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February 28, 2005

Chaney Should Be Criticized, Not Written Off

John Chaney has always been a little crazy. Spouting off and saying the wrong thing or letting his temper flare and doing the wrong thing. Even his insistence on playing a suicidal non-conference schedule or his unwavering commitment to the matchup zone. He's always been a little bit nuts.

But the sheer force of his personality could lessen the impact of the little insanities. He was so principled, so strong, so full of good intentions that you just had to shake your head and say, "That's just John Chaney being John Chaney."

Not so these days. John Chaney can't make this right. He can't just smile, loosen his black tie, rub his owl-like eyes, and apologize. He tried, but it hasn't changed a thing.

It hasn't healed John Bryant's broken arm or repaired the psyche and reputation of Nehemiah Ingram. It hasn't put out the flames of criticism. And it might not save his job.

Here is the harsh reality: 32 years on the sidelines, 722 career victories, countless lives impacted, and now, one defining moment.

It's a defining moment that Chaney authored himself, perhaps unwittingly, perhaps without a clear understanding of the repercussions. But he did it. He got riled up over illegal screens that weren't being called. He wanted some kind of payback. He inserted a little-used big man into the lineup and told him to send a message. That big man — Nehemiah Ingram, who Chaney later called a "goon" — sent the message, knocking St. Joseph's John Bryant to the floor so hard that he broke his arm. He will likely miss the rest of the season.

So will Chaney. After Chaney gave himself a one-game suspension, Temple tacked on three more games. But Chaney will be back for the conference tournament, proof that the punishment is a slap on the wrist.

The punishment should have been far harsher. Pick a synonym for reprehensible and it fits Chaney's actions. He retaliated to a perceived slight in a way that's as unimaginable as it is wrong. He violated everything college basketball is about. Yes, it's become a rough game, but embracing the roughness and explicitly promoting dirty play are two very different things.

He violated everything fair play is about, ignoring sportsmanship in favor of payback.

And, most disturbing of all, he violated everything he's about. That's what makes this so hard, what makes the tarnish of his image so shocking.

John Chaney preaches discipline. He routinely institutes 6 AM practices and demands perfect attendance in classes. The matchup zone defense his teams employ requires years of practice to get right, and players don't play until they do get it right.

John Chaney preaches tough love. At a post-game press conference during the 2003 Atlantic 10 Tournament in Dayton, Chaney laughed audibly when Brian Polk mentioned defense. Chaney put his hand on Polk's shoulder and said, "When have you ever played defense?" Polk put his arm around Chaney and smiled. A year later, at a similar press conference, Chaney had tears in his eyes as he reflected on the career of senior David Hawkins.

John Chaney preaches good sportsmanship. When the A-10 Tournament was relocated from Philadelphia to Dayton, Chaney complained about having to travel to "the sticks." On Temple's next trip to Dayton, the student section donned John Deere hats in response. Before the game, Chaney posed for pictures with any student who wanted one.

And John Chaney preaches the truth, his version of it at least. He says what he means and he means what he says. Sometimes he ruffles feathers, but in an era where public figures tiptoe through reality with political correctness and euphemisms, his outbursts can be refreshing. The truth hurts sometimes, but we still need to hear it.

All these values John Chaney preaches, all the discipline and the love and the truth, it's all on the back burner now. This one moment — this one time that John Chaney let his touch of craziness cross the line — is at the front of the public's consciousness. That's the way it has to be. It's fair, in this case, to let one moment cloud the larger perception.

Long before the incident last week, there was talk that the 73-year-old Chaney might hang it up. The calls for his retirement will reach a crescendo now.

Maybe that's what should happen. Maybe Chaney should ride off into the sunset and let his now-tarnished image fade away. It would be fitting. Because for what Chaney did, many younger and less successful coaches would be cleaning out the office already.

But maybe this slap on the wrist punishment, this decision to give a great man the benefit of the doubt is the right thing to do. Maybe letting one moment cloud an image is fair, but not right.

Chaney once said, "I don't want a team that escapes from reality and escapes from the truth. I don't want people who are always escaping, who always have a story and are always conniving."

Chaney may be trying to escape this, but he won't make excuses. He knows the truth. He knows he has to suffer consequences. And he knows, probably more than anybody, that what he did was terribly, horribly wrong.

But he also knows, and everybody around him knows, that he still has a lot of teaching to do. Because that's what John Chaney is. He's more likely to call himself a teacher than a basketball coach. That's probably because, more than basketball, he teaches life lessons.

One of the big ones is the value of a second chance. Chaney is one of the few coaches in America who never hesitates to give a scholarship to an inner-city kid who doesn't have the grades to play as a freshman. He gets them on campus and changes their habits and pretty soon, they're on their way to a basketball career and a degree.

And now, John Chaney can teach that lesson in a new way. He has his own second chance — a chance to repair an image and show that all the good things far outweigh the one bad thing. He wouldn't be much of a teacher if he walked out on that chance.

Posted by William Geoghegan at 12:28 PM | Comments (1)

I Hate Mondays: Year of the Veteran QB

With the NFL combine in Indianapolis currently taking place, it's easy to focus on the plethora of youth that is about to enter the league, but even so, this offseason appears to have an aging theme:

It's the year of the veteran quarterback.

There's some here, there's some there, there's some everywhere.

It started with Drew Bledsoe, who got the boot from the Buffalo Bills, but he quickly found his feet in Dallas. While he is no more than a temporary solution, at least he's got a starting job.

Next is Jeff Garcia. It was only last summer that the Cleveland Browns outbid the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the services of this steady quarterback (four years/$25 million) and now he's merely looking for a single bid. He's clearly serviceable, but he likely won't be guaranteed starting duties.

Then there's Kurt Warner. After a one-year stint with the New York Giants, he's still trying to prove his little engine can, but there isn't exactly a lineup for this ex-Super Bowl MVP.

Brad Johnson is soon to be a free agent as Brian Griese and Chris Simms have hop-scotched him on the Buccaneers' depth chart. Only two years ago, he was useful enough to lead Tampa Bay to a Super Bowl championship, now he is no longer adequate for the team's roster.

Jay Fiedler was never impressive as a Dolphin, but maybe a change of scenery will change the impressions he's made. Another starting quarterback from last season, Vinny Testaverde, should be looking for work this offseason, but to think either of these players will be in a huddle next season is laughable.

In the NFC East, it is not the first time Daniel Snyder has made a poor judgment of player personnel as the Redskins' General Manager, but offering Mark Brunell a seven-year contract worth $43 million definitely ranks up there with his worst decisions. Redskins Head Coach Joe Gibbs has already named Patrick Ramsey the starting quarterback for next season, which means Mark Brunell may be packing his bags pretty quickly — even if the teams is forced to take a cap hit.

Rich Gannon has restructured his contract to stick with the Raiders, and Rodney Peete may rework his deal as well to remain with the Panthers. The erratic Saints may politely ask Aaron Brooks to do the same if they find the amount of $5.5 million not commensurate to his contributions.

But the list isn't finished there. Kelly Holcomb and (if you are really reaching) Kordell Stewart are also on the market.

The problem is that there are so many "“experienced" quarterbacks, but so few vacancies. Most of these ex-starters will sign on as backups and be ready to step in. If not at the beginning of the season, then mid-season injuries will definitely urge a few phone calls.

At least one things for certain, with so many veterans available, Jeff George will not likely be receiving any more telephone rings.

Surplus of veteran quarterbacks and insufficient openings mix like Mondays and me.

"It's true hard work never killed anybody, but I figure, why take the chance?" — Ronald Reagan

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 11:59 AM | Comments (1)

NBA Trading Day Analysis

NBA fans coast to coast will agree that there's nothing quite like trade deadline day. Getting home from work or school, grabbing the remote, and frantically switching to ESPN to see if your team finally got that final piece of the puzzle or indeed ridded themselves of that cancerous one. If you're giddy, disappointed, or not quite sure what side of the fence you're on, it's time to see how six teams in particular have been affected.

Philadelphia 76ers

No prizes for guessing which side of the fence Sixers fans are on after Thursday. Philly traded away role players Brian Skinner, Kenny Thomas, and Corliss Williamson for Matt Barnes, Michael Bradley, and most importantly, star forward Chris Webber.

C-Webb will be regarded by most as the trustiest sidekick yet for Allen Iverson, and it'll be important that they hit it off well together if the Sixers are to succeed. Webber is a potential triple-double every night when he's on, and Iverson is enjoying his best season to date, leading the league in scoring. Make no mistake, if these two click together on all cylinders they will make some serious noise in the East, which, on a side note, is quickly gaining ground on the West.

One of the big keys to success that will scarcely be talked about is the play of Samuel Dalembert. It was reported that Philly were offered Toronto Raptors' forward Donyell Marshall in exchange for Dalembert, but it may be a blessing that this never happened. Although he was a little slow out of the blocks, Dalembert has seen increased minutes as of late with some stellar rebounding and shot-blocking. Dalembert's play at center could well be the x-factor for the new-look Sixers.

The only big question mark for the future of the team is health. Webber has had a series of documented injuries, most notable his knee surgery a couple of years ago, and Iverson himself has missed games this season. If they both can steer clear of that black cloud, though, Philly is an obvious favorite to win the lowly Atlantic Division and grab the third seed in the playoffs.

Boston Celtics

If a Celtics fan were to draw up a list of players they could realistically land, Antoine Walker wouldn't have been anywhere close to making that list. It was indeed Walker, however, that was traded to Boston, with the Celtics trading Gary Payton, Michael Stewart, Tom Gugliotta, and a future first-round draft pick to the Hawks.

Given the chronicled troubles between Walker and Celtics General Manger Danny Ainge, this was the most surprising move of trading day. Ainge claimed that the Chris Webber trade to divisional rivals Philly did nothing to trigger the return of 'Toine, but many would beg to differ.

Walker brings his 20 points and 9 rebounds a game back to Beantown to once again tag team with superstar guard Paul Pierce. This move strengthens the nucleus centering on some decent young talent, which Boston has amassed. Rookies Tony Allen, Al Jefferson, and Delonte West have all had a good start to their NBA careers.

The most troubled position for Boston this year has been center. Underachiever Mark Blount is slowly falling out of favor with coach Doc Rivers. The arrival of Walker could prompt Doc to move Raef LaFrentz over to center and start Walker at power forward. This would leave Blount to ride the pine and this may have a positive impact if he tries to make the most out of his decreased playing time.

The most significant loss of the trade is Gary Payton, who was enjoying his time in Boston. There is a small chance that he could end up re-signing with Boston.

It remains to be seen whether they can give the Sixers a serious run for the divisional crown, but even if that can't manage that, the Celtics could realistically grab the seventh or eighth seed in the playoffs this year.

Golden State Warriors

The Warriors currently have one of the more unenviable records with the league's longest playoff drought. On Thursday, they made a big step to lose that crown when they traded Dale Davis and Speedy Claxton to the New Orleans Hornets for playmaking guard Baron Davis.

While it's certainly a lost cause this year, Golden State fans now have tremendous hope for the future. They now have one of the league's flashiest backcourts in Davis and Jason Richardson, and it's a safe bet we'll be seeing those two on SportsCenter more often than not.

The Warriors are also home to one of the more underrated players in the league in Troy Murphy. Murphy is currently averaging 16 points and 11.4 rebounds per game at the four position, and if he can keep up his stellar play, the Warriors could make a playoff push next year.

Unfortunately for Golden State, center Adonal Foyle is on the other end of the spectrum to Murphy. Foyle was handed a six-year contract this past offseason worth over $40 million dollars, and he's struggling to average 4 points and rebounds per game. He has shown signs of improvement as of late, but it's hard to imagine he will come to warrant such a rich contract.

While they are still missing a piece or two in their puzzle, the Warriors certainly had a good day of trading, and can finally set their targets on the playoffs next year.

Dallas Mavericks

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban just wouldn't feel right if he didn't make at least a little noise at the trade deadline. Dallas traded role player Alan Henderson and seldom used Calvin Booth to the Milwaukee Bucks for sharpshooter Keith Van Horn.

The only significant loss for Dallas is Henderson. He provided solid minutes off the bench for both Dirk Nowitzki and Erick Dampier. There is a chance, albeit a small one, that he will be waived by the Bucks and re-sign with Dallas and if this is the case the trade could be considered a great success.

While Mavs fans may not be initially sold on Van Horn, he will stretch out opposing defenses as he is shooting nearly 39% from three-point land this season. He will more than likely come off the bench and be a "Nowitzki Lite" of sorts, as they both have similar games but he is clearly a downgraded version of the superstar German.

One of the biggest surprises this season for Dallas has been the vast improvement of sophomores Josh Howard and Marquis Daniels. Howard has emerged as the team's best defender and is often matched up against the star shooting guards on opposing teams. Daniels recently approached a triple double proving his potential is also high. Don Nelson deserves two strong pats on the back for picking these guys up. Van Horn shouldn't really take away too many minutes from them at all.

The Mavericks now have several players both on the floor and coming off the bench who have a lot of range shooting the ball. The addition of Van Horn could help them in shootouts against the likes of the Phoenix Suns and Seattle SuperSonics in the playoffs, and they still have the muscle of Dampier in the middle to test the slower, grittier teams in the postseason. Dallas should definitely make waves in the postseason and fans can at the very least expect a trip to the second round of the playoffs.

Sacramento Kings

Kings fans can finally lament on the end of the Chris Webber era. The trade to the Sixers told many that the Kings don't believe themselves to be a championship team this year, as Brian Skinner, Kenny Thomas, and Corliss Williamson hardly match up to C-Webb's star power. Although Webber never brought that elusive championship for Sacramento, fans ought to thank him in bucket loads for putting them on the basketball map in the first place.

One of the reasons the Kings pulled the trigger on this trade is probably to give forward Peja Stojakovic more shots and ultimately keep him in town. Peja has been down ever since his good friend Vlade Divac was traded to the L.A. Lakers, and a move to Hollywood for Peja himself has been rumored as of late. While the big trade of the year is certainly a bad one overall for the Kings, Peja's departure could make it even worse.

Sacramento currently owns the fifth playoff seed and if they are to keep hold of that the play of Mike Bibby, Cuttino Mobley, Stojakovic, and Brad Miller becomes all the more key. Webber often drew double-teams so all four men can expect to see less open shots and will certainly have to step it up a notch or two if they are to make a decent playoff run.

San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs may have pulled off one of the sleeper trades of the day, landing one of the few true centers in the NBA in Nazr Mohammed, along with guard Jamison Brewer, in exchange for the fiery, but undersized forward Malik Rose and two first-round draft picks.

The Spurs add a more than capable backup for Rasho Nesterovic in the middle, as well as offloading Rose's hefty salary in the deal. Rose was also in and out of coach Gregg Popovich's good books.

San Antonio is enjoying another great season and currently has a handle on the coveted number one playoff seed in the West. It's hard to have an impact on a team that's already a favorite to win the NBA title, so Mohammed should at best try to know his role as a backup center and come off the bench with some quality minutes inside.

The main downside to the trade was the fact that the Spurs had to give up two first-round draft picks as part of the deal. Given the their recent track record, though, San Antonio's front office shouldn't see this as too much of an obstacle in remaining one of the NBA's upper echelon teams.

So there you have it. Another trade deadline day has come and gone, and while that was exciting enough, we now have the business end of the season to look forward to, as the focus for playoff positioning begins.

Posted by Joseph Sammour at 11:38 AM | Comments (0)

February 26, 2005

More Than the Illini in Illinois Hoops

With a 28-0 record and the nation's number one ranking, the considerable Orange and Blue shadow has stolen most of the spotlight in Illinois for college basketball this season.

A pair of players in the Chicago area and another pair in Carbondale are helping their teams this season. Quemont Greer has DePaul off to a 17-7 record and Vedran Vukusic of Northwestern has helped the Cats to a modest 9-11 record that includes home upsets of Indiana and Iowa and Darren Brooks and Stetson Hairston have Southern Illinois pacing the Missouri Valley Conference for the fourth year in a row.

Since Dave Leitao took over at the beginning of the 2002-03 season, DePaul basketball has seen a continued resurgence, as the Blue Demons are 17-7 and 9-4 in Conference USA. The Blue Demons went to their first NCAA tournament in four years last season and only their second trip to the NCAA since 1992 and advanced to the second round.

This season has seen continued improvement. Greer has taken on the role of the DePaul's go-to player and leader this season. As a junior, Greer averaged 12.6 ppg and 7.4 rpg and was DePaul's third option at best. He has raised those averages to 19.2 ppg and 7.5 rpg this season, good enough for second and 10th in Conference USA. He has posted six double-doubles and has the Blue Demons in a tie for third place in the conference.

Earlier in the season, Greer posted eight consecutive 20 points games, the first Blue Demon to accomplish the feat since Terry Cummings in the early-'80s. He has scored 20 or more points in 12 games this season. Greer has won Conference USA's Player of the Week award four times.

Vukusic has helped Bill Carmody turn Northwestern from an also-ran into a respectable program. He is in the top 10 in three statistical categories in the Big 10 and leads NU in points per game, free throw percentage, and blocks. In the upsets over Indiana and Iowa, Vukusic helped spark the 'Cats to victory with 49 points and shot 7-16 from three-point range and 10-12 from the line. Vukusic helped NU to a fifth place finish in the Big 10, it's highest since 1983. The 'Cats are currently in seventh in the Big 10.

In a season of inconsistent performances by his team, Vukusic has been a constant for Carmody. He has scored in double figures in all but three games this year. As it stands now, Northwestern would play Purdue in the Big 10 tournament. With a junior-dominated lineup and Kentucky transfer Bernard Cote waiting in the wings, Northwestern can point towards 2005-06 for a run at their first NCAA tournament appearance.

Southern Illinois has been through three basketball coaches in the last three seasons. But Brooks and Hairston have been the constants that have led SIU to three-straight Missouri Valley conference championships. They are on the verge of their fourth and could become the first team to accomplish that feat since an Oscar Robertson led Cincinnati team won six in a row from 1958-63.

In their four seasons in Carbondale, Hairston and Brooks have been to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament and been a part of 102 victories. Brooks is the reigning MVC Player of the Year and is averaging 14.3 points per game for a 23-6 Southern team. He is also averaging 5.1 rebounds and is the Salukis’ all-time leader in steals. Hairston is posting 9.8 ppg and 3.6 rpg.

Posted by Alan Rubenstein at 3:16 PM | Comments (1)

Melting Away the NHL's Lost Season

The carcass of the National Hockey League's canceled 2004-05 season continues to smolder, like a pile of charred logs in the bottom of a fireplace.

It's fun to poke it and see what falls off...

Splinter No. 1: The Hockey News Begs For Forgiveness

Journalists make mistakes. Sometimes, the mistakes are (ahem) "Rather" large, like believing the validity of 1973 Texas Air National Guard medical documents that were created with Microsoft Word.

Sometimes, the mistakes are rather small, like spelling a name incorrectly — something I've pled guilty to, and have been the victim of, many a time.

How do we deal with errors in our work? Clarification, for one; correction in other cases. Simply getting the facts correct in subsequent articles works, too.

But getting on all fours and licking the feet of your readership until they pat the back of your head and tell you "all is forgiven?"

A simple "The Hockey News regrets the error" would have sufficed.

Instead, the venerable puck publication decided to issue an embarrassing indictment of its own lack of integrity in the form of an article by editor Jason Kay, dated Feb. 22:

First, an apology:

In case you missed it, on the night of Friday, Feb. 18, we reported on our website the expected return of NHL hockey for 2004-05.

Under the headline, "Season Saved Saturday?", we stated: "The NHL season is expected to be 'un-canceled' Saturday in New York."

We went on to report a player close to the talks who asked to remain anonymous said the two sides had agreed to a deal in principle that features a $45 million salary cap.

By Saturday night, we were the subject of scorn from some corners of the hockey world for the erroneous story.

We stand up and take full responsibility for the error. We've identified our mistakes and have learned from them.

An overbearing apology, but perhaps sincere. Except they couldn't leave well enough alone, and began a patronizing "explanation" of this journalist failure.

This is where The Hockey News decided to apply a yolk facial:

The story was not intended to be an unequivocal declaration the season had been saved. The question mark in the headline and use of the word "expected" in our lead sentence were qualifiers. Understandably, other media outlets picked up on the phrase "deal in principle" in the subsequent paragraph, but didn't mention it was a player source making the statement, not us.

So a question mark and the cover-our-asses word "expected" are supposed to counteract any notion that the article was a "unequivocal declaration the season had been saved."

But what about the most prominent quote in the Feb. 18 story, in the lead paragraph:

A player close to the talks who asked to remain anonymous told The Hockey News the two sides have agreed to a deal in principle that features a $45 million salary cap. Asked if there was any way a deal won't get done, the player said, "not that I can see. I couldn't possibly imagine the idea that somebody is going to try to make a name for themselves in the last minute here."

Gee ... I wonder how anyone could come away with the notion the season had been saved?

The Hockey News contends its story was blown out of proportion by a desperate hockey media, which is laughable when you consider the fact that it ran an irresponsible article that quotes a single anonymous source about a deal being made. (The Hockey News claims the information was corroborated by "many other well-placed sources in the industry," none of which made the "season saved" story in identified or anonymous citation.)

And then we get another explanation:

We stand 100 percent behind our source, both in terms of his character and legitimacy. We have absolutely no reason to believe he intentionally misled us. To the contrary, we have every reason to believe he was convinced a deal was done, less the fine print and was in a position to know what was happening.

Without knowing who the source was, it's impossible to know if he was in the room on the negotiation. But the NHLPA said no new proposals — and a $45 million cap would be a very new proposal — had been put forth by either side. Veteran hockey writer Sherry Ross of the New York Daily News had the real story after the meetings were done: "Bad rumors rushed in. The supposed $45 million cap said to be proposed by the NHL was a myth. The 'done deal' was a result of brutally poor reporting and lazy fact-checking. We in the media need to shoulder blame here, too. Like Fox Mulder, we wanted to believe."

Shoulder the blame, yes. Grovel, even though you were used as a tool by the NHLPA's public relations machine? No. The Hockey News should have simply written the correct story, and then outed the player who fed them this horrendous information; after all, he turned out not to be much of a source, right?

Splinter No. 2: Shut the F—k up, Mario

I have no respect for Mario Lemieux as an arbiter of what's right or wrong or fixable about the NHL. He's selfish, shortsighted, and always has been.

He bitched about clutching and grabbing in the mid-1990s, before one of his various retirements, as if hockey players had just discovered hugging and hooking. That's pure revisionism — are you telling me the Dale Hunters and Ken Linsemens of the world were defensive geniuses who never grabbed a jersey or set a pick for a more skilled teammate? Perhaps if Mario had been a more vocal advocate of that great antidote for obstruction (fighting), he would have suffered less hooks and holds during his stellar career.

Mario doesn't have any credibility in my eyes because he doesn't want solutions that serve all facets of hockey. Can a player who scored 683 goals possibly be an objective critic of the state of the game, balancing the need for both offense and defense? Of course not, and neither can the owner of a small-market piece of relocation bait in Pittsburgh be a qualified quibbler of equitable revenue sharing.

If Mario ran the NBA, the Atlanta Hawks would get half of the Lakers' profits, and LeBron James would take 75 free throws a game.

Now, Mario's at it again, telling Alan Robinson of the Associated Press that changes are a-comin' if and when the NHL returns to an arena near you:

"There's been a lot of talk about making the game more exciting, opening up the game, bringing back the offense that was there in the 1980s and early 1990s," said Lemieux, the Penguins' player-owner. "It's going to be a lot more exciting when the NHL comes back. It's going to be a great game with, hopefully, a lot more scoring and a lot of offense ... and (less) clutching and grabbing."

I think hockey fans can agree that less clutching and grabbing would be nice. A great way to accomplish that would be to get rid of the instigator rule and let players police themselves. Or, they could do something idiotic, as Robinson writes:

The NHL is also toying with eliminating the red line, thus doing away with the dreaded two-line passing rule and creating the end-to-end breaks so common in international play.

Ah, elimination of the red line. End-to-end passes.

Any chance Mario, who hung around the offensive zone like a hooker waiting outside of a Vegas casino, had any influence in this decision?

Later, Mario laments defensive hockey:

The NHL believes the changes will force coaches to play a more wide-open style. In recent seasons, overachieving teams such as the Carolina Hurricanes, Anaheim Mighty Ducks, and Calgary Flames relied on suffocating, star-controlling defenses to reach the Stanley Cup finals.

(Ed. Note: DAMN LEAGUE-KILLING PARITY!)

"Hopefully, we're going to take that out of that game," Lemieux said.

Yes, Mario – a bunch of silly rules changes will put an end to the kind of defensive hockey that's hindered the NHL's growth for the last decade.

Except, when you really think about it ... why would a team, that's already leaving four players on its own blue line, change its defensive philosophy if there's no red line and the other team is trying to complete 50-foot passes all game?

Oh, that's right: they won't.

One more note from the AP article:

To aid the impression that hockey is a fast, edgy game, NHL uniform supplier Reebok plans to outfit players in flashier, sleeker, and more form-fitting uniforms next season.

Just when you thought they couldn't screw up hockey any more, here comes Tie Domi skating into the neutral zone in muscle shirt and spandex bicycle shorts...

Splinter No. 3: The Blueprint For a New NHL

Everyone is entitled to his or her opinion, even when it's as ill conceived as that of Brian Ross of MinorLeagueNews.com.

Mr. Ross recently penned an article called "Blueprint For The New NHL? Are This Year's Crop of AHL All-Stars The Foundation of a Reborn NHL?" (Never mind the term "AHL All-Stars" or any players by name do not appear in the piece.)

Besides his suggestion of a convoluted system of regional all-star teams and tiered divisions, Ross contends that the best way to save the NHL is to actually remove it from television. Seriously: that's what he wrote. Because they haven't yet figured out a way to transfer the game from the arena to the TV, they should just keep it off television.

And he thinks this will actually help the sport.

Let me tell you about the Pearl Jam Theory.

A while back, after PJ sold millions upon millions of records with its first two albums, the boys stopped making videos for their singles.

No more MTV. No more VH1.

The good news is that the band still puts on a kick-ass live show, so people still show up to see Pearl Jam play. Only, the arenas the band used to play in have now become suburban amphitheaters. And the merchandise the band used to sell went from being in every alternative store in hip college towns to being on tables at concert venues. The band stopped selling as many CDs as it once did, radio stopped playing the new stuff, and Rolling Stone stopped putting them on the cover.

The quality of the product remained high, but the product was now shrouded in irrelevance. Fans could see Pearl Jam, buy Pearl Jam, and wear Pearl Jam, but they had to seek it all out. The band is out of the mainstream; to many, simply a historical footnote to a forgotten trend.

I'm still a Pearl Jam fan. I saw PJ on its last tour. One of the best shows I've ever seen. Something I wish more people could have experienced. I'd sure as hell watch a Pearl Jam show on MTV before the latest season of "Pimp My Punk'd" or "Ashlee Simpson's Super Sweet 16."

But they don't show concerts featuring cult curiosities on primetime television ... especially those who shun the mainstream.

Mr. Ross's plan would accomplish one, nearly impossible thing: making the NHL even more obscure than it already is.

Greg Wyshynski is also a weekly columnist for SportsFan Magazine. His columns appear every Saturday on Sports Central. You can e-mail Greg at [email protected].

Posted by Greg Wyshynski at 2:37 PM | Comments (2)

February 25, 2005

Walking the Fine Line of Quaterback Love

Choosing, and if you are lucky enough, finding a franchise quarterback is much the same as the unpredictable and at best dicey endeavor of falling in love. It hardly ever happens when you are trying and no matter how well things look you just never know how it is going to turn out.

Take a look at the career of Trent Dilfer. For six years, this guy got burned in Tampa Bay. Branded as yet another failing but initially well-hyped young quarterback, Dilfer moved on to Baltimore and ended up starting. His play was less than sensational, but he was steady and reliable. So reliable, in fact, that he won a Super Bowl.

Trent Dilfer with a Super Bowl ring? I guess miracles don't just happen on ice. But something was missing for the Ravens and they acted like an old Jewish woman telling her son to drop the Goy. Whatever the reason, Dilfer's reward was a pink slip. Meanwhile, the Ravens haven't had much passing success since.

But the NFL isn't filled with just jilted at the alter stories. Pro football's version of hitting the jackpot and marrying up is the account of Tom Brady. If the Jets don't knockout Drew Bledsoe in 2000, this former sixth-round draft choice may have been picking his nose on the sidelines for his career instead of picking up three Super Bowl trophies. Brady is only the fourth quarterback to win at least three championships, and only the second to have done so within four seasons.

The first quarterback to win three Super Bowls in four years was Troy Aikman. After taking the Cowboys from literally worst to first in four years, he solidified his place in football history. But in the end, Aikman was forced to retire when the Cowboys told him they were not interested in paying him a multimillion-dollar roster bonus and he was unable to find another team to offer him a starting position.

It was either be a future Hall of Famer unceremoniously cut, or retire with honor. Since Aikman's retirement, the Cowboys are still on a search for another successful marriage. Sometimes, it seems even trying mail order brides.

Four-time champion Joe Montana, who some consider the greatest quarterback ever, was forced to move on in the face of a youth movement in San Francisco named Steve Young. While Montana was still performing better than most guys half his age, the 49ers' second marriage proved worthy of risk as Young gave San Francisco a championship in 1995. Young's career ended with a boom, but not the kind he'd like to (or can) remember, as he lay dormant on the field for what seemed an eternity. When the camera went tight to his closed eyes, I was convinced he was dead.

The fact is, it really doesn't matter how successful a quarterback is, was, or is going to be. When you can't perform, better call your lawyer because the divorce papers are on the way.

Posted by Gary Geffen at 1:39 PM | Comments (0)

Questions, Answers, and More Confusion

Everyone has been talking about it. It has sent baseball into an amazing frenzy, which has been intensified even more with the NHL debacle — the steroid issue. Believe it or not, baseball will survive with or without the steroids, and any allegations Jose Canseco made.

Here's a message to Mr. Canseco, or shall I just call him Jose? Jose, you think we didn't know it? Fans across the world have known for quite sometime that baseball players have been "juicing it." We still watch, we still follow. Do we care? I believe so, but the world is run by rules and regulations. If Major League Baseball isn't going to regulate it, it isn't going to stop. Nobody is going to care. What good is a speed limit if the police don't enforce it with speeding tickets? You want to put an end to steroids? Put a formal testing policy in place. It's that simple, period.

Moving forward, without hockey, sports fans are limited to what is available to watch right now. Sure, we have college basketball, but nothing really counts much until March Madness begins. So what is left? The NBA, which is showing signs of plenty of young and rising stars, and baseball. Once summer hits, we are down to one major sport. Major League Baseball needs to take advantage of the NHL strike and I expect them to. Potentially, either college or pro basketball could snag these fans, but I anticipate neither of them to take away from America's pastime.

This is to all three Montreal Expos fans that still remain: "Show your ID at the gate of RFK stadium in Washington and you'll get free admission and hot dogs for the rest of your life." This is true, seriously, just try it.

I can't name one player on the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals and I don't know the three remaining Expos fanatics, so I did a little research on the team. Turns out there is a team that the Pittsburgh Pirates can actually beat! The Nationals will certainly thrive in the D.C. metropolitan area. It won't be this year, but there are several reasons to believe they'll be around for a long time to come. Here's what I am thinking:

1. Some partial fans have recently given up their Baltimore Orioles season tickets, having grown tired of the drive to Camden Yards and watching a team that hasn't had a winning record since 1997. It is more than you think.

2. Frank Robinson.

3. Even the Orioles loyal fans wouldn't mind seeing the best players in the National league face each other on a regular basis. Now all they have to do is jump on I-95 for 45 minutes.

4. Eight proposals have been made to design their new ballpark. Once the park is built, the organization will settle and so will their fan base. I expect something sharp to sit in the backyard of the nation's capital.

5. I already see the battle of I-95 turning into a great rivalry.

6. They can't possibly draw any less of a crowd than what they got in Montreal. I'd bet the house on that.

Overall, the baseball season is too long to always come down to the same teams. How can I really sit down and watch 162 games if I realistically know that my team has as much chance of winning it all as I do of winning a Nobel Peace Prize and get struck by lighting in the same year? Do we really need 162 games to determine the Yankees are the best? I have an idea, let's shorten up the season by half and make these guys play hockey, too. Why not? I would love to see Randy Johnson come down on a breakaway only to get knocked out by an Albert Pujols crosscheck, but maybe that's just me.

So here it is, my prediction for the 2005 MLB World Series:

The New York Yankees beat the Houston Astros in six games. Boring, isn't it?

Posted by Kevin Ferra at 1:17 PM | Comments (0)

February 24, 2005

Which College is Quarterback U?

Also see: "Addressing the QB-U Controversy."

Some college football teams have nicknames that are unmistakably unique. But I'm not talking about Wolverines, Nittany Lions, or Cornhuskers. I mean names like "Tailback U," "Linebacker U," or "Receiver U." Any serious college football fan knows them also, as USC, Penn State, and Miami. But have you ever heard anyone refer to a school as "Quarterback U?"

I can't recall ever hearing a school given that moniker — maybe for a short period, but not as an absolute. I began wondering about that after I learned last year that another quarterback from my alma mater had made an active roster in the NFL. Jason Gesser making the cut with the Tennessee Titans seemed to me like about the 10th Washington State QB to make the NFL in about 15 years. I had to find out what the numbers were.

So, in my curiosity, I started to look at the NFL draft and teams' all-time rosters to see just who had made the pros, or at least almost made the pros, from Wazzu. Then I started to wonder where they stood among all the other schools, and the project was underway.

I decided to limit the scope of my study to 1960 to the present. The reason for this is because quarterbacks became more of a premium with the creation of the American Football League in that year. The AFL relied more on downfield passing than its run-oriented NFL cousin. That's not to say that there weren't a bunch of talented passers in the NFL prior to 1960, but I had to draw the line somewhere.

In determining which school would be designated "Quarterback U," it was decided that any quarterback either drafted by the NFL (or AFL) or who made the active roster — drafted or undrafted — would be eligible for the list. The reasoning behind this is that if a quarterback was good enough in college for a pro team to use a draft pick on them, or if they were good enough to advance their skills to the next level, then they must have been a pretty decent college QB.

Fortunately, for me at least, there ended up being exactly 25 colleges who produced more than 10 pro-caliber quarterbacks between 1960 and 2004. So, according to the numbers, here are the Top 25 Quarterback Colleges with the No. 1 school being crowned as "Quarterback U." Do you think you might know who it is?

25. Michigan State

There were actually three schools that tied with 11 quarterbacks either drafted or on pro rosters since 1960; but, for ranking purposes, this spot goes to Michigan State. Many former Spartans went on to have pretty decent pro careers, including Jim Ninowski with Detroit and Cleveland, Al Dorow with the Jets and Bills, and Earl Morrall with the Jets and Colts. But none of the others really made an impact in the NFL.

24. UCLA

The Bruins had several excellent quarterbacks who had big careers in the pros, including Troy Aikman and Billy Kilmer, both of whom played in Super Bowls. UCLA also boasts a Heisman Trophy winner in the person of Gary Beban, who edged out O.J. Simpson to win in 1967. Other notable Bruin signal callers include Rick Neuheisel, Steve Bono, Jay Schroeder, Tommy Maddox, and Tom Ramsey.

