When the Yankees announced they would sign Joe Girardi, I really thought hard about what exactly that meant. Going from Joe Torre to Joe Girardi could not be a larger change in managerial style. Torre was the Senator. The politician and the manager of a clubhouse. Girardi is a hard nosed catcher who was a journeyman throughout his playing days, but always well respected for the way he played. Girardi is about playing the game, not managing the back end.
So when I looked at the Yankees roster, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. This team needs someone like Torre who lets his team play and do their own thing...not someone like Girardi who will get all over someone for making a mistake. I mean, between Damon, Abreu and Giambi, you have big payroll guys who really don't want to be messed with.
Jeter will do whatever he can to make the people of New York happy. Posada will be back and doesn't really know what's going on other than he quietly was the second most valuable player on the team last year and should probably win the Silver Slugger. Cano doesn't know what's going on yet and then you have whoever is in the other outfield spot and whoever the first baseman is.
Then there is the departed A-Rod. I would personally like to see the MLB protest him and have no one offer him a contract over a mere $20 Million a year being at that price, you better be winning titles which he isn't. So from last year's Torre team, you have four players on offense that are seemingly not manageable.
The last time the Yankees won the World Series was 2000. In the regular season, Bernie Williams lead the team in home runs with 30. Is that what you associate the Yankees with? In their great run with Torre, the Yankees didn't win with offense. Their evil empire was on the mound and in those four years they had at one time, but never all together, these pitchers: Andy Pettite, Jimmy Key, David Cone, Doc Gooden, Kenny Rogers, David Wells, Orlando Hernandez, Roger Clemens, and Denny Neagle. Those are the household names and I'm not going to go out add up all of their wins, but you get the point.
The majority of the Yankee hatred came after they stopped winning. Mussina hasn't won a title. Nor Giambi, or Soriano as a starter. The Yankees got it done with some of the best pitching staffs in baseball history and key roll players on offense. You know how I feel about Paul O'Neill and you know that I have said all year that the Yankees aren't a team built for post season success.
Everyone says that there is no way the Yankees can be a better team without A-Rod. I'm not everyone. Look at the formula for success and in terms of the Yankees, that is only measured by championships. Strong, strong pitching, key blue collar players on offense. Blue collar players like...Joe Girardi.
Losing A-Rod's salary is going to free up a lot of money, even for the Yankees. Here's the thing. As of yesterday there aren't many big name pitchers out there on the free agent market. Schilling right now is the best pitcher available. Do you want to take a shot at Bartolo Colon? After that, you are looking at Livan Hernandez. Tom Glavine will be available as will Clemens, but the Yankees formula includes players in their primes, not the twilights.
What you also have to look at is that the Yankees now need a third baseman. Rumors are flying that they are trying to get Miguel Cabrera but after Girardi was fired after one season in Florida, is that a road they want to get back on?
If I was in Yankees management, I would worry about building my lineup around what I have and where it can go. Giambi and Damon are serious liabilities. Sign Posada and if you have a nucleus in your lineup of Jeter, Cano, Abreu and Posada filled in with key roll players, you are going to be very successful. Keep in mind, Abreu is the only outsider to that group of former Yankee farmhands.
Maybe, just maybe the Yankees, by signing a hard nosed manager who was there in the glory days are changing their philosophy back to what it was. Win with pitching, hit when you need to. They'll get Rivera back and the bullpen will be just fine. Maybe, just maybe, the Yankees are going down a path to the past, which could be the best thing for their future. The again, Steinbrenner and a stubborn manager? We'll see how this goes.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
What Were You Expecting?
You know, there were probably a lot of people watching MNF last night just hating all of the Favre montages that were going on, and the attention given to Brett's wife. You probably hated Kornheiser's intro about how great Favre is and has been and why everyone loves him. You're probably sick of watching the Packers because there is no one on the Packers that gets any attention (rightfully so) to compare with the constant Favre onslaught.
Then you watched him play.
You watched him throw a deep bomb to one of those guys you've never heard of (James Jones) just over the fingertips of the NFL's best cover corner, Champ Bailey and then while Jones was running to the end zone, you saw Favre running around like a kid.
Maybe you went to sleep, but you probably saw at least a replay of Favre throwing the game winner on the first play of overtime on a perfectly thrown ball right over the finger tips of one of the best cover corners the NFL has to offer, Dre Bly, and then saw Favre jump and hug all of his teammates, like a kid.
The throws rolling to his right and throwing bullets across his body for first downs and running an offense of young players as if he was their father. There is a command that he has on the field that is unrivaled. And it doesn't have anything to do with knowing the offense.
The best thing a leader can do is lead by example. Imagine if you are some young kid (younger than me, that's odd) coming into the game and you see the oldest guy out there running around with more energy than anyone else? Do you not think that is inspiring on some level? The Boston Red Sox won the World Series two nights ago, but everyone is so caught up in the A-Rod/Torre/Girardi issues that it seems that everyone failed to notice. Thanks ESPN.
In this day in age, where so much has gotten away from actually playing the game, imagine being a young player and playing arguably the greatest quarterback ever to play and see him play the way he does. The emotion that doesn't come from the robots Brady and Manning. That's how to set an example. Someone called in yesterday to a show I was listening to and talked about sportsmanship and how it was a bad example to show kids how to play the game given what happened in the Georgia game this past weekend. If you want your kid to learn how to play football, tell them to watch Favre. Not to mention they might learn something from a guy who went 21-27 against the best corner tandem in the NFL.
You've heard me battle this a million times. They were talking about how "in this situation (OT, game on the line) there is no one I'd rather have than Brett Favre." This morning some "expert" was talking about how big of a joke that was with the robots out there. Would I rather have the Patriots or Colts offenses? Yeah, absolutely. But if I had one guy, it's Favre. Ten years ago, tomorrow, last night and next year, it's Favre. For once, Jaws got something right.
Am I biased? Without a doubt. Are you to Manning or Brady? Most likely. I've got a stat for you: 38. That's how old Favre is and you saw yesterday a guy who is a legit MVP candidate, lead a team that has, as aforementioned, zero other stars. But he gets more out of his players than anyone else in this league. Why? He leads by example. He inspires those around him to play harder by simply loving the game. A receiving corps of Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, James Jones and Donald Lee should have no business being successful in the NFL. It's amazing what you can do when you're inspired. And Favre has been inspired for a long time.
Then you watched him play.
You watched him throw a deep bomb to one of those guys you've never heard of (James Jones) just over the fingertips of the NFL's best cover corner, Champ Bailey and then while Jones was running to the end zone, you saw Favre running around like a kid.
Maybe you went to sleep, but you probably saw at least a replay of Favre throwing the game winner on the first play of overtime on a perfectly thrown ball right over the finger tips of one of the best cover corners the NFL has to offer, Dre Bly, and then saw Favre jump and hug all of his teammates, like a kid.
The throws rolling to his right and throwing bullets across his body for first downs and running an offense of young players as if he was their father. There is a command that he has on the field that is unrivaled. And it doesn't have anything to do with knowing the offense.
The best thing a leader can do is lead by example. Imagine if you are some young kid (younger than me, that's odd) coming into the game and you see the oldest guy out there running around with more energy than anyone else? Do you not think that is inspiring on some level? The Boston Red Sox won the World Series two nights ago, but everyone is so caught up in the A-Rod/Torre/Girardi issues that it seems that everyone failed to notice. Thanks ESPN.
In this day in age, where so much has gotten away from actually playing the game, imagine being a young player and playing arguably the greatest quarterback ever to play and see him play the way he does. The emotion that doesn't come from the robots Brady and Manning. That's how to set an example. Someone called in yesterday to a show I was listening to and talked about sportsmanship and how it was a bad example to show kids how to play the game given what happened in the Georgia game this past weekend. If you want your kid to learn how to play football, tell them to watch Favre. Not to mention they might learn something from a guy who went 21-27 against the best corner tandem in the NFL.
You've heard me battle this a million times. They were talking about how "in this situation (OT, game on the line) there is no one I'd rather have than Brett Favre." This morning some "expert" was talking about how big of a joke that was with the robots out there. Would I rather have the Patriots or Colts offenses? Yeah, absolutely. But if I had one guy, it's Favre. Ten years ago, tomorrow, last night and next year, it's Favre. For once, Jaws got something right.
Am I biased? Without a doubt. Are you to Manning or Brady? Most likely. I've got a stat for you: 38. That's how old Favre is and you saw yesterday a guy who is a legit MVP candidate, lead a team that has, as aforementioned, zero other stars. But he gets more out of his players than anyone else in this league. Why? He leads by example. He inspires those around him to play harder by simply loving the game. A receiving corps of Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, James Jones and Donald Lee should have no business being successful in the NFL. It's amazing what you can do when you're inspired. And Favre has been inspired for a long time.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Football and Class
No this post has nothing to do with college football players going to class.
There is a big stir around the Georgia Bulldogs' victory over the Florida Gators this past weekend. Not only because the Dawg win completely messed up the SEC East race to the point that Tennessee is somehow back in the lead, but the way the Dawgs celebrated their first score.
With the scoreboard reading 6-0, seemingly the entire Georgia team stormed the field to celebrate and taunt the Florida sideline. Though the taunting didn't really matter as Florida scored on their next possession, Richt has said that he didn't care if his team got a 15 yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
The controversy is how Richt allowed his players to act. Should his players have done what they did? Probably not. But I want you to know something. Do you remember Randy Moss' coming out party on Monday Night Football against the Packers? I don't remember the stat line, but Moss' anticts on the field after his acrobatic touchdown catches demoralized the Packers on the field not to mention at least one fan watching on TV. Moss was in the heads of not only the Packers' defense, but the offense as well. Seeing players act like that doesn't make anyone feel good.
Moss, as we all know, has been a problem child all of his career up until this year because of his attitude on the sidelines and off the field. However no one really has a problem with what Chad Johnson does on the field because he is relatively classy off the field.
Here's what I'm getting at. Richt showed class by pulling his players off of the field at Vanderbilt after winning on a last second field goal and his players were stomping on the star in the middle of Vandy's field. The game was over. There was on more football to be played.
Class is shown in football by how you win and how you lose. Throwing deep passes up 20 points in the fourth quarter to run up the score is not classy. You know the outcome of the game, don't run up the score. That's classless. Run the football, run out the clock, and put your second team in. That's how to play with class.
If the game's outcome is not yet determined with time left on the clock, there's no class in football. Football is barbaric. It's a game about 300 pound men hitting each other to protect and 220 pound man running a ball at a 250 pound man and they have to wear helmets in order to protect themselves. It's about men that are more grown than anyone else in the world being in the bottom of piles biting and clawing at each other and twisting ankles when no one is looking. It's about trash talk. It's about hitting. It's about not getting caught holding. It's about finding a way to win, and as much of a barbaric game it is physically, it's barbaric mentally as well.
Now, bring your classy attitude to the press conference after the game. Bring it when you're up 20 points in the second half and unless something goes completely wrong, keep your starters out of the game.
Do I have a problem with what Mark Richt did? He said the wrong things in his press conference. This happens. But isn't it ironic that we are finally talking about someone showing up the University of Florida? When you think of a team running up the score on an opponent, who do you think of? We've been saying here at No Owens that Florida was going to get theirs eventually. Mark Richt and his team handed it to them on Saturday.
Oh, and Tim Tebow cried, again.
There is a big stir around the Georgia Bulldogs' victory over the Florida Gators this past weekend. Not only because the Dawg win completely messed up the SEC East race to the point that Tennessee is somehow back in the lead, but the way the Dawgs celebrated their first score.
