Baseball, Basketball, Football, Hockey, Hunting, MLB, NBA, NCAA, NFL, NHL, On Writing, Sports

My Minute Bio

The magazine I just submitted to required a publication-ready bio be included in the submission, so I threw this together. Hope it does the trick.

BIO:
Rob Darnell lives in a nice neighborhood. His office window looks out on a lake. He has a cat named Buddy and a dog named Luci. He loves the Detroit Tigers, Lions, Red Wings, Pistons and the Michigan Wolverines. An avid deer hunter, he spends time in a tiny shack from the beginning of October until the end of December. His website is robdarnell.com.

Baseball, MLB, Sports

The Cubs Went All The Way

Man, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a baseball game played so hard. That was Game 7, the final game of the World Series, the game that decides who the champions are.

The Chicago Cubs have not won the World Series since 1908 and they had not made it to the World Series since 1945. Long time Cub fans are probably bawlin’ their eyes out right now, so relieved that they got their “just one before I die” victory.

The Cleveland Indians did not make it easy for the Cubs, and why should they? The Indians worked every bit as hard to get to the World Series. They weren’t just going to let the Cubs have the glory. Both teams played hard. The players seemed desperate, even stressed out.

There were many wild leaps and dives, and the sprints seemed speedier than usual. It was like the guys found some godly power deep in the pits of their stomachs and used it to kick their gears into overdrive.

By the middle of the 5th inning, the score was Cubs 5 – Indians 1. But the Indians began turning things around in the bottom of the 5th, bringing in two runs and the score to 5-3.

The Cubs scored again in the top of the 6th, but the Indians got in three more in the bottom of the 8th, and the score was 6-6. Chapman looked real nervous after that, but luckily they caught a base runner attempting to steal and wrapped up the inning before the Indians could score again.

But then it was the 9th inning and the score was tied. Looked like everyone had the shakes. The Cubs didn’t score in the 9th, but neither did the Indians. A 10th inning was added, and then it rained. They rolled out the tarp and we waited to see if it was over for the night. Thankfully the rain delay didn’t last long and the game resumed.

I call this a pitching mistake. When a pitcher intentionally walks a batter, I reckon it’s because the pitcher assumes the next batter can’t hit. I didn’t memorize the name of the pitcher on the mound at that point, but he did this twice. Walked a batter on purpose, and then the next batter got a good hit. Twice this happened in the top of the 10th and the Cubs got in two runs. The score was now 8-6.

Bottom of the 10th, the Indians got in one more run. The score was 8-7.

It slipped my mind. Did the Indians have a man on first and second? Or just first? I don’t remember and I don’t feel like checking right now. But there were two outs and the Indians still had a chance to win. The batter hit, the ball bounced, was caught and thrown to first base before the batter made it there.

All I could think after that play was “CUBS WIN!!! CUBS WIN!!! CUBS WIN!!!”

This game was wild. Billy Goat’s curse is broken. The Chicago Cubs won the World Series for the first time in 108 years.

Baseball, MLB, Sports

The Cubs are Determined to Win it All

Well, folks, that was Game 6 of the World Series. A few days ago, the Indians were leading the series by 3 to 1. They only needed one more win and they would have been the Champions. But the Cubs don’t want to let that happen. After no championship in over a hundred years, this just might be the year of the Cubs.

The Cubs won Sunday’s game, and then they won today’s game, 9-3. The World Series is now tied, 3-3. Game 7 is tomorrow night and the winning team will be the Champions.

Go Cubs. It’s your turn.

Baseball, Basketball, Football, Hockey, MLB, NBA, NCAA, NFL, NHL, Sports

In Sports: I’ll just make a big stew tonight

Okay, just watched the Red Wings win another one. Good game. They’ve really been slicing the ice. Tonight’s win was their fifth win in a row and that makes their season 5-2 so far. Lookin’ good.

The Lions are picking up their game. They won their last three games. I admit that things were pretty tense in those games, but they won them. Their season is 4-3 now and looking hopeful.

Now the Michigan Wolverines, baby. Jim Harbaugh and the team are making me very happy. The Wolverines are undefeated so far, 7-0, and several of their wins were big wins.

The Michigan-Michigan State game is Saturday. I expect the Wolverines will beat the Spartans this years.

Go Blue!

The Detroit Pistons start their regular season tomorrow at 7:30 PM. I’m looking forward to it. Their preseason was so-so, they won three and lost three. But preseasons are really just warm ups and don’t mean much. So, who knows what will happen in the regular season. I expect it to be fun.

I’m rooting for the Cubs in the World Series. I saw them win the NLCS on Saturday night. It had been a very, very long time since they last did that. Long term curses like that sure remind you how old Major League Baseball is. Billy Goat’s curse lasted longer than Babe Ruth’s.

The Cub’s gotta win the World Series. If they win, all will be right in the world.

Baseball, Misc, MLB, Sports

W.P. Kinsella

So, I was watching the Tigers get their asses kicked by the Indians, when I looked at Facebook and saw the link Robert J. Sawyer shared.

W.P. Kinsella is gone. Well, that gave me a pause. It’s been about an hour since I got the news and I still feel numb.

Just last year someone from Kinsella’s publisher contacted me and asked if I would be interested in interviewing Kinsella. That was a surprise. Me? Interview W.P. Kinsella? Was I even worthy of such an honor?

I was excited and a little scared. Someone was giving me the opportunity to interview a legend and I kept thinking, “Don’t blow it.” This is W.P. Kinsella we’re talking about. The author of Shoeless Joe, the novel that the movie Field of Dreams is based on.

I suspected one of my writer friends had something to do with putting the guy in touch with me, but it’s also likely that he saw my review of Shoeless Joe and just thought I’d like to interview Kinsella.

