Sports can really make you scratch your head sometimes –
Sports Thoughts for June 1, 2010
Memorial Day not only is the time for us to think about and remember those who served our nation with their lives in times of war and peace, it’s one of the traditional benchmark points of the major league baseball season. Of course, Memorial Day is also shared with the unofficial start of summer, retail store sales, the NBA playoffs, and the Stanley Cup finals.
First thought belongs to game one of the Stanley Cup finals between Chicago and Philadelphia. Looks like someone forgot to bring defense to the United Center Saturday night as these finals started off with a scoring fest – Blackhawks 6, Flyers 5. How strange is a score like this in the NHL? Well, consider the Blackhawks scored almost as many goals in game one than the Montreal Canadiens scored in their entire five-game eastern conference finals loss to the Flyers. And if you’re wondering how long it’s been since two teams combined for five goals in the first period of a Stanley Cup final, try 1982 when the Islanders outscored the Canucks 3-2.
My second thought belongs to the soon-to-start NBA finals between Los Angeles and Boston. Did you know these two teams have combined to win 32 of the 64 championships so far in NBA history? The Celtics have won 17 in their storied history and the Lakers 15. Have you ever wondered if it simply makes sense to predict Boston-LA every year in the finals and spare yourself the suspense? Think about it… you have a better than 50-50 chance of being correct. Talk about a pretty reliable bet.
I know most think the Lakers are going to earn their revenge for losing the 2008 finals to Boston, and Kobe Bryant being Kobe, and Phil Jackson being arguably the greatest coach, and the amazing talent on the Lakers’ roster, but I’m picking the Celtics in six. Why? Just a hunch, not to mention a soft spot for “older” teams playing for perhaps one last hurrah. In fact, there’s something rather special to this year’s Celtics.
What’s so special? Consider the Celtics had the fourth-best record in the eastern conference this year. 50-32. Does this sound like the record of a champion? Most would say no when comparing it to the win totals by Cleveland, Orlando, and every playoff team in the western conference. C’mon, 50 wins are as many as the Spurs, Blazers, and Thunder had filling out the 6-8 seeds. But let’s not forget the Celtics were meandering around .500 for a good part of the regular season before they got healthy, consistent, and hot, hot enough to finish 18 games over .500. Granted, the Celtics lost 7 of their final 10 regular season games, but there was quite a torrid stretch between the All-Star Break and those final ten games. But the Celtics eliminated both LeBron’s Cavs and Superman’s Magic, and that has to mean some kind of momentum.
But what truly makes these Celtics special is their veteran pride and pulling together to make one more, if not last championship push with Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and head coach Doc Rivers. Call me crazy but these Celtics remind me of another veteran championship team that made one last run after a somewhat underwhelming regular season, the 1967 Green Bay Packers. That final team under Vince Lombardi was only 9-4-1 during the regular season and barely survived the mediocrity of the old (then new) “Black and Blue” division with the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, and Minnesota Vikings. While the Packers appeared to sleepwalk into the playoffs, Lombardi’s core of Jerry Kramer, Bart Starr, Willie Davis, Dave Robinson, Ray Nitschke, Herb Adderley, and on and on survived the Los Angeles Rams 28-7 then the Dallas Cowboys 21-17 in the “Ice Bowl”. Then, to cap off the legendary coach’s tenure, Lombardi’s Packers beat the Raiders 33-14 in Super Bowl II. Even though they were the Packers, the Rams had a better record, their “Fearsome Foursome” of Merlin Olsen, Lamar Lundy, Deacon Jones, and Rosie Grier, not to mention the great Roman Gabriel at quarterback, the Cowboys were thought to be ready to avenge losing the 1966 NFL championship game, and the Raiders were a 13-1 wrecking crew en route to the AFL title. Yet when examine the final tally of the 1967 season, the Packers were still the Packers.
Yes, the Lakers are the Lakers, and Kobe is Kobe, and Phil Jackson is a modern-day Red Auerbach, but there’s something about these Celtics that just won’t fade quietly, a proud veteran team with its healthiest roster at the right time, led by one of the most underrated coaches in Doc Rivers, a man who knows his defense whether he’s in a Knicks uniform or an Armani suit.
You want role players making big impact? How about Nate Robinson, too small and undisciplined to play for Mike D’Antoni in Madison Square Garden, but the right kind of sparkplug for the new Boston Garden. Like I said, Celtics in six. Maybe it’s just a hunch, maybe it’s just nostalgia, or maybe it’s just sensing the right kind of performances from a roster put together for one more title.
So, let’s talk about Super Bowl XLVIII. With the game almost four years away, I don’t want to burn myself out, but I will say that I’m tired of the excessive carrying on folks are doing about the weather forecast for February 2014. Although odds are highly against me still being alive by 2014, I do hope I’m around to enjoy this event and possibly laugh at all the folks complaining about things that have everything to do with classic post-season football. Well, if I’m not here physically, I at least hope my ghost enjoys it.
Anyone want to bet odds that neither Mayor Bloomberg or his fellow blowhard counterpart across the Hudson, Governor Christie, will be in office by the time this game is played? For the sake of New York City and New Jersey, I hope the odds are better than even in favor of new occupants in Gracie Mansion and Trenton. And in the spirit of Teddy Roosevelt, may both speak softly and carry a big stick, or at least shoot their mouths off less.
Ah, finally… baseball and Memorial Day weekend. Let’s see what’s going on up to this point.
Well, I’m becoming VERY fascinated by all these no-hitters, perfectos, and near no-no’s. I had a feeling back in mid-April something was on the horizon, but I never expected three no-hitters within five weeks, much less two perfect games in the same month.
So, with all the excitement generated by Roy Hallady’s perfecto in Miami Saturday night, and all the tweeting and blogging how this was the first time since 1880 that two perfect games were tossed in the same month, I did a little research on http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/history/rare_feats/index.jsp?feature=no_hitter
to find answers to a few questions on my mind…
Question #1 – What are the most no-hitters pitched in any MLB season?
Surprise, surprise, in both 1990 and 1991, seven no-hitters were pitched each season. In 1990, five no-hitters were pitched in the AL and two in the NL. In 1991, four no-hitters were pitched in the AL, three in the NL. Who pitched these no-hitters? Here’s the list…
Date -- Pitcher(s) -- Teams & Score
04-11-1990: Mark Langston (7 inn), Mike Witt (2 inn):
California vs Seattle, 1-0
06-02-1990: Randy Johnson: Seattle vs Detroit, 2-0
06-11-1990: Nolan Ryan: Texas at Oakland, 5-0
06-29-1990: Dave Stewart: Oakland at Toronto, 5-0
06-29-1990: Fernando Valenzuela: Los Angeles vs St. Louis, 6-0
08-15-1990: Terry Mulholland: Philadelphia vs San Francisco, 6-0
09-02-1990: Dave Stieb: Toronto at Cleveland, 3-0
05-01-1991: Nolan Ryan: Texas vs Toronto, 3-0
05-23-1991: Tommy Greene: Philadelphia at Montreal, 2-0
07-28-1991: Dennis Martinez: Montreal at Los Angeles, 2-0 (Perfect Game)
07-13-1991: Bob Milacki (6 inn), Mike Flanagan (1 inn),
Mark Williamson (1 inn), Gregg Olson (1 inn):
Baltimore at Oakland, 2-0
08-11-1991: Wilson Alvarez: Chicago (AL) at Baltimore, 7-0
08-26-1991: Bret Saberhagen: Kansas City vs Chicago (AL), 7-0
09-11-1991: Kent Mercker (6 inn), Mark Wohlers (2 inn),
Alejandro Peña (1 inn):
Atlanta vs San Diego, 1-0
Notice anything interesting among these 14 no-hitters? Well, besides Nolan Ryan pitching his sixth and seventh career no-hitters in consecutive seasons (he also pitched no-hitters in 1973 (twice), 1974, and 1975), we see three combined no-hitters, two no-hitters on the same day (Oakland’s Dave Stewart and the Dodgers’ Fernando Valenzuela), the Oakland A’s involved in three no-hitters, and the White Sox, Blue Jays, A’s, Orioles, Dodgers, Expos, and Mariners on both the pitching and receiving end of no-hitters. Oddly enough, Baltimore, Oakland and the Chicago White Sox all experienced pitching and receiving no-hitters within a month of each other. June 1990 saw four no-hitters. Interesting as well, seven no-hitters came at home and seven came on the road.
Question #2 – Were 1990 and 1991 exceptional MLB seasons for no-hitters?
As awesome as seven no-hitters were in both 1990 and 1991, there were other prolific seasons in terms of no-hitters –1908, 1917 and 1969 saw six no-hitters, and 1962, 1968 and 1973 each saw five.
Question #3 – What are the most no-hitters pitched in one month during an MLB season?
June 1990 had the most no-hitters, four.
Question #4 – What are the most no-hitters pitched in one week (Seven Days) during an MLB season?
One would expect Dave Stewart and Fernando Valenzuela to jointly hold this distinction, since both pitched no-hitters on June 29, 1990, but let’s not forget Johnny Vander Meer’s feat of 2 consecutive no-hitters in 1938 – June 11 in Cincinnati as the Reds beat the Boston Braves, then June 15 at Ebbets Field when he blanked the Dodgers. Of course, in light of perfectos by Oakland’s Dallas Braden and Philadelphia’s Roy Halladay, we now know about Worchester’s Lee Richmond pitching a perfecto on June 12, 1880, and Providence’s Monte Ward doing the same five days later.
But that, folks, is not all… On April 22, 1898, Ted Breitenstein pitched a no-hitter for Cincinnati while Jim Hughes pitched one for Baltimore in the old National League. In 1908, Cleveland’s Dusty Rhoades no-hit the Red Sox on September 18. Two days later, Frank Smith of the White Sox no-hit the Philadelphia A’s. In 1916, Joe Bush of the Philadelphia A’s no-hit the Indians on August 26. Four days later, Hub Leonard of the Red Sox no-hit the St. Louis Browns.
On April 30, 1922, Charlie Robertson tossed a no-hitter for the White Sox against Detroit. On May 7, 1922, the Giants Jesse Barnes no-hit the Phillies. In 1946, Cleveland’s Bob Feller pitched the second on his career no-hitters against the Yankees on April 30. This was exactly one week after Brooklyn Dodger Ed Head no-hit the Giants.
In 1963, Sandy Koufax pitched the second of his four career no-hitters on May 11, beating the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium. Six days later, Houston’s Don Nottebart no-hit the Philadelphia Phillies. On April 30, 1969 Cincinnati’s Jim Maloney no-hit the Astros, and the very next day Houston’s Don Wilson returned the favor!
Also, in 1969, Baltimore’s Jim Palmer no-hit Oakland on August 13, while future Oakland right-hander Ken Holtzman no-hit the Braves while pitching for the Chicago Cubs on August 19. Ironically, Holtzman’s no-no was just about the last good thing that happened to the Cubbies during the 1969 season.
Meanwhile, Texas Ranger Jim Bibby and Atlanta Brave Phil Neikro tossed no-hitters within a week of each other in 1973, Bibby on July 30 and Neikro on August 5.
While Montreal’s Charlie Lea no-hit San Francisco on May 10, 1981, Len Barker of Cleveland pitched a perfecto five days later against Toronto. On September 19, 1986, Joe Cowley pitched a no-hitter for the White Sox against the Angels, and Houston’s Mike Scott no-hit San Francisco six days later. On September 4, 1993, Jim Abbott pitched a no-hitter for the Yankees against Cleveland. Four days later, the late Daryl Kile pitched a no-hitter for the Astros over the Mets. And speaking of the Mets, on May 11, 1996, then future Met Al Leiter pitched a no-hitter for the marlins against the Colorado Rockies. Three days later, former Met Dwight Gooden pitched a no-hitter for the Yankees against Seattle.
And, of course, the New York Mets, if my calculations are correct, have yet to pitch a no-hitter after 7,818 games of playing baseball since 1962.
Just like home runs, sometimes no-hitters come in their own bunches.
So I’ll leave the batting averages, ERAs, OBPs, and all the other Sabermetric data to my fellow sports junkies, columnists, and bloggers. Give me some good old historical information any day to tease my brain about the quirky fun of baseball.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Just an idea -- Sports Thoughts for May 25, 2010
Here's a thought...
The New York-New Jersey contingent was just awarded Super Bowl XLVIII (That's 48 for those not fluent in Roman) for February 2014. Do I think it's great? You bet. As I wrote back in January, not only do I think it's great to have a super bowl in a "cold setting", I even think we should rotate the game between multiple warm-dome-cold sites so every NFL city can enjoy hosting a super bowl and offer some "old school" playing conditions. I have very mixed feelings about anyone thinking a New York super bowl is symbolic of our post-9/11 recovery. As Bill Daughtry said on ESPN-New York radio Sunday night, if the NFL is giving New York a super bowl to make up for 9/11, why did we have to wait until 2014, and WHY did the Jets and Giants need to build a new stadium as well? Interesting point, eh?
Quibbling aside, let's face it, super bowls and the NFL are primarily about business. If you don't believe me, go back and read the recent opinion written by US Supreme Court justice John Paul Stevens with regards to anti-trust status.
In case you haven't been paying attention, the Jets and Giants owners have ponied up $1.7 billion to build their new stadium, and so far it's called the New Meadowlands Stadium while John Mara and Woody Johnson seek a naming sponsor. The first one they tried, Allianz, didn't work out so well. DUH?! Like selling naming rights to an insurance company that underwrote the Third Reich was going to go over well in one of the most Jewish regions outside Israel...
So where do Mara and Johnson turn for a sponsor good for $20-30 million per year for the next 20-25 years?
Well, the Sopranos is off the air, Port Authority Stadium sounds too inefficient, MTA Stadium sounds too unethical, and PSL Stadium sounds too offensive for fans and season ticket holders.
Wait a minute... call me crazy, but here's an idea...
Given this stadium was built during a recession, and both Jets and Giants fans have been hit hard by the current economy, perhaps Mara and Johnson should think outside the box for a stadium name and sponsorship?
How about Mara and Johnson reaching out to a consortium of the many different sized business owners in New York and New Jersey, specifically among the many Jets and Giants fans who attend and watch their teams play? Each business owner pays a proportionate fixed share towards the naming rights and buys into this sponsorship for anywhere between 5 to 25 years.
You think this is outlandish? Any more outlandish than season ticket holders buying PSLs and patronizing this new stadium for a generation or more? I don't think so. In fact, having a smaller business-based sponsorship consortium would not only provide Jets and Giants fans a more lasting connection to their teams and this new stadium, it would give fans a stronger sense of ownership of the football entity they root for than simply "owning your seat".
Think about it... every time fans come to this new stadium to watch a Jets or Giants game, they can say "hey, I OWN a piece of this stadium! That's MY stadium! I'm connected to all 82,000 seats, not just mine." Gee... where or where do we have the concept of communal ownership of a sports franchise? Oh yeah, GREEN BAY. Even though owning stock in the Packers is more nominal than economic, it sure does connect the local fan base, doesn't it?
So, here's my idea... a community-wide sponsorship consortium, where Jets and Giants fans, side by side, big money and small, can own our new stadium together. If Mara and Johnson do it right, they'll never need to make a deal with a Fortune 500 corporation, which in today's economy may already be devalued to Fortune 250. You now how "stable" these big monoliths are these days, right?
What about a name? If you're working with a sponsorship consortium, Mara and Johnson are then free to name their new stadium in a more fitting manner. Let's face it, today's NFL wouldn't be what it is today without the influence of two gentlemen -- Wellington Mara and David "Sonny" Werblin. We all know how Wellington Mara put league ahead of personal gain when he agreed to TV revenue sharing in the early 1960s. We also know that if it weren't for Sonny Werblin, there would never be a New York Jets, no Joe Namath, and no Super Bowl III legend.
So, my top recommendation for the new stadium's name is Mara-Werblin Stadium.
For those who think more credit should be paid to Leon Hess for bringing the Jets to the Meadowlands in 1984, then feel free to call it Mara-Hess Stadium or Mara-Werblin-Hess Stadium.
If that doesn't tickle your fancy, and you'd prefer a stadium name that honors our region more than people, maybe we should keep it simple and call it Hudson River Stadium, given New York City and New Jersey share this river by means of three major bridges and two tunnels.
Like I said... just an idea, and a lot better than "Allianz Stadium", or some other stupid corporation name.
The New York-New Jersey contingent was just awarded Super Bowl XLVIII (That's 48 for those not fluent in Roman) for February 2014. Do I think it's great? You bet. As I wrote back in January, not only do I think it's great to have a super bowl in a "cold setting", I even think we should rotate the game between multiple warm-dome-cold sites so every NFL city can enjoy hosting a super bowl and offer some "old school" playing conditions. I have very mixed feelings about anyone thinking a New York super bowl is symbolic of our post-9/11 recovery. As Bill Daughtry said on ESPN-New York radio Sunday night, if the NFL is giving New York a super bowl to make up for 9/11, why did we have to wait until 2014, and WHY did the Jets and Giants need to build a new stadium as well? Interesting point, eh?
Quibbling aside, let's face it, super bowls and the NFL are primarily about business. If you don't believe me, go back and read the recent opinion written by US Supreme Court justice John Paul Stevens with regards to anti-trust status.
In case you haven't been paying attention, the Jets and Giants owners have ponied up $1.7 billion to build their new stadium, and so far it's called the New Meadowlands Stadium while John Mara and Woody Johnson seek a naming sponsor. The first one they tried, Allianz, didn't work out so well. DUH?! Like selling naming rights to an insurance company that underwrote the Third Reich was going to go over well in one of the most Jewish regions outside Israel...
So where do Mara and Johnson turn for a sponsor good for $20-30 million per year for the next 20-25 years?
Well, the Sopranos is off the air, Port Authority Stadium sounds too inefficient, MTA Stadium sounds too unethical, and PSL Stadium sounds too offensive for fans and season ticket holders.
Wait a minute... call me crazy, but here's an idea...
Given this stadium was built during a recession, and both Jets and Giants fans have been hit hard by the current economy, perhaps Mara and Johnson should think outside the box for a stadium name and sponsorship?
How about Mara and Johnson reaching out to a consortium of the many different sized business owners in New York and New Jersey, specifically among the many Jets and Giants fans who attend and watch their teams play? Each business owner pays a proportionate fixed share towards the naming rights and buys into this sponsorship for anywhere between 5 to 25 years.
You think this is outlandish? Any more outlandish than season ticket holders buying PSLs and patronizing this new stadium for a generation or more? I don't think so. In fact, having a smaller business-based sponsorship consortium would not only provide Jets and Giants fans a more lasting connection to their teams and this new stadium, it would give fans a stronger sense of ownership of the football entity they root for than simply "owning your seat".
