Even when trying to do something for their fans the Clippers can't seem to get it right. Here's a screenshot of the the team's season ticket renewal website and an aggregious typo regarding the promotional item you can receive.

The Bruins probably were expecting that most of the damage on Thursday would come from Heisman hopeful LaMichael James, but on this night UCLA did a great job of making the Ducks Darron Thomas look like Drew Brees. Not only did Thomas pass for 308 yards and three touchdowns, but he made the UCLA defense look foolish by keeping them on their heels most of the night. The announcers at one point commented how UCLA was still moving around at the snap trying to get in the correct position.

Richard Brehaut sacked by Casey Matthews

I guess eleven days is not enough time to figure out how to get your defense set up. You really have to ask yourself what was going on since the Cal debacle. This was prime time, Thursday night, you have the football eyes all on you and this was the best that Rick Neuheisel could come up with? The Ducks just might go undefeated and win the national championship but that will not make this loss less ugly. It is time to check out when your coach elects to kick a field goal down 39-3 with a fourth and short staring at his team.

Maybe he knew that was his best option as Richard Brehaut certainly did not look capable of leading this offense on a touchdown drive unless it was against the bench warmers that came off the Duck sideline to play defense in the fourth quarter. As they say if you have two quarterbacks you really don’t have any. This season I have seen nothing from Kevin Prince or Brehaut to convince me that either one of them can quarterback a major college program. You have to question what is going on with Norm Chow. Is there a power struggle with Neuheisel over the offense? Have they done a poor job recruiting quarterbacks? It is obvious the switch to the pistol was out of desperation and while the running game is certainly better than it has been in the past few years you could witness Thursday night that the Ducks had it figured out and Brehaut did not worry them at all when it came to running the ball. The only time the Bruins were able to get into the end zone was a drive that began with 4:46 left in the game and the Ducks already up 60-6. Brehaut came in the same time as Matt Barkley of USC and yet you would never know these two were mentioned at the top of the same recruiting class. If the pistol is truly where UCLA is going, and I hope it isn’t, I don’t see much hope until highly regarded recruit Brett Hundley makes his way to Westwood.

In three conference losses the Bruins have been outscored 130-20, with their only win coming in a tougher than expected game with the worst team in the conference, Washington State. The hope of a bowl game is fading fast, but another bowl game that you aren’t quite sure what it is called is really not the way to end another Bruin season.

The pistol seems fully loaded and the defense continues to improve with a trio of linebackers that you could put up against any other group in the country. The Bruins played smart, simple and for the most part took care of the ball while taking advantage of numerous miscues by the Longhorns to turn what had been labeled a mismatch into a mismatch of shocking proportions.

It is hard to imagine pulling off a win with 27 yards passing but the Bruins did it by playing “Smash Mouth” football from beginning to end, physically dominating a Longhorn team that came into the season being hyped as a defensive powerhouse. The Bruins carried the ball a staggering 56 times for 264 yards, with Johnathan Franklin rushing for 118 yards and Derrick Coleman running for 94 yards. It got to the point in the second half that you knew it was going to be run after run, and it was, yet the Longhorns could do nothing to stop it.

The running game continues to get a surprising performance from Kevin Prince, who does not have the speed or even the fluid running style you would expect from a quarterback in this offense, but he does know how to make decisions and make plays with his legs. His 38-yard touchdown run really seemed to take the air out of Texas and silenced the crowd. While there still are questions about Prince when it comes to throwing the ball, he just might have found his niche in the pistol offense.

Leading the way for this turnaround in the rushing attack this year is an offensive line that was rebuilt once again. I would have to say we can say that Rick Neuheisal and Norm Chow knew what they were doing with the switch to the pistol. Not only does it work for Prince, but this offensive line seems to have its struggles in pass blocking, but after four week there is no question these guys can knock heads with any defensive line in the country and run blocking is their strong suit.

The offense made sure that the defense was rested and they took full advantage of it. The Bruins held the Longhorns to under 100 yards rushing, forced five turnovers and after a red hot start by Gale Gilbert, really kept him in check the rest of the game.

