Back in 1991 was my first time really getting into baseball. Sure, I remember where I was when Kirk Gibson won the first game of the ‘88 World Series, but I never really got into the sport until I could watch it and analyze the game. Turn to the summer of 1991. I remember the exact day I became a Braves fan, but what I will always carry with me are the memories from that season when the Braves tore through the NL on the way to the World Series.

Honestly, I don’t remember the year my parents got divorced, but anyway, my mom and I have always been really close and we bonded so much that year. She began to take an interest in watching baseball with me and learning about the game as I did. We would watch the games on TBS whenever we could and I remember watchng the playoffs with her and going up and down as the Braves advanced to the series. I remember her favorite players were David Justice (she thought he was hot) and Mark Lemke (because he was the smallest guy on the team and came through in the clutch in the Series).

I can remember us cheering in our little apartment here in San Antonio (probably waking the neighbors, but who cared) and I’ll never forget just sitting there in front of out TV, following a game the entire country enjoyed. Eventually, she took me to my first minor and major league baseball games (she’ll never go back to the Missions after nearly being hit twice by foul balls and she got then-San Diego Padres outfielder Rickey Henderson to give me a ball at some sparsely-attended game in the Astrodome).

I know this is short and less detail than I like to give, but this is not only my most-cherished sports-related memory, but simply one of my most-cherished.

Post from: EveryJoe

My mom and Mark Lemke

Should you have any links that may be of interest to me or the rest of the readers, I’d like for you to leave a note in the comments and I’ll check them out.  Thanks!

Post from: EveryJoe

Request for blogs, message boards

• David from Every Morning Quarterback offers the top NFL free agency winners.
• Jodie from Gossip On Sports brings you the five best coach rants.
• Tim from Do You Nascar provides the latest in NASCAR with the Chase update.
• Rich from College Fast Break provides the top 25 college basketball rankings.
• Allison from BCS Frenzy talks about the best college football rivalries.
• Sandy from Green Posse discusses the best of the worst in golf so far in 2008.
• Jeanne from Hockey Beat shows you the best hockey non-fight.
• Stephen from Hoops Fantasy chooses the best fantasy basketball players today.
• Kris from Jab and Grapple talks about his WWE Top 5.
• Geoff from Knuckle Curve continues his Where Are They Now series.
• Joe from Ladies Court analyzes the top WNBA off-season additions so far.
• Sasha from Light the Torch tells you what team USA basketball needs to do to win.
• James from NBA Obsessed discusses the best NBA player pickups this season. He also chimes in about the worst GM in all of sports at Squib Kick.
• Kori from The Fantasy Kickoff talks about the best fantasy prospects in the 2008 NFL Draft.
• Jyle from The Footie shows you the worst soccer fake ever. Be sure to check out more from Jyle at our newest blog – Sneaks ‘N Gear.
• Blake from All Poker Addicts wants to know if you are entering the 2008 World Series of Poker.
• Al from Dejuiced talks about the Miami Heat who have gone from the best to one of the worst teams in just a few years.
• Erica from Rackets and Balls tells you about the oldest collegiate tennis player – a 60-year-old woman!
• Don from Getting Reel talks about changing with the conditions when things aren’t the best.
• Dinnie from Six and Out discusses who is not on the Forbes greatest athletic achievements list.
• And don’t miss out on the latest from Houston Astros outfielder Hunter Pence. He is itching for baseball season to start at Inside the Ballpark.

If you want to join the sports team at b5media, we are looking for a few good bloggers. Learn how to apply.

Photo credit: istockphoto

Post from: EveryJoe

The latest from the b5media sports team

The b5media Sports Channel is proud to announce the launch of Sneaks ‘N Gear. This blog will bring you the latest in sneakers, jerseys, hats, and other sports and urban apparel. Blogger Jyle Dupuis provides info on the newest sneaker releases and tells you what’s hip (and what’s not). This is Jyle’s second blog in the Sports Channel and his fourth overall with b5. Jyle also writes The Footie, Hip Hop Roll and Evening Talk. Check out Sneaks ‘N Gear today!

Post from: EveryJoe

b5media Adds Sneaker Blog – Sneaks ‘N Gear

This week in the b5media Sports Channel round-up, we offer some amazing lists assembled by our fabulous group of bloggers. Don’t miss out on any of these terrific Top 10 lists.

