"I'm going to vomit and I don't have a dog in the fight!" Stuart Scott's reaction to tonight in baseball.
At the beginning of September, the Braves had a 8.5 game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals. At the beginning of September, the Red Sox had a 9 game lead over the Tampa Bay Rays. Going into tonight every lead was gone. Each league came into the final game of the season with a tie for the wild card.
There were four games that would determine the post season. The Braves were playing the Phillies, the best team in the NL, in Atlanta. St. Louis was playing the worst team in the NL, Houston, in Houston. The Cardinals were the first team to finish their game, handling the Astros 8-0 and being the only game that wasn't determined in the 9th inning or later. The Cardinals got to sit back and watch the Braves game to see if they'd have a one game playoff or if they'd take the wild card outright.
The Braves fought against the Phillies, taking a tie into extra innings. Bloop hits and aggressive running powered Philadelphia past the Braves in the 13th inning. The Braves still had a chance. They were the home team, they could respond with one run and take it to the 14th. Chipper Jones struck out swinging at a low LOOOOOW ball. After Uggla walked, Freeman comes to the plate. The tying run is on first; the go-ahead is at bat. Freeman hits a hard grounder to first base. Instead of stepping on first, Ryan Howard throws to Jimmy Rollins, who steps on second then throws the ball back to Howard. Game ending double play. 8.5 game lead. Gone. Playoff hopes. Dashed. Cardinals, all but out on September first, wild card team.
Things are even more insane in the American League. Again, Boston comes in with a 9 game lead over Tampa Bay. After going 8-19 through September, Boston drops to a tie with the Rays. Boston is playing lowly Baltimore in Baltimore. For those of you who have never been to an AL East ball game on the east coast, late season games against Boston and New York in Baltimore are essentially home games for Boston and New York. Baltimore is close enough to both cities that fans from the more successful franchises make the trip. Baltimore is almost always eliminated from contention by September, so Orioles fans don't go to the ballpark. Boston invaded Baltimore tonight. The chants loud enough to reach the announcers and get on television were encouraging the Red Sox to victory, not the Orioles.
Boston jumps out to a one run lead with a home run. Baltimore catches up. Boston goes ahead on a balk with a man on third. Baltimore catches up. Boston scores again. Mother nature intervenes in the bottom of the seventh inning. Rain Delay.
While all that is happening, the Yankees are putting the hurt on Tampa Bay. Home runs, a grand slam, and the Yankees are up 7-0 going into the eighth inning. Things are looking awful for the Rays. They fought back from a deep hole. Boston's lead was just too much.
Back to Boston-Baltimore. Hmm, still raining.
Back to Tampa Bay. What the-How are they only down 7-6 going into the ninth?? The Yankees have been playing garbage time since the fifth inning. Who the heck are these guys? Well, there's Posada, who has played catcher all of one game all season. There's Swisher, he's a sometime starter. Nunez plays when Jeter, Cano, or Rodriguez are hurt. Who the heck is Laird? Seriously? No Yankee pitcher pitched more than two innings? They've used like 11 pitchers? Are they playing Beer League Softball??
Okay, Yankees still have a 7-6 lead, bottom of the ninth, two outs. Huh, home run. 7-7 tie.
Back to Boston-Baltimore. The rain has stopped, here we go. Boston handles Baltimore in the seventh. Ohhh here comes Scutaro from first, they're going to take the lead. DID YOU SEE THAT THROW?? Ahem-Reimold caught the ball off the bounce and made a perfect throw to home to get Scutaro trying to score. Runner on second, foul out to the catcher. End of the top of the inning. Baltimore is up.
Ground out-fly out-fly out. Okay, Baltimore, way to make them sweat.
Lead-off hitter, Jacob Ellsbury gets on base with an error. Oh, he just stole second. Now the insurance run is in scoring position with no outs. Not looking good for Baltimore or Tampa Bay. Next batter, Dustin Pedroia singles. Now the insurance runner is 127 feet from the plate. Good for you Baltimore, you made them sweat, you played a good game. Same for you, Tampa Bay, you had a good season. O-okay, Ortiz just hit into a fielder's choice with an out at second. Runners at the corners for the Sox. One out. Okay, they're walking the next runner to load the bases. Lavarnaway up. Who is this guy? Oh, he's the third catcher. They brought him up this week when the other two catchers were injured. He hit two home runs the other night. And they loaded the bases and are pitching to him. DOUBLE PLAY SHORT TO SECOND TO FIRST HOW AWESOME IS-Ahem, that would be a 6-4-3 double play. Baltimore gets into the bottom of the ninth down by one.
Back to Tampa. Still tied? Still tied. Back to Baltimore.
Baltimore is up, bottom of the ninth. Sox bring in Papelbon, their closer. As a Yankee fan, I'm familiar with this guy. He's the Sox version of Mariano. He comes in to save. You don't hit Papelbon. Boston is 77-0 when leading going into the 8th. Well, Baltimore, it's been a good game, way to fight back. Strike-out. Strike-out. Well, Tampa, you've got to win against the Yankees to force a one game playo-a double? Of Papelbon? Tying run is on second? Wait a minute, let's not go back to Tampa quite yet. They just put in a speedster as a pinch runner. This could be interesting, but they have to hit Papelbon again. Oh, that looks like it's going to be caught in the field, well good ga-IT'S IN THE GAP HOLY CRAP IT-Ahem, ground rule double to the gap in deep right. We have a tie game. We're going to extra innings! No, no we're not. Next batter hits to left field, he's got a bead on it. IT'S UNDER THE GLOVE HE DIDN'T CATCH IT! REIMOLD, THE GUY WHO GUNNED OUT THE INSURANCE RUN IS GOING TO SCORE! Ahem, screw it. BALTIMORE WINS BALTIMORE WINS BALTIMORE WINS TWO OUTS IN THE BOTTOM OF THE NINTH.
Okay, back to Tampa. If the Yankees hold on, then there is a one game playoff between Tampa Bay and Boston. If Tampa comes out ahead, they put the Sox away. 3 minutes after we switch over to the game. 3 minutes after Reimold touches home plate. Longoria gets a hit it is a deep ball. That looks foul. That looks like it's going to hit the wall. IT'S OVER THE WALL!! ITS FAIR!! TAMPA WINS AND IS THE WILD CARD! Seriously, it took 180 seconds for this collapse from the beginning of September to tonight. 180 seconds between one man in Baltimore touches home plate to one man hitting a ball out in Tampa.
Tonight was the greatest night of regular season baseball of all time. Period.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Monday, September 12, 2011
Baseball, Statistics, Records, and Questions of Conscience
Hello, dear Reader. I am in Seattle. The Yankees are in Seattle. This is not coincidence.
Mariano Rivera, arguably the greatest closer in Major League Baseball, sits at 599 all-time saves. He already has the record for saves in the postseason.
Right now, the Yankees are beating the snot-wads out of the Mariners, on Free Ichiro T-shirt night. My Free Ichiro T-shirt lies folded on the floor next to the bag of other shirts bought at/before the game. If you have read any of my blogs before, then you know I am a Yankees fan. However, tonight, I am not happy at the Yankee victory. Why am I not happy at the victory?
The Yankees play Seattle tonight, tomorrow, and Wednesday. I really only feasibly get to see the Yankees when they come to Seattle, and not often at that. In fact, tonight was my first Yankees/Mariners game ever. Don't get me wrong, I wanted a victory for the Yankees. I just didn't want a 9-3 victory for the Yankees.