With the scoreboard reading 6-0, seemingly the entire Georgia team stormed the field to celebrate and taunt the Florida sideline. Though the taunting didn't really matter as Florida scored on their next possession, Richt has said that he didn't care if his team got a 15 yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
The controversy is how Richt allowed his players to act. Should his players have done what they did? Probably not. But I want you to know something. Do you remember Randy Moss' coming out party on Monday Night Football against the Packers? I don't remember the stat line, but Moss' anticts on the field after his acrobatic touchdown catches demoralized the Packers on the field not to mention at least one fan watching on TV. Moss was in the heads of not only the Packers' defense, but the offense as well. Seeing players act like that doesn't make anyone feel good.
Moss, as we all know, has been a problem child all of his career up until this year because of his attitude on the sidelines and off the field. However no one really has a problem with what Chad Johnson does on the field because he is relatively classy off the field.
Here's what I'm getting at. Richt showed class by pulling his players off of the field at Vanderbilt after winning on a last second field goal and his players were stomping on the star in the middle of Vandy's field. The game was over. There was on more football to be played.
Class is shown in football by how you win and how you lose. Throwing deep passes up 20 points in the fourth quarter to run up the score is not classy. You know the outcome of the game, don't run up the score. That's classless. Run the football, run out the clock, and put your second team in. That's how to play with class.
If the game's outcome is not yet determined with time left on the clock, there's no class in football. Football is barbaric. It's a game about 300 pound men hitting each other to protect and 220 pound man running a ball at a 250 pound man and they have to wear helmets in order to protect themselves. It's about men that are more grown than anyone else in the world being in the bottom of piles biting and clawing at each other and twisting ankles when no one is looking. It's about trash talk. It's about hitting. It's about not getting caught holding. It's about finding a way to win, and as much of a barbaric game it is physically, it's barbaric mentally as well.
Now, bring your classy attitude to the press conference after the game. Bring it when you're up 20 points in the second half and unless something goes completely wrong, keep your starters out of the game.
Do I have a problem with what Mark Richt did? He said the wrong things in his press conference. This happens. But isn't it ironic that we are finally talking about someone showing up the University of Florida? When you think of a team running up the score on an opponent, who do you think of? We've been saying here at No Owens that Florida was going to get theirs eventually. Mark Richt and his team handed it to them on Saturday.
Oh, and Tim Tebow cried, again.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Heisman Update
It's getting to be that time of year and a remarkable year it is. Can you go back and think of a time that going into the last weekend of October, there wasn't a Heisman favorite or a solid cast to pick from? I mean, in the '99 season everyone was trying to find someone to give the award to that didn't accept clothes for a discount and Dillard's. We all knew it was either Weinke or Heupel...but anyone who has ever looked at Josh Heupel knows he couldn't win.
Eric Crouch, Carson Palmer, Leinart and Bush were all guys that we knew that were at the top of their classes. Along with Willis McGahee, Brad Banks and VY were all there with somewhat of a shot at winning, but we knew that they would get the invites. Who's going to be in New York? We can't even put together a solid list of people who are going to need plane tickets.
So who is the favorite today? Are we ready for a sophomore? Tim Tebow is seemingly everyones favorite today. He's not mine, I don't think Roger Staubach, Archie Griffin, or, Andre Ware want someone who cries after losing to join their "fraternity." His stats are solid and his team is in the running...but if you can't give the award to Graham Harrell because of his system, you can't give the award to Tebow. I don't care what anyone says. It's a quarterback system and Tebow flourishes, just as Harrell and Brennan do in theirs. Keep this in mind, if Tebow should win the award, he very well could be the first Heisman winner ever to lose his job. Cameron Newton, when asked why he would go to UF with Tebow there said something along the lines of, "Who says Tim Tebow is better than me?" Newton is bigger, faster, and more athletic than Tebow. Oh, and he has a great system to play in.
I don't like Matt Ryan for the award. Maybe he is the next career backup out of BC to enter the NFL, but he doesn't do anything that stands out. If BC wins out and plays for a National Title (somehow) he could win by the Troy Smith factor. What have quarterbacks done in National Title games in the recent future? Well, ask Weinke, Crouch, and Smith. In my opinion, Ryan isn't in the class of any of those guys, maybe Smith, as a college quarterback.
There is no question, in my opinion, that Ray Rice is the best running back in the country. After what he did to South Florida last Thursday, he catapulted himself back to where everyone expected to be in the Heisman race after a slow start. McFadden is more explosive, but right now, he might not be the best back on his own team. The Heisman could be won for Rice this weekend if Rutgers beats West Virginia...it could also put the dynamic tandem from WV back in the race.
I still like Dennis Dixon. If I had a vote, that's who I'd vote for. Dixon, then Glen Dorsey, then Rice. He's just more fun to watch than anyone else and the value he brings can't be overlooked. He is beating teams with his arm and legs and making people miss in the open field. I may change my mind as Oregon has some big games awaiting them, but if they beat USC and UCLA they will take the Pac-10 and give him a decent shot.
Here's the other thing. Dixon is really the only guy in the West. In the Northeast, you have Ryan and Rice going head to head. In the south/southeast you have Tebow, Woodson, McFadden and Glen Dorsey who is going to get votes as a DT with such a weak field. Mike Hart may carry the Midwest but I don't think he really should be there, especially after not playing last week. If Dixon plays well enough, he could benefit from no one from USC being in the hunt. If the vote was tomorrow, I have no idea who would win but neither does anyone else. It's a good thing that we still have time to iron this whole thing out.
Eric Crouch, Carson Palmer, Leinart and Bush were all guys that we knew that were at the top of their classes. Along with Willis McGahee, Brad Banks and VY were all there with somewhat of a shot at winning, but we knew that they would get the invites. Who's going to be in New York? We can't even put together a solid list of people who are going to need plane tickets.
So who is the favorite today? Are we ready for a sophomore? Tim Tebow is seemingly everyones favorite today. He's not mine, I don't think Roger Staubach, Archie Griffin, or, Andre Ware want someone who cries after losing to join their "fraternity." His stats are solid and his team is in the running...but if you can't give the award to Graham Harrell because of his system, you can't give the award to Tebow. I don't care what anyone says. It's a quarterback system and Tebow flourishes, just as Harrell and Brennan do in theirs. Keep this in mind, if Tebow should win the award, he very well could be the first Heisman winner ever to lose his job. Cameron Newton, when asked why he would go to UF with Tebow there said something along the lines of, "Who says Tim Tebow is better than me?" Newton is bigger, faster, and more athletic than Tebow. Oh, and he has a great system to play in.
I don't like Matt Ryan for the award. Maybe he is the next career backup out of BC to enter the NFL, but he doesn't do anything that stands out. If BC wins out and plays for a National Title (somehow) he could win by the Troy Smith factor. What have quarterbacks done in National Title games in the recent future? Well, ask Weinke, Crouch, and Smith. In my opinion, Ryan isn't in the class of any of those guys, maybe Smith, as a college quarterback.
There is no question, in my opinion, that Ray Rice is the best running back in the country. After what he did to South Florida last Thursday, he catapulted himself back to where everyone expected to be in the Heisman race after a slow start. McFadden is more explosive, but right now, he might not be the best back on his own team. The Heisman could be won for Rice this weekend if Rutgers beats West Virginia...it could also put the dynamic tandem from WV back in the race.
I still like Dennis Dixon. If I had a vote, that's who I'd vote for. Dixon, then Glen Dorsey, then Rice. He's just more fun to watch than anyone else and the value he brings can't be overlooked. He is beating teams with his arm and legs and making people miss in the open field. I may change my mind as Oregon has some big games awaiting them, but if they beat USC and UCLA they will take the Pac-10 and give him a decent shot.
Here's the other thing. Dixon is really the only guy in the West. In the Northeast, you have Ryan and Rice going head to head. In the south/southeast you have Tebow, Woodson, McFadden and Glen Dorsey who is going to get votes as a DT with such a weak field. Mike Hart may carry the Midwest but I don't think he really should be there, especially after not playing last week. If Dixon plays well enough, he could benefit from no one from USC being in the hunt. If the vote was tomorrow, I have no idea who would win but neither does anyone else. It's a good thing that we still have time to iron this whole thing out.
Monday, October 22, 2007
No Owens Takes a Beating
It was a tough weekend for No Owens. Not only did the Vols get destroyed (we will get there) but Boston hit it's way into the World Series. So I was wrong...Francona was right. In my opinion he took a huge risk and won...Les Miles style. If the Red Sox can hit the way they did against Colorado then the evil empire's second coming might just take it again.
How do you feel if you are Travis Hafner or Grady Sizemore right now? Two of the best hitters in the AL went A-Rod style on the Red Sox. They didn't get any wins out of CC after Game 1 of the ALDS...and I don't even know if he got the decision. Fausto gets beat up and then you're looking at Jake Westbrook with your season on the line. Bad news. On paper there is no reason that the Red Sox shouldn't win the World Series. They play so well in their park, it's ridiculous. That throw that Manny had to get Kenny Lofton on the ball off the wall? Fantastic. 81 games out of the year, Manny is a Gold Glove caliber player in left field. He plays in his ball park better than anyone else plays on their home field. Those other 81 are adventurous. Oh, and he hits a little.
You probably missed it with great games going on, but where was the best one? Yeah, in Tallahassee. Miami scored 14 in the last 1:15 to beat the Noles on the road in Butch Davis fashion. You want to talk about a big win for a program? Who in the ACC wants to play Miami after a big win like that? Miami closes the season against Virginia and then at Va Tech and BC. That could turn things in some new directions.
You can talk about Tom Brady all you want. You throw six touchdown passes in a game that you almost double up the other team, you're in a system that is superior and classless. It's amazing how just a few years ago, the Boston area was winning with two teams that America fell in love with. Now, the Red Sox are the new Yankees and the Patriots went from being announced as a team in the Super Bowl to the closest thing to the Yankees of football.
Finally, I was there in Tuscaloosa. We were on the road by 4:15 to get there in ample time for whiskey drinking. Unfortunately our team was embarrassing. Nick Saban comes out and on-side's the opening kickoff. Ok, great. Then we were penalized...and for some reason JPW can throw the ball out of bounds standing in the pocket and not get called for intentional grounding. Either way, we got knocked in the mouth, hard.
How come Joe Torre can win four titles in however many years and get kicked out of town and Phillip Fulmer can win one by quarterback injury only and stay around? Torre won his division what, every year he coached until this year? How many has Phil got? You're not going to hear me defend a/the Yankees very often, but let's face it; Torre's job was to manage the team off the field while his players manage themselves on it. The Yankees don't do anything special...they play baseball like a power running team. They lineup, don't fool you and try to knock you in the mouth. Fulmer's team tries to do the same thing without strong results. You can't lose to your two biggest rivals, excuse me, get embarrassed by your two biggest rivals by a score of 100-39 and expect to be on the field in Pasadena week 2 in '08.
Oh, Kansas is in the top 10. The only ranked team they play from here on out is Mizzou but you have the always dangerous Ok. State and their terrifying coach and a Nebraska team that might just sign their AD to be the head coach. Is Kansas the biggest surprise of the year thus far? Maybe, but they certainly are the biggest surprise that no one's talking about. Apparently, they've brought back Paul Pierce to play receiver, Jacques Vaughn to run the ball and Raef LaFrentz to play the hybrid TE spot.
