(Photo Courtesy: Aaron Torres)

(*** Aaron’s Note: This article was originally posted at Aaron Torres Sports on May 28, 2010.

However, in honor of my grandmother turning 97 today, and still going strong, I decided to repost it. Forgive me for the dated “Celtics-Magic" reference and please forgive me for the terrible writing. Hopefully I've gotten better over the last couple years.

Still, enjoy the article and enjoy the holiday weekend)

To some of you, I know you think of me as some crazed, bizarre, sports lunatic. A guy who falls asleep with West Coast baseball games on, and wakes up to replays of Sportscenter in the morning. A guy who watches classic college football games for "fun," reads passages from old Sports Illustrated's when he's bored, and even flips on the India-Pakistan cricket match when there's nothing else on TV. Well, with the exception of the cricket, you'd be right (Ok, ok, I watched cricket, but it was just ONE time. I swear!).

However, beyond that though, I'm a relatively normal guy, that does the same stuff everybody does. I go to the mall and hang out with my buddies. I play pick-up basketball and hit the driving range every once in awhile. And despite what internet rumors might be out there, yes I even put my pants on one leg at a time. Even if it took me until I was eight to totally figure out how.

Anyway, being a sportswriter, I'm sure many of you assume that I spent this past Monday watching either Game 4 of the Magic-Celtics series, or the opener of a three game Red Sox sweep of the first place Rays. Actually though, I was doing my normal guy routine at a birthday party.

Now before we go any further, I know what you're thinking, and no this wasn't one of those "Brody Jenner on The Hills," type birthday parties, I promise. There were no crazy antics or binge drinking, and truthfully, there weren't even presents exchanged.

Why no presents?

Well, I was at my grandma's 94th birthday party, and honestly, what do you get a 94-year-old that has it all? A Nintendo Wii?
 

(Photo Courtesy: USA Today Sports)

Earlier this week, Lamar Hull, an ex-basketball player at Davidson reached out to me and requested the opportunity to do a guest post here at Aaron Torres Sports. Given that he was looking to cover a subject I wouldn't have considered (Brian Urlacher's retirement from the NFL) and given that I have a soft-spot for all ex-athletes, I took Lamar up on it.

Here is his take on the retirement and legacy of one the greatest linebackers to ever play the game.

Brian Urlacher, perennial Pro Bowl linebacker for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League, announced his retirement from the sport he played in for 13 years. On his Twitter account, the 34 year-old linebacker told his fans, “After spending a lot of time this spring thinking about my NFL future, I have made a decision to retire.”

Urlacher had become a free agent in the offseason. After finding little interest from potential suitors, he opted to retire as a member of the Chicago Bears. Urlacher played his entire career with the team. Urlacher told sports talk radio in Chicago he intends to file his official retirement papers with the league soon.

The linebacker played his college ball at the University of New Mexico, where he majored in criminology. He earned a reputation for speed and range playing the “Lobo” position in a 3-3-5 defense. The Lobo is a hybrid position, with elements of linebacker and safety. He was named an All-American safety in 1999. His speed and athleticism allowed Urlacher to also play wide receiver on offense. The college squad utilized Urlacher as a kick return specialist, too.

Over his career, Urlacher played in 182 games, including 180 starts, over the course of what most analysts believe is a Hall of Fame career. He finished his career with 1,779 tackles, 41 ½ sacks and 22 interceptions. The linebacker finishes his career as the Bears all-time leader in tackles. I will always remember watching some of his great performances on NFL Sunday Ticket, I doubt in the near future will anyone live up to Urlacher’s success at the linebacker position.

(Photo Courtesy: USA Today Sports Images)

(For all his podcasts, follow Aaron on Twitter @Aaron_Torres)

Over the past few years, few college football programs have been more fascinating than the Tennessee Volunteers. From coaching changes en masse to on the field disappointments galore, as I said a million times during the 2012 college football season: It’s Always Something with Tennessee.

And on Wednesday, one of the Vols’ top beat writers, Evan Woodbery of the Knoxville News Sentinel stopped by the Aaron Torres Sports Podcast to discuss this most unusual of programs.

