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Tuesday MLB — Cardinals at Mets, 4 p.m., MLBN MLB — Athletics at Rangers, 5 p.m., CSNC MLB — Cubs at Astros, 5 p.m., WGN MLB — Marlins at Giants, 7 p.m., CSNB WNBA — Silver Stars at Liberty, 4:30 p.m., ESPN2 WNBA — Mercury at Storm, 6:30 p.m., ESPN2 Sports 1B Tuesday July 27, 2010 Get out and play If you're not a high schooler, you'll have to excuse me this week — this column is for them. Actually I can narrow it down a bit further. If you're an athlete, this column isn't for you either. Alright then, who does that leave? Trust me there's a lot of kids, who love sports, but don't take the time to participate in high school athletics. I know there is, because I was one of them. And if you're that kid too, well Rich I have something to tell you, I wish someone would have told me back in high school. Don't roll your eyes. You might have figured it out, this is one of those “get Greene involved” spiels, but I promise not to sugar coat any- thing. In the next few weeks, fall sports practices are going to begin and I don't want you to be sitting on the sidelines like I did. I know a piece of you wants to go out and play, but I know there are things holding you back. I chose to let those things hold me back. I played sports my whole childhood, but when I got to high school I stopped. Outside of one season playing soccer — I gave up the chance to play high school sports. It was a stupid mistake. I've done a ton of dumb things in my life, but by far not playing high school sports is the most regrettable decision I ever made. That may seem like an odd choice, but most of the other dumb things I've done, I got a chance to do-over or make up for. The four years of high school is all you get — no second chances. They are a tough four years of your life — no ques- tion about it. I'm not that far removed from of those years. I can still remember. Looking back it seems as if I was considering what others would think of me in at least half the choices I made back then. Sound familiar? I made decisions because of what I thought girls would think was cool, because of what my friends would accept and well, what other girls would think was even cooler. The problem is your friends will always accept you and the opposite sex, you'll never figure out. What others will think of you is just one of the hur- dles blocking you from playing sports. There's other rea- sons — you don't like the “jock” label, you don't want the commitment and let’s admit it you don't feel you're good enough. They are all bogus. Probably the best decision I made while in high school was to hang out with a wide variety of people — preps, nerds, geeks, punkers, goths, emo kids even jocks. What I finally figured out by the time I was graduating is no one ever fits a label. I have geeky friends who love football. I know jocks who read comic books. The football crowd you think you have nothing in common with, chances are you're tivoing the same tv shows. You see, that's one of the biggest reasons not joining a team is a mistake. You're missing out on adding new friends to your life. Let me tell you about some of my best friends. There's Mike, a trumpet playing music lover I used to go to concerts with all the time. He was in marching band but he also played baseball. There's Kevin, a philosophy major who will give you endless hours of intellectual debate. He spent all four years in high school on the swim team. There's the other Mike, who loves Nine Inch Nails, Green Arrow and Stanley Kubrick films. He wore com- bat boots everyday in high school, but he was on the golf team. There's even my brother-in-law, who became one of my best friends before marrying my sister. He was an all- league wide receiver. They don’t sound like your typical jocks, because no jock is typical — not everyone is a meathead. Now all four are great friends, but I missed out on even more fun with those guys because I didn't go out for a sport. A part of me thought Iwasn’t good enough, but you know what — my friends weren’t the greatest athletes either. The first Mike, didn't get to pitch much, stuck behind a kid who ended up being drafted in the first round by the Seattle Mariners. Kevin told me he peaked in swimming at a young age and was never a great high school swim- mer. The second Mike told me a story about having to play an entire round of golf after getting his driver stuck in a tree and my brother-in-law never got to play college football