Think about it... every time fans come to this new stadium to watch a Jets or Giants game, they can say "hey, I OWN a piece of this stadium! That's MY stadium! I'm connected to all 82,000 seats, not just mine." Gee... where or where do we have the concept of communal ownership of a sports franchise? Oh yeah, GREEN BAY. Even though owning stock in the Packers is more nominal than economic, it sure does connect the local fan base, doesn't it?
So, here's my idea... a community-wide sponsorship consortium, where Jets and Giants fans, side by side, big money and small, can own our new stadium together. If Mara and Johnson do it right, they'll never need to make a deal with a Fortune 500 corporation, which in today's economy may already be devalued to Fortune 250. You now how "stable" these big monoliths are these days, right?
What about a name? If you're working with a sponsorship consortium, Mara and Johnson are then free to name their new stadium in a more fitting manner. Let's face it, today's NFL wouldn't be what it is today without the influence of two gentlemen -- Wellington Mara and David "Sonny" Werblin. We all know how Wellington Mara put league ahead of personal gain when he agreed to TV revenue sharing in the early 1960s. We also know that if it weren't for Sonny Werblin, there would never be a New York Jets, no Joe Namath, and no Super Bowl III legend.
So, my top recommendation for the new stadium's name is Mara-Werblin Stadium.
For those who think more credit should be paid to Leon Hess for bringing the Jets to the Meadowlands in 1984, then feel free to call it Mara-Hess Stadium or Mara-Werblin-Hess Stadium.
If that doesn't tickle your fancy, and you'd prefer a stadium name that honors our region more than people, maybe we should keep it simple and call it Hudson River Stadium, given New York City and New Jersey share this river by means of three major bridges and two tunnels.
Like I said... just an idea, and a lot better than "Allianz Stadium", or some other stupid corporation name.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
It’s all in the Numbers – Sports Thoughts for May 21, 2010
It’s all in the Numbers – Sports Thoughts for May 21, 2010
I love numbers. It’s one of the reasons I became attracted to chemistry and physics. Can’t help it… I’m very quantitatively oriented in many respects. I love the significance of numbers, data, statistics, and trends. For today’s blog posting, I share the following numbers –
ZERO
And I offer you not just any zeroes. Zeroes can be very telling and fascinating. The first zero to discuss is the number of runs Washington Nationals bonus baby pitcher Stephen Strasburg has allowed in slightly over 18 innings since being promoted from AA to AAA. We all know Mr. Strasburg’s going to join the Nationals sometime next month and bring the buzz surrounding his rise to the majors to a crescendo. But the real buzz we might be talking about all summer could very well be the number of scoreless innings and domination Strasburg demonstrated en route to the majors.
The second zero to discuss relates to the Philadelphia Flyers. In case you haven’t noticed, the Stanley Cup playoffs are still going on, and the Flyers have become a very intriguing story. First, they were down 3 games to none in the eastern conference semifinals against the Boston Bruins. The Flyers came back to force a game 7. Then the Flyers fell behind 3-0 in the first period of game 7. No problem. The Flyers came back and won 4-3 to eliminate the stunned Bruins and move into the conference finals against everyone’s dragon slayers, the Montreal Canadiens. So, the Flyers were not only up 2 games to none, they outscored the Canadiens 9-0 so far. Dare I ask, can the Flyers not only sweep Montreal, but shut them out for all four games as well? Would this be unprecedented?
For the record, the most shutouts by one team over another in the current 7-game format occurred during the 2003 western conference finals. The Anaheim Ducks swept the Minnesota Wild in four games by a composite score of 9-1, three wins via shutout. No team has won all four games of a series via shutout.
We can forget the Flyers shutting out the Canadiens on the scoreboard and the series. Montreal won game 3, 5-1. Believe it or not, the Flyers and Canadiens are only three short of the most shutouts by two teams during a playoff series. In 1945 and 1950, Toronto and Detroit both combined for 5 shutouts (3 for the Maple Leafs, 2 for the Red Wings). Toronto won the seven-game series in 1945; Detroit won the seven-game series in 1950.
TWO
This is the number of hip surgeries wide receiver Brandon Marshall has undergone in the last two off-seasons. However, his recent procedure on his right hip has come as a big surprise to his new team, the Miami Dolphins. Am I the only one who wonders if the Dolphins’ front office losing its “A” game when it comes to personnel planning lately? First you have the general manager discussing parental occupations with prospective draft picks, then Miami trades with Denver for a headache who not only forces a new 5-year contract, but fails to see a hip situation during a pre-trade physical exam?
Speaking of another two, in the same city, it took two whole days for Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez to formally apologize to his teammates and manager Freddie Gonzalez. What did Ramirez need to apologize for? Well, besides sloppy and lazy play a couple of nights ago, he mouthed off about his manager after being reprimanded and benched for his play. Was Gonzalez wrong for “embarrassing” his shortstop’s pride? NO! Gil Hodges once walked out to the outfield in 1969 and pulled Cleon Jones from a game for loafing. Billy Martin almost came to blows in a Fenway dugout with Reggie Jackson in 1977 after replacing him at the end of an inning for lazy outfield play.
Ramirez WAS wrong for committing a complete breach of protocol by stating this about his manager: He’s never played a game in the majors. As if this automatically makes Ramirez an authority on baseball credibility. Nonsense! Ramirez committed the same cardinal sin that another Marlin committed in 2003 when he didn’t respect the authority of then-manager John Boles. The only solution to that player revolt was to fire Boles and replace him with Jack McKeon who led them to the world championship. Now let me make this perfectly clear… Freddie Gonzalez is a very capable manager and seems to have the Marlins performing well so far through his tenure. It would be the biggest mistake for the Marlins to fire Gonzalez because one of his star players needs a serious attitude adjustment and has needed one for approximately three seasons.
Speaking of the Marlins, I must respectfully disagree with ESPN Radio’s Colin Cowherd who contends that the Marlins won 2 world series in 15 years with homegrown talent they then traded away. The reality is that the Marlins won only ONE world series with homegrown talent, in 2003. The 1997 championship team was a collection of highly-paid veteran mercenaries via trades or free agency. Al Leiter, Kevin Brown, Gary Sheffield, Ivan Rodriguez, and the rest of the crew were hardly fruits from their minor leagues. Once Wayne Huizenga won his trophy he started dismantling his roster in a fire sale that would’ve made Charley Finley blush. The 1998 Marlins lost 105 games.
FOUR
This happens to be a very critical and quirky number for the Oakland A’s. At the moment, the A’s record is 20-22 but check this out… in games the A’s score 4 runs or more, they’re 19-1. In games they score 3 runs or less, they’re 1-21. Could any team be that bipolar with regards to their offensive output?
Speaking of another four, these are the number of years Floyd Landis wasted everyone’s time with his defense and challenge against testing positive for steroids after the 2006 Tour de France. This person, his whole story, and everything he postured make me reach for the barf bag. And for all the yes he does, no I don’t nonsense between Landis and Lance Armstrong? You’re BOTH guilty and I’m sick of hearing as many denials as we got from the Nixon administration during Watergate. If you need to protest so much in the media about your integrity, chances are you don’t have much to begin with… and this comes from a fellow cancer survivor, so take that!
SEVEN
That’s how many games the Kansas City Royals have played since replacing Trey Hillman with Ned Yost as manager. The Royals’ record is 5-2 since the change. What does this tell us? Most likely nothing. Have teams gotten hot after a managerial change? Sure. The 1978 Yankees came storming back from 14 games behind Boston to win the AL East, AL pennant, and world series after Bob Lemon replaced Billy Martin. The 2003 Florida Marlins won the world series after replacing John Boles with Jack McKeon. The 2007 Colorado Rockies won the 2009 wild card after replacing Clint Hurdle with Jim Tracy.
Then again, the 2008 Mets fired Willie Randolph and got instantly hot under Jerry Manuel. Unfortunately, Jerry’s Mets proved to be just as capable of collapsing in September 2008 as Willie’s Mets were in September 2007.
Last week I wrote how lousy the Royals were and provided what I considered enough data to support the fact that they stink. At no time did I advocate firing Hillman as manager or replacing him with Yost. I simply looked at pathetic won-loss records at home, away, and within the AL Central to counter those who whine how the Royals’ string of failure was related to the Yankees and their $200 million-plus payroll. Will Yost make a difference in the long run? Time will tell, but I’m highly skeptical. Just as we know “stupid is as stupid does” in the world of Forest Gump, it’s pretty safe to say that “stinky is as stinky plays”. The sad fact is that the Royals simply don’t have the caliber of players yet to be genuinely competitive in the AL Central, much less against the best of the AL (i.e., Tampa Bay and the Yankees). Firing Hillman is the baseball equivalent of mercy killing, putting a manager out of his misery. The Royals were going nowhere under Hillman and probably won’t go further under Yost. But let’s face it, when you’re 12-23 after your first 35 games, that’s not gonna cut it. In fact, playing less than .333 baseball ain’t gonna cut it no matter how much of the season you’ve played. Want to know how bad the Royals really are? Just look at their ace, Zack Greinke, his won-loss record, and ERA. When you’re ace has only won once so far and his ERA is barely 2.00, you know your batters really need to load up on the spinach or something.
TWENTY-THREE
This is the number of active professional athletes from golf, the NFL, and MLB Canadian doctor Tony Galea has allegedly treated in the US without a medical license. And the number is growing. As is always the case, ESPN and the New York Daily News once again give us excellent and thorough coverage on the never-ending scourge of performance enhancing drug use in sports.
TWENTY-SIX
This is how old Adam “Pacman” Jones is. The newest Cincinnati Bengal informs the media that he’s “changed his lifestyle and reordered his priorities” as he attempts to salvage what’s left of his NFL career. Ha ha ha ha ha… no, seriously.
THRITY-SEVEN
This is the “ripe” old age former New Orleans Saint and San Diego Charger Norman Hand was when he died earlier this week, apparently of a heart attack. Perhaps the time has come for MLB and the NFL to stop all the posturing about collective bargaining agreements and PEDS and organize a serious summit between commissioners, union leaders, current and former players, and physicians, and once and for all, get a handle on and make a genuine and committed statement against the careless, make that STUPID, use of steroids, recreational narcotics, and all medications. Furthermore, the time has come for both leagues to start taking serious action towards the preservation of health, be it for current and former players. Too much money is invested in these sports to see player after player poison their bodies and die young.
Oh, and memo to former Raider, Eagle, and Bronco Bill Romanowski – PLEASE SHUT UP! As someone who’s had my share of health difficulties the past 15 years, I completely understand your perspective about alternative means of health care, but that doesn’t mean we should forego the slogging rules and regulations set forth by the FDA and other federal or international agencies. There’s a reason why Dr. Galea lacks licensure in the United States, and there’s a reason why one needs a license to practice medicine in a country other than that of their residence or citizenship. What Dr. Galea has done is neither cutting edge nor legal. If you’re going to endorse alternative medical paradigms, at least support those that are legal and following the laws of the land.
FORTY
That’s Gayle Sayers’ old number with the Chicago Bears. The former hall of fame running back had more than a few pointed comments to make about the state of the Bears headed into the 2010 season, especially if they plan to carry their 2010 season well into January 2011.
FIFTY-FOUR
That’s Brian Urlacher’s number, he the middle linebacker of the bears, he of two sub-par, injury-plagued seasons after the Bears lost the super bowl in Miami. Urlacher made it very clear through the media how unappreciative he was at Sayers’ remarks.
FIFTY-ONE
That’s the number of former hall of fame Bears linebacker Dick Butkus. His response to Urlacher? SHUT UP. Amen! I agree with Butkus 100%. Urlacher needs to take more heed to what Bear legends have to say, especially those who gave their blood and bones to a team that never enjoyed a trip to the super bowl. Mr. Urlacher, you have no idea how privileged you are to play for a franchise as storied as yours, not to mention how lucky you are to enjoy postseason competition in a Bears uniform. Don’t take it for granted.
TWENTY-FIVE
That was the percentage of chances the New Jersey Nets had to win the NBA Lottery the other evening. A lot of good that did them, as they ended up with the third pick in the upcoming NBA draft. The Washington Wizards, owners of the fifth-worst 2009-2010 record, won the lottery.
Why exactly do we call it a “Lottery”?! Correct me if I’m wrong, but if you or I won the lottery we’d receive a cash payout. In the NBA Lottery, teams somehow earn the honor of paying out money to some kid between the ages of 19 and 22, who may either turn out to be another Patrick Ewing or another Kwame Brown.
EIGHTY
In case you haven’t noticed, this is how many inches tall new Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov is. That’s 6-feet 8-inches tall. I know he has $13.6 billion dollars in net worth, but he may need to suit up himself and help pull the Nets out of the toilet if he can’t draft or sign high-profile players. Hey, I’m just saying… a 6-8 owner may still have a decent jump shot.
Oh, and in case it is true the Nets will change their name when they cross the Hudson and East Rivers to their future Brooklyn home, let me be the first to offer their new moniker:
The Brooklyn Borscht.
Hey, it’s very Russian…
Dosvedanya!
I love numbers. It’s one of the reasons I became attracted to chemistry and physics. Can’t help it… I’m very quantitatively oriented in many respects. I love the significance of numbers, data, statistics, and trends. For today’s blog posting, I share the following numbers –
ZERO
And I offer you not just any zeroes. Zeroes can be very telling and fascinating. The first zero to discuss is the number of runs Washington Nationals bonus baby pitcher Stephen Strasburg has allowed in slightly over 18 innings since being promoted from AA to AAA. We all know Mr. Strasburg’s going to join the Nationals sometime next month and bring the buzz surrounding his rise to the majors to a crescendo. But the real buzz we might be talking about all summer could very well be the number of scoreless innings and domination Strasburg demonstrated en route to the majors.
The second zero to discuss relates to the Philadelphia Flyers. In case you haven’t noticed, the Stanley Cup playoffs are still going on, and the Flyers have become a very intriguing story. First, they were down 3 games to none in the eastern conference semifinals against the Boston Bruins. The Flyers came back to force a game 7. Then the Flyers fell behind 3-0 in the first period of game 7. No problem. The Flyers came back and won 4-3 to eliminate the stunned Bruins and move into the conference finals against everyone’s dragon slayers, the Montreal Canadiens. So, the Flyers were not only up 2 games to none, they outscored the Canadiens 9-0 so far. Dare I ask, can the Flyers not only sweep Montreal, but shut them out for all four games as well? Would this be unprecedented?
For the record, the most shutouts by one team over another in the current 7-game format occurred during the 2003 western conference finals. The Anaheim Ducks swept the Minnesota Wild in four games by a composite score of 9-1, three wins via shutout. No team has won all four games of a series via shutout.
We can forget the Flyers shutting out the Canadiens on the scoreboard and the series. Montreal won game 3, 5-1. Believe it or not, the Flyers and Canadiens are only three short of the most shutouts by two teams during a playoff series. In 1945 and 1950, Toronto and Detroit both combined for 5 shutouts (3 for the Maple Leafs, 2 for the Red Wings). Toronto won the seven-game series in 1945; Detroit won the seven-game series in 1950.
TWO
This is the number of hip surgeries wide receiver Brandon Marshall has undergone in the last two off-seasons. However, his recent procedure on his right hip has come as a big surprise to his new team, the Miami Dolphins. Am I the only one who wonders if the Dolphins’ front office losing its “A” game when it comes to personnel planning lately? First you have the general manager discussing parental occupations with prospective draft picks, then Miami trades with Denver for a headache who not only forces a new 5-year contract, but fails to see a hip situation during a pre-trade physical exam?
Speaking of another two, in the same city, it took two whole days for Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez to formally apologize to his teammates and manager Freddie Gonzalez. What did Ramirez need to apologize for? Well, besides sloppy and lazy play a couple of nights ago, he mouthed off about his manager after being reprimanded and benched for his play. Was Gonzalez wrong for “embarrassing” his shortstop’s pride? NO! Gil Hodges once walked out to the outfield in 1969 and pulled Cleon Jones from a game for loafing. Billy Martin almost came to blows in a Fenway dugout with Reggie Jackson in 1977 after replacing him at the end of an inning for lazy outfield play.
Ramirez WAS wrong for committing a complete breach of protocol by stating this about his manager: He’s never played a game in the majors. As if this automatically makes Ramirez an authority on baseball credibility. Nonsense! Ramirez committed the same cardinal sin that another Marlin committed in 2003 when he didn’t respect the authority of then-manager John Boles. The only solution to that player revolt was to fire Boles and replace him with Jack McKeon who led them to the world championship. Now let me make this perfectly clear… Freddie Gonzalez is a very capable manager and seems to have the Marlins performing well so far through his tenure. It would be the biggest mistake for the Marlins to fire Gonzalez because one of his star players needs a serious attitude adjustment and has needed one for approximately three seasons.
Speaking of the Marlins, I must respectfully disagree with ESPN Radio’s Colin Cowherd who contends that the Marlins won 2 world series in 15 years with homegrown talent they then traded away. The reality is that the Marlins won only ONE world series with homegrown talent, in 2003. The 1997 championship team was a collection of highly-paid veteran mercenaries via trades or free agency. Al Leiter, Kevin Brown, Gary Sheffield, Ivan Rodriguez, and the rest of the crew were hardly fruits from their minor leagues. Once Wayne Huizenga won his trophy he started dismantling his roster in a fire sale that would’ve made Charley Finley blush. The 1998 Marlins lost 105 games.
FOUR
This happens to be a very critical and quirky number for the Oakland A’s. At the moment, the A’s record is 20-22 but check this out… in games the A’s score 4 runs or more, they’re 19-1. In games they score 3 runs or less, they’re 1-21. Could any team be that bipolar with regards to their offensive output?
Speaking of another four, these are the number of years Floyd Landis wasted everyone’s time with his defense and challenge against testing positive for steroids after the 2006 Tour de France. This person, his whole story, and everything he postured make me reach for the barf bag. And for all the yes he does, no I don’t nonsense between Landis and Lance Armstrong? You’re BOTH guilty and I’m sick of hearing as many denials as we got from the Nixon administration during Watergate. If you need to protest so much in the media about your integrity, chances are you don’t have much to begin with… and this comes from a fellow cancer survivor, so take that!
SEVEN
That’s how many games the Kansas City Royals have played since replacing Trey Hillman with Ned Yost as manager. The Royals’ record is 5-2 since the change. What does this tell us? Most likely nothing. Have teams gotten hot after a managerial change? Sure. The 1978 Yankees came storming back from 14 games behind Boston to win the AL East, AL pennant, and world series after Bob Lemon replaced Billy Martin. The 2003 Florida Marlins won the world series after replacing John Boles with Jack McKeon. The 2007 Colorado Rockies won the 2009 wild card after replacing Clint Hurdle with Jim Tracy.
Then again, the 2008 Mets fired Willie Randolph and got instantly hot under Jerry Manuel. Unfortunately, Jerry’s Mets proved to be just as capable of collapsing in September 2008 as Willie’s Mets were in September 2007.