How do you feel if you are Travis Hafner or Grady Sizemore right now? Two of the best hitters in the AL went A-Rod style on the Red Sox. They didn't get any wins out of CC after Game 1 of the ALDS...and I don't even know if he got the decision. Fausto gets beat up and then you're looking at Jake Westbrook with your season on the line. Bad news. On paper there is no reason that the Red Sox shouldn't win the World Series. They play so well in their park, it's ridiculous. That throw that Manny had to get Kenny Lofton on the ball off the wall? Fantastic. 81 games out of the year, Manny is a Gold Glove caliber player in left field. He plays in his ball park better than anyone else plays on their home field. Those other 81 are adventurous. Oh, and he hits a little.
You probably missed it with great games going on, but where was the best one? Yeah, in Tallahassee. Miami scored 14 in the last 1:15 to beat the Noles on the road in Butch Davis fashion. You want to talk about a big win for a program? Who in the ACC wants to play Miami after a big win like that? Miami closes the season against Virginia and then at Va Tech and BC. That could turn things in some new directions.
You can talk about Tom Brady all you want. You throw six touchdown passes in a game that you almost double up the other team, you're in a system that is superior and classless. It's amazing how just a few years ago, the Boston area was winning with two teams that America fell in love with. Now, the Red Sox are the new Yankees and the Patriots went from being announced as a team in the Super Bowl to the closest thing to the Yankees of football.
Finally, I was there in Tuscaloosa. We were on the road by 4:15 to get there in ample time for whiskey drinking. Unfortunately our team was embarrassing. Nick Saban comes out and on-side's the opening kickoff. Ok, great. Then we were penalized...and for some reason JPW can throw the ball out of bounds standing in the pocket and not get called for intentional grounding. Either way, we got knocked in the mouth, hard.
How come Joe Torre can win four titles in however many years and get kicked out of town and Phillip Fulmer can win one by quarterback injury only and stay around? Torre won his division what, every year he coached until this year? How many has Phil got? You're not going to hear me defend a/the Yankees very often, but let's face it; Torre's job was to manage the team off the field while his players manage themselves on it. The Yankees don't do anything special...they play baseball like a power running team. They lineup, don't fool you and try to knock you in the mouth. Fulmer's team tries to do the same thing without strong results. You can't lose to your two biggest rivals, excuse me, get embarrassed by your two biggest rivals by a score of 100-39 and expect to be on the field in Pasadena week 2 in '08.
Oh, Kansas is in the top 10. The only ranked team they play from here on out is Mizzou but you have the always dangerous Ok. State and their terrifying coach and a Nebraska team that might just sign their AD to be the head coach. Is Kansas the biggest surprise of the year thus far? Maybe, but they certainly are the biggest surprise that no one's talking about. Apparently, they've brought back Paul Pierce to play receiver, Jacques Vaughn to run the ball and Raef LaFrentz to play the hybrid TE spot.
Friday, October 19, 2007
Weekend Notes
I remember the days of watching the best game in college football year in and year out about this time of year. Two teams that collectively put more players in the NFL than the entire state of Maine has in the existence of the commonwealth. Two teams that were so fast and so talented that they were a lock for a Top 5 ranking and a shot at the National Title. Many considered this game to be in fact the game between the nation's two best teams.
You may have missed it, but Miami and Florida State are playing this weekend. Once the biggest (arguably) and the most most important (fact) rivalry in college football has been drowned by their own programs. Who would have thought this day would come? The day that everyone cares more about a South Florida/Rutgers game than The U and FSU? Seriously.
Jim Leavitt got his first taste of reality last night. He got out coached on the road. This hasn't happened very often in his career, but it did last night. Fortunately, South Florida can still get themselves right back into the BCS hunt. The loss to Rutgers wasn't a bad one. Ray Rice is a great player and their team was just under-producing...now at 5-2 they have a chance to make some serious noise.
Speaking of making serious noise, that's what I'll be doing in Tuscaloosa tomorrow morning. The Big Gun came through at the last second so the day-trip is upon us. I'm not too worried about Alabama tomorrow. I think they will keep it close through half and UT will take it for a two touchdown victory at the game's conclusion. I just can't see John Parker Wilson beating a good team. Sorry.
Josh Beckett is currently slated to pitch Game 1 of the World Series. If he gets there. I'm still battling this whole not throwing him in Game 4 thing. You saw how he pitched last night. If not, you heard about it. Now, Schilling pitches tomorrow and then they turn it over to DICE-K. Yikes.
There's no assuming that Beckett would have won Game 4. He would have. At 2-2 the Red Sox would have had the luxury of splitting the Schilling/DICE-K starts knowing that they could have Beckett on short rest for the 7th game. CC has been throwing poorly from the start and Schilling could have gotten the win last night. Wakefield could have gotten a win last night. I just don't like how the Red Sox are lined up. DICE-K may have thrown in some big games in Japan and in the WBC, but he's still going to be a rookie taking the hill at Fenway in Game 7. If they get there.
You may have missed it, but Miami and Florida State are playing this weekend. Once the biggest (arguably) and the most most important (fact) rivalry in college football has been drowned by their own programs. Who would have thought this day would come? The day that everyone cares more about a South Florida/Rutgers game than The U and FSU? Seriously.
Jim Leavitt got his first taste of reality last night. He got out coached on the road. This hasn't happened very often in his career, but it did last night. Fortunately, South Florida can still get themselves right back into the BCS hunt. The loss to Rutgers wasn't a bad one. Ray Rice is a great player and their team was just under-producing...now at 5-2 they have a chance to make some serious noise.
Speaking of making serious noise, that's what I'll be doing in Tuscaloosa tomorrow morning. The Big Gun came through at the last second so the day-trip is upon us. I'm not too worried about Alabama tomorrow. I think they will keep it close through half and UT will take it for a two touchdown victory at the game's conclusion. I just can't see John Parker Wilson beating a good team. Sorry.
Josh Beckett is currently slated to pitch Game 1 of the World Series. If he gets there. I'm still battling this whole not throwing him in Game 4 thing. You saw how he pitched last night. If not, you heard about it. Now, Schilling pitches tomorrow and then they turn it over to DICE-K. Yikes.
There's no assuming that Beckett would have won Game 4. He would have. At 2-2 the Red Sox would have had the luxury of splitting the Schilling/DICE-K starts knowing that they could have Beckett on short rest for the 7th game. CC has been throwing poorly from the start and Schilling could have gotten the win last night. Wakefield could have gotten a win last night. I just don't like how the Red Sox are lined up. DICE-K may have thrown in some big games in Japan and in the WBC, but he's still going to be a rookie taking the hill at Fenway in Game 7. If they get there.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Baseball and Days Off
The excitement of the baseball world right now should be at an all time high. Tonight, the two Cy Young Award favorites in the American League are facing off with Josh Beckett hoping to keep his Boston Red Sox alive against CC Sabathia and the Cleveland Indians who lead the ALCS 3-1.
The Rockies swept the D-Backs, much to the surprise of no one. The obvious pick in the World Series is a Rockies sweep whoever they play. They do it with timely two out hitting and good pitching. They are just playing great baseball. Remember in May when I said Tulo would play himself into the ROY race? Well, his regular season numbers speak for themselves, but this kid plays great defense as well. He's the old school shortstop we have been needing in the league.
And even if you are one of 12 million in the New York Metropolitan area, you can still be concerned about the future of Joe Torre. Is it a big surprise to anyone that the Yankees are still trying to steal headlines in a post season in which they aren't participating at the present? You'll have to wait until the end of the World Series to get back into the A-Rod talks.
With as great as Josh Beckett is and the excitement that Cleveland has brought to the table, if there is any reason that the stir across the country would have been hurt about baseball, it would have been because of last night. Well, you may be thinking to yourself, "No one played last night." Exactly.
When was the last time you remember there being an extra day off during a baseball series? I most certainly can't remember, but some say that my memory isn't that good. There is no reason whatsoever for the day off last night to occur. 24 is on Sundays and it doesn't even start until January or something, so I can't find a way (yet) to blame the scheduling on the networks. Is Selig trying to take better care of the players in his league? One day off could end up changing a series. In today's game of pitch counts, it's going to be awfully tough for Terry Francona to justify throwing Josh Beckett on two days rest in Game 7 should the series get there. But, if Beckett threw in Game 4, he would have had a respectable 4 days rest before throwing in Game 7. Apparently, there was a necessity in throwing Tim Wakefield against a homer hitting lineup in the post season. What do I know. For about 4 1/3 innings, Francona seemingly knew more than me. I'll take my 4 2/3.
Now, what would have happened in the NLCS with this day off. Say you throw Brandon Webb on short rest if you are the D-Backs in Game 4. Now, you can potentially throw him again in Game 7 knowing that you have a good bullpen. Didn't happen. There is this word that I like to use in the business world...urgency. If you're a player, I understand that you can't panic. I don't really have a problem with what Manny Ramirez said about how "Losing isn't the end of the world" because as a player, you have to stay loose. I wouldn't question Manny's ability to play the game. He's the best right handed hitter in baseball. A manager however. Yeah, it's time for him to start panicking.
I am from this school..."Play to Win." The Green Bay Packers didn't play to win on Sunday night a few weeks ago, and the Bears took advantage. They played to sit on their lead. Bad.
In the playoffs, you must play to win, now. Not tomorrow, not two days from now, now. You need to find a way to get your best players on the field as much as possible. I'm a Cubs fan. Trust me, I know Josh Beckett is their best player. So too did Jack McKeon. That's why he won a World Series. Pitchers have the whole winter to rest their arms. I understand setting up your rotation, but if you are the Red Sox, how safe do you feel with Schilling and DICE-K, honestly? Do you really think that if this thing goes seven games, that in Game 7 with the World Series on the line, you are going to be comfortable sending DICE-K to the mound? I wouldn't be and I don't even respect the Red Sox anymore.
The other thing is, you don't think Brandon Webb wanted to pitch three games in a seven game series if he could? So he only gets 3-4 days rest on two of his starts. I would take my chances with 5 of Brandon Webb's innings over that guy who pitched Game 4 any day of the week. You remember, that guy who all they talked about was how good of a hitter he was? That's not going to get it done.
We've talked about this in football. You put the best team on the field. In crunch time, that's when you find out who your true horses are. Josh Beckett is that horse, and he's proven. The Red Sox may lose tonight and CC may show up, but at least they put the best team on the field. Too bad they could be throwing Schilling because I'd take my Josh Beckett/Paul Byrd match up any day of the week. Win now, rest in November. It makes you wonder if the manager is really making the lineups or the front office.
The Rockies swept the D-Backs, much to the surprise of no one. The obvious pick in the World Series is a Rockies sweep whoever they play. They do it with timely two out hitting and good pitching. They are just playing great baseball. Remember in May when I said Tulo would play himself into the ROY race? Well, his regular season numbers speak for themselves, but this kid plays great defense as well. He's the old school shortstop we have been needing in the league.
And even if you are one of 12 million in the New York Metropolitan area, you can still be concerned about the future of Joe Torre. Is it a big surprise to anyone that the Yankees are still trying to steal headlines in a post season in which they aren't participating at the present? You'll have to wait until the end of the World Series to get back into the A-Rod talks.
With as great as Josh Beckett is and the excitement that Cleveland has brought to the table, if there is any reason that the stir across the country would have been hurt about baseball, it would have been because of last night. Well, you may be thinking to yourself, "No one played last night." Exactly.
