Sports & Recreation

There's a place to drive 100 miles per hour around Phoenix, and believe it or not, it's not called Loop 101. If you really want to drive (and we mean drive), take your car to one of the race weekends hosted by the National Auto Sport Association's Arizona region. It doesn't matter whether you bring your brand-new Porsche 911 Turbo or your old Honda that's barely coughing up 100 horsepower — you'll have some competitive racing to do. New drivers get on-track training from experts, and it's not long before you're spending the weekend doing full-blown racing. There are different classes of racing based on vehicle and driver ability, so everything stays competitive. If you bought a car with performance in mind, this is the place to use it.

Whether you're out for a friendly stroll or training for a half-marathon, this in-town trail is the perfect place to get off the pavement for a change. You'll find families riding bikes, friends out for a power walk, cheerful joggers, and athletes prepping for the next big race. Right in the middle of Phoenix, this great-for-all-ages path accommodates bikers and hikers alike, and what's more, shade from olive and mesquite trees makes this stretch about 10 degrees cooler than the rest of town, even on the hottest day. Running from just south of Dunlap Road to well past Bethany Home Road, this popular city trail backs onto cozy residential neighborhoods and often intersects with the canal. Cool!

After a year of waiting, Camelback lovers returned in force on January 15 to the renovated Echo Canyon Trail. The short, conveniently located adventure hike, accessed near Tatum Boulevard and McDonald Drive, is one of the most visited attractions in Phoenix and a weekly, or even daily, routine for many locals. Now it's more popular than ever. Although the number of parking spaces has doubled to 135 as part of the $4.5 million project, the spaces still fill quickly each day as jubilant hikers flock to see what the city has done. Except for the parking situation, which eased as the seasonal heat arrived, the renovation generally has been seen as a success. Porta-potties were replaced by real toilets. The summit-bound trail grew slightly to 1.5 miles, with the first section receiving the most redevelopment. The path winds through scenic Echo Canyon before connecting with the old trail, most of which was untouched. Better-protected from erosion, the new trail's ready for years of monsoons and millions of footsteps — some of which could be yours.

If you've ever wanted to visit the moon, the landscape of the McDowell Mountains near the rock-skyscraper Tom's Thumb formation might just satisfy the craving — rolling, sparsely vegetated hills, boulders large and small. But first you have to get up there. We usually take Dynamite Boulevard, turn right on 128th Street, and head south until reaching the parking lot. Don't be fooled by the posh, resort-style entranceway at the trailhead — this is Scottsdale, yes, but it's not all easy living on the Tom's Thumb Trail. You'll ascend nearly the height of the Empire State Building over more than two miles of steep trail with switchbacks. Opened just two years ago, the new trail is smooth and mostly free of ankle-twisting rocks. It's tough, but you'll see people of all ages taking it on. Take more water than you think you'll need if the air temperature is anything close to warm, and be sure to save some energy to explore the otherworldly summit ridge for a while.

First published more than a decade ago, this hiking and biking guide will inspire even the least-outdoorsy among us to hit the trail. Expert and frequently updated trail descriptions are categorized by difficulty, length, and popularity among hikers, and the book's topographical maps make this book a must-have for any hiker. Step-by-step directions and some really great photography help both the novice and the seasoned hiker choose which trail to take. The "History and Legends" essays, published as part of each hike description, really sets this book apart from other guides covering the National Forest Wilderness of Arizona.

Bouldering in the Pima Canyon wash, near the east end of Phoenix's vast South Mountain Park/Preserve, requires extreme skill, not just because of the difficult routes, which are rated V0 (equivalent to about 5.10 at local rock-climbing gyms — not a beginner rating) to an insane V7, but also because of the scary landings. Bouldering typically involves rock climbing with rock shoes but no rope on routes low enough to fall off without serious injury. In this "developed" climbing area (the short climbing routes are detailed in a pamphlet published by local climber Marty Karabin and found in area outdoors shops), the routes go too high, and have wicked-angled boulders to fall on if you miss a handhold.

So why do we love it? Fact is, we've enjoyed the place many times without finishing a route — that is, we climb up only a few feet, and leave the top-outs for stronger, nuttier athletes. No shame in that — it's bouldering. The idea is to get a good pump. And that we do. The rock quality here is passable, considered "granitic" but not granite. Its boulders often have a veneer of desert varnish, which feels great to grip. Good cracks rise up high enough to practice fist jams and foot placement.