Again, Mariano Rivera sits at 599 saves. The all-time saves record is Trevor Hoffman's at 601. Do the math, I'll wait....Yeah. If the Yankees had beaten the Mariners in three close games (fewer than three runs difference), then Mariano Rivera would have pitched in all three games, for just the ninth inning each time. Those three innings, assuming Mo didn't have a blown save (of which he has five this season in 45 opportunities), then tonight I would have witnessed 600. Tomorrow 601, and Wednesday 602. I would have seen the second man to make 600 saves in history, the second man to make 601 saves in history, and the first man to make 602 saves in history. I have no doubt that Mariano will break the all time saves record this season. But now, I won't be there to see it. I hope to see 600, meaning I hope to see a) the Yankees win, and b) the Yankees win small.
Tonight was the best scenario to see Yankee small ball. The Mariners had their ace, Felix Hernendez, on the mound. Felix had beaten the Yankees five of the last six times he faced them. Even the one of those six was a no-decision, not a loss. The Yankees were sending Phil Hughes, who has been shaky all year after having a great 2010. If Felix continued to be the Yankee killer and Hughes continued to struggle with his velocity, then it would be a close game...possibly even a Yankee loss.
Through four, it was a close game. At the bottom of the fourth inning it was tied up at 1. I'm thrilled. It is a good ball game, each pitcher is doing well. Hernendez struck out the side in the first inning. The only hiccup in my plan was when I looked at the scoreboard after a first inning Hughes pitch...93 MPH...shit. Hughes wasn't struggling with his velocity. He was throwing strikes and making the Mariners swing and pop up. He was getting outs. It's okay. It's still 1-1.
Then the Yankees batted in the fifth. And batted, and batted, DUCK!!! IT'S A MARK TEXIERA HOMER! DUCK IT'S A DICKERSON HOMER!! Wait, a Dickerson homer??? How often has that happened....oh, cool, I just witnessed Chris Dickerson's first career homer. By the end of the fifth, there was no longer a save opportunity unless the Mariners staged a remarkable comeback.
Hughes continued to stifle the M's hitters. Granderson, Jeter, Cano, and the rest continued to make catches and get outs. The M's didn't stage their remarkable comeback. They didn't get to within three runs of the Yankees. They didn't close to within five runs of the Yankees. Rivera would not be making an appearance. I wouldn't see 600 tonight. I wouldn't be present for 602.
Here's the conflict. I wanted the Yankees to win. They did. For once, I didn't want them to put the game out of reach early. I didn't want to see an old-fashioned curb stomping. Usually I love a good route. One of my favorite games of all time was Jordan's Bulls holding Utah to a record low in points while having every Bull who dressed score. I didn't want the route. I was disappointed with the win.
How can I be disappointed with the win? I saw my favorite team play. I saw Derek Jeter's fielding. I witnessed evidence that makes me further recall an earlier post in which I called for Jeter's retirement. I ate crow all over again as The Captain made a bunch of great plays (one outrunning Ichiro...Ichiro! to second). He fielded a fly ball while running out into left field when it looked certain that it would drop for a base hit. He made an athletic move to his left to snag a ball destined for a centerfield base hit. I witnessed future hall of famer greatness again for the first time since 2007 when I saw Jeter play in The Bronx.
I saw a Texiera home run. I saw the first Chris Dickerson homer. I witnessed a Yankee victory that put them up four games over the cursed Red Sox, putting the Sox closer to third (the Rays only trail Boston by three games) than first. There are only 16 games left in the season. If the Yankees win five and the Red Sox lose four, the Yankees take the division. If the Yankees win nine more games, they win the division no matter what Boston does. Why am I not happy?
The only reason that I am not happy is because I didn't get to see my favorite current Yankee play. I won't be present to see him make history.
But I found myself somehow rooting against my team. The team that I had never rooted against before in my life. That, dear Reader, is what doesn't make me happy.
Mariano Rivera, arguably the greatest closer in Major League Baseball, sits at 599 all-time saves. He already has the record for saves in the postseason.
Right now, the Yankees are beating the snot-wads out of the Mariners, on Free Ichiro T-shirt night. My Free Ichiro T-shirt lies folded on the floor next to the bag of other shirts bought at/before the game. If you have read any of my blogs before, then you know I am a Yankees fan. However, tonight, I am not happy at the Yankee victory. Why am I not happy at the victory?
The Yankees play Seattle tonight, tomorrow, and Wednesday. I really only feasibly get to see the Yankees when they come to Seattle, and not often at that. In fact, tonight was my first Yankees/Mariners game ever. Don't get me wrong, I wanted a victory for the Yankees. I just didn't want a 9-3 victory for the Yankees.
Again, Mariano Rivera sits at 599 saves. The all-time saves record is Trevor Hoffman's at 601. Do the math, I'll wait....Yeah. If the Yankees had beaten the Mariners in three close games (fewer than three runs difference), then Mariano Rivera would have pitched in all three games, for just the ninth inning each time. Those three innings, assuming Mo didn't have a blown save (of which he has five this season in 45 opportunities), then tonight I would have witnessed 600. Tomorrow 601, and Wednesday 602. I would have seen the second man to make 600 saves in history, the second man to make 601 saves in history, and the first man to make 602 saves in history. I have no doubt that Mariano will break the all time saves record this season. But now, I won't be there to see it. I hope to see 600, meaning I hope to see a) the Yankees win, and b) the Yankees win small.
Tonight was the best scenario to see Yankee small ball. The Mariners had their ace, Felix Hernendez, on the mound. Felix had beaten the Yankees five of the last six times he faced them. Even the one of those six was a no-decision, not a loss. The Yankees were sending Phil Hughes, who has been shaky all year after having a great 2010. If Felix continued to be the Yankee killer and Hughes continued to struggle with his velocity, then it would be a close game...possibly even a Yankee loss.
Through four, it was a close game. At the bottom of the fourth inning it was tied up at 1. I'm thrilled. It is a good ball game, each pitcher is doing well. Hernendez struck out the side in the first inning. The only hiccup in my plan was when I looked at the scoreboard after a first inning Hughes pitch...93 MPH...shit. Hughes wasn't struggling with his velocity. He was throwing strikes and making the Mariners swing and pop up. He was getting outs. It's okay. It's still 1-1.
Then the Yankees batted in the fifth. And batted, and batted, DUCK!!! IT'S A MARK TEXIERA HOMER! DUCK IT'S A DICKERSON HOMER!! Wait, a Dickerson homer??? How often has that happened....oh, cool, I just witnessed Chris Dickerson's first career homer. By the end of the fifth, there was no longer a save opportunity unless the Mariners staged a remarkable comeback.
Hughes continued to stifle the M's hitters. Granderson, Jeter, Cano, and the rest continued to make catches and get outs. The M's didn't stage their remarkable comeback. They didn't get to within three runs of the Yankees. They didn't close to within five runs of the Yankees. Rivera would not be making an appearance. I wouldn't see 600 tonight. I wouldn't be present for 602.
Here's the conflict. I wanted the Yankees to win. They did. For once, I didn't want them to put the game out of reach early. I didn't want to see an old-fashioned curb stomping. Usually I love a good route. One of my favorite games of all time was Jordan's Bulls holding Utah to a record low in points while having every Bull who dressed score. I didn't want the route. I was disappointed with the win.
How can I be disappointed with the win? I saw my favorite team play. I saw Derek Jeter's fielding. I witnessed evidence that makes me further recall an earlier post in which I called for Jeter's retirement. I ate crow all over again as The Captain made a bunch of great plays (one outrunning Ichiro...Ichiro! to second). He fielded a fly ball while running out into left field when it looked certain that it would drop for a base hit. He made an athletic move to his left to snag a ball destined for a centerfield base hit. I witnessed future hall of famer greatness again for the first time since 2007 when I saw Jeter play in The Bronx.
