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June 29, 2005

NBA Draft Notes From the Garden

7:00: The gates open outside MSG. (If you've never been, most fans enter near Penn Station on 7th Avenue and it's unlike entering any other arena. While you can see the arena's structure from the outside, when you walk in, it's almost as if you are entering a stadium inside of a building.) The Knick City Dancers greet fans with sweatbands and towels — as a diehard Nets fan, I promptly wipe the sweat from my brow all over the orange and blue Knicks logo.

7:02: As the crowd begins to enter, the talk among the predominately Knick contingency voices their overwhelming affection for Channing Frye. Some Illinois fans are seen as well as a large contingent of Syracuse enthusiasts — there is only so much orange one person can take.

7:05: After walking through the lobby and towards the Theatre, which is separate from MSG itself, the NBA shows that even in the offseason, the marketing and draining of millions of corporate dollars doesn't stop, as fans are given War of the World t-shirts and posters and handheld radios compliments of AMEX.

7:07: Arriving in my seat in the 300 section, I notice that the overpriced ticket I bought is in prime location, dead center and not too far back. I also learn after riding on a train in from Jersey for the past few hours that Utah has swapped picks with Portland. The fans next to me start exclaiming that they must be going after Deron Williams of Illinois. We'll see. (We also found out Jiri Welsch was traded to Milwaukee, but no one seems to care.) One thing you notice about the setup of the area is that the "green room," which sometimes appears to be backstage or in an off location is actually right down by the front of the stage by all the fans. ESPN's "NBA Shootaround" crew are stationed to the left of the stage, with Stuart Scott's interview zone behind them.

7:10: Uber Knick fan Spike Lee makes his way through the crowd to applause. He seems focused on thinking of new targets to yell at with the retirement of Reggie Miller.

7:10-7:30: I notice that even after the season lets out, everyone loves to rock a jersey. Some of the more notable replicas seen; Bryant Reeves (Grizzlies), Darko Milicic (Pistons), Patrick Ewing (Georgetown), Jameer Nelson (Magic), and of course only in New York, a Mike Sweetney jersey.

7:30: David Stern walks out to a loud chorus of boos and some cheers. One thing you can't tell on television is how loud and raucous a crowd is at a draft.

1st pick: Andrew Bogut is announced, some fans start a chant of Sam Bowie. The two or three Bucks fans in attendance seem pleased.

2nd pick: Marvin Williams. Big ovation from the crowd, as the Carolina fans in attendance — family, alumni, and those on the bandwagon — go crazy.

3rd pick: Deron Williams. The obvious choice to run the Jazz is greeted warmly, but some fans yell that the second coming of [John] Stockton, he is not.

4th pick: Chris Paul. Loud ovation for another ACC star, some of the Carolina contingent begin to chant, "Overrated!" Dick Vitale is shown on the screen, beginning his annual spiel of how this kid who went to college will excel at the next level.

5th pick: Raymond Felton. The crowd once again goes wild as that makes two UNC players in the top five. Almost 25 family and friends of Felton are sitting behind me, ecstatic that their boy will be staying in the Tar Heel state ... and probably the fact that they'll get to meet Nelly now.

6th pick: Martell Webster. The first surprise pick, a lot of people didn't expect Webster to go this high. I notice in between picks that on the ESPN studio setup, nobody seems to notice that Jay Bilas is there. Stephen A. Smith, Greg Anthony, Mike Tirico, they all converse in between picks, but Bilas just sits there with his hands folded.

7th pick: Charlie Villanueva. Another first round shocker, the UConn faithful applaud loudly. Right after the 6-11 forward exits stage left, the hype begins for the Knicks selection.

8th pick: Before Stern walks out, the crowd is loud the entire five minutes leading up to the selection. A lot of "Gerald Green" chants go around, followed by some "Channing Frye" uprisings. The buzz continues as the Commish steps to the podium, then all of a sudden, like a Roman emperor speaking to a crowd, there is a complete silence with everyone standing on their feet, then Frye's name is called to a mostly warm reaction.

9th pick: Ike Diogu is picked, there are a lot of shocked fans in the crowd. Some of it is because they didn't expect him to go so high (I personally am upset because I wanted to see him in a Net uniform), the rest is probably because supposed top-five pick Gerald Green is still on the board.

10th pick: The Laker fans next to me begin a "Gerald Green" chant of their own. One of them has been talking from the beginning how he wished Green would be available, and now he is. (If you've never been to a draft, I say that any real NBA fan who lives in the area must go. It's a few hundred people who all have a deep passion and knowledge of basketball and who talk nothing but hoops for four hours.) Andrew Bynum is selected and there is a sense of confusion by the crowd, but the Laker fans next to me heads drop in dismay as their buddies laugh at them. I wonder where Kobe is at this moment?

11th pick: One thing I notice, I don't know if they showed a clock on the screen at home, but the one above the draft board, it always goes to 0:00 and then it takes another minute or so, or whenever Stephen A. Smith stops talking, for them to go to the next pick. Fran Vazquez is the pick and the confusing looks continue through the crowd.

12th pick: A heated argument breaks out next to me about who is better, Julius Hodge or Rashad McCants. Everyone keeps it cool, though, which is what makes actually being at the draft great. Each fan has their own guy they want to see make it as well as their team loyalties, even the Michigan State alum by me who shouts for Alan Anderson before every pick. Yaroslav Korolev is taken. The first reaction for most fans is one of bewilderment, but then you realize it's the Clippers and it all seems to make sense.

13th pick: Stephen A. begins yelling throughout the theatre, that how could two star UNC players not get picked before some of the foreign prospects. What do you know, Charlotte takes Sean May, building a Carolina connection for the Bobcats. I can only start to think about a few years back when Chicago loaded up on Duke players. That worked out well.

14th pick: McCants is drafted next, making Stephen A. look like Nostradamus. The Carolina delegation in the crowd has been quite vocal these past 10 minutes.

15th pick: The Nets fans by me all want Hakim Warrick, who I wouldn't mind, but would rather have Joey Graham. In utter disbelief, they take Antoine Wright. Knicks fans begin to smirk at the Nets fans in the crowd who definitely wanted a forward.

16th pick: Joey Graham is taken by the Raptors — some Nets fans sigh. I begin to think, though, that the previous pick for Wright wasn't so bad, since they have needed outside shooting for the past four years and this kid can supposedly light it up. Plus, he was a consensus top-10 pick and maybe luckily slipped into NJ's hands.

17th pick: Danny Granger is announced to subtle applause.

18th pick: Gerald Green goes to Boston, quite fitting that he puts on that color uniform, don't you think? His crew sitting behind the green room cheers wildly, while a lot of the crowd begins to exit. A "Boston sucks" chant begins in the back as New Yorkers make sure to show their ever-loving admiration for Beantown sports.

19th pick: In between picks, Roy Williams walks through the crowd to the delight of the Tar Heel fans. I feel like starting a "Let's Go Duke" chant. I then think that Hakim Warrick would be a perfect fit for the Grizzlies to team up with or replace Stromile Swift. Warrick is picked up by Memphis and the Syracuse fans go wild. Still, no one has said a word to Bilas off-camera.

20th pick: Julius Hodge, a Harlem native, receives a warm ovation, perhaps one of the biggest of the night. He probably seems the happiest of any draftee to be there, pumping his fist in the air and smiling the rest of the night through.

21st pick: Phoenix takes Nate Robinson, whom a lot of people seem to have forgotten about. The crowd likes the pick and then likes it even more when they learn he may be a Knick as part of the Quentin Richardson/Kurt Thomas deal.

22nd pick: Jarrett Jack. A guy next to me exclaims afterwards, "Man, the ACC is runnin' this @#$!" Indeed, they are.

23rd pick: Francisco Garcia. Nice applause, but the New York native is absent from the festivities.

24th pick: Luther Head. Decent reaction from the crowd, but they are beginning to disperse at a faster rate, with about 70% just waiting around to see the Knicks at No. 30.

25th pick: Johan Petro. The Anti-France bashing begins and most fans laugh at the pick. There is a slight buzz after the announcement of the potential trade of the 22nd pick (Jack) to Portland for the 27th and 35th picks.

26th pick: There seems to be less on the trade front in this draft as compared to year's past. Greg Anthony gets about a makeover in between commercial breaks, he loves the face makeup. Jason Maxiell is the pick for the '04 champs, some of the crowd overly support the pick, some loathe it. Hate it or love it, this underdog is going to one of the top teams in the NBA.

27th pick: Portland takes Linas Kleiza and almost in unison the crowd says, "Who?" Fans search frantically in their draft handout booklets to find out who was just taken.

28th pick: Ian Mahinmi. Most of the crowd may not know who he is, but they love it when a player comes from the pay seats through the fans and onto the stage.

29th pick: Wayne Simien is chosen to a decent ovation, although I'm sure Dickie V. will burst a vein yelling about how 28 teams could pass this kid up.

30th pick: The buildup to the pick, the Knick fans overwhelmingly want Chris Taft. When David Lee's name is called though, they are PO'd and many leave disappointed, a seemingly annual ritual at recent drafts.

Second Round Notes

* Russ Granik must be the most loved man in the building as he gets a huge response from what is left from the crowd. Before every pick, they chant his name and you can tell he eats it up.

* The fans like Salim Stoudamire at 31 and as typical with Duke players, there is some love, mostly hate when Daniel Ewing is taken at 32.

* The next two picks consist of "who's?"(Brandon Bass) and "ooooh's" (C.J. Miles).

* I notice that when Granik comes to the podium, Bilas is the only one on the ESPN crew who pays attention to the pick.

* There is a lot of love for Ronny Turiaf, who is sitting in the crowd. They loudly chant his name before he is selected by the Lakers and his family gives high-fives to all the fans around.

* I stick around 'till the Nets at 43 and don't even bother looking up who Mile Ilic is.

* Exiting Hakim Warrick walks by the lobby, shaking hands and signing autographs, as well as Fran Vazquez.

* I leave somewhat disenchanted by my team's selections, but glad to have come to the event. All I can wait for now is summer leagues to get started and training camp to roll around, only four months left until the new season officially begins.

Posted by Seth Berkman at 9:35 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

NBA Draft a Mess, With Steals a Plenty

The Portland Trail Blazers wasted no time swapping out of the third spot in the draft. They got a deal done with the Utah Jazz before a team was officially on the clock.

Hey, the earlier, the better for that team. More time to think usually means more time to mess things up in Portland. So, how'd they do? Well, they figured the guy they wanted would be there at six, so they made to move to get that guy and a little extra. Not too bad, really — if you trust their talent-scouting abilities. Otherwise, feel free to question this move all the way until the season opens.

They had their eye on Martell Webster, who is probably a good reason for this new age limit thing the NBA has going on. Now, that isn't a knock on Webster. It's a knock on not knowing Webster. The best thing about the age limit is that fans will have more familiarity with a player when he gets drafted.

You're telling fans that this Martell Webster is better and is going to do more for a team than Francisco Garcia? Sounds a bit shaky when you say it out loud, doesn't it? Sounds a bit shaky touting a high school kid who you might not have seen play the game over someone who lived and died in a setting such as the NCAA tournament, like a Rashad McCants.

So that's the setting heading into the NBA draft. What college players get looked over for a high school kid or someone from over seas?

One thing we learned pretty quickly in this draft was that the first impact player was taken fourth. Seriously, Deron Williams over Chris Paul? The Andrew Bogut and Marvin Williams going first and second was predictable because of the size of Bogut and the marketability of Williams, but Paul is a kid that just gets things done.

The second UNC player goes at the fifth spot, with Raymond Felton going to Charlotte. Solid pick, but can you call any of these UNC picks "great?" Certainly not yet, at least. Their upside potential is off the charts, but until they show that they're going to be able to blend into different offenses, you have to question the picks — at least a little.

There's nothing better than ESPN getting quotes from wildly excited Knicks fans saying that their selection has to be Channing Frye. Then it turns out to be ... ah, well, it did turn out to be Channing Frye. What are the odds that Isiah Thomas is on the phone and when he hears the comments on ESPN, changes the pick? I'm guessing pretty high.

The Knicks fans later wanted Chris Taft. Do they even watch basketball in that city? Do they really need another mediocre big man who might not be able to rebound and score down low at this level?

The draft is wacky. The draft is wild.

Who would have expected Charlie Villanueva to go as high as he did? But, then again, someone has to make that bonehead selection so that people have something to talk about, it seems.

Salim Stoudamire doesn't depart until the second round.

It seems like just about every team was botching their early round selections this year. I know upside potential is a big thing these days, but does Martell Webster have that much more upside potential than the shooting guards that played the college game? What will happen to these NBA General Managers next season when they can't draft these guys that no one has heard of? There will be half a dozen teams in next year's draft making awful selections like Charlie Villanueva.

Where do you even begin if you want to talk about "steals" in this draft?

Well, let's start right where the first half of the draft splits. With pick number 17. Danny Granger going to the Pacers. Better pick than most of the picks before him. After Granger? Hakim Warrick, Julius Hodge, Jarrett Jack, Francisco Garcia, Jason Maxiell, and Wayne Simien.

These are all bona fide steals for the bottom half of the first round. While these guys might not be head and shoulders better than the guys taken ahead of them, it does point out just how deep the draft is and just how spread the draft is.

Why mention any of this? These are seemingly disjointed takes on the first round of the NBA draft, right?

The point is that any GM can't just turn their franchise around in this draft anymore. The Toronto Raptors had a very good chance to do so, but their fans will likely leave the draft thinking that they aren't much better.

The rich get richer with the current set up in the NBA draft. It's not because of the age of the players coming out, it's because of the people running organizations that haven't been able to adapt to the influx of high school and international talent.

If the Blazers were a top-notch organization, they would have been able to move down and really improve their team for next season. After this draft, did they look like they have done so? Probably not.

The NBA doesn't need the collective bargaining agreement to step in and say that a kid can't earn his NBA salary, the NBA just needs to begin to market the smarter teams over the teams that value flash and look to sell tickets from season to season. We just saw two teams that play a team game over any single player in the NBA finals. Market that.

Don't assess a problem casually and without really diving into that problem and then slapping a band-aid on it. The band-aid the NBA slapped on is going to get exposed and ripped off next season when things are just as bad as they are right now.

But, if you change the mindset of the decision-makers, then you start to really make a difference.

Posted by Doug Graham at 9:00 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

June 28, 2005

Orioles Are Birds of Pray

Ask around and you won't find many folks overly surprised that former Secretary of State Colin Powell did not win the 2005 Indianapolis 500.

Most don't know General Powell was even on the track, but he was the early leader in his Victory Red Corvette convertible. His was a 400-horsepower production version capable of hitting a top speed of 186 MPH. Not your typical IndyCar, just the newest in Chevrolet's long heritage of pace cars. Any question of a ceremonial front-runner winning the Indy would, of course, be ludicrous.

So why was anyone hanging in suspense over the 2005 Baltimore Orioles?

If you're an Orioles fan, the epiphany that your team is the Colin Powell of the American League East has already dawned. You held the lead for 73 games, playing your best baseball in eight years to do so. Despite a foray of injuries, you've throttled all 400 horsepower into service. Yet every time you glanced back, images of the Red Sox and Yankees grew larger in your rear-view mirror. They've got 700 horses and have been drafting you all season, waiting for the real push that is about to begin.

Interleague play is now over. There are no more stops to pull into for servicing by pit crews wearing National League uniforms. The Grand Marshall has dropped the green flag and the Birds are dutifully pulling off the track.

Of course, the baseball universe from Commissioner Selig to casual fans dispersed among small markets between the coasts, would love them to stay out there. They embrace parity, which has eluded baseball since its last strike in 1994. A two-team field does not beget compelling drama year after year. Their growing disinterest is evident in stadiums such as Camden Yards, where attendance fell 34% from 1997 to 2003 as the O's fell from American League East champion to fourth place.

Of the few teams that embody the potential, the Baltimore Orioles are the most desirous answer to baseball's prayer for parity. Baltimore, birthplace of the New York Yankees and Babe Ruth, host of the memorable 1969 and 1979 World Series, professional home to Cal Ripken, Jr. — professional sports' iron man and icon for the mythic notion of player as role model. What more decisive triumph than for the Baltimore Orioles to overthrow the oppressive rule of Boston and New York and reclaim former glory from the midst of this division of behemoths?

The 2005 start certainly broke from recent molds. While the Red Sox and Yankees slept off postseason hangovers, Baltimore seized first place on the strength of what had been its biggest unknown — starting pitching. Rodrigo Lopez (7-3, 4.47 ERA) and Sidney Ponson (7-5, 5.42 ERA) anchored a rotation that once posed too many questions for analysts to validate the O's as a contender. Recent call-ups Erik Bedard (5-1 in nine starts, 2.08 ERA) and Daniel Cabrera (5-7, 5.48 ERA) provided the value-added that analysts were afraid to rely upon, while well-traveled Bruce Chen (6-5, 3.54 ERA) has been the surprise they could not foresee.

On May 21, Bedard pitched seven shut-out innings against Philadelphia for his fifth consecutive win and the 27-15 Orioles held first place by three games. Then, a nagging pain diagnosed as a strained ligament in his left knee sidelined Bedard before his next start and figured to cost him another two. He has yet to return and the O's have gone 15-19 since.

Not that the disabled list has been a solitary confinement for Bedard. Kurt Ainsworth, the 26-year-old right-handed starter who missed most of 2004 with elbow surgery, and Jason Grimsley, a key bullpen acquisition in 2004 who underwent Tommy John surgery last fall, both expected to contribute in 2005. Neither has thrown a pitch and both remain on the 60-day DL.

What's more, the entire outfield has seemed more like a battlefield with starters Larry Bigbie, Luis Matos, and Sammy Sosa all serving time on the 15-day DL. B.J. Surhoff, a fill-in starter during these injuries, is now filling in on the DL, as is catcher Javy Lopez, who was added on May 25 and has yet to return.

Those who haven't given up the cause certainly have ammunition. Despite their fall, the Birds are still playing .550 baseball and are firmly in the wildcard hunt. Miguel Tajeda has settled any arguments over who is the best shortstop in baseball. The performances of Brian Roberts and Melvin Mora make theirs an all-star infield. The O's will be comparably healthy as the schedule makers reconvene intra-division play where they were 19-11 heading into this week. Best of all, is there a better acquisition before the trading deadline than Erik Bedard?

Try Curt Schilling and the real Randy Johnson.

The truth be told, Baltimore's biggest problem has always been exogenous. The Red Sox made the O's look like Sunday drivers in overtaking them over last week-end. Boston is now firing on all cylinders and should improve with the return of Schilling and the riddance of those stranded runners and bullpen demons that warmer weather has begun exorcising.

The Yankees haven't kept up to Boston, but with $208 million of assorted superstars in the dugout, there's always someone zigging when another zags. Their trick is to get two superstars zigging at the same time. That and another $20 million of midseason salaries thrown in for good measure will propel New York past the Birds, as well.

Starting this week, the Orioles have 22 head-to-head opportunities remaining with their two nemeses and they've won nine of the first 14 games. Like water, this success will seek its own level and wash away the remnants of suspense that once gripped us in the process.

Having 13 of those games played in Camden Yards shouldn't be a comfort to the Chesapeake Bay region. Over the last two and one-half seasons, a Boston or New York visit has meant a 25% spike in attendance, bolstered by commuting or carpet-bagging Red Sox and Yankee fans that increasingly fill every city. Unfortunately, the hometown O's are 11-27 in those games but the crowd goes home happy.

This anticipated gate will further augment the coffers already endowed by the O's settlement with MLB over the relocation of the Washington Nationals, not to mention some luxury tolls paid by the Red Sox and Yankees as they pass by the Birds. Just don't look for any to be reinvested any time soon. ESPN's Buster Olney has called Baltimore's front office the slowest moving in baseball. They appear content with beguiling fans into believing they've suffered the anguish of Job and no rushed decision will remedy this.

That's another problem with injuries — they create a false-positive diagnosis while making folklore of the injured and absolving management. In reality, this year's DL only accelerated the inevitable.

In the end, what legacy might these 2005 Birds leave baseball's loyal parity partisans? I'm afraid not much more than a broken wing and a prayer.

Posted by Bob Ekstrom at 12:25 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Offseason Improvements Should Help Cowboys

Bill Parcells started his career in Dallas with everything to lose. So far, he has fared no better or worse with a record standing at a mediocre .500 (16-16) after two seasons.

The Cowboys, however, are a much-improved team from the three consecutive years of 5-11 football that preceded Parcells. Last year's step back has been blamed on the Cowboys as an organization being too sure of the players that Parcells motivated into overachievement and a playoff appearance in 2004. So what exactly has learned from last year? Let's take a look.

Trust me, the plan last season was not for Vinny Testaverde to start. Unfortunately, with the booting of Quincy Carter and a green Drew Henson, Dallas had little choice but to go with the 18-year veteran. This season, Dallas has upgraded to another veteran in Drew Bledsoe. While I don't expect Bledsoe to throw for 4,000 yards and have 30 touchdown passes, I believe he will have a good amount of success this season. Parcells will see to that by making him play within his limits and not asking him to do things he just can't.

With an emerging star in Jason Whitten, Bledsoe again has a tight end to rely on, if Dallas can protect him. That if will depend just as much upon how successful Drew Bledsoe is at quickly releasing the ball as it will on the Cowboy's offensive line to guard the consummate pocket QB.

The addition of Marco Rivera not only adds Pro Bowl talent to Dallas' offensive line, but it also brings accountability. Dallas already had a good amount of talent with Flozell Adams and Larry Allen — however, neither of those players are leaders. Rivera will cause every player on the offensive line to be prepared, know every play, and will offer his teammates no excuses. This is a big plus for the Cowboys. Many of Testaverde's interceptions last season stemmed from offensive line breakdowns. Questions still remain as to whether Kurt Vollers, Torrin Tucker, Jacob Rogers, and a few others can kick it into gear.

The running back situation is looking well for Dallas. The only real question is whether a second-year Julius Jones can stay healthy. Jones amassed 819 yards and 7 TDs in only eight games. There is depth there too with the signing of Anthony Thomas. But don't kid yourself, if anything happens to Jones, Dallas' running game could suddenly go anemic. I really can't see it getting any worse than last year, though, when they were forced to rely on Eddie George for the first half of the season.

Dallas didn't do much at wide receiver this offseason and it could become a problem. Terry Glenn will be their speedster with Keyshawn Johnson and Quincy Morgan their possession guys. Morgan has already hurt his shoulder, though the Cowboys are saying he will be 100% by training camp. Behind those three they have nobody. Dallas will lean on Patrick Crayton and Terrance Copper to fill the void should any of the starters go down. Not much room for error here and this could prove to be a bit of a headache.

On defense, the Cowboys added a plethora of players via the draft and free agency. Preparing for the 3-4 defense, Parcells brought in old friend DL Jason Ferguson to plug the middle. In the draft, the Cowboys selected Demarcus Ware and Marcus Spears to help a pass rush that hasn't existed since 1996.

Cornerback, a position that has been a glaring weakness for Dallas the past few years, suddenly looks like a defensive strong point. After last season when Big D was forced to start rookie free agents on the other side of Terrance Newman, the Cowboys went out and signed Anthony Henry away from Cleveland. While Henry isn't a household name, he will bring stability to a position that really just crushed Dallas in 2004.

For added protection at CB, veteran Aaron Glenn, another old pal of The Tuna's, was added. What could hurt Dallas is a lack of replacement for five-time Pro Bowler Darren Woodson. Part-time starter Tony Dixon left for Washington and exactly what Keith Davis brings still remains to be seen. Woody Danzler is a long shot, at best.

The linebacker crew has seen the departure of Dexter Coakley. Bradie James, coming into his third season, is expected to take over that starting spot. Swift of foot Dat Nguyen returns and the above mentioned draft picks should provide solid linebacker play in 2005.

I've got a good feeling about this team. As Parcells has said, he is too old to lose, and he should be able to meld this team to his image. Dallas could win 10 games this year, but anything more would really be pushing it.

Posted by Gary Geffen at 12:18 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 27, 2005

2005 NBA Mock Draft

1) Milwaukee — Andrew Bogut 7-0 C Utah

Bogut is the choice for now, but with less than a week left, like Luda, Marvin Williams is coming for the No.1 spot. Bucks get the center they've needed for decades, but will it be enough to keep Michael Redd?

2) Atlanta — Chris Paul 6-1 PG Wake Forest

Will fit in well as a franchise point guard, remaining in ACC territory. It will be hard to pass up Marvin Williams, but with Josh Smith and Josh Childress, ATL fills a major void in the backcourt.

3) Portland — Marvin Williams 6-9 SF North Carolina

Washington native returns to the Great Northwest. He may be on a team with a logjam at his position, but Blazers simply cannot pass up this kid's potential.

4) New Orleans — Deron Williams 6-3 PG Illinois

With the departure of B. Diddy, Deron steps in to run the show. Possibly the next incarnation of J-Kidd for Byron Scott? Talent-wise, the coach hopes so, but as far as the other factors...

5) Charlotte — Gerald Green 6-7 SG HS (Texas)

Charlotte gets another big, athletic body to build around for the future.

6) Utah — Raymond Felton 6-1 PG North Carolina

This selection would have been a good spot for Martynas Andriuskevicius, but he will most likely withdraw from the field. If so, the Jazz get their next PG of the future.

7) Toronto— Danny Granger 6-9 SF New Mexico

A scorer who may take the spot of a possibly-departing Jalen Rose.

8) New York — Channing Frye 6-11 C Arizona

NY gets its first true big man presence since Marcus Camby.

9) Golden State — Antoine Wright 6-7 SG Texas A&M

Alongside Mike Dunleavy, Jr., J-Rich, and B. Diddy, GS will look to run and put up points like Phoenix in efforts of rejuvenating the franchise by the Bay.

10) L.A. Lakers — Fran Vazquez 6-11 PF Spain

He's no Shaq by any means, but Phil Jax looks towards a big man that he can groom into the triangle.

11) Orlando — Hakim Warrick 6-8 SF Syracuse

Hakim and Dwight Howard running the break with Stevie Franchise ... not bad, eh?

12) L.A. Clippers — Martell Webster 6-7 SF HS (Wash.)

Clippers get to see another young talent flourish, then leave three years from now via free agency.

13) Charlotte — Charlie Villanueva 6-10 PF Connecticut

UConn standout joins former teammate in Okafor and solidifies a talented, young frontline with Green.

14) Minnesota — Joey Graham 6-7 SF/PF Oklahoma State

Will provide some experienced bench help where he can learn from one of the best in K.G. or fill in if Wally World is finally traded from the land of 10,000 lakes.

15) New Jersey — Ike Diogu 6-8 PF Arizona State

Nets look for someone to fill K-Mart's shoes. Diogu's athletic prowess is as close as they come in this draft outside of Warrick.

16) Toronto — Sean May 6-8 PF North Carolina

Raptors look for someone with flashes of college dominance and frontline help for Bosh.

17) Indiana — Yaroslav Korolev 6-9 SF Russia

Pacers take a project who is only 18, but they have had strings of success grooming young talent.

18) Boston — Roko Ukic 6-5 PG Croatia

High energy European player like Tony Parker, Boston hopes for Dino Radja-like numbers from another Croat import.

19) Memphis — Johan Petro 7-0 C France

This 19-year-old is the top young prospect in France and one of the best in Europe under 20. Alongside Pau Gasol, these two could become quite the tandem a few years down the road.

20) Denver — Rashad McCants 6-4 SG North Carolina

Slasher and scorer will be looked to add points alongside 'Melo and K-Mart in this high-energy offense.

21) Phoenix — Ersan Ilyasova 6-9 SF Turkey

Ilyasova has had the most hype since Mehmet Okur coming out of Turkey. Suns are full at the spot, so they can wait for him to grow into a stud.

22) Denver — Chris Taft 6-10 PF Pittsburgh

McCants gives them the offensive energy and Taft adds a bruising presence down low to keep the Nuggets afloat out West.

23) Sacramento — Wayne Simien 6-9 PF Kansas

He's not Chris Webber, but there's no denying Simien's skills. Should fit in well playing in front of the NBA's most raucous arena, coming from one of the all-time classic atmospheres in college hoops.

24) Houston — C.J. Miles 6-6 SG HS (Texas)

Hometown prep star will get a chance to watch and learn from another teen phenom in T-Mac.

25) Seattle — Andrew Bynum 7-0 280 C HS (N.J.)

UConn loses a star prospect, but former Huskie Ray Allen will love the big man who has an NBA ready body to bang in the West and is a definite upgrade from Jerome James.

26) Detroit — Jarrett Jack 6-4 PG Georgia Tech

A great addition to backup Chauncey Billups and drive to the hole just like No. 4 and No. 22.

27) Utah — Julius Hodge 6-7 202 SG N.C. State

Backbone of the Wolfpack program for the last four years takes his erratic game, but loads of scoring potential to Salt Lake.

28) San Antonio — Luther Head 6-3 SG Illinois

The best of the west get an unselfish college star to fit with the ultimate team-oriented franchise. Just like Illini fans did for four years, San Antonio will learn to love Head.

29) Miami — Francisco Garcia 6-7 SG Louisville

Led the Cardinals to the Final Four and will be a part of many more deep postseason runs in the NBA. Has the type of heart that D-Wade, Shaq, Pat Riley, and Stan Van Gundy will love.

30) New York — Ryan Gomes 6-8 SF Providence

Undersized power forward, could he go anywhere else but to the Knicks?

Posted by Seth Berkman at 2:00 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

I Hate Mondays: Follow the Leader

Sponsored by CyberSportsbook.com

Budweiser used to make some beer commercials that drew attention to some of the unnoticed contributors on the football field such as the fullback and the offensive lineman.

Well, maybe its time they make some baseball commercials to highlight a few unsung heroes on the baseball team, as well.

My suggestion is a simple one: the leadoff hitter.

