Friday, March 22, 2013

New Hampshire Bobcats and Elliot Sports Medicine: An Elite Partnership


MANCHESTER, N.H. -- The New Hampshire Bobcats and Elliot Sports Medicine are pleased to announce a major partnership that combines youth baseball with the state's most comprehensive health and orthopaedic care center. Elliot Sports Medicine is now the presenting sponsor and official healthcare provider of the Bobcats, an elite travel baseball program offering instruction and long-term development of the state's top players.

The Bobcats and Elliot Sports Medicine physicians will offer educational discussions on strength training, preventative care, rehabilitation and overall arm health throughout the off-season and regular season. In addition, Elliot Sports Medicine is the presenting sponsor for the Bobcats Classic on April 13-14, at Gill Stadium of Manchester, which celebrates 100 years of baseball this season. The 13- and 14-year-old Bobcats combined to post a 15-3 record in the Granite State Fall Wood Bat League and are now preparing for the New England Elite Baseball League spring season.

"In a short amount of time, the New Hampshire Bobcats have established themselves as a powerful and respected program. We are thrilled to be working together and providing our extensive resources to help these kids stay healthy and chase their long-term goals," said Jonathan Mack, MD, Medical Director of Elliot Sports Medicine.

To help kick off the season, Elliot Sports Medicine is hosting Bobcats Media Day on April 3 at the River's Edge Conference Center at 5:30 p.m. Players will meet with the Elliot staff, conduct interviews with Patrick Cavanaugh, Bobcats director of media relations, and enjoy a pro-like Media Day experience.

The Manchester-based Bobcats provide winter training and play a 30-game schedule from April into July. The rapidly growing program consists of development teams ages 9 through 14. Home games are played at St. Anselm College and Cawley Middle School in Hooksett. Three home games will also be played at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium, home of the Double-A Fisher Cats.


"This partnership couldn't be more of a perfect fit. I recently hurt my shoulder and was really impressed by the overall experience, from x-rays to physical therapy, that was provided by Elliot Sports Medicine," said Kevin Gray, Bobcats director of baseball operations. "It's comforting to know we can count on Elliot Sports Medicine for the very best in year-round healthcare for our players."


The Elliot offers expert personal and individualized care in the diagnosis and treatment of all orthopaedic conditions, including sports injuries, trauma care, joint replacement surgery and most musculoskeletal conditions. Elliot Orthopaedic Surgical Specialists offer experienced sports medicine physicians, caring therapists, and the most advanced equipment to help you return to sports. Our on-site x-ray, advanced imaging, bracing services, and all electronic medical records are fully integrated within the Elliot Health System to provide fast, high-quality and streamlined medical evaluation and treatment for your sports injury.

Monday, December 3, 2012

Firing up the Red Rocket

NBA Life Transcript. Matt Bonner with Kevin Gray and Chris Ryan ...

The Spurs ended their six-game road trip with a tough loss — and controversy — on Thursday night in Miami. Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker and Danny Green all were sent home prior to the game, a move to rest key players and help them recover from a 10-day road trip.
Concord native Matt Bonner made his first start of the season, scoring 10 points with 10 rebounds, as the defending champions posted a 105-100 win. On Friday, the Spurs were fined $250,000 by the NBA.

Question: What do you think coach Pop was thinking?
Matt Bonner: He’s thinking big picture and trying to keep those guys rested and healthy for the entire season. It’s a tough break that it happens on a night we’re playing at Miami and on TNT, but coach Pop is more concerned with the overall wellness of the team. It feels like we’ve been on the road the whole season. We had an eight-day road trip before this trip, then went home for four days, then back on the road.

Q: Wouldn’t those guys want to play against the Heat?
MB: Absolutely. Professional athletes have a competitive nature and want to compete, but coach Pop has the final say.

Q: The Spurs really showed a lot of character in that game.
MB: We had a lot of strikes against us heading into that game. We played four games in five nights on a 10-game road trip. Four starters weren’t playing. A lot of the guys on the team haven’t been playing, and it’s hard to stay sharp and stay in shape when you’re traveling so much on the road. Despite all these so-called excuses, we came together before the game and decided to play as hard as we can and play Spurs basketball. They’re a great team. Defending champs. They showed it down the stretch and got the win. We had them. We had a couple tough turnovers and shot ourselves in the foot in the last minute, but you have to credit them.

