UConn Product Mike Olt Working Hard as Big-League Rookie

I assume most UConn men's basketball fans don't necessarily follow UConn baseball. Still, the school's alumni -- and Connecticut sports fans in general -- have to have some pride in Mike Olt, the former Husky standout who's now a rookie with the Texas Rangers.

Olt, a Branford native, is at Fenway Park the next three days (he'll be at Yankee Stadium early next week), and I had the chance to catch up with him to talk about his early major-league success (and failures), as well as his pride in UConn.



Great kid, definitely worth rooting for and following as his career progresses. But don't take my word for it. Take the word of veteran Ranger infielder Michael Young, who only has 2,176 career hits to his credit and says: "He's going to have a very successful major-league career."

*** Back to basketball, looks like it was Calhoun Charity Game, Pt. III Monday night at the Greater Hartford Pro-Am. A.J. Price, Kemba Walker, Tyler Olander and Gavin Edwards teamed up to swamp Niels Giffey's Atty Deron Freeman, 167-141.

Price had 35 points and 10 assists; Kemba had 30 points, seven assists and seven boards; Olander had 20 points, 10 boards and five dimes; Edwards had 20 points and 12 boards.

Giffey had a big night, with 30 point, 11 boards and a pair of steals.

Here's the upcoming playoff schedule. Don't ask me who's on what team, because that is often somewhat ... fluid:

Play-IN Game Tuesday August 7^th 7pm

Atty Deron Freeman vs All-Faith All-stars

Wednesday August 8^th

6:30pm: (8) State Farm Slamm vs (9) CT Flight

8:15pm: (6) PPF vs (7) Hot 93.7

Thursday August 9^th

6:30pm: (4) Simoniz CBC vs (5) Cambyland

8:15pm: (3) Harte Nissan vs Atty Deron Freeman/All Faith

Saturday August 11^th

5pm (2) Doc Hurley vs PPF/ Hot 93.7

7pm (1) Recycle King Naughty Boyz vs State Farm/CT Flight