Last week I wrote how lousy the Royals were and provided what I considered enough data to support the fact that they stink. At no time did I advocate firing Hillman as manager or replacing him with Yost. I simply looked at pathetic won-loss records at home, away, and within the AL Central to counter those who whine how the Royals’ string of failure was related to the Yankees and their $200 million-plus payroll. Will Yost make a difference in the long run? Time will tell, but I’m highly skeptical. Just as we know “stupid is as stupid does” in the world of Forest Gump, it’s pretty safe to say that “stinky is as stinky plays”. The sad fact is that the Royals simply don’t have the caliber of players yet to be genuinely competitive in the AL Central, much less against the best of the AL (i.e., Tampa Bay and the Yankees). Firing Hillman is the baseball equivalent of mercy killing, putting a manager out of his misery. The Royals were going nowhere under Hillman and probably won’t go further under Yost. But let’s face it, when you’re 12-23 after your first 35 games, that’s not gonna cut it. In fact, playing less than .333 baseball ain’t gonna cut it no matter how much of the season you’ve played. Want to know how bad the Royals really are? Just look at their ace, Zack Greinke, his won-loss record, and ERA. When you’re ace has only won once so far and his ERA is barely 2.00, you know your batters really need to load up on the spinach or something.
TWENTY-THREE
This is the number of active professional athletes from golf, the NFL, and MLB Canadian doctor Tony Galea has allegedly treated in the US without a medical license. And the number is growing. As is always the case, ESPN and the New York Daily News once again give us excellent and thorough coverage on the never-ending scourge of performance enhancing drug use in sports.
TWENTY-SIX
This is how old Adam “Pacman” Jones is. The newest Cincinnati Bengal informs the media that he’s “changed his lifestyle and reordered his priorities” as he attempts to salvage what’s left of his NFL career. Ha ha ha ha ha… no, seriously.
THRITY-SEVEN
This is the “ripe” old age former New Orleans Saint and San Diego Charger Norman Hand was when he died earlier this week, apparently of a heart attack. Perhaps the time has come for MLB and the NFL to stop all the posturing about collective bargaining agreements and PEDS and organize a serious summit between commissioners, union leaders, current and former players, and physicians, and once and for all, get a handle on and make a genuine and committed statement against the careless, make that STUPID, use of steroids, recreational narcotics, and all medications. Furthermore, the time has come for both leagues to start taking serious action towards the preservation of health, be it for current and former players. Too much money is invested in these sports to see player after player poison their bodies and die young.
Oh, and memo to former Raider, Eagle, and Bronco Bill Romanowski – PLEASE SHUT UP! As someone who’s had my share of health difficulties the past 15 years, I completely understand your perspective about alternative means of health care, but that doesn’t mean we should forego the slogging rules and regulations set forth by the FDA and other federal or international agencies. There’s a reason why Dr. Galea lacks licensure in the United States, and there’s a reason why one needs a license to practice medicine in a country other than that of their residence or citizenship. What Dr. Galea has done is neither cutting edge nor legal. If you’re going to endorse alternative medical paradigms, at least support those that are legal and following the laws of the land.
FORTY
That’s Gayle Sayers’ old number with the Chicago Bears. The former hall of fame running back had more than a few pointed comments to make about the state of the Bears headed into the 2010 season, especially if they plan to carry their 2010 season well into January 2011.
FIFTY-FOUR
That’s Brian Urlacher’s number, he the middle linebacker of the bears, he of two sub-par, injury-plagued seasons after the Bears lost the super bowl in Miami. Urlacher made it very clear through the media how unappreciative he was at Sayers’ remarks.
FIFTY-ONE
That’s the number of former hall of fame Bears linebacker Dick Butkus. His response to Urlacher? SHUT UP. Amen! I agree with Butkus 100%. Urlacher needs to take more heed to what Bear legends have to say, especially those who gave their blood and bones to a team that never enjoyed a trip to the super bowl. Mr. Urlacher, you have no idea how privileged you are to play for a franchise as storied as yours, not to mention how lucky you are to enjoy postseason competition in a Bears uniform. Don’t take it for granted.
TWENTY-FIVE
That was the percentage of chances the New Jersey Nets had to win the NBA Lottery the other evening. A lot of good that did them, as they ended up with the third pick in the upcoming NBA draft. The Washington Wizards, owners of the fifth-worst 2009-2010 record, won the lottery.
Why exactly do we call it a “Lottery”?! Correct me if I’m wrong, but if you or I won the lottery we’d receive a cash payout. In the NBA Lottery, teams somehow earn the honor of paying out money to some kid between the ages of 19 and 22, who may either turn out to be another Patrick Ewing or another Kwame Brown.
EIGHTY
In case you haven’t noticed, this is how many inches tall new Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov is. That’s 6-feet 8-inches tall. I know he has $13.6 billion dollars in net worth, but he may need to suit up himself and help pull the Nets out of the toilet if he can’t draft or sign high-profile players. Hey, I’m just saying… a 6-8 owner may still have a decent jump shot.
Oh, and in case it is true the Nets will change their name when they cross the Hudson and East Rivers to their future Brooklyn home, let me be the first to offer their new moniker:
The Brooklyn Borscht.
Hey, it’s very Russian…
Dosvedanya!
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Sports Blog for May 17, 2010 -- Psst! Psst! In case you haven’t noticed…
Be very, very quiet… if you listen carefully, you’ll hear the wheels coming off the Mets. Already the lesson from Sir Isaac Newton have rung true -- whatever goes up must come down, and as hopeful as we were a mere two weeks ago after a 9-1 home stand, we are now sufficiently deflated by 11 loses in 15 games and a gravitation into the NL East cellar. The overworked bullpen and inconsistent starting pitching I warned about is now becoming a liability for manager Jerry Manuel. I warned Jerry’s pitching corps could burn out by Father’s Day… well, late June has come a tad early.
Jonathan Niese hurt his hamstring again. Who knows if or when he’ll be back. Oliver Perez was banished to the bullpen, but may end up back in the rotation out of medical desperation. John Maine? Just when you think he’s turning the corner, he smacks into a wall and starts off with 12 straight pitches out of the strike zone Saturday night in Miami.
Jerry Manuel and GM Omar Minaya must now send out an S.O.S. for healthy and consistent arms. While they’re at it, perhaps some extra oomph in the bats, better fielding, smarter base running, and a hasty return by Carlos Beltrán should be added to the plea for help.
As Yogi once said, it’s déjà vu all over again. Just like last season, our M-E-T-S have become M*A*S*H. Let’s go Mets? How about OUCH, OUCH, OUCH?!
Don’t look now, but while our Mets have slid into last, you know who’s climbed into first? Am I the only one who noticed how dangerous the Cincinnati Reds have become? With a few blinks of the eye, and a string of complete games by their young and talented starting rotation, the Reds have leapfrogged over St. Louis in the NL Central.
You know who’s over .500 and maybe not going away? How about the Washington Nationals in the NL East? And look how the Dodgers have finally awoken from their slumber in the NL West! And don’t laugh, but the Toronto Blue Jays seem to be able to take a hit and keep swinging in the AL East.
Okay, are you sold yet? I’m sold… Ulbado Jimenez is the real deal in Colorado! We’ve now seen enough to sense his no-no in Atlanta last month was no fluke. He’s still pitching complete games, and is 7-1 with an ERA barely one run so far. While the Rockies are treading water around .500, it’s worth noting that Jimenez has accounted for almost 40 percent of the Rockies wins so far. I don’t want to get too ahead of myself, but the last pitcher we saw with that kind of track record might be Steve Carlton with the 1972 Phillies.
Speaking of the Phillies, some folks are starting to think they may win the NL East by default. Well, before we crown them flaws and all, could we just wait and see how the summer goes when the Nats bring up Stephen Strasburg to join an already plucky rotation, including Livan Hernandez, having a great season so far at perhaps the tender age of seventy.
Last baseball point… THE YANKEES ARE NOT INVINCIBLE! As great as they’re playing, they’re an old team, players get nicked (Johnson) up, Mo Rivera can’t get everyone out every time, and Joe Giradi is bound to out-think himself at least a few dozen times to cost himself some wins, such as Sunday’s loss at home to the Twins. And, let’s face it… as long as they can’t win away from Yankee Stadium the way Tampa Bay does on the road, the AL East is going to remain a dogfight for quite a stretch this summer.
So, the Stanley Cup conference finals started. Will anyone notice? How is it NBC broadcasts one game for each conference final and the remainder of each series is sequestered on Versus?! Given the NHL television partnership with ESPN during the regular season, how is it the geniuses in Bristol and Commissioner Gary Bettman’s office couldn’t give the postseason better exposure? Not to complain, but you have to admit Blackhawks-Sharks and Habs-Flyers look like very intriguing conference finals. The least ESPN and the NHL could do is broadcast these games more and not leave them to a network the majority of cable subscribers still may not have, or possibly can’t find in their channel packages.
By the way, kudos to the New York Daily News’ Ralph Vacciano for his Sunday article on what a farce voting for NFL post-season player awards is. It’s a shame it took one more idiot like Brian Cushing to test positive for a banned substance to possibly tip off the Associated Press how much valuable time is wasted on these votes.
Oh, and have you heard there’s positive chatter among NFL coaches to adopt the new post-season overtime rules for regular season games? As I stated back in January, changing overtime in the NFL is a bad idea because it should’ve never been changed in the first place… 1974, that is! Mediocrity 35 years ago is mediocrity today. Tie games are either the result of two teams not playing well enough to deserve to win, or not playing bad enough to lose. There really isn’t anything wrong with regular season ties, and if you compare season records of 35-40 years ago, you’ll see just as much parity as we do today with a bunch of glorified 8-8 teams, give or take a win or loss. Post-season overtime leaves fans unhappy because regular season overtime perverted the meaning of “sudden death”. If the NFL wants to get back the impact of sudden death during the post-season, get rid of regular season overtime and go back to the way things were prior to 1974. Until that point, we only had a handful of post-season overtime games and each one was remembered as a classic. Now we have so many overtime games who can remember the heart-pounding thrill of overtime affairs?! All I can recall is how the losing team’s fans bitched for months afterwards about feeling robbed. Funny… do you think the 1958 New York Giants feel robbed after losing “The Greatest Game Ever”?
Just a thought… it’s not like anyone’s knocking on my door for opinions…
Last, but not least, let’s hear it for ABC’s coverage of the NBA conference finals, which began Sunday with the Celtics beating Orlando, 92-88. Until the fourth quarter, who knew the Magic were even on the court? Did Stan Van Gundy’s team consult the Seattle Mariners about in-game napping? Dwight Howard seemed more animated in his stupid halftime bit as Clark Kent and Superman than he did in the paint and on the boards. I tweeted this thought during halftime and I’ll share it again – if these NBA players put more time into fundamental skills development than their commercial marketability, we might actually see some decent quality games on TV. But as long as these guys are moonlighting thespians – or perhaps full-time thespians moonlighting as pro athletes – we’ll keep seeing the same dreck of sleepwalking until a coach issues the wake-up call.
Jonathan Niese hurt his hamstring again. Who knows if or when he’ll be back. Oliver Perez was banished to the bullpen, but may end up back in the rotation out of medical desperation. John Maine? Just when you think he’s turning the corner, he smacks into a wall and starts off with 12 straight pitches out of the strike zone Saturday night in Miami.
Jerry Manuel and GM Omar Minaya must now send out an S.O.S. for healthy and consistent arms. While they’re at it, perhaps some extra oomph in the bats, better fielding, smarter base running, and a hasty return by Carlos Beltrán should be added to the plea for help.
As Yogi once said, it’s déjà vu all over again. Just like last season, our M-E-T-S have become M*A*S*H. Let’s go Mets? How about OUCH, OUCH, OUCH?!
Don’t look now, but while our Mets have slid into last, you know who’s climbed into first? Am I the only one who noticed how dangerous the Cincinnati Reds have become? With a few blinks of the eye, and a string of complete games by their young and talented starting rotation, the Reds have leapfrogged over St. Louis in the NL Central.
You know who’s over .500 and maybe not going away? How about the Washington Nationals in the NL East? And look how the Dodgers have finally awoken from their slumber in the NL West! And don’t laugh, but the Toronto Blue Jays seem to be able to take a hit and keep swinging in the AL East.
Okay, are you sold yet? I’m sold… Ulbado Jimenez is the real deal in Colorado! We’ve now seen enough to sense his no-no in Atlanta last month was no fluke. He’s still pitching complete games, and is 7-1 with an ERA barely one run so far. While the Rockies are treading water around .500, it’s worth noting that Jimenez has accounted for almost 40 percent of the Rockies wins so far. I don’t want to get too ahead of myself, but the last pitcher we saw with that kind of track record might be Steve Carlton with the 1972 Phillies.
Speaking of the Phillies, some folks are starting to think they may win the NL East by default. Well, before we crown them flaws and all, could we just wait and see how the summer goes when the Nats bring up Stephen Strasburg to join an already plucky rotation, including Livan Hernandez, having a great season so far at perhaps the tender age of seventy.
Last baseball point… THE YANKEES ARE NOT INVINCIBLE! As great as they’re playing, they’re an old team, players get nicked (Johnson) up, Mo Rivera can’t get everyone out every time, and Joe Giradi is bound to out-think himself at least a few dozen times to cost himself some wins, such as Sunday’s loss at home to the Twins. And, let’s face it… as long as they can’t win away from Yankee Stadium the way Tampa Bay does on the road, the AL East is going to remain a dogfight for quite a stretch this summer.
So, the Stanley Cup conference finals started. Will anyone notice? How is it NBC broadcasts one game for each conference final and the remainder of each series is sequestered on Versus?! Given the NHL television partnership with ESPN during the regular season, how is it the geniuses in Bristol and Commissioner Gary Bettman’s office couldn’t give the postseason better exposure? Not to complain, but you have to admit Blackhawks-Sharks and Habs-Flyers look like very intriguing conference finals. The least ESPN and the NHL could do is broadcast these games more and not leave them to a network the majority of cable subscribers still may not have, or possibly can’t find in their channel packages.
By the way, kudos to the New York Daily News’ Ralph Vacciano for his Sunday article on what a farce voting for NFL post-season player awards is. It’s a shame it took one more idiot like Brian Cushing to test positive for a banned substance to possibly tip off the Associated Press how much valuable time is wasted on these votes.
Oh, and have you heard there’s positive chatter among NFL coaches to adopt the new post-season overtime rules for regular season games? As I stated back in January, changing overtime in the NFL is a bad idea because it should’ve never been changed in the first place… 1974, that is! Mediocrity 35 years ago is mediocrity today. Tie games are either the result of two teams not playing well enough to deserve to win, or not playing bad enough to lose. There really isn’t anything wrong with regular season ties, and if you compare season records of 35-40 years ago, you’ll see just as much parity as we do today with a bunch of glorified 8-8 teams, give or take a win or loss. Post-season overtime leaves fans unhappy because regular season overtime perverted the meaning of “sudden death”. If the NFL wants to get back the impact of sudden death during the post-season, get rid of regular season overtime and go back to the way things were prior to 1974. Until that point, we only had a handful of post-season overtime games and each one was remembered as a classic. Now we have so many overtime games who can remember the heart-pounding thrill of overtime affairs?! All I can recall is how the losing team’s fans bitched for months afterwards about feeling robbed. Funny… do you think the 1958 New York Giants feel robbed after losing “The Greatest Game Ever”?
Just a thought… it’s not like anyone’s knocking on my door for opinions…
Last, but not least, let’s hear it for ABC’s coverage of the NBA conference finals, which began Sunday with the Celtics beating Orlando, 92-88. Until the fourth quarter, who knew the Magic were even on the court? Did Stan Van Gundy’s team consult the Seattle Mariners about in-game napping? Dwight Howard seemed more animated in his stupid halftime bit as Clark Kent and Superman than he did in the paint and on the boards. I tweeted this thought during halftime and I’ll share it again – if these NBA players put more time into fundamental skills development than their commercial marketability, we might actually see some decent quality games on TV. But as long as these guys are moonlighting thespians – or perhaps full-time thespians moonlighting as pro athletes – we’ll keep seeing the same dreck of sleepwalking until a coach issues the wake-up call.
Originally posted on www.ThatsSports.com -- January 25, 2010
NFL OT Rules
Baseball and football are two different sports, and football is even more unique compared to hockey and basketball. I have no problem with the “last licks” system in extra innings for baseball. An extra 5 minutes for basketball is fine, and I can even live with the new OT and shootout format in the NHL during regular season games.
But my stance on NFL OT is based on its historical setup, significance, and the unique brutality of the sport, even more brutal than hockey, because we slam each other on every play in football, even if we don’t have the ball or puck. I played football for 12 years, several on astroturf, and now have a ton of Titanium holding my lumbar spine together for all the falls and hits I endured as a very mediocre RB during the '70s and '80s.
As someone permanently disabled by the sport I love and played, I really don't like regular season OT (there's really nothing wrong with ties, and ties would only reinforce the parity between teams in the NFL anyway... with few exceptions, so many of these teams are a toss-up in terms of talent level and performance... just look at the number of 7-7 teams were still in the AFC playoff race around X-mas), or changing the sudden death format. More time means more plays, which means more opportunities for crippling injuries.
But, if people hate ties and the inequity of teams winning OT with the coin toss and first drive (BTW, it's less than 60%), then I think there should be a set amount of time for continued competition, 10 or 15 minutes, as an extra quarter to provide both teams a chance to play offense, defense, and special teams (the NCAA system is too contrived), THEN we go to sudden death if the score is still tied. There really needs to be a sudden death aspect to NFL OT, and personally speaking, it should've been reserved for the playoffs, period.
While I'm on a roll, let me ask some of you older fans a question... between 1970 and 1973, we had teams like the 4-8-2 Saints, 5-6-3 Chargers, and the 7-5-2 Browns, Broncos, and Chiefs. Ask yourselves this, if we had any form of OT rule in the NFL prior to 1974, do you honestly believe the rule would've made a big difference for these teams, or were they truly mediocre teams playing other mediocre teams?
I believe the NFL switching to OT for the regular season in 1974 has spoiled the special quality of OT in the playoffs, and in this era of parity (or parodity, perhaps), OT has lost its value and drama. I say to the NFL "go back to regular season ties! Some of these teams play like they don't deserve to win anyway", and let's go back to OT in the post-season only, so we can recapture what OT once meant to the NFL and its roots of popularity.
Phew! I'm done... nothing else I can say. All tapped out!
Baseball and football are two different sports, and football is even more unique compared to hockey and basketball. I have no problem with the “last licks” system in extra innings for baseball. An extra 5 minutes for basketball is fine, and I can even live with the new OT and shootout format in the NHL during regular season games.
But my stance on NFL OT is based on its historical setup, significance, and the unique brutality of the sport, even more brutal than hockey, because we slam each other on every play in football, even if we don’t have the ball or puck. I played football for 12 years, several on astroturf, and now have a ton of Titanium holding my lumbar spine together for all the falls and hits I endured as a very mediocre RB during the '70s and '80s.
