From the Reserved Seats

John Wooden, In Memoriam

2010-06-09T09:43:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy the NY Daily News.

Last Friday, UCLA basketball coaching legend John Wooden passed away from natural causes at the age of 99. He won 10 national titles and single-handedly transformed UCLA into a basketball powerhouse. He is a two-time Hall of Famer, inducted in 1961 as a player and 1973 as a coach. Wooden served during World War II as a Navy lieutenant and was a devout Christian. His Pyramid of Success is as much a part of his legacy as his coaching resume. To commemorate his coaching excellence and passion for shaping mens' lives, here are some of his quotes:

"Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out."

"Never mistake activity for achievement."

"Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are."

"Be prepared and be honest."

"You can't let praise or criticism get to you. It's a weakness to get caught up in either one."

"You can't live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you."

"A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment."

"If you're not making mistakes, then you're not doing anything. I'm positive that a doer makes mistakes."

"Ability is a poor man's wealth."

"Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be."

"Don't measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you should have accomplished with your ability."

"It's not so important who starts the game but who finishes it."

"Talent is God-given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful."

"Success is never final; failure is never fatal. It's courage that counts."

For his Pyramid of Success, see this LA Times graphic. And for a more complete look at Wooden's life, read Jeff Eisenberg's column at Rivals/Yahoo. The last two paragraphs will make you shed a tear.

Spelling Bee Highlights

2010-06-07T09:00:00.000-07:00

Occasionally, I watch the National Spelling Bee. Some of the kids' reactions are priceless. These are some highlights, courtesy ESPN:

Lakers v. Celtics in a Nutshell

2010-06-04T12:14:00.000-07:00

I'm heading out of town for the weekend, so here's a quick video on the history between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers, the two franchises with the most titles in the NBA (Celtics 17 titles, Lakers 15). The Lakers-Celtics rivalry is easily the biggest in basketball and one of the most famous in sports. Video courtesy YouTube user xiehaorong:

Blown Perfection

2010-06-03T10:57:00.000-07:00

Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga. Photo courtesy customauthenticjerseys.com.

Last night, Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga was on the brink of the 3rd perfect game this season, but his bid was derailed by one Jim Joyce. A perfect game is one of the rarest feats in baseball, and this season there have already been two (Oakland's Dallas Braden against Tampa on May 9 and Philadelphia's Roy Halladay against Florida on May 29). Last night, with two out in the bottom of the 9th, one batter away from the perfecto, Galarraga pitched to Jason Donald and made the out at 1st, but umpire Jim Joyce called Donald safe, spoiling the perfect game. Video replays clearly showed Galarraga had Donald out at 1st.

There has been a lot of debate as to whether or not instant replay should be used in baseball. Currently, it is only selectively used on home run calls but it should be expanded to safe/out calls on the basepaths. With expanded instant replay, calls like the one last night will happen less and umpires like Joyce won't have to deal with the public backlash like he and his wife have today (he's behind home plate in today's Tigers-Indians game).

Roethlisberger Returns

2010-06-02T10:32:00.000-07:00

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger returned to practice on Tuesday for the first time since the NFL handed him a six-game suspension in April for violating the league's "personal conduct policy". While Big Ben's relationship with the city of Pittsburgh has soured, his teammates are giving him plenty of public support. Receiver Mike Wallace was quoted as saying, "He's a man and everybody makes mistakes. I just feel like he's the leader of our team. Anytime he comes back we accept him for who he is." Video of his teammates below, courtesy ESPN:

And for further analysis, here's ESPN's Trey Wingo, Cris Carter, and Marcus Allen discussing what Ben has to do to regain the team's confidence:

Personally, I'm with the Steelers fanbase on this one, since this isn't the first time Roethlisberger has had questionable decisions. For further reading, here's the original FTRS post stemming from Ben's Georgia incident here.

Free Agent Summit

2010-06-01T10:09:00.000-07:00

LeBron James, left, starts a highlight reel dunk on Amare Stoudemire. Photo courtesy YouGotDunkedOn.com.

Last week, Dwyane Wade made noise by announcing he'd talk to fellow NBA free agents LeBron James and Joe Johnson before deciding where he wants to play ball next season. He forgot Chris Bosh and Amare Stoudemire, and STAT is making sure it's known he wants an invitation. Should all five meet up for the so-called "free agent summit", it could shift the balance of power in the NBA. It's a given the New York area teams, the Nets and Knicks, will want to sign at least one of these five players. Doing so would start to bring the NY teams back towards contention again. Likewise, should any of these five players leave their respective franchises (Wade - Miami, James - Cleveland, Johnson - Atlanta, Bosh - Toronto, Stoudemire - Phoenix), these franchises would slide way down the contender scale.

From ESPN:
Last week, the NBA said Wade did not break any league tampering rules with his comments. Under league rules, players cannot tamper with other players, though it's a given that players talking among themselves not only happens, but is impossible to regulate. The NBA metes out discipline only in what it said are "the most egregious" cases, and said Wade's comments "do not meet that standard."

Gracious Winners Wanted

2010-05-31T14:03:00.000-07:00

The Los Angeles Lakers' Derek Fisher, left, and Kobe Bryant. Photo courtesy SportsIllustrated..

Nothing supports a player's legacy more than being a gracious winner while nothing destroys their reputation worse than being a graceless loser. While I don't consider Kobe Bryant to be an arrogant person, his public persona says otherwise. The pat he gave Phoenix Suns coach Alvin Gentry could be misconstrued as arrogance, a sign of "we own you" or "payback time". Kobe's media sessions both at practice and postgame are short, with the Black Mamba not being very talkative and at times can be aggressive toward reporters. Again, I don't think Kobe is inherently arrogant and graceless, but his public actions don't do anything to discourage the notion that he is. To contrast, teammate Derek Fisher is eloquent with the media, complimentary of the opposing team, and while he's not the best player on the Lakers, he's certainly one people can look up to. In a world of 24/7 media coverage, it is imperative that players realize they are role models both in attitude and conduct.

But the players aren't fully to blame. Success can breed arrogance and there's a reason why franchises like the Lakers, Boston Celtics, and New York Yankees are known for having fanbases that can get cocky. It is the unstated objective every season for the New York Yankees to win a title because that's what their fanbase expects and demands. The Lakers are prone to picking up bandwagon fans during their playoff runs, as evidenced by how many Laker flags magically sprout up on cars around Los Angeles in May. These fans don't help the matter. They pull the ol' "I've been a fan since Showtime!" routine, but can't name the current Lakers starting five then have the cajones to mock the opposing team and call it all sorts of things not fit for print. This weekend, I had a Laker bandwagoner slam not just the Phoenix Suns but the city of Phoenix and the state of Arizona itself, calling it all sorts of vulgarities. As someone who's originally from the Grand Canyon State, this did not go over well with me. This fan behavior is a shame for the team they root for, whether its the Lakers, Yankees, or the Kansas City Royals.

And for fans of teams that are on the losing end, it's best not to say any witty retort back. There's always another year. The law of averages dictates that a championship will come to you, eventually, unless you're the Chicago Cubs. By retorting back, the loser becomes just as graceless as the winner who brags or tries to pull a Terrell Owens-esque stunt.

What do you, my readers, think of the situation? Are there fanbases that have a reputation for arrogance? How do you deal with graceless winners/losers?

Re-evaluating Things

2010-05-30T12:30:00.000-07:00

Over the last month or so, I've been re-evaluating how effective this blog is in terms of sports commentary and expanding readership. While posting often is the goal, some of the posts have been nothing but breaking down the obvious (NBA playoffs scenarios, free agency moves, etc.) For that kind of news, there's a wealth of other websites out there, plus ESPN and the like. Expect some tinkering in the next few weeks in this space to try to make FTRS stand out more on the Web.

Yesterday, the Lakers eliminated my Suns from the playoffs with a 111-103 win in Phoenix. While the loss in game 5 courtesy of Mr. Ron Artest was tough, this one was brutal, given it was on the Suns' home floor. But what struck me as noteworthy was the postgame reactions of fans. Is there such a thing as a gracious loser? A gracious winner? Why do some teams seem to reek of arrogance while others don't? Find out tomorrow.

Desert Ice

2010-04-28T14:00:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy Coyotes fan blog Five for Howling/AP.

I usually don't watch hockey. It's not that the sport itself is bad, but for whatever reason it hasn't kept my appeal. But recently at my internship, we've been swept up in LA Kings playoff hockey, and it was as suspenseful and intense a sports game I've ever seen. Unfortunately for the Kings, I ended up watching what would turn out to be the game they were eliminated from the playoffs (beaten by the Vancouver Canucks in 6). But the story of the season has to be the Phoenix Coyotes.

Two years ago, the Coyotes were losing money...and fast, despite having a new arena and being in the fairly large Phoenix market. The owner at the time, Jerry Moyes, put the team into bankruptcy then wanted to sell the team to Jim Balsillie, a Canadian businessman who wanted to move the team to Hamilton Ontario, between Buffalo and Toronto, both of which already have teams (Sabres and Maple Leafs, respectively). The NHL blocked the sale in court until Moyes sold the team to the NHL, with the league assuming all debts. For the fans in Phoenix, their team was on the brink of getting uprooted from their new arena and shipped off to Canada. With the court ruling that the team could not be sold to Basillie and subsequent takeover by the NHL in September 2009, the Coyotes had a surprising 50-25-7 record with a team record 107 points this season. Despite losing to the Detroit Red Wings in 7 games during the playoffs, the Coyotes season is one of success, especially since the coach was hired just days before the regular season and the team recovered from the off-ice legal drama. Coach Dave Tippett is a finalist for the Jack Adams Award, given to the coach that has "contributed most to their teams' success". Meanwhile, Jerry Reinsdorf, owner of the Chicago Bulls and White Sox, has been named as a potential buyer of the Coyotes, alng with investment group Ice Edge Holdings. Reinsdorf's White Sox spring training complex is nearby the Coyotes' arena in Glendale. So while the Stanley Cup won't be on desert ice this season, the Phoenix Coyotes' future is looking much better than it did a year ago.

Predictable East and a Wild, Wild West

2010-04-28T08:21:00.000-07:00

The Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James. Photo courtesy The Telegraph (UK).

The NBA Playoffs have gotten underway and the East is showing how weak the conference is while the West is an all-out slugfest. The Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics punched their tickets to the second round last night and the Orlando Magic did the same the night before. Of the four Eastern Conference series, only one has gone past five games (Milwaukee Bucks vs. Atlanta Hawks). The East has been very predictable and while most NBA pundits salivate over the thought of a Cavs-Celtics second round playoff series, the Magic get to sit back and rest up while Atlanta and Milwaukee duke it out. While I do think the Hawks will eventually pull it out, it won't be until game 7, then Orlando will blast them in the second round.

The Phoenix Suns' Jason Richardson and Portland's Brandon Roy. Photo courtesy Associated Press.

Then there's the Western Conference, where the 1 seed has been given a strong challenge, the 2 seed is almost eliminated, and the 5 seed is almost done knocking out the 4 seed. The LA Lakers have been given all they could handle with the Oklahoma City Thunder and it wasn't until Game 5 when they were in the friendly confines of Staples Center that they put on a dominating performance worthy of defending champions. I think the Lakers will advance, but it won't be until the final Game 7. The 2 seed Dallas Mavericks are on the verge of getting knocked out by their hated rivals, the 7 seed San Antonio Spurs. I think the Spurs will complete the upset tomorrow in Game 6 in San Antone. Considering the Mavs came into the playoffs hot, they'll be scrutinized by many in Dallas should they lose. The 3 seed Phoenix Suns are in a dogfight with 6 seed Portland Trail Blazers, who are banged up beyond belief and still giving PHX a run for their money. Portland star Brandon Roy has made a huge gamble in coming back early from surgery on a torn meniscus in his knee. Should he have complications from rushing back so soon, it could damage his career permanently. Finally, the 5 seed Utah Jazz are on the verge of beating the 4 seed Denver Nuggets, but this upset was widely predicted especially after Nuggets coach George Karl had to take a leave of absence to undergo cancer treatment. In essence, the Nuggets were going into this series down and without their rudder.

The Lakers' Kobe Bryant. Photo courtesy TheLakersNation.com.

So by the time the smoke clears in the West, I think it'll look like this:

Eastern Conference
1 Cleveland vs. 4 Boston (Cleveland beat Chicago in 5, Boston def. Miami in 5)
2 Orlando vs. 3 Atlanta (Orlando def. Charlotte in 4, ATL beats Milwaukee in 7)

Western Conference
1 LA Lakers vs. 5 Utah (Utah def. Denver in 6, Lakers beat OKC in 7)
3 Phoenix vs. 7 San Antonio (PHX beats Portland in 7, Spurs def. Dallas in 6)

NFL Draft 2010 Roundup

2010-04-26T12:52:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy Arrowhead Pride.

The 2010 NFL Draft was a thrill to see in its new format. Having the first round in primetime on Thursday was a ratings boon for the NFL and invigorates the fanbase. As some have pointed out, the second round picks now have more value to them as well, due to the extra time between rounds.

There are some teams that have an uncanny ability to draft well year after year. Baltimore and New England did just that this year, with Baltimore gaining 1st-round caliber talent in Texas DE Sergio Kindle and Alabama DT Terrence Cody. New England addressed most of its needs, traded like crazy in order to obtain more picks now and in future drafts, and still managed to come up with several potential studs. TEs Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez will give the Pats a good two-tight end set, since they use several multiple-TE formations. Other buzzworthy picks include receiver Taylor Price and linebacker Brandon Spikes.

Many teams this draft seemed to get a B grade from the draft prognosticators, but there were more than a few who had a good draft. Detroit and the aforementioned Ravens and Patriots had pretty good drafts, but here are my 5 teams that had a draft that really stands out:

5) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs grabbed Oklahoma standout DT Gerald McCoy and UCLA DT Brian Price with their first two picks. Price was outstanding as a Bruin and helped make that unit one of the best in the Pac-10. WR Arrelious Benn was one of the most coveted receivers in the draft and CB Myron Lewis helps upgrade the secondary after the defensive front got all the attention in the first two rounds. The Bucs had one of the worst punting units last year and upgraded with Brent Bowden.

New Browns QB Colt McCoy. Photo courtesy ColtMcCoyFans.org.

4) Cleveland Browns
The Browns made a heck of a gamble and it worked perfectly. Had it not worked, they wouldn't have been on this list. Their first three picks were all good picks, except for the fact that none of them were a quarterback. They upgraded at cornerback, running back, and safety, betting that Colt McCoy or Jimmy Clausen would be available in later rounds. Sure enough, Colt McCoy, the Texas QB, was available for the taking in the third round. Sixth-round pick Carlton Mitchell is an intriguing possibility considering the talent rating at such a late round (NFL.com had him at a 7.1).

3) Oakland Raiders
In recent years, the Raiders could be counted on for having at least one "huh?" moment in the draft. This year, the Silver & Black made some great picks, starting with Rolando McClain at linebacker. Bruce Campbell, the Maryland OT that some thought was going first-round, was available in the 4th. And to top it off, the Raiders upgraded their QB situation by trading for displaced Redskins QB Jason Campbell. I don't think they're playoff ready, but they certainly took a few steps towards that goal in this draft.

2) San Francisco 49ers
The Niners gave Arizona a run for its money in the NFC West this year, and with this draft class, may very well be the favorite. With first-round offensive line picks Anthony Davis and Mike Iupati, the running game will be even more of a problem for opposing defenses. I'm not quite sure if San Fran has addressed its receiver needs, but it's clear they want to pound the ball inside to win. The 49ers got USC standout Taylor Mays, who had a few words for his former coach, Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll. Speaking of which...

Golden Tate, left, is now with the Seahawks. Photo courtesy the NY Times.

1) Seattle Seahawks
Hands down, the winner of the draft. Considering the Seahawks had a ton of needs, they did an outstanding job. The 'Hawks got a stud offensive tackle in Russell Okung to protect QB Matt Hasselbeck's blind side and safety Earl Thomas in the first round. Most would grade that well enough alone, but Seattle also got WR Golden Tate and upgraded their defensive front. Even Anthony McCoy, the USC TE who had off-field issues (tested positive for pot at the combine), could be a good pick given his college coach was Carroll. Then to top it off, they got RB's LenDale White, a former USC Trojan, and the Jets' Leon Washington. This team will be very interesting to watch in 2010.

As with any draft, there are always a few teams that, on paper, probably wish for a do-over. Some teams were hampered by trades that stripped picks (Chicago, Washington) while others just plain made some bad calls. Here are 3 teams that left me scratching my head:

3) Buffalo Bills
The Bills have lots of holes to fill, none more so than quarterback and offensive line. They waited until the 5th round to address the OL and the 7th round for QB. By that time, the premiere talent that can make a difference is gone and the QB they did pick up, Troy's Levi Brown is projected to be a backup at best. They did pick up some help on defense, but the fanbase has been disillusioned for some time and the Bills are often rumored as a team on the move to a different city. Stacking the backfield with C.J. Spiller, Marshawn Lynch, and Fred Jackson won't help make the team exciting like a solid quarterback would.

New Broncos QB Tim Tebow. Photo courtesy the Miami Herald.

2) Denver Broncos
This draft will go down as one of the Broncos' best...or absolute worst. They have some serious needs and this draft, at least on paper, didn't seem to address that much. First-round receiver Demaryius Thomas could be a star, but that's a few years off. Dez Bryant would have been a safer choice (drafted shortly after Thomas by Dallas), despite his off-field issues. I really like Tim Tebow, one of my favorite college players in recent memory, but I don't think he fits a need for Denver, nor do I think Denver fits him. He's third on the depth chart to start and considering the price it took to get him, Denver may regret the cost. Coach Josh McDaniels stresses high-character, but then goes and drafts CB Perrish Cox, who teams were skittish about drafting because of "character concerns". In short, it seems like the Broncos need a very clear direction for their team, and that's something a draft can't provide.

1) Jacksonville Jaguars
I generally don't vouch for the idea of grabbing players for the sake of selling tickets, but if there ever was an exception, Jacksonville is it. Jacksonville had the most TV blackouts last year because they didn't sell enough tickets for their home games. Like Buffalo, the fan base has been disinterested for some time and the player they draft with the 10th overall pick is Tyson Alualu? It's not that Alualu won't be a great player, but with that high of a pick, there's a certain amount of pressure and expectation involved. Plus, other higher-rated players were available and if the Jaguars wanted Alualu, they could have traded down and get more picks to fill places of need. Their defensive line needed help, but did it require four of the Jags' six picks when the linebacker, safety, and quarterback positions needed help?

And that wraps up the FTRS 2010 NFL Draft coverage. The meaningless preseason will be here before you know it.

Video: Kownacki Goes Superman

2010-04-21T12:41:00.000-07:00

A crazy good baseball play by Fordham University's Brian Kownacki to lead Fordham's comeback against Iona. (video courtesy The Sporting Blog).

Creepy Tiger Nike Ad

2010-04-08T11:45:00.000-07:00

Nike unveiled a new ad featuring Tiger Woods that features his deceased dad's voice, as if to question him over his illicit activities. Creepy or effective? (video courtesy CBS News)

FTRS Revamp Continues

2010-04-07T13:58:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy tutor2u.net.

Recently, I've been making some changes to the blog's look and links sections. Today, the links section is just about complete. I've expanded the links and broken them down by subject. For example, the well-known college football blog Everyday Should Be Saturday, or EDSBS, is in the College Sports Links section on the right. The baseball section is mostly done while the basketball, college, and football sections will be added to throughout the year.

Here are a few of the blogs that are on the blogroll as of today:
EDSBS
MLB Trade Rumors, the most widely-read baseball blog online
Beyond the Boxscore, a sabermetric baseball blog
TrueHoop, the most visited basketball blog on the net

Also today, the media links will be expanded while the columnists links will be removed. This is part of an effort to make FTRS a sports media hub and provide readers with the best content online.

As the site is tweaked, I'd appreciate any and all feedback.

Fantasy Baseball 2010

2010-04-06T09:32:00.000-07:00

Phillies second baseman Chase Utley. Photo courtesy PennLive.com/AP.

After a long absence, I've resumed doing fantasy baseball and this season, was lucky enough to do it with some family in an 8-team league. While I generally do my fantasy sports on ESPN, my cousins hosted the league on Yahoo and initially, I like it better than ESPN's. In ESPN's game, you're required to start five outfielders, whereas in Yahoo's you only start three. Considering only three play in the real games, drafting five starters seems unnecessary and makes what can already be a long draft even longer. My hitting seems to be pretty good, bu my pitching leaves a little to be desired.

My first pick (4th overall) was Philadelphia Phillies 2nd baseman Chase Utley. Utley usually hits 30 homers and 95 RBI, but what makes him so valuable is his consistency for a position that doesn't have much depth. My next pick was shortstop Troy Tulowitzki of the Colorado Rockies, with much the same logic as the Utley pick (low position depth).

Photo courtesy BronxBaseballDaily.com

In the third round, I picked up my big masher, San Diego Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzalez. A-Gon hit 40 homers last year in San Diego's Petco Park, notorious for being a park that favors pitchers (it helps that the ballpark is a block away from the beach, so the cool marine air stifles the baseball's trajectory.) The Padres as a team are terrible, and Gonzalez has been rumored to head to Boston, where his numbers would jump. So he's a good hitter in a bad ballpark on a bad team, with the chance to be in a more offensive park come trading time.

In the fourth round, I picked up my token Red Sox, catcher Victor Martinez. Not a bad catch considering position depth, but the guy ahead of me took the guy I was pulling for, Sox first/third baseman Kevin Youkilis. It wouldn't be the last time a moment like that happened in the draft. In the sixth round, I got my token Diamondback, ace pitcher Dan Haren. Quite the stud who goes under the radar because he pitches in Arizona.

Red Sox catcher Victor Martinez. Photo courtesy MassLive.com.

One of my quirks with my fantasy teams is that I try to get players in towns and cities where friends and family are from or teams our family roots for. This year, I have 1 Diamondback, 1 Red Sox, 1 Mariner, 2 Rangers, 2 Angels, 2 Dodgers and 1 Ray (pitcher James Shields who's from my hometown). I also carry a policy of no known steroid users (A-Rod, Papi) and no Yankees on my squad unless absolutely necessary. Suffice to say, I have no Bronx Bombers on my team this year.