23. Alabama

The Crimson Tide won the three-way tie-breaker by boasting three alumni playing in (and winning) Super Bowls. Names don't get much bigger than Bart Starr, Joe Namath, and Ken Stabler. Other terrific 'Bama QBs include Jay Barker, Steve Sloan, Richard Todd, and Scott Hunter.

22. Arkansas

Many people are probably mildly surprised that the Razorbacks would make this list, but they (along with five other schools) have had a dozen quarterbacks either drafted or play in the pros. But, if you were to ask a casual fan to name one of these players, they might be able to come up with one: Joe Ferguson. Only one other former Razorback enjoyed any degree of success in the NFL; Lamar McHan was a notable backup to such stars as Bart Starr, Johnny Unitas, and John Brodie. Other QBs who had successful college careers but not much else include Ronny Lee South, Scott Bull and Kevin Scanlon.

21. Iowa

Yes, the Hawkeyes have had 12 quarterbacks be determined pro material, and a couple of them were dynamite college players. The two Chucks (Long and Hartlieb) still hold many of the top five records at Iowa, and Long had a decent NFL career with Detroit and the Rams. Mark Vlasic and Jerry Reichow both also had long pro careers. Other notable Hawkeyes include Randy Duncan, Wilburn Hollis, and Larry Lawrence.

20. California

Another school with a dozen pro-caliber quarterbacks. As history would have it, most Bear QBs who go to the NFL enjoy illustrious careers, but lack a championship. Names like Joe Kapp, Craig Morton, and Steve Bartkowski are testimony to that fact. Kapp and Morton both led their teams to Super Bowls, but lost. Bartkowski was instrumental in helping the Atlanta Falcons to their first-ever winning and playoff seasons, but never made it to the Super Bowl. Other great Cal Bear quarterbacks who weren't quite as notable as the others include Rich Campbell, Pat Barnes, Dave Barr, and Gale Gilbert.

19. Duke

What? Duke? Yep. The Blue Devils have had 12 QBs drafted or play in the pros, the most notable of the group being Sonny Jurgensen. He and he aforementioned Kilmer helped the Washington Redskins to the Super Bowl in 1972. But not many other Dukies have had much success in the NFL despite having stellar college careers. Probably the most recognizable of them are Ben Bennett, Anthony Dilweg, and Dave Brown. Others include Al Woodall, Lew Hart, and Bob Brodhead.

18. Michigan

Ironically enough, of the dozen Wolverine QBs to be drafted or go on to play in the NFL, only one has ever been to a Super Bowl: Tom Brady. Other great Michigan signal callers like Todd Collins, Jim Harbaugh, Elvis Grbac, and Brian Griese have had good pro careers, but haven't see the same degree of success they enjoyed in college. Other notable Wolverines under center include Rick Leach, Drew Henson, and Bob Timberlake.

17. Washington State

I placed my alma mater at the top of this six-way tie not because they're "my" school, but because they've produced two quarterbacks who have played in the Super Bowl; none of the other teams tied with them had that many play on pro football's ultimate stage. While the dozen Cougar quarterbacks to make the pros have all been since the late-'60s, it hasn't been until the mid-'70s that they began having success at that level. The two Super Bowl Cougs are Drew Bledsoe and MVP Mark Rypien, and more recent players who have been good pro quarterbacks include Jack Thompson, Timm Rosenbach, and Dave Mathieson. Other good WSU QBs who didn't fare as well in the pros include Ryan Leaf, Clete Casper, and Ty Paine.

16. Arizona State

Amid another multi-team tie (five-way), the Sun Devils have had 13 quarterbacks drafted or play in the NFL, but none have had much success as far as getting their team to the big game. They've had several players be quality starters, like Danny White in Dallas, Mark Malone with Pittsburgh, and Mike Pagel in Cleveland, and others be good backups like Paul Justin. Other notable ASU QBs are Jake Plummer, Fred
Mortensen, and Todd Hons.

15. Maryland

Also with 13 pro prospects, the Terps have had several top-quality quarterbacks in the pros, led by Boomer Esiason, who led Cincinnati to a Super Bowl. Maryland has also had several pro journeymen, including Dick Shiner, Stan Gelbaugh, Frank Reich, and Neil O'Donnell. Bob Avellini, Scott Zolak, and King Corcoran are among the other Terp greats.

14. Oregon

The Ducks also have had 13 quarterbacks head to the pros, Joey Harrington the most recent. But what separated Oregon from the two teams below them is an NFL title. Norm Van Brocklin led the Philadelphia Eagles to the 1960 NFL championship, the only Duck to have such a distinction. Probably the most famous Oregon QB never made it to a championship: Dan Fouts. Other great Webfooters include Chris Miller, Bob Berry, Bill Musgrave, and George Shaw.

13. Miami

The Hurricanes have produced some fantastic quarterbacks over the years, most notably Jim Kelly who led the Buffalo Bills to four straight Super Bowls. The 'Canes also boast two Heisman winners in Gino Torretta and Vinny Testaverde, and national honors being bestowed upon Steve Walsh, Craig Erickson, and Ken Dorsey. Other notable Miami QBs include George Mira, Bernie Kosar, and Scot Covington.

12. Purdue

The Boilermakers were a hands-down selection to top this five-way tie as two Super Bowl MVPs distanced them from the four others below them. Super Bowl legends Len Dawson and Bob Greise head the list of several successful Purdue QBs. Others include Mike Phipps, Gary Danielson, Mark Herrmann, and Jim Everett. Those who didn't fare so well in the pros, but who were stellar college quarterbacks include Mark Vitali, Craig Nagel, and Scott Campbell.

11. Ohio State

While the Buckeyes have never had a quarterback win a national honor, they have had 14 QBs get drafted or play in the NFL. In fact, a few players who excelled under center at Ohio State didn't even play quarterback in the pros, including Rex Kern, Tom Matte, and Tom Tupa. Quarterbacks who did play their position and did well include Mike Tomczak, Kent Graham, and Art Schlichter.

10. Boston College

The most famous of the 14 Eagle quarterbacks to make or be drafted by the pros is, of course, Doug Flutie. He won nearly every award known to man in 1984, then became a legend in Canada before coming to the NFL. But other effective pro quarterbacks to come out of BC include Jack Concannon, Butch Songin, and Matt Hasselbeck. Other notable Eagles include Don Allard, Mike Kruczek, and Gary Marangi.

9. Penn State

Although mostly recognized as "Linebacker U," the Nittany Lions have had their share of great college quarterbacks. Fourteen have gone on to be drafted to or play pro ball, and three of them stand above the rest. Todd Blackledge, Kerry Collins, and Chuck Fusina all won national awards while at Penn State, and other successful pros include Milt Plum and Richie Lucas.

8. Nebraska

There are those who may have had nearly the same reaction when finding out that Duke was one of the better quarterback schools in country as they do learning that the Cornhuskers are among the top 10. Yes, it's true; Nebraska has had some of the better college quarterbacks in the nation over the years. But, because they primarily ran an option offense for so many years, not many of them were suited to the pro game. However, some were, like Vince Ferragamo, David Humm, and Bruce Mathison. Still others were extremely effective QBs in college, such as Turner Gill, Steve Taylor, and Dennis Claridge. As an aside, Tommy Frazier won the 1995 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm award, but was not drafted by nor played in the NFL.

7. Mississippi

The Rebels have also had 15 players either drafted or play in the pros, but have experienced much success at that level, save Charley Conerly who had some productive years with the Giants. But legendary names like Archie Manning, John Fourcade, and Norris Weese all played on pretty bad teams during their pro careers. Other notable Rebel QBs include Glynn Griffing, Ray Brown and, of course, Eli Manning.

6. Washington

Like so many other teams, the Huskies have had a plethora of great college quarterbacks who went on to the pros, but lack a world championship. Outstanding Husky quarterbacks include Chris Chandler, Tom Flick, Steve Pelluer, Don Heinrich, and Warren Moon. Other great Dawgs are Billy Joe Hobert, Hugh Millen, Bob Schloredt, and Cary Conklin. One that didn't make the list of draftees/players, but needs mentioning is Sonny Sixkiller.

5. Florida State

Another school loaded with talented quarterbacks, the Seminoles have produced one signal-caller who has won a Super Bowl, Brad Johnson. But that's not the focus; it's on their college careers, and Florida State has produced two Heisman winners (Chris Weinke and Charlie Ward) and another winner of the Johnny Unitas Award (Casey Weldon). I had to fudge a little on this, though; Ward spurned the NFL for the NBA and wasn't drafted nor did he play pro football, but I couldn't leave out a player who won nearly every award imaginable in 1993. Other great Seminole QBs include Danny Kanell, Gary Huff, and Steve Tensi.

4. LSU

The Tigers lay claim to one of the quarterbacking legends of the NFL — Y.A. Tittle. But, surprisingly enough, he's the only one of 16 draftees/players to win a pro championship, even though there have been some great QBs come out of Baton Rouge. Bert Jones leads the way, who brought the Baltimore Colts back into prominence in the mid-'70s. Others include Warren Rabb, Tommy Hodson, David Woodley, and M.C. Reynolds.

3. Southern California

Despite being most famous for the long line of outstanding tailbacks, the Trojans have had their share of quarterbacks, too. But, as we've seen with other schools, not many have played on the pro's biggest stage. The Trojans have seen 18 QBs head to the pros or at least be drafted and many of the names are very familiar. Players like Pat Haden, Pete Beathard, Vince Evans, Rodney Peete, and Bill Nelson all had long, productive pro careers, and Carson Palmer became the first USC quarterback to win the Heisman in 2002. Other notable USC QBs include Rudy Bukich, Todd Marinovich, Sean Salisbury, and Paul McDonald. Oh, and here's another — ever heard of Mike Holmgren? And, when Matt Leinart is drafted next year, he'll vault the Trojans into a tie for No. 1.

2. Notre Dame

It may come as no surprise that the Fighting Irish have had so many great quarterbacks over the years. Even though they all didn't have great pro careers, just the names evoke memories of Notre Dame greatness: Joe Montana, Daryle Lamonica, Joe Theismann, Terry Hanratty, and John Huarte (the only Irish QB to win the Heisman since the '50s). Other great Irish quarterbacks include Steve Beuerlein, Ralph Guglielmi, Tom Clements, Blair Kiel, George Rattermann, Rusty Lisch, and Rick Mirer. Another fudge here: gotta mention Tony Rice. He picked up the Johnny Unitas Award in 1989, but was never drafted nor played in the NFL.

(Drum roll, please. The envelope, please. Get on with it, please!) And the school dubbed as "Quarterback U" is...

1. Stanford

That's right. The Indians/Cardinal have produced more pro-quality quarterbacks since 1960 than any other school in the country. And what an impressive list it is. John Elway, Jim Plunkett, John Brodie. Need I say more? Okay, I will. Steve Dils, Turk Schonert, Steve Stenstrom, Guy Benjamin, Chad Hutchinson. Nineteen former Stanford players have been scouted by and/or played pro football.

As a concluding disclaimer to this list, there may be player or two I have missed and, of course, this covers only a portion of football history. But at least is gives college football fans something to think about and debate. Enjoy the offseason!

Posted by Adam Russell at 4:51 PM | Comments (57)

Fixing the Slam Dunk Contest

There's something about the dunk that will never get old. As a sporting culture, we are obsessed with it, and rightfully so. The dunk is like an athletic Euro — a currency which is good almost anywhere. If you can dunk, you're in.

I stand six-foot three inches tall, and I'm often asked if I can dunk. Few questions bother me more than this because I have no choice but to respond with the shameful truth. Twenty pounds ago, I could get up to the rim, but never over it. I'll never know that feeling.

But of course, we've all dunked somewhere. Perhaps it was on a Nerf hoop hanging from the back of your bedroom door or on an eight-foot rim at the local elementary school. Or maybe it was just in a dream you once that seemed so real that you woke up knowing that you could slam with the best of them. We've all had that dream...

And when we have that dream together, it's called the NBA Slam Dunk Contest, a beautiful combination of hype and hope. As a boy, I was much more interested in the dunk contest than the actual All-Star Game. I remember Larry Nance's double dunk, Dominique Wilkins' flying double pump, Spudd Webb's pogo-sticking, Michael being Michael, the Ced Ceballos blindfold, and more.

But then something happened. After Kobe Bryant won the crown in 1997, the contest was suddenly nothing more than a quaint reminder of All-Star Games past. There was nothing more to do, they said. If you've seen one windmill dunk, you've seen them all.

Recently, though, the event has taken on more significance, and this year's version just might've been the best yet. There was Josh Smith soaring over Kenyon Martin's head in the first round before channeling Dominique in the finals. Amare Stoudemire seasoned his dunks with a dash of soccer, courtesy of Suns teammate Steve Nash. (Yes, Chris Andersen only managed to embarrass himself, but at least he gave the other contestants a chance to rest as he had trouble even getting to the rim.)

So is the dunk contest off the endangered species list? Probably not. In fact, as great as this year's battle between the two Mr. Smiths was, the cameras couldn't go more than a minute or two before catching a shot of LeBron James on sideline, watching comfortably in street clothes. Each time we saw LeBron it gave the commentators an opportunity to remind us how many of the league's top dunkers had chosen not to compete. Several reasons were stated, including tender ankles and balky hamstrings.

How to Fix the Dunk Contest

Here's a foolproof way to keep this building interest right where it needs to be:

1. Invite the older guys like Kobe, Vinsanity, Steve Francis, and Tracy McGrady. Ask LeBron while you're at it.

2. The league will need some kind of incentive to get them to play, so here it is: send them straight to the finals. This is good for several reasons. First, there's the obvious ego boost. Second, it builds buzz. While the crowd is watching a bunch of high-flying rookies in the opening round, they'll be thinking about Vince Carter or LeBron James or whoever it is waiting in the finals. Third, it gives us a David and Goliath matchup, which is always interesting

3. Give the dunkers a 60-second clock. We don't need any delays like the ones Andersen gave us on Saturday night. Dunking good, downtime bad.

If we can follow this simple three-step process, the health of the Slam Dunk Contest will be under control for the next several years, and children everywhere will be able to dream of a future full of dunks while watching their heroes bending rims left and right. And what could be better than that?

Posted by Hank Waddles at 2:45 PM | Comments (0)

Reds on Comeback Trail

The Cincinnati Reds have invited 54 players to their spring training camp this year in Sarasota, Florida at the Sarasota Sports Complex, and 27 of them are pitchers hoping to earn one of the 12 spots. Pitching was where the front office's main focus was this offseason, not unlike other clubs. But Reds management feels its club has a real shot at contending, to turn around their losing trend in the last four past seasons, their longest losing streak since the mid-'50s.

And for the first time in a long while the Reds actually put their money where their proverbial mouth is by laying out over 20 million dollars in order to acquire starting pitching in addition to fielders for the 2005 season. The Reds, with a reputation for being known as one of the cheapest organizations in baseball, finally went to the bank.

Owning the second highest ERA in all of Major League Baseball in 2004 other than the Colorado Rockies, the Reds went out and signed ace left hander Eric Milton, formerly with the Philadelphia Phillies, for a three-year deal worth $25.5 million dollars. He will join the ace of the 2004 staff, Paul Wilson, signed for a two-year deal at $8.2 million dollars. The third spot will be occupied by former Anaheim Angels pitcher Ramon Ortiz, who avoided arbitration in signing a one-year deal for $3.55 million dollars with a one-year option. Ortiz will try and reinvent himself in 2005 following his most disappointing year in MLB. While initially used as a starter in 2004 by Anaheim he was eventually relegated to the bullpen where he did manage to pitch well.

Competition in the rotation will be for the fourth and fifth spots, not to mention a bullpen up for grabs. Pitchers Aaron Harang, Luke Hudson, Josh Hancock, and Brandon Claussen were impressive at times for the Reds in 2004, with all four hoping to make the rotation. Harang and Hudson are the prospected frontrunners. While Harang has a head start in the selection process, he also is only suited to start, given is extensive warm-up time required. And Hudson, pitching in nine games for the Reds after a call-up at the end of 2004, finished with a 2.42 ERA.

The bullpen remains fairly wide open with closer Danny Graves the only true known entity at this point. Although Graves has imposing numbers for 2004 with his 41 saves, he lost steam in the second half and will benefit from a team of reliable setup men. They include left-hander Kent Mercker, acquired from the Chicago Cubs, and making his third return to the Reds. The 36-year-old finished 2004 with a 2.55 ERA and a career-high 71 appearances.

Joining Mercker in the bullpen will be Ben Weber, who was released by the Anaheim Angels after a miserable 2004 having suffered from carpel tunnel syndrome. Weber had three stellar years for Anaheim from 2001-2003 and was one of the American League's most dominating setup men with a 2.86 ERA in 181 appearances. He only was able to pitch in 18 games in 2004 and is now believed to be healthy.
The 35-year-old veteran welcomes starting fresh in a new league and with a new club in his effort to revive his career.

Expected to fill the fourth spot in the bullpen is right-hander David Weathers, sought for middle-relief from the New York Mets, where he had 64 appearances. His knowledge as a 36-year-old adds to the veteran leadership out of the 'pen, with the remaining three spots to be shored up by pitchers with minimal or no experience there. Those vying for a spot include Jose Acevedo, who did not impress as a starter in 2004, but did so as a setup man. He could be successful as such for the entirety of 2005. Brandon Claussen, while competing for a spot in the rotation, is also being looked at as a swingman out of the 'pen. Also in the running and on the 40-man roster are Ryan Wagner, Joe Valentine, Todd Coffey, Elizardo Ramirez, Brian Shackelford, and Phil Dumatrait.

In the power department, the first question, of course, is the health of Ken Griffey, Jr. After playing in a truncated season in only 83 games in 2004, Griffey returned to the DL for the fourth season in a row, needing surgery to repair his torn hamstring originally injured in 2001. Questions about him remaining in centerfield always surface, but in Griffey's mind it does not warrant an answer. If healthy, Griffey could be nicely complimented by leftfielder Adam Dunn, who hit 46 homers in 2004 while driving 102 runs and first baseman Sean Casey, who batted .324 with 99 RBI in 2004 in providing production. Right field will see Austin Kearns battling it out with Wily Mo Pena, with both as potential backups in center.

In addition to Casey in the infield, D'Angelo Jiminez will be at second base beside newcomer Joe Randa, playing third. Randa signed a one-year deal after spending the past six seasons with the Kansas City, Royals. He batted .287 in 128 games after missing a month due to knee surgery and at 35 is eager to prove himself again as a good contact hitter. The Reds have not had a consistent hot corner player since Aaron Boone was traded to the New York Yankees in 2003. Jason La Rue will be returning behind the plate backed up by Jose Valentin.

But for the first time in 19 years, the Reds will have a new face at shortstop. Barry Larkin decided in the offseason to hang up his spikes as the captain and team leader of the Reds. They failed to offer him a new contract, and he did not want to start with a new club at the age of 41, especially being only Reds-identified throughout his career. Instead, he will be a special assistant in the front office for the Washington Nationals.

A player like Larkin with his longevity and the meaning he brought to Cincinnati cannot be overstated. Although speculation that first baseman Sean Casey will take over the club's leadership role, it will pale in comparison to Barry Larkin's. He played with class and skill and as one of the last players to play the entirety of his career with one team. His presence will be sorely missed.

So taking over the position of shortstop will most likely be between Rich Aurelia and Felipe Lopez. Aurelia, signed to a one-year minor league deal after struggling in 2004 with both the Seattle Mariners and the San Diego Padres, is returning after recovering from a hairline fracture in his hand.

The other luxury the Reds have is the availability of Ryan Freel, who is the quintessential utility man, playing no less than five positions for the Reds in 2004. Also important to their lineup, he is the ultimate leadoff hitter, stealing 37 bases in 2004 with a .368 on base percentage. As he is so versatile, it sometimes works against him in landing a permanent spot, but the Reds like the fact that they have a guy they can plant anywhere and know he will get on base.

So at the outset one can conclude that the Reds are much improved over 2004 should everyone remain healthy. And given the number of veterans on the pitching staff as well as in the field, injury is an issue, which cannot be ruled out. In that sense, it is nice that they have 15 pitchers who will not make the 25-man roster in 2004, but might still be available as the season proceeds. And given the health of the infield, they can never have too many Ryan Freels.

But for Cincinnati fans, spring training is a welcome relief not only after last season, but for the last four seasons, and the appearance of a healthy Ken Griffey, Jr. cannot come soon enough.

Posted by Diane M. Grassi at 2:08 PM | Comments (2)

February 23, 2005

A Tiger Grand Slam in 2005?

Tiger Woods turns 30 this year. He has not won a major tournament since the 2002 U.S. Open, contested 31 months ago. He's second fiddle to Vijay Singh, the world's best golfer. "Tigermania," the manic phenomenon that began at the 1997 Masters and was fully validated three years later when Woods held every major title, is on life support. Woods is no longer the roll-your-eyes, odds-on favorite in every tournament he plays. "Will he ever lose?" — a query posited often during Woods' dominant period — is becoming an ancient question, superseded by nostalgic wonder: is that Tiger gone forever?

Perhaps. Woods still struggles to hit fairways with consistency, and he has not produced a field-lapping performance recently. But he has already won this season and was in contention in each of his other PGA Tour appearances.

This season, however, provides Tiger with a unique opportunity to recapture his place at the zenith of golf. The Grand Slam is a possibility.

It's true. Three of four golf's major tournaments are contested at different venues every summer. Because certain players handle certain courses better than others, the choice of course is often the predominate factor in deciding the tournament favorite. A U.S. Open at the Olympic Club requires much different golf than a U.S. Open at Bethpage Black.

Winning the Grand Slam, therefore, is a feat of good fortune in addition to skill. And this season, Tiger Woods has to smile at his good fortune.

The Masters, held annually at Augusta National, provides no surprises. Woods has won the Green Jacket three times, and his ability to hit the ball high and soft gives him an advantage over most of the field. Augusta has always been known as a long-hitter's course, and the alterations to the course in the past few years have served to solidify that reputation. Woods, a long-hitter, also has the touch and imagination to handle the slick, undulating greens at Augusta. In other words, Woods likes Augusta, and Augusta likes Woods.

Pinehurst No. 2 hosts the U.S. Open for the second time in six years. A Donald Ross design, No. 2 is known for its crowned greens that hold incoming golf balls about as well as the hood of a car. The greens are fast, difficult to read, and the greensides are the toughest in golf.

But off the tee, No. 2 is actually quite tame. Players can spray their tee shots and not have to worry about six-inch rough or hazards. Because of the difficulty of the greens, the USGA prefers to cut the rough much shorter than they do for most U.S. Opens, meaning Woods can be less than perfect off the tee and still be in contention.

The 1999 U.S. Open is remembered for Payne Stewart's dramatics on the 18th hole. Stewart canned a 15-footer to best Phil Mickelson by one stroke and win what would be his final major. Forgotten was the play of Woods, who missed a four-foot putt on the 17th hole, then barely missed a 20-footer on the final hole. He finished third, two strokes back of Stewart. Pinehurst No. 2 likes Tiger, too.

One year after Woods' heartbreak at Pinehurst, he won his first and only British Open at the Old Course at St. Andrews. The Old Course played into Tiger's strengths, providing large landing areas for tee shots and demanding great putting. Woods won by eight. This year's venue? The Old Course at St. Andrews. The Old Course likes Tiger, too.

That leaves the PGA Championship, held this year at the Lower Course at Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, New Jersey. Jack Nicklaus won the U.S. Open here twice, but the Lower Course has not hosted a major since 1993.

But the Lower Course will look a lot different in 2005 than it did when the best of the PGA Tour was here last. The classic A.W. Tillinghast design has been altered (read: lengthened) to accommodate the assembly of skill present at the PGA Championship. At almost 7,400 yards, the par 70 will place a premium on distance, allowing longer hitters to attack pins with shorter irons than shorter hitters. Baltusrol might like Woods, as well.

Speculating on a Woods Grand Slam is borderline absurd, especially this early in the season, but it merits mentioning. For Woods to ever win a Grand Slam, the courses that host the majors must allow for Tiger's mistakes — occasional inaccuracy with the driver — and play to his strengths — length, and touch around the greens. In other words, this is the year in which — to borrow the Kantian phrase — the condition of the possibility of a Woods Grand Slam is satisfied.

Winning the Grand Slam is something that the game's best, sans Bobby Jones, have not been able to do. It requires near perfect golf, endurance not found in 99 percent of the game's players, and ability to win without apology. The 2000 version of Woods possessed these qualities, and the result was four majors in a row. Should he return for the summer of 2005, we all may be in for a spectacle, one that would put to bed the debate over who is the world's best golfer.

Posted by Vincent Musco at 3:35 PM | Comments (0)

The Sports Gospel Mailbag

Recently, I tried to think of several ways to become a better columnist. I started by examining other successful columnists and tried to emulate some of the things they do. Needless to say, ESPN.com's Bill Simmons is one of the most popular columnists around and his mailbag column is one of his biggest features. I figured, if I'm going to be a big-shot columnist, I need to have a mailbag column. So I opened my e-mail inbox and answered some of the e-mails I've received over the past few weeks (part two will come a few weeks from now).

Perhaps it's time for the players to think about creating their own league and abandoning the NHL, even if that means losing hockey here in South Florida.

Perhaps the fans should boycott the NHL next year, unless the players form their on league. Both sides need to remember who's ultimately paying their bills and who they're losing as this continues.

Allen in Tampa

Allen,

I had the host of ESPN's "NHL 2NIGHT," John Buccigross, on my show a few weeks back and he made a great point — if the players were to start their own league, the first thing they would do is implement a salary cap because that is the smartest way to operate. I can't blindly absolve the players in this; they should've accepted a cap long ago. I don't even care who is at fault anymore, I am just furious at everyone for ruining such a great game. Hockey history will forever remember everyone involved as the worst people to ever touch the game, as their overwhelming incompetence and arrogance stole a game that means so much to so many. I have more respect for Todd Bertuzzi than for Gary Bettman and Bob Goodenow. Hell, I have more respect for a folding chair than I do for those two.

Im Sara 15 just wonderin have u ever seen Dee Brown with his
mouthguards in before in fact have u ever interviewed him when he was
wearin his mouthguards just wonderin i just like mouthguards for some
strange reason ok then if u have seen mouthguard before on any person
which person was it plus what and where on the mouthguard was the most
spit at.Then tell me what that persons spit look like on there
mouthguard was it wet shiny sticky please explain a true long mouthguard
teeth story email me back at ___ ok please

Sara in Cleveland

Sara,

Most people would scoff at you, but no e-mail goes unanswered, so here is the best I can do. I once played basketball with Michael Jordan to 10 (we played by 1s and 2s). It was make it, take it, and I had ball first. After I scored five straight twos Kyle Korver-style, I chastised MJ for letting his arrogance draw him into a game with me. I did my best to calm his agitation by running around the court hollering, "I walked all over Air Jordan." He then proceeded to throw his mouth guard at me (Sara, a little forewarning, this response is similar to a Reggie Fowler resume in that it has a "level of truth to it," which means I am fairly certain I have spelled the names right).

Dear Infone User,

You may have received one or more communications from us on Saturday February 5 or Sunday February 6, referencing invoices or your Infone activity in past months. Please disregard all of these communications, if any, as they were sent as a result of a software error. These communications are not invoices and this error has been fixed.

Sincerely,
Infone LLC

I am not an Infone user nor have I received any communications, but consider it done.

i agree with Archie. Goodenow and Bettman are skunks.

Alan in the Bronx

Don't lump skunks in with people like Goodenow and Bettman. The closest thing I can think that compares to those two is Skeletor from Masters of the Universe, who tried to kill the sorceress and enslave all of Eternia, and he would've succeeded if it wasn't for He-Man and Courtney Cox.

I've been reading this sports gospel of yours and you seem to touch on random topics so I have a few more for you to ponder, contemplate and pontificate. I played a little racquetball last quarter and developed tennis elbow, how does one contract this injury outside of the sport of tennis? Also, I am thinking about changing my image, I am thinking of getting a monocle, kazoo and bubble pipe, any thoughts?

That's all I've got, I rule all because I just beat Oregon Trail for the third time on my computer (20 bison and grueling speed is where its at, you fly through that map)

Signed:
The walking injury
The biggest baseball fan around
The man trying to break history's grip on reality
Super Dan
Sergeant Dan

Dan Griffin

Well, you touch on a number of interesting topics. I have to say that you contract tennis elbow by playing sports similar to tennis, or in your case, by lusting after female tennis stars. Also, the image change could be good for you, at this stage of the game, it can't get any worse. I am not impressed by your Oregon Trail victory, because frankly, the two Oregon State players could've forded the Snake River and paid the Indian guide in marijuana (they have to be the two stupidest players in Oregon, how can you attempt to pay a cab bill with pot?), instead of the wagon wheel you gave him.

FROM: THE LOTTERY COORDINATOR,
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT

Dear Winner,

This e-mail was included only because it starts off the way any e-mail addressed to me should. If you want your e-mail in a mailbag, just start it with "Dear Winner," as it is the best word that can describe me.

Our records show that you might be in need for temporary financial assistance. We all need some help every now and then- that's why we are here. To help. We can deposit up to $1000 into your account within 24 hours. All you need to qualify is a previous paycheck and a bank account into which we will deposit the funds.

Jason

Thanks for the kind sentiment, Jason. I love it when readers have my back. Evidently, though, I've won some sort of international lottery, so I'm set. Appreciate the gesture, though.

DEAR MARK,
I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR REASON TO MY EMAIL AND ALSO YOUR SERIOUSNESS TOWARD THIS BUSINESS TRANSACTION..
I WILL REALLY APPRECIATE IT IF YOU WILL BE ABLE TO VISIT THE UK AFTER WE MIGHT HAVE CONCLUDED THIS TRANSACTION SO THAT BOTH OF US CAN LEAVE FOR THE STATE TOGETHER. I WILL BE EXPECTING YOUR MAIL AS SOON AS YOU GET THIS MAIL SO THAT THE TRANSFER CAN BE DONE IMMEDIATELY. I AM WRITTING YOU FROM MY PRIVATE EMAIL ([email protected]) PLEASE DO NOT GIVE THIS EMAIL ADDRESS TO ANYBODY YOU CAN NOW REACH ME ON THE EMAIL FOR SECURITY REASONS . I WAIT UPON YOUR REPLY AND THE INFORMATION I ASKED.
REGARDS,
JOYCE

You seem like a genuine person who really is in control of several million dollars in a dead person's overseas bank account. My question is, why me? Not that I'm complaining, because this plan is foolproof. And by the way, your private e-mail is safe with me.

Soccer is such a wonderful sport. Watching well played soccer is like watching the best art. The greatness revealed by an unfolding sequence of passing and the beauty of individual dribbling (or a combination of the two) is one of the most marvelous sights that exists in this world. I get chills watching it. The sport is fluid and magnificent. The excitement of a wonderful goal (such as Ronaldinho's game winner against AC Milan in the first round of the 2004-2005 Champions League) is unmatched by any other sport, in my opinion.

This leads me to my next point. Firearms are awesome. I think the beauty of firearms is grossly unappreciated by a great deal of people. Some weapons are gorgeous. Not only that, but few things can match the joy experienced by discharging a firearm. I own an AK 47 and I love it. I experience satisfaction every time i pull the trigger and feel the recoil press against my shoulder and the bolt carrier sliding back and forward again loading another 7.62x39 round.

I love Jesus. Jesus is Lord. He rocks.

DJ from the Nati

You've touched on a number of solid topics. Let me start by saying Jesus is good, people, especially after He healed Terrell Owens in time for the Super Bowl. Soccer is definitely a great sport, but many overseas take it way too seriously. That being said, I can respect the great athletes in soccer and the competition in the game. As far as the firearms go — be safe and it's all good, live up that second amendment. Also, props for being the only e-mailer to mention Jesus, firearms, and soccer without stating a desire to harm Jesus for creating soccer.

Mark,
I read in your mini-bio on Sports Fan Magazine that you're a Queen City product. I lived there from 2000-2003, but then moved back to D.C.
Bijan

Sweet.

Mark Chalifoux is also a weekly columnist for SportsFan Magazine. His columns appear every Tuesday on Sports Central. You can e-mail Mark at [email protected].

Posted by Mark Chalifoux at 3:12 PM | Comments (0)

NASCAR Top 10 Power Rankings: Week 1

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Jeff Gordon — Gordon is clearly the best driver in NASCAR, as his mastery in the closing laps at Daytona attests. Gordon is the only driver who's capable of winning, no matter the track type, whether it be a restrictor plate track, short track, road course, or intermediate ovals or tri-ovals. Rumor has it that Gordon got more out of Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya's Williams machine than Montoya himself when the two traded cars for a spin at Indy last year. Gordon measures success by the boos he hears track side at every race.

"I hear a lot, so I must be doing something right," Gordon politely states. "All I got to say to those rednecks is, 'It's all good under the hood.'”

2. Jimmie Johnson — Johnson has nowhere left to go but up; he's finished second in the points for the last two years. Flying JJ won four of the final six races last year, but came up short for the Nextel title thanks to some 30th or worse finishes sprinkled throughout the season. If Johnson can keep the 48 Lowe's Hendrick Motorsports car up front and out of trouble this year, he could grab the first of what could be multiple championships. If not, he could find himself feuding with any number of drivers. Already, Johnson has bumped cars and heads with Kevin Harvick and Tony Stewart.

"When drivers say that everything is cool between them," Johnson adds, "they're lying. Harvick's a punk and Tony drives some ugly orange car that represents some second-tier home improvement store. Anytime I can run him off the track, I will. Then I'll gladly present him with a Lowe's gift card so he can redecorate his bedroom to match that girly canopy bed he sleeps in.”

3. Tony Stewart — Stewart is one of a number of drivers, including Kevin Harvick and Robbie Gordon, who always seem to rub some sheet metal the wrong way every race. Stewart always seems to do it on his way to winning a race, whereas Gordon and Harvick do it while wrecking themselves in the process of retaliating. Stewart drives for Joe Gibbs Racing, and, together with teammate Bobby Labonte, comprises one of only two NASCAR teams with two points champions.

"We're also the only team owned by a three-time Super Bowl championship coach," boasts Stewart. "Now, if Bill Belichick wants to jump to NASCAR, the No. 20 Home Depot Chevrolet Monte Carlo has got a little something for him."

Stewart led the most laps at Daytona, but got kicked to the curb in the mad dash to the finish

4. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. — Junior has everything going for him: an awesome family pedigree, an extremely fast Dale Earnhardt Incorporated car, cool sideburns, an instantly recognizable face and No. 8 car, and Budweiser sponsorship.

"Yeah, but sometimes I just need a hug," says Junior.

Well, Junior, that shouldn't be a problem. You only have about 50 million fans dying just to touch you. You know, those people with the stickers on their cars of the No. 3 with angel wings, signifying your father's heavenly status in NASCAR.

"That's got to be the dumbest sticker I've ever seen" Junior responds. "I'm sure Pops feels the same way. He's probably up in heaven with Ayrton Senna and Tupac Shakur, saying, 'Ayrton, Pac, some people are just plain stupid. But, dad gummit, we're making more money now than when we were alive.'”

Not this year, but soon, Junior will fulfill his destiny and win a NASCAR championship. He's dominant in restrictor plate races, and has shown steady improvement on other tracks, so that now he's a force at every race. Earnhardt fought for 495 miles at Daytona to reach the front, but couldn't hold off Gordon and Kurt Busch in the end.

5. Kurt Busch — What do the last two NASCAR points champions, Kurt Busch, and Matt Kenseth, have in common? They both work for Jack Roush Racing, and they both have rickety teeth.