He's supposed to be that pesky batter who prolongs counts, wears pitchers, and finds a way to get on-base. However, some of the prime prospects who we are accustomed to seeing in this role have really underachieved this season and are dragging their teams down along with them.

Take a look at the on-base percentage of following players:

Corey Patterson: .281 (.320 in 2004)
Rafael Furcal: .281 (.344 in 2004)
Juan Pierre: .302 (.374 in 2004)
Ichiro Suzuki: .333 (.414 in 2004)
Mark Kotsay: .336 (.370 in 2004)

The leadoff hitter's ability to get on-base is directly linked to the amount of runs your team can manufacture. Not only does this batter set the tone for your team right from the get-go, he also makes the opposing pitcher's job that much more difficult as he becomes an on-base distraction.

The Seattle Mariners sign two primetime sluggers in the offseason, Adrian Beltre and Richie Sexon, but for their productivity to be maximized, they need runners on-base when they step to the plate. As of right now, Ichiro and the number two hitter, Jeremy Reed, are both on base roughly 35% of the time. That is a major factor as to why they rank fourth-last in runs scored.

The Florida Marlins have also been hampered by the same problem as their potent offense, even with offseason signing Carlos Delgado, is ranked only 23rd in runs scored, mostly in part to Juan Pierre's struggles.

If your team's leadoff hitter can get on-base, it changes the pitching team's philosophy dramatically. The pitcher must be more precise with his location, he's forced to throw quality pitches, and it also places pressure on the defense. These are all advantages that the Atlanta Braves, Florida Marlins, Seattle Mariners, Oakland Athletics, and Chicago Cubs are lacking.

In 2004, Juan Uribe (.327 OBP) and Willie Harris (.343 OBP) split time as the Chicago White Sox' leadoff hitters, but the offseason acquisition of Scott Podsednik (.369 OBP) has cemented that role and marked a noticeable change in the team's offense. They are averaging 4.9 runs per game this season (seventh in MLB).

Another example would be the Baltimore Orioles. Brian Roberts had a mediocre on-base percentage of .344 as the leadoff hitter last year, but this year has become the team's catalyst with a .434 on-base percentage. The slugging Orioles have parlayed that into more opportunities, which is a large reason for their success this season.

Every team that is in first place right now has a leadoff hitter with an OBP over .350, so if your team is laboring or underachieving, this is probably one of the reasons why.

Budweiser and on-base percentage mix like Mondays and me.

"The miracle is not that we do this work, but that we are happy to do it." — Mother Teresa

Don't miss next week's installment of "I Hate Mondays," sponsored by CyberSportsbook.com, a great sportsbook for horse racing and casino action!

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 1:35 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

A Moronic Request: A Pro at 15?

The LPGA Tour has an age requirement that states that in order to compete full-time on the Tour, a player must be 18 years of age. There can be exceptions made to the rule by the LPGA Tour Commissioner (currently Ty Votaw) if the golfer demonstrates that they have the capacity and support structure to make it as a professional on the daily grind.

Enter Carmen Bandea. She wrote a letter last week to the LPGA Tour requesting an exemption from the age requirement. She would like to have an opportunity to turn pro and play the Tour by going through the qualifying school in the fall. Bandea, and her overzealous parents, feel that she is good enough to not only excel on the LPGA Tour, but could give the big boys a run on the PGA Tour. Oh, did I mention that she's 15-years-old?

Coincidentally, that is the same age as Michelle Wie, the female amateur golf phenom of current record. Wie has been playing on the LPGA Tour on sponsor's exemptions for a few years now with great results. She has contended many times for titles and almost won two majors. Bandea feels that Wie is taking a handout by remaining an amateur and playing on exemptions. Bandea feels that it is almost cheating to go Wie's route and would prefer to qualify on her own.

The problem is that Bandea, admittedly, does not have a complete game. She has a wayward driver and struggles with the short stick on the greens. From personal experience as a player and an observer, if you cannot get off the tee or the green, then you cannot make it as a professional. Bandea seems to believe that I am wrong.

But, is it Bandea that feels the critics and I are wrong? Or, is this entire situation motivated by a set of parents that have brainwashed their child into her mindset? Certainly, teenage arrogance is not a new idea. Teenagers feel invincible and that they can accomplish anything, especially when they are told they cannot. But, Bandea's request for exemption goes beyond youthful ego. It crosses the line into adolescent idiocy.

For Bandea to request an exemption to turn pro is like a man on crutches registering for the Boston Marathon. The man on crutches has no chance to finish the race. Bandea has absolutely no shot as a professional golfer. Sight unseen, I can assure you that Carmen does not have the game to make it on the LPGA Tour.

Look no further to prove my point than the fact that the U.S. Women's Open champion is a pro who had only one top-10 before this week. Perhaps you could also look a few more places down the leaderboard to see a 17-year-old girl who qualified for her first U.S. Women's Open at age 12. Michelle Wie has an outside shot to become the first woman to qualify for the Masters if she can win the U.S. Amateur Public Links. Need I continue?

What troubles me is not Carmen Bandea. It is healthy for a teenager to have very high self-esteem and confidence in their talents. What troubles me is the attitude of Mr. and Mrs. Bandea, who have said that if Commissioner Votaw does not grant their daughter an exemption, they will simply have Carmen try for the PGA Tour. After all, according to the Bandeas, if she can make the shots, the PGA Tour will take her as there is no age limit.

Reality check, Mr. and Mrs. Bandea — if your daughter cannot qualify for the LPGA Tour, what chance do you think your daughter has of becoming the first woman to qualify for a PGA Tour event? The two best female golfers in history, Babe Zaharias and Annika Sorenstam, could not make the cut in their attempts to make history.

Perhaps I am wrong. Maybe Carmen Bandea is equipped with enough game to blow out golfers of all genders. But, as a last ditch, Votaw should veto her request on one principle. Bandea is 15. If she becomes a professional now, she will miss out on the thrill of being a teenager. She will have to instantly become an adult in a body with a mind that are both still developing. No prom, no graduation, no college. Teenagers, no matter their talents, should be given the opportunity to go through a normal life.

Michelle Wie just got her learner's permit. Do you think she's excited about that? I sure think so. Bandea and her parents should slow down, think this one out, and recognize that it is the best decision on all levels to allow their daughter to live as a 15-year-old. She will have plenty of years to live like a 30-year-old.

Posted by Ryan Ballengee at 12:22 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack

June 25, 2005

The 100 Greatest Sports Movie Quotes

The American Film Institute recently released another in its seemingly endless "Top 100" lists (i.e. "100 Movies That Didn't Star Either Michael Caine or Gene Hackman"; "100 Movies With a Cop Who Refused to Do Things By the Book"), this time focusing on "100 Greatest Movie Quotes of All-Time."

As usual, there were some simply awful decisions. "You can't handle the truth!" doesn't crack the top 20, but "Love means never having to say you're sorry" is No. 13? And "Oh, no, it wasn't the airplanes. It was Beauty killed the Beast" is No. 84, while "Oh, Jerry, don't let's ask for the moon. We have the stars" is No. 46?

The good news is that sports movies — usually the National Hockey League of these cinematic countdowns — had seven films selected, including "Jerry Maguire's" "Show me the money!" at No. 25.

I think the films AFI selected represent sports quite well: "Maguire," "The Pride of the Yankees," "Field of Dreams," "A League of Their Own," "Rocky," Knute Rockne: All-American," and, of course, "Caddyshack."

But how would these quotes stack up against their own kind?

Before I present my list of the "100 Greatest Sports Movie Quotes," let's address what I feel is the most important issue in compiling this list (besides the fact I tried to keep this thing rated PG-13).

It's called "The Spackler Factor."

Obviously, "Caddyshack" is the most quotable sports movie — and in some circles, movie in general — ever released. This list could have been an abridged version of the screenplay. As it stands, I tried to be fair and only include the "Shack" quotes that I use and hear used most often. Is anything that leaves Ty Webb's mouth a more memorable quote than anything in, say, "Chariots of Fire?"

Sure ... but you don't see the AFI quoting "Star Wars" 100 times, do you? Because it sure as hell could have.

And another thing: "On the Waterfront" is a great, great, great movie. But it's not a sports movie. Too bad ... it could have been a contender.

So with that in mind, and through the miracle of IMDB.com, here are the:

100 Greatest Sports Movie Quotes

100. Let them play! Let them play!
THE BAD NEWS BEARS IN BREAKING TRAINING
1977

99. You're on a gravy train with biscuit wheels.
KINGPIN
1996

98. How's your wife and my kids?
MAJOR LEAGUE
1989

97. Dwayne, you can get through college half-assed. Richard, you can get through life half-assed. But I'll guarantee you boys one thing ... sure as hell, I'll guarantee you this: you cannot win half-assed!
BLUE CHIPS
1994

96. That's not Yankee dancing — that's Devil Rays dancin'!
FEVER PITCH
2005

95. Damn you people. Go back to your shanties.
HAPPY GILMOUR
1996

94. I'm expectin' a guest, and his name is Mr. Jack ... Daniels .
61*
2001

93. You're a goddamn quarterback! You know what that means? It's the top spot, kid. It's the guy who takes the fall. It's the guy everybody's looking at first — the leader of a team — who will support you when they understand you. Who will break their ribs and their noses and their necks for you, because they believe. 'Cause you make them believe. That's a quarterback.
ANY GIVEN SUNDAY
1999

92. The most important thing to remember is to protect your quarterback — me!
THE LONGEST YARD
1974

91. You mean play basketball?
WHITE MEN CAN'T JUMP
1992

90. Always protect myself.
MILLION DOLLAR BABY
2004

89. I ain't doin' it for what people say, Blue. Let's race.
EVERYBODY'S ALL-AMERICAN
1988

88. I hear this place is restricted, Wang, so don't tell 'em you're Jewish, okay?
CADDYSHACK
1980

87. Hey ... Dad: you wanna have a catch?
FIELD OF DREAMS
1989

86. You think there are men in this country who ain't seen your bosoms?
A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN
1992

85. D'you know that bees and dogs can smell fear?
JERRY MAGUIRE
1996

84. All I'm saying is, there's a reason why Sporty Spice is the only one without a fella!
BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM
2002

83. I may be dumb, fellas, but I ain't stupid.
EIGHT MEN OUT
1988

82. Being No. 1 is everything. There is no second place. Second sucks.
OVER THE TOP
1987

81. You want to know what I want? I'll tell you what I want. I want back what Bobby Fischer took with him when he disappeared.
SEARCHING FOR BOBY FISHER
1993

80. Oh, this is the worst-looking hat I ever saw. What, when you buy a hat like this I bet you get a free bowl of soup, huh? Oh, it looks good on you, though.
CADDYSHACK
1980

79. The girl of my dreams lives under my own roof, but she thinks I'm just a kid, a dumb jock, all of which is more or less true. I'm dying, Mr. Tanneran, just like that girl in the poem ... only quicker, and with a hard-on.
VISION QUEST
1985

78. I must break you.
ROCKY IV
1985

77. Who you callin' psycho?!
KINGPIN
1996

76. I understand you have underwear up your ass right now, but it beats the hell out of a shattered skull. Think about it.
BRING IT ON
2000

75. You'll get nothing, and like it.
CADDYSHACK
1980

74. While we're young!
CADDYSHACK
1980

73. Ernie: They'll pay you 75 dollars a week.
Kit: We only make 30 at the dairy.
Ernie: Well then, this would be more, wouldn't it?
A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN
1992

72. Harold: If I can't win, I won't race!
Sybil: If you won't race, you can't win.
CHARIOTS OF FIRE
1981

71. You try the AFL?
PAPER LION
1968

70. Now that's what I call high-quality H2O.
THE WATERBOY
1998

69. Eye of the tiger, man.
ROCKY III
1982

68. Willie: Willie Mays Hayes. I hit like Mays, and I run like Hayes.
Coach: You may run like Hayes, but you hit like sh-t.
MAJOR LEAGUE
1989

67. But if anybody else wants to come with me, this moment will be the ground floor of something real and fun and inspiring and true in this godforsaken business and we will do it together! Who's coming with me besides ... "Flipper" here?
JERRY MAGUIRE
1996

66. This is no democracy. It is a dictatorship. I am the law.
REMEMBER THE TITANS
2000

65. You're 5-foot nothin', 100-and-nothin', and you have nearly a speck of athletic ability. And you hung in there with the best college football team in the land for two years. And you're gonna walk outta here with a degree from the University of Notre Dame. In this life, you don't have to prove nothin' to nobody but yourself.
RUDY
1993

64. The four horse! Nobody bets the four horse, Trotter. The four horse is a joke. They let little kiddies on the four horse to have their picture taken.
LET IT RIDE
1989

63. This is my table, man. I own it.
THE HUSTLER
1961

62. John: Is this heaven?
Ray: No, it's Iowa.
FIELD OF DREAMS
1989

61. Ladies, ever have a quarterback sandwich?
NORTH DALLAS FORTY
1979

60. I love black people!
JERRY MAGUIRE
1996

59. I want Champ.
THE CHAMP
1979

58. Whoa. Her ass is all over the place.
DAYS OF THUNDER
1990

57. We will be perfect in every aspect. You drop a pass, you run a mile. You miss a blocking assignment, you run a mile. You make a fumble, I will break my foot off in you John Brown hind parts and then you will run a mile. Perfection.
REMEMBER THE TITANS
2000

56. And who are you, Alfred Einstein?
KINGPIN
1996

55. You know, if my dog were as ugly as you, I'd shave his butt and tell him to walk backwards.
THE SANDLOT
1993

54. When you pull on that jersey, the name on the front is a hell of a lot more important than the one on the back.
MIRACLE
2004

53. When making a business decision, the only color that matters is green.
HE GOT GAME
1998

52. Relax, all right? Don't try to strike everybody out. Strikeouts are boring! Besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls — it's more democratic.
BULL DURHAM
1988

51. Forget about the curve ball Ricky, give him the heater.
MAJOR LEAGUE
1989

50. It's called 'incidental punishment after the ball is blown dead." Remember, any man you tackle gets an elbow, knee, or kick in the mouth.
THE LONGEST YARD
1974

49. You're gonna eat lightnin' and you're gonna crap thunder!
ROCKY
1976

48. Ref: Got my eye on the three of you. You pull one thing, you're out of this game. I run a clean game here. I have any trouble here, I'll suspend ya!
Steve Hanson: I'm tryin' to listen to the f--king song!
SLAP SHOT
1977

47. You trying to say Jesus Christ can't hit a curveball?
MAJOR LEAGUE
1989

46. Pool excellence is not about excellent pool.
THE COLOR OF MONEY
1986

45. If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball.
DODGEBALL: A TRUE UNDERDOG STORY
2004

44. Ali: "Man, without me, you'd just be a mouth and a microphone."
Cosell: "And without me, you'd just be a mouth."
ALI
2001

43. You wanna make it right? Then when you go to Nationals ... bring it.
BRING IT ON
2000

42. It's a fumble! FUMBLAYA! Sargie "Fumblina" Wilkerson fumbles the ball!
NECESSARY ROUGHNESS
1991

41. You're excited? Feel these nipples!
BASEketball
1998

40. This is a hybrid. This is a cross, ah, Bluegrass, Kentucky Bluegrass, Featherbed Bent, and Northern California Sensemilia. The amazing stuff about this is, that you can play 36 holes on it in the afternoon, take it home and just get stoned to the bejeezus-belt that night on this stuff. Here, I've got pounds of this.
CADDYSHACK
1980

39. Girlie tough ain't enough.
MILLION DOLLAR BABY
2004

38. Oh man, shut your anorexic malnutrition tapeworm-having overdose on Dick Gregory Bohemian diet-drinking ass up. Leave me alone!
WHITE MEN CAN'T JUMP
1992

37. Missit, missit, Nonnan, Noonan, Aaaaah!
CADDYSHACK
1980

36. Up your butt, Jobu.
MAJOR LEAGUE
1989

35. When I walked down the street people would've looked and they would've said there goes Roy Hobbs, the best there ever was in this game.
THE NATURAL
1984

34. Sweep the leg.
THE KARATE KID
1984

33. Gentlemen, the hopes and dreams of an entire town are riding on your shoulders. You may never matter again in your life as much as you do right now.
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS
2004

32. Juuuuust a bit outside.
MAJOR LEAGUE
1989

31. Dead meat!
ROCKY III
1982

30. Just be the ball.
CADDYSHACK
1980

29. Sex and golf are the two things you can enjoy even if you're not good at them.
TIN CUP
1996

28. Milk are for babies — when you get older, you drink beer.
PUMPING IRON
1977

27. It's easy to grin / When your ship comes in / And you've got the stock market beat. / But the man worthwhile, / Is the man who can smile, / When his shorts are too tight in the seat.
CADDYSHACK
1980

26. The horse is too small, the jockey too big, the trainer too old, and I'm too dumb to know the difference.
SEABISCUIT
2003

25. The price is wrong, b-tch.
HAPPY GILMOUR
1996

24. This is national TV. So don't pick your noses or scratch your nuts.
NORTH DALLAS FORTY
1979

23. Ali! Bombaye!
WHEN WE WERE KINGS
1996

22. The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball.
FIELD OF DREAMS
1989

21. Larry's not white. Larry's clear.
SPACE JAM
1996

20. Hey, Yankees ... you can take your apology and your trophy and shove 'em straight up your ass!
THE BAD NEWS BEARS
1976

19. A black man would rather miss than look bad.
WHITE MEN CAN'T JUMP
1992

18. California penal.
MAJOR LEAGUE
1989

17. License to kill gophers by the government of the United Nations. Man, free to kill gophers at will. To kill, you must know your enemy, and in this case my enemy is a varmint. And a varmint will never quit — ever. They're like the Viet Cong — Varmint Cong. So you have to fall back on superior firepower and superior intelligence. And that's all she wrote.
CADDYSHACK
1980

16. This is your time. Their time is done. It's over. I'm sick and tired of hearing about what a great hockey team the Soviets have. Screw 'em. This is your time. Now go out there and take it.
MIRACLE
2004

15. I love Brian Piccolo. And tonight, when you hit your knees, please ask God to love him.
BRIAN'S SONG
1971

14. You win, you win. You lose, you still win.
RAGING BULL
1980

13. I don't care what the scoreboard says at the end of the game, in my book, we're gonna be winners.
HOOSIERS
1986

12. So I jump ship in Hong Kong and make my way over to Tibet, and I get on as a looper at a course over in the Himalayas. A looper, you know, a caddy, a looper, a jock. So, I tell them I'm a pro jock, and who do you think they give me? The Dalai Lama, himself. Twelfth son of the Lama. The flowing robes, the grace, bald... striking. So, I'm on the first tee with him. I give him the driver. He hauls off and whacks one — big hitter, the Lama — long, into a ten-thousand foot crevice, right at the base of this glacier. And do you know what the Lama says? Gunga galunga ... gunga ... gunga galunga. So we finish the 18th and he's gonna stiff me. And I say, "Hey, Lama, hey, how about a little something, you know, for the effort, you know." And he says, "Oh, uh, there won't be any money, but when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total consciousness." So I got that goin' for me, which is nice.
CADDYSHACK
1980

11. We're puttin' on the foil. Want some?
SLAP SHOT
1977

10. You had me at "hello."
JERRY MAGUIRE
1996

9. I believe Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. I believe there ought to be a constitutional amendment outlawing Astroturf and the designated hitter. I believe in the sweet spot, soft-core pornography, opening your presents Christmas morning rather than Christmas Eve and I believe in long, slow, deep, soft, wet kisses that last three days.
BULL DURHAM
1988

8. Wax on, wax off.
THE KARATE KID
1984

7. There's no crying in baseball!
A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN
1992

6. Tell 'em to go out there with all they got and win just one for the Gipper.
KNUTE ROCKNE ALL AMERICAN
1940

5. Yo, Adrian!
ROCKY
1976

4. If you build it, he will come.
FIELD OF DREAMS
1989

3. Today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth.
THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES
1942

2. Show me the money!
JERRY MAGUIRE
1996

1. What an incredible Cinderella story, this unknown comes outta no where to lead the pack, at Augusta. He's on his final hole, he's about 455 yards away — he's gonna hit about a two-iron I think. Oh, he got all of that one! The crowd is standing on its feet here, the normally reserved Augusta crowd — going wild — for this young Cinderella, he's come outta no where, he's got about 350 yards left, he's gonna hit about a five-iron, don't you think? He's got a beautiful backswing — that's — oh, he got all of that one! He's gotta be pleased with that, the crowd is just on its feet here, uh — He's the Cinderella boy, uh — tears in his eyes I guess as he lines up this last shot, he's got about 195 yards left, he's got about a — its looks like he's got about an eight-iron. This crowd has gone deathly silent, the Cinderella story, outta nowhere, a former greenskeeper now — about to become the Masters champion. It looks like a mirac — it's in the hole!
CADDYSHACK
1980

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 5:50 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Remarketing an Unremarkable League

NBA commissioner David Stern was given the opportunity for a televised gloat session after the league and the players' union avoided a pending lockout. In amongst the discussion of the agreement and how it was reached, Stern made a comment that few of you may have seen or noticed, possibly due to the fact that three people were watching the Finals as it was, and two of you hit the remote for fear of having to listen to Bill Walton spout off about how terrrrrrrrrible the play in the first half was.

Lucky for you, I stuck with it and caught what he said, and why it makes me fear for the future of the league. Stern mentioned how the new agreement allowed the league to promote its younger generation of players, its potential superstars. He's dead wrong if he thinks this is the approach the league should be taking.

If nothing else, the low ratings of the NBA Finals should have shown David Stern that marketing the superstars of the NBA isn't working for his league. In a league built around promoting the young guns like LeBron and 'Melo, or the more established stars like Shaq and KG, exactly none of these players were in the Finals.

The casual fan was trained to believe that these players are the faces of the NBA. They want to see the superstars throwing no-look passes or dunking on each other. They don't want to see Tim Duncan hitting bank shots from 15 feet, or see Rip Hamilton coming off of a curl to hit a teardrop jumper. When presented a defensive battle between players who they don't know, or who are nondescript and generally unexciting, they tuned out in droves, making sure to TiVo "Dancing With the Stars" on their way off the couch.

So far, the telegenic superstars of this generation don't appear to have the killer instinct to win it all. Stern was able to build a global marketing empire around Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Michael Jordan in the '80s and '90s because inevitably, one of those stars was in the Finals every year. It didn't matter that ratings suffered when they weren't in there, because they always were. In the rare case where one of those players wasn't around come June, the NBA did a better job of marketing the Bad Boys or whatever other team was around. The NBA has failed to market the teams this go around, and it's hurting their bottom line.

So what's the solution? How can the NBA get its mojo back with the casual sports fan? It should take a lead from Major League Baseball. For the past two postseasons, baseball has posted record ratings. And as great as individual players like Manny Ramirez and Derek Jeter have been, and as potentially marketable as young stars like Mark Prior or Dontrelle Willis are, it didn't matter what was on the back of their jerseys. Depending on which uniform they're wearing, they might not even get their names on there — they're just another number. But the name on the back of the jerseys didn't matter. What mattered was the name on the front.

MLB sold the fans of America on the chance to watch the Cubs and Red Sox fight to win their first World Series crowns in generations. They sold them on the chance to watch a young underdog Marlins team with a crusty old manager battle the Evil Empire itself, the Yankees. They watched one of the greatest rivalries in the game between New York and Boston become a little less one-sided. It wouldn't have mattered if replacement players were in those uniforms — they were sold on the teams, not the players.

The NBA failed this year, and they paid for it in the ratings and all of the potential marketing nightmares that come with a Finals series down drastically in the ratings without Shaq and Kobe. The league failed to capitalize on the potential Duncan Dynasty in San Antonio, or the story of the Pistons being underdogs in an effort to defend their championship belts. They even had the opportunity to steal the script from the NFL, which is bouncing from the boon of the Patriot dynasty. Stern and the rest of his team up in New York failed to do so. And it's going to hurt them right where they'll notice it the most — in the wallet.

The NBA garnered some positive publicity through its ability to avoid a harmful lockout. What the league needs to do now is refocus its energy on marketing the sport and the team, and not five or 10 guys who can alternate bright smiles and thuggish scowls. Take a lead from the other leagues and promote the name on the front, not on the back. It might pay dividends down the road.

Posted by Josh Frank at 4:48 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 24, 2005

2005 College Football Preview: Big 10

The Big 10 will most certainly be the perennial powerhouse that we have grown accustomed to. The upcoming college season will bring a bit of parity to a league often dominated by Michigan and Ohio State. Even the teams that will fall in the bottom half of the standings, such as Penn State and Illinois, are capable of springing upsets. Who will come out on top? It's not New Year's Eve yet, but let's countdown the five best teams in the Big 10 for 2005.

5) Minnesota (Projected Record: 7-4; League: 4-4)

It really seemed like last year was the year for the Golden Gophers. Fans from Duluth to Minnesota had to feel that 2004 was going to be their year. Unfortunately, the Gophers ended the season poorly and forfeited any hopes of a Big 10 championship.

In 2005, Minnesota will have learned from the mistakes of years past, but it just won't be enough to put them over the top. They are the beneficiaries of a brutal schedule, and I don't know if they have enough offensive firepower to compete with the elite teams in the conference. However, if everyone on Minnesota's squad were as talented as Laurence Maroney, the Gophers would win the title, hands down.

Every publication has Laurence Maroney rushing for huge yardage this season. All of the ingredients are there — a strong offensive line, a talented rusher, and an offensive playbook centered around the run. He has to be Minnesota's best Heisman shot in years, and will most certainly rush over 1,500 yards. Maroney will most certainly be the featured player in this offense, but it will be up to Bryan Cupito, the Minnesota quarterback, to prove that he can improve on his accuracy and make the Gophers offense a more balanced one.

Cupito will have an excellent array of pass catchers to choose from. Jared Ellerson and Ernest Wheelwright are both strong receivers who can go deep and run precision routes. I look for Ellerson to be the possession guy, while Wheelwright will be the deep threat. Matt Spaeth is a solid tight end who can both run-block and catch the ball.

The offensive line is solid with Mark Setterstrom and Joe Ainslie leading the way. They will provide plenty of holes for Maroney to romp, and give Bryan Cupito plenty of time to pass. If Cupito can have a breakout year, and be a true field general, the Gophers may surprise some people on offense.

In 2004, Minnesota's defense looked lost a good majority of the time. Head coach Glen Mason has focused on the defense this spring, and has promoted David Lockwood to defensive coordinator from secondary coach. Lockwood has a lot of question to answer such as how to improve on one of the worst pass defenses in the conference and how to offset the departure of Darrell Reid on the defensive line.

Anthony Montgomery, the Gophers' starting tackle, will attempt to fill the void that will be left on the D-line because of Darrell Reid's departure. He will not be a pass rusher, but he will rack up the tackles, and has potential to be an all-conference performer. Mark Losli can also be depended upon at the other tackle position. Losli will be looking to cap his career at Minnesota with a strong senior campaign, and I predict he will do so. Unfortunately, the strength of the defensive diminishes once we move away from the defensive line.

The linebacking corps will be very young and inexperienced this season. Kyle McKenzie is the only upperclassman with significant playing time and will have to step up his play. John Shevlin and Mike Sherels will have to make giant leaps and bounds if the Gophers hope to stop their opponents on the ground.

In 2004, there were 108 teams that had a better pass defense than Minnesota. That's not good. As you can see, coach Lockwood has his work cut out for him in the secondary. Unfortunately, I predict he will still have many long nights ahead of him. There were no solid recruits brought in to help the situation and the current players just don't have the talent to make it happen. I think a Sun Bowl appearance is in their future.

4) Michigan (8-4; 5-3)

No, that is not a typo, and I really do think the Wolverines will come in fourth this season. I'm not counting on the EA Jinx (Desmond Howard is on the cover of NCAA Football 2006), but I just think that a combination of a so-so defense, and playing in conference with three better teams ahead of them will doom them. Of course, Chad Henne could surprise everyone and be even better than we think and lead the maize and blue all the way to Pasadena.

Chad Henne, Michigan's sophomore QB, did an excellent job last year. The only problem going into 2005 is that Braylon Edwards is not there to turn mistakes into 80-yard touchdown receptions. Henne will miss Edwards, but he will still have Mike Hart to hand the ball off to.

Mike Hart will anchor the running back position for the Wolverines this season. He had an excellent freshman campaign with almost 1,500 yards last year. The offense will even more focused on him, so achieving these totals should be possible. Michigan will need backups Max Martin and Kevin Grady to give Hart enough rest so that he doesn't wear down during the season.

Jason Avant and Steve Breaston are hungry and ready to prove that they can carry the torch that Braylon Edwards gave to them. Avant will serve as Michigan's pass-catching receiver, while Breaston gives them a solid deep threat. While I am sold on Avant's ability, I just don't know how good Breaston will be. He's been inconsistent in his three previous years, so he will have a lot to prove.

There was a debate in a previous column as to which school is Quarterback U. There is no disputing that Michigan is OL U. Every year, the Wolverines crank out top quality talent at every line position. This year is no exception. Adam Stenavich is outstanding and will be an All-American, while Matt Lentz is almost a lock to secure conference honors. Mike Hart should flourish with this strong line ahead of them, and this group will wear down many of their opponents.

In 2005, Michigan best defense will be their offense. However, when their defense does take the field, there will still be plenty of players to watch; most notably Lamaar Woodley.

Woodley has been used at both the linebacker at defensive end positions. He seems to be more suited for the end position as his pass-rushing is truly fierce. The rest of the defensive line is solid as well. Gabe Watson and Pat Massey will help form one of the best defensive lines in the country. They have three players on the line that could be in the NFL. Unfortunately, those are the only three in the entire defense that will be playing on Sunday anytime soon.