You've got to watch for the inevitable crumbly hand- and footholds. But the expansive, fun-to-explore area of dry waterfalls, varnished boulders, and arroyo sand is worth several hours of your life on a nice day. Often, you'll see some of the local hardmen and women who spend hours a day — every day — on the rock and maybe some of the overconfident klutzes who'll make you want to get your phone ready to call 911. If you spot someone staying safe and low but still having fun, that might be us.

Unlike most climbing gyms we've been in, Focus mainly is about bouldering. Housed in an industrial building in Mesa just east of the Tempe border on Broadway Road, it has several walls with ropes for belaying climbers and a few auto-belayers that allow a solo climber to ascend the 30-foot routes. But once you pass through the lobby after signing in (and paying $22 for a day pass and rental of harness and rock shoes), the first thing you'll notice in the main room is the impressive, 120-foot-long-by-18-foot-high inverted bouldering wall. The wall imparts on climbers a steady buzz of fear because they aren't roped in.

On our first time, we had to be trained on how to fall properly on the special ultra-cushiony floor surface. They made us hop backward off the wall and land on the mat with our butt, back, and head, arms folded over our chest. It all seemed reasonable until we were actually climbing on the inverted wall, all our weight hanging on our fingertips. Our first fall didn't look as pretty as in practice. But we didn't get hurt, either — the bouncy mat really works. Like other gyms, colored tape is used to designate specific routes up the wall, so you can judge when you're improving. Fortunately, the gym gives discounts for monthly and yearly memberships. With this sport, practice makes badass.

A decade ago, some mountain bikers decided to create a single-track paradise for themselves on private Estrella Mountain Ranch land slated for development. They called it Fantasy Island North Singletrack, in honor of Tucson's Fantasy Island biking area. Friends started coming. Unlike skateboarders taking over a strip mall, they didn't get kicked out. Instead, signs were posted for each of the many trails, maps were printed, the secret got out, and the public got turned on to what now resembles a mountain-biking theme park. No purchase is required; just drive west on I-10 to Estrella Parkway, go south 10 miles to Weststar, turn right, park at the school, and bike another half-mile down Weststar to the trails.

Nothing there is too extreme, but some of the trails have sections that are difficult and potentially dangerous. Make sure your brakes are in working order. Someday, the whole area probably will be tamped down under a layer of single-family homes, so load up the bike and get out there while you still can.

Nothing gets you in the summer spirit quite like getting on your bicycle wearing next to nothing and pool-hopping around Tempe. Luckily for folks in the Valley, Tempe Bicycle Action Group has been making a regular event out of it for the past five years with its Summer Solstice Swimsuit ride. The ride is a casual cruising event made for all skill levels to enjoy. Usually, the group will ride from Tempe Beach Park, stopping at private pools, apartment complex pools, fountains, and even a Slip 'N Slide, all in the pursuit of keeping cool and staying on the bike as temperatures rise. The last ride saw cyclists donning skin-tight Speedos with an Arizona flag design. So should you ride next year, you can at least expect a decent view on the way.

Downtown Phoenix isn't the most bicycle-friendly region of the Valley, but for those living in the area, there's a shred of hope for safe travels on Third and Fifth avenues. If you're looking to go northbound from downtown, take Third Avenue. If you're looking to go southbound to downtown, take Fifth Avenue. That's pretty much law for downtown riders. With a continuous and reasonably sized (for Phoenix) bike lane on both streets, it's an artery that pumps cyclists from uptown to downtown without too much trouble. Sure it isn't the most scenic of rides in the metro area (many favor the Greenbelt in Scottsdale or even the Carefree Highway for more serious riders), but for sheer utility in commuting, we have to give some love to our little avenidas.