for medical reasons. Still, they all have memories I'll never have. You see for most kids high school sports isn't the first step toward a career as a professional athlete — it’s not about that. It is the first step in a lifetime of friendships. The coaches around here know that as well. When I first spoke to the new Red Bluff Spartans football coach John Miller, he made it a point to stress the fact he wants as many kids as possible coming out for the team. Sure he’s hoping to find a few diamonds in the rough, but he also just wants to get more kids involved. It doesn’t have to be football — cross country, swim- ming, tennis, volleyball and soccer teams are all looking for future teammates and friends as well. You’re bound to meet your own Kevin and pair of Mikes and they want to meet you. I’ll be honest, there’s a good chance you’ll never get your picture in the sports page for making a great play. But you’ll take away a lot more than a newspaper clipping. Well, at least that’s what I’m told. I don’t know from personal experience. I hope one day you will. Red Bluff football An important informational meet- ing will be held 3:30 p.m. Friday. Players and anyone interested in playing are asked to meet at the sta- dium. Red Bluff cross country The team will meet on Aug. 16 at 3:30 p.m. at the high school’s art center. Corning tennis Fitness and endurance training is already under way with players meeting 5 to 7 p.m. at the high school’s soccer practice field. Tryouts for the team will begin on Practice is scheduled to begin Aug. 9 at 3:30 p.m. Aug. 16. Corning field hockey Junior Varsity practice will begin Aug. 9 at 3 p.m. and varsity practice will begin Aug. 16 at 3 p.m. Mercy volleyball The team and those interested in playing will meet either Aug. 18 or 19 after school for about 15 minutes. Coaches to add your team’s meeting or practice times to this list, please e-mail editor@redbluffdailynews.com. Boise State favored again in WAC SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Boise State is the runaway favorite to finish out its tenure in the Western Athletic Conference with another league title. The Broncos are No. 1 in both the WAC media and coaches’ polls released Monday. The defending champions received eight of the nine top votes from coaches, who aren’t allowed to vote for their own teams. Boise State was also the top pick on all but one of the 43 media ballots. This is the third straight year Boise State has been picked No. 1 by the media in the preseason and second sea- son in a row the Broncos have led the coaches’ picks. The Broncos are head- ed to the Mountain West Conference next year and would love to close out their run through the WAC with an eighth title in the last nine years. ‘‘We’re all about the WAC and we’re all about this season. That has been our entire focus,’’ coach Chris Petersen said at the league’s media day Monday. ‘‘The WAC has been awe- some to Boise State.’’ Nevada is No. 2 in both polls, fol- lowed by Fresno State. The coaches’ poll has Utah State at No. 4, which is the Aggies’ highest preseason pick since they joined the league five years ago. ‘‘I think that is something that our team can look at as a positive in that they’re gaining the respect of the coaches in the league, and that’s impor- tant,’’ said coach Gary Andersen, who is entering his second season with the Aggies. Idaho comes in at No. 4 in the media poll after last year’s turnaround and sixth in the coaches. Hawaii was voted fifth by the coaches and No. 7 in the media, while Louisiana Tech is sev- enth in the coaches’ poll and No. 5 in ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays finally wound up on the right side of a memo- rable pitching performance. Matt Garza threw the first no-hitter in franchise history and the fifth in the major leagues this season, beating the Detroit Tigers 5- 0 Monday night. The right-hander faced the minimum 27 batters, allowing only a second- inning walk to Brennan Boesch, for a team that’s often been on the wrong end of no-hitters lately. The Rays have been held hitless three times since last July, including a pair of perfect games. ‘‘It was one of those days where everything lined up,’’ Garza said. ‘‘The defense made great plays. I really can’t say enough about them.’’ Garza was the latest to enhance the Year of the Pitcher. The last time there were at least five no-hitters in a season was 1991, when Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan threw one of seven in the big leagues that year, according to STATS LLC. Garza, the 2008 AL championship series MVP, rebounded from one of his worst outings of the season. He retired pinch-hitter Ramon Santiago for the final out on an easy fly ball to right fielder Ben Zobrist, who made a terrific running catch in the third to rob Danny Worth. ‘‘That ninth inning,’’ Garza said, ‘‘I kept telling High school athletics practice start dates Red Bluff soccer Practice is set to begin Aug. 16 from 3:45 to 5:30 p.m. Those times will be the regular practice schedule and the team will be meeting at the tennis courts. MCT file photo Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore hopes to lead the Broncos to one last Western Athletic Conference title. the media poll. Both polls have New Mexico State at No. 8 and San Jose State ninth. Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore is also the preseason offensive player of the year after throwing for 39 touchdowns as a sophomore. Nevada end Dontay Moch is the preseason defensive player of the year after helping lead the Wolf Pack to a 7- 1 league record last year with 20 tack- les for a loss. Matt Garza pitches 1st no-hitter in Rays history ‘‘That ninth inning, I kept telling myself, ’Just finish it, just finish it, just battle, battle. If it’s meant to happen, it’s going to happen.’’’ — Matt Garza myself, ’Just finish it, just finish it, just battle, battle. If it’s meant to happen, it’s going to happen.’’’ Garza’s teammates mobbed him near the mound after a performance that left the New York Mets and San Diego Padres as the only big league teams with- out a no-hitter. The Rays began play in 1998 — the Padres in 1969 and the Mets in ’62. The closest Detroit’s injury-depleted lineup came to a hit was Worth’s two-out liner in the third, but Zobrist made a leaping catch above his head as he retreated toward the wall. ‘‘I was able to time it just right for my jump. Caught it right in the end of my glove,’’ Zobrist said, smil- ing. ‘‘He pitched so great. It’s his day. I felt honored to be part of a game like that.’’ Tigers cleanup batter Miguel Cabrera, who’s bat- ting .347 with 24 homers and 88 RBIs, hit a hard liner to left leading off the eighth. Carl Crawford barely had to move to make the play. The Tigers were no-hit for the first time since Randy Johnson shut them down at Seattle on June 2, 1990. After Boesch walked, he was erased on a double play. Garza said his teammates didn’t leave him off by him- self in the dugout during the late innings. He noticed sev- eral of them standing in the same spot, however, adher- ing to superstition. ‘‘I recognized it and did- n’t want to look up. I was like, ’Just keep looking down and stay focused and get ready for the next inning,’’’ he said. Garza (11-5) struck out six in Tampa Bay’s 2,039th game — and on a night when the Rays struggled to generate much offense themselves. Matt Joyce’s grand slam with two outs in the sixth was the first hit off Detroit starter Max Scherzer (7-8). The next batter, Jason Bartlett, singled for the only other hit of the night until Crawford homered in the eighth. The 26-year-old Garza, who tossed a one-hitter at Florida on June 26, 2008, retired Don Kelly on a rou- tine grounder to second base in the ninth and struck out Gerald Laird before getting Santiago to end it on his 120th pitch before a crowd of 17,009. In addition to the five no- hitters thrown this season was the perfect game Detroit right-hander Arman- do Galarraga was denied because of a missed call at first base by umpire Jim Joyce. Oakland’s Dallas Braden tossed a perfect game against Tampa Bay on May 9, and Philadelphia’s Roy Halladay also was perfect at Florida on May 29. Arizona right-hander Edwin Jackson threw 149 pitches for a no-hitter against the Rays, his former team, at Tropicana Field on June 26. Colorado ace Ubal- do Jimenez pitched a no-hit- ter April 17 at Atlanta. Mark Buehrle threw a perfect game for the Chica- go White Sox against Tampa Bay on July 23, 2009. In his previous start, Garza allowed seven runs and 10 hits in 6 1-3 innings against the Orioles. The Tigers lineup he faced was missing Magglio Ordonez, Carlos Guillen and Brandon Inge because of injuries. Detroit manager Jim Leyland was ejected in the third for arguing with sec- ond base umpire Marty Fos- ter after B.J. Upton’s stolen base. Upton went to third on a wild pitch, but Scherzer struck out Kelly Shoppach before retiring Zobrist on a pop foul to get out of the inning.