The linebackers will be true to Big 10 form by being strong against the run and much weaker against the pass. Scott McClintock is the prototypical Michigan 'backer with excellent vision and agility to match. Prescott Burgess will be the player to watch, and he will have to further develop his pass defending skills if Lloyd Carr's team is to be successful.

The 2005 Michigan secondary will be filled with new faces. Leon Hall and Grant Mason will be the corners, and Ryan Mundy will combine with Brandent Englemon to form the safety crew. This unit may have trouble in the early going, as they figure out how to work as a unit. Communication is crucial for defensive backs, and this only comes with game experience. This squad has the potential to be solid, but it may be a case of "too little, too late."

3) Purdue (8-3; 6-2)

Whoever created the 2005 Big 10 schedule must be a Purdue fan. The Boilemakers miss both Michigan and Ohio State, and their toughest road game is at Minnesota. The schedule is tailor-made for success, and Joe Tiller's team just has to capitalize on it.

Purdue was the first Big 10 team to realize that you can actually win a game by passing the ball. Drew Brees and Kyle Orton excelled in Purdue's precision passing game, and Brandon Kirsch, Purdue's starting quarterback, will be the best player no one has ever heard of.

Kirsch is the type of QB who believes in substance more than style — it may not look pretty, but he'll get the job done. He can make plays with his arm and he will not hesitate to tuck the ball and run. If he's smart, he will let Jerod Void do the running. Void is the projected the starter at running back and he will most likely platoon with Brandon Jones. Together, these guys, along with redshirt freshman Kory Sheets will gain over 1,000 yards.

Purdue's offense has always relied upon excellent pass catchers to be successful. This season, Dorien Bryant and Kyle Ingraham will team up to be one of the most feared tandems in the country. Bryant has sick talent and will spend most of his Saturdays on the way to the end zone. Ingraham, at 6-9, presents huge matchup problems. Repeat after me: "jump ball in the end zone, caught by Ingraham!"

The offensive line is not spectacular, but they are serviceable. Mike Otto will be the star of the unit. Jordan Grimes and Matt Turner will also assist. Purdue's line does not have to be fantastic — they just need to give Brandon Kirsch enough time to find his superstar receivers.

The defensive line for the Boilemakers this season may be their best ever. Ray Edwards and Anthony Spencer are superstars, and they may just be the best pair in the country. Purdue's defense starts with these guys, and the defensive line is really going to surprise a lot of teams. This is the final piece of the puzzle for Joe Tiller's squad to be able to compete with the elite.

There isn't too much off a dropoff in talent at linebacker. All the starters return and George Hall is their undisputed leader. He had 92 tackles last year, and he will be leading the team once again this year. The key to this unit will be their pass defense. The Boilemakers could really play a lot of cover two this season because of their dominating defensive line. It will depend on how these guys do in the passing game.

Purdue's secondary is not the greatest, but its not terrible, either. Once again, everyone is coming back, so at least they are used to playing with each other. Bernard Pollard is an oversized safety, who will provide excellent run support. Pollard and the rest of the crew will have to not make the mistakes they made last year, and Purdue just might come out on top in December.

2) Ohio State (9-2; 7-1)

The Buckeyes have found themselves in the limelight ever since winning one of the best National Championship Games in history. The Maurice Clarett fiasco played out like Thursday night TV and I don't even want to start talking about Troy Smith. I think that Jim Tressel's team will be ready to play, and with all of the scandals behind them, they will also be ready to win.

In 2005, all Buckeye fans will attempt to keep their eyes on Ted Ginn. He is, bar-none, the best athlete in America. He is the most valuable player on this team and he does just about everything on it. He returns kicks, punts, and has enough spare time to find the end zone via lining up as a split end. The key to the season will be how well the coaching staff adjusts the offense around Mr. Ginn.

The man responsible for getting Ted Ginn the ball on offense will be Justin Zwick. Zwick has underperformed throughout his career, but he just might be ready to shine. At Tressel U, all the quarterback has to do is not lose the game. I certainly think that Zwick will do just fine, but if not Troy Smith or even Todd Boeckman could get a shot.

The running game is not nearly as strong as in years past, but this year it doesn't need to be. Antonio Pittman and Eric Haw will platoon and give the Bucks decent numbers on the ground. Their inexperience may hurt them, and I wouldn't be surprised to see a couple of balls left on the turf. Fortunately, Ohio State will be throwing the ball much more in 2005, and they have some very capable targets.

I've already heaped enough praise on Ted Ginn, so let's talk about Santonio Holmes. Holmes also has excellent speed with good hands to boot. He should put up much better numbers than last season, as he is going to get the ball more. He can go deep and run good routes, so I see him getting a lot of touches. Roy Hall, Devon Lyons, and Ryan Hamby will also get some catches.

The defensive line for the Buckeyes will be solid, but not spectacular. Quinn Pitcock was the leading tackler out of the group last season, and he should be their star in 2005. Marcus Green, Jay Richardson, and David Patterson will also see significant playing time. The key for the linemen will be to lock on to an offensive player so their stellar linebackers can make the plays.

The linebacking unit at Ohio State is the best in the nation. A.J. Hawk had a mind-blowing 141 tackles last season, and has to be the favorite for the Butkus Award. He has 4.4 speed, and at 240 pounds, that it one scary combination. Bobby Carpenter is a guy that just makes plays. He is a no-nonsense type of football player and he gets the job done. Anthony Schlegel and Mike D'Andrea will secure the middle linebacker chores, and this unit will make the Buckeyes' defense very tough in the interior.

Ohio State secondary is one of the best in the conference. Ashton Youbody is their best cover man and Donte Whitner is the best tackler. They have plenty of speed and all of these guys have played with each other before. The most important game this season may be in September for the Bucks, and if they can run the table in the early going, they will most likely win the conference.

1) Iowa (10-1; 7-1)

The Iowa Hawkeyes have the best shot of representing a Big 10 team in Pasadena this year. Even though this year's Rose Bowl is not slated to feature the traditional Pac-10/Big 10 matchup, the Hawks just might crash the party.

The Hawkeyes start 2005 with tremendous momentum from last season. The Capitol One Bowl against LSU was one of the most amazing games I have ever seen. Iowa won on an amazing touchdown pass from Drew Tate with only seconds left. It just might have been the greatest play since some guy named [Doug] Flutie got his prayers answered 20 years ago.

Drew Tate, Iowa's starting quarterback, is the unquestioned leader of the offense. He had a tremendous season last year, throwing for almost 2,800 yards and 20 touchdowns. He will have an even better season this year, and he's an early favorite for the Heisman in 2006. The only issue I have with this offense is how productive are they going to be on the ground.

Iowa didn't really produce much on the ground last season. They were ranked 116th (which is almost unimaginable in the Big 10) in rushing yards last season. It was mainly due to injury, but the talent level must improve this season or the gains will still be minimal. Marques Simmons and Sam Brownlee will both try to improve on their efforts from last season, and if either can be productive, watch out.

Ed Hinkel and Clinton Solomon will once again be the receiving tandem for the Hawkeyes. They bring upperclassmen leadership and skills to a group who I expect to have a big season. Hinkel, Drew Tate's favorite target, is an excellent pass-catcher and can make just about any play. Solomon is the big-play guy, and can break a game wide open with his blazing speed.

The offensive line will be stronger this season, and will be one of the best in the conference. These guys will surprise some people, as many pundits feel that they are a notch below the best in the Big 10. Mike Elgin and Lee Gray will be the leaders on an all-upperclassmen starting lineup that will be very solid.

On defense, the line is the major concern for Hawkeye fans. They lost three very talented players to graduation, and this will be the area that teams will try to exploit. The starters had a combined total of nine tackles last season, so they must get ready in a hurry.

The linebacking corps, on the other hand, will be one of the best in the country. Abdul Hodge and Chad Greenway are among the top duos in America, and will prove it this season. These guys combined for 229 tackles in 2004 and they will need to do even better this year. Hodge will be the primary stopper against the run, and Greenway will shut down opposing backs and tight-ends in pass coverage.

The Hawkeye secondary will be among the best in the conference again this season. They have two seniors at cornerback (Jovon Johnson and Antwan Allen) and the safeties have had playing time together as well. The key to this unit will be how well Marcus Paschal does after coming back from ACL surgery. He is not yet slated to start, but if he can even play as well as he did before he got injured, Iowa fans will be very pleased.

The key to this team's season will be the game against Ohio State in Columbus on September 24. If the Hawkeyes win that one, they just might go undefeated, and make me look like a genius. They won't sneak up on anyone anymore, but they have the talent to win the conference outright.

Also, see previews for the Pac-10 and SEC. Stay tuned for more college football previews!

Posted by Avery Smith at 1:00 PM | Comments (58) | TrackBack

Sports Q&A: A Day With Jose

Doug from Apex, NC writes, "Juiced to the gills 40/40 man Jose Canseco is set to appear on the new season of VH1's "The Surreal Life". Back in the day when Jose was under house arrest and charging folks $2,500 per day to chill with him, would you have forked over the $2500 clams to hang out in your footie pajamas with the steroid proponent, have him shoot you up, and challenge him to a 24-hour Donkey Kong tournament?"

Would I? You damn skippy I would, but not without the express written consent of Major League Baseball and its subsidiaries. With that, and a signed, or forged, permission slip from my parents, I would have been on my way to the mansion of the former A's slugger and international playboy. Jose would have met me at the door, or maybe further out on his lawn, depending on how far out his ankle bracelet would allow.

Of course, $2,500 is a steep price to pay for a day with anyone, even it was unquestionably worth it, like, say, for a day with Charles Barkley on the golf course, or a day with Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown AYCSS (All You Can Smoke or Snort), or an hour with Jessica Alba.

Luckily, I'm sure I'd qualify for a generous scholarship to cover at least one day with Jose. If not, I feel certain that Jose and I could work out a payment plan to cover my tuition. If nothing else, since Jose can't leave his house, I could run errands, like go to the liquor store, the escort service, or drop off a mysterious package for his twin brother, Ozzie. Or, I could start my own steroid distribution business, and Jose could hook me up with thousands of juicy contacts.

Really, who wouldn't want to spend a day with Jose? Especially if you needed steroid injections from a reputable needle man. And if you needed references for his work, I'm sure Jose would have no trouble giving you the names of many of the baseball superstars he's provided services. However, if you called them to vouch for Jose, I'm sure they would deny ever knowing him. You would just have to take Jose's word for it.

And who on Earth has more credibility and integrity than a man in a house arrest ankle bracelet? If you have the money and the time, you could spend an entire week with Jose, take a few injections, complete a few fiendish workouts with Jose in his state-of-the-art weight room, and bulk up about two pounds. However, you may wake up one morning on Jose's living room couch and find yourself minus a kidney.

Now, as far as the Donkey Kong tournament goes, I would just have to surrender and say, "Jose, you win. I can't beat you at Donkey Kong. You're under house arrest. What else are you going to do but master the game with all that spare time? Now, Jose, take this needle, jam it into my buttocks, and let's go outside, hide behind the bushes, and pick off passers-by with paintball guns."

After we had done that, Jose and I could sit by the pool, sip lemonade, and he could regale me with baseball stories, and an at-length description of Madonna's anatomy. After each intriguing anecdote, I could incredulously reply, "No way, Jose," until Jose was fed up with my yammering.

Then I would whip it out, the wiffle bat and ball, that is, and have Jose relive that classic moment when a long, fly ball by Indian's player Carlos Martinez bounced off Jose's head and over the fence for a home run. I would play the role of Martinez, of course. We would laugh, then I would challenge Jose to a cannonball contest in his pool. Then we could make prank phone calls to various baseball sluggers and ask them, "Are you ready to see the doctor?" Then we could grill stuffed cornish hens for dinner, and chase them with tequila.

All in all, any day with Jose would be entertaining despite the hefty price tag. That's why the other six members of The Surreal Life: 5 cast are so lucky — they get to live with Jose, and they get paid to do so. In past versions of The Surreal Life, we've seen classic reality TV fare, such as the unlikely romance between Brigitte Nielsen and Flava Flav, and the fiery sexual tension between Ron Jeremy and Tammy Faye Bakker.

Exciting? Or disgusting? Well, that depends on whether you find train wrecks exciting or disgusting. With Jose in the mix, we are bound to witness something even more compelling. For the millions of us who wanted to spend a day with Jose, but couldn't, this is our chance to live it vicariously for free, and spend $2,500 on something more useful.

Michael from Nazareth, PA asks, "Can Formula 1 recover from last week's debacle at the United States Grand Prix in Indianapolis?"

Formula 1 can recover, but the fact that the FIA even allowed what went down to happen casts doubt into F1's commitment to the American fan in the first place. You can best believe that the events in Indy would not have happened had the cars been in Monaco, or Germany, or anywhere else on the F1 schedule, for that matter. The FIA can cast blame on Michelin for not providing an adequate tire; Michelin can blame the FIA for not reaching some sort of compromise with the drivers to participate in the race. The bottom line is only six of 14 cars raced. That's unacceptable, and would be for any other sport in which only 30% of featured participants actually participated.

The timing of the incidents at Indy could not have been any worse for F1. The USGP has been at Indy for six years, and while attendance there does not remotely approach that of the Indianapolis 500, there has been attendance of at least 100,000 on all occasions of F1 races there. I would say that's enough to call it a success. The sudden emergence of Danica Patrick on the open-wheel scene has piqued American, and international, interest in Indy car racing. While there is currently no American with a ride in F1, Californian Scott Speed is in line for a seat on the Red Bull/Jaguar team, possibly as soon as next year. The Patrick/Speed factors, if they were, in fact, to potentially influence American fans towards F1, will be practically negated by the aftershocks from Indy.

To compound the issue, Formula 1 boss and current chauvinist idiot Bernie Ecclestone said recently that women "should be all dressed in white like all other of the domestic appliances" when asked about women in racing, particularly Patrick. Being the English gentleman that he is, Ecclestone called Patrick to explain his words, then repeated the words to her.

If Patrick could have reached across the Atlantic and slapped the Andy Warhol-looking Ecclestone across the face, she could have knocked that old geezer back into next week. Once there, he could have rethought his words and never said them. Where does Ecclestone get his beliefs? From the Robbie Gordon School of Sexism? You would think answering to a queen as his monarch would give Ecclestone a little more respect for women. As it was, Ecclestone's disrespect for women is matched by his disrespect for the American fan.

As mentioned earlier, Formula 1 would never have let a European grand prix be affected as the USGP was. European fans would not allow this in a sport in which they are so passionate about. Likewise, American fans would not allow a NASCAR race to be cheapened in such a way. And NASCAR officials certainly would not have allowed a tire manufacturer to dictate whether a race went down or not.

One of the compromises offered by the F1 drivers running on Michelin tires was that they would agree to race on different tire but not for driver points, since the new tires would be in violation of F1 rules. Even had F1 agreed to this compromise, American fans still would have been denied a legitimate race. Still, this would have been a better option than the six car race we were left with, but still would have been less than fans expected.

If Formula 1 is committed to the American audience, then they will return to Indy, provided the Speedway will have them back. F1 can survive without the USGP, and, after this year's race, American fans can surely survive without a home grand prix. Attendance at any future USGPs will be affected by the events of 2005, and fans can always travel to Montreal for the Canadian Grand Prix. However, As long as F1 doesn't slap the American fan across the face in the future, F1 will have a place at Indianapolis.

Get Your Questions Answered!

Do you have a question or comment? Want your shoes shined and your bed turned down? Need some street credibility? Need confirmation that you did, in fact, see the image of the Virgin Mary in your Jello? Then send your question/shoe size/gangster quotient/religious affiliation to [email protected]. You may get the answer you're looking for in the next column on Friday, July 8th.

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 12:33 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

June 23, 2005

Roger(s) Hold 'Em in Texas

Major League Baseball fans have enjoyed a season of unexpected surprises in 2005. They include the Baltimore Orioles, who have thus far owned the American League East, the Chicago White Sox still holding the best team record in baseball, and the Washington Nationals who are holding onto the lead in the National League East, as the former Montreal Expos are delighted to finally have a crowd waiting for them at the ballpark.

Two other not fully unexpected performances but remarkable for their ages and compiled years in the majors are those of pitchers Kenny Rogers, playing for the Texas Rangers, and Roger Clemens, ace of the Houston Astros pitching staff.

Rogers, now 40-years-old in his second tour of duty with the Rangers when resigned in 2000, had what many talking heads considered an overachieving 2004 season with a record of 18-9. But in 2005. he has been dominant, and had a nine-game winning streak and an American League best ERA of 1.98 going into his start against the Angels on June 22nd.

Most major leaguers, as outstanding as Rogers has been in 2005, it would seem would get more press and create more of a stir, which is why Rogers' feat seems all the more remarkable. He just does his job, without calling attention to himself as he has done throughout his major league career.

After starting his big league career with the Rangers in 1989, he stayed with them until 1995. His record was decent, but nothing stellar, nor was the bottom of the cellar play of the Rangers during that time. In 1995, Rogers signed with the New York Yankees, at the same time manager Joe Torre arrived. The following season, 1996, the Yankees won the World Series, and have not looked back ever since.

Following a stint with the Oakland Athletics in 1998 and the New York Mets in 1999, only to be traded back to the Athletics again that very same year, Rogers battled injuries and the instability of not being comfortable with one club. Since 2000 after he returned to his roots, Rogers was at times an above average pitcher, but was not "lights out" until 2004, yet still there was talk of his year being an overachievement and an anomaly.

But this year, Rogers continues his plight of 2004 and does so with less and less pomp and circumstance. If the Rangers can hold on and can get some good pitching from the rest of the rotation, which has imploded as of late, they have a chance to catch the Anaheim, Los Angeles, California, or whatever-you-want-to-call-them Angels. Their stretch of seven games over 10 days commencing June 20th will give the Rangers' a good shot to overcome them.

Back in Houston, Roger Clemens, at this time in the season, outright owns the best ERA in all of Major League Baseball. On June 17th against the Kansas City Royals, Clemens kept his 32 scoreless inning streak alive along with his 333rd game win and pitched seven strong innings to win his 334th on June 21st while lowering his ERA to a Major League best at 1.51, the lowest in his 21-year career through 15 starts.

For his 333rd win, Clemens pitched six innings of shut-out ball and has been on fire since the beginning of the season with 97 strikeouts to boot. The sad reality is that he has only six wins to his three losses with quite a few indecisions due to the stingy run production of his teammates. Unfortunately this season, unlike the Cinderella-like ending for the Astros in 2004, most pontificators have not been shy about stating that fans flock to Minute Maid Park merely to see the immortal-like feats of Clemens and not the Astros.

At 42, Clemens shows no signs of aging and exhibits the same fierce determination and competitive nature he has brought to the ballpark since the beginning of this career back in Boston in 1984. One wonders what keeps the Rocket so motivated, especially while playing for a last-place club which celebrates as if it had won the World Series whenever Houston gets a win this season.

The rumor mills are alive and well, however, with the Yankees trying to get their team back on course, but still with pitchers Jarrett Wright and Kevin Brown both on the DL. Carl Pavano has not been nearly as good as advertised, and Randy Johnson has only just started looking like Johnson in his last two starts. With two rookies shoring up the rotation for them, Clemens who has intimated that the Yankees would be the only club he would consider playing for other than Houston, it is indeed a nice-sounding idea for Yankee fans.

However, given the contract he has setup with the Astros and how embedded he is with his family and community, it seems unlikely. Most people fully believe he will remain with the Astros organization upon his retirement, precluding an in-season trade.

In the meantime we can enjoy the two Rogers, both over 40, both former Yankees and World Series champions with the Yankees and now both homeboy Texans. Let's not think about the what-ifs and what the near future might or might not hold and just take it all in. For when these guys eventually hang it up, they will leave a void nearly as big as the state of Texas.

Posted by Diane M. Grassi at 2:19 PM | Comments (0)

NASCAR Top 10 Power Rankings: Week 15

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Jimmie Johnson — A somewhat promising day for Johnson ended on a frustrating note, as the points leader ran amongst the top 10 for the majority of the day, only to be stricken with severe handling problems in the final 20 laps of the Batman Begins 400. The No. 48 Lowe's Chevy faded to a 19th-place finish, and Johnson's point lead dwindled to 49 points over race winner Greg Biffle.

"Frustrating, indeed," says Johnson. "But nothing compared to the frustration felt by 100,000 fans at Indy plus a worldwide television audience intent on seeing a competitive Formula 1 United States Grand Prix, but instead finding themselves witness to a travesty of a race as two Ferrari's ran circles around four vastly inferior cars. That's frustration. But I digress."

Yes, you do, Jimmie. As does your point lead.

Johnson's 19th did allow Biffle back into striking distance for the points lead, but was not a disastrous result by any means. In fact, strike a 40th at Richmond from the record, and J.J. has no finish worse than 20th. With Biffle winning at a clip of one in every three races, Johnson will have to watch his back if he is to maintain the points lead. Johnson has experienced mixed results at the road course at Sonoma, site of the upcoming Dodge/Save Mart 350, with a best of fifth last year.

2. Greg Biffle — In conquering Michigan for his series-leading fifth win of the year, Biffle led a Roush Racing blitzkrieg, as the No. 16 Ford was the first of four in the Roush stable in the top five.

"You heard right," says Biffle. "Four Roush cars in the top five. That's right, four, which is only two less than the number of cars to start the United States Grand Prix in Indianapolis. If Formula 1 wants to strengthen its fan base in America, that's certainly not the way to do it."

You're right, Greg. Pretty foolish of F1 to pull a stunt like that on sacred American racing ground, and with a NASCAR event being held less than 250 miles away. F1 just shot themselves in the foot, and apparently, shot a few holes in some Michelin tires, as well.

Biffle's win took a sizable chunk from Jimmie Johnson's points lead, narrowing the gap to 49 points. Biffle hasn't had the points lead yet, and won't likely overtake Johnson at Sonoma, where Biffle's best is a 13th last year. Expect Biffle to play it relatively safe, but don't be surprised if he beats his career best on Sunday — he's quickly improving, and has the road course expertise of teammate Mark Martin to count on.

3. Mark Martin — Aside from his third-place finish in the Batman Begins 400, the highlight of Martin's weekend in Michigan was meeting Batman, with the Batmobile, on the track on Friday for a promotional spot for the opening of the movie. Martin's No. 6 Ford also sported a paint scheme featuring the Caped Crusader.

"I've got quite a bit in common with Batman," says Martin. "We're both icons in our respective fields, he in crime fighting, me in racing. We both have butlers named Alfred, and we're both constantly overshadowed by a teammate, he by that show-off and fellow Superfriend Superman, me by one of my several teammates who haven't paid their dues like I have yet still have more to show for it."

Martin has three consecutive top-10s, with two of those third places in races won by Biffle.

"See what I mean," complains Martin.

Martin has always been known as a a road course ace, and deservedly so — he has one win and 13 top-10s in 16 starts at Sonoma. Expect him to lead the way for Roush Racing this Sunday.

4. Carl Edwards — A week after winning at Pocono, Edwards backed up the victory with a fifth in Michigan in the Batman Begins 400, a day after beating the field in the Busch series' Meijer 300. What an appropriate setting to proclaim the 25-year-old Edwards NASCAR's "Boy Wonder."

"Come on," says Edwards. "Robin couldn't drive the Batmobile, much less a 200 mph race car, and in that suit, I have to question his manhood. Besides, with apologies to baseball Hall-of-Famer Robin Yount, Robin is a girl's name."

Edward's fifth gave him two consecutive top fives for the first time this year, and maintained his slot of fourth in the points, now 259 behind Johnson. As was the case at Pocono, Edwards surged to victory in his first race on the track, thanks to some simulated laps on a video game. Xbox, Nintendo, and PlayStation won't help him at Sonoma, where mastery, or simply mediocrity, of a road course requires more than a video game can provide. Then again, no one expected Edwards to have two wins at this point in the season. So, who knows where Edwards will finish. I do know this: if you plan to be in Las Vegas any time soon, lay $100 on Edwards to be the 2006 NASCAR champion.

5. Elliott Sadler — Crew chief Todd Parrot's decision not to pit under caution with 30 laps remaining proved to be decisive in Sadler's solid eighth-place finish in Michigan. On a day that saw few cautions, the importance of track position overrode that of fresh tires, and Sadler was able to hang on for his seventh top-10 result of the year. Sadler still holds the number three position in points, although he is only a slim nine points ahead of the oncoming Carl Edwards.

In his six starts at Infineon Raceway, Sadler has two top-10 finishes, and has finished out of the top 22 only once. He laid down his best qualifying effort there last year, starting 16th on his way to a 10th place finish. As a track that NASCAR visits only once a year, it takes drivers extra time and effort to understand the shifting, braking, and turning that a road course requires. Sadler is nearing that understanding, and should enjoy a top-10 result.

"And don't forget to look for me in the upcoming Disney movie Herbie: Fully Loaded," says Sadler. "I'm in there somewhere in what they call a 'cameo.' That means all my fans will pay eight bucks just to get a glimpse of me. And, by the way, for the fans of my brother, Hermie, check my web site for the premiere of my home movie Hermie: Fully Loaded. It's a thirty-minute documentary comprised strictly of footage of Hermie sleeping off a hangover. Action-packed!"

6. Tony Stewart — For the third time this year, Stewart led the most laps in a race yet failed to cash in with a win. His second place is Michigan was satisfying from the standpoint of scoring points, but Stewart remains mystified that he's still winless. Despite leading 97 of 200 laps, Stewart fell short of tracking down Greg Biffle after Stewart took fresh tires under caution with 30 to go, while Biffle and others chose to stay out.

"I'll tell you what happened," says Stewart. "I got caught up in a Roush blockade. It's interesting that four of the five Roush cars stayed out while I pitted. They just wanted to set up a buffer between me and Biffle. Who says there are no team orders in NASCAR? Roush got me this time — next time will be different. Either I pass, or somebody's tasting the wall."

With his second, Stewart leaps four markers to sixth in the points, trailing Johnson by 311 points. In six starts at Sonoma, Stewart has never finished out of the top 15, and won there in 2001. He also placed second in 2002. Stewart is one of NASCAR's premiere road course racers, and should be a top-10 factor on Sunday.

7. Ryan Newman — Newman captured his first ever pole at Michigan, blistering a lap at 194.232 mph to break the track record and claim his fifth pole of the year.

"And unlike Italy's Jarno Trulli, pole-sitter at the U.S. Grand Prix at Indy," says Newman, "I didn't pull into the garage after one warm-up lap and refuse to race."

You certainly didn't, Ryan, and I commend you for that. But it's not like you did a whole lot more with your pole. All you managed was a 15th-place, your second straight finish out of the top 10 after four consecutive top 10s. Can't you save some of that qualifying magic for race day, or are you just a one-lap wonder?

The No. 12 Penske crew may have nailed the qualifying setup, but the proper race set-up eluded them. Newman reported handling issues throughout the race, but still managed to remain in the top 10 on the track until late, when he slipped to 15th.

Newman's record at Sonoma is not what you would expect: he's finished better than he's qualified all three times he's raced there in Nextel races. His best qualifying effort there was a 13th in 2003, and his best finish, a fifth, ensued that same year. Newman is not a threat, yet, to challenge for poles on the road courses, but a top-10 finish he can handle.

8. Rusty Wallace — Wallace quietly sailed to his third top-10 in the last four races, logging a 10th at Michigan as the only Dodge in the top 10. Rusty held on the eighth-place in the Cup standings, 325 behind Johnson, with the road course at Sonoma next on the agenda.

"That's all well and good," says Wallace, "but as a 40-something racer, I feel compelled to respond to the plight of Sterling Marlin. Where does Ganassi racing get off taking Sterling's ride in the No. 40 Coors Light Dodge and giving it to this David Stremme kid, just so Coors can market beer to a younger market. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the 44-year old coach potato who drinks a case in a sitting is Coors' core demographic, not some 24-year-old punk frat boy who struggles to down a six-pack."

My sentiments exactly, Rusty. The beer gut set is an oft-neglected target market.

In his last 10 starts at Sonoma, Wallace has failed to qualify in the top 10 only once. In those 10 races, he has five top-10s and one victory. Like Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon, Wallace is known as one of the few drivers who manage road circuits as well as traditional ovals.

9. Kurt Busch — Busch was odd-Roush-man-out last Sunday at Michigan, finishing 12th as the only Roush Ford not in the top five. But being the low man on the Roush totem pole is not such a bad thing when Roush cars are dominating the race. But Kurt, answer me this. Why is it that the only two drivers in Roush's garage with championships, you and Matt Kenseth, are ranked lowest in the points among all Roush drivers?

"Hey pal," responds Busch, "I was never one to hog all the glory. Jack likes to have great drivers up and down the board. This is just the beginning of his plan for NASCAR domination. He's got a five-car team now. Eventually, he wants to own every car in the game and run a 43-car team."

Busch re-entered the top 10 in points, with the 12th-place, and probably would have finished higher had lapped traffic not held him up on the final restart. In any case, Busch's position is quite similar to his position at this point last year, his championship season. In 2004, after Michigan, Busch stood eighth in the points, with one win and six top-10s. This year, he's ninth in points, with one win, and seven top-10s. He's right where he needs to be.

Busch's best finish at Sonoma is a fourth in 2002, and he has qualified in the top five for the last three races there. Barring mechanical difficulties or mishaps on the track, Busch should challenge in the top 10.

10. Jeff Gordon — Gordon leads all legitimate Cup contenders in one category — number of 30th or worse finishes, with six. Luckily, his three wins have kept his Chase hopes alive, although now, for the first time this year, he stands more than 400 points behind points leader and teammate Johnson. His latest dud, a 32nd finish in Michigan, leaves him 12th in the points, and struggling to find a rhythm.

The No. 24 Monte Carlo's problems began early, as he fell out of the top 20 within 20 laps after starting ninth. The troubles were tire related, as Gordon and the car could not find harmony with the Goodyear tire package, resulting in patterns of wear that left crew chief Robbie Loomis bewildered.

