is only 21 years old. 

    Locker room

Game Experience

Walking into Camp Nou was one of the coolest yet most overwhelming experiences. It was packed with people all sporting their Barca jerseys. I was worried about hooligans, but luckily I didn't encounter any. Most people in the United States stereotype futbol games as being out of control and dangerous because of the fans, but that is only in extreme cases. My seats were in the last row of the stadium, but there are no bad seats in Camp Nou. One thing most people are surprised to hear is that they do not sell alcoholic beverages at the stadium, only non-alcoholic beer. The food is also not a hot commodity like it is in the U.S. I had some sort of hotdog soaked in mustard and I was the only one at the concession stand. The game in itself was very exciting. Goal after goal and of course, Barca won. It was unbelievable just to be part of the game and the futbol experience. When we left, the metro (the subway) was crowded with people shouting their favorite FC Barcelona cheers and drinking the 1 Euro Estrella's they bought on the streets. I agree with the author of the article-you can not truly experience Barcelona unless you attend a futbol game.

     Press room

That wraps up this weeks edition. Hope you enjoyed learning about FC Barcelona and Camp Nou. Tune in next week and until next time, Bear Down!

     Part of trophy case

UA Track and Field Meet

On Saturday afternoon I attended my first college track and field meet, the annual Jim Click Shootout. I went to meet the subject of my next story, Stefanos Michael, a 6-2 sophomore from Greece who competes in the long jump. When I arrived, I was greeted by my friend Jeremy who walked me to the long jump event and introduced me to Stefanos. He was very nice and his accent wasn't too thick. He was about to compete so I wished him good luck and took my place right in front of the sand pit. I watched three rounds of the long jump, each jump more impressive than the next. It was awesome being right in the action. I stood and took pictures which was a difficult challenge at first, but once I got the hang out if I was able to take some really cool pictures. 

All around me people were competing in different events. At times, it was hard to stay focused on the long jump because there was so much going on. There was pole vaulting, the shot put and 100-meter dashes. I was surprised the stands were not more crowded considering this was a good competition. In fact, it was so good that 26 athletes set personal records and the team earned 16 NCAA West Regional Qualifications. 

There are currently 80 people on the track and field roster, 39 men and 41 women. Of those, six of the men and three of the women are from outside of the

 United States, making this a truly international team.

Jeremy told me that besides the Wildcat, I was the most media the team had ever had. That surprised me because Arizona has a great track and field program that often times goes unnoticed. I was fascinated by the number of athletes who were competing and at the intensity level they were competing at. I believe the school should do more to promote and market the events because they are close to campus and they are really fun and entertaining to watch. Plus, it is impossible to get bored since there is so much going on.

All in all, I really enjoyed my first track and field experience. I wish I would have gone to more meets, but at least I can finally say I have been to one. For anyone who has never attended a meet, I would highly recommend going and seeing what all the hype is about.

That wraps up this weeks edition of the Wide World of Wildcats. Tune in next week for another juicy sports update. Until next time, Bear Down!

Japan Defends Title, Winning WBC Again

Japan celebrating their victory over Korea, 5-3. Photo from the New York Times.


Good evening sports fans and welcome to this weeks edition of the Wide World of Wildcats. The World Baseball Classic came to an end last Monday as Japan took the title of World Champions once again it what was a remarkable game. Let's get to it, shall we?

Unlike the rest of the tournament, the championship game was just that-one game that determined who would become this years world champions. The game, held at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, was between rivals Korea and the defending champions, Japan. This game was the fifth meeting for the two teams, with their series tied at 2-2. 

Japan was ahead 3-1 in the bottom of the 9th as it looked like the game was over, but Korea came back to tie it 3-3, sending the game to extra innings. In the top of the 10th inning, Seattle Mariner and Japanese star Ichiro Suzuki hit a two-run single, putting Japan back on top 5-3. Korea was unable to answer back which led Japan to the 5-3 win.

Pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka of Japan, who plays for the Boston Red Sox, was named MVP for the second consecutive WBC. It's been a huge few years for Daisuke who is now a two-time WBC champion, a two-time WBC MVP and he won the World Series with the Red Sox in 2007.

Daisuke Matsuzaka pitching for Japan. Photograph from daylife.com

Japan earned the prize winnings of $2.7 million for wining the tourney with a bonus of $400,000 for winning the first round. Korea still came up big, earning $1.7 million for the runner-up position and an additional $300,000 for winning the first round.

The game was played in front of a record breaking crowd of 54,846. This years WBC drew in bigger numbers and more fans than the previous tournament. Attendance for the tournaments 39 games rose from 737,112 to an astounding 801,408. Television viewership also increased, raising 30 percent in the U.S. With numbers like this, the tournament will continue to be a huge success in its 2013 return.

Looking far ahead to the future, many are hoping that due to the success of the WBC, baseball will be added to the Summer Olympics in 2016. It may seem far fetched, but Major League Baseball and International officials have already begun lobbying for the return of America's favorite pastime to the Olympics. Only time will tell...

For a great photo slideshow of Japan done by the New York Times, click here.

That concludes this weeks edition, but I'll be back next week, same time, same place. Until next time, Bear Down!

Mexico Eliminated from WBC

Hey there sports fans and welcome to this weeks edition of the Wide World of Wildcats. Great week for Wildcat fans here in Tucson as the team is now in the sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament, but a sad week for Mexico as they were eliminated from the World Baseball Classic. Let's recap their time in the tourney.

In Round 1 in Mexico City, Mexico, the team went 2-2, beating South Africa and Australia and losing to Australia and Cuba. They were however, able to advance to the second round, playing back-to-back games at Petco Park in San Diego, California. 

In their first second round game, Mexico took on Korea losing 8-2. Shortstop Augie Ojeda of Mexico had 2 RBIs, giving Mexico the little hope they had in this game, but unfortunately it was not enough. In game 2, Mexico played Cuba who had previously destroyed them 16-4 in a first round game so now it was Mexico's chance to get revenge. Even with 7 hits, including 1 homerun by third baseman Jorge Cantu, Mexico was unable to seek their revenge, losing 7-4. Double elimination put Mexico out of the tournament, but the team is still holding their heads high and looking to come back bigger and better than ever in the 2013 WBC.

Tonight will be the championship game will be held at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California at 6 p.m. MST. The defending champs Japan will take on Korea in the teams fifth meeting in this series. The series between the two is an even 2-2, so this game is really up for grabs. Make sure to tune in tonight on ESPN or ESPN Deportes in which should be one for the books. 

Congrats to the WBC for another exciting tournament. I look forward to seeing what the 2013 tournament brings and hope it is even more successful than this one. From Tucson, this concludes this edition, but make sure to tune in next time. Until then, Bear Down! 

World Baseball Classic Kicks Off

Hey there sports fans and welcome to another (early) edition of the Wide World of Wildcats. Big week for sports as the World Baseball Classic is officially underway. For the next few weeks, I will be giving you a play-by-play of Team Mexico and their status in the WBC. Let's get started.

Despite playing at home at Foro Sol Stadium in Mexico City, Mexico, Team Mexico started out a little rough in their first game on Sunday, March 8th against Australia, losing 17-7. Mexico started out strong, leading 5-3 at the bottom of the first inning, but it didn't take long for Australia to gain momentum. Designated Hitter Jorge Vasquez had a big game for Mexico with a home run in the first and four RBIs. Unfortunately it wasn't enough to pull off the win.

Mexico dominated in game two against South Africa, coming up big 14-3. The game was relatively slow, but Mexico picked up the pace towards the end, scoring a combined total of 11 runs in the last three innings. First baseman Adrian Gonzalez had two homeruns, one in the third and one in the eighth, and 6 RBIs. 

