Winner of the Week: Roy Halladay's Perfect Game

Usually on Sunday, we here at Outside the Boxscore name our, "Winner of the Week", whether it be a person/team/or inanimate object.

Here is this week's winner: Roy Halladay's Perfect Game

On a day that focused on the beginning of the Stanley Cup Finals and the Lakers going back to their third straight NBA Finals, Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Roy Halladay shifted our attention to the baseball diamond as he pitched the 20th perfect game in Major League Baseball history.

Halladay who has been argued as the best pitcher in Major League Baseball only needed 115 pitches to rid the Phillies of the Florida Marlins. Halladay who became the second pitcher this month to pitch a perfect game (Oakland's Dallas Braden did it on May 9th against the Tampa Bay Rays) was at his finest in this affair.

Halladay became the second Philadelphia Phillie to pitch a perfect game since Jim Bunning did it back in 1964 against the New York Mets. The last hitter that Halladay faced was Florida pinch-hitter Ronny Paulino who grounded out to third-baseman Juan Castro which clinched perfection for Mr. Halladay.

This isn't the first time that Roy Halladay has chased perfection, during his rookie season with the Toronto Blue Jays, he almost pitched a no-hitter against the Detroit Tigers but it was eventually broken up by former Tiger Bobby Higginson.

So, congratulations to Roy Halladay, your perfect game is our, "Winner of the Week".

Stuff that Missed the Cut: Steve Nash on "Space Ghost: Coast to Coast", RIP Gary Coleman and Dennis Hopper, and Is Nick Swisher a Scientologist now?

Roy Halladay Picture Courtesy of the Associated Press

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Winners of the Week: University of Virginia Women's Lacrosse

Usually on Sundays, we here at Outside the Boxscore like to name our Winner/Winners of the Week whether it be a sports team/inanimate object/or something completely off the wall.

Here is this week's winner: University of Virginia Women's Lacrosse

When this women's lacrosse score flashed across most news agencies and ESPN's bottom line, "North Carolina 17 Virginia 7", it not only ended Virginia's title hopes for the 2010 Women's Lacrosse title but might have ended the extra pain for having to play for slained player, Yeardley Love.

Love was found dead of an apparent murder back in the early parts of May at an off-campus apartment. The only suspect in her murder was her boyfriend, George Huguely who also played lacrosse for the Virginia men's team. Not only did it shock both lacrosse teams but having two lives changed forever is a shame to say the least.

The women's lacrosse team won their opening round playoff game in the women's lacrosse tournament against Towson amongst cheers for Yeardley Love and the team wearing armbands/t-shirts with the slogan, "One Team, One Heart, One Love" to signify their fallen hero.

Although their dreams ended against North Carolina, the world of sports is just that, the world of sports. The grand schema of things is more unbelievable than we can imagine but maybe that one win helped the team cope with the loss of Love and give tribute to her as a human being and player.

The healing process can now begin for these young women and they have their whole lives ahead of them to achieve anything they want. At Virginia's graduation today, Love will be posthumously awarded her degree and her teammates will walk in her honor.

We here at Outside the Boxscore send our condolences to Love's family and the members of the Virginia's women's lacrosse team, our winners of the week.

Stuff That Missed the Cut: C'Mon Lebron Put Your Mavericks Jersey On, Juan Rivera Falls Into Temporal Wormhole, and Nets Trade Third Pick for Honda CR-V

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Winner of the Week: The Ghost of Affirmed

Usually every Sunday, we like to name a winner of the week whether it be a person, team, or inanimate object.

Here is this week's winner: The Ghost of Affirmed

In the world of sports, there are many unbreakable records to speak of but one of them that you'd expect to be broken is still standing.That is horse racing's "Triple Crown".

Essentially, for those of you that are not fans of horse racing, that is winning the Preakness Stakes, Kentucky Derby, and Belmont Stakes in the same year.

The last horse to win all three was Affirmed back in 1978. To note, it's been over 32 years since that happened numerous horses have come close but never sealed the deal. Yesterday, we had the running of the 137th Preakness Stakes and Lookin at Lucky took home the win preventing Super Saver from competing for the Triple Crown.

You would think that this record would be easy to topple since all it is winning three specific horse races but with the variance of weather and track surfaces along with competition from other horses, it might be the toughest single accomplishment in non-team sports.

Eventually, some horse is going to win the Triple Crown but until then, the ghost of Affirmed will continue to linger in the minds and hearts of horse racing fans.

Stuff That Missed the Cut: That Delonte West/Lebron James rumor, Awesome 1980's Washington Bullets Sales Video, and Padres Pitcher Mat Latos is Dealin'

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Winners of the Week: San Jose Sharks

Usually on a weekly basis here on Outside the Boxscore, we pick a person/team/or something completely irrelevant to be our, "Winner/Winners of the Week".

This Week's Winner: San Jose Sharks

It appeared that the same ending was already written for the San Jose Sharks this playoff season much like ones in seasons past. They were going to have the best record in regular season and somehow not advance past the second round in the NHL Playoffs.

