Orange County Athletics

This is so right. Orange County Grizzlies. Or Smoothies. Or Surfies. Or whatever you want to call our maybe soon-to-be NBA team. With sports today it usually doesn't happen this way. The right time, the right arena, the right team--right team being anyone with a negative checkbook balance, an antsy owner and a moving van parked outside. But when the Vancouver Grizzlies' owner, Michael Heisley, comes real estate shopping today in Anaheim, he should pay attention.

This is so right. Orange County Grizzlies. Or Smoothies. Or Surfies. Or whatever you want to call our maybe soon-to-be NBA team. With sports today it usually doesn't happen this way. The right time, the right arena, the right team--right team being any team with a negative checkbook balance, an antsy owner and a moving van parked outside. But when the Vancouver Grizzlies' owner, Michael Heisley, came real estate shopping Tuesday in Anaheim, he should have noticed something.

John Nicks could hide behind his dark glasses. The figure skating coach could hide his joy from teary-eyed Naomi Nari Nam and he could hide is sadness from ecstatic Sasha Cohen. It is not easy to coach two tiny girls who both want to win Olympic gold medals, who both expect to win Olympic gold medals, who both yearn to be the best figure skater in the world.

The Oldsmobile Beach Volleyball Olympic Challenge Series begins Thursday at Deerfield Beach, Fla. Karch Kiraly of San Clemente and Adam Johnson (Laguna Beach High), who won the inaugural event last May in Huntington Beach, are the top-seeded men's team in the main draw. Liz Masakayan and Elaine Youngs (El Toro High), who won the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour event in February in Brazil, are the top-seeded women's team.

It turns out the Orange Curtain is no more intimidating than the Green Monster. It demands less carry than McCovey Bay. A lot less than The BOB's Jacuzzi. More like Yankee Stadium's short right-field porch, or down the lines at Enron Field, or anywhere in Camden Yards. Just get the baseball in the air and the home runs come like Republicans to a Rush Limbaugh barbecue fund-raiser. Doubt it? Take a look at baseball's home-run leaders. Kansas City's Mike Sweeney? Seven home runs, 15 RBIs.

Four Orange County high school baseball players were selected to compete in this weekend's three-game North-South California all-state series at Cal State Fullerton. Villa Park pitcher Brandon Averill, Capistrano Valley first baseman Scott Cheo, Mission Viejo pitcher John Hudgins and Servite outfielder Pat Breen will play for the South. Three incoming Cal State Fullerton freshmen, Kyle Boyer, David Garcia and Darric Merrill, also will play for the South.

Chris Kluwe, Tia Bollinger and Giuliana Mendiola all belong in the Southern Section record book, but whether they actually get there depends on their schools. They are among the high school athletes who should be included--but could be excluded--in the next edition of the All-Sports Press Guide and Record Book unless schools notify the section office before the end of the month.

The way David Thurmond sees it, Australian Rules Football is no more violent or gruesome than basketball, soccer, hockey or American football. Thurmond, president of the Orange County Bombers Australian Rules Football Club, says television promotions gave the sport a bad rap by showing the most violent collisions. "Everyone saw all these highlights with people getting crushed," Thurmond said. "They see all that destruction and would be like 'Man, that is brutal.'

Amanda Beard slipped quietly back to Tucson. Aaron Peirsol, Gabrielle Rose, Jason Lezak and Staciana Stitts received a hero's welcome at John Wayne Airport. Chad Carvin finally came home, after lingering at the U.S. Olympic swim trials as long as possible. After nearly two weeks of intense competition in Indianapolis, members of U.S. team returned to neutral corners. They will have two days to revel in making the team.