Dejected Longhorns

It really was a team effort on defense but I will say if you are the type of fan who only watches the ball, take a few plays next game and just watch Akeem Ayers on defense. Ayers is very likely the most athletic linebacker in all of college football and it is not a coincidence that he makes so many big plays, to go along with his athletic ability he has great instincts. Saturday you could see Ayers being a blur off the corner as he either sacked Gilbert or made his life a little more unpleasant or you could see if watching Gilberts eyes and intercepting one of his passes. He is one of those amazing sideline to sideline players that you know is going to give you at least one highlight play every game. Ayers is able to move all around due to the outstanding play of Sean Westgate and Patrick Larimore. They might not get the TV time that Ayers does, but they make nearly as big of an impact on the defense.

Sheldon Price coming on for the Bruins

The secondary played as strong of a game as the linebackers and while Rahim Moore was his usual outstanding self, you could really see Sheldon Price emerging at cornerback. Gilbert started off the game hot, completing his first nine passes, but after that he went only 21-for-36 and almost half of his yards came in the fourth quarter when the game was already out of reach.

A pair of great wins are just that, a total of two, the same as the number of bad losses that kicked off the year. Lets hope UCLA can dismantle Washington State and keep moving forward, but right now the Bruins still have a lot of questions, but at least they finally got a few answers.

An 0-2 start that looks like it has the makings of quickly becoming 0-4 and then much worse, which makes this loss just a symptom of a much larger problem. The problem was giving the few remaining Bruin fans at the Rose Bowl his usual post-game speech, which was not greeted to warmly. The problem is Rick Neuheisel. This is the third year of “Slick Rick” and all his promise and all of his hype has turned out to have no substance.

Kevin Prince has not improved since he wore No. 14 his freshman year.

This was supposed to be the year that UCLA was going to leapfrog USC. Even before all the problems in Trojanland, Rick would have Bruin fans believing with his recruiting and coaching they would at least be competitive with the Trojans. Trouble did not take long to surface in Bruin camp as a trio of highly regarded freshman were shown the door, then injury after injury hit the team, as usual, and finally the switch to the “Pistol.”

Rick Neuheisel

The “Pistol?” I would like to know where and why this offense was implemented. You have the greatest offensive coach in the history of college football in Norm Chow and you decide to switch to the “Pistol?” Even before the first two games this seemed absurd. The UCLA offense has struggled in recent years but Saturday night was a disgrace. Starting quarterback Kevin Prince just seems to have no clue how to run an offense and gets little help when he actually tries to make a play. After a brutal showing at Kansas State the Bruins decided to stick Prince out there once again and were rewarded with 3.3. yards per pass attempt. The injury-prone Prince had very little practice time before the season started which would make you wonder why you would have him start the opener and then put him out there again this past weekend, it seemed as if they set him up to fail. I have never been overly impressed with Prince but I honestly don’t think he had a chance in either game. Richard Brehaut replaced Prince and was not much more effective as the two combined to lead the Bruins to four turnovers, 1-for-9 on third downs and whopping 81 net passing yards.

The “Pistol” has been pointed to as improving the Bruin running game. I guess in terms of yards it has as they rushed for 152 and they actually averaged 4.6 yards per carry, but it really seemed to be some of the most meaningless yards you will find. The longest run of the day was 20 yards, not much to get excited about and if the running backs can’t find the end zone, they can rush for 300 yards and it will not matter.

The offense can’t get all the blame as the defense was equally inept Saturday night. UCLA could not take advantage of a very below average night from Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck, who completed less than half of his passes. On the second drive of the game Luck found a wide open Ryan Whalen open in the end zone for a 16-yard touchdown. The secondary looked like the strength of the defense coming into the season but on this play and several others they seemed to have no clue about coverage. Luck did not have to do much on this evening as the front seven of the Bruins was pushed up and down the field as the Cardinal rushed for 211 yards. The most embarrassing part of the evening was without a doubt the 18-play 68-yard scoring drive in the third quarter that finished with an Owen Marecic one-yard touchdown run. It is really tough to be able to put together an 18-play drive and not once have someone from UCLA step up to make a play on a third-down to stop the drive. But considering Stanford was 9-for-16 converting third downs it was clear the defense did not have the ability to make a play at any point.
 