"I guess it was just a crappy day for tire manufacturers everywhere," says Loomis. "First of all, at Indianapolis, in the most technologically-advanced form of racing, Michelin can't even produce a tire to withstand a slightly banked Brickyard turn, forcing 14 F1 drivers to abandon the race. Then, I don't know what happened to our Goodyear's here. Maybe they stuck us with a batch of retreads made of blown 18-wheeler tire scraps picked up off the interstate."

Gordon wasn't the only Hendrick driver with tire woes. The right front tire on the No. 25 Chevy blew as Brian Vickers slowed to enter pit road on lap 44, crashing him into the tire barrier at the pit road entrance. Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch both experienced badly worn tires on several occasions.

If Gordon can't turn things around at Infineon Raceway, then his Chase hopes may be fruitless. Gordon is the NASCAR career leader in road course victories (8), with four of those coming at Sonoma. On three of those occasions, Gordon swept the pole and race. This race is his for the taking. A disastrous result here, and Gordon's championship hopes may be dashed.

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 1:46 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 22, 2005

Raging About 'Roids: Baseball Bashers Busted

Aha! Caught 'em red-handed. They thought they were in the clear, using The Clear. Baseball's bash brothers of the last several seasons have had their bats (and mouths) silenced by steroid testing, and last year, no one hit 50 homers, much less 60 or 70.

The leading sluggers were Jim Thome, Adrian Beltre, Albert Pujols, and Manny Ramirez, not Barry Bonds, Jason Giambi, and Sammy Sosa. Luis Gonzalez (he of the 57 homer campaign) is Long Gone, as is Bret Boone. It's been about David Ortiz, Vlad Guerrero, and Miguel Tejada, not McCovey's Cove and The Hammer's record. Who among us thought the digits of 1997-2003 were legit? How could the single-season home run mark of 60 last 34 years, then the new record of 61 last another 37, then an inflated Cub come along and stroke 60 three years running? Where there's smoke (and cork), there's fire.

No one will reach 60 jacks this year. Players who actually look human, and whose physiques have changed little since they made the bigs, will dominate the statistical leadership. Pujols, A-Rod, Adam Dunn, Tejada — these are the premier clean sluggers in the game. Before 1997, it was Ken Griffey, Jr. (not Arnold Schwarzenegger) who was given the best shot at catching Hank Aaron. When Junior or A-Rod parked 50, we marveled at their skills, rather than questioning their pills.

The dot-gone bubble has finally burst. No more incessant talk show banter about Barry being better than Mays, or the equal of Teddy Ballgame. Before he was a bulkhead, Bonds struggled to drive across as many runs as teammate Jeff Kent. When Manny, A-Rod, and The Big Hurt were plating 130, 140, and even 150 runners in a season, Barry wasn't even bringing home a C-Note. As recently as 1998, he wasn't even a part of the much ballyhooed Maris chase. He isn't alone, either. Others who grabbed headlines are now relegated to the DL. The Emperor was nude all that time.

The Juicers (and Cal Ripken, Jr.'s streak) brought the fans back after the '94 strike, but they couldn't keep themselves healthy. The Maris Family lives, asterisk and all. 62, 66, and 73 were aberrations. Let's see someone do it clean. Numbers don't lie. Eddie Matthews, Frank Howard, Mike Schmidt, Reggie Jackson, and Johnny Bench, in all their glory, never recorded 50 jacks. And they were boppers.

Bud Selig's reign will be remembered as one with a botched All-Star Game, flip-flopping on drug tests, and being 100% wrong about baseball in the Nation's Capital. Work stoppages and the loss of young fans. Interleague overkill. Collusion and contraction. Still, it marks a return to normalcy. The status quo is fair to hard-workers such as Fonzie Soriano, Richie Sexson, Manny, Tejada, and Vlad. It's also fair to those who came before. We will no longer see mere mortals outhomer Harmon Killebrew, and Willie's McCovey and Stargell.

Baseball fans treasure its numbers more than followers of any team sport. 755 means something. So does 500 — Rafi Palmeiro and Junior Griffey are sweet swingers whose shirt sizes haven't changed much since the Clinton Administration. Oh, Derek Lee, Richie Sexson, and Adam Dunn are big boys, but they started out that way. Look, it is what it is. Willie Mays is still Willie Mays. Bret Boone is still Bret Boone — not Aaron Boone (or Paul Bunyan). It's our National Pastime, not the 1976 East German track team.

Posted by Bijan C. Bayne at 2:38 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Thoughts As Wimbledon Commences

This time I am writing this column from the beautiful country of Netherlands where I am enjoying a short vacation. I confess, I had a hard time staying away from tennis.

The Ordina Open, one of the warm-up grasscourt tournaments for Wimbledon, was taking place five minutes from the southern and chic town of s'Hertogenbosch (try pronouncing that). It is both an ATP and a WTA tournament, a feature that only a handful number of tournaments can claim to have, yet should carefully consider. I could not resist the temptation, I made my way there over the weekend via two-hour train ride.

The men's side included some surprisingly big names considering that most players who expect to do well in Slams traditionally stay away from action the week before. Guillermo Coria and Tommy Robredo were the top two seeds and you guessed it: neither made it to the weekend. Let clay-courters be clay-courters. At least, they were there (more on what I mean, later in the column).

Grasscourt players felt right at home with their big serves. When it came down to the weekend, it was all about serving and volleying, hardly any rallies lasting more than three or four shots. Mark Philippoussis showed some signs of good form by reaching the semis before losing a tough battle in three sets to Michael Llodra of France, who can do some fantastic serving and volleying of his own, proven by the fact that he was the returning title holder at Ordina Open.

In the other semis, Mario Ancic, the Wimbledon semifinalist from last year, needed only one break in each set to take out Herndych of Germany. Same pattern emerged again in the finals for Ancic. He broke Llodra once in each set to win the match and the tournament.

What is it with Croatians, anyway? Goran Ivanisevic, Ancic, and even another Croatian, Ivan Ljubicic, all have big serves — make that huge serves — yet have good touch at the net. They move well despite their height and sport a thin physical frame while still displaying a quality power game. Watching Ancic play live for the first time, I honestly felt like Goran will not be the last Croatian to win Wimbledon one day.

On the women's side, it was a somber tournament with two relatively unheard names making it to the finals (not that there were many big names to begin with), and a final that lasted barely over an hour resulting in Klara Koukalova (perhaps easier to pronounce than s'Hertogenbosch) taking the crown. Interestingly, the biggest name in the tournament was Martina Navratilova, who exited in the first round.

As far as the tournament itself goes, although it was hard to find the location unless you are familiar with the area, the setup was pleasantly nice. There were plenty of sponsor tents to look and shop around the grounds, food availability was great. The kids' play area was well-attended and large. But this is a tennis tournament after all, and all positive things ended when it came down to what you are really there for — watching the tennis.

I must say that the center court was poorly constructed. Of all the pro tournaments that I have attended in person (if you follow my articles, you will know that I have been to several), this was the hardest place to watch a tennis match for the common spectator. The stands were too flat, causing you to have your vision of the court totally blocked if someone with a big cranial unit sat in front of you, and then if you moved your head around to watch the ongoing rally, you may be blocked by that same guy who is also suffering from having his vision darkened by few others in front of him, also moving their heads.

Come on, people! How about making the stands a little steeper? The country's other ATP tournament in Amersfoort later in the summer would be a good place to start if you need a model in this respect.

Furthermore, what is with the "no designated seating" for tickets? This was a first for me. I guess it works fine during the week when attendance is not so high, but when the stands are full, it is a large, never-ending nightmare. Imagine going with your family of four to this tournament for a moment. It is often impossible to find four seats next to each other because everyone always goes for the roomy seats at first until there are only sparse seats left here and there.

And then, if you ever get up to go get something to eat or drink, and/or a bathroom break, your seat is quickly gone and the nightmare starts all over again when you get back. So please, I don't mind seats that are not located right next to the court or even a little high, but if I pay $40 euros per seat as a spectator, I do not want to have to live a nightmare to find them every time I get up, I would rather have "my seats" that I paid for, ready for "me!"

On to Wimbledon...

If I am Tim Henman, I am rejoicing because for the first time in my career at Wimbledon, some of the attention will be split between me and another British player, Andrew Murray. The young new British hope had a solid tournament two weeks ago in Queen's Club tournament in London. In fact, as I write this column, both Henman and Murray won their first round matches, and there was even a bit more excitement about Murray than Henman, although the latter made a fantastic comeback to defeat his opponent in five sets. Oh yes, if I am Henman, I definitely want Murray to stay alive in the tournament as long as I am still in it.

Apparently, there is some talk about limiting the screams that some women tennis players make during their strokes. This was an issue when Monica Seles was playing in the '90s, so it's nothing new. Most likely, it is destined to remain just that: "talk." Honestly, how do you determine at what point the screams are too loud? What is next? Are we going to have a "decibel clock" on display on each court next to the shotclock that measures the serve's speed? I can just see Maria Sharapova looking at the device in panic after each shot to see if it reached a dangerous level, can't you?

Last, but not the least, I have two words to say to Rafael Nadal: thank you! Thank you Rafael, for showing the most prestigious tournament its due respect and playing it. Thank you for not dodging the grasscourt season and Wimbledon, unlike your compatriots Albert Costa, Carlos Moya, and Alex Corretja, who find some sketchy excuse yearly to skip it. Thank you for understanding that to be the unquestionably best in the world, you must master every surface to the best of your ability, a realization that never hit your compatriots mentioned above and other players like Gustavo Kuerten, along with past players like Thomas Muster and Marcelo Rios.

Enjoy Wimbledon, everyone.

Posted by Mert Ertunga at 2:28 PM | Comments (1)

June 21, 2005

It All Starts Under Center

Shakespeare once wrote, "The play's the thing." In the NFL, it is more like, "The play of the QB is the thing."

NFL training camps open in around six weeks. Most teams have completed a majority of their planning for the 2005 season. Free agency, the draft, and the odd trade all are designed to bring in the best prospects that can be found in order that they compete against each other and yield the best team possible that will then play towards the ultimate goal of an NFL championship.

How well these teams will do is of course unknown, right? After all, this is the salary cap era of NFL football and anyone can beat anyone on any given Sunday, right?

Don't think so. After all the talk of parity and salary cap and draft picks the NFL more than ever boils down to the play of the man who touches the ball on every offensive snap, the quarterback.

The NFL is a passing league. While it has a way to go in order to catch up with the Canadian Football League (CFL) where the top QB passes for 6,000 yards (not meters), make no mistake the so-called "smash-mouth football" is a thing of the past. Lost in the dust kicked up by Jim Brown and Larry Csonka all those years ago.

Colleges are now turning out pro-caliber QBs who play in pass-oriented offenses and these guys are the ones who are winning Heisman trophies (no Heisman trophy this decade has gone to a RB). These QBs don't get drafted in the first round so they can turn around and hand the ball off. So, pass or perish.

Need more proof? Look at the playoff teams last year and their starting QB:

Patriots: Tom Brady
Jets: Chad Pennington
Steelers: Ben Roethlisberger
Colts: Peyton Manning
Chargers: Drew Brees
Broncos: Jake Plummer
Eagles:Donovan McNabb
Packers: Brett Favre
Vikings: Daunte Culpepper
Falcons: Mike Vick
Seahawks: Matt Hasselbeck
Rams: Marc Bulger

Maybe you aren't convinced that Hasselbeck or Bulger should be on list. Ask yourself this question: who is a better QB in the NFC than these two guys? Rex Grossman? Aaron Brooks?

Like it or not, the trend is clear. The best QB play gets your team into the playoffs. If your QB is going to play at the level of the bottom third of your conference, then your team stays home in January.

The recent "emphasis" on calling illegal contact on a receiver, the banning of the horse-collar tackle and the pass interference call that goes to point of the foul, all these rules are designed to encourage the passing game and discourage defenses from making too many plays on the wideouts.

Two years ago, no playoff team had a RB in the top 10 in rushing. While last year's playoff teams could run the football, the quality QB remains the common factor.

Before camps open, the playoff teams are almost decided. The teams who had a good QB held onto him and those teams who didn't have a good signal-caller couldn't find one.

The biggest QB move this offseason was Drew Bledsoe moving from the Buffalo Bills to the Dallas Cowboys. What kind of improvement is this? Bledsoe is being replaced by second-year man J.P. Losman. It is difficult to call Losman a second-year player since his leg was broken in the preseason last year and Losman missed 12 games and never started.

In fact, Losman threw only five passes in 2004 and one of them was intercepted. This is the man who replaces a 12-year veteran after the first winning season in three years?

The Bills have not made any strides with Losman. He will struggle as a rookie QB would and finding the playoffs in the AFC East will be impossible.

As for Dallas, Bledsoe may be re-united with Bill Parcells, but so was Vinny Testaverde, the guy he is replacing. There isn't much to choose from these two guys. They are the same player — immobile and past their time. Dallas won't get a sniff of the playoffs.

The biggest QB noise this offseason was not the sound of cameras at a big press conference as the high-profile QB moved to a new team. It was the sound of cash registers ringing as teams locked up their QB so they wouldn't go anywhere.

Tom Brady signed his deal, Drew Brees was franchised, and Brett Favre was coached back from the brink of retirement. Last year, Manning and Vick signed their huge deals.

The bad news here is that all the teams who didn't have a decent QB last year didn't do anything to get one this year.

Buffalo Bills: Losman is really a rookie and he will show that often this season.

Miami Dolphins: How about this depth chart? A.J. Feely, Gus Frerotte, and Sage Rosenfels. Dolphin fans, you better hope Ricky Williams comes back and that he brings his good stuff with him to help you forget how bad your QB situation is. (And I don't mean Ricky's running talents.)

Baltimore Ravens: Kyle Boller? How can Brian Billick be a genius by sticking with this guy? Remember, Billick is an offense guy and the Ravens haven't had an offense since ... nevermore.

Cincinnati Bengals: I like Marvin Lewis as much as the next guy (as a coach). Too bad he can't throw. David Klingler, Akili Smith, Carson Palmer. High pick, low return, no playoffs.

Cleveland Browns: Trent Dilfer, Charlie Frye, and some guy named Josh Harris. Why do people still live in Cleveland? No, really.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Does anyone really believe that Byron Leftwich is on the verge of a breakthrough season? These must be the same people who believe that Mike Tyson is just starting his comeback.

Houston Texans: I had a great deal of respect for David Carr when he was sacked over 50 times in his rookie season. I respected the fact that he got up every time and went back to the huddle. This guy threw for over 3,500 yards last year and who knows it? That's because he throws it between the 20s and then can't find anyone. No points for yards, only TDs.

Tennessee Titans: Steve McNair was one of the best in the NFL, but he can't stay healthy for a season and the Titans can't get past the Colts or the Jags with Billy Volek. Unless the Titans encase McNair in steel, he won't make it through the year and the Titans will continue their downward spiral into salary cap purgatory.

Kansas City Chiefs: This team is the exception. QB Trent Green is a player although he was a very slow starter last year. He threw for 27 TDs last year and most likely it was the defense that kept the Chiefs out of the playoffs. Green's success is also a mystery when you look at the Chiefs WR depth chart. There is no one to throw the ball to and yet Green puts up 4,500 yards. Okay, this one doesn't count. Maybe Green could play defense, too.

Oakland Raiders: Rich Gannon will most likely retire because of injury, leaving the team solely in the hands of Kerry Collins. Sure, he can throw the deep ball and that's what Al Davis wants. That's Raider football and so is underachieving. If Collins was the answer, the Giants wouldn't have jettisoned him for Kurt Warner and then-rookie Eli Manning.

New York Giants: Not yet, Eli. You are still the little brother.

Dallas Cowboys: Statues with the Star.

Washington Redskins: QB depth chart is Patrick Ramsey, Mark Brunell, and Jason Campbell. What, no Danny Wuerffel or Babe Laufenberg? Has Steve Spurrier really left town?

Detroit Lions: Joey Harrington will be benched by Week 3 for Jeff Garcia. But Garcia fell apart in Cleveland and the Motor City doesn't settle for re-builds.

Chicago Bears: When a team brings in Jeff George, you know that the panic button has just been pushed.

New Orleans Saints: Aaron Brooks and Kordell Stewart are the same guy. They keep turning corners in their career, but after you turn four corners, you are right back to where you started.

Carolina Panthers: Jake Delhomme, Stefan LeFors, and Chris Weinke. Weren't these guys the Three Musketeers? They aren't NFL QBs.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: There was a time when Griese in Florida meant success. We call it the 1970s.

Arizona Cardinals: Do I have to say anything? Why is this team considered an NFL franchise? These guys are so bad the league shipped one of their home games to Mexico. Really, the NFL is trying to use NAFTA to rid themselves of these guys.

San Francisco 49ers: Guess who Arizona's opponent is when they play their "home" game in Mexico? If the Minuteman are still patrolling the U.S.-Mexico border, they may not allow either team to return as their play is "un-American."

So, there you have it. After each team has played their 16-game season, we will have the same playoff teams as last year. The Q-factor will be too much to overcome this year and the best QB play will get their team into the playoffs.

Posted by Jeff Moore at 2:44 PM | Comments (27)

NBA Playoffs: Duncan's Disappearing Act

Two regular season MVP awards. Two NBA Finals MVP awards. Even an All-Star Game MVP award.

It's possible that after almost nine seasons in the NBA, Tim Duncan is going to need to find someplace else to store his awards. The mantle in his house is probably jam-packed with trophies and plaques that confirm that he must be, at worst, one of the best players the NBA has seen in the post-Michael Jordan era.

Sadly, Duncan's play during the Finals against Detroit is doing its best to counter that argument.

For the most part, Duncan's numbers themselves do not belie his reputation. Duncan is scoring 19.6 points a game and averaging 14.6 rebounds per game through the first five games of the series. Though not identical to either his career regular season or postseason numbers, they're pretty close — they're not an anomaly by any stretch. Add to that 2.4 blocks a game, and it seems that if Duncan isn't setting the world ablaze with his performance, he's certainly not hurting the team.

Look beyond the numbers.

In the two games that San Antonio won at home, Duncan's numbers were there. But if you ask anyone who's been paying attention to the series, San Antonio's MVP through the first two games was Manu Ginobili, who brings a level of excitement and enthusiasm to his team that Duncan never could.

When the Spurs failed to capitalize on a reeling Pistons squad in Games 3 and 4, where was the MVP then? Shooting a miserable 31 percent and scoring just 30 points between the two games. Duncan averaged 13 rebounds over those two games, many of them off of his own misses before Detroit finally put him out of his own misery by wrestling the ball away and taking it back down the floor.

Great players know what they need to do to win games. They use their reputation to draw double teams and kick it out to open teammates. They get their points by getting to the line and scoring from there. But it was Ginobili who passed out of a double team to get the ball to "Big Shot Bob" Horry for the game-winning three. And it certainly wasn't Duncan filling it up from the free throw line.

Remember when people used to say that Shaq couldn't be the best big man in the league, that he couldn't possibly be the MVP, because his free throw shooting was so terrible that he couldn't be on the floor in crunch time? If that was true, then on Sunday night, Tim Duncan was Shaq's equal.

Duncan missed six straight free throws in the fourth quarter, and he looked as surprised as anyone in the arena that he made the seventh attempt he had. Not since Nick Anderson missed four straight against Houston in the 1995 Finals had anyone choked so badly at the line on the national stage. Of course, Anderson didn't have Robert Horry to bail him out with 21 points in the last 12:01 of regulation and the overtime period. Horry was on the other side then, winning the second of what is looking like six NBA championships.

At least Duncan, who has become mediocre from the charity stripe over the past three years after draining essentially 80 percent of his free throws in 2002, is man enough to take responsibility for the Spurs' almost loss on Sunday. Duncan could be seen with his head in his hands as the buzzer sounded, after he missed the easiest put-back dunk of his life off of a Ginobili miss. He was the first one off the bench to hug Horry after he drained yet another three-pointer with time winding down in the playoffs. And he owned up to it at the post-game press conference.

When asked if he'd ever "had a stretch like that from the free throw line in a big game before," Duncan responded with a laugh, "Absolutely." But when asked about the relief he felt when Horry came through in overtime, Duncan answered with the humility of a man who might have seen his legacy flash before his eyes. "He pulled me out of an incredible hole that I put myself in," Duncan said.

Duncan knows that the true legends of the game don't miss free throws and put-backs in the Finals. Passes don't slip through their hands harmlessly like they were wearing oven mitts. Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Michael Jordan never embarrassed themselves on a national stage in the prime of their careers. They never went almost 10 minutes at the end of a crucial Game 5 without scoring a field goal. And they never backed down in crunch time, apt to let their teammates win the game while they didn't take a shot in the last three minutes of overtime.

Ironically, according to the similarity scores on Basketball-Reference.com, the most apt comparison for Duncan is his former teammate, David Robinson. Before Duncan showed up as the highly-touted first overall pick in the 1997 draft, people said Robinson was "soft," that he wasn't clutch. There were doubters as to whether he'd ever win the big one. When Duncan arrived, the presence of another big man allowed Robinson to deflect at crunch time, to play a supporting role. Now, without another superstar on the team, Duncan is doing the same thing.

Duncan disappeared Sunday night, and he knows that his team is lucky to be going home with the lead, needing to win one of two games in a building where they haven't lost consecutive games all year. There's a good chance the Spurs and Duncan will win their third NBA title, and depending on who steps up, Tim Duncan and his double-double stat line might win a third Finals MVP award.

But don't let the stats fool you. It's time for Tim to step up.

Posted by Josh Frank at 2:17 PM | Comments (3)

Sports Gospel's Point/Counterpoint

There seems to be an influx of opinions in the sports world as anyone who is anybody, and even those individuals who no one knows or cares about, thinks that their opinion is important (when really only some of the opinions, like mine, are important). In an effort to get people to think about the issues instead of blindly accepting Johnny Comelately's opinion, I thought it might be nice to engage a few sports figures sin intelligent debate.

Carl Everett

Point: Wrigley Field is the worst park in the majors. "They need to implode Wrigley," Everett told Maxim Magazine.

Counterpoint: Wrigley Field is not the worst park in the majors, and they do not need to blow it up (well, this started well). Now, I'm sure it would be great to blow up one of baseball's most historic parks, seeing as how baseball doesn't rely heavily on tradition, but I think it would be costly to implode a park that is surrounded by so many other buildings. Carl does make a good point — implosions are great. As a casual Reds fan, one of the greatest events I have attended involving the Reds in some fashion was when they imploded Cinergy Field. That being said, there are several other things that are ahead of Wrigley Field on the implosion list:

1. The Metrodome
2. France
3. Comiskey
4. Great American Ball Park
5. The stadium that replaces Great American Ball Park

Don't get me wrong, I am a fan of GABP. That being said, I'm also a fan of implosions and in the scenario I envision, the entire Reds management team is forced to flee to the already-constructed backup as GABP falls around them, only to implode the backup stadium upon their arrival. I don't care if they know of this plan ahead of time, because I'm sure most of them would perish in the second implosion anyway, seeing as how they are utterly incapable at planning for the future (but I'm not bitter that the Reds will always suck).

Point: According to Everett, Jose Canseco is a "bitter, ignorant individual."

Counterpoint: Jose Canseco is a bitter, ignorant individual. There are two sides to every issue, but on this issue, both sides are identical.

Point: Most baseball fans don't know anything: "Fan is short for fanatic — he's crazy about something he really doesn't know about. And it's proven that 99 percent of baseball fans have no idea what they're watching," Everett said.

Counterpoint: Carl Everett is a freaking moron. He classifies Jose Canseco as ignorant, yet he believes that it has been proven that 99 percent of baseball fans have no idea what they're watching. I'm not going to claim Everett is a liar, but I do want to see his test results before I believe that this has been proven. How did they verify this? Did they just send a few people to parks around the country, set up shop in a section of fans, and just start asking people what they were watching?

Pollster to fans: What are you watching?

Fan 1: Croquet
Fan 2: "The Grammys"
Fan 3: "Spiderman 2"

***

Fan 34: Nothing
Fan 35: The Special Olympics

***

Fan 75: NASCAR
Fan 76: Ice fishing

***

Fan 99: A pushup contest
Fan 100: Baseball?

The thing that really has me puzzled is that this isn't even 99 percent of people at the game, but fans of the game. So if they are fans of it, but they don't know what it is when they are watching it, how did they become fans in the first place? Can I be a fan of Mt. Rushmore if I mistake it for a box of tomatoes? If so, wouldn't I really be a fan of the tomatoes then?

Well done, Carl.

Bernie Ecclestone

I could've written another few columns debating Carl Everett, but wanted to let Formula One CEO Bernie Ecclestone get the last point in. I figured that I might have given motor sports a bad rap in the past, so giving some space to a high-ranking official might help restore the image of motor sports in the minds of its detractors.

Point: Women should be dressed in white like all the other domestic appliances. When talking on Danica Patrick: "You know, I've got one of these wonderful ideas that women should be all dressed in white like all the other domestic appliances," Ecclestone said.

Counterpoint: It's a very misguided and highly offensive belief that everyone has white domestic appliances. Who the hell does this guy think he is to tell me that I can't have a yellow toaster or a black coffee maker? Am I supposed to paint my vacuum cleaner white? That is garbage.

Seriously, though, an uneducated statement coming from a high-ranking individual in the motor sports world? I am shocked. I could not have seen this coming. What's next, is someone going to tell me Terrell Owens isn't a team player?

Well played, Bernie, even people in NASCAR are smarter than that.

The Sports Gospel According to Mark is sponsored by BetOnSports.com. BetOnSports.com gives you the greatest sports action to bet on. Wager on football, cricket, boxing, Rugby, horse racing, and more. 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 2:01 PM | Comments (0)

June 20, 2005

Pitching or Hitting? How About Both?

It's often said that the big bats of Major League Baseball are found in the American League and the slick pitching in the National League. Nowhere was this clash of cultures on display so prominently than in the last 12 games between the Texas Rangers and the National League.

The past few days have seen the Rangers face formidable pitching opponents such as Atlanta's Tim Hudson and Philadelphia's Jon Lieber, both of whom beat Texas. During interleague play, the Rangers have posted a mediocre 8-7 mark, and as of this afternoon, have actually been outscored 64-68. This stat is particularly eye-opening because Texas leads the league in runs scored with a total of 375.

And with a lineup full of blossoming all-stars, the hottest hitter in the lineup in the past seven days has been none other than the guy they call Shrek. In 23 at-bats, Kevin Mench is batting .478 with 11 hits and an on-base percentage of .538 — even better numbers than Michael Young. While Alfonso Soriano, Mark Teixiera, and Hank Blalock keep the runs coming in, Mench is on base half the time.

Which brings me to my point about Texas' offense. Sure, the cornerstones are in Tex, Young, and Blalock, who piece together the league's best infield. But it's not just these guys doing all the work most of the time. The Rangers have the Menches, the David Delluci's, and the Rod Barajases to provide backup artillery for the heart of the order. Should pitchers somehow get through it without a scratch, those in holes five thru nine are picking up the pieces. The scary thing is, they're young and they're going to get better.

On the flip side of the coin, it's all about pitching. Although Washington may not have it yet, Florida, Atlanta, and Philadelphia do. During the last 12 games, the Rangers are 5-7 against those four teams, losing the first five games against Philadelphia and Florida. Sure, Texas lost to Jon Lieber. But they also lost to John Riedling and Jorge Sosa who are not exactly Dontrelle Willis and Josh Beckett, both of whom did not even face the Rangers.

But give credit where it's due. Texas has begun to understand the importance of pitching. They share identical numbers with Philadelphia, but still have a way to go. Atlanta and Florida post a .383 earned run average, versus the Texas pitching staff ERA of .456. Florida's Brian Moehler is currently fourth in the National league with a 2.70 ERA.

The point here being, pitching can snuff out an offense. The Rangers have had a history of recognizing a big bat when they see one — just not a strong arm. That is changing. Despite the sudden departure of Ryan Drese, Young pitchers such as Ricardo Rodriguez and Chris Young are on the rise, lending help to an aging but stellar Kenny Rogers. No doubt, the team will take a serious look at further solidifying the pitching staff as the trade deadline looms. But Texas is finally breeding their own pitchers without neglecting their big bats.

This team is already a force to be reckoned with in the American League. Should they become successful in shoring up their pitching, lookout.

Posted by Seth Gonzales at 12:48 PM | Comments (0)

I Hate Mondays: The Damn Yankees

Sponsored by CyberSportsbook.com

You didn't think it would last, did you? You didn't think that Major League Baseball's role model of success would just roll over and play dead because of a few bumps in the road, did you?

You may have thought it was safe to finally cheer for your favorite team with the New York Yankees faded out of the picture, but all realists knew not to black them out.

An abysmal 3-9 road trip had the Bronx distraught, with their team below .500 in June for the first time in recent memory. Critics queried if it was time to dismantle the high-priced production and whose head should roll first.

But as the weather heated up in New York, so did the team. Now back at home, the Yanks have started their 13-game home stand with three-game sweeps of the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Chicago Cubs.

It is evident that the Pirates and Cubs are currently average opponents at best, but the Evil Empire didn't stumble and have now won 11 of their last 13 home games. It's not an overly impressive feat, pounding two pedestrians, but that's what we are accustomed to seeing from the Yankees: handle the small guys and compete with the big boys. They'll have the opportunity to gain some more confidence during the remainder of their home stand against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and the New York Mets before they face the American East leading Baltimore Orioles.

Sure, they are not in first place, but a five-game deficit is of no great concern. Since they are nearby, they can impose the Tiger Woods effect. Few leaders can maintain focus with a force like Tiger or the Yankees on the prowl — excluding Michael Campbell, of course.