There are two kinds of Valley motorcyclists: Those who have been to Tortilla Flat and those who will go to Tortilla Flat. No other local ride puts riders on twisting roads so quickly, yet this convenience requires no sacrifice in quality. The scenery on this ride is truly stunning, featuring breathtaking desert vistas, sharply rising mountain cliffs and a shimmering, blue-green lake. Take U.S. 60 east to the Idaho Road exit, then head northeast on State Route 88, also known as the Apache Trail. Minutes later, you've left civilization (or what passes for it in Apache Junction) and have escaped into the freedom of the hills of Tonto National Forest. About 10 miles after passing Lost Dutchman Park (a great place to begin a Superstition Mountain-area hike), the two-lane highway curves in ways that will test the skills of new riders and put a smile on the face of even the codgiest old biker. Weekend mornings and weekdays are the best times to go, when the Apache Trail isn't likely to be choked with traffic and you can ride at a speed that suits you. At the end of the twisties and after passing over a neat one-lane bridge near Canyon Lake, you arrive at Tortilla Flat, an Arizona ghost town and tourist attraction with a saloon and ice cream store. In peak season, the dirt parking lot outside the shops is hazy with dust and vibrating with the rumble of dozens of motorcycles. Sooner or later, you'll join the crowd.

You take an interstate to get out of Phoenix? What are you, new? Take a drive on State Route 87, which is ideal for anything from a relaxing day drive to a full-blown adventure. Once you catch the road in the East Valley (as Arizona Avenue in Chandler or Country Club Drive in Mesa), it's only minutes before you're on the open road of the Beeline Highway and heading northeast from the Valley. Just a few miles past Fountain Hills, you're in the Tonto National Forest, passing Four Peaks, heading through Payson, and going through some tight turns amid the Mazatzal Mountains. You'll head through the end of the forest and through Winslow, eventually reaching the northern end of the highway in a little town on the Hopi Reservation called Second Mesa. It's at that point you might realize that your scenic drive has left you more than four hours from Phoenix — but it'll be worth it.

First published in April 1925, Arizona Highways originally was a journal devoted to documenting the road-building projects of the Highway Department (now known as the Arizona Department of Transportation). Travel stories and scenic photography were the order of the day back then, when the magazine's print run totaled 1,000 copies per issues and the cover price was one thin dime. The magazine really took off after World War II and has continued to soar as a showcase for the world's best scenic photographers. Ansel Adams was a frequent contributor in the magazine's early years, and the publication's tradition of stunning photography has continued with work from James Tallon, Herb and Dorothy McLaughlin, and Chuck Lawsen.

Move over, Granny! Octane Raceway has been letting us fuel our fantasy of the Indy 500 since 2003. This revved-up, third-of-a-mile race track is the only full-time indoor/outdoor track in the country, and on almost every single day of the year, its European electric race karts offer a truly exhilarating experience with zero eco-threatening emissions. Drivers can crank things up to 45 miles per hour, then throw back a brewski at the Octane bar (where staff keeps a breathalyzer handy for anyone keen on getting faced). You might even bump into a racing star there because Octane is home of the Indoor World Kart Championship and has hosted NASCAR stars like Kenny Wallace, Kyle Busch, and Carl Edwards. What are you waiting for? Slip on a helmet and get yourself strapped into an Octane kart.

This museum is a hidden gem located among all the Penske-owned car dealerships along Scottsdale Road. The museum showcases race cars used throughout the years by racing legend Roger Penske and the drivers who've raced under the Penske Racing name. You can get right up next to some of the most memorable cars in IndyCar and NASCAR history. Any auto museum can host a collection of mass-produced consumer vehicles, but not every city has a museum like this, with winning race cars driven by the likes of Penske, Rick Mears, Al Unser Sr. and Jr., and Helio Castroneves. If only they'd let you drive these things . . .

It's not a talking point on the hotel's website, and it doesn't seem to get a lot of use, but there's something magical about the Western village at Camelback Inn — which is complete with a tepee, wooden stage, and storefronts such as Mummy Mountain Mercantile — at the base of Mummy Mountain. We'd love to see a giant concert held there — featuring appropriately Western acts from all around Arizona. With the rustic digs and open desert terrain surrounding it, the Mummy Mountain faux Western town could be the site of a real hootenanny.

Surrounded by the concrete oasis of metro Phoenix, it's easy to forget we live in a desert. When tourists arrive in the Valley, the first thing they'll probably look for while mumbling something about the dry heat is a tumbleweed or saguaro. But if they really want to see the natural beauty of Arizona, Desert Botanical Garden provides a truly amazing introduction to the plants and wildlife native to the Sonoran Desert. Admission costs $22 for adults, $12 for students, and $10 for ages 3 through 12. The busiest months for Desert Botanical Garden are March and April, so you'll want to reserve your tickets ahead of time in the spring, when snowbirds and spring training fans flood the Valley.