"If Kurt needs a little dental work," adds "Mr. Excitement" Jimmy Spencer, "he need look no further than my right fist to rearrange those Chicklets he calls teeth."

It's all part of Busch's running feud with Spencer, who happens to be one of the millions of people hoping for Busch to fail in his quest to defend his 2004 title. Busch is a little too goofy to be a fan favorite, but he can handle that steering wheel and he has a strong garage behind him. Busch possibly could have won Daytona had he not been sandwiched between teammates Gordon and Johnson in the closing moments.

6. Kasey Kahne — Kahne is only 24-years-old and is almost a dead ringer for actor Matthew McConaughey. But don't hold that against him. The kid can drive, proven by his 15 top-10 finishes and four poles last year. Kahne was running strong at Daytona until he was spun in a late race accident, but still managed a respectable 22nd place finish. Kahne took the pole at last year's California race, so expect a big jump in the standings for Special K and Evernham Motorsports.

7. Ryan Newman — Newman is known for two things: qualifying excellence, and extracting himself from fiery wrecks after rolling his Dodge eight to 12 times.

"That's when my degree from Purdue University comes in handy," notes Newman. "My knowledge of Vehicle Structural Engineering makes a difference in situations like that. My degree is something I'm very proud of. It's comforting to know that if this driving thing doesn't work out, I can always fall back on my degree. Of course, I think the only job a degree in Vehicle Structural Engineering qualifies one for is left rear tire changer, or maybe the guy that peels away the tearaway strip off the windshield."

If races were one lap in length, Newman would be the man. There not, so finding an engine that consistently goes the distance is a priority for Penske Racing.

"My sentiments exactly," says Newman. "Penske has moving trucks that last longer than my car."

8. Mark Martin — 46-year-old Martin, in his 22nd and final year of full-time NASCAR racing, wears his heart on his sleeve and his Viagra on his hood.

"Kind of gives new meaning to the words 'race trim', doesn't it?" chuckles Martin.

Yes, it does, and I'm sure you've been stockpiling loads of free samples over the years.

Martin has been a model of consistency in his career, as evidenced by his four second-place points finishes. Barring some miraculous sentimental journey, Martin won't capture the elusive points title, but will be a factor in the Chase For the Cup, thanks to his expertise and the efforts of the Roush Racing team, the strongest team top to bottom in the game.

9. Matt Kenseth — Kenseth followed up his 2003 championship season with a disappointing eighth place finish in 2004. He entered last year's Chase in fifth place, but only managed one top-10 finish in the final 10 races.

"But I can say this," adds Kenseth. "I am the last Winston Cup champion. What has become of this sport, and society, when tobacco sponsorship is replaced by cell phone sponsorship? It's disgusting. And now, they are allowing liquor sponsorship. I fully expect NASCAR to establish a race called the Hypocrytical 500 sometime soon."

Kenseth lost an engine 34 laps in at Daytona, and, as a result, finds himself in 42nd place in the points. As another strong driver in the Roush stable, expect Kenseth to challenge for the Cup.

10. Elliott Sadler — Sadler has the second-best Virginia accent in the business; he may have lost his ride, but Ward Burton still has the best Virginia drawl of all.

"Ward can talk the talk," says Sadler, "but he can't walk the walk. And now he can't even drive the drive. Now, somebody get me a pack of M&M's and four fresh tires."

Sadler finished ninth in last year's Chase, and hopes to move up the standings this year. It will take more than the two wins Sadler collected last year, in the Pop Secret 500 and Samsung/Radio Shack 500.

"Dang, does everything in my racing life revolve around snack foods?"

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 2:37 PM | Comments (8)

February 22, 2005

Making a Case for the Great American Bookie

The Super Bowl is over; the game went under. The media covered the game; the Eagles covered the game. Isn't football great?

Even the Pop Warner Super Bowl got some ink. The White Oak Warriors (MD) edged out the Dale City Cowboys (VA), 20-16, and the mighty Warriors had only given up 14 points going into the Super Bowl.

Unfortunately, the game was off the board.

If you didn't understand the previous line, you might not enjoy (or understand) the rest of this column.

If you did, well, then play on (pun intended).

The old adage says, "It's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game." But didn't Vince Lombardi say, "Winning isn't everything; it's the only thing?"

A wise man once said, "It's not how you play the game, it's who you play the game with." Okay, so maybe nobody said that. And actually, when you think about it, in gambling it only matters if you win or lose. To that end, some would argue that gambling is only a problem when you are on the losing end. Otherwise, it's just an addiction.

If you gamble — whether it is once a year on the Super Bowl (NFL, not Pop Warner) or 300-plus days a year — then you probably have a preferred medium for placing your bets.

There are three common ways to place a bet: go to Las Vegas and literally "go to the window;" go online; or call a bookie. For the sake of comparison, we'll assume Vegas is not a readily available option for most people.

If you're like most people, then you place your bet and watch the game at home or at a sports bar.

So who to play with?

Any bookmaker will tell you that online gambling has dramatically hurt their business. But they're still around. No credit cards, all cash. No web site, only phone calls.

And then there is Internet gambling. Spreading like Paris Hilton on a Saturday night, it's quick, easy, and state-of-the-art. No busy signals. Just pay, point, click, and bet.

While it might not be considered an age-old question, the issue of online gambling vs. the good old-fashioned bar bookie has stirred much debate.

While one might think at first glance that there is no good reason not to bet online, when you look closely, you'll see that betting online is no lock.

Issue: Reliability/Accessibility

Online: Internet gambling sites are a dime a dozen. Some are accredited and licensed, some are not. Most of the sites make it easy to confirm your bet once you make it. I've never heard of anyone not getting paid in full from an online book, but there is always that chance that the next time you call you'll be greeted on the other end by the following message: "The number you have reached is not available. In fact, it is floating somewhere near Antigua." Also, with the Internet, come technical difficulties.

Bookie: It's not uncommon to get a busy signal when calling "your man." And what about when your guy has the nerve to think he's entitled to spend time with his wife, play with his kids, or have a life on Sunday at 12:55 PM ET? Although we all agree that's unacceptable, it happens. In fact, one bettor switched to the Internet for that sole reason — his guy was not available on one day of an NFL playoff game. I should also mention that a bookie might cut you some slack if you call right at kickoff (or tip-off, or face-off, or first serve, or post time — you get the point) or a second or two after, while that is not an option with online sites.

Line: Online -5

Issue: Paying Out

Online: Since you put your money up in advance, there's no flexibility here. The blow of losing is softened a bit when you gamble online because the money is already gone and you don't need to worry about meeting some guy at a bar in the middle of the day, or about him calling your cell phone when you are trying to watch "Desperate Housewives."

Bookie: Most bookies will set a figure that if the player reaches — plus or minus — it is time to "settle up." So if you are down only half of that figure at week's end, you probably will not need to pay out immediately and can have a chance to win your money back. This can be good or bad, however most players, when given the option, will carry their debt over to the next week.

But when it's time to pay up, it's time to pay up. And don't worry about not "leaving home without it," as your guy does not take American Express, Visa, or any other credit card. For obvious reasons, they are not into paper trails. It's a cash business. But it's important to note that in most cases (not all, and it mostly depends on the amount of debt), these guys will not go Tony Soprano on you if you don't have their money. The 21st century bookie is not named Rocco, Vinnie, or Big Al, but rather it's lawyer Larry who lives next door, banker Bill who coaches soccer, or even friend-of-the-family Fred who coaches (and probably takes bets on) little Jimmy's youth basketball game.

Line: Bookie -3.5

Issue: Getting Paid

Online: Internet books will mail you the money, wire it or sometimes put it back on your credit card. There are fees associated with these transactions, and some would argue it's not right to pay anything on top of the 10% juice you already pay (on losses). Also, if you are mailed the money and you bet regularly, there's a decent chance you'll have to mail it right back by the time it arrives. In short, no actual cash is transacted, which means no opportunity to collect money from a nameless guy with a bad limp and terrible hair, an experience that is strange, scary, and kind of fun.

Bookie: All cash, all the time. It is rare that a bookie will "be short" and not be able to pay out in full, so that's not really an issue. The predetermined settle up figure allows you to play strategically (if you're close to that number on the downside and don't want to payout — or can't payout — you can curtail your betting). Obviously, this can work for or against a bettor. But, as mentioned above, it can be exhilarating to meet your guy (or the guy that collects/pays out for him) for the first time, especially when you discover you went to Hebrew school with his son.

Line: Bookie -1

Issue: Legality

Online: Different states have different laws, but it's safe to say you probably won't get arrested for placing a Super Bowl bet over the internet. But credit card companies are making it more and more difficult (read: high fees, hassle) for a user to put money into an online gambling account.

Bookie: As long as you are placing the bets and not taking them, you should be fine. But there is always risk that your man will get pinched, in which case you simply find another one. There is always someone willing to take your action.

Line: Online -2

Issue: Coolness Factor

Online: Nothing too glamorous about placing bets over a computer. It does, however, allow you to be more discrete and secretive. It is efficient and organized. You avoid reaching into your pocket for a crumpled piece of paper with numbers and dollar signs scribbled every which way.

Bookie: Let's be honest, it's somewhat cool, not to mention empowering, to creep into a corner, light a cigarette, pop open your tiny cell phone that has a bill that may or may not be paid in full this month, depending on what happens in the next three hours, and say, "458. Yeah, plus 230, that's a check. Gimme two dollars ($200) on the 'Skins, a dollar parlay on the Bills and 'Boys, and a nickel ($500) tease on the Fish and the Bears. Oh yeah, and what's the line the Lakers tonight? Thanks." While it's not advisable to bet that much, using the language is half (okay, maybe less) the fun. And just think, then you can be "that guy" (who gambles with a bookie) at the party.

Line: Bookie -9

Issue: Customer Service

Online: If the computer didn't process your wager, it sucks to be you. There is no negotiation about figures or bets placed. If you want assistance, technical or otherwise, you'll wait on hold for 10 minutes to talk to someone who speaks little or no English and who may or may not know what a point spread is.

Bookie: A bookie will usually record his calls for the purpose of disputes and discrepancies, which come up often. They make mistakes. Depending on your relationship, he may or may not give you the benefit of the doubt and/or be reasonable.

Line: Online -4

Issue: Miscellaneous

Online: Internet books will flood your e-mail, but will also offer the occasional free wager or account credit. If an image of a scantily-clad woman smiling on the Internet smiling at you eases the pain of giving away money, then online gambling sites are for you.

Bookie: One bettor, or "player" as they are often called, received a bottle of champagne from his bookie around New Year's. Granted, it was after this person handed over a substantial sum of money, but that's not the point (or is it?). The guy made this poor sap feel special. The aforementioned guy with the limp and bad hair could just as well be Dom, a bookie out of New York that someone I know played through. Regardless of how you were doing with, Dom would want to know how you were doing in life, or how your family was. Dom passed away a couple of years ago, presumably with money from many gamblers, but also probably with their respect.

Line: Pick 'em

Bookmakers come in all shapes and sizes. But "your guy" is your guy, someone you can call your own.

Online gambling is the way of the present and probably the future. With talk of legislation to regulate online books, it's probably not going to go away.

Then again, a compelling argument can me made that every red-blooded man should have a good mechanic, a good barber, and a good bookie.

And wasn't this country built on capitalism and free enterprise? (Cue patriotic theme music.) Is not every man entitled the right to make an (dis)honest buck? Do American consumers not still value a "personal touch?" (Even if neither player nor bookie knows the other's name.) Shouldn't we stand up for the little guy? And, most important of all...

Who will win next year's Super Bowl? And by how many?

Posted by Danny Sternfield at 3:09 PM | Comments (0)

The Pro Bowl, the Hall, and the Losers

Five Quick Hits

* Freddie Mitchell's pre-Super Bowl comments were blown way out of proportion. His post-Super Bowl comments set a new standard for stupidity.

* The Lions have been hesitant to cut ties with Joey Harrington. One possible reason: Drew Brees. San Diego's patience with Brees paid off in the form of a division title last year.

* It's too early to give up on Jeff Garcia. He didn't have a lot to work with in Cleveland, and he plays with a lot of heart. If Garcia lands with the right team and stays healthy, he'll have a shot at Comeback Player of the Year.

* Why is it such big news that the NHL season is cancelled? Haven't we pretty much known this for the last six months? Suspected it for more than a year?

* Romeo Crennel is the only new head coach I think much of, but he and Mike Nolan step into really dismal situations. I expect Nick Saban's Dolphins to put together the best turnaround next season.

I watched the first quarter of the Pro Bowl. By accident. I sat on my couch to have a snack, turned on the TV, and flipped to ESPN to see what was on. Oh, yeah. The game is a farce, of course, but my one comment is that Walter Jones either was trying even less than everyone else, or was totally caught off-guard by Donovan McNabb's mobility. Jones got beaten on a play, but McNabb eluded the sack and scrambled in Jones' direction. Unfortunately, Jones hadn't moved. McNabb eventually got sacked when Jones wasn't in position to pick up John Henderson's pursuit.

Hall Pass

Benny Friedman, Dan Marino, Fritz Pollard, and Steve Young are the newest additions to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Harry Carson, Michael Irvin, and Art Monk are among those who didn't make the cut this year.

Were all the new inductees deserving?

Sweet heaven, yes. This was the strongest class in at least five years, and the complaint I've been hearing is that not enough people got in, rather than the other way around. Last year, I thought Boomer Brown and Carl Eller were borderline candidates who could have been left out, but this year's finalists were a very strong class. Marino and Young are no-brainers, for reasons I probably don't need to explain.

Friedman was the NFL's first great passer, completing 50% of his passes in an era when 35% was good, and regularly leading the league in touchdown passes. His 1929 record of 20 TD passes stood for over a decade, after substantial rules changes to accomodate passers, including legalized passing from anywhere behind the line of scrimmage. It's a shame that Friedman wasn't enshrined long ago.

I know very little about Pollard, so I'm not in a position to argue for or against his induction. Pollard was the first African-American head coach in league history, and although statistics were kept loosely or not at all, contemporary accounts single him out as the most feared back in the league. If someone like Pollard is the weakest member of the class, you've clearly got a high-quality group.

Who got snubbed?

First and foremost, Monk, who was turned away for the fifth time. Playing with average quarterbacks for most of his career, Monk set NFL records for career receptions, single-season receptions, and consecutive games with a reception. He is the only eligible player ever to hold the career receptions record, but not have a bust in Canton.

Carson and Irvin also belong on this list. Both players made it to the final round of voting, where only a yea or nay is required, and failed to get enough votes for entry. I'm lukewarm on Irvin, whose prime was pretty limited, but when you get to the end of the line and can't get over the hump, that's gotta be a bummer.

This was a very strong group of finalists, so other worthy candidates were passed over as well, but those are the really big ones.

Who's Next?

Next year's first-time eligible list is pretty daunting: Troy Aikman, Dermontti Dawson, Warren Moon, Andre Reed, Andre Rison, Thurman Thomas, and Reggie White will all be nominated. Squeeze those guys in with Carson, Irvin, Monk, Derrick Thomas, and two Seniors candidates, and you've got an awfully crowded pool.

Among that group, Rison is the easiest to dismiss. Against that kind of competition, Dawson and Reed can be counted out of the running next year, too. White is the only mortal lock, with Thurman Thomas probably just ahead of Aikman. I'd guess all three of them make the cut, with Moon the most likely to join them. Next year is probably Carson's last realistic chance to get in, but I doubt it will happen.

The All-Loser Team

It's easy to reward players whose teams do well, but what about the ones who never win? All six quarterbacks in last week's Pro Bowl made the playoffs, including both Super Bowl QBs. For a bit of fun now that the season's over, allow me to present the third annual All-Loser Team, an all-star team composed entirely of players whose teams missed the postseason.

QB Trent Green, KC
RB Tiki Barber, NYG
FB Tony Richardson, KC
WR Muhsin Muhammad, CAR
WR Chad Johnson, CIN
TE Tony Gonzalez, KC
C Casey Wiegmann, KC
G Brian Waters, KC
G Will Shields, KC
OT Willie Roaf, KC
OT Willie Anderson, CIN

DT Cornelius Griffin, WAS
DT Kelly Gregg, BAL
DE Julius Peppers, CAR
DE Aaron Schobel, BUF
OLB Takeo Spikes, BUF
OLB Derrick Brooks, TB
ILB Antonio Pierce, WAS
ILB Al Wilson, DEN
CB Ronde Barber, TB
CB Chris McAlister, BAL
FS Deon Grant, JAC
SS Ed Reed, BAL

K Shayne Graham, CIN
P Shane Lechler, OAK
KR Dante Hall, KC

Honorable Mentions: Randy McMichael (TE, MIA); Bertrand Berry (DE, ARI); Terrell Suggs (OLB, BAL); Marcus Washington (OLB, WAS); Fred Smoot (CB, WAS); Shawn Springs (CB, WAS)

Posted by Brad Oremland at 2:53 PM | Comments (0)

February 21, 2005

I Hate Mondays: NBA All-Star Week

Is it over yet? Can I stop cringing?

Surprisingly, there has been more than one protracted painful exhibition in the sports world this week, so I guess I better clarify.

I'm talking about the NBA's All-Star Month, which has hopefully ended by now.

What used to be a meeting of basketball's prime players in a mid-season friendly has now turned into one of the biggest spectacles in the industry.

It started as one event, but now the bill fits six. In between the half dozen acts were Kelly Clarkson, the Goo Goo Dolls, Leanne Rimes, and a host of other cross-promotion and advertising. But I sarcastically say, why stop there? I mean, really, if you are going to sellout and powder up one game into a marketing weekend, why not make it a week?

Here's my blueprint:

First off, unless the day is Saturday or Sunday, then only one basketball related event and one musical performance is needed to chain the all-star link.

Friday, there's the Rookie-Sophomore Game, which breaks the ice, but by that point, the NBA is already dropping the ball. No need to procrastinate on the WNBA cross-promotion, lead into the Got Milk? Rookie Challenge with the WNBA Got Soy Milk? Rookie-Sophomore game. What better way to serve the fans with an appetizer?

By this point, some may think that we've milked the all-star theme for all it's worth, but trust me, this cow has more milk to give.

On Thursday, the festivities will encompass the Cialis 3-on-3 Legends Tournament. What better way to invigorate Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwan, Isiah Thomas, Clyde Drexler, Magic Johnson, and Karl Malone? Bring 'em all back. Make the games half-court, checks on possession, must win by two, and mic the players up. Slap American Idol finalists on the front end to sing the anthem and away you go.

Wednesday is the EA Sports NBA Street competition. After all, EA Sports does have videogames to sell, and the NBA does have money to make. But this contest is dynamic enough to connect three entities. The event for the day will be a team of "street all-stars" fielded from the NBA crop pitted against ESPN's And1 Mixtape Tour team.

From time to time, we've seen what The Professor or Spyder can pull on some other fogasies, but let's see how they stack up against Stephon Marbury and Allen Iverson. Ron Artest's band, Allure, can try to sing the anthem, and hip-hop outfit will rap God Bless America at halftime. The soft mesh netting will be replaced with chain netting, and each member of the audience will receive a copy of Allure's album and earplugs.

Tuesday, we're beginning to reach, but we've only got two more days to go. This rat race will be called Out of Your Element, sponsored by Honda Element. In this bout, teams will compete for, you guessed it, a Honda element. The car will be parked at center court throughout the game, and the winning lineup gives the car to their biggest fan. Thirty-two squads, 15-minute games, two members a piece, but here's the catch: rosters are comprised of the leading beat reporter and his home team's head coach. Coaches always claim to know so much — now they can prove it. Who wouldn't want to see Jeff Van Gundy guard Don Nelson? This, of course, appeals to an older audience, which means a pop/country opening act, or Paul McCartney.

And finally, Monday. This day will not be so much basketball related as the others, but it will present a soft open to the week's festivities. It's the Overstock.com Overpaid NBA Poker Player Tournament. TNT is likely to air some brand of poker in the near future, so this will offer a natural opportunity to promote.

You could have mixed bag tables with Keith Van Horn and Dikembe Mutombo, competing against other filthy rich non-contributors, or you could have city-versus-city, such as Golden State (Adonal Foyle, Troy Murphy, and Dale Davis) against Toronto (Donyell Marshall, Jalen Rose, and Alvin Williams). Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith commentate and the winning player puts forward the money towards the relief of his team's salary cap.

And that is what I call milking the cow for all it's worth. After all, if you are going to get wet, you might as well go swimming.

Long, drawn-out materializations and all-star games mix like Mondays and me.

"If everything appears to be going well, you don't know what the hell is going on." — Anonymous

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 11:11 AM | Comments (1)

February 20, 2005

The Tennis Feedback Column

I guess my Christmas Wish List column got pretty far around the world, but apparently not to Santa himself (laughs). I want to personally thank the reader who sent me a Marat Safin Christmas card ... very interesting. For those of you who never saw it, it had Marat smashing his tennis racquet (how appropriate) over my head! Nice touch, but no, you still won't get me to say here or anywhere in public that Marat is king! (Nice win at the Aussie, but he still has a way to go.)

I also want to thank all the readers who read the column and have contacted the companies or people I mentioned. I have received a ton of feedback from these companies, and every response has said that you, our SC readers, were polite, friendly, professional, and a pleasure to speak with. Way to go, guys and gals!

After the column, I was contacted by two of the companies, INTENN.com and Vantage. I want to thank all of you for your kind words to Mr. Gore of INTENN, the DVD tennis magazine, and let you know that his next issue is due soon. I recommend you visit his website, INTENN.com to find out more, and even leave him a comment. Or you can e-mail me here, and I'll pass it along.

Vantage Sports International actually launched their company and website on February 7th, about a month later than I wrote it would. I spoke to Mr. Paul Angell, the founder of Vantage Sports International and VantageTennis.com right after the launch, and he was also very appreciative of your support. He asked if there was anything he could do to thank us here at Sports Central, and I declined.

I did ask him, though, if he could reward you, the readers, for your support and for reading this column. He agreed, and so thanks to you and Vantage, any Sports Central reader who purchases from him will receive a 15% discount on Vantage tennis products.

When you place your order there, will be a referral code box that is on the order page. So, exclusive to Sports Central readers, put in the code "TK01" and your purchase will automatically receive a 15% discount. Don't forget the code, "TK01," because if you do, you won't receive your discount. Thank you, Mr. Angell, for your kindness to our readers.

To remind you all, Vantage Sports International is a new "mass market custom" racquet builder. That means that they offer you a range of choices, from head size, grip size, grip shape, shaft flexibility, length, weight, balance, grip type, and in this case, color (black or white). You go to VantageTennis.com, go through the easy-to-use racquet builder, and viola, you have a racquet that is built to what you want. If you aren't sure, there are also three pre-built models to review or choose from. After you place your order, they are hand-built and shipped directly to you. They typically arrive the next day, no more then 24 hours from the day of your order.

I also received an e-mail from Mr. Frank Kunz, founder and Director of Research and Development at X-45 Corp. He let me know that X-45 Corp. is coming into 2005 with an expanded range of frames, adding to the already popular 22 mm lineup with a new 28 mm lineup (I think he said it will be called the Monster series) and a 24 mm range, as well.

As of press time, the initial production of the 28 mm and 24 mm had not yet hit the states, so I haven't seen any yet. The new frames will all range from about 10 oz to 13 oz, and will round out the line so that X-45 now has a frame to suit any player and playing style. Check out www.X-45.com. You can also order from them direct on the web, another plus. They have a very generous demo program, so its worth a look at one of these very unique and well playing frames.

I also want to thank the reader who sent me a poster sized picture of Anastasia Myskina, with the following written on it, "Dear Tom, In your dreams, buddy! Love, Anastasia." I took it to my local sports memorabilia shop in hopes that it was authentic, but alas it appears that it isn't. So to whomever sent it, thanks anyway. It's still a pretty hot picture, and now I can see it every time I sit down to write this column.

Before I go, I want to thank you all for your continued readership. I would love to know how far away and how much this column gets, so if you don't mind, how about e-mailing me or leaving a comment here on the website to tell me where you are from and what you like about my columns, and Sports Central, too.

So, thanks a lot. My next column will get right back to tennis. I will have a feature on the Tennis Angels (yep, you don't want to miss this) and also some good commentary on the pro game before the WTA and ATP tours make their next stop together at the NASDAQ 100 in Miami.

Later, gators...

Posted by Tom Kosinski at 1:14 PM | Comments (2)

February 19, 2005

Mr. Canseco, You're No Jim Bouton

Whatever else you do or don't do about Mr. Jose Canseco's still-festering tome, please don't even think about comparing it — as only too many have, thus far — to Ball Four. "This," said a correspondent of mine about Juiced, "is like Ball Four. Ridiculed at the time, hailed in the future." It is like nothing of the sort.

I was there when Ball Four was first published, having read the book as a high school student in 1970. I read all the ridicule, the ridiculous, and the repugnant about that book. And I read the passages within the book that spoke of the legendary "greenies" — the amphetamines which some baseball players and other team sport athletes were gulping as often as they could get their hands upon them.

And would you like to know where the most uproar-cum-ridicule aimed when it came to Mr. Jim Bouton's opus?

It went to the passages that bespoke the frat-boy pranks and blunders. (My personal favorite: the goldfish slipped into the Seattle Pilots' bullpen's water cooler, said to have been slipped there by Baltimore Orioles relief pitchers Pete Richert and Eddie Watt.)

It went to those passages which revealed Mickey Mantle had what proved to be a fatal attraction to booze, when he wasn't leading beaver shooting (read: peeping Tom) expeditions up on the roof of the old Shoreham Hotel in Washington. ("I once told [my wife] that you could win a pennant with the guys who've been up on that roof," wrote Bouton.)

It went to those passages describing dumb jocko sex games on the team bus, including a player swooping unexpectedly on another particularly macho player and planting a wet one right smack on the kisser.

It went to those passages describing Joe Pepitone slinking into the trainer's room with a piece of popcorn under his foreskin, complaining about a new venereal disease with a straight face, holding his laughter until after the trainer popped out the popcorn with a pair of tweezers.

It went to those passages describing the paternity suit prank Seattle Pilots reserve catcher Merritt Ranew played on his roommate, pitcher Fred Talbot, who practically had coronary failure over it at first.

It went to those passages describing Dick Stuart's flagrant flouting of team rules when he was the prime time power swinger on the 1962-64 Boston Red Sox, and when he wasn't making pitcher Earl Wilson want to kill him over a couple of key errors — including spiking Wilson's foot on a play at first.

It went to those passages describing Roger Maris as a loafer. (Which should tell you exactly how well the Yankees did their self-appointed job of keeping secret the truth about Maris's mid-1960s injuries — the ones robbing him of much of his long-ball power, the ones the Yankees didn't want even him knowing because they needed him on field for marquee value as the team collapsed. Even his teammates, apparently, knew not the severity of those injuries.)

Among the more "serious" passages, said ridicule tended as a rule to go toward such passages as described the kind of underhanded contract negotiation tactics major leaguers endured in the pre-free agency days — tactics which helped provoke the forming of the Major League Baseball Players Association in the first place, including Ralph Houk's (when he was the Yankees' general manager) flagrant (and, as it happened, illegal) attempt to fine Bouton $100 a day for every day he held out for a raise before 1964.

Bowie Kuhn, then baseball commissioner, hauled Bouton into his office and all but demanded Bouton sign a formal statement disavowing Ball Four and blaming the whole megillah on his editor, former New York Post sportswriter and then-current Look sports editor, Leonard Shecter. Bouton didn't exactly demand but more or less suggested, implicitly, the orifice up which the commissioner could shove it.

"You've done the game a grave disservice. Saying Seattle players kissed on the team bus. Or that some of our greatest stars were drunk on the field. What could you have been thinking?" ("...drunk on the field" alludes, of course, to the long-famous anecdote of Mickey Mantle hauling his bat to the plate with a ferocious hangover, blasting one into the seats, and saying as he returned to the dugout, pointing to the cheering crowd, "Those people don't know how tough that really was.") That was the blurb from Bowie Kuhn that helped sell the first paperback edition of Ball Four.

Dick Young of the New York Daily News was polite and objective enough to call Bouton "a social leper" for having written and published Ball Four. (It was a subsequent amiable exchange between the two which provoked the title of Bouton's next book, in which he wrote of Ball Four's reception and consequences. Young acknowledged Bouton's civility by saying, "I'm glad you didn't take it personally" — and hence was the title. In some ways, I'm Glad You Didn't Take It Personally is even funnier than Ball Four. But only some.)

There are those who allege amphetamines to have "performance-enhancing" capabilities, too, although not quite the sort steroids are alleged to have. (The operative word, then and now: alleged capabilities. Proof, please. Thank you.) Not one syllable of the ridicule thrown upon Ball Four went even a thirty-second as much toward the stories of the greenies as went toward all the titillation.

Jim Bouton had just revealed a widespread-enough amphetamine presence in baseball — years before the infamous cocaine scandal of the early 1980s; decades before the incumbent steroids scandal — and most of the world was more outraged that he had exposed the lustful urges and lopsided economics enunciated behind 1960s clubhouse walls or aboard team buses than that he had exposed a presence of speed freaking behind those walls or aboard those buses.

Perhaps, too, it may have had something to do with the suggested salient reason for the greenies: keeping up the ol' energy over the long, long season. That didn't seem to offend 1969 readers the way the idea of "cheating" does 2005 readers. Readers who think there is something sinful about replenishing depleted muscle or body substance, which is precisely the reason Mark McGwire used something that was not a steroid. Readers who still do not get the idea that cheating in baseball, actual or alleged, did not begin when Jose Canseco first turned up in a major league clubhouse with a shot of Kickapoo Joy Juice loaded up his wazoo. (It didn't even begin when Babe Ruth hauled up to the plate with a bat made of four individual pieces of wood, a haul which helped provoke the American League's original rule against altered or doctored bats.)

"You spend a good part of your life gripping a baseball, and then it turns out that it was the other way around," Bouton wrote poetically enough to finish Ball Four. Based upon the excerpts I have seen — and the none-too-subtle backpedaling and flippy-floppy in Canseco's public comments since the pre-publication excerpts and post-60 Minutes — it would surprise me not to see for myself that Juiced ends with words to the effect of, "You spend a good part of your life whipping the living you-know-what out of a baseball, and then it turns out that you don't get no respect."

Posted by Jeff Kallman at 4:39 PM | Comments (2)

The Bright Side of Armageddon

I was wrong about the National Hockey League lockout.

That's a hard pill for me to swallow, because I was convinced that this was all for the best. That the very fate of the NHL — at least in the short term — hung in the balance. That, finally, owners were taking responsibility for their financial foibles. As I said last week: "You can't fault a crackhead for being a crackhead if he's at least trying to put the pipe down for once."

Well, after the NHL cancelled the 2004-05 season on Wednesday, here's the truth of the matter: those crackheads weren't weaning themselves off the rock; they were merely looking for a cheaper dealer.

"Cost certainty?" My ass. This was about breaking a union that had been strong enough to humble the owners the last time they dueled. This was about correcting the owners' own mistakes by making the players suffer for them. This was asking players, agents, and most importantly the fans to put their faith in a group of people that haven't shown the aptitude to turn a profit running a lemonade stand, let alone a professional sports league.

I grew up in a union house. I attended college thanks to a union, and my parents receive annual medical attention because of a union. When my father would be out of work for months on end, it was the union that assisted him in finding new employment in his industry of choice. It disgusts me when corporate whores paint unions as money siphons or mobbed-up machines that are determined to ruin the economy. Tell that to a guy who wouldn't be able to pay for his son's surgery if not for the health coverage his union fought for its constituents to receive.

Now, compared to the real world, sports business is a wonderful fairyland of gumdrops and unicorns. Half the players in the NHL don't have to worry about health coverage; they could buy a hospital if they wanted to. The NHL Players' Association has the same aim as other labor unions, but due to the elephantine economics of professional sports that aim isn't as true as, say, a steelworker union's might be.

Still, it was hard for me, at first, to side with NHL ownership against the union until I convinced myself that their efforts were noble.

Now I see their motivations were sinister, traitorous, and undermined the very league they were trying to save.

Don't even call this a negotiation. The players were collectively bargaining; the owners were, collectively, a statue. If I had told you back in September that the players would, at one point, offer a salary cap of $49 million, a substantial luxury tax starting at $40 million, and a 24-percent rollback on current salaries, would you have thought the NHL owners fools for not accepting the deal?

I would have, and I do today.

But this wasn't about cutting a fair deal for both employees — whose only sin was cashing the checks management cut for them — and NHL owners. It was about correcting the league's finances in such a dramatic and overbearing way that the union would fracture. And with the cancellation of the season, it appears Gary Bettman's mission is accomplished, especially in light of the rumors flying about a splinter cell of players attempting to broker their own deal with the league.

There are two great misconceptions in this lockout. The first is that the players are somehow "greedy." Yeah, so greedy that they were willing to give back a quarter of their money and cap future earnings. The players aren't just the employees, they are the product. That's something I missed in the last few months of the lockout. It's easy to say that it's all about the uniform, or that the "stars" in the league have had little impact on television ratings. But when Colorado comes to town, I pay to see it play because of the quality of its talent. The inverse is true in regards to teams like the Wild, which might play a tight game with the home team, but lack the individual pizzazz of other clubs.

The second misconception is that this lockout was vital to the survival of the league, which simply isn't true. It was vital to the survival of certain teams in the league, because this bloated monster that is the NHL doesn't have enough revenue to sustain 30 teams.

"The bottom line to it is there are teams that have losses and teams that have profits. That doesn't mean we don't recognized a change was in order," said NHLPA poobah Bob Goodenow on WFAN in New York this week. "You have to look at the league-wide situation."

Damn right you do. And that means looking at small-market teams and big market teams (like the Islanders) that aren't financially solid enough to compete and/or turn a profit, no matter where the salary bar is set. These teams should be eliminated. Contracting the league concentrates talent and reduces the number of teams that need revenue-sharing handouts.

Of course, when you're only paying out $90 million of a $2 billion pie to your teams, there isn't a lot of revenue sharing to begin with.

Okay, enough with the doom and gloom. Assuming the season remains canceled — and that means assuming a magical coalition of Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy doesn't come up with a CBA in the next 24 hours to "save" the season — it's time to look on the bright side of life.

(And with the news coming late Thursday night, I might regret that Easter Bunny comment.)

Twenty Good Things About a Canceled Hockey Season

1. Both Bob Goodenow and Gary Bettman will be out of a job when this is over. Goodenow because too many players feel he botched the negotiation, and the union needs new leadership to solidify again. Bettman — according to the scuttlebutt — as a sacrifice to the players who absolutely despise him. Here's a thought: on the day Bettman hands in his letter of resignation, change the conference and division names back to normal and drop the instigator rule. Nothing the Board of Directors could do would say, "Sorry, fans ... we don't know what that last 13 years were about, either" better than that.

2. The New York Rangers will not win the Stanley Cup this year.

3. Bobby Holik can focus on his career as a unibrow model.

4. Members of the Roenick family will finally feel our pain and beg Uncle Jeremy to Just. Shut. Up.

5. Players will be available for cameo appearances in the direct-to-video sequel, "Slap Shot 3."

6. KISS will have plenty of available arena dates for its latest "farewell" tour.

7. The Stanley Cup can be rented out to Lil' John as the ultimate pimp goblet.

8. Sidney Crosby, the resident next GretzkyMarioLindrosGordie super-rookie, will most likely sue the NHL if there's no Entry Draft this season to become an unrestricted free agent. At which point the Flyers and Red Wings will kidnap him, toss him in a room, lock the door, and keep throwing American dollars at him until he signs one of their contracts.