I saw a Texiera home run. I saw the first Chris Dickerson homer. I witnessed a Yankee victory that put them up four games over the cursed Red Sox, putting the Sox closer to third (the Rays only trail Boston by three games) than first. There are only 16 games left in the season. If the Yankees win five and the Red Sox lose four, the Yankees take the division. If the Yankees win nine more games, they win the division no matter what Boston does. Why am I not happy?
The only reason that I am not happy is because I didn't get to see my favorite current Yankee play. I won't be present to see him make history.
But I found myself somehow rooting against my team. The team that I had never rooted against before in my life. That, dear Reader, is what doesn't make me happy.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
BCS and the Ruination of the Conferences
Okay, so I only got a couple of my NFL previews out before the season started. You are entitled to your money back.
Yay, football is back, even if it hasn't yet returned to Kansas City after their drumming at the hands of the Buffalo Bills.
What I would like to talk to you tonight, dear reader, is the landscape of college football. I am no fan of the BSC system. It is amusing, to be sure. It was supposedly designed to calm the debate over who is the "true" national champion. In that, it might be a little bit better than the popularity contest that it replaced. However, it is in the process of now destroying conferences in the NCAA.
This past summer we watched a whole lot of teams changing conferences. Oklahoma and Texas eyed joining the Pac 10 (now the Pac 12), even though both schools are thousands of miles away from the Pacific Ocean. Colorado did join the Pac 12, as did Utah. BYU told the WAC to piss off and went independant. Boise State also left the WAC for the Mountain West to try to get into a better conference in order to play Texas Christian, so that they wouldn't really be at the Kiddie Table Bowl. TCU subsequently announced that they are leaving the Mountain West to join the Big East to get an automatic bowl bid and consideration for a national championship. Now, Texas A & M is trying to leave the 10 team Big 12 for the South Eastern Conference, but is being threatened with lawsuit by Baylor to make sure that Oklahoma does stay in the Big 12. Got all that? No? Good, cause there's more. Nebraska left the 10 member Big 12 for the 12 member Big 10.
K, put away the maps and the markers, because that's all for the geography lesson. The problems with these moves is that they are motivated in trying to get to a stronger conference instead of making a current conference stronger. Everyone wants to go to the SEC because in terms of strength of schedule, the SEC is Goliath among Davids. The last five National Champions, Auburn, Alabama, LSU (twice) and Florida are SEC teams. It is a tough conference in which to win, but if you can, then you can beat anyone.
The problem with this is that teams from conferences that already have automatic bowl bids (Big 10, Big 12) are jumping ship to get harder schedules to be considered for the national championship. Successful conferences are getting stripped down. Baylor is trying to keep Oklahoma in the conference because if Oklahoma goes, and Texas is pretty much already going, and Texas A&M goes, then the conference will basically be the Kansas teams, Baylor, Texas Tech, Iowa State, Missouri, and Oklahoma State. OSU and Missouri are perennially ranked in the top 25, as is K State. However, none of these teams stays in the top 10 very long. This is an automatic bid conference! Whoever takes it, plays in a fairly major bowl. That means money for the school who plays in the bowl. However, if it becomes a minor conference, or is thought of as somehow lesser, then less people tune in and they don't get as much money! Follow the bouncing dollar in college football.
Boise State is kind of screwed. They just made a lateral move from one non-BCS conference to another one. One question-why-is easily answered. Boise State wanted to move out of the WAC where Hawaii and recently Nevada (chortle, how's them field goals comin along, Broncos?) were the only competition on the regular season schedule. Hawaii and Nevada are never ranked very high in the top 25 if they are ranked at all. So BSU jumps over to the Mountain West to try to start a rivalry with Texas Christian, the team they've been facing a lot in the post season because neither has an automatic bid from a BCS conference, but both are usually undefeated. Welcome to the aforementioned Kiddie Table Bowl. TCU is jumping to the Big East. Once again Boise State will be a big time program in an itty bitty little conference. Why didn't Boise State jump to an automatic bid conference like TCU will do in 2012? The answer has little to do with football. TCU has a higher academic standard than BSU. You don't exactly have to burn through the ACTs to get into BSU. TCU (and just about any major university in the big conferences) has a little more stringent guidelines and acceptance rules. BSU can't get into any of the major conferences. Until they make it more difficult to get into BSU (which isn't really likely to happen anytime soon, since Idaho and Idaho State already are pickier on who gets to be an incoming freshman), they will always be a piranha in a fishbowl, chewing up the kibble that floats down.
I know that people have been pushing for a playoff. Just think of that for a minute. A playoff system in college football. March Madness in December/January. Brackets for Christmas. The minor bowls that are already played early in the post season can just be first round games. We already have late bowl game meaning more anyway. Why not go to a playoff? We could even keep all the bowls! Including the Still Looking for a Corporate Sponsor to Pony Up the Money Bowl! Some people are calling for an 8 team playoff. That would be 4 bowls, then 2 bowls, then 1 bowl. 7 Bowls. That would suck and not allow us to keep all the bowls. A 16 team playoff would be 8 bowls, 4, 2, 1, for 15 bowls. Better, closer to the number we have now. I propose we go the full shitangi! We take March Madness and go whole hog. 64 teams (not this half-assed expansion of this year). That is 32, 16, 8, 4, 2, 1 bowls...let's see...carry the...2...OH HELL YES! 63 bowls!!! Each with a corporate sponsor dumping millions. Each with television coverage and commercial deals. Each with free advertising for the playing schools! WHY HAVE WE NOT DONE THIS YET??? Is it because of the issue of the end of the semester/finals/beginning of the next semester? Football players don't go to class or take finals....ask Miami.
Yay, football is back, even if it hasn't yet returned to Kansas City after their drumming at the hands of the Buffalo Bills.
What I would like to talk to you tonight, dear reader, is the landscape of college football. I am no fan of the BSC system. It is amusing, to be sure. It was supposedly designed to calm the debate over who is the "true" national champion. In that, it might be a little bit better than the popularity contest that it replaced. However, it is in the process of now destroying conferences in the NCAA.
This past summer we watched a whole lot of teams changing conferences. Oklahoma and Texas eyed joining the Pac 10 (now the Pac 12), even though both schools are thousands of miles away from the Pacific Ocean. Colorado did join the Pac 12, as did Utah. BYU told the WAC to piss off and went independant. Boise State also left the WAC for the Mountain West to try to get into a better conference in order to play Texas Christian, so that they wouldn't really be at the Kiddie Table Bowl. TCU subsequently announced that they are leaving the Mountain West to join the Big East to get an automatic bowl bid and consideration for a national championship. Now, Texas A & M is trying to leave the 10 team Big 12 for the South Eastern Conference, but is being threatened with lawsuit by Baylor to make sure that Oklahoma does stay in the Big 12. Got all that? No? Good, cause there's more. Nebraska left the 10 member Big 12 for the 12 member Big 10.
K, put away the maps and the markers, because that's all for the geography lesson. The problems with these moves is that they are motivated in trying to get to a stronger conference instead of making a current conference stronger. Everyone wants to go to the SEC because in terms of strength of schedule, the SEC is Goliath among Davids. The last five National Champions, Auburn, Alabama, LSU (twice) and Florida are SEC teams. It is a tough conference in which to win, but if you can, then you can beat anyone.