Okay, so a "friendship garden" might seem like a bad move for a romantic venture, but you definitely won't get friend-zoned if you bring your date to this serene spot in Margaret T. Hance Park in downtown Phoenix. Admission costs $5, so this date option won't break the bank and you can spend all day strolling through the lakeside oasis, admiring the unique flora and koi fish. For refreshment, tea ceremonies are a cultured way to get rejuvenated. And who knows? Maybe this daytime date will go so well that it transitions to a nighttime affair. After all, you'll have plenty of after-garden options since your staycation happened right in the middle of downtown Phoenix.

Downtown Phoenix might not be the most serene location to put down your mat and start working on your asanas, but three floors above Jefferson Street, the bustle of the city quiets down on Lustre's rooftop patio. That's where more than 100 yoga lovers center their minds for just $10 with a $5 drink voucher included with the price of admission.

Don't worry that the Tuesday night Sweat Your Asana Off series ended September 2, because the event's popularity ensures that it comes back year after year from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Also, don't worry about getting so close and so sweaty to the person next to you because you can always cool off with a cocktail and a dip in the pool after class.

It's time to get down and dirty Sunday nights at Steele Indian School Park because Dirty Yoga is the best way to stretch and mellow out all at once without breaking the bank. Because Dirty Yoga happens outdoors you're not paying the overhead for a brick-and-mortar location. For just $3 on Sunday starting at 7:15 p.m., you get the unique experience to do your practice in nature. If you're not sold on getting dusty for yoga's sake, just remember that you'll be practicing on your mat, not the ground itself. Plus, a little dirt never hurt anyone.

When temperatures start rising and tourists start fleeing, summer pool parties aren't just a way to beat the heat in metro Phoenix, they're a way of life. Cue the Release Pool Party at Talking Stick Resort. This seasonal Saturday ritual is the spot to see and be suntanned with bikini-clad cuties and their shot-slinging male equivalents. Release reels in the big crowds with ample pool space, private cabanas, touring DJ acts on the main stage, and cheaper drinks than you'll find at most outdoor shindigs in Scottsdale. With no admission fees, no waiting in line, and no searching the streets for parking, Talking Stick serves up the summer event that everyone's talking about.

Leave it to savvy snowbirds and summer staycationers to decide which pools are worth diving into. Their favorite place to test the water and their tanning oil, judging by the crowds? The Hyatt Gainey Ranch in Scottsdale. Ours, too. This secluded resort has something for everyone, with more pools than almost anyplace in town. The recently remodeled quasi-water park offers a three-story, high-speed water slide that takes kids and adults alike on turns at up to 25 miles per hour, a sand beach, volleyball courts, a Grecian-style water temple, and poolside dinning from the hotel's H2Oasis restaurant. Add to that the 20 fountains, 45 waterfalls, and 10 pools, and it's easy to see why people get carried away while getting away at Gainey.

Yes, it can be an expensive day. Prices are $39.99 for adults and $29.99 for kids and seniors if you don't get a season pass. (Kids 2 and under get in free). Worth it. And much cheaper than a trip to the pool store. The first time we drove out to the West Valley park, we had no doubt the kids would have fun. What we didn't know is that the place is a joyride even for older, ex-skydiving adrenaline junkies like us. Of the several big-time slides, Mammoth Falls gives us a rush every time. You sit in a four-person raft that, once leaving the station, lurches down a steep flume, rushing toward a 50-foot wall. It has two "oh, bleep" moments — the initial drop, then the out-of-control feeling on the weightless apogee after inertia carries the raft up that wall. But — ha! — we and our kin somehow don't fall out of the raft. The sensation is all part of the design. Our oldest child now enjoys this feeling almost as much as we do, but we're both still young enough to have fun in the wave pool, which has a sort of undulation mode that creates an unending succession of body-tossing waves. Our younger kid doesn't like the big slides but has spent hours in the wave pool, kids' splash area, and wading pools, which makes us feel great, too.