The third game took place Wednesday, March 11th and Mexico was able to get their revenge on Australia. This time, they turned the tables around beating Australia 16-1. Mexico pitcher Rodrigo Lopez was unstoppable, pitching 11 strikes and only four balls and holding Mexico to only six hits the entire game. Mexico produced big numbers with 16 runs, 13 hits and 15 RBIs. 

Mexico's final game in round 1 was tonight against the undefeated Cuba. Mexico was up for the challenge, but they were not able to pull through in the end losing 16-4.  The game was all tied up until the fourth inning where Cuba had five runners score. From there it was down hill as Cuba scored 9 runs in the seventh inning and didn't look back.

Mexico will be advancing to round two which will take place at Petco Park in San Diego, California. Their first game will be against Korea who has yet to lose a game in the WBC and is coming off three huge wins. The game will be held on Sunday at 8 p.m. MST and will be aired on the MLB Network and ESPN Deportes.

Well, that concludes this weeks edition. I'm off to sunny Cabo San Lucas, Mexico for a relaxing spring break. Thanks for tuning in and until next time, Bear Down!

D-backs vs. Team Mexico

At 5:45 p.m. on March 4th, myself along with my friend Meredith pulled into the parking lot at Tucson Electric Park, home of Arizona Diamondback's spring training, ready for an exciting baseball game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Team Mexico. The sun was starting to set as we paid the $5 parking fee and made our way to the ticket office to purchase lawn seats. Upon arriving at the ticket office, the lines were so long they trickled into the parking lot, each line no shorter than 15 people. Meredith and I looked at each other and smiled as we both pulled our Borderbeat badges out of our bags in hopes of using them to enter the game. It is important to note that a couple days prior to this game, I called and emailed media relations for the D-backs in hopes of attaining media passes, but I never heard back. We never really thought our badges would work but we figured we had nothing to lose and it was worth a try. We went up to the main entrance, flashed our laminated badges like we owned the place and told them we were journalists with Borderbeat. The ticket-takers looked at us, looked at each other and then directed us to the "office" for further guidance. It looks like our plan was actually going somewhere...

At the office, we talked to the nice, older woman working the desk who was more than happy to help us. She called one of the guys who does media relations for the D-backs who wants to talk to one of us about our motives of obtaining press passes. Meredith willingly takes the call thinking it is going to be a piece of cake and proceeds to get yelled at about being "unprofessional" and not going through the proper process of obtaining a pass. He then tells Meredith that he needs to talk to our professor to make sure we are legitimate. Meredith handles herself beautifully as we scramble for our professor's, Jay, phone number. We finally

 get it and Jay thankfully agrees to call in and vouch for us. Meredith and I patiently await the outcome, hoping that Jay can work his magic and talk this guy into giving us passes. After 15  minutes, the media relations guy calls back and wants to talk to one of us again. This time, I step up to the plate and confidently take the phone. He was pleasant and asked me what we kind of story we were hoping to attain. I tell him all about why we were there-to simply get a story about Team Mexico playing the D-backs. After hearing me out, he agrees to give us media passes. 30 minutes later, it's go time.

We enter Tucson Electric Park and to my surprise, it is packed. Fans are wondering the ballpark, purchasing T-shirts, eating hot dogs and sipping on a refreshing beer. Red D-backs shirt are lost in a sea of green Mexico jerseys.  While this is supposed to be D-backs "home" game, there were by far more Team Mexico fans showing their team pride. Along with the Mexico and D-backs jerseys, many people were wearing the official World Baseball Classic 2009 shirt since Team Mexico would be representing for their country in the tournament which started Thursday. 