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Evan and I chatted about the following:

- What is it about Tennessee that there always seems to be something going on, on or off the field? Evan says it’s no different than his time covering Auburn and explains the parallels between the two schools.

- Evan explains what went wrong last year in Knoxville. Was it the coaching? Did the players not buy in? And why didn’t the one-year experiment with Sal Sunseri’s 3-4 defense ever seem to work?

(Photo Courtesy: USA Today Sports)

For updates all of Aaron's college football podcasts, follow on Twitter @Aaron_Torres.

Spring football is officially over, which also means that we’re now one step closer to the start of actual games this fall. And in honor of it, it’s time to start up the Aaron Torres Sports summer podcast series with one of my favorite guests: Barrett Sallee of BleacherReport.com.

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Simply put there is no one who knows this conference better than Barrett, and on Wednesday Barrett broke down all the major story lines from this spring, specifically in the SEC East (note we will do the SEC West in the coming weeks).

However before we could talk football, we needed to settle a movie debate once and for all, beginning with:

- An argument on the merits of both Major League and Major League II. Barrett explains why Major League is a classic, and I explain why Major League II is one of the more underrated sports movies our time. We also debate Willie Mays Hayes’ character, the genius behind “Black Hammer/White Lightning” and agree that Jack Parkman is the boss of all bosses.

- Moving to actual football conversation we begin in a strange spot… with the Kentucky Wildcats. Both Barrett and I have been thoroughly impressed with what Mark Stoops has done and also wonder what this program’s ceiling might be with him as coach.

- We next move to the other new coach in the conference, Butch Jones at Tennessee. Both Barrett and I have been impressed with what he’s done so far, but have concerns with his ability to get this program back to their winning tradition. Both of us agree that success will start with the run game.  

(Photo Courtesy: USA Today Sports Images)

As you’ve probably heard by now, Andrew Wiggins is a Kansas Jayhawk. On Tuesday, the No. 1 basketball player in the country, who some say is the best high school hoopster since LeBron James, elected to become a Jayhawk, choosing the school over offers from Kentucky, Florida State, North Carolina, Nike and Reebok.

Ok, so I’m obviously kidding about the last two, but Tuesday did wrap up one of the wildest recruitments in recent college basketball history, one which seemingly started in the Mesozoic era and ended with everyone in the college basketball world left clueless as to which school Wiggins would choose. In the process it turned John Calipari in a rumbling, stumbling tweeting mess on Tuesday morning, and even led Bill Self to say afterward, “we never had any idea which way he was leading.”  

And really, doesn’t that last sentence tell you how crazy these last few months have been? When the best recruiter in the history of college basketball is forced to sell the virtues of his program through social media, and the coach who ultimately signed the same kid had no idea he was coming, well, that’s when you know things got weird.

They certainly did get weird with Andrew Wiggins.

(Photo Courtesy: USA Today Sports)

The moment college basketball fans have been eagerly waiting for has finally arrived: Andrew Wiggins is set to make his college decision. On Tuesday, the super-recruit from Canada will announce whether he plans on playing college hoops next year at Kentucky, Florida State, North Carolina or Kansas.

Now for those of you who don’t run in super-nerdy sports circles like I do (aka, you have this thing called “a life” keeping you busy) Wiggins’ announcement is big for two very distinct reasons:

A. Many believe Wiggins to be the best basketball player to come through the high school ranks since LeBron James graduated in 2003, a statement which needs no further contextual explanation.

And also…

B. Wiggins’ recruitment has been one of the most over-speculated, under-reported sports stories in recent memory. The simple truth is that no one outside of Wiggins and his family seem to have any idea where the kid is going to college. Yet that hasn’t stopped just about everyone from weighing in with an unfounded opinion on where he’ll end up.

Now in Wiggins’ defense, it seems as though the delay in his college decision is much more because he’s a genuinely torn 17-year-old (can you believe Wiggins was born in…1995!!!) than because he’s looking for any type of ancillary attention… which admittedly, is a good thing. Still, we’ve all got lives to live (even you, “Weird Message Board Guy No. 7261”) and when Wiggins does finally make his announcement, it will allow all of us to move on with ours.