The dog days of summer don't do much for your canine companion, but come winter, spring, and fall, fair-weather furballs flock to the fine-cut grass and fenced-in comforts of Margaret T. Hance Park. The premier dog park in downtown Phoenix pulls in pooches and their pampering pet owners with newly constructed amenities like decorative wrought-iron gates, water fountains for humans and ground-level drinking bowls for dogs, picnic tables, benches, and shaded trees. With nearly an acre of space for frisbee-catching, ball-retrieving, and butt-sniffing socialization, a trip to Margaret T. Hance Park guarantees tails wagging and grass-littered mouths panting.

In the West Valley, wedged between Interstate 17 and Metrocenter, you'll find this world-class miniature golf paradise, past which flies a gigantic rollercoaster. Four separate 18-hole mini-courses let golfers (or should we say "golfers"?) putt their way through lush landscapes, fountains, and around a medieval castle. Little kids play for free, and kids of all ages can nip inside for refreshments, video games, and even a little air hockey. Fore!

In an area saturated with world-class golf courses, the We-Ko-Pa Golf Club stands out from the crowd. Both its Saguaro Course and Cholla Course are elite options for golfers of any level, with some of the fastest greens and most elegant scenery of any desert golf course, but the Saguaro Course stands out for its flowing design and more traditional compact layout. Saguaro allows its desert surroundings to determine its winding path, playing like a smoother and more naturally structured course compared to its competitors.

The newest Cactus League stadium is unlike any other. That's because Cubs Park was built to mimic one of the most legendary ballparks: Wrigley Field. The dimensions at Cubs Park are proportional to Wrigley's, the backstop is made of brick, Chicago dogs are sold at the concession stands, and the big green scoreboard in left field is based on the one in Chicago. Granted, the new park has major differences from Wrigley, which turned 100 years old this year. For one, there's no ivy on the outfield walls. Though there are other state-of-the-art spring training facilities in the Valley, Cubs Park is the only one that's a must-see.

Bruce Arians, a veteran of 25 NFL seasons as a coach but only one as a head coach and part of one as an acting head coach, either worked a miracle last season by leading the Arizona Cardinals to a 10-6 season or he really knows what he's doing. We're going with the latter. At this writing, he's 1-0 this season. It was Arians' rookie season with the Cards, a team that has struggled since the departure of famed quarterback Kurt Warner, he of two Super Bowl appearances, including a winning one in St. Louis and a losing one here following the 2008 season. To call the Cardinals dismal in the four years after Warner's departure is kind.

Then came the exit of Coach Ken Whisenhunt, who looked like a genius when Warner was around but sunk fast with a series of awful QBs. In came Arians, fresh off a 9-3 stint with the Indianapolis Colts while filling in for the ailing Chuck Pagano for the 2013 season. And it started off semi-bleak in Glendale, too. The Cards lost four of their first seven games and appeared headed for the NFL sewer. But Arians, a former college quarterback himself, got his veteran QB, Carson Palmer, on the right page, and the team won seven of its last nine games, becoming that rare 10-6 team to miss the playoffs.

It's attributed to the dumb luck of playing in the same conference with arguably the two best teams in the league, the Seattle Seahawks (who won the Super Bowl) and the San Francisco 49ers. Arians' crowning achievement of putting together a brilliant game plan and beating the Seahawks near the end of the regular season didn't matter to the playoff gods. Even with the departure of more than a few workhorse veterans, the Cardinals are billed to be better this year. We're betting that Arians surprises his team's conference arch-rivals and takes the Redbirds deep into the playoffs this season.

Don't believe the hype that Robert Sarver's a tightwad owner loath to spend big bucks on top talent. It's not true. The Phoenix Suns' head man, he of the giant foam finger in the team's heady playoff days, has had a wide-open wallet since he's owned the team, and it's only going to get more so when he and his staff finish working out star point guard Eric Bledsoe's contract. Hell, Sarver & Co. were ready to do whatever it took to land LeBron James if the star just would just have aligned (sigh . . . King James decided to go home to Cleveland) — so set was Sarver on returning a playoff contender to the Valley of the Sun.

In addition, Sarver has demonstrated his commitment to floor a contender at US Airways Center by making the genius move of hiring the most dynamic coach/general manager combo in the NBA today, Jeff Hornacek and Ryan McDonough. Hornacek's the legendary Suns player who was moved to Philadelphia in the Charles Barkley trade and was an assistant coach for the Utah Jazz before coming here. He's an even more astute coach than he was a player. Smart combined with smart always works, and McDonough, who labored for 10 years in the Boston Celtics organization, lastly as assistant general manager to former Suns coach and Celtics great Danny Ainge, is a basketball genius.