Meredith and I circle the park and take a few pictures from the first baseline and decide to take full advantage of our passes and head to the press box. We walk behind the closed double black doors and take the elevator up to the third floor. A security guard checks our passes and clears us for the box. We enter the box which is next to empty, consisting of only six other media members and take a seat (but not before grabbing a complimentary water). The view from the box is unreal. We were seated between the third baseline and home plate, but more towards home plate. You could see the entire park from our seats. The lights were illuminating the field as fans were out of their seats cheering loudly for their favorite players and for their team of choice. Meredith and I sat in the box for the remainder of the game, bailing out a little early to avoid the traffic.

All in all, the game was a great time. It started out a little rough, but it was worth it in the end. The game was exciting as Team Mexico had 19 runs, beating the D-backs 19-4 and just being in the ballpark and experiencing the game up close made it that much better. The measures a journalist must take to get the perfect story are endless and on March 4th, we proved this.

Check out Team Mexico in the World Baseball Classic as they hope to bring home the championship. For a complete schedule, click here.

D-backs Spring Training

Good evening sports fans and welcome to this weeks edition of Wide World of Wildcats. Big week in Tucson as Spring Training games started up this week for the Arizona Diamondbacks. There are only 35 days until the MLB season begins and as D-backs blogger and host of the Arizona Diamondbacks Webisodes Daron Sutton puts it, "You let the sweat pour in February so that the champagne can pour in October."

The D-backs took to the field on February 27th against the Chicago White Sox where they suffered a devastating loss, 1-10. On February 28th the D-backs went against the Texas Rangers losing 4-6 and they got their first win today vs. the Oakland As, 9-7. The D-backs next game will be on March 4th against Team Mexico. For a complete D-backs Spring Training schedule, click here.

The D-backs have a 40-count roster and players who were least expected to have an impact were stepping up to the plate. The team is relying on their strong pitchers and their young talent to help lead the D-backs to victory. Ryan Roberts, a non-roster invitee, has really showed what he is capable of, especially in the today's game. Roberts, originally from Ft. Worth, Texas, had two hits which gave him a run scored and an RBI. Ro

berts has played three seasons in the MLB, two with the Toronto Blue Jays and one with the Texas Rangers. He is showing a lot of potential with the D-backs, but it may be too early to predict his future with the team. 

Tickets for Spring Training are very reasonably priced and if you can stand the Tucson heat, you are guaranteed a good time. Ticket prices range from the cheapest, $5 for lawn seats and standing seats, to the most expensive, $16 for the covered mezzanine (recommended if you want to stay out of the sun) and for field level infield. To check out a full list of ticket prices and to purchase tickets, click here.

This season, the D-backs are looking to clinch their fifth divisional crown in 12 seasons. It's going to take a lot of hard work and effort, but the D-backs are up for the challenge. Come check out the D-backs as they take on Team Mexico at Tucson Electric Park at 5:05 p.m. on March 4th.

That wraps up this weeks edition. Tune in next week for another exciting update! Go out and support the D-backs and until next time, Bear Down!

Duel in the Desert

Hi sports fans and welcome to another exciting edition of this weeks blog. Today is a big day for Arizonians alike as Arizona State takes on the University of Arizona in the duel in the desert. Tip off is in approximately two hours (8 p.m. MST) on FSN and fans from everywhere will be tuning in for the sold out main event. This is a big game for both teams as ASU is having a winning season, ranked 14 in the country, and UA is on a hot streak winning their past seven games. The Cats are looking to get revenge on the Devils after a 53-47 loss in Tucson as both teams are looking to clinch the Pac-10 championship.

UA will be looking for the "Big Three,"Chase Budinger, Jordan Hill and Nic Wise, to step up and continue producing big plays and put up big numbers. ASU will look to young guard James Harden and forward Jeff Pendergraph who make up most of the Devils offense. 

The Cats are currently 18-8 this season under interim head coach Russ Pennell and the Devils are 20-5 under head coach Herb Sendek. Both teams are coming off big wins against the ranked UCLA Bruins and the USC Trojans. The Cats and the Devils are playing great basketball which will make this showdown in the desert one to remember.

That wraps up tonight's update. From Tucson, don't forget to tune in for what should be an unforgettable game. Until next time, Bear Down!