Every team goes through slumps. Yes, even the perennially successful Yankees do. If you forget about the price tag momentarily, most of the players who fill the starting lineup for the Yankees would be welcome on any other team. In other words, the players that they have are quality (whether they are overpaid or not is another question) and it's unlikely for a team of this ilk to struggle all year long. You didn't think Hideki Mastui was going to hover around .250 for the whole season, did you?

The Yankees are still the team to beat in the American League — even though the Boston Red Sox loom a close second. In the East division, Baltimore may be on top right now, but they have taken advantage of the sluggish season that Boston and New York has output to this point and have avoided any decline in their own performance. With the Yanks and Sox climbing, the O's won't have many more gimmes along the way and should naturally weaken a little.

And did you forget which the team usually makes the key trade-deadline acquisition?

Don't forget about those damn Yankees just yet.

The Baltimore Orioles and first place mix like Mondays and me.

“Furious activity is no substitute for understanding.” — H.H. Williams

Don't miss next week's installment of "I Hate Mondays," sponsored by CyberSportsbook.com, a great sportsbook for horse racing and casino action!

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 12:19 PM | Comments (1)

June 18, 2005

NBA Finals Are Tale of Two Cities

Suddenly, there is a series.

As quickly as they rolled over in San Antonio, the Detroit Pistons have risen from the grave to knot their best of seven series at two. While it may surprise some that the Pistons have dominated the Spurs in consecutive contests, it should come as no surprise how the Pistons have executed their game plan.

Through the first three quarters of Game 3, the Pistons and Spurs tussled for position, neither being able to extend a comfortable cushion. The Spurs could not find a way to shut down the Pistons on the defensive side of the ball they way they could in the earlier contests. The Pistons, with the crowd rallying behind them and the momentum seemingly ready to burst, could not press their foot to the throats of the Western Conference champions.

Since then, Detroit has found the jugular.

Say what you want about Steve Nash and Shaquille O'Neal, but the league MVP could very easily be Ben Wallace. If for no other reason then Ben is still playing. Wallace won't give you the offense, but he will give you all the intangibles, along with being the heart and soul of a team that will live and die on the success of their defense.

The Pistons should consider themselves a rare breed in the sense that the better defense they play, the better their offense seems to function. No one player has leapt off the stat sheet offensively. A balanced attack with no legitimate threat beyond the three-point arc has been their calling card. However, after two games in Detroit, the defending champs have put up more points in a game than the Spurs had previously allowed to any Finals opponent, and have accomplished that feat in successive games.

The fact that the Pistons only turned the ball over four times in the span of 48 minutes has to be one of the most remarkable stats in playoff/Finals history, especially given the opponent. Taking that a step further, the Spurs had five turnovers in the less than the first six minutes of the game.

Larry Brown has for the most part stuck with the seven-man rotation, including Antonio McDyess and Lindsey Hunter. McDyess has resembled the player that all NBA franchises wanted just a half a decade ago. Furthermore, who knew that Lindsey Hunter could still dunk a basketball? It's apparent that the crowd loves when the "Human Victory Cigar" (Darko Milicic) enters the contest, but seven men are all Larry Brown needs.

An All Points Bulletin has been issued for the whereabouts of Manu Ginoblli and Tony Parker. More so than any other player in the league, Tim Duncan relies on his supporting cast to supplant his consistently solid efforts. If Mr. Longoria cannot get to the basket, and Balki Bartakamous can't stay on the floor, this series is over.

It's clear at this stage that Brent Barry is no more than a second-rate role player, but his apparent lack of desire to do anything but spot up for an open three is a crucial determent to the Spurs' title hopes. Devin Brown may not be able to give the Spurs the perimeter threat posed by Barry, but he will make up for it with his hustle and defensive intensity. At this stage of the series, the Spurs would be better suited with Brown in the lineup and Barry on the bench.

Heading into Game 5, the D-Train must be favored. When it heads back to the lone-star state, this series is still a toss up. If the Spurs' defense can play the way it did for the first 11 quarters of this series, the title will be theirs. If Ben Wallace can repeat his dominating performances, the title will head back to Detroit.

Luckily for basketball fans, this almost three-month journey to crown a champion will be worth the wait.

Off the Court

On the heels of yet another professional sport/business locking out its athletes, it is impossible to let the commercial propaganda plaguing this Finals series go unnoticed. Whether it be the incessant caterwauling of Rob Thomas, or flip ads lining the table begging you to watch "Empire," the Finals have been boiled down to yet another disgusting display of American capitalism.

The Gatorade Cooler Talk, the Bud Light Starting Lineups, the Chevy Game Reset. What happened to just analyzing a game without the need to have it sponsored by Summer's Eve?

As the years go by, the Larry O'Brien trophy appears in more places than Carmen San Diego. It used to just be visible while being clenched in glee during a champagne laden post-game celebration. Now, its on the jerseys, the floor, the aforementioned flip table, as well as in inflatable form during pre-game introductions. When will the trophy be sponsored by Fred's Trophies and More?

Another sport will refuse to entertain you, the fan, while they squabble about how to spend your money. If advertisements begin to appear on jersey's or on the floor themselves, you the fan will not see one benefit except knowing where to purchase tires at a reasonable rate by looking at the back of Tony Massenburg's jersey. Ticket prices will not go down, you will still pay the same amount for fan gear, and rest assured, beer will remain at its astronomical price.

While the NBA boasts the excitement of the Phoenix Suns, the phenomenal talents of LeBron James, and the basketball fundamentals of the combatants appearing in the Finals, they want to shut it down.

I guess we'll always have the NFL...

Posted by Daniel Collins at 3:30 PM | Comments (0)

Wocka, Wocka ... What?

There are now multiple generations that can lay claim to being "The Video Game Generation," including the current crop of teens and preteens that think Al Gore invented the Internet so they can play some unemployed 46-year-old from Milwaukee in "Madden 2005" at three o'clock in the afternoon.

Who is the real "Video Game Generation?" The first test is a simple one: separate those who had to blow in the back of a cartridge if the game didn't work from those who look for a scratch on their CD.

Then take the blowers, and separate the ones who started with "Super Mario Bros. 3" from the ones who started with "Mario Bros."

Take the "Mario" folks and separate them into the ones who first controlled that chubby Italian turtle murderer in the comfort of their living rooms from the ones who were exposed to the game on a coin-operated arcade machine.

Finally, take the arcade gamers and separate the ones who remember spending the gross national product of Belize on "Pac-Man" in the early 1980s from those who do not.

And there you have "The Video Game Generation."

Pac-Man turns 25 this month, which makes him one year older than Paris Hilton, another popular cartoon who became famous for swallowing on screen.

The game was so simplistic — hell, you didn't even have a button to tap hellaciously so he could speed up or disappear or fire a missile or something. He put the "joy" in "joystick," just like I put the "aw" in "Jesus, Wyshynski, that 'joystick' line was awful."

Yet look beyond the little yellow fella and the hypnotic "wocka, wocka, wocka" on the soundtrack, and there are some psychosomatic undercurrents to this innocuous fun. Or am I the only one who sees the therapeutic symbolism of navigating through a maze and eliminating the ghosts that haunt you by taking a series of little round pills that make you temporarily invincible?

The rules are simple: don't get eaten by the ghosts before you have a chance to eat them — clear the board, and move on to the next level.

The wear and tear is palpable: standing for hours in front of an arcade game, risking an acute form of tendonitis called Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI), a malady that the BBC said the medical community sees as a legitimate concern for gamers.

The competition is real: high scores flash on the screen, taunting anyone brave enough to drop a silver Washington into the slot. Billy Mitchell, now 39 and living in Florida according to the AP, is the only person known to have played a "perfect" game; talk about stamina and endurance — he cleared 256 levels over six hours in 1999.
Hmmm, those criteria sound familiar...

Sport: n. An activity involving physical exertion and skill that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often undertaken competitively.

So, is playing "Pac-Man" a sport?

The original name of the game in Japan involved a piece of athletic equipment: "Puck-Man." It was changed to "Pac" when it hit the United States because the original name sounded a little too close to Dick Cheney's favorite expletive.

Every time Pac-Man moves, his mouth opens — just like Randy Moss.

And the little guy pops enough "vitamins" in a typical game to earn automatic membership in the MLB Players Union.

That said, so no one is going to confuse "Pac-Man" with the triathlon. But by today's standards, it's a hell of a lot closer to being a sport than ever.

ESPN, of course, is to blame.

There used to be a time when appearing on the cable network meant a certain level of distinction had been achieved for a particular sport. Take the X-Games, for example. Hell, I even thought World Class Wrestling was more realistic than the WWF growing up because it came on a few hours before "SportsCenter" did.

But today, what "sport" isn't on ESPN or its various other incarnations? It goes beyond the Texas Hold 'Em fetish; check out the ESPN2 schedule for Friday, June 17:

6 PM: Billiards
7 PM: College Baseball
10 PM: Boxing
Midnight: "Baseball Tonight"
1 AM: The World's Strongest Man Competition
2 AM: Arm-Wrestling

How far off is standing for six hours playing "Pac-Man" from sitting on your ass and "wrestling" another guy's wrist, or circling a table and using a big wooden stick to smack a ball around between sips of Bud Light?

Hell ... if you set up 18 coin-op machines a few hundred yards away from each other in the middle of a park, "Pac-Man" nearly equals golf for sheer athleticism. (Although I'm sure this argument would be a heck of a lot more compelling if we were talking about "Golden Tee.")

(And please, save your letters ... I refuse to get into the "Is Golf a Sport?" argument, which along with "Is NASCAR a sport?" is the sports writing equivalent to abortion and religion debates on AM talk radio.)

So, is playing "Pac-Man" a sport?

By definition, yes.

In reality, I'm guessing it's not making the Olympics any time soon.

"Ms. Pac-Man," on the other hand...

"Now I've got 'em on the run, and I'm looking for the high score
So it's once around the block, and I'll slide back out the side door
I'm really cookin' now, eating everything in sight
All my money's gone, so I'll be back tomorrow night
'Cause I've got Pac-Man Fever
Pac-Man Fever."

— Bucker & Garcia, "Pac-Man Fever," 1981

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 3:01 PM | Comments (0)

June 17, 2005

2005 College Football Preview: SEC

Who will win the SEC this season? That question is extremely tough this year. It is made even more difficult by the return of Steve Spurrier to the conference at South Carolina. Even though I do not foresee the Gamecocks at the top, they will pull off their share of upsets.

There is no "week off" in the SEC and I do not think that any team will come out of the season unscathed. However, there will be some squads that may end this year with enough momentum to get into a BCS bowl. Who will they be? Please read below, and check out who will be the best five teams in the conference.

5) Alabama (Projected Record: 8-4; League: 5-3)

I know of all you Georgia and South Carolina fans are whining as to why your team is not here. The Crimson Tide will shock a lot of people this season and just remember you heard it here first. They have a tailor-made schedule, with all of their difficult games at home. They also have a team that will play at much higher level than it did last season. Alabama has a legitimate shot at the SEC West title and they might be playing Auburn for it on the last game of the season.

Brodie Croyle will lead the Crimson Tide on offense. Croyle is a talented quarterback who would have been a household name had he not gotten injured. He is back at full speed this year, and that will give 'Bama a much-needed boost. Croyle will be handing the ball often to Ken Darby, one of the best backs in the SEC.

Darby rushed for over 1,000 yards last season and will be looking for even more this year. He may be a bit slowed by the hernia injury he suffered this spring, but he should be ready for action by the fall. The receivers are young, but look for one of them to step up. The most likely candidate will be either Matt Caddell or Tyrone Prothro. Both receivers will be aided by having a quarterback who can get them the ball, which Croyle should be able to do.

One thing the Tide will have in common with Auburn, their hated rivals, is a strong defense. Alabama's defense is led by Demeco Ryans, their star linebacker. Ryans is coming off of a strong junior year where he led the team in tackles with 78. This season he will get much-needed assistance from Juwan Simpson and Freddie Roach. The linebacking corps will prove to be very effective this season. The defensive line will also be strong with Mark Anderson as its star. Anderson can pass rush, as well as stop a speedy back. All of the tackles and ends return, so experience is a given and so are plenty of sacks and fumbles.

Alabama's secondary is the best in the conference. All four starters return to a unit that is extremely cohesive. These guys can both cover and tackle, and look for Mike Shula's squad to employ a lot of nickel and dime sets. The key to the Crimson Tide's season will be how well their offense plays. If Brodie Croyle can rebound from his injury and put points on the board, then 'Bama has a very good shot at going to the SEC championship.

4) Auburn (8-4; 5-3)

The main question that Tiger fans have to be asking themselves is, "Did we miss our window of opportunity?" Auburn shocked the nation by going 13-0 last year, and the Tigers should have been in the Orange Bowl with the Trojans for the National Championship. I don't think Tommy Tuberville's team will replicate last year's success, but I also don't think an SEC West title is out of the question, either. If there is one player who will make or break the season, it will be Brandon Cox, Auburn's new quarterback.

Brandon Cox has some very big shoes to fill. Jason Campbell, Auburn's previous quarterback, led the team to a perfect record by not making mistakes. Cox will have to do the same, but he will also have to do even more than Campbell did last year. Cox does not have the luxury of handing the ball to Carnell Williams and Ronnie Brown.

Auburn will still run the ball, and Tre Smith will be the starter. It is obvious why his career hasn't yet been sparkling, but he should have plenty of opportunities this season. Kenny Irons, Carl Stewart, and Brad Lester will also add some production. The key to the season for the running backs will be if they can generate enough production to loosen up the passing game

Tommy Tuberville's team is going to have to throw the ball much more in 2005 in order to be effective. The good thing for the Tigers is that they have a group of receivers who are up to the task. Courtney Taylor is an NFL prospect with blazing speed and good hands to match. He has also has the ability to rack up the YAC (yards after catch), as well. Ben Obamanu and Devin Aromashadu compliment Taylor and will be utilized on deeper patterns.

Even though there have been many changes at Auburn, the defense still remains their strength. The Tiger defense was tops in the nation in scoring defense last year, and there is no reason why they cannot repeat this year. Stanley McClover had an excellent freshman season, and he will lead the best defensive line in the country. It is almost incomprehensible to think how he can get better, but the word from spring practice is that he has. If that's the case, Auburn's front four will apply tons of pressure to opposing quarterbacks.

A trio of studs, Kevin Sears, Travis Williams, and Antarrious Williams, lead the Auburn linebackers into 2005. These guys utilize their speed very effectively and have the athleticism to both cover and blitz. The only concern for Tiger fans will be if this unit has enough time to gel because of their injuries in the spring. The secondary might be the only reason for concern. Carlos Rogers is gone, but David Irons and Will Herring should be able to take his place.

The Tigers might give up a few big plays due to their gambling style, but I just don't see opposing teams hurting them in the air because of the front four. Auburn's defense will be fun to watch, and more importantly, will give the Tigers a shot to win the SEC West crown.

3) Florida (9-3; 6-2)

The arrival of the "Urban" legend has Florida fans from across the country hopeful for a return to glory. Gator fans should expect a team that should be more consistent than last year's. Ron Zook's squad showed flashes of brilliance, but inconsistency (and having to follow Steve Spurrier) ultimately led to his firing.

Another positive of hiring Meyer is all of the media attention he is getting. Everyone is talking about the coach and no one is talking about the players. The Gator head coach has been setting up swamp talks throughout the state of Florida, with the goal of re-energizing a somewhat disillusioned fan base. So far, he's done a great job. Meyer has also been excellent in deflecting the media scrutiny towards him and away from his team.

The attention to the players will intensify on the first snap on offense, when the best quarterback in the SEC goes under center. That would be Chris Leak. Leak, the prodigy from Charlotte, has underperformed in his previous seasons in Gainesville. This season, I think he will emerge as on of the strongest quarterbacks in the country. His combination of strength and mobility is jaw-dropping, and defensive backs from Baton Rouge to Athens are already nervous.

Leak will have Andre Caldwell, Chad Jackson, and Dallas Baker as his primary targets at receiver. Caldwell, whose 57.4 yards per game average leads all returning players, should be able to fill the void of O.J. Small who has moved on to the NFL. Chad Jackson's big play ability should give the Gators their perennial deep threat, and will open up the playbook on offense.

The offensive line at Florida looks outstanding. The starting five is on-par with anyone in the conference. Mike Degory is an All-American candidate, while Randy Hand and Lance Butler will probably end up with conference recognition. The only concern for Florida is depth. Injuries to the line are very common, and their second unit is nowhere near as talented as the first. Hopefully, the line stays healthy and the offense performs to its potential.

The Gators are expecting a reduction in productivity at the running back position in 2005. Ciatrick Fason is gone, and there are a plethora of candidates for the position. DeShawn Wynn will not remind Gator fans of Emmitt Smith, but he will get the majority of the carries and has the potential of being a suitable back. Skyler Thornton and Markus Manson will spell him and contribute, as well. The amount of yards the backs will gain is a concern for Urban Meyer, and will affect the strength of the offense.

On defense, the Gators return eight starters to a group that looks to continue to improve in 2005. Defense is not something that is comes to mind when you mention Gator football, but it will become more of a focus in 2005. I look for Florida to take more risks with blitzes and stunts becoming more common. Of course, you need good linebackers to do this. Brandon Siler and Earl Everett both fit the bill.

Siler and Everett will have to replace Channing Crowder, who is down I-75 playing for the Miami Dolphins. Siler looks like the obvious choice to step into Crowder's role at middle linebacker. Last year, Siler, the All-SEC freshman performer, was the No. 2 tackler on the Gator defense. This is noteworthy because he only started in six games. Earl Everett will help the Gators in the blitzing category, and improve on his 4.5 sacks from last year. Everett possesses a combination of speed and agility that will allow Greg Mattison and Charlie Strong to call his number often.

In the secondary, Demetrice Webb will look to solidify a unit that was shaky in 2004. Webb has All-American potential, and will need Tremaine McCullom and Kyle Jackson to step their games up as well. Last year, the secondary seemed lost at times, and opponents exploited this. This year, Florida's DB's should be much more prepared after playing together as a unit. The Gator defense should give Urban Meyer's squad an opportunity to win more games this season, and maybe even snatch the SEC East title from the hated Volunteers. However, if Webb, Siler, or Everett get hurt, even eight wins might be a stretch.

2) Louisiana State (9-3; 6-2)

"Who dat say dat we need Nick Saban?" The LSU Tigers will miss their former head coach, however, they will be strong enough to win the SEC West crown. The Tigers will return nine starters back on an offense that should be among the elite in the country. The only concern LSU fans have at this time will be who will be taking the snaps from center.

JaMarcus Russell and Matt Flynn are the candidates for the quarterback position. Right now they are in a dead heat, and no one will know who the true starter is until the season start. Whether it is Russell or Flynn, one thing is for certain, they will be handing the ball off to Joseph Addai many times. Addai is in the top five of every publications rating for running backs in the country. He is a Marshall Faulk-type back that can run effectively and create mismatches in the passing game. Alley Broussard should round out the running game with a Ron Dayne, bruising-type style.

The pass corps should be strong for the Tigers, as well. Skyler Green and Xavier Carter lead the deepest group of receivers in the conference. I expect that offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher will utilize four and even five wide-out sets to maximize this strength. The offensive line is also excellent with Andrew Whitworth. I expect the Tigers to average over 30 points per game this season.

LSU's defense last year was not nearly as effective as it was when they split the National Championship the year before. The Tigers will have to maintain a high level of consistency on defense in the competitive SEC. Bo Pelini, the new defensive coordinator, will do an excellent job of getting this squad ready. He has coached in the NFL and at Nebraska and most recently at Oklahoma. I look for Pelini to run schemes that will utilize one of the strongest defensive lines in the country.

The Tigers' defensive line, even without Marcus Spears, will be one of the best in the nation. The front four will be able to generate a strong pass rush on their own. This will allow Pelini to utilize cover 2 sets if he so chooses. Of course, with linebackers like Cameron Vaughn, blitzing will also be a very good option. LSU fans may also see some zone blitzing to utilize Vaughn's ability and confuse their opponents. This will also give the defense an opportunity to try and mask their weak point, the secondary.

The secondary is the will be challenge due to the departures of Corey Webster and Travis Daniels. There are a number of options at cornerback, and LSU fans will hope that someone will step up and fill the void. If the Tigers stay healthy, they should be a top-10 team this season, and should come out on top of the SEC West. They should dominate their division, as Auburn is much weaker this season, and the rest of the pack are nowhere near as talented.

1) Tennessee (10-2; 7-1)

"Rocky Top Tennessee," It has to be the best fight song in the country. It also looks like coach Phillip Fulmer's squad will be among the best in America, as well. Can you believe it has been seven years since Tee Martin led the Vols to the National Championship? I don't know if Tennessee is headed to Pasadena this year, but it looks like they will end up on top of the SEC East standings. They closed out the season strong with a bone-crushing 38-7 win over Texas A&M at the Cotton Bowl, and that momentum will most certainly spill over to this year.

Erik Ainge is the starting quarterback this season, and he will have a very talented offense to work with. The Vols have a potential Heisman trophy candidate in Gerald Riggs, Jr. He is the type of back that can take over a game and if he can maintain his 5.7-yard per carry average from last season, Tennessee will be able to dominate offensively. Riggs' ability to run will also help the passing game. The combination of Jayson Swain and Robert Meacham may be the best 1-2 punch in the country.

What I like about these two guys is that they complement each other. Meacham is the speedy deep threat, and Swain is the reliable pass-catcher. At tight end, Tennessee is doing their best Jared Lorenzen impression with the 289 lb. Justin Reed. Even at that weight, Reed is surprisingly mobile, and if he can provide excellent blocking as well as a pass option, the Vols will be even that much better with the ball.

On defense, Tennessee is as strong and deep as ever. They are returning eight starters to a squad that will be among the best in the nation. On the line, Jesse Mahelona will be the one to watch. He provided immediate dividends last year, and is looking to have an even better senior campaign. The linebackers will continue a tradition of Tennessee football by being strong as well. The only potential fly in the ointment will be the health of Kevin Simon. If he is truly at 100%, Tennessee's front seven will live up to the tremendous expectations bestowed upon them.

The secondary is the only spot that could use some improvement. The Vols finished 2004 last in pass defense, and will need Jason Allen, a potential All-American to lead the way. Allen decided to forego an opportunity at the NFL and come back for his senior season. He will be moving from safety to cornerback this season, so the key will be how well he will adjust to his new position. Inky Johnson will also provide help at defensive back, and allow the front seven to be more aggressive. All Tennessee needs is for their DBs to be decent as their pass rush will be fierce.

The key for coach Fulmer's squad will be taking care of business early by defeating Florida and LSU on the road. This will not be an easy task, but I think they will come out of it with at least a split. The rest of the season looks much easier, and if everything works out right, they may not lose at all.

Also, see the preview for the Pac-10. Stay tuned for more college football previews!

Posted by Avery Smith at 3:35 PM | Comments (19)

NBA Playoffs: Balancing the Wide Difference

When the NBA finals started last week, I envisioned writing an article about disappointing intrigue. Sure, Miami and Phoenix had the best records in their conferences this season. However, many people would have told you from the get-go that the Pistons and Spurs were two of the favorites for the title.

Since the lockout in 1999, San Antonio has been one of the steadiest franchises in the Association. Their defensive prowess and teamwork gave them two titles going into the regular session.

Then, over the last couple of years, the 2.0 version of San Antone developed in Detroit. With stopping teams at the core of their existence, the Pistons took tutelage from their "Bad Boys" predecessors and gave it an athletic tweaking. This new model made the world take notice last season, when they destroyed the Lakers in five games to get their rings (or belts, as they prefer).

In a world filled with superstar greatness, this seemed like the ultimate throwback matchup. Defense vs. defense. Team vs. team. Champion vs. champion. Basketball purists were drooling uncontrollably for this "epic" showdown.

I thought that the series would be both a blessing and a bad taste. I prepared to write a column that would express my joy for a finals that was so balanced. The games had to be nail-biters due to the mirror image of the opposing teams. At the same time, I figured I would lament the lack of offense in the upcoming series, as I did for the playoffs as a whole a couple of years ago.

I was so far off on this one, I can hear relatives of Manu Ginobli tell me "Hola" as I wake up and look out over the Pampas from Washington State. This was a total miss.

Basically, it's time to be blunt. This series has more stink on it than the cow pastures of the rural Midwest —combined. Through four games of the best-of-seven, the tallies may be counted as 2-2, but that's the only thing that has been tight.

Each contest has been an uninteresting, stupefying blowout by the end of the fourth quarter, if not sooner. Sure, a couple of games held the teams together through three periods, but efforts in crunch time are seemingly turning soggy for the visiting team, no matter who it has been.

The coincidence in all of this is that the trend in Games 1 and 2 are basically the same as in Games 3 and 4. Here's where the priest from Spaceballs says: "Okay, here we go. The short, short version."

The visiting team runs out to a big lead in the first game, and they're up at halftime. The home team fights back valiantly and forges ahead to put away an easy victory. Then in the second game, there is no contest. The home squad is dominant, and victory is quick, yet painful. Now I would like to present more specific, and shameful, evidence.

Game 1: Detroit starts off with a 17-4 run, leaving the Spurs in a bit of trouble in their own SBC Center. The home squad closes to within three by the end of the first and it stay tight until the fourth. That's when San Antonio uses a 19-4 run of their own to break out in front for good. Spurs by 15.

Game 2: The Alamo is partying hard as the Spurs run on all cylinders. Detroit never leads, and actually never gets a tie, either. Ginobli goes bananas with 27 points (on 11-13 from the field) and 7 dimes. San Antonio by 23.

Game 3: The scene shifts to the Motor City. Momentum seems to slide with it. The Argentine X-factor hurts his leg in the first minute of the game. Despite their opponent being down a man, Detroit only led by five heading into the fourth. It took an 11-0 run to push the Spurs back into their first corner of the series. The Pistons pull away to win by 17.

Game 4: A whuppin' of pretty epic proportions. San Antonio did have a 4-0 and a 7-6 lead, but that was it. Another 11-0 spurt at the beginning of the second quarter kick-started the Detroit rout. Seven Pistons scored in double figures, while the team had four (!) turnovers. Let me put it this way, you know it's bad when Darko Milicic scores the basket to get you to 100 points. Motown rolls by 31.

With the championship series cut down to the winner in two out of three, the basketball world (or what's left of it) is probably happy to see life in both teams and a long series in store. That's not enough for me. It's not even about scoring points anymore. This is a level matchup. I want to see it played out that way.

Before the series got started, my Monopoly money was on the Spurs in seven. Beyond that, if there was an over/under of four games decided by single digits, I would have gladly played the over. But now, it looks like I may have to sell off some of my properties. Anyone interested in taking Marvin Gardens? I'll give ya a good deal.

Posted by Jonathan Lowe at 3:04 PM | Comments (1)

June 16, 2005

Catching the Texas Hold 'Em Bug

I caught the bug. The Texas No-Limit Hold 'Em bug, to be exact.

After watching plenty of it on TV, and playing plenty of it on Yahoo!, I decided to give it a whirl for real money. So I read a few pointers, tips, and glossaries on the 'Net, picked a room, and laid down $25. My plan was to play them in $5 chunks, which I ended up doing in 5- and 10-cent blind rooms.

I played and lost my first $5 right away, then again my second $5 right away, and then on third $5 chunk I played, I won on a "bad beat" (you have a vastly inferior hand, but you win anyway by getting extremely lucky
card[s], the only one[s] you could pull out a victory with, on the board [the face-up cards]) and won $14.

This put me up to $29 total. I stopped playing and realized I had a lot more to learn, so I gobbled up a couple more hours of tips and info on the Internet. I started picking up on the stupid things novices like myself do, and exploited them. In a couple hours, I was all the way up to $77 in my bankroll before going down to $57. I was feeling antsy and ready to enter tournaments. And I read more. All on the Internet, all for free.

There are two basic types of tournaments: single-table tournaments, and multi-table tournaments. Single-table tournaments are pretty straightforward — each player contributes the same amount to the pot,
plays with chips instead of money, and once there's only one man left standing, he gets either all of the pot, or it's divided up between first, second, and third players, or however it's configured.

Then there are multi-table tournaments, as the one often sees on TV. There might be hundreds of people playing, and as more and more people go out (lose all of their chips), the tables are consolidated until there's few enough people left to put them all on one table.

Entry fees at the site I play at are pretty comparable, so you have to decide if you want to play for lower stakes at good odds (1-in-9 or -10) at a single-table tournament or higher stakes with much worse odds at multi-table tournaments.

Maybe it's because I'm a golf fan, maybe because I was attracted by the big bucks, but I went with the multi-tournament mode. By "because I'm a golf fan" I meant this: you don't buy your way into the first page of the leaderboard in tournament golf — you have to play better than almost all the field to get there. In short, you have to earn it. I wanted to see if I could earn a nice result or, more likely, an MC (missed cut), if you will.

I read somewhere that the early round of tournaments will usually feature a lot of wild, very aggressive betting as players try to get an early advantage, and that you should stay out of the madness and lay low. I kept that in mind.

During tournament No. 1 tonight, one guy went all in before the flop, forcing everyone to fold, and essentially buying the pot about four times. The fifth time, I called him out, and he really did have "the nuts" (an outstanding hand). I finished 87th out of 113.

Then, I decided to play in a multi-table tourney with just two tables, 18 players. Similar story as the first. (Tournaments of one kind or another start up every few minutes). On an early hand, I wanted to punish other players for being too aggressive, eventually got punished myself, and bowed out in 13th-place.

Then I took a break and pulled myself together. What I was telling myself was this: again, the last thing I read about tournament strategy foretold the precise truth: betting is wild, maniacal, aggressive in the first few rounds. Stay out of it and pick your spots. I wasn't doing that. I was diving in head first. I was calling out the wild boys with so-so hands because I was convinced the other guy has nothin', 'cause he's going all in and raising like mad so often.

To put it a finer point on it, I was getting angry that the same guys were buying the pot over and over again without anyone calling them on it.