UCLA fans have to be wondering what is worse, that horrible showing Saturday night or the prospects for the rest of the season. This literally could have the makings for an all-time disaster, other than Washington State, who could UCLA feel confident that they could beat? At least Karl Dorrell had the miracle Drew Olson year on his resume, what has Neuheisel given to UCLA? Boredom, apathy, ineptness? Historically the third year has been the beginning of the end for Neuheisel and his programs, Colorado and Washington, suffered long after he left. Bill Plaschke wrote that he thought that Neuheisel would get five years from UCLA athletic director Dan Guerrero, let’s hope he is wrong because Bruin fans do not deserve two more years of “Slick Rick.”

Can you even debate that another league had a more impressive kickoff weekend?

While most automatic qualifying conferences had teams struggle, the Mountain West won all three of its high profile games in impressive fashion:

BYU 23 – Washington 17
Utah 27 – No. 15 Pittsburgh 24 (OT)
No. 6 TCU 30 – No. 24 Oregon State 21

As the season continues, the MWC will try to maintain that high standard of play.

Here is the best of the Mountain West Conference.

Best jersey: TCU

Not only did Horned Frogs win Saturday night, but more importantly, they won in style. Rocking the Nike Pro Combat uniforms, TCU looked that much better in their new get up. With the reptilian skin-like print on their pants and jerseys, this was a no contest.

Best name: King Holder (San Diego State)

This King (unlike another self-titled ‘King’) decided to stay true to his roots and play for his hometown Aztecs. The freshman defensive back starred at Oceanside High School last season.

Best secret weapon: Elizabeth Lambert (New Mexico)

After being destroyed by Oregon 72-0 on Saturday afternoon, it’s fair to say New Mexico’s head coach Mike Locksley needs to bolster his defense. Fortunately for Locksley, he doesn’t have to look any further than his own campus.

Lobos women’s soccer team defender Elizabeth Lambert, strange enough, is eligible to play this season. We all know the physical tools Lambert brings to the table. And who could question that intensity?

I know Lambert could tackle better than most of the Lobos defensive starters did on Saturday. I mean Oregon put up 72 points! That’s a total of 506 pushups performed by the Oregon Duck mascot.

Best Stadium: Utah’s Rice-Eccles Stadium

Look at that backdrop. Is there any other option?

Best Mascot: Pistol Pete (Wyoming)

Colorado State’s Cam the Ram is a close second, but if Pistol Pete is important enough to take a photo with President Barack Obama, he’s our choice for best mascot.

Best Non-Conference Game: September 18th – BYU vs. No. 20 Florida State

The conference played in three of its marquee non-conference games opening weekend – winning all three. But BYU can make another splash for the conference if it takes down Jimbo Fisher and his Seminoles squad in Tallahassee.

FSU will play No. 7 Oklahoma next weekend before hosting the Cougars. Will the ‘Noles be nursing an emotional hangover when BYU rolls into town?

Best Conference Game: Nov. 6 – TCU at Utah

In all likelihood, the winner of this game wins the conference. The Horned Frogs claimed the conference last season with a 55-28 win at home. The Utes will have revenge in mind.

Heisman Hopeful: Andy Dalton (TCU)

Never has the conference had a Heisman trophy winner. With last season’s winner Mark Ingram facing an uphill battle with a knee injury, the country is looking for a new favorite. Dalton impressed on Saturday night, becoming TCU’s all-time winningest quarterback surpassing ‘Slinglin’ Sammy Baugh. His name is in the discussion now. He’ll need to be consistently great and the Horned Frogs will need another BCS run for him to become a serious contender. But don’t put it past him to at the very least get an invite to New York City.

