I want to be the first on this blog to congratulate our resident sports enthusiastic and rage-a-holic on his wonderful wedding. Hopefully MJ will be getting some much needed R&R on his honeymoon and come back fully charged with his plethora of sports knowledge and sports rage.
Congrats Bro!
Showing posts with label MJ. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MJ. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 06, 2011
Wednesday, June 01, 2011
Mike Brown, Clueless
Ignoring for a moment his reputation for being clueless as an offensive head coach, it’s new Lakers head coach Mike Brown’s staggering lack of understanding of PR that makes me believe he’s destined to fail in Los Angeles.
See the excerpt below, with italics for emphasis:
“We’re not going to run the triangle offense, but we will have bits and pieces of it that will be incorporated,” said Brown, adding that his offense will be tailored to 7-footers Bynum and Gasol, similar to what was run for big men Tim Duncan and David Robinson during his time as an assistant in San Antonio.
Brown was on the Spurs’ staff when they won the 2003 NBA title.
Brown ticked off his top three essentials on both offense and defense.
“If they don’t buy in right away, they will,” he said. “If they don’t, there’s going to be a problem because I’m going to hold people accountable.”
Really, Mike? You’re going to publically announce that you’ll run the offense through a duo that includes the oft-injured Bynum and the unmotivated Gasol? When you have one of the ten best players in NBA history on your roster? When that player – Kobe Bryant – is the key to whether you keep your job or not?
I get not kowtowing to a prickly, aging superstar and I get that you want to come in with the respect of your players – hence the line about accountability and everyone buying in – but you catch many more flies with honey than with vinegar and if there’s one thing we know about NBA superstars it’s that they don’t respond well to veiled threats, especially not from guys with no credibility in the league. Phil Jackson could be a smug bastard and take shots at his players through the media because he had 11 rings. Mike Brown is a nobody in basketball by comparison.
Mike, baby, learn your place. You were hired to be the coach but if you don’t know that Kobe calls the shots, you’re hopeless.
See the excerpt below, with italics for emphasis:
“We’re not going to run the triangle offense, but we will have bits and pieces of it that will be incorporated,” said Brown, adding that his offense will be tailored to 7-footers Bynum and Gasol, similar to what was run for big men Tim Duncan and David Robinson during his time as an assistant in San Antonio.
Brown was on the Spurs’ staff when they won the 2003 NBA title.
Brown ticked off his top three essentials on both offense and defense.
“If they don’t buy in right away, they will,” he said. “If they don’t, there’s going to be a problem because I’m going to hold people accountable.”
Really, Mike? You’re going to publically announce that you’ll run the offense through a duo that includes the oft-injured Bynum and the unmotivated Gasol? When you have one of the ten best players in NBA history on your roster? When that player – Kobe Bryant – is the key to whether you keep your job or not?
I get not kowtowing to a prickly, aging superstar and I get that you want to come in with the respect of your players – hence the line about accountability and everyone buying in – but you catch many more flies with honey than with vinegar and if there’s one thing we know about NBA superstars it’s that they don’t respond well to veiled threats, especially not from guys with no credibility in the league. Phil Jackson could be a smug bastard and take shots at his players through the media because he had 11 rings. Mike Brown is a nobody in basketball by comparison.
Mike, baby, learn your place. You were hired to be the coach but if you don’t know that Kobe calls the shots, you’re hopeless.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Eat $h*t And Die, Reilly
Not that I am particularly enamored of Carmelo Anthony the person or Carmelo Anthony the basketball player and not that I think his acquisition by the Knicks will make them a decidedly better basketball team...
...but I hate these sorts of whiny, populist, anti-free market bullshit articles.
Free agency is here. It's been here for several decades now. If you can't accept that people have a right to choose where they want to earn a paycheck then you should probably not follow sports or move to Thailand where slavery and indentured servitude is apparently still accepted.
We don't have to like the way professional athletes behave and we don't have to condone the methods they use to extricate themselves from situations they don't want to be in but, frankly, anyone that has ever left one job for another has performed some version of the same wiggly dance that Carmelo Anthony just performed.
My message to Rick Reilly is simple: you're a millionaire and you quit Sports Illustrated to work for ESPN. You're a motherfucking phony. Perhaps Sports Illustrated should've put a "franchise tag" on you? The reality is, however, that no one at SI misses you because you sucked.
...but I hate these sorts of whiny, populist, anti-free market bullshit articles.
Free agency is here. It's been here for several decades now. If you can't accept that people have a right to choose where they want to earn a paycheck then you should probably not follow sports or move to Thailand where slavery and indentured servitude is apparently still accepted.
We don't have to like the way professional athletes behave and we don't have to condone the methods they use to extricate themselves from situations they don't want to be in but, frankly, anyone that has ever left one job for another has performed some version of the same wiggly dance that Carmelo Anthony just performed.
My message to Rick Reilly is simple: you're a millionaire and you quit Sports Illustrated to work for ESPN. You're a motherfucking phony. Perhaps Sports Illustrated should've put a "franchise tag" on you? The reality is, however, that no one at SI misses you because you sucked.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
I Couldn't Agree More
Normally I'd never agree with anything that comes out of the mouth of a member of the White Sox but, in this instance, LHP Mark Buehrle speaks for me.
Mark, I couldn't have said it any better myself.
Mark, I couldn't have said it any better myself.
Wednesday, January 05, 2011
Congrats To Bert Blyleven
The suffering and the waiting are over! Bert Blyleven has finally made it into Cooperstown, thanks in large part to a greater awareness of sabermetrics and the internet movement to push for his enshrinement.
In honor of this happy news, I'd like to share a fantastic photo of the newest Hall of Fame righty.
All I can say is: so do I, Bert. So do I.
In honor of this happy news, I'd like to share a fantastic photo of the newest Hall of Fame righty.
All I can say is: so do I, Bert. So do I.
Monday, January 03, 2011
Stability I Can Believe In
Despite beating the Washington Redskins 17-14 and earning their 10th win of the season, the Giants still missed the playoffs after Green Bay defeated Chicago to clinch the final Wild Card berth. And as much as missing the playoffs was a self-inflicted wound for the Giants – after all, those losses to the Eagles and Packers in Weeks 15 and 16 were practically unforgivable – the Giants did what they almost always do: they decided to stay the course. Team owner John Mara’s comments:
“I’m proud of how the players battled through the injuries,” said Mara. “I think that is a testament to the coach. In this society, everybody wants to fire the coach all the time. The Yankees get knocked off in the playoffs, everybody wants to fire the manager.
“Well, we don’t do that here. He’s going to be our coach. Because I believe in the guy, I believe in stability, you can’t build anything if you are constantly making changes and firing people. That is not our culture and it is just not what we believe in. We know this guy is a good coach and we want him to lead us into next season.”