As someone permanently disabled by the sport I love and played, I really don't like regular season OT (there's really nothing wrong with ties, and ties would only reinforce the parity between teams in the NFL anyway... with few exceptions, so many of these teams are a toss-up in terms of talent level and performance... just look at the number of 7-7 teams were still in the AFC playoff race around X-mas), or changing the sudden death format. More time means more plays, which means more opportunities for crippling injuries.
But, if people hate ties and the inequity of teams winning OT with the coin toss and first drive (BTW, it's less than 60%), then I think there should be a set amount of time for continued competition, 10 or 15 minutes, as an extra quarter to provide both teams a chance to play offense, defense, and special teams (the NCAA system is too contrived), THEN we go to sudden death if the score is still tied. There really needs to be a sudden death aspect to NFL OT, and personally speaking, it should've been reserved for the playoffs, period.
While I'm on a roll, let me ask some of you older fans a question... between 1970 and 1973, we had teams like the 4-8-2 Saints, 5-6-3 Chargers, and the 7-5-2 Browns, Broncos, and Chiefs. Ask yourselves this, if we had any form of OT rule in the NFL prior to 1974, do you honestly believe the rule would've made a big difference for these teams, or were they truly mediocre teams playing other mediocre teams?
I believe the NFL switching to OT for the regular season in 1974 has spoiled the special quality of OT in the playoffs, and in this era of parity (or parodity, perhaps), OT has lost its value and drama. I say to the NFL "go back to regular season ties! Some of these teams play like they don't deserve to win anyway", and let's go back to OT in the post-season only, so we can recapture what OT once meant to the NFL and its roots of popularity.
Phew! I'm done... nothing else I can say. All tapped out!
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Originally posted on www.ThatsSports.com -- January 27, 2010
Given the brutal physicality of professional football, I think the Pro Bowl has finally run its course and should be either retired or moved to the pre-season in place of what used to be the College All-Star Game (last played in 1974... that game was called off in the second half due to a wicked thunder and lightning storm, Pittsburgh was winning 24-0).
If folks really want an NFL all-star game, why not make it the first pre-season game of the summer, maybe the same weekend as the Hall of Fame Game, and have the players voted from the previous season play (except for those from the Hall of Fame game teams). And go back to the original AFC-NFC full uniforms and helmets to eliminate any awkward objections to players who switched teams the week before.
And in case there are players whining because this year's Pro Bowl is in Miami instead of Hawaii (I do believe this is a factor folks are ignoring as to why players are begging out), DON'T go back to Hawaii for the summer version. Pick a rotating location between our northern cities which have less oppressive sumer heat. How about Seattle's new stadium, or San Francisco's renamed Candlestick Park, or Orchard Park Stadium, or Lambeau Field, or even Cleveland's new stadium.
Actually, now that I think of it, a summer Pro Bowl game at Lambeau Field would be perfect! Think of it... a Hall of Fame game in Canton the same July weekend as an all-star game in Green Bay?! That would not only be nostalgic, but it would be a nice boost to Wisconsin's economy (as it would to Buffalo's, Seattle's, Cleveland, etc.). Yeah, that's the ticket, as Jon Lovitz's liar character used to say on SNL. Why invest all that money on a bunch of major resort cities?
Thoughts?
If folks really want an NFL all-star game, why not make it the first pre-season game of the summer, maybe the same weekend as the Hall of Fame Game, and have the players voted from the previous season play (except for those from the Hall of Fame game teams). And go back to the original AFC-NFC full uniforms and helmets to eliminate any awkward objections to players who switched teams the week before.
And in case there are players whining because this year's Pro Bowl is in Miami instead of Hawaii (I do believe this is a factor folks are ignoring as to why players are begging out), DON'T go back to Hawaii for the summer version. Pick a rotating location between our northern cities which have less oppressive sumer heat. How about Seattle's new stadium, or San Francisco's renamed Candlestick Park, or Orchard Park Stadium, or Lambeau Field, or even Cleveland's new stadium.
Actually, now that I think of it, a summer Pro Bowl game at Lambeau Field would be perfect! Think of it... a Hall of Fame game in Canton the same July weekend as an all-star game in Green Bay?! That would not only be nostalgic, but it would be a nice boost to Wisconsin's economy (as it would to Buffalo's, Seattle's, Cleveland, etc.). Yeah, that's the ticket, as Jon Lovitz's liar character used to say on SNL. Why invest all that money on a bunch of major resort cities?
Thoughts?
Originally posted on www.ThatsSports.com -- February 2, 2010
About those digits...
Len, friends of Len, and foes of Len (assuming any exist and subscribe to this web site?)... Okay, okay, so it's not as moving as "Friends, Romans, and countrymen, lend me your ears"! (Everyone knows this is by Shakespeare, right?)
How many of you were told by your parents or other adults "there's a time and place for everything"? C'mon, folks, raise your electronic hands! Every now and then, I wonder where Rex Ryan was while adults were passing along this wisdom during his youth!
Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE Rex Ryan as our Jets' head coach. He's been a breath of fresh air (actually, he's proven he has a PULSE and above-zero respiration rate compared to other Jets head coaches...), and he has the personality and bravado our Jets need to forge ahead towards the championship team we all crave. But tweaking and flipping off Dolphins fans in a packed civic center probably isn't the right time or place. As wonderful as it is for Rex to be like one of us, the fan base, he does need to be more cognizant of his status as a public figure and as the face & mouth of our NY Jets.
I'd like to see Coach Rex continue his style as uninhibited as possible, but maybe Woody Johnson and Mike Tannenbaum could splurge a few bucks to hire an image consultant, so Rex's rough edges (i.e., his "inner Buddy") could be smoothed out for certain public appearances? You know... hire somebody to provide Rex some "home charm schooling"?
Oh, and Rex, if you're reading Len's web site, allow me to offer you advice... You could've had the national media in the palms of your hands for life if you blew kisses and doffed your hat to those trash talking idiots in Miami... then all of your fingers would've been kept together and kept you $50K richer!
Len, friends of Len, and foes of Len (assuming any exist and subscribe to this web site?)... Okay, okay, so it's not as moving as "Friends, Romans, and countrymen, lend me your ears"! (Everyone knows this is by Shakespeare, right?)
How many of you were told by your parents or other adults "there's a time and place for everything"? C'mon, folks, raise your electronic hands! Every now and then, I wonder where Rex Ryan was while adults were passing along this wisdom during his youth!
Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE Rex Ryan as our Jets' head coach. He's been a breath of fresh air (actually, he's proven he has a PULSE and above-zero respiration rate compared to other Jets head coaches...), and he has the personality and bravado our Jets need to forge ahead towards the championship team we all crave. But tweaking and flipping off Dolphins fans in a packed civic center probably isn't the right time or place. As wonderful as it is for Rex to be like one of us, the fan base, he does need to be more cognizant of his status as a public figure and as the face & mouth of our NY Jets.
I'd like to see Coach Rex continue his style as uninhibited as possible, but maybe Woody Johnson and Mike Tannenbaum could splurge a few bucks to hire an image consultant, so Rex's rough edges (i.e., his "inner Buddy") could be smoothed out for certain public appearances? You know... hire somebody to provide Rex some "home charm schooling"?
Oh, and Rex, if you're reading Len's web site, allow me to offer you advice... You could've had the national media in the palms of your hands for life if you blew kisses and doffed your hat to those trash talking idiots in Miami... then all of your fingers would've been kept together and kept you $50K richer!
Originally posted on www.ThatsSports.com -- February 4, 2010
Two thoughts...
1. Re: Anti-Semitism at the 1932 Lake Placid Winter Olympics. Sadly, this was not an isolated incident. Let's not forget the 1936 Summer Olympics in Nazi Berlin, where Jesse Owens won four gold medals, but it was at the expense of one of Len's broadcasting mentors, the late Marty Glickman. Glickman, once the radio voice of the Knicks and Jets, along with Ben Stoller, both Jewish, were dropped from the US track team by USOC President Avery Brundage. Neither Glickman nor Stoller ever returned to the Olympics.
In case the name Avery Brundage sounds familiar, he was the president of the IOC during the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany. It was his decision not to postpone or cancel the remainder of the summer games after the hostage taking and murdering of almost a dozen Israeli athletes by Arab terrorists. Brundage's infamous quote of "The games must go on" rang hollow in the echo of the late Jim McKay (father of CBS Sports chief Sean McDonnough) somberly telling us on television "they're all gone". Another trivia tidbit... the late Howard Cosell, in his book I NEVER PLAYED THE GAME openly blamed Brundage for the hostage crisis and never forgave him for the rest of his life.
2. It's time for my super bowl prediction! In my head, I have to go with the Colts. They're a more complete team in all 3 phases (offense, defense, special teams) than the Saints. The Saints live and die by forcing turnovers on defense, and Peyton Manning is hardly mistake-prone. However, I'm rooting for the Saints... not because I'm a Jets fan and have any ill will towards the Colts, but because I think it's a great story having the Saints in the super bowl and lifting the city of New Orleans to incredible pride.
So... drum roll, please... BET THE OVER! With Dwight Freeney nowhere near 100% for this game, the game has evened out for the Saints, and we're going to see a barn burner, a track meet... heck, these two offenses might just blow up the scoreboard! Points should be scored like we're watching a pinball machine (well, the Who are performing at half-time, so why not root for a Pinball Wizard). I would be very surprised if both teams couldn't combine for 56-1/2 points, and I wouldn't be shocked if that was the point total by half-time!
Don't be shocked if we witness the highest scoring super bowl in history, but we likely won't see a lopsided score (e.g., San Francisco 49, San Diego 26 in SB XXVIII). I think we could witness a back and forth game like SB XIII, where Pittsburgh beat Dallas 35-31.
Are you ready for a 49-45 score, or maybe 40-35 (if we see some defense once in a while)? This is what I envision. Who wins? Whomever has the ball last! Don't be surprised if the Colts OR Saints win this game. Oh, and be prepared to have a conniption if the game goes into OT!
Don't you hate these kinds of predictions? :o)
Have a great weekend and enjoy the game!
If you're out at a party, please drive back home safely...
1. Re: Anti-Semitism at the 1932 Lake Placid Winter Olympics. Sadly, this was not an isolated incident. Let's not forget the 1936 Summer Olympics in Nazi Berlin, where Jesse Owens won four gold medals, but it was at the expense of one of Len's broadcasting mentors, the late Marty Glickman. Glickman, once the radio voice of the Knicks and Jets, along with Ben Stoller, both Jewish, were dropped from the US track team by USOC President Avery Brundage. Neither Glickman nor Stoller ever returned to the Olympics.
In case the name Avery Brundage sounds familiar, he was the president of the IOC during the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany. It was his decision not to postpone or cancel the remainder of the summer games after the hostage taking and murdering of almost a dozen Israeli athletes by Arab terrorists. Brundage's infamous quote of "The games must go on" rang hollow in the echo of the late Jim McKay (father of CBS Sports chief Sean McDonnough) somberly telling us on television "they're all gone". Another trivia tidbit... the late Howard Cosell, in his book I NEVER PLAYED THE GAME openly blamed Brundage for the hostage crisis and never forgave him for the rest of his life.
2. It's time for my super bowl prediction! In my head, I have to go with the Colts. They're a more complete team in all 3 phases (offense, defense, special teams) than the Saints. The Saints live and die by forcing turnovers on defense, and Peyton Manning is hardly mistake-prone. However, I'm rooting for the Saints... not because I'm a Jets fan and have any ill will towards the Colts, but because I think it's a great story having the Saints in the super bowl and lifting the city of New Orleans to incredible pride.
So... drum roll, please... BET THE OVER! With Dwight Freeney nowhere near 100% for this game, the game has evened out for the Saints, and we're going to see a barn burner, a track meet... heck, these two offenses might just blow up the scoreboard! Points should be scored like we're watching a pinball machine (well, the Who are performing at half-time, so why not root for a Pinball Wizard). I would be very surprised if both teams couldn't combine for 56-1/2 points, and I wouldn't be shocked if that was the point total by half-time!
Don't be shocked if we witness the highest scoring super bowl in history, but we likely won't see a lopsided score (e.g., San Francisco 49, San Diego 26 in SB XXVIII). I think we could witness a back and forth game like SB XIII, where Pittsburgh beat Dallas 35-31.
Are you ready for a 49-45 score, or maybe 40-35 (if we see some defense once in a while)? This is what I envision. Who wins? Whomever has the ball last! Don't be surprised if the Colts OR Saints win this game. Oh, and be prepared to have a conniption if the game goes into OT!
Don't you hate these kinds of predictions? :o)
Have a great weekend and enjoy the game!
If you're out at a party, please drive back home safely...
Originally posted on www.ThatsSports.com -- February 8, 2010
It was Super Duper
OH MY, to quote the great broadcaster Dick Enberg!
Talk about a SUPER SURPRISE last night! Not because the Saints won (and they WON this game. The Colts didn't lose it). Not because The Who demonstrated we can have a great half-time show by aging rockers who are sober, remember all their lyrics, keep their clothing intact, and don't yell out insipid lines like "I love you, Super bowl" (see Rolling Stones, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Paul McCartney). And not because the Great Peyton Manning couldn't pull out a game at the end. And not even because the Saints came back from a 10-point deficit.
This game was a super surprise because the Saints rolled the dice, played gutsy, bended without breaking, and stalled out a potential shooting match to keep the final score well under its expectation, hence giving itself the best chance to win.
So the Saints scored 31 points, right? We expected at least this many points. Well, 7 were courtesy of the defense, specifically Terry Porter, who cut in front of Reggie Wayne (who may or may not have been hampered by a tweaked knee) and went 74 yards with what ended up being the clinching touchdown. What about the other 24 points? The top scoring offense in the NFL this season put together a "six card Sammy" with 2 touchdowns and 3 long field goals by their newest hero placekicker.
Give credit to Indy's defense for keeping the Saints under wraps on several drives, forcing the Saints to settle for field goals or coming up empty on a second quarter goal line stand. And they did it mostly without Dwight Freeney, who played as best as he could until his right ankle was no longer able, no matter how many sideline tape jobs were done.
But let's give credit to the Saints' defense too. Let's face it, folks. Peyton Manning drove his troops up and down the field last night, generated over 400 yards of offense, but couldn't consistently finish off drives in the red zone. Take away Porter's pick-six, Peyton had his offense in position to tie the game at 24-24 and set up the stage for a potential sudden death. The Colts were able to run the ball, and then they forgot about Joseph Addai when the Saints' defense was still vulnerable up the gut. Former 49ers QB Steve Young noted on ESPN after the game that Indy only had 8 offensive possessions last night. EIGHT! The Colts usually have TWELVE. New Orleans' defense, coached brilliantly by their coordinator, Greg Williams, limited the Colts' offense to two-thirds of their typical number of opportunities. The Saints' defense took a page from the book of Parcells-Bellichick and shortened the game.
And they didn't even have to pummel Peyton Manning into submission (see Brett Favre)!
How else did the Saints win this game besides play keep-away? Let's give props to Sean Payton for calling that onside kick to start the second half. Was it gutsy? You bet. Was it crazy? Only if it didn't work. Coach Payton rolled his dice and prayed for 7, and 7 is what his offense produced. 13-10 in the Saints' favor makes the third quarter a lot more comfortable than 13-6 or 17-6 Indy. That onside kick was the tide turner, and allowed the Saints to keep playing their game and mess with Indy's.
For weeks, fans and talking heads have wondered how to deflate the Colts and their Superman QB Peyton Manning. Several teams have tried with different degrees of success: the Pats, Ravens, and Jets come to mind. Each week, an opponent provides little bread crumbs of hints at how to thwart the Colts and their incredible offense.
Peyton Manning studied the game films of that terrific Rams-Titans super bowl from January 2000, in order to gleam some insights into the mind of Greg Williams. Perhaps Peyton Manning should've gone back and re-watched the films from week 15, when the Jets won their "gift" game. Crazy idea? The Jets were only down 15-10 when Indy's varsity players got pulled, Brad Smith scored on a tide turning 106-yard kickoff return, and the Jets defense was pesky enough to mess up the timing and flow for Peyton and his receiving corps. And when opportunity knocked, the Jets grabbed it. Sound familiar?
Greg Williams' defense gave us all a little deja vu last night, doing just enough on defense to short-circuit Peyton's gameplan, buying time for the offense to do enough to put points on the scoreboard, more than the Colts could produce. Peyton's Colts fizzled out trying to cope with a "four corners" defensive scheme. Dean Smith should be smiling from ear to ear!
Was it a great season for Indy? Yes, it was, but it only reminds us of what differed between the Colts of SB LXIV compared to the champs from SB LXI three years ago. The champion Colts had a more balanced offense, stayed with their running game, and had a defense humming on all cylinders. This year's Colts showed us how indispensable their QB is, because they wouldn't be in Miami without him. The Colts will be back in the AFC mix next year, and the next year, until Peyton Manning hangs up his helmet and cleats. But for the Colts to get over the hump and take all the marbles, they need all parts working besides Peyton Manning.
OH MY, to quote the great broadcaster Dick Enberg!
Talk about a SUPER SURPRISE last night! Not because the Saints won (and they WON this game. The Colts didn't lose it). Not because The Who demonstrated we can have a great half-time show by aging rockers who are sober, remember all their lyrics, keep their clothing intact, and don't yell out insipid lines like "I love you, Super bowl" (see Rolling Stones, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Paul McCartney). And not because the Great Peyton Manning couldn't pull out a game at the end. And not even because the Saints came back from a 10-point deficit.
This game was a super surprise because the Saints rolled the dice, played gutsy, bended without breaking, and stalled out a potential shooting match to keep the final score well under its expectation, hence giving itself the best chance to win.
So the Saints scored 31 points, right? We expected at least this many points. Well, 7 were courtesy of the defense, specifically Terry Porter, who cut in front of Reggie Wayne (who may or may not have been hampered by a tweaked knee) and went 74 yards with what ended up being the clinching touchdown. What about the other 24 points? The top scoring offense in the NFL this season put together a "six card Sammy" with 2 touchdowns and 3 long field goals by their newest hero placekicker.
Give credit to Indy's defense for keeping the Saints under wraps on several drives, forcing the Saints to settle for field goals or coming up empty on a second quarter goal line stand. And they did it mostly without Dwight Freeney, who played as best as he could until his right ankle was no longer able, no matter how many sideline tape jobs were done.
But let's give credit to the Saints' defense too. Let's face it, folks. Peyton Manning drove his troops up and down the field last night, generated over 400 yards of offense, but couldn't consistently finish off drives in the red zone. Take away Porter's pick-six, Peyton had his offense in position to tie the game at 24-24 and set up the stage for a potential sudden death. The Colts were able to run the ball, and then they forgot about Joseph Addai when the Saints' defense was still vulnerable up the gut. Former 49ers QB Steve Young noted on ESPN after the game that Indy only had 8 offensive possessions last night. EIGHT! The Colts usually have TWELVE. New Orleans' defense, coached brilliantly by their coordinator, Greg Williams, limited the Colts' offense to two-thirds of their typical number of opportunities. The Saints' defense took a page from the book of Parcells-Bellichick and shortened the game.