The problem with this is that teams from conferences that already have automatic bowl bids (Big 10, Big 12) are jumping ship to get harder schedules to be considered for the national championship. Successful conferences are getting stripped down. Baylor is trying to keep Oklahoma in the conference because if Oklahoma goes, and Texas is pretty much already going, and Texas A&M goes, then the conference will basically be the Kansas teams, Baylor, Texas Tech, Iowa State, Missouri, and Oklahoma State. OSU and Missouri are perennially ranked in the top 25, as is K State. However, none of these teams stays in the top 10 very long. This is an automatic bid conference! Whoever takes it, plays in a fairly major bowl. That means money for the school who plays in the bowl. However, if it becomes a minor conference, or is thought of as somehow lesser, then less people tune in and they don't get as much money! Follow the bouncing dollar in college football.
Boise State is kind of screwed. They just made a lateral move from one non-BCS conference to another one. One question-why-is easily answered. Boise State wanted to move out of the WAC where Hawaii and recently Nevada (chortle, how's them field goals comin along, Broncos?) were the only competition on the regular season schedule. Hawaii and Nevada are never ranked very high in the top 25 if they are ranked at all. So BSU jumps over to the Mountain West to try to start a rivalry with Texas Christian, the team they've been facing a lot in the post season because neither has an automatic bid from a BCS conference, but both are usually undefeated. Welcome to the aforementioned Kiddie Table Bowl. TCU is jumping to the Big East. Once again Boise State will be a big time program in an itty bitty little conference. Why didn't Boise State jump to an automatic bid conference like TCU will do in 2012? The answer has little to do with football. TCU has a higher academic standard than BSU. You don't exactly have to burn through the ACTs to get into BSU. TCU (and just about any major university in the big conferences) has a little more stringent guidelines and acceptance rules. BSU can't get into any of the major conferences. Until they make it more difficult to get into BSU (which isn't really likely to happen anytime soon, since Idaho and Idaho State already are pickier on who gets to be an incoming freshman), they will always be a piranha in a fishbowl, chewing up the kibble that floats down.
I know that people have been pushing for a playoff. Just think of that for a minute. A playoff system in college football. March Madness in December/January. Brackets for Christmas. The minor bowls that are already played early in the post season can just be first round games. We already have late bowl game meaning more anyway. Why not go to a playoff? We could even keep all the bowls! Including the Still Looking for a Corporate Sponsor to Pony Up the Money Bowl! Some people are calling for an 8 team playoff. That would be 4 bowls, then 2 bowls, then 1 bowl. 7 Bowls. That would suck and not allow us to keep all the bowls. A 16 team playoff would be 8 bowls, 4, 2, 1, for 15 bowls. Better, closer to the number we have now. I propose we go the full shitangi! We take March Madness and go whole hog. 64 teams (not this half-assed expansion of this year). That is 32, 16, 8, 4, 2, 1 bowls...let's see...carry the...2...OH HELL YES! 63 bowls!!! Each with a corporate sponsor dumping millions. Each with television coverage and commercial deals. Each with free advertising for the playing schools! WHY HAVE WE NOT DONE THIS YET??? Is it because of the issue of the end of the semester/finals/beginning of the next semester? Football players don't go to class or take finals....ask Miami.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Predictions PT 2. AFC West After a Brief Stop in Pullman
Football is almost upon us. I love this time of year. The Washington State University commercials have been bragging about their fans and waving the Cougar flag all over the world. When your football commercials focus on your fans rather than your team, you have problems with your football team. WSU may have great fans and a great tradition with its flag, but right now the football team is not doing well. I have them picked to finish last in their division of the Pac 12.
They have chosen Idaho State as their "warm up" first game of the year. For such a small school, do you know how many NFL players have come out of ISU? Anyone know the name Jared Allen? Drafted by the Chiefs, traded to the Vikings, NFL sack machine including leading the league in 2007 with 15.5. Graduate of Idaho State. Just because ISU is a small school from the FCS (Football Championship Subdivision, formerly Division II) doesn't mean WSU is guaranteed to win. Ask Michigan how that idea to play Appalachian State worked out for them. The Wolverines dropped out of the top 25 so fast there probably should have been a sonic boom. I'll go so far as to predict an Idaho State upset. You can make fun of this idea all you want, but I'll stand by it. ISU will at least put up a fight against the Cougars. I think they'll win.
On to the Pros and the AFC West.
I am a Kansas City fan. I love the Chiefs. But I don't see them defending their division crown. Between the up and coming Raiders, who swept all six division games last year, and the usual division juggernaut Chargers, I don't think the Chiefs will be able to hold up. Last year, they only beat two teams that had records above 500. Every year that the Chiefs have had strong records, they had a weak schedule. Then, when they've gotten into the playoffs, they've been easily put out in the first round, usually playing at Arrowhead. In the 90s, Arrowhead was feared. It is still one of the loudest stadiums. But the team that plays there is not the killer defense of the 90s.
Kansas City did go out and get a great college receiver, Jonathan Baldwin, to compliment Dwayne Bowe. One of the first things Baldwin does is get in a fight with veteran running back, Thomas Jones, and injures his wrist, missing the rest of the preseason. While it really doesn't mean a whole lot as far as the regular season, preseason games are incredibly valuable in-game experience for rookies.
Kansas city was 30th (there are only 32 teams in the NFL) in passing last year. They were first in rushing, thanks to Charles and Jones. The problem with being one dimensional is that good teams will figure out a way to stop the one dimension (see Lions, Detroit, 1990s). Baltimore did it against the Chiefs in the first round of the playoffs and put the Chiefs out. The Chiefs are sitting on about $33 million in unused cap space. This is money they're sitting on. They don't get to save it and use it next season for $33 million more to spend on players. After this season, it's gone. They still have a good offensive line, even with recent retirements. The bottom line remains that they need to do more with the passing game. Cassel is going to have to continue to develop and become a top tier quarterback. Otherwise the Chiefs will be the same Chiefs we saw in the mid 2000s, a running game with a afterthought aerial attack. If they get to the playoffs with the current offensive scheme, they'll get put out in the first round, just like every other playoff game since Joe Montana guided them to the AFC Championship against Buffalo in 1993.
Prediction time: The division is starting to get some teeth after being Chargers and the other guys for so many years. I'm going to go out on a limb and pick the Raiders to take the division, though. It'll be Raiders, Chargers, Chiefs, Broncos, in that order. The Broncos will be the only team with a losing record.
Raiders: These guys will go 10-6. They had the everyone else's number in the division last year, going 6-0. Their only trouble was that they went 2-8 against the rest of their opponents. This year the AFC West plays the NFC North quite heavily. That means the defending champs, Green Bay, and the playoff team, Chicago will be tough match ups for everyone in this division. Throw in contests with the AFC East (especially the Jets and the always strong Patriots), this will be a tough season again.
Chargers: They'll go 9-7. They aren't the dominant force they once were. Last year saw them lose to divisional foes surprisingly often. They're still a good team, but they need healthy running backs. They led the league in offense and defense last year, but still lost games. Their special teams could have been cut into a montage with "Benny Hill" playing in the background (in fact, I'm relatively sure this can be found on Youtube somewhere). But special teams alone won't produce a season like San Diego had last year. They'll bounce back.
Chiefs: Oh, my beloved Kansas City, you'll go 8-8. Oakland's improvement and San Diego's recovery will cost you games from last year. Having the schedule of ultimate suckiness will mean you'll have a dry spell in the early second half of the season. (New England, Pittsburgh, Chicago, the Jets, Green Bay, and Oakland weeks 11-16). If that isn't the toughest six week run of any team in the NFL, then I have no business writing a sports blog. Their lone consolation is that they follow that with a week 17 visit to Denver. Although I'm not sure how much fun playing in Denver on New Year's Day really is. Yeah, the Chiefs will do well in the opening part of the season. I think they'll go undefeated until they hit Indy (and even that depends on how well Peyton recovers from surgery) in week 5.