When was the last time you remember there being an extra day off during a baseball series? I most certainly can't remember, but some say that my memory isn't that good. There is no reason whatsoever for the day off last night to occur. 24 is on Sundays and it doesn't even start until January or something, so I can't find a way (yet) to blame the scheduling on the networks. Is Selig trying to take better care of the players in his league? One day off could end up changing a series. In today's game of pitch counts, it's going to be awfully tough for Terry Francona to justify throwing Josh Beckett on two days rest in Game 7 should the series get there. But, if Beckett threw in Game 4, he would have had a respectable 4 days rest before throwing in Game 7. Apparently, there was a necessity in throwing Tim Wakefield against a homer hitting lineup in the post season. What do I know. For about 4 1/3 innings, Francona seemingly knew more than me. I'll take my 4 2/3.
Now, what would have happened in the NLCS with this day off. Say you throw Brandon Webb on short rest if you are the D-Backs in Game 4. Now, you can potentially throw him again in Game 7 knowing that you have a good bullpen. Didn't happen. There is this word that I like to use in the business world...urgency. If you're a player, I understand that you can't panic. I don't really have a problem with what Manny Ramirez said about how "Losing isn't the end of the world" because as a player, you have to stay loose. I wouldn't question Manny's ability to play the game. He's the best right handed hitter in baseball. A manager however. Yeah, it's time for him to start panicking.
I am from this school..."Play to Win." The Green Bay Packers didn't play to win on Sunday night a few weeks ago, and the Bears took advantage. They played to sit on their lead. Bad.
In the playoffs, you must play to win, now. Not tomorrow, not two days from now, now. You need to find a way to get your best players on the field as much as possible. I'm a Cubs fan. Trust me, I know Josh Beckett is their best player. So too did Jack McKeon. That's why he won a World Series. Pitchers have the whole winter to rest their arms. I understand setting up your rotation, but if you are the Red Sox, how safe do you feel with Schilling and DICE-K, honestly? Do you really think that if this thing goes seven games, that in Game 7 with the World Series on the line, you are going to be comfortable sending DICE-K to the mound? I wouldn't be and I don't even respect the Red Sox anymore.
The other thing is, you don't think Brandon Webb wanted to pitch three games in a seven game series if he could? So he only gets 3-4 days rest on two of his starts. I would take my chances with 5 of Brandon Webb's innings over that guy who pitched Game 4 any day of the week. You remember, that guy who all they talked about was how good of a hitter he was? That's not going to get it done.
We've talked about this in football. You put the best team on the field. In crunch time, that's when you find out who your true horses are. Josh Beckett is that horse, and he's proven. The Red Sox may lose tonight and CC may show up, but at least they put the best team on the field. Too bad they could be throwing Schilling because I'd take my Josh Beckett/Paul Byrd match up any day of the week. Win now, rest in November. It makes you wonder if the manager is really making the lineups or the front office.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Unacceptable Morning on The Web
This is an incredibly awful morning in the sports world. Before I talk about why, I want to congratulate Reggie Bush on using No Owens as bulletin board material. FYI Reggie, ask Alfonso Soriano how long these little stints last.
Pull up any major sports website on the web today and the cover story will be a picture of the world's best example of a system quarterback, Tom Brady. The Patriots destroyed the Cowboys yesterday, much to the surprise of absolutely no one. I understand that this was a big deal as two of the remaining unbeatens were playing in what was a potential Super Bowl preview.
All of this being said, if anyone tries to tell me that the Patriots are a bigger story for a meaningless game than the Rockies (they aren't surprising anymore, so the...ROCKIES...is gone) are for winning their 20th out of their last 21 games and being one win away from sweeping yet another playoff series, I'd tell them they are out of their minds. Congratulations, the Patriots beat a team that has no defense and plays a middle school 4-4 all the time. The Rockies are on a run that is unprecedented in baseball history. I think my favorite part about this whole thing is that the Rockies had a pretty long layoff before the start of the NLDS and they still haven't lost a playoff game. That is not a good statistic for anyone living in Cleveland and/or Boston. The Rockies are doing this in the playoffs. In my opinion, this is by far the biggest, and best, sports story of the year. Matt Cassel would be the MVP of the NFL given the chance.
The one story that could give the Rockies a run for their money in the best story of the year category goes to the Kentucky Wildcats after beating LSU on Saturday. What a great game. I had written Kentucky off two weeks ago about this game. I'll take the heat for saying Kentucky had no chance. I guess we have to live with the fact that..."Kentucky is for Real." Riddle me this...Tennessee wins out in the SEC and the finale of the season in Lexington between the Cats and the Vols is for the SEC East crown? Who saw that coming? I mean, basketball maybe.
With the LSU loss, we all thought Cal would be #1. Well, Oregon State thought otherwise so what do we have? This has been an amazing year in college football, but the worst thing that could possibly happen has; Ohio State is #1. After all of the great storylines we've had...we are stuck with Ohio State. A team that is completely depleted of talent as everyone worth a you know what graduated or left for the NFL last year. Everyone with talent that got drilled by a superior SEC team in the BCS Title game. And now, Ohio State is #1 again. What an embarrassing way to have the season turn.
Ohio State, again let me state, was proved to be an inferior team to Florida last year, lost the bulk of their talent from a team that allowed 41 points in the BCS Title game. At the present time, Ohio State has one quality win, if that, at Purdue. The Big Ten is worse this year than it's ever been. Even I tried to give the Big Ten some legitimacy at the start of the season. Penn State has a bigger crime log than Florida State. Wisconsin forgot how to play. Michigan is starting to figure out that Chad Henne isn't good. All of this being said, Ohio State, who hasn't played any of the preseason favorites, is #1 in the nation.
So America isn't ready for South Florida to be #1? At least the "experts" aren't. But at least USF has beaten Auburn on the road and West Virginia at home. Matt Grothe is a legit Heisman candidate right now and his signature play could have been that scramble into a 40 yard throw between three guys on Saturday. But guess what...the laws of the polls state, "If a major school is behind a losing team in the top 5, they will take their place."
As embarrassing this Ohio State thing is, it's not going to last. To close out the season, Ohio State has a decent Michigan State team, then at Penn State, they get Wisconsin and Illinois in Columbus, and then in Ann Arbor. Best of luck Jim.
So after USC losing to Stanford...after App. State beating Michigan, after Auburn beating Florida, Florida losing to LSU, and then LSU losing to Kentucky, oh, and this South Florida thing, we are right back to where we usually are in any other college football season. The world has to deal with Ohio State and the magic of the sweater vest. What a sad turn of events. Hopefully, there will be a much happier turn in the very near future.
Pull up any major sports website on the web today and the cover story will be a picture of the world's best example of a system quarterback, Tom Brady. The Patriots destroyed the Cowboys yesterday, much to the surprise of absolutely no one. I understand that this was a big deal as two of the remaining unbeatens were playing in what was a potential Super Bowl preview.
All of this being said, if anyone tries to tell me that the Patriots are a bigger story for a meaningless game than the Rockies (they aren't surprising anymore, so the...ROCKIES...is gone) are for winning their 20th out of their last 21 games and being one win away from sweeping yet another playoff series, I'd tell them they are out of their minds. Congratulations, the Patriots beat a team that has no defense and plays a middle school 4-4 all the time. The Rockies are on a run that is unprecedented in baseball history. I think my favorite part about this whole thing is that the Rockies had a pretty long layoff before the start of the NLDS and they still haven't lost a playoff game. That is not a good statistic for anyone living in Cleveland and/or Boston. The Rockies are doing this in the playoffs. In my opinion, this is by far the biggest, and best, sports story of the year. Matt Cassel would be the MVP of the NFL given the chance.
The one story that could give the Rockies a run for their money in the best story of the year category goes to the Kentucky Wildcats after beating LSU on Saturday. What a great game. I had written Kentucky off two weeks ago about this game. I'll take the heat for saying Kentucky had no chance. I guess we have to live with the fact that..."Kentucky is for Real." Riddle me this...Tennessee wins out in the SEC and the finale of the season in Lexington between the Cats and the Vols is for the SEC East crown? Who saw that coming? I mean, basketball maybe.
With the LSU loss, we all thought Cal would be #1. Well, Oregon State thought otherwise so what do we have? This has been an amazing year in college football, but the worst thing that could possibly happen has; Ohio State is #1. After all of the great storylines we've had...we are stuck with Ohio State. A team that is completely depleted of talent as everyone worth a you know what graduated or left for the NFL last year. Everyone with talent that got drilled by a superior SEC team in the BCS Title game. And now, Ohio State is #1 again. What an embarrassing way to have the season turn.
Ohio State, again let me state, was proved to be an inferior team to Florida last year, lost the bulk of their talent from a team that allowed 41 points in the BCS Title game. At the present time, Ohio State has one quality win, if that, at Purdue. The Big Ten is worse this year than it's ever been. Even I tried to give the Big Ten some legitimacy at the start of the season. Penn State has a bigger crime log than Florida State. Wisconsin forgot how to play. Michigan is starting to figure out that Chad Henne isn't good. All of this being said, Ohio State, who hasn't played any of the preseason favorites, is #1 in the nation.
So America isn't ready for South Florida to be #1? At least the "experts" aren't. But at least USF has beaten Auburn on the road and West Virginia at home. Matt Grothe is a legit Heisman candidate right now and his signature play could have been that scramble into a 40 yard throw between three guys on Saturday. But guess what...the laws of the polls state, "If a major school is behind a losing team in the top 5, they will take their place."
As embarrassing this Ohio State thing is, it's not going to last. To close out the season, Ohio State has a decent Michigan State team, then at Penn State, they get Wisconsin and Illinois in Columbus, and then in Ann Arbor. Best of luck Jim.
So after USC losing to Stanford...after App. State beating Michigan, after Auburn beating Florida, Florida losing to LSU, and then LSU losing to Kentucky, oh, and this South Florida thing, we are right back to where we usually are in any other college football season. The world has to deal with Ohio State and the magic of the sweater vest. What a sad turn of events. Hopefully, there will be a much happier turn in the very near future.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Pushed Back USC Post
I have been meaning to do a post on USC for a while and their loss last week really catapulted my want to do so. But this week got a little busy and I really wanted to write something about the Wednesday night game, but the post turned out to be quite average. For that I apologize, but today, we will try to do better.
The University of Southern California (the only USC in the country) has enjoyed quite a run for the past few years. Pete Carroll has done an outstanding job resurrecting one of the great programs in the history of college football. For a long time the names Allen and Simpson, in a football sense, stood alone but in recent years names like Palmer, Leinart and Bush have joined their predecessors as some of the greatest trojans since Hector.
The program has flourished into what can be related to the Florida State program that seemingly disappeared when USC began to take power. A changing of the guard? Perhaps.
But Florida State never lost to a team like Stanford in it's years of dominance. There was the NC State loss and then a few losses to Florida but nothing like losing to a team that got beat by 39 points the week before and has association with Jim Harbaugh.
After the loss, USC dropped to 7th in the AP Poll and 10th in the USA Today poll. This is unacceptable. Absolutely absurd. I would be willing to bet that if Stanford played App. State tomorrow, App. State would win. No disrespect to Harbaugh and as much as I don't like him anyway, but his team isn't that good. App. State was and still is a championship ball club. They know how to win and they have athletes at the right spots. Yes, App. State was in that other league that we all call 1AA, but if you really look at the teams on the field, and you actually know something about football, Stanford's win was in fact more impressive than App. State's.
All this being said, Michigan drops out of the top 25 and USC stays in the BCS hunt. A win against Cal and no one is going to remember the catastrophe against Stanford. If they can beat Cal. No one will forget App. State, nor should they as they are a better team than The Cardinal. USC loses, drops to 7/10 in the polls, but still secures the prime afternoon ABC slot. Interesting? Interesting that USC controls prime coverage most of the time on ABC? Very much so...