And they didn't even have to pummel Peyton Manning into submission (see Brett Favre)!
How else did the Saints win this game besides play keep-away? Let's give props to Sean Payton for calling that onside kick to start the second half. Was it gutsy? You bet. Was it crazy? Only if it didn't work. Coach Payton rolled his dice and prayed for 7, and 7 is what his offense produced. 13-10 in the Saints' favor makes the third quarter a lot more comfortable than 13-6 or 17-6 Indy. That onside kick was the tide turner, and allowed the Saints to keep playing their game and mess with Indy's.
For weeks, fans and talking heads have wondered how to deflate the Colts and their Superman QB Peyton Manning. Several teams have tried with different degrees of success: the Pats, Ravens, and Jets come to mind. Each week, an opponent provides little bread crumbs of hints at how to thwart the Colts and their incredible offense.
Peyton Manning studied the game films of that terrific Rams-Titans super bowl from January 2000, in order to gleam some insights into the mind of Greg Williams. Perhaps Peyton Manning should've gone back and re-watched the films from week 15, when the Jets won their "gift" game. Crazy idea? The Jets were only down 15-10 when Indy's varsity players got pulled, Brad Smith scored on a tide turning 106-yard kickoff return, and the Jets defense was pesky enough to mess up the timing and flow for Peyton and his receiving corps. And when opportunity knocked, the Jets grabbed it. Sound familiar?
Greg Williams' defense gave us all a little deja vu last night, doing just enough on defense to short-circuit Peyton's gameplan, buying time for the offense to do enough to put points on the scoreboard, more than the Colts could produce. Peyton's Colts fizzled out trying to cope with a "four corners" defensive scheme. Dean Smith should be smiling from ear to ear!
Was it a great season for Indy? Yes, it was, but it only reminds us of what differed between the Colts of SB LXIV compared to the champs from SB LXI three years ago. The champion Colts had a more balanced offense, stayed with their running game, and had a defense humming on all cylinders. This year's Colts showed us how indispensable their QB is, because they wouldn't be in Miami without him. The Colts will be back in the AFC mix next year, and the next year, until Peyton Manning hangs up his helmet and cleats. But for the Colts to get over the hump and take all the marbles, they need all parts working besides Peyton Manning.
Originally posted on www.ThatsSports.com -- February 9, 2010
Choke Job?
Why must the Colts' late-season actions be "shameful and cowardly" or proved they "didn't have the heart to win a Super Bowl"? I don't necessarily agree with Sherry S. In fact, I'm a little tired of hearing all the "Colts lost it" and "Colts blew it" talk. Isn't it possible that the Saints had more of the ingredients for a championship team than Indy?
So the Colts rested their players at the end of the season and didn't get their perfect season or Super Bowl championship? The Patriots kept their pedal to the medal all through the 2007 season and ran out of luck during the last two minutes of their Super Bowl game against the Giants. How may of us called the Patriots cowards or said they lacked guts? Most of us were stunned by how well and gutsy the Giants played.
As I wrote yesterday, there are some distinct differences between the 2006 Colts who won SB XLI and these Colts who lost SB XLIV, and those differences may be glaring deficiencies we all overlooked during the 14-0 start. The Colts are among the top teams, but maybe not the TOP TEAM we thought a month ago. It's quite possible the Saints were a better team, not only for one game, but perhaps the entire 2009 season.
Why must the Colts' late-season actions be "shameful and cowardly" or proved they "didn't have the heart to win a Super Bowl"? I don't necessarily agree with Sherry S. In fact, I'm a little tired of hearing all the "Colts lost it" and "Colts blew it" talk. Isn't it possible that the Saints had more of the ingredients for a championship team than Indy?
So the Colts rested their players at the end of the season and didn't get their perfect season or Super Bowl championship? The Patriots kept their pedal to the medal all through the 2007 season and ran out of luck during the last two minutes of their Super Bowl game against the Giants. How may of us called the Patriots cowards or said they lacked guts? Most of us were stunned by how well and gutsy the Giants played.
As I wrote yesterday, there are some distinct differences between the 2006 Colts who won SB XLI and these Colts who lost SB XLIV, and those differences may be glaring deficiencies we all overlooked during the 14-0 start. The Colts are among the top teams, but maybe not the TOP TEAM we thought a month ago. It's quite possible the Saints were a better team, not only for one game, but perhaps the entire 2009 season.
Originally posted on www.ThatsSports.com -- March 1, 2010
Global Brotherhood?
As much as these winter Olympic games provided lots of wonderful and thrilling moments, I think the legacy of these games will still be the preventable death of a 21-year-old Georgian luger and IOC President Jacques Rogge doing his best Avery Brundage impersonation. It cast a slight pall over the games before they even started. I say "slight pall" because the media attention considerably waned as the games went on these past two weeks.
On ESPN Radio's "Mike & Mike" this morning, the question was raised, "if the luger killed was from the USA, would the tone of the games and its coverage be different?" The sentiment was YES, because an American luger's death would've generated much more and more constant media attention. It's a shame to think that a young man's death was progressively treated as a media afterthought because of his geographic home.
This is the one thing I don't think we as fans keep in mind enough when it comes to Olympic competition, it's a global competition for everyone and their nations. It's all well and good to cheer "USA USA!" or sing the Canadian national anthem, but sometimes I wonder if people from some nations forget that the Olympics aren't only about their nation. National pride is one thing, borderline jingoism is another. To mentally sweep the death of an athlete because he wasn't a citizen or resident of the home country or a media-centric nation like ours leaves a little stain, reminding us of past Olympics marred.
As much as these winter Olympic games provided lots of wonderful and thrilling moments, I think the legacy of these games will still be the preventable death of a 21-year-old Georgian luger and IOC President Jacques Rogge doing his best Avery Brundage impersonation. It cast a slight pall over the games before they even started. I say "slight pall" because the media attention considerably waned as the games went on these past two weeks.
On ESPN Radio's "Mike & Mike" this morning, the question was raised, "if the luger killed was from the USA, would the tone of the games and its coverage be different?" The sentiment was YES, because an American luger's death would've generated much more and more constant media attention. It's a shame to think that a young man's death was progressively treated as a media afterthought because of his geographic home.
This is the one thing I don't think we as fans keep in mind enough when it comes to Olympic competition, it's a global competition for everyone and their nations. It's all well and good to cheer "USA USA!" or sing the Canadian national anthem, but sometimes I wonder if people from some nations forget that the Olympics aren't only about their nation. National pride is one thing, borderline jingoism is another. To mentally sweep the death of an athlete because he wasn't a citizen or resident of the home country or a media-centric nation like ours leaves a little stain, reminding us of past Olympics marred.
Originally posted on www.ThatsSports.com -- April 30, 2010
Being a Mets fan is a real test of faith
A gentle, nondenominational prayer headed into this weekend’s Mets-Phillies series...
Please give us fans the strength to keep things in perspective.
It’s just one series, as April becomes May.
Our beloved team is in first place, and we’re all in smiles.
Yet some are very nervous as they travel down the Jersey Turnpike.
It’s just 90 miles to play three baseball games.
It’s just one series, as April becomes May.
Some put too much into these games.
Hoping this series purges all the stain of 2009.
But for all our memories of last season.
It’s just one series, as April becomes May.
And for all those injuries, botched plays, and losses.
We forget how our team was in first place.
40 games into the 2009 season.
When it was May, before the wheels came off.
And all our players dropped one by one.
It’s just one series, as April becomes May.
For now most of our team has avoided serious injury or assorted boo-boos.
And our team’s name is spelled M-E-T-S, not M*A*S*H.
And we’re playing well again, so we hope it continues.
But we all know what really counts is where we are after all 162.
It’s just one series, as April becomes May.
Let’s take a deep breath and keep things in perspective.
Right now there’s still 140 games more to go.
So let’s just see what happens.
A season is very long.
It’s just one series, as April becomes May.
Go Mets go, kick some Phillies butt, and turn ‘em into pretzels.
But no matter what happens this weekend.
We’re still with our team, win or lose, bumps, bruises, errors and all.
Just do your best, keep healthy and sluggin’ towards October.
It’s just one series, as April becomes May.
A gentle, nondenominational prayer headed into this weekend’s Mets-Phillies series...
Please give us fans the strength to keep things in perspective.
It’s just one series, as April becomes May.
Our beloved team is in first place, and we’re all in smiles.
Yet some are very nervous as they travel down the Jersey Turnpike.
It’s just 90 miles to play three baseball games.
It’s just one series, as April becomes May.
Some put too much into these games.
Hoping this series purges all the stain of 2009.
But for all our memories of last season.
It’s just one series, as April becomes May.
And for all those injuries, botched plays, and losses.
We forget how our team was in first place.
40 games into the 2009 season.
When it was May, before the wheels came off.
And all our players dropped one by one.
It’s just one series, as April becomes May.
For now most of our team has avoided serious injury or assorted boo-boos.
And our team’s name is spelled M-E-T-S, not M*A*S*H.
And we’re playing well again, so we hope it continues.
But we all know what really counts is where we are after all 162.
It’s just one series, as April becomes May.
Let’s take a deep breath and keep things in perspective.
Right now there’s still 140 games more to go.
So let’s just see what happens.
A season is very long.
It’s just one series, as April becomes May.
Go Mets go, kick some Phillies butt, and turn ‘em into pretzels.
But no matter what happens this weekend.
We’re still with our team, win or lose, bumps, bruises, errors and all.
Just do your best, keep healthy and sluggin’ towards October.
It’s just one series, as April becomes May.
Originally posted on www.ThatsSports.com -- March 2, 2010
Super Duper Meadowlands
I have very mixed feelings about the 2014 Super Bowl being played here in the new Giants-Jets stadium (name to be determined). On one hand, I'd love to see the game played here, even in harsh weather. But there's still a part of me wondering why John Mara and Woody Johnson didn't just fork over more money (yeah, what's money when the stadium cost $1.6 BILLON to build) for a retractable dome. Looking out the window the past 2-3 weeks around here, I could imagine the kvetching folks would do having to watch a Super Bowl in frigid weather and more than a foot of snow.
But... if the NFL does give NY-NJ the 2014 Super Bowl and sets a precedent for the "Big Game" in bad weather, that potentially gives a green light to other northern and cold cities to host their Super Bowl!
How would you guys like to see a rotation among ALL 31 NFL cities (NY counts twice with Jets & Giants) to host the Super Bowl? Rotate between warm or domed cities and cold climate cities! Imagine the following schedule of Super Bowls for this decade and beyond...
2010 -- Miami
2011 -- Dallas (dome)
2012 -- Indy (dome)
2013 -- New Orleans (dome)
2014 -- NY-NJ Meadowlands
2015 -- Tampa
2016 -- Cleveland
2017 -- Arizona (dome or open)
2018 -- Chicago
2019 -- St. Louis (dome)
2020 -- Green Bay
2021 -- Atlanta (dome)
2022 -- Pittsburgh
2023 -- Jacksonville
2024 -- Seattle
2025 -- San Diego
2026 -- Kansas City
2027 -- Houston (dome or open)
2028 -- Foxborough
2029 -- Detroit (dome)
2030 -- Cincinnati
2031 -- Oakland or San Francisco
2032 -- Baltimore
Sounds crazy? No crazier than my past suggestion to move the Pro Bowl to Hall of Fame weekend and historic Lambeau Field, and certainly no crazier than my repeated pleas to get rid of regular season overtime, leaving sudden death solely for postseason games.
Besides, with so many teams getting new stadiums over the past 10-15 years, why not boost their cities' economies and pass around the TV revenue wealth?
Just a thought...
I have very mixed feelings about the 2014 Super Bowl being played here in the new Giants-Jets stadium (name to be determined). On one hand, I'd love to see the game played here, even in harsh weather. But there's still a part of me wondering why John Mara and Woody Johnson didn't just fork over more money (yeah, what's money when the stadium cost $1.6 BILLON to build) for a retractable dome. Looking out the window the past 2-3 weeks around here, I could imagine the kvetching folks would do having to watch a Super Bowl in frigid weather and more than a foot of snow.
But... if the NFL does give NY-NJ the 2014 Super Bowl and sets a precedent for the "Big Game" in bad weather, that potentially gives a green light to other northern and cold cities to host their Super Bowl!
How would you guys like to see a rotation among ALL 31 NFL cities (NY counts twice with Jets & Giants) to host the Super Bowl? Rotate between warm or domed cities and cold climate cities! Imagine the following schedule of Super Bowls for this decade and beyond...
2010 -- Miami
2011 -- Dallas (dome)
2012 -- Indy (dome)
2013 -- New Orleans (dome)
2014 -- NY-NJ Meadowlands
2015 -- Tampa
2016 -- Cleveland
2017 -- Arizona (dome or open)
2018 -- Chicago
2019 -- St. Louis (dome)
2020 -- Green Bay
2021 -- Atlanta (dome)
2022 -- Pittsburgh
2023 -- Jacksonville
2024 -- Seattle
2025 -- San Diego
2026 -- Kansas City
2027 -- Houston (dome or open)
2028 -- Foxborough
2029 -- Detroit (dome)
2030 -- Cincinnati
2031 -- Oakland or San Francisco
2032 -- Baltimore
Sounds crazy? No crazier than my past suggestion to move the Pro Bowl to Hall of Fame weekend and historic Lambeau Field, and certainly no crazier than my repeated pleas to get rid of regular season overtime, leaving sudden death solely for postseason games.
Besides, with so many teams getting new stadiums over the past 10-15 years, why not boost their cities' economies and pass around the TV revenue wealth?
Just a thought...
Originally posted on www.ThatsSports.com -- March 19, 2010
Now I know why it's called "March Madness"
The past 24 or so hours of March Madness reminds me of an old Rodney Dangerfield joke...
"I was having dinner at a Chinese restaurant and when I opened my fortune cookie, I found the check for the guy at the next table. I turned to the guy and said, 'hey, I have your check', and the guy said, 'thanks.'"
Ever get the feeling you've got a hot read on seedings and end up picking the wrong seeds in the wrong regionals? Well, welcome to my bracket!
Did I pick for upsets? Yep. I picked 9, 10, 11, 12, and 14 seeds. Unfortunately, I picked the wrong 9, 10, 11, 12, and 14 seeds.
While I was good with Northern Iowa, I didn't pick Wake Forest. I picked Florida, Missouri, and Georgia Tech. But I've been burned by BYU and St. Mary's.
I had a hunch about Minnesota, and they bit the dust against Xavier. Thanks for NOTHING, Marquette and Notre Dame! Your losses to Washington and Old Dominion started the quick burning of my bracket.
12 seeds? Hey, UTEP seemed a very wise pick, but Butler did it. I'm in mourning for my beloved Temple Owls, laying an egg against Cornell. Well, I'm sure Ed Marinaro's smiling somewhere.
14 seeds? I thought for sure Montana was riding with a lucky charm, and then Anthony Johnson goes from a 42-point performance to win their NCAA berth to an Academy Award winning impersonation of John Starks during games 6 & 7 of the 1994 NBA finals. And still Montana gave New Mexico everything they had.
Yeah, and like I honestly thought Ohio University stood a chance against Georgetown...
And so, my record so far to date is 8 winners and 11 losers. Not a good first round for me.
If there's any consolation or hope for my bracket, if the rest of the weekend is kind to my bracket, I'll still have 12 of my Sweet Sixteen teams still in play. But I'm not holding my breath.
The past 24 or so hours of March Madness reminds me of an old Rodney Dangerfield joke...
"I was having dinner at a Chinese restaurant and when I opened my fortune cookie, I found the check for the guy at the next table. I turned to the guy and said, 'hey, I have your check', and the guy said, 'thanks.'"
Ever get the feeling you've got a hot read on seedings and end up picking the wrong seeds in the wrong regionals? Well, welcome to my bracket!
Did I pick for upsets? Yep. I picked 9, 10, 11, 12, and 14 seeds. Unfortunately, I picked the wrong 9, 10, 11, 12, and 14 seeds.
While I was good with Northern Iowa, I didn't pick Wake Forest. I picked Florida, Missouri, and Georgia Tech. But I've been burned by BYU and St. Mary's.
I had a hunch about Minnesota, and they bit the dust against Xavier. Thanks for NOTHING, Marquette and Notre Dame! Your losses to Washington and Old Dominion started the quick burning of my bracket.
12 seeds? Hey, UTEP seemed a very wise pick, but Butler did it. I'm in mourning for my beloved Temple Owls, laying an egg against Cornell. Well, I'm sure Ed Marinaro's smiling somewhere.
14 seeds? I thought for sure Montana was riding with a lucky charm, and then Anthony Johnson goes from a 42-point performance to win their NCAA berth to an Academy Award winning impersonation of John Starks during games 6 & 7 of the 1994 NBA finals. And still Montana gave New Mexico everything they had.
Yeah, and like I honestly thought Ohio University stood a chance against Georgetown...
And so, my record so far to date is 8 winners and 11 losers. Not a good first round for me.
If there's any consolation or hope for my bracket, if the rest of the weekend is kind to my bracket, I'll still have 12 of my Sweet Sixteen teams still in play. But I'm not holding my breath.
Originally posted on www.ThatsSports.com -- March 26, 2010
Madness driven by March
I know Len's going to offer his Final Four thoughts in the morning, but I wanted to post a few thoughts while the regional finals are fresh in my mind...
As a chemistry and physics professor, I know too well that all processes are generally inefficient and reaction yields can be pretty low when you finally get your desired end product. What's my point? March Madness and one's bracket usually gives the "Average Joe" (or in my case, Schmoe, Schmendrick... whatever Yiddush term floats your boat) exponentially diminishing returns!
So, we have a Final Four of West Virginia, Duke, Butler, and Michigan State. How many of us had ANY of these teams in our brackets? I at least kept on track with West Virginia, my predicted champion for the whole thing. Other than that, my bracket progressively declined like interest rates on a checking account (remember when we used to have legitimate interest bearing accounts?!). I was correct on 16 of the 32 teams to make it through the first round, 7 for 16 through the second round, 3 for 8 through the Sweet Sixteen round, and 1 for 4 to make it to the Final Four. If any of you remember geometric progressions in Algebra or Calculus class, my bracket is almost a perfect geometric REGRESSION, declining by a factor of approximately 2 each step (i.e., 2^-n or 1/2^n).
Yuck! Forget the mathematical theory... the bottom line is either I stink at picking brackets or you really need to have a special knack. But I don't feel alone with my sorry bracket. I'm sure a lot of folks picked Kansas, Kansas State, and Purdue for their Final Four too. If memory serves me correct, didn't President Obama pick Kansas and Kansas State among his Final Four? See? Even our nation's Big Cheese can crap out trying to play NCAA Nostredamus!