This was stupid for a couple reasons. One thing, and less importantly, to raise, go all in, and scare everyone off the pot multiple times may work in the short run, but it is not sustainable over the course of a long tournament. You can only bluff so much, you can't really bluff your way all the way to a top of a tournament (well, anything's possible, but that would be more than unlikely).

More importantly, if you decide it's up to you to give these pot-stealers their comeuppance, to teach them a lesson, to be the sheriff, etc., you end up doing just what they want you to do: playing mad, playing emotional. That makes you do something stupid like call in most of your chips when all you have is something dicey like a pair of eights. Get the picture?

I was determined to be patient in the third tournament, an $8 buy-in game. If the maniacs want to steal pot after pot and take a big chip lead, fine. Just wait until you get a hand. Stay out of the fray.

In this tournament, I indeed folded most of my way through the early rounds, and I only played to the flop with the strongest of pocket cards (pairs of seven or eight of higher, or when both cards were a 10 or better). And it worked! I would bet conservatively, let the maniacs bet big to try to scare me out of the pot, call/raise them, and take their money.

I did get lucky with one bad beat: one of the maniacs with half the amount of chips I had went all in for the umpteenth time. I had ace and a seven, and decided "What the hell?" and called him (note: if I had to do this over again, I probably wouldn't have. It shouldn't have been worth half of my worth to try to get an ace on the "board.").

Then a guy with twice as many chips as me also called, and we checked each other. It turned out, the original all-in guy had ace-king, and the guy with twice as many chips as me had ace-ace. I was cursing at myself yet again for trying to be sheriff an punish the overly aggressive guy when the flop came down 6-8-9, then two, then five on the river. I got a straight and won a ridiculous amount of chips. I actually apologized to the room for the "bad beat." Then one guy responded, "If you're gonna do a bad beat, you might as well make it a mass murder." Beautiful.

After that, I just played conservative. I called conservatively when I had a great hand and then tried to nail the guys who raised me. I played a bit more aggressively if I was the last guy to bet and everyone before me folded. The counter of players left in the tourney, on the bottom right of the screen, would dwindle, dwindle, dwindle.

The more I played conservatively, the more I got a reputation as a non-bluffer. People would fold the second I got into a pot. So then of course I started to bluff a bit, just to steal some blinds and buffer my position.

Soon, there were 10 people left. Top nine go to the final table, and all get paid.

At that point, we started playing a bizarre game. If everyone's betting, raising, bluffing, etc., that's called a loose game (or, a loose player). If every hand is a big fold-a-thon because everyone's too paralyzed to act, that's a "tight" game.

With 10 guys remaining and nine getting paid, the game got tighter than a nun suffering from constipation sitting in wet cement. No one wanted to be the last guy out not to get paid, so a 40-minute-long war of attrition started. I used everyone's fear to steal a couple of pots, including a big one, but I was pretty much as tight as everyone else. I wasn't as concerned as others, though, because I had enough chips to play around a bit.

Finally, it got to the point where one guy couldn't keep up with the blinds. He was forced to go all in on a mediocre hand, and we were all ready to call him. He went out, and then there were nine. I had made the final table. I had guaranteed a prize.

At the final table (nine guys), I was in sixth-place, if you will, in terms of chips, and play remained conservative, for the most part. I scored a few good hands, forced a couple of players who barely qualified for the last table out of the game, and eventually, I found myself with jack-nine. The flop was turned, and it was jack-seven-eight. I had high pair, so I was happy to call when I was raised. Then I was raised again (called) and again (called).

Before I knew it, I was in over my head. I was betting against a guy who hadn't been particularly aggressive yet, and all I have is a pretty good pair, and I can either call his latest bet with 90% of my chips, or fold and lose 75% of my chips. I chose the former. I should've never let it get that far, but I lost focus for a minute and it cost me. He had a straight (eight-nine hand) and played it, and me, beautifully.

Epilogue, I finished in fifth-place and won $62. As great as it was to make the final table, I was even happier to end up improving my position (started at sixth at the final table, finished fifth) against these guys.

What an exhilarating experience. I'm bursting with pride right now, just bursting.

Does it seem silly that I'm so giddy right now? Presumably, everyone here is a sports fan. You can't really be a sports fan unless you have a thirst for competition. I think a lot of us play sports and games in search of that competitive event we are naturally good at, or we find the competition we are willing to bust are tails at to become good. We do it because we want to find something to compete at, something to win at.

Ninety-seven people paid $8 apiece to play in this tournament. Ninety-two of them finished behind me. I made it to the final table — victory enough — and didn't embarrass myself once I got there. I made the first page of the final leaderboard. And there will be more. I'm not going to spend big money on poker, but I'm going to continue spending little money and earning it back and a little more. So far, so good — even before I entered a tournament.

If I've piqued your interest in competitive poker, let me tell you what worked for me.

* Watch it on TV until you have the basics down, if you haven't already. In the U.S, you can find poker on FOX Sports, ESPN, Game Show Network, and the Travel Channel.

* Once you understand how to play, start looking up strategy and tips (and glossaries — know the lingo!) online.

* You'll read a lot of math wonkery about staying in a hand only if you have a "positive expected value." Let's say you have a 10 of diamonds and an ace of diamonds, and the flop is jack of diamonds, queen of diamonds, and four of clubs. You don't have a great hand (ace high), but you have a lot of possibilities for great hands: (you're one diamond away from a flush, one king away from a straight, plus an ace or a 10 would give you a high pair). So you might try to "draw" or fish for one of those great cards.

The math wonks will tell you to compare the percentage of how likely it is one of the cards you need will turn up vs. the percentage of your chips you will need to stay in the hand. If the card odds are greater, go for it. If the percentage of your chips you will have to bet to see the cards are greater than the card odds, fold.

But I'm terrible at math and here to tell you don't have to do all that. Just use common sense. Think about how much you are being asked to call, and whether it's worth it to bet that and stay in the game. Be honest with yourself.

* You only have to be a tiny bit good to be way better then a lot (most?) guys online. Take advantage of that. Be patient. Play non-tournament games with small blinds (again, I did five- and 10-cent blinds). I highly recommend doing it just like I did: $25, played in increments of $5. By the third or fourth increment, you will be surprised at how much you have learned, and you will probably have more than $25.

Let me isolate one sentence from the last paragraph. When entering any kind of game, tournament or not, be patient. Be patient, be patient, be patient. Be patient. Then sit back with some popcorn and watch what happens to guys who are impatient.

* This is the most important thing: PAY ATTENTION TO HOW YOUR OPPONENTS PLAY! The biggest favor your can do for yourself is to figure out how each guy at your table plays, and play him accordingly. If a guy folds 99% of the time and then he calls big, he probably has a great hand. If a guy is betting, raising, going all-in all the time — invite him to dance if you're playing for low stakes (and you have a decent hand), or fold and let him burn himself out in high-stakes game (unless you have an outstanding hand).

If you pay attention to how your opponents play, and pay especially close attention to what they bet once the flop is revealed, you'll be surprised how well you can actually make a pretty good guess at what at least one of their cards are.

* By the same token, try to stay unpredictable and hard to read yourself, and find the balance between being unpredictable and not putting yourself too much at risk.

* Low pocket pairs aren't really that great, but it seems like the lesser players treat them like gold. If you have two threes and I have four and a six, I actually have a pretty good chance of beating you, since I've got five chances to get one of the six cards I need (the remaining fours and fives) to pull ahead of you, and there's only two cards out there (the remaining threes) that will help you, and that's not even counting the (small) possibility of a straight, which I have a much better chance of hitting than you.

* My favorite poker phrase is "Don't tap the aquarium." Sucky players are called "fish" and will do things that will make your jaw drop. You will be tempted to call them names, and tell them just how stupid you are. Don't do it! They're your primary source of income! They're giving you money! If they stop having fun, they'll stop playing. TREAT BAD PLAYERS WELL. You will be surprised at how many people can't follow this rule, because their arrogance compels them to belittle his inferiors, and boom, a good thing (a player giving his money away) is gone. DON'T. TAP. THE AQUARIUM.

* Have fun yourself!

Posted by Kevin Beane at 3:44 PM | Comments (0)

NASCAR Top 10 Power Rankings: Week 14

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Jimmie Johnson — Johnson increased his points lead from a shaky 46 to a more solid 123 with a sixth-place finish in the Poconos, coupled with Greg Biffle's 30th. Johnson qualified 21st, and quickly advanced to the front, thanks to timely pit strategy from point man Chad Knaus and the Lowe's crew. In the final laps, Johnson was one of the few cars with four fresh tires, and he was set to pick off those ahead whose tires were quickly deteriorating. But Ken Shrader and Bobby Labonte hit the wall shortly after the final restart, and J.J. never was able to improve his position.

"Is it just me, or is anyone else sick and tired of the yellow caution flag?" asks Johnson. "I think the flag man might as well have that yellow flag fused to his arm, kind of like Captain Hook. It seems the yellow flies more than the green these days."

Indeed, the final caution left Johnson as helpless as Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown in rehab. Johnson will happily take his sixth-place finish and head to Michigan for the Batman Begins 400.

"If that isn't the epitome of a corporate sellout, I don't know what is," says Johnson. "First, the SpongeBob SquarePants 300, now the Batman Begins 400. What's next? The Friday the 13th: Part X Jason Takes MTV's Spring Break Brought to You by Dell 500?"

Trust me. It's not that far away. Now, if I could just find myself a sponsor.

Last year, Johnson followed up his win at Pocono with four straight top fives, so he may further distance himself from the field. Hendrick Motorsports seems to be hitting its stride, as well. With four cars in the top 10 at Pocono this year, the Hendrick stamp is paying dividends, for the experienced (Johnson, Jeff Gordon) and the young (Kyle Busch and Brian Vickers have combined for five top-10s in the last four points races).

2. Greg Biffle — Biffle's short-lived spell of bad luck (which began last week at Dover right after he won the race, when he slammed the wall on his celebratory burn-out) continued at Pocono when brake failure 62 laps from the finish cost him any chance of a decent finish. The No. 16 crew repaired the brakes, but Biffle fell three laps down and end up 30th, two laps down.

"The shifting rules really put a lot of pressure on the rear brakes," says Biffle. "I guess I cooked them like an old lady pumping the brakes going down a steep mountain grade in her 1996 Oldsmobile Delta 88. In the end, my brakes quit on me like Mike Tyson giving up to a red-headed Irish ogre."

Biffle surrendered 77 points to Nextel leader Jimmie Johnson, and now stands 123 back. But at least the car's in one piece. Biffle did, however, have a slight mishap on his way to the garage after the race, when he ran over the foot of owner Jack Roush.

Biffle hopes to rebound this Sunday at Michigan, the site of his second career Nextel Cup victory, in 2004. His four victories this year have come on traditional oval tracks of varying lengths. At the NASCAR circuits last stop at a two-mile oval, Biffle won in California on February 27th.

3. Carl Edwards — Edwards surprised everyone by making a victory run from the 29th position on the grid in his first race at Pocono, grabbing his second win of the year and seventh for Roush Racing. Edward's No. 99 was the only Ford in the top seven in a race dominated by Chevrolets. The young Missourian got his flip on, performing his customary back flip to celebrate, and vaulted five places to number four in the points, 303 behind Johnson. Admittedly, Edwards trained for his inaugural stint at Pocono on a NASCAR racing video game.

"Obviously, it wasn't on the ancient Atari 2600," says Edwards, "although that would be perfect were a car driven with a joystick and a single button. I always told my parents that having Pac Man fever would pay off someday. But just a little advice to all you kids who play video games eight hours a day: you may fancy yourself an Xbox Einstein right now, but where will that take you in the future? Get an education, or learn to drive a car real fast."

Incidentally, Edwards in now in negotiations with Rockstar Games, makers of the Grand Theft Auto franchise of video games, to star in their new production, Grand Theft Auto: NASCAR Nation. The object of the game will be to wreck your opponents while kidnapping NASCAR officials, bedding other drivers' wives, and blasting your way through dangerous autograph sessions, all the while speeding around NASCAR track complexes.

Edwards set the record for winning from the worst qualifying position, beating Terry Labonte's mark of 27th set in 1995. A stellar day by the No. 99 pit crew made Edwards' win possible, and he made up most of the ground on pit stops, then held off Brian Vickers for the win.

Edwards now sets his sights on the track (and the simulated track on the video game) of Michigan International Speedway. In Edwards' first-ever Nextel Cup start, he finished 10th there last August. What will be the key for Edwards? Experience on the track, or video game training?

4. Mark Martin — Martin's No. 6 Roush Racing Viagra car was the only other Ford, besides that of teammate Carl Edwards, to finish in the top 10. He followed up his third at Dover with a seventh at Pocono, strengthening his points position one notch to fifth, 328 off Johnson's pace. Martin now has seven top-10s on the year, tied for third most behind Johnson's eleven and Biffle's nine.

"And here's the kicker," adds Martin. "Five of my seven top-10s have occurred in races won by Roush drivers. It just reiterates the story of my life: no matter what I do, there's always somebody overshadowing me. If I don't win the Cup this year, I fully expect NASCAR to present me with a lifetime achievement award, and a nice rocking chair."

You have to believe that Roush Racing would not be experiencing the success it has so far this year without the leadership and guidance of Martin. Martin will definitely be in the Chase for the final 10 races, and, with the breaks on his side, could win the coveted title.

5. Elliott Sadler — Coming home in 21st position, Sadler knew his day could have been decidedly better had he avoided a case of the lead foot on his final two pit stops. The No. 38 Robert Yates Ford served two drive through penalties which nullified any chance of a top-10 finish.

"Incidentally, my favorite Sammy Hagar song is 'I Can't Drive 55,'" says Sadler. "At least in NASCAR for speeding, you're only penalized a drive through penalty. That's nothing compared to what I face out on the open road: tickets, inflated insurance premiums, and the humiliation of posing for photographs for cops who still give me a ticket."

Sadler maintained the third position in the points, but lost ground to leader Johnson. Sadler has had a lock on the third position for some time, but less than 100 points separates Sadler from the number 10 spot. Sadler will need a result in the neighborhood of last year's fifth-place in Michigan to remain at three.

6. Kevin Harvick — Harvick matched Saturday's eighth-place qualifying run with an eighth in Sunday's race, spending most of the race as a top-10 player. Harvick wasted no time moving to the front, taking second place by the end of lap one. The No. 29 GM Goodwrench Chevy then began to experience some handling problems, but they were quickly alleviated by adjustments in the pits. Harvick remained in the top 10 most of the day, but was stricken by late cautions that left no time to advance on his fresh tires. The eighth was Harvick's best finish ever at Pocono, and moved him three spots up to number seven in the points.

Harvick's most difficult work, however, took place on Saturday as he deflected and denied rumors of moving to Penske Motorsports to drive the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge, a seat vacated by the retiring Rusty Wallace.

"It's those media types always starting rumors based on no fact whatsoever," says Harvick, "which forces me to issue a denial based on no fact whatsoever."

I think what Kevin is trying to say is this: never trust a pro athlete when it comes to their denial of a rumor. The rumor is usually true. So Kevin, congratulations on your new ride!

Harvick's best finish at Michigan is a 10th in 2002. He should benefit from extra time on the track this weekend, as he is at the helm of the No. 92 GM Goodwrench Silverado in Saturday's Craftsman Truck Series race.

7. Jeff Gordon — After three-straight DNFs, Gordon finally completed a race, finishing a workmanlike ninth after starting at the back of the field. Gordon tapped the wall in qualifying, so necessary repairs to the damage relegated him further back from his 31st qualifying position. It was the No. 24 Monte Carlo's first foray into the top 10 since a second-place in Darlington in early May.

"I've heard the chuckles and the snickering," explains Gordon. "People are calling me 'Crash' Gordon behind my back. Even worse, some are calling me 'Robbie' Gordon. Ouch! But I'm back in the groove now. They'll be calling me 'Flash' Gordon once again. P.S.: Danica Patrick — I love you!"

Gordon should be set for the ride. After Michigan, NASCAR travels to two of his favorite circuits: Infineon Raceway for the Dodge/Save Mart 350 on the road course, then Daytona for the Pepsi 400, on a track where Gordon has won the last two races. In 2004, after a disappointing 38th at Michigan, Gordon went on a tear, capturing three-straight poles, with two wins and a fourth. Expect Gordon to entrench himself in the top 10 for weeks to come.

8. Ryan Newman — Newman's streak of four-straight top-10s came to a screeching halt last Sunday when he blew his left front tire on lap 194 and hammered the wall. It was the No. 12 Alltel Dodge's second deflated left front of the race. Blown left front tires were thematic of the race, as several drivers, including Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Ricky Rudd, suffered multiple left front failures.

"Man, was the Michigan State Highway Patrol looking for a stolen car on the track?" asks Newman. "Because, I swear, they must have laid the 'stop sticks' out on the track in several places, because everybody was popping tires. I think I saw Mr. Goodyear with a worried look on his face, and I could have sworn I saw the Michelin Man laughing at it all."

Despite his violent skirmish with the wall, Newman walked away unscathed, a testament to the safer barriers and Newman's toughness, which has allowed him to escape rollovers, fiery crashes, and other accidents without harm.

Newman is the defending champion of the Batman Begins 400, which was called the more pedestrian DHL 400 last year. He also has a win at MIS in 2003, but, oddly enough, he's never won a pole there. The Rocketman will be fast, will take the pole, and will likely finish with a top 10.

9. Jamie McMurray — McMurray salvaged a little respect for Dodge manufacturers by staking the only spot in the top 10 for a Dodge driver, claiming his fifth top-10 of the year. The No. 42 Texaco/Havoline Chip Ganassi Charger took the ten spot, and McMurray moved up a spot in the points to twelfth. As it stands now, McMurray would be the final qualifier for the Chase, standing 392 points behind points leader Jimmie Johnson.

"Wow. Only one Dodge in the top 10," says McMurray. "That doesn't bode well for the upcoming release of the Dodge Charger street version. If the Charger's getting beat by Fords on the track, what's not to say it won't be outdone by the four-door, family sedan Taurus on the street?"

In four races at Michigan, McMurray has a best finish of fourth in 2004, offset by two results of 36th and 37th. He hasn't cracked the top six since Darlington — he needs a finish in that neighborhood to boost his shaky Chase standing.

10. Rusty Wallace — Originally credited with finishing 10th, Wallace was bumped to 11th when NASCAR reviewed the tape of Bobby Labonte's last lap crash and deemed the field frozen at that point. At that moment, Wallace held the 11th spot.

"Stiffed by the man again," says Wallace. "I long for the good ole days, when the caution flew and you could race to the line regardless of the carnage on the track. These rules are ruining NASCAR racing. Can't we go back to the time when drivers ran moonshine and the only law of the road was "anything goes?"

Sorry, Rusty. I guess the best NASCAR can do is allow liquor sponsorship on the cars. It ain't moonshine, but it's the next best thing.

Wallace and the No. 2 Miller Lite team have been remarkably consistent this year, with only one result worse than 27th. But they haven't been great, with only two top-fives. Consistency alone won't cut it — Wallace, eighth in the points and 348 behind Johnson, is dangerously close to the bubble for qualifying for the Chase.

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 3:06 PM | Comments (1)

June 15, 2005

The BCS is Dead! Not Quite, But Almost

It was the great scribe Samuel Langhorne Clemens who supposedly said of a newspaper article declaring his death, "The report of my demise has been greatly exaggerated," or something to that effect. Well, the supporters of the Bowl Championship Series are hoping to say the same thing about their beloved system for determining a national college football champion as is appears to be crumbling all around them.

First, in November — ABC, which has televised all the BCS games since its inception in 1998, pulled its broadcasting rights bid, instead being content to just keep the Rose Bowl. Then, earlier this year, the cornerstone of the rating system that propels the BCS sang "Thanks For the Memories" as the Associated Press said it would no longer offer its poll to the BCS. Now, the "Worldwide Leader in Sports" has pulled its name off the other poll the BCS relies upon to keep the human factor a part of its system as ESPN announced recently it would not help sponsor the coaches’ poll.

What all three of these events have in common relates back to the BCS and various developments over the past few months. ABC cited the recent addition of a fifth game for the national title as its main reason for scaling back its involvement with the BCS; the AP said it never officially allowed the BCS to use its poll in its rating formula and had gotten to the point where it "threatened to undermine the independence and integrity of its poll"; and ESPN was at odds over the coaches not wanting to publicize their votes until the final poll was released after the championship game. That issue exploded into a huge controversy after California was — for lack of a better term — screwed out of the Rose Bowl by the coaches.

With these three major entities either withdrawing or severely decreasing their involvement in the BCS, one wonders if a playoff isn't in the works, or at least will be soon. It may be a stretch to compare the two situations, but this series of rifts between the major media outlets and the BCS seems a little like the CART/IRL feud back in the early 1990s. For those who aren't familiar with the background, many Indy car owners and teams became fed up with changes happening within CART, including expanding the organization beyond its traditional boundaries. Thus, the Indy Racing League was formed, later excluding CART teams from racing in the sport's biggest spectacle, the Indy 500, got all the top-name drivers to defect, and eventually drove CART out of business.

To bring it back to college football, ABC still holds the broadcast rights to the Rose Bowl, the "granddaddy of them all," its partner, ESPN, is free to do what it wants concerning the BCS, and the AP is no longer a part of the rating system that determines who goes to the big three (sometimes four) bowl games.

So, envision this: ABC and ESPN go to the AP and offer to put up big bucks and their names to start a college football playoff. ABC tells the AP that ESPN will endorse and sponsor its poll and use it exclusively to pick the teams for the playoff. Sure, it doesn't have the other major bowls, but ESPN goes out and gets the rights for a few of the other older bowls that used to have some significance to them, like the Cotton, Sun, Tangerine, and Citrus Bowls, for example.

Since ABC and ESPN are essentially the same network, they can go to the schools and guarantee them twice what the other bowls would pay out, using the bait of possibly playing more than one game, and have the Rose Bowl as its center stage for the title game. If enough big schools are willing to go along with it, the BCS loses credibility with the fans and, maybe, the media because the "true" champion would have proved itself over the course of three or four games and not just a single-game random matchup. Hence, the BCS loses sponsorships and quietly goes by the wayside a few years later.

This all may seem like a far-fetched fantasy, but it may not be as far out there as you might think. Remember the College Football Association back in the 1980s that was formed to put certain conferences on TV each week? And remember that ABC was the network that televised CFA games? While that effort didn't last, ABC — with the backing of ESPN and the AP — could certainly make something like that work now in the limited scope of a playoff.

What sanctions the NCAA might place on such renegade schools are undetermined, if any, given the fact that they didn't do anything negative to the 66 schools that joined the CFA. However, since this would involve more than just the schools and conferences pocketing a few extra bucks for being on TV, that is, creating the one thing the NCAA has railed against for many years — a playoff, you can bet there would be one heck of a fight. But it's one fight that could end with what many college football fans have been pleading for, for many years — a playoff.

Posted by Adam Russell at 11:36 AM | Comments (0)

Just Show T.O. the Money

Here we go again. Another dramatic episode of "As Terrell Owens' World Turns." But this time, the hubbub surrounding the All-Pro wide receiver seems to be justified. Don't get me wrong, I am not the biggest T.O. supporter in the world, but the man is a competitor and anyone that goes for over 100 yards receiving in the biggest game of his life after suffering a broken ankle only five weeks earlier has my utmost respect.

After all of the well-documented incidents Owens has had in the past, for one season, he acted like a true professional (most of the time). And he should be rewarded for that accomplishment. Of course, the Eagles won the NFC Championship with out T.O., but you have to be blind to not notice the impact the receiver had on the club throughout the season. Even the players acknowledged that fact.

When T.O. down against Dallas late last season, the city of Philadelphia and the whole Eagles franchise held their collective breaths, as the Eagles' quest for that elusive Super Bowl ring seemed to be put on hold (or at least for another season). But the Eagles rallied and managed to finally make it to the Super Bowl, after three unsuccessful tries. Although injured, Owens' presence on the sidelines, in the skybox, and in the locker room was felt throughout the Eagles' postseason run without their star receiver. It appeared that for the first time in his career Owens' had realized football was team sport. But everything went downhill after the Eagles lost to the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXIX.

Reports started to surface that Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb became physically ill during the fourth quarter the Super Bowl. And while T.O. remained mum on the issue at first, he did manage to slip in a cheap shot at his quarterback. That's where our latest episode begins. After Owens' comments about McNabb's so-called "sickness," the receiver fired his longtime agent, David Joseph, and hired "super agent" Drew Rosenhaus. Rosenhasus is famous/notorious for bitter contract disputes involving the players he represents. The Buffalo Bills' selection of Willis McGahee in the first round of the 2003 draft after the running back suffered a devastating knee injury the year before was perceived as brilliant on Rosenhaus' part, so T.O. made a smart move.

Now to the meat of the situation. Owens had 77 catches for 1,200 yards and 14 touchdowns last year and was easily a viable candidate for Most Valuable Player. T.O's argument is simple people. NFL contracts are not guaranteed and teams have made a habit of releasing aging players who they deem past their primes. Owens had the best numbers last season and has clearly raised the level of his game, therefore he should be paid. This is not to take away from what top receivers such as Randy Moss and Marvin Harrison have accomplished. A player can have their career ended in an instant, so why can't they be financially protected? This scenario, however, will happen in a perfect world.

But in reality, this could be a long and drawn-out process for Eagles fans. Of course, it's only June and of course the season doesn't start for another two months, but both sides seems to be strong in their beliefs and neither appears willing to budge from their stance. Is it possible the Eagles might actually play this season with out No. 81 in the huddle? Or will they release him? The latter is hard to believe giving the Eagles' lackluster receiving corps behind Owens. But this could turn out to be a long and hot summer for the Eagles camp.

The situation is simple, pay T.O., go to the Super Bowl, and be happy. Don't expect Donovan to carry the team every year because it won't and can't happen. He's a human being, and sooner or later, he'll burn out. Bottom line, just show T.O. the money!

Posted by Andre Watson at 11:06 AM | Comments (1)

June 14, 2005

2005 College Football Preview: Pac-10

The Pac-10 has always been one of the most overlooked conferences in all of college football. Even though the national champion resides within its borders, the conference still yearns to get the respect that it deserves. In this article, the Pac-10 gets the red-carpet treatment. Let's take a look at the teams that will separate themselves from the rest of the "Pac."

5) Washington State (Projected Record: 7-5; League: 4-4)

I think that there will be a three-way tie for fifth-place in the Pac-10 between Washington State, Oregon, and Oregon State. Luckily for the Cougars, I feel that they will own the tiebreakers. Washington State's 2004 campaign was a great example of inconsistency. They struggled against teams they should have destroyed, and played much better teams tough. They have a decent chance at a bowl game this year, and it will depend on their offensive production.

Josh Swogger and Alex Brink were both unimpressive last year and they will have to improve if the Cougars have any shot of a bowl game. The best way for them to get better is to throw to Jason Hill. He might end up being the best receiver in Cougar history. Jerome Harrison can also catch the ball, but he will do most of his damage running through and around opposing defenders. Harrison was a nice surprise for the Cougs and he should continue to solidify the running back position.

Pullman, the home of the Cougars, has always been a tough place to play, but will be even tougher this year because of Wazzu's defense. This year's squad will be led by Will Derting. Derting just might be the best linebacker in the conference. He is the "Ray Lewis" of WSU's defense and his playmaking abilities should allow for this squad to continue improving. The front seven is similar to Cal's in that it is very strong against the run. The key point of improving will be in the secondary. If Washington State's can get contributions from Wally Dada and Eric Frampton, the Cougars might win as many as eight games.

4) California (8-4; 5-3)

The 2004 California Bears had one of the most successful years in the school's history. Their 11-2 record was truly unexpected, and they also had an excellent shot of beating the Trojans last year. This year, expectations have been revised downward with the departures of Aaron Rodgers.

The good news for Bears fans is that there are two capable looking men hoping to take his place. Nate Longshore and Joe Ayoob both impressed Jeff Tedford during spring workouts. One thing is for certain, whoever comes out of camp as the primary quarterback will inherit a team with the cupboards bare at the skill positions.

I'm sure Jeff Tedford wishes his new quarterback would have the luxury to throw to Geoff McArthur and Chase Lyman. These two receivers combined for over 1,200 yards last year, and their departure leaves the Bears uncomfortably slim in that area. At running back, Marshawn Lynch as the unenviable task of replacing J.J. Arrington, one of the all-time greats. Last year, Lynch did a solid job filling in for Arrington as needed, but can he continue his success as a starter? This will be a very important question for Cal to answer.

On defense, only three of the Bears' front seven return from last year. The good news for Cal fans is that Brandon Mebane is one of them. The sophomore will star in a rejuvenated front seven that will continue to be one of the best in the country. This will take some pressure off of Jeff Tedford's offense because they won't have to put up 40 points to win. If they can average over 24, the Bears will have an excellent 2005.

3) Arizona State (8-4; 5-3)

Last season for Arizona State was a successful one. They were consistently ranked in the top 20 and defeated Purdue in the Sun Bowl. There was much reason for optimism for Dirk Koetter's team until the tragic arrest of Loren Wade for murder this spring. Loren Wade was one of my picks to really excel at running back this year. He would have given ASU many reasons to smile, but unfortunately, all he has given them is heartache.

Also, having Andrew Walter at quarterback would help, but ASU's new QB, Sam Keller, will surprise some people. He has a strong arm and understands this offense well. Another positive for Keller is that he will have Derek Hagan to throw to. Hagan is one of the top 10 receivers in the country. He is, by far, the best receiver in the country that no one has heard of. He is primed for an All-American run this year, and if Keller can be consistent, ASU's offense will be nearly as dangerous as it was last year.