Here's the hitters:
C Martinez - Red Sox
1B Gonzalez - Padres
2B Utley - Phillies
SS Tulowitzki - Rockies
3B Michael Young - Rangers
LF Adam Lind - Blue Jays
CF Shane Victorino - Phillies
RF Ichiro - Mariners
Util Kendry Morales - Angels
Util Hunter Pence - Astros
Bench Ian Stewart - Rockies
Bench Elvis Andrus - Rangers
Bench James Loney - Dodgers
Bench Colby Rasmus - Cardinals

Diamondbacks pitcher Dan Haren. Photo courtesy the Phoenix New Times.

Here's the pitchers:
SP Haren - Diamondbacks
SP Josh Johnson - Marlins
RP Andrew Bailey - A's
RP Brian Wilson - Giants
P Shields - Rays
P Jered Weaver - Angels
P John Danks - White Sox
P Hiroki Kuroda - Dodgers
P Huston Street - Rockies

One Duke to Rule Them All

2010-04-06T08:29:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy the NY Daily News.

It was already a wild NCAA Tournament. It lived up to its hype as March Madness. And it was a basket away from being a huge upset. Duke has won its fourth national title by beating the underdog Butler Bulldogs 61-59. For highlights, go here.

Photo courtesy the Bleacher Report.

Mr. McNabb Goes to Washington

2010-04-05T11:00:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy the NY Daily News.

Donovan McNabb has gone from one NFC East team to another, as the Philadelphia Eagles traded the face of the franchise to the Washington Redskins in a questionable move for both teams. The NFC East is the toughest division in football, home to the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Eagles, and Redskins. You need a great quarterback in this division, which Philly had in McNabb and Washington did not. Now, the two have essentially traded places in that regard as the Eagles will go with Kevin Kolb at QB.

For Philly, this is a step back with the potential for being a huge step forward, depending on the level of talent they get in the draft picks Washington sent them. The Eagles get a second-round pick (37th overall) and a conditional pick next year. Philly's season rides entirely on Kolb's shoulders now, and the fan base will not be forgiving should he struggle. The team has a lot of youth on the offensive side of the ball in receivers DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin and running back LeSean McCoy. As much as I think Philly shouldn't have traded McNabb, Philly did at least have the class to make an accommodating trade that fit his wishes. Most players don't deserve that type of accommodation, but since McNabb has played in an Eagle uniform for eleven years, he is an exception. The other destinations McNabb could have headed, Buffalo and Oakland, are not nearly as appealing to a quarterback as DC is.

New Washington Redskins coach Mike Shanahan. Photo courtesy the Bleacher Report.

For Washington, this deal hinges on McNabb's play, or the naysayers will say the price was too high, given the draft picks given up. McNabb will have lots of help at running back with Clinton Portis, Larry Johnson, and Willie Parker. His receivers are mostly young, but he has Santana Moss as his #1. On the downside, the trend with Redskins ownership has been to spend like a drunk in free agency and trade/give up draft picks and this trade continues that trend. Most great teams become great teams through the draft, just ask New England and Indianapolis. Plus, McNabb is a free agent after this upcoming season, so it could become a "rent-a-player" situation.

The unmentioned winner in this deal: the NFL. One of the league's historic franchises suddenly becomes TV-worthy and one of the biggest rivalries, Washington-Dallas, becomes noteworthy again. Meanwhile, the Eagles should remain competitive and Dallas and NY Giants fans everywhere start to sweat a little.

EDIT (1:48 PT): Had to reformat some photos, so if you're seeing this post twice, my apologies.

West Virginia's Tearful Final Four Trip

2010-04-05T07:00:00.000-07:00

The Final Four wittled down to two over the weekend, setting the stage for a David vs. Goliath battle between the powerhouse Duke Blue Devils and the hometown Butler Bulldogs. The Bulldogs dispatched banged-up Michigan State 52-50 in their hometown of Indianapolis.

But the heart-breaking moment happened in the West Virginia-Duke game. West Virginia's Da'Sean Butler, a four-year senior, tore his ACL while driving to the basket, trying to get the Mountaineers back into the game, down 63-48. What followed can't be said as anything but sad and touching (video courtesy CBS)...

While the Mountaineers went on to lose the game, West Virginia showed teamwork at its finest, helping its best player off the court. Butler's NBA career is in serious jeopardy and could have been a first-round talent, but now, it's anyone's guess if or where he'll go in June's NBA Draft. For Bob Huggins' (West Virginia coach) part, he has a reputation for being a crusty type but his players' biggest supporter, so his display of affection on the court is very out-of-character for Huggins compared to how he usually is on the sideline. Anyway you slice it, it was the saddest moment in the tourney.

NBA East: Quick Dropoff

2010-04-02T09:00:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy ESPN.

On Wednesday, I covered the NBA Western Conference playoff teams here. Today it's the Eastern Conference teams.

The unfortunate reality of the Eastern Conference the last few seasons has been the shallow pool of legitimate playoff contenders compared to the Western Conference. In the last few seasons, the sixth through eighth seeds of the East were .500 or below, meaning only half their games were won...or worse. By comparison, for a Western team to make the playoffs, a record over .600 is effectively required.

Photo courtesy the Orlando Sentinel.

The top dogs in the East continue to be the Cleveland Cavaliers, Orlando Magic, Atlanta Hawks, and the Boston Celtics. The Cavs have little room for error this postseason, given the pending contract expiration of superstar LeBron James, the overall expectations in Cleveland, and the level of talent around LeBron. Simply put, anything less than a championship for Cleveland is a disappointment. The Magic went to the Finals last year and may be even better this year. They've beaten some impressive teams recently, including Denver and Dallas. Ditto with the Hawks, who smashed the Lakers on Wednesday and beat Orlando last week. The Celtics have hobbled along recently, with critical losses to San Antonio, Utah, and Oklahoma City. The C's flat out look terrible right now, especially after getting booed off their home floor against the Spurs. The age of the Celtics, one of the oldest teams in the league, is catching up to them at the worst possible time.

But after these four teams, there's a significant dropoff in caliber of playoff teams. The Milwaukee Bucks are inconsistent, beating the likes of Boston, Utah, and Denver recently, but losing to Cleveland and squeaking out a win against Atlanta. Right behind the Bucks are the Miami Heat and Charlotte Bobcats, other inconsistent clubs. All of these teams play terribly on the road, which will be a huge factor come playoff time when they don't have home-court advantage. Of these clubs, expect the Heat to make a run for Milwaukee's hold on the fifth seed, since they have the easiest schedule remaining of the three and have the best road record of the three.

Photo courtesy the Toronto Star.

And then there's the Toronto Raptors, the very definition this season of mediocre. A .500 record, 5-5 in their last ten games, and a terrible road record to top it off. The scary part for the Raptors is that they have some tough games ahead and they have the Chicago Bulls hot on their heels. The same Bulls who in early March had a 10-game losing streak and have a losing record. An ugly sight at the bottom of the Eastern playoff picture.

So what makes the Eastern Conference so much weaker than the West? For starters, marquee teams like the New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons, and the Philadelphia 76ers are all having down years. (Or in NY's case, a down decade). Second, much of the player movement has been within the East (teams feeding off each other) or moved out West. Many of the Eastern teams have young talent, but are missing a few pieces to be legitimate title contenders. This summer's free agent class is unusually strong and a lot of the rumors involve East superstars swapping teams, so it could lead to more of the same. For example, should Dwyane Wade leave Miami for Chicago or some other East city, it'll help the Bulls or whoever gets Wade while hurting the Heat, effectively swapping fortunes.

SportsNation - Sports TV at its Funniest

2010-04-01T11:55:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy the NY Daily News.

Due to some unexpected things I needed to attend to today, I'm going to delay the NBA East post to tomorrow. In the meantime, here's the post I intended for Friday...

SportsNation on ESPN is one of my favorite sports shows and websites. It tracks the mood of the dedicated sports fans (especially in regards to the Favre debacle) and shows clips of the funnier side of sports. Here's one of my favorite SportsNation moments:

And the infamous Gunslingers mock ad, ripping the Brett Favre Wranglers jeans ads...

NBA West: Jockeying for Position

2010-03-31T10:08:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy the NBA.

The NBA season is winding down and teams are scrambling for playoff position. The Western Conference is wide open while the Eastern Conference bottom half is up for grabs. And with less than 10 games remaining, teams are running out of time to make their playoff push. Today is the Western Conference teams' turn, tomorrow the East.

You'd think the sky is falling in Lakerland with all the worried fans calling the local radio stations. Many are saying they wouldn't be surprised if the Lakers get knocked out in the first round. They're in the midst of a tough road trip that's been marked by inconsistency. Wins against San Antonio and Houston have been shadowed by ugly losses to Oklahoma City and New Orleans. But despite this trip, the Lakers are still the number one seed in the West and would have home-court throughout the western playoffs. Is there cause for concern? Maybe. Time to hit the panic button? Nope.

Photo courtesy the Bleacher Report.

With the Lakers all but assured the top spot in the West, it's a frenzy for the last seven spots. The Dallas Mavericks, propelled by a 13-game winning streak earlier this month, are in the 2 spot, but have consistency issues of their own. They got blown out by the lowly NY Knicks in Dallas plus recent road losses to playoff contenders leaves lots of questions for the Mavs. The other problem for the Mavericks is that there are three teams right behind them. The Utah Jazz (still the weirdest team name, even after knowing the team originally came from New Orleans) are playing well and have the makings of a team capable of a deep playoff run. The Jazz are, prior to tonight's games, in the 3 spot.

The Phoenix Suns are playing like their city's namesake. After nearly trading superstar Amare Stoudemire and being a dysfunctional unit in February, they're on fire with 8 straight wins, including victories over rival Utah and playoff contender Portland. The Suns aren't at full strength and can have trouble playing defense, but the run-and gun offense still has plenty of firepower and the Suns are still one of, if not the most entertaining teams to watch in the NBA. Another chink in the Sun's armor has been their difficulties playing the Lakers (LA won the season series 3-1), and until further notice, the road to the title runs through the City of Angels.

The Denver Nuggets, the team Lakers fans once feared most, has fallen from the 2 seed to the 5, largely because of the absence of coach George Karl, who has had to undergo throat and neck cancer treatments this month. Denver has the weapons to jump back to the 2 spot, largely on the backs of Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups, but it will be a struggle with both Utah and Phoenix ahead of them.

Photo courtesy the USA Today.

There's also a fight for the 6th, 7th, and 8th seeds. The Oklahoma City Thunder, led by young superstar Kevin Durant, is hanging onto the 6 spot by a thread, with the Portland Trail Blazers and San Antonio Spurs in 7th and 8th, respectively. The Spurs have the veteran experience to make some noise in the playoffs and could scare the Lakers, should they play each other in the first round, which would happen if the playoffs started today.

McNabb Heading West?

2010-03-30T08:59:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of the Lehigh Valley Express-Times / Associated Press.

There's a lot of speculation in the NFL that longtime Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb will be traded to the Oakland Raiders for at least a second-round pick in this year's draft. It would be the end of an era in Philly as McNabb has been with the Eagles since 1999.

McNabb has certainly had a rocky time in Philly. First, his selection in the 1999 NFL Draft (1st round, 2nd selection overall) was booed by Philly fans because they wanted running back Ricky Williams, who later turned out to be a bust in New Orleans. Talk about a warm welcome. McNabb has made the Pro Bowl six times, led the Eagles to the NFC Championship Game five times and one Super Bowl where they lost to the New England Patriots on a field goal. Initially, McNabb had sub-par receivers to work with, but when the Eagles traded for hothead Terrell Owens for the 2004 season, the duo lit up the scoreboard. Finally, acceptance by the Philly fans, right? Nope, because they lost the Super Bowl that year. Then, in 2005, Owens publicly ripped McNabb over his Super Bowl performance and subsequent play. In 2006 and 2007, there were rumblings the Eagles would replace McNabb, who had had injury issues in those seasons. In 2008, the criticism continued with Eagles fans caling him a "choker" after losing in the NFC Championship Game against the Arizona Cardinals.

Photo courtesy the New Jersey Star-Ledger / US Presswire.

And to top it off, the Eagles are considering trading him to the Oakland Raiders, a team who hasn't had a winning season since 2002 and is known more for its crazy owner, Al Davis, and its bizarre fans in the Black Hole. Classy move, Philly. Is McNabb the best quarterback of his era? Certainly not, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady have had better runs. But after those two, McNabb can be considered a top performer and maybe even a potential Hall of Famer, though winning a Super Bowl would greatly increase those odds. For Philly to treat McNabb the way it has for ten years then to ship him off to the wasteland that is the Oakland Raiders, #5 deserves better. Whether it be back in Philly or not, at least somewhere other than Oakland.

Elite Eight Roundup: The Wild Ride Continues

2010-03-29T14:00:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy the Bradenton Herald/Associated Press.

The Elite Eight continued this past weekend, and it didn't disappoint. Another 1 seed fell, two legendary coaches return to the final four, and an underdog returns home playing for the national championship. On Saturday, it was upset central with two major surprises: 5-seed Butler defeated heavily-favored 2-seed Kansas State 63-56 and West Virginia, a 2-seed defeated 1-seed Kentucky, considered by many to be a national title contender, 73-66. On Sunday, it was Michigan State over Tennessee and Duke defeating Baylor, 78-71.

The Butler Bulldogs have had an impressive run in the tourney. First, many considered them ripe for a first-round exit against 12-seed UTEP, but Butler smashed the Miners 77-59. Next, they survived Murray State then pulled off the double upset against the Syracuse Orange and K-State Wildcats. Syracuse was a banged-up 1-seed, so one can make the argument that it was inevitable the Orange would lose, but the K-State win was more of a surprise given the Wildcats' guard tandem of Jacob Pullen and Denis Clemente. The duo only shot 11 for 30 combined against the Bulldogs after lighting up Xavier for 53 combined points. Now, the Bulldogs head home to Indianapolis and are set to play powerhouse Michigan State in the Final Four. Butler, led by sophomore stud Gordon Hayward, isn't a surprise to anyone anymore and could give the depleted Spartans of MSU a run for their money. Then again, Tom Izzo isn't a Final Four novice, and he knows hot to motivate his team, even when their best player is injured on the bench. This is Butler's first-ever trip to the Final Four, quite the achievement to have your first be the one on your home court. Here is the recap from the West Regional Final (courtesy CBS):

On a side note, CBS commentator Gus Johnson is a favorite's worst nightmare. He called most of the West Regional for CBS this year, which had a multitude of upsets (Xavier beat Pitt, Butler's upsets). He's called tons of other upsets and his signature calls of "Bam!" and "Oh my goodness!" have earned him some notoriety amongst fans. The website Gus Johnson Gets Buckets provides a fun soundboard of some of Gus' famous calls.

The team that Butler plays in the Final Four, Michigan State, had a thrilling game against the Tennessee Volunteers on Sunday that came down to the last shot. Both the Spartans and the Vols have fought through lots of adversity during the season to reach this point, so kudos to both teams, but they don't call it the Final Four for nothing. Here was the recap of the Midwest Regional Final, courtesy of the Eye Network:

The Kentucky-West Virginia game was intense from start to finish. West Virginia couldn't get a 2-point basket to save its life for most of the first half. 3-point shooting is what saved the Mountaineers, and what killed the Wildcats, as WVU was 10-23 while UK was only 4-32 from behind the arc. West Virginia's Joe Mazzulla and Da'Sean Butler led the team with crucial shots when it counted and the Mountaineers overall had a balanced effort while Kentucky's John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins were the only real offensive options for UK. WVU had four starters with 12 points or more, while UK only had two. This is West Virginia's first Final Four trip since '59, back when they had a player named Jerry West. Here are the highlights, courtesy CBS:

The Duke Blue Devils never seem to have a down season, especially with Coach K at the helm. In recent years, they've been tourney busts, but this year, they're in the Final Four. Baylor gave Duke a hard time for most of the game, but with three minutes to go, the Blue Devils pulled ahead for good. Despite not being in the Final Four, Baylor has had a year of tremendous accomplishment under coach Scott Drew, considering how broken the Baylor basketball program was just a few years ago. The game itself was simply a matter of who would outlast whom and Baylor's shots didn't fall when it counted. Here are the highlights, once again courtesy CBS:

So the Final Four looks like this:

5 Butler vs. 5 Michigan State, Saturday April 3, 6:07pm ET on CBS
1 Duke vs. 2 West Virginia, Saturday April 3, 8:47 ET on CBS

Arenas Gets 30 Days in Halfway House / New Blog Look

2010-03-27T10:50:00.000-07:00

Just to wrap up an ongoing story here on FTRS, Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas was sentenced to 30 days in a halfway house, 2 years probation, 400 hours of community service, and a $5,000 donation to the "violent crimes fund" by a DC judge on Friday. While I think jail time would have been appropriate given the crime (DC has some of the toughest gun laws in the nation), ESPN and former LA Times columnist J.A. Adande makes the case for no jail time.

Also, Blogger has released some new templates that I'm trying out on the site, so check it out and send me some feedback.

Sanity Makes a Comeback...Unless You're Ohio

2010-03-27T09:15:00.000-07:00

The Big Dance known as March Madness rolled on Friday night, but the clock has struck midnight for several Cinderellas. 10-seed St. Mary's, the little school that surprised Villanova, was steamrolled by 3-seed Baylor, 72-49. It wasn't even close at halftime when the Gaels only scored 17 to the Bears' 46 points. St. Mary's has completed its deepest run in the modern tournament era while Baylor is going to its first Elite Eight. Baylor is a compelling story in this tournament and one of the few underdogs remaining. Seven years ago, the Baylor basketball program was a shambles after Carlton Dotson murdered teammate Patrick Dennehy and the coach at the time was caught in a scandal of his own. Quite the mess for a university that is backed by the Baptist church. The current coach, Scott Drew, has led this team to the regional final when they were the preseason pick for 10th place in their conference. Instead, they'll be one of two teams representing the Big 12 Conference (the other is Kansas State) in the Elite Eight.

The other Cinderella sent packing was Northern Iowa. After having beaten the top-seeded Kansas Jayhawks, Northern Iowa gave perennial power Michigan State a run for its money, but in the end, the banged-up Spartans prevailed, 59-52. The difference-makers were point guard Korie Lucious and head coach Tom Izzo. Lucious hit a key turnaround jumper with 91 seconds left and Izzo proved why he's one of the game's best coaches. Working with a depleted lineup, Izzo is making his seventh Elite Eight appearance, fifth most amongst active coaches. Northern Iowa's Ali Farokhmanesh, whose clutch 3-pointers were key in UNI's tournament wins over UNLV and Kansas, shot 1 for 6 from 3 point range. He also missed some key free throws at the end of the game, but his Panthers will be remembered for stunning Kansas. Here are the highlights (courtesy CBS):

While Izzo's team was battling Northern Iowa in St. Louis, college basketball coaching icon Mike Krzyzewski led his Duke Blue Devils over the injured Purdue Boilermakers, 70-57 in Houston. Purdue kept the game close at halftime, but Duke pulled away in the second half. One can say it wasn't a fair fight as Purdue was without star Robbie Hummel, who tore his ACL in February. Duke's trio of Kyle Singler, Jon Scheyer, and Nolan Smith was too hot to handle in the second half. Highlights below (courtesy CBS):

But the game of the night was in St. Louis, as the sixth-seeded Tennessee Volunteers upset the second-seed Ohio State Buckeyes. The game was close to the very end, but Bruce Pearl and the Volunteers will finally go to the Elite Eight for the first time in school history and got payback after OSU knocked Tennessee out of the tournament in 2007. Ohio State stud Evan Turner scored 31 points, which was as many points as OSU put up in the entire second half. For the Buckeyes to have won, it needed somebody other than Turner to step up. Tennessee had four players with 10+ points compared to Ohio State's two. Tennessee has had a rocky season, rife with academic and legal issues, but as ESPN analyst Steve Lavin put it, "Bruce Pearl is a crisis-management expert". Tennessee has been a "giant killer" of sorts this season, beating Kansas and Kentucky during the regular season, then Ohio State last night. Highlights a plenty below (courtesy CBS):

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Today's games should be excellent. First, the Butler Bulldogs try to make the Final Four a homecoming but they have to beat a very good Kansas State Wildcats team (4:30 ET, CBS). This game is the West Regional Final in Salt Lake City, so crowd advantage is slightly favoring K-State. Then, what may be the game of the tournament, the Kentucky Wildcats take on the West Virginia Mountaineers in the East Regional Final in Syracuse (7:05 ET, CBS). The Mountaineers were viewed by many as 1-seeds, even though they were slotted as a 2-seed while Kentucky has dominated during its tournament run while other 1-seeds have fallen.

Syracuse Shocked Amidst Tourney Course Correction

2010-03-26T10:25:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of OregonLive.com/AP.

The NCAA Tournament resumed last night and for the most part, was pretty predictable, amid a few surprises. The twelfth-seeded Cornell Big Red sprang burst onto the scene with big upset wins over Temple and Wisconsin, winning in convincing style. Their average margin of victory in the first and second round was 15.5 points. Unfortunately for them, they faced the steamroller known as the Kentucky Wildcats and lost 62-45 to the top-seeded favorites from the Bluegrass State. Despite the lop-sided defeat, Cornell's squad has just finished the best season in school history. As for Kentucky, the pre-season expectations were a national title, and they're one step closer.

Photo courtesy the Idaho Statesman/AP.

Eleventh-seed Washington Huskies have been dogged by the national media this tournament in regards to the current state of West Coast basketball. They surprised Big East stalwart Marquette and defeated third-seed New Mexico, but couldn't defeat the West Virginia Mountaineers, who won 69-56. The Huskies lead by two at halftime, but the Mountaineers exploded for 42 points in the second half. West Virginia will move on to face Kentucky Saturday night in a battle of top-seeds in the East region. The winner moves on to Indianapolis and the Final Four.

Despite being a small school, Xavier has been a known college basketball destination for years. The Musketeers took on the Wildcats of Kansas State in a thriller that went to double-overtime. The highlights speak for themselves (video courtesy CBS):

While Xavier fans will no doubt take a while to forget this loss, fans of the Kansas Jayhawks must be fuming. To have your team, the number one overall seed, lose to a little-known school in the second round, then have your biggest rival head to at least the Elite Eight and possibly a national title, that's gotta be embarrassing.