Simply put, everyone has their own reasons as to why they’re excited about Wiggins’ college decision.

Here are 50 of mine.

As you’ve probably noticed by now, Aaron Torres Sports is in fact a sports website, however if there’s one thing you need to know about Aaron Torres personally, it’s that I like educating myself about stuff outside of realm of bats and balls as well.

Part of it is of course that whole “knowledge is power” thing, but the other is that I am genuinely interested in meeting anyone who is truly passionate about what they do. Some of my best friends on this planet have job titles that I can barely spell and definitely can’t pronounce, yet what I always admire about them is that they bring the same passion to their field (be it geology, civil service or again, some inaudible career choice) as I do to sports and writing.

That’s also why when the t-shirt company Design by Humans invited me down to their offices a few weeks ago, I was game; one look at their website and it was obvious they were passionate about what they do, and the product they provide.

Well folks, the third and final Captain Morgan “Perfect Getaway” challenge is here, and with it, your third and final chance to win great prizes. I’ve already got great swag to give away, but if we can somehow win this challenge, one reader of this site will win an iPad mini, Beats by Dre headphones and more. Last week we finished in third place out of 10 competing websites.  

By now you know the drill: Captain Morgan has provided a clue. You need to watch the video, review the clue and then answer the question in the comments section below. Please note that only answers in the comments section will be accepted.

Also note: This clue will again require some minimal Google research on your part. In addition to that research, feel free to reference your answers with others in the comments section.

Anyway, here is this week’s clue:

The mechanism used to set the prisoner free; the number of these found in the 2010 Panama excavation is this challenge’s key. (Hint: Sundance)

Again, there’s nothing much to this giveaway. Just Google the answer to the question and enter in the comments section below.

As always you’re more than welcome (and even encouraged) to hit me up on Twitter, via my Facebook page or by e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Now, get to Googling and share some answers!!
 

To quote Jim Nantz: Hello, friends!!

It’s Tuesday, and like I did last week, it’s time for another Challenge with Captain Morgan. This is the second of three challenges that can net you a ton of great prizes via Captain Morgan including an iPad mini, Beats by Dre headphones and lots of other cool stuff.

Unfortunately last week we did not get enough responses to qualify for any of the big prizes, but there are still two more challenges for you to enter and win. Plus, I do still have Captain Morgan SWAG to give away to my winners as well.

Anyway, it’s time for the second clue, which reads as follows:

The Captain’s vessel is of great fame. The answer to this challenge is in its name. (Hint: Morgan’s flagship)

Now please note, that after consulting with some other websites who are participating in this event, to find this answer, it may require some very minimal Google research in addition to watching

Once you do have the answer though, please just write it in the comments section and submit.

Remember, only answers in the comments section will be accepted, but once you do comment you’re automatically entered to win all the great prizes I mentioned above.

Also remember that the website with the most comments wins the best prizes. Therefore, feel free to share this post with friends, family and anyone else who might be interested in entering.

As always if you have any questions or comments for me, feel free to hit me on Twitter @Aaron_Torres or e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Now, get to Googling and share some answers!!
 

(Photo Courtesy: USA Today Sports)

A few weeks ago, the good folks at My Golf Locker shared a fun post with Aaron Torres Sports, about ‘Classic Masters Moments.’ It was a huge hit, and when my friends over at GolfPoser could do their own post, I quickly obliged.

Here is their take on golf equipment and clothing, and its importance to your success on the course.  

The PGA Tour is a year-long grind, where the world’s best golfers are forced to play some of the toughest courses under some of the most averse conditions.  In the coming weeks, PGA pros will have to play in the humidity of Florida, the extreme heat of Texas and at stops in New England, the Midwest and deep South, before the tour wraps up in Ohio in early October.

And just like their favorite professionals, weekend warrior golfers have to consider all the elements when they get set to take the course as well. Being in peak mental shape isn’t the only thing that makes a successful golfer; other variables such as the equipment they use, the caddie they have and even the clothes they wear are important too.  

Speaking of golf clothing, here are a few things golfers need to consider when they hit the links this spring and summer.