What have I learned from Bracketology? If you're not a Math Savant, or a leading authority on college basketball, the only sure-fire way to have a successful bracket is to FILL IT IN AFTER THE GAMES ARE PLAYED!
But seriously, as much as I would've loved to be King of the Bracket, I've had a lot more fun watching some incredible games whenever I got the chance. So many games went to the final buzzer, and just as many games had more momentum changes than health care reform. AND, best of all, we have a couple of pretty good games to look forward to in next weekend's Final Four:
Butler vs. Michigan State
Duke vs. West Virginia
I know, I know... the Butler Bulldogs have to be a sentimental favorite, playing minutes away form their campus, everyone harkens back to "Hoosiers", and Gene Hackman's going to be on the sidelines for added nostalgia. Yes, and Duke is the lone #1 seed left, outlasting a physical Baylor team down the stretch with better rebounding and composure...
But I'm looking for a Michigan State-West Virginia final, and I'm sticking to my story... Mountaineers hoist the trophy and clip down the nets after a 67-61 win.
Why MSU-WVU? How can I go against my original prediction and not have the Mountaineers playing for the title on April 5th? But why Michigan State? Call it a feeling, but there's something special about a Tom Izzo-coached team in March, more special than Butler. Would I be surprised if Butler knocks off the Spartans? No, but just as the local hype eventually took its toll on Baylor in Houston, something tells me Butler may have the same fate against a veteran coach with lots of Final Four experience.
I know some folks would love to see MSU against Duke, Izzo matching wits against Coach K (I'm not going to try and spell it), but I think Bob Huggins has his team going on all cylinders for the entire tournament, not just the east regional.
Tom Izzo and Bob Huggins both coach a physical, defensive-oriented style, a hoops version of Rex Ryan's "ground and pound". Both MSU and WVU are capable of suffocating the life out of Butler and Duke, and that's what I expect... two very tightly-played semifinals with the more muscular teams surviving.
Then again, come April 6th, I could be sauteing some crow. It's not like I know any of these outcomes in advance...
I know Len's going to offer his Final Four thoughts in the morning, but I wanted to post a few thoughts while the regional finals are fresh in my mind...
As a chemistry and physics professor, I know too well that all processes are generally inefficient and reaction yields can be pretty low when you finally get your desired end product. What's my point? March Madness and one's bracket usually gives the "Average Joe" (or in my case, Schmoe, Schmendrick... whatever Yiddush term floats your boat) exponentially diminishing returns!
So, we have a Final Four of West Virginia, Duke, Butler, and Michigan State. How many of us had ANY of these teams in our brackets? I at least kept on track with West Virginia, my predicted champion for the whole thing. Other than that, my bracket progressively declined like interest rates on a checking account (remember when we used to have legitimate interest bearing accounts?!). I was correct on 16 of the 32 teams to make it through the first round, 7 for 16 through the second round, 3 for 8 through the Sweet Sixteen round, and 1 for 4 to make it to the Final Four. If any of you remember geometric progressions in Algebra or Calculus class, my bracket is almost a perfect geometric REGRESSION, declining by a factor of approximately 2 each step (i.e., 2^-n or 1/2^n).
Yuck! Forget the mathematical theory... the bottom line is either I stink at picking brackets or you really need to have a special knack. But I don't feel alone with my sorry bracket. I'm sure a lot of folks picked Kansas, Kansas State, and Purdue for their Final Four too. If memory serves me correct, didn't President Obama pick Kansas and Kansas State among his Final Four? See? Even our nation's Big Cheese can crap out trying to play NCAA Nostredamus!
What have I learned from Bracketology? If you're not a Math Savant, or a leading authority on college basketball, the only sure-fire way to have a successful bracket is to FILL IT IN AFTER THE GAMES ARE PLAYED!
But seriously, as much as I would've loved to be King of the Bracket, I've had a lot more fun watching some incredible games whenever I got the chance. So many games went to the final buzzer, and just as many games had more momentum changes than health care reform. AND, best of all, we have a couple of pretty good games to look forward to in next weekend's Final Four:
Butler vs. Michigan State
Duke vs. West Virginia
I know, I know... the Butler Bulldogs have to be a sentimental favorite, playing minutes away form their campus, everyone harkens back to "Hoosiers", and Gene Hackman's going to be on the sidelines for added nostalgia. Yes, and Duke is the lone #1 seed left, outlasting a physical Baylor team down the stretch with better rebounding and composure...
But I'm looking for a Michigan State-West Virginia final, and I'm sticking to my story... Mountaineers hoist the trophy and clip down the nets after a 67-61 win.
Why MSU-WVU? How can I go against my original prediction and not have the Mountaineers playing for the title on April 5th? But why Michigan State? Call it a feeling, but there's something special about a Tom Izzo-coached team in March, more special than Butler. Would I be surprised if Butler knocks off the Spartans? No, but just as the local hype eventually took its toll on Baylor in Houston, something tells me Butler may have the same fate against a veteran coach with lots of Final Four experience.
I know some folks would love to see MSU against Duke, Izzo matching wits against Coach K (I'm not going to try and spell it), but I think Bob Huggins has his team going on all cylinders for the entire tournament, not just the east regional.
Tom Izzo and Bob Huggins both coach a physical, defensive-oriented style, a hoops version of Rex Ryan's "ground and pound". Both MSU and WVU are capable of suffocating the life out of Butler and Duke, and that's what I expect... two very tightly-played semifinals with the more muscular teams surviving.
Then again, come April 6th, I could be sauteing some crow. It's not like I know any of these outcomes in advance...
Originally posted on www.ThatsSports.com -- April 12, 2010
Welcome to the Jets, Mr. Holmes...
So, Santonio Holmes is coming to New York... So many random thoughts rattled in my head since this trade announcement came late last night, and the list is somewhat growing as more news about Mr. Holmes trickles across the radio, internet and twitter.
First, the trade stunned me and still does. Why did the Steelers want to unload a talented wide receiver, a super bowl MVP two years ago? And for just a FIFTH ROUND draft pick? If that's not a "don't let the door hit you on the way out" message, what is? Second, why were the Jets so willing to jump at the offer?
Now, to paraphrase the late Paul Harvey, we're starting to get the rest of the story. The Steelers wanted to get rid of Holmes and his baggage as quickly as possible, and as we all know from Spirit Air, baggage is no longer free. Unless you follow every single player in the NFL, you tend to forget which ones get busted for drugs, or drunk driving, or domestic violence, or disorderly conduct. Sorry to say, but these rap sheets seem so redundant for too many NFL players over the past years that it all seems a blur to old-timers like me who remember the day when your favorite players sold cars or insurance during the off-season, or even worked as substitute teachers (just remember, Ahmad Rashad taught math, and Vince Papale taught English).
Apparently this drinking glass toss by Holmes was the last straw with the Steelers? No... the last straw may be what was IN the glass, or accompanying the beverage, since Holmes is facing a 4-game suspension for substance violation, and somehow I don't think the straw we're talking about is the one that stirred his drink. So, the Steelers decided enough was enough of whatever enough there was, and now he's OURS?! Hey, er, um, thanks?
Okay, so the reality facing us Jets fans is that our team has obtained a pro-bowl caliber receiver on the cheap for the last 12 games of the 2010 season. If Holmes keeps his nose clean (in more ways than one, dare we ask?) and plays up to his potential, we now have a very potent passing attack with QB Mark Sanchez, RBs Shonn Greene and LaDainian Tomlinson, TE Dustin Keller, and WRs Braylon Edwards, Jerricho Cotchery, and Holmes. And, let's not forget WR Brad Smith and a healthy Leon Washington.
Hey, this is great. ESPN Radio's Jason Smith, a rabid Jets fan, has already tweeted his "Jets to the Super Bowl" vision, and I'd be hard-pressed not to agree, but as SNY's Chris Carlin, the New York Daily News' Rich Cimini, ESPN's Skip Bayless, Mike Greenberg, and Rachel Nichols, among others, have already noted, this trade has a little dark cloud as well.
Call me crazy, but with all the "characters" head coach Rex Ryan and GM Mike Tannenbaum are trying to blend together for a super bowl push, I had a brief flashback to the movie "The Bad News Bears". I'm not talking about a collection of inept kids at baseball here, but what was on the back of their uniforms. Do you remember the late Walter Mathau got a place called Chico's Bail Bonds to sponsor the team so the kids could have uniforms? THIS was my first reaction to the Holmes trade and Jets fans planning their super bowl parties... The Jets uniforms will be sponsored by every bail bond place in New Jersey!
My second reaction was if Holmes and his baggage was okay for the Jets, imagine how bad Brandon Marshall's baggage must really be for the Jets to decline trade talks with Denver!
My third reaction, and I admit that ESPN's Skip Bayless was the first to publicly say it, if the Steelers were that willing to get rid of Holmes, imagine how they're looking for a way to get rid of QB Ben Roethlisberger! As Skip Bayless, Rachel Nichols, and Adam Schefter have already presented, the Holmes trade was a message from Steelers management to their entire team, especially Roethlisberger, that off-field nonsense would no longer be tolerated and either walk right or pack up. The Steelers have always been a proud and conservative franchise. Their founder, the late Art Rooney Sr., had a strong relationship with Pittsburgh's Catholic community, and must be spinning in his grave faster and faster with each news flash involving his beloved team's players. Every person or organization has a breaking point, and the Steelers finally reached theirs.
But the Steelers discard is now our new offensive weapon. Some folks are already wondering if our Jets are slowly becoming the east coast version of the old Oakland Raiders, those men of "Pride and Poise", "Commitment to Excellence", that merry band of misfits and marauders who played by their own rules, took no prisoners, and won often. But even bad boys get old and being bad boys doesn't sustain league dominance as we sadly see on the other coast. And sometimes bad boys lack discipline and composure, and sabotage the grand visions of head coaches and GMs who think they can tame the savages enough to win it all. Besides, can any of you envision Woody Johnson wearing white pants and a black leather jacket like Al Davis?!
As much as I'd love to see our Jets win another super bowl (heck, just make it back first), I don't want to see parole officers sharing the stage with everyone hoisting the Lombardi trophy in February. Not a picture I'd like to cherish, if you know what I mean.
So, Santonio Holmes, welcome to the New York Metropolitan area, and good luck as our Jets' new addition. I hope you'll contribute well on and off the field during your stay. Oh, and try not to complain too much about that tight leash coaches and management will have on you... it's a lot more comfortable than cuffs and an orange jumpsuit.
So, Santonio Holmes is coming to New York... So many random thoughts rattled in my head since this trade announcement came late last night, and the list is somewhat growing as more news about Mr. Holmes trickles across the radio, internet and twitter.
First, the trade stunned me and still does. Why did the Steelers want to unload a talented wide receiver, a super bowl MVP two years ago? And for just a FIFTH ROUND draft pick? If that's not a "don't let the door hit you on the way out" message, what is? Second, why were the Jets so willing to jump at the offer?
Now, to paraphrase the late Paul Harvey, we're starting to get the rest of the story. The Steelers wanted to get rid of Holmes and his baggage as quickly as possible, and as we all know from Spirit Air, baggage is no longer free. Unless you follow every single player in the NFL, you tend to forget which ones get busted for drugs, or drunk driving, or domestic violence, or disorderly conduct. Sorry to say, but these rap sheets seem so redundant for too many NFL players over the past years that it all seems a blur to old-timers like me who remember the day when your favorite players sold cars or insurance during the off-season, or even worked as substitute teachers (just remember, Ahmad Rashad taught math, and Vince Papale taught English).
Apparently this drinking glass toss by Holmes was the last straw with the Steelers? No... the last straw may be what was IN the glass, or accompanying the beverage, since Holmes is facing a 4-game suspension for substance violation, and somehow I don't think the straw we're talking about is the one that stirred his drink. So, the Steelers decided enough was enough of whatever enough there was, and now he's OURS?! Hey, er, um, thanks?
Okay, so the reality facing us Jets fans is that our team has obtained a pro-bowl caliber receiver on the cheap for the last 12 games of the 2010 season. If Holmes keeps his nose clean (in more ways than one, dare we ask?) and plays up to his potential, we now have a very potent passing attack with QB Mark Sanchez, RBs Shonn Greene and LaDainian Tomlinson, TE Dustin Keller, and WRs Braylon Edwards, Jerricho Cotchery, and Holmes. And, let's not forget WR Brad Smith and a healthy Leon Washington.
Hey, this is great. ESPN Radio's Jason Smith, a rabid Jets fan, has already tweeted his "Jets to the Super Bowl" vision, and I'd be hard-pressed not to agree, but as SNY's Chris Carlin, the New York Daily News' Rich Cimini, ESPN's Skip Bayless, Mike Greenberg, and Rachel Nichols, among others, have already noted, this trade has a little dark cloud as well.
Call me crazy, but with all the "characters" head coach Rex Ryan and GM Mike Tannenbaum are trying to blend together for a super bowl push, I had a brief flashback to the movie "The Bad News Bears". I'm not talking about a collection of inept kids at baseball here, but what was on the back of their uniforms. Do you remember the late Walter Mathau got a place called Chico's Bail Bonds to sponsor the team so the kids could have uniforms? THIS was my first reaction to the Holmes trade and Jets fans planning their super bowl parties... The Jets uniforms will be sponsored by every bail bond place in New Jersey!
My second reaction was if Holmes and his baggage was okay for the Jets, imagine how bad Brandon Marshall's baggage must really be for the Jets to decline trade talks with Denver!
My third reaction, and I admit that ESPN's Skip Bayless was the first to publicly say it, if the Steelers were that willing to get rid of Holmes, imagine how they're looking for a way to get rid of QB Ben Roethlisberger! As Skip Bayless, Rachel Nichols, and Adam Schefter have already presented, the Holmes trade was a message from Steelers management to their entire team, especially Roethlisberger, that off-field nonsense would no longer be tolerated and either walk right or pack up. The Steelers have always been a proud and conservative franchise. Their founder, the late Art Rooney Sr., had a strong relationship with Pittsburgh's Catholic community, and must be spinning in his grave faster and faster with each news flash involving his beloved team's players. Every person or organization has a breaking point, and the Steelers finally reached theirs.
But the Steelers discard is now our new offensive weapon. Some folks are already wondering if our Jets are slowly becoming the east coast version of the old Oakland Raiders, those men of "Pride and Poise", "Commitment to Excellence", that merry band of misfits and marauders who played by their own rules, took no prisoners, and won often. But even bad boys get old and being bad boys doesn't sustain league dominance as we sadly see on the other coast. And sometimes bad boys lack discipline and composure, and sabotage the grand visions of head coaches and GMs who think they can tame the savages enough to win it all. Besides, can any of you envision Woody Johnson wearing white pants and a black leather jacket like Al Davis?!
As much as I'd love to see our Jets win another super bowl (heck, just make it back first), I don't want to see parole officers sharing the stage with everyone hoisting the Lombardi trophy in February. Not a picture I'd like to cherish, if you know what I mean.
So, Santonio Holmes, welcome to the New York Metropolitan area, and good luck as our Jets' new addition. I hope you'll contribute well on and off the field during your stay. Oh, and try not to complain too much about that tight leash coaches and management will have on you... it's a lot more comfortable than cuffs and an orange jumpsuit.
Originally posted on www.ThatsSports.com -- April 13, 2010
Getting away with something?!
I imagine many of us have been following the Ben Roethlisberger news on TV, radio, blogs, and twitter. Count me among the many, and I await with interest at the outcome of Big Ben's meeting today with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. To be honest, I'm among those who want, and expect, Commissioner Goodell to slap Big Ben with a multi-game suspension to start the 2010 regular season. Suspension for what? Well, for excessive thinking with and misuse of his Little Ben!
Let's face it, once is an accident, twice or more is a trend, and we're hearing just a little too much news about Big Ben's Little Ben for it to be a fluke. This calls for immediate and unequivocal action by Commissioner Goodell, where once and for all, NFL players will finally realize off-field nonsense is no longer tolerated and what the NFL giveth, the NFL can taketh away, punitively.
So the district attorney down in Georgia couldn't present a strong enough case to convince a grand jury to indict, much less a jury of twelve to convict beyond reasonable doubt. But we sure heard enough during the DA's press conference yesterday to tell us Big Ben lucked out from "insufficient" or "incomplete" data. Something definitely went on in that bar bathroom with a 20-year-old girl, but not enough to technically call it rape in the state of Georgia.
One question comes to mind as I kept hearing "20-year-old girl"... what was SHE doing in that bar, and why aren't red flags going up in the DA's head when he tells us Big Ben was BUYING drinks for her, or at least not discouraging her underage drinking?! If Big Ben can't be indicted for rape, couldn't the DA at least try to indict him on getting a minor drunk? C'mon folks, Elliot Ness finally nailed Al Capone on TAX EVASION, for heaven's sake. You mean to tell me a DA couldn't put together a case on Roethlisberger for ANYTHING? I don't know about you guys, but I'd like to see that question come up when this DA runs for re-election some November.
But legalities aside, the fact remains that Ben Roethlisberger is now twice-associated with inappropriate behavior towards women in the span of less than two years, and this is something in need of intervention. If I were Roger Goodell, I'd slap him with at least a 4-game suspension. One of two games won't hit where it hurts or send enough of a message. In fact, if Commissioner Goodell hits him for 8 games, I'd personally come to his Park Avenue office and congratulate him.
As I commented yesterday regarding the Santonio Holmes trade, I imagine the Steelers had a passing thought or two about giving Big Ben a one-way ticket out of Pittsburgh if the price was right. In fact, I tweeted to several folks yesterday that if I were Dan Rooney, Big Ben would be in my office yesterday, and along with head coach Mike Tomlin, I'd inform Big Ben "we just sent one of your top WRs away for a 5th round pick. Don't think we won't do the same to you too." Want to give Big Ben something to think about hard? How does running for his life behind a Swiss-cheese offensive line in Oakland, Kansas City, St. Louis, or Cleveland sound? A 5th, 6th, or 7th-round pick in exchange for that sight would be a sobering vision and a nice carrot-and-stick threat to present to my QB, don't you think? Take it from someone who got cut by a head coach who once threatened his players "If y'all don't get back behind that sideline I'll cut you all or trade you all to Green Bay!" Coaches and owners know where purgatory is, and so do multi-millionaire players!
As I said yesterday, BAGGAGE IS NO LONGER FREE.
Another issue came up over the internet, radio, and twitter waves yesterday... the need for Roger Goodell to make a statement against a WHITE player. Please! I know Commissioner Goodell's new law and order Marshall Dillon practices seem heavy handed towards African-American players, but that's because of numbers and the current statistical data pool, NOT racial hypocrisy. I don't want Roger Goodell to slam Big Ben because a high-profile white player needs to be knocked off his perch. I want Roger Goodell to slam Big Ben upside his head and down, inside and out, through a wall and into next month BECAUSE HE'S STUPID, IMMATURE, AND AN EMBARRASSMENT TO THE NFL, MEN, WOMEN, AND AMERICAN SOCIETY!