Out west, especially after USC’s tumble to 9-4 last season and two-year bowl ban, the landscape is even more tabula rasa. To get an idea of how big of an impact teams west of the Rocky Mountains may have on the rest of the nation, I compiled a list of “can’t miss games” that involve at least one team in the Pac-10, Mountain West, or WAC. Call it a preseason watch list. Call it your west coast games of the week. The BCS National Championship Game is fittingly in Glendale, AZ on January 10, meaning the season will unquestionably set in the west.

Tonight, Pittsburgh at Utah

Heisman hopeful Dion Lewis leads Pitt into Salt Lake City, where the Utes are 16-5 in season-opening games. It is the second-ever match-up between the Utes and Panthers (2005 Fiesta Bowl–Utah, 35-7). Keep an eye on Jordan Wynn (QB, Utah). He started six games in 2009 as freshman, but enters the season with the No.1 QB spot secured. Wynn and stout defensive line will help the Utes contend for the MWC title–their last before moving to the Pac-10 in 2011 (or Pac-12 at that point).

Jacquizz Rodgers

Saturday, Oregon State vs. TCU (at Cowboys Stadium)

This neutral site match-up is a virtual home game for the Horned Frogs. All-Pac 10 running back and potential Heisman candidate Jacquizz Rodgers will take on a TCU defense that returns seven players from its 12-1 team in 2009, including middle linebacker Tank Carder.

Monday, Boise State vs. Virginia Tech (in Washington D.C.)

This is the showcase game of the weekend and means the Broncos will either be one Ohio State or Alabama loss away from a trip to Glendale or playing out the next 11 games for a berth in the Roady’s Humanitarian Bowl. Boise returns 21 of 22 starters (Kyle Wilson, CB), so they clearly know how devastating a loss here could be. Last season in their opener against Oregon, the Broncos held what turned out to be one of the nation’s most dominant rushing teams to 31 yards and one touchdown. Watch for Virginia Tech freshman David Wilson. While Ryan Williams and Darren Evans are the bread winners, Wilson, who will not redshirt, will likely provide a spark in the return game.

Editor’s Note: Check back Tuesday for a preview of the remainder of the season.

Jermichael Finley.

I think the tight end position is very deep this year and if you don’t get one of the top guys then you might as well wait until later in the draft.

There are the six big names: Dallas Clark, Antonio Gates, Jermichael Finley, Vernon Davis, Tony Gonzalez and Jason Witten. Those guys will go early and you would be in a good position with any of them. I like Finley as one of the top guys, even though he’s not as big of a name, and I have a feeling he might go before Gonzalez and Witten in some drafts.   

 Top 10

1. Dallas Clark (Ind)— Clark is going to have as many opportunities as a top receiver.
2. Antonio Gates (SD)– Chargers have a powerful offense, and he will be a focal point.
3. Jermichael Finley (GB)– Finley will be putting up double-digit points often.
4. Vernon Davis (SF)– His only drawback is his quarterback, Alex Smith.
5. Tony Gonzalez (Atl)– Might not put up super numbers, but should be consistent.
6. Jason Witten (Dal)– Cowboys offense doesn’t look good so far, but he could benefit as Romo’s favorite check down option.
7. Brent Celek (Phi)–He could be a valuable safety net for Kevin Kolb.
8. Visanthe Shiancoe (Min)–His role will be more prominent with Sidney Rice out for at least half the season.
9. Zach Miller (Oak)–He’s probably Oakland’s best receiving option. Be cautious, however, if Jason Campbell’s injuries linger.
10. Heath Miller (Pit)–He’d be rated higher if Ben Roethlisberger was starting week one.

Sleeper: Dustin Keller (NYJ)– Mark Sanchez is finding him often, especially under pressure. 

The Lowdown

Dallas Clark should be the first tight end off the board. He’s virtually a receiver in that Colts offense, often lining up in the slot or in the backfield. Clark’s potential to have those 20 to 30 point games is higher than any other tight end. 

Antonio Gates is in the same class as Clark, and has big potential for double-digit games. Gates will have plenty of opportunities this year, with the absence of Vincent Jackson. Norv Turner says they are trying to get Ryan Mathews around 290 touches, that means a lot of running, which in-turn leads to play-action passing–a benefit for Gates owners. 

