PHOENIX - At 6-foot-10, Randy Johnson stood on the mound and looked down on batters, an intimidating presence before he even threw the ball.And when he let it fly, his talent matched his imposing stature.With a menacing fastball and devastating slider, The Big Unit had a career that rivaled any other left-handed pitcher who played the game. There is a long list of statistics to back that up, and he seems a shoo-in as a first-ballot selection when the new Hall of Fame class is announced Tuesday.His best seasons came with the Arizona Diamondbacks, where he won four consecutive Cy Young awards — he had a total of five — and his only World Series championship. Every start was a display of searing intensity.We knew that every fifth day we were going to get one of the most competitive efforts in the history of the game, said Bob Brenly, his manager for most of his time in Arizona. He pitched every game like it was the most important of his life.Since his retirement in 2009, Johnson has mostly detached himself from baseball, concentrating on his love of photography, travelling the world, shooting pictures of his many rock musician friends, meeting with soldiers on USO tours to Kuwait, Iraq and Guantanamo Bay.Johnson pitched 22 seasons with Montreal, Seattle, Houston, Arizona, the New York Yankees and San Francisco, compiling a 303-166 career record.He led his league in strikeouts nine times, third-most in baseball history behind Walter Johnson and Nolan Ryan. His average of 10.6 strikeouts per nine innings ranks first among all pitchers.Johnson had six seasons of at least 300 strikeouts, tied with Ryan for the most ever.A hard-throwing but extremely wild pitcher as a youngster at USC and in his early professional years, Johnson worked with Ryan and pitching coach Tom House in 1992 to fix his mechanics. And he developed remarkable control.Hes out of the mould physically when it comes to a major league pitcher, Brenly said. For him to go from where he was at the beginning of his career in Montreal when he was just a wild, hard thrower to where he finished his career — this guy would regularly strike out 300 more guys than he walked in a season.Thats a slight exaggeration, although Johnson did accomplish it once. In 2001, he fanned a career-high 372 and walked 71. It was the greatest season in Johnsons career, largely because of the way it ended.In the seventh game of a World Series considered by many to be the best ever played, with the New York Yankees leading 2-1, Johnson jogged down to the bullpen to thunderous cheers from the home crowd. When he emerged from the bullpen to pitch with two outs in the eighth inning, the reaction was even louder.For all the great moments there were in that World Series, Brenly said, people continuously tell me that when Randy ran down to the bullpen, then when the door opened and he came out of it, that was the seminal moment in that World Series.Johnson retired all four batters he faced, then Arizona scored twice off Mariano Rivera in the bottom of the ninth to win it all in just the franchises fourth season. Johnson was 3-0 in the series and earned co-MVP with Curt Schilling.A lot of left-handed hitters on opposing teams took the day off when Johnson pitched. The rest of the lineup knew they were in for a challenge.Its almost like youre going into a game with a 1-0 lead because of the psychological advantage he gave to the team, teammate Luis Gonzalez said. ... He thrived on intimidating other teams.Johnson talked about his approach to baseball in an interview with reporters when he appeared at Chase Field last May for the commemoration of the 10th anniversary of his perfect game.I did what worked for me, he said. Doesnt mean it was the right way — it just worked for me. Whether it was working out the way I worked out, my regimen, my off-season training, my demeanour on game day, my demeanour working up to game day, it worked for me.In 2001, he became the third pitcher to strike out 20 in nine innings in a 4-3, 11-inning victory over Cincinnati. In 2002 he won the pitching version of the triple crown, leading the National League in wins, strikeouts and ERA.And in 2004, at the age of 40, he became the oldest person to throw a perfect game, a performance against Atlanta that still can be viewed on YouTube.Johnson has said hes not the same intense person he was back then. He stepped away from baseball for a long time, enjoying the easing of the internal pressure he always put on himself.I didnt have any problems retiring because I felt like I did what I wanted to do, he said in May. I deserved to walk away. Clearance Nike Shoes . Both of Padakins goals came in the second period while Zane Jones added a single in the first period for Calgary (13-6-4). Hitmen goaltender Chris Driedger finished with 30 saves for the