THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS: SPORTS

Latest High School & College Sports News, Grand Rapids Griffins, Grand Rapids Rampage, West Michigan Whitecaps & More

Roger Mason

The Traverse City Beach Bums, of the Independent Frontier League, didn't have to look very far to find their new pitching coach.

Roger Mason, 51, still resides in his hometown of Bellaire, about 40 miles northeast of Traverse City.

The nine-year major league pitcher who played for five different teams -- the San Francisco Giants, Houston Astros, Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets -- will be the Beach Bums' pitching coach in 2009, his first job at the pro level.

Landon Wilson

GRAND RAPIDS -- Grand Rapids Griffins left wing Landon Wilson was recalled by the Dallas Stars on Friday afternoon after they learned that captain Brendan Morrow could be out up to six months with a torn right ACL.

Because Dallas doesn't have an American Hockey League affiliate this season, it has loaned its players to several teams.

Wilson, 33, has eight goals (tied for first), seven assists (tied for fourth) and 37 penalty minutes (first) in 15 games with the Griffins this season.

ANN ARBOR -- Did you hear they had to cancel Saturday's 105th game of the storied Michigan-Ohio State football rivalry?

Because Michigan can't get past Toledo.

That's what this historic Wolverines season has been reduced to. Jokes.

ESPN is determined to remain the self-proclaimed "Worldwide Leader in Sports," even if it has to fork over millions to do so.

ESPN reportedly spent $125 million per year to carry four Bowl Championship Series games -- the Fiesta, Orange, Sugar and BCS championship -- for four years, starting in 2011.

Press Photo/Cory OlsenBen Lyke, 25, of Coats Grove, holds up his buck at the Barry County State Game Area headquarters. Listen to Lyke's story about his deer:

MIDDLEVILLE -- Ben Lyke, of Coats Grove, was sitting about 200 yards from his brother, Josh, when three does came running into the field, spooked by a man guy making noise along the road.

The 25-year-old hunter pulled up his scope to scan the field. It was opening morning and the odds were good. Then he saw what he was looking for.

Thousands of Michigan hunters went afield this week, the first days of the Michigan firearm deer season. By most accounts, the season has progressed well. But not everyone is happy, nor should they be.

Saugatuck hunter Don Bale was hoping for more. I suspect that others do, too.

Hilarious Fishing Cartoons & Hilarious Hunting Cartoons: Author: John Troy; Forward: Nick Lyons; Publisher: Skyhorse Publications; Price: $14.95 each

Pick your poison. You'll die laughing either way.

And you will have cartoonist John Troy to blame.

Troy's two new books, "Hilarious Hunting Cartoons" and "Hilarious Fishing Cartoons," are just that: delectable snippets from the field that are made laugh-out-loud funny.

They are calling it the dream season on a Michigan State men's soccer team that, quite frankly, is experiencing a fantasy-like run.

"I feel like pinching myself, because we thought we had the pieces in place to do this, but we got off to such a slow start, so this was all a little unexpected," said Spartans goalie Avery Steinlage, a sophomore from Spring Lake High School.

Rebecca Kamp

Calvin College freshman Rebecca Kamp's only goal when she arrived on campus was to make the varsity volleyball team.

She accomplished her goal, and a heck of a lot more.

Kamp is a 6-foot-1 middle hitter who has been honored as the American Volleyball Coaches Association's NCAA Division III freshman of the year and as a first-team All-American.

WISCONSIN DELLS, Wis. -- It was a tall order for the Grand Rapids Community College volleyball team, which was making its second national appearance in as many years.

Going up against tournament-tested Johnson County College proved to be too much for the Raiders.

The march to imperfection continues.

The winless Detroit Lions (0-10) host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-3) in a 1 p.m. Sunday matchup at Ford Field.

It might be the Lions' best chance to register their first win. They knocked off the Bucs, 23-16, at home last season.

James Hoffman kept his streak alive.

The 32-year-old Grand Rapids bowler recently bowled a 300 game and 800 series for the third consecutive year.

He picked up a 300 on Oct. 22 in the Alpine Majors League at Westgate Lanes. Hoffman followed that with an 814 series Nov. 6 in the same league. He had games of 278, 258 and 278.

Courtesy Photo/Randy EllenKyle Ballard, of Comstock Park, won the Top Dog race Nov 1.

Most area stock car drivers are enjoying a well-deserved break now that tracks across West Michigan have closed up for the season.

Kyle Ballard of Comstock Park isn't the type to cool his wheels, not even during the winter months.

Look for Ballard to hit the track Saturday night when Arena Racing returns to DeltaPlex Arena at 7:11 p.m. Ballard, who competes in Berlin Raceway's Super Stock division during the summer, will be unveiling his new Arena Racing car colors now that he is receiving sponsorship help from the International Hockey League's Muskegon Lumberjacks.

ALLENDALE -- Ashland University wide receiver Joe Horn offered up the best bulletin-board material of the week for the rematch and Division II playoff game with Grand Valley State on Saturday in Allendale.

Ashland, which lost 48-42 to the Lakers in a Oct. 25 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference showdown, had a 15-point lead in the third quarter. It was the most points Grand Valley State had allowed in a single game since 2000.

Eric Fowler, former Grand Valley State University wide receiver, has been dropped from the Detroit Lions practice squad.

He took part in preseason training camp with the Lions and had been part of their practice squad since the beginning of the season.

His next stop could be the Arena Football League since the Grand Rapids Rampage own his AFL rights.