Do me a favor and Google "USC Disney." See what comes up. Then ask yourself, "Why would Kirk Herbsreit go against the No Owens experts and pick USC to go undefeated and run the table?" Do you really think that a company who's immediate source of business is cinema isn't going to support the world's premier university for cinematic studies that just happens to be in Disney's backyard? Do you think it's a coincidence that one of USC's trustees (at least) is also a major executive in the Walt Disney corporation who gave $5 million to the university? Do you still think that it's a coincidence that the American Broadcast Company seemingly always has USC on their prime network at key times?
Let's go another route shall we? We have discussed exactly how much influence that ESPN has over the public, and the media...aside from that fact that in many ways it is the media. We see USC as this new powerhouse, a powerhouse that threw away their shot at a national title last year. Twice. A powerhouse that has been beaten by the worst program in the Pac-10. A powerhouse that has seemingly done everything in it's power to keep the public knowledge of Reggie Bush's scandal to a minimum. And the consequences as well. We all know that major programs give money and gifts to their players. Oklahoma got caught. Rhett Bomar's career as a football player has been destroyed...though his career as a car salesman seems to be on the right track. But Reggie Bush is going to walk away, a cheater with his Heisman (that he didn't deserve regardless of his cash intake) in-hand...and as we have talked about, walking is about all he's done in the NFL. Those suing Bush will be settled with out of court and the whole thing will disappear. Will they have to forfeit victories like OU has? Probably not...though Vince Young forced them to submit by himself in the only game that mattered anyway.
There is always so much concern with the business that surrounds college sports. We hear the fights about how athletes should be paid, publicly, for the millions that they bring to their universities and how the education they have paid for them isn't enough...and that's even a poor investment. But look at the business that surrounds ESPN and USC. Without ESPN, USC wouldn't have the legacy that they do now. Lest we forget, it was ESPN and ESPN only who was promoting the potential three-peat if they had beaten Texas. They didn't win the BCS National title, the only one that matters, in '03, LSU did. But ESPN found a way to glorify the program that Walt Disney Corporation has so much of an entitlement to. Of course, none of this can be proven, really. Are you surprised? Walt Disney's vision was always to bring fantasy to real life. A top 10 ranking after being beaten by one of the worst programs in college football? Walt Disney Corporation always finds a way, a way of making dreams come true.
The University of Southern California (the only USC in the country) has enjoyed quite a run for the past few years. Pete Carroll has done an outstanding job resurrecting one of the great programs in the history of college football. For a long time the names Allen and Simpson, in a football sense, stood alone but in recent years names like Palmer, Leinart and Bush have joined their predecessors as some of the greatest trojans since Hector.
The program has flourished into what can be related to the Florida State program that seemingly disappeared when USC began to take power. A changing of the guard? Perhaps.
But Florida State never lost to a team like Stanford in it's years of dominance. There was the NC State loss and then a few losses to Florida but nothing like losing to a team that got beat by 39 points the week before and has association with Jim Harbaugh.
After the loss, USC dropped to 7th in the AP Poll and 10th in the USA Today poll. This is unacceptable. Absolutely absurd. I would be willing to bet that if Stanford played App. State tomorrow, App. State would win. No disrespect to Harbaugh and as much as I don't like him anyway, but his team isn't that good. App. State was and still is a championship ball club. They know how to win and they have athletes at the right spots. Yes, App. State was in that other league that we all call 1AA, but if you really look at the teams on the field, and you actually know something about football, Stanford's win was in fact more impressive than App. State's.
All this being said, Michigan drops out of the top 25 and USC stays in the BCS hunt. A win against Cal and no one is going to remember the catastrophe against Stanford. If they can beat Cal. No one will forget App. State, nor should they as they are a better team than The Cardinal. USC loses, drops to 7/10 in the polls, but still secures the prime afternoon ABC slot. Interesting? Interesting that USC controls prime coverage most of the time on ABC? Very much so...
Do me a favor and Google "USC Disney." See what comes up. Then ask yourself, "Why would Kirk Herbsreit go against the No Owens experts and pick USC to go undefeated and run the table?" Do you really think that a company who's immediate source of business is cinema isn't going to support the world's premier university for cinematic studies that just happens to be in Disney's backyard? Do you think it's a coincidence that one of USC's trustees (at least) is also a major executive in the Walt Disney corporation who gave $5 million to the university? Do you still think that it's a coincidence that the American Broadcast Company seemingly always has USC on their prime network at key times?
Let's go another route shall we? We have discussed exactly how much influence that ESPN has over the public, and the media...aside from that fact that in many ways it is the media. We see USC as this new powerhouse, a powerhouse that threw away their shot at a national title last year. Twice. A powerhouse that has been beaten by the worst program in the Pac-10. A powerhouse that has seemingly done everything in it's power to keep the public knowledge of Reggie Bush's scandal to a minimum. And the consequences as well. We all know that major programs give money and gifts to their players. Oklahoma got caught. Rhett Bomar's career as a football player has been destroyed...though his career as a car salesman seems to be on the right track. But Reggie Bush is going to walk away, a cheater with his Heisman (that he didn't deserve regardless of his cash intake) in-hand...and as we have talked about, walking is about all he's done in the NFL. Those suing Bush will be settled with out of court and the whole thing will disappear. Will they have to forfeit victories like OU has? Probably not...though Vince Young forced them to submit by himself in the only game that mattered anyway.
There is always so much concern with the business that surrounds college sports. We hear the fights about how athletes should be paid, publicly, for the millions that they bring to their universities and how the education they have paid for them isn't enough...and that's even a poor investment. But look at the business that surrounds ESPN and USC. Without ESPN, USC wouldn't have the legacy that they do now. Lest we forget, it was ESPN and ESPN only who was promoting the potential three-peat if they had beaten Texas. They didn't win the BCS National title, the only one that matters, in '03, LSU did. But ESPN found a way to glorify the program that Walt Disney Corporation has so much of an entitlement to. Of course, none of this can be proven, really. Are you surprised? Walt Disney's vision was always to bring fantasy to real life. A top 10 ranking after being beaten by one of the worst programs in college football? Walt Disney Corporation always finds a way, a way of making dreams come true.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
The Best Game I Have Seen in a While
I told a business colleague that he could call me last night if he had any questions being that I was going to have nothing to watch on TV last night. Then when he called, I didn't answer.
I totally forgot that Navy was playing last night. I love watching Navy as there is nothing better than watching one of the last teams who still run the option. Navy, though they may not be too successful these days, is the the last hope we have of old school football. Last night, we saw an old school football game.
Two teams, Navy and Pitt, traded touchdowns for the entire game...including through the first overtime. Navy's offense, which is about identical to that of the offense of the world's greatest football coach Bob Daman, encompasses a number of option looks including dive, veer, and counter options with the traps and play action passes to match. Pitt had two highly recruited freshman playing quarterback and running back: Pat Bostick and TheSean McCoy.
Joe McKnight move over. This McCoy kid is the real...deal. Apparently he will learn to carry the ball in both hands, and when he does that, he won't fumble like an idiot. Other than that, the kid can cut, has amazing vision, and his patience waiting for and setting up blocks was verteranesque. He can square up and push a pile and make the guy miss at level two. He's the best freshman skill position player I have seen this year, aside from Noel Devine.
Being the staunch patriot that I am, you've got to love the academies winning big games. Grant, most don't consider any game against Pitt a big game, sorry Dan, but prime time mid-week is a big game for teams that aren't from big time conferences...or any conference for that matter. But they do it with grit and determination. They can't recruit the athletes that major schools can, but they sure can teach them. You wonder why they can run the option to the tune of being the number one ranked rushing offense in the country? Discipline. The option is an offense of assignment more so than any other offensive style. Stopping it requires even more discipline. Discipline that Army hopes to have at the end of the year.
Oh, hey Tebow. Keep crying. You want to talk about total offense? Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada, no I don't know how to say that, but the Navy quarterback put of staggering numbers. 9-12 166 yards 2 TD's through the air accumulating a modest 246.2 passer rating alongside 25 carries for 122 yards and another TD blows the cryer out. Oh, and he's going to defend our country. Something tells me that no one wants a crying Tim Tebow on a destroyer in the Persian Gulf.
Finally, if there has ever been a time for ESPN to fire Lou Holtz, it's now. Not only could he not make up his mind about instant replay in the booth last night. Not only did we have to stare at some grin on his face while Mark May looks into the camera with the look like he's going to knock you on your rear. But how about the cut back to the booth with Holtz holding the Diet Coke can? Then, in a lightinglike manor, he placed it back on the table to the tune of the aluminum hitting the table. Yes, we heard that. The guy is an idiot. Get him out of here. Send him back to the SEC, oh wait, where Holtz couldn't hack it. So maybe we need to send him back to a team that has no conference? Navy apparently has no need for him.
I totally forgot that Navy was playing last night. I love watching Navy as there is nothing better than watching one of the last teams who still run the option. Navy, though they may not be too successful these days, is the the last hope we have of old school football. Last night, we saw an old school football game.
Two teams, Navy and Pitt, traded touchdowns for the entire game...including through the first overtime. Navy's offense, which is about identical to that of the offense of the world's greatest football coach Bob Daman, encompasses a number of option looks including dive, veer, and counter options with the traps and play action passes to match. Pitt had two highly recruited freshman playing quarterback and running back: Pat Bostick and TheSean McCoy.
Joe McKnight move over. This McCoy kid is the real...deal. Apparently he will learn to carry the ball in both hands, and when he does that, he won't fumble like an idiot. Other than that, the kid can cut, has amazing vision, and his patience waiting for and setting up blocks was verteranesque. He can square up and push a pile and make the guy miss at level two. He's the best freshman skill position player I have seen this year, aside from Noel Devine.
Being the staunch patriot that I am, you've got to love the academies winning big games. Grant, most don't consider any game against Pitt a big game, sorry Dan, but prime time mid-week is a big game for teams that aren't from big time conferences...or any conference for that matter. But they do it with grit and determination. They can't recruit the athletes that major schools can, but they sure can teach them. You wonder why they can run the option to the tune of being the number one ranked rushing offense in the country? Discipline. The option is an offense of assignment more so than any other offensive style. Stopping it requires even more discipline. Discipline that Army hopes to have at the end of the year.
Oh, hey Tebow. Keep crying. You want to talk about total offense? Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada, no I don't know how to say that, but the Navy quarterback put of staggering numbers. 9-12 166 yards 2 TD's through the air accumulating a modest 246.2 passer rating alongside 25 carries for 122 yards and another TD blows the cryer out. Oh, and he's going to defend our country. Something tells me that no one wants a crying Tim Tebow on a destroyer in the Persian Gulf.
Finally, if there has ever been a time for ESPN to fire Lou Holtz, it's now. Not only could he not make up his mind about instant replay in the booth last night. Not only did we have to stare at some grin on his face while Mark May looks into the camera with the look like he's going to knock you on your rear. But how about the cut back to the booth with Holtz holding the Diet Coke can? Then, in a lightinglike manor, he placed it back on the table to the tune of the aluminum hitting the table. Yes, we heard that. The guy is an idiot. Get him out of here. Send him back to the SEC, oh wait, where Holtz couldn't hack it. So maybe we need to send him back to a team that has no conference? Navy apparently has no need for him.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Pete Carroll is Smarter than the New Orleans Saints Organization
A couple of years ago, before Reggie Bush won the Heisman Trophy that everyone in America now knows didn't belong to him, we had to watch ESPN talk about how great he was for an entire season. Don't get me wrong, Reggie Bush did some amazing things in college football.