There are a lot of things wrong with the Giants. Their secondary has been a weak spot for nearly 20 consecutive seasons. They haven’t drafted an impact linebacker since unearthing Jessie Armstead in the 8th round of the 1993 draft. The offensive line has shown considerable age and attrition since reaching their high-water mark midway through the 2008 season. And, most notably, their quarterback is owed $97.5M over the next six years despite being overrated, turnover-prone and perennially disappointing. Yet, despite it all, the Giants get one thing right: they generally make smart coaching hires and they stick with coaches that do a good job.
I’m not the passionate Giants fan I was when I was a little boy but I truly appreciate that my team has smart and thoughtful owners. When I look around the NFL, very few organizations are as stable as the Giants. I can be proud of that.
“I’m proud of how the players battled through the injuries,” said Mara. “I think that is a testament to the coach. In this society, everybody wants to fire the coach all the time. The Yankees get knocked off in the playoffs, everybody wants to fire the manager.
“Well, we don’t do that here. He’s going to be our coach. Because I believe in the guy, I believe in stability, you can’t build anything if you are constantly making changes and firing people. That is not our culture and it is just not what we believe in. We know this guy is a good coach and we want him to lead us into next season.”
There are a lot of things wrong with the Giants. Their secondary has been a weak spot for nearly 20 consecutive seasons. They haven’t drafted an impact linebacker since unearthing Jessie Armstead in the 8th round of the 1993 draft. The offensive line has shown considerable age and attrition since reaching their high-water mark midway through the 2008 season. And, most notably, their quarterback is owed $97.5M over the next six years despite being overrated, turnover-prone and perennially disappointing. Yet, despite it all, the Giants get one thing right: they generally make smart coaching hires and they stick with coaches that do a good job.
I’m not the passionate Giants fan I was when I was a little boy but I truly appreciate that my team has smart and thoughtful owners. When I look around the NFL, very few organizations are as stable as the Giants. I can be proud of that.
Wednesday, November 03, 2010
KG Sucks
Is there anyone left on earth -- besides those who live in Boston -- that likes KG? I should hope that anyone reading this story realizes what kind of a disgusting person KG is.
It's hard to believe that just a few years ago, KG was one of the most popular and fan-friendly players in the league. It must be something about living in Massachusetts...
It's hard to believe that just a few years ago, KG was one of the most popular and fan-friendly players in the league. It must be something about living in Massachusetts...
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Drama Queen
Let me state for the record that I think Pittsburgh Steelers LB James Harrison is one of the best players at his position and, perhaps, one of the best players in the entire NFL.
Let me also state for the record that I don't encourage the kinds of violent hits being discussed by the NFL this week, especially in light of all the mounting scientific evidence coming out these days about concussions and their effects on premature dementia and early-age Alzheimer's.
I understand why NFL defensive players might be wary of any rules changes that will impact the way they play the game and, more importantly, the way the league issues disciplinary action. NFL defensive players' reservations are warranted.
What isn't warranted, however, is the melodramatic posturing that James Harrison put on display yesterday with his retirement talk. Please, cut the crap. You're not retiring. You never truly considered retiring. Don't make like Brett Favre and have us beg you to grace us with your presence.
Let me also state for the record that I don't encourage the kinds of violent hits being discussed by the NFL this week, especially in light of all the mounting scientific evidence coming out these days about concussions and their effects on premature dementia and early-age Alzheimer's.
I understand why NFL defensive players might be wary of any rules changes that will impact the way they play the game and, more importantly, the way the league issues disciplinary action. NFL defensive players' reservations are warranted.
What isn't warranted, however, is the melodramatic posturing that James Harrison put on display yesterday with his retirement talk. Please, cut the crap. You're not retiring. You never truly considered retiring. Don't make like Brett Favre and have us beg you to grace us with your presence.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Finally!
It is incredibly gratifying to me to finally – FINALLY! – see someone perform some sacred cow-tipping and tell it like it is about Eli Manning. Sure, the source is a below-average backup defensive back and sure his one season in New York last year was a complete disaster. But that doesn’t change the verifiable accuracy of what he’s saying.
“You never know what you’re going to get with that guy. You never know if he’s going to come in and make bad decisions; you don’t know if he’s just going to have one of them Peyton Manning games where he lights you up.”
CC Brown has a point. After all, through five games, Manning leads all players (not just QB’s) in turnovers, with an NFL-worst 12 (8 INT/4 FUM). For his career (94 games), Manning has 122 turnovers (96 INT/26 FUM). This is Manning’s seventh season and his sixth as a starter. It is painfully obvious at this point that Manning is not good at protecting the football. How is this even a disputable point?
Manning is a mediocre NFL QB. He’s the very definition of “average” and the personification of mediocrity. His last name affords him the kind of protection from criticism that is otherwise heaped upon turnover-prone QB’s with accuracy and decision-making issues. Although I don’t expect too many more people to stand up and tell the truth, it is somewhat encouraging that at least one person in the NFL can tell us what far too many people refuse to accept. Eli Manning just isn’t that good.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
I Love You Peyton But You're Wrong
There’s nothing wrong with a little brotherly love and, if nothing else, it’s heartening to see how much Archie and Olivia Manning’s sons genuinely care about and support eachother. I’m an only child so I can’t imagine how great it must to know that someone other than your parents always has your back.
But there’s a fine line between public support and outright bullshitting and I think this quote from Peyton about younger brother Eli falls into the latter category:
“I think Eli is at the top,” said the Colts quarterback. “I’ve never said that I know it better than anybody else, and sometimes people assume things or give me credit for things that may not necessarily be true. Eli is an experienced NFL quarterback that plays probably in the toughest division in football. He sees tremendously complicated defenses every single week, but always twice a year from Philadelphia, the Redskins and the Cowboys. He’s seen three different [defensive] coordinators on his team the past three years, which every day in practice, he is seeing different looks. He hasn’t missed a start. It’d be hard to find a guy who knows more about defense and is experienced like Eli.”
Does Eli play in a tough division? Sure. Do the Eagles, Redskins and Cowboys usually have good defenses from year to year? I’d say so. Has he had to go against three different defensive coordinators in practice? It’s four, actually (Tim Lewis, Steve Spagnuolo, Bill Sheridan and, now, Perry Fewell), but the general point is made. Does Eli make his starts? Yes, he does. Only Brett Favre (286) and big brother Peyton (193) have made more consecutive starts at the QB position than Eli (88) since the youngest Manning joined the league in 2004.
But does all of this amount to anything? For all of Eli Manning’s supposed toughness, experience and exposure to seemingly trying conditions, what does it all add up to? Statistically, he’s still a below-average QB, with a career 57.1% completion percentage, a meager 1.4/1 TD-to-INT ratio and an abysmal QB Rating of 79.3.
