http://www.catosterman.com/ The Official Website of Cat Osterman. Tour Dates, Photos, Videos, Blog and More. en-us Thu, 2 Oct 2008 00:00:00 CST Copyright (C) Cat Osterman http://www.catosterman.com/images/catosterman_120x60.gif http://www.catosterman.com/ I know it's been a while since I wrote, but I've been enjoying being in one city for an entire month. It's weird getting into daily routines again, unlike the last year where it was pack-up-and-go every other day. You forget how great it is to make your own coffee and hear the sound of rain on your own windows, and even more importantly how incredibly comfortable your own bed is! http://www.catosterman.com/blog.html http://www.catosterman.com/blog.html Well, life does go on … To be honest, it feels weird to be in the same place for a week. I don't know the last time I wasn't living out of a suitcase for this long. It's nice, though. http://www.catosterman.com/blog.html http://www.catosterman.com/blog.html The Rocky Mountain Softball Clinic, which concluded Monday, featured four members of the U.S. Olympic Team that just returned from Beijing. http://www.sltrib.com/davis/ci_10439088 http://www.sltrib.com/davis/ci_10439088 Well, I figured it's finally time to face reality. After all, life does go on. I don't think I have ever felt the way I've felt for the last week. It's been an emotional roller coaster to be honest. It's hard to put all of this into words, so bear with me. http://www.catosterman.com/blog/082708.html http://www.catosterman.com/blog/082708.html There weren't a lot of tears, at least on the field. Those would have to come later, when the realization that it really is all over finally sinks in. In their place were hugs, even a few forced smiles. http://www.nbcolympics.com/softball/news/newsid=245545.html#after+beijing+olympic+future+unknown http://www.nbcolympics.com/softball/news/newsid=245545.html#after+beijing+olympic+future+unknown Losing for the first time since 2000, the U.S. softball team was denied a chance for a fourth straight gold medal Thursday, beaten 3-1 by Japan in the sport's last appearance in the Olympics for at least eight years -- and maybe for good. http://www.nbcolympics.com/softball/news/newsid=243344.html#in+softball+stunner+japan+upsets+u+s+gold http://www.nbcolympics.com/softball/news/newsid=243344.html#in+softball+stunner+japan+upsets+u+s+gold Crystl Bustos hit a three-run homer in the ninth inning as the U.S. Olympic softball team, forced into extra innings on Wednesday, beat Japan 4-1 and will play for their fourth straight gold medal. http://www.nbcolympics.com/softball/news/newsid=237829.html#bustos+abbott+deliver+beijing+thriller http://www.nbcolympics.com/softball/news/newsid=237829.html#bustos+abbott+deliver+beijing+thriller Because softball will not be an Olympic sport in London, the American left-handed pitcher will carry on as an assistant coach at DePaul and in a fledgling pro league. http://www.latimes.com/sports/olympics/la-sp-olysoftball19-2008aug19,0,7610391.story http://www.latimes.com/sports/olympics/la-sp-olysoftball19-2008aug19,0,7610391.story I came for a no-hitter. I wandered through security, got my daily pat-down, waited patiently under the partly smoggy skies, walked on a bus, got accosted by two volunteers desperate for Olympic pins, wandered across a long parking lot, almost got hit by two or three buses, got accosted again for pins, transferred to a second bus, bounced through downtown Beijing, almost got sideswiped twice. And I didn’t mind at all. http://www.kansascity.com/sports/story/754825.html http://www.kansascity.com/sports/story/754825.html Crushing the softball and the spirits of their hostesses with a nine-run first inning, the powerhouse U.S. team moved within two wins of another gold medal on Monday with a 9-0 victory over China. http://www.nbcolympics.com/softball/news/newsid=229473.html#sevens+nines+around+u+s http://www.nbcolympics.com/softball/news/newsid=229473.html#sevens+nines+around+u+s The United States, playing at night for the first time since coming to China, hammered three more home runs and remained on track to win a fourth straight Olympic title with an 8-0 win over the Netherlands on Sunday. http://www.nbcolympics.com/softball/news/newsid=227219.html#abbott+perfect+u+s+victory http://www.nbcolympics.com/softball/news/newsid=227219.html#abbott+perfect+u+s+victory Not a whole lot has gone on since the last time I wrote. Everyday seems to be Groundhog Day. With most of our games at noon, we go through the same routine everyday. Since nothing major has happened, I'll fill you in on the little things in our daily lives. http://www.catosterman.com/blog/081708.html http://www.catosterman.com/blog/081708.html Michael Phelps beat a former Longhorn. But not another. Phelps won a seventh gold medal, beating Texas-ex Ian Crocker, as well as stretching to edge a Serb by one-hundredth of a second. Given that, Phelps’ record run is alive, as is his legacy as the greatest Olympian ever. http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/columnists/buck_harvey/Superior_to_Phelps_A_softball_question.html http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/columnists/buck_harvey/Superior_to_Phelps_A_softball_question.html Jessica Mendoza hit her third home run in two days, Jennie Finch pitched five shutout innings and the United States rocketed line drives to every corner of Fengtai Field in a 7-0 shutout of Chinese Taipei Saturday to run their Olympic winning streak to 19. http://www.nbcolympics.com/softball/news/newsid=221372.html#flamethrower+finch+fires+hitter http://www.nbcolympics.com/softball/news/newsid=221372.html#flamethrower+finch+fires+hitter Forced by rain to play two games in one