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Thursday, June 25, 2009

Bleacher Report: The Coolest Tricks in All of Sports

This one begins and ends with baseball with a lot of other in between (some cool stuff, I had never seen the Jason Williams elbow pass) but this needs to be viewed by every living person who has ever seen a baseball game just to see Josh Womack’s trick to lead things off. The description does not do it the smallest amount of justice:

Another recent addition to the inter-webs, minor leaguer Josh Womack is creating a huge stir with his famous bat trick.

In the video (below, left), as you can see, Womack starts his swinging motion, snaps his wrists to fling the bat around, then catches it and finishes his swing.

I’m sure this isn’t exactly what the Mariners had in mind when they drafted him in the second round in 2002, but hey, more people have seen this video than have seen the Mariners play this season.

That is just…I don’t know what it is, but it’s something.

Jeff K. Posted: June 25, 2009 at 06:06 AM | 17 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: international, japan, mariners, minor leagues, prospect reports

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1. tribefan Posted: June 25, 2009 at 12:02 PM (#3232276)

That behind-the-back pitch is way cooler. The bowling trick is pretty neat too.

2. Mattbert Posted: June 25, 2009 at 01:24 PM (#3232319)

I can do the behind the back pitch. Probably not that accurately with much consistency, but I used to practice it while goofing around in the bullpen in college. Like any other sort of "magic trick", you tend to be less impressed by something once you reveal the man behind the curtain, so to speak.

That bat trick, on the other hand, is astonishing. That's got to take some kind of practice to be able to do it that smoothly and that reliably. Awesome.

3. Dr Love Posted: June 25, 2009 at 01:42 PM (#3232346)

Chris Ferguson looks like Waingro from Heat.

Beckham's shot is nice but it pales to Juninho's knuckleball-like kick.

4. Still Waiting on Pork Chops (John R.) Posted: June 25, 2009 at 03:48 PM (#3232525)

That Juninho free kick was sick. However, I'm not sure how it compares to Kenny Cooper's goal from the other side of midfield in the run of play.

5. Rusty Priske Posted: June 25, 2009 at 04:02 PM (#3232540)

What the hell was the keeper doing on that play?

He should have had LOTS of time to react and get into position.

6. RobertMachemer Posted: June 25, 2009 at 04:49 PM (#3232580)

If the blog can include "card-throwing" among cool sports tricks, then I'd imagine this qualifies as a sports trick and I feel compelled to share it. The interview is a riot -- I recommend watching it if only to set up the expectations -- but the "holy ####!" moments come later (see 2:20, 3:20). Another video of the same guy doing more tricks is here, and it goes fairly quickly to some of the tricks, but I don't find the set-up interview stuff to be nearly as funny.

7. Obama Bomaye Posted: June 25, 2009 at 05:21 PM (#3232641)

edit - never mind, just babbling

8. Still Waiting on Pork Chops (John R.) Posted: June 25, 2009 at 07:10 PM (#3232976)

What the hell was the keeper doing on that play?

He should have had LOTS of time to react and get into position.

He was a bit further off his line than he should have been, granted. That being said, that shot was NAILED. The keeper was astonished that Cooper would have the chutzpah to try a shot from there, and was flat-footed.

A few days after the game, some of the other FCD players were goofing around after practice, trying to duplicate the shot sans goalie. The guys were able to hit the frame from that distance, but no one on the fly.

9. Dr Love Posted: June 25, 2009 at 07:24 PM (#3233018)

He was a bit further off his line than he should have been, granted. That being said, that shot was NAILED. The keeper was astonished that Cooper would have the chutzpah to try a shot from there, and was flat-footed.

Exactly. Nice goal, and credit to Cooper for attempting it there and pulling it off, but that goal was a result of a heads up play more than physical skill and touch (although doing it not from a free kick is impressive), there are more than a few guys who could pull that off. There are only a handful of players that can replicate Juninho's touch.

10. Jeff K. Posted: June 26, 2009 at 12:42 AM (#3233567)

That bat trick, on the other hand, is astonishing. That's got to take some kind of practice to be able to do it that smoothly and that reliably. Awesome.

Right, I can't believe this turned into a soccer discussion. Seriously, are Mattbert and I the only two that find the bat thing astonishing?

11. phredbird

Posted: June 26, 2009 at 01:04 AM (#3233592)

the bat thing is super cool.

12. Shock Posted: June 26, 2009 at 01:28 AM (#3233611)

Seriously, are Mattbert and I the only two that find the bat thing astonishing?

Nah, it's just an old video :-P

13. Jeff K. Posted: June 26, 2009 at 03:40 AM (#3233705)

I will note that video is a complete tease, in that it at all times seems like it's leading up to the pitcher pitching to him, forcing the viewer to anticipate the sheer holy greatness that would be actually hitting the ball either before, during, or after making that little flip.

14. SoSHially Unacceptable Posted: June 26, 2009 at 03:50 AM (#3233712)

I will note that video is a complete tease, in that it at all times seems like it's leading up to the pitcher pitching to him, forcing the viewer to anticipate the sheer holy greatness that would be actually hitting the ball either before, during, or after making that little flip.

I thought the same thing. I kept waiting for one of the other guys to pitch to him.

15. Pasta-diving Jeter (jmac66) Posted: June 26, 2009 at 03:52 AM (#3233714)

I was waiting for the Japanese behind-the-back guy to pitch to him

(also, I really like the elbow pass--I'd never seen it either)

16. Jeff K. Posted: June 26, 2009 at 04:02 AM (#3233723)

White Chocolate was the #### for a little bit, at least for the showy stuff. My memory is that he was a solid contributor, but the flameout (and I don't remember an injury) probably argues against.

I linked this in the Lounge, but quite frankly these trick soccer kicks on the streets (by some guy named Remi?) are more impressive than the bat trick. The one up two flights of stairs, off the lip and back 30+ feet, down into the garbage can...

17. Still Waiting on Pork Chops (John R.) Posted: June 26, 2009 at 04:29 AM (#3233739)

Right, I can't believe this turned into a soccer discussion. Seriously, are Mattbert and I the only two that find the bat thing astonishing?

I'm not sure I find it astonishing, though it is a really cool trick. Something about the Confederations Cup has my mind completely entrenched on soccer at this moment, however.

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