So, while it’s nice to hear Peyton lavish his little brother with praise, I’m afraid I’ll simply have to call bullshit on the final implication of all this lovely prose from Peyton. Eli isn’t a good QB, no matter how much Peyton says he is.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Sometimes A Rose Is Just A Rose...
...and sometimes an emotional rant in the face of bad news is just that and nothing more.
No one should minimize the contributions that Rev. Jesse Jackson has made in speaking up for the victims of tyranny, injustice and racial intolerance. But, when it comes to sports, I’ve found that Jesse Jackson should pick his spots more carefully.
I don’t know where Jackson read veiled racism in Gilbert’s comments but he was way, way off base in my opinion. And, really, should he be casting stones when he’s made his own overtly offensive blunders?
Rev. Jackson: you’re a good man. But STFU once in a while...
No one should minimize the contributions that Rev. Jesse Jackson has made in speaking up for the victims of tyranny, injustice and racial intolerance. But, when it comes to sports, I’ve found that Jesse Jackson should pick his spots more carefully.
I don’t know where Jackson read veiled racism in Gilbert’s comments but he was way, way off base in my opinion. And, really, should he be casting stones when he’s made his own overtly offensive blunders?
Rev. Jackson: you’re a good man. But STFU once in a while...
Baseball's Strange Bedfellows
In case anyone needed further evidence of the strange and sordid business that goes into joining the MLB ownership fraternity, this report intimates that Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, along with two partners, is interested in entering the bidding for the bankrupt Texas Rangers franchise.
The sordid part of the affair is that, in an effort to kill off any competing bids, Hall of Famer and current Texas Rangers team president Nolan Ryan is suing the team he works for to ward off any competition. The weirdest thing in all of this is that Nolan Ryan is actually the front man for the ownership group trying to buy the Rangers out of bankruptcy which, essentially, means that Ryan is suing himself.
Tom Hicks, the Rangers former owner, has a substantial group of unsecured creditors who have a vested interest in seeing the team sold to the highest bidder. Among this group of unsecured creditors is former Rangers SS Alex Rodriguez who has a $24.8M claim against the Rangers (the total unsecured claim against the Rangers is $46,331,199.40 held by 30 creditors).
If Mark Cuban – or any other potential owner, for that matter – can buy the Rangers out of bankruptcy for more than what Ryan’s group is willing to pay, the bankruptcy court owes it to these creditors to take the best offer possible. However, as we saw with the sale of the Chicago Cubs last year, cronyism and inside dealings led the Cubs to the Ricketts family for $900M, instead of the reported $1.2B-$1.3B that Mark Cuban was willing to spend.
I don’t expect Mark Cuban or any other rival ownership group to squeeze Nolan Ryan out of eventually owning the Rangers. But it should definitely give one pause about dealing with Bud Selig when he’s willing to seize the club by using his broad powers in order to freeze out the results of a bankruptcy court ruling.
The sordid part of the affair is that, in an effort to kill off any competing bids, Hall of Famer and current Texas Rangers team president Nolan Ryan is suing the team he works for to ward off any competition. The weirdest thing in all of this is that Nolan Ryan is actually the front man for the ownership group trying to buy the Rangers out of bankruptcy which, essentially, means that Ryan is suing himself.
Tom Hicks, the Rangers former owner, has a substantial group of unsecured creditors who have a vested interest in seeing the team sold to the highest bidder. Among this group of unsecured creditors is former Rangers SS Alex Rodriguez who has a $24.8M claim against the Rangers (the total unsecured claim against the Rangers is $46,331,199.40 held by 30 creditors).
If Mark Cuban – or any other potential owner, for that matter – can buy the Rangers out of bankruptcy for more than what Ryan’s group is willing to pay, the bankruptcy court owes it to these creditors to take the best offer possible. However, as we saw with the sale of the Chicago Cubs last year, cronyism and inside dealings led the Cubs to the Ricketts family for $900M, instead of the reported $1.2B-$1.3B that Mark Cuban was willing to spend.
I don’t expect Mark Cuban or any other rival ownership group to squeeze Nolan Ryan out of eventually owning the Rangers. But it should definitely give one pause about dealing with Bud Selig when he’s willing to seize the club by using his broad powers in order to freeze out the results of a bankruptcy court ruling.
Thursday, July 08, 2010
Goodbye Lebron?
Although we don’t know what the final decision will be, all signs do point to Lebron’s departure from Cleveland. Considering all the stories about Lebron, the boy from Akron that loves his neighbors and his hometown, I find it shocking that people -- fans and reporters alike -- could've been so wrong about Lebron. All we ever heard about him was that he was the anti-Kobe: he was a great teammate and friend and a down-to-earth guy (or as down-to-earth as one can be when they've been called “The Chosen One” since age 15).
Turns out we were all wrong about Lebron. While there’s nothing inherenty wrong with his decision to leave -- loyalty in sports is a projection of our own expecations and shattered hopes -- it does reflect poorly on him in the manner in which his likely departure is being handled. Most athletes tell you it’s not about the money when they leave. In this case, Lebron is clearly saying that it IS about the money, namely that Cleveland's money isn't good enough for him anymore.
Although in the long run I don’t think this will do as much damage to James’s image as everyone might think, the one thing that cannot be denied is that the irrevocable trust between James and his fans has been broken and that, once again, the cynics were right and the idealists were wrong. James was never different or special, after all.
(This is a reprint of a comment I left on Laz’s thread directly below. I am making it a full column because, frankly, I wanted to have my thoughts on Lebron and free agency saved for posterity).
Turns out we were all wrong about Lebron. While there’s nothing inherenty wrong with his decision to leave -- loyalty in sports is a projection of our own expecations and shattered hopes -- it does reflect poorly on him in the manner in which his likely departure is being handled. Most athletes tell you it’s not about the money when they leave. In this case, Lebron is clearly saying that it IS about the money, namely that Cleveland's money isn't good enough for him anymore.
Although in the long run I don’t think this will do as much damage to James’s image as everyone might think, the one thing that cannot be denied is that the irrevocable trust between James and his fans has been broken and that, once again, the cynics were right and the idealists were wrong. James was never different or special, after all.
(This is a reprint of a comment I left on Laz’s thread directly below. I am making it a full column because, frankly, I wanted to have my thoughts on Lebron and free agency saved for posterity).
Friday, July 02, 2010
The BSD American League All-Star Roster
As this blog’s resident American League columnist, I hereby present to you the unofficial Official Back Seat Drivers American League All-Star Roster! Hitman did a bang-up job on the NL All-Star Roster, which can be found here.