Jermichael Finley is the tight end whose stock is rising fast. Statistically he’s one of the best tight ends so far this preseason, 12 catches for 163 yards and two touchdowns. The Packers are airing it out and Finley is a great pick up after the first two big names. I would take Finley over Davis, Witten and Gonzalez, because of Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers is looking more and more like an elite quarterback and Finley will reap the rewards. 

Chris Cooley is not on our list of fantasy tight ends this year, partly because he wore these shorts in 2007.

Vernon Davis could easily be the top tight end, if he had a better than average quarterback throwing to him. Davis’ only draw back is the Niners offense. Although they did start to produce towards the end of the 2009 season, helping Davis tie for the league lead in touchdown catches with 13. He also has the potential to put up those double-digit games consistently. 

Tony Gonzalez maybe towards the bottom of this list, but he’s been consistent year in and year out. His last year Kansas City was spectacular, yet his production has dropped off in Atlanta due to the other talented players around him. 

Sleeper: Dustin Keller Granted the Jets offense has looked pretty bad this preseason. Still, Keller is getting a lot of targets in those games. Sanchez has been hurried often in the preseason, and is using Keller as his safety blanket. Sanchez is finding Keller when he’s been running for his life. Keller finished the preseason with seven receptions for 65 yards and a touchdown.

Headscratcher: The Clippers off-season has been filled with depositions, lawsuits, and accusations.

Doubling as what could have been the dullest episode of Law & Order, the Clippers have lived up to one of their more dubious reputations.    

They’re cheap. And they’ll go to court to prove it.    

In late July, the team accused Mike Dunleavy of fraud, alleging that their much-maligned former coach/GM ”had no intentions to perform his duties and obligations as head coach through the 2010-11 season.”    

On August 17, owner Donald Sterling denigrated off-season free agent acquisitions Randy Foye and Ryan Gomes, telling TJ Simers of The Los Angeles Times, “If I really called the shots we wouldn’t have signed Gomes and what’s the other guy’s name? (Foye).    

“I swear to you, I never heard of these guys,” he continued. “But what if the coach says he wants them?”    

To Sterling, I suppose not signing Lebron James, meant not signing anybody.    

Two days later former advance scouts Jerry Holloway and Scott Wissel accused Sterling and the organization of breach-of-contract for failing to pay them. Robert H. Platt, the team’s General Counsel, said Holloway and Wissel were “at-will” employees, meaning they effectively were not under contract.    

And, of course, there is still that pesky Elgin Baylor lawsuit. The one where Baylor, the ex-General Manager, alleges that the team (specifically Sterling) discriminated against his race and age when determining to sever ties with him after 16 years.    

If the Clippers 2010 off-season were a dumpster it would now be on fire; a train, it would have wrecked; a widow, weeping.    

And per the norm, actual basketball is the least of the team’s problems, which is saying a mouthful considering they’ve won 71 games in the last three seasons combined. According to Jeff Van Gundy, who clearly lost more brain cells than first thought when Marcus Camby punched him in 2001, the un-guardable Heat will surpass that number in one year.    

Curiously, Dunleavy’s firing coincided with the onset of season ticket renewals as they shedded Marcus Camby, Al Thornton, and Sebastian Telfair from the books and did little to denounce rumors about high-profile coaches. The James talk gained steam when Cleveland visited Los Angeles in January, eventually ruling the headlines for much of March and April as the moribund, lottery-bound Clippers needed to inspire what Bill Simmons has called the illusion of regret. They trekked to Akron and met with James, knowing they had as much of a chance as Lloyd Christmas did with Mary Swanson. Finally, they settled on Vinny Del Negro and signed Gomes and Foye. 

I’m not one for conspiracies, but…    

It’s the Clippers.    

The same team that filed a 1998 lawsuit against one-time coach Bill Fitch for not seeking employment after the team fired him with two years remaining on his contract. The same owner who settled a housing discrimination suit for $2.725 million, the largest monetary settlement of its kind, with the same lawyer, Platt.    