But the biggest surprise of the night was the West region's top seed, Syracuse, falling to unheralded five-seed Butler. Butler has been a factor in several past tournaments, but this year was favored to be knocked out in the first round by the prognosticators, mainly because of their designation as a five-seed. (Seems like every March Madness, a 12 seed knocks out a 5, so this year, people had Butler pegged as a first-round loss. This year, only one 5 seed lost in the opening round, Temple lost to Cornell). Here are the highlights (courtesy CBS):

Butler, a liberal arts school in Indianapolis with a student population of about 4500, will face Kansas State in the West Regional Final Saturday night in Salt Lake City. The winner goes on to the Final Four, which happens to be in Indianapolis this year. As for Syracuse, this game cannot be labeled a disappointment, since they were without center Arinze Onuaku, the team's glue. Had Onuaku been on the floor, the game would have likely been very different.

Tonight's games include Tennessee vs. Ohio State, Duke vs. Purdue, Northern Iowa vs. Michigan State, and Baylor vs. St. Mary's. Some great storylines continue tonight as UNI and St. Mary's try to continue their improbable runs, Purdue tries to get to a home-state Final Four, and one of the top players of the country, Ohio State's Evan Turner, laces up against Bruce Pearl's talented Vols.

Arenas Recommendation: 3 Months

2010-03-24T09:00:00.000-07:00

Just a quick blurb for today, since I will be at an all day function. The Washington Wizards' Gilbert Arenas was given a recommended sentence of 3 months in jail by the prosecution Tuesday. This is down from the reported 6 month sentence the prosecution was allegedly seeking initially. For reaction from ESPN legal analyst Roger Cossack, go here. For previous Arenas coverage here on FTRS, you can go here and here.

Woods Talks to Rinaldi

2010-03-23T09:37:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of BusinessPundit.com.

In the midst of March Madness, there's other news that surfaced over the weekend. Golfer Tiger Woods was interviewed by ESPN's Tom Rinaldi Sunday night in a tightly controlled, 5-minute interview available here, with post-interview commentary by Rinaldi here and ESPN Golf's Bob Harig's take here.

I don't doubt Tiger's remorse and I respect that there are matters he wants to remain private, however this interview did not cast any further positive light on his situation. The interview's controls were evident, and as a result, there is a sense of distrust, especially when a man who had previously lied to millions by portraying someone he wasn't use phrases like, "to tell you the truth" and "honestly,..." Tiger, those phrases are unnecessary and only reassert the notion that you lied previously. The second key flaw with the interview was that he kept using repeater phrases over and over again, making it feel more like a press conference than an interview. We saw the press conference at PGA Tour headquarters, and this interview felt similar. Perhaps he should have waited longer to be able to give a more candid interview than the guarded one he gave to Rinaldi Sunday night.

Second Round Closes

2010-03-22T08:24:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy the NY Daily News.

The second round of March Madness ended Sunday with several thrillers in what has easily been one of the best NCAA tournaments in recent memory. The remaining number 1 seeds cruised (Duke past Cal, 68-53, and Syracuse knocked out Gonzaga, 87-65) and 2 seed Ohio State defeated 10 seed Georgia Tech 75-66 after having a sluggish first half. Fellow 2 seed West Virginia defeated 10 seed Missouri, 68-59 in a game that was competitive until the Mountaineers' Da'Sean Butler and Devin Ebanks made timely baskets for the victory.

If there's been a theme during this second round, it's beware the small schools. Northern Iowa stunned Kansas, St. Mary's shocked Villanova, and Butler barely squeaked by Murray State on Saturday. On Sunday, it was Cornell and Xavier's turn. Cornell, a 12 seed, surprised 4 seed Wisconsin, 87-69. Cornell, better known for its Ivy League education rather than its basketball, beat a Wisconsin team that's one of the best defensive clubs in the country. Cornell will be making the trip to nearby Syracuse for the East Regional part of the tournament. Xavier, a small Jesuit school in Cincinnati, beat Pitt 71-68, the team that knocked Xavier out of the tournament last year. While the final score was close, Xavier was up by as much as 15 before the Panthers started a furious rally that ultimately fell short.

Spokane, Washington hosted the two best games on Sunday. The first one was Michigan State vs. Maryland, a matchup of powerhouse schools and legendary coaches. This was how it ended (video courtesy CBS):

In the second game, a nail-biter between Texas A&M and Purdue that was sent into overtime, Purdue barely surives (video courtesy CBS):

And so ends the second round of March Madness. And if next weekend's games are anything like this weekend's, then "hang on to them hats and glasses", it'll be a wild finish. As far as the brackets go, there's no way a perfect bracket is left, unless you're Nostradamus or picked based on team name/colors. (Even if that were the case, Cornell should have been out of it in the first round. Big Red what?) That being said, one of my brackets has a 93% rating on ESPN.com, and I'm within the top 350,000 with that bracket (tied with President Obama).

Here are highights from the weekend (video courtesy CBS):

EDIT (3/23/10): Replaced one of the videos with another due to CBS copyright claim.

Small School Stunner Saturday

2010-03-20T12:23:00.000-07:00

Video courtesy the Associated Press.

Shocking news out of the NCAA Tournament today. The Kansas Jayhawks, the #1 overall seed and heavy favorite to win the tournament, lost to the Northern Iowa Panthers 69-67 in the second round of March Madness. To give you an idea of just how big of an upset this was, consider that of the near 4.8 million people that made brackets on ESPN.com, only 42,500 (0.9%) had UNI advancing to the Sweet 16 and only 1,546 (0.003%) had them winning the national championship. Compare that to 98% having Kansas advance to the Sweet 16 and 42% winning the national title. President Obama's bracket took an absolute beating this weekend, with three of his Elite Eight teams gone.

The University of Northern Iowa has a current student population of about 15,000, 92% of which are Iowa residents. UNI is in the town of Cedar Falls, Iowa, population 39,145. Prior to tonight's stunner, UNI was most well-known for being the college NFL quarterback Kurt Warner attended. This was Northern Iowa's first trip into the second round since 1990 and first-ever trip to the Sweet 16. The game itself was the classic case of Northern Iowa having nothing to lose and everything to gain. The Panthers were on top for most of the game then the Jayhawks slowly came back into the picture but not before UNI's Ali Farokhmanesh buried a timely 3-pointer with seconds to go.

But Kansas wasn't the only major team upended by a small school. The 2-seed Villanova Wildcats lost to the 10-seed St. Mary's Gaels 75-68. Villanova is yet another Big East team that's going home earlier than expected, leaving Syracuse, West Virginia, and Pittsburgh as the only Big East representatives left in the tournament. But Villanova was playing with fire, having nearly been beaten by Robert Morris on Thursday. And when you play with fire, you get burned. Scottie Reynolds had a terrible tournament while St. Mary's Omar Samhan had a career game, scoring 32 against the Wildcats.

St. Mary's is located in Moraga, California, about 10 miles east of Oakland, and has a school population of less than 5,000. So what is a Gael? According to Answers.com, a Gael is "A Gaelic-speaking Celt of Scotland, Ireland, or the Isle of Man. A Scottish Highlander." While Villanova isn't a big school either, with a student population of just under 10,000, it is in the Philadelphia metro area, so there's naturally more attention paid to it, especially given its basketball history. This game went similar to the Kansas-Northern Iowa game in that St. Mary's took an early lead, then the game tightened up in the second half.

Other tournament scores were:
6 Tennessee def. 14 Ohio, 83-68
5 Butler def. 13 Murray State, 54-52 (Butler was nearly upset, but held on)
11 Washington def. 3 New Mexico, 82-64
3 Baylor def. 11 Old Dominion, 76-68
2 Kansas State def. 7 BYU, 84-72
1 Kentucky def. 9 Wake Forest 90-60

First-Round Order Restored

2010-03-20T09:13:00.000-07:00

UCSB's Justin Joyner and Ohio State's Evan Turner. Photo courtesy the NY Daily News.

I generally don't post on the weekends, but March Madness is in full swing. With the first round complete, Friday's games went about as expected. If Thursday was a day of chaos, Friday was mostly a snoozer. Top seeds Syracuse and Duke were on cruise control and Ohio State and West Virginia dominated in their second halves to beat UCSB and Morgan State, respectively. The expected upset of Cornell over Temple happened, while the popular picks of Siena over Purdue and Utah State over Texas A&M didn't. As for the Big East/ACC clash, the Big East went 1-1 (West Virginia won, Louisville lost) while the ACC went 3-2 Friday.

Here were the highlight games of the day:

Xavier's Dante Jackson. Photo courtesy the NY Daily News.

6 Xavier def. 11 Minnesota, 65-54
After a first half tie at 26, Xavier's Jordan Crawford took over, scoring 17 of his 28 points in the second half to lead the Musketeers to victory.

10 Missouri def. 7 Clemson, 86-78
This was a popular upset pick, so not terribly unexpected. The teams were tied at 39 at the half, but Mizzou went on a 47-point surge in the second, which proved to be the difference. Simply put, the Missouri Tigers had a balanced offense (four players with 10 or more points) and an aggressive defense, forcing 20 turnovers.

Gonzaga's Robert Sacre blocks Florida State's Derwin Kitchen. Photo courtesy the Merced Sun-Star / Associated Press.

8 Gonzaga def. 9 Florida State, 67-60
At halftime, this game looked like a Bulldogs blowout, but the FSU Seminoles came storming back, scoring 41 second-half points, mostly on the back of Deividas Dulkys, who was money from beyond the arc. However, the Gonzaga trio of Robert Sacre, Steven Gray, and Matt Bouldin proved too much for Florida State.

8 California def. 9 Louisville, 77-62
The Pac-10's second team to beat a Big East team in as many days (Washington surprised Marquette Friday), and Cal dominated for the bulk of the game. Louisville, known for being above average defensively, was down early 22-4. Not a good day to be Louisville coach Rick Pitino, who earned himself a technical that helped kill any chance of a Louisville comeback late in the second half.

Maryland's Greivis Vasquez blocks Houston's Aubrey Coleman. Photo courtesy the Annapolis Capital Gazette / Associated Press.

4 Maryland def. 13 Houston, 89-77
Probably the most entertaining game of the night with two up-tempo offenses going at it and CBS' Tim Brando making ridiculous calls (After a 3-pointer by Houston star Aubrey Coleman: "The bank is open late!") Maryland's Greivis Vasquez had a great second half, but it was Maryland's freshman forward Jordan Williams who had the career game. The Terrapins simply wore down Houston in the second half and made enough defensive stops to win.

10 Georgia Tech def. 7 Oklahoma State, 64-59
This was a predicted upset, but it was a tight game the whole way through. The Yellow Jackets were down 36-31 at the half, but held OK State's James Anderson, the nation's third-leading scorer, to only 11 points. Considering the seesaw season Georgia Tech had in the ACC, the win could be considered a mild surprise.

From left to right, Michigan State's Kalin Lucas, Chris Allen, and Delvon Roe. Photo courtesy ESPN.

5 Michigan State def. 12 New Mexico State, 70-67
The game of the night. New Mexico State was down big at halftime, but rallied back in the second until two controversial calls effectively decided the game. The first was a lane violation that was called correctly, according to NCAA officials postgame. That led to a 70-67 score, in favor of the MSU Spartans. The second call was atrociously bad, and where New Mexico State fans have a legitimate beef. The ball went out of bounds at 0.9 seconds, but it didn't register with the officials until 0.3 seconds, shaving off precious time and forcing a desperation three-point shot that didn't go in for NMSU. The officials should have been keeping an eye on the clock when the ball went out of bounds. Michigan State got out of a close one.

Big East Blues

2010-03-19T10:19:00.000-07:00

The Big East Conference holds many of college basketball's powerhouse teams. Syracuse, Georgetown, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Villanova, Louisville, Marquette, and West Virginia were all selected to this year's NCAA tournament. Literally, half of the conference is in the tournament, and that's without traditional power UConn. There's been debate the last few years on whether or not the Big East or the ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference) is the better conference. After day one of March Madness, the ACC is looking good while three Big East teams made an early exit, and a fourth nearly joined them.

Georgetown's Chris Wright. Photo courtesy the Washington Post.

The biggest surprise of the day was third-seeded Georgetown losing to fourteenth-seeded Ohio, 97-83. The pundits who like to call upsets never saw this one coming. For Georgetown to lose to a team that had a losing conference record and by 14 points is the very definition of March Madness. Ohio led by as much as 19 and face sixth-seeded Tennessee Saturday afternoon.

In college basketball the last few years, there's been an inherent East Coast bias, partially because there weren't as many teams out West that had the "quality" of the Eastern clubs. So it was a pleasant surprise to see the Washington Huskies beat the Marquette Golden Eagles narrowly on a Quincy Pondexter jumper. Few basketball pundits were calling for the upset here. Not bad for the 11th-seeded Pac-10 tournament champs. They'll face the third-seeded New Mexico Lobos Saturday evening.

Photo courtesy of The State (S.C.).

Villanova was a Final Four candidate for some going into the tournament. No one gave 15th-seeded Robert Morris a chance. While Villanova did go on to win 73-70, it was in overtime. Robert Morris players played the game of their lives to bring a tournament power to the brink of elimination. As for 'Nova, it was a close call in part due to the disciplining of Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher and this narrow win could serve as a catalyst for a deep run in the tournament.

The third Big East team to fall was Notre Dame to Old Dominion, 51-50. The fact that the Irish lost wasn't the surprise, many pundits had this game pegged for an upset, but rather that Notre Dame's star senior forward Luke Harangody only scored four points in 23 minutes. Certainly not the way Harangody wanted his last game in an Irish uniform to go. Old Dominion next takes on Baylor Saturday evening in a game that could be even more of an uphill battle for Dominion, since Baylor is a three-seed.

As for the ACC, their turn to dance is today. Wake Forest won their matchup yesterday against Texas in an overtime upset but fellow ACC teams Duke, Maryland, Florida State, Clemson, and Georgia Tech play their first-round games today.

Other notable scores on Day 1 of March Madness:

6 Tennessee def. 11 San Diego State, 62-59
5 Butler def. 12 UTEP, 77-59 (many had this game pegged for an upset)
13 Murray St. def. 4 Vanderbilt, 66-65 (buzzer-beater upset special)
10 St. Mary's def. 7 Richmond, 80-71
7 BYU def. 10 Florida, 99-92 (Billy Donovan shown the door)

March Madness Jumbo Post

2010-03-17T15:47:00.000-07:00

The notorious Cameron Crazies at Duke University basketball games. Photo courtesy the LA Times / Getty Images.

March Madness (aka the NCAA Tournament) begins tomorrow and it seems like everyone's got a bracket. President Obama filled his out today. Last year, he correctly predicted the North Carolina Tar Heels to win, but then again, so did most people, myself included. This year, most people are picking the Kansas Jayhawks, and with good reason. The Jayhawks' guard tandem of Sherron Collins and Xavier Henry is one of the best in the country. Add in center Cole Aldrich as the defensive stopper in the middle plus the tournament's number 1 overall seed, and Kansas has the makings of a championship run.

So who else could take the title, if not Kansas? Kentucky is the runner-up in most people's brackets. The Wildcats, led by freshmen sensations John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins, have been near the top of the polls all season, but will the lack of tournament experience hurt Wall, Cousins, and Co.? Of the other number 1 seeds, Syracuse, and Duke, I'd give the edge to Duke, due to the experience of guard duo Jon Scheyer and Nolan Smith.

Here are the teams I'm watching for in this year's tournament:

The Mountaineers' DaSean Butler holding the Big East trophy. Photo courtesy of NY Daily News.

West Virginia (No. 2 East seed): WV probably should have been the number 1 seed in place of Syracuse, but they're the 2 seed instead. The Mountaineers won their first Big East title this season and are riding the clutch shooting of Da'Sean Butler. Second, West Virginia is not a traditional power like Duke, Syracuse, Kansas, and Kentucky are, so it'd be nice to see a team win the national title for the first time, and WV has the tools to do it. For more on WV, here's a good article by ESPN's Dana O'Neil.

Florida (No. 10 West seed): Gators coach Billy Donovan returns to the tournament after a 2-year absence. Donovan was previously covered here on FTRS. While I doubt the Gators will get by BYU in the first round, it's interesting to see Donovan return to March Madness.

Tennessee senior Wayne Chism. Photo courtesy of "The House that Bandy Built" blog.

Tennessee (No. 6 Midwest seed): Coach Bruce Pearl is one of the best in the country, but the Volunteers haven't been able to put together a deep run. Full disclosure: a good friend of mine is from Tennessee.

San Diego State (No. 11 Midwest seed): The Aztecs are looking for their first-ever tournament win. SDSU is one of the few bright spots in what was an atrocious year for West Coast basketball. They'll play Tennessee in the first round. It doesn't hurt that a few friends have or are currently attending SDSU.

To see my bracket, click here. My Final Four are: Kansas, West Virginia, Baylor, and Kansas State.

Roethlisberger and the Law Meeting Again?

2010-03-11T08:59:00.000-08:00

Photo courtesy of SportsIllustrated.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is flirting with trouble again. In 2008, a woman accused him of rape in a Lake Tahoe hotel. Roethlisberger was never charged for the incident, but the alleged victim is suing him in court. Now, Roethlisberger is again accused of a sexual crime. This time, a 21-year-old college student named Amber Hanley accuses the Steelers quarterback of sexual assault at a nightclub in Milledgeville, Georgia, about two hours southeast of Atlanta. While the police are still conducting their investigation, Roethlisberger hasn't been charged.

Courtesy CBS News / Deadspin.com

The fact that this is the second time in two years "Big Ben" is being accused of a sexual crime is a disappointment, considering Roethlisberger's on-field success. You'd think after the first accusation, Ben might reconsider hanging out with single women in a bar or casino. The above photo, taken in 2006, doesn't help the Steelers quarterback's image problems either. In the court of public opinion, Roethlisberger is on very shaky ground. As a 28-year-old QB of a successful team, he needs maturity off the field to complement the leadership he's learned on it.

For more on the ongoing case, visit CBS News' Crimesider or ESPN.

The NFL and Los Angeles Dance Continues

2010-03-10T15:04:00.000-08:00

Photo courtesy of LA.Streetsblog.org.

There's been rumors and talk of an NFL team returning to Los Angeles ever since the Raiders and Rams left after the 1994 season. Proposals for stadiums in Anaheim, Carson, and a modified LA Coliseum have fallen by the wayside over the years and the latest plan is to build a stadium in Industry.

Where's Industry, you ask? It's in the San Gabriel Valley, due north of Anaheim and due east of downtown Los Angeles off the 60 and 57 freeways. The cost of the development is pegged at $800 million and includes training facilities, a sports hospital, and an entertainment and theater complex. The cost is significantly lower than most football stadiums built today, partially because it's being built into a hillside. By comparison, new free-standing stadiums in Dallas and New York cost $1.3 billion and $1.4 billion, respectively.

A good location plus a reasonable budget to finally bring a football team back to Los Angeles, what's not to like? First, the neighboring city of Walnut has been a vocal opposition to the project, citing traffic concerns. Traffic is a way of life in Southern California (just ask anyone who's ever had the misfortune of commuting on the local freeways), and there are tons of residential pockets throughout the region. When former Los Angeles mayor James Hahn announced plans to redesign LAX Airport in 2004, the most vocal opponents were residents of the Westchester and El Segundo neighborhoods north and south of LAX. As a result, LAX remains the same traffic-clogged mess of an airport it's been for years and it affects a whole region. In short, there's always a group of residents opposing a development in the LA metro area, which leads to a mentality of wanting the benefits without the cost. Sports fans in LA love football and want an NFL team to come to town, but they're not willing to have the stadium be in their backyard, just someone else's. Second, environmental groups are crying foul over exemptions in environmental review law that were made for the stadium. Very rarely does a development in Southern California not come under an environmental review, so for a sports stadium to bypass them does raise questions.

But the biggest hurdle facing the return of NFL football to Los Angeles is finding a team willing to relocate. There are 7 teams the stadium developer has identified as being as possible stadium tenants: Buffalo Bills, Jacksonville Jaguars, Minnesota Vikings, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, San Francisco 49ers, and the St. Louis Rams.

The Bills are a franchise with history (mostly dubious) and currently stuck in an old stadium in Buffalo. While the Bills have been rumored to move for years, I think Toronto is a more likely destination for the Bills rather than sunny SoCal. Besides, the Los Angeles Bills could have some unflattering jokes associated with it.

The Jaguars have a hard time selling tickets to their games, have no stadium corporate sponsor, and seem on the brink of moving. The team has been a mediocre performer, at best, in its history. Most NFL insiders hve this team being one of the finalists to move west. I could get use to hearing "LA Jaguars."

The Vikings won't leave Minny. Way too much history and a passionate fan base to let the Vikes go.

The Raiders have lots of fans here in the LA area, but I doubt Al Davis will move his team again after only 15 years in Oakland. Besides, do we really want to see the Black Hole crazies every Sunday during football season go nuts over a team that has been a cellar-dweller for nearly ten years? If the Raiders move in, expect the surrounding communities to be even more up-in-arms.

The Chargers also have lots of fans here in LA. Many Orange County and Inland Empire residents travel down to San Diego for games and their games air locally on both TV and radio. In a sense, the Chargers have adopted LA as their second home (they trained in Carson awhile back and the team advertises for season tickets on local TV). Negotiations over a new stadium between San Diego city officials and the Chargers have been going on for years. If the Jaguars don't move, I suspect the stadium developers to be making many trips down south to SD.

The 49ers won't leave San Fran, despite the fact that they play in a nearly 50-year old stadium. Same scenario as Minnesota (rich history, loyal fan base).

The Rams won't leave St. Louis. The businessman in talks to become majority owner has publicly said he wants to keep the team in St. Louis.

Blind Side Accolades & Update

2010-03-08T12:00:00.000-08:00

Image of Michael Oher courtesy of Bleacher Report.

At the Academy Awards last night, Sandra Bullock won Best Actress for her role in "The Blind Side", capping an awards season where she also won a Golden Globe for playing the Southern mom that takes Michael Oher under her wing and helps him achieve a life outside of the Memphis slums where he grew up. The film, made on a $30 million budget, tiny by Hollywood standards, has gone on to gross more than $250 million. Previously, I had reviewed the outstanding book here on FTRS and the movie version didn't disappoint. Most of the movie was straight from the book (some chapters regarding the technicalities of the left tackle position didn't make it onto the screen), and the omissions that were done made sense for a general audience. If you missed out on seeing it in theaters, "The Blind Side" will be out on DVD March 23.