Following Hitman’s lead, I have selected 34 players to fill the 34 roster slots. Per All-Star Game rules, there is at least one player representative from each AL team. The selections have been made without regard to current injuries or fan balloting; i.e. this is my set of picks for the entire roster, as if I got to choose the entire 34-man team.
Catcher:
Starter: Victor Martinez, Red Sox. It’s been a down year for catchers in baseball and the AL has not been spared in this regard. V-Mart is hitting .289/.344/.480 with 9 HR and 38 RBI which ranks him first or second in each category among his positional peers.
Reserve: Joe Mauer, Twins. It’s not anything like the MVP season he put up in 2009 but Mauer is still the game’s best all-around catcher and has earned an All-Star appearance with a .300 average and .806 OPS.
Just Missed: None.
First Base:
Starter: Miguel Cabrera, Tigers. The AL leader in HR and RBI sports a .337 AVG and is having his finest season in a superb career. Whatever his late-season issues were last year, they’re clearly behind him now. This is good for the Tigers and good for the AL.
Reserve: Justin Morneau, Twins; Kevin Youkilis, Red Sox; Paul Konerko, White Sox. In truth, there’s just not that much separating these reserves from the starter. Each of these guys is among the league leaders in HR, RBI, AVG.
Just Missed: None.
Second Base:
Starter: Robinson Cano, Yankees. This one wasn’t even close. Given the increased value of offensive production by a middle infielder (over a corner infielder or an outfielder), Cano has been hands-down, the AL MVP and arguably the game’s best player in 2010. With a .353/.404/.588 batting line to go with his position-leading 16 HR, 54 RBI, 57 R and sterling defense, Cano is in the middle of what might end up being one of the best seasons ever by a second baseman.
Reserve: Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox; Ty Wigginton, Orioles. Pedroia started off hot, cooled off in May and then came roaring back to life towards the end of June and is now back to his usual all-around dependability (.292/.370/.502). Wigginton ranks second among 2B with 14 HR and represents the Orioles’ lone All-Star representative.
Just Missed: None.
Third Base:
Starter: Evan Longoria, Rays. One of the game’s best young players, “E-Lo” is tied for the AL 3B lead with 12 HR, ranks second in RBI and third in AVG, all while playing a stellar defensive third base.
Reserve: Adrian Beltre, Red Sox; Michael Young, Rangers. If Beltre is miffed at not getting the starting job at the hot corner he can take solace in the fact that he has the 2010 AL Comeback Player of the Year Award safely in hand. He ranks in the league leaders with a .349 AVG, 12 HR, 53 RBI and is unquestionably the game’s pre-eminent defensive third baseman. For Young it’s just another routine .300 season with double-digit homers. It must get boring being as consistently productive as Michael Young is!
Just Missed: Alex Rodriguez, Yankees.
Shortstop:
Starter: Derek Jeter, Yankees. Jeter gets the nod in an extremely weak field this year. The Yankee Captain had an MVP-type season in 2009 but has shown signs of aging thus far in 2010. Despite that, Jeter still ranks second in HR, RBI and R and third in AVG.
Reserve: Alex Gonzalez, Blue Jays; Elvis Andrus, Rangers. Gonzalez leads all AL shortstops with 14 HR and 40 RBI and Andrus, despite being the only regular AL SS with zero homers, has doubled up the field in the stolen base department, leading the position with 22 steals.
Just Missed: None.
Outfield:
Starters: Josh Hamilton, Rangers; Vernon Wells; Blue Jays; Alex Rios, White Sox. Holy Reclamation Project outfield, Batman! Hamilton’s story is well known at this point so it’s not worth rehashing. What perhaps is not known is that he’s leading AL outfielders with a .340/.385/.607 batting line, along with 18 HR and 58 RBI. He’s been the game’s hottest hitter over the past 30 days and is probably the sole reason why the Rangers have a hold on first place in the AL West. Wells (.280/.331/.557, 19 HR) and Rios (.307 AVG, 13 HR, 21 SB) were both put on outright waivers by the Blue Jays last year. One year later, they’re two-thirds of the AL’s starting outfield. Incredible.
Reserve: Ichiro Suzuki, Mariners; Torii Hunter, Angels; Shin-Soo Choo, Indians. You know it’s a pretty strong starting outfield when mainstays Torii Hunter and Ichiro Suzuki are relegated to reserve duty. Both are having strong seasons but missed out on the starting jobs because Hamilton, Wells and Rios were just doing that much better. Choo, arguably the game’s most underrated player, is Cleveland’s lone representative.
Just Missed: Nelson Cruz, Rangers; Magglio Ordonez, Tigers; Brett Gardner, Yankees; Nick Swisher, Yankees.
Starting Pitchers:
Starter: Jered Weaver, Angels. I’m sure there’s a degree of surprise with this selection, especially given some of the names listed among the reserves. The element of surprise notwithstanding, Weaver is leading all AL pitchers in strikeouts (124) and boasts a 2.82 ERA to go with his 8 wins. The Angels may only be in second place but Weaver is having a Cy Young season.
Reserves: Jon Lester, Red Sox; David Price, Rays; CC Sabathia, Yankees; Ricky Romero, Blue Jays; Francisco Liriano, Twins; Cliff Lee, Mariners; Felix Hernandez, Mariners; Trevor Cahill, A’s. The names listed here represent the majority of the AL leaders in W, ERA and K’s. Special mention goes to Francisco Liriano for coming all the way back from two years worth of surgeries and to Trevor Cahill for being the A’s sole representative.
Just Missed: John Danks, White Sox; Phil Hughes, New York Yankees; Andy Pettitte, Yankees; Jeff Niemann, Rays, Carl Pavano, Twins; Zack Greinke, Royals; Justin Verlander, Tigers; Clay Buchholz, Red Sox; Colby Lewis, Rangers.
Relief Pitchers:
Mariano Rivera, Yankees; Jose Valverde, Tigers; Neftali Feliz, Rangers; Joakim Soria, Royals. Rivera’s selection is self-explanatory as he is the single-greatest relief pitcher in baseball history in the midst of yet another incredible season (0.89 ERA). Amazingly, Rivera’s microscopic ERA does not lead the field of AL relievers, as Valverde’s 0.53 is even more impressive. Feliz, a rookie that came up as a setup man last year, leads the AL with 21 saves and Soria joins the squad both as a deserving candidate (20 saves) and as the Royals lone representative.
Just Missed: Andrew Bailey, A’s; Rafael Soriano, Rays; Jonathan Papelbon, Red Sox; Jon Rauch, Twins.
Following Hitman’s lead, I have selected 34 players to fill the 34 roster slots. Per All-Star Game rules, there is at least one player representative from each AL team. The selections have been made without regard to current injuries or fan balloting; i.e. this is my set of picks for the entire roster, as if I got to choose the entire 34-man team.