Remember all of that Gayle Sayers stuff? How Bush was going to step in and redefine the game of football with his speed and explosiveness along with his evasive maneuvering?
We all bought into it, including the New Orleans Saints who thought it was by the grace of God that Reggie Bush fell to them at #2, after the Houston Texans selected Mario Williams with the #1 pick in the 2006 NFL Draft.
Bush, who is in the second year of a contract that could end up being worth $62 million over six years is noticeably struggling in the NFL. He caught and unheard of 88 balls last year as a rookie. His average yard per catch was a mere 8.4, but that stat, I guess, isn't too bad for a running back. Last year he averaged a mere 3.6 yards a carry. Keep in mind that he did all this, which most would call, Kevin Faulkesque, maybe even Dave Meggettesque, in his rookie year. Respectable. Keep in mind, all of this was done with Deuce McCallister healthy.
This year, the tides have turned in New Orleans. No pun intended. Through his first four games, Bush is averaging a thundering 2.9 yards per carry. Astounding numbers by the second coming of Gayle Sayers. Oh, he's averaging 4.9 yards per catch.
Deuce, a more powerful back who was also the first Heisman candidate to have his own website (thedeuceisloose.com) is now out for the season, leaving Bush as the centerpiece of the running game; a role that Bush hasn't played since high school.
Bush seems to have gotten himself into quite the predicament. Remember when I talked about Percy Harvin and how he wasn't going to translate into anything in the NFL? What is Reggie Bush doing? He is a guy with more talent than anyone knows what to do with, literally, but he doesn't have a skill set. He's an X-factor, with no position.
In high school, Bush was faster than all of his peers. In college, he was still a step or two faster but had a dynamic ability to make full speed cuts that left DB's gasping for air. He also had a line that got him to level two every time Leinart handed the ball to him.
I don't know if you have seen Bush's recruit profile from Rivals.com: http://footballrecruiting.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?pr_key=8514&sport=1
They say he's put on 20 pounds since high school, but in that picture, I'm not sure about that. Now that he's not much, if any bigger, than he was in high school, and not much faster and playing in the NFL, could it be possible that Reggie Bush has in fact peaked? Is it possible that Reggie Bush is never going to get any better at playing football? We see the reverse of Bush's situation all the time...I mean look at his teammate Colston. Why would someone like him go to Hofstra? He probably spurted in college and became the player he could be in college but didn't have the size to get recruited to a big time college in high school. Look at all of the guys in the NFL who have been successful but didn't get recruited to go to big schools. In my opinion, that's because they hadn't physically matured yet meaning that they hadn't biologically been able to get bigger, faster or stronger. Even Tiger Woods has said that he couldn't get bigger until his late mid/late 20's.
The point is...Reggie Bush was that kid in high school who was in fact as a player and as a presence, a man among boys. Everyone is still getting bigger, faster, and better, and Bush seems to be stagnant. I don't think it has to do with his team, but someone with the talent level that we have been hearing about for so long, one would think by his second season in the NFL, and seeing what those drafted behind him last year have done, Bush should be starting to find his stride. There's a reason that LenDale White and Bush split time; Pete Carroll knew that Bush wasn't an every down back. Right now, he's a $62 million third down specialist. In my opinion, Reggie Bush could go down as the biggest bust in NFL history.
In case you were wondering, in Gayle Sayers' second season in the NFL, he led the league in rushing.
Remember all of that Gayle Sayers stuff? How Bush was going to step in and redefine the game of football with his speed and explosiveness along with his evasive maneuvering?
We all bought into it, including the New Orleans Saints who thought it was by the grace of God that Reggie Bush fell to them at #2, after the Houston Texans selected Mario Williams with the #1 pick in the 2006 NFL Draft.
Bush, who is in the second year of a contract that could end up being worth $62 million over six years is noticeably struggling in the NFL. He caught and unheard of 88 balls last year as a rookie. His average yard per catch was a mere 8.4, but that stat, I guess, isn't too bad for a running back. Last year he averaged a mere 3.6 yards a carry. Keep in mind that he did all this, which most would call, Kevin Faulkesque, maybe even Dave Meggettesque, in his rookie year. Respectable. Keep in mind, all of this was done with Deuce McCallister healthy.
This year, the tides have turned in New Orleans. No pun intended. Through his first four games, Bush is averaging a thundering 2.9 yards per carry. Astounding numbers by the second coming of Gayle Sayers. Oh, he's averaging 4.9 yards per catch.
Deuce, a more powerful back who was also the first Heisman candidate to have his own website (thedeuceisloose.com) is now out for the season, leaving Bush as the centerpiece of the running game; a role that Bush hasn't played since high school.
Bush seems to have gotten himself into quite the predicament. Remember when I talked about Percy Harvin and how he wasn't going to translate into anything in the NFL? What is Reggie Bush doing? He is a guy with more talent than anyone knows what to do with, literally, but he doesn't have a skill set. He's an X-factor, with no position.
In high school, Bush was faster than all of his peers. In college, he was still a step or two faster but had a dynamic ability to make full speed cuts that left DB's gasping for air. He also had a line that got him to level two every time Leinart handed the ball to him.
I don't know if you have seen Bush's recruit profile from Rivals.com: http://footballrecruiting.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?pr_key=8514&sport=1
They say he's put on 20 pounds since high school, but in that picture, I'm not sure about that. Now that he's not much, if any bigger, than he was in high school, and not much faster and playing in the NFL, could it be possible that Reggie Bush has in fact peaked? Is it possible that Reggie Bush is never going to get any better at playing football? We see the reverse of Bush's situation all the time...I mean look at his teammate Colston. Why would someone like him go to Hofstra? He probably spurted in college and became the player he could be in college but didn't have the size to get recruited to a big time college in high school. Look at all of the guys in the NFL who have been successful but didn't get recruited to go to big schools. In my opinion, that's because they hadn't physically matured yet meaning that they hadn't biologically been able to get bigger, faster or stronger. Even Tiger Woods has said that he couldn't get bigger until his late mid/late 20's.
The point is...Reggie Bush was that kid in high school who was in fact as a player and as a presence, a man among boys. Everyone is still getting bigger, faster, and better, and Bush seems to be stagnant. I don't think it has to do with his team, but someone with the talent level that we have been hearing about for so long, one would think by his second season in the NFL, and seeing what those drafted behind him last year have done, Bush should be starting to find his stride. There's a reason that LenDale White and Bush split time; Pete Carroll knew that Bush wasn't an every down back. Right now, he's a $62 million third down specialist. In my opinion, Reggie Bush could go down as the biggest bust in NFL history.
In case you were wondering, in Gayle Sayers' second season in the NFL, he led the league in rushing.
Monday, October 8, 2007
Let's Talk About the Weekend
What a wild weekend this was in the sporting world. From every angle we saw something that had to get at least someones attention. This really has been one wild fall...let's see where to go from here.
Congratulations to Les Miles and his team. Les Miles officially has the biggest you know what's on the face of the earth. And you know what? With his team I probably would too. A great comeback win when even No Owens experts picked against him to solidify not only the number 1 ranking in both polls, but that LSU is absolutely the best team right now in the nation. Everyone outside of Gainesville knows that LSU was the best team in the nation at the end of last year and this game was a statement game for his program. Oh, and by the way, Tim Tebow is a cryer. Tim Tebow, the big tough quarterback, cries when he loses. Love it.
Being the Packer fan that I am, I know what it's like to lose to Jim Harbaugh. It's awful. It's seriously one of the most humbling experiences one can have. Just ask John David Booty. USC is not as good as advertised, as much as ESPN wants to defy this concept. I've got a good USC post that I am going to write one of these days if sports takes a day. Either way, thanks to the Cardinal for proving my point.
I think I am the only person frustrated by the Tennessee victory on Saturday. As great as the Vols played, and I mean, we would have beaten just about anyone on Saturday, I'm pretty frustrated with the game. Why? It's not like the Vols went out and made a trade or something...picked someone up off of waivers. This is the same team that started the season, the same team that got trounced by Florida. The same team that struggled against Southern Miss. Where has this team been? I'm frustrated because the only time our head football coach gets his team ready is when his job is on the line. Where was this intensity and passion from the players? This physical effort that didn't do the score justice? If the Vols would have come out with the intensity all season, we would be at least 4-1 right now. 4-1 looks a lot better than 3-2. If anything, this is a reason to lose the head coach simply because he shows how capable he and his team are. Why keep someone who can't get the most out of his talent every game? The Vols very well could win out this year and then have to play LSU...which is bad. If that's the case, who is going to remember the fact that the team was non-existent for 4 weeks? Unless something changes, is that same fire going to be there week one in '08? Everyone is praising Fulmer right now...this transformation in two weeks...why didn't any of this transformation occur 8 months before the season?
Speaking of USC and "Cardinal"s...is anyone really sad to see Matt Leinart with a broken collarbone? I mean, maybe if the guy shut up, he wouldn't get hurt. The team plays better with Kurt Warner anyway.
I don't have anything to say about the Cubs.
I do have something to say about the Green Bay Packers. Unacceptable. Other than James Jones, the Packers played to win in the first half. In the second half, they played not to lose. They did not succeed. That is an embarrassing loss.
I love how one game can give the entire nation the hope that the Yankees are back. Even if the Yankees win again in New York, they still have CC or Fausto waiting in Cleveland for them. Also, the Red Sox are playing a lot better than any of these experts thought they would. It really is amazing what the Yankees can do to drown out the...ROCKIES. We'll see what happens in a few weeks although I think I am the only person looking forward to the NLCS. To teams playing the game the right way...with payrolls that are seemingly un-existant.
Oh. Did I mention that Tim Tebow was crying after the loss on Saturday?
Congratulations to Les Miles and his team. Les Miles officially has the biggest you know what's on the face of the earth. And you know what? With his team I probably would too. A great comeback win when even No Owens experts picked against him to solidify not only the number 1 ranking in both polls, but that LSU is absolutely the best team right now in the nation. Everyone outside of Gainesville knows that LSU was the best team in the nation at the end of last year and this game was a statement game for his program. Oh, and by the way, Tim Tebow is a cryer. Tim Tebow, the big tough quarterback, cries when he loses. Love it.
Being the Packer fan that I am, I know what it's like to lose to Jim Harbaugh. It's awful. It's seriously one of the most humbling experiences one can have. Just ask John David Booty. USC is not as good as advertised, as much as ESPN wants to defy this concept. I've got a good USC post that I am going to write one of these days if sports takes a day. Either way, thanks to the Cardinal for proving my point.
I think I am the only person frustrated by the Tennessee victory on Saturday. As great as the Vols played, and I mean, we would have beaten just about anyone on Saturday, I'm pretty frustrated with the game. Why? It's not like the Vols went out and made a trade or something...picked someone up off of waivers. This is the same team that started the season, the same team that got trounced by Florida. The same team that struggled against Southern Miss. Where has this team been? I'm frustrated because the only time our head football coach gets his team ready is when his job is on the line. Where was this intensity and passion from the players? This physical effort that didn't do the score justice? If the Vols would have come out with the intensity all season, we would be at least 4-1 right now. 4-1 looks a lot better than 3-2. If anything, this is a reason to lose the head coach simply because he shows how capable he and his team are. Why keep someone who can't get the most out of his talent every game? The Vols very well could win out this year and then have to play LSU...which is bad. If that's the case, who is going to remember the fact that the team was non-existent for 4 weeks? Unless something changes, is that same fire going to be there week one in '08? Everyone is praising Fulmer right now...this transformation in two weeks...why didn't any of this transformation occur 8 months before the season?