9. Matthew Barnaby can study for a law degree to go along with his mastery of labor negotiation tactics.

10. The chances for another concussion dramatically decrease for both Scott Stevens and Eric Lindros.

11. Television tech wizards will have extra time to fine-tune HDTV technology so viewers can watch clutching, grabbing, and teams not scoring in an entirely new way.

12. The Philadelphia Flyers will not win the Stanley Cup this year.

13. Sporting goods stores can finally pack away hockey sweaters, clearing space of the next generation of Texas Hold'em tables.

14. ESPN announcer Bill Clement can rent himself out to surgeons as a natural way to induce pre-op paralysis through his color commentary.

15. To help give hockey fans some semblance of normalcy, the Chicago Blackhawks will not appear in a playoff game.

16. Watching NHL owners explain to fans how a $15 ticket for scab hockey suddenly goes back to being an $85 ticket when the lockout ends, despite the presence of a hard cap and a rollback on salaries.

17. Hockey rumor bloggers can finally emerge from their mother's basement and hang out at the mall with the rest of the high-school sophomores.

18. Anaheim's GiggyPuff Marshmallow Goalie can rent his pads to NASA in order to catch the Hubbell when it falls to Earth.

19. Canadian hockey fans will have months to formulate reasons why Americans abominate/despise/undervalue/sully/wreck/embarrass/seek to destroy the sport.

20. Neither the New York Rangers nor the Philadelphia Flyers will win the Stanley Cup this year.

Greg Wyshynski is also a weekly columnist for SportsFan Magazine. His columns appear every Saturday on Sports Central. You can e-mail Greg at [email protected].

Posted by Greg Wyshynski at 4:24 PM | Comments (0)

February 18, 2005

Sports Q&A: Steroids, Moss, and Lockout

Derek from Knoxville, Tennessee asks, "What do you think about Jose Canseco and the fact that he thinks steroids should be a normal part of life?"

Great question, Derek, one that I'm unable to answer until I inject some steroids directly into my brain. Just a second. Ahhh, there we go. I can already feel the quality of my life improving as I speak. Okay, now to your question.

First off, as far as Jose Canseco goes, I'm impressed by anyone who proclaims himself the "Godfather of Steroids." That's just a cool title to have, almost as cool as being called the "Ayatollah of Rock and Rollah." If I were Canseco, I'd have my mail delivered to "Godfather Of Steroids." Mail carriers love delivering to bogus addressees. Now, as far as Canseco's credibility is concerned, he has none. The man was wearing lipstick in his interview with Mike Wallace on 60 Minutes, for God's sake.

But just because someone has no credibility does not mean they're not telling the truth. Look at O.J. Simpson. Canseco has readily offered to take a polygraph test. I think he would pass. He's voluntarily offering this information, while others (Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Jason Giambi, etc.) can't give a straight answer.

We all complain when players withhold information, but now, when one has controversial information to offer, we accuse him of lying? Either they are all liars, or they are all telling the truth. Either way, somebody is doing steroids. I tend to believe Canseco's "'Roid Rage Against the Machine." I also tend to believe that had Canseco not been on steroids, we would have heard a lot more about his relationship with Madonna.

Should steroids be a normal part of life? No. I think that's entirely the point. If you do steroids, you lose all claim to normality, at least in this day and age. Maybe someday in the future, when Canseco is Commissioner of Baseball, President of the United States, or Head of the Loyal Order of Moose, he can push his steroid agenda. But being simply the "Godfather of Steroids" does not entitle one to such action. Now, at some point down the road, oh, say 20 years or so, we may be popping steroids like One-A-Days, and athletes may be nutless, freaks of nature with two biceps per arm, and necks may be obsolete. But until then, athletes must follow the rules, and the rules say "no steroids."

Nikki from Parts Unknown asks, "To whom do you think Randy Moss will be traded? And how do you think he will perform?

Funny you should ask, Nikki. Moss was just traded to the Ravens for a first-round pick and an afro to be named later. No, I'm just kidding. This whole "Moss being traded" deal has been blown out of proportion. Moss is staying in Minnesota, where he's the boss, and rightly so, since he is the face of the franchise. Whether you see that face as a pass-catching, jersey-selling, touchdown machine, or a trouble-making, moon-shooter with an attitude depends on your opinion of Moss.

You either love Randy or you hate him. His coach loves him; his teammates love him. The city loves him. Coaches of teams with sorry receivers love him. If the Vikings were willing to part with 12-14 touchdowns a year and the millions of dollars of signing bonus they gave to Moss years earlier, then he would be traded. But this is Randy Moss. There's no way the Vikes can let Moss go when he is the centerpiece of their offense. Besides, who would taunt Packers fans, and who would they taunt?

Ask any Packers fan who was present at the Minnesota/Green Bay playoff game in January in which Moss "mooned" the crowd, and they'll tell you that was the cleverest "rib" perpetrated on Green Bay fans ever. Like they say in that Guinness Beer commercial: "Brilliant!" The bottom line is: Moss is too valuable to trade, and the Vikings can deal with the problems that come with Randy Moss, as long as he produces.

If I'm wrong and Moss is traded, the Ravens seem to be the most interested. Whether or not Moss is interested in them is an issue. If Terrell Owens can reject the Ravens, can't Moss? It makes sense that a receiver would rather play for a team with a quarterback, which is a term occasionally used to describe Kyle Boller. And would Moss really want to play with Ray Lewis, whom I'm sure would not hesitate to get in Moss' grill if Randy got slack. Randy doesn't want that, does he? No, dog.

Randy stays in Minnesota, catches 85 passes for 1,345 yards and 15 TDs, and even throws a couple of downfield blocks. Moss also stars in a MTV reality series entitled Hustler: On the Field With Randy Moss.

Kevin Hohl asks, "What REALLY will happen if the NHL cancels the season?"

It's not a question of if anymore. The NHL and dorky commissioner Gary Bettman canceled the season on Wednesday. What does this mean? Personally, it means I can utilize approximately 30 hours of television time in June on something besides a seven-game series in which every game goes into double overtime. Not that I'd rather watch something other than hockey, because overtime hockey playoff games are hard to beat for excitement. And I know we'll all miss our Barry Melrose mullet fix.

In the overall picture, I don't think fans will be alienated that much by the cancellation of the season. Sure, they'll moan and complain now, but next season, if there is a next season, they'll be breaking down doors to see a hockey game. Especially those Canadians. Eh, you hosers? Fans will forgive the players. After all, hockey players make the least amount of salary in comparison to the three other major sports, baseball, basketball, and football.

By no means am I saying that hockey players can't support a family on what they make, like that poor soul Latrell Sprewell, but, I'd have to say they earn their pay more than most professional athletes, and they probably don't have a dental plan. Now, the owners? They're all a bunch of greedy bastards, so they better reduce some ticket prices next year, or fans might rebel. And by rebel, I mean go to a game with a sign that says "(Owner's name), what's your problem, you puckhead?"

So, in short, I don't foresee many long-term negative effects on NHL hockey as a result of the season cancellation. The players and the owners can go to their neutral corners and realize that they've ruined hockey for this season. But there's always next season. Besides, ESPN can now fully devote their programming to promote the Professional Bowlers' Association as the world's foremost pin-striking sport, a position it rightly deserves. And the lack of hockey will also open the door for more Tilt marathons.

Get Your Questions Answered!

Do you have a question or a comment? Want to tell me I'm an idiot? Need help with your homework? Need bail money? Want to know next week's Powerball numbers? Then send me your questions/comments/insults with your name and hometown to [email protected]. You may get the answer you're looking for in the next column on Friday, March 4rd.

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 5:41 PM | Comments (0)

Bonds' Stock Falling: Was Barry Ever "Best"?

It is safe to say that Barry Bonds will never again hit 73 home runs in a season. Nor should anyone do so — those 50 home run years by the likes of Brady Anderson, Brett Boone, and Luis Gonzalez are things of the past — a pre-BALCO anomaly that will go down in baseball history under the cloak of suspicion.

Suffice it to say that Ted Williams, Willie McCovey, Reggie Jackson, Mike Schmidt, Willie Stargell, and Harmon Killebrew never hit 50 homers in a single season. Having said that, PEDs or no, how good was Barry Bonds?

For three years, assorted scribes, radio sports talk hosts, and ESPN heads have declared Barry Bonds as either the greatest ballplayer of all-time, the best hitter who ever lived, or the best player active today. His name has been mentioned in the same breath as Ted Williams, and many have granted him the status of either or both Willie Mays and Babe Ruth.

Since Bonds is easier to assess among his peers than against his predecessors, let's see how he stacks up against the guys playing today. Without taking fielding, throwing, or base-running into account, solely batting ... I don't see Barry as the premier player now or ever, juice notwithstanding. Let me tell you why:

Here are Barry's major batting stats over the past 15 seasons, the first column is home runs, second is RBI, third his batting average:

1990 25 PIT NL 33 114 .301
1991 26 PIT NL 25 116 .292
1992 27 PIT NL 34 103 .311
1993 28 SFG NL 46 123 .336
1994 29 SFG NL 37 81 .312
1995 30 SFG NL 33 104 .294
1996 31 SFG NL 42 129 .308
1997 32 SFG NL 40 101 .291 (Ken Griffey, Jr.: 56 HR, 147 RBI, batted .304)
1998 33 SFG NL 37 122 .303 (Sammy Sosa: 66 HR, 158 RBI, batted .308)
1999 34 SFG NL 34 83 .262 (Sammy Sosa: 63 HR, 141 RBI, batted .288)
2000 35 SFG NL 49 106 .306 (Sosa: 50 HR, 138 RBI, batted .320)
2001 36 SFG NL 73 137 .328 (Sosa: 64 HR, 160 RBI, batted .328)
2002 37 SFG NL 46 110 .370
2003 38 SFG NL 45 90 .341 (Albert Pujols: 43 HR, 124 RBI, batted .359)
2004 39 SFG NL 45 101 .362 (Pujols: 46 HR, 123 RBI, batted. 331)

Moreover, "best" should apply to both leagues — let's take another peek at Bonds in '98: .303, 37 HR, 122 RBI, while Cleveland's Manny Ramirez hit .294 with 45 HR and 145 RBI. Advantage Manny.

In '99, Bonds had .262, 34 HR, and 83 RBI. Over in the AL, Manny Ramirez hit .333 with 44 HR and 165 RBI in only 147 games, more than a run batted in per-game. In 2000, Bonds (who was not yet being compared to Mays and Williams because he hadn't broken McGwire's single-season homer mark or Ruth's standard for walks), hit .306 with 49 homers and 106 RBI. Great season, but Manny hit .351, with 38 HR and 122 RBI.

The next season, 2001, Bonds posted .328, 73 HR, and 137 RBI. Now the Mays/Williams comparisons begin. AL star Alex Rodriguez hit .318 with 52 HR and 135 RBI. In '02, compare the two players as hitters- Barry: .370, 46, 110, A-Rod: .300, 57, 142.

It seems Bonds is not only not the greatest player of all-time, he's not the greatest hitter of his era. He's clearly not the best run producer — Sosa, Manny, and A-Rod have him there. And I don't buy the "there's no one on base when Barry comes up" argument; throw that in the S.F. Bay. A-Rod played for the Rangers in the years I cited, and Sammy for the Cubs. Yet Bonds has been voted league MVP in 2001, '02, '03, and '04. Go back and look at him and Sammy in '01, and he and young Pujols in 2002 and 2003.

As for Bonds stats vs. early Griffey, there's no debate — Junior hit 56 homers in both 1997 and 1998, so I'll close my case regarding hitting. Just as importantly, if Bonds were the all-around player Mays was, would pitchers be giving him first base? A five-tool player can hurt the opposition on the basepaths, an intentional walk to a Mays or a Mantle was an invitation to steal second base. And if Bonds were a great glove man, he wouldn't be playing left field, wouldn't he?

Posted by Bijan C. Bayne at 5:15 PM | Comments (48)

A Literary Romp Through Steroids

In the last week, we have learned that Jason Giambi is sorry ... for things he can't or won't specify.

On the other hand, there is Jose Canseco, who is quite willing to describe everything he has done, but not apologize for it.

Welcome just the two latest chapters in the ongoing steroid saga that has dominated the offseason. Allegations, book deals, grand jury testimony, and press conferences are getting just as much (or more) attention than free-agent signings and detailed analysis of the upcoming season.

One has to wonder how Peter Gammons feels discussing the subject.

What would be the test of corruption?

"Becoming really insincere calling myself "not such a bad fellow," thinking I regretted my lost youth when I only envy the delights of losing it. Youth is like having a big plate of candy. Sentimentalists think they want to be in the pure, simple state they were in before they ate the candy. They don't. They just want the fun of eating it all over again. The matron doesn't want to repeat her girlhood; she wants to repeat her honeymoon. I don't want to repeat my innocence. I want the pleasure of losing it again." — F. Scott Fitzgerald

Watching Jason Giambi's press conference, I wondered if this has been his mentality all along. With his grand jury testimony leaked, we all know that he took steroids, and his physical deterioration and injuries are adequate circumstantial evidence in the court of public opinion. Yet, Giambi refused to admit what he did.

One has to wonder if he's sorry at all for his actions. Whether given the chance he would undo his MVP season and give up his power numbers knowing what he knows now.

And the same goes for Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire, Barry Bonds, Gary Sheffield, Ken Caminiti, and the rest of the players that either admitted taking steroids or whom have come under suspicion through BALCO ties or Conseco's book (although we can be pretty sure that Conseco is not sorry.)

The allure of record-breaking seasons, legions of adoring fans, millions of dollars, and the ability to play the game at such a high (although chemically-enhanced) level might be too much to ignore. Is the chance of getting caught worth the benefits of the drug? Unfortunately, the answer to that question for a lot of ballplayers is probably yes. They have been and are willing to sell their souls to Mephibalcoles for a chance at an edge.

"Here was a new generation, shouting the old cries, learning the old creeds, through the reverie of long days and nights; destined finally to go out into that dirty gray turmoil to follow love and pride; a new generation dedicated more than the last to the fear of poverty and the worship of success; grown up to find all Gods dead, all wars fought, all faiths in man shaken..." — F. Scott Fitzgerald

Can there ever be another 60 home run season without suspicion? No.

Can we look back at the last decade of baseball without a cynical eye? No.

The legacy of the steroid saga is going to be one of distrust, from fans, from the media, and from the children that will find the game in the years to come. And the sad thing is that the alleged pervasiveness of the abuse and the alleged blind eye that Major League Baseball turned toward the culprits forbades discretion or the benefit of the doubt.

FBI investigators now claim that MLB was alerted to possible steroid abuse by players repeatedly in the last 20 years. Jose Canseco claims that steroids were a way of life for some ball players and organizations, coaches, and teammates accepted the fact and did little if nothing to change what was happening.

And now MLB, under pressure from the public and congress, has instituted the equivalent of 15 minutes in the time-out chair.

At a time of such intense public scrutiny, MLB's response was weak at best, and at worst, a dangerous and intentional effort at appearing strong while still enabling players to abuse steroids and launch balls into the stands and bring fans to the ballpark.

While there has always been a suspicion that steroids are used, and Barry Bonds' arms aren't wholly developed by eating green vegetables, the shadow over the sport is comparably darker and denser than it's ever been.

A father taking his son to baseball games in the future will now necessarily include as many explanations of "the cream" and "the clear" as pointers on how to mark a strikeout in a program. Tales of Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe will turn into stories of Barry Bonds and BALCO.

Sports (as well as movies and music) are the last bastion of mythical heroes for adults. Athletes and celebrities are the grown-up substitutes for Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. We want to believe in that superhuman ability to be perfect, the ability to rise above the game and dominate in a way that words cannot describe. And increasingly, we are learning that the flaws in the fabric of our heroes go beyond affairs, egos, and riches and right onto the field that was the stage for who they have become.

My reactions to the evolution of the steroid sage are closely mirrored by my reactions to finding out there was no Santa Claus.

Step 1: Gifts start appearing before I can even recognize or understand what they are. The game is something to be discovered and learned.

Step 2: There is an explanation of how things work. Santa Claus climbs down the chimney and delivers the gifts every year.

Step 3: A period of pure enjoyment in the experience. Marveling at what happens with a child-like, blind acceptance of the status quo.

Step 4: A sneaking suspicion, lacking shape or description, that there's a different explanation of how things work. This is a period of suspended disbelief.

Step 5: It happens. Someone tells you the truth.

Step 6: You celebrate the holiday anyway, with a new outlook based on your new information.

It's a senior vice president overlooking questionable accounting practices after the CEO signs over his million-dollar bonus.

It's finding out your aunt's pumpkin pie that she brags about every Thanksgiving is actually bought from the local supermarket.

"First you take a drink, then the drink takes a drink, then the drink takes you." — F. Scott Fitzgerald

It is not out of the question to say that MLB was complicit to the juiced decades that Canseco describes in his new book. Power brings home runs, home runs bring fans to the park, and that translates directly into revenue in the form of millions of dollars.

Their responsibility now is not to dwell on the past or explain their actions, or lack thereof (although that would be nice), but to protect the future of the game.

Even as pitchers and catchers report to spring training, there is a chemist somewhere working on the next designer drug that will be undetectable from the current tests. Beyond imposing penalties on players testing positive, MLB must keep up with new variations of steroids, a process that is sure to be expensive and time-consuming, but nevertheless, one that needs to happen.

The extent to which MLB knew of steroid abuse is still in doubt, but they are going to have to take control of the monster that grew up on their watch. And they are going to need to put a new face on the national pastime (preferably one without chemically-induced forehead muscles).

"Fixed the World's Series?" I repeated. The idea staggered me. I remembered, of course, that the World's Series had been fixed in 1919, but if I had thought of it all I would have thought of it as a thing that merely happened, the end of some inevitable chain. It never occurred to me that one man could start to play with the faith of 50 million people — with the single-mindedness of a burglar blowing a safe." — F. Scott Fitzgerald

It's not merely one person that is now playing with the faith for American baseball fans. It's a Medussa head with Bonds, Giambi, Canseco, Sheffield, Sosa, Caminiti, and McGwire.

There is no question as the the impact of the steroid allegations on the faith of the fans. The story has dominated talk radio, ESPN, CNN, and has been the subject of God knows how many column inches. What is happening has had a deep and exceedingly powerful impact on the national psyche.

Baseball was devastated after the 1919 World Series scandal, but it came back, partly because of Babe Ruth and the powerful attack he unleashed on the record books and bleachers in every city.

Once again, America's faith in the game of baseball was shaken after the strike in 1994. But then Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa came swinging to the rescue in the summer of the home run chase, a time during which they captured the hearts of the fans and brought them back to the ballparks in droves.

What will restore our faith in baseball this time? I doubt it will or should be a stunning display of power. There's a chance that defensive and pitching oriented 1-0 games will do the trick. Perhaps the pantheon of baseball heroes this year will be filled with names like Curt Schilling, Johan Santana, Pedro Martinez, and Randy Johnson.

But then again, like Greg Maddux said, chicks did the long ball.

It might take something like Cal Ripken, Jr.'s streak, the awe-inspiring run at history by the Red Sox, a display of hitting technique by Ichiro, or the beauty of a five-tool player like Carlos Beltran to make things right this time.

By my account, these are all far more powerful than a 500-foot home run and more emblematic of the sport that has captured our imagination for more than a century.

Then again, F. Scott Fitzgerald could have been right when he said, "Baseball is a game played by idiots for morons."

Posted by Vince Grzegorek at 4:46 PM | Comments (0)

February 17, 2005

Why Baseball Should Let the Players Cheat

Former Arizona Cardinals head coach and current Redskins coordinator Joe Bugle once coined the phrase, "if you're not cheating, you're not trying." If that's the case, you have to give the bulk of Major League Baseball players an "A" for effort.

Rumors and questions have swirled around the game for many years now regarding the issue of steroids. Now comes critically-acclaimed author and human being Jose Canseco, who has decided to spill the beans on baseball's worst-kept secret.

The names [Mark] McGwire, [Barry] Bonds, [Jason] Giambi, [Juan] Gonzales, and Pudge [Rodriguez] have all popped up in newspapers and websites. The three- and four-letter sports networks have spent all week analyzing whether or not we should trust Jose's words at face value.

My analysis: who cares? Hellen Keller could see that steroids have been and still are running rampant throughout Baseball. Maybe not as rampant as they once did, but they are still as big apart of the game as empty sunflower seed shells and overpriced, lukewarm beer.

For those "world-class athletes" who decide that using the juice is the best way to go, they are big boys, let them have at it. They must know the risks involved when injecting these toxins into their body. The use of steroids can cause acne, water retention, hypertension, aggression, cardiovascular disease, heart palpitations, impotence, and jaundice.

They have to know that these side effects could be induced by trying to gain an unfair advantage, don't they? If they don't, this and more information can be found in less than 15 seconds by using your favorite search engine.

If these ballplayers are comfortable with destroying their liver and seriously altering their sex life, so am I! I don't overpay for stadium seats to see ground balls and pop-ups. I want to see these monsters crank one out at any cost they are willing to pay.

Does this mean that these skilled talents belong in the Hall of Fame? Absolutely not. A new Hall should be dedicated to the likes of Jose Canseco, Ken Caminiti, Ben Johnson, Lyle Alzado, and Hulk Hogan.

No matter how much Major League Baseball alters its drug testing policy, the fact remains that if you or I are shooting up, we can pencil in some vacation time in a state-owned hotel complete with sleeping quarters, jumpsuits, and three squares of gruel a day. If these guys get caught, they will receive 10 games to vacation in Cancun.

There is an old adage that states cheaters never prosper. That statement still rings true for those sluggers cashing million dollar checks, and swimming in adulation from adoring fans, young and old alike.

Lets just see how this season shakes out for Jason Giambi, playing in the media fishbowl that is New York City. Giambi will try to recapture a greatness he only possessed while cheating. Let's just see how this season works out for Sammy Sosa, whose numbers have steadily declined over the past four seasons. And Sammy Sosa moves into a new ballpark and a new league with as much to prove as anyone in the game.

Let's just see how this season rolls along for Barry Bonds. Bonds is on the cusp of passing Babe Ruth, en route to being the all-time home run king.

The baseball fans across America didn't inject the needle into the players' hindquarters, but we might as well have loaded the syringe. We are a society obsessed with the slam-dunk, the bone-crushing tackle, and the long ball. We pay their salaries to see them accomplish feats that we could never quite dream of. Everyone wants to eat the chicken, but we don’t want hear about how it is cooked. The use of steroids in baseball is the chicken. For the record books, it's far too late to send it back to the chef.

Posted by Daniel Collins at 6:56 PM | Comments (0)

Slant Pattern's Odds and Ends

Culled from the headlines...

Lower Court Decision Upheld, Ricky
Williams Must Pay Dolphins $8.6 mil

I've defended Ricky before (and I am sure I will again), but if he didn't live up to the terms of the contract he signed, of course he should be held liable.

I imagine that, with no other way to pay back the Dolphins, we will see Williams back in the NFL. He'll sign with someone like the Raiders, who will orchestrate a deal that satisfies both Miami's wishes to see return or repayment on their investment and doesn't force Ricky to simply hand over his weekly paycheck from the Raiders to the Dolphins.

But suppose Ricky does stay retired. After all, no one can force him to return to professional football. He's not going to be able to raise $8.6 no matter how many water bongs he endorses. So then what happens? There's no such thing as debtor's prison anymore. The feds can repossess all his belongings and probably not approach the $8.6 million amount Williams owes.

Do you have bad credit? No credit? Well then, not only is that not a problem at Auto Joe's car hut, but you have probably received harassing phone calls and letters from creditors and collection agencies. I certainly have. How does the face of those phone calls change when you owe not $1,100 to Visa, but $8.6 million to the Miami Dolphins?

(Phone rings )
Ricky: Hello?
Collection Agency Representative: Hey, is Ricky around? (Note to those who have never been seriously delinquent on a bill: debt collectors almost always go for the "familiar friend" opening salutation, hoping you will think it's actually a familiar friend on the line and not Shylock).
Ricky: Um, speaking.
CAR: Hello, Ricky, I'm calling in regards to the $8.6 million dollar debt you have not repaid to the Miami Dolphins. Are you familiar with the debt in question?
Ricky: Um ... no!
CAR: Sir, our records indicate...
Ricky: No habla ingles.
CAR: Sir, we are only calling to inquire how you intend to repay the $8.6 million...
Ricky: Oh! I think you are looking for my brother, Ricky.
CAR: Sir, you indicated that you are Ricky Williams at the onset of this phone call.
Ricky: But that's still my brother, Ricky, the football player. I'm Ricky the trumpet washer. It's like the Foreman kids, all named George. 'Cept we're all named Ricky.
CAR: Okay. May we speak to Ricky the football player?
Ricky: He's in the shower.
CAR: Can you get him out of the shower?
Ricky: No.
CAR: But it's a matter of great importance.
Ricky: I'm sorry, who's calling?
CAR: This is his bank (another thing I've heard collection agencies claim).
Ricky: No habla ingles.
CAR: Sir...
Ricky: Gotta go. (Hangs up).

Again, everyone knows what happens next if you've been harassed by debt collectors: you unplug the phone for the next six months, and get a cell phone. It's such a simple way to pretend you don't have debt! We will get into part two, "Asking friends if you can move into their basement," next week.

***

I've done a lot of bashing of Phil Mickelson in this space, but is he on a tear or what? Two victories (both with Vijay Singh in the field) by five strokes in two weeks? Wow. My chief complaint against Mickelson has been that he only seems to play up to his ability in majors and just seems to shake hands and sign autographs on the regular tour stops, but we can't say this about him right now, can we? And if he plays anywhere near this level for the rest of the year, we have to start mentioning his name as the best player in the world.

Meanwhile, I almost feel like someone is daring Freddie Mitchell to say the stupidest things possible, or just straight-up paying him. In light of that theory, here are my predictions of what else he will say in the next sit months:

• Winning in Week 3 is more important than winning the Super Bowl.
• You should drop a few passes a game to show humility.
• My priorities in life, in order, are Ms. PacMan, family, faith, baseball, and football.
• I'm changing my name to Mitchmaster Flex.
• I want the Eagles to start paying me in cans of Bumblebee Tuna.

Final thought: why doesn't anyone understand that Jose Canseco and Barry Bonds' alleged former mistress Kimberly Bell don't want to make accusations about steroids, but they have to because they are Crusaders for truth and justice, and any of you sorry saps reading this had one percent of the integrity they had, the world would be a better place!

Just kiddin'.

Posted by Kevin Beane at 6:28 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Astros Will Try a New Look

As the Houston Astros land in Osceola Stadium in Kissimmee, FL this week, the question this spring training is not the number of games they will win in 2005, but rather who will they have left on their roster in doing so?

Since losing out on the Carlos Beltran sweepstakes in the offseason, the Astros have done little in the way of beefing up their potential power numbers, and have been dealing with the possible loss of Lance Berkman to knee surgery until May 1st. Added to that is the trading of Jeff Kent. While an aging second baseman, he filled a much-needed role in the overall team numbers department in 2004.

And centerfielder Carlos Beltran kept the 'Stros in the hunt for the World Series, as they came up one game short. Beltran appeared to be the missing link the Astros needed in their National League Championship Series run. Prior to acquiring his services at the All-Star Break, the Astros were going nowhere.

The starting pitching rotation looks most formidable with the retention of Roger Clemens, with a one-year $18 million contract after his 2004 Cy Young season. A pain-free Andy Pettitte is returning from 2004 elbow surgery, along with 20-game winner, Roy Oswalt, avoiding last-minute arbitration by signing a two-year deal worth $16.9 million. Young Brandon Backe, displaying endless potential with his starts in the 2004 NLCS, will get the fourth spot, with the fifth spot in the rotation up for grabs, vacated by Wade Miller who signed with the Red Sox. Fifth spot candidates include Tim Redding, Pete Munro, Carlos Hernandez, Brandon Duckworth, Dave Burba, and the up-and-coming Ezequiel Astacio. Those who do not get the fifth spot will receive bullpen consideration.

The bullpen remains locked down by impressive closer, Brad Lidge, who ended 2004 with a 1.90 ERA after the trade of Octavio Dotel in midseason, becoming the bullpen ace for the first time. And the 'pen will still have benefit of Chad Qualls, Chad Harville, and Dan Wheeler, who combined for a 2.05 ERA over 34 innings in 33 appearances in 2004. But lefty specialist, Mike Gallo, appears to have lost that role to newly-signed 45-year-old John Franco, playing for the Mets the past 14 years, and will have to show his versatility to remain in the pen. Additionally, Turk Wendell was signed to a minor league contract as possible bullpen insurance.

Manufacturing runs will be under much scrutiny. Around the horn and in the outfield there will be new faces, joining elder statesmen Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell. Who will indeed play in the outfield is the largest looming question at present and could take the entirety of spring training to figure out according to the Astros' front office.

With his offseason knee surgery for tearing a ligament after the NLCS while playing flag football, Berkman will need to be temporarily replaced in right field. After avoiding arbitration with a one-year deal with the club, Berkman's numbers will be very hard to replace. Club hopeful Jason Lane will most likely be put in centerfield with AAA player, Willy Tavares, also auditioning. Bench player Orlando Palmeiro is slated to play right field, although that could change.

Around the horn, Adam Everett, will return to shortstop, which he relinquished to Jose Vizcaino in September, due to injury. Vizcaino will most likely resume his backup role, although he filled in admirably for the injured Everett in the 2004 postseason. Questions about third base remain between Mike Lamb and Morgan Ensberg. Lamb filled in nicely for the injured Ensberg at the end of the season.

Whether prospect Chris Burke is ready to hold up second base is a big question, with rumors of moving Biggio to second and acquiring an additional outfielder. The other rumor floating is dealing for Rangers second baseman Alfonso Soriano. Jeff Bagwell remains at first base and Brad Ausmus remains as catcher.

The positive about the Astros' failed efforts in wooing Beltran to stay in Houston is the additional funding available, which they may now need for signing additional players at more than one position. While their minor leagues have a number of highly-regarded future prospects, whether they are ready for prime time in a pinch will have to be sorted out and evaluated in spring training.

Houston's farm system is healthy and as such their future is not as glum as some experts would have you believe. Certainly, it would have been nice to retain Beltran, but now Houston will be forced to address other weaknesses in their lineup, which they may have possibly delayed until Bagwell, and Biggio retired.

Certainly the success of the starting rotation will rely on the health of Pettitte and the strength of the fifth starter, but it still gives the Astros some breathing room in making the necessary changes in securing position players. Only now the Astros will not have to do it in the middle of the season as they did in 2004 due to new management, trades, and player injuries.

With manager Phil Garner in tow, hopefully his input and experience from 2004 will be a great advantage as he starts out to complete an entire season with the Astros. With his hope and guidance, he could very well get the Astros back to the postseason in 2005, but this time with more than just a wing and a prayer.

Posted by Diane M. Grassi at 6:00 PM | Comments (2)

February 16, 2005

What's in a Number?

Remember when it was daring for a pro sports figure to wear the No. 1? That is, unless you were a wizard like baseball's Ozzie Smith, or a barefoot kicker in the NFL. What Penny Hardaway brought back in the early-'90s is now commonplace thanks to lesser phenoms such as the Rockets' Tracy McGrady, the Braves' Rafael Furcal, the Hornets' Baron Davis, and the Lakers' Caron Butler.

The Pacers' Stephen Jackson shamed the number on November 19th, and furthered it by "needing" to practice against the banished Ron Artest, saying he needed to bang with a real "all-star." I bet that went well with the rest of the squad. Only the Pistons' Chauncey Billups, the 2004 Finals MVP, wears the number one deservingly today.

What is it about numbers on athlete's jersey that make them what they are? Pride, superstition, family, identity are only a few reasons why athletes wear the numbers they wear on gameday.

In this day and age of marketing, youngsters and adults both are hooked on wearing the jerseys of their favorite stars from the past and present. It is great that today's youth are exposed to sports legends via the throwback jersey. Sure, some have an identity crisis and look to sport the jersey nobody at the local school has worn before, or because Snoop Dogg was caught with a Terry Bradshaw No. 12, or simply because it's "sick." Unfortunately, youth gangs around the country wear certain numbers to let those around know they belong to a certain group. Sign of the times.

Jersey numbers originated for the sole purpose of identifying a player in a scorebook for statistics. It also helps spectators at an event locate a player from afar. Now, numbers identify a player long after they have left sports, which is why numbers are retired by organizations as a way of honoring individual athletes for superstar careers.

What's in a number?

Why is it that the No. 32 is the most popular sports number of all? It goes as far back as Jim Brown with the Browns, who seemed to open the floodgates to a plethora of present and future Hall of Fame athletes who followed his lead: O.J. Simpson, Sandy Koufax, Franco Harris, Steve Carlton, Magic Johnson, Karl Malone, Dennis Martinez, and Dr. J of the ABA. Let's not forget that three of the four past Super Bowls' leading rushers wore No. 32: the Pats' Antwain Smith and the Bucs' Michael Pittman. There are no great No. 32s in hockey, which goes to show that the number heralds itself nostalgically Americana.

The second greatest sports number is the one that has been worn by many Super Bowl champion quarterbacks: No. 12. Greats such as Joe Namath, Terry Bradshaw, Roger Staubach, Ken Stabler, and Tom Brady head a stellar cast. Not only is the No. 12 the most popular number worn by QB greats, but there are few field generals who were lousy that donned No. 12, such as Tony Banks.

How about Jackie Robinson's No. 42 being retired throughout baseball? That is number immortality at its peak.

Classy vs. Not-so-classy. Joe Montana, perhaps the greatest quarterback of all, wore No. 16 his entire stint with the 49ers, and when he finished his career with Kansas City, he switched to No. 19 in honor of the retired No. 16 enshrined to Len Dawson, quarterback of Super Bowl I. Jerry Rice became the greatest receiver to play football wearing the No. 80 for the 49ers and the Raiders. When he moved onto Seattle, he asked Steve Largent, the only Seahawk to have his number retired if he could dust aside all traditions and wear the No. 80, although it already hangs on the rafters in Seattle. Largent granted Rice his wish. What could've been a touch of class on Rice's part, exposed what the player who was once known for his focus and competitiveness, and now for his swollen ego.

Thanks to Wayne Gretzky for introducing the outlandish number No. 99 to a sport that was conservative in its number-wearing. The Great One started a trend in the NHL of football-like numbers such as Mario Lemieux's No. 66, Jaromir Jagr's No. 68, Alexander Mogilny's No. 89, and so on.

It was Dennis Rodman made it cool to go bigger than the traditional fifty-something in the NBA, sporting the No. 91 with the Bulls, then followed by freaks such as Gheorghe Muresan (No. 99), Shawn Bradley (No. 76), and the wanna-be Worm, Ron Artest (No. 91).

Chicago White Sox catcher Carlton Fisk introduced the mammoth No. 72 in the early-'80s, which was somewhat of a first, considering it was not uncommon for Negro League players such as Satchel Paige such numbers. Mitch William, a.k.a. Wild Thing, wore No. 99 when he gave it up to Joe Carter in the early-'90s. Nowadays, it is common, especially for pitchers, to go big.