Catcher:
Starter: Victor Martinez, Red Sox. It’s been a down year for catchers in baseball and the AL has not been spared in this regard. V-Mart is hitting .289/.344/.480 with 9 HR and 38 RBI which ranks him first or second in each category among his positional peers.
Reserve: Joe Mauer, Twins. It’s not anything like the MVP season he put up in 2009 but Mauer is still the game’s best all-around catcher and has earned an All-Star appearance with a .300 average and .806 OPS.
Just Missed: None.
First Base:
Starter: Miguel Cabrera, Tigers. The AL leader in HR and RBI sports a .337 AVG and is having his finest season in a superb career. Whatever his late-season issues were last year, they’re clearly behind him now. This is good for the Tigers and good for the AL.
Reserve: Justin Morneau, Twins; Kevin Youkilis, Red Sox; Paul Konerko, White Sox. In truth, there’s just not that much separating these reserves from the starter. Each of these guys is among the league leaders in HR, RBI, AVG.
Just Missed: None.
Second Base:
Starter: Robinson Cano, Yankees. This one wasn’t even close. Given the increased value of offensive production by a middle infielder (over a corner infielder or an outfielder), Cano has been hands-down, the AL MVP and arguably the game’s best player in 2010. With a .353/.404/.588 batting line to go with his position-leading 16 HR, 54 RBI, 57 R and sterling defense, Cano is in the middle of what might end up being one of the best seasons ever by a second baseman.
Reserve: Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox; Ty Wigginton, Orioles. Pedroia started off hot, cooled off in May and then came roaring back to life towards the end of June and is now back to his usual all-around dependability (.292/.370/.502). Wigginton ranks second among 2B with 14 HR and represents the Orioles’ lone All-Star representative.
Just Missed: None.
Third Base:
Starter: Evan Longoria, Rays. One of the game’s best young players, “E-Lo” is tied for the AL 3B lead with 12 HR, ranks second in RBI and third in AVG, all while playing a stellar defensive third base.
Reserve: Adrian Beltre, Red Sox; Michael Young, Rangers. If Beltre is miffed at not getting the starting job at the hot corner he can take solace in the fact that he has the 2010 AL Comeback Player of the Year Award safely in hand. He ranks in the league leaders with a .349 AVG, 12 HR, 53 RBI and is unquestionably the game’s pre-eminent defensive third baseman. For Young it’s just another routine .300 season with double-digit homers. It must get boring being as consistently productive as Michael Young is!
Just Missed: Alex Rodriguez, Yankees.
Shortstop:
Starter: Derek Jeter, Yankees. Jeter gets the nod in an extremely weak field this year. The Yankee Captain had an MVP-type season in 2009 but has shown signs of aging thus far in 2010. Despite that, Jeter still ranks second in HR, RBI and R and third in AVG.
Reserve: Alex Gonzalez, Blue Jays; Elvis Andrus, Rangers. Gonzalez leads all AL shortstops with 14 HR and 40 RBI and Andrus, despite being the only regular AL SS with zero homers, has doubled up the field in the stolen base department, leading the position with 22 steals.
Just Missed: None.
Outfield:
Starters: Josh Hamilton, Rangers; Vernon Wells; Blue Jays; Alex Rios, White Sox. Holy Reclamation Project outfield, Batman! Hamilton’s story is well known at this point so it’s not worth rehashing. What perhaps is not known is that he’s leading AL outfielders with a .340/.385/.607 batting line, along with 18 HR and 58 RBI. He’s been the game’s hottest hitter over the past 30 days and is probably the sole reason why the Rangers have a hold on first place in the AL West. Wells (.280/.331/.557, 19 HR) and Rios (.307 AVG, 13 HR, 21 SB) were both put on outright waivers by the Blue Jays last year. One year later, they’re two-thirds of the AL’s starting outfield. Incredible.
Reserve: Ichiro Suzuki, Mariners; Torii Hunter, Angels; Shin-Soo Choo, Indians. You know it’s a pretty strong starting outfield when mainstays Torii Hunter and Ichiro Suzuki are relegated to reserve duty. Both are having strong seasons but missed out on the starting jobs because Hamilton, Wells and Rios were just doing that much better. Choo, arguably the game’s most underrated player, is Cleveland’s lone representative.
Just Missed: Nelson Cruz, Rangers; Magglio Ordonez, Tigers; Brett Gardner, Yankees; Nick Swisher, Yankees.
Starting Pitchers:
Starter: Jered Weaver, Angels. I’m sure there’s a degree of surprise with this selection, especially given some of the names listed among the reserves. The element of surprise notwithstanding, Weaver is leading all AL pitchers in strikeouts (124) and boasts a 2.82 ERA to go with his 8 wins. The Angels may only be in second place but Weaver is having a Cy Young season.
Reserves: Jon Lester, Red Sox; David Price, Rays; CC Sabathia, Yankees; Ricky Romero, Blue Jays; Francisco Liriano, Twins; Cliff Lee, Mariners; Felix Hernandez, Mariners; Trevor Cahill, A’s. The names listed here represent the majority of the AL leaders in W, ERA and K’s. Special mention goes to Francisco Liriano for coming all the way back from two years worth of surgeries and to Trevor Cahill for being the A’s sole representative.
Just Missed: John Danks, White Sox; Phil Hughes, New York Yankees; Andy Pettitte, Yankees; Jeff Niemann, Rays, Carl Pavano, Twins; Zack Greinke, Royals; Justin Verlander, Tigers; Clay Buchholz, Red Sox; Colby Lewis, Rangers.
Relief Pitchers:
Mariano Rivera, Yankees; Jose Valverde, Tigers; Neftali Feliz, Rangers; Joakim Soria, Royals. Rivera’s selection is self-explanatory as he is the single-greatest relief pitcher in baseball history in the midst of yet another incredible season (0.89 ERA). Amazingly, Rivera’s microscopic ERA does not lead the field of AL relievers, as Valverde’s 0.53 is even more impressive. Feliz, a rookie that came up as a setup man last year, leads the AL with 21 saves and Soria joins the squad both as a deserving candidate (20 saves) and as the Royals lone representative.
Just Missed: Andrew Bailey, A’s; Rafael Soriano, Rays; Jonathan Papelbon, Red Sox; Jon Rauch, Twins.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Knowledge Is The Key To Enlightenment (Or, Don’t Make Accusations Before You Are Armed With Facts)
There is racism in America. It exists in implicit and explicit forms and it is pervasive across all regions of the country as well as the broad socioeconomic spectrum. There has also been a great deal of progress in combating racism through both legal measures and attitudinal changes. Progress is being made, even if the goal of a color blind society has not yet been achieved.