day, the U.S. softball team scored four unearned runs in the sixth inning and beat Canada 8-1 on Friday, running its Olympic winning streak to 18. http://www.nbcolympics.com/softball/news/newsid=216905.html#americans+extend+winning+streak http://www.nbcolympics.com/softball/news/newsid=216905.html#americans+extend+winning+streak Osterman, who is taking a year off from the Rockford Thunder softball team to compete in the Olympics, agreed to throw to a few members of the media. http://www.norwichbulletin.com/sports/columnists/x1485137704/Anna-Voelker-Stepping-in-against-Cat http://www.norwichbulletin.com/sports/columnists/x1485137704/Anna-Voelker-Stepping-in-against-Cat The U.S. softball team extended its Olympic winning streak to 17 straight by beating Japan 7-0 in five innings, the first of two games for the Americans on Friday. http://www.nbcolympics.com/softball/news/newsid=216695.html#big+bats+lead+team+usa+victory http://www.nbcolympics.com/softball/news/newsid=216695.html#big+bats+lead+team+usa+victory Heavy thunderstorms suspended the Americans' game against Canada, which was leading the U.S. 1-0 in the fourth inning at Fengtai Softball Stadium. http://www.nbcolympics.com/softball/news/newsid=212284.html#a+case+rainy+blues http://www.nbcolympics.com/softball/news/newsid=212284.html#a+case+rainy+blues Well, another few days have passed, and the one word that describes this experience is unbelievable. http://www.catosterman.com/blog/081308.html http://www.catosterman.com/blog/081308.html Cat Osterman pitched a no-hitter, Crystl Bustos belted a two-run homer and the Americans extended their winning streak inside the rings to 16 straight with a 3-0 win over Australia on Wednesday. http://www.nbcolympics.com/softball/news/newsid=206726.html#osterman+hits+aussies http://www.nbcolympics.com/softball/news/newsid=206726.html#osterman+hits+aussies It's not easy figuring out when Cat Osterman will be pitching, but you can tune in late nights to see if she's throwing for what probably is — and might forever remain — the best softball team ever assembled. http://www.statesman.com/sports/content/sports/stories/other/08/13/0813olytexan.html http://www.statesman.com/sports/content/sports/stories/other/08/13/0813olytexan.html The U.S. team began its run toward a fourth straight gold medal in record-breaking fashion as Jennie Finch pitched four no-hit innings and Andrea Duran drove in three runs, powering the Americans to an 11-0 rout of Venezuela in their Olympic opener on Tuesday. http://www.nbcolympics.com/softball/news/newsid=198835.html#u+s+blanks+venezuela http://www.nbcolympics.com/softball/news/newsid=198835.html#u+s+blanks+venezuela Well, where to start? This Olympic experience has already far exceeded the one we had in Athens, mainly because to the fact we were able to go to the Opening Ceremonies, but also because I have seen so many familiar faces already. http://www.catosterman.com/blog/081008.html http://www.catosterman.com/blog/081008.html It’s hard to believe a pitcher with 20 collegiate no-hitters and 10 perfect games being a little-used spare part on anybody’s softball team. But that was exactly what Cat Osterman was four years ago. http://www.timesrecordnews.com/news/2008/aug/10/gholson-made-china-aug-10/ http://www.timesrecordnews.com/news/2008/aug/10/gholson-made-china-aug-10/ I am safely in China! It's been quite the trip so far. From the Opening Ceremonies to the Closing Ceremonies - and hopefully a gold inbetween - you can be sure I'll have my camera with me. http://www.catosterman.com/multimedia/photo_gallery.html#id=beijing http://www.catosterman.com/multimedia/photo_gallery.html#id=beijing Former Longhorn all-everything star Cat Osterman has been enjoying her post college life playing for the Rockford Thundder – a professional softball team – and working as an assistant coach at DePaul University. http://www.catosterman.com/multimedia/news8_080708.html http://www.catosterman.com/multimedia/news8_080708.html It's about 7:15 a.m on Aug. 6, and I am safely in China! We arrived here yesterday around 2 p.m., but then had to get all our bags, go through accreditation, customs and find our way to the buses. It's been quite the trip so far. http://www.catosterman.com/blog/080608.html http://www.catosterman.com/blog/080608.html Lounging by the pool and chowing down on ice cream may have gotten you through most of the summer, but with tryouts looming, you're starting to freak out about making the team. Who better to give you advice than Olympic athletes? http://ellegirl.elle.com/my_life/teen_life/content/how_to_make_the_team_beijing_olympics_2008.html http://ellegirl.elle.com/my_life/teen_life/content/how_to_make_the_team_beijing_olympics_2008.html Just as every four years in the short, fruitful but soon-to-be-interrupted history of Olympic softball sport has brought a new highlight for Team USA, each quadrennium has represented a new chapter in the life of Cat Osterman. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/oly/5916514.html http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/oly/5916514.html As Osterman and her Team USA teammates prepare for a run at the team’s fourth straight gold medal, she stopped by the Forty Acres and checked in with TexasSports.com to give her thoughts on the Games, softball’s Olympic swan song and life after graduation. http://texassports.com/sports/w-softbl/spec-rel/073008aaa.html http://texassports.com/sports/w-softbl/spec-rel/073008aaa.html In seven days we will be on a plane to China! It's crazy to see how fast the months have flown by. When our tour started in mid-February, August seemed so far away. http://www.catosterman.com/blog/072808.html http://www.catosterman.com/blog/072808.html