But what about the real Michael Oher? Where is he now and how is he doing? Oher was drafted in the 1st round, 23rd pick overall of the 2009 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens. Weighing in at 309 lbs. and measuring 6'5", Oher made a strong impression on the Ravens coaches early to the point where he became the team's starting right tackle. Over the course of the season, he started all 16 games (11 at right tackle, 5 at left tackle, the position he played during his "Blind Side" days), and was runner-up in the Offensive Rookie of the Year polling. Oher has played well enough that there is some speculation in Baltimore that within the next season or two, Oher will switch to left tackle full time, a hard task considering the premiere pass-rushers in the NFL attack from the left side, hence the blind side.

I've embedded three YouTube clips into this post. The first is NFL Network's coverage of the draft when Michael Oher was selected. The second is an interview of Michael Oher by NBC's Bob Costas from last November, midway through Oher's rookie season in Baltimore. The third is an interview with the Tuohy family and Fox News' Mike Huckabee.

Weekend Roundup

2010-03-08T08:00:00.000-08:00

Courtesy of Reuters.

This weekend was busy on the NFL and NBA fronts. Here were the major headlines:

The Los Angeles Lakers went 0-3 on their recent road trip to Miami, Charlotte, and Orlando. All three teams are playoff contenders in the Eastern Conference and the worry in LA has intensified, especially after the 96-94 loss to Orlando. To make matters worse, they seemed more concerned about opposing players' style of play than their own, according to the LA Times. Also, Laker forward Ron Artest debuted a ridiculous hairstyle that has Dennis Rodman laughing somewhere. Think bleach blonde hair with purple letters spelling defense in multiple languages carved into the hair and you get the general idea. Needless to say, the Lakers haven't playing to their level, leaving fans wondering when they'll flick the switch and dominate like last year.

In the NFL, free agency began on Friday. Here were some of the marquee moves:

Courtesy of SportsIllustrated.

The Chicago Bears went on a shopping spree. They signed defensive end Julius Peppers, shown above right, (formerly of the Carolina Panthers), to a 6-year, $91.5 million deal and added running back Chester Taylor (previously of the rival Minnesota Vikings), and tight end Brandon Manumaleuna, who was with the San Diego Chargers last year. Unfortunately for Bears fans, these signings do not help with one of Chicago's glaring weaknesses: wide receiver.

In an attempt to not be outdone by their division rival, the Detroit Lions also went on a spending spree. The Lions put their checkbook to work, signing defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch, Nate Burleson, and trading for defensive tackle Corey Williams. Despite these moves, Detroit will likely be in the NFC North cellar again, given their division rivals (Minnesota, Chicago, and Green Bay).

Courtesy of the Daily Mail.

Karlos Dansby, pictured above right, signed a 5-year, $43 million deal with the Miami Dolphins. Dansby was previously with the Arizona Cardinals. Speaking of the Cardinals, they traded Anquan Boldin to the Baltimore Ravens for a 3rd and 4th round draft pick. The Cards also released safety Antrel Rolle (who signed with the NY Giants) and traded for NY Jets safety Kerry Rhodes. Coupled with the retirement of Kurt Warner, the Arizona Cardinals' recent run of success may very well have ended this weekend.

The New England Patriots resigned defensive tackle Vince Wilfork to a 5-year, $40 million deal, after a tumultuous couple of seasons between Wilfork and the Patriots over his contract. Wilfork had had the franchise label, effectively banning him from free agency, the past two years, which Wilfork publicly made known his displeasure about. Apparently, it's all water under the bridge now though, as Wilfork will continue to suit up for New England.

Courtesy of Vikings fan blog VikingsGab.com

And finally, longtime Green Bay Packer defensive end Aaron Kampman, shown above left, moved from Green Bay to Jacksonville. Terms of the deal were undisclosed, but many sources say Kampman left Green Bay because he was a poor fit in the new defensive coordinator's schemes. Personally, I think playing in the warm Florida sun in January sounds better than being on the frozen Wisconsin tundra, but that's just me.

For an extended look at the NFL Free Agency, go here. For the complete Free Agent Tracker, monitoring all player movement, go here.

Arenas and Crittenton Out

2010-01-28T09:16:00.000-08:00

Photo courtesy WPIX in New York.

Updating yesterday's post, the NBA announced last night beleaguered Washington Wizards Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton have been suspended for the rest of the season. Arenas will lose $7.4 million of his salary and may even have the rest of his contract ($16.1 million annually) revoked. He's also looking at jail time anywhere from 6 months to 5 years, though prosecutors are reportedly pushing for the minimum.

Tale of Two Franchises

2010-01-27T08:00:00.000-08:00

Photo courtesy of USAToday.com

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Washington Wizards last night 115-103 at the Verizon Center in DC. The game provided a glimpse of two teams traveling in opposite directions. First, the Lakers have one of the best records in the NBA (34-11) and are 6-4 in their last ten games. Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol each scored 26 in what looked like a show of dominance. The Lakers are having a season free of drama, unusual for the Lakers given the microscope they're under.

Then, there are the Wizards. The Wizards' leading scorer, Gilbert Arenas, plead guilty earlier this month to felony gun charges and awaits sentencing. Arenas was storing guns in the Wizards' locker room at the Verizon Center, which lies within the actual District of Columbia. DC gun laws are among the toughest in the nation, so as a result, the revelation that Arenas was storing guns in DC outraged many in the Washington metro area. The Wizards' haven't been able to cope with the loss of Arenas on the court and are currently 14-30 and are 2-8 in their last ten games. Assuming Arenas will be having a long-term suspension, the Wizards will take several years to recover from one player's terrible decision.

Favre Falls Short Again

2010-01-26T22:13:00.000-08:00

Photo courtesy of Brian Peterson/Minneapolis Star-Tribune/NJ.com.

One of the ripple effects of the New Orleans Saints going to the Super Bowl is that the Minnesota Vikings, and by extension Brett Favre, are not. As a result, Favre will once again take lots of time and media attention while deciding if he'll return for another season.

You know it's bad when Sears makes fun of you...

Going on the Offensive

2010-01-25T11:26:00.001-08:00

Photo courtesy of Reuters.

So the Super Bowl is set. It's the Indianapolis Colts vs. the New Orleans Saints in what is sure to be a showcase of two of the league's best offenses. Colts quarterback Peyton Manning and Saints QB Drew Brees (shown above) are statistically ranked 6th and 1st, respectively, amongst quarterbacks this season (passer rating). Receivers Marques Colston of the Saints and Reggie Wayne of the Colts are two of the best receivers in the game.

Defensively, both teams aren't known for their D. While they both have star defensive players (Dwight Freeney of the Colts, Darren Sharper of the Saints), the defenses as a whole can break down and give up the big score.

Photo courtesy of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

This Super Bowl has more character than people are giving it credit. First, the Colts are a likable team with one of the best players of this era in P. Manning. Many of the players from the Tony Dungy era (I consider Dungy to be the best coach of the modern era) are still there. Colts fans are some of the most passionate in the NFL. Yet, they won a Super Bowl in 2006, so the taste of a championship victory is still fresh.

As for the Saints, there's a reason why their nickname for the longest time was the 'Aints. Fans would be so distraught over the team's on-field performance they would wear paper bags over their head. Decades of disappointment for New Orleans went by as the Saints were consistent cellar-dwellers. Then, Hurricane Katrina happened, leaving the city battered and broken. Then, a new coach came in (Sean Payton), a new quarterback (Brees), a new running back (Reggie Bush), and a host of personnel changes have turned the Saints into a competitive team since Katrina. Simply put, this is uncharted territory for the Saints who are going to the first Super Bowl in franchise history (the franchise was established in 1967).

Photo courtesy of Michael Conroy/AP and NJ.com.

This Super Bowl, like last year's, pits a classic franchise against a perennial underdog. However, this year's should be a high-scoring shootout between the offenses. On paper, I think Indy has the better shot at winning, but it's hard not to root for N'Awlins, especially in light of Katrina. Either way, it should be a great game.

Ungrateful Fans...Is it a Northeast Thing?

2010-01-12T10:54:00.000-08:00

Photo courtesy of Bleacher Report.

On Sunday, the fans of the New England Patriots turned on their own team during a playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens. They booed the home team, with many saying it was due to the team's performance. Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork was quoted in the Boston Globe saying, "It felt like we were playing an away game, that's what it felt like." While Boston has shown this trend most recently, due to the city's impressive championship runs in multiple sports and higher expectations thereafter, other East Coast cities have had fans boo the home team, namely, Philadelphia, New York, and Washington DC. The act of booing the home team is a foreign concept to those here on the West Coast, with the exception of the Oakland Raiders.

There is a certain amount of gratitude to athletes that must be acknowledged, especially football players. These athletes are real people who bang, smash, flatten, and run into each other with high injury risk (concussions, torn ACLs and MCLs, etc.) Teams want to play at home because they'll have the crowd support. Seattle and New Orleans are great examples of a home-field advantage. Teams feed off the crowd energy, hard to do when said crowd is booing you.

Booing the home-team should be strongly discouraged by the fans. Stay classy and respect the fact that its real people playing the game. After all, rooting for a team means rooting for them through all the ups as well as the downs.

Randy Johnson Hangs it Up

2010-01-06T11:24:00.000-08:00

Photo courtesy of the Idaho Statesman/AP.

After 22 seasons, ace pitcher Randy Johnson has decided to retire. He is second on the all-time strikeout list (4,875), has a career record of 303-166, a World Series ring, two no-hitters, a perfect game, and ten-time All-Star.

But what many may remember him for is his personality. His shaggy hair, his height on the mound, his tenacity to go after hitters. His fastball and slider pitches were absolutely devastating to hitters' psyche. I doubt we'll see a pitcher of his dominance again soon or ever. He played for Montreal, Seattle, Houston, Arizona, NY Yankees, and San Francisco, but his most memorable moments occurred in a Diamondbacks uniform (the 2001 World Series and his perfect game in 2004).

The AFC Playoffs are Here!

2010-01-05T08:04:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I covered the NFC side of the playoff equation. Today, it's the AFC's turn. Here are the playoff teams with seeding:

Photo courtesy of American Sports Blog.

1) Indianapolis Colts
Up until two weeks ago, the Colts were undefeated. Now, they don't look nearly as dominant after two straight losses. Quarterback Peyton Manning is the best in the league and receiver Reggie Wayne is an outstanding player, but what about the other guys? I wouldn't count the Colts out, but they're certainly not scaring anybody, unlike...

2) San Diego Chargers
...the Chargers, winners of their last eleven games. The Bolts are on a roll and have played some of the toughest teams in the NFL in that stretch (Dallas, Philadelphia, Cincinnati). The offense is playing extremely well, led by quarterback Philip Rivers. Probably the most well-rounded team in the AFC at this point.

Photo courtesy of The Red Zone Report.

3) New England Patriots
The Patriots are very banged up and are without stud receiver Wes Welker for the playoffs. The Pats still have Tom Brady and the best coach in Bill Belichick, but given their amount of injured players, I doubt a deep playoff run is in the cards for this team.

4) Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals have struggled since the death of receiver Chris Henry and were non-existent on Sunday night against the Jets. They have the talent to reach the second round, but which team shows up: the one that dominated its division or the team that was shut out by the Jets?

Photo courtesy of FantasyPlayers.com

5) New York Jets
The Jets were out of the playoff picture until the Colts decided to put in their B team against them two weeks ago, then the Bengals rolled over Sunday night. They have a rookie quarterback who's prone to throw interceptions, but they have a top defense and running game. Very difficult to tell which team shows up.

6) Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens were very good at the beginning of the season, then stumbled to a 9-7 record and playoff berth. They have an excellent running game and a pretty good defense, but again as with the Jets, which version of the Ravens shows up? (Side note: The Ravens are the team that has Michael Oher, subject of "The Blind Side, so congratulations are in order for the young man. He may very well end up winning rookie of the year honors).

So, here are my AFC predictions:
3) Patriots defeat 6) Ravens (barely)
4) Bengals defeat 5) Jets

1) Colts defeat 4) Bengals
2) Chargers defeat 3) Patriots

2) Chargers defeat 1) Colts
Chargers go to the Super Bowl in Miami.

Super Bowl Prediction: Chargers defeat Cowboys. They did it in the regular season, albeit in a close game, and they do it again.

The NFC Playoffs are Here!

2010-01-04T08:58:00.000-08:00

After another week of football, the NFL regular season has ended. Despite the crazy scenarios for the AFC, it eventually finished the way many had predicted, while the NFC shifted a tad. So here are the playoff teams for the NFC:

Photo courtesy of NowPublic.net.

1) New Orleans Saints
The Saints have clinched home-field up to the Super Bowl, should they advance that far. While playing in the Superdome is an advantage, the Saints have not played at a dominating level since they smoked the Patriots in late November. Also noteworthy, Steve Wyche of NFL.com wrote in his column that no team with a three-game losing streak going into the playoffs has won the Super Bowl. They have a chance to win the Super Bowl based on the team's immense talent, but will they be ready to compete at the high level required to eliminate another playoff contender?

2) Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota also has a home-field game and first round bye. Between Minny and New Orleans, the Vikings are the better team right now. Minnesota has a lot of older, veteran players desperate to get to the Super Bowl, none more than quarterback Brett Favre and the team is healthy at the right time. However, while Favre can be an asset, he can also be a liability since he has a knack for making risky throws. Another minus is that defensive end Jared Allen recently hasn't been the dominant force he usually is.

Photo courtesy of the Financial Post.

3) Dallas Cowboys
After the 'Boys shutout the Eagles yesterday to take the 3 seed, a date with the Eagles next week in Dallas seems easy, right? However, history suggests beating a team three times in a season is very difficult. In 2007, the Cowboys beat the NY Giants twice in the regular season, but were then beaten by the Giants in Dallas in the playoffs. That being said, the Cowboys are playing healthy and loose right now, especially after the team's first successful December in years. Getting that monkey off their back was huge for this team. Having the top defense (in terms of points allowed) doesn't hurt either.

4) Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals rolled over and played dead with the Packers on Sunday and get a do-over with Green Bay next week in Arizona. The Cardinals are playing similar to the Cards of last season, albeit with a better record (10-6 vs. 8-8 last season). Arizona played okay at home, but was excellent on the road (4-4 vs. 6-2), so going to another team's stadium doesn't spook the Cards. Plus, last year's Super Bowl contending team is nearly intact. That experience will help them.

Photo courtesy of UPI.

5) Green Bay Packers
While Green Bay has been playing excellent football as of late, the Pack are very banged-up defensively. What happens when they play the high-octane offenses of the Saints, Vikings, or Cardinals? Having said that, the Packers did have considerable defensive success at times during the season, but I think the farthest Green Bay can go is the second round.

6) Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles have been in this position before (they were the 6 seed last year) and are still a dangerous team. They were winners of six straight prior to yesterday's shutout in Dallas. But can they beat the team that has had their number all season? If they do, look out.

Photo of Minnesota's Metrodome courtesy of ESPN.

So my NFC predictions are as follows:

3) Cowboys defeat 6) Eagles
4) Cardinals defeat 5) Packers

4) Cardinals defeat 1) Saints
3) Cowboys defeat 2) Vikings

3) Cowboys defeat 4) Cardinals
Cowboys advance to the Super Bowl in Miami.

The Eagles-Cowboys game will be on Saturday, 8pm ET/5pm PT on NBC while the Packers-Cardinals game will be Sunday 4:40pm ET/1:40pm PT on FOX. Tomorrow, I'll post my AFC predictions.

The Favre Drama Returns

2009-12-31T08:30:00.000-08:00

Photo courtesy of NJ.com.

There's trouble in Minnesota as Vikings quarterback Brett Favre and Vikings head coach Brad Childress are feuding over recent play calls. The blame for this fiasco is entirely on Favre, who yet again, is causing problems with a coach. His relationship with his coaches helped end his time in Green Bay and New York. He breeds his own drama and acts as though his years of experience in the NFL give him a say in how to run a team. Childress is trying to do the right thing and resolve the issues privately, whereas Favre has a history of informing media outlets of internal problems.

Favre should take a page out of the Indianapolis Colts playbook. When the Colts ended their run at perfection, the starting players were pulled at halftime due to the head coach's decision. They may have disagreed with it, but they're resolving the matter privately and publicly supporting their coach. Since the Favre-Childress tussle is out in the public, the coach's authority is being undermined. Should the Vikings not do well in the playoffs, fans will look at this tussle as the event that derailed the season.

AFC Playoff Picture: Simply a Mess

2009-12-30T08:30:00.000-08:00

Photo courtesy of BallHype.com

Yesterday, I went over the NFC playoff picture. Today, it's the AFC's turn.

If the playoffs started today, the seeds would be:

1) Indianapolis Colts (14-1)
After their run for perfection ended Sunday against the Jets in one of the most disputed coaching calls in recent memory. The game on Sunday won't matter for them because they've locked up the first seed awhile back.

2) San Diego Chargers (12-3)
The Chargers are red-hot with ten straight wins and have locked up the 2 seed, so the game on Sunday is meaningless for them. Having a first round bye and hosting a playoff game in sunny Southern California doesn't sound too bad. Their likely opponents would be the NY Jets or the Cincinnati Bengals.

Photo courtesy of fantasy-info.com

3) New England Patriots (10-5)
The Patriots will get another AFC East title, but they've been shaky all year. Losses to the Colts and Saints underscore the fact that the Pats have lost to good teams and beaten up on the bad ones. I don't see the Patriots going past the second round.

4) Cincinnati Bengals (10-5)
The Bengals have struggled since the death of their teammate, wide receiver Chris Henry. They'll make the playoffs, but their success is predicated on how they handle the loss of Henry. They're 1-1 since his death. Of the teams hosting a playoff game, Cincinnati is the most vulnerable.

Photo courtesy of UPI.

5) Denver Broncos (8-7)
The Broncos may not even be here this time next week. In order for the Broncos to make the playoffs, a lot of things have to fall right for them. The simplest way is for a Broncos win, plus a NY Jets loss and Houston Texans win.

6) NY Jets (8-7)
If the Jets win against Cincinnati on Sunday, they're in the playoffs. The Jets have been a roller coaster ride this year and with an inexperienced rookie quarterback, I don't see them going deep into the playoffs.

On the outside looking in are the Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans, Pittsburgh Steelers, Miami Dolphins, and Jacksonville Jaguars. If the Ravens win, they're in the playoffs, likely knocking Denver out. The Texans and Steelers need a lot of help to get in while the Dolphins and Jaguars would need complete collapses of the teams in front of them in order to get in. I think the wild cards will be the Ravens and Jets.

NFC Playoff Picture: A Matter of Seeds

2009-12-29T09:03:00.000-08:00

Photo courtesy of Eagles blog Bleeding Green Nation.

The NFL season is a week away from ending and only three of the playoff seeds are locked down. Let's start with the NFC...

If the playoffs started today, the seeds would be:

Seed No. 1) New Orleans Saints (13-2)
As a result of the Minnesota loss last night, the Saints have home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. However, they have lost two straight and are showing vulnerabilities, particularly on the defensive side of the ball.

Seed No. 2) Philadelphia Eagles (11-4)
The Eagles currently own the 2 seed, but the Cowboys, Vikings, or Cardinals could also claim this spot. If the Eagles beat the Cowboys in Dallas next week, then they have the 2 seed locked. Philly is playing well and is considered the team to beat in the NFC right now.

Photo courtesy of nflnewsworld.com

Seed No. 3) Minnesota Vikings (11-4)
The Vikings have lost three out of their last four games and lost the two seed last night. Quarterback Brett Favre is making more drama again, this time with Vikings coach Brad Childress. The Vikings can reclaim the two seed with a win at home against the NY Giants and a Philly loss against the Cowboys, but even if they get the Cowboys assist, I doubt the Giants will just roll over.

Seed No. 4) Arizona Cardinals (10-5)
The Cardinals are playing better lately and have been a stellar road team this year. That being said, if both Philly and Minnesota lose, the 2 seed is the Cardinals' to have. I'm not sure how advantageous having the 2 seed would be for Arizona given their road success, but I do think the Cardinals will make it to the second round of the playoffs. They host the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.

Photo courtesy of the NY Daily News.

Seed No. 5) Green Bay Packers (10-5)
The Packers are locked into the 5 or 6 seed, so of the NFC teams, the Packers have one of the most predictable roads. Either way, they'll be playing on the road for the duration of the playoffs.

Seed No. 6) Dallas Cowboys (10-5)
The Cowboys have the 6 seed, but could jump up to the 2 spot if Philly, Minnesota, and Arizona lose. The surprise victory in New Orleans has really jump-started this team and given them the extra confidence to overcome the December woes of recent Cowboys teams. This team could go far in the playoffs, especially if they beat Philly on Sunday.

Tomorrow, the AFC playoff picture. If the NFC picture is a little fuzzy to you, wait 'til you see the AFC picture. What a mess.

The Long Fall

2009-12-15T09:18:00.000-08:00

Photo courtesy of NewsOne.com

The news of Tiger Woods' infidelity over the last couple of weeks has rocked the sports world. His reputation for being a family man shattered. So how does one look at Tiger Woods now? On the golf course, he's my generation's Jack Nicklaus. His level of play and era of dominance is unmatched. His passion for competition is admirable. But that's where the love ends. Off the course, he's made a grievous mistake. There are so many aspects to Tiger's misdeeds, it makes it difficult to support him.

First, this incident shows Tiger to be clueless. Surely he had to have known someone was going to find out about his indiscretions. With as many as seven women (and counting, it seems) coming out as his mistresses, he had dug a hole so deep, there was no getting out. Did he not realize his reputation would be destroyed if these relationships came to public light? Second, this whole saga shows Tiger to be arrogant. If he had thought all this through and thought he could sweep it under the rug because he's Tiger Woods, than he's an arrogant fool. Third, Tiger underestimated the media's ability to gather information. What started as a car crash on Thanksgiving became a bigger story when it was revealed his wife wasn't with him in the car and it was in the middle of the night. By the time reporters verified everything, Woods' skeletons were jumping out of the closet.