On the court, missing out on James bringing his “talents” to Playa Vista was hardly a crisis. Failing to sign a “marquee” free agent, short of giving Rudy Gay or Joe Johnson a Godfather contract, was probably a mistake avoided.    

In effect they added four rookies (Blake Griffin included), Foye, and Gomes to what amounts to the same core group from last season, which only fails because it does not generate the kind of league-wide buzz the Clippers feigned to hope for.   

Sterling, though, can create his own buzz–it just happens to sound like gnats. No one in sports is capable of annoying his team’s fan base quite like him. It’s one thing for an owner to seemingly sabotage their franchise by being too involved in personnel decisions (Michael Jordan, anyone). But to do so every time he opens his mouth?  

Now, rumors persist that Los Angeles is one of the most likely destinations for the supposedly disgruntled Carmelo Anthony. They have the pieces Denver wants: youth, draft picks, cap relief. But will they be too cheap to use it?  

And while the on-court fantasy of teaming ‘Melo with Griffin, Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman, and Baron Davis could be a tantalizing proposition for the 26-year-old forward. It’s all of the other things that should worry him, especially if it has anything to do with Robert H. Platt.

What many baseball fans know as the “Shot Heard ‘Round the World,” was one of baseball’s most memorable moments. In other words, if you consider yourself a true baseball fan, you should cherish it.

"The Flying Scot" was flying high in '51.

In the rivalry that is arguably unmatched in any other sport, the New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers faced off in a race for the pennant. The 1951 tie-breaker series was a nail-biter to say the least.

With the series tied one game apiece, the teams entered Game 3 with pressure on their aces (Don Newcombe of Brooklyn and Sal Maglie of New York). But taking care of pitchers was not as important as it is today, and the Dodgers tagged Maglie, heading into the eighth with a 4-1 lead.

Victory seemed eminent for Brooklyn. But history was to be made. With other, more notable, hitters in the lineup such as then-rookie Willie Mays, nobody could have anticipated the giant upset that was about to occur.

Chalk it up to bad decisions by the Dodgers’ management, a cheating scheme, or even luck. Whatever it was, it allowed the sport of baseball to have one its most defining moments. A moment that was literally witnessed around the world: From the fans in the grandstand, to the soldiers who were fighting in the Korean War.

In the bottom of the ninth, Dodgers pitcher Ralph Branca was brought in to face Bobby “The Flying Scot” Thomson (who had hit a homer off of Branca in Game 1). On the second pitch, a high and tight fastball, Thomson sent the ball flying. A line drive headed for the left-field fence sent Giants’ announcer Russ Hodges into a frenzy. Here’s a copy of the transcript from SFGiants.com:

“There’s a long drive. It’s gonna be, I believe — The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant! Bobby Thomson hits into the lower deck of the left-field stands! The Giants win the pennant!”

It would have been nice to catch that ball.

This single moment made Thomson one of the most famous players in baseball who is NOT a Hall of Famer. His home run shows that being a hall of famer does not necessarily equate fame. Instead, all it takes is being the hero, accidental or not.

On the same day Lou Piniella managed his final baseball game, Dodgers announcer Vin Scully announced his voice would serenade Dodgers fans across the city, state, and country for a 62nd year.

The announcement came as a relief to many who felt Vin, as Dodgers fans have come to call him, would hang up the mic after this season. Vin himself said 2010 would make sense as his final year. But no year will ever make sense for the voice of baseball to go quiet.

Baseball without Vin is like playing the game without the ball; the mere notion of it boggles the mind.

It is just not time for Dodger baseball until Vin announces it. The man is not just a part of Dodgers history, but baseball itself.

He has called three perfect games, 19 no-hitters, 25 World Series’ and 12 All-Star games. He became the lead announcer for the team in 1958, the same year the team moved to Los Angeles.

Angelenos have not seen a year of Dodgers baseball without that soundtrack since.