NBA All-Star Game

Hey there sports fans and welcome to this weeks edition of the Wide World Of Wildcats. This weekend marks one of my favorite weekends of the entire year and that is not because it's Valentines day, but because it's the NBA All-Star game. The All-Star game occurs once a year and gives NBA players and fans alike the opportunity to have fun and compete with the best of the best and this year it is being held right down the road in Phoenix. There are different events such as the three-point shootout and the slam dunk contest that all lead up to the actual game which will be played tonight and aired on your local TNT network. 

Fans from around the world vote for their favorite players from the Eastern conference and the Western conference and the top 12 players from each conference with the highest vote make the roster and the 5 with the highest amount of votes are starters. This year, the Eastern conference team consists of (with the 5 starters listed first) Allen Iverson (Detroit), Dwayne Wade (Miami), Lebron James (Cleveland), Kevin Garnett (Boston) and Dwight Howard (Orland0), Joe Johnson (Atlanta), Jameer Nelson (Orlando), Ray Allen (Boston), Danny Granger (Indiana), Paul Pierce (Boston), Chris Bosh (Toronto), Mo Williams (Cleveland), Devin Harris (New Jersey) and Rashard Lewis (Orlando).  The east is coached by Mike Brown of the Cleveland Cavaliers. For the West coast, the team is (with the 5 starters listed first) Kobe Bryant (LA), Chris Paul (New Orleans),  Tim Duncan (San Antonio), Amare Stoudemire (Phoenix), Yao Ming (Houston), Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas), Shaquille O'Neal (Phoenix), Brandon Roy (Portland), Chauncey Billups (Denver), Pau Gasol (LA), David West (New Orleans) and Tony Parker (San Antonio).  The west is coached by Phil Jackson of the Los Angeles Lakers. 

One thing that stands out to me every year is the number of international players in the All-Star game. This year, there are five international players, all part of the west coast roster. These players include Yao Ming from China, Tim Duncan from the Virgin Islands, Dirk Nowitzki from Germany, Pau Gasol from Spain and Tony Parker from France. Only Yao and Duncan are starters, each getting over 2 million votes from fans everywhere.

In my opinion, these five players are truly the best the international market has to offer (in addition to Steve Nash who didn't make the cut this year). Here's a rundown of these five All-Stars.

Although Yao and Duncan received the highest amount of votes for the international starts, Dirk Nowitzki is undoubtedly the best foreign player in the NBA. Dirk, from Wurzburg, Germany, is a 7-ft. forward for the Dallas Mavericks. In the current 2008-2009 season, Dirk averages 24.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. He is an eight-time All-Star, eight-time member of  the All-NBA team and the first European player in NBA history to receive the MVP award. Dirk is currently the fourth highest scorer in the NBA and not only deserves to be a member of the All-Star team, but deserves to be a starter as well.

On paper, Tim Duncan has the best resume. As forward for the San Antonio Spurs, reigning from St. Croix, Virgin Islands, Duncan has won four NBA championships, two MVP awards, three NBA finals MVP, was named Rookie of the Year in 2008 and has made the All-Defense team, All-Star team and All-NBA First team since his NBA debut in 1997. This season, Duncan has 20.8 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. Duncan has earned his spot as starting forward for the Western Conference and will prove that in tonight's game.

Pau Gasol has been flying under the radar, but is finally starting to get the attention he deserves. Gasol first made a name for himself in his hometown of Barcelona, Spain where he led his team to victory in the Spanish National Cup Championship where he earned the title of MVP. Before being traded to the Lakers in February 2008, Gasol broke 12 franchise records for the Memphis Grizzlies. Today, Gasol averages 18.3 points, 9.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game.  Gasol is the perfect example of a superstar on the rise and has the potential to someday be one of the greats. 