Tiger is now on the same level as Tom Brady and, to a lesser extent, Kobe Bryant. Tom had an affair with a supermodel than broke up with his pregnant fiance Bridget Moynahan and married the supermodel. As a result, Tom could win twenty Super Bowl titles and I still wouldn't buy his jersey. Kobe had an incident that nearly got him thrown in jail, but he has since been "on the straight and narrow" with his wife and two daughters. Regardless of whatever he does at this point, when you have that many extramarital affairs, let alone the morass that Brady and Bryant found themselves in with one indiscretion, your reputation is gone. Sad for Tiger, as he is one of the game's greats.

School Semester is Over / Deja Vu in Dallas

2009-12-14T08:16:00.000-08:00

Now that the school semester is over, I can comfortably resume posting here on FTRS. The last couple of months were thick with schoolwork as the semester was drawing to a close.

Prior to the Red Sox winning the World Series, there had been a saying thrown around online and elsewhere that "when the leaves fall, so do the Red Sox." Perhaps it should be re-phrased as "When snow falls in December, so do the Dallas Cowboys." The Cowboys worst nightmares of a failed December are coming true...again.

Photo courtesy of the Syracuse (N.Y.) Post-Standard.

The Cowboys opened the month with a critical match in New York against the Giants, who had spoiled the opener of the Cowboys' new stadium in a close game. Motivation enough, right? After taking an initial 10-0 lead in the second quarter, the Cowboys went on to lose 31-24, thanks in large part due to terrible special teams play in the 4th quarter. Due to the Cowboys losing that game, it helped the Giants get closer to playoff contention and should the Cowboys deteriorate further, it could be the Giants going to the playoffs and the Cowboys staying home.

Then they played the San Diego Chargers yesterday in Dallas. Home-field advantage with 90,000+ fans in your favor, right? After tying it 10-10 in the third quarter, the Chargers surged in the 4th quarter to win 20-17. So much for home-field. The neck injury to star Cowboys linebacker in the 4th quarter made a huge difference, as the Cowboys had no pass rush. Without a pass rush, the opposing quarterbacks can sit in the pocket all day and throw with ease.

Photo of Cowboys head coach Wade Philips courtesy of WFAA-TV in Dallas.

But that seems to be the problem with this Cowboys team. One week, it's special teams, the next it's the pass rush, or lack thereof. The secondary has been an issue all year. The schedule-makers didn't do them any favors, either. Next week, they play the undefeated New Orleans Saints, which has a more explosive offense than San Diego, in New Orleans. Then, they play their rivals, the Washington Redskins, in DC and finally, they return home to play the Philadelphia Eagles, who are in first place in Dallas' division.

There are some teams constantly under a microscope. Some markets, like New York, Boston, and Philadelphia, have multiple teams that receive year-round attention from the local press. Other markets have that one team that everybody follows closely. The Los Angeles Lakers and the Cowboys are two examples. The Los Angeles fanbase likes the Dodgers, the Kings, and the college teams in the area, but everyone loves the Lakers. Of the SoCal teams, only the Lakers receive wall-to-wall year-round coverage. Likewise, Dallas fans breathe football. If you play for the Dallas Cowboys, you're in a fishbowl. Much of this is due to the level of success in the team's history and with those past successes, expectations are bred of championships on a yearly basis.

Photo of Cowboys owner Jerry Jones courtesy of mkrob.com

Maybe Dallas' December woes are a result of the intense scrutiny that comes with being a Cowboy, maybe it's a case of "self-fulfilling prophecy" (i.e., if you tell yourself you're going to fail, you're going to fail), maybe it's a poor coaching effort on the part of Wade Philips. Whatever it is, until the Cowboys get a win in December, the talk of a December collapse will always come up. Should that win not happen this year, Wade Phillips can pack his bags. The Cowboys would have then gone 14 years without a Super Bowl title, and for a team called "America's Team", that's too long.

Down to the Wire

2009-10-01T17:11:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of Baseball1027.wordpress.com.

The baseball playoffs are just about set. Here are the American League seedings if the playoffs started today:

1) NY Yankees vs. 4) either Detroit Tigers or Minnesota Twins
2) LA Angels vs. 3) Boston Red Sox

Yankees have home-field throughout the playoffs including the World Series, assuming they go that far. Angels have home-field against the Red Sox. The Tigers are only two games up on the Twins with 3 games remaining, so it'll come down to the final weekend in that division.

Here are the National League seedings if the playoffs started today:

1) LA Dodgers vs. 4) St. Louis Cardinals
2) Philadelphia Phillies vs. 3) Colorado Rockies

The Dodgers have lost 4 straight, have not clinched the NL West division, and are only two games up on Colorado. They play each other in LA beginning tomorrow, and all the Dodgers need to do is win one game to clinch the division. The Rockies have to sweep in order to clinch the division. Home-field is still up for grabs between LA and Philly.

Adenhart is Still With Them

2009-09-29T11:35:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of NJ.com.

The Angels celebrated another AL West division title last night, but after the traditional beer and champagne pouring in the clubhouse, the team walked out to the centerfield wall where a mural of Nick Adenhart, the rookie pitcher killed by a drunk driver in April, sits.

No matter what team you root for normally, you can't help but root for the Angels a little this year in light of the Adenhart tragedy. There are moments when the reality that the game of baseball being a low priority is reinforced. This was one of those moments. I went to Angels Stadium for the Angels-Red Sox series in April, a day or two after the crash. A huge memorial of flowers and photos was out front of the home plate gate and an eerie silence fell over passers by.

The drunk driver, 22-year-old Andrew Thomas Gallo, was charged in April for three counts of second-degree murder and could face life in prison. He had multiple DUI arrests and did had a suspended license at the time of the crash. He plead not guilty to the murder charges. If convicted, he could face anywhere from 55 years to life in prison.

The Angels have a tough road ahead of them (they play Boston in the first round of playoffs), but this team is gelling and as cohesive as ever. To see the tribute from last night (and a great column by Eric Neel to boot), go here. For a SoCal perspective, try this LA Times column.

Friday Video: Basketball in Aggieland

2009-09-25T10:00:00.000-07:00

These videos have been making the rounds online this week. Real or fake? You decide...

Book Review: The Blind Side

2009-09-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of DailyRadar.com.

I finished Michael Lewis' book The Blind Side a few weeks ago. What a great story with a lot of heart. The book alternates between the history of the left tackle position, the player that protects the quarterback's blind side, in the NFL and the story of Michael Oher, a kid growing up in the impoverished slums of west Memphis, taken in by the wealthy Tuohy family and given a chance to succeed in football as a left tackle.

The left tackle position was undervalued in the early days of the NFL until Lawrence Taylor, linebacker of the New York Giants, wrecked havoc on quarterbacks by attacking their blind side. The book begins with Washington Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann suffering a severe injury at the hands of Taylor. Later on, San Francisco 49ers coach Bill Walsh, the genius behind the "West Coast Offense", devised a plan to stop Taylor by putting his biggest blocker on the left side. Now that the passing game is even more crucial to teams than ever, the left tackle is often times the second highest-paid player on the team.

But it was the story of Michael Oher that was the highlight of the book. Michael was an African-American kid who had hardly ever slept on a bed, or known what having his own room was like. His mom was a drug addict, they lived in housing projects (appropriately named Hurt Village), he had to repeat first and second grade, and was what some would consider "damaged goods". After a family friend sent his son and Michael to a private, mostly white Christian school on the other side of town, the Tuohy family effectively adopts him and sets him on a path to success in both academics (his GPA went from a 0.9 to a 2.65) and sports. He was the school's starting left tackle and went on to earn a scholarship from Ole Miss, the same school that Mr. and Mrs. Tuohy attended. Michael currently plays in the NFL for the Baltimore Ravens as the rookie starting right tackle, though he may move back to left tackle after gaining experience at the pro level. The Ravens' offensive line, the group of players that Oher is a part of, is receiving early rave reviews for protecting quarterback Joe Flacco.

The book's main flaw was there were times reading the book where I wanted to get back to Michael Oher's story, rather than hear the nuances of the evolution of the left tackle. Oher's story is so gripping, you want to see more of it and the left tackle history can get a bit technical at times, losing casual readers.

To hear author Michael Lewis in an NPR interview for the book, go here. And, as with most books, a movie adaptation is on the way this November (video courtesy of A3FilmTrailers/Warner Bros.):

Newspaper Bailouts?

2009-09-22T09:00:00.000-07:00

Photo of The Boston Globe headquarters courtesy of The Atlantic.

This isn't necessarily a sports related post, but rather a topic that affects sports media. Political website TheHill.com posted an article Sunday afternoon saying President Obama is "open" and "happy to look at" a bill that would effectively bailout the newspaper industry. The bill, S. 673 "Newspaper Revitalization Act", was introduced by Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) and co-sponsored by Sen. Barbara Mikulski, also a Maryland Democrat. The bill would give tax breaks to news organizations that restructure as nonprofits.

It's no surprise newspapers are struggling. Denver's Rocky Mountain News folded in February, Seattle's Post-Intelligencer moved exclusively to online format in March, and the Philadelphia Daily News merged with the Philadelphia Inquirer earlier this year. The Boston Globe nearly folded in May, but was saved by union worker concessions. In addition to declining ad revenue, some would say newspapers in most major cities are too politically slanted one way or another to be a reliable news source.

So what would being a nonprofit do to newspapers, and more specifically, sportswriters at the newspapers? First, I think it would make travel hard for reporters. For example, the lead political reporter for the Miami Herald has to go to Denver for a political party's convention while the Marlins beat writer has to go to Milwaukee for a three-game baseball series. The political reporter would win, leaving sports fans in Miami out in the cold. In other words, where would the now-nonprofit companies get the money to pay for expenses like reporter travel, maintenance for the printing machines, and the like? Foundation grants? Taxpayers?

But the person that would most be affected by this proposed bill is the sports fan. City politics can be covered by the local broadcast news in a way sports cannot. By the time the sports segment of the late local news comes on, the majority of the audience has been lost, whereas political news would be at the top of the newscast. The newspaper beat writers that follow the local sports teams are te best place to go for in-depth analysis for the team, not the broadcast news. For example, the Boston Globe employs three writers to exclusively follow the Red Sox. Likewise, the Los Angeles Times employs Andrew and Brian Kamenetzky to exclusively write on the Lakers. Would these organizations be able to have this setup for fans? Would these writers even have a job?

All these questions plus the thought of yet another bailout lead to more questions than answers for an industry that is built on getting answers. To read the original article at TheHill.com, go here.

Fall of the Trojans?

2009-09-21T09:30:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of the National Post.

On Saturday, the USC Trojans were upended by the underdog Washington Huskies 16-13. As a result, they fell from #3 to #12 in the polls, erasing their national title hopes. There has been much speculation on the net since that this may be the year the Trojan "dynasty" ends. While that seems premature, they sure haven't looked as dominant on defense as in years past and their quarterback situation is tenuous at best. Does Pete Carroll really want to start a freshman against Cal? The backup hasn't been very good either.

The October 3 game at Cal will effectively decide the Pac-10 title. Cal has a Heisman Trophy contender in Jahvid Best and the Golden Bears are ranked #6 in the country as of today. If USC wins, they'll probably end up going to the Rose Bowl for the 5th straight time. If Cal wins, USC would be out of the BCS for the first time since 2001. I'm not ready to say this is the end of the Trojan dominance on the West Coast, but if Cal wins and SC goes to a minor bowl, then one can say the balance of power is shifting.

Friday Funnies - Vader Dances

2009-09-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

Since I'm at Disney World today (celebrating E.H.'s first birthday and R.H.'s RnR from Afghanistan), I figured I'd post these videos from Star Wars Weekends, an annual event held at Walt Disney World every June. This Vader knows how to get his groove on.

Here Come the Western Teams!

2009-09-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of Howtowatchsports.com

As I previously discussed in this post, there is a perceived sense of East Coast bias in the sports media, specifically at ESPN. College sports, particularly football, can be susceptible to this claim. So it comes as a nice surprise that when the new AP top 25 college football poll was released, 5 of the top 20 teams are from states west of the Rockies. They are (rankings in parentheses):

USC (3), BYU (9), Cal (10), Boise State (12), Utah (17)

While USC is a traditional powerhouse, others like Boise State and BYU aren't. These schools are at a fundamental disadvantage compared even to the likes of USC or Cal because they are in a non-BCS conference.

The BCS is the Bowl Championship Series. It's the Rose, Sugar, Fiesta, Orange and National Title bowl games that help determine a national championship. Certain conferences have guaranteed slots in these bowls, while others don't. For example, the Pac-10 champ is guaranteed to at least go to the Rose Bowl, if not the national title game. Boise State's conference, the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) does not have that guarantee. The BCS has relaxed the rules a bit to allow for non-BCS teams to play in a BCS bowl, but in order for that to happen, the team pretty much has to go undefeated.

Arguably the most memorable BCS bowl has been the 2007 Fiesta Bowl between Boise State and Oklahoma. It symbolized everything about the modern college football scene. Boise State, the outsider finally allowed to join the dance was the utter underdog against a potent Oklahoma team that was used to playing in the big bowl games. But one famous play left a mark on the status quo of the football bowl system...

Now, almost two years later, Boise State is back in the top 15, but this time, fellow Western teams have joined the fray. BYU has been good the last couple of years, but after their upset win against Oklahoma, they're in the top 10. Cal is in the top 10, though they won't stay there if they don't beat USC later this season. Cal's Rose Bowl and/or title hopes rest on that game. Utah may make a run as well, but with BYU and Boise State ahead of them, it's going to take a lot of surprises to bump them up. Either way, the Mountain West conference will be a slugfest between BYU, Utah, and TCU and the stakes can be very high this year.

As for movers and shakers for this year, I think Oklahoma State, in addition to Boise and BYU will be the darkhorses for the national title. If we can't have a playoff system like March Madness, than this will have to do. The unfortunate reality in college football is that the powerhouses seem to always win, because of the vast financial resources available to them via boosters. Florida, Texas, USC, Ohio State, and LSU are consistently in the hunt for a title, sometimes just based on the history of the program (in the case of Michigan the last few years.)

Friday Humor - Soxycontin

2009-09-04T09:00:00.000-07:00

Here's a little humorous video to start your Labor Day weekend. When needing a pain reliever to cure your team's blues, this might do the trick...

To watch on YouTube, click here.

Video courtesy of TownieNews.com

Social Lockdown in the NFL?

2009-09-01T07:57:00.001-07:00

The NFL has recently announced that players will not be able to post Facebook or Twitter updates 90 minutes before kickoff and 90 minutes after the game, after the postgame interviews with the press. While this policy is well-intentioned, it may get a bit excessive, as was the case with the San Diego Chargers' Antonio Cromartie. He was fined $2500 by the Chargers for criticizing the food service at training camp on Twitter. The Miami Dolphins even went as far as to impose restrictions on spectators during training camp. Several other teams, including the New Orleans Saints, Indianapolis Colts, and the New England Patriots, have restrictions in place on the practice field.

Twitter is a great chat tool that can easily get misused. I think the Chargers' fining Cromartie was an over-step, while I understand the moves by the Colts and other teams banning Twitter and Facebook from the practice field. The NFL 90 minute policy, while seemingly a little excessive, is well intentioned. The players' focus should be on the game, not posting their latest status update.

A First-Class Patriot Retires

2009-08-31T07:58:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of everyjoe.com blog "Squib Kick".

Tedy Bruschi, linebacker of the New England Patriots, has decided to retire after 14 seasons, all with the Patriots. It was partly because of Bruschi that I became a Patriots fan. He embodied a strong work ethic and overcame multiple challenges to be a role model for fans and fellow players alike. If I owned a Patriots jersey, I'd own Bruschi's before any other player's, including superstar quarterback Tom Brady.

Bruschi was drafted by the Patriots out of the University of Arizona in the mid 1990's. While a defensive end in college, the Patriots converted him to linebacker, a considerable challenge. He won 3 Super Bowls with the Patriots (2002, 2004, 2005), but suffered a mild stroke shortly after the 2005 Pro Bowl. Later that year, he made a full recovery and won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award.

For more on this story, visit Mike Reiss' blog at the Boston Globe.

My Fantasy Football Draft

2009-08-28T11:15:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday, a yearly tradition continued in the Clark house. Our fantasy football league draft was a success, though R.H. unfortunately couldn't make it, so we drafted on his behalf. The screen on the left was for Dad's team, the middle was for R.H., and the lower laptop was mine. Quite the craziness in the draft war room! This year was more intense since there was a change in position (the 3rd WR slot was changed to a RB/WR flex slot) and everyone used their full 2 minutes per pick.

My starters as of today:
QB Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers
RB Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings
RB Clinton Portis, Washington Redskins
RB/WR Kevin Walter, Houston Texans
WR Roddy White, Atlanta Falcons
WR Vincent Jackson, San Diego Chargers
TE Kevin Boss, New York Giants
K Ryan Longwell, Minnesota Vikings
DEF New England Patriots
LB DeMarcus Ware, Dallas Cowboys
DL Jared Allen, Minnesota Vikings
DB Erik Coleman, Atlanta Falcons

Photo of Adrian Peterson courtesy of nola.com.

Overall, I'm pretty pleased with my squad this year. I had Adrian Peterson his rookie year and did a blog post on him, in a segment dubbed "Player Spotlight", a column that will be returning this fall, which can be viewed here. My bench/depth is a concern, but that's something that can be adjusted as the season goes on. Considering I picked 1st overall in a twelve team league, I made out pretty well. The key disadvantage to picking 1st is that I don't get to pick again until the 24th pick.

A thing I like to do with my fantasy roster is get players from cities I have family or friends in, in addition to my favorite team. While I only take them if it makes sense for my team, It does make for interesting conversation with people during the season when you mention you have a local player on your team. A few years ago, I had a Seahawk on my team, which led to an interesting chat with an old friend who is originally from Seattle. So to start off this year, I have 3 Vikings (C.B.), 2 Patriots (favorite team), 2 Redskins (L.M. and L.M.), 1 Cowboy (R.H. and W.H.), 1 Raven (L.M. and L.M.), and 1 Cardinal (lots of family in AZ). Unfortunately, no Packers, Bears, or Seahawks this year (heck, I usually have more Cardinals too.)

Fantasy football makes football season so much better. There's the friendly rivalry amongst friends, the thrill of victory and the bragging rights attached, and the pain of losing in the championship game. Draft day is one of the best days, like baseball's spring training, where everyone starts at 0-0. There's also lots of banter on draft day between players that makes the experience all the more better.

Everyone in the family was getting into fantasy football in our house. Even Eli, though, judging by the torn pages, he wasn't impressed by the wide receiver crop this year.

TV Review: Shaq Vs.

2009-08-26T12:15:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of RealityWanted.com

ABC has been airing a summer reality series called "Shaq Vs." for two episodes now. Last week, Shaq took on Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and last night, he took on beach volleyball superstars Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor. I watched the volleyball episode last night. If for nothing else, "Shaq Vs." is hilarious comedy. In a sense, the whole show is a mockumentary of sports, including the broadcasters and sideline reporter. The trash talking between Walsh, May-Treanor, and Shaq was funny.

Photo courtesy Cleveland.com/Nachofoto.com

Shaq had Todd Rogers as his teammate on the court, but came up short in the match. So, he had to walk along Hermosa Beach wearing a pink speedo three sizes too small. Next week, he takes on St. Louis Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols. The show is just a funny, late summer comedy fluff that anybody can enjoy. "Shaq Vs." airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on ABC.

Fenway South - Camden Yards Part 2

2009-08-25T16:45:00.000-07:00

More pics from my June trip to Camden Yards in Baltimore...

Jonathan Papelbon's about to throw a heater to close the game for the Sox...

The scoreboard at the end of the game. The board had really good presentation, especially after the sun went down. When an Oriole player produces a hit, the "H" in THE SUN flashes. Likewise, the E flashes when an error is committed.

Game MVP J.D. Drew is down on the field talking to Heidi Watney, clubhouse reporter for NESN. As you can see, mostly Sox fans nearby.

The surprising thing about Camden was the level of hard-core Orioles fans. The Orioles haven't been competitive for a very long time, and yet, their fans showed up to root for them, even when the Sox were up 4-0. In LA, people would leave early. On the East Coast, that's apparently a foreign concept. When Red Sox fans would say "Let's go Red Sox, let's go!", Orioles fans would immediately counter with an Orioles cheer.

For that atmosphere, and the amenities, Camden Yards is easily my number 2 park in the majors. So what stops it from #1? Fenway has the history that Camden tries to emulate. Also, the Orioles' history since Camden opened has been anything but illustrious. Here is the updated list:

1) Fenway Park, Boston MA
2) Camden Yards, Baltimore MD
3) Petco Park, San Diego CA
4) Chase Field, Phoenix AZ
5) Safeco Field, Seattle WA
6) Angels Stadium, Anaheim CA
7) Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles CA
8) Old Yankee Stadium, New York NY

Showdown Weekend...Sort Of

2009-08-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of fellow Blogger blog "Blithe & Blonde."

What looked like a great weekend of baseball turned out to be a so-so one. In the American League, the Yankees took 2 out of 3 from the Red Sox, who are still barely on top of the AL Wild Card standings. Tampa Bay has climbed back into the AL Wild Card race by nearly sweeping the Rangers.

As for the National League, the Chicago Cubs have just about kissed their playoff hopes goodbye, after nearly getting swept by the LA Dodgers. A seven game deficit is hard to make up when you have four other teams ahead of you. Another lost year for Cubs fans.

Elsewhere in the NL, the Atlanta Braves and Florida Marlins were at a stalemate heading into the weekend, and things are still pretty much knotted up. As for the San Francisco Giants-Colorado Rockies series, the Rockies have given themselves more cushion and may very well start to pull away with the NL Wild Card (the series finale is tonight). They're also 3.5 games back of the Dodgers for the NL West division race and are 7-3 in their last 10 games. After the Giants finale tonight, the Rox host the Dodgers for 3 games, then travel to San Fran for another weekend series against the Giants. In other words, the NL West division and/or NL Wild Card could be close to decided by next Monday.

The six division leaders are pretty much set, except for two. The AL Central is a two-horse race between the Detroit Tigers and Chicago White Sox, with Chicago 2.5 games back as of this morning. The other is the aforementioned NL West race between LA, Colorado, and San Francisco.

Showdown Weekend

2009-08-21T10:15:00.000-07:00

The Colorado Rockies' Yorvit Torrealba and the San Francisco Giants' Travis Ishikawa face-off again in a 3-game series starting tonight. Photo courtesy of NachoPhoto.com

It's going to be a huge weekend in baseball...