Broncos: Oh, Denver. Poor, poor Denver. Denver actually has the toughest division schedule out of the AFC West. Mainly because everyone else gets to play the Broncos twice. Seriously, the schedule rankings have a 10 percentage point spread between the above teams and the Broncos. Poor Denver is going to go 3-13 this season. They haven't figured out what the heck they're doing at QB. They haven't really replaced Brandon Marshall. The last time they had a decent running back, it was because Shanahan's offensive line and blocking scheme could get your grandmother a 1000 yard rushing season. That line is gone. Shanahan is gone. The running game...is gone.
There's predictions part two in the books. Make fun of me at the end of the season for actually predicting that the Raiders are the AFC West team to beat. If reactions from part one predictions are any indication, some of you won't wait until season's end (or even beginning) to start pulling apart these.
They have chosen Idaho State as their "warm up" first game of the year. For such a small school, do you know how many NFL players have come out of ISU? Anyone know the name Jared Allen? Drafted by the Chiefs, traded to the Vikings, NFL sack machine including leading the league in 2007 with 15.5. Graduate of Idaho State. Just because ISU is a small school from the FCS (Football Championship Subdivision, formerly Division II) doesn't mean WSU is guaranteed to win. Ask Michigan how that idea to play Appalachian State worked out for them. The Wolverines dropped out of the top 25 so fast there probably should have been a sonic boom. I'll go so far as to predict an Idaho State upset. You can make fun of this idea all you want, but I'll stand by it. ISU will at least put up a fight against the Cougars. I think they'll win.
On to the Pros and the AFC West.
I am a Kansas City fan. I love the Chiefs. But I don't see them defending their division crown. Between the up and coming Raiders, who swept all six division games last year, and the usual division juggernaut Chargers, I don't think the Chiefs will be able to hold up. Last year, they only beat two teams that had records above 500. Every year that the Chiefs have had strong records, they had a weak schedule. Then, when they've gotten into the playoffs, they've been easily put out in the first round, usually playing at Arrowhead. In the 90s, Arrowhead was feared. It is still one of the loudest stadiums. But the team that plays there is not the killer defense of the 90s.
Kansas City did go out and get a great college receiver, Jonathan Baldwin, to compliment Dwayne Bowe. One of the first things Baldwin does is get in a fight with veteran running back, Thomas Jones, and injures his wrist, missing the rest of the preseason. While it really doesn't mean a whole lot as far as the regular season, preseason games are incredibly valuable in-game experience for rookies.
Kansas city was 30th (there are only 32 teams in the NFL) in passing last year. They were first in rushing, thanks to Charles and Jones. The problem with being one dimensional is that good teams will figure out a way to stop the one dimension (see Lions, Detroit, 1990s). Baltimore did it against the Chiefs in the first round of the playoffs and put the Chiefs out. The Chiefs are sitting on about $33 million in unused cap space. This is money they're sitting on. They don't get to save it and use it next season for $33 million more to spend on players. After this season, it's gone. They still have a good offensive line, even with recent retirements. The bottom line remains that they need to do more with the passing game. Cassel is going to have to continue to develop and become a top tier quarterback. Otherwise the Chiefs will be the same Chiefs we saw in the mid 2000s, a running game with a afterthought aerial attack. If they get to the playoffs with the current offensive scheme, they'll get put out in the first round, just like every other playoff game since Joe Montana guided them to the AFC Championship against Buffalo in 1993.
Prediction time: The division is starting to get some teeth after being Chargers and the other guys for so many years. I'm going to go out on a limb and pick the Raiders to take the division, though. It'll be Raiders, Chargers, Chiefs, Broncos, in that order. The Broncos will be the only team with a losing record.
Raiders: These guys will go 10-6. They had the everyone else's number in the division last year, going 6-0. Their only trouble was that they went 2-8 against the rest of their opponents. This year the AFC West plays the NFC North quite heavily. That means the defending champs, Green Bay, and the playoff team, Chicago will be tough match ups for everyone in this division. Throw in contests with the AFC East (especially the Jets and the always strong Patriots), this will be a tough season again.
Chargers: They'll go 9-7. They aren't the dominant force they once were. Last year saw them lose to divisional foes surprisingly often. They're still a good team, but they need healthy running backs. They led the league in offense and defense last year, but still lost games. Their special teams could have been cut into a montage with "Benny Hill" playing in the background (in fact, I'm relatively sure this can be found on Youtube somewhere). But special teams alone won't produce a season like San Diego had last year. They'll bounce back.
Chiefs: Oh, my beloved Kansas City, you'll go 8-8. Oakland's improvement and San Diego's recovery will cost you games from last year. Having the schedule of ultimate suckiness will mean you'll have a dry spell in the early second half of the season. (New England, Pittsburgh, Chicago, the Jets, Green Bay, and Oakland weeks 11-16). If that isn't the toughest six week run of any team in the NFL, then I have no business writing a sports blog. Their lone consolation is that they follow that with a week 17 visit to Denver. Although I'm not sure how much fun playing in Denver on New Year's Day really is. Yeah, the Chiefs will do well in the opening part of the season. I think they'll go undefeated until they hit Indy (and even that depends on how well Peyton recovers from surgery) in week 5.
Broncos: Oh, Denver. Poor, poor Denver. Denver actually has the toughest division schedule out of the AFC West. Mainly because everyone else gets to play the Broncos twice. Seriously, the schedule rankings have a 10 percentage point spread between the above teams and the Broncos. Poor Denver is going to go 3-13 this season. They haven't figured out what the heck they're doing at QB. They haven't really replaced Brandon Marshall. The last time they had a decent running back, it was because Shanahan's offensive line and blocking scheme could get your grandmother a 1000 yard rushing season. That line is gone. Shanahan is gone. The running game...is gone.
There's predictions part two in the books. Make fun of me at the end of the season for actually predicting that the Raiders are the AFC West team to beat. If reactions from part one predictions are any indication, some of you won't wait until season's end (or even beginning) to start pulling apart these.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Barry Bonds, Michael Jordan, Roger Clemens, Mark McGwire, Alex Rodriguez, Andy Pettitte
Barry Bonds, Michael Jordan, Roger Clemens, Mark McGwire, Alex Rodriguez, Andy Pettitte.
Is that a tag line for greatness or what? Look at those guys. The all-time home runs and walks leader (among other records), the greatest pro-basketball player ever, the pitcher with the most Cy Youngs, the savior of baseball after the 94-95 strike, the highest paid player in the MLB and youngest member of the 600 HR club, world series winning pitcher. Just look at them.
Now, look at them and pick out which one you despise the most. Is it Barry? Is it because all his records "should have an asterisk?" Is it A-Rod for signing the most lucrative salary of any MLB player, ever? Is it MJ because he got all those calls, all those whistles, but you really know he got them because of who he is rather than there ever being a foul?
Did you know that it took nearly half a decade for Michael Jordan to fall out of the most popular athlete spot according to ESPN? Why is that? Is it because he was the greatest basketball player that ever lived? What about Bonds? He is the greatest home run hitter in a game obsessed with the long ball. Just look at those two for a minute. Think about their interviews while they were still playing. Michael and his well-spokenness. His graciousness in dealing with the media during and after his career (all three times). Do you remember any of his scandals? Do you remember his gambling problems in the early 90s? How about the woman who extorted him claiming that she was his mistress? What about his demand to keep Isaiah Thomas off of the original Dream Team and that Scottie Pippen instead be named?
