FRIDAY, JANUARY 10, 2014 THE NEW MEXICAN
SPORTS
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Midas touch: Elway hits another jackpot in free agency. Page B-8
BASEBALL
Hall of Fame: Up to BBWAA to propose vote changes Writers are limited to a maximum 10 votes, and some say there’s a logjam as Barry Bonds, Roger ClemNEW YORK — The Hall of Fame ens and Mark McGwire remain on says it’s up to baseball writers to the ballot at a time new players are propose any changes in the selection added. process. The Hall electorate includes anyThe Baseball Writers’ Association one who has been a BBWAA member of America has voted on Hall of Fame for 10 consecutive years at any point. candidates since 1936, and elections Some say the voting group should be have become more controversial in expanded beyond writers. recent years as stars tainted by accu“We’re happy,” Hall chairman Jane sations of steroids use have fallen Forbes Clark said Thursday after a well short of the 75 percent needed news conference to introduce 2014 for entry to Cooperstown. electees Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine By Ronald Blum
The Associated Press
and Frank Thomas. “We’re in an age where everyone does want to be heard, but we really see this as an issue that needs to be dealt with by the BBWAA.” Dan Le Batard was kicked out of the BBWAA for one year and barred from future Hall votes on Thursday after he turned over his 2014 ballot to the website Deadspin, which allowed readers to choose the selections. Le Batard, an ESPN host and longtime Miami Herald columnist, said
From left, former Atlanta Braves pitchers Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux listen as former Chicago White Sox slugger Frank Thomas speaks during a Thursday news conference announcing their election into the 2014 Baseball Hall of Fame class in New York. KATHY WILLENS THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Please see HaLL, Page B-8
CAPITAL CITY DUAL CAPITAL 60, SANTA FE HIGH 18
NFL
Jaguars pin Demons
Capital handily takes win in wrestling meet By Edmundo Carrillo
The New Mexican
D
espite its name, the Capital City Dual in Edward A. Ortiz Memorial Gymnasium never turned out to be much of a
duel. The Capital High School wrestling team manhandled the Santa Fe High Demons 60-18 to win bragging rights over the city’s two public high schools, but the match between the 138-pounders ended up being a duel in every sense. Capital freshman Tommy Wright beat Santa Fe High junior Adam Martinez-Miller 16-13 in overtime to give the Jaguars a 21-0 lead at that point. Miller was ahead 13-12 with 20 seconds left in the third period, and Wright knew he had to do something drastic in order to pull out the win. When Miller was on top with control, Wright wriggled himself free for a one-point escape to tie the match and send it into overtime. “It was tiring,” Wright said. “I just had to push myself.” That escape was the turning point in the match, as everything started to fall apart for Miller. He hurt his ankle last week in a tournament at Silver City, and that injury reared its ugly head in the first one-minute overtime period. “I had a spasm in my left calf, and it just seemed like my legs were dead,” Miller said. “From that point, I just couldn’t shoot.” To add insult to injury, Miller was also running out of breath. The injury last week caused him to miss a couple days of practice, and as a result he missed out on conditioning. He tried to compensate by having a 6 a.m. workout Thursday morning, but it was too little, too soon. “It was disappointing because I didn’t go all-out, but that’s because I couldn’t,” Miller said. “All excuses aside, I’m going to do better next time.” The two wrestlers stayed tied at
By Joseph White
The Associated Press
ASHBURN, Va. — The face was different, the words familiar. Like Mike Shanahan and nearly every recent Washington Redskins coach, Jay Gruden is anxious to declare an end to franchise’s days of dysfunction. “I don’t know what happened last year,” Gruden said. Jay Gruden “I know that interviewing with Dan Snyder and Bruce Allen and everybody here that the passion for excellence is there. All they want to do is win, and they’re going to provide me with every avenue to win.” Gruden was introduced Thursday as the man charged with ending the perpetual state of turmoil the team has endured under owner Snyder and recently under general manager Allen.