Texas Rangers @ Tampa Bay Rays
San Francisco Giants @ Colorado Rockies
Florida Marlins @ Atlanta Braves
Chicago Cubs @ Los Angeles Dodgers
New York Yankees @ Boston Red Sox

Prior to tonight's games, the AL wild card standings are very tight. The Red Sox lead, but the Rangers are a game back. Tampa is 4 games back of Boston. The Texas-Tampa series this weekend could make a huge impact on the wild card race. If Tampa sweeps, then, it'll be an even tighter race. If Texas sweeps, Tampa's season is pretty close to done.

Going into tonight's series, there was a 4-team race for the NL wild card. Colorado is in front and two games up on next-place San Francisco. They face off this weekend in a series that is crucial for San Fran. Both Atlanta and Florida are tied, 4 games back of Colorado, 2 behind Frisco. They play a three game series in Florida starting tonight. If that series is a sweep for either Atlanta or Florida, the loser's season is pretty much finished. Also, the Chicago Cubs are 6 games back, but they play the Dodgers in LA this weekend. It's not looking good for the fans in Wrigleyville.

Oh yeah, and the Red Sox and Yankees play this weekend. Sunday night will be a great duel (Sabathia vs. Beckett) and it's on Sunday Night Baseball (ESPN, 8ET/5PT).

Enjoy a great baseball weekend!

Fenway South - Camden Yards Part 1

2009-08-20T12:00:00.000-07:00

When I went to the Washington DC area to visit family earlier this summer, I took a daytrip to Baltimore, primarily to visit Camden Yards. The Red Sox were in town (Jon Lester started) and while my seats were in the upper deck (after all, my view is from the reserved seats), they were easily some of the best seats in the house. Here are photos of the park:

This is the main entry plaza, just beyond the scoreboard in center. The Orioles' retired numbers are here, most notably, Cal Ripken's #8.

The Eutaw Street concourse along right field. This is where the fans hang out inside Camden. The building on the right used to be the B&O Railroad's main office, but now serves as the team office building. There's a pretty good pub on the bottom floor. Also on this concourse is Boog's Barbeque, considered some of the best non-hot dog ballpark food in baseball.

This area is between the Eutaw concourse and the right field wall (it acts as an overlook of sorts.) There are a ton of flagpoles here, corresponding to the current baseball standings. Many a home run ball lands in this spot.

Pickles Pub, just across the street from Camden. Pickles is the Orioles equivalent to Boston's Cask n' Flagon. One of the great things with the East Coast clubs is that they are better meshed with the community. In LA, the ballparks are surrounded by parking lots and the game is like an event. You pay your ticket, you go, you see the game, you leave. On the East Coast, it's an experience. You might stop by the neighborhood bar for Happy Hour before the game and most fans take public transit to the ballpark, so many fans end up talking about the game with each other on the ride home. Some Western cities like Phoenix, Denver, and San Diego are making attempts at recreating the neighborhood vibe of the East Coast parks, but it still isn't as prevalent.

The front entrance to Camden.

The view from my seats. I think it was Section 332, but I forget. Seats went for $35-40 on StubHub (thanks M.H. for the tip)

Part 2 of my Camden photos will come next week.

Collinsworth Moves to the Booth

2009-08-19T12:00:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of the NY Daily News.

When the next season of NBC's Sunday Night Football debuts September 13, one household name will be missing. John Madden, famous for his "Boom!", telestrator drawing, and larger-than-life personality, retired earlier this year. Replacing him in the booth will be Cris Collinsworth, shown above. Of the NFL color analysts available, Collinsworth was one of the better choices. Some might say he's too plain for broadcast, but he just gives you straight-up commentary, a welcome relief from some other NFL broadcasting teams. For those that have played Madden NFL 09, you've already heard Collinsworth as the color commentator. Paired with Al Michaels, Collinsworth and SNF should be fine when the Bears and Packers square off on the 13th. Now, if only they could get rid of sideline reporter Andrea Kremer and her stupid, "no duh" questions, then SNF would be the absolute best NFL broadcasting team out there (them and FOX's team of Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, and Pam Oliver are my faves).

Here's how Collinsworth sounds in Madden 09 (his voice is the first heard):

Just When You Thought He Would Retire...

2009-08-18T08:58:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of FanIQ.com

...Brett Favre comes back. Favre signed a two-year deal, the second year is an option year, worth $10-12 million. Brett left his hometown of Hattiesburg, Mississippi this morning via private jet and arrived in the Twin Cities area a few hours later. He started practicing with the Vikings this afternoon, wearing his familiar No. 4. According to ESPN's Ed Werder, Favre has a slight rotator cuff tear in his right rotator cuff. Despite that huge risk factor, Favre has decided to return to the NFL.

I used to like Brett Favre in his Packer days. He is a gunslinger of a quarterback, taking chances that would work more often than not. Then, he waffled about retirement, again and again. His stats declined, his chances working less and less. Then he forced the trade to the NY Jets. After that one-year experiment, he waffled again in regards to retirement, even after his worst season. Now, we're back on the Favre carousel, with wall-to-wall media coverage to boot. Best of luck, Brett, but I can't say I'm rooting for you.

For more Brett Favre coverage, check out the videos at WCCO in Minneapolis. WCCO was one of two TV stations (the other in Hattiesburg) to initially report the story. Also, former Vikings receiver and current ESPN analyst Chris Carter had this to say on ESPN's "First Take" this morning:

Vick is an Eagle

2009-08-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of the New York Daily News.

On Friday, Michael Vick was officially introduced as the newest member of the Philadelphia Eagles. His contract is a two-year deal. The first year, Vick will be paid $1.6 million and the second year is worth $5.4 million. Also, his contract has $3 million in incentives. All told, he could receive as much as $10 million.

Does Michael Vick deserve to be in the NFL? It ultimately depends on your view of forgiveness. One can say, "He doesn't deserve the privilege of playing in the NFL for the awful things he did." True, he did some despicable acts of murder, but how long can one hold that against him? It's the same question posed against kids in juvenile hall, the unfaithful wife or husband, or any other case where someone or something is wronged. My family owns two cats and has owned dogs. I despise what Michael Vick did to the dogs he had, but I also know that I can forgive a man for his deeds. To quote Ephesians 4:32, "And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you."

Photo courtesy of OregonLive.com/Associated Press.

In terms of football, this is a peculiar move by the Eagles. Why take on the risk of having Vick on your team? It certainly took guts to sign him in spite of the public outrage over his past deeds. Why sign him when you have a franchise quarterback in Donovan McNabb? When I first heard of the signing, I thought, "Poor McNabb." When Philly drafted him in 1999, he was booed by Eagles fans for not being Ricky Williams, a star running back from Texas that eventually turned out to be a bust. There have been moments where the fan base loves Donovan, than weeks later, calls for him to be traded. Philadelphia sports fans in general tend to be among the most mercurial in the country, especially regarding Eagles football. How will they react to Vick? I sense that this may be the last season McNabb wears an Eagles uniform, or Vick will be traded next year. No way will those two be on the same team with the other offensive playmakers they have.

Photo courtesy of NJ.com

I'm glad Michael Vick has Tony Dungy, in the above photo, far right, as a mentor. Dungy was known as a coach that commanded his players respect in a far nicer way than other famous coaches like Bill Parcells or the New York Giants' Tom Coughlin. Dungy invested time into not only his players' skills on the field, but also their lives as a whole. Were it not for Dungy, I'd have serious doubts about Vick returning and succeeding in starting a new chapter of his life.

Ultimate Frisbee...Yes, It's a Sport

2009-08-13T13:15:00.000-07:00

There are some who say Ultimate Frisbee, sometimes known as just "Ultimate", is not a sport. Clearly, they've never played with my church group. Every Wednesday night during the summer, we play Ultimate until either the lights go out or we're to tired to continue playing. For those who have never played Ultimate, it's pretty much football, without as much contact.

There are two end zones, and the teams start off in their own zones. One team throws the frisbee to the other, like football's kickoff, then the receiving team passes the frisbee team member to team member until they get into the opposing teams' end zone. If they drop the pass, it's the opposing team's frisbee. The opposing team can also intercept the pass.

Playing at night is brutal, since the lights at the local park are sometimes not on, meaning you can't see anything, like the photo below:

We use a light-up frisbee, but that still doesn't solve the problem of being able to see people. There are many college teams playing Ultimate, though many of the best teams are in the West and Midwest. Colorado, Stanford, and Oregon were in the top 5 this past season while little Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, a small agricultural town south of Minneapolis, was the national champion.

Ultimate is a really good game for cardiovascular exercise, since you're often on the run, especially on turnovers. And considering the game is so informal, anybody can play. Everybody comes off the field sweating a ton. And that's the essence of sport. A group of people getting together enjoying a recreational activity, getting exercise and enjoying "the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat."

For more information on Ultimate, visit upa.org. All the pictures in this post were of our church group playing Ultimate.

Housekeeping Roundup

2009-08-13T11:41:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of ChristianityToday.com

Today's post is a roundup of stories I'm working on or need to wrap up...

1) I updated my NetworkedBlogs application on Facebook Wednesday night, so my posts will also appear on my Facebook page. My Twitter account should be linked soon as well.

2) I just started reading Michael Lewis' book, The Blind Side. I just finished chapter 3 and am looking forward to posting a review soon. My previous book review, Buster Olney's The Last Night of the Yankee Dynasty, can be read here. Other books I have on my list are Lewis' other noteworthy book, Moneyball, and Buzz Bissinger's Friday Night Lights.

3) I promised I'd wrap up the Ortiz steroid story in that post. Truth is, I don't know if he did or didn't take the 'roids. His stats suggest he took them, but his character, and previous public statements say no. He is 34, so his power numbers will drop, which they have. His batting average the past two years (last year's .264 was not stellar, this year, it's currently at .220). I do think the list of players' names does need to be released at this point, so we don't have this same scenario play out with each newly leaked name.

4) As I post content more frequently, I'm looking to really expand the reach of FTRS. So, if you have any sports fan friends/family, send them a link to FTRS. Thanks!

Coming up on Monday...Michael Vick signed with the Philadelphia Eagles late yesterday. How does that affect the Eagles and the NFL?

A Week of Beaning

2009-08-12T00:28:00.000-07:00

Image courtesy of Masslive.com. Kevin Youkilis, left, of the Boston Red Sox is about to throw Detroit Tigers pitcher Rick Porcello to the ground after getting beaned by a pitch Tuesday night.

Last week, Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder was hit, or "beaned", by Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Guillermo Mota. Fielder didn't take exception at the time of the hit, but tried to enter the Dodgers locker room after the game and let off a profanity-laced tirade (video below along with a follow-up interview with LA sports anchor Jim Hill):

Both videos courtesy of KCAL 9 / KCBS 2 via YouTube.

What Fielder did was stupid on multiple levels. No one tries to enter the opposing teams' locker room to pick a fight. That would be the baseball equivalent to a schoolyard bully saying, "Meet me at 3:00 on the playground." Nothing good can come of it. In the second video, Fielder totally dodges Hill's questioning and makes it sound like it was no big deal and nothing happened. He also used canned answers that didn't seem very relevant to the interview. This doesn't help Fielder's image and if he does another interview like this, he'll need a better PR agent. As I wrote in a post last year, retaliatory and brushback pitches are part of baseball. Last year, a manager admitted he orders pitchers to hit opposing batters as a form of retaliation.

Fast forward to Tuesday night, Fenway Park. After a game on Monday that had lots of players getting beaned, the Boston Red Sox Kevin Youkilis finally had enough after another beaning.

I generally like Youkilis, he's a well rounded baseball player with lots of talent. For whatever reason, he is the batter that opposing pitchers usually choose to hit in regards to retaliatory pitches (he has more hit by pitches than any other Red Sox batter this year.) On one hand, had Porcello not tried to hit Victor Martinez, the batter before Youkilis, the brawl may have been avoided. On the other hand, I do not condone charging the mound, much less throwing your helmet. Youkilis will surely be suspended multiple games, which does not help the Red Sox in their current state of affairs.

What's most disturbing is hearing the fans at Fenway cheer on the brawl. I don't go to baseball games to see a brawl. For that, there's wrestling, boxing, and hockey. Beaning is becoming a problem in baseball, especially if managers are ordering hits. While the "eye for an eye" principle is understandable, it doesn't justify drilling someone with a 90+ mph fastball.

UPDATE (8/13/09): MLB.com claimed a copyright violation to the YouTube video of Youkilis charging the mound I linked to. The best place to view the footage at this point is here. Also, MLB announced that both Youk and Porcello received 5-game suspensions for the brawl.

East Coast Bias in Sports Media

2009-08-10T09:42:00.000-07:00

Image courtesy of Photobucket.

Last week on The Scott Van Pelt Show on ESPN Radio, Scott, shown above on the right, was reading through lots of viewer email regarding the well-known "east coast bias" at ESPN, and to a lesser extent, LA bias. Many fans in recent years have complained about sports media's near-exclusion of smaller market teams in the Midwest and West Coast. For example, during the baseball season, you may not see Seattle Mariners or Kansas City Royals highlights during the 11:00 Eastern SportsCenter, but you'll certainly see Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees highlights. ESPN's chief NFL analyst Chris Mortensen is currently traveling around the country to select training camps, none of which are west of Dallas.

Photo courtesy of Flickr.

To address this issue, and expand their broadcasting presence, ESPN just opened a studio at L.A. Live, shown above, across from the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles. This move hasn't quelled people's dissatisfaction with ESPN's coverage. Now, various sports fans claim there's an L.A. bias at ESPN. This is the West Coast version of the same complaint ESPN has faced for years, because of where they broadcast from. ESPN broadcasts from Bristol, Conn., near the New York and Boston markets, and the aforementioned LA studio.

The number one rule in TV is ratings. New York is the number one TV market, LA is number two, Boston is number five. By covering these teams, ESPN is likely to get the highest possible ratings, which in turn means more revenue flowing into ESPN. When the Yankees and Red Sox play each other, they easily are the top draw in all of baseball, which means higher ratings. Likewise, the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Cowboys draw top ratings in their respective sports. Part of this is because of the franchise history. The Lakers and Boston Celtics have won more NBA titles than any other team and have a historic rivalry. The Cowboys once had the mantle of "America's Team." The Yankees have won 26 titles and have the famous rivalry with Boston. People are drawn to the success and history of these franchises. The rule of ratings also applies to the order of highlights, known as "the rundown". The top story for any given SportsCenter will always feature a big sports star or a big-market team, unless something totally out of the ordinary happens (i.e. a Kansas City pitcher throws a perfect game).

Another factor to consider is that, generally, people in the U.S. have moved from east to west. If you go to an Angels-Yankees game in Anaheim, there will be many people wearing Yankee pinstripes. If you go to a Diamondbacks-Cubs game in Arizona, half the crowd will be wearing Cubbie blue (on one trip, I even saw a fan fly a giant Cubs flag inside the Diamondbacks' stadium.)

Also, in my own personal experience, the East Coast cities are better sports fans than their West Coast counterparts. I went to a Baltimore Orioles-Boston Red Sox game in June in Baltimore. The Orioles haven't had a winning season in years, and yet, the stadium was packed with O's fans cheering on their team (and giving us Sox fans a hard time.) When I went to Fenway in 2005, it was even more intense with 40,000 people singing "Dirty Water" and "Sweet Caroline" and chanting "Yankees Suck!", even though they were playing the Angels that day. Everybody arrived early in both Baltimore and Boston, whereas here in Los Angeles, the joke goes "they arrive in the 5th and leave in the 7th." LA fans do tend to arrive late and leave early, mostly because the traffic can be horrendous. During the season, East Coast cities really invest in their sports teams in terms of fan awareness of the team's current state. In LA, many fans are "bandwagon fans", they jump on at playoff time, then go about their business after the season. In short, it seems like there isn't an offseason for East Coast teams and their fans.

Big Papi Fallout

2009-07-30T21:52:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of ESPN.

On Thursday, the New York Times reported that both Manny Ramirez, currently with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and David Ortiz, currently with the Boston Red Sox, tested positive for steroids in a 2003 test, when both players were members of the Red Sox. To put it mildly, the news has caused shockwaves throughout New England and the baseball world at large.

This story has so many angles. First, it's not a surprise that Manny Ramirez's name showed up on the list. He served a 50-game suspension earlier this season for failing a steroid test. His name was already tarnished in the eyes of many baseball fans. His Hall of Fame career will have the taint of steroid use that may have lasted his whole career from his start in Cleveland in the 1990's to Boston to LA.

The main angle, and the one that's the shocker, is David Ortiz. Ortiz is one of the most outspoken players in regards to banning steroid use in baseball. Prior to spring training this year, Ortiz said:

"You test positive, you gonna be out. Serious and period. I would suggest that everybody get tests, not random, everybody. You go team-by-team, you test everybody 3-4 times a year, and that's about it...bang 'em for a whole year. I know that if I test positive by using any kind of, um, substance, I know that I'm going to disrespect my family, the game, the fans, and everybody. And I don't want to be facing that situation."

To see the video of these comments, click here.

Photo courtesy of Soxblog.mlblogs.com.

For someone to be so outspoken on steroids, then to be on a list of players that tested positive, something doesn't seem right. David Ortiz, known to Red Sox fans as "Big Papi", is known to be a fun, outgoing member of the Sox clubhouse and a standout member of the community. The two things that don't fit are the steroid use and his stat line from 2000-2009. If he were to be subject to his own recommendation for steroid users, he'd be banned from the game for a year.

There's other conflicting information floating around. Nomar Garciaparra, a former Red Sox player currently playing with the Oakland Athletics, said Thursday that players that wanted testing would ask that they be counted as "positive" in order that a drug testing program would be put in place. Shortly after these comments, many baseball sources denied this. Another thing that hasn't been sorted out is that if players were on the list, the player's association was to contact the player and give them the bad news. Ortiz claims he found out through the NY Times article released today.

The third angle, and perhaps the most mysterious, is how the information came out. The initial news story, broken by the NY Times' Michael Schmidt and David Waldstein, has the headline, "Ortiz and Ramirez Are Said to Be on 2003 Doping List". The main sources for the report are lawyers involved with litigation regarding the list. The lawyers spoke anonymously because the actual list of players is under a court seal. Problem is, divulging information that is under federal court seal is a crime.

There's a host of journalism questions here. First, why did the lawyers willingly break the law by leaking names to the Times? Surely, they would have known the ramifications beforehand. Second, should the Times have taken the sources' information, knowing the law would be broken? Third, will the Times be facing legal issues for publishing the details? On a related note, I find it interesting that the NY Times, through its ownership of the Boston Globe newspaper, has a minorty ownership stake in the Red Sox.

For more on this story, you can read the NY Times article here. For ESPN's take on the story, including a great video with investigative reporter T.J. Quinn, go here. For Curt Schilling's opinion, click here.

I'll be adding my own personal thoughts as a Red Sox fan in the coming days. There's lots of debate going on and it'll require a second post to gather my thoughts together and write them up. It's been a sad day to be a resident of Red Sox Nation.

A Reminder of a Giant Mistake

2009-06-05T10:28:00.000-07:00

Picture courtesy of StlToday.com/Associated Press.

Randy Johnson won his 300th career game Thursday as the San Francisco Giants beat the Washington Nationals 5-1. I've always liked Randy, especially after his performance in the 2001 World Series, but seeing him in a Giants uniform reminds me of all the junk after the Series. Randy is a reminder of what happens when team ownership gets stingy...at a bad time.

Randy came up through the Montreal Expos (now Washington Nationals) farm system, then was traded to the Seattle Mariners where he made a reputation for being a nasty pitcher to face. He was traded again, this time to Houston, then signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks prior to the 1999 season. He won the Series MVP in 2001, multiple NL Cy Young Awards, and was at his most dominant in this period. After the D-Backs' disastrous 2004 season, Randy was traded to the New York Yankees, where his two seasons were deemed a flop. He returned to Arizona for the 2007 season, and helped stabilize the rotation. When he became a free agent after the '08 season, the Diamondbacks ownership had decided on not bringing many players back. They let second baseman/defensive whiz Orlando Hudson go to the Dodgers, outfielder/power hitter Adam Dunn go to the Nationals, and after a lot of back and forth, Randy signed with San Francisco.

When Randy first signed with Arizona in 1999, the owner was Jerry Colangelo, who was bent on assembling a championship roster as fast as possible. After the world championship in 2001, the D-Backs were loaded with aging players and lots of deferred money on contracts. These contracts helped lead to the ousting of Colangelo as majority owner in 2004. He was replaced by Ken Kendrick, who has since made a reputation of being one of the worst owners in regards to penny-pinching.

The fans in Arizona still like Randy, even though he left for a division rival, but a growing number of fans are getting irritated by the management. The D-Backs went from the NLCS in 2007 to a current 4th place standing in their division (looking up at both San Fran and the LA Dodgers). While some of the decline involves injuries to key players, the losses of Hudson, Dunn, and Johnson are just too big to overcome. It was unlikely for all three to come back, especially given the economic climate, but for none to return was a terrible mistake. Now, as Randy Johnson has won his 300th game, it only serves as a reminder that if it weren't for a stingy ownership, Arizona fans could have seen him achieve the accomplishment in a Diamondbacks uniform.

On a separate note, if you'd like to see the news broadcasts from the class I took this past semester, just go to CougarNews.com. Among other things, I did the sports anchoring for the March 18th and May 6th shows. It was a challenging but very rewarding class.

Curt Schilling and Asperger's

2009-05-04T21:08:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of the Red Sox Times.

I was perusing Curt Schilling's 38 Pitches blog a few weeks back when I saw the following post:

At the most recent event for a program called YouthCare my wife and I spoke publicly about our son’s battle with Asperger’s Syndrome, for the first time. Here is the text of my wife’s speech the other night.

I have given many speeches over the years. This is one is by far the hardest. It is one thing to speak from the heart about your own experiences and another to speak from the heart about one of your children.

When our third child was diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome almost two years ago all I can say is that my heart was aching. A child that I had raised to that point like his siblings, I couldn’t understand how he could be so different. I was in the doctors office when I heard the words ” On the spectrum of Autism” Aspergers.

For one brief second the puzzles pieces made sense and there was relief. What followed was such a sense of loss, pain and guilt it’s hard to describe.