We're talking about a 28-year-old man who has yet to figure out how to behave in public, with women, and as a professional athlete, and when you're 28 years old you're no longer a kid, and have to be accountable. As I've said before, I'm sick and tired of seeing daily reports about professional athletes getting in trouble, especially NFL players, and this needs to stop no matter a player's ethnicity, position, or contract status.
So... here's Dr. Dave's prescription for how NFL players can stay out of trouble when away from the team facility, be it nighttime or off-season:
1. If you're so much in need for "girlie action", meet a nice woman, go steady with her, fall in love, get married, and then live many years sexually addicted to each other -- and ONLY EACH OTHER -- until you can't remember what sex is.
2. If you're not up for #1, get a goldfish until you're ready.
3. If it's already 10:00 pm on a weeknight and you're still at home, STAY HOME.
4. If you're already out on a weeknight, establish a firm curfew of 1:00 am. As the saying goes, nothing good usually happens after midnight anyway.
5. If you don't know what to do with yourself home alone at night, try doing what normal people do -- read a book, eat ice cream, watch TV, do laundry, play some music, or wash dishes. If you're seeking something more challenging, try cooking, knitting, or crossword puzzles.
6. If you're looking for places to go out to at night, skip the bars and clubs. Go catch a movie or do your grocery shopping. Or go wander around IKEA until closing.
7. If you can't handle any of the above, get counseling and GROW UP.
I imagine many of us have been following the Ben Roethlisberger news on TV, radio, blogs, and twitter. Count me among the many, and I await with interest at the outcome of Big Ben's meeting today with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. To be honest, I'm among those who want, and expect, Commissioner Goodell to slap Big Ben with a multi-game suspension to start the 2010 regular season. Suspension for what? Well, for excessive thinking with and misuse of his Little Ben!
Let's face it, once is an accident, twice or more is a trend, and we're hearing just a little too much news about Big Ben's Little Ben for it to be a fluke. This calls for immediate and unequivocal action by Commissioner Goodell, where once and for all, NFL players will finally realize off-field nonsense is no longer tolerated and what the NFL giveth, the NFL can taketh away, punitively.
So the district attorney down in Georgia couldn't present a strong enough case to convince a grand jury to indict, much less a jury of twelve to convict beyond reasonable doubt. But we sure heard enough during the DA's press conference yesterday to tell us Big Ben lucked out from "insufficient" or "incomplete" data. Something definitely went on in that bar bathroom with a 20-year-old girl, but not enough to technically call it rape in the state of Georgia.
One question comes to mind as I kept hearing "20-year-old girl"... what was SHE doing in that bar, and why aren't red flags going up in the DA's head when he tells us Big Ben was BUYING drinks for her, or at least not discouraging her underage drinking?! If Big Ben can't be indicted for rape, couldn't the DA at least try to indict him on getting a minor drunk? C'mon folks, Elliot Ness finally nailed Al Capone on TAX EVASION, for heaven's sake. You mean to tell me a DA couldn't put together a case on Roethlisberger for ANYTHING? I don't know about you guys, but I'd like to see that question come up when this DA runs for re-election some November.
But legalities aside, the fact remains that Ben Roethlisberger is now twice-associated with inappropriate behavior towards women in the span of less than two years, and this is something in need of intervention. If I were Roger Goodell, I'd slap him with at least a 4-game suspension. One of two games won't hit where it hurts or send enough of a message. In fact, if Commissioner Goodell hits him for 8 games, I'd personally come to his Park Avenue office and congratulate him.
As I commented yesterday regarding the Santonio Holmes trade, I imagine the Steelers had a passing thought or two about giving Big Ben a one-way ticket out of Pittsburgh if the price was right. In fact, I tweeted to several folks yesterday that if I were Dan Rooney, Big Ben would be in my office yesterday, and along with head coach Mike Tomlin, I'd inform Big Ben "we just sent one of your top WRs away for a 5th round pick. Don't think we won't do the same to you too." Want to give Big Ben something to think about hard? How does running for his life behind a Swiss-cheese offensive line in Oakland, Kansas City, St. Louis, or Cleveland sound? A 5th, 6th, or 7th-round pick in exchange for that sight would be a sobering vision and a nice carrot-and-stick threat to present to my QB, don't you think? Take it from someone who got cut by a head coach who once threatened his players "If y'all don't get back behind that sideline I'll cut you all or trade you all to Green Bay!" Coaches and owners know where purgatory is, and so do multi-millionaire players!
As I said yesterday, BAGGAGE IS NO LONGER FREE.
Another issue came up over the internet, radio, and twitter waves yesterday... the need for Roger Goodell to make a statement against a WHITE player. Please! I know Commissioner Goodell's new law and order Marshall Dillon practices seem heavy handed towards African-American players, but that's because of numbers and the current statistical data pool, NOT racial hypocrisy. I don't want Roger Goodell to slam Big Ben because a high-profile white player needs to be knocked off his perch. I want Roger Goodell to slam Big Ben upside his head and down, inside and out, through a wall and into next month BECAUSE HE'S STUPID, IMMATURE, AND AN EMBARRASSMENT TO THE NFL, MEN, WOMEN, AND AMERICAN SOCIETY!
We're talking about a 28-year-old man who has yet to figure out how to behave in public, with women, and as a professional athlete, and when you're 28 years old you're no longer a kid, and have to be accountable. As I've said before, I'm sick and tired of seeing daily reports about professional athletes getting in trouble, especially NFL players, and this needs to stop no matter a player's ethnicity, position, or contract status.
So... here's Dr. Dave's prescription for how NFL players can stay out of trouble when away from the team facility, be it nighttime or off-season:
1. If you're so much in need for "girlie action", meet a nice woman, go steady with her, fall in love, get married, and then live many years sexually addicted to each other -- and ONLY EACH OTHER -- until you can't remember what sex is.
2. If you're not up for #1, get a goldfish until you're ready.
3. If it's already 10:00 pm on a weeknight and you're still at home, STAY HOME.
4. If you're already out on a weeknight, establish a firm curfew of 1:00 am. As the saying goes, nothing good usually happens after midnight anyway.
5. If you don't know what to do with yourself home alone at night, try doing what normal people do -- read a book, eat ice cream, watch TV, do laundry, play some music, or wash dishes. If you're seeking something more challenging, try cooking, knitting, or crossword puzzles.
6. If you're looking for places to go out to at night, skip the bars and clubs. Go catch a movie or do your grocery shopping. Or go wander around IKEA until closing.
7. If you can't handle any of the above, get counseling and GROW UP.
Originally posted on www.ThatsSports.com -- April 21, 2010
The bell tolls for Big Ben
So, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has suspended Ben Roethlisberger for 6 games, possibly reducing that to 4 games for compliance with league-ordered counseling. I, for one, consider this fair and appropriate, even though I would've preferred the unconditional 8-game suspension I've ranted and raved for.
Here was an email I sent to Commissioner Goodell yesterday:
Dear Commissioner Goodell:
I listened to your discussion on this morning’s “Mike & Mike Show”, and especially listened to your insights on Ben Roethlisberger. As a former player who didn’t last long before moving into academia in 1984, I have some very strong opinions on this story, as I’ve tweeted and blogged several times over the past few weeks. While I appreciate and respect your position and reference point, as well as your “Kitchen Cabinet”, these are my thoughts in response to your points, which I hope you will take into consideration and even respond to.
There seems to be a fundamental point lost in the ongoing discussion, especially on radio. There’s too much discussion about race, legal status, and precedent regarding the Player Conduct Policy, and not enough on Mr. Roethlisberger’s pattern of conduct. First, Michael Vick is NOT, and SHOULD NOT, be the reference point for how you determine this penalty. Although both Mr. Vick and Mr. Roethlisberger play quarterback, the similarities stop here. Michael Vick was convicted and served prison time for his crimes, not to mention made an effort to rehabilitate. Roethlisberger hasn't even seen an indictment, stood for a mug shot, or been subjected to any external penalty for his actions.
I have been calling for an unconditional 4 to 8-game suspension, and I'm not backpedaling on this recommendation one iota. Ben Roethlisberger's actions are disgusting, to say the least, and he does need to serve some time as per the NFL's Player Conduct Policy. As a scholar, I have spent many years advocating for gender equity and support of females in the sciences, so this entire episode has not only turned my stomach, but offends me on multiple levels, among them intellectually. In fact, I’ve stated publicly on several occasions this month that if you do issue an 8-game suspension, I will personally come to your Manhattan office and shake your hand. Rest assured, if your office door is open to me, I will honor that offer.
My “ultimate” point is that Mr. Roethlisberger's suspension should not be conditional, it needs to address a disturbing pattern of behavior for a 28-year-old multimillionaire, it needs to send a message to the entire NFL, and applying Michael Vick’s situation is an erroneous analogy.
As I will re-emphasize shortly, I am not coming from the reference point of a white man, or a Jets fan. I would be just as outraged if Mark Sanchez behaved this way, or any other player on any team or of any ethnicity, for that matter. I am simply a middle-aged man, an academic professional who, like you, used to play football and am increasingly disgusted by the ongoing pattern of off-field behavior by each successive generation of players. I agree with you 100 percent that to play in the NFL is a privilege, and like it or not, players, coaches, and all other staff or front-office personnel are role models to fans all over the world, especially kids. These are not Philistines gathered from caves. These are supposedly college-educated men who must coexist in the adult world and everyday society.
In terms of Mr. Roethlisberger’s suspension, the more appropriate analogy is Adam "Pacman" Jones, a prolific troublemaker, apparently never indicted, convicted, or sentenced for any of his repeated offenses, and a well-deserving charter member on your “shit list”.
Michael Vick, Tank Johnson, and Donte Stallworth all served some prison time, and received conditional suspensions of various lengths from you. Whether I completely agree with your decisions is irrelevant. These were your decisions, and they appropriately establish some precedent for your office and NFL players. Some of these suspensions were shortened upon demonstration of rehabilitated actions, but suspensions were still dished out. If any high-profile player will be compared to these three players when you consider any future reinstatement, look at Plaxico Burress, not Ben Roethlisberger. Again, Mr. Burress will be completing an external prison term. Mr. Roethlisberger’s only external challenges will be in civil court, not criminal, and this is unfortunately why the onus falls upon your office.
I agree with you 100 percent that violations of the Player Conduct Policy need to be examined on a case-by-case basis. But this should mean CONTEXT OF MISCONDUCT, and this means independent of player's team or position, contract status, and race.
Ben Roethlisberger needs a suspension that makes unequivocally clear that sexual abuse of women, encouraging underage drinking, and repeated offenses will NOT be tolerated by the NFL. Period, exclamation point. And if any player cannot comprehend the consequences of sexual abuse after your message has been delivered, then these players are sadly too stupid to be part of the NFL, and I’m more than willing to help administer an appropriate assessment to verify their stupidity. I’ve been an educator of post-adolescents too many years and seen too much, whether they be student-athletes or not.
This leads me to a final point that reconnects with past letters I’ve sent your office as well as the Player Development Office. Given the number of players who keep demonstrating a lack of understanding right versus wrong, this suggests a flaw in how the NFL deals with players after their initial indoctrination. A reasonably intelligent and mature adult should get the message on how to conduct oneself after his rookie symposia, but whatever lessons you seek for them to learn aren’t long-lasting. Unless your Office of Player Development wishes to overhaul its entire slate of programs and reconstruct them under the guidance of cognitive scientists, I think it might serve the NFL well to provide annual or semi-annual league-wide video-conferences to every team and every player and organizational member to reinforce the importance of appropriate on-field and off-field conduct. If teachers and other professionals can attend periodic in-service training, so could professional athletes. And you don’t even have to limit yourselves to conduct. You can also hold seminars on injuries and player safety, especially in terms of the spine and brain, a topic very near and dear to me.
Lastly, in all candidness, I don’t know how much longer I will be alive given my progression of neurological decline. Optimistic projections are two years. Realistically, now that I am in the early stages of chronic neurogenic renal failure, my hope is to still be alive and relatively functioning when next year’s rookie symposium and combine takes place. I would love the opportunity to be a guest speaker and provide some perspective to a new group of players before they embark on dreams in the NFL. While I’m not as famous as the people you already employ to make an impression on young athletes, I would like to be a resource and advocate for your ongoing efforts in player safety, player conduct, and continuing education.
Thank you for your time and consideration of my insights.
Views and letter to Commissioner Goodell aside, I have a new insight that I'm still trying to get my head around, and as someone neurologically impaired, thanks for 12 years of playing football during the 1970s and 1980s, I'm surprised this insight didn't occur to me sooner.
Not to brag, but my best friend for the past 30-odd years happens to be a medical doctor (as you get older, this is the BEST best friend to have). His training happens to be in orthopedic surgery and rehabilitative medicine (also handy for ex-football players), and he's SMART (the BEST thing of all). Anyway, yesterday evening, he called just to shoot the breeze for a bit, and we got to talking about Ben Roethlisberger and his behavior track record. Suddenly, my friend asked, "Dave, this guy's had a few head injuries over the years between concussions and that motorcycle accident... has anyone ever bothered to neurologically evaluate him to see if his cognitive processing and judgement are impaired?"
WOW! Why didn't I think of that? You'd think someone like me, in neurological decline, would've thought of that first?! Well, I didn't, but now that my best friend planted the seed in my brain, this doesn't sound particular crazy. And yes, I've tweeted Roger Goodell and other folks connected to the NFL to ask if a neuropsych evaluation is on the books for Ben Roethlisberger, or if it will be done during his suspension. So far no one knows or is responding to me, but I'll keep asking.
Is it any excuse for Roethlisberger's behavior? HELL NO! But it might explain a few more things to folks studying the consequences of football-related brain injuries. And don't laugh, but the list is getting longer and longer of former players behaving very strangely, and their PET Scans showing serious problems.
For myself, I thankfully only sustained one mild concussion playing football, and three brain MRIs since 2003 have shown nothing there... wrong, that is (just wanted to clarify myself). But, the list of other injuries for me is ridiculously long -- broken ribs, cracked clavicle, separated shoulders, broken hand, lost teeth, broken foot, torn knee cartilage, dislocated hip, cracked pelvis... Wait a minute! And I was shocked to need multi-level fusion surgery in my lumbar spine 3 years ago?! Sheesh! It's a wonder I'm still breathing!
My point is that there may be another reason for Big Ben's off-field conduct, and it may not be just due to "I'm Big Ben! Wanna see my Pride and Joy?" If a multimillionaire professional football player perpetually fails to understand, differentiate, and practice right from wrong, I don't think behavioral counseling is all that's needed. Call me crazy, but I think Mr. Roethlisberger may require more than one "head doctor", if you know what I mean.
So, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has suspended Ben Roethlisberger for 6 games, possibly reducing that to 4 games for compliance with league-ordered counseling. I, for one, consider this fair and appropriate, even though I would've preferred the unconditional 8-game suspension I've ranted and raved for.
Here was an email I sent to Commissioner Goodell yesterday:
Dear Commissioner Goodell:
I listened to your discussion on this morning’s “Mike & Mike Show”, and especially listened to your insights on Ben Roethlisberger. As a former player who didn’t last long before moving into academia in 1984, I have some very strong opinions on this story, as I’ve tweeted and blogged several times over the past few weeks. While I appreciate and respect your position and reference point, as well as your “Kitchen Cabinet”, these are my thoughts in response to your points, which I hope you will take into consideration and even respond to.
There seems to be a fundamental point lost in the ongoing discussion, especially on radio. There’s too much discussion about race, legal status, and precedent regarding the Player Conduct Policy, and not enough on Mr. Roethlisberger’s pattern of conduct. First, Michael Vick is NOT, and SHOULD NOT, be the reference point for how you determine this penalty. Although both Mr. Vick and Mr. Roethlisberger play quarterback, the similarities stop here. Michael Vick was convicted and served prison time for his crimes, not to mention made an effort to rehabilitate. Roethlisberger hasn't even seen an indictment, stood for a mug shot, or been subjected to any external penalty for his actions.
I have been calling for an unconditional 4 to 8-game suspension, and I'm not backpedaling on this recommendation one iota. Ben Roethlisberger's actions are disgusting, to say the least, and he does need to serve some time as per the NFL's Player Conduct Policy. As a scholar, I have spent many years advocating for gender equity and support of females in the sciences, so this entire episode has not only turned my stomach, but offends me on multiple levels, among them intellectually. In fact, I’ve stated publicly on several occasions this month that if you do issue an 8-game suspension, I will personally come to your Manhattan office and shake your hand. Rest assured, if your office door is open to me, I will honor that offer.
My “ultimate” point is that Mr. Roethlisberger's suspension should not be conditional, it needs to address a disturbing pattern of behavior for a 28-year-old multimillionaire, it needs to send a message to the entire NFL, and applying Michael Vick’s situation is an erroneous analogy.
As I will re-emphasize shortly, I am not coming from the reference point of a white man, or a Jets fan. I would be just as outraged if Mark Sanchez behaved this way, or any other player on any team or of any ethnicity, for that matter. I am simply a middle-aged man, an academic professional who, like you, used to play football and am increasingly disgusted by the ongoing pattern of off-field behavior by each successive generation of players. I agree with you 100 percent that to play in the NFL is a privilege, and like it or not, players, coaches, and all other staff or front-office personnel are role models to fans all over the world, especially kids. These are not Philistines gathered from caves. These are supposedly college-educated men who must coexist in the adult world and everyday society.
In terms of Mr. Roethlisberger’s suspension, the more appropriate analogy is Adam "Pacman" Jones, a prolific troublemaker, apparently never indicted, convicted, or sentenced for any of his repeated offenses, and a well-deserving charter member on your “shit list”.
Michael Vick, Tank Johnson, and Donte Stallworth all served some prison time, and received conditional suspensions of various lengths from you. Whether I completely agree with your decisions is irrelevant. These were your decisions, and they appropriately establish some precedent for your office and NFL players. Some of these suspensions were shortened upon demonstration of rehabilitated actions, but suspensions were still dished out. If any high-profile player will be compared to these three players when you consider any future reinstatement, look at Plaxico Burress, not Ben Roethlisberger. Again, Mr. Burress will be completing an external prison term. Mr. Roethlisberger’s only external challenges will be in civil court, not criminal, and this is unfortunately why the onus falls upon your office.
I agree with you 100 percent that violations of the Player Conduct Policy need to be examined on a case-by-case basis. But this should mean CONTEXT OF MISCONDUCT, and this means independent of player's team or position, contract status, and race.