shutout. Nike Shoes Outlet .5 million contract with the right-handed reliever. Ziegler revealed the agreement via Twitter, saying hes "really excited to stay in Arizona for a couple more years, at least. https://www.fakenikeshoeswholesale.com/.com) - Manu Ginobili capped off a 26-point night with a go-ahead layup with 24 seconds left in overtime, with the basket giving the San Antonio Spurs a much-needed 95-93 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans. Nike Shoes China . - After three days of light, make that very light, workouts, Team Irvin and Team Carter are ready for tonights Pro Bowl. Cyber Monday Nike Shoes . The Redblacks are taking on the Edmonton Eskimos in their second regular season game Friday night. Catch the game live on TSN as the back end of a doubleheader starting at 10pm et/7pm pt.CHICAGO -- No. 1 Kentucky made it look so easy that coach John Calipari felt the need to point out he had actual human beings on the court. The only question was the final score, and that took longer to decide than the game. Devin Booker had 19 points, and the Wildcats scored the first 24 points in an 83-44 victory over UCLA on Saturday. Theyre not machines and theyre not computers, Calipari said. They dont play great every time out. They sure looked like machines the way they dominated this game. Aaron Harrison added 15 points, and the Wildcats (12-0) handed the Bruins (8-4) one of their most-lopsided losses ever. The first meeting between the storied programs in eight years turned ugly as soon as the game started, with Kentucky dominating UCLA in every possible way. It was so bad that officials lost track of one of the Bruins second-half baskets and put out an amended box score about 90 minutes after the game. It hardly mattered. The opening 24-0 run was eight shy of the record between two Division I teams, set by Connecticut against New Hampshire on Dec. 12, 1990. And the 39-point margin was nine shy of the Bruins record. Kentucky led 41-7 at the intermission. It was the lowest point total in a half for UCLA and the fewest by a Kentucky opponent since December 1943. We just have to keep playing against ourselves, Booker said. Coach always stresses that to us -- that were not playing against the other team, were playing against ourselves. Just keep playing. You cant look at the score. UCLA coach Steve Alford was so impressed he said the Wildcats might not lose a game this season. If they continue to play at that level defensively, Im a firm believer they got a chance to run this thing out, he said. Kentucky was simply too deep and too athletic, with a 10-man rotation and three starters standing 6-foot-10 or taller. Some of those players probably would get more time and put up bigger numbers elsewhere. But they almost certainly would not be on a team as dominating as this one. People can watch these guys in 20 minutes and know how really good they are, Calipari said.ddddddddddddThey dont need 40 minutes, and these kids are great. Were a really good team with a bunch of guys, 10 guys, that all could score double figures. Booker hit 5 of 6 3-pointers and 7 of 10 shots overall. Harrison made three 3-pointers, nailing one to start the game, and Kentucky hit 12 in all from long range to the delight of their cheering fans. The Wildcats also played stifling defence, with the Bruins missing their first 17 shots and going 19 for 71. Isaac Hamilton led UCLA with 14 points and Bryce Alford scored 13. But they came after Kentucky put this one away -- which didnt take long. In the second game of a doubleheader at the United Center that started with No. 24 North Carolina beating No. 12 Ohio State, the Wildcats erased all doubt about this one almost as soon as it started. Harrisons 3 from the wing got things started, and Kentucky just poured it on from there, blocking shots, breaking for dunks and nailing jumpers. Wildcat fans just about came unglued after Harrison nailed a 3 to make it 16-0 with 16:27 remaining, chanting Go Big Blue! during a timeout. And the lead continued to climb. Booker capped the run with back-to-back 3-pointers and a breakaway dunk off a block by Dakari Johnson against Alford, making it 24-0 with 12:40 left in the half. The Bruins finally broke the shutout 23 seconds later on a layup by Kevon Looney. STATS WATCH Kentucky held UCLA to 5-of-16 3-point shooting, outrebounded the Bruins 47-42 and forced 15 turnovers. UCLA shot 3 for 37 and missed all nine of its 3-point attempts in the first half. MILESTONE MISSED Alford remained one win shy of 500 for the second straight game. He is 499-248 in his career. TIP-INS: UCLA: UCLAs most lopsided loss was by 48 against Stanford on Jan. 9, 1997. Kentucky: All of the Wildcats wins are by double digits. UP NEXT: UCLA: Visits Alabama on Dec. 28. Kentucky: Visits No. 4 Louisville on Dec. 27. ' ' '