On the other side of the ball, the Sun Devils must improve strongly if they have any hopes for a Pac-10 title. Jordan Hill, Jamar Williams, and Dale Robertson must give solid contributions or ASU's defense may be even worse than last year. The secondary, decimated by injury, will have to step up or the team will most definitely suffer. If ASU can apply pressure on the quarterback and cover better, the Sun Devils might end up in the top 20 again.

2) UCLA (9-3; 6-2)

In 2004, UCLA came about as close as anyone to beating USC. They outplayed the Trojans and had it not been for an interception on their final drive, the Bruins might have pulled off the most shocking upset last year. Let's take a look what UCLA brings to the table in 2005.

Drew Olson will spearhead an offense that will continue to improve. At running back, Maurice Drew will anchor a position that has strong for the Bruins for the last 10 years (Skip Hicks, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and DeShaun Foster, to name a few). The receiving corps for the Bruins will be led by a tight end. Marcedes Lewis will no doubt be Olson's favorite target, and if he stays healthy, could be a first or second round draft choice. The Bruins will be hurt on offense by the departures of Manuel White and Craig Bragg, who were both selected in this year's NFL draft.

On defense, Spencer Havner and Justin London are two of the best linebackers in the country. The loss of Ben Emanuel hurts the Bruins in the secondary, but Jarrad Page will be more than ready for the task. The Bruins have their toughest matchups (Oklahoma, Arizona State, and Cal) all in the Rose Bowl this year, and if their run defense and offensive line can improve, the Bruins will give the Trojans all they can handle.

1) Southern Cal (12-1; 7-1)

Is there anyone that will argue me on this point? The Trojans come into 2006 with depth at just about every position. Matt Leinart, the Trojan quarterback, is coming back for his senior campaign after winning the Heisman last year. He will have an experienced group of receivers to throw to, including Steve Smith and Dwayne Jarrett.

However, the most deadly Trojan of all is Reggie Bush. I truly feel that this young man has to be the frontrunner for this year's Heisman. He can, of course, carry the ball, but he is most dangerous when he lines up as a receiver. Even the best linebackers in the Pac-10 have no shot of guarding him.

Speaking of defense, the Trojans are still solid, even with the departures Shaun Cody and Lofa Tatupu. Darnell Bing will anchor a defense that will once again be the true strength of the team. The Trojans' only Achilles heel is the continuity of the team after the loss of offensive coordinator Norm Chow and line coach Ed Orgeron. These two coaches were invaluable to the success of USC last year, and depending on the success of this campaign, they may be sorely missed.

Posted by Avery Smith at 12:45 PM | Comments (23)

Scheft's "Best in Show" is Overrated

Sports Illustrated columnist Bill Scheft recently released a collection of his columns in book form, entitled "The Best of the Show." In case you have never heard of Bill, he used to be a monologue writer for David Letterman and now writes a humor column for SI — in short, he writes jokes for a living. How he is still alive is something I'm still struggling with.

I really don't understand why people think he's so great — I've never read anything that I would consider remotely funny in his column. Am I missing something here? Is there another column he writes for SI that I'm not reading? Needless to say, not everyone always agrees with me and some people (who I immediately lost all respect for) have actually praised his book.

"The only difference between Bill Scheft and a joke machine is that a machine occasionally requires some maintenance. And the machine's not a self-hating Jew."

— Larry David, creator of "Seinfeld" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm"

I'm not huge on "Curb your Enthusiasm," but I did enjoy "Seinfeld," so I'm going to assume that Larry David was paid handsomely for his remark. I can also retain some respect for him because nowhere in his statement does he say that Bill Scheft is funny or that his book is halfway decent. As a matter of fact, I don't consider this an endorsement of the book at all, but merely an observation of the sad state of joke machines.

"Bill Scheft's column, 'THE SHOW,' should be required weekly reading for every sports fan. Consistently funny enough to make a grown anchorman cry. You can't stop the laughter — you can only hope to contain it."

— Dan Patrick, ESPN SportsCenter anchor and host of "The Dan Patrick Show"

Does Dan Patrick even know who Bill Scheft is? I do love the fact that he threw in a useless "SportsCenter"-esque cliché, I'm sure that's genuine. Couldn't he have thrown in a "this book is simply en fuego" or "this book is cooler than the other side of the pillow"? But while Patrick's comments were bad, they were nothing compared to Tim McCarver's.

"Bright and biting, reading Bill Scheft's 'THE SHOW' makes the experience of sports more fun than anything I know."

— Tim McCarver, bestselling author of "The Perfect Season" and host of "The Tim McCarver Show"

Makes the experience of sports more fun than anything he knows? If that's true, how much would it suck to be Tim McCarver? Is 'THE SHOW' really more fun than anything else he knows of? He's never heard of watching paint dry, taking standardized tests, watching NASCAR, or traffic jams? Not that I had any respect for Tim McCarver to begin with, but I lost any that I could have gained in the future because of his blatant dishonesty (either that, or his overwhelming ignorance).

Now, I didn't really read the book, but I don't consider that to be a prerequisite to give it a fair review. You know that awkward feeling you get when someone you know tries too hard to be funny? Imagine feeling that for however long it takes you to read this book, and that's about all you will get out of it.

If you have your heart set on dropping your hard-earned money on awful jokes, drop me an e-mail and I will make up a few and charge you half of what this book costs. I will even make them all about Bill Scheft ("Can you imagine what it must be like to be this guy's friend? You would have to develop a laugh faker than Lindsay Lohan's chest") if that's what you want.

Since it's a compilation of old columns, I searched my house for every copy of Sports Illustrated I had, just so I could review his column to make sure I wasn't judging him unfairly. From those issues, I have pulled his five best jokes. You decide for yourself.

"John Rocker reportedly claimed that in the last six years he has suffered more abuse than Hank Aaron or Jackie Robinson. Please. What, was he turned away from a lunch counter because they refused to serve idiots?

— Bill Scheft, Sports Illustrated

"When he pitches for the Long Island Ducks Rocker wears plugs in his ears so he can not hear the crowd. That's sad this whole story could have been prevented if only we had been wearing those things."

— BS in SI

"In a recent interview, Shaq ripped Lakers management and referred to Kobe Bryant as "Whatchamacallit." Wow. That may be even more disrespectful than "the defendant."

— BS in SI

"LeBron James fired his agent, Aaron Goodwin. I guess LeBron had his heart set on guest hosting Chappelle's show."

— BS in SI

"The Vikings' Onterrio Smith was detained at a Minneapolis airport when security found paraphernalia desiged to beat drug testing. He told police the kit was for his cousin and they released him. Right now, there's a thousand shoe bombers thinking 'why didn't I think of that?'"

— BS in SI

I felt bad for him just typing those. That being said, I would still recommend buying the book, because if it makes Dan Patrick cry, it's good enough for me.

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 12:14 PM | Comments (1)

June 13, 2005

Where Have You Gone, Billy Beane?

It's Saturday evening at the Coliseum, seasonably warm for October even as a nomadic chill mingles among this new generation of fan unaccustomed to pressure baseball. The hometown Oakland Athletics hold a two-games-to-none lead over the New York Yankees in this best-of-five 2001 ALDS, but trail 1-0 in the seventh. Excitement crests as Jeremy Giambi plods along the base paths, compliments of a Terrence Long double down the right field line.

When he rounds third base in methodical stride, we reach the High Water Mark of the Billy Beane Confederacy, for such diametric bedfellows as frugality and baseball success as fused by A's General Manager William Lamar Beane can only be described in such terms.

Baseball's winds of change brew a revolutionary of Billy Beane's caliber less frequently than El Niño brews a 25-year storm. When one does come along, he is usually received about as enthusiastically. Ask Branch Rickey, who brought us integration or Curt Flood, who damned the Reserve Clause. But Beane's well-timed entry has coincided with a Pollyanna yearning within the sport to believe that strategy and development still play a heavier hand in World Series titles than the almighty wallet.

In the four short years, it has taken to reach this pinnacle, Beane has delivered the A's from the 65-win basement of the AL West to their current foothold over the three-time defending champions on the doorsteps of fame which lies a mere 90 feet beyond.

Giambi lumbers toward a tie game as the go-ahead run moves into scoring position and Yankee ace Mike Mussina prepares for the manager's hook. Ninety feet away, as Yankee outfielder Shane Spencer digs Long's double out of the right field corner and airmails his throw over both the cut-off and backup, heading directly toward Ramon Hernandez, the A's on-deck hitter. More than 20 feet off the plate, the throw lacks sufficient accuracy to nail a Little-Leaguer, never mind a baseball professional.

Ah, Billy Beane, step into the limelight. Accept with grace the adoration that awaits you at night's end for your time is at hand.

Suddenly, the baseball gods who always delight in wreaking havoc on lowly man now awake. Ramon Hernandez sees Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter come into his periphery. Anticipating the potential for a cruel twist of fate, he desperately signals for Giambi to slide, then watches helplessly as Jeter races into baseball folklore and redirects the errant throw plateward where Giambi is tagged out. Giambi never notices Hernandez's antics. He never considers looking for a sign. Worst of all, he never acts on his own instincts.

He never slides.

The rest is in the Baseball Almanac. Mariano Rivera closes the game, the A's are out of the next night's contest by the second inning, and a cross-country flight waits to carry them to their Appointment in Samarra. The team that transformed baseball poverty into 102 regular-season wins and held command over a Yankee franchise with the then-highest payroll in the history of professional sports is now finished.

Alas, the baseball gods do not intend to dole their punishment so quickly. For Billy Beane, the iconoclastic heretic whose Moneyball doctrine is sacrilege to the game's time-honored methodology and its reverence for statistics, the gods have chosen a slower agony. After first stripping him of three stars, they bestow 103 wins and a 2-1 ALDS lead on next year's Athletics, only to snatch it away by guiding a Minnesota Twins comeback.

In perhaps their ultimate indulgence, they doom Billy to his own history in 2003 by again spotting him a two-games-to-none ALDS lead and again wiping it away with not one but two base-running blunders that prevent his A's from winning the clincher in Fenway Park. The Red Sox take that game in extra innings and the series in five games before paying their own final installment to the gods in Yankee Stadium later that month.

Indeed, one has to marvel at the fervor with which these gods have dispensed their justice. But what if their wrath were not a factor at all, if Billy's own hero complex and flawed analyses were far more causal to his club's autumn malaise? If that were true, we might conclude that Moneyball is nothing more than great theatre.

Well, the lights are dimming, the curtain rises. The last act is about to begin.

The national media has publicized the poverty-level budget to which Billy is encumbered — somewhat vociferously at times, but it is real nonetheless. A's payrolls have consistently ranked in the lowest quartile within Major League Baseball during Beane's administration. However, Coliseum attendance has risen 75% from an American-League low of 1.3 million in 1997 — the year before his arrival — to 2.2 million last year. Add to this the A's revenue-sharing proceeds and it seems quizzical that Beane has yet to convince ownership of the benefits of reinvesting their legacy on the field. Less is expected of those to whom little is given.

Other shallow-pocketed front offices have achieved more success than the Athletics — albeit for a shorter period — without the fanfare of Moneyball. The 2002 world-champion Anaheim Angels ranked 15th in player salaries among the 30 franchises, while the Minnesota Twins eliminated Oakland in the ALDS that same year on a scantly higher payroll. Only five teams paid less than the $49 million Florida doled out to its 2003 squad who beat the $153 million Yankees in the World Series. In 2004, the Twins won more games than the A's and disbursed $5.8 million less in the process. They made the playoffs on the 19th highest payroll in baseball, while Oakland lost a four-game Labor Day lead and 17 of its final 27 games.

Billy has built his formidable legend on identifying undervalued players. A closer look should be levied at his value system, which is the real soul of Moneyball. Its flaw is a near-exclusive dependency upon objective criteria in assessing players, an approach better suited as a stimulant for sabermetricians than as the building blocks for a 40-man roster that can lay it on the line in October.

Of course, autumn may as well be spring in Moneyball World where the intangible notion of clutch performance has no merit — and therefore is not demanded of players — simply because empirical data cannot validate it. Derek Jeter apparently always dives into foul territory to save a run or the seats to catch a pop-up regardless of the calendar or standings. Moreover, Billy's divining rod will leap from his hands when pointed at one-dimensional sluggers whose OPS put the Athletics into the postseason while their base-running and defense knock them out.

The other half of Billy's mystique is his ability to acquire desired players off-price. Although there's a presumption he has to, Beane has a proclivity to flip his coveted acquisitions into cash and compensatory draft picks. Michael Lewis exposed this in his 2003 best-seller, "Moneyball: The Art of Winning An Unfair Game," which makes Billy look more a gamely businessman than a builder of championships. It's no wonder why Billy absolves every GM from any wrongdoing in the postseason, otherwise known as that contest of luck.

After a seven-year hiatus, Oakland again finds itself resident-in-chief of the AL West basement, the Prodigal Son who has returned after squandering his small window of opportunity in going five-and-out for four years running. Yet hundreds of baseball executives and millions in Baseball Nation continue slaughtering fatted calves in Mr. Beane's honor. Have we all imbibed of the Kool-Aid of the Underdog?

Some have, while others choose reticence over telling the Emperor he has no clothes. After all, thinking fans still realize baseball is played to win World Series, a goal that is more exhilarating to them than to accumulate victories as cheaply as possible.

Still yet, the savviest groups are the Imperial Court Weavers who stitched Emperor Billy's new threads. They hail from Baltimore and Boston, New York, and Los Angeles, places were baseball is played for keeps. A propped-up Billy Beane is testament to the "money-doesn't-matter" agenda they pedal, a perfect cover under which they sign Billy's players — Jason Giambi, Johnny Damon, Miguel Tejada — upon completion of an internship in Billy's farm system better known as the Oakland Triple-A's.

In bygone days, you could always monitor Billy Beane clear through the fifth game of the American League Division Series. Now, he only steps into the limelight in June and July for the amateur draft and trading deadlines. He'll see his shadow and winter will once again come six weeks early in Oakland.

Posted by Bob Ekstrom at 2:32 PM | Comments (7)

How Mikan Changed Basketball

Ask most basketball fans to name a dominant big man and you will likely hear the names of Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Patrick Ewing, Hakeem Olajuwon, or Shaquille O'Neal. George Mikan came before all of them and was one of the original dominant big men. Mikan revolutionized the sport and influenced changes in the rules that still stand today. He passed away June 1 at the age of 80 from complications from diabetes and kidney failure.

Mikan burst on the scene at DePaul University after being turned down at Notre Dame for being too clumsy. He led DePaul to the 1945 NIT Championship, was a part of Ray Meyer's first Final Four team in 1943, and was the collegiate player of the year in 1945 and 1946. After college, he was one of the early pioneers of professional basketball in North America. Mikan was 6-10, 245 in an era that was perimeter-oriented. His professional career spanned from 1946-56.

Mikan began his professional career with the Chicago Gears of the National Basketball League. He led the Gears to the league titles in 1946 and 47. After the Gears folded following the 1947 season, Mikan migrated to the Minneapolis Lakers. He led the league in scoring, earned the league's most valuable player award, and led the Lakers to the NBA title. In 1948, Mikan was the marquee player as the NBL merged with the Basketball Association of America to form the NBA. Mikan was the face of the Lakers as they captured five of the league's first six titles.

Mikan's influence on the NBA will stand forever. While at DePaul and in the NBA, Mikan played defense like a goalie. Their defense was similar to the modern day box and one, with the exception that Mikan would guard the basket instead of another player. Mikan has been quoted as saying that when the other team took a shot, he would just tap it out. To counteract that practice, the NCAA banned goaltending in 1944.

In the NBA, Mikan's dominance led to two major rule changes. Mikan was able to dominate on offense by standing one step away from the basket. Once he received the ball, it was a virtual guarantee that he would score. To combat Mikan's scoring ease, the NBA widened the lane from six to 12 feet. The other rule change that had Mikan's play stamped on it was the 24-second shot clock. In a 1950 game against the Lakers, the Fort Wayne Pistons figured the only way to beat Mikan's Lakers was to hold the ball. The Pistons prevailed 19-18 and by 1955, the 24-second shot clock was introduced.

Mikan's skills set the standard for the future of basketball. He used a big hook shot with either hand to score. The drill he used to work on his ambidextrous shot is still known as the "Mikan drill." Through hard work and dedication, Mikan proved that big men could have an impact on basketball. He led the NBA in scoring three times, rebounding twice and finished his career with 11,764 points. His 22.6 per game scoring average came during an era where points were at a premium.

Mikan was destined for the hardwood. He was already 5-9 by age eight, 6-0 by his 11th birthday, and 6-8 by the time he finished high school. When he arrived at DePaul, Meyer put him through a tough regimen to become a dominant player. In addition to perfecting his shooting from either hand, Mikan would jump rope, shadow box, and run three hours per day, five days a week.

Mikan was so important to the NBA's early success that the league often sent him to the next city a day early to publicize his next game. He only earned $12,000 per year, less than players now make per game. Mikan retired at 29, still the preeminent player on the NBA. His reasoning was that he wanted more time with his family and that it was time to enter the professional world outside of basketball.

Two years later, the Lakers coaxed him back to a struggling team. Mikan was a shadow of his former self. Mikan then tried his hand at coaching two seasons later. After a 9-30 start on the bench, Mikan resigned. The Lakers were unable to sustain their success at the box office without Mikan and by 1960, the Lakers headed to Los Angeles.

After his playing and coaching careers concluded, Mikan still had an influence in Minneapolis and throughout basketball. He became a corporate and real estate attorney and also lost a tight race as a republican for Congress. His legal background became helpful when he was the first Commissioner of the American Basketball Association and helping to bring the expansion Timberwolves to the Twin Cities. Mikan's brother, Ed, who passed away in 1999, also played in the NBA.

Mikan's legacy will live on long past his death. He was voted the best player during the first half of the 20th century, was a member of the NBA's 50 greatest players during the league's Golden Anniversary and the first inductee into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

Many great big men after him have paid their respects to him. Bill Russell claimed Mikan as his hero, Wilt Chamberlain said Mikan showed that big men weren't freaks, and Shaquille O'Neal acknowledged he wouldn't be in the NBA without Mikan. O'Neal also paid for Mikan's funeral.

All of Mikan's accolades and accomplishments can be summed up by the marquee at Madison Square Garden while he was a player:

Wed Basketball
Geo Mikan
Vs. Knicks

Posted by Alan Rubenstein at 2:07 PM | Comments (1)

I Hate Mondays: On-Ice Advice

Sponsored by CyberSportsbook.com

Officially, it's been just over a year since the last NHL game was played and while the off-ice issues are just over a month from being settled (allegedly), the on-ice dilemmas still remain.

People seem to forget that even though the sport was active and functioning prior to the current labor dispute, it wasn't watched or attended anywhere near the level of the NBA, NFL, or MLB.

But that can change in a second.

Let's assume that an agreement is met between the National Hockey League and its Player's Association by the end of the month. That means that a salary cap will (finally) be installed and a chaotic free agency period will ensue. Picture teams like the New York Rangers in a frenzy to trim about $30 million in payroll to get under the cap or teams like the Detroit Red Wings forced to pick and choose amongst their talent, who to keep and who to release. Will the St. Louis Blues retain both Keith Tkachuk and Chris Pronger if their contracts consume half of the teams allotted roster funds?

With a horde of prime players up for grabs on the market, this could be a historic signing season to watch — one more hectic than any offseason in any other major sport.

Add to that a draft which includes the highly-anticipated prospect Sidney Crosby and the NHL will emanate with excitement after lying dormant for a whole season.

There have been murmurs of on-ice changes to increase scoring: reducing the size of goalie equipment, making the nets larger and a concept of settling tie games with a shootout. If all those modifications are introduced simultaneously the amount of scoring may augment to an excessive degree. Remember the idea of expansion? They had the right thought then but they took it a little too far. The NHL has the right idea here again — scoring does need to pickup, but nobody wants to see the value of the goal decrease.

Here are four amendments that would truly return the coolest game on earth amongst the ranks of the major sports:

1. Enhance In-Between Play Entertainment

The NFL has sideline cheerleaders and a quality halftime show, the NBA has decent timeout merriments, and MLB offers inter-inning amusements, as well as a seventh-inning stretch. What that means for the NHL is that a zamboni and some jumbotron videos do not qualify as entertainment.

How about some cute girls on ice skates during a TV timeout or possibly some sexy cheerleaders in the crowd for motivation? Every other sport has cheergirls, so it's time for the NHL to shoot par. Stronger first and second intermission shows should also be on the to-do list in order to boost the value for the attending fans.

2. Punch-out Goons

If you are uncertain what the main objective of hockey is, let me clarify it for you: score more goals than your opponent. It doesn't involve fighting and it doesn't involve tough guys who intend to injure. You want to improve scoring? Take the one-to-two louts off of every team and replace them with a skill player. Don't worry, the game will still be physical. The rugged battles along the boards amongst power forwards will remain and tempers will still flare between rivals.

What will be subtracted are the Bob Proberts, the Sandy McCarthys, and the Peter Worrells who are more suited for a pair of boxing gloves than a pair of ice skates. There is no need for these thugs to muck up the free-flowing game that we love. Besides, what happens when a fight interrupts the play in baseball, basketball, or football? You are ejected and usually suspended. The NHL should emphasize more skill and finesse and slash the goons from the game.

3. Dress Casual, Forget the Ties

There is nothing like paying a pretty penny for hockey tickets to see your favorite and least favorite team end in a draw. Not only is it anti-climatic, but it defeats the purpose of sports. Shootouts seem to be the latest solution skating around the league to solve this predicament, but that is not the best way to settle even hockey games because that will, once again, diminish the significance of the goal.

If anyone has ever watched a four-on-four overtime, you know that the added space creates endless scoring chances for both teams, so why not play that way until the end? Yes, there will be the rare marathon, but baseball and basketball have lengthy overtimes and they play next day games, as well. Fans, particularly the ones who purchase tickets for these events, want better value out of hockey games so eliminating ties and, in the rare occasion, playing double or triple overtime will offer them that worth.

4. Make a Story, Change Arena Dimensions

There's no secret to the NFL's success, it has to do with their ability to create storylines from week to week. How will Michael Vick perform in the snow at Lambeau field? How will the high-octane Kansas City Chiefs fare against the stingy defense of the Baltimore Ravens? Well, the NHL can write some interesting plots of their own by tinkering with the playing surface.

Some pundits have frequently suggested playing on an international-sized rink to decongest the neutral zone and to open up the skating. While I like that idea, I suggest making some arenas the Olympic-size and leaving some the way they are. Take out the red line in a few arenas and leave it there for the others. Now, all of the sudden, franchises will start to cater to the dimensions of their stadium and teams will truly have home-ice advantage. Teams with an Olympic-sized ice will emphasize speed while the squads with a regular playing surface will be built bigger and more physical.

It's exactly how the Boston Red Sox have always looked for that right-handed slugger for their Green Monster at Fenway Park or how the Atlanta Braves have stressed pitching in their pitcher-friendly Turner Field. You satisfy to the contours of your stadium so that visiting teams are not comfortable at your home. Come playoff time, it would be interesting to see how a sizeable Philadelphia Flyers squad fares on a full-sized ice surface in Colorado or how the free-skating Avalanche would manage with less space in Philadelphia.

With a laundry list of changes on the way — off the ice and on the ice — the NHL should have an appealing aura that might catch the eye of the many supporters that they lost during their one-year hiatus.

As they say, change is good.

The old NHL and the new NHL mix like Mondays and me.

"I don't understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I'm frightened of the old ones." — John Cage

Don't miss next week's installment of "I Hate Mondays," sponsored by CyberSportsbook.com, a great sportsbook for horse racing and casino action!

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 12:54 PM | Comments (1)

June 11, 2005

NBA Finals: Playing the Game the Right Way

Some have mourned the fact that the the San Antonio Spurs and Detroit Pistons made the NBA Finals this year. With half-court offense, suffocating defense, and a slow-it-down approach, viewers would be bored to death.

Others have lauded applause on these two squads, and the prospect of a series played "the right way." Who wouldn't love a seven-game showcase of the fundamentals?

Both parties, regardless of whether they think it's exciting or boring, agree that the Spurs and Pistons share a distinctly team-oriented style. From top to bottom, from bench to center court, we can pretty much agree that defense and structured offense are pivotal to either team's success.

It's not out of the realm of possibility that some fans (both casual and fanatic) would have preferred seeing the Suns or the Heat in the Finals. Their style of play may come off as more exciting, more athletic, and easier on the eyes.

However, the assumption that the Spurs/Pistons matchup will be an all-time Finals snoozer underestimates the intelligence and passion of the general public.

Sure, the NBA has about as many ardent fans watching television broadcasts as the adrenaline-pumping, edge-of-your-seat sport of figure skating. Those fans are going to be watching anyway. Those are the fans that, for whatever reason, understand and are entertained by pick-and-rolls, double screens, and "the right way to play."

The fans that are going to be tuning in to these Finals, the casual fans, have already tuned in because this is for the World Championship. Touting the melodramatic storylines of Larry Brown and Greg Popovich, Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan, Rasheed Wallace, and Chauncey Billups isn't going to entertain and capture the attention of the casual fan. Not when you're telling them over and over again that there's something deeper than the superstars going on ... not when you tell them the finest art of basketball is being displayed.

We're not talking about Shaq, who could draw a million viewers at a press conference just telling jokes.

Don't sell us on something that you're not giving us.

If we (those who don't follow the NBA) have been wrong to think that the NBA is a league of thugs, self-centered young millionaires, and athletes born with the ability to jump out of the arena, but unable to rotate correctly on defense, then show us.

Don't assume that we can't find beauty in the fundamentals.

Instead of taking time to build up manufactured drama and storylines, bring up a replay of the Pistons and the Spurs playing the game "the right way" and diagram it for us. Tell us what to look for, illustrate how Manu got open for a jumper, or how a successful rotation by the Pistons forced a bad shot by the Spurs.

Don't wait for SportsCenter or the NBA Tonight to break down the game, because the opportunity was lost the moment you talked about Larry Brown's possible move to Cleveland instead of talking about the "fundamentals."

I'm sold on watching an NBA Finals that features the "right way to play the game," teams that have a system, and coaches that elevate X's and O's to zenlike figure skating letters dancing on a clipboard.

If that's what is on display on the court, then tell me about it.

Posted by Vince Grzegorek at 5:20 PM | Comments (1)

Sidney Crosby, Broadway-Bound?

"Since the Great One and Super Mario began re-writing NHL records 20 years ago, hockey pundits and fans have been looking out for The Next One. It's too early to tell if he will reach those great heights, but Sidney Crosby of the Rimouski Oceanic certainly has the hype." — TSN.ca, on top NHL prospect Sidney Crosby

"But we've heard about phenoms like this before, right? We all remember can't-miss prospects like Mike Ricci, Eric Lindros, Alexandre Daigle, and Jason Spezza, so how will Crosby fare? Is he the game's next superstar?" — TSN.ca, a few sentences later on the same webpage.

So along with delusions of grandeur and divine intervention, teenage hockey phemom Sidney Crosby evidently also inspires schizophrenia.

It's understandable. Some fans and media have put more faith in this kid (D.O.B.: Aug 7, 1987) to save the National Hockey League than in whatever collective bargaining agreement the players and owners hatch.

Is he that good? It doesn't matter at this point, because the perception of his ability and predestined star power is what matters. It's a potential that has fans salivating at the prospect of a league-wide draft lottery that would determine which team lands Crosby. And it's a potential that has the media wondering how this potential superstar could best help hockey ... by playing for one of its most needy and necessary franchises.

Here's Alan Hahn in Newsday, asking if there's any way the league might "adjust" the draft to get Sidney in a Rangers' uniform:

In saying this, the NHL might consider taking a page from NBA draft legend — remember Patrick Ewing and the "frozen" Knicks lottery card in 1985? — and ensure that the Rangers win so they can land the ultra-marketable Crosby, a junior hockey star dubbed the "Next One" who is drawing LeBron James parallels and already has a lucrative endorsement deal with Reebok.

A Reebok executive recently said the Rangers are the ideal team for Crosby, Reebok, and the NHL.

One NHL agent who doesn't represent Crosby said the league should take every step it can to place Crosby in New York, where the league hasn't had real celebrity buzz since Wayne Gretzky retired.

"If they don't," the agent said, "then they're dumber than we all thought they were."

Personally, I don't think Crosby in NYC would be the best scenario for the NHL. But I was more interested in finding out why someone else thought it was. So I've enlisted the help of Derek Felix, a freelance writer for NYSportsDay.com and a contributor to a book about the Detroit Red Wings by hockey writer Stan Fischler. He's an unabashed Rangers fan, and I think it's very big of me as a Devils fan to give up this much column space to the enemy. (Typically, our warring factions are like Republicans and Democrats, but without the civility.)

Felix up first, Wyshynski with the rebuttal. May the best fan win...

Why the NHL Needs Sidney Crosby On Broadway

By Derek Felix

I know. I know. I can hear the 'conspiracy theorists' kicking and screaming a mile away. Sidney Crosby a Ranger. These fans will have you believe the NHL will fix the draft lottery (and there will be one once the new CBA is announced) so that he winds up on Broadway.

I'm here to tell you critics and cynics that if they get him, it will be because they were one of the worst teams over the past few years, making it legitimate. The Rangers and Columbus Blue Jackets are two of the teams who should have a decent shot of landing the 17-year-old phenom. If the league really wanted to fix the draft, he'd wind up in Detroit, Colorado, Philadelphia, Dallas, Toronto, or even Ottawa, Tampa Bay, or New Jersey. Those teams have been very successful in recent years, which is why they should be excluded from landing Crosby because they don't need him.

What I do believe to be true is that if Crosby became a Ranger, he would be going to the largest media market in The States. The Rangers have missed the playoffs seven years running. Luckily for them, the '04-05 season never was played because make no mistake about it, in the kind of condition they were in, it would have been an embarrassing eighth-straight year of booking tee times in April.

For the naysayers who can't stand the thought of Crosby landing in New York, I have some advice: don't read the rest of this column.