What about the other hated guy? Alex Rodriguez was reviled by most of the fan world because of his defection from Seattle for a huge payday. He was reviled when he later signed with the most reviled team in sports, the New York Yankees. He was chewed up, spit out, picked up and thrown back down by the New York media. And then he came out of his post season slump and got his World Series ring. All was forgiven in New York, the Yankees had #27. He did steroids? He has an illegal poker night? Who really cares?
Now, what about Bonds? This is a guy who blew off the media. This is a guy who walked past autograph seekers, his adoring public. This is a guy who angered his teammates, coaches, general managers, and team owners. This is also the man who was on the verge of tears as he thanked baseball, the fans, even the other team, and especially his deceased father when he broke Hank Aaron's record. This is the man who scooped up his young son at home plate when Barry broke Mark McGwire's single season record and gave him a hug and a kiss on national television. This is also the man who never had a positive steroid test.
Consider this: Bonds broke Mark McGwire's home run record. McGwire has since come out as saying he took steroids as early as his years with the Oakland A's. That's okay, Mark. You're honest. Thanks for coming clean. By the way, no one brought up the asterisk for his accomplishments. Roger Clemens was just tried and mis-tried for perjury stemming from the steroids scandal. He still wasn't raked over the coals that Bonds has been pulled through. Same with Alex Rodriguez. Same with Andy Pettitte.
Now, note the list of players. The last four players named; Clemens, McGwire, Rodriguez, and Pettitte. They're all white or close enough to it (light enough skinned). We gave them passes in the court of public opinion. None of them faced sanctions from baseball. None of them were fined for steroid use. Clemens is the only one who hasn't admitted to steroid use.
But look at the other two, the first two on the list. They're both black. But it's okay, right? We adore Jordan; we're not racist! Bonds is a punk and a cheater. Once again, Bonds never tested positive for steroids. But Bonds is defiant. He isn't the type of black man white people love to like. Michael Jordan, with his endorsements, articulate speech, style, and success, is the type of black man we want to see. We love to like him.
How dare Bonds disrespect the game like he did. Here's a problem. MLB was the problem. MLB didn't test or even ban steroid use until 2003. 2003! Italics, underline, asterisk, bold--2003. Even if Bonds was on steroids when he broke the single season record in 2001, he didn't break any rules. But, but, but, Scott...he sorta kinda maybe might've taken an illegal substance! That should give him the asterisk. If taking an illegal substance give you an asterisk, then we should probably be putting asterisks by a lot more names than that of Bonds. Last time I checked, marijuana and cocaine are illegal substances...Well, fuck, there goes almost every record of any player who ever played any game between 1970 and now. The other issue is Bonds' constitutional right to be innocent until proven guilty. There is no proof. There are no positive tests. There is no clear proof that BALCO injected Bonds with anything illegal.
Bonds is the defiant, talented, cocky black man. We white people can't abide that. If he were white (Clemens fits just about that to a tee, defiant-check, talented-check, cocky-check, suspected of steroids-check) there wouldn't be talk of an asterisk at all. Clemens doesn't have an asterisk next to the 7 Cy Youngs. Clemens doesn't have an asterisk next to the World Series wins.
Michael Jordan is talented, cocky, and black. But he is gracious. He keeps his image clean. The worst things we could say about him was he was kind of an asshole during his first-ballot-entry-to-the-hall-of-fame induction speech where he reminded us, "oh, yeah, I'm better than any of you ever will be." But MJ is not defiant. MJ didn't piss off, or on, the press. MJ pissed off teammates, but he was good enough that he also made those teammates better, or they weren't on his team much longer. MJ. is. the. type. of. black. man. we. love. to. like. Bonds is not nor will he ever be.
And that's a dirty shame because he's the greatest home run hitter that ever lived.
Is that a tag line for greatness or what? Look at those guys. The all-time home runs and walks leader (among other records), the greatest pro-basketball player ever, the pitcher with the most Cy Youngs, the savior of baseball after the 94-95 strike, the highest paid player in the MLB and youngest member of the 600 HR club, world series winning pitcher. Just look at them.
Now, look at them and pick out which one you despise the most. Is it Barry? Is it because all his records "should have an asterisk?" Is it A-Rod for signing the most lucrative salary of any MLB player, ever? Is it MJ because he got all those calls, all those whistles, but you really know he got them because of who he is rather than there ever being a foul?
Did you know that it took nearly half a decade for Michael Jordan to fall out of the most popular athlete spot according to ESPN? Why is that? Is it because he was the greatest basketball player that ever lived? What about Bonds? He is the greatest home run hitter in a game obsessed with the long ball. Just look at those two for a minute. Think about their interviews while they were still playing. Michael and his well-spokenness. His graciousness in dealing with the media during and after his career (all three times). Do you remember any of his scandals? Do you remember his gambling problems in the early 90s? How about the woman who extorted him claiming that she was his mistress? What about his demand to keep Isaiah Thomas off of the original Dream Team and that Scottie Pippen instead be named?
What about the other hated guy? Alex Rodriguez was reviled by most of the fan world because of his defection from Seattle for a huge payday. He was reviled when he later signed with the most reviled team in sports, the New York Yankees. He was chewed up, spit out, picked up and thrown back down by the New York media. And then he came out of his post season slump and got his World Series ring. All was forgiven in New York, the Yankees had #27. He did steroids? He has an illegal poker night? Who really cares?
Now, what about Bonds? This is a guy who blew off the media. This is a guy who walked past autograph seekers, his adoring public. This is a guy who angered his teammates, coaches, general managers, and team owners. This is also the man who was on the verge of tears as he thanked baseball, the fans, even the other team, and especially his deceased father when he broke Hank Aaron's record. This is the man who scooped up his young son at home plate when Barry broke Mark McGwire's single season record and gave him a hug and a kiss on national television. This is also the man who never had a positive steroid test.
Consider this: Bonds broke Mark McGwire's home run record. McGwire has since come out as saying he took steroids as early as his years with the Oakland A's. That's okay, Mark. You're honest. Thanks for coming clean. By the way, no one brought up the asterisk for his accomplishments. Roger Clemens was just tried and mis-tried for perjury stemming from the steroids scandal. He still wasn't raked over the coals that Bonds has been pulled through. Same with Alex Rodriguez. Same with Andy Pettitte.
Now, note the list of players. The last four players named; Clemens, McGwire, Rodriguez, and Pettitte. They're all white or close enough to it (light enough skinned). We gave them passes in the court of public opinion. None of them faced sanctions from baseball. None of them were fined for steroid use. Clemens is the only one who hasn't admitted to steroid use.
But look at the other two, the first two on the list. They're both black. But it's okay, right? We adore Jordan; we're not racist! Bonds is a punk and a cheater. Once again, Bonds never tested positive for steroids. But Bonds is defiant. He isn't the type of black man white people love to like. Michael Jordan, with his endorsements, articulate speech, style, and success, is the type of black man we want to see. We love to like him.
How dare Bonds disrespect the game like he did. Here's a problem. MLB was the problem. MLB didn't test or even ban steroid use until 2003. 2003! Italics, underline, asterisk, bold--2003. Even if Bonds was on steroids when he broke the single season record in 2001, he didn't break any rules. But, but, but, Scott...he sorta kinda maybe might've taken an illegal substance! That should give him the asterisk. If taking an illegal substance give you an asterisk, then we should probably be putting asterisks by a lot more names than that of Bonds. Last time I checked, marijuana and cocaine are illegal substances...Well, fuck, there goes almost every record of any player who ever played any game between 1970 and now. The other issue is Bonds' constitutional right to be innocent until proven guilty. There is no proof. There are no positive tests. There is no clear proof that BALCO injected Bonds with anything illegal.