But I so tire of hearing athletes talk of racism and then offer flimsy examples to support their claims. Most recently, this rubbish came from the mouth of Minnesota Twins second baseman Orlando Hudson. To support the theory that African-American baseball players are the victims of racism in Major League Baseball, Hudson cited the continued unemployment of Jermaine Dye and Gary Sheffield, now a full week into the 2010 season.
While it would be impossible to argue that baseball doesn’t have a racist past –– after all, April 15th commemorates the 63rd anniversary of the day when Jackie Robinson ended baseball’s 71-year segregated history –– it is simply no longer the case. Baseball is now a meritocracy where teams are most interested in paying enormous sums of money to the most qualified individuals in order to turn a sport into a profit-making endeavor. Why would financially-motivated owners deprive themselves of earning every last penny by hiring substandard talent that wouldn’t help teams win or draw paying customers to watch?
Gary Sheffield may be a unique case. Baseball has certainly blackballed its own outspoken members before and Sheffield is certainly outspoken (to put it mildly). But even in ostracism, baseball has been an equal-opportunity offender, as pitcher-turned-author Jim Bouton can attest.
Perhaps, then, Hudson should be asked to look at the players he uses as his case study. In case he hadn’t noticed, MLB general managers have become far more judicious in their allocation of resources and baseball has seen a trend of teams going younger, cheaper and more athletic whenever possible. In other words, the days of simply signing veteran hitters to multi-million dollar contracts are over. Furthermore, as defensive metrics become more and more commonly-accepted around baseball, teams are valuing a player’s defensive capabilities in the overall equation. There will always be 14 openings in the American League for designated hitters but, even there, teams are opting to either go with a primary DH for his slugging capabilities or using that spot in the lineup to cycle players in order to give everyone a day off from fielding duty.
So, then, let’s examine the most recent statistical data on Sheffield and Dye. Using traditional metrics (AVG/OBP/SLG), sabermetrics (OPS+/wOBA/WAR) and defensive metrics (UZR/150), I will attempt to illustrate why Hudson’s point is entirely without merit.
Gary Sheffield (2007-2009):
Traditional: .253/.358/.437
Saber: 108/.351/1.1
Defense: inconclusive*
Jermaine Dye (2007-2009):
Traditional: .267/.334/.496
Saber: 112/.354/0.33
Defense: -22.46
Since the decision to offer contracts to players ultimately come down to finances, one must look at how a player’s output directly correlates to wins. Thus, according to WAR, Sheffield was worth only one win above a replacement player over the previous three seasons, and was worth only half a win over a replacement player over 2008-2009. In other words, for the money it would cost to pay Sheffield (let’s assume he would accept no less than twice the MLB minimum salary of $400,000, or $800,000) a team would do just as well signing a player for the minimum salary and receiving exactly the minimum level of output.
For Dye, the situation is even direr. Over a three-year period, Dye was worth only one-third of a win and, in fact, was worth less than a win in 2007 and 2009. Despite his offensive output –– slightly better than league average, according to wOBA and OPS+ –– his defensive decline was so steep that it actually cut into his offensive value. As such, the Chicago White Sox would have actually been better off playing a replacement player over Dye given how Dye cut into the team’s win chances in those two seasons. It was reported that the Nationals, Cubs and Brewers were interested in signing Dye this offseason but that he balked at signing contracts worth less than $3M. Given this data, Dye should be lucky to even be offered the minimum salary, given how he brings absolutely nothing to the table.
Racism exists in all walks of life and it might even exist in baseball’s front offices. But on the playing field, I just don’t see it. It would behoove Orlando Hudson and other players who share his opinion to educate themselves on baseball statistics because these tools play a determining factor in how much they are entitled to earn.
*The three-year defensive data for Sheffield is inconclusive because Sheffield was a DH for 2007 and 2008 and thus did not log enough innings in the field for data to be reliable. For 2009, Sheffield played 502 defensive innings and registered -31.0, third-worst in baseball among all players that played at least 500 defensive innings in the outfield. Incidentally, Dye was eighth-worst among all outfielders that played at least 500 defensive innings in 2009 and fourth-worst among all outfielders that played at least 1100 defensive innings in 2007 and 2008.
But I so tire of hearing athletes talk of racism and then offer flimsy examples to support their claims. Most recently, this rubbish came from the mouth of Minnesota Twins second baseman Orlando Hudson. To support the theory that African-American baseball players are the victims of racism in Major League Baseball, Hudson cited the continued unemployment of Jermaine Dye and Gary Sheffield, now a full week into the 2010 season.
While it would be impossible to argue that baseball doesn’t have a racist past –– after all, April 15th commemorates the 63rd anniversary of the day when Jackie Robinson ended baseball’s 71-year segregated history –– it is simply no longer the case. Baseball is now a meritocracy where teams are most interested in paying enormous sums of money to the most qualified individuals in order to turn a sport into a profit-making endeavor. Why would financially-motivated owners deprive themselves of earning every last penny by hiring substandard talent that wouldn’t help teams win or draw paying customers to watch?
Gary Sheffield may be a unique case. Baseball has certainly blackballed its own outspoken members before and Sheffield is certainly outspoken (to put it mildly). But even in ostracism, baseball has been an equal-opportunity offender, as pitcher-turned-author Jim Bouton can attest.
Perhaps, then, Hudson should be asked to look at the players he uses as his case study. In case he hadn’t noticed, MLB general managers have become far more judicious in their allocation of resources and baseball has seen a trend of teams going younger, cheaper and more athletic whenever possible. In other words, the days of simply signing veteran hitters to multi-million dollar contracts are over. Furthermore, as defensive metrics become more and more commonly-accepted around baseball, teams are valuing a player’s defensive capabilities in the overall equation. There will always be 14 openings in the American League for designated hitters but, even there, teams are opting to either go with a primary DH for his slugging capabilities or using that spot in the lineup to cycle players in order to give everyone a day off from fielding duty.
So, then, let’s examine the most recent statistical data on Sheffield and Dye. Using traditional metrics (AVG/OBP/SLG), sabermetrics (OPS+/wOBA/WAR) and defensive metrics (UZR/150), I will attempt to illustrate why Hudson’s point is entirely without merit.
Gary Sheffield (2007-2009):
Traditional: .253/.358/.437
Saber: 108/.351/1.1
Defense: inconclusive*
Jermaine Dye (2007-2009):
Traditional: .267/.334/.496
Saber: 112/.354/0.33
Defense: -22.46
Since the decision to offer contracts to players ultimately come down to finances, one must look at how a player’s output directly correlates to wins. Thus, according to WAR, Sheffield was worth only one win above a replacement player over the previous three seasons, and was worth only half a win over a replacement player over 2008-2009. In other words, for the money it would cost to pay Sheffield (let’s assume he would accept no less than twice the MLB minimum salary of $400,000, or $800,000) a team would do just as well signing a player for the minimum salary and receiving exactly the minimum level of output.
