“As scripted.” That’s a phrase one of our television producers barks (or gently intones) in our ears when everything is to proceed as planned. It hardly ever happens on a college football Saturday. It would never happen every Saturday. But the 2009 season largely went “as scripted.”

Did you know that from the AP poll on Sept. 20 through the poll just before conference championship weekend that the same three teams occupied the top three spots? Alabama, Texas and Florida were the dominant trio pretty much wire to wire.

Mike Johnston looks at his surroundings and considers some of the good things he has at Houston Christian.

There’s the prime location — the school sits just inside the Sam Houston Tollway on the northwest portion of town nestled between Cy-Fair ISD and Spring Branch ISD.

A filing on behalf of basketball superstar LeBron James dismisses as “rank speculation” claims by a Washington lawyer that he is the athlete’s biological father, saying the man has “delusions” about alleged family ties.

A young baseball phenom has received one of the sport’s highest honors — recognition from the National Baseball Hall of Fame for pitching not one, but two perfect games.

And while a perfect game — defined as one in which the pitcher allows no hits and no walks — is a rare occurrence for the sport, what makes this 13-year-old pitcher’s feat even more impressive is that she did it against the boys.

The Houston Astros have acquired 25-year-old, right-handed pitcher David Carpenter from the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for infielder Pedro Feliz and cash, General Manager Ed Wade announced today.

Carpenter was 5-3 with a 2.36 ERA (14ER/53.1IP) and 20 saves in 49 relief appearances at Class A Palm Beach this season. His 20 saves currently rank second in the Florida State League. Carpenter was originally selected by the Cardinals in the 12th round of the 2006 June Draft as a catcher out of West Virginia University. After catching in the Cardinals farm system in 2006 and 2007, Carpenter was converted into a pitcher during the 2008 season. In 116 career appearances (all in relief ), he is 10-6 with a 3.26 ERA (49ER/135.1IP), 35 saves, 58 walks and 144 striketous.

The Texas Bowl will honor the Gridiron Legends Texas High School Player of the Year presented by Wrangler and Cavender’s Boot City, the Texas Bowl Committee announced today. The bowl will partner with Dave Campbell’s Texas Football magazine to determine the winner.

The award, formerly known as the Mr. Texas Football award, was given out by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football. This will mark the fourth consecutive year in which the award has been presented.

The three-person arbitration panel, which last September heard a grievance filed by pitcher Shawn Chacon against the Houston Astros, has denied the player’s grievance.

Shyam Das, the chairman of the panel which also included representatives from Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association, stated that the Astros were within their rights to terminate Chacon’s contract without his entitlement to further compensation after the player attacked and assaulted General Manager Ed Wade on June 25, 2008.

The Houston Astros have agreed to terms with third-round draft pick Austin Wates, Assistant General Manager/Director of Scouting Bobby Heck announced this evening.

Terms of the contract were not disclosed. Wates, a 21-year-old centerfielder, hit .382 this season at Virginia Tech with 16 doubles, five triples, eight home runs, 54 RBI and 18 stolen bases.

Antonio Pettigrew, a former 400 meter world champion who returned his gold medal after he admitted doping, has been found dead in the back seat of his car, authorities said. He was 42.

The Houston Rockets tip off the 2010-11 regular season on TNT against 2010 NBA Finals MVP Kobe Bryant and the two-time defending NBA champion L.A. Lakers at 9:30 p.m. (CT) on Oct. 26 at STAPLES Center, which was announced today by the NBA as part of the 2010-11 league schedule.

The Houston Rockets tip off the 2010-11 regular season on TNT against 2010 NBA Finals MVP Kobe Bryant and the two-time defending NBA champion L.A. Lakers at 9:30 p.m.

The Houston Rockets tip off the 2010-11 regular season on TNT against 2010 NBA Finals MVP Kobe Bryant and the two-time defending NBA champion L.A. Lakers at 9:30 p.m. (CT) on Oct. 26 at STAPLES Center, which was announced today by the NBA as part of its national television schedule for Kia Motors NBA Tip-Off ’10 and select national holiday games.

Tiger Woods is giving up the Orlando-area home he and soon-to-be ex-wife, Elin once shared as part of the couple’s multi-million dollar divorce settlement. Sources say both parties agreed upon most of the terms.

“Elin had planned a trip in July but postponed it,” the source said. “Things were being worked out.”

A controversial new rule by the National Collegiate Athletic Association went into effect this month, requiring all Division I athletes to be screened for a genetic sickle cell trait.

Minute Maid, Houston’s hometown juice brand, and the Houston Astros announced the winners for the Grand Slam for Youth Baseball (GSFYB) Scholarships for high school seniors at the July 24 Astros game against the Cincinnati Reds. In a pre-game ceremony on the ball field, 25 finalists received scholarships of $2,500, which will assist these students with college expenses.

The Prairie View A&M softball program bolstered their 2011 roster with the addition of South Texas high school standouts Sarina Rios and Darlene Salinas for the upcoming season.

A native of Edinburg and a graduate of Edinburg High, Rios will provide Prairie View A&M with a powerful bat in the lineup as she batted .369 with 21 RBIs, 11 doubles and a team-high five home runs during the 2010 season.

The Houston Texans signed first-round draft pick CB Kareem Jackson and second-round draft pick RB Ben Tate, the team announced today.

The Houston Astros have acquired 25-year-old right-handed pitcher Mark Melancon and 21-year-old infielder Jimmy Paredes from the New York Yankees in exchange for first baseman Lance Berkman and cash, General Manager Ed Wade announced today.

The Houston Astros and right-handed pitcher Brett Myers have reached agreement on a contract extension through the 2013 season, it was announced today by Astros General Manager Ed Wade.

The contract is guaranteed for the 2011 and 2012 seasons and carries a 2013 club option that could become vested through Myers’ 2012 performance. The two-year guaranteed value, including a buyout on the option year, guarantees Myers $21 million. If the contract carries through 2013, it will guarantee Myers $28 million. The pact also contains additional performance bonus potential that could raise the total value to $29.5 million.

Brian Ching, an MLS All-Star Forward for the Houston Dynamo, hosted the official After-Party on Wednesday, July 28th at the swanky House of Blues Houston. This After-Party ended the star-studded MLS All-Star Week, post the All-Star game to a sold out crowd at the Reliant Arena.

The House of Blues was not just a night filled with some of Houston’s dedicated soccer fans and socialites; it was a night to party with a purpose to raise the necessary funds for Brian Ching’s project, “The House that Ching Built”.