He is the seems that holds the baseball quilt together. A 60-year-old Dodgers fan and a 17-year-old Dodgers fan may only have two things in common. While the second could be anything, the first is undoubtedly that they each grew up listening to Vin.

He called such memorable events ranging  from Sandy Koufax’s perfect game to Barry Bonds’ 71st home run. But perhaps the moment the demonstrates his greatness the most was his call of Hank Aaron’s record-breaking 715th home run.

For those who have never heard it, here it is. The call is great on so many levels. It starts off simple enough, with a summary of Aaron’s previous at-bats and stating the little known fact that Aaron was representing the tying run. It’s all basic from the beginning of the at-bat to the moment Al Downing winds up for the 1-0 pitch.

After Vin describes the crowd’s displeasure with the first pitch and how Downing must block that stuff out, the magic happens. Aaron connects on the now famous home run and Vin describes with delight as the ball sails over the fence. But then he does what so many announcers would not have the restraint of doing during such a historic moment; he shuts up.

For almost 90 seconds, all we hear is the crowd going nuts. Vin lets everyone at home enjoy the moment. Sure, he probably also knows that many at home are going just as crazy as the folks in the stadium and not paying any mind to some announcer, but he also knows there are those who have their eyes fixed on the television, soaking in the moment. Vin makes sure not to ruin the satisfaction as Aaron makes his trot.

Then Vin does what he has always done best; he explains the importance of the event.

“A black man is getting a standing ovation in the deep South,” he starts. “For breaking the record of a baseball idol and it is a great moment for all of us and particularly for Henry Aaron.”

He goes on to describe the scene that awaits Aaron at the plate. Those who were not alive on April 8, 1974 and never seen the home run need only to listen to Vin’s call to know what it must have looked like. He paints the picture so well and lets us all know what an important moment it was.

This is the talent Vin has always possessed. He paints the picture with his words better than anyone out there. His tone of voice elevates in excitement only when the moment merits it and he always makes sure we know the magnitude of the moment when the time is right.

Dodgers fans know this all too well when recalling Kirk Gibson’s home run in the 1988 World Series. Anyone who has not seen or heard the call by now can hardly be called a Dodgers fan.

“Look who’s coming up,” Vin says as a hobbled Gibson makes his way to the plate, echoing the surprise of any Dodgers fan watching the game that night.

When Gibson roped the 3-2 Dennis Eckersley slider into the right-field pavilion, Vin’s excitement again echoed the fans’ reaction. He then bookends the moment with the perfect quote.

“In a year that has been so improbable, the impossible has happened.”

While Vin has voiced great moments in baseball history, he has also been there for the tragic ones.

Who could ever forget his, “Behind the bag! It gets by Buckner!” call in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series. Despite two World Series victories since, Red Sox fans will still never forget that call as much as they may try.

For Dodgers fans, who could ever forget that July 3rd, 1993 night when Vin announced the tragic passing of Dodgers legend Don Drysdale.

“Friends, we’ve known each other a long time,” Scully said during the top of the eighth inning in Montreal, “I’ve had to make a lot of announcements, some more painful than others. But never have I ever been asked to make an announcement that hurts me as much as this one. And I say it to you as best I can with a broken heart.

“Don Drysdale, who had a history of heart trouble–you may remember a couple of years ago he had angioplasty–was found dead in his hotel room, obviously a victim of a heart attack, and had passed away during his sleep.”

Fans who remember that announcement will also remember the tears in their eyes as Vin announced the awful news.

While his workload has lessened over the years and the accuracy on some of his statements have faltered, he still tells the story of the game as well as he ever has. It is his voice fans turn to in times of happiness, but also in times of anguish.

He is more than an announcer. He is a sage, an artist who paints pictures with the spoken word. But most importantly, he is a friend. He is the voice that makes fans feel like everything is right with the world.

His voice makes you forget about steroids and four-hour games. You lose yourself in the moment. You smile as you watch the great American pastime.

“What would I do if I don’t do this?” Vin asked after he announced his return.

The real question is, what would we do if it wasn’t time for Dodger baseball?