SMWW Mentor Trestman Get’s Als Respect

Posted on November 25, 2008 by Willy Badger

It  wasn’t long ago that Marc Trestman was a mentor for Sports Management Worldwide’s Football Management course. Why did he leave? Well, he had to take some time off to lead the Montreal Alouettes to the Grey Cup. Unfortunately, The Calgary Stampeders won but Trestman will be with Montreal for a while or until the NFL realizes he is ready for the show.

Read the article by veteran sports writer Jack Todd

via CFL.ca - Loss can’t blemish Trestman’s work with Als

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Consolidation is one big Walmart

Posted on November 13, 2008 by Willy Badger

I am just beginning the agent management course with Sports Management Worldwide.  The history of the agent dates back a long time but it hasn’t really changed like the TV has in the last fifty years. There is still a lot of people filled with integrity and passion for the success of one of its clients. On the other hand there are also a lot of bottom feeders praying on the naivety of talented players who may be uneducated or lack a mental package of values that should have been instilled in them at a young age. With consolidation which basically means strong companies joining together to become stronger I think the chances of being an individual agent is dwindling. It doesn’t really make sense for a talented agent to sign with his father or next door neighbor however business wise they are when you can sign with Scott Boras or IMG. The leverage the big companies have over the solo shooters is vast. If you look all around the world small town core businesses are shutting down and people are choosing to head out of town to do there shopping at Wal Mart or other Malls with a record of success.

In an Athletes Guide to agents it stresses the rules the NCAA  has on contacting student athletes and the role of the agent. It is very clear and informative.

I am looking forward to learning more about The agent Biz and connecting with great  people with integrity and a passion for sports..

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Phillies rule in the Japan baseball

Posted on October 27, 2008 by Willy Badger

I am back after a week off from blogging. The Phillies seem to be getting the Rays Number. I thought Iwamura was going to be the big surprise but it may just be Iguchi. Who also won a ring with the White Sox.

We will see.

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What A Comeback! Red Sox Win!

Posted on October 17, 2008 by Willy Badger

I admit I gave up watching when it got to be 5-0. In Japan that means around 10 am. I went about my chores of the day. I recorded the rest of course.

So when I got back home. I spark up the hdd /dvd player and fast forward to the eighth. I missed all of the David Ortiz homer drama. I was expecting to see Mike Timlin pitching and the score being 18-0

But No I slowed down the HDD player and sat down and watched JD Drew and Coco Crisp win it for the Sox.

The Tampa  Rays just plain choked.

Yeee Haw! Sweet Caroline never tasted sweeter

I am truly sorry sox for not believing in you.

The Japanese players didn’t fare too well but who cares !

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Six Degrees of Charlie Manuel

Posted on October 17, 2008 by Willy Badger
Chuck Manuel is My Long Lost Brother

Chuck Manuel is My Long Lost Brother

I will now connect Charlie Manuel  to Bobbie Valentine, Akinori Iwamura and me.

Charlie Manuel as stated in an earlier blog played baseball in Japan for 4 years. He had great success but hated the system and also partied very hard. Robert Whiting stated in his book that he would party so hard sometimes right up to game time.

Let’s get to it.

Charlie Manuel is connected to Bobbie Valentine because the Man Who fired Bobby V the first time with the Marines  also Managed Charlie M. Tatsuro Hirooka. Charlie drove Hirooka crazy with his refusal to adapt to the Japanese way of training. Bobby and Charlie got their revenge when the Marines finally fired Hirooka and hired Bobby V back to the Marines.

Now it looks like The Rays will be playing the Phillies because Boston’s Pitchers are all of a sudden feeling emotions and can’t seem to concentrate on winning.

So Charlie Manuel will be facing Akinori Iwamura. Who get this, used to play for the Swallows. When Charlie M played with the Swallows he hit a dramatic game 7 home run which won the Japan Series for the Swallows. Akinori’s clutch hitting may put him in the same boat as Charlie .

Anyways How is  Charlie M connected to me ?

Charlie Manuel’s first signed an amateur contract with The Minnesota Twins in 1963.

Connection #1 1963 - The year I was born.

His first professional team in A Ball was The Wisconsin Rapid Twins -

Connection # 2 The State animal of Wisconsin is The Badger - My name is Willy Badger

Another connection happened in 1970.

When Charlie M  hit 19 home runs  in just 63 games for the Portland Beavers.

Connection # 3 &4 & 5

Connection # 3 19-63 my birth year again Wow!

Portland Beavers

Connection # 4- The Beaver is the official animal of Canada. I am Canadian.

Connection #5 Portland was the birthplace of My Great Grandmother. Okay Portland Maine but who is reading anyways.

And to finish off these remarkable facts on how Charlie Manuel and I are almost like brothers.

In 1978 Charlie M and two other foreign players in Japan got in a Bar room brawl with the East German Hockey Team. They naturally lost the fight.

Connection #6 My favorite sport is hockey and I too have never won a hockey fight.

There you have it.

If you are still with me .

Have a great weekend.