The upstart Colorado Avalanche had punched them in the gut during their first round playoff series and appeared to have some control of the series tied at 2-2 going back to San Jose for game 5.

Then a funny thing happened to the San Jose Sharks, they figured out how to be dominant again. Since that game 4, the Sharks have gone 6-1 in the playoffs and have looked like the team that everyone expected them to be. As the Sharks pulled out a 2-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings last night, the Sharks advanced to the Western Conference Finals and a series win away from the Stanley Cup Finals.

For a franchise that could never get it right in the past, the San Jose Sharks are changing their destiny after dealing with some adversity first.

That makes the San Jose Sharks, our "Winners of the Week".

Stuff That Missed The Cut: The Awesome that is VH1's Basketball Wives, Detlef Schrempf on NBC's "Parks and Recreations" , and Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart are dating, NO WAY!

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Winners of the Week: Lance Horton/Duane Jackson/Wayne Ratigan/"Bullet"

Usually on some weekly basis, we pick something, some team or some person to dub the "Winner/Winners of the Week".

Here is this week's winners: Lance Horton/Duane Jackson/Wayne Ratigan/"Bullet"

What is usually lost in the mix of our sports/political/entertainment centric-world is the normal everyday people out there working hard and sometimes those people can make a difference.

Yesterday, New York's famed Times Square had an alleged bomb scare when a Nissan Pathfinder that contained gasoline tanks, fireworks, and other equipment that could have caused injuries was thwarted by four men and the New York Police/Fire Departments.

The heroes that ended up preventing possible injuries to innocent people ended up being a veteran police officer, a homeless man, and two t-shirt vendors.

A homeless man named "Bullet" who was working with t-shirt vendors Lance Horton/Duane Jackson noticed the Nissan Pathfinder parked in a bus lane with smoke coming out of it. The three men eventually started to look around for a police officer to report the suspicious vehicle.

Eventually Horton flagged down New York police officer Wayne Ratigan who was on horseback about the alleged vehicle. Horton and two female rookie police officers started to evacuate the area near the car before more police officers and the bomb squad could take a better look at the car. Thankfully, the alertness of these four individuals helped to prevent possible injury to innocent people.

We here at Outside the Boxscore would like to the dub these men and women our, "Winners of the Week".

(Some information used in this piece came from a New York Daily News Article)

Stuff That Missed the Cut: NBA Teams Going Fishing, Barack the Comedian, and Madden Curse Photoshops

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Winner of the Week: Awesome Baseball Games

Usually, on some bi-weekly or weekly basis, we pick something, some team or some person to dub the "Winner of the Week".

Here is this week's: Awesome Baseball Games

On a day where the NBA and NHL playoffs were supposed to shine, Major League Baseball decided to make some noise by playing two incredible regular season affairs yesterday.

The first came when the Colorado Rockies/Atlanta Braves faced off in Atlanta, Colorado pitcher Ublando Jimenez threw the first no-hitter in Colorado Rockies history. Yep, that's right it was the first in their history and just think of all those great pitching talents that have come through Colorado. (Obviously, I'm trying to enhance this.)

Not only did we see a no-hitter on Saturday, we also saw a 20 inning affair between the St. Lous Cardinals and the New York Mets which lasted a grant total of 6 hours and 53 minutes.

For those of you playing at home, a grand total of three NBA playoff games were completed and two NHL playoff games finished before the Mets/Cardinals had the Mets pulling it out by the score of 2-1.

So, congrats awesome baseball games, you are the Winner of the Week.

Things that Missed the Cut: Caron Butler's Talking Abe Tattoo, Kevin Durant Being Disrespected, and Drunk Phillie Fan Vomits Everywhere

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Winner of the Week: NBDL Slam Dunk Contest

Most of you probably had the same expression that I had after watching the 2010 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, "What the H%LL was that crap?"

Well, at least our friends over in the NBA Developmental League showed off some impressive stuff with their dunk contest.

The eventual winner was Los Angeles Defenders guard Dar Tucker whose final dunk culminated in him jumping over 7 footer "Wisconsin's Own", Brian Butch.

Congrats to Nate Robinson for his third Slam Dunk title but Dar Tucker would have creamed him if competed in the NBA one.

Just Missed the Cut: Steve Nash being Steve Nash, Dallas Mavericks-Washington Wizards be tradin', and Danica Patrick Crashin'

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Winner of the Week: Sean Payton

This Week's Winner: New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton

WHO DAT? WHO DAT?, the answer to that question should be no one for the 2009 NFL season. The Saints pulled off one of the most magical turn-arounds in NFL history to win their first ever Super Bowl.

However, Payton should be the one receiving all the credit. From his gutsy onside kick to begin the second half along with a solid challenge on a two-point conversion to give the Saints, a seven point lead.