McDonough, just 34, and Hornacek, 51, combined to put together a gritty team that played, well, smart. The result was a 48-34 record, a 23-win improvement over the season before, sans the presence of a superstar. McDonough was runner-up for NBA executive of the year after last season. But it really was Sarver's doing that the Suns struck fear in the hearts of even their staunchest opponents. The irony was that competition was so tough in the NBA's Western Conference that they didn't make the playoffs. Much more to come this season; we're certain of it.

The Arizona Diamondbacks made a stunning move when they brought in legendary manager Tony LaRusa as chief baseball officer in the middle of this dismal season. One of the most brilliant minds in the game, LaRussa, when he retired as skipper of the St. Louis Cardinals, had been a major-league manager for 33 seasons, winning three World Series titles. Most famous as manager of the St. Louis Cardinals, he also helmed the Chicago White Sox and the Oakland A's, and he was inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, this summer. He was the only manager in history to retire after winning a World Series championship.

At this writing, LaRussa has made only one significant move after a few months on the job. He gave general manager Kevin Towers his walking papers.And he is expected to overhaul the team, possibly from manager Kirk Gibson on down, before the 2015 campaign begins. As for Towers, who made many bonehead moves in his five years on the job, including trading slugger Justin Upton and pitching prospect Trevor Bauer, his end couldn't come soon enough for us.

Though better than in the past, Diamondbacks relief pitchers have faltered this year, but La Russa's just the exec to change that. He's credited with streamlining, if not inventing, bullpens. Rather than overusing his closers, he's employed a series of set-up specialists — from flamethrowers to lefties on lefty batters to righties on righty batters — to give his teams match-up advantages. The idea is to give the closer a clean slate to shut down an opponent in the ninth inning and to keep a franchise's ultimate power pitcher fresh.

LaRussa, who reportedly is the first to arrive at work in the D-backs' front office and the last to leave, has his work cut out for him — this year's was the team's worst start since its fledgling season and the deep hole eliminated the D-backs from the playoff early.

Paul Goldschmidt is more than just a power hitter, despite what his 6-foot-3, 245-pound frame (complete with tree-trunk-size guns) might suggest. The first baseman for the Arizona Diamondbacks, a National League starter at his position in this year's All-Star Game, hits for average and is a crack defensive player. But power is a major part of his game: He led the league last season in runs batted in and was third when he suffered a season-ending injury in early August. Before getting injured, he was among the top 10 NL leaders in home runs (19) batting average (.300), and on-base-plus-slugging percentage, or OPS (.936). And there's more to his offensive game than his bat: He's quick enough to have stolen 18 bases in his first full season in the majors, 15 in his second, and nine at the time of his injury this year.

He's the all-around spectacular athlete in cleats and a cap, diving and leaping for catches in the field; he won a Gold Glove award in 2013 for his spectacular defense. Arizona was a dismal team this season, but Goldschmidt stood out, as he has since his rookie season in 2011. When the trade deadline came in late July, Goldschmidt was the only Diamondback who was sacrosanct. It's an understatement to say that he and injured pitcher Patrick Corbin are the franchise. Following in the footsteps of the greats who came before him, such as Hank Aaron, Ted Williams, and Stan Musial, Goldschmidt is a sports hero to the bone. And like at least two of them, he's humble to a fault, embarrassed to answer questions about his greatness.

If anyone ever doubted how much Diamondbacks ace Patrick Corbin meant to the franchise, they need only look at the team's horrible record this season. Corbin, who went on the disabled list this spring, followed by Tommy John (ulnar-collateral-ligament) surgery on his left elbow, was a member of the 2013 National League All-Star Team, after posting an 11-1 record by midseason. The best pitcher in the Diamondbacks' starting rotation and one of the best in the National League in his first full season, Corbin went on to a 14-8 record with a 3.41 earned-run average. And expectations were high that the lefty, who commanded a 92-mile-per-hour fastball and an off-the-table slider, would lead Diamondbacks pitchers again — and that he and slugger Paul Goldschmidt would carry the team into the playoffs. A great starting pitcher like Corbin is the most important element on any baseball team. When such an athlete is on the mound every fifth game, the team has a solid chance of victory.