In life, superstitious numbers such as No. 13 are seldom worn considering its unlucky stereotype. Dan Marino had a record setting, Hall of Fame career, but has no ring, and only made it to one Super Bowl. Ask Kurt Warner, who has been No. 13 with the Iowa Barnstormers of the Arena League, the St. Louis Rams, and New York Giants. Sure, he has two rings, one with Iowa and one with St. Louis, but now he holds the football like he has three fingers, and rides the pine. No quarterback has won a Super Bowl wearing the unlucky No. 13, except Warner.

Whatever happened to No. 00? Why aren't there any more Robert Parrishes and Billy "White Shoes" Johnsons. The double zero was the most popular iron-on number in the late-'70s, and now it's obsolete? Someone should bring it back.

Hopefully, not Artest.

Posted by Jon Gonzales at 1:48 PM | Comments (4)

In Defense of Bill Cowher

So, the 2004-2005 NFL season is officially over. I must admit I felt like the Super Bowl ended the season with more of a whimper than a bang; to say nothing of the ESPN-televised Pro Bowl. Normally, this is the time when I go into a mild depression and waste time watching bad golf on TV. But this year is different as I have a brand new beautiful baby girl to keep me busy.

Despite my new forward-looking perspective, now would be a good time to take a moment to reflect on the season that has just ended. Not surprisingly, this leaves me thinking about my beloved Pittsburgh Steelers. I hope readers will let me indulge a little personal venting. I feel I need to get a defense of Steeler head coach Bill Cowher off my chest.

After the Pittsburgh Steelers lost to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game, I read a lot of people taking their frustration out on Bill Cowher. He can't win the big game. He is too conservative. He got outsmarted by Bill Belichick. He may be a good coach, but he isn't a great one. These were the complaints of Steeler fans.

I think this is a load of hooey. Allow me to explain. The first thing it is necessary to remember is that this team went 6-10 the year before. The record this year? 16-2. And the Steelers beat both of the Super Bowl teams during the regular season in convincing fashion and with a rookie quarterback. The Steelers also had a almost completely revamped coaching staff with new offensive and defensive coordinators. There were key injuries on both sides of the ball. There was every opportunity for the Steelers to fall apart this year, but they gutted out the best record in the league. The Super Bowl expectations were only the result of this amazing accomplishment.

Does every team want to win the Super Bowl? Heck, yeah. Am I disappointed the Steelers didn't add "one for the thumb" this year? More than you can imagine. But let's not throw the coach out with the bath water here. Bill Cowher is a solid coach in a very tough league. He may not have the world on a string like Belichick seems to, but he has produced some very good teams that have competed at the highest levels.

Let's take a look at his resume:

In Cowher's 12 seasons, the Steelers have captured seven division titles, earned eight postseason playoff berths, advanced to four AFC Championship games, and made one Super Bowl appearance. He is one of only six coaches in NFL history to claim at least seven division titles.

Not bad, huh? But what about this season, you may ask, didn't he underachieve again by losing the Championship Game at home? Yes and no. Did he take that next step toward greatness by going to the Super Bowl and having a chance at a ring? Obviously not. But that ignores the remarkable season that preceded that heart wrenching loss and the factors that went into it.

Did anyone dream that when Tommy Maddox went down in the second game of the season against Baltimore that the Steelers would not lose another game until the AFC Championship? Besides Maddox, the Steelers had to deal with significant injuries to their 2001 No. 1 draft pick, nose tackle Casey Hampton, safety Mike Logan, linebacker Kendrell Bell, and offensive lineman Kendall Simmons, not to mention lost games for running back Duce Staley and receiver Plaxico Burress. The Steelers were very young in the secondary, as well. Cowher deserves credit for molding this team into a very tough and cohesive unit that one 15 games in a row against some quality opponents.

I will freely admit that if Cowher wants to elevate his stature to the next level, he will need to get to the Super Bowl and win. So let's talk about that game in January. The key questions for me are did he put his players in a position to make plays and did he put his team in a position to win the game? I think the answers are both yes.

There is one ugly fact that a lot Steeler fans, including me, ignored going into the game against New England. A rookie quarterback has never led his team to the Super Bowl. There is a reason for this. The season is too long and the competition is too tough. Rookie of the Millennium Ben Roethlisberger had an awesome season, but he didn't have enough in the tank on that fateful Sunday night.

Remember, he played in 14 games in college in 2003. In 2004, Ben played in all four preseason games and 17 regular season and postseason games. That is 21 games. Clearly, he was mentally and physically exhausted. This is not when you want to face the defending Super Bowl champs looking to avenge a ugly loss during the regular season. Ben's three interceptions proved fatal despite a desperate comeback attempt.

Many sought to criticize Cowher for his playcalling, but if you look at the film, the plays were there to be made, but the players didn't make them. On the interception return for a touchdown, Roethlisberger threw it to the wrong receiver. The play was designed to go deeper and it was open. Late in the game when the Steelers were trying to get within a touchdown, Ben tossed an awkward lob pass to Plaxico Burress in the endzone, but Burress couldn't come up with it. The Steelers had to settle for a field goal and lost a lot of momentum.

Cowher was criticised for that call and for going for the field goal. But if Burress, who likes to talk a lot of trash and is complaining about not getting the ball enough, catches the pass that hit him in his hands, the question is moot. Cowher can't make the catch for him. I say Cowher did the right thing by getting points. They were only down 11 points with almost the entire fourth quarter to go. Unfortunately, some key penalties and big plays allowed the Patriots to add points and eat up the clock. Roethlisberger threw his final interception and the Patriots iced the game.

It is clear to me that the Steelers had the talent to win the game and that Cowher put the team in that position. His players were in a position to win the game and they failed. I don't think any coaching decision could have changed the outcome. What are the odds that a team can overcome four turnovers against a very good team? Slim. Ultimately, players have to make the plays. Tom Brady and his teammates avoided making key mistakes and won the game.

One final point is worth noting, as well. A lot of teams would love to have Cowher's problem. Look at the Browns and Bengals or the Arizona Cardinals or a host of other teams who haven't even sniffed the post season recently. How about teams like the Miami Dolphins who, despite great talent, can't even make the playoffs or lose in the first-round every year? Or look at the Philadelphia Eagles, a team who lost three straight championship games and just lost a Super Bowl. Is Andy Reid a bad coach because he doesn't have three or four rings? Sometimes, you get beat because the other team was better that day.

Bill Cowher has worked hard to address key Steeler weaknesses and mould a team that can win a Super Bowl. This is an arduous task in the free agency era. He has come agonizingly close lately only to fall short. But I will take his stability and determination over a great many fly-by-night sensations.

The Rooney family knew what they were doing when they signed Cowher and they know what they are doing when they gave him an extension. As a diehard Steeler fan, I hope he is around for a long time. I have a strong sense that he will one day get his ring and take his place with Chuck Noll as a great Steeler coach.

Posted by Kevin Holtsberry at 1:36 PM | Comments (20)

Reggie Miller, One of the Few

Reggie Miller, through his older sister Cheryl, announced his retirement on Thursday February 10th, effective at the end of the season. His departure from the game brings to close a remarkable career.

Even more astounding these days, however, is that Reggie played every game with the Indiana Pacers. In recent years, we've seen the greats in all sports shop themselves around to competitors in the hopes of winning a title instead of staying with the only team they've ever played for. From Karl Malone's foray with the Los Angeles Lakers to Ray Borque's championship fulfillment with the Colorado Avalanche, superstars have left their beloved fans in a quest to make their career complete.

Gone are the days where players like Dan Marino, Tony Gywnn, John Stockton, and Barry Larkin played their final games with the team that let them play their first. Instead of complaining about the lack of loyalty in this free agent era, let's celebrate the great ones who stayed around and gave the fans something to cheer about. Below are players from the NBA who suited up for more than 14 years for only one team.

First on the list is John Stockton. Drafted in 1984 by the Utah Jazz, he played for 19 years in Salt Lake City. No NBA player has played longer with one team. Of a possible 1,526 games he could have played, he was in 1,504 for the Jazz. Even though the dreaded mantle of "never won a championship" hangs over him, his accomplishments are in no way diminished. He is the NBA all-time leader in both assists and steals. He finished with 15,806 assists, and of the nine times a player has finished with 1,000 assists in year, Stockton owns seven of them. His 3,265 steals lead the next closest player, Michael Jordan, by over 700.

Just behind Stockton is Reggie Miller. He spent 18 years with the Indiana Pacers after being drafted out of UCLA. The Pacers fans booed when the selection was announced. They were hoping for local boy and new NCAA champion Steve Alford. Instead, they got the future leader in three-point field goals made. Reggie's 2,508, and counting, threes lead Dale Ellis by almost 800. Granted, he has taken about 2,000 more than anyone else. Like Stockton, Reggie never won a championship, but again that won't tarnish his legacy. He'll be remembered more for his flying three-pointers off the low pick, or his fourth quarter scoring outbursts against the New York Knicks.

Number three is from a few decades ago. John Havlicek, one of the great Celtics, played 16 years in Boston. During his career, Hondo won eight championships, leaving only his thumbs ringless. His 26,395 points rank 10th best all-time, despite never winning a scoring title. The closest he came was second to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1970-71. His nearly 46,500 minutes place him seventh among all players, despite spending the early part of his career as a sixth man. Of the many Celtics who spent their entire career with the team, his tenure was the longest.

Behind Havlicek, there are a few players who spent 14-year careers with one team. Starting with the oldest, there is Elgin Baylor. Like Stockton and Miller, he never won a championship, running into Havlicek and the Celtics. Amazingly talented, his playing days were plagued by bad timing. He set the single-game scoring record of the time with 71, but was overshadowed by the prolific, both on and off the court, Wilt Chamberlain.

And even when he led the Lakers to the Finals, they faced the Celtics who won 11 championships in 13 years. Even the government seemed to be against him. He was required to perform military service during the 1961-62 season, and only played in 48 games that year. Though his career was destined to be in the shadow of others, Baylor's 14 acrobatic years have earned him a beloved place with Lakers fans.

Another Laker with 14 years of loyalty played alongside Elgin Baylor. His name is Jerry West. Recognized by basketball aficionados and casual fans as the source of the league's logo, his skills on the court deserve even more recognition. West was an all-star 14 times, and he and Elgin Baylor led the Lakers to nine NBA Finals. Unlike Baylor, West got the coveted championship ring in 1972. West, nicknamed Mr. Clutch, retired as only the third person to eclipse 25,000 total points. Even after retirement, West has dominated the game. His management of the Lakers led to their 1980s dynasty, and he might be starting the same for the Memphis Grizzlies.

Perhaps one of the most underrated on the list is the Detroit Piston's Joe Dumars. He also played 14 years with the same team, and was a key member of the Pistons' back-to-back championship teams in 1989 and 1990. And like Jerry West he went on to an office role with the only team he played for. His influence helped rebuild the Pistons and helped them win last years NBA Finals.

The final player with 14 years or more on one team is David Robinson of the San Antonio Spurs. Nicknamed "The Admiral" for his college ball in the Navy, Robinson played on two championship Spur teams. Along with Hakeem Olajuwon, who's last year in Toronto excluded him from making the list, he is the only other player to win a scoring, rebounding, and shot-blocking title.

Many players came close to 14 years with the same team. Bill Russel, Larry Bird, and Kevin McHale all spent 13 years with the Celtics. Magic Johnson had 13 years with the Lakers, and Isaiah Thomas had 13 years with the Pistons. Two other players almost qualified. Dolph Schayes played 16 years with Syracuse Nationals, but spent the last year of his career with the Philadelphia 76ers. And, as mentioned earlier, there is also Karl Malone. His 18 years with the Jazz ended with his joining the Lakers in the quest for a ring. But despite his departure, the game's second-leading scorer should be remembered for all his years in Utah, rather than the partial season in Los Angeles.

A few younger players have the potential to be on this list when they retire a few years down the road. Tim Duncan of the Spurs has played for eight years, and based on his commitment, he could finish his career there. Kevin Garnett of the Minnesota Tinberwolves has nine years under his belt, and Dirk Nowitzki has seven years with the Dallas Mavericks. But who knows what will happen in the next decade? As a fan, all we can do is be thankful for the players who do stay, and give us someone to cheer for.

Posted by Chris Lindshield at 1:10 PM | Comments (0)

February 15, 2005

Top 20 Super Bowl QB Matchups

Super Bowl XXXIX set records for fewest rushing attempts (45) and fewest rushing yards (157). Why so little rushing? Great run defense is one of the many factors, but perhaps the most important is that both teams were willing to put the ball in their quarterbacks' hands.

Tom Brady and Donovan McNabb were both voted to this year's Pro Bowl, and both have a good shot at the Hall of Fame if their next five years look anything like the last five. Where does the Brady/McNabb matchup rank in the Super Bowl annals? Here's my list.

20. XXXVII: Tom Brady and Jake Delhomme

Delhomme is early in his career, so I'm projecting with this one, but the records alone put it on the list. The two teams combined for a Super Bowl-record 649 passing yards, Brady set a record for completions (32), and it was only the second Super Bowl in which both teams scored at least three passing touchdowns.

Combined rushing statistics: 51 attempts, 219 yards

19. XXXI: Brett Favre and Drew Bledsoe

Favre is a first-ballot Hall of Famer, and he was at the top of his game, having won his second league MVP award. Bledsoe had perhaps his finest season, throwing for over 4,000 yards and making the Pro Bowl, but he tossed a record-tying four interceptions in the Super Bowl.

Combined rushing statistics: 49 attempts, 158 yards

18. II: Bart Starr and Daryle Lamonica

Starr entered the game as the only Super Bowl MVP in history. 1967 was a down year for him, but the Packers great stands as one of the best players in the history of the game. Lamonica led the AFL in passer rating and passing touchdowns, adding four TDs on the ground and winning his league's MVP award.

Combined rushing statistics: 61 attempts, 267 yards

17. VI: Roger Staubach and Bob Griese

The first matchup on this list featuring two Hall of Famers. The 1971 Cowboys were arguably the greatest offense in history, and Staubach, the Super Bowl MVP, was the best of them all. He and Griese combined for just 13 interceptions during the regular season.

Combined rushing statistics: 68 attempts, 332 yards

16. XXXVI: Tom Brady and Kurt Warner

Brady won his first Super Bowl MVP award, but this game also stands large as the end of Warner and the Rams' brief reign on top of the NFL. Warner threw for 4,830 yards and a 101.4 rating, winning his second league MVP award, though I'll always believe that Marshall Faulk deserves both of Warner's trophies.

Combined rushing statistics: 47 attempts, 223 yards

15. XXVIII: Troy Aikman and Jim Kelly

Neither player had a great Super Bowl. They combined for two interceptions and no touchdowns. But 1993 was Aikman's best season, and it's rare to put two quarterbacks this good on the same field, especially when the stakes are highest.

Combined rushing statistics: 62 attempts, 224 yards

14. XI: Ken Stabler and Fran Tarkenton

Stabler is one of the few players on this list without a bust in Canton, but he was dynamite in the mid-'70s. In 1976, he led the NFL in completion percentage, yards per attempt, passer rating, and passing touchdowns. Tarkenton, who had won the previous league MVP award, is probably one of the top half-dozen QBs in history, but he was awful in Super Bowls. This was one of his better efforts, with only two INTs and almost 50% completion percentage.

Combined rushing statistics: 78 attempts, 337 yards

13. XXIII: Joe Montana and Boomer Esiason

Montana had a down year, but he made up for it with a legendary game-winning drive in the Super Bowl. Esiason had his best season, leading the NFL in passer rating and posting a mind-blowing 9.2 yards per pass attempt. He was named league MVP.

Combined rushing statistics: 55 attempts, 218 yards
Special note: This is one of only three Super Bowls with no rushing TDs by either team.

12. VIII: Bob Griese and Fran Tarkenton

The Dolphins were at their conservative best, setting a Super Bowl record for rushes, and Griese threw only seven passes, completing six of them for 73 yards. Tarkenton threw only one interception. Although neither player shined in the big game, both had fine regular seasons. Griese made the Pro Bowl and Tarkenton was second-team All-Pro.

Combined rushing statistics: 77 attempts, 268 yards

11. XXXIX: Tom Brady and Donovan McNabb

Brady was at his unspectacular, efficient best during the regular season and the postseason. McNabb, who has made the Pro Bowl every year since he became Philadelphia's starter, had his best season and led all playoff QBs in passer rating until his dismal three-interception Super Bowl.

Combined rushing statistics: 45 attempts, 157 yards

10. XXI: Phil Simms and John Elway

Elway made his first Pro Bowl this season, but Simms is the real story. Against Denver, he had arguably the finest game in the history of professional football, completing 22-of-25 passes for 268 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Combined rushing statistics: 57 attempts, 188 yards

9. I: Bart Starr and Len Dawson

Each player led his league in passer rating, and Starr was named NFL MVP. The AFL was renowned as a passing league, but it was the NFL's Starr who made the biggest impression, completing over 75% of his passes and winning the game's MVP award.

Combined rushing statistics: 53 attempts, 205 yards

8. III: Joe Namath vs. Earl Morrall and Johnny Unitas

Morrall was named NFL MVP after leading the Colts to a 13-1 record, but he was pulled in the third quarter of the Super Bowl, with three interceptions and only six completions. In came Unitas, a legend in his own time, but he'd been on the bench all season with an elbow injury, and was unable to bring the Colts back. Namath was at the peak of his career, adding the Super Bowl MVP to his AFL MVP award.

Combined rushing statistics: 66 attempts, 285 yards

7. XI: Joe Montana and Ken Anderson

San Francisco's victory signaled Montana's arrival as a quarterback, but at the time, he was overshadowed by Anderson, the NFL's MVP. Both players made the Associated Press All-Pro team. In the Super Bowl, Montana threw for one touchdown and ran for another, winning the game's MVP award.

Combined rushing statistics: 64 attempts, 199 yards

6. IX: Terry Bradshaw and Fran Tarkenton

The Steel Curtain carried Pittsburgh to the first of its four Super Bowl titles, and the Vikings had the worst offensive day in Super Bowl history. Minnesota averaged less than one yard per carry and Tarkenton threw three interceptions. But matchups like Bradshaw/Tarkenton come along about once a decade, and this is an easy top-ten choice.

Combined rushing statistics: 78 attempts, 266 yards

5. XXXII: John Elway and Brett Favre

The Broncos were two-touchdown underdogs. The NFC had won 13 consecutive Super Bowls -- three of them against Elway -- and the Packers were defending champions. Favre was up to the task, throwing three touchdowns and leading a game-tying drive in the fourth quarter, but Elway's Broncos triumphed. The game's signature play was "The Helicopter," when Elway dove for a first down and was hit in the air, spinning his entire body.

Combined rushing statistics: 59 attempts, 274 yards

4. X: Terry Bradshaw and Roger Staubach

The first-ever Super Bowl meeting of two quarterbacks who had already won the big game. Super Bowl X lived up to its name, and many considered it the greatest ever until the two teams rematched three years later.

Combined rushing statistics: 77 attempts, 257 yards

3. XIII: Terry Bradshaw and Roger Staubach

The most anticipated Super Bowl in history. Both teams clearly were the best in their respective conferences. Pittsburgh went 14-2 and won the AFC Championship Game by almost 30 points. Dallas went 12-4 and won the NFC Championship Game 28-0. Bradshaw and Staubach were the highest-rated passers in their respective conferences. In the Super Bowl, they combined for 7 touchdown passes, and Bradshaw won his first Super Bowl MVP Award.

Combined rushing statistics: 56 attempts, 220 yards

2. XXIV: Joe Montana and John Elway

On paper, it doesn't get much better than this, but the game was all Niners. San Francisco set Super Bowl records for points (55) and margin of victory (45), and Montana won his third Super Bowl MVP award on the strength of a record five TD passes.

Combined rushing statistics: 61 attempts, 208 yards

1. XIX: Joe Montana and Dan Marino

It's not even close — this is the best by a mile. Montana and Marino may be the two best quarterbacks of all-time, and both were at their best in 1984.

Marino was a consensus league MVP, setting NFL records for pass completions, yards, and TDs, and posting the second-highest passer rating in league history. The Dolphins scored 513 points (over 32 per game) and finished 14-2. Miami won its first playoff game, 31-10, with Marino throwing three touchdowns. In the AFC Championship Game, Marino put up 421 yards and 4 touchdowns in a 45-28 rout of Pittsburgh.

Montana wasn't too shabby, either. He led the NFC in passer rating (102.9) and guided San Francisco to a 15-1 record, the first time any team had won 15 games in the regular season. The 49ers, like the Dolphins, breezed through the playoffs, leaving no doubt as to which two teams should meet in the Super Bowl. In the NFC Championship Game, San Francisco beat Chicago 23-0 to set up the matchup everyone wanted to see.

The two quarterbacks combined to set Super Bowl records for completions and passing yards. The completions mark still stands, and only last year's Patriots/Panthers game surpassed the yardage mark. Both QBs threw for over 300 yards, but it was Montana who shined most brightly. He threw three touchdown passes and added five rushes for 59 yards and another TD. It doesn't get any better than that.

Combined rushing statistics: 49 attempts, 236 yards

Posted by Brad Oremland at 4:33 PM | Comments (0)

Valentine's Day Special

In honor of Valentine's Day, this week's edition of the Sports Gospel will be co-authored by my valentine and girlfriend, Amanda Hughes (this is her gift — just kidding, it's yours — just kidding again).

I thought the SG could use a woman's touch, so for one week (and one week only), I've decided to share the bully pulpit and bring in Amanda to give a different perspective on a few issues and to partake in the Great American's Valentine's Day Word Association Special (more on this later).

Issue #1

What was supposed to be a magical moment at Sunday night's Orlando Magic basketball game instead turned into an embarrassing memory for one man. The unidentified man asked his girlfriend to marry him in front of thousands of fans at the Magic's 97-94 victory over the New Orleans Hornets at the TD Waterhouse Centre.

"The man, who was standing on the court, dropped to a knee and asked the woman to marry him. Instead of answering, the woman turned and ran off the court with her face in her hands." — local6.com

Mark: This has got to be one of the funniest things I have seen in the news lately. It has to be the movie-esque ending that everyone is looking for in a love story. Guy works up the nerve to propose, picks out the perfect ring, maybe he even asks the girl's dad for permission to marry her. He then sets up everything with the people at the Waterhouse Centre and then, during the game, in front of thousands and thousands of fans, he asks the love of his life to marry him ... and she starts running away like she was a sandwich and he was William "The Refrigerator" Perry. This guy is going to have to carry this around with him the rest of his life; he may end up joining a support group with Steve Bartman and Jeffrey Maier.

Amanda: Since when are the Hornets from New Orleans? Weren't they the Charlotte Hornets? Honestly, I feel really bad for the guy. I guess I have a lot of questions regarding the incident, why did she run away? What happened? Where did she run to, what did the guy do? Even if she wanted to say no, she could've said yes in front of everyone, and then said no off the court. This sounds like the plot of an Adam Sandler movie. I wish I could've been in the stands, even though it was sad, it would've been pretty hilarious.

Issue #2

Reports have stated that the mistress of Barry Bonds has come out and said that he bullies her by pretending to smack her when she says something he doesn't like, and then he laughs maniacally when she flinches.

Mark: This is simply great. The only image I have of Bonds is a serious, graven Barry. This Barry seems to be loving life. I just don't get to see him having fun and messing around. I'm glad to see Barry lighten up and I'm sure it was nothing serious. What kind of treatment does she want, she's a mistress? What differentiates the mistress from a prostitute, anyway? If she wants to be a mistress, she has to understand that she is a toy and not a person (this story could only be funnier if the girl actually believed that Barry loved her).

Amanda: If the mistress came out with these allegations, does that mean they aren't together anymore? I don't know that she can expect any sympathy; after all, she is a mistress. The home-wrecker should be smacked and so should Bonds, for that matter. Sometimes a smack can keep somebody in order, so I'm not totally against it. Besides, it helps me with Mark.

***

The last part of the column is devoted to a timeless classic, the Great American's Valentine's Day Word Association Special. This is the game that originated on-air on Valentine's Day and has been popular ever since (which has been several days now). The way the game is played is someone draws a conversation heart out of the candy bag and says the first thing that comes to their mind.

(I think the guy that writes the inscriptions has the best job ever. I bet he gets paid to sit around all day, brainstorming such brilliant phrases as "OH BOY" and "HUG ME." He even tries to be clever with the "UR A QT." It's sad to see him starting to lose his touch, though, with phrases like "FUNNY FACE." What exactly is that trying to say?)

#1 "Hi, Hun"

Mark: What William Green says to Kevin Johnson's wife.

Amanda: This is a dumb game. I'm going with the Hun invasion of Europe in the Middle Ages.

#2 URA QT

Mark: Maria Sharapova (err, Amanda ... crap)

Amanda: (After smacking Mark) You suck. I'm going with Oscar De La Hoya.

#3 Lover Boy

Mark: Shawn Kemp

Amanda: Kobe Bryant

#4 Time 4 Fun

Mark: March Madness. Good god, March Madness.

Amanda: Actually, I was going to say March Madness, too.

#5 Funny Face

Mark: Tonya Harding after a boxing match, with her two black eyes. Of course, then again, she probably has that black-eye trailer-trash look going 24/7.

Amanda: Terry Bradshaw. At least, his face is annoying.

#6 Ears to you

Mark: These hearts get lamer every year. Soon, I won't even understand them anymore. Anyway, I'm going with LeBron James. Here's to you LeBron, the next Jordan. After that, I drop another "here's to you to, Moeller Hockey, who is currently in their state playoff run" (shout out to my little bros, who are hockey studs).

Amanda: Here's to you, Sports Gospel readers, because if you can read Mark's writing, you can at least read at a first-grade level, so you've got that going for you, which is nice.

#7 Let's Play

Mark: The NHL lockout, what a joke. Just settle your crap and get on the freaking ice.

Amanda: Lockout. I think the NHL is stupid because no one is clamoring to watch hockey on TV in the first place. They (Gary Bettman and Bob Goodenow) are only hurting themselves, not most sports fans. No one pays attention to you anyway, the worst thing that you could've done to the sport; you did better than anything else.

***

That concludes our SG Valentines Day special. Amanda definitely elevated the Sports Gospel to the next level, but next week things go back to normal and down a peg.

Mark Chalifoux is also a weekly columnist for SportsFan Magazine. His columns appear every Tuesday on Sports Central. You can e-mail Mark at [email protected].

Posted by Mark Chalifoux at 3:32 PM | Comments (0)

February 14, 2005

Timber-Pups Limping to Finish Line

Remember when the Minnesota Timberwolves were playing in the Western Conference Finals?

Remember when Kevin Garnett was winning the MVP award while displaying the tools that had made him the NBA's most complete player and maybe its best leader?

How about when Sam Cassell was nailing every important shot in sight and Latrell Sprewell was slashing to the hoop as if he had taken a time machine back to 1999?

Ah, memories.

For fans in Minnesota, I might as well be talking of the old Minneapolis Lakers of the 1950s and '60s. That's how long ago it seems that these suddenly hapless Timberwolves secured the best record in the ultra-competitive Western Conference heading into last year's playoff run.

Currently sitting at 25-27 and out of the playoffs, the team that many thought would give San Antonio its best run for a berth in this year's NBA Finals is easily the league's biggest disappointment.

And that is an understatement.

Perhaps Kevin McHale needs to finally stand up and become accountable for what was a one-year fix. Sprewell and Cassell both now seem old and vulnerable and Garnett is entering the twilight of his prime.

The problem is this: we are now seeing the second time that McHale has sold his team's soul to the basketball devil. Remember Joe Smith?

Somehow, McHale still has his job after that draft pick-draining fiasco and proceeded to sign two of the league's biggest malcontents in Spree and Cassell. It worked for a while, but it wasn't enough to beat Los Angeles (and wouldn't have been enough to beat Detroit) and now the T-Wolves are back to square one.

Worst yet, all except for Garnett, they don't seem to care a bit.

Let's consider: Troy Hudson cares very little about defense and jacks up painfully ill-advised shots on a constant basis. Sprewell is to inconsistency what Tom Cruise is to movie stars and looks washed-up. Cassell suddenly can't hit any big shots or stay healthy for longer than a week. Garnett is not having a good year by his standards and the rest of the team is a collection of role who don't know their roles.

This was supposed to be the year that the Timberwolves marched deep into the NBA playoffs again with a great shot of winning the whole thing. This was going to be the year — with hockey out of the picture in a state that is puck-crazy — that the T-Wolves took the Twin Cities winter sports market by storm.

So — with their stunned fans now wondering if another 15 years of futility is on the horizon — the T-Wolves have the people of Minnesota asking one all-important question:

"When does baseball start?"

Posted by Bryan Horwath at 1:32 PM | Comments (2)

NHL 2004-05: R.I.P.

On the Saturday before Valentine's Day, Joe Tomon, Jr. and his wife, Patricia, headed toward Pittsburgh for an evening out.

While their date-night outing might not have been unusual for them, their destination was.

"Usually, we would be going to a hockey game on Saturday night," says Tomon. "Instead, we're going somewhere else."

When the NHL held its work stoppage, it blew a 40-night hole in the Tomons' social schedule. Joe Tomon has been a hockey fan since before there was a Pittsburgh Penguins and he followed the minor league Pittsburgh Hornets.

Not only that, but he is a major memorabilia collector. In recent years, he has had an arrangement to receive the Penguins' game-used jerseys, some of which he sells.

Others — like the one Jaromir Jagr wore when he scored his first NHL goal — he keeps at his residence, which also houses his business, Joseph A. Tomon, Jr. Funeral Home and Crematory in Ellport, PA.

Considering the state of hockey, it's fitting that one of this country's largest collections of NHL memorabilia and jerseys is in a funeral home. When the league finally gets around to burying this hockey season in the furnace, at least the corpse will something nice to wear.

Tomon also has an impressive collection of jerseys ranging from the second NHL All-Star Game in 1939 to the now-defunct California Seals to the 1992 Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins. Tomon says he has about 100 jerseys on hand and probably sells that many more every year.

Needless to say, his collection of NHL game-worn jerseys hasn't grown much in recent months.

It's all but official that the 2004-05 NHL campaign will be put to rest Valentine's Day week, and with the league's nuclear clock nearing midnight, both ownership and the players' union have staked out mutually exclusive and non-negotiable positions, Penguins' player/owner Mario Lemieux is more likely to use food stamps than see action in a hockey game this season.

And even if all the stars and planets moved into perfect alignment and the two sides reached an agreement, the resulting regular season would be a 28-game mockery.

Both sides bear some part of the blame, but it speaks volumes about this particular dispute that two of the four major professional sports leagues have hard salary caps and agreements to share most revenues.

Not coincidentally, those two leagues — the NFL and the NBA — are in the best shape, both in terms of competitiveness and finances.

Meanwhile, the two that don't have salary caps and revenue sharing, the NHL and Major League Baseball — ask most of their fans to spend money watching teams that have no chance at winning championships because they don't have the financial resources to attract the top talent.

The problem is worse in baseball, because intangibles mean a lot more in hockey. But teams like the Detroit Red Wings have been able to spend more and spend smarter and have the recent titles to show for it.

And while the players and the owners debate about such issues as cost certainty, and while both sides are losing money, a lot of fans are getting on with their lives.

Tomon not only believes that the work stoppage is hurting the sport — as a fan who is learning to get through a winter without hockey, he's proving it.

"After a while, we got used to not going," says Tomon, a Penguins' season ticket holder since 1975.

Tomon's collection includes more than recent NHL jerseys. He also has 70-year-old uniforms from the New York Americans and the Montreal Maroons, as well as Lemieux's rookie contract and one of Jagr's old paychecks.

One of Tomon's most prized jerseys — an autographed Alex Delvecchio — came with a story about the difference between today's NHL and the league back in the during Delvecchio's Hall of Fame career with the Red Wings from 1953 to 1974.

When he got Delvecchio's autograph, Tomon asked if the former player ever collected any of his own memorabilia. Delvecchio said that the players of his day didn't keep anything. All the sticks, gloves, uniforms, pads, and jerseys were the property of the team.

The players, Delvecchio told Tomon, were fearful that, if they took anything, they wouldn't be asked back the following season.

"What belonged to the Norris family, stayed with the Norris family," says Tomon. "With what the players get today, it says something that these guys were afraid of their boss."

Tomon admits that, as a fan of a team on the wrong side of the large market-small market equation, he realized the need for a salary cap and initially agreed with the owners view. But with a season cancellation imminent and no foreseeable end to the work stoppage, he is changing his outlook.

"The more it went on, I think they're both hurting the game," he says. "There's such a small fan base, and there's no TV contract to speak of.

"I don't know if it's going to recover."

Hockey will come back, if only because there are too many people like Tomon, who are passionate about the sport. But there is a question about how healthy it will be when it does.

Ultimately, it will be Tomon and other people like him — the fans — who make that determination. And, as the owner of a funeral home, he would know better than most about what happens when a person, or a sport, fails to recover.

Posted by Eric Poole at 1:09 PM | Comments (2)

February 12, 2005

Illini Look Good, But How Good?

Talented. Experienced. Battle-tested. Quick. Defensive-minded.

All these words work when describing the Illinois men's basketball team. Another word does not: complete.

For all the accolades and high rankings and impressive numbers, the Illini are not a complete basketball team. They have holes inside. They aren't that deep. They haven't had to win any nail-biters.

Thing is, it doesn't matter.

Because, in this day and age, you don't have to be complete to be the best. You only have to be better than everybody else.

That sounds obvious, but it's particularly apt this year.

Illinois could be considered a dominant team. Twenty-four wins and zero losses. Astounding numbers in the margin of victory column.

But are the Illini on par with the great teams of the last few years? Doubtful. Connecticut had more talent, Syracuse had a superstar, Maryland had more experience.

But again, it doesn't matter. The Illini don't have to measure up to those teams, except in the world of what if.

All they have to do is win. They've done that.

But is Illinois the best team in the country?

The rankings say yes. The average margin of victory — 13.6 — says yes. The RPI ranking — sixth — says maybe. And the doubters say, "No way."

In an era where parity reigns, teams in strong conferences get the benefit of the doubt. Many see North Carolina as the best team in the country. Others point to Wake Forest, even though the Illini pounded the Deacons by 18 in December.

The debates won't amount to anything come March. But for now, it's all we can do.

The Illini have plenty of talent. Dee Brown and Deron Williams are the nation's best backcourt tandem. Luther Head is emerging as one of the best wing players in the country. Roger Powell plays as tough as anybody inside. And James Augustine is a more-than-serviceable big man.

After that the questions surface. Can anybody score off the bench? Can Augustine muscle up against bigger centers? Can Brown and Williams continue to play 33-plus minutes per game without fading? Can the Illini win close games?

These are questions that usually don't surround a 24-0 team. But they persist because, nobody's really sure of anything this year. North Carolina is supposedly the most talented team in the country. But can they play defense consistently enough to win? Wake Forest has the talent, too, but what about the loss to Illinois? Boston College was undefeated until Tuesday but the Eagles were tabbed as pretenders the moment they cracked the top 10. Kansas is there, but a blowout loss at Villanova sparked questions. Duke is there, but a lack of depth inside may haunt the Blue Devils, as well.

These are questions that will get definitive answers in March when all these teams start to play each other when it counts.

It should be fun.

Posted by William Geoghegan at 7:54 PM | Comments (2)

How to Simply Fix the NHL

The solution to professional hockey's problems isn't found in salary caps or luxury taxes or franchise players or "cost certainty." All of those machinations exist to keep a sinking ship afloat, and to ensure it'll miss the iceberg on ensuing voyages. They don't address the actual problem, which is that the NHL is a bamboo raft trying to navigate through a tsunami.

