More Quick Hits

1. As Ron Burgundy would say, “I’m in a real pickle here.” For those that don’t know, I’m the American-born only child of two Greek immigrants. So, with Team USA beating the Germans, the United States will face Greece in the semifinals of the 2006 FIBA World Championship. What am I going to do? Who will I root for? In order to figure this out, I’ll have to use the old reliable method of listing out the pros and cons of each outcome:

Team USA Wins:

-Team USA is one step closer to once again being thought of as the best basketball playing nation in the world (pro);
-Team USA is one step closer to spitting in the eye of the pessimists and haters who did not predict their success (pro);
-Larry Brown looks like a giant loser for failing with a similar roster at the 2004 Olympics (pro); and
-I am no longer welcome at family get-togethers (con)

Greece Wins:

-A small nation of 11 million people (74th most populous nation in the world) beating a world superpower (pro);
-Greece can continue to claim itself as the best basketball-playing nation in Europe (pro);
-I can celebrate a Greek victory with a lunch of souvlaki (pro);

As much as I’d love any opportunity for Larry Brown to look like a bigger loser, I value my family and souvlaki much more. Team USA can win the 2008 Olympics but the Greek national team might not have this kind of opportunity again. Despite winning the 2005 Eurobasket Championship, Greece is still not known as a world basketball powerhouse. Beating the US would go a long way to giving my ancestral home some much-needed national pride. I’m going with my heritage and pulling for Greece.*

2. In his penultimate Daily Quickie column, my favorite whipping boy announced that his vote for AL MVP is Frank Thomas. Frank Thomas is not in the top 50 in win shares by major league players. He is only 5th in win shares among designated hitters. He is not in the top 50 in runs created by major league players. He is 11th and 14th in the AL in homers and OPS, respectively. He is a full-time DH on a team with the lowest batting average in the major leagues. I’m sorry, Frank Thomas is not the AL MVP. He’s not even in the conversation. He could, and probably should, win the AL Comeback Player of the Year Award but that’s it.

Now I know why Shanoff is quitting – ESPN fired him for making a mockery of sports journalism.

3. I’m not a big believer in the whole concept of team chemistry. I think when a team stinks and loses most of its games, the chemistry is bad because losing is toxic. By contrast, when a team wins a lot of games, chemistry is good because everyone enjoys winning. That’s why I think the whole Red Sox “Cowboy Up/Idiots” thing from 2003-2004 was a joke. The Red Sox didn’t win because the entire team grew silly facial hair, didn’t shower, and drank a lot of whiskey before games; they won because they had Pedro Martinez, Curt Schilling, and Keith Foulke on the mound and Damon, Papi, and Manny wreaking havoc at the plate.

That being said, the whole team chemistry thing is something that fans can get behind. Reading this as a Yankee fan makes me realize that I’ve enjoyed the 2006 Yankees more than any Yankee team since 2001. Win or lose, World Series be damned. This is a fun bunch to root for and it’s made being a baseball fan a lot more fun.

*If Team USA beats Greece, obviously I’m rooting for the Americans to beat the winner of the Spain/Argentina match-up.