Without such a vital puzzle piece, it can mean the difference between a winning and losing season. And the Diamondbacks' problems this year can be laid squarely on the backs of its starting pitchers. At this writing, Arizona ranked 26th out of 30 teams, with its pitchers combining for a 4.22 ERA. With Corbin on the mound last season, Arizona ranked 17th. Which is not say that the D-backs didn't have pitching woes in '13, just that they weren't nearly as pronounced and that the majority of the problem was the bullpen. This season, Arizona's relief corps has gotten stronger as the season's progressed while its starting pitching has remained woeful. Many pitchers never are the same after Tommy John, but Corbin's young age, 25, is expected to work in his favor; for the sake of making the long, hot summer around here more bearable, we pray that he makes a furious comeback in '15.

Pundits didn't believe it would work. Phoenix Suns Coach Jeff Hornacek knew it would. He knew that starting two speedy point guards in the Suns back court was a genius move, mainly because he and Kevin Johnson were paired as such when they played for Phoenix under fabled Coach Cotton Fitzsimmons. And work it did, when Dragic and Bledsoe were healthy at the same time. In the 37 games they played together last season, the Suns went 24-13, lifting the team to a 48-34 record, more than a 25 percent jump over the season before.

Though the Suns didn't make the playoffs, they certainly would have if Bledsoe hadn't been out for two months following knee surgery. Each player has his strengths; Dragic as a lightning-fast perimeter shooter who, at 6-foot-3, also can dunk on breakaways; Bledsoe is a quick and agile penetrator who weaves to the basket and, at 6-1, can leap to score on big men. Each player's a pesky defender who picks the pockets of even the most sure-handed NBA ball handlers. After his acquisition from the L.A. Clippers, Bledsoe averaged two steals, 18 points, and 5.5 assists per game in his abbreviated season. Dragic averaged 1.5 steals, 20 points, and six assists per contest. A restricted free agent, Bledsoe wants a pay increase to $80 million over five seasons, but the Suns are offering less. If they reach an agreement and the dynamic duo remains intact, we expect the Suns to be a playoff contender for seasons to come.

Patrick Peterson's always has been an overachiever. A star defensive back at Louisiana State University, he was drafted fifth overall by the Arizona Cardinals in 2011. And he started fast in the National Football League: In his first season in Glendale, Peterson, a cornerback/returner, ran back four punts for touchdowns. On top of that, at only 24, he's been named to the Pro Bowl twice as a cornerback. His defensive play's been spectacular, naturally, with 12 touchdowns and 162 tackles. And he's been able to avoid serious injury, never missing a game in two years. Now he's getting the big money, an extension of his current rookie contract worth $70 million over five years, $48 million of which is guaranteed. This puts him in a league of his own at his position. With these numbers, Peterson will be the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL, eclipsing even defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks corner Richard Sherman. Sherman got a four-year, $56 million deal. When Sherman signed his lucrative agreement after last season, he and Peterson engaged in a war of words over who was the best cornerback in the league. It continued after news of Peterson's deal leaked out. When Peterson tweeted to Sherman: "Yu mad bro LMAO" followed by a bunch of smiley faces, Sherm tweeted back a picture of his hand laden with a Super Bowl ring. Which begs the question: Can the Cardinals overcome arguably the two best teams in the NFL, Sherman's 'Hawks and the San Francisco 49ers, and get Pat a ring of his own?

The Phoenix Mercury made franchise history — and damn near made WNBA history — with a 16-game winning streak this season (it was the league's second-longest ever). And the team went on to dominate the WNBA playoffs and with its third title. Second-year phenom Brittney Griner was a large part of why. At 6-foot-8, she's the tallest player in the WNBA (she fits into a men's size-17 shoe). And she's got game! At Baylor University in Texas, she scored 2,000 points and blocked 500 shots — the first in the NCAA ever to do so. And after a rookie professional season marred by injury, she's infused her might into the pro ranks. At 23, she leads the league in blocked shots, is eighth in scoring, and is ninth in rebounding: she's averaged four blocks, 16 points, and eight rebounds per game. She's made dunking —the aspect of the men's game that's made it mega-popular — de rigueur. But it's not all about her size. She's smart, a good ball handler, and possesses mercurial moves.