All the financial security in the world won't matter if there are no revenues to protect.

This isn't another screed claiming that the National Hockey League — or hockey in general — is an unpopular boondoggle that couldn't attract fans if they replaced all the players on the ice with the Swedish Bikini Team. (Although if Gary Bettman and the owners ever want to go the scab route, let that idea be a good jumping-off point, boys.)

In the majority of the cities in which they share arenas, NHL teams outdraw NBA teams. Minor league hockey thrives in such diverse locales as San Diego and Oklahoma City. There are pockets in the United States that treat hockey with the same tradition and reverence as any Texas town treats high-school football under Friday night's lights.

The popularity of hockey isn't the problem.

The popularity of NHL hockey is.

The Hockey-Hating American Media has been quasi-orgasmic in questioning where the "outrage" is when it comes to the lockout, as if fans should be rolling on Manhattan and Toronto in flaming zambonis, demanding that the league reopen its doors.

I believe most hockey fans are disappointed. Some are outright depressed. Most are frustrated by this tug-of-war between millionaires. But outrage? Nah. Outrage is reserved for when a referee fails to call a blatant penalty because there's less than two minutes left and the home team is up a goal. Outrage is seeing Bobby Holik getting paid like Bobby Orr should have been. Hockey fans know what pisses us off, and a bunch of suits trying to slice up a microscopic pie doesn't cut it.

Our feelings on the lockout don't reach the level of "outrage" for two reasons. First, we understand that the owners are finally attempting to put controls in place that will make the league financially solvent until it can become economically self-sufficient through television and advertising revenue. Yes, their overspending and irresponsibility is why we're in this predicament. But you can't fault a crackhead for being a crackhead if he's at least trying to put the pipe down for once.

This lockout is happening for good reason — unfortunately, it's about a decade too late.

The other reason we're not outraged is actually sort of depressing. It's that we all know, in our hockey hearts, that there is absolutely no reason to believe the leadership of the NHL can make the simple changes and difficult decisions necessary to make the league something die-hard fans can be passionate about again.

(Notice I didn't say "casual fans." There are not now, nor have there been nor will there be, "casual" hockey fans. Bettman's greatest folly was marketing the sport for these fictional fans. No one "casually" watches hockey. No one dips his or her toe into the frozen water; they cannonball through the ice. It's like that scene in Ocean's Eleven where Clooney pushes the plane ticket across the table to Matt Damon: "You're either in or you're out." Hockey fans get on the plane and help plan the heist — no one's parachuting into the vault at the Bellagio just for the grand finale.)

The owners could get complete cost certainty, the players could become one step up from indentured servitude, and the NHL would still be screwed.

So, for the 100,000th time in this column space, let's spell out some simple ways the NHL can fix its product, shall we?

Making the Game More Telegenic

Anyone catch that football game they played between the commercials last weekend? Did you see those new mini-cameras FOX cooked up, that were on field level and were about the size of a corn nibblet? They actually stuck these things on the end zone pylons. It was incredible.

If television networks put one iota of that kind of ingenuity into how to successfully transfer the speed and excitement of hockey to television, maybe the NHL would draw better ratings than that infomercial for the hand-held steam cleaner.

How many cameras are utilized in a garden-variety NHL broadcast? Two, maybe three? On ESPN or ABC, we also get the camera inside the net, and that one that dangles over the ice, making it look like the players are being chased by a Dalek. That one dangling over the ice conveys momentum but lacks cohesion. Every other camera does nothing to provide the viewer with a semblance of what hockey looks and feels like in the arena. Imagine watching an oil painting of the Giant slalom rather than the event itself at the Olympics — that's hockey on TV.

The NHL and NBC have clearly stated that they feel HDTV technology will make a difference in hockey on television, and they're right. But it has to go beyond that: both league and network have to completely give into the notion that televised sports are sports made for television. That means making a NHL game look like a NFL game: cameras everywhere, including those wicked cool rail cams that ESPN used during the Heritage Classic in Edmonton.

The NHL will never succeed on TV until it looks like the best video game you've never played.

Fix Overtime

Shootouts suck. And I really don't have the energy to explain why (again). Check the archives on SportsFanMagazine.com.

The NHL should play 10 minutes of four-on-four hockey in overtime. At least do it for a season, and then see how many ties you're left with. I think goals will be scored, and the fans will go home happy even if there is a tie because that 10 minutes of action will be worth the price of admission. And unlike with that bastardization of hockey called a "shootout," there were actually be (gasp!) defensemen involved in the play and (double gasp!) passing.

Fix the Schedule

You can successfully trace the demise of the NHL in mainstream popularity to one point in its recent history when three trends converged: over-expansion, the instigator rule, and the dramatic change in the NHL's playoff format, away from divisional play and into a conference format.

Over-expansion will take care of itself, either through contraction or relocation. The instigator should have been repealed yesterday, although it would mean suffering some "you're promoting violence!" slings and arrows from basketball writers like Michael Wilbon.

The playoff format, meanwhile, is a tougher nut to crack.

On the one hand, it has successfully kept more teams in the postseason hunt than in the original divisional format. But it's also created a homogenous regular season, one lacking the blood rivalries that made many non-playoff games just as intense as the postseason in the 1980s. Wouldn't animosity between division "rivals" like Carolina and Washington grow more intense if both teams were vying for the same playoff spot, instead of battling each other, the Islanders, Sabres, Penguins, Canadiens, and five other teams for the final three spots in the conference?

Two scheduling solutions that would make the NHL a better league immediately:

1. Back to divisional playoffs. Four divisions, two conferences, four playoff slots in each division. The division champ plays the No. 4 team, No. 2 plays No. 3, and the conference title is decided by the winners of each divisional playoff. Do I care that two divisions will have eight teams and two will have seven? No, I do not.

2. If you want to keep the three-division/two-conference format, then create a hybrid of the Major League Baseball and NFL schedules. Like football, have each division match up with another specific division in the opposite conference. The Atlantic Division plays the Pacific one year, and the Central the following year, and Northwest in the third year; and then the cycle repeats. To ensure that some traditional inter-conference rivalries and matchups continue, each team has a home-and-home series with four teams from the opposite conference that are not in the division they are scheduled to face.

Toronto, for example, would have Detroit, Edmonton, Calgary, and Vancouver on the schedule, even if the Northeast was scheduled to face the Pacific in that season. The bottom line is that every team in the NHL will no longer play every other team in the NHL. It'll make those rare visits from opposite conference foes more meaningful; the games that are currently used for those inter-[conference opponents could be played against division rivals instead.

Fix the Game

The rules changes implemented on the AHL level — including tag-up off-sides, wider blue and red lines, and restrictions on where a goalie can play the puck — haven't resulted in a dramatic increase in scoring. According to the Buffalo News, scoring is only up 0.26 goals per game from last season's 5.11 goals per game average.

But if you think the problem in the NHL is goal scoring, then you might be a NBA fan at heart. The problem is offensive flow, and the AHL has recaptured it thanks in part to the rules changes. (The fact that a few NHLers have migrated down a level helps, as well.)

Lou Lamoriello once lamented the dawn of the TV timeout era in the NHL because it gave the players too much time to rest. The continuous action in the AHL leaves players feeling haggard, resulting in more offensive chances.

The NHL will adopt most, if not all, of these AHL rules changes, along with restrictions on goalie equipment. It's a good start, but doesn't address another more simple concern: the size of the ice. The players are bigger, the defensive systems are more complex; widening the ice would open the neutral zone.

(What about getting rid of the red line? I thought goal-hanging was something NHLers left on the pond.)

Widen the playing surface in every arena. Losing some seats in the lower level is worth putting a few more fannies in the seats upstairs.

There's a lot of passionate debate among hockey fans right now about what the new CBA will look like, if and when it's signed. Will there be a cap? Will there be a tax? Will there be a franchise player tag? Will there be a salary rollback? At what age will unrestricted free agency begin? Will the owners be allowed to reduce salaries through a new arbitration system?

Let me add a new question to the debate: does any of it really matter if the league's product is fundamentally flawed?

And do we, as fans, believe the same people who can't even agree on where to hold their meetings are the ones who can, in the end, make the NHL reach its potential, financially and competitively?

I sure as hell don't.

Greg Wyshynski is also a weekly columnist for SportsFan Magazine. His columns appear every Saturday on Sports Central. You can e-mail Greg at [email protected].

Posted by Greg Wyshynski at 7:25 PM | Comments (2)

February 11, 2005

Beyond the Horizon

"We shall never cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time" — T.S. Eliot

On Monday, Ellen MacArthur arrived back in Europe after traversing the globe by herself in a 75-foot trimaran.

The trip took her 71 days, 14 hours, 18 minutes, and 33 seconds, a record, and brought her home after departing November 28th, 2004. The previous record was held by a Frenchman named Francis Joyon, whose record was bested by 32 hours.

MacArthur slept 30 minutes at a time, for usually no more than four hours a day, and in between, she braved the elements in guiding her floating home. She drank desalinated water and ate freeze-dried food prepared on her small stove.

She can now trade in her meager sustenance for champagne and celebration.

Met with fanfare, crowds, and a congratulatory phone call from Tony Blair, MacArthur was also met by some who said that her trip lacked a certain amount of impressiveness because of the technical capabilities of the ship, including a GPS coordinate system.

In 1577, Sir Francis Drake set sail on the Golden Hind for what his crew was soon to find out was an attempt at circumnavigating the globe. Three years and some 36,000 miles later, he returned in 1580 with tales of his exploration.

From that day on, the benchmark was set, from pirate and explorer to sportsmen and sportswomen. The great history of humankind has been measured and detailed in our relentless pursuit of the unknown and the unattainable, and now there's a new entry in our record books.

71 days, 14 hours, 18 minutes, and 33 seconds.

It begs the question: what have I done in the last 71 days? Not more than a couple of hours, or days are even memorable. So much of it revolves around what I watched, or what I read, and other worthwhile yet strictly passive activities.

In the last 71 days, Ellen MacArthur has braved tropical storm force winds, waves, aquatic life, bruises, broken sails, exhaustion, burns, and the stunning force of solitude. In 71 days, she has gone from one end of the world to the other and back, and in the process personally witnessed the power, beauty, and expanse of Earth itself.

Our passion is sports, and our passion is competition. The records and milestones that we keep track of are just a natural extension of our desire to be the first, to be the best, to be the fastest.

At a time when NASA budget concerns are threatening the end of the Hubble space program, a long-time symbol of humanity's desire to see and go beyond what we have come to know, let Ellen MacArthur remind us of our ambition, courage, and dedication to exploring what's next.

Sure, for every glorious sunrise over a crystal blue ocean, there will be a storm so fierce that it breaks the main sail and bludgeons us with a wall of nature's own fury.

But Ellen made it back home, and she's telling me I can, too. It may have taken 71 days, 14 hours, 18 minutes, and 33 seconds, but she's convinced me.

Posted by Vince Grzegorek at 12:50 PM | Comments (0)

February 10, 2005

Should Jose Canseco Be Believed?

The recent accusations made by Jose Canseco have once again cast a cloud of suspicion around baseball. Yes, we've been here before with Canseco, and odds are if we buy enough books, he'll make other shocking claims in later editions. But should he be ignored?

Certainly, his credibility falls well below the lines of suspect. But then again, so does baseball's. For years, Jason Giambi was rumored to have done steroids, and not by any eye accounts. It was always the look at him — no one puts on that much muscle implications that dogged him in his later years at Oakland and his early ones at New York.

When it was proven in court, it wasn't a surprise. There was nothing shocking about Giambi taking steroids. The most shocking part of all was that he admitted to it. Then it was Barry Bonds turn to admit guilt, although he says he didn't know what he was taking, which is like believing Bill Clinton didn't know what the definition of sexual relations is. Fellas, even though you both took it orally, it doesn't get around culpability.

Gary Sheffield also admitted guilt, although he went with the Barry Bonds defense of ignorance. Granted, Sheffield doesn't put up Bonds-type numbers, but that doesn't mean he wasn't a steroid user. And that's what will eventually be unearthed in later books by former players.

It's probably not just the Bonds, Giambis, and Sheffields of the world that are taking steroids. Ken Caminiti claimed years before he died that one half of the players in the majors had taken steroids at some point. Sports Illustrated did a story on minor league players taking steroids, and it wasn't the guys who hit 40+ homers.

I'm not inclined to take Canseco's book at face value, but it wouldn't surprise me if there was some basis to his claims of Rafael Palmeiro, Ivan Rodriguez, Juan Gonzalez, and Mark McGwire taking steroids with him. They all denied it, but so have Giambi, Bonds, and Sheffield at every turn except to the grand jury.

The steroid testing last year came back greater than 5% positive, but that number is hardly indicative of how much steroid use there is in baseball. BALCO founder Victor Conte could spoon feed Olympic athletes performance enhancing drugs, and they would pass Olympic drug tests, which are much more in depth than MLB's. Until there is a test for human growth hormones as well as anabolic steroids, baseball players can continue to cheat without consequences.

The true piece of comic genius unleashed by Canseco was that the President knew about the rampant steroid use in the Rangers locker room when George W. Bush owned the Texas outfit. Bush, who has admitted to not reading the newspapers while serving in the most prestigious office, might be oblivious to the fact that his cabinet could be secretly hashing a plan to invade Iran, but he was in the know about Pudge shooting up in workout sessions?

I wouldn't be shocked by any baseball player's guilt in taking steroids. From Sammy Sosa to Juan Pierre, the game has an image problem, which has been fostered by 100+ years of avoiding steroid testing. They are essentially playing with aluminum bats, but unlike college, you can't tell with certainty which one are and which ones aren't.

Posted by Piet Van Leer at 6:18 PM | Comments (1)

NFL Weekly Predictions: Super Bowl Aftermath

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

All hail the New England Patriots, winners of Super Bowl XXXIX, their third Super Bowl victory in four years. But pity poor Terrell Owens, who, apparently, is loved enough by God to allow him to play with an injured ankle, but not loved enough by the Man Upstairs to grace Owens with a Super Bowl title.

"Jesus Christ! It's about time somebody put it into perspective," says God. "I don't give a damn about professional sports. Do all these athletes really think I've got time to determine who plays well and who wins when I've got holy wars, genocide, Pat Robertson, and the Christian Coalition to deal with? Thine plate is fulleth, so congratulations, New England Patriots. You had no help from me. You did it all yourself. And kudos to you, T.O.; you healed your ankle with hard work and perseverance. Hell, I didn't even know your ankle was hurt until Mother Theresa filled me in. You guys should pray to Momma T. She loves her sports."

Wow! It's quite exhilarating to have God speak through me. Almost as energizing as that exorcism I got as a birthday present 20 years ago. But let's get back to football.

As expected, the Patriots did everything they needed to win. They never allowed the Eagles to establish a running game, and Donovan McNabb never found a comfortable pocket presence, despite passing for 357 yards and three touchdowns. New England forced the big turnovers, limited their own turnovers to one, and, as always, made the big play.

"Or plays, in my case," says Patriot safety Rodney Harrison. "Two interceptions and a sack, and I'm not the most valuable player? What's up with that? Is this a Ukrainian presidential election or something, or were the votes cast in Florida? Don't get me wrong. Deion Branch had a great game in his own right, but better than me? No. I deserve that trophy. Actually, I don't care about that trophy. I just want that Cadillac."

The Eagles could not quite overcome a 10-point, fourth quarter deficit, thanks in part to some questionable clock management. Down 10 with 5:40 remaining, Philly failed to run their hurry-up offense, and looked so nonchalant doing it that one wonders if they thought they were down seven and not 10.

"Wait. You're telling me we were down 10 and not seven?" asks Andy Reid. "Why didn't you tell me this earlier? Honestly, I was thinking about that GoDaddy.com commercial at the time, the one with the busty chick in the Congressional hearing. I don't know about you, but it's hard keeping up with the score when that's on your mind."

Okay, Andy, I'll give you that. But, if you thought you had just tied the game, why did you on-side kick after you scored?

"Oh, that," replies Reid. "In that case, I was a little distracted by that FedEx ad with Burt Reynolds. Oh man, seeing Burt get kicked in the nads by a dancing bear. That was like Smokey and the Bandit meets Grizzly Adams, with a little Dirty Dancing thrown in. That was classic. Who can seriously think about football with that on their mind?"

Admit it, Andy. You were outcoached.

"Yes, you're right. Now, could you free me from this wet paper sack that I was unable to coach my way out of?"

With victory in hand, Bill Belichick was given the traditional "Gatorade dousing," or, as Belichick himself called it, a "bath."

"What a moment," Belichick exclaimed in his signature monotone, "made even more special by the fact that my father, Steve, was there with me. Dad is often mistaken for the old man on The Benny Hill Show, you know the one who's either chasing top-heavy young Brits, or being reprimanded by Hill with a pat on the head. It's always hurt Pops to say 'No, I'm not him.' Now, I'm sure he's going to be so proud to say 'Bill Belichick is my son, a three-time Super Bowl champ,' while I pat him on the head."

Afterwards, Belichick engaged in a group grope with departing offensive coordinator Charlie Weis and departing defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel. Weiss is headed to the University of Notre Dame, while Crenel will try to reverse the fortunes of the Cleveland Browns.

"I'm really going to miss those guys," adds Belichick. "They make quite a set of chubby coordinator bookends, with me in the middle. It surely will be hard to replace those two. I'm certain that for a while, I'm going to feel like Luke Skywalker without R2D2 and C3PO, or Moe without Curly and Larry, or Tinkers without Evers and Chance, or Jack without Chrissy and Janet, or Run without DMC and Jam Master Jay, or Snap without Crackle and Pop, or Crosby without Stills and Young, and Nash for that matter."

Okay, Bill, we get the point. But I'm sure you will find worthy replacements, or maybe you'll just handle their jobs yourself. Either way, New England will likely be in position next season to defend their crown. The Eagles, as well, should be the NFC favorite again, and with Owens remaining healthy for a full year, and with a little divine intervention, they may just end the Patriots' dynasty. So it shall be written. So it shall be done.

Have a question about sports you've always been afraid to ask? Then send me that question. If I can't answer it, I'll find someone who can, or I'll just make something up. It's all part of a new feature I call Q and A.D.D. with Jeffrey Boswell. Just send me your question, along with your name, city and state, a major credit card number, and your mother's maiden name. Actually, your name, city, and state will do. Send questions to [email protected].

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 5:45 PM | Comments (0)

February 9, 2005

The Latest, But Not the Greatest

Emmitt Smith has a long list of statistics to back up the claim made by many that he was the best running back ever. He retires as the leading career rusher in NFL history, with an astounding 18,355 yards. He retires as the career leading in rushing touchdowns and as the No. 2 all-time leader in career touchdowns.

As one-third of the Cowboys' infamous offensive trio, "The Triplets," along with Michael Irvin and Troy Aikman, he helped turn around a moribund Dallas franchise and fueled their early '90s championship dynasty. He was one of the smartest and most determined runners the game has ever seen. But he was not the best ever.

"How can you say he's not the best ever when he has all those records?" you may be wondering. Easy. Too often, stats lie. Or, in some cases, they stretch the truth a bit. There is a stat to substantiate nearly every claim, further any story or perpetuate any lie. In sports, that especially holds true. In football, though, stats don't always tell the entire story. And that's where Emmitt comes in. Sure, the stats say that he's the best ever. He's run for the most yards ever, so he must be the greatest, right? Wrong.

Emmitt Smith had the supreme fortune of running behind one of the most prolific offensive lines ever assembled and therefore, he was able to make a living running through the many huge holes they often opened for him. The quintet of Erik Williams, Nate Newton, Mark Tuinei, Mark Stepnoski, and Ron Stone (and later, Larry Allen), made annual reservations for February in Hawaii and in Erik Williams and Larry Allen, had two of the greatest offensive linemen in history. In fact, Williams and Allen were so dominant that they also may one day have their busts in Canton, alongside Smith.

That five-man mass of humanity made Emmitt's job eminently easier than that of some of the other running backs on all-time list. Can you imagine the types of numbers Barry Sanders would have put up if he had any kind of a consistent line in front of him, much less a line comprised of yearly Pro Bowl selections? What about Walter Payton? Payton would have finished his career with another thousand or so yards if he had Dallas' line opening holes for him. Not to take anything away from what Emmitt achieved in his career, but I've always wondered what his career would have been like without that offensive line he was privileged to run behind.

Another factor that people tend to overlook when discussing Emmitt's career was the presence of the other "Triplets" and the effect they had on opposing defenses. Sure, Emmitt led the league in rushing multiple seasons and was a Super Bowl MVP. However, Troy Aikman and Michael Irvin, as well as Jay Novacek and Alvin Harper, formed the nucleus of an explosive offensive unit, which made it very difficult for opposing defenses to key solely on Smith.

Unlike Sanders, Emmitt didn't have to face seven- and eight-man fronts on nearly every down designed to shut him down. Smith had the benefit of almost being an afterthought, to a certain degree, while opposing defenses sat up the night before the game worrying about which Dallas weapon they had to take away. For Payton, Jim Brown, and especially Sanders, defensive game plans revolved around ways to stop them. Not so in Smith's case.

To that end, Smith barely cracks my top-five list for the best running backs of all-time. He comes in fifth, behind Jim Brown, Walter Payton, Barry Sanders, and Gale Sayers, in that order, and only slightly ahead of O.J. Simpson.

Brown is unquestionably the best back ever, with his unmatched combination of speed and power. Brown could run over you just as easily as he could run past you, a fact crystallized in his career rushing average of 5.2 yards per carry. He played nine seasons, was voted to the Pro Bowl in all nine seasons, and was All-NFL eight seasons. He led the league in rushing eight times, including his ninth and final season, when at the age of 30, and after rushing for 1,544 yards, he shocked the sports world by announcing his retirement. Brown is still the standard by which all running backs are measured.

Payton is number two based on his stellar career, retiring after breaking Brown's mark for career rushing yards, as well as setting the record for most career rushing touchdowns. Payton was one of the most gifted and durable runners in league history, running for 1,000 yards or more in 10 of his 13 seasons, the strike-shortened season of 1982 interrupting a string of 11 straight 1,000-yard seasons. Payton retired atop the list of many of the career rushing marks that Jim Brown once held and is widely considered to be among the top two or three backs that ever played.

Barry Sanders was quite simply the most electrifying, exciting, elusive runner to ever step onto the field. Sanders had the gift of "magic feet." Tackling Sanders was like trying to tackle a greased pig. He was just too slippery. He'd seemingly be heading right and then, before you knew it, he was going left after faking out a defender with a move straight out of the official "two-hand touch" manual. Sanders was the king of being stuck behind the line for a loss of six, and all of a sudden, turning it into a gain of nine, leaving bodies in his wake grasping at a body that was there just a second ago, but was now gone.

Sanders, much like Brown before him, retired at the peak of his career, playing only 10 seasons. But, during those 10 seasons, Sanders made his mark on the game like no back before him. He rushed for 1,000 yards all 10 seasons of his career, making him the first back ever to do that. He became the first back in NFL history to rush for five seasons of 1,500 yards and, in 1997, became the third back in history to rush for over 2,000 yards in a single season. As with Brown, had he continued to play more seasons, Sanders would have set the bar at a level far more unattainable than it was when he quit.

Gale Sayers was one of the game's most spectacular breakaway threats and was the heir apparent to the suddenly retired Jim Brown as football's most dominant back. Extremely versatile, he was equally dangerous running the ball or returning kicks. He scored a record 22 touchdowns his rookie season, which included a then-record six touchdown game against the San Francisco 49ers, and led the league in rushing in 1966, the season after Jim Brown called it quits. Unfortunately, he suffered a serious knee injury during the 1968 season that hampered him throughout the remainder of his career and eventually led to him retiring after only seven years.

However, he left the game as the leading kickoff return man in history and a member of the All-NFL team five straight years. Had he not suffered the knee injury, that robbed him of the speed and athleticism that made him the most dangerous man in the league with a football in his hands, there would have been many more yards and accolades added to his impressive, but far-too-short, resume.

Emmitt Smith had a long, distinguished career that will eventually lead to his induction into the NFL Hall Of Fame. He has rushed for more yards and touchdowns than anyone in league history and, along with Troy Aikman, is the face of the Cowboys' dynasty of the early-to-mid '90s. And with all those achievements, there are those who will say, now that his retirement is final, that he was the best running back ever. I beg to differ. Just because he's the latest, doesn't mean he's the greatest. Emmitt Smith was a great running back ... just not the greatest running back.

Posted by Eric Williams at 11:46 AM | Comments (3)

Profile of a Leader: The Magic Touch

"Earvin Magic Johnson was head and shoulders above everybody else. I've never seen anybody as good as him." Significant praise being voiced, regardless of the speaker. When it comes straight from the mouth of basketball legend and three-time NBA MVP Larry Bird, however, it bears slightly more credibility than if proclaimed by Magic's fan club president.

The awesome power of Bird's statement is that it's as accurate in describing Magic off the court as on it. A decade after retirement, Earvin is still one of the most charismatic and inspirational faces ever associated with the NBA. He had the rare ability to connect with fans, teammates, and even opposition because of his radiant smile, unbreakable spirit, and positive demeanor. It is that same demeanor that has helped him win his battle with the deadly HIV infection, establish businesses in ghettos that no other enterprise would go near, and become a five-time basketball champion.

Those championships weren't due to chance — Magic's productivity is indisputable. He was a three-time league MVP, three-time NBA Finals MVP, 12-time all-star, Olympic gold medalist, and Hall of Fame inductee. His 20 point per game career scoring average would be impressive on its own, but is even more amazing when considered with the almost unanimous concession that scoring was not his strength. In high school, his all-around game was what earned him the nickname "Magic," when a local journalist marveled at the 15-year-old Johnson's 36-point, 16-rebound, 16-assist effort against competition several years his senior. Magic's productivity would prove itself well beyond high school, however.

He was a collegiate champion at Michigan State, shattered the NBA's career assist record (since surpassed by John Stockton), and averaged over seven rebounds a contest throughout his career — astonishing numbers for a point guard. If one thumbed through Encyclopedia Brown to "leadership by example," Magic's contagious smile would be spread open right between lead poisoning and leafhopper. (On an aside, leafhoppers can populate farmland at densities up to 137 per square foot! Hey, that's what you get when the author actually uses an encyclopedia for research.)

It doesn't take an encyclopedia, however, to know that Magic was much more than just a stellar performer for 13 years on the NBA hardwood. Instead, he always saved his very best performances for the very biggest games. When Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the most prolific scorer in NBA history, went down with an injury before Game 6 of the 1980 NBA Finals, most experts believed the Lakers were in trouble. What they hadn't counted on was a rookie point guard filling it at Abdul-Jabbar's center spot in the clinching game, and playing the best game of his basketball career. Magic recorded 42 points, 15 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals that celebrated night. In terms of clutch heroics, his Paul Bunyan-esque effort is too unique, and too grand, to ever be matched.

Even heroes have their imperfections, however, and Magic was no exception. Fame seems to have the dangerous effect of magnifying the best and the worst of people. For Magic, the worst was his retirement prior to the 1991 season due to his acquisition of the HIV virus. A promiscuous and unprotected lifestyle prematurely ended the playing career of one of the greatest players basketball had ever seen. Some people might have been shocked into submission because of such a deadly disease. Some people might run from blame for such a public mistake. But Magic was a leader — he did neither.

Taking full responsibility for his actions, he immediately began a public crusade against HIV. Besides taking the most advisable steps to protect his own health, Magic placed the entire cause of HIV awareness squarely on his broad shoulders. He penned a book about safe sex. He joined a government-commissioned committee on how to raise public awareness about the disease. He almost single-handedly changed the way HIV was viewed in America, transforming it from a taboo topic that only affected gays and blacks into what it really was — a deadly disease that could strike anyone, whether they were straight, gay, white, black, Hispanic, young, or old. His vision and urgency towards the cause educated millions, earned him the J. Walter Kennedy award from the NBA for Good Citizenship, and saved more lives than can ever be known.

Magic was a leader, and leaders don't rest on their laurels. He formed a chain of movie theatres in sections of Los Angeles that other businesses wouldn't touch with a 10-foot pole, and was so successful with them that he expanded his business to other cities, and other industries (Johnson has been stupendously successful with many Starbucks coffee shops in inner cities areas).

The lore of Magic's unmatched talent was what first attracted fans to his persona. We were only endeared to him, however, after we got to know the story behind the jersey; the tenacious leader who displayed even more bravado, charisma, courage, and strength off the court than on it. And although there are those who doubt how much longer Magic can thrive with such large challenges facing him, they must remember one true thing about his character, best stated simply by his friend and rival Larry Bird, "Earvin Magic Johnson was head and shoulders above everybody else. I've never seen anybody as good as him." Neither have the rest of us, Larry.

Posted by Tyson Wirth at 11:29 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

T.O. Comes Through When it Counts

How do you like Terrell Owens now? For the last two weeks, everyone had to be a critic. For two weeks, a majority of Super Bowl talk was "to be or not to be ... will he play in the Super Bowl?" That was the question.

Nine passes caught, for 122 yards, just six and a half weeks after ankle surgery. That is the answer.

Ever since, Dr. Mark Myerson, who performed the surgery on Owens, announced he would not clear him to play in Sunday's game, the entire Will he play? Won't he play?" question soon turned into a media blitz. Upon hearing a lot of what was said in two weeks, I have come to the conclusion that T.O.'s situation was defined by one simple saying: damned if you do, and damned if you don't.

The ankle was projected to heal after nine weeks, approximately. I'm not a medical expert, but I will say that when it comes to recovery after surgery, there certainly is a wide gab between six and a half weeks and nine weeks.

From the start, T.O. made it clear that he wanted to play and was willing to defy doctor's orders. The decision would be left up to head coach Andy Reid. The great debate, is Owens brave, or a selfish and reckless individual who may hurt his team by playing?

How would the public react if T.O. from the start, said he did not want to risk further injury to his ankle and therefore, opted to sit-out the Super Bowl? He would be heavily criticized!

So how come at this moment, when T.O. does want to play, he is being criticized as being selfish? The decision was left up to the head coach. Do you think Andy Reid would honestly put T.O. in if he believed he would not be effective at all?

"A lot of people in the world didn't believe I could play, but my faith alone," said Owens. "The power of prayer and the power of faith carried me all the way.''

The Eagles lost the Super Bowl. T.O. played a great game. The Eagles did not lose because of T.O. In fact, if quarterback Donovan McNabb had thrown the ball more to T.O., perhaps the game would have a different outcome.

Yes, that is how great T.O. was on Sunday.

Like him or not, one has to admire what T.O. did on Sunday night. Through the end zone celebrations and Desperate Housewives skits, is a man who by faith, believed he would contribute to his team by playing.

Owens is a playmaker, and continues to prove again and again, he wants to win. Despite his bitterness exit from the 49ers, I believe T.O. is a team guy. His presence in Philly makes the team better.

At this point, I would rather have Owens on my team over Randy Moss. T.O. wants back in the Super Bowl. He wants a damn ring. So does the rest of his team. While the Eagles are probably still going to be the class of the NFC, they have to do all the work again. The season doesn't start with them at the Super Bowl.

Five months from now, training camp will begin. And so will another 17-week season. Then come the playoffs. Then comes the NFC championship game. I'll be waiting there for you, T.O.

E-mail feedback to [email protected]. Visit Martin's personal website, Martin's Access, at http://www.tpww.net/martin.

Posted by Martin Hawrysko at 11:17 AM | Comments (0)

February 8, 2005

Super Bowl XXXIX Rewind

Five Quick Hits

* The Patriots are 3-0 in February. No other NFL franchise has ever won a game in February.

* In his team's last five games, Andy Reid has successfully overturned an interception by his own defense and an escaped sack by his own quarterback.

* Are Adam Sandler and Chris Rock really starring in a remake of "The Longest Yard"? Sacrilege.

* FOX missed the beginning of three separate plays during a single drive in the second half. No excuse for that.

* The Freddie Mitchell comments were this week's most overblown story. This is what you get for giving the media two weeks between games.

Super Bowl XXXIX is in the books, and the New England Patriots emerged with a 24-21 victory. The game wasn't as close as the final score — which tied a Super Bowl record for second-closest ever — makes it seem, but it was competitive from start to finish. This fan has no complaints.

I'll have a short article next week to tackle the recent Hall of Fame elections and the All-Loser Team, and maybe the Pro Bowl if I watch it. For now, though, let's get right to the game.

A Tale of Two Receivers

Defenses dominated the first quarter, but both teams found heroes on offense as the game progressed. MVP Deion Branch tied a Super Bowl record with 11 receptions and gained 133 receiving yards, 30 more than the rest of his teammates combined. Terrell Owens, recovering from an injury so severe that his doctor didn't clear him to play, led the Eagles with nine receptions for 122 yards. His nine catches equaled the total by the rest of Philly's WR corps.

Over the last two weeks, I never really doubted that Owens would play in the Super Bowl, but I figured he'd have a three receptions, 30 yards kind of game.

Wrong.

T.O. clearly wasn't 100%, but he played extremely well, showing a lot of heart and determination. Owens was a difference-maker for the Eagles, and his exceptional performance (only six weeks after major surgery) was nothing less than stunning.

Before the game, I worried that if Philadelphia won without a clear MVP, Owens would get undeserved sympathy votes. By the time the Eagles started that last drive in the fourth quarter, he had earned a good chance of getting mine.

Did New England Win, or Did Philadelphia Lose?

Steve Young, speaking on NFL Primetime after the game, repeatedly mentioned that this was more a case of the Eagles losing than of the Patriots winning. Philadelphia had its chances early in the game, but didn't take advantage.

Young is mostly right, but the problem is that the situation he described is almost always true when New England plays a good team. What Young misses is that New England never beats itself. More than anything else, Bill Belichick and his staff emphasize mistake-free football. The Eagles got more yards, more first downs, and dominated third downs on both sides of the ball. But they finished -3 in turnovers.

So how did the Eagles lose the game?

* Donovan McNabb looked awful. He misfired on a number of easy passes and tied a career-high with three interceptions. McNabb's running ability was a frequently-cited "X-factor" coming into the game, but he had trouble even getting out of the pocket, and never crossed the line of scrimmage.

* No running game. Brian Westbrook is an excellent player, but he isn't a pure RB. Westbrook is more like the true halfback-receiver typified by Lenny Moore, or Charley Taylor before he became a full-time WR. Marshall Faulk is an exceptional receiver, and he sometimes lines up like a wideout, but he's still a running back. Westbrook is a true hybrid, as much wide receiver as running back.

That kind of versatility is great, but Philadelphia is a little weak in the tackle-to-tackle department. Westbrook averaged less than three yards per carry and Dorsey Levens had one rush for one yard. McNabb, meanwhile, threw 51 passes, the second-highest total in Super Bowl history. If one difference stood between the two teams, it was ability to run the ball.

* Clock management. I don't believe the Eagles could have won after they fell behind 24-14, but the lack of urgency shown by Philadelphia's offense certainly didn't help. Tough to understand what Philly's offensive braintrust was thinking.

At the end of the first quarter, Philadelphia had the momentum and clearly was outplaying New England. Owens was near full speed, Roman Phifer was having problems covering L.J. Smith, and the defense wasn't giving New England anything. The Eagles were unable to capitalize while the going was good, and by halftime, even with the score tied, it felt like the Patriots were going to win.