Speaking of USC and "Cardinal"s...is anyone really sad to see Matt Leinart with a broken collarbone? I mean, maybe if the guy shut up, he wouldn't get hurt. The team plays better with Kurt Warner anyway.
I don't have anything to say about the Cubs.
I do have something to say about the Green Bay Packers. Unacceptable. Other than James Jones, the Packers played to win in the first half. In the second half, they played not to lose. They did not succeed. That is an embarrassing loss.
I love how one game can give the entire nation the hope that the Yankees are back. Even if the Yankees win again in New York, they still have CC or Fausto waiting in Cleveland for them. Also, the Red Sox are playing a lot better than any of these experts thought they would. It really is amazing what the Yankees can do to drown out the...ROCKIES. We'll see what happens in a few weeks although I think I am the only person looking forward to the NLCS. To teams playing the game the right way...with payrolls that are seemingly un-existant.
Oh. Did I mention that Tim Tebow was crying after the loss on Saturday?
Friday, October 5, 2007
The Weekend Ahead...
I don't know if you have noticed at all...but this upcoming weekend is going to be rockin' in the sporting world. The two best sports that this country has to offer are in absolute full swing. Let's get started.
How would you feel to be one of the losing teams in baseball yesterday? The Indians, D-Backs, and the...ROCKIES...pretty much looked at their opponents and said, "Excuse me, I need to wipe the floor with you right now. Thanks."
The Cubs and Phillies are pretty much done. I haven't seen a team play so badly in a long time in comparison with what the Cubs have looked like the past two nights. I mean, seriously. The Cubs are getting drilled by a team that includes Augie Ojeda and Juan Cruz. Oh yeah, we lost to Doug Davis last night. I didn't know Kevin Conley was still pitching. This is embarrassing. If we were getting drilled Exxon style, I wish we were getting drilled by a team with someone who has a beard like Todd Helton. There is nothing good about these D-Backs. Losing to them is like losing to Kevin Gerow in anything...it makes you want to throw your head into concrete.
The...ROCKIES...are going to win the World Series. Who's going to beat them? Oh, and how about those Yankees. Good god. Everyone wants to talk about A-Rod for the MVP and yes he should win it. I apologize for not bringing this up earlier, but what about Victor Martinez? He's a catcher putting up huge numbers and is a huge value at his position...like Ichiro in the leadoff spot. Oh yeah, JROLL played well yesterday, not well enough. Those M-V-P chants in DENVER this weekend are going to drown JROLL in the same mop water that he's going to clean the...ROCKIES...dugout with after the game.
Moving to college football. First of all, anyone who likes Lou Holtz is terrible. I've said it once and I'll say it again...he couldn't hack it in the SEC. Thanks, Lou. Jimmy Clausen is waiting for you to buy him Bacardi O outside the liquor store.
No one is paying attention to the OU/Texas game. They should be. The National Title implications in this game are a lot stronger than anyone wants to admit. Assuming OU's loss last week was a giant fluke, which it was, no offense to former CU Long Snapper Greg Pace, the winner of this game SHOULD walk through the rest of the conference to a one loss season. I believe that after this weekend, one of the unbeatens will no longer carry such a distinction (LSU) that's going to leave a select few running around with no losses. OU can still make the National Title game simply from beating up on an easy schedule. The same goes for Texas...I just don't think they are that good and Mack Brown is nothing without VY.
Again, everything says that LSU is going to beat Florida in Baton Rouge this weekend. It should happen, but for whatever reason, I don't see it. As much as I am rooting for the Bayou Bengals, I just think Florida will be prepared down in the hardest environment to play in this country has to offer.
Hey Kentucky fans: welcome to the real world. Basketball season is around the corner. Thanks.
Finally, those who read this know that I am the eternal optimist concerning UT football. I've said from the get go that Georgia was the problem spot on the schedule. I don't think we have a chance in this game. And I don't think it's going to be close. A loss by 10 points or less is going to be surprising to me. A win? I don't know what I would do with myself. The Vols can't stop the run and all Georgia is going to do is run the football. You do the math. Go Vols. John Gruden should have an interview on Wednesday.
How would you feel to be one of the losing teams in baseball yesterday? The Indians, D-Backs, and the...ROCKIES...pretty much looked at their opponents and said, "Excuse me, I need to wipe the floor with you right now. Thanks."
The Cubs and Phillies are pretty much done. I haven't seen a team play so badly in a long time in comparison with what the Cubs have looked like the past two nights. I mean, seriously. The Cubs are getting drilled by a team that includes Augie Ojeda and Juan Cruz. Oh yeah, we lost to Doug Davis last night. I didn't know Kevin Conley was still pitching. This is embarrassing. If we were getting drilled Exxon style, I wish we were getting drilled by a team with someone who has a beard like Todd Helton. There is nothing good about these D-Backs. Losing to them is like losing to Kevin Gerow in anything...it makes you want to throw your head into concrete.
The...ROCKIES...are going to win the World Series. Who's going to beat them? Oh, and how about those Yankees. Good god. Everyone wants to talk about A-Rod for the MVP and yes he should win it. I apologize for not bringing this up earlier, but what about Victor Martinez? He's a catcher putting up huge numbers and is a huge value at his position...like Ichiro in the leadoff spot. Oh yeah, JROLL played well yesterday, not well enough. Those M-V-P chants in DENVER this weekend are going to drown JROLL in the same mop water that he's going to clean the...ROCKIES...dugout with after the game.
Moving to college football. First of all, anyone who likes Lou Holtz is terrible. I've said it once and I'll say it again...he couldn't hack it in the SEC. Thanks, Lou. Jimmy Clausen is waiting for you to buy him Bacardi O outside the liquor store.
No one is paying attention to the OU/Texas game. They should be. The National Title implications in this game are a lot stronger than anyone wants to admit. Assuming OU's loss last week was a giant fluke, which it was, no offense to former CU Long Snapper Greg Pace, the winner of this game SHOULD walk through the rest of the conference to a one loss season. I believe that after this weekend, one of the unbeatens will no longer carry such a distinction (LSU) that's going to leave a select few running around with no losses. OU can still make the National Title game simply from beating up on an easy schedule. The same goes for Texas...I just don't think they are that good and Mack Brown is nothing without VY.
Again, everything says that LSU is going to beat Florida in Baton Rouge this weekend. It should happen, but for whatever reason, I don't see it. As much as I am rooting for the Bayou Bengals, I just think Florida will be prepared down in the hardest environment to play in this country has to offer.
Hey Kentucky fans: welcome to the real world. Basketball season is around the corner. Thanks.
Finally, those who read this know that I am the eternal optimist concerning UT football. I've said from the get go that Georgia was the problem spot on the schedule. I don't think we have a chance in this game. And I don't think it's going to be close. A loss by 10 points or less is going to be surprising to me. A win? I don't know what I would do with myself. The Vols can't stop the run and all Georgia is going to do is run the football. You do the math. Go Vols. John Gruden should have an interview on Wednesday.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
A Lot to be Excited About
One day into the baseball post season and it seems that we are picking up right where the regular season left off.
America's team the...ROCKIES...won yesterday. Though I have both the Cubs and Angels winning, it was good for baseball to see Josh Beckett throw his second straight shutout in the post season. As much as I disagreed with pulling Carlos, the late game was all in all a good game as well...objectively. But there is one thing that was the most pleasant surprise.
I HATE watching the Red Sox. Not as much as the Yankees, but the Red Sox thing is really getting old. However, yesterday, when I got home from work and turned on baseball...the best thing could have happened. STEVE STONE WAS IN THE BOOTH.
Steve Stone knows more about baseball than anyone. This is not up for negotiation. It is a fact. If I was starting a baseball team tomorrow, Steve Stone would be my manager. He has the ability to anticipate every teams just about every move. There were times when he was announcing with the Cubs that it seemed like he would tell Harry something as a joke like..."The Hawk is going to run here...the wind is moving northeast." Sure enough, there goes Andre. Steve Stone may be the most boring person of all time...but when watching the Angels/Red Sox games, make sure you listen to him. He is more valuable than anything on your iPod.
Along with Stone, there is a reason I am also looking forward to the Yankees series. I was listening to Jim Rome yesterday and he had arguably the biggest class act in modern baseball history who just happens to be doing the analyst role for the Yankee series: Tony Gwynn. Tony Gwynn is probably my favorite player that isn't a Cub. I mean, just about every Cub comes before everyone else, accept Chico Walker, I hated that guy. But Gwynn was such a great player who went about his game the right way and listening to someone who studied the game and prepared mentally to play at such a high level is just a joy.
Most notably in his interview, Rome asked Tony how he felt when Tony Jr. had a key hit against the Padres to tie a game this past weekend which put them in the playoff situation against the...ROCKIES. Tony Sr. responded that he was proud of his kid and he jumped out of his chair in excitement. It didn't matter that it was against his Padres, but the joy he had as a father seeing his son playing in the bigs, and making a great play is what really matters most.
If all athletes today, or even half of them could be like Tony Gwynn, we would really have something. He's a class act, and could still probably hit .315. If there has ever been a reason to watch the Yankees, Tony Gwynn, in the booth, is it.
America's team the...ROCKIES...won yesterday. Though I have both the Cubs and Angels winning, it was good for baseball to see Josh Beckett throw his second straight shutout in the post season. As much as I disagreed with pulling Carlos, the late game was all in all a good game as well...objectively. But there is one thing that was the most pleasant surprise.
I HATE watching the Red Sox. Not as much as the Yankees, but the Red Sox thing is really getting old. However, yesterday, when I got home from work and turned on baseball...the best thing could have happened. STEVE STONE WAS IN THE BOOTH.
Steve Stone knows more about baseball than anyone. This is not up for negotiation. It is a fact. If I was starting a baseball team tomorrow, Steve Stone would be my manager. He has the ability to anticipate every teams just about every move. There were times when he was announcing with the Cubs that it seemed like he would tell Harry something as a joke like..."The Hawk is going to run here...the wind is moving northeast." Sure enough, there goes Andre. Steve Stone may be the most boring person of all time...but when watching the Angels/Red Sox games, make sure you listen to him. He is more valuable than anything on your iPod.
Along with Stone, there is a reason I am also looking forward to the Yankees series. I was listening to Jim Rome yesterday and he had arguably the biggest class act in modern baseball history who just happens to be doing the analyst role for the Yankee series: Tony Gwynn. Tony Gwynn is probably my favorite player that isn't a Cub. I mean, just about every Cub comes before everyone else, accept Chico Walker, I hated that guy. But Gwynn was such a great player who went about his game the right way and listening to someone who studied the game and prepared mentally to play at such a high level is just a joy.
Most notably in his interview, Rome asked Tony how he felt when Tony Jr. had a key hit against the Padres to tie a game this past weekend which put them in the playoff situation against the...ROCKIES. Tony Sr. responded that he was proud of his kid and he jumped out of his chair in excitement. It didn't matter that it was against his Padres, but the joy he had as a father seeing his son playing in the bigs, and making a great play is what really matters most.
If all athletes today, or even half of them could be like Tony Gwynn, we would really have something. He's a class act, and could still probably hit .315. If there has ever been a reason to watch the Yankees, Tony Gwynn, in the booth, is it.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Best Playoff Season Ever...Besides Hockey...But Hockey Doesn't Have the Cubs, So Who Cares?
Baseball's second season starts again this afternoon. This could be one of the most interesting post seasons in recent history. Going into it, there are so many story lines that should spark an interest out of the baseball world. Where do we start?