I remember for days thinking to myself “just write down” what I was feeling. The emotions were so strong that I became numb. I struggled so hard as a parent to reach Grant and I was now sure that I would never know how to communicate with him.

The school year was just beginning and I went in for his IUP meeting. I was so overwhelmed I cried the entire time. I didn’t know how to handle Grant and I was looking for anyone to tell me “Hey, no need to worry, we can help”.

I starting sitting up nights, scouring the internet, downloading anything I could find on Aspbergers. Digesting in small bits as it was all so overwhelming.

Some people read everything they can get their hands on, all I wanted was the comic book version. Which by the way I have never found.

That fall of 2004 we went on to win the World Series and I just tried to keep distracted. I really wanted help but honestly I just wasn’t ready for it. I tried to watch Grant and see what I could do . I listened to the teachers and administrators give me tips and techniques to help Grant at school.

It wasn’t till after Christmas that year when I decided to take the schools advice and reach out for help. I was ready to accept this different life and the new adventures it would bring to us. I spoke to other parents who were always eager to share problem solving that worked for them.

One name that kept coming up in conversations was this wonderful camp called Youth Care.

We tried summer camp before his diagnosis and every day I would have a full report from my daughter on what Grant had done to make the councilors mad. I was mortified and humiliated that he just couldn’t follow there rules. I knew that I couldn’t go through another summer like that. So I made the call to YOUTH CARE. Grant and I went to the interview meeting.

I have to tell you that I was so nervous that he would act normal and they wouldn’t accept him. Needless to say it took 30 seconds for them to agreed he was a fit. As he walked in he touched every single object in the room, never looked her in the eye, and couldn’t answer any questions due to being so distracted in a new room with so many new shiny things to look at, and touch! Hooray we were in.

I really had no idea what YOUTH CARE had to offer as I had heard that kids and parents learn so many coping and life skills and this camp was second to none for kids like Grant.

I felt relief and empowered that I was making the first good decision for him.

The day of camp orientation arrived. I listened as he met his councilors and watched as he interacted with the other kids in his group. They explained to him the great things that he would be doing that summer and he was excited. He counted down the “Sleeps” until camp would start.

The first day arrived. He was up early and checking to make sure he had everything he needed. I pulled into the line and watched as each kid was greeted by his councilor.

When our turn came Grant jumped out of the car almost forgetting to give me a kiss, which he never forgets. The camp councilors were so warm and affectionate in greeting each child that morning, this was truly going to be a place Grant would be accepted, and welcomed.

He walked away and I started home. I drove out of the campground and without warning tears were flowing down my face. For the first time since this journey began I was crying tears of joy. Grant was safe and most of all wanted. He would be surrounded by people who would watch out for him, understand him and be patient with him.

As a mother that is all I wanted. I learned strategies that would help both Grant and our family. I was open to suggestions and eager to try the new things that we learned would work so well for Grant. Grant had a wonderful summer. A super summer camp experience.

Curt and I are so grateful that Youth Care exists and for all the wonderful people that work so hard to help our children. What we hope to do by sharing our family story is to help even more families who do not have funds to this amazing opportunity to have that chance.

Take it from two parents who are walking this journey with our son. If you have the means to give a child and his family a chance it is the biggest return on your investment that you will ever make.

Thank you and God Bless

Shonda and I are truly grateful to Scott McLeod the camp director and want anyone affected by this to reach out to the camp and any of the other services provided to see if there is help for you or your children. This is a daily battle that will never end. Much like most everything else I look at this in only one way.

Life often times gives us ‘choices’ when it really doesn’t. Our son has Aspergers, there is nothing we can do about that other than turn over every leaf, in trying to make sure we as parents provide every possible outlet and resource to him, and to us as parents, to make the world a place Grant can thrive and succeed in. Our son is brilliantly smart (as many children with Aspergers are) and way ahead of many of his peers in certain academic areas, but there are social issues and to many people those have far more potential to be harmful than anything else in a young childs life.

This is the opposite of a ‘why us’ or ‘poor us’ story, this is the first chapter of a story that will see us take on a charitable cause, and ask each and every one of you for help (whether that is time or money, I don’t care, both are needed) as we move down this path in our lives.

This city has never shied from helping Shonda and I in every charitable endeavor we’ve taken on and we are forever grateful to all of you for everything you’ve done.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me through this blog if you are looking for help, or offering it.

Thanks

Curt and Shonda Schilling

As someone with Asperger's Syndrome, it's great to see the emotions conveyed as eloquently as Curt & Shonda have written them. I feel for their son Grant as he goes through school and the social issues that accompany it, but the support of parents is invaluable. For the blog and its links to multiple charitable organizations, just click on the 38 Pitches link on the right-hand column or click here.

New AZ Columnist & Video

2009-01-27T17:05:00.000-08:00

In an effort to continue to provide a wide network of sports opinion, I have added Arizona Republic columnist Dan Bickley to the list, which includes the likes of Bill Plaschke, Mitch Albom, Michael Wilbon, and Terry Pluto, among others. Also, I have inserted below a YouTube video of the Cardinals/Eagles NFC Championship Game highlights...in case you missed it. The clip includes the beautiful flea flicker from Kurt Warner to Larry Fitzgerald (one of the best passes I've seen) and the 4th quarter drive that determined the game. All the commentary is provided by the local sports radio station (Arizona's 620 KTAR in Phoenix).

Cardinals Win!

2009-01-19T10:52:00.000-08:00

Photo courtesy of Darryl Webb/East Valley Tribune.

The Arizona Cardinals, an NFL franchise that hasn't won a championship since 1947 (when they were the Chicago Cardinals) is one step closer to a Super Bowl title. Of the 12 teams that entered the playoffs, the Cardinals were one of the most unlikely and the most overlooked. Hardly anyone expected them to beat Atlanta, who had a potent offense and a fairly good defense. No one expected them to beat Carolina, who had one of the best defenses in the league. Few expected them to beat the Philadelphia Eagles, who were going to their 5th NFC Championship Game this decade. And yet, the Cardinals are going to Super Bowl XLIII (43) in Tampa to face the Pittsburgh Steelers, one of the toughest teams to beat in football.

In a year where many NFL teams fit the role of Cinderella (Arizona, Atlanta, Baltimore, Miami, and Tennessee all went to the playoffs after losing seasons in 2007), it seems fitting that a NFL franchise known for seasons of failure is the one still dancing. Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner said immediately after the game that he was most thankful to his wife, kids, and faith, who had supported him from the beginning. Safety Adrian Wilson had tears of joy streaming down his face after the game. Wilson had offers from other teams (some perennial playoff contenders), but he chose to stay in Arizona where he has played his entire 8-year career through 7 losing seasons. Wilson is the epitome of most of the Arizona Cardinals team - players drafted by the team that haven't seen any form of playoffs in years. Some players like Wilson and receiver Larry Fitzgerald (shown below) have had individual accomplishments, but no playoffs or Super Bowl.

Photo courtesy of the East Valley Tribune.

The Arizona Cardinals are going to the Super Bowl (man, it just seems so cool and bizarre at the same time to write that phrase) as the underdog of underdogs. They'll face the Pittsburgh Steelers, a franchise steeped in tradition (only the Dallas Cowboys have won more Super Bowls). When I would go to Arizona in the summers growing up, the local media would pessimistically cover the Cardinals training camps. Though I detest bandwagoners, the Cardinals' season has been quite the roller-coaster ride to watch. When the playoffs started, I had picked Philadelphia and Baltimore to go all the way, but my dad was one of the few who said the Cardinals would go to the Super Bowl. That was his best call all year and after the Arizona/Carolina game, I had switched it to Cards/Baltimore. Many of the Arizona players mentioned having faith in the postgame press conferences, and now, their faith has been rewarded. "Shock the world" has become a rallying cry for the Cardinals. The phrase was heard on Phoenix radio station KTAR at the game'sw conclusion and the same phrase was on uber-fan Jack Corson's banner (shown in top photo) hanging over one of the upper concourses in the stadium yesterday. Here's to hoping they continue to shock the world, because that's why we watch the game. Sports figures like racing horse Seabiscuit, the Boston Red Sox in 2004, the New England Patriots in 2001, and the New York Giants last year were all heavy underdogs that tasted the sweetness of victory.

Cinderellas Keep Dancing

2009-01-07T16:55:00.000-08:00

Photo of Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner courtesy of CNN/Sports Illustrated.

The Arizona Cardinals and the San Diego Chargers stunned their opponents this past Wild-Card Weekend. The Atlanta Falcons were heavily favored over the Cardinals while the Indianapolis Colts were favored over the Chargers. Both the Cardinals and Chargers had home-field advantage and it definitely helped as their opposing teams had communication problems and false-start penalties. Meanwhile, the Miami Dolphins were deflated by the Baltimore Ravens. That's four teams (Cardinals, Falcons, Dolphins, and Ravens) that weren't in playoff contention last season. The Philadelphia Eagles, who were almost eliminated from the playoffs weeks ago, have rallied and are on a roll.

Photo of Philadelphia running back courtesy of Brian Westbrook courtesy of the New York Times.

So this week's playoff games are (playoff seed in parentheses):

NFC Conference
(6) Baltimore Ravens at (1) Tennessee Titans
(4) San Diego Chargers at (2) Pittsburgh Steelers

AFC Conference
(6) Philadelphia Eagles at (1) New York Giants
(4) Arizona Cardinals at (2) Carolina Panthers

I think the Ravens and Steelers will win out in the AFC while the Eagles and Panthers will win in the NFC. It's going to be a great playoff weekend. The phrase "every given Sunday" has been especially true this season.

A Class Act

2009-01-06T10:28:00.000-08:00

Just a quick article link for today. University of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow is the subject of a Pat Forde article posted here. Tebow, a devout Christian, is involved with prison ministries, comes from a missionary family, and is arguably one of the most decorated college football players in history. And he hasn't even graduated from UF yet.

Many fans of the game don't like him (mostly because of UF's recent national title wins and their general dominance during Tebow's time at UF), but you can't fault a young person for making an effort to change people's lives for the better at such an early age.

Cinderella Teams in Playoffs

2008-12-22T10:18:00.000-08:00

Image courtesy of NFL.com / Getty Images.

This season has been a topsy-turvy one in the NFL. Several teams that were in shambles last season are now poised to make the playoffs. Two of those teams are the Baltimore Ravens and the Miami Dolphins, both shown above. The Dolphins were 1-15 last season, a then-NFL record for losses. They switched their front office management, their coach, and some players, and are currently 10-5 and on the cusp of a playoff berth if they beat the New York Jets next Sunday (at NY). The Ravens were 5-11 last season, then switched their coach, drafted a new starting quarterback, and are going to playoffs if they beat Jacksonville next week (at home). Even more intriguing is that Baltimore's head coach and the quarterback, Joe Flacco of Delaware, are both rookies at this level.

Image courtesy of emqb.com / Newscom.

The Atlanta Falcons were predicted to have a terrible season this year with a new coach with no previous NFL head coach experience and a rookie quarterback, but they are a win away from playoffs (they need to beat St. Louis on Sunday). The Falcons quarterback, Matt Ryan, shown above, is a Rookie of the Year candidate (along with Baltimore's Flacco). Meanwhile, the Arizona Cardinals are going to the playoffs for the first time in 10 years and their first division title in 33 years (1975). However, the Cardinals, led by quarterback Kurt Warner, were demolished by the New England Patriots yesterday 47-7 in snowy Foxboro. The Patriots are going to need help if they want to go to playoffs (they need to beat Buffalo next week and hope Miami or Baltimore loses). Considering the Patriots are without star quarterback Tom Brady, linebacker Tedy Bruschi, safety Rodney Harrison, linebacker Adalius Thomas, and running back Laurence Maroney, they are on a remarkable run to a potential playoff berth, led by backup QB Matt Cassel.

Image courtesy of the BBC.

The Dallas Cowboys are on the verge of getting knocked out of playoffs if they lose to division rival Philadelphia on Sunday. If the Cowboys lose, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will take the final spot. So, the playoffs currently look like this:

NFC Playoffs
6) Dallas Cowboys or Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 3) Chicago Bears or Minnesota Vikings
5) Atlanta Falcons or Dallas Cowboys at 4) Arizona Cardinals
First round byes: 1) NY GIants and 2) Carolina Panthers

AFC Playoffs
6) Baltimore Ravens or New England Patriots at 3) Miami Dolphins or New England Patriots
5) Indianapolis Colts at Denver Broncos or San Diego Chargers
First round byes: 1) Tennessee Titans and 2) Pittsburgh Steelers

Slimy Agents?

2008-12-19T09:42:00.000-08:00

Image courtesy of the BBC.

A controversy reached boiling point this week when the agents for Los Angeles Dodger shortstop Rafael Furcal, shown above, were presented with a contract offer by the Atlanta Braves for Furcal, but he resigned with the Dodgers a day later at terms nearly identical to the Braves' offer. The Braves front office is furious about it and making their displeasure known in the press. They have advised Arn Tellem and Paul Kinzer, the agents involved, to remove the Braves from their clients' wish list of teams, effectively ending any business dealings between Tellem, Kinzer, and the Braves.

Image courtesy of daylife.com/The Associated Press/Lenny Ignelzi.

Supposedly, the Braves agreed to a contract offer with Furcal via Kinzer, shown above, and Tellem for a three-year deal and an option for a fourth. The Braves were told Furcal would sleep on it, but Kinzer reportedly took the offer to the Dodgers and negotiated a similar deal. The Braves contend that they had a deal and that once Furcal would sleep on it, he'd sign with Atlanta (he played there from 2000-2005.) The agents argue that a deal was never in place and that what they did was above board. If Atlanta follows through on their threat to not sign any players from Tellem and Kinzer's agency, there could be potential problems regarding baseball's collective bargaining agreement (or CBA).

Image courtesy of New York Magazine/Getty Images.

Kinzer and Tellem aren't the first agents to anger baseball teams. Scott Boras, shown above, is the biggest agent in baseball and has a colorful reputation in the sport. Some have called him a variety of names including "The Prince of Darkness" and he is known for getting his players top dollar, even if they aren't worth the amount. For example, when Johnny Damon went from the Boston Red Sox to their archrival New York Yankees a few years ago, he received a contract in the $50 million range, which most observers at the time said Damon was being overvalued. In other words, it's believed by most baseball observers that whoever offers the most money to a Boras client automatically wins the bidding. And while Boras has gotten teams into bidding wars, he's never done anything quite like what Kinzer and Tellem have done to Atlanta. The fact that Boras gets his players top dollar is good for him, that's what he's hired to do. What Kinzer and Tellem did only reinforces the stereotype that agents can be schmucks (if you haven't seen the animated film Bolt, the stereotypical agent makes multiple appearances, each time getting worse) only interested in money, book deals, etc. that the get a cut in.

Which Way Phoenix?

2008-12-17T13:17:00.000-08:00

Image courtesy The Arizona Republic/Getty Images.

This summer, Phoenix let its coach at the time, Mike D'Antoni, leave to coach the New York Knicks after D'Antoni and Suns GM Steve Kerr disagreed over the direction of the team. Kerr wanted more defense from the club, but D'Antoni ushered in the Suns' trademark "run-n-gun" style. D'Antoni built a system known as "7 Seconds or Less", an offense designed to take a shot at the basket within 7 seconds. This season, with new coach Terry Porter, shown above, and an emphasis on defense, the Suns aren't the same team and aren't nearly as fun to watch. This isn't to say I don't like to watch them, but rather defense-minded clubs are less fun to watch than offensive powers like Boston and, to an extent, the Lakers.

Image courtesy of the East Valley Tribune.

Recently, the Suns traded Raja Bell, a good defender and three-point shooter shown above, along with Boris Diaw to Charlotte for Jason Richardson and Jared Dudley. Will this move make the team better? Perhaps, but this season is a transition year for the Suns and it's making a lot of fans in Planet Orange (the Suns' equivalent to Red Sox Nation) upset. With all the talent the Suns have (Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire, Shaq, and now Richardson), one wonders why they're only 15-10.

On a side note, I added a few links to the blog page recently. First up, I replaced Sean McAdam with Tony Massarotti (aka Mazz) of the Boston Globe. McAdam has since moved from Providence to the Boston Herald, but the Herald's website isn't the greatest to track columnists. Tony's a great baseball writer, a winner of multiple sports journalism awards and offers insight, especially with the Boston Red Sox. His columns are listed here. Next up is Ken Rosenthal, senior baseball writer for FOX Sports. Rosenthal is like Mazz, but on a wider, national scale. Ken's columns are here. Two other columnists were added as well: Rick Morrissey of the Chicago Tribune and Art Thiel of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Both have received awards for their columns, especially Thiel, and are respected within their respective cities. Thiel's columns are here while Morrissey's are here. In addition to these, links to columns in Detroit, Dallas, Los Angeles, Cleveland, and Washington D.C. are available on the main blog page.

Hot Stove Getting Warmer

2008-12-16T08:12:00.000-08:00

Even in the current economy, you can always count on baseball teams to spend like crazed Christmas shoppers this time of year. Despite the fact that baseball is in its offseason, this is when the free agency period and player movement begin. Some of the major trades and deals so far:

Image courtesy of Sports Illustrated/CNN.

Slugger Matt Holliday, pictured above, was traded to Oakland from Colorado for relief pitcher Huston Street, outfielder Carlos Gonzalez, and pitcher Greg Smith. While Holliday is now the main hitter in the A's offense, I don't think he'll be the 35-homer guy that he was with the Rockies. Due to the thin air in Colorado, the balls go higher and farther, whereas Oakland is right next to San Francisco Bay, where the dense marine air takes the flight out of balls. Conversely, the pitchers sent to the Rockies have to hope that they don't get lit up every night. In other words, this deal was a good one for the clubs, but a bad one for the players' individual careers.

Image courtesy of Sports Illustrated/CNN.

Pitcher C.C. Sabathia, who previously played for the Cleveland Indians and the Milwaukee Brewers, signed with the New York Yankees for seven years, $161 million. Sabathia is a good starting pitcher, but he's not $161 million good. His yearly salary will be $23 million, the second highest on the team, even more than sure Hall-of-Famer and Yankee icon Derek Jeter ($21 million). Sabathia has a playoff ERA over 5.00 but a 21-8 record against AL East teams excluding the Yankees (Boston, Toronto, Baltimore, and Tampa Bay). Also, C.C. had reservations about playing in New York and, to paraphrase ESPN.com columnist Buster Olney, only greatness will be expected of him from the New York fans. Even if he fails though, he has an opt-out clause in his contract after the 2011 season.

Image courtesy of the CBC.

The Yankees also signed Toronto pitcher A.J. Burnett to a five-year $82.5 million deal. That's $16.5 million a year for a pitcher who's career average is 3.81, not great but not terrible. He has an injury history, but he was dominant against the Red Sox last year, going 5-0. Getting Burnett from a division rival was a bonus for the Yankees, but he's a high risk-high payoff player.

Drama in Dallas

2008-12-15T09:50:00.000-08:00

Image courtesy of CBS 11 - Dallas.

This past week, ESPN's Ed Werder reported Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Terrell Owens was upset with Cowboys tight end Jason Witten and speculated that Witten and Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo make plays together without Owens' knowledge (Witten and Romo are roommates).

This charge is absurd for several reasons. First, the offensive coordinator, Jason Garrett, is the primary person who draws up plays. Supposedly, Garrett, shown below, has an "open door" policy, meaning players can provide input to the playcalling. Second, I highly doubt Romo and Witten devote all of their attention to football when they're rooming.

Image courtesy of The Dallas Morning News.

But more importantly, this incident now confirms beyond doubt (as if there was any), that Terrell Owens creates these situations on his own, whether it's in San Francisco, Philadelphia, or Dallas. ESPN.com's Matt Mosley posted an interesting graphic regarding the pass distribution between Owens and Witten here. Owens scores more touchdowns and gets more looks, but Witten, shown below, has a higher pass completion percentage (74% to 52.4%).

Image courtesy of Knowyourdallascowboys.com/Getty Images.

Owens, shown below, said the following to the press on Friday, "What do I have to be jealous of? Look at me, I'm handsome as hell. Anything that goes on, I am going to be the scapegoat. I'm trying to figure out how I make the headlines and I don't even say anything." While the drama may be a media build-up thing, Owens said a lot about his personality and ego whe he said, "Look at me, I'm handsome as hell." Owens seems to be the type of person who needs constant positive reinforcement, constant praise and attention, no matter what the cost.

Image courtesy of The Dallas Observer.

The Cowboys defeated the New York Giants last night 20-8 in a big game for the Boys. Interesting to note, that during the game, the fans in attendance booed Owens, but cheered Witten. If they want to make the playoffs, they have to beat both Baltimore Ravens (Saturday in Dallas), and Philadelphia Eagles (Dec. 28 in Philly). A tall order for sure, but if they can beat the Giants, they can beat the Ravens and Eagles. The drama may have subsided for now, victories do that, but with a locker room reportedly on the verge of being split, there's little room for error in Big D.

Fantasy Football Update & Family Links

2008-10-23T11:18:00.000-07:00

My fantasy football team is 4-3. Tomlinson and Roethlisberger (my former starting QB) have been banged up all season and Boldin has been out for several games. Jennings and Fitzgerald are the top two receivers in fantasy this season. That being said, I'm doing pretty well.Here is my updated starting roster:

QB Donovan McNabb (Philly)
RB LaDainian Tomlinson (San Diego)
RB Marshawn Lynch (Buffalo)
WR Greg Jennings (Green Bay)
WR Larry Fitzgerald (Arizona)
WR Anquan Boldin (Arizona)
TE Chris Cooley (Washington)
D Arizona Cardinals
K Nate Kaeding (San Diego)
LB Jonathan Vilma (New Orleans)
DL Charles Grant (New Orleans)
DB Cortland Finnegan (Tennessee)

Dad's team is getting better, despite Joseph Addai having a clunker of a season. Robert's team was doing great until he made some really stupid moves (got rid of Vincent Jackson, benched Philip Rivers for Gus Frerotte). Rob and I play this week in a battle of 4-3 teams...and bragging rights.

I updated the "Friends & Family Links" section to include the new Clark/Del Pesco Family Blog and The Pickard Post family blog. And if you haven't visited the Ham Family Blog in the past month or so, I highly recommend it.