For Dye, the situation is even direr. Over a three-year period, Dye was worth only one-third of a win and, in fact, was worth less than a win in 2007 and 2009. Despite his offensive output –– slightly better than league average, according to wOBA and OPS+ –– his defensive decline was so steep that it actually cut into his offensive value. As such, the Chicago White Sox would have actually been better off playing a replacement player over Dye given how Dye cut into the team’s win chances in those two seasons. It was reported that the Nationals, Cubs and Brewers were interested in signing Dye this offseason but that he balked at signing contracts worth less than $3M. Given this data, Dye should be lucky to even be offered the minimum salary, given how he brings absolutely nothing to the table.
Racism exists in all walks of life and it might even exist in baseball’s front offices. But on the playing field, I just don’t see it. It would behoove Orlando Hudson and other players who share his opinion to educate themselves on baseball statistics because these tools play a determining factor in how much they are entitled to earn.
*The three-year defensive data for Sheffield is inconclusive because Sheffield was a DH for 2007 and 2008 and thus did not log enough innings in the field for data to be reliable. For 2009, Sheffield played 502 defensive innings and registered -31.0, third-worst in baseball among all players that played at least 500 defensive innings in the outfield. Incidentally, Dye was eighth-worst among all outfielders that played at least 500 defensive innings in 2009 and fourth-worst among all outfielders that played at least 1100 defensive innings in 2007 and 2008.
Friday, February 19, 2010
A Knick Dilemma
As everyone surely knows, the Knicks were able to acquire Tracy McGrady’s expiring contract which now gives them between $32.2M and $34.2M, depending on if the salary cap is set at $50M or $52M (reports vary between the two sums). In other words, the Knicks will be able to afford two maximum player contracts which is code for James or Wade and a second premium player of their choosing.
But what if James or Wade resign with their respective teams or decide to move to a city not named New York? Peter Vecsey of the New York Post sums this up nicely:
“[I]magine if the Knicks can’t entice Wade as James’ partner, or by his lonesome, or can’t secure either of them? I know Chris Bosh perceives himself as a franchise player. Clearly, he’s vastly improved and is definitely the best player on the court many nights. But, with all due respect, he’s a textbook No. 2 All-Star for a championship challenger.
Same goes for Joe Johnson, Carlos Boozer, Amar’e Stoudemire and any other free agent-to-be you want to cite not named Dirk Nowitzki (who has committed publicly to remaining a Maverick) or Yao Ming (who's too fragile to think about investing yards of yen in him).
Once more with feeling: If the Knicks are unable to get James or Wade they might as well save the cap room for Kevin Durant in 2012 when he becomes unrestricted, because all the above false saviors aren't remotely worth Max Factor or Maxwell Smart.”
I couldn’t agree more with Vecsey (although I'm not convinced on Durant, but that’s besides the point). Bosh, Johnson, Stoudemire, Boozer or anyone else available this summer just won’t cut it. None of these players are franchise-changing players by themselves and, frankly, even when paired together, they don’t seem to be able to get you much past a first or second round playoff exit.
After years of dysfunction and incompetence, Knicks fans shouldn’t have to settle for second-level free agents or role players masquerading as Alpha Dogs. If they can’t get one of James or Wade, they should sit on the money and wait for the next crop of franchise-changers to come up for negotiation.
Eddy Curry’s $11.2M contract expires after next season. If the Knicks don’t spend their money frivolously on players this summer, they’ll be even further under the cap next summer. Without the benefit of draft picks, the Knicks will surely get worse in the short term. But I’d rather the Knicks get worse and rebuild the right way than chain themselves to the misguided notion that Bosh, Johnson, Stoudemire, Boozer or someone else will be good enough to make a difference.
But what if James or Wade resign with their respective teams or decide to move to a city not named New York? Peter Vecsey of the New York Post sums this up nicely:
“[I]magine if the Knicks can’t entice Wade as James’ partner, or by his lonesome, or can’t secure either of them? I know Chris Bosh perceives himself as a franchise player. Clearly, he’s vastly improved and is definitely the best player on the court many nights. But, with all due respect, he’s a textbook No. 2 All-Star for a championship challenger.
Same goes for Joe Johnson, Carlos Boozer, Amar’e Stoudemire and any other free agent-to-be you want to cite not named Dirk Nowitzki (who has committed publicly to remaining a Maverick) or Yao Ming (who's too fragile to think about investing yards of yen in him).
Once more with feeling: If the Knicks are unable to get James or Wade they might as well save the cap room for Kevin Durant in 2012 when he becomes unrestricted, because all the above false saviors aren't remotely worth Max Factor or Maxwell Smart.”
I couldn’t agree more with Vecsey (although I'm not convinced on Durant, but that’s besides the point). Bosh, Johnson, Stoudemire, Boozer or anyone else available this summer just won’t cut it. None of these players are franchise-changing players by themselves and, frankly, even when paired together, they don’t seem to be able to get you much past a first or second round playoff exit.
After years of dysfunction and incompetence, Knicks fans shouldn’t have to settle for second-level free agents or role players masquerading as Alpha Dogs. If they can’t get one of James or Wade, they should sit on the money and wait for the next crop of franchise-changers to come up for negotiation.
Eddy Curry’s $11.2M contract expires after next season. If the Knicks don’t spend their money frivolously on players this summer, they’ll be even further under the cap next summer. Without the benefit of draft picks, the Knicks will surely get worse in the short term. But I’d rather the Knicks get worse and rebuild the right way than chain themselves to the misguided notion that Bosh, Johnson, Stoudemire, Boozer or someone else will be good enough to make a difference.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Bengals Players Continue To Embarrass Themselves And Their Franchise
With the news that Bengals linebacker Rey Maualuga was arrested for drunken driving in the suburbs of Cincinnati, OH, two things stood out to me:
Firstly, how is it possible that members of the Bengals can continue to get in trouble with the law? I would’ve thought the team would have made it a priority to draft and sign players that would keep themselves away from the police blotter. Furthermore, after all of the alcohol, vehicular and/or handgun incidents to happen in the Bengals organization over the past five years, how can players continue this kind of behavior? Can they really be so stupid?
Secondly, and perhaps more perplexingly, when you sign a $4.66M contract with $2.84M in guaranteed money, why are you still driving a Pontiac? I’m all for living within your means and no one says you have to be ostentatious but a Pontiac? Really?