Although Yao Ming started his career off slowly, he has become one of the most well-known centers in the league. Hailing from Shanghai, China, Yao truly lives up to his international superstar reputation. Yao has been selected to the All-Star team every year since being drafted in 2002 and has been named to the All-NBA Team four times. This season, Yao averages 19.8 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. 

Last but not least is Tony Parker who was born in Belgium, but raised in France. Parker is a young guard who has helped lead the San Antonio Spurs to three championship where in 2007 he was  named the NBA Championship Finals MVP. Parker is also a three-time all-star who averages 20.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game. Still considered a youngster in the league, Parker possesses the capability to reach superstardom in the near future.

That wraps up this weeks edition. Congratulations to both the UA mens basketball team who upset #11 UCLA yesterday and last weeks spotlight Andres Arango who was named the Pacific 10 Conference Player of the Week.  Until next time, Bear Down!

 

Good evening sports fans and welcome to another edition of the Wide World of Wildcats. The UA mens tennis team, ranked No. 45, is on a two-match winning streak after upsetting No. 34 South Florida. Junior Andres Arango brought his A-game to the court, dominating his opponent 6-0 and 6-2. I was able to catch up with Andres and here is what he had to say.

Serena Lewis: What is your full name?

Andres Arango: Andres Felipe Arango Patino

SL: Where are you from?

AA: I was born in Ecuador, South America but all my family is from Colombia

SL: How old are you and what year are you at UA?

AA: 21 years old and this is my second semester at UA

SL: What's your major?

AA: Still undecided

SL: When and why did you come to the U.S.?

AA: I have played for 3 schools so far, one semester for Georgia State, one for ASU and now I'm playing for UA. I came to the States because I thought it was great to get a degree at a University in the U.S. and have the chance to continue playing tennis, which I'm planning on playing Pro after I graduate

SL: Why did you choose UA?

AA: Academics, athletics, the weather is the most similar to my country and well, the beautiful women

SL: When and why did you start playing tennis?

AA: I started at 8 years old because of my father and my family always gave me the support in every decision I made about my tennis

SL: Do you have any pre-game rituals? If so, what?

AA: I usually change all the grips from my rackets, I listen to house music and try to stay calm

SL: What is your proudest or most memorable moment in your athletic career?

AA: I would say to qualify two times to a World Championship by nations representing Ecuador which meant that we put Ecuador in the top 16 in the world in tennis in that time

SL: What are your goals for the season?

AA: Make the NCAA tournament and do the best we can and stay in the singles rankings

SL: What is the biggest difference playing in the U.S. vs. playing in your hometown?

AA: The main difference I would say is the athletic facilities. Here in the U.S., everything is more advanced in terms of technology. People in athletics basically do a lot of things for athletes that simply make it easy for them

SL: Before you came to the U.S., what did you think it would be like? Have your views changed since?

AA: I knew what to expect because I lived in Miami, Florida, but did not know anything about the state of Arizona

SL: What do you like or not like about Tucson and the Southwest? 

AA: I love the weather and the UA campus. What I don't really like is the fact that there is not too many places for entertainment, but I think it's a cool college town besides that

SL: OK it's time for the fun questions. Here we go....Who is your favorite sports team and athlete?

AA: Roger Federer and Emelec (soccer team from Ecuador)

SL: What's your favorite food?

AA: Italian, Mexican and Ecuadorian of course

SL: Do you have any hidden talents?

AA: I am a very good voice imitator and am a frustrated comedian in Spanish

SL: What is your idea of the perfect first date?

AA: Go to dinner with a girl and have some candles on the table plus Italian food

SL: How many languages can you speak?

AA: Spanish, English and I'm learning Portuguese 

The Cats next match is against No. 55 St. Mary's and will take place tomorrow, February 8th, at 9:30 a.m. Good luck to the Cats and Andres!

That wraps up tonight's blog, but make sure to tune in next week for another update. Until next time, Bear Down!