Bonds is the defiant, talented, cocky black man. We white people can't abide that. If he were white (Clemens fits just about that to a tee, defiant-check, talented-check, cocky-check, suspected of steroids-check) there wouldn't be talk of an asterisk at all. Clemens doesn't have an asterisk next to the 7 Cy Youngs. Clemens doesn't have an asterisk next to the World Series wins.
Michael Jordan is talented, cocky, and black. But he is gracious. He keeps his image clean. The worst things we could say about him was he was kind of an asshole during his first-ballot-entry-to-the-hall-of-fame induction speech where he reminded us, "oh, yeah, I'm better than any of you ever will be." But MJ is not defiant. MJ didn't piss off, or on, the press. MJ pissed off teammates, but he was good enough that he also made those teammates better, or they weren't on his team much longer. MJ. is. the. type. of. black. man. we. love. to. like. Bonds is not nor will he ever be.
And that's a dirty shame because he's the greatest home run hitter that ever lived.
Monday, August 15, 2011
NFL Predictions Almost Certain to be Wrong Part I
After analyzing some of the flurry of post-lockout trades (usually consisting of such genius analysis as "God, Philadelphia's trades are BRILLIANT!), and watching and reading ESPN and ESPN.com a whole lot, I feel that I am as qualified as anyone of the talking heads to make NFL predictions. So, I will start with part one of X (X=however many of these I feel like doing before I get bored or the season starts) of my NFL Predictions Almost Certain to be Wrong.
Part one of X takes us to the NFC West. The NFC West (Arizona, San Francisco, Seattle, and St. Louis) is the worst division in sports. Forget worst division in football, SPORTS. Not even the NCAA Football cellar dweller conference, The Sun Belt, had a conference (in this case division) winner with a sub-500 winning percentage. Seattle went to the playoffs with a 7-9 record. As a division winner. This wasn't some league wide crappy season where a wild card squeaked in at 8-8, this was a division winner coming in two games below 500.
It ain't getting better. Arizona and Seattle got new QB's this season and St. Louis is still the only team in the division that has one. Seattle looks to start Tavaris Jackson, the former Viking who lost his job to the reanimated corpse of Brett Favre. Arizona went out and got Kevin Kolb, the "Quarterback of the Future" for Philly, who lost his job to a convicted felon. San Francisco's starter is the quarterback with the most experience but suffers from a unique condition known as Being Alex Smith (BAS). That leaves St. Louis' second year quarterback, Sam Bradford as the one quarterback in this division. If St. Louis would have won the final game of the season (against Seattle), this division would have sent an 8-8 winner to the playoffs instead of the laughingstock 7-9, Seattle's playoff upset of New Orleans not withstanding.
Prediction: Bradford lead the Rams to the division crown with a 9-7 record. They start really roughly with three straight losses (they open the season against the new-look Philly, an experienced Giants team, and the defensive gods that are the Baltimore Ravens). The second half of the season, they'll rattle off wins against the rest of the division.
Seattle will put up a good fight, but without standout quarterback, they won't do as "well" as they did last year. Last year's quarterback, Matt Hasslebeck, is now a Titan. The offense didn't have a rusher run for more than 600 yards. No offense means no scoring. None of these teams has a very good defense. Seattle goes 5-11.
San Francisco has a new head coach. They have the same old quarterback and an offensive weapon (Frank Gore) who can't stay healthy (4 IR trips in the last 4 seasons). They'll put up a fight against Seattle, but so would most of the Pac-12. They go 6-10.
Arizona has someone else's backup quarterback starting. Matt Leinart is gone (Texans) and now they have Kevin Kolb formerly of Philadelphia. The Cardinals have a great receiver (note the singular), a running back who must have signed an endorsement with Butterfinger, and a defense like cheese cloth. They tried the "sign someone else's castaway" approach with running backs years ago and wound up with a washed up Emmitt Smith and an equally washed up Edgerrin James. They're trying this strategy with quarterbacks now. Three years ago, it paid off and Father Time Kurt Warner led them to a Super Bowl. I wonder if they've got Favre on speed dial. They'll go 4-12.
Write those down. At the end of the season, you can send me e-mails and comments telling me how little I know about NFL football, I'll almost guarantee it.
Part one of X takes us to the NFC West. The NFC West (Arizona, San Francisco, Seattle, and St. Louis) is the worst division in sports. Forget worst division in football, SPORTS. Not even the NCAA Football cellar dweller conference, The Sun Belt, had a conference (in this case division) winner with a sub-500 winning percentage. Seattle went to the playoffs with a 7-9 record. As a division winner. This wasn't some league wide crappy season where a wild card squeaked in at 8-8, this was a division winner coming in two games below 500.
It ain't getting better. Arizona and Seattle got new QB's this season and St. Louis is still the only team in the division that has one. Seattle looks to start Tavaris Jackson, the former Viking who lost his job to the reanimated corpse of Brett Favre. Arizona went out and got Kevin Kolb, the "Quarterback of the Future" for Philly, who lost his job to a convicted felon. San Francisco's starter is the quarterback with the most experience but suffers from a unique condition known as Being Alex Smith (BAS). That leaves St. Louis' second year quarterback, Sam Bradford as the one quarterback in this division. If St. Louis would have won the final game of the season (against Seattle), this division would have sent an 8-8 winner to the playoffs instead of the laughingstock 7-9, Seattle's playoff upset of New Orleans not withstanding.
Prediction: Bradford lead the Rams to the division crown with a 9-7 record. They start really roughly with three straight losses (they open the season against the new-look Philly, an experienced Giants team, and the defensive gods that are the Baltimore Ravens). The second half of the season, they'll rattle off wins against the rest of the division.
Seattle will put up a good fight, but without standout quarterback, they won't do as "well" as they did last year. Last year's quarterback, Matt Hasslebeck, is now a Titan. The offense didn't have a rusher run for more than 600 yards. No offense means no scoring. None of these teams has a very good defense. Seattle goes 5-11.
San Francisco has a new head coach. They have the same old quarterback and an offensive weapon (Frank Gore) who can't stay healthy (4 IR trips in the last 4 seasons). They'll put up a fight against Seattle, but so would most of the Pac-12. They go 6-10.
Arizona has someone else's backup quarterback starting. Matt Leinart is gone (Texans) and now they have Kevin Kolb formerly of Philadelphia. The Cardinals have a great receiver (note the singular), a running back who must have signed an endorsement with Butterfinger, and a defense like cheese cloth. They tried the "sign someone else's castaway" approach with running backs years ago and wound up with a washed up Emmitt Smith and an equally washed up Edgerrin James. They're trying this strategy with quarterbacks now. Three years ago, it paid off and Father Time Kurt Warner led them to a Super Bowl. I wonder if they've got Favre on speed dial. They'll go 4-12.
Write those down. At the end of the season, you can send me e-mails and comments telling me how little I know about NFL football, I'll almost guarantee it.
Friday, August 12, 2011
When Off-Field Encroaches On-Field
Why do our best players let us down once they get off the field? Why do our Lawrence Taylors and Daryl Strawberrys do drugs? Why do our Derrick Thomases get their fool asses killed by driving under the influence and speeding? Why do our Pacmans and Larry Johnsons and Ray Lewises and Vince Youngs have to get into fights/trouble at every nightclub they go to? Why are the people who are so smart and savvy on the field so stupid off it? Why does Alex Rodriguez have to play poker? Wait...What? He's in trouble for poker?? He might face a minor suspension for POKER?? He came clean on steroid use and didn't face any punishment from the league, but the guy has a high stakes poker night and he gets in trouble?? What the hell? Can he and his friends not afford it? For the love of Selig.