Firstly, how is it possible that members of the Bengals can continue to get in trouble with the law? I would’ve thought the team would have made it a priority to draft and sign players that would keep themselves away from the police blotter. Furthermore, after all of the alcohol, vehicular and/or handgun incidents to happen in the Bengals organization over the past five years, how can players continue this kind of behavior? Can they really be so stupid?
Secondly, and perhaps more perplexingly, when you sign a $4.66M contract with $2.84M in guaranteed money, why are you still driving a Pontiac? I’m all for living within your means and no one says you have to be ostentatious but a Pontiac? Really?
Friday, January 22, 2010
Open Question
Call me a sucker but I really love the LeBron/Kobe puppet commercials. I think they’re hilarious and probably the best example of NBA-related marketing since Mars Blackmon declared “It’s gotta be the shoes!”
My question, however, is if people perceive an actual rivalry among the two superstars. Unquestionably, they’re the two best players in the NBA, but are they really rivals? They’ve never played against one another in an NBA Finals or competed for a scoring title. One could argue that, maybe, they fight for the annual MVP trophy but Kobe and LeBron have only finished 1-2 in the voting once (last year) and it wasn’t even close enough to say that the vote was split along the rivalry’s fault lines.
A rivalry requires either a true, mutual hatred –– think Knicks/Bulls or Knicks/Heat –– or a competitive environment with an extremely big payoff, akin to Larry Bird’s rivalry with Magic Johnson. I don’t get the sense that Kobe and LeBron hate eachother and, as we already know, they’ve only played a handful of entertaining but ultimately meaningless regular season games since LeBron entered the NBA in 2003.
My sense is that the puppet commercial is great fun…but someone might want to tell that to ESPN since they seem to market the twice-annual Lakers-Cavs games in a disingenuous way.
Thoughts?
My question, however, is if people perceive an actual rivalry among the two superstars. Unquestionably, they’re the two best players in the NBA, but are they really rivals? They’ve never played against one another in an NBA Finals or competed for a scoring title. One could argue that, maybe, they fight for the annual MVP trophy but Kobe and LeBron have only finished 1-2 in the voting once (last year) and it wasn’t even close enough to say that the vote was split along the rivalry’s fault lines.
A rivalry requires either a true, mutual hatred –– think Knicks/Bulls or Knicks/Heat –– or a competitive environment with an extremely big payoff, akin to Larry Bird’s rivalry with Magic Johnson. I don’t get the sense that Kobe and LeBron hate eachother and, as we already know, they’ve only played a handful of entertaining but ultimately meaningless regular season games since LeBron entered the NBA in 2003.
My sense is that the puppet commercial is great fun…but someone might want to tell that to ESPN since they seem to market the twice-annual Lakers-Cavs games in a disingenuous way.
Thoughts?
Monday, November 23, 2009
MMBSD: It Ain’t Cool Bein’ No Jive Turkey So Close To Thanksgiving
(For those that don’t get the reference in my headline, watch this…)
In light of Mighty’s being sequestered in upstate New York, I’ve taken the initiative and shall attempt to fill in the role of Monday (Afternoon) Back Seat Driver...
NFL
Same Old Bungals. Just a week after beating the Steelers and looking like a legitimate contender for the AFC crown, the same old sorry Bungals lost to the lowly Oakland Raiders by giving up 10 unanswered points with less than two minutes left in the fourth quarter. I don’t care that they’ve beaten the Steelers and Ravens four times, you don’t let a Bruce Gradkowski-led team beat you.
J-E-T-S, Done-Done-Done! After starting out 3-0, including a big win over the Patriots in Week 2, the Jets have gone 1-6 and are now all but eliminated from AFC playoff contention. Pretty boy QB Mark Sanchez (17 INT in 11 games) and the toothless Jets defense have combined to sink yet another season for Gang Green. All of this wouldn’t be out of the ordinary but for the fact that rookie head coach Rex Ryan spent all summer talking trash and writing checks his fat, flabby ass couldn’t cash.
Hold The Bubbly, Miami ’72! As per their usual ritual, alums of the 1972 Dolphins squad that went 17-0 always pop champagne after the last team has gotten their first loss of the year. In looking at Indy’s and New Orleans’s schedules –– both 10-0 –– it looks like Miami ’72 could have a long(ish) wait on their hands. Indy’s remaining games are @HOU, vs. TEN, vs. DEN, @JAX, vs. NYJ and @BUF. The Saints have a much tougher road, having to play vs. NE, @WAS, @ATL, vs. DAL, vs. TB, @CAR. I figure New Orleans trips up somewhere between the Patriots and Cowboys whereas the Colts might lose to the Titans or Jaguars but that’s it.
College Football
The BCS rankings remained the same for the top seven teams and the only change of note was Oregon climbing from #11 to #8, while LSU tumbled from #8 down to #15, courtesy of Les Miles and the brain-fart to end all brain-farts.
One thing to point out in college football is that while the Pac-10 and Big-10 were playing tough in-conference games, the so-called top dogs of college football (Florida/Alabama) were playing cupcake non-conference games against Florida International and Chattanooga, respectively. Um...someone tell me why everyone thinks the SEC is a good conference? They've reached the overrated platform previously seen in the Big-12 from 2004-2007.
Oh, and just in case anyone missed it, Jim Tressel and his Buckeyes once again mopped the floor with Wolverine pelts, this time courtesy of Tate Forcier's five turnovers (1 fumble, 4 INT’s). Rich Rodriguez’s postgame news conference talked about being “humbled” in the first person. As Ozzie Guillen has shown us, there are few things less tolerable than when a coach or manager makes wins and losses about them. This Ohio State fan hopes that Rodriguez stays at UM for a long, long time; all the signs point to this guy being a narcissistic, self-destructive, temperamental loser.
NBA
Allen Iverson is unemployed and unemployable. I am thrilled.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Finally, A Slow Awakening?
A cursory search of this site with the string “BBWAA” will yield several pieces where I lambaste the Baseball Writers Association of America for all the stupid, antiquated and borderline criminal work they do in the field of baseball writing. Their record is legendary in this regard.
But since one should always offer praise when it is well-deserved – even to a fool – I will let Dave Cameron of FanGraphs do my praising for me.
Congrats to the BBWAA for getting both Cy Young picks right. Perhaps it means the dawning of a new age or perhaps it was just dumb luck. Either way, I’m happy that Greinke and Lincecum got the hardware they so richly deserved.
But since one should always offer praise when it is well-deserved – even to a fool – I will let Dave Cameron of FanGraphs do my praising for me.
Congrats to the BBWAA for getting both Cy Young picks right. Perhaps it means the dawning of a new age or perhaps it was just dumb luck. Either way, I’m happy that Greinke and Lincecum got the hardware they so richly deserved.
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