New England on Offense

The Patriot offense was clearly a little off its game in the first quarter. The Eagles came out blitzing, and New England didn't seem entirely ready for it. Both tackles were called for false start penalties. Receivers had trouble getting open downfield against Philadelphia's terrific secondary.

Adjustments came quickly. Most significantly, the Pats used four-wide receiver sets much more often late in the game, forcing Roderick Hood and Matt Ware into the game. The Eagles blitzed less often and seldom with more than one guy, instead keeping extra guys in coverage to help their young DBs. I hesitate to say the Philadelphia defense tired as the game went on, but it definitely appeared to have less energy in the second half than at the beginning of the game.

It appeared that the Eagles defense was better-prepared at the beginning of the game than New England's offense, but the Patriots made better adjustments during the game, and particularly at halftime. I'm tempted to believe that Charlie Weis may have out-thought himself in his initial preparation: I know they'll do X, but they know I know, so I'll do Y, but they know I know that they know...

Branch, who has established himself as one of the best receivers in the NFL, had a career game. His catch on 2nd-and-13 was the play of the game in a contest that had its share of great catches.

Philadelphia on Offense

Who would have thought coming into this game that Philadelphia's biggest weapon would be Terrell Owens?

New England's defense makes extraordinary quarterbacks look ordinary, and McNabb was just the latest in a long line of victims, but it was truly strange to see him muffing short throws — sometimes with little or no pressure — and lobbing up balls that begged to be intercepted. McNabb has the second-lowest interception percentage in NFL history. In 97 games, this was only the third time he has thrown more than two picks. It's not just Peyton Manning and undefeated rookies; the Patriots do this to everybody.

McNabb did make an incredible throw on Brian Westbrook's touchdown reception. Westbrook compensated for his lack of production on the ground with seven receptions for 60 yards, and he had some nice plays, but the Eagles never really established him as a threat. Other than a meaningless 22-yard scamper as time ran out at the end of the first half, Westbrook never broke a play for more than 15 yards.

On one play, Troy Aikman referred to #36 as Michael Westbrook. I heard Aikman do the same thing once or twice earlier this season, too, and he's not the only one. Apparently the former Washington WR made a strong impression during his disappointing tenure in the nation's capital.

New England's pass rush gave Philadelphia's (normally reliable) line problems all game. McNabb was sacked four times for 33 yards and hurried many other throws. The Eagles seemed to have problems against the 3-4. Pittsburgh also employs the 3-4, and the Steelers held McNabb to a season-worst 55.7 passer rating and the Eagles to a season-low three points.

The one player New England never seemed to have an answer for was Owens. It's tough to suggest that Reid and Brad Childress underused a receiver who caught nine passes and was playing hurt, but with Ty Law, Tyrone Poole, and Eugene Wilson out of the game, the Pats didn't have anyone capable of neutralizing T.O.'s combination of size and speed.

Most Valuable Player

I voted for Deion Branch, the first time my choice has won the award since Kurt Warner in Super Bowl XXXIV. Tom Brady, Rodney Harrison, and Corey Dillon would have been reasonable choices, too.

Posted by Brad Oremland at 11:25 AM | Comments (2)

Why the Patriots Are Not a Dynasty

New England was the heavy favorite. Everyone outside of Pennsylvania was putting their money on the two-time champs. There was no way the Eagles could win, the talking heads yelled. On paper, New England was just the better team, a dynasty in the making, but as the saying goes, that's why they play the games.

Unfortunately, they had to play this game, leaving us with one of the most anti-climatic Super Bowls in history. The score was close, sure, but everyone knew the Pats were going to win from the start. Even the chimps from the CareerFinder.com commercial could've picked this one. The outcome of this game was never in question, which says something about this Patriots team. For me, the highlight of the night was the start of "The Simpsons."

I didn't want the Pats to win, but if they were going to win, I wanted them to make it exciting. I couldn't believe Donovan McNabb's clock management at the end of the game. I expected him to back away from the line with time running out on the play clock and take off his helmet and jersey to reveal a Patriots jersey underneath, before heading to the Pats bench to exchange high fives with Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, leaving Philly fans stunned and Santa laughing in spiteful delight. That would've at least been interesting. As it was, we were subjected to another Pats win and the endless dynasty talk.

Watching ESPN after the game, they must have called the Pats a dynasty no less than 45,323 times in seven minutes. Now, before we go any further, let me clarify this point for ESPN and the entire world. The Patriots are not a dynasty! Bob Ryan was on my radio show (you can listen to Great Americans on SFM Radio at SportsFanMagazine.com — shameless plug) this past week and made this point very well.

The definition of a dynasty (according to Dictionary.com): A family or group that maintains power for several generations.

Ryan then said something I agreed with; there are three dynasties in sports — the Celtics, the Yankees, and the Canadiens. What New England has done over the past years has been great, but they clearly are not a dynasty. What they have is a great team (maybe the best ever?) or a great era, but they cannot be a dynasty until they have complete turnover and continue to be at the top.

Can they have that? Sure. Do they now? Absolutely not. I know New England fans think it's cute to call it a dynasty. I know that ESPN likes to throw the word around because it makes the game bigger than it is, but what is so hard about this? It's a simple concept, and until New England is consistently at the top of the NFL for several generations, they just are not a dynasty.

That is not a knock on their organization; I understand and respect its greatness. There is definitely something to be said for their team when everyone knows they will win the Super Bowl and they come and do it. That kind of dominance is to be admired. People just need to realize that the Patriots are not a dynasty.

I was talking to my friend from New England after the game and he refused to let the dynasty talk die. I rationally explained the definition to him and how he was abusing the English language (along with ESPN and most of the sports media world) and he still wouldn't accept it.

His stellar argument consisted mostly of, "you have to change the definition of a dynasty for the NFL." Now, I'm not sure, but if you have to change the definition of something to make it apply, it probably doesn't apply. I can argue that socks are actually apples all day long, but you will never see caramel-coated socks at the grocery store (unless you shop at the same grocery store as Star Jones, where I imagine everything must be carmel-coated).

My friend, ultimately realizing the inevitability of his defeat, tried to accuse me of being biased. What he failed to realize is that this wasn't about me vs. him, or Patriots Nation vs. Sports Gospel, this was him (and anyone else calling the Pats a dynasty) vs. the English language, and he was losing.

New England fans, enjoy your third Super Bowl in four years. Sports fans everywhere, acknowledge and respect the Belichick era and respect what this team has done. Talking heads, continue to heap your praise on this organization. All I ask is that you leave the dynasty talk with Philadelphia's victory champagne — still on ice.

Mark Chalifoux is also a weekly columnist for SportsFan Magazine. His columns appear every Tuesday on Sports Central. You can e-mail Mark at [email protected].

Posted by Mark Chalifoux at 1:40 AM | Comments (4)

February 7, 2005

I Hate Mondays: Charity a Rarity

It's because of Latrell Sprewell and the NHL Players Union that we, as fans, have often jumped to assumptions and tabbed most athletes as greedy moneygrubbers.

You know the drill. We've all scoffed when players like Eli Manning have held out before displaying an ounce of credibility in a professional football game or when a Pedro Martinez has lobbied for that extra hundred-thousand in his $55 million dollar contract.

You'll often find yourself muttering some form of derogatory insult, but on rare occasion, you might come across someone who is truly a most valuable player.

No, I'm not talking about a quarterback with a Sunday rating of 158.3, or a pitcher who has flame-thrown a perfect game, and I'm definitely not referring to a triple-double outing.

I'm talking about the charitable work off the field by players like Warrick Dunn.

To most, charity is best described as tossing a few coins to a nearby panhandler so he doesn't linger too closely to you and your fresh date. To others, it means examining your caller ID in order to avoid conversations with those pesky aid organizations.

To Dunn, benevolent contributions have another meaning.

He was recently honored for "Homes for the Holidays," a program where he pays the down payment on a new home for a single mother who has never had the luxury of owning a house.

This isn't a, "Here, take this check, and stop bothering me," sort of transaction. For each recipient, Dunn is present to handover the keys to the front door and is in attendance to witness the nonplussed reaction. So far, since starting the program in 1997, Dunn has helped 52 mothers with his cause.

Has it significantly hindered his life? He's donated just over a million dollars, but is currently in the midst of a $28 million contract. Most likely not. In return, he has directly changed the course of the lives of 52 families, and has opened a few doors that they were unable to unlock — literally

With so many athletes sullying the icon of the sports role model by drinking and driving, facilitating drug deals, or abusing their revered rank in society, it's important to recognize the few that do use their privileged circumstances as a tool of generosity.

At the end of the day, although the realm of sports is something that we spend countless hours following, it still just boils down to entertainment. That's why it will never matter how many rushing yards or how many Super Bowl rings Warrick Dunn achieves because his actions off the field have given some lesser fortunate individuals an opportunity to succeed in life, and that is what truly makes him a most valuable player.

Greed and beneficence mix like Mondays and me.

"If you want a happy ending, that depends, of course, on where you stop your story." — George Orson Welles

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 11:26 AM | Comments (0)

LeBron Can't Do Everything

A month of basketball can say a lot about a team. A month brings injuries, road trips, and both winning and losing streaks.

On January 2nd, the Cleveland Cavaliers were 15-12 and in a virtual deadlock with the Detroit Pistons for the lead in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference.

On February 3rd, the Cavs stood at 26-19 and 1.5 games back of the Pistons.

Undoubtedly, the month in between has provided the Cavs with turmoil, stress, and obstacles that have prevented them from jumping out to a commanding lead in the standings.

That's certainly one way of looking at it. The other way is to say that any shortcomings apparent in Cleveland's play the last month have little to do with temporary setbacks and more to do with deep-seated concerns about their gameplan, strategy, and personnel decisions.

Over the last month, Dan Gilbert has bought the team from previous owner Gordon Gund. Clearly, Gund and his team will try to make the transition as smooth as possible, but Gilbert still has a lot to learn about the organization and the business of basketball.

One of Gilbert's early concerns seems to be the impending free agency of center Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Z, perhaps one of the least recognized yet most productive centers inthe league, has recently been the talk of numerous trade rumors. Gilbert has questioned the practicality of paying the Lithuanian center an expected salary of close to $20 million a year should he remain in Cleveland.

While Gilbert may have genuine concerns of spending that much money on a set of gigantic feet that have been surgically repaired multiple times and reconstructed with metal and bolts, GM Jim Paxon and LeBron James realize how important Z is to the Cavs' future.

Ilgauskas has played over 250 games since missing almost two complete seasons because of foot injuries. This season, Z is averaging 16.8 points per game (fifth highest among centers,) and has shown a versatility not many would expected from his less than elegant movement. James has openly stated that he needs Z and has guaranteed that Ilgauskas gets his contract. Of all the things Dan Gilbert should learn in his new endeavors, ways to keep LeBron happy and in Cleveland should be chief among them.

The last month has also brought a slew of injuries to the squad, forcing coach Paul Silas to constantly retune his starting lineup. First, LeBron James went down with a broken ocular bone, forcing him to wear a protective mask until it completely heals. Jeff McGinnis went down for a couple of games after spraining his ankle in a game against Sacramento. Ira Newble and fan favorite Anderson "American Idol" Varejao also suffered similar fates, but the high-ankle variety of their injuries are expected to keep them out at least a couple of more weeks. Also, Lucious Harris injured his chest and now wears a protective vest that looks like something out of Training Day.

Not to mention the ongoing saga of Dajuan Wagner, who has encountered every ailment known to man in the last year. From the flu to colitis, you name it, Dajuan has missed games because of it.

Note to Dan Gilbert: notice the absence of Ilgauskas' name on that list.

Perhaps the only good thing to come out of the injuries is the emerging role of Sasha Pavlovic. Not given much playing time early in the season, and watching Ira Newble start in front of him, Pavlovic hasn't had much of a chance to make his mark. However, in the last four games that he's started, Sasha (which of course sounds more like a stripper at the Crazy Horse than a basketball player) has shown an ability to run the floor with LeBron, drive the lane on his own, make opportunities for himself off the dribble, and robotically nail open jump shots. I wouldn't be surprised if Ira, after returning from the ankle injury, returns to being a role-player and we continue to see the rise of Sasha.

Pavlovic is providing something that the Cavaliers have been desperately short of lately. Perimeter shooting. As a team, they rank near last in both three point attempts, and three-point percentage. Jeff McGinnis leads the team with a .368 average, but LeBron is right behind him at .362 with 69 less attempts. Lucious Harris, the organization's answer to these concerns, has only 46 attempts for a .304 average.

Why are the Cavs happy that they have the cap room to go after a Michael Redd or Baron Davis in the offseason? Because their lack of an outside presence has caused them problems against strong zone defenses so far. Teams huddle around Ilgauskas and Drew Gooden because they know that is where the ball is going because no one on the outside has a decent chance of converting.

This brings up two personal complaints:

1. Eric Snow, whatever his qualifications and experience, has no business taking deep jump shots, especially when the game is on the line. That is why you have LeBron James. All-star. 25.2 points per game.

2. When Carlos Boozer jumped ship to Utah, my immediate next thought was, "The Cavs are going to sign Tractor Traylor." Of course, a couple of days later, this is exactly what happened. While the Tractor has proved to be a great addition for his hustle, rebounding, and inside presence during the frequent periods when Ilgauskas is on the bench with 3,459 personal fouls, if I see him take another 23-foot jump shot, miss, and then run down court patting his chest as to indicate, "My bad," I'm going to curse loudly.
Once again, this is why you have LeBron James.

Starting January 3rd, the Cavs amassed a four-game win streak at home against such powerhouses as Charlotte, New York, and Atlanta. Then the schedule took them on a eight-game West Coast swing that was sure to test the then leader of the Central Division.

They ended the road trip 4-4, a record that coach Paul Silas called a "success," and kept the Cavs in first place. The trip should have been referred to as the trip of missed opportunities.

On the first game of the swing, a bill that featured LeBron vs. Kobe and the Cavs vs Lakers, Cleveland managed a lackluster effort against the star-less Lakers after Kobe went down with an ankle injury.

In a game that the Cavs led by nine points in the fourth quarter, Seattle came back to win by double-digits led by an apparently unstoppable Ray Allen.

The crowning jewel came in an embarrassing loss to Sacramento in an effort that can only be described as pathetic. Tired legs are not an acceptable excuse when going against a premier Western Conference team. The Kings dominated the glass, the perimeter, and simply ran laps around the Cavaliers, and when they weren't running in circles, they were passing around Cleveland defenders that looked less than helpless.

What's interesting is that even with a 4-4 trip to the coast, the Cavaliers still have a 11-7 record against the Western Conference. Only three other teams in the East have comparable numbers, including Orlando at 11-8, Miami at 10-10, and Detroit at 9-7.

So, how have the Cavs maintained such a stretch of mediocrity? The Eastern Conference is considerably less tough than the West, and Cleveland is 17-4 at home at Gund Arena.

In the last month, 16 games, the Cavaliers wins have come against teams with a combined winning percentage of .337. Take away their win against an ever-improving Memphis team and that number drops to .309. In fact, with the exception of the Grizzlies, the Cavaliers haven't beaten a team with a winning percentage greater than .422 in that stretch.

Certainly, you have to beat the teams that you should beat, but there is also something to be said for coming up big in games that demand it. The Seattle, Orlando, and Los Angeles games were all winnable. Plus, Cleveland has had to fight and claw to put up a "W" against the Bobcats, Knicks, and Bucks. Not exactly a sign of confidence for a team that will be one of the highest seeds in the East.

Drew Gooden and Zydrunas Ilgauskas, after being called out by Silas, are starting to respond with better rebounding, scoring, and defensive efforts. Gooden has recently cracked the top ten in rebounding with 9.7 per game. But the consensus is still that both are soft in the paint on the defensive end, a feeling that is not going to change by watching Shaq treat Z like his little brother.

During All-Star Weekend, LeBron James will be busy displaying his dizzying array of skills on an international stage, an arena where he thrives (obviously something Larry Brown should know by now). In the meantime, Cleveland will hope that some of their wounds heal, and their legs will be rejuvenated enough to make a strong run in the second half.

Posted by Vince Grzegorek at 11:19 AM | Comments (0)

February 6, 2005

History Against Unbeaten Teams

In what has seemed like a topsy-turvy year in college basketball, with ranked teams knocking each other off almost nightly, there has remained two constants: Illinois and Boston College. Both are undefeated so far, but can either parlay a perfect season into a national title? Recent history would say, "no."

Before we look ahead, let's take a look back at the history of undefeated teams in NCAA basketball and see how they've fared through their seasons and tournament appearances.

First, since 1948 (as far back as the official NCAA record book goes), there have been only nine undefeated teams, the last being Indiana in 1976. Four other teams entered the NCAA tournament with an unblemished record, only to lose in the tournament; two of them lost in the title game, the most recent being Larry Bird's Indiana State team in 1979.

Therefore, the likelihood of either Illinois or Boston College going undefeated is rather slim. But, if they can and make it through the tournament, the chances of them winning the title are very good. The last team to go unbeaten through the regular season an not make it to the championship game was UNLV in 1991 when they lost in the national semifinal.

On the other hand, six teams have won the national title after dropping a game during the season. The 1974 NC State squad led by David Thompson, which took home the trophy with a 30-1 record, is the last team to win it all with an "and one" record. However, it's been a while since anyone has been able to accomplish either feat, roughly 25 or 30 years.

Which is why one of the two remaining unbeatens has a better chance of finishing with no losses than the other and, therefore (maybe), a better chance at winning the "ship." That team? Illinois.

No disrespect to Boston College, but when their remaining schedule is taken into consideration, they have a much tougher row to hoe than do the Illini. The Eagles' schedule the rest of the way, which is eight games, is chock full of tough opponents. Only two of the games is against a team with a sub-.500 record (Rutgers at 7-11). The rest of the games are against teams that have not yet reached double-digits in the loss column.

Saturday, the Eagles visit Seton Hall (10-8), then travel to Notre Dame (13-5) on Tuesday. After that it's Rutgers, Syracuse (20-2), at Villanova (12-5), Seton Hall again, Pittsburgh (15-3), and at Rutgers to end the season. It might be noted that Villanova is the only team Boston College has played before, and the Eagles squeaked out a 67-66 win on their home floor. It might be a different outcome when they travel to 'Nova.

Meanwhile, Illinois has a decidedly easier schedule the rest of the way. Their next two games are against teams they haven't faced yet, but both are mediocre at best. Indiana (10-9) visits Champaign on Sunday followed by the Illini visiting Michigan (12-10) next Tuesday. Then it's all games against teams they've played before and only three of them have winning records.

Wisconsin (15-4) follows the Michigan game and will be looking to avenge the Illini breaking their 38-game home winning streak a couple of weeks ago. Don't bet on the Badgers getting even. Then it's at Penn State (7-14) and on the road against Iowa (15-5), which if Illinois is going to lose a game this year, this one's the most likely (although not likely).

Other than Wisconsin, the Hawkeyes stayed the closest to the Illini in Big 10 play, losing by a scant five points in Champagne. Illinois then has two home games against Northwestern (9-11) and Purdue (5-14), then finish on the road against Ohio State (15-7), whom the Illini beat by 19 earlier in the year.

In the event either of these teams makes it through the rest of the season unscathed, they'll likely take different paths to the Final Four. While Boston College might have a legitimate beef that they should be a number one seed in the tournament, it would be hard to argue against some other teams with losses that they shouldn't be top seeds as well. Plus, one has to take into account that the East is loaded with great teams like North Carolina, Duke, and Kentucky when deciding if BC should be a one-seed.

Illinois, on the other hand, will be a number one seed no matter what, even if they lose a game before the Big Dance. As weak as the west is right now, it wouldn't be too surprising if they were shifted to that region as the top seed. That would make room for Kansas to be the number one in the Midwest (or whatever its name is this year). North Carolina will probably be the top seed in the East and Kentucky tops in the South (again, the names have been changed to protect the tradition of the regions).

So, where does that leave Boston College? Probably as a two-seed in a region where the top team is ranked lower, such as the region where Kentucky is the one-seed. That's not to say that something drastic might happen between now and eight games in the future. In the event BC stays unbeaten and a couple of the heavyweights around them lose, like UNC or Wake Forest or Kentucky, then the Eagles just might grab a top seed somewhere.

That's the beauty of college basketball. Nobody knows exactly what will happen until Selection Sunday. But until then, it sure is fun to speculate.

Posted by Adam Russell at 12:38 PM | Comments (1)

February 4, 2005

Why the Eagles Will Win the Super Bowl

The Eagles will win the Super Bowl because Campbell's Chunky is the master of New England Clam Chowder.

The Eagles will win the Super Bowl because as a God-fearing Christian, I cannot question His plan for Terrell Owens.

The Eagles will win the Super Bowl because this is a different team with Owens and Brian Westbrook both on the field at the same time. While Philly's offense slowed a bit before Owens's injury, there's no question it was the best in football for three quarters of the season. Toss in the fact that McNabb has played out of his skull this postseason, and the Eagles might just have enough on offense to keep up with the Brady.

The Eagles will win the Super Bowl because Freddy Mitchell has never lied to me before.

The Eagles will win the Super Bowl because their defense hasn't allowed more than 20 points in a game that's meant something since Week 10. This game comes down to two things: the ability of Philadelphia's offense to put points on the board, and the ability of its defense to pressure — and knock down — Tom Brady.

The first thing is in the capable hands of McNabb, Owens, Westbrook, and Mitchell (okay, in that last case, somewhat capable). The second thing comes down to how well the Eagles' much-lauded secondary handles the Patriots' receivers, and whether players like Jeremiah Trotter continue to play the best football of their lives in the most important games of the season.

The Eagles will win the Super Bowl because I'm a Jets fan.

The Eagles will win the Super Bowl because this Tom Brady/Joe Montana talk needs to stop. It needs to stop because none of these phony talking heads will ever get to the real debate, which is whether Montana — for all the rings, MVPs, and accolades — is actually the most overrated quarterback in league history.

Brady is doing what Montana did with about 1/10th the offensive talent Montana had. He's making Deion Branch look like Jerry Rice. Jerry Rice, meanwhile, has proven he can be a championship-caliber receiver without Montana. But Montana never won without Roger Craig in his backfield, and he rode the coattails of an offensive innovation that defenses only learned to slow down once Montana was done and doing beer commercials.

The Eagles will win the Super Bowl because, as a member of the liberal media, I am very desirous to see a black quarterback do well.

The Eagles will win the Super Bowl because this is the beginning of the end for the Patriots. The wave has crest, and now it's all about how hard it'll crash on the rocks. This is the last run for Romeo Crennel and Charlie Weis, which means life changes in a big way on the Patriots' sidelines next season. And eventually, some of these players that have accepted humble salaries to remain on the Patriots' gravy train are going to look to cash out. It's been fun, Pats, but the ride's gotta end sometime.

The Eagles will win the Super Bowl because I asked this chick in my office who would win the game and she said Philly would, because an eagle could beat a patriot in a fight. I guess it all comes down to whether the patriot could load, cock, and fire his musket before the eagle pecks his eyes out. Plus, the accuracy on colonial firearms doesn't exactly inspire confidence that he could bulls-eye a bird soaring through the air above him.

Then again, we're talking buckshot here, and just once piece of shrapnel could wing that bastard and send him spiraling down to terra firma. Then all the patriot has to do is run over and lay down a GoodFellas'-style beatdown with his military-issue boots. But what if the eagle is simply playing possum? What if, when the patriot goes for the deathblow, he takes his talons and rips the dude's ACL, sending the patriot to the ground? Then the eagle leaps on top of him, splits his chest open, sticks its head in, and flies away with a trail of small intestines cascading from its beak. Boy, that'd be something. Yeah, so clearly, the Eagles are going to win.

The Eagles will win the Super Bowl because they have a fight song. Look what that did for the Redskins and the Bears. I'm sure the Patriots would have a fight song, too, if Belichick weren’t such a damn killjoy.

The Eagles will win the Super Bowl because, after Red Sox fans, no fan base in America has been teased more in the last decade than Eagles fans. (I say "last decade" to purposefully excuse Buffalo from the conversation.) It's not the same level of pain; being a Red Sox fan, for example, was a suitable answer for "Cause of Death" on Bostonian autopsy reports for about 80 years. Nor is this an endorsement of some silly notion of a curse, mainly because there's nothing supernatural about choking in the NFC title game.

But that's not to say Eagles fans haven't been bullied, bruised, and battered by this team; anguish magnified by the championship-round mauling given to the Sixers and Flyers in recent years, and the fact that Mitch Williams still roams the Earth as a free man. As much as it'll suck for everyone else in the Northeast, it's time for some championship joy to enter the lives of Philly fans.

Now, will a Super Bowl title change the historically repulsive demeanor of Philadelphia sports fans, who have been known to boo Santa Claus, injured players, black quarterbacks, first-round draft picks, and probably their own grandmothers? Of course it will.

I mean, look how humble Red Sox fans have been in victory.

Random Thoughts

Snoop Dogg recently said he'd like to coach the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Can you imagine how fun Super Bowl XXXXV will be, when Snoop's Steelers take on coach Deion Sanders and the Atlanta Falcons?

Every press conference would be like something out of "8 Mile"...

Why do people take such offense to Carlos Delgado's decision not to stand during "God Bless America" in the seventh inning stretch?

Here's a brief list of the activities that occur during that daily baseball tradition: wedgies being picked and/or scratched, financial transactions involving alcohol, male and female urination and deification, and dozens of people talking on cell phones, perhaps even to closeted Reds. (And I'm not talking about Dave Concepcion here.)

The bottom line is that it's just a song. The National Anthem? That's different, because we're talking about presenting the colors. This is just another song you hear at the stadium, like "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" or "Baby Got Back."

If you're trying to paint "God Bless America" with the 9/11 brush, save your strokes. This is a sporting event, not some patriotic pep rally. I don't have to observe a moment of silence in the middle of watching "Million Dollar Baby," and I don't have to stand during "God Bless America" if I don't feel like it.

(An aside: all of those asswipes in Congress — that, shockingly, were seated on the GOP side — who dunked their fingers in ink and raised them in the air during The State of the Union Address are a damned disgrace. When half the county is against military aggression in Iraq, is this really the time to start blatantly politicizing what should be a historic moment we all could actually rally around? Then again, these idiots managed to squander 9/11 good faith with the recklessness of M.C. Hammer going through his "Can't Touch This" royalties. Then again, I'm all for a one-finger salute to the President. It's just that they picked the wrong finger...)

Back to Delgado. Why don't we turn every half inning into some sort of musical remembrance? Between the third and fourth innings, we can play Elton John's "Candle in the Wind" in honor of the tens of thousands that have died prematurely from HIV and AIDS. Would the same rock-ribbed patriots who blast Delgado for disrespect show the same respect for something like that?

Why not go all the way? Tupac's "Dear Momma" in between the fifth and sixth for all those great moms out there. "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" in between the second and the third for all the kids with deadbeat dads. "Janie's Got a Gun" between the eighth and the ninth for all the victims of sexual abuse and gun violence. A doubleheader!

Sheesh...

Finally, Lakers coach Rudy Tomjanovich resigned, allegedly for health reasons.

Hmmm ... wouldn’t be the first time Kobe’s given someone a severe pain in the ass...

Greg Wyshynski is also a weekly columnist for SportsFan Magazine. His columns appear every Saturday on Sports Central. You can e-mail Greg at [email protected].

Posted by Greg Wyshynski at 2:51 PM | Comments (2)

Appearing on the Radar: February

The time of the tournament is approaching fast, which means several of the nation's finest programs are gearing up for postseason mode. Over the long haul, having a big name in a big-time conference increases those chances for getting in the field of 65.

Over the next few weeks, numerous journalists, experts, and regular peeps will make their guesses on who will make it into this year's hollowed bracket. But there may be a difference in the tone of conversation. Like the previous few seasons, the mid-major conferences are starting to field some tourney-worthy squads.

Of course, the seven big dogs (ACC, Big East, Big 10, Big 12, C-USA, Pac 10, and SEC) will dominate the space reserved for a national championship run. By my calculations, these conferences will average five tournament spots apiece (35 total teams).

Utah's Salt Lake squad and Cinderella-no-more Gonzaga are mid-major locks for the dance. Add in the remaining 23 league tourney champs and the top spot in the Ivy League, you've got 61 pieces filled with parking space for four more party wagons. But will the occupants of these at-large spaces turn out to be big-dog SUVs or mid-size sedans? Nine teams give the smaller brother cause for hope.

George Washington (13-5, 5-3)

Sagarin #: 56, College RPI: 80

The nation's darlings out of the gate, the Colonials got noticed after upsets of Maryland and Michigan State on back-to-back days in early December. After eight straight wins, a bump in the road came at West Virginia. Then, as GW was getting back on track, their balance took a hit.

Losses in three out of four games have clearly put this team on the fringes of getting an invite. Their upcoming schedule won't help that much, with the toughest tilts coming at Temple and Dayton. My prediction is they'll run out their last eight and get a couple tourney wins, making everything right with the world again.

Nevada (14-5, 7-2)

Sagarin #: 67, College RPI: 54

Last year's tourney dark horse is still running strong without Kirk Snyder, Todd Okeson, or head coach Trent Johnson. Unfortunately, that didn't help the Wolfpack in their return game at Kansas (they got crushed). That leaves wins at Georgia and against UNLV as standout victories (sort of).

Reno's team has been tripped up at home by UTEP and Fresno State during the WAC season, but the blue and gray do get a second shot at both teams. The 'Pack also has a bracket-buster date with America East-leading Vermont. I think Nevada has a great shot to return to the Madness, granted they get to the conference tourney finals.

Pacific (16-2, 10-0)

Sagarin #: 39, College RPI: 24

The Tigers were another West Coast team that surprised some folks in the '04 tournament. This season, Pacific is running through their schedule with steamroller force. Their only scratches came at Kansas and to San Francisco by three.

Even with the fairly small conference affiliation, the ratings systems above seem to like this squad. In the end, I don't think anybody (even Utah State) will stop this team from taking the conference tourney. Enough said.

Southern Illinois (16-5, 7-2)

Sagarin #: 33, College RPI: 16

The Salukis have had a great run of NCAA tournament appearances over the last half-dozen years. The Pride of the MVC since the late '90s, SIU has gotten in the minds of basketball junkies again. Victories over UTEP and Vanderbilt helped them win one of the early-season Vegas tournaments.

The biggest flaw with this squad is the road. All five losses have come away from Carbondale. Unless the Salukis fall flat, their record and ratings should get them in, but road woes don't sit pretty with the selection folk. Wins at Northern Iowa, Illinois State, and Kent State could help alleviate that.

St. Mary's (CA) (19-5, 6-1)

Sagarin #: 52, College RPI: 34

Gonzaga may be the recent bully in the WCC, but the Gaels have flexed quite a bit of muscle this season. St. Mary's has already taken down the 'Zags at home in conference. Outer league wins against Air Force and at Cal aren't shockingly great, but do provide some backbone.

With its remaining schedule, the Gaels could conceivably reach 24 or 25 wins before even hitting the league tournament. However, sheer number of belt notches doesn't provide them with a ticket to dance. Another win over Gonzaga on Thursday, however, might.

UTEP (17-4, 7-2)

Sagarin #: 45, College RPI: 57

The other half of the WAC duo that threatens to return to the tourney, the Miners got an inside track by beating Nevada in Reno. UTEP, who also has a new coach this season, has wins over Arizona State and Princeton, as well as a close loss to Southern Illinois.

A WAC title for UTEP would go a long way to impressing the selection committee, but with half the season left, that's not so easy. A voyage to Honolulu, visits by Nevada and Fresno State, and a Buster game at Pacific will keep things interesting for the Miners. But again, make the league tourney finals, they should be fine.

Vermont (15-3, 10-0)

Sagarin #: 25, College RPI: 20

The Catamounts are one darling that might be getting a little too much credit. Vermont did take Kansas to the edge in the season opener. But for a team whose biggest wins are at Northeastern, at Holy Cross, and against BU, the ranking seems high.

No worries, though. The maple boys are rolling through the America East so far. One big obstacle remains when the Catamounts go to Boston U. All they really need to do is go on the road and take down Nevada on Bracket Buster Day. That'll shut me up.

Western Michigan (14-6, 7-3)

Sagarin #: 44, College RPI: 41

Basically, this team is the best chance for the MAC to get an at-large bid this year. The Broncos don't have a stellar record and haven't faced any top tier teams. But they are a solid squad, gaining wins in Blacksburg and Charleston early in the season.

A win against Northern Iowa in a couple of weeks could help their cause. However, an impressive run the end the Mid-American season is probably the best solution toward solving the at-large puzzle. The ratings may be solid (that word again), but I don't know if that will be enough against even the mediocre heavies.

Wichita State (16-3, 9-2)

Sagarin #: 32, College RPI: 18

Wichita State possesses a highly-regarded team leading a difficult mid-major conference. Even though the Shockers have lost at home to Manhattan and at Indiana State (nothing you'd like to brag about), a solid schedule includes a victory over Southern Illinois.

The Shockers took a hit Tuesday night, falling at Creighton. However, if they get back to their winning ways on the road (games left at Illinois State, Miami (Ohio), and SIU), southeastern Kansas should be able to rejoice with their northern neighbors come selection Sunday.

March 13th, I only expect half of these teams to really be sweating. Vermont and Pacific should already be in with conference crowns, along with one of the MVC and WAC teams on this list. But as we learn in most years, there's always a sucker punch thrown in during the fight for a league championship.

Posted by Jonathan Lowe at 1:26 PM | Comments (0)

February 3, 2005

NFL Weekly Predictions: Super Bowl XXXIX

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

Philadelphia vs. New England

"L.G.O.T.S." says New England quarterback Tom Brady. "Let's get one thing straight. This Super Bowl is not about being a dynasty, not about repeating as champions, and not about becoming the second team to win three Super Bowls in four years. It's all about 'O.F.T.M.F.' And no, smarty pants, that's not ghetto graffiti one would find spray-painted on the side of the local Norfolk & Western train car. 'O.F.T.M.F.' means 'one for the middle finger.' I've got two rings, one on each ring finger. Now, I just need one for the middle finger. In case you're wondering, that's this one."

As Brady raises his right middle finger high above his head, he suddenly realizes he is on stage, as keynote speaker at the Fellowship of Christian Athletes convention in Jacksonville.

"Uh oh," Brady mumbles to himself. "I just shot the bird to a roomful of quality, God-fearing individuals. How can I get myself out of this one? Time for an audible that would make Peyton Manning envious."

"And that, folks," says Brady to the congregation, "was my Randy Moss impression. Thank you."

As the room erupts in laughter, Brady steps from the dais to a standing ovation. Moss is fined $50,000 by the NFL, and later finds his home plagued by a swarm of locusts, and a flaming hailstorm.

Such is the charmed life of Tom Brady, All-American boy-next-door and two-time Super Bowl MVP. Apparently, nothing can stop Brady and the Patriots; not the Colts, not the Steelers, not even the flu.

"Impressive is all I can say," adds Eagles' coach Andy Reid. "I'll have to register the coaching job of my lifetime to lead my team to victory. The greatest mystery of the 21st century is answering the question: how do you beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl? I'm not sure I have the answer for that, nor for the second greatest mystery, for that matter: why is Kid Rock famous?"

Good questions on both counts, Andy. But don't knock the Rock. What this planet needs is more honkies melding the worlds of country music and rap into a genre that both find equally unlistenable. But I digress. The betting line in Las Vegas opened with the Patriots as seven-point favorites, and the over/under on exposed breasts in the half-time show started at ½, while the over/under on Nielsen ratings for the Super Bowl halftime show opened at .0037.