• Learn more about playing poker in Tunica from Blake Butler at All Poker Addicts.
• Allison Boyer from BCS Frenzy explains the Top 10 things you girlfriend doesn’t know about football.
• In case you missed the best college basketball jerseys, Rich Carlson tells you about the ugliest ones too at College Fast Break.
• Al Bianchi shares with everyone, the Top 10 sounds of sports at Dejuiced.
• Tim Zaegel recaps 2007 with a list of the biggest headlines in NASCAR at Do You Nascar.
• At Getting Reel, Don Zaegel talks about the Top 10 reasons BWS will survive.
• Jodie Boduch answers the question, Where is Tom Brady? at Gossip On Sports.
• Planning a golf vacation? Sandy Mitchell at Green Posse tells you all about the Top 10 spots.
• Hockey fans will love Jeanne Dupuis’ Top 10 hockey goal celebrations at Hockey Beat.
• Don’t miss out on the list of best fantasy basketball players under 25 from Stephen Kersey at Hoops Fantasy.
• Kori Ellis provides information on the Astros single-season batting leaders in Hunter Pence’s blog at Inside the Ballpark.
• Geoff Young from Knuckle Curve provides an amazing list of indispensable baseball resources. Don’t miss this!
• Joe Ruiz writes about the Top 10 WNBA games to watch at Ladies Court.
• Sasha Manuel from Light the Torch offers the Top 10 Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings.
• James Edwards breaks down the Top 10 teams in the league right now at NBA Obsessed.
• Erica Beck gives you the Top 10 moments from the Australian Open at Rackets and Balls.
• Dinsa Sachan from Six and Out provides a list of the Top 10 weird dismissals in cricket
• James Edwards at Squib Kick writes about the Top 10 reasons the Patriots are 18-0.
• Here are the Top 10 fantasy football quarterbacks from Kori Ellis at the The Fantasy Kickoff.
• Who’s making all the money? Jyle Dupuis gives us the scoop with the list of the highest paid soccer players at The Footie.
• Place your bets on the Super Bowl with T.O. Whenham’s advice at Ultra Sports Bet.
• T.O. gives us even more insight with the Top 10 Things That Won’t Effect the Super Bowl.

Post from: EveryJoe

What’s happening around the Sports Channel? More than you can imagine!

At the b5media Sports Channel, we live, breathe, eat and sleep sports. And though diehard sports fans may understand the passion, outsiders may just think we are crazy.

For the reading pleasure of sports fanatics and non-sports fans alike, we offer to you the reasons we love sports.

• Blake breaks down his poker obsession and why you should play at All Poker Addicts.
• Allison recaps the National Championship Game and let’s you know why she loves college football at BCS Frenzy.
• It’s only two months away from March Madness and Rich proclaims why he loves college basketball at College Fast Break.
• David offers plenty of reasons why he loves football at Every Morning Quarterback. Plus, don’t miss his latest podcast at Big Play Radio NFL Football.
• Get real with Don as he let’s you know why he loves fishing at Getting Reel.
• It’s not just about the good looking guys, Jodie tells the truth about why she loves sports at Gossip On Sports.
• Are you excited about golf season around the corner? Sandy is! She fills you in on the top 10 reasons she loves golf at Green Posse.
• Are you a hockey freak? Or you think it’s all fighting? Jeanne gives you the low down on why she loves hockey at the Hockey Beat.
• Do you want to run your own team? Stephen provides all the reasons why he loves fantasy football at Hoops Fantasy.
• MMA, wrestling, boxing … you can find it all from Kris. He lets everyone know why he loves fight sports at Jab and Grapple.
• Is it for the chicks? Geoff explains his baseball love at Knuckle Curve.
• Joe recaps events in his childhood that led to his love of sports at Ladies Court.
• The Olympics in Beijing will be here before you know it. Sasha offers the five top reasons she love the Olympic Games at Light The Torch.
• Did you get your first tennis racket before you could walk? Erica didn’t, but she explains her passion for tennis as an adult at Rackets and Balls.
• Why do you love cricket? Why should you love cricket? Dinsa has the answers at Six and Out.
• While James breaksdown the Giants-Bucs game, he talks about why he loves NFL football at Squib Kick. And don’t miss more from James at NBA Obsessed.
• Jyle provides the top ten reasons why he loves soccer. Find out why you should love it too at The Footie.
• You want a comprehensive A to Z list on why you should love sports. T.O. breaks it down at Ultra Sports Bet.
• Don’t miss out on more sports news and commentary at Dejuiced.com and Do You Nascar.
• When you visit the sports channel, don’t forget to visit Inside the Ballpark. This is the latest addition to our group of fabulous blogs. Written by Houston Astros outfielder Hunter Pence, this blog gives you an inside look at major league baseball.
• Do you want to know why Kori loves fantasy football? Check out The Fantasy Kickoff and find out!

Thanks for reading! Leave your comments on one of our blogs and let us know why you love sports!

Post from: EveryJoe

Why b5 loves sports

• NBA Obsessed - The latest from the NBA
• Hoops Fantasy – All about fantasy basketball
• College Fastbreak – NCAA basketball news
• Gossip on Sports – A little sports, a little gossip and a lot of fun
• b5 Sports – The rest from around the channel

Post from: EveryJoe

Around the Sports Channel