Please see GRUDen, Page B-7
FIGURE SKATING U.S. CHAMPIONSHIPS Santa Fe High’s Adam Martinez-Miller, top, wrestles with Capital High’s Tommy Wright during their 138-pound wrestling match at the Capital City Dual on Thursday at Edward A. Ortiz Memorial Gymnasium at Capital High School. Wright won the match by decision. CLYDE MUELLER/THE NEW MEXICAN
13 at the end of the first period and went into an extra 30-second period. Wright took a 16-13 lead in that period and kept Miller from scoring a point in the next 30-second period to end the match after eight minutes of wrestling. This is only Miller’s second year as a wrestler, but the grappler already has some big goals, which makes this
loss all the more disappointing. “My goal is to take state or be in the top-3, and I didn’t show my full performance today,” he said. “If my arm was under his, I would have pinned him in the second period. He went the extra step and started taking points on me towards the end, and I respect that.” But Miller has a whole year’s worth
experience over Wright, who is wrestling for the first time at the high school level. Even though he is young, Capital head coach Marcos Gallegos sees a lot of promise in him. “He’s a tough kid, and I look forward to having him for a few more years,” Gallegos said. “He’ll get better,
Please see DUaL, Page B-7
Howling and hand-wringing reign over Hall voting
T
Gruden latest to tackle Redskins turmoil
he old cliché goes like this: who gave his to Deadspin — the There are two things you Miami Herald’s Dan Le Batard. As never talk about at the dinner that news exploded across the intertable — politics and religion. net and media outlets, much of the talk about the induction If you so happen to be class was shucked to the related to a member of the side. Baseball Writers Association of America, you can Thus began the last now add Hall of Fame vot24-hour cycle of handing to that list. wringing and discussion about the voting system Wednesday’s voting for and whether Le Batard’s the Class of 2014 in the actions were noble, Baseball Hall of Fame took James nefarious or just a plea a back seat to the one vote Barron for attention (not that Le cast, so to speak, by “the Batard needs it, since he fans.” The website DeadCommentary has a show on that fourspin had touted for the letter sports network that past few weeks that it had won’t be mentioned). Then BBWAA acquired the vote of one member of the BBWAA and tasked its readers to smacked Le Batard down on Thursdetermine who to put on its ballot. day by stripping him of his Hall of Fame vote and refusing to issue him a When the class was announced, press credential for the 2014 season. the site also released the results of its choices for its ballot and revealed Many BBWAA members — if
not all of them — have attacked Le Batard for his actions for one reason or another. Unfortunately, it makes them look petty about their voting system being tainted by — gasp! — outsiders. If you scour the internet long enough, you can find several members defending their ballot when held up to scrutiny, and some of the arguments sound silly. Ken Gurnick, who covers the Los Angeles Dodgers for MLB.com, voted for Jack Morris and Jack Morris only because he won’t vote for those who played during the period of PED use. And then he said he will abstain from voting after this ballot. It makes sense — we’re still in that period of PED use and will be pretty much forever. But that’s not important. That Le Batard was attacked and punished for giving away his vote, perceived or not, is. In fact, this might be the most talked about vote since the 2000
Sports information: James Barron, 986-3045, jbarron@sfnewmexican.com Design and headlines: Eric J. Hedlund, ehedlund@sfnewmexican.com
presidential election. And guess who the hanging chad is? Regardless, the point of the matter is that voting is considered a sacred right in this country. Yes, this is just baseball and not an election to determine our elected officials, what bonds get passed or what amendments get approved. But shouldn’t the same principles apply? There have been many times I’ve walked into a voting booth and voted on an office or a bond just by reading the names or the bonds when I’m in the booth. That might make me an ill-informed voter, but I’m a voter nonetheless. And if I were a BBWAA member, don’t I have the right to vote as I see fit? The answer here is yes, as long as I keep it to myself. Then again, that’s how it is with politics, religion and the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Gracie Gold wins women’s short program
By Barry Wilner
The Associated Press
BOSTON — By not forgetting last year, Gracie Gold did something very memorable in these U.S. Championships. Gold easily skated off with the women’s short program Thursday night with a career-high 72.12 points. Her sensational performance built on strong jumps, improved presentation and a rapport with the audience put her more than five points ahead of 15-year-old Polina Edmunds and nearly seven points ahead of a resurgent Mirai Nagasu. Two-time defending champion Ashley Wagner was fourth. The top three women will go to the Sochi Olympics. She might settle for Gracie Silver or Gracie Bronze there, but for now, the 18-year-old Gold is
Please see GoLD, Page B-8
Gracie Gold skates during the women’s short program Thursday at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Boston. ELISE AMENDOLA/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
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