"Wow! That's some line," says Terrell Owens, who has medical clearance to grant interviews, and a license to ill. "But what qualifies as half-a-breast? A fully exposed 34A? Or a half-exposed 38DD? Do man-boobs count, 'cause if they do, Coach Reid can expose himself with his shirt on? That is, unless he's wearing a Manzeer, courtesy of the design team of Seinfeld's Cosmo Kramer and Frank Costanza. I'm taking the over on exposed breasts. I'm also taking the over on the number of times my leg injury is replayed. I think the line is 1 ½."

"I think T.O.'s missing the point," explains Donovan McNabb. "It's insulting that we are seven-point underdogs. Now, we should be underdogs, but seven points? Come on. It looks like we'll be playing for R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Find out what it means to me. R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Take care. T-C-B. Sock it to me. Sock it to me. Sock it to me."

Uh oh. It looks like Donovan's going Motown on us again. I guess now he moonwalks. But you know he's bad. He's bad. Sham on. You know it. Anyway, the Eagles could use a good woman like Aretha Franklin, if not to inspire them with her vocals, then to anchor their offensive line. I can see it now: the Queen of Soul pulling around right tackle, flanked by the Weather Girls and Mama Cass of the Mommas and the Poppas, forming a massive wall of blockers. Add Rosie O'Donnell at fullback and the shifty and skanky 'Lil Kim at tailback, and you have the makings of a devastating offense. But, I digress.

Beating the Patriots is no easy task. Nor is outsmarting Patriots' resident wizard Bill Belichick. Whereas Belichick was seven or eight steps ahead of Steelers' coach Bill Cowher in the AFC Championship game, the Eagles' Reid knows he must close that distance to one or two steps to have any chance of winning.

"Look, I'm under no illusions here," explains Reid. "I can only devise a game plan, hand it to my players, have someone read it to some of them, and hope it works and we win. We know we're dealing with greatness here. Win or lose, I think the Patriots are still a dynasty. And when you're challenging a dynasty, whether it be the Tang, the Ming, the Shang, the Xia, the Wang Chung, or hell, even the Poon Tang, you know you've got your work cut out. To have a chance, we've got to come out blazing and score first."

That makes sense, Andy. In all but one of their 16 wins this year, the Patriots were first on the board. And, playing with a lead, the Pats can stay with their game plan, and, in turn, force the other team out of their game plan.

"It's simple, really," says Belichick. "Everybody calls me a genius. I'm no genius. It doesn't take a genius to recognize what our opponent's strength is. That's just common sense. It's just a matter of what you're willing to give up to nullify said opponent's strength. Against Pittsburgh, we just told ourselves, 'Okay. Let's stop the run. Once they abandon it, we'll drop eight guys into coverage. If they fool us with a draw play on 3rd-and-12, so be it.' Well, with eight guys in coverage, it's very difficult to complete a pass of any consequence. The result: our opponent plays right into our hands. Like I said, I'm no genius. I think it's more a case of me being a man of average intellect, and everyone else being just a plain idiot."

Wow! I think that's more than Belichick has spoken in one sitting in his entire life. Now, if we could just get him to grow a soul patch and install some blonde highlights in his hair, he could be hangin' with P. Diddy and dating Paris Hilton.

"Not going to happen," replies Belichick.

I guess winning a third Super Bowl is more important than friendship with Suge Knight "Lite" and a courtship with a debutante with more miles on her than the pavement at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. At least to some people.

Belichick's master plan will center around containing McNabb and shadowing Eagle running back Brian Westbrook with one of his speedier linebackers. Westbrook was a matchup nightmare in Philly's two previous playoff wins over Minnesota and Atlanta, and despite his relatively small size as running backs go, he's been playing like a giant.

"Fe-fi-fo-shizzle," replies Westbrook, "Zeke Mowatt showed a reporter his Patriot Missile. Sorry, I just felt like rhyming there. Now, when you compared me to a giant, were you referring to 'a legendary humanlike creature of great strength and stature,' as defined by Webster's, or were you referring to a New York Giant?"

Well, neither, Brian, but now that you mention it, you do remind me a lot of Tiki Barber of the Giants, in that you are a breakaway threat catching or running the ball. And against the Patriots, you and the Eagles will need a few long gains to spread the Pats' defense, which in turn, will make it easier for Eagle receivers to get off the line of scrimmage.

Before the coverage rule change, Patriots' defensive backs were often guilty of more illegal contact than Pee Wee Herman and George Michael locked together in an adult theater, or a public restroom. Even with officials clamping down on illegal contact, New England still employs a philosophy of impeding receivers from smoothly entering their routes. This is why not having Owens at full strength hurts the Eagles. Owens normally could overpower any defender, whereas Freddie Mitchell and Todd Pinkston, those of the buggy whip arms, can not. The time a receiver uses to start his route is that much less time his quarterback has to avoid a rush.

"So you're saying," asks McNabb, "that I'll have to buy some time in the pocket with my elusiveness?"

No, I didn't. That sounds like something Trey Wingo would say on ESPN's NFL Live. But if I were on television, that's what I would say.

Okay, enough with the pregame analysis: let's play ball. The game is nearly cancelled before it starts when President George W. Bush delays the kickoff.

"The eagle is the powerful symbol of America," cites Bush, "and anyone trying to harm the eagle is in violation of federal law and the Patriot Act. Ummmmm ... wait a minute. How can the Patriots themselves be in violation of the Patriot Act, which, I believe, states, 'Don't shoot until you see the whites of their eyes. The British are coming. The British are coming. Taxation without representation is tyranny. Give me liberty or give me death. I cannot tell a lie.' Beer me."

As a confused Bush is lead away by his handlers, right before, he had planned to throw out the first pitch, Adam Vinatieri kicks off to the Eagles, and Super Bowl XXXIX is underway.

McNabb comes out blazing, showing no jitters, working the underneath routes to his tight ends and Westbrook. McNabb punches it in with a six-yard touchdown run, and the Eagles take a 7-0 lead.

Not to be outdone on the biggest of stages, Brady and the Pats fire back, attacking the middle of the Eagle defense with Dillon, and the edges with quick passes to David Givens and Deion Branch. Dillon ties it at seven with a two-yard TD run, then loses all memory of his tenure in Cincinnati.

As is the case in all Patriot Super Bowls, or at least those in which they weren't blasted 46-10 by the Bears or defeated by Brett Favre, the game comes down to the final possession. Once again, Brady is primed to lead New England into position for a Vinatieri game-winning field goal.

"Okay, guys," Brady says in the huddle, "it's time for a Sirius Sunday Drive. Seriously. If I can't plug Disney World after I win the MVP, then I'm gonna give my satellite radio cronies a shout out."

"Uh, Tom," says Dillon. "The clock is running. Call a play, will you?"

Brady makes the call, and dumps a screen pass to Kevin Faulk, who races to the Eagle 31-yard line, where the Pats call for a T.O.

"Hey. They're calling my number," says Owens. "I better get out there."

Owens limps onto the field and pokes his head into the New England huddle.

"You rang," says Owens.

"Sorry, T.O.," replies Brady. "We called for a 'time out', not 'Terrell Owens.' Now get lost. And grab those two yellow flags, one for 'off sides,' and the other for '12 men on the field,' and hand them to the referee."

The referee steps off the five-yard penalty, and Vinatieri casually nails the 43-yard game-winner. New England wins, 38-35. Brady pulls an engraver from his pocket and personally etches his name on the MVP trophy.

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 4:32 PM | Comments (0)

The Slant Pattern's Sports Bar

Is it time for the Slant Pattern to become more interactive? This is the question that ran across my mind as I was reading the latest Sports Illustrated, which lists their version of the nation's 25 greatest sports bars.

Why can't the Slant Pattern be less like a column and more like a watering hole? I fear the answer is, "because we don't have enough readers to even think about starting even the most remote resemblance of a community."

So it's time to substitute interaction for imagination and time to dream up the Slant Pattern's dream sports bar. This dream will become reality just as soon as I hit the Powerball (my wizened grandfather's dying words to me were, "play more lottery").

My main hook would be that my bar caters to sports NUTS. Anyone would be welcome, naturally, but you might feel a bit out of your element if you're not a sports fan or even just a casual fan.

My bar would be a technophile's dream and a fire marshal's nightmare. Since my main goal would be to attract sports games to see games they can't see at home, we're gonna be running a lot of cord.

I'm not sure of the exact amount of TVs I would have, but I can tell you we would subscribe to every sports pay-per-view package there is — NFL Sunday Ticket, NCAA Full Court, NHL Center Ice, and so on I would also subscribe to all of the 20 or 30 FOX Sports regional networks.

I would also employ a C-Band satellite. You know what that is even if you don't realize it; it's the big satellite dishes that were the only dishes in town before DirecTV and its mini-dish brothers came calling.

The C-Band satellite is not obsolete. In fact, it's a tad more exciting, in its own way, than the mini-dishes because you are not sure what exactly you might pick up. Think of it as a shortwave television.

One thing you can pick up on C-Band are "wild feeds" which are programs sent to network satellites that you can watch by pointing your dish in the correct direction in the sky at the right time. This way, I would hope to pull in some games that are only broadcast locally Your local channel 68 is producing the Florida Atlantic vs. Samford game? Maybe we can pick it up on a wild feed from 3,000 miles away. Despite the random feeling of wild feeds, they are scheduled and I would scour both the listings and the skies to pull games in.

And I'm still not done bringing you all the sports you can handle. Upstairs is a computer lab, with each computer subscribed to both Yahoo! premium audio and Teamline audio. For a fee (I'm thinking a dollar or three an hour would be plenty), you are granted access to the computer lab, where you can listen to any game you like (headphones available at each station) that is certifiably unavailable to us on television — or even the ones that are available, if you are more inclined to pay to listen than watch for free. And you can bring your beer!

Back to the televisions ... they would all be posited on the "superwall," each on its own temperature-controlled shelf (the fire marshal will at least like that part) with the seating arranged so that every seat in the house can see every screen. Looking for the Clippers vs. Nuggets game? One of our staff will tell which screen to look for (#39).

Lining the walls would be sports tickers, with scores and stats running along every 15 minutes, we will announce scores over the PA for major games. The bar will be well-stocked with a special emphasis on lesser-known brands, both domestically and imported.

That emphasis is inspired by a Sam Adams (a brand I will staunchly refuse to stock) commercial that most of us have seen: two guys go to a bar called the World of Beers, are handed a book of a menu by the waitress, who claims they have tons of beers from around the world in this book, call me when you're ready to order. Ah, but our guys are ready. They don't need to look at no stinkin' menu! They want a Sam Adams!

Whatever. Firstly, why would you choose a bar called "THE WORLD OF BEERS" if all you want is something you can buy at any 7-11? Secondly, this says less about the quality of Sam Adams and more about the close-mindedness of the featured patrons.

Aren't ya a little curious about that Greenlandic microbrew only available at World of Beers and Greenland? Nope, just want a Sam Adams. It'd been funnier if one of the guys said after ordering the Sam Adams, "...and you can keep those funny frou-frou beers to yourself! Ya know something, young missy? There's more weirdo ice cream flavors than you can shake a stick at, but that doesn't mean any of 'em beat good 'ol unsweetened vanilla! Now put some blue jeans on and light my Marlboro, little lady!"

So ... yeah, Ixnay on the Amsay Adamsay. And have a Tecate instead of Corona. Have an Iron City beer instead of a Bud. Have a ... another Canadian beer other than Molson or Labatt's.

The menu would feature a lot of fried, unhealthy foods and would close 20 minutes after the last professional or collegiate game on the telly ended. We would have unique contests, such as essay contests. An example subject would be, "Why or why not should the nation keep an eye on Gonzaga forward Ronny Turiaf?" We would award cash and certificate prizes to both the most complete and the most humorous entries, which would be read over the PA to kick-off happy hour.

Taking a tip from a lot of dance clubs, we would have a chillout room for those who had a bit too much fun with the beer. The chillout room would also have a TV. One. With a rabbit-ear antenna. Gotta pay respects to yesteryear.

So, if anyone wants to put up 99% of the startup capital...

Posted by Kevin Beane at 3:25 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 2, 2005

Sports Integrity, Where is It?

Bud Selig, Donald Fehr, and Major League Baseball are a joke. I'm sorry (said with more sarcasm and disdain than any person on the planet), but the new steroid testing policy is so bad and enhances nothing when it comes to preventing steroid use in this granddaddy of professional sports.

I first thought maybe this was like a parody of professional wrestling, and the MLB was actually encouraging more players to start using steroids. Heck, my friends and I wonder what drugs you actually can test for and if any of them are truly banned or illegal.

Every record set by Barry Bonds and the other BALCO buddies should be wiped from the books, as well as their real drug status revealed. But no, MLB and Selig have decided to do nothing and also have stirred the pot so much it is beginning to stain all the other professional sports, and I believe absolutely wrongly. So you ask, "Why do you think that, Tom?"

So I'm reading this news report about new Russian tennis champion and current U.S. Open women's champion Svetlana Kuznetsova that says that she tested positive for a "banned substance" at a tennis exhibition in December. The article was written professionally enough, but the headline drew a lot of attention to the story and made every, yes every, major media publication around the globe. My first thought was disbelief, but then I thought, "Okay, anything is possible."

Then I read the story and did a little checking. First, the "banned substance" was ephedrine, and it really isn't a banned substance for the WTA. As a matter of fact, since ephedrine is in a ton of legal, over-the-counter medications, even the World Anti-Doping Agency, WADA, which has a very strict interpretation and list has it listed as one that is prone to unintentional use for that reason. Ephedrine is also best at enhancing very short-term performance, as it makes your heart beat faster, raises your blood pressure, and provides a very short lasting defense from fatigue and oxygen depletion. Better for sprinters and weight lifters.

One thing you don't want for several long hours is your heart beating faster and your blood pressure rising. Add the fact that the test given was not part of the WTA official substance-testing program, and the Belgian official who leaked the story did not apparently follow all the proper protocols in dealing with what was viewed by him as a violation.

Then, I looked at the matches played. This was a December exhibition. Read that to mean out of season. So, this wasn't even a real match that counts, nor is it one that the players probably care if they win or lose. They get the same paycheck either way. The exhibition was in Belgium, and my sources tell me that the official and a few others involved in the story may have been upset with the recent decline of the Kim Clijsters/Justine Henin/Hardenne combo on the women's tour.

Then we have the player herself. She freely admits that during the exhibition she was ill, and was taking over-the-counter meds so she could fulfill her contractual obligation. Her doubles partner, Aussie Alicia Molik, confirmed in other media accounts that her friend was ill at the exhibition. So, what then, is the story here?

We have an up-and-coming Russian woman athlete, playing a contractually obligated exhibition for a set fee, in the offseason for the WTA, who was ill and taking over-the-counter medications which include ephedrine as an ingredient, which is not specifically a banned substance and has no real benefit in enhancing tennis performance, who was "outed" by an upset Belgian official. Basically, we have a non-story. But the headline was all that it took, and no matter what the true story is, the athlete in this case suffers, and in this case, a few other athletes who also were at the exhibition also were affected.

The recent attention given to steroid use in professional baseball has provided the media with another wild goose chase. In this case, a reporter got a scoop on what would initially appear to be a huge story, only to not truly check his facts and the publisher didn't care, either. Several players were damaged in the process, if even for just a couple of days. While I must lay blame with my journalistic brethren here, I will not let the other professional athletes off the hook.

First, my great sport of tennis has a more universally accepted drug-testing policy then American Baseball or football and it is stricter then anything that Bud "the slug" Selig, Don Fehr, and the rest of the joke of a sport governing body called Major League Baseball will ever have. Second, the players who have been shown to test positive in baseball here clearly have more ego then the entire WTA and ATP tour combined. Third, unless someone slipped through the cracks, none of the players on the tennis tour have any links to labs or supplement companies suspected in working with these substances.

Baseball historically has been nothing more then a collection of thugs, meanies, drunks, and scoundrels. Up until the 1919 Black Sox scandal, the sport was unregulated and full of nefarious personalities (yes, even the great Ty Cobb was not the greatest person or sportsman). The appointment of Judge Keenesaw Mountain Landis did nothing to change that, and until the recent Pete Rose fiasco, no commissioner has ever made any real important ruling to clean up the sport. With the exception of the late 1940s and early 1950s, baseball continued the tradition of non-professional "professionals" that culminates with today's mega players.

Now Bud Selig adds to the tradition by practically telling the players it's okay to use steroids, and this negative attention has caused all sports across the globe, including cricket, rugby, Speedminton, and yes, even tennis, to review their current policies and tighten them up even further. The lax attitude of the MLB board and behavior of all the consenting players and owners just goes to show that MLB doesn't care about sports integrity. And because of this, all sports suffer.

So the next time you watch a baseball game, or take your kids to the ballpark, don't forget to stop and thank all the players, managers, and coaches for telling your kids it's okay to use steroids, that the key to getting ahead is breaking all the rules, and that the negative consequences of their actions don't matter no matter how many others those actions may actually effect.

Then, I hope, when you're done with all that, you leave the park, go to the sporting goods store, buy your kid a racquet (or call me and I'll be glad to get them one) and put them on a better path in life.

Posted by Tom Kosinski at 3:27 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

NFL Trend Spotting

The 2004 NFL season is now just a memory and the Super Bowl will bring another long six-month wait until kickoff 2005.

Some of the surprises this year include Peyton Manning's record year with 49 TD passes and the remarkable turnaround of the San Diego Chargers. Could anyone have foreseen these events?

There are indications of what the next season will bring if one examines trends closely enough. Before their Super Bowl season of 2000, the Baltimore Ravens finished the season previous with five straight wins and foreshadowed the dominating defense that led to its first championship. Last year, Peyton Manning played two unbelievable playoff games against Denver and Kansas City before bowing out to the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game. This year, he set the record for TD passes.

The Chargers? Well, sometimes one needs to look really deep. Many had written off QB Drew Brees when he was benched for ageless and heightless Doug Flutie. But how did Brees finish last year? He could have thrown in the towel seeing that the Chargers were due the number one pick in the draft and that a young QB was going to be chosen.

Brees took the starting job back over the last three games in 2003. The Chargers finished with a win over Oakland and a loss to Green Bay and Pittsburgh. But look a little closer at Brees' stats.

In the Green Bay loss, Brees threw for 363 yards, 2 TD, and 1 INT. In the Pittsburgh game, 198 yards, 1TD, 2 INT. The win over Oakland, Brees threw for another TD, 0 INT, and only 98 yards in a game when LaDainian Tomlinson ran for 243 yards.

Do these stats give any indication that Brees would throw for 27 TD and only 7 INT with a QB rating of 104.8? Maybe not, but Brees did get the starting job back and answered with a huge game against Green Bay and a win over Oakland.

The point is to look a little closer to how things finish in order to see what may be coming next season.

So, with these ideas in mind, let's take a closer look at 2004 and see what may have started in late 2004 and may carry over into 2005.

Perhaps the New Orleans Saints will finally get it all together in 2005. The Saints finished with four straight wins over Dallas, Tampa Bay, Atlanta, and Carolina. The Panthers were one of the hottest teams in the NFL after their 1-7 start and were a threat to make the playoffs until a fade at the end of the season.

Regardless, the Saints beat the Panthers and assured that they would miss the postseason. Atlanta did rest QB Mike Vick so perhaps the game doesn't count as much, but the Bucs were getting on track once RB Michael Pittman returned and the Saints beat them in Tampa Bay. The Cowboys faded at the end of the year and part of their fade was a loss to the Saints.

Head coach Jim Haslett is returning and knows that another inconsistent season would have to lead to a one-way ticket to the French Quarter. Aaron Brooks still showed some inconsistency but did throw 21 TD and rush for another 4 TD.

RB Deuce McAllister missed two starts and still rushed for over 1,000 yards. If Brooks eliminates some bad decisions and McAllister plays the entire year, the Saints could find themselves at the top of the NFC South. You heard it here first.

If the Saints are on their way up, count on the Minnesota Vikings to find a way to completely self-destruct next year. The Vikings were eliminated from the playoffs in 2003 on the last play of the game when the Arizona Cardinals stole the last game of the season from them.

This season, the Vikings made the playoffs with a record of 8-8 and lost their last two games of the year. Their last win of the regular season was a one-point win over the Detroit Lions. The previous game was a loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

The Vikings have nowhere to go but down. Their defense is ineffectual, they have no consistent running game and their coach is disinterested.

WR Randy Moss is one of the true NFL game-breakers, but he only plays when he wants to play. The talents of QB Dante Culpepper are completely wasted. Lost in the mess that was Minnesota's season was Culpepper's 4,717 yards, 38 TD, 11 INT, and 2 rushing TD. If a team can't turn a QB performance like that into a winning season, it's hard to believe that a winning season is coming next year.

The only saving grace for the Minnesota Vikings may be the Green Bay Packers. While the Pack did finish 10-6 this season, they were exposed in the playoff game against Minnesota as a pretender. QB Brett Favre is a star and can still take over a game, but his decisions under pressure are getting worse. Two postseasons out of three, Favre has finished playoff games with poor games and losses at Lambeau Field. With all the personal tragedy he has experienced, it would be hard to blame Favre if he packed it up.

The Packer defense is horrible. Teams know that they cannot cover the pass and the only threat to rush the passer is Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila. KGB has been stopped cold as frozen tundra in his pass rush because he has no support. The Packers should have kept CB Mike McKenzie as he was the only guy they had who could cover. RB Ahman Green had a solid year, but if the Packers are going to play from behind because their defense can't stop anyone, the running game will not become a factor.

The NFC North is the weak sister of the NFL (with its twin being the NFC West) and someone has to win the division, but both of these teams will only be successful by default and any game south of Chicago will be very difficult to win.

While football is the ultimate team sport, many individuals can also show indications of what the future holds for them. (Funny how some things never change.)

Out in the desert, devoid of any media attention, Emmitt Smith will continue to pad his stats as the NFL all-time leading rusher.

And playing in an embarrassingly diminished role, Jerry Rice will continue to pad his stats as the NFL all-time receiver.

In an attempt to completely erase the memories of the "Team of the '80s," John York will continue in his relentless pursuit of being the worst owner in the NFL as the San Francisco 49ers repeat another disastrous year.

Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger will lose a football game.

Ricky Williams will not play football, no wait, he will, no wait, he won't. The big story here is that no one will care.

Philadelphia Eagle WR Terrell Owens will gain national media overexposure.

New York Jet John Abraham will play football again ... once he signs a big-money contract.

Minnesota Viking WR Randy Moss will show disrespect to his coach, teammates, and fans — with no consequences.

Cincinnati Bengal WR Chad Johnson will not buy another bottle of Pepto-Bismol.

St. Louis Ram RT Kyle Turley will not send head coach Mike Martz a Christmas card ... unless it self-destructs upon reading.

Philadelphia Eagle WR Freddie Mitchell will become the Eagles number one receiver — just ask him.

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick will tone down his sideline wardrobe.

And take this one to the bank ... the New England Patriots will enter next year as the defending Super Bowl champions.

Posted by Jeff Moore at 1:20 PM | Comments (0)

February 1, 2005

Super Bowl Office Pool Propositions

Are you looking for a way to get those co-workers who know nothing about football involved in the Super Bowl (so you, as the knowledgeable fan, will have more money to collect when you win that office pool)? Well, as long as those co-workers can read, write, and choose between one of two answers, you're good to go.

1. Winner: Philadelphia/New England
2. Versus spread: Philadelphia +6 ½/New England -6 ½
3. Total points: over/under 47 ½
4. Total points, first quarter: over/under 13 ½
5. Total points, second quarter: over/under 10 ½
6. Total points, third quarter: over/under 10 ½
7. Total points, fourth quarter: over/under 15 ½
8. Team winning coin toss: Philadelphia/New England
9. Corey Dillon rushing yards: over/under 82 ½
10. Tom Brady passing yards: over/under 239 ½
11. Rodney Harrison interceptions: over/under ½
12. Brian Dawkins sacks: over/under ½
13. Terrell Owens receptions: over/under ½
14. Donovan McNabb passing yards: over/under 261 ½
15. Coaches' challenges: over/under 2 ½
16. Jersey # of first New England player to score TD: over/under 28 ½
17. Jersey # of first Philadelphia player to score TD: over/under 36 ½
18. Freddie Mitchell receptions: over/under 4 ½
19. Deion Branch receiving yards: over/under 67 ½
20. Jevon Kearse sacks: over/under ½
21. Yardage length of first New England touchdown: over/under 8 ½ yards
22. Yardage length of first Philadelphia touchdown: over/under 7 ½ yards
23. Dillon rush attempts: over/under 20 ½
24. Bryan Westbrook total yards from scrimmage: over/under 121 ½
25. McNabb touchdown passes: over /under 2 ½
26. McNabb rushing touchdowns: over/under ½
27. New England turnovers: over/under 1 ½
28. Philadelphia turnovers: over/under 1 ½
29. David Givens receiving yards: over/under 35 ½
30. Teddy Bruschi tackles: over/under 9 ½
31. Adam Vinatieri field goals: over/under 2 ½
32. Length of David Akers longest field goal: over/under 38 ½
33. Willie McGinnest sacks: over/under ½
34. New England successful fourth down conversions: over/under ½
35. Philadelphia first downs: over/under 18 ½
36. Dorsey Levens rush yards: over/under 27 ½
37. Vinatieri extra points made: over/under 3 ½
38. Akers extra points made: over/under 2 ½
39. Time remaining on clock at second-half two-minute warning: over/under 1:59 ½
40. Brady completions: over/under 23 ½
41. New England penalties: over/under 5 ½
42. Philadelphia penalties: over/under 9 ½
43. Add final score for both teams: is sum odd/even
44. Todd Pinkston receptions: over/under 2 ½
45. Jeremiah Trotter tackles: over/under 8 ½
46. New England time of possession: over/under 34:05 ½
47. Philadelphia time of possession: over/under 29:00 ½
48. Points scored in final two minutes: over/under 3 ½
49. Total yards, both teams: over/under 676 ½
50. Will score be tied at any point in fourth quarter: yes/no

Check out Super Bowl lines and odds from SC sponsor Linesmaker.

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 4:42 PM | Comments (0)

New York Knixed

As the New York Knicks embarked on the 2004-05 season, question marks surrounded the much beleaguered, yet improbable playoff team from a season ago.

Would the rumors become reality when whispering of the future of the all-time winningest (and losingist) coach the history of the NBA? Would Allan Houston spend more time draining three-point field goals, or more time doing his best Jack Haley impression while riding the pine in dapper Armani? Could Stephon Marbury finally reach his potential? Not only as one of the premier point guards in the league, but finally reaching the status of team leader?

If you are scoring at home, the Knickerbockers have completely bottomed out to depths so low, Vin Baker can't consume enough Pabst Blue Ribbon to wash away the despair.

Isiah Thomas, the man brought in to right the rapidly sinking ship, has proven to be the iceberg. Of all the front office, coaching and player movement spearheaded by the one-time Pistons great, have any of the moves worked in the Knicks favor?

Lenny Wilkens was brought in to supply much needed stability to a team that lacked not only talent, but also chemistry. Even those who claim that Wilkens is past his prime as a coach, you cannot blame him for not being the pillar of strength necessary for this team to win. It is impossible to coach a squad with as many additions and subtractions as the Knicks have made since Thomas' arrival.

There can be no chemistry, no gelling, just losses. Especially with the type of players Isiah acquired.

Stephon Marbury is certainly a nice draw for fans. The hometown boy getting the opportunity to play on the biggest stage in the world of basketball. The problem is, Marbury is not ready for it, and at this stage of his career, he never will be.

Starbury claims to be the best point guard in the league. Based on what, the number of tattoos per square inch of skin? Marbury ranks third in the league in assists per game, while averaging three turnovers per game, good enough for 22nd among point guards turnover-to-assist ratio.

It's no secret Marbury is not trigger-shy, but he only ranks fourth among point guards in scoring average, while ranking seventh in field goal percentage. He ranks seventh in steals and 13th in rebounding among competing floor generals.

For being the self-proclaimed best point guard in the league, wouldn't you have to at least lead in one major statistical category?

As for some of the other talent the Knicks boast, Allan Houston springs to mind. The charisma exploding out of the sweet-shooting swingman as he comfortably rests along the Knick bench is too obvious to ignore. Dapper is his middle name, describing the finely-crafted suits he displays while golf clapping his team on to defeat is not only classy, but stylish. Why he doesn't just move two rows back to sit next to Tara Reid and Paris Hilton is bewildering to all in attendance.

To coin a Charles Barkley phrase, why isn't this guy dawning a ski mask to collect his paychecks? Houston is collecting $17.5 million dollars this season, good enough for third highest salary in the league (S. O'Neal 27.6 mil, D. Mutombo 18.7 mil). In fact, the Knicks have three of the top-10 highest paid players in the game in Houston, Penny Hardaway (14.6 mil), and Marbury (14.6 mil). It's no surprise their payroll tops $103 million dollars, that's almost of Yankee proportions, considering the next closest team is a full $13 million behind them (Dallas 90.5).

With all of those dollars spent, what do the Knicks have to show for it? They do have a collection of nice players. Jamal Crawford (19.1 ppg) has certainly been a nice acquisition, picking up the scoring slack Houston has taken away. Rookie Trevor Ariza has been a pleasant surprise, bringing an energy level not seen since Latrell Sprewell skipped town. Center Nazi Mohammed (11.9 ppg, 8.8 rpg) seems to be maturing into a decent and serviceable big man, and in the Eastern Conference, that can prove valuable.

These are all nice players, but this is not a nice team. The signing of Vin Baker was pointless, unless beer sales have decreased at the Garden. With the Knicks' recent play, beer has to have a 6-1 buy rate over foam fingers or throwback Rolondo Blackman jerseys.

Tim Thomas, when healthy, certainly adds some scoring and complaining, but not much else. Penny Hardaway is still under the delusion that he is the same player from the infamous Lil' Penny advertisements.

To a lesser extent, the Knicks have followed the pattern of the Yankees, Mets, and Rangers, by signing the best names available and expecting a winner. It's not working in Shea, it's not working in the Bronx, and it's not working in the Garden, whether the floor is wooden or frozen.

During the recent "glory" days of the Knicks, role players solidified this team making them a yearly contender. There are no Charles Oakley's, Charles Smith's, or John Starks on this team. That is what every team in the league needs — clearly identified roles and responsibilities.

As for who will take over the team, it matters not. It will most assuredly not be Larry Brown. More than likely, it will not be Phil Jackson. The Knicks could use a coach like Hubie Brown, and not go the route of signing the best available name. This team needs the same character and toughness it once displayed during the slugfests against the Heat.

Unfortunately, the lack of cap space, direction, and leadership will make it impossible for the Knicks to contend in the borderline mediocre Eastern Conference any time soon. Word around the Garden is the man behind the organ has been practicing the funeral march. No anthem to blare through the most famous arena in the world is more apropos for the New York Knixed.

Posted by Daniel Collins at 3:43 PM | Comments (0)

Players Flying Under the Radar to Watch

Most in college basketball are familiar with the exploits of Dee Brown, Raymond Felton, J.J. Reddick, Chris Paul, and Hakim Warrick, but there are many other stars in college basketball who are leading their teams to outstanding seasons and a hopeful berth in the NCAA tournament in March.

Many of these players have flown under the radar all season and others have had their brief moments in the spotlight. Although not as well-known as the players from marquee teams and/or conferences, most of the under-recognized players are worth the price of admission as much as their more famous brethren.

Illinois is off to its best start in school history. Ask the causal college basketball fan to name a player on the Fighting Illini and most will name Dee Brown or Deron Williams. The third member of the Illini's three-guard attack is Luther Head. Head is quietly leading the Illini is scoring and has been their leading scorer in 11 games, including a stretch of five consecutive in mid-January. Despite more publicity for his teammates, Head might wind up with the Silver Basketball that signifies the Big 10's best player. He is putting up 16.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg, and 4.1 apg.

The West Coast Conference has been dominated by Gonzaga since they announced their presence on the national stage in 1999 with their run to the Elite Eight. St. Mary's made a name for themselves early in the season with their run to the semifinals of the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic at Madison Square Garden. The Gales have been led by the dynamic duo of Paul Marigney and Daniel Kickert. Marigney is putting up 14.8 ppg and 1.6 steals. He is also shooting 78 percent from the line and 41.1 percent from three-point range. Kickert has put up 14.5 ppg and 6.9 rpg.

In conference play, both have upped their averages. Marigney is posting 17.4 in the West Coast and Kickert has blistered the WCC for 17.0 ppg in conference play. Marigney announced his presence on the national scene when he scorched Gonzaga for 30 in an 89-81 Gaels victory. Kickert had 28 points, 9 rebounds, and hit 12-13 from the free throw line in the Gales' big win over Bay Area rival San Francisco to keep their lead in the race the WCC title. The Gaels have a rematch with Gonzaga on February 4th.

Andrew Bogut of Utah is well-known to those that follow college basketball closely. Ask a casual fan to name the best centers in college basketball this year, and it's likely that many wouldn't know who Bogut was. The seven-foot Aussie is putting up 20.0 points and 12.2 rebounds per game. He has also posted 14 double-doubles and has been named the Mountain West Player of the Week four times. Many wrote off Utah after Rick Majerus was forced to retire because of poor health. All the Utes have done in Ray Giacoletti's first season is post a 17-3 overall record and a Mountain West leading 5-0 record as of January 31.

Miami has been a big surprise in their first season under Frank Haith and their inaugural season in the ACC. The Hurricanes currently sit in sixth place with a 4-4 record in the conference and 13-6 overall, ahead of last year's national runner-up Georgia Tech and perennial NCAA tournament participant NC State. The leader for the 'Canes, Guillermo Diaz, has been one of the ACC's biggest clutch performers. He put up 30 at North Carolina and had 26 and shot 5-9 from three-point range in a 67-66 win against NC State Diaz is averaging 18.4 ppg and is shooting 40.4 percent from three point range.

After starting only 6-4 in the non-conference part of their schedule, Stanford has had a big resurgence in the Pac-10. In Trent Johnson's first season, not much was expected of the Cardinal after losing head coach Mike Montgomery and a bevy of stars. After coming off the bench a year ago playing behind Josh Childress and Matt Lottich, Dan Grunfeld has helped put the Cardinal back on the map. Grunfeld is averaging 18.2 ppg, after only posting 3.4 ppg last season. He hit for a season high 29 in the Cardinal's 87-76 upset win over Arizona.

When looking at the Big East at the beginning of the season, most predicted the UConn, Pittsburgh, and Syracuse would be the class of the conference as they had been for the last few years. In its last season before moving to the ACC, Boston College has stamped its presence on the Big East. The Eagles are 18-0 entering February. Despite their lofty record, BC moved into the top five this week for the first time this week.

They are as anonymous as a team with an 18-0 record can get. Junior power forward Craig Smith is leading BC is scoring (18.7 ppg) and rebounding (8.7 rpg). He has posted double-doubles in four games and has reached double figures in scoring in 43 consecutive games, including all 18 this season. He also shoots 71 percent from the free throw line and posts 1.4 steals per game. He posted season-highs of 30 points and 14 rebounds against Duquesne.

With less than six weeks remaining until Selection Sunday, these players will go a long way towards determining if their team's name is called. They are all players to watch throughout February and into March.

Posted by Alan Rubenstein at 2:45 PM | Comments (0)