Payton learned "The Secret" about coaching in the Super Bowl, winners are rewarded by sticking with their gameplan and taking risks to win. There were many clutch plays turned in by Drew Brees, Tracy Porter, and Pierre Thomas who deserve credit but for the man who charted the course from a sinking ship, Sean Payton will go down in Saints lore forever.

Congrats to the Saints and the city of New Orleans.

Just Missed the Cut: MVPuppets New Commercial, Tracy Porter INT, PUPPY BOWL!

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Winner of the Week: Earthquakes!

Usually here at Outside the Boxscore, we try to crown a "Winner of the Week" whether it be a person, team, or something completely outside the box.

Winner of the Week: Earthquakes

Usually, Earthquakes are probably not going to be considered for our "Winner of the Week" segment unless they come from San Jose. (The MLS Fans got that one) I was watching the Bengals-Jets AFC Wild Card affair as Carson Palmer threw an incomplete pass to Andre Caldwell.

Then suddenly, an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.5 decided to shake my house in Humboldt County, California for a full minute or so. Hell, I almost did a "Jack Bauer" roll out of the room that I was standing in, that's how intense it was.

(I'm still going on the fact that the poor passing of Carson Palmer probably started the earthquake, Maybe God had some money on the Bengals?)

Yep, for those of you out there in blogosphere land, that means I missed ending to the Bengals-Jets and most of the Cowboys rout of the Eagles. This however harkens me back to the 1989 World Series Earthquake which registered a 7.1 on the Richter scale and the extreme damage that was done to the Bay Area.

Very Thankfully, no one was seriously injured from this quake in Humboldt County and this should serve as a reminder that the awesome power of nature can strike at any time.

Also, the only way that Outside the Boxscore gets stopped is by a 6.5 earthquake.



Just Missed the Cut: Wade Phillips wins a playoff game, Antawn Jamison's Apology, and Cole Marcoux Wild Ride

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Winner of the Week: Ruffin McNeill

Every week at OTB, we choose our "Winner of the Week" whether it be a person, team, or inanimate object/theory.

Winner of the Week: Interim Texas Tech Head Coach Ruffin McNeill

With the entire Mike Leach fiasco going on, many people would expect the Texas Tech Red Raiders to have a let down in their bowl game against Michigan State.

However, interim head coach Ruffin McNeill had the team focused to pull out the win at the Valero Alamo Bowl.

McNeill made many gutsy calls near the end of the game with pulling his starting quarterback Taylor Potts due to injury for back-up Steve Sheffield and going for a Bill Belickian "4th and 4" only up by three points with more than 2 minutes remaining in the game.

After the end, cheers from fans and players of "Ruff, Ruff, Ruff" echoed through the Alamodome. McNeill after the game said that he would like to be the coach of the Texas Tech next season.

The ball is now in your court, Texas Tech.

Just Missed the Cut: Tony Parker and Eva Longoria's Summer Night, The Stand-Off between Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton, and Tim Tebow Final Collegiate Game

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Winner of the Week: Johnny Boychuk

Usually, every week, there are individuals/teams/or random things that deserve notice and we here at OTB show them some love in our "Winner of the Week".

This week's winner: Johnny Boychuk

With a name like Boychuk, you probably have to do something pretty awesome to be named, "Winner of the Week."

Johnny Boychuk is a defenseman for the Boston Bruins who took on the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. Boychuk decided to lay the lumber against Maple Leafs center Matt Stajan.

That nasty of a hit deserves, "Winner of the Week"

Stuff that just missed the cut: Mike Lowell not traded after all, Mike Holmgren not returning to Seattle, and Not having to dig teeth out of your elbow.

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Winner of the Week: Sports Blogs Retire

Every week, we take time to hand out the "Winner of the Week" to someone that does something worthy, sports related or not.

This Week's Winner: Sports Blogs Retire

On some level, we can say that sports bloggers are part of some elite fratenity of some sort and when one decides to retire, we take note.

"The Big Picture", "Wax Heaven" and the "Most Valuable Network" all have been main-stays in the sports blogging community and they all have decided to enter the world that Brett Favre tries to stay away from.

We like to present them with "Winner of the Week" and wish them well in their future post-blogging plans.

Just Missed the Cut: Turner Gill named head coach of Kansas Football Team, John Wall being John Wall, and Tiger Woods takes a break

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Winner of the Week: Bruce Gradkowski

Usually here at OTB, there are many people that should receive mention that we never get to due to the lack of a quality story.

However, we will give the title, "Winner of the week" to someone worthy of mention that does something of some importance.

This week's winner: Bruce Gradkowski



Many people expected the Pittsburgh Steelers to be in full control of their playoff destiny when they had a rather ho-hum matchup against the putrid Oakland Raiders.

Then Bruce Gradkowski went all BRUCE GRADKOWSKi throwing for over 300 yards with three touchdowns including the game-winner to Louis Murphy to send the Steelers to a 6-6 record.

That's enough to give Bruce Gradkowski our "Winner of the Week"

Other Candidates: The Nets Won!, Jarrett Jack's shoe-tying ability, and Throwing a Texas-sized Hissy-Fit

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