Upcoming posts on FTRS include the Favre/Lions controversy, the World Series (should have been Phillies vs. Sox), more sports columnist links, and the beginning of the NBA season.

Can Certain Sports Build Leadership?

2008-09-02T09:19:00.000-07:00

Picture courtesy of the USA Today.

An interesting trend in the current presidential race is the theme of basketball. Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama has been playing basketball since high school and has used his love for the game several times during the campaign. Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin played on a high school team and also participated in hunting and fishing. Both won state championships on their respective teams.

While Obama's specific position is unknown (some have said he was a center, some photos indicate forward), Palin's position of point guard is noteworthy. The point guard, sometimes nicknamed "the floor general," directs the entire offense. He or she can be the shortest person on the team (most NBA point guards are in the 6"2' range, short for the NBA). When the team transitions from defense to offense and runs up the court, the point guard will almost always have the ball and then make the appropriate pass. Maybe they pass to the center for a slam dunk (known as an alley-oop) or to the shooting guard for a three-point shot or, if everyone else is covered, they can take the shot themselves. Exemplary point guards today include the Dallas Mavericks' Jason Kidd, New Orleans Hornets' Chris Paul, and FTRS favorite, the Phoenix Suns' Steve Nash.

Football is another sport with a definitive leader, the quarterback. Peyton Manning, Tony Romo, and Tom Brady are the unquestioned leaders of their respective teams. The QB indicates the play, gives each player his specific route to run, and then executes a play. If the team needs to change the play, the quarterback calls the audible and changes it himself. If the QB can't make his throws or hand it off to the running back, the offense cannot score, which doesn't help the defense. No other individual person has that much of an effect on the team, besides the coach. This explains the intense scrutiny quarterbacks are under, because of the ramifications of poor performance.

Obviously, basketball has had a profound effect on Obama and Palin, but would they have gained leadership experience playing baseball, where there is no defined on-field leader position? What about a sport that requires individual performance, like swimming?

Closing Olympics & Fantasy Football

2008-08-28T10:46:00.000-07:00

Picture courtesy of the Los Angeles Times.

Started school this week, but I wanted to wrap up some thoughts I had regarding the Beijing Olympics. Overall, the Beijing Games were very successful, but one could get the sense that there was a sheen to it all. The Chinese government did not ease restrictions to international media and arrested protesters despite having protest zones, which made the Games' slogan, "One World, One Dream", untrue. We all desire peace and we are one world, that is true, but my "dream" is different than someone in China or Iran. It was sad to see the media restrictions and even worse worldwide PR (what else will journalists write about if you restrict their access?) Not to mention the controversy over the Chinese gymnasts' age...

That being said, the athletic competition was first-rate. From Phelps' domination to Dara Torres' silver medals to Usain Bolt's world record sprints, athletic prowess was on display. The facilities looked great (especially the Water Cube with the ever-changing color schemes on its exterior), though the Bird's Nest name was a bit overused by the time the Games were over. Mary Carillo's travelogues did exactly as they were designed to do: to show people in America various aspects of China. Stereotypically, our culture thinks of China as red, Communist, kung fu, and pandas. Carillo highlighted some other things (she did a particularly good one on Chinese writing with the guy who designed the Beijing Games logo).

Picture courtesy of CNN/SportsIllustrated.

Last Saturday, a yearly ritual continued in our house: the Fantasy Football draft. For the first time, we're doing individual defensive players and I drafted first pick overall. For those unfamiliar with fantasy football, the essential point of the game is that you draft real-life players and their stats in real-life dictate how your team does. So if LaDainian Tomlinson, running back for San Diego shown above, has 100 rushing yards and two touchdowns, that's about 19 points for my team, a pretty good day. So here's my starting roster:

QB Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh
RB LaDainian Tomlinson, San Diego
RB Jonathan Stewart, Carolina
WR Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona
WR Anquan Boldin, Arizona
WR Greg Jennings, Green Bay
TE Chris Cooley, Washington
LB Ernie Sims, Detroit
DB Champ Bailey, Denver
DL Trent Cole, Philly
DEF Indianapolis Colts
K Nate Kaeding, San Diego

Dad's team is also very good this year. Any team with Brees at QB, Houshmandzadeh at WR, Joseph Addai at RB, and Jared Allen at DL should rightly scare the pants off opponents. As for Robert's squad, it's mostly Cowboys but I can't fault him for that.

Since school has started, I do not know how consistent the blog posting will be. I am intending to put fantasy updates on here, along with the usual headlines, but we'll see. To whet your appetites for quality sportswriting in these down periods, I added three more columnists to the links page. Sean McAdam of the Providence Journal-Bulletin, Mitch Albom of the Detroit Free Press, and Michael Wilbon of the Washington Post. McAdam is a very good baseball writer. Albom, better known as the writer of "Tuesdays With Morrie" and "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" started as a sports columnist for the Free Press and still writes for them. Wilbon hosts of the ESPN debate show "Pardon the Interruption" and is a nationally recognized columnist. I intend to feature more columnists from different cities (Chicago, New York, Atlanta) and different regions (still looking for good columnists in the Southeast and more out West).

Domination

2008-08-18T09:37:00.000-07:00

Picture courtesy of the Los Angeles Times.

As I'm sure you've heard, Michael Phelps has completed his quest for 8 Olympic gold medals after participating in the 4x100 medley Saturday night and a way-too-close-for-comfort duel Friday night. 7 of his 8 gold medal swims were world records and the eighth was an Olympic record. If that isn't dominance, I don't know what is.

Michael Phelps has joined Tiger Woods as athletes who single-handedly defined a sport. While team sports can have standout players, everything they do as a success is defined by teamwork. In other words, players like Randy Johnson and Peyton Manning have had hall-of-fame careers, but their success at times is determined by other people. What if Peyton's defense blows a lead or Randy's teammates can't score any runs the day he pitches? Michael Phelps and Tiger, for the most part, don't have this problem. It's mostly an individual effort for them.

Tiger Woods has won 14 major championships in his career, along with 65 PGA Tour wins. He has made golf a sport worth watching and made it more accessible to the general pubic. Phelps has done that with swimming. Across the country, people have turned on their TV's all week to see Michael's latest race. In the workplace, Phelps' name has been the only one explicitly mentioned. Seeing Michael's mom all tense before the race, knowing all of America was feeling the same thing. Woods surely has had an effect in terms of kids wanting to play golf and surely more kids will swim because of Michael Phelps' influence.

Is Phelps the greatest Olympian of all-time? I cannot say for certain because I never saw Jim Thorpe or Jesse Owens compete and Carl Lewis and Jackie Joyner-Kersee were in the very twilight of their careers when the 1996 Atlanta Olympics occurred, the first Olympics I saw (and barely remember). However, there is no doubt that Phelps is the greatest Olympian of my generation, just as Tiger is the best golfer of my generation. Both will be remembered for their dominance in their respective sports and perhaps, inspire a new generation to follow in their footsteps.

Military Olympians & New Links

2008-08-15T18:02:00.000-07:00

Just a few quick notes for today...

For a good weekend read, I'd recommend this blog tracking all the US Olympians who are also members of our Armed Forces. The blog's main site, MilitaryTimes.com, highlighted one of the quietest stories of the Games has been Glenn Eller of the Army winning the gold medal in the double trap shooting finals.

On another note, I adjusted some of the links here on the main blog page. Instead of having media outlets like the Arizona Republic and the Boston Globe featured, I'm going to start linking to the columnists that are what make those papers such good reads. The first batch features award-winning journalists Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times, Tim Cowlishaw of the Dallas Morning News, Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe, and Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Cowlishaw and Plaschke are regularly featured on ESPN's Around the Horn. Shaughnessy gives a lot of insight to the Boston Red Sox and other Boston sports area, though the Sox are his specialty. Pluto, in addition to writing regular columns on the Cleveland area teams, also writes on subjects of faith for the Dealer and has quickly become a favorite of mine even though I hold no affinity for Cleveland sports teams. He is also occasionally featured on Hugh Hewitt's nationally syndicated talk radio show.

I've also added the mainstream media links like FOX Sports and the Sporting News, but may end up replacing them with a sports news gadget available from Blogger.

Swedish Foolishness in Beijing

2008-08-14T12:02:00.000-07:00

Picture courtesy of The Telegraph (UK).

Earlier today, Swedish wrestler Ara Abrahamian won the bronze medal in the 84 kg competition in Beijing. In appreciation of winning the bronze, he threw it on the floor of the gym, walked out, and announced he was quitting the sport. He later said, "I don't care about this medal. I wanted gold." During his semifinal bout with eventual gold medalist Andrea Minguzzi of Italy, he had to be restrained by his teammates when the judges determined Minguzzi the winner. After the medals ceremony, he announced "This will be my last match. I wanted to take gold, so I consider this Olympics a failure.”

Abrahamian's lust for a gold medal consumed him. Most people would be okay with a silver or bronze and while they'd prefer the gold, they usually take it with grace and return four years later for another try at the gold. But not this Swede. He wanted the gold so bad that he convinced himself he had won it,even before the competition was over. He thought the gold medal was rightfully his. A preacher named C.J. Mahaney once spoke a sermon about conflicts and cravings, essentially saying that conflicts result when we crave something and we don't get what we want. Abrahamian is a perfect example of this craving.

As of this writing, the United States team leads all other countries with 15 bronze medals at these Games. Think they're going to give up their medals? While we all want the athletes to win gold medals, the silver and bronze are also worth having. After all, by having one of the three medals, you're considered one of the top three athletes in the sport. But Abrahamian isn't the only athlete with this behavior.

If we hold Abrahamian in disdain, shouldn't we hold major league managers like Lou Piniella and Ozzie Guillen who quarrel with umpires and throw tantrums in the same contempt? What about players who commit flagrant fouls on the opposing team in basketball and football? One can speculate as to how these players' pride swells up. Perhaps they grew up in an insulated environment (i.e. baseball games with no kept score) or were told from childhood they were destined for greatness (as some speculate the Chinese have done with their athletes). The world may, and rightfully so, hold utter disregard for Abrahamian, but he isn't the only one that considers everything but the gold, "a failure".

Do Young People Care About the Olympics?

2008-08-12T11:18:00.000-07:00

I've been asking around (co-workers, friends at church, etc.) who has been watching the Olympics and the answer isn't good. Most have said they don't care about the events or don't know when it's on. One of my co-workers even asked why I only root for the American athletes!

However, according to NBC and Nielsen's early numbers, the Beijing Games have more people in the 18-34 demo watching (22% increase over Athens, 14% over Sydney.) In addition, the Games' median viewing age has been going up from 38.7 in 1992 (Barcelona) to 47.1 in Athens.

One could speculate that the median age increase is due to aging Baby Boomers, but the fundamental question remains the same: Isn't patriotism and rooting for your countrymen universal? Do we not want to see our fellow Americans triumph like the men's swimming team did in the 4x100 relay Sunday night? Do we not want to root for Michael Phelps' attempt for eight gold medals? Most of these athletes (namely everyone besides the basketball players) have day jobs that don't involve their sport or are student athletes (like Phelps', a student at University of Michigan).

Weekend Olympic Roundup

2008-08-11T13:22:00.000-07:00

From left to right: Michael Phelps, Garrett Weber-Gale, Cullen Jones, and Jason Lezak. Picture courtesy of the Daily Mail.

Over the weekend, the Olympics got off to a terrific start amid political tensions Friday night in a fantastic opening ceremony. Of the past two Olympics (2004 Summer in Athens and the 2006 Winter in Torino, Italy), the Beijing opener blew both of them away. From the fireworks to the lighting of the cauldron to the impressive choreography of the performers, but it was Yao Ming and little Lin Hao, a survivor of the earthquake that hit China in May, that stole the show.

When Yao plays basketball during the NBA season, he plays in a very strict manner. I have hardly seen the guy smile or laugh on or off the basketball court, much less show any exuberance. Friday night, guiding Hao around the stadium and later holding him in his arms, he showed a compassion and tenderness I've never seen from him.

Swimming phenom Michael Phelps won his first gold of the Games in the 400 IM. There were some great volleyball matches (womens' indoor: USA vs. Japan; mens' beach: USA's Gibb/Rosenthal vs. their Dutch nemesis Boersma/Ronnes during a steady downpour) with both USA teams winning. Both American basketball teams soundly defeated their opening opponents. The volleyball news was particularly good as the American volleyball teams were reeling from the death of Tod Bachman and the injury to his wife, Barbara. Both were stabbed by a Chinese man Saturday who committed suicide by jumping off the Drum Tower before police could arrest him. Further investigation is ongoing, but it's looking like an "isolated" incident.

But the greatest moment of the weekend was the Men's Swimming 4 x 100 meter freestyle relay late Sunday night. It was a three-way battle between the Australians, French, and the Americans. The French anchor swimmer, Alain Bernard, boasted that the French would "smash" the Americans. Phelps started off and kept pace with the leading Aussies, Garrett Weber-Gale and Cullen Jones kept the Americans in the hunt, looking like the silver medalists. Then it came down to the final 50 meters with the two anchors, USA's Jason Lezak and France's Alain Bernard, and Lezak just turned on the motor (Lezak would later say he got a "supercharge") and beat Bernard by .08 of a second, shattering a world record in the process. It was easily the most thrilling swimming match anyone has ever seen. A link to watch the video is here.

A couple of observations as to the broadcasting of the Games:

1) Does NBC need to have flashy graphics all the time? Specifically, the peacock logo which at times looks as if it has a super bright spotlight on it that fades on and off. It's been incredibly distracting, especially during the Opening Ceremonies.

2) After watching the swimming coverage, I now cringe when NBC poolside analyst Andrea Kremer opens her mouth. It's not so much in how she asks questions, it's in what she asks. In last night's coverage, she repeatedly asked stupid questions akin to, "You just won a gold medal, how do you feel?" On her Wikipedia page, it says she has "been critical of efforts to minimize side line reporting during games." Gee, I wonder why. But that's a story for another post.

3) What is it with commentators calling games before they finish? NBC commentator Rowdy Gaines practically called the relay for the French last night with 100 meters left!

4) What is with the IOC and NBC's crackdown of Olympic footage on YouTube? The video player on NBC's main Olympics website is very selective of what systems it supports, essentially excluding a portion of the population that may not have the most up-to-date computing systems. I understand the crackdown is for copyright purposes, but isn't there a way to allow all users to see footage of the Games if they missed their broadcast?

The Olympics Begin

2008-08-08T10:42:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of Top News in India.

Just a quick note for today. The Opening Ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics begin tonight. As the Games progress, I will attempt to cover as much as possible, with particular emphasis on basketball, swimming, track and field, and maybe even some beach volleyball. As the results are known ahead of time due to the time difference between here and Beijing, so I'll play it by ear or I will put up spoiler warnings when necessary. Will the USA reclaim gold in basketball? Will Michael Phelps claim the record 8 gold medals he seeks?

These Olympic Games are also the most politicized Olympics I have seen. While I will mostly focus on the sports side of things, I may take a post or two to blog on the politics of the Games (i.e. China and Darfur, Chinese censorship, etc.). These will no doubt be a most interesting Olympics.

The Great Favre Debacle...Ends

2008-08-07T12:04:00.000-07:00

Picture courtesy of CNN/SportsIllustrated.

Last night, the Green Bay Packers traded Brett Favre to the New York Jets, ending his 16-year tenure with the Pack. When Brett Favre was reinstated by the commissioner's office on Sunday, he reported to the Packers training camp in Green Bay, but was sent home to Mississippi early Wednesday then traded to NY (for a conditional pick in next year's draft) at about 11:15 pm.

This will be a very interesting challenge for Favre. He clearly loves the game, but New York is notorious in sports circles for the unrelenting media coverage and pressure to perform at an elite level. Plus, his stated desire to play for a playoff-caliber team wasn't met in this transaction. The AFC is much, much more competitive because more teams are playoff contenders than the NFC (home of the Packers). However, the Jets schedule is pretty easy with the exception of a few games, particularly games against New England and San Diego back-to-back early in the season when Favre could still be getting used to a new offense. He'll have to learn a whole new system of plays within a month's time.

Picture courtesy of WNBC 4 TV in New York.

This season will prove a test for Brett's passion for football. Will his love for the game hold up under media pressure, intense competition, and the possibility of not making the playoffs? Will his body hold up (he is 38 after all, ancient for a quarterback)? Either way, Favre just made the Jets a whole lot more interesting and he'll be a story to watch all season.

For more coverage on Brett Favre, SportsIllustrated's Peter King, arguably the best football columnist in the country, has been writing about this story for weeks. I highly recommend his columns and he has had some great insight into this story. His latest is here.

Deliberate Hits - Part 2

2008-08-06T09:24:00.000-07:00

Image courtesy of TheBaseballZealot.com.

Continuing yesterday's story of the brawl between the Chicago White Sox and the Kansas City Royals earlier this week, suspension for the players involved were announced today. Royals catcher Miguel Olivo, who started the brawl by charging the mound after he was hit by a pitch from D.J. Carrasco, was given a 5-game suspension. White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen (featured above) was given a two-game suspension for pushing the umpire during the scuffle and for comments made during postgame interviews (for more on those comments, see Part 1). The Royals manager will serve a one-game suspension while Zack Greinke, a Royals pitcher who drilled Sox hitter Nick Swisher with a pitch, will serve 5 games. Greinke hit Swisher in the 7th inning while the fight occurred in the 5th. In regards to the suspensions, all are appropriate amounts. Olivo should have realized that the moment he charged the mound, the benches would clear (which they did). Likewise, Greinke shouldn't of hit Swisher in the 7th after both teams were warned.

In baseball, when a pitcher hits a batter, the other team will usually return the favor (the "eye for an eye" idea). In this case, though, after a major fight happened, there is no support for Greinke to hit Swisher. What if he charged the mound? When suspensions occur as they have here, appeals usually follow. Naturally, Olivo and Greinke are appealing their suspensions (5 games each). Olivo was reported as saying, "We are appealing it because I think that is too much for me. Their pitcher [wasn't] suspended at all, nothing. I'm disappointed because I'm hurt. I got [my] left hand hurt and my right hand. I know I'm going to get suspended, but not like for five days, maybe three or two games. I agree with that, but five games I think is a lot." Greinke wasn't surprised Carrasco received no penalty because "[T]eams weren't warned. He didn't really try to fight Olivo really or anyone." Though Ozzie Guillen is known for a fiery temper and arguing with umpires, he told reporters, "I let my club down for two days." No kidding, Ozzie. But at least he took responsibility for his actions, unlike Olivo and Greinke, especially Olivo.

EDIT (11:31 am): I added two sites to the blog links, Deadspin and The Big Lead. These are the two sports blogs most often linked to online. I highly recommend The Big Lead.

Deliberate Hits - Part 1

2008-08-05T12:52:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post for today with more on this topic tomorrow...

Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen told reporters on Sunday that he tells his pitchers to deliberately hit batters at times. While brushback pitches and retaliatory actions are common in baseball, a manager admitting that he orders certain actions like these is unheard of. It can potentially spark on-field brawls (like Chicago's game Sunday), the league can find and suspend players, etc.

The sportsmanship of the game is in question when a manager calls for an intentional hit on a batter and the action that usually follows (brawling) takes away from the game.

What do you think? Does brawling take away from the game? Do brushback pitches and hit batsmen?

60 Minutes Interviews Bill James

2008-08-04T11:26:00.000-07:00

Last night, 60 Minutes did a piece on Boston Red Sox statistician Bill James, the man who invented "sabermetrics". James created the stats known as "slugging percentage", "on-base percentage", and "k/bb ratio (strikeout to walk ratio)". Sabermetrics has redefined baseball stats (even fantasy baseball players consider slugging percentage and k/bb ratio) and these stats helped shape the philosophy of Oakland Athletics general manager Billy Beane, known as "Moneyball". The following clips are from the 60 Minutes interview:

More Trade Deadline Thoughts

2008-08-01T17:27:00.000-07:00

Picture courtesy of Sports Illustrated.

Yesterday's trade deadline brought up an interesting point amongst the sports community. Would you rather have "a clubhouse distraction who performs at an elite level" or "a good clubhouse presence who performs at an occasional All-Star level"? ESPN's SportsNation polling service asked this question and of the 78,900 people polled, 64% voted for the latter. SportsNation also asked how the Red Sox will do and there isn't a definitive answer. Of the 56,878 polled, 37% say the Sox will just make the playoffs, 31% say they'll miss the playoffs, and 14% say the Sox will win the World Series. The poll is an accurate depiction of Red Sox Nation's reaction to the Manny Ramirez trade in a sense that, no one knows what will happen for the Sox. The Dodgers are getting a marquee hitter, but they now have a crowded outfield and not a whole lot of protection in the lineup for Manny. In addition, Dodger Stadium is less hitter-friendly than Fenway Park is, so his home run total can and likely will go down. The Dodgers will likely win the NL West, but lose in the playoffs' first round due to their overall lineup weakness (Prior to tonight's game, their record is .500).

As for the Teixeira trade to the Angels, SportsNation asked 40,864 people how the Angels' season will play out. 44% say they'll win the World Series, 32% say they'll lose in the American League Championship Series (ALCS). Interestingly, they asked if Mark Teixeira will play for the Angels in 2009, with 61% saying yes.

Picture courtesy of the Northwest Herald.

Other trades made before the deadline included pitcher Rich Harden going from the Oakland Athletics to the Chicago Cubs, pitcher C.C. Sabathia going from the Cleveland Indians to the Milwaukee Brewers, pitcher Joe Blanton going from the Oakland Athletics to the Philadelphia Phillies, and outfielder Xavier Nady and pitcher Damaso Marte going from the Pittsburgh Pirates to the New York Yankees. Of these deals, the Cubs and Brewers made the best ones. Nady and Marte have made contributions for the Yanks, but Harden and Sabathia contributed immediately and instantly made their new teams better (much like Manny has done with the Dodgers).

I think the season will shape up like this:

American League:
West Champ: Angels
Central Champ: Chicago White Sox
East Champ: Tampa Bay Rays (the Cinderella story of the season)
Wild Card: Red Sox (barely; if not the Sox, the Yanks)
ALCS: Tampa Bay vs. Angels

National League:
West Champ: Dodgers
Central Champ: Cubs (by far the best team in the NL)
East Champ: Phillies
Wild Card: Brewers
NLCS: Cubs vs. Phillies

World Series: Cubs vs. Angels
World Champion: Angels