World Baseball Classic

Hey there sports fans and welcome to another exciting edition of the Wide World of Wildcats. It's a big weekend for sports lovers in the state of Arizona as the Cardinals are headed to their first Super Bowl and the Phoenix Open is underway. To add in to this mix of sports, let's take a look at baseball and the World Baseball Classic.

The World Baseball Classic (WBC) premiered in March 2006 and is put on by the International Baseball Federation and created by Major League Baseball, the Major League Baseball Players Association and other professional baseball leagues and their players associations around the world. The WBC is the first international baseball tournament for national teams to feature professional players from the major leagues. It was created to promote baseball globally and for baseballs best players to be able to compete against one another. The WBC features teams from 16 different countries including China, Chinese Taipei, Japan, Korea, Australia, Cuba, Mexico, South Africa, Canada, Italy, USA, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Netherlands, Panama and Puerto Rico and Japan is the defending champions. The first two rounds are double elimination and the semi-finals and finals are both single elimination. The WBC will kick off Thursday, March 5th and first round games will be in Tokyo, Mexico City, Toronto and San Juan. Second round games are in San Diego and Miami, and the semi-finals and finals will be in Los Angeles.

This year the rivalries are out in full force. Of course there are the obvious rivalries such as Japan and China, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic and the USA and Canada. But what about the rivalry that is rarely spoken of, yet everyone knows exists? That is, the rivalry between Mexicans and the Mexican-Americans. The rivalry goes back to heritage and pride, birth place and what is considered a "true Mexican." Some believe that to be Mexican you must have been born in Mexico, while others believe if you are born in the U.S. and have Mexican parents then you are also considered to be Mexican. On the contrary, many believe that even if your family and parents are Mexican but you were born in the U.S., you are an American. The people on the latter raise the argument that Mexican-Americans are not proud of their heritage and thus should not be considered "true Mexicans." In 2006, Mexico went 3-3 and was unable to advance past the second round despite eliminating the U.S. On Mexico's 2006 roster, there was only one Mexican-American playing for the team in the WBC, but this year the roster includes nine Mexican-Americans. Although some Mexican fans are not so accepting, the Mexican Baseball Federation hopes that by Mexico winning the WBC the bogus rivalry will finally come to an end.

Tickets for the WBC are now on sale and can be purchased online and game schedules and the tournament bracket are also available. 

That concludes this weeks edition. Make sure to tune in next week for another exhilarating update. From the Cardinals home state, enjoy the Super Bowl and until next time, Bear Down!

Spotlight on Ravid Hazi

Hey there sports fans! With the UofA mens tennis team kicking off their first match of the new year over the weekend, I thought it would only be appropriate for our first spotlight to be on Ravid Hazi, a 21 year old UofA tennis player hailing from Israel. I was able to catch up with Ravid and here's what he had to say.

Serena Lewis: What is your name?

Ravid Hazi: Ravid Hazi

SL: Where are you from?

RH: Israel

SL: How old are you? What year are you at UA?

RH: I am 21 years old, turning 22 in a month, and a junior at the UofA

SL:What's your major?

RH: I am a finance major

SL: When and why did you come to the U.S.? Why did you choose UA?

RH: I came to the UofA two years ago in January 2007. The main reason why I came to the UofA is because I got a tennis scholarship and I really like the tennis coach. It was kind of hard for me to know much about any school in the U.S. while I was in Israel, I was in the army at the time I was looking for colleges. So I pretty much knew nothing about the UofA other than that there is warm weather, which is what I was looking for, and that the head coach offered me a good scholarship. However, I bless the day I chose UofA over other schools for 1000 of reasons. I like the University a lot, the athletic department, the tennis coaches and the players, Eller college [UofA business school], the people in the University and in Tucson in general, and more...

SL:When and why did you start playing tennis?

RH: I started playing tennis when i was 7 years old. The coach in my city visited my 2nd grade class and recommended playing tennis in his club. I tried it, liked it, apparently I was pretty good at it. So i started playing competitively since I was about 8 or 9 years old and ranked #1 in Israel for all junior ages.