Yes, I was interested. The guy gave me Kinsella’s contact information and soon I had the interview set up.

The interview is right here.

I feel that this interview is one of the most important things I’ve done. I tried to come up with questions that he hadn’t been asked before, but I don’t know how well I did in that department. The last question, though, received a powerful answer.

Rest in Peace, Kinsella. Maybe you’ll step out of a cornfield in Iowa and play some baseball with the greatest players of all time.

P.S.
I also reviewed The Essential W. P. Kinsella.

Baseball, MLB, Sports

Tigers in Kansas City, Part III

Well, the Tigers did not lose today. The Royals almost got ahead in the bottom of the 9th, when they had a man on second base and the batter came very close to dinging a home run, but the ball passed just outside the line. The umps did check the replay to be  sure, and ruled it a foul.

So, that was close.

The next hit that batter got–I’m not good at keeping the names of other team’s players in mind–was grabbed off the ground and tossed to first base to tag the batter out.

The guy who was on second base made it to third, so it now looked like extra innings would be added. But he never made it home. Soon there were three outs and the game was over.

Final score: Tigers 6 – Royals 5.

The Cleveland-Miami game is still going on. Currently the score is Merlins 1 – Indians 0 and the 5th inning just ended. We’ll see what happens.

Baseball, MLB, Sports

Tigers in Kansas City, Part II

Ooh, I had a feeling them mean ole Royals would do this to my poor Tigers. The  Tigers’ winning streak has ended. The Royals just wouldn’t let the Tigers win tonight.

I hoped for a miracle in the 9th, but it didn’t happen. Miggie was hanging out on first, but Victor and J.D. didn’t get a hit to move him along and get themselves on base. Maybe Kid Jones would’ve saved the day,  but the Tigers had three out before he got his turn at bat in the 9th.

But tomorrow, we’ll show the Royals what the Tigers are all about. We will, won’t we? Guys? Hey… guys?

It gets worse. Cleveland won today. Now they’re five ahead of the Tigers. It’s looking even less likely that the Tigers will catch up to Cleveland.

 

Baseball, MLB, Sports

Tigers in Kansas City

Tonight’s game was worrisome. Kansas City put up a good fight. The Royals were  seemingly determined to wreck the Tigers’ winning streak. The Royals got ahead in the bottom of the 8th, but Miggie saved the Tigers in the top of the 9th when he hit a good one and brought home two.

The Royals didn’t score in the bottom of the 9th. The final score: Tigers 7 – Royals 6.

I kept pulling for Kid Jones. He’d made quite an impression since being called up from Triple A and I really want the Tigers to keep him around. I think he’s a valuable player and I wonder what other surprises he has in the bag. But tonight wasn’t a good night for him. Maybe tomorrow will be better.

I love baseball and I love the Tigers.

Baseball, MLB, Sports

Socks are Worn in Detroit

Yep, the Tigers swept the White Sox, winning all three games of this series. Justin Verlander pitched today and lasted seven innings. He’s still got the arm.

The score was tied up in the eighth inning, 2-2. The Sox did not break the tie in the top of the 9th.

JaCoby Jones just might find himself dubbed Rookie of the Year. Last night was his first time in the show and he’s determined to stay. He was the hero last night and he was the hero today.

In the bottom of the 9th, the score was still tied. Jones was on third base when the ball was hit to centerfield. Jones made a mad dash and slid into homeplate.

Tigers: 3 – White Sox: 2

MLB

Will the Tigers Sweep the White Sox?

The answer to the big question will be revealed tomorrow.

Tonight’s game went sour early when the White Sox got in three runs in the second inning, while the Tigers remained scoreless. It sure looked like trouble for the Tigers and I thought I’d be writing a bummer tonight.

The score was still 0-3 in the bottom of the fourth when J.D. Martinez scared the shit out of me. He hit himself in the leg with the bat and was hopping around for a bit. A medic went out on the field to check him out. I thought they would take J.D. out of the game, and then what were we going to do? But J.D. swallowed his pain and returned to the plate.

J.D. didn’t get a square hit that inning, but eventually walked to first base. Justin Upton came up next and he packed a hard hit, sending the ball far and high over centerfield, but unfortunately the ball dropped before it was over the wall and was caught.

The fourth inning ended with the 0-3 score remaining.

It was the bottom of the fifth when Ian Kinsler turned it all around with his home run, bringing the score to 2-3. The Tigers were still behind, but there was hope.

Bottom of the sixth, J.D. hit one deep into left field and hauled ass to second base.  Upton was up next and he wasn’t playing around. He sent the ball rocketing through centerfield and brought J.D. home.

While Upton was hanging out on second base, JaCoby Jones came up to bat. As I understand it, tonight was Jones’ first time in the Show. I believe he was called up to replace the guy who was injured yesterday.

The kid is good and he had family there to see. In the previous inning, Jones’ folks were interviewed as they sat watching the game. Man, they looked so proud when he hit the ball deep into right field, bringing Upton home.

The Tigers were ahead then, 4-3. But the sixth inning wasn’t over yet. Kinsler came up and brought in two more runs.

The Sox pushed back in the top of the seventh, but only managed to get in one run. J.D. was first at bat in the bottom of the seventh. He smashed the ball over the wall and brought the score to 7-4.

JaCoby Jones wasn’t done yet and swatted a hard roller down centerfield bringing in another run before the seventh inning ended. No one scored in the eighth or the ninth.

Tigers: 8 – White Sox: 4

A side note: The White Sox must have a fashion expert in their locker room. I really like the jerseys they wore tonight. I oughta get me one of those. Maybe one with Avila’s name on it.