Ben Roethlisberger needs a suspension that makes unequivocally clear that sexual abuse of women, encouraging underage drinking, and repeated offenses will NOT be tolerated by the NFL. Period, exclamation point. And if any player cannot comprehend the consequences of sexual abuse after your message has been delivered, then these players are sadly too stupid to be part of the NFL, and I’m more than willing to help administer an appropriate assessment to verify their stupidity. I’ve been an educator of post-adolescents too many years and seen too much, whether they be student-athletes or not.
This leads me to a final point that reconnects with past letters I’ve sent your office as well as the Player Development Office. Given the number of players who keep demonstrating a lack of understanding right versus wrong, this suggests a flaw in how the NFL deals with players after their initial indoctrination. A reasonably intelligent and mature adult should get the message on how to conduct oneself after his rookie symposia, but whatever lessons you seek for them to learn aren’t long-lasting. Unless your Office of Player Development wishes to overhaul its entire slate of programs and reconstruct them under the guidance of cognitive scientists, I think it might serve the NFL well to provide annual or semi-annual league-wide video-conferences to every team and every player and organizational member to reinforce the importance of appropriate on-field and off-field conduct. If teachers and other professionals can attend periodic in-service training, so could professional athletes. And you don’t even have to limit yourselves to conduct. You can also hold seminars on injuries and player safety, especially in terms of the spine and brain, a topic very near and dear to me.
Lastly, in all candidness, I don’t know how much longer I will be alive given my progression of neurological decline. Optimistic projections are two years. Realistically, now that I am in the early stages of chronic neurogenic renal failure, my hope is to still be alive and relatively functioning when next year’s rookie symposium and combine takes place. I would love the opportunity to be a guest speaker and provide some perspective to a new group of players before they embark on dreams in the NFL. While I’m not as famous as the people you already employ to make an impression on young athletes, I would like to be a resource and advocate for your ongoing efforts in player safety, player conduct, and continuing education.
Thank you for your time and consideration of my insights.
Views and letter to Commissioner Goodell aside, I have a new insight that I'm still trying to get my head around, and as someone neurologically impaired, thanks for 12 years of playing football during the 1970s and 1980s, I'm surprised this insight didn't occur to me sooner.
Not to brag, but my best friend for the past 30-odd years happens to be a medical doctor (as you get older, this is the BEST best friend to have). His training happens to be in orthopedic surgery and rehabilitative medicine (also handy for ex-football players), and he's SMART (the BEST thing of all). Anyway, yesterday evening, he called just to shoot the breeze for a bit, and we got to talking about Ben Roethlisberger and his behavior track record. Suddenly, my friend asked, "Dave, this guy's had a few head injuries over the years between concussions and that motorcycle accident... has anyone ever bothered to neurologically evaluate him to see if his cognitive processing and judgement are impaired?"
WOW! Why didn't I think of that? You'd think someone like me, in neurological decline, would've thought of that first?! Well, I didn't, but now that my best friend planted the seed in my brain, this doesn't sound particular crazy. And yes, I've tweeted Roger Goodell and other folks connected to the NFL to ask if a neuropsych evaluation is on the books for Ben Roethlisberger, or if it will be done during his suspension. So far no one knows or is responding to me, but I'll keep asking.
Is it any excuse for Roethlisberger's behavior? HELL NO! But it might explain a few more things to folks studying the consequences of football-related brain injuries. And don't laugh, but the list is getting longer and longer of former players behaving very strangely, and their PET Scans showing serious problems.
For myself, I thankfully only sustained one mild concussion playing football, and three brain MRIs since 2003 have shown nothing there... wrong, that is (just wanted to clarify myself). But, the list of other injuries for me is ridiculously long -- broken ribs, cracked clavicle, separated shoulders, broken hand, lost teeth, broken foot, torn knee cartilage, dislocated hip, cracked pelvis... Wait a minute! And I was shocked to need multi-level fusion surgery in my lumbar spine 3 years ago?! Sheesh! It's a wonder I'm still breathing!
My point is that there may be another reason for Big Ben's off-field conduct, and it may not be just due to "I'm Big Ben! Wanna see my Pride and Joy?" If a multimillionaire professional football player perpetually fails to understand, differentiate, and practice right from wrong, I don't think behavioral counseling is all that's needed. Call me crazy, but I think Mr. Roethlisberger may require more than one "head doctor", if you know what I mean.
Originally posted on www.ThatsSports.com -- April 23, 2010
Short thoughts...
1. The NFL Draft:
Once in a while, draft picks surprise you and others simply make no sense. First, congratulations to Sam Bradford being the top draft pick and future QB for the St. Louis Rams. My advice? When you negotiate your contract, make sure there are plenty of clauses to compensate you while you get beaten to a pulp behind your Swiss-cheese offensive line. BEG your head coach, Steve Spagnoulo, to get you as much pocket protection as possible, even offer to take a lower salary if the money can be used for upfront beef. Either that, or buy stock in cold compresses and BenGay. Oh, and until you get some O-line protection, your team must bear the new moniker "St. Louis Lamb Chops". Yum yum.
Second, congratulations to the Genius himself, Raiders owner Al Davis. Once again, you show how to go shopping without your list. What do you need another pass rusher for when your team has just as porous an offensive line as the Rams. But you're too crafty for us... obviously you know best how to build a football team for 1967, you former Lord of Flatbush, you (oy gevault...).
Third, to poor Jimmy Clausen... Don't worry, kid. You're gonna end up somewhere. And as soon as some team stops changing draft positions like Pluto's orbit, you'll be the first to know!
Next, to the Baltimore Ravens and Minnesota Vikings... can you front office guys just GROW A PAIR and make a draft pick already?! Sheesh, it's a first round selection, not the Ebola virus!
And, lastly, Tim Tebow, picked at 25th by the Denver Broncos. Now hear me loud and clear... I WANT TO SEE TIM TEBOW SUCCEED IN THE NFL. However, after listening to Tebow, ESPN's Jon Gruden, and Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels talk on ESPN last night, it’s clear Tebow was picked for the wrong reasons. He’s not going to be an NFL QB in Denver anytime soon, but he will be a gadget play QB. McDaniels took Tebow as an example of the kind of player he wants on his team, an obedient good-goody who will follow the coach’s commands.
And with all due respect to Josh McDaniels, he's the head coach of a professional football team, not the headmaster of an ultraconservative or military prep school!
Again, don’t get me wrong, I’d love to see the kid succeed, and he's hopefully the kind of player we won't see emulating Ben Roethlisberger, but I simply don’t think he can physically change enough to improve his throwing mechanics. A left-handed QB has a completely different shoulder anatomy than your classic right-hander, and Tim Tebow is simply too muscular in his upper body, and this interferes with the over-the-top motion we expect QBs to be able to throw with. If you get a chance, take a look at some NFL Films highlights of Steve Young and Ken Stabler, two of the best left-handed QBs the NFL has had in the last 40 years. Now take a look at old films of former Chicago Bear QB Bobby Douglas. He was the Michael Vick of 1972, rushing for over 900 yards, but Douglas couldn't throw for beans, and the Bears passing game was a joke.
Tim Tebow, unfortunately, will be closer to Douglas than Young or Stabler, and if he and the Broncos coaching staff can face reality and use wisdom, the consensus should be to move Tebow to H-back and play him in the same role the Jets play Brad Smith. I believe Tebow can have a long and productive career in a better-suited role.
2. Our Mets:
What can I say? Our team just took 3 of 4 at home against the Cubs, and we're actually seeing good starting pitching night after night. Now, let's warm up those bats! Remember, as our team song lyrics specifically state "And the Mets are really hitting that ball. Hitting those home runs over the wall..."
So... Let's go Mets! Get some big hits!
3. Alfonso Soriano:
Is it just me, or does this former Yankee sometime make Milton Bradley seem emotionally stable?
4. No hitters:
I know pitchers are supposed to be ahead of hitters in April, but this is ridiculous. Not counting Colorado's Ulbaldo Jimenez's no-no in Atlanta last Saturday night, have y'all been paying attention to the number of pitchers taking no-hitters into the 7th inning and beyond this month? Don't be shocked if we see one more no-no before May 1.
5. Pittsburgh Pirates:
First Pittsburgh sports fans have to be nauseated by Ben Roethlisberger, then the Pirates lay an all-time egg at home, losing yesterday to the Milwaukee Brewers 20-0. For the entire 3-game series, they were swept by a composite score of 36-1. This is so sad, I'm morally bound not to say anything pithy.
6. Jay Leno's Fat Jokes:
If you're not a fan of Jay Leno's "Tonight Show" monologues, please become one. Yes, I know it's not cool to pile on when we're confronted with a nation-wide obesity epidemic, but at least he's keeping the spotlight on a serious health issue that threatens our nation's young people. And as someone who lost a parent to Type II Diabetes almost 30 years ago, the following joke last night did make me laugh and also reminded me why we need to take proper nutrition and exercise more seriously:
"I tell ya, kids are so fat today, when asked what they want to be when they grow up, they now say 'I want to be a diabetic'!"
Hope your weekends are enjoyable and health-conscious.
1. The NFL Draft:
Once in a while, draft picks surprise you and others simply make no sense. First, congratulations to Sam Bradford being the top draft pick and future QB for the St. Louis Rams. My advice? When you negotiate your contract, make sure there are plenty of clauses to compensate you while you get beaten to a pulp behind your Swiss-cheese offensive line. BEG your head coach, Steve Spagnoulo, to get you as much pocket protection as possible, even offer to take a lower salary if the money can be used for upfront beef. Either that, or buy stock in cold compresses and BenGay. Oh, and until you get some O-line protection, your team must bear the new moniker "St. Louis Lamb Chops". Yum yum.
Second, congratulations to the Genius himself, Raiders owner Al Davis. Once again, you show how to go shopping without your list. What do you need another pass rusher for when your team has just as porous an offensive line as the Rams. But you're too crafty for us... obviously you know best how to build a football team for 1967, you former Lord of Flatbush, you (oy gevault...).
Third, to poor Jimmy Clausen... Don't worry, kid. You're gonna end up somewhere. And as soon as some team stops changing draft positions like Pluto's orbit, you'll be the first to know!
Next, to the Baltimore Ravens and Minnesota Vikings... can you front office guys just GROW A PAIR and make a draft pick already?! Sheesh, it's a first round selection, not the Ebola virus!
And, lastly, Tim Tebow, picked at 25th by the Denver Broncos. Now hear me loud and clear... I WANT TO SEE TIM TEBOW SUCCEED IN THE NFL. However, after listening to Tebow, ESPN's Jon Gruden, and Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels talk on ESPN last night, it’s clear Tebow was picked for the wrong reasons. He’s not going to be an NFL QB in Denver anytime soon, but he will be a gadget play QB. McDaniels took Tebow as an example of the kind of player he wants on his team, an obedient good-goody who will follow the coach’s commands.
And with all due respect to Josh McDaniels, he's the head coach of a professional football team, not the headmaster of an ultraconservative or military prep school!
Again, don’t get me wrong, I’d love to see the kid succeed, and he's hopefully the kind of player we won't see emulating Ben Roethlisberger, but I simply don’t think he can physically change enough to improve his throwing mechanics. A left-handed QB has a completely different shoulder anatomy than your classic right-hander, and Tim Tebow is simply too muscular in his upper body, and this interferes with the over-the-top motion we expect QBs to be able to throw with. If you get a chance, take a look at some NFL Films highlights of Steve Young and Ken Stabler, two of the best left-handed QBs the NFL has had in the last 40 years. Now take a look at old films of former Chicago Bear QB Bobby Douglas. He was the Michael Vick of 1972, rushing for over 900 yards, but Douglas couldn't throw for beans, and the Bears passing game was a joke.
Tim Tebow, unfortunately, will be closer to Douglas than Young or Stabler, and if he and the Broncos coaching staff can face reality and use wisdom, the consensus should be to move Tebow to H-back and play him in the same role the Jets play Brad Smith. I believe Tebow can have a long and productive career in a better-suited role.
2. Our Mets:
What can I say? Our team just took 3 of 4 at home against the Cubs, and we're actually seeing good starting pitching night after night. Now, let's warm up those bats! Remember, as our team song lyrics specifically state "And the Mets are really hitting that ball. Hitting those home runs over the wall..."
So... Let's go Mets! Get some big hits!
3. Alfonso Soriano:
Is it just me, or does this former Yankee sometime make Milton Bradley seem emotionally stable?
4. No hitters:
I know pitchers are supposed to be ahead of hitters in April, but this is ridiculous. Not counting Colorado's Ulbaldo Jimenez's no-no in Atlanta last Saturday night, have y'all been paying attention to the number of pitchers taking no-hitters into the 7th inning and beyond this month? Don't be shocked if we see one more no-no before May 1.
5. Pittsburgh Pirates:
First Pittsburgh sports fans have to be nauseated by Ben Roethlisberger, then the Pirates lay an all-time egg at home, losing yesterday to the Milwaukee Brewers 20-0. For the entire 3-game series, they were swept by a composite score of 36-1. This is so sad, I'm morally bound not to say anything pithy.
6. Jay Leno's Fat Jokes:
If you're not a fan of Jay Leno's "Tonight Show" monologues, please become one. Yes, I know it's not cool to pile on when we're confronted with a nation-wide obesity epidemic, but at least he's keeping the spotlight on a serious health issue that threatens our nation's young people. And as someone who lost a parent to Type II Diabetes almost 30 years ago, the following joke last night did make me laugh and also reminded me why we need to take proper nutrition and exercise more seriously:
"I tell ya, kids are so fat today, when asked what they want to be when they grow up, they now say 'I want to be a diabetic'!"
Hope your weekends are enjoyable and health-conscious.
Originally posted on www.ThatsSports.com -- April 26, 2010
Mets pitching, pitching mounds, and the J-E-T-S...
Happy Monday! It's cloudy and yucky outside here in the New York area, but there's a little warm cheer in the hearts of us Mets fans as our Amazin's completed a sweep of the Atlanta Braves and are riding a 4-game win streak, a 5-1 homestand, and are finally above .500. How are they doing it? Pitching, pitching, and more pitching, with a few timely hits and creative baserunning sprinkled in. How about Mike Pelfrey?! How many more scoreless innings can he keep stringing together? Even Ollie Perez is pitching like Dr. Jeckyl more than Mr. Hyde.
But in case we haven't noticed, the Mets pitching staff as a whole is just as bipolar as a Perez turn in the rotation. Did you know that Mets pitchers lead the majors in both strikeouts AND walks? Can anyone say Nolan Ryan of the 1970s? As impressed and pleased by this little hot streak as I am, I'm dipping into my inner Joe Benigno and momentarily dwelling on my half-empty glass. Shutting out teams night after night is wonderful, but how many more Houdini acts are left among the pitching staff? If I'm manager Jerry Manuel or pitching coach Dan Warthen, I'd start addressing this little quirk of wildness ASAP so our pitchers can be more efficient with their arms, pitch counts, and energy. If not, our pitching staff is going to burn out and break down by Father's Day. But maybe I'm just a little too paranoid after the past couple of seasons...
Okay, this whole A-Rod thing is stupid (like MOST A-Rod things), and I do somewhat fondly remember the days of payback pitches after a home run (my favorite is a brawl at a Mets game at Shea – I can’t specifically remember opponent -- in the late ‘70s after Mike Jorgensen got drilled after a Steve Henderson HR. John Stearns came flying out of the dugout and plowed right into the pitcher while Jorgensen was jawing with him halfway between home and the mound)... A-Rod should’ve known better. He lives in his own little solar system and thinks everything revolves around him and the stats on the back of his bubblegum card. If I was that Oakland pitcher, I would’ve drilled him in the ass as he walked back towards first. Hit him where his brains are. After all, rumor has it A-Rod's thinking mechanism is that anatomical hemisphere, right?
Lastly, I want to thank Rex Ryan and Mike Tannenbaum for "punking" us Jets fans during this weekend's NFL draft. Okay, this is all a joke, right? All we kept hearing about was defense, defense, defense, and after the first-round pick you guys wheel and deal and draft OFFENSIVE players? You CUT Alan Faneca while still having to pay him $5M, and you trade Leon Washington to Seattle? Now I know little makes sense and you guys are consulting a Magic Eight Ball or daily horoscopes before you make personnel decisions. All I hope is that you guys are right with these makeover moves. Speaking as a chemist, you're really juggling too many variables in your beaker, so keep the Bunsen Burner flame low to reduce risk of explosion!
Happy Monday! It's cloudy and yucky outside here in the New York area, but there's a little warm cheer in the hearts of us Mets fans as our Amazin's completed a sweep of the Atlanta Braves and are riding a 4-game win streak, a 5-1 homestand, and are finally above .500. How are they doing it? Pitching, pitching, and more pitching, with a few timely hits and creative baserunning sprinkled in. How about Mike Pelfrey?! How many more scoreless innings can he keep stringing together? Even Ollie Perez is pitching like Dr. Jeckyl more than Mr. Hyde.
But in case we haven't noticed, the Mets pitching staff as a whole is just as bipolar as a Perez turn in the rotation. Did you know that Mets pitchers lead the majors in both strikeouts AND walks? Can anyone say Nolan Ryan of the 1970s? As impressed and pleased by this little hot streak as I am, I'm dipping into my inner Joe Benigno and momentarily dwelling on my half-empty glass. Shutting out teams night after night is wonderful, but how many more Houdini acts are left among the pitching staff? If I'm manager Jerry Manuel or pitching coach Dan Warthen, I'd start addressing this little quirk of wildness ASAP so our pitchers can be more efficient with their arms, pitch counts, and energy. If not, our pitching staff is going to burn out and break down by Father's Day. But maybe I'm just a little too paranoid after the past couple of seasons...
Okay, this whole A-Rod thing is stupid (like MOST A-Rod things), and I do somewhat fondly remember the days of payback pitches after a home run (my favorite is a brawl at a Mets game at Shea – I can’t specifically remember opponent -- in the late ‘70s after Mike Jorgensen got drilled after a Steve Henderson HR. John Stearns came flying out of the dugout and plowed right into the pitcher while Jorgensen was jawing with him halfway between home and the mound)... A-Rod should’ve known better. He lives in his own little solar system and thinks everything revolves around him and the stats on the back of his bubblegum card. If I was that Oakland pitcher, I would’ve drilled him in the ass as he walked back towards first. Hit him where his brains are. After all, rumor has it A-Rod's thinking mechanism is that anatomical hemisphere, right?
Lastly, I want to thank Rex Ryan and Mike Tannenbaum for "punking" us Jets fans during this weekend's NFL draft. Okay, this is all a joke, right? All we kept hearing about was defense, defense, defense, and after the first-round pick you guys wheel and deal and draft OFFENSIVE players? You CUT Alan Faneca while still having to pay him $5M, and you trade Leon Washington to Seattle? Now I know little makes sense and you guys are consulting a Magic Eight Ball or daily horoscopes before you make personnel decisions. All I hope is that you guys are right with these makeover moves. Speaking as a chemist, you're really juggling too many variables in your beaker, so keep the Bunsen Burner flame low to reduce risk of explosion!
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