SL: Do you have any pre-game rituals? If so, what?

RH: Before matches today, I don't have any superstitious things that I am doing, just trying to get myself both physically and mentally ready for the match. I do a good warm up, then depending on my anxiety level, I either pump myself up or find a corner to relax and focus.

SL: What is your proudest or most memorable moment in your athletic career?

RH: As a tennis player, I won the Israeli Championship a couple times, won bronze medal in the European Championship for doubles and made it to the semi-finals in professional event. However, the event that made me most proud is the opportunity to get a scholarship and represent the UofA tennis team while pursuing my degree.

SL:What are your goals for the season?

RH: To give my 100 percent day in and day out and contribute the maximum I can give to the team. I think if I focus on that, the other players can do the same, and if everyone will bring his full talent and ability to the table, outcomes like making the NCAA tournament and doing well in the tournament will be easily reachable.

SL: What is the biggest difference playing in the U.S. vs. playing in your hometown?

RH: Two main things are different playing n the U.S. rather than playing at home. First is the fact that I am playing in a team, which in Israel I always represented myself as an individual or my country but as an individual. It took me a little while to adjust but once I did, I think it is a lot more fun and rewarding. Second, the kind of pressure I feel is different. In Israel, the pressure I face was mainly playing in front of people that are close to me like my family or my friends, plus I knew all my competitors which are good friends of mine outside the court. Playing on the UofA tennis team, the pressure I feel is the desire to win for the team and for the coaches and representing the University in general. I think it is a positive pressure and adds a lot more fun and competitiveness into every dual match we play.

SL:Before you came to the U.S., what did you think it would be like? Have your views changed since?

RH: Before coming to the U.S., I didn't really know what to expect. I was worried that I will struggle with my English but other than that I was really excited to see what is it going to be. I think going to college is the best thing that ever happened to me. I remember how impressed I was when I saw the campus. I was impressed how professional people take care of business mainly in the athletic department and the tennis team, but in the University in general. I don't know if I changed since coming to college, but I definitely grow and keep growing as a person from this experience.

SL:What do you like or not like about Tucson and the Southwest?

RH: I can't really point anything I dislike about Tucson or the Southwest because I truly like and appreciate where I am right now and won't switch it for anything. Of course places like Southern California or New York are more appealing than Tucson, but being a college student in the UofA is one of the best places.

SL: Okay enough with the serious questions, time for the fun ones.  What is your favorite sports team?

RH: I really cheer for the UofA and Arizona teams in general, so I am really excited that the Cardinals WILL win the Superbowl.  Outside Arizona, the Lakers are my favorite.

SL: What is your favorite food?

RH: Strawberries with whipped cream and my moms food which I try to imitate but she is a lot better!

SL: What are your hobbies besides tennis?

RH: I like to go out and hang out, movies, books, music, travel and visit new places.

SL:What is your idea of the perfect first date?

RH: I think a nice quiet restaurant that gives a chance to talk and get to know each other is nice for a first date. Keep it short and sweet for a taste of more. All the romantic tricks can be pulled out after the first date.

After being rained out on Friday, the tennis team was able to take to the courts and defeat Nevada today, winning the match 6-1. Ravid and teammate Jay Goldman teamed up for doubles and won the match 8-3. The Cats next match will be the National Spring Kick-off in Gainesville, Florida where they will take on Florida on January 30th. For a full schedule, check out the Arizona Athletics website. And to see more on Ravid, click here.

That wraps it up for this week. Check back next week for another update. Until then, Bear Down!

 

Welcome Sports Fans

Hey there sports fans and welcome to Wide World of Wildcats where we will be taking an in-depth look at international athletes here at the University of Arizona and surrounding areas. Check in every week to learn about your favorite international athletes from near and far and get their perspective of athletics in the U.S.

Stay tuned and until next time, Bear Down!