Q: Ray Allen’s 3-pointer with 22 seconds remaining was the dagger.
MB: That three by Ray was huge. We almost had the steal on LeBron (James) on that play. He somehow got it back and found Ray for the 3-pointer. Everyone back home knows what he usually does in that situation.

Q: What will it take for the Heat to become one of the NBA’s all-time greatest teams?
MB: It’s way too early. If you look back at the Celtics and Lakers and some of the great teams, they were great for 8-10 years. No doubt the Heat have an amazing roster and are the defending champs but if you want to be in that conversation, you need longevity.

Q: Are the Heat a better team right now than they were last season?
MB: I think they did get better. Those new guys (Allen and Rashard Lewis) add a whole new dimension and create more space for guys like LeBron and Dwyane Wade to slash.

Q: Is there any way to actually defend LeBron?
MB: We certainly have a theory of playing team defense. It’s almost impossible for one person to check the best offensive players in the league. You need to rely on your overall system, the weak side and rotations.

Q: Manu Ginobili said you are one of the core players and leaders of the team after playing seven years with the Spurs. What does that mean to you?

MB: It means a lot. Obviously, I’ve played a lot of games with those guys. I have tremendous respect for them as basketball players, competitors and human beings. The bottom line is the Spurs are all about doing things the right way and winning. When I was faced with a choice (two years ago) of being a free agent and maybe trying to get more money or increase my role somewhere else, it just wasn’t worth it. I have it good here.
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Bonner discusses The NBA Life each week with radio broadcaster Chris Ryan and New Hampshire Union Leader reporter Kevin Gray, and the interview appears weekly in the N.H. Sunday News.

Friday, August 24, 2012

Thanks, Joey Bats, for a helluva night

Jose Bautista provided the highlight of the 2012 Fisher Cats season, making a rehab stop on Aug. 23 before rejoining the Blue Jays. Joey Bats is a classy guy with lots of talent. He became baseball's greatest power hitter by obsessing over the mechanics of his swing and finally locking it down in 2009. 








Friday, August 3, 2012

Longest home game in Fisher Cats history


That's a night at the ballpark I'll never forget. To recap the 17-inning game between the Fisher Cats and SeaWolves in Manchester, N.H., last night:


Ryan Schimpf contributed to one of the most incredible games in Fisher Cats history with a home run in the ninth, triggering a Thursday-into-Friday marathon at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium. New Hampshire erased a four-run deficit in the ninth inning and a one-run deficit in the 11th inning but lost to Erie, 9-7, in the longest home game in club history. Highlights and historic notes from my game story in the New Hampshire Union Leader:

1. Erie slugger Jordan Lennerton fouled off four straight pitches before doubling off Chorye Spoone in the 17th, driving home Niuman Romero, and ending the 5 hour, 39-minute contest. Spoone (2-2) was the game's 13th pitcher.

2. Schimpf, called up from Single-A Dunedin this week, broke an 0-for-8 stretch with a two-run homer against fireballer Bruce Rondon. The Erie reliever blew the save but registered 100, 101 and 102 mph on radar guns.

3. New Hampshire trailed by four runs when Ryan Goins (4-for-6) stepped to the plate in the bottom of the ninth. Goins' train-track homer against Kelvin De La Cruz launched New Hampshire's four-run rally.


4. Erie pulled ahead in the 11th on Jamie Johnson's sacrifice fly, but once again the Fisher Cats played long ball to force extra frames.

5. This time, Kevin Howard cranked a first-pitch fastball from Ryan Robowski over the right-field wall, tying the game at 7-apiece.

6. In the 16th, the Fisher Cats loaded the bases with no outs. Reliever Michael Morrison entered to strike out Schimpf, Sean Ochinko and Brian Bocock. Morrison (3-3 ) worked two innings, striking out five straight, for the win. More in the Union Leader.