And to finish

Check out this link to get all the facts on truly a great man

Charlie M

via Charlie Manuel - BR Bullpen

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Iwamura Menaces Matsuzaka But Not Enough

Posted on October 12, 2008 by Willy Badger

Dice  K threw another odd game yesterday. He was always in trouble but got out of it. I bet if you don’t swing ever against Matsuzaka you just might win. He is so picky for details that he may be his own enemy. But Jason Veritek will be there to put him in line.

Tough Cookie Charlie Manuel with the Yakult Swallows

Tough Cookie Charlie Manuel with the Yakult Swallows in 1978

The Phillies are proving to be a great closing team.Must be because of all the years Charlie Manuel spent in Japan.What a Character he is.  His Mother died today and he still managed and he managed to get a win.

Go Phillies! Kind of….

From Wikipedia

Japanese professional league

Manuel’s baseball career took off when he left the United States to play in Japan. Wildly popular for his tenacious style of play and his power-hitting abilities, Manuel was dubbed “Aka-Oni” (The Red Devil) by fans and teammates.

In 1977, he hit .316 with 42 home runs and 97 runs batted in, helping the Central League’s Yakult Swallows reach second place for the first time in franchise history. In 1978, he hit .312 with 39 homers and 103 RBI, powering the Swallows to their first pennant and the Japan Championship Series. In 1979, playing for the Pacific League’s Kintetsu Buffaloes, Manuel became the first American to be named the Pacific League MVP after hitting .324 with 37 home runs and 94 RBI. A year later, Manuel set the record for most home runs by an American with 48 and led the league with 129 RBI in only 118 games, cut short when he was hit in the face by a pitch. In 1981, he returned to the Yakult Swallows.

Manuel finished his successful run in Japan with a .303 career average, 189 home runs and 491 RBI. He was considered one of the best imported baseball players to Japan in those days, along with brothers Leron and Leon Lee and Randy Bass.

During his time in Japan, Manuel learned to speak Japanese. This has become an asset, as he has been able to communicate with players such as So Taguchi and Tadahito Iguchi.

[edit] “Headgeared Helmet”

At a game against the Lotte Orions on June 19, 1979, he was hit in the face by a pitch from Soroku Yagisawa. The pitch crushed his jaw, and he was told from his doctor that he needed at least two months to recover. However, he returned to the game after being sidelined for only 14 games, as the Buffaloes were struggling to win the first-half season championship. To protect his bruised jaw, Manuel wore a helmet equipped with a football facemask. The team went on to win the first-half championship and eventually the pennant for the whole season.

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Sports Branding Gone Wild

Posted on October 10, 2008 by Willy Badger

The Champions League is feeling the crunch of the global economic meltdown. Traditional  teams like Liverpool and Manchester United may be in trouble because the owner might bale on them to save there own necks. As you recall, there was a buying frenzy a few years ago by foreign interests in Soccer.

Branding gone mad !

Branding gone mad !

Over to America and Canada Super Rich internet CEO’s may have to think twice about their team  tax write offs I mean their beloved Team Franchises.

In Philadelphia, will the Wachovia Center still be called the Wachovia Center at the end of this month? Wachovia shares dropped 60% in a day.

What do you think the new name for the Old Spectrum will be?

My proposed name will be:

Drum Role…

The JP Morgan USA Treasury Mal Mart Arena Buffet Bar and Grill

Wachovia’s shares fall 60 percent on asset concerns | Reuters

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Iwamura- Matsuzaka- Kuroda- Iguchi Gunning for Pennant

Posted on October 10, 2008 by Willy Badger

Japan is holding up in the quest for the World Series. Iguchi for the Phillies is actually ineligible to play because of a late trade to the Phillies.

Iwamura is the biggest game breaker so far for the Japanese players. Followed by a powerful performance by Kuroda for The Dodgers. Matsuzaka is a little fatigued and I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets rocked by Iwamura and the Rays in Game one. As for Kuroda,  who knows what will happen with him.

Go Japan!

Go Sox!

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Interview with Taro Kawakami ex-Seibu Lion Interpretor

Posted on October 9, 2008 by Willy Badger

Here is an old interview that is worth replaying on The Rising Score.

Taro is a very knowledgeable Baseball Guy in Japan. He came to The SMWW “Meet & Greet” in Boston

Ryan Latham of The Boston Red Sox letting Taro into Fenway Park on September 9th

Ryan Latham of The Boston Red Sox letting Taro into Fenway Park on September 9th

Listen to Interview with Taro

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Japanese Baseball Players Game 2 Not So Good

Posted on October 4, 2008 by Willy Badger

It has  basically come down to  Iwamura versus Fukudome  plus the pitching from the Red Sox

Fukudome is a bust so far:  Batting average of . 000  and three strike outs.

As for Iwamura he is MVP potential after hitting a two run Home Run in Game Two leading The Rays to their second win.

As the the Boston Pitchers. I am going to have to say soso Matsuzaka and mama for Okajima. Okajima, if you haven’t noticed has been replaced by Masterson as Papelbon set up man.

I still like him but he is losing a bit of his no look pitching mystique.

Tampa Bay AB R H RBI BB SO LOB AVG
Iwamura, 2B 4 1 1 2 0 1 0 .375

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