Alex Rodriguez has more going against him than just his lack of post season production. With that lack comes the amount of attention he is getting. Rumor has it that at media day yesterday in New York, Derek Jeter was sitting at his locker by himself after their work out. The media leaving Jeter alone in October? I think we have seen that pressure isn't something that A-Rod handles too well. But the other pressures that are coming to him are coming at about 30 million miles per hour. A-Rod can opt out of his contract 10 days after the completion of the World Series. That date is the near future and A-Rod and his agent have one pressured decision to make. This being said...I just don't see the Yankees getting past the Indians. A-Rod can hit .400 in the series, but I just don't like how the series sets up for New York. The CC Sabathia/Chien Ming Wang match up is one of the best match ups of the entire post season as Wang is outstanding but gets no publicity for the reason that his name isn't Rodriguez, Jeter, or even fellow member of the Orient Matsui. But with Sabathia, a lefty power pitcher, followed by Fausto Carmona, a righty sinker baller, is one of the hardest back to back match ups I can remember simply from dominant pitching styles. You are looking at basically the same team as last year for the Yankees...and the year before that. I like Cleveland in 4.
Speaking of pitching match ups; what about the 39 wins of Josh Beckett and John Lackey? I expect Game 1 to last 23 minutes with a Garrett Anderson homer in the first being the difference. It seems like I always pick the Angels to win the World Series, assuming the Cubs don't make it every year. They just do it the right way, their lineup is great for the post season, and they have the best manager, in my opinion in baseball. All this aside, I am looking forward to seeing DICE-K in Game 2. So much emphasis has been put on his stamina and I want to see him in October. Lest we forget, he lost his first career regular season start. Angels sweep is bold...but I'll say Angels in 4.
America's series...Colorado with no pitching versus Philly with Cole Hamels and no one else. I don't see Colorado losing at home. I don't think that's possible. And unless Hamels pitches 3 times in the series, I don't see this being favorable for the Phillies who are running into a train in the...ROCKIES. This series really could go either way but I am saying Colorado in 4. They will take Game 2 and run away in Denver. However, all of these games will be in extra innings or won in the bottom of the 9th. It's what these teams do.
Finally, the forgotten series. There is no reason that the Cubs should win this series. Hitters just don't hit in the post season. Pitching dominates and I don't like Carlos pitching in high pressure situations. Last time in the post season, Carlos wasn't effective in the NLDS and had to have Wood/Prior to bail him out. Ted Lilly, however, is lights out and even if the Cubs fall tonight with Carlos, Lilly will win tomorrow to split. After that, Wrigley is all I need to say. The Cubs have Mark DeRosa. Arizona doesn't. Also, Alfonso Soriano has more post season experience and success than anyone in the NL. Wait, Jamie Moyer played in the '53 series, so second most. Either way, the intangibles are with the Cubs. And there is no way that I will pick them to lose anyway. Kerry Wood out of the bullpen? In October? Steve Drew wants none of that. Cubs will become the first team ever to win a 5 game series in 2 games.
Alex Rodriguez has more going against him than just his lack of post season production. With that lack comes the amount of attention he is getting. Rumor has it that at media day yesterday in New York, Derek Jeter was sitting at his locker by himself after their work out. The media leaving Jeter alone in October? I think we have seen that pressure isn't something that A-Rod handles too well. But the other pressures that are coming to him are coming at about 30 million miles per hour. A-Rod can opt out of his contract 10 days after the completion of the World Series. That date is the near future and A-Rod and his agent have one pressured decision to make. This being said...I just don't see the Yankees getting past the Indians. A-Rod can hit .400 in the series, but I just don't like how the series sets up for New York. The CC Sabathia/Chien Ming Wang match up is one of the best match ups of the entire post season as Wang is outstanding but gets no publicity for the reason that his name isn't Rodriguez, Jeter, or even fellow member of the Orient Matsui. But with Sabathia, a lefty power pitcher, followed by Fausto Carmona, a righty sinker baller, is one of the hardest back to back match ups I can remember simply from dominant pitching styles. You are looking at basically the same team as last year for the Yankees...and the year before that. I like Cleveland in 4.
Speaking of pitching match ups; what about the 39 wins of Josh Beckett and John Lackey? I expect Game 1 to last 23 minutes with a Garrett Anderson homer in the first being the difference. It seems like I always pick the Angels to win the World Series, assuming the Cubs don't make it every year. They just do it the right way, their lineup is great for the post season, and they have the best manager, in my opinion in baseball. All this aside, I am looking forward to seeing DICE-K in Game 2. So much emphasis has been put on his stamina and I want to see him in October. Lest we forget, he lost his first career regular season start. Angels sweep is bold...but I'll say Angels in 4.
America's series...Colorado with no pitching versus Philly with Cole Hamels and no one else. I don't see Colorado losing at home. I don't think that's possible. And unless Hamels pitches 3 times in the series, I don't see this being favorable for the Phillies who are running into a train in the...ROCKIES. This series really could go either way but I am saying Colorado in 4. They will take Game 2 and run away in Denver. However, all of these games will be in extra innings or won in the bottom of the 9th. It's what these teams do.
Finally, the forgotten series. There is no reason that the Cubs should win this series. Hitters just don't hit in the post season. Pitching dominates and I don't like Carlos pitching in high pressure situations. Last time in the post season, Carlos wasn't effective in the NLDS and had to have Wood/Prior to bail him out. Ted Lilly, however, is lights out and even if the Cubs fall tonight with Carlos, Lilly will win tomorrow to split. After that, Wrigley is all I need to say. The Cubs have Mark DeRosa. Arizona doesn't. Also, Alfonso Soriano has more post season experience and success than anyone in the NL. Wait, Jamie Moyer played in the '53 series, so second most. Either way, the intangibles are with the Cubs. And there is no way that I will pick them to lose anyway. Kerry Wood out of the bullpen? In October? Steve Drew wants none of that. Cubs will become the first team ever to win a 5 game series in 2 games.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Long Time Coming
Apologies for the lack of post yesterday. It would have been a solid day to post given all that went on in college football this past weekend. It couldn't be made to work.
For that, I apologize.
I hope you stayed up to watch the...ROCKIES...last night. If you didn't, they won and are going to play in Philly on Wednesday afternoon. We all know about my prowess in Major League Baseball and that I will live and die with the Cubs. But who wants to play either of these teams squaring off in the city of brotherly love? There have often times been "Teams of Destiny," but it seems that this year there are two, if not three if you count any Cubs team that makes the playoffs. Who outside of the Bronx, Boston, Anaheim and Cleveland really paid a lot of attention to the AL down the stretch? That whole, "Who gets home field" thing? That was a ploy to get the Red Sox more air time. The NL is where the action is, and where right now, where the best teams are. On paper, do the Phillies match up against the Angels? Not at all. I'm not trying to save any rain forests, but get the paper out of here. With the playoff series set, the winner will come from the NL.
College football. Well, No Owens took a hit this past weekend with the national title hopefuls both losing. Thankfully, every other team lost as well. Including Florida. Th
is has to be the best picture in sports history. Either the Gators lost, or Tebow is tired from doing jumping jacks. Auburn proved how strong of a conference the SEC is. Go in with as much talent as anyone else and you can win a game with your back against the wall. Take a moment to savor this shot...
Moving on. That being said, and as much as I hate Florida and everything about their program from the City of Gainesville to their people (not fans...they are their own breed down there) to Jessie Palmer, I think I am the only person who is picking them to beat LSU this weekend. Are they a better team than LSU? Most certainly not. But they weren't a better team than LSU last year and they won. Grant, last year was at the Swamp and LSU pretty much gave the game away on a silver platter...more teams than the Gators would have beaten LSU that day. But I think the intangibles, for whatever reasons, are in Florida's favor. Urban "The Rat" Meyer doesn't lose two games in a row and LSU never goes undefeated. I don't bet on people I hate, but if I did, I would bet on Florida this weekend. Go Vols.
How about those Mets? As a Cubs fan, some of us love their 1969esque debacle. But I mean, how could this possibly happen. The Phillies got hot, sure. But how do you get that cold with Jose Reyes, Dave Wright, and Carlos Beltran in your lineup? As well as a dominating red hot Moises Alou...yes, that is a phenomenon that has not gone extinct by the year 2007. I don't mind Willie Randolph, but someone has to go. Just like someone has to go in Knoxville, someone had to go in Tuscaloosa, and how Tim Floyd needed to get out of Chicago. Pedro even finally came back and pitched well, and his wins still couldn't get it done for this team. There should be no structure whatsoever to this paragraph, because there is nothing more than rambling that you can do about these Mets. In your face, Ron Santo owns you.
Finally, the NFL had just as many unbeaten teams last weekend as they do now. I think that says something about the strength of the teams that are still without a loss. You go 3-0 you have a strong start, you go 4-0, you're legit. You know what's coming tomorrow...
For that, I apologize.
I hope you stayed up to watch the...ROCKIES...last night. If you didn't, they won and are going to play in Philly on Wednesday afternoon. We all know about my prowess in Major League Baseball and that I will live and die with the Cubs. But who wants to play either of these teams squaring off in the city of brotherly love? There have often times been "Teams of Destiny," but it seems that this year there are two, if not three if you count any Cubs team that makes the playoffs. Who outside of the Bronx, Boston, Anaheim and Cleveland really paid a lot of attention to the AL down the stretch? That whole, "Who gets home field" thing? That was a ploy to get the Red Sox more air time. The NL is where the action is, and where right now, where the best teams are. On paper, do the Phillies match up against the Angels? Not at all. I'm not trying to save any rain forests, but get the paper out of here. With the playoff series set, the winner will come from the NL.
College football. Well, No Owens took a hit this past weekend with the national title hopefuls both losing. Thankfully, every other team lost as well. Including Florida. Th
is has to be the best picture in sports history. Either the Gators lost, or Tebow is tired from doing jumping jacks. Auburn proved how strong of a conference the SEC is. Go in with as much talent as anyone else and you can win a game with your back against the wall. Take a moment to savor this shot...Moving on. That being said, and as much as I hate Florida and everything about their program from the City of Gainesville to their people (not fans...they are their own breed down there) to Jessie Palmer, I think I am the only person who is picking them to beat LSU this weekend. Are they a better team than LSU? Most certainly not. But they weren't a better team than LSU last year and they won. Grant, last year was at the Swamp and LSU pretty much gave the game away on a silver platter...more teams than the Gators would have beaten LSU that day. But I think the intangibles, for whatever reasons, are in Florida's favor. Urban "The Rat" Meyer doesn't lose two games in a row and LSU never goes undefeated. I don't bet on people I hate, but if I did, I would bet on Florida this weekend. Go Vols.
How about those Mets? As a Cubs fan, some of us love their 1969esque debacle. But I mean, how could this possibly happen. The Phillies got hot, sure. But how do you get that cold with Jose Reyes, Dave Wright, and Carlos Beltran in your lineup? As well as a dominating red hot Moises Alou...yes, that is a phenomenon that has not gone extinct by the year 2007. I don't mind Willie Randolph, but someone has to go. Just like someone has to go in Knoxville, someone had to go in Tuscaloosa, and how Tim Floyd needed to get out of Chicago. Pedro even finally came back and pitched well, and his wins still couldn't get it done for this team. There should be no structure whatsoever to this paragraph, because there is nothing more than rambling that you can do about these Mets. In your face, Ron Santo owns you.
Finally, the NFL had just as many unbeaten teams last weekend as they do now. I think that says something about the strength of the teams that are still without a loss. You go 3-0 you have a strong start, you go 4-0, you're legit. You know what's coming tomorrow...
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