The league wishes it could clone her star power. Because if it could, it could put a lot more fannies in the seats. In this fantasy world, the Mercury could afford to pay Griner a lot more than the about 50 grand a season it signed her for as the first overall pick in the league draft. In this world, women wouldn't be forced to play in places like China (in Griner's case), where teams are willing to pay them millions of bucks a season to capitalize on their talent. Compare what women make in the WNBA to the minimum NBA rookie salary (paid to scrubs who barely play): $911,400. An NBA rookie of Griner's statue would command $4.5 million annually. Unfortunately, a Brittney Griner comes along once in a lifetime.

Steve Kerr is the luckiest man in the world. Never a starter when he played professional basketball, the University of Arizona standout had the good fortune to play with Michael Jordan and get coached by Phil Jackson, one of the all-time great basketball minds. And what Kerr lacked in talent — despite his off-the-bench prowess at three-point shots for the Chicago Bulls and the San Antonio Spurs — the future Phoenix Suns general manager made up for in smarts. We can attest to this after a night out with Kerr, when he was here, drinking and watching the Shaq-era Suns play. A shrewd National Basketball Association analyst, which he proved as a broadcaster, Kerr now is head coach of the Golden State Warriors, his first foray into the world of leading extremely tall men in baggy shorts while wearing a suit that cost thousands of dollars.

Thing is, when Kerr started playing in the NBA after college, he says, he simply hoped he could remain in the league long enough to earn a pension. Instead, he insinuated himself into the potent offense of the Jordan-fueled, Jackson-led Bulls as a three-point specialist. If only his time working for Suns owner Robert Sarver had been as productive as his seasons with Chicago! Seemed the GM job here wasn't right for him, and he decided after a couple of seasons to leave as the Suns went deep into rebuilding mode. Despite his game-winning threes in playoff situations in the NBA (and the distinction of having been punched by Jordan in practice), Kerr's never before been on a seat as hot as the one he now occupies. He has assets: the great young point guard Stefan Curry, for starters. We wish him well.

Doug Collins is the most astute NBA analyst around, after an illustrious college and professional playing career. Notice we didn't say head-coaching, another of his careers. He's been well-traveled there, having been forced out by the Chicago Bulls, the Detroit Pistons, and the Washington Wizards. He resigned as coach of the Philadelphia 76ers last year after a dismal 34-48 season. Now, he's back broadcasting as an analyst for ESPN on its NBA Countdown show. Though it's arguable that Collins' expertise didn't translate to NBA coaching, he speaks with great authority on TV, standing out from the many boobs he's appeared with on various networks. Collins began his pro playing career with a bang: He was drafted first in the 1973 NBA draft out of Illinois State. He went on to star alongside Julius "Dr. J" Erving for the Philadelphia '76ers and be chosen for four late-1970s Eastern Conference All-Star teams. But in his team's only trip to the NBA Finals, the Sixers lost to Bill Walton and the Portland Trail Blazers. Injuries forced Collins to retire as a player following the '80-'81 season. He first arrived in the Valley of the Sun when he followed University of Pennsylvania Coach Bob Weinhauer to Arizona State University. Later, his pro-coaching debut was with the Bulls, when Michael Jordan was blossoming. Despite taking the team to the Eastern Conference Finals in '88 and '89, Collins was fired when the Bulls lost both times to the Detroit Pistons (he was replaced by the legendary Phil Jackson). If you ask us, Collins never got dealt a good coaching hand after Chicago. None of his subsequent teams showd much playoff championship potential. Coaching's loss is fandom's gain; his soft-spoken and reasoned approach is a pleasure to behold.

The McDowell Mountains have been discovered, much to the dismay of longtime Valley climbers. We can't complain — we love the trails built over the past few years in the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy. Now, everyone can enjoy this rugged, beautiful wilderness. And in what seems like a miracle, the city preserved access to several top-quality climbing areas, including Gardener's Wall. The wall is a like a giant hand of granite stuck in the earth, about 150 feet at its highest point. Mesquite, brush, and a rock obstacle course make the base a hideaway, which you'll rise far above as you tackle classic local routes like Hanging Gardens and Renaissance Direct. The rock quality here is mostly good — that is, it usually doesn't crumble in your hands. All the best routes should be well-cleaned. In spite of encroaching housing developments and the opening of more McDowell trails, Gardener's Wall is still the paradise you remember — 99 percent sweetness and fun and 1 percent sheer terror.