Dusty Baker on resting Bryce Harper in 2nd of 2 with LA Angels in Anaheim...

Are you one of those people who is angry that Bryce Harper is likely getting a planned night off tonight, after going 4 for 4 with a home run, two singles, and a triple in last night’s win in the series opener with the LA Angels? Harper is 11 for 21 with a double, triple, four home runs, four walks, and four Ks in five games coming out of the All-Star Break, but Nats’ skipper Dusty Baker told reporters last night that he planned on resting the right fielder in the second of two in Anaheim. “One-day break isn’t enough,” Baker said, “where the rest of us had four days, you know what I mean? Harper homered to center field in his first at bat, singled the second time up (and was thrown out on an attempt to take second base), singled again in the sixth, then tripled in the top of the eighth, and scored to put the Nationals ahead, 3-2, in what ended up a 4-3 win.

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  Nationals’ 2011 Draft class on display: Alex Meyer shuts down Nats; Angels win, 7-0

  Federal Baseball
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  Three new pitchers push Nationals past Angels

  Reuters

That time Gregg Popovich gave Stephen Jackson the choice between smoking weed and a championship

Nobody knows how to motivate Stephen Jackson quite like Gregg Popovich. Stephen Jackson, aka Captain Jack, spent Wednesday in Bristol, Connecticut, so we were treated to more tales from a man who has admitted to never working out in the summer and smoking weed before games during his 14-year career. In response to a question on Ryen Russillo’s radio show about his best summer league story, Jackson offered not just his best story, but the best story.

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  Gregg Popovich Made One Thing Absolutely Mandatory For Stephen Jackson To Make Spurs In 2001

  ClutchPoints
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  Stephen Jackson says Gregg Popovich told him he had to quit smoking weed to join Spurs

  Sporting News

Hugh Freeze resigns from Ole Miss after 'misdial' call to escort service on school-issued phone

In a stunning turn of events, Hugh Freeze has resigned from Ole Miss. The move comes after the school found at least one call from the coach to an escort service on his school-issued cell phone. Athletic director Ross Bjork said the initial phone call originally was “attributed to a misdial.” But further