How many of us have been disappointed by a sports hero? Of my two favorite football players of all time, one is now a registered sex offender (Lawrence Taylor) and one is dead (Derrick Thomas). Coming out of the Steroid Era, find me a team with no players untouched by the scandal. Here's a challenge to all our professional athletes: What's say we go a damn week without one of you running someone over (Donte Stallworth), shooting someone including yourself (Plaxico Burress), sexually assaulting someone (Ben Roethlisberger), getting nailed with drugs (pick one), murdering someone (Rae Carruth, Eric Naposki), or getting YOURSELVES killed (Steve McNair, Darrent Williams, David Turner). Just one week. No one fuck up. Play your sport, go to practice, study game film, take batting practice, sight see whatever city you're visiting, go out for some nice food at a nice restaurant, meet fans, sign autographs. Stay out of trouble, put down the booze. You're famous, people watch you every week. They're going to recognize you with a Red Rider Wagon full of marijuana.
Some people would claim that it is upbringing that causes these issues. Some would say that it is the sudden rise to fame at young ages and not being able to deal with it. Does being good at sports mean not having common sense? Are they inversely related? Even an 18-year-old knows right from wrong. It doesn't matter who you are or how much you make. You might feel like you are invincible. You're playing a game for a living. You're getting paid millions. People are worshiping you. I get it. But you still know that if a woman says "no" that you should not force her into a hotel room, SUV, dark alley, etc. Be a moral human being! You may have more money than God, but you are also in a precarious position. You are usually guilty until proven...no, you're still guilty in the public eye. You are targets for blackmail because you are guilty until no, you're still guilty. Don't put yourself in the situations where you've seen others get in trouble. There are plenty of examples of what NOT to do. You probably have teammates who can tell you by experience what not to do.
What about the teams? They have invested so much time and money into these players. They've used draft choices and developed offensive and defensive schemes around these players. They've paid millions in salaries an training. The teams write legal and behavior clauses into contracts, but then don't fully enforce them. Or they are so vague that no one can enforce or understand them. The teams could help support these players moving from college to the professional level. If they were moving into any other profession, they would have guidance. They would have people to talk to and deal with and learn from and seek out for advice. In professional sports, they don't have this as much. Or, they have veteran players who are still making the same dumb choices.
Coaches and front offices make sure that players attend meetings and practices. Why not make sure that players attend counselling for both the emotional transition and the financial transition? If these players had help and guidance, then they perhaps, just perhaps, wouldn't wind up in jail, suspended, bankrupt, or, I don't know, DEAD. There is not guarantee that this would keep players from messing up. But it might just give them the tools to at least make the adjustment.
Team management must be stricter with their young players. I know that most of these players are 22-23 years old and older. They are legally adults. But they've come from bad backgrounds or they've had a lot handed to them through college programs and then into the pros. Having a strict team front office that enforces curfews and moral clauses will keep these brand new, young millionaires from making fools of themselves, more importantly from making felons of themselves. The teams must take a more active role in their players' lives. Does this violate their rights? Not if it's written into the contract. Think about the discipline of the U.S. Armed Forces. Are new recruits' (or veterans' for that matter) rights violated by strict curfew enforcement?
I have never been a sudden millionaire. I haven't gone from struggling college student from a poor background to a contracted millionaire. I am on the outside looking in and watching this behavior. I can't positively say how I'd act with newly found fame and fortune. These guys don't want to distance themselves from old friends, no matter how bad an influence they might be. But it isn't only the sudden fortune that causes these choices. Go to Google. Now, type "NFL player arrested" and see how many news stories you get. (I just got 51 pages of 490,000 results). Now, type in "Lottery winner arrested" and see how many. (I just got 13,000 results). Hmm, 2.65% as many.
How many of us have been disappointed by a sports hero? Of my two favorite football players of all time, one is now a registered sex offender (Lawrence Taylor) and one is dead (Derrick Thomas). Coming out of the Steroid Era, find me a team with no players untouched by the scandal. Here's a challenge to all our professional athletes: What's say we go a damn week without one of you running someone over (Donte Stallworth), shooting someone including yourself (Plaxico Burress), sexually assaulting someone (Ben Roethlisberger), getting nailed with drugs (pick one), murdering someone (Rae Carruth, Eric Naposki), or getting YOURSELVES killed (Steve McNair, Darrent Williams, David Turner). Just one week. No one fuck up. Play your sport, go to practice, study game film, take batting practice, sight see whatever city you're visiting, go out for some nice food at a nice restaurant, meet fans, sign autographs. Stay out of trouble, put down the booze. You're famous, people watch you every week. They're going to recognize you with a Red Rider Wagon full of marijuana.
Some people would claim that it is upbringing that causes these issues. Some would say that it is the sudden rise to fame at young ages and not being able to deal with it. Does being good at sports mean not having common sense? Are they inversely related? Even an 18-year-old knows right from wrong. It doesn't matter who you are or how much you make. You might feel like you are invincible. You're playing a game for a living. You're getting paid millions. People are worshiping you. I get it. But you still know that if a woman says "no" that you should not force her into a hotel room, SUV, dark alley, etc. Be a moral human being! You may have more money than God, but you are also in a precarious position. You are usually guilty until proven...no, you're still guilty in the public eye. You are targets for blackmail because you are guilty until no, you're still guilty. Don't put yourself in the situations where you've seen others get in trouble. There are plenty of examples of what NOT to do. You probably have teammates who can tell you by experience what not to do.
What about the teams? They have invested so much time and money into these players. They've used draft choices and developed offensive and defensive schemes around these players. They've paid millions in salaries an training. The teams write legal and behavior clauses into contracts, but then don't fully enforce them. Or they are so vague that no one can enforce or understand them. The teams could help support these players moving from college to the professional level. If they were moving into any other profession, they would have guidance. They would have people to talk to and deal with and learn from and seek out for advice. In professional sports, they don't have this as much. Or, they have veteran players who are still making the same dumb choices.
Coaches and front offices make sure that players attend meetings and practices. Why not make sure that players attend counselling for both the emotional transition and the financial transition? If these players had help and guidance, then they perhaps, just perhaps, wouldn't wind up in jail, suspended, bankrupt, or, I don't know, DEAD. There is not guarantee that this would keep players from messing up. But it might just give them the tools to at least make the adjustment.
Team management must be stricter with their young players. I know that most of these players are 22-23 years old and older. They are legally adults. But they've come from bad backgrounds or they've had a lot handed to them through college programs and then into the pros. Having a strict team front office that enforces curfews and moral clauses will keep these brand new, young millionaires from making fools of themselves, more importantly from making felons of themselves. The teams must take a more active role in their players' lives. Does this violate their rights? Not if it's written into the contract. Think about the discipline of the U.S. Armed Forces. Are new recruits' (or veterans' for that matter) rights violated by strict curfew enforcement?
I have never been a sudden millionaire. I haven't gone from struggling college student from a poor background to a contracted millionaire. I am on the outside looking in and watching this behavior. I can't positively say how I'd act with newly found fame and fortune. These guys don't want to distance themselves from old friends, no matter how bad an influence they might be. But it isn't only the sudden fortune that causes these choices. Go to Google. Now, type "NFL player arrested" and see how many news stories you get. (I just got 51 pages of 490,000 results). Now, type in "Lottery winner arrested" and see how many. (I just got 13,000 results). Hmm, 2.65% as many.
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