But in the event you opt to, have your boxes of Kleenex ready!

The NHL, more than ever, needs Mr. Crosby to be drafted by the Rangers and save this dead Original Six franchise. For the league to regain instant credibility in America, Crosby centering the Rangers' top line — with, say, Jaromir Jagr — would be a huge draw. You think the top Canadian junior player couldn't handle it? Think again. We're talking about a cool, calm, and collected 17-year-old who was born to carry the torch and restore order to a dying league.

Crosby isn't a cocky kid like Alexandre Daigle, who never cared one iota about fulfilling expectations. Crosby is a nice-looking young man who has prepared himself well for the future. He doesn't blink when asked questions but instead, rolls with the punches and gives thoughtful responses. Such maturity for a teenager with the weight of a country and the balance of a league on his collective shoulders are big reasons why he will be successful.

Indeed, he can handle himself.

Imagine playing under the bright lights in the city that never sleeps at The World's Most Famous Arena, Madison Square Garden. Lately, that has changed to World's Most Dead Arena. That is why Crosby must fly on the ice for the Rangers. He can bring back disenchanted season ticket holders who tossed in the towel long ago. He can pack the house and make it sound the way the building did in 1994 when the team finally broke a 54-year Stanley Cup drought. Ironically, the league was on top of the mountain during that time.

People might point to Jagr. But what else do the Rangers, a team the NHL needs to have success, to draw fans back? That will make fans flock to the arena?

Bobby Holik? Who's coming to watch his ugly grinding style?

Tom Poti? I've seen women that hit harder.

Jamie Lundmark? Once deemed a future star, he'll be lucky if he makes it as a third liner.

Michael Nylander? Can you say overpaid, small, and aging center without yelling?

Mike Dunham? Are you kidding?

Darius Kasparaitis? He can throw some decent hits, but that's about it.

Fedor Tjutin and Maxim Kondratiev? Tjutin looked good in his initial Ranger stint as a 20-year-old. Kondratiev was acquired from the Maple Leafs as part of the Brian Leetch deal. Both will be decent two-way defensemen (imagine that Ranger fans) but neither will be a franchise player.

If you combine these players with the Dom Moore's, Garth Murray's, Alexandre Giroux's, Jed Ortmeyer's, Ryan Hollweg's, Chad Wiseman's, Bryce Lampman's, and Jason LaBarbera's who starred at Hartford, this is what will likely comprise of the Ranger roster. Barring a couple of free agent signings depending on how much cap room the team will have to spend. Don't bank on any big superstars coming here given the team's current state.

This roster doesn't exactly strike me as entertaining. Who is going to MSG to watch this bunch? A diehard like myself will be there because I have wanted to see the team rebuild since the Dolans created this mess. However, realistically, this team would be lucky to get 60 points. And I guarantee there would be plenty of empty seats. Haven't Ranger fans gotten sick of the increase in Devil, Islander, and Flyer fans that have stormed the Garden making it an adopted home. Before those fans get annoyed, you couldn't find a ticket on the street back in '97 when the Rangers were playoff bound.

What a player of Sidney Crosby's caliber could do for the Rangers would be remarkable. He could make them the team to see again because I can tell you right now, nobody is going to watch the maxed out Knicks. Talk about the definition of dull and overpaid.

Crosby playing with Jagr would be worth the price of admission. Fans would finally have a reason to get out of their seats. And we don't mean to purchase another beer or to leave after the first period. The Rangers would finally have a real first line centered by a future superstar from the beginning of his career.

If you stuck Crosby on the top line, Holik, Nylander and Moore could center the other units. Suddenly, the Rangers wouldn't look that bad down the middle. The lines could be more balanced, which would take pressure off the supporting cast because they could ease into their roles.

Would there be pressure on the kid? Without a doubt! The intense scrutiny would be immense. But I think this kid would thrive under it. He has the right personality and approach. He's got character and a smile that will light up the sky.

During a feature on second-year Heat teammate Dwyane Wade that aired on TNT's pre-game before Pistons/Heat Game 7, Shaq made a valid point about what a superhero is. He refers to Wade as "Flash" because of how cool he is on the court. What he said was that superheroes are usually quiet and reserved out of the spotlight. But when they're conducting themselves in their surroundings, a super quality comes out which defines why they're cool.

I see the same thing with Crosby. Imagine what kind of nickname they would give him in New York.

Not only would it be super if the wiz kid wound up here, but the endorsements and potential sponsors that would come crawling back to the league when it starts up again would be overwhelming. With a league that's a year removed from one of the darkest periods in sports history, this kind of attention and money is exactly what it needs to comeback strong. Marketing this player is not just essential to the league's survival but to its prosperity. Here in New York, there's no better place for a kid of this magnitude to lace up the skates. You think networks won't be scrambling to try to get a piece of the action?

If he doesn't wind up a Ranger, other suitable places could be Edmonton or Montreal. Imagine what Crosby would do for one of those struggling Canadian franchises. Under the old rules, neither club could compete seriously for a Cup. If you looked at both rosters, they don't have a franchise center like Sid. Imagine Crosby bringing back the glory days in Edmonton, reminding Oiler fans of another quiet superstar named Gretzky. That would be instant credibility for Western Canada and a real shot in the arm for Canada. Imagine the hometown kid plays for his favorite team up in Montreal. The Molson Centre would turn into the old Forum and the game would explode financially up north. This would be a welcome sight.

Other places that could be good fits are Chicago, Los Angeles, Anaheim, or Columbus.

The Blackhawks have been an awful franchise for a while. Though they saw the playoffs a few years ago, this once proud Original Six franchise hasn't had the kind of team a once diehard hockey city could wrap their arms around. With cheapskate Bill Wirtz running the franchise into the ground, a player like Crosby could make the Blackhawks a legit playoff contender again. Team him with Tuomo Ruutu and one of the NHL's biggest markets would be alive and well again.

The Kings were a decent playoff team not too long ago. But severe concussions to Jason Allison and Adam Deadmarsh damaged the team's future. In a fairly new arena at Staples Center, the Kings could use Crosby. Imagine the endorsements he could get in a large market such as LA.

Ditto for struggling franchise Anaheim. Only two years ago, led by Jean-Sebastien Giguere, the Ducks had a miracle run to the Cup finals before losing in seven to the Devils. Now, the franchise finds itself with a new owner and a lot of uncertainty. Sergei Fedorov is still with the team. But other than him, there really isn't much to get excited about. In order for Anaheim to survive, they could use a player such as Crosby to attract new fans.

I know what you'll say. Why would Columbus, Ohio be a good spot for the game's next great star? Enter Rick Nash, soon to be the game's most dominant power forward. And enter Nikolai Zherdev, soon to be a rising star who will light scoreboards up. Put Crosby with these two and you have a super trio who would bring instant credibility to the Blue Jackets franchise. Already one of Gary Bettman's best expansion teams in recent history due to the outpouring of support from fans, getting Crosby would make this a playoff team and a force to be reckoned with in the future.

Two other franchises which could use a boost are the Penguins and Capitals. Both did well in last year's draft with the Caps drafting Alexander Ovechkin first overall and the Pens landing Evgeni Malkin second. However, considering how both have fared recently, it wouldn't be bad if Crosby landed in either city. The MCI Center had been dead for a while, but they came crawling back when the Wizards finally won a playoff series. They'd do the same thing if Crosby teamed up with Ovechkin in the nation's capital.

Pittsburgh has struggled financially for years. Rumored to be getting a new owner, this franchise is in desperate need of a superstar who could do for it what Mario Lemieux once did. Hockey roots are strong in this city and it would be a shame if they lost their team. But if Crosby wound up there teamed with Malkin, they would be saved.

So, the question is where will he wind up? Hopefully for the NHL, it will either be in a market that can take advantage of what Crosby has to offer or a franchise that desperately needs him, which is what the lottery should do.

Why The NHL Doesn't Need Sidney Crosby On Broadway

By Greg Wyshynski

Look deep inside your hearts and minds, hockey fans. Listen to that little voice that accompanies each and every thought you have about Sidney Crosby, the prodigy/savior/sure-thing No. 1 prospect who's received more messianic coverage than HDTV from the hockey media.

What does that little voice keep mumbling, over and over and over again?

"Please don't turn out to be Alex Daigle ... please don't turn out to be Alex Daigle."

Daigle, the top pick in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft, went from "The Next One" to "The Bust" quicker than you can say Ryan Sittler. Now a role player for the Minnesota Wild, he had been promoted as the next Lemieux or Lindros — who knew they were actually talking about Jocelyn and Brett?

But in a way, Crosby is already Daigle. He's a mercilessly lauded prospect whose minor league exploits have earned him lofty comparisons and even higher standards to meet as a pro. He's been viewed not just as a player, but as a marketing cure-all. Daigle was the same kind of promotional linchpin the eyes of both the Ottawa Senators, who drafted him, and the Quebec Nordiques, who nearly traded up to draft him with an offer of star center Joe Sakic. A French-Canadian born in Montreal, Daigle was intended to be the ultimate draw for a team like Ottawa — attractive to both the French-speaking and English-speaking factions of the capital's population. Unfortunately, no matter how you translate 74 goals in 301 games, it still comes out as "journeyman."

Crosby is now being billed as the ultimate draw for one lucky team, and perhaps for the entire league. He's LeBron James on skates. Dwight Gooden with a stick. Michael Vick, only with more accurate passing. And there seems to be some sentiment that he shouldn't be "wasted," such as LeBron has been seemingly "wasted" in Cleveland, toiling for two seasons outside of the playoff spotlight while David Stern is stuck trying to pimp Tim Duncan vs. Pistons on a fan base that still has memories of Air Jordan flying through their minds.

According to some, to waste Crosby would be to place him anywhere but in Madison Square Garden and with its hockey tenants, the New York Rangers. The problem with the Rangers isn't gate — they were ninth overall in the league in 2003-04 with 18,003 home fans per game and fourth in road attendance with 17,011. The problem has been that they've been awful, the league needs them strong, and Crosby could be the catalyst to a Broadway revival.

I'm not going to argue that the NHL doesn't need a playoff-caliber Rangers team. It sure as hell does. As a Devils fan, I miss those nights spent scanning the ticker to see if the hated Rag$ had lost their game. But they've lost so often in the last decade, they've become neutered as a viable draw. The league has lost its greatest Big Bad. It's like on the old 1960s Batman series, when you'd tune in to see The Joker and get Bookworm instead.

But do the Rangers need Sidney Crosby, and does the NHL need Sidney Crosby in New York?

No, and probably no.

A good Rangers team is going to revitalize those old rivalries and bring back those apathetic fans whom jumped ship after that sixth year without a playoff appearance. Crosby could be the means to that end — so could sound management, a strong farm system, and better personnel decisions. (Isn't it depressing, Rangers friends, that an 17-year-old kid is more of a sure thing than the latter?) I'm scared to death that adding Crosby to the chronically mismanaged Rangers does nothing but make him even more of the LeBron James of hockey — a formidable draw during the regular season who'll need to buy a ticket to get into the postseason. If that's the case, then Crosby would truly be wasted.

Even if Sid goes to MSG and turns things around, it'll still be "The Rangers and superstar Sidney Crosby." Put him in Chicago — another embarrassment of an Original Six franchise — and it would be "Sidney Crosby and the Blackhawks." A successful Rangers team automatically becomes larger than life; a successful Blackhawks team is still playing in the shadow of Detroit and Colorado. Add Crosby to a winning team in Chicago, and they become the biggest draw in the Western Conference.

Oh, and there's that little subplot about the Stanley Cup, too. As in the fact that the Blackhawks haven't won the damn thing since 1961. There has been exactly three times in the last 30 years in which hockey transcended its niche status and spilled over into the mainstream: The Miracle on Ice, the Gretzky trade, the Rangers' Cup in 1994. The greatest fallacy floating around these days is "Solidify the Rangers, Save the NHL," which is solely based on the fact that in '94, the sport seemed poised to make a run into the top three in the States and the Rangers' run to the Cup was the reason. That was a unique moment in time, one that can't be recreated in New York (at least until 2048). But in Chicago, you have another major media market in another historic Cup drought. Bring in Crosby, bring Stanley to the Windy City, and you might see the same kind of popularity spike we saw in 1994.

It can be argued, of course, that the Blackhawks don't need Crosby any more than the Rangers, and simply need to "get better." I'm willing to buy that. So where else would Sidney work better than in MSG? (Apologies to our Canadian friends, but seriously: you guys don't think he's actually ending up Nord of da Border, do ye?)

Florida: Make Crosby the tent pole for the NHL's Plan for Southern Dominance. Get all of those South Beach celebrities in the arena to see The (Next) Great One, and then make sure they're on television as much as Jack Nicholson is at the Lakers games. The team is already loaded with promising offensive talent — add Sid to the mix, and those Panthers/Tampa games will become the hottest ticket in Florida since Space Mountain opened.

Los Angeles: This one's too easy. The last time the best player in hockey was added to the Kings, it opened up an expansion gold rush. L.A. is the league's No. 2 media market. If Crosby is what people say he is, we could have hockey in Vegas and Salt Lake City faster than you can say goodbye to the Carolina Hurricanes and Pittsburgh Penguins.

Buffalo: But only if they agree to flip back to the blue-and-yellows, and mass produce Sid replica jerseys A.S.A.P.

NY Islanders: Talk about killing two birds! Crank up the pathetic gate (13,431 home, 16,537 road) for the Isles, and get Crosby in New York. Or at least near New York. Okay, at least he'll be on the back page of Newsday. This could actually happen: remember that Gary Bettman grew up an Islanders fan, before he realized he was Satan's hellspawn and made it his life mission to bring misery to every hockey fan in North America. Or maybe we just want to keep Sidney as far away from New York as possible. Unless we want him to become Ed Whitson, Gregg Jefferies, or Blair Thomas.

I'm not going to deny there's something very sexy about putting Crosby on the Rangers and watching the New York media machine build him up. But the Rangers don't need him to become the Rangers again. And the NHL needs him too much to risk him getting destroyed by a Gotham media that isn't exactly a paradigm of forbearance, or getting bogged down on a franchise that hasn't had a winning season since 1997 and couldn't manage an Arby's without letting the roast beef spoil.

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 12:14 PM | Comments (0)

June 10, 2005

Chasing the Dream: Forecasting the NFC

As promised, part two of my hard-hitting documentary reporting on the upcoming NFL season. Okay, it is neither hard-hitting nor is it a documentary, but it is a part two and it is a well-known fact that everyone loves sequels. So without further ado, here are my 2005 NFL pre-preseason projections, NFC-style.

NFC East

Philadelphia Eagles	11-5
Dallas Cowboys		10-6
Washington Redskins	7-9
New York Giants 	6-10

And the Winner is...

Why mess with history? The Eagles should have no problem wrapping up a sixth-straight division title, though Dallas will certainly create some headaches along the way for Andy Reid and his charges. I want to add that this is not contingent on T.O. playing ... Owens is a difference-maker and worth all the trouble he causes (at least in my estimation), but you have to figure that his presence will help them in some games and hurt them in others, creating a status quo effect for their final record.

I will also add that this mantra only applies to the regular season and if the Eagles don't have the Mouthy One for the playoffs, they are in some deep doo-doo. The Cowboys will be too inconsistent on offense to pose a real threat to the Eagles, but should still give some teams fits. The 'Skins need to get their house in order, or else they may find themselves further down in the standings than I see them. The Giants are a work in progress and on the upswing, but seem to lack the kind of consistent defense you would have to see to consider them a real threat to the others in this division.

What Were They Thinking?

The Redskins have not taken a hard enough line with their players lately, and it is beginning to cost them in the worst way. Arrington bullies the franchise around like they're his personal prison bitch (please forgive the frank metaphor, it was the best I could do) and it is obvious they are willing to let Sean Taylor come and go as he sees fit. This is all a reflection of their much-maligned owner, Daniel Snyder, who implies through his actions that money talks and BS walks, but then lets the BS stomp his franchise into the ground.

To his credit, he's trying harder these days by bringing in legendary character coach Joe Gibbs, but he neglected to realize that Gibbs hasn't coached the "new era" of money-hungry malcontents Snyder helped create in today's game. Until a few feelings are hurt in Redskins Park, it doesn't seem likely that the culture of privilege and disrespect will cease to prevail anytime soon.

Surprise, Surprise

Many experts (and just about every misguided Cowboy fan) have hitched their wagons to the Dallas Express this off-season, first stop, Playoffville. Well, I just don't see it. The 'Boys are knocking on the door, but, much to the chagrin of all those blue star-toting yahoos I see daily in Houston, Drew Bledsoe is not the answer to their woes.

Without getting into too much detail, the Cowboys, on paper, are little more than a better coached and more disciplined version of the Redskins. Hard-hitting safety, above-average running game, slow-footed and sack-prone quarterback, solid offensive line, suspect pass rush — the similarities are startling. Yes, Bill Parcells will coach them to a few very impressive victories this season. Just as likely, Drew Bledsoe will have himself three or four huge performances. They should make the playoffs, but Rome was not built in a day, and they had some fellas a heck of a lot smarter than Bill Parcells working on that place, so don't expect too much come January from the silver and blue.

NFC North

Minnesota Vikings	10-6
Detroit Lions  		9-7
Green Bay Packers	6-10
Chicago Bears 		6-10

And the Winner is...

Minnesota should have no problem taking this division, but they will. On paper, the Vikings look like easy money — they took some very substantial steps to remake their defense into a juggernaut, they seemingly replaced their one major loss on offense (Randy Moss), they have a deep corps of talented runners (Whizzinator not included), and they are coming off a promising 2004 postseason run. All that may be true, but injuries are a concern, Daunte Culpepper may regress without Moss as a security blanket (let's not forget Daunte's alarming propensity for turning the pigskin over) and a defense that reshaped will need time to mesh.

The Lions are a promising offensive team with a solid defensive backfield and some athletic linebackers, but will be undone by their lack of a consistent pass rush. Brett Favre is still very good, but his supporting cast is not. The Bears are hard to get a read on, and may wind up outperforming my predictions, but I can't give them the benefit of the doubt quite yet.

What Were They Thinking?

Mike Williams is a fine receiver. Mike Williams will fit in perfectly with Charles Rogers, Roy Williams, and Marcus Pollard. Mike Williams give the Detroit Lions one of the most potent passing offenses any of us have seen (outside of the RCA Dome, anyway). But you have to question the Lions' logic of selecting him with the 10th overall pick in the '05 draft. Not when you need a big tackle and there are some on the board (most notably, Travis Johnson). Not when you are desperate for pass rushers and there are still several on the table (Shawn Merriman, DeMarcus Ware, and, to a lesser extent, Erasmus James). While I don't doubt Williams will develop into an excellent pro receiver, it just isn't a wise pick when you are a team on the verge of punching through a decade-long barrier of futility.

Surprise, Surprise

Aside from the aforementioned justification for Minnesota not running away with this division, some Brett Favre fans may be wondering just what I was thinking in putting such little faith in the "Lambeau Leap." Green Bay still lacks any kind of consistency from their defensive backfield, and when you are looking at this division, that is not a good thing. Yes, Favre will amaze us for yet another season, but he is not 28 anymore and will not be able to outscore every team they play.

NFC South

Atlanta Falcons			11-5
Carolina Panthers		10-6
New Orleans Saints   		6-10
Tampa Bay Buccaneers		5-11

And the Winner is...

Atlanta, and it won't be as close as the records indicate. Carolina has a relatively light schedule, which will give keep them close and may allow for a backdoor playoff entry, but don't have enough firepower to hang with the Falcons, especially with Vick finding his comfort level in the west coast offense. This will be the last year of Jim Haslett's tenure in New Orleans, as Aaron Brooks will finally spell the end of his embattled coach. The Bucs are in rebuild mode, but they'll pick up a few cheap wins along the way.

What Were They Thinking?

Retaining Jim Haslett was not only a humongous surprise to many NFL analysts, it was a monumental mistake. Ol' 'roid-head has proven to be more abrasive than an S.O.S. pad in his six years in southern Louisiana, and I've met nutria with better personalities (if you aren't sure what a nutria is, think of the offspring of a big dirty possum mating with a big, dirty rat — they call them "chicken" in Cajun Country and some kids even take them as pets).

I'll grant him the leniency of having to deal with a quarterback who has the distinction of throwing the best (and perhaps only) spiral toward the wrong end zone in the league's storied history, but it has become painfully clear that Haslett's motivational speaking skills were picked up while waiting for an Ultimate Cheeseburger in a Jack-in-the-Box drive thru. If not for Deuce McAllister and Joe Horn, the Saints would be a four-win team — but, since they do have that dynamic duo, they'll be a six-win team without a coach once December rolls around.

Surprise, Surprise

If the Carolina Panthers were a stock, I'd be selling. Yes, they had a great late season run last year backing up their Super Bowl appearance one year earlier. True, they had more than their share of injuries and still managed to tread water. This makes them a good team, not a great one. They say that once is an accident, twice is a trend, and by this logic, you have to realize that DeShaun Foster is injury-prone and Stephen Davis is about to become a huge investor in wheelchairs.

You can't win it all without a stable running game, and no matter what stats you through at me about the Nobody McWho's that carried the ground game down the stretch last season, that was little more than an anomaly and I am confident the future will bear this out as truth. Until Davis or Foster prove to me that they can remain healthy and effective, the Panthers will be chasing rather than chased in the hunt for championship glory.

NFC West

Arizona Cardinals    	9-7
Seattle Seahawks	7-9
St. Louis Rams		5-11
San Francisco 49ers	4-12

And the Winner is...

Arizona, I'd like to introduce you to the playoffs ... playoffs, this is Arizona. As hard to believe as it is, the Cardinals should finally get back to the postseason in 2005. The NFC West is to the NFL as PBS is to cable; undeniably a part of it, but no one really wants to watch. As such, the Cardinals are the hot-riser while the others are either stuck in neutral or barreling recklessly toward the edge of a cliff in reverse.

The Seahawks have officially missed their window as they look to rework a disappointing defensive unit. The Rams are a tired bunch, who may well put on a show or two but will ultimately fall victim to terrible coaching decisions and a confused, haphazard defensive scheme. I won't say much more about the 49ers, other than to say that they will be on the way up in a year or two with Mike Nolan now running the show, but as for now, not so much.

What Were They Thinking?

I could fill a filing cabinet with stories about St. Louis Rams coach Mike Martz here. Chris Chandler, coach's challenges, missed timeout calls, fourth-down conversion attempts — the decision's have mostly been quite mind-numbing. However, I'd be remiss if I didn't use this space to question the benching of future Hall of Fame running back Marshall Faulk. I fully understand that Marshall is a realist and knows that his days are numbered. I am equally aware of the talent young Steven Jackson possesses.

Faulk, as a team player, will likely take the party line and reiterate whenever a microphone is in his face that he just wants to do what is best for the team, but if you know anything about Faulk, you quickly will realize that this is a huge mistake for the chemistry of that team. Almost certainly, Faulk will be motivated to give his all and should perform to the top of his ability. This is good. But what isn't good is the dissension a move like this creates. An "old guard" and "new guard" will develop within the locker room, some of whom question Faulk's role, others who maintain that a talent such as Jackson should be used as often as possible.

All the while, Martz will be calling far too many passing plays. The sad thing is this all could have been avoided if Martz just would have not opened his rather substantial pie hole in early May and would have made a similar announcement after training camps began. As innocuous as that premature announcement may have seemed, you can quote me come November — this is the beginning of the end in St. Louis. I'm talking unmitigated disaster here.

Surprise, Surprise

Seattle is a franchise in transition. As solid a job as they did in the offseason in terms of player retention, at least one onlooker (yours truly) sees a team that is running in place. QB Matt Hasselbeck may be putting up some very nice statistics, but he isn't winning games for the Seahawks. Shaun Alexander is miserable in the northwest, doesn't respect his coach, and is a three-game losing streak away from talking his way into pariah status in Seattle. The receiving corps seemingly gets thinner and thinner each year. While many still maintain that this team is ready to take the next step in their progression into the game's elite, I just don't see it that way.

Playoff Picture

Division winners: Philadelphia, Minnesota, Atlanta, Arizona
Wildcard entrants: Carolina, Dallas

Round 1: Minnesota over Carolina, Dallas over Arizona
Round 2: Atlanta over Dallas, Philadelphia over Minnesota
NFC Championship Game: Atlanta over Philadelphia
Super Bowl: Atlanta over Cincinnati

It's as easy as that. Atlanta takes the title away from Philadelphia and then handles Cincinnati in Super Bowl XL to bring Michael Vick his first NFL title. Questions and comments are welcomed, except from you bitter Cowboy fans, because y'all just don't make any sense. As for the rest of you, fire away!

I'm not one to make a bold prediction and then bury it under some stack of articles in hopes of it just fading into cyberspace. What's written here is binding as far as accountability goes. As a journalist, I have a certain standard to live up to and intend to stand firmly behind my printed words.

Unless, of course, I'm wrong. But that's why pencils have erasers.

Don't miss part one: Chasing the Dream: Forecasting the AFC

Posted by Matt Thomas at 3:03 PM | Comments (15)

Sports Q&A: Danica vs. Robbie

Shirley from Schenectady, New York asks, "Does Robbie Gordon have a legitimate gripe when he claims that Danica Patrick has an unfair advantage as a driver because of her weight?"

Poor Robbie's at a disadvantage to all other race care drivers, or at least those that aren't idiots, aren't whiners, and don't have big mouths. If anything, Patrick has a disadvantage because of her lack of weight; she does not have nearly the strength that her male counterparts have to control their cars.

Aren't you race car drivers always complaining that you don't get enough credit for being true athletes? Isn't strength part of athleticism? You don't hear Patrick complaining that she's not strong enough to drive her car, do you, Robbie Gordon? Even if she did, would she moan that she wouldn't race until the men's cars are made more difficult to drive? No, she'd probably hit the weight room harder than she already does. So, Robbie, take that as a hint. Maybe you should shed some weight, and drop some of the arrogance while you're at it.

Gordon has made a name for himself as the clown dunce of auto racing. It's no wonder that no one has rushed to Gordon's defense. If Gordon lived in a village populated by idiots only, he would still be the village idiot. He's burned all his bridges in NASCAR, where he was probably the most disliked driver, by fans and fellow drivers alike. Now, he refuses to drive an Indy Racing League event until something is done about Patrick's weight advantage. Well, Robbie, we haven't really noticed you weren't driving in IRL, so let's hope IRL does nothing about the situation. That way, we'll never have to see you again.

Think about it, Robbie. In many sports, size is an advantage. In basketball, taller players have their advantages in some aspects of the game. But has a smaller player ever complained that a taller player had an unfair advantage? No. The smaller player has his own advantages that the taller player does not. That's why the tall guy plays center and the shorter guy plays guard.

And, have you ever heard of horse racing, Robbie? In case you haven't noticed, people called jockeys ride the horses? And if you have noticed those jockeys, you would know they are usually of the 5'2", 98-pound variety. There's a reason 200-pound buffoons like you aren't jockeys. No, Robbie, it's not because the horses told them they were too heavy. It's because horses go faster carrying less weight.

A 200-pound jockey wouldn't make it very far in the sport, especially if he demanded that the lighter jockeys strap on weights to ensure that all the horses were carrying equal weights. You do that, and see if you don't end up shoveling horse manure out of D. Wayne Lukas' stable. That is, if the lighter weight-shovelers don't object to the unfair advantage you possess as a heavier shoveler.

If you really want an idea about how silly your request sounds, Robbie, just take a look at your own sport, auto racing. Not every driver weighs exactly the same, so where do you draw the line on how much weight is an advantage?

Let's say Indy 500 champ Dan Wheldon weighs 160 pounds. Is 60 pounds a disadvantage? If so, how on earth was he able to pass Patrick carrying that burdensome, extra 60 pounds? Maybe he just had a faster car, or maybe, just maybe, he's a better driver than Patrick. And maybe Patrick is a better driver than you, Robbie. That's probably what this is all about — your chauvinist mindset won't allow you to admit that Patrick is more talented.

Rodney from Long Island, New York writes, "In the span of a week, golfer David Toms subtly gave the finger to a heckling fan, and Texas Ranger pitcher Francisco Cordero grabbed his crotch while staring at the Royals' bench. Should either be punished?"

Neither athlete was punished by their respective governing bodies, the PGA and Major League Baseball, nor should they have been. In both cases, the gestures were fairly subtle, if the finger and a crotch grab can be called subtle. Other athletes have done worse, and not been punished. That's not to say Toms and Cordero won't see some form of retribution, whether it be from fans or other teams, because they will.

First, let's take a look at Toms. Toms flipped the bird after a member of the gallery heckled him after a three-putt. The key word here is "member," singular. One single fan uttered something that offended Toms, who lost control, and signaled the fan with the old scratch of the nose middle finger. He's lucky he's a golfer — otherwise, he would have heard the same thing from other fans. It could have been much worse. An entire stadium of fans could have chanted, "Who's your daddy?" Or he could have been hit with a cup of beer, or, even worse, a flare, as some lunatic soccer fans have been known to do.

In general, golf fans are probably the most well-behaved of sports fans. Toms should consider himself lucky that's all the negativity he had to face, and be happy he's at the mercy of golf fans, who are probably the only fans who applaud all shots, not just the good ones. Golf fans show quite a bit of decorum, even after they stumble out of the beer tent and into the bleachers at the 17th green.

And golf fans are often too nice — if you're like me, you're sick of hearing fans compliment golfers with the overused phrase, "You the man!" Golf already has enough etiquette, from fans and players alike. Wouldn't golf be great if fans were allowed to heckle? If a basketball player has to take free throws with a swarm of fans screaming and waving behind the basket, shouldn't golfers be subject to the same conditions as they line up a pressure put on the 18th?

Besides, does Toms really think his little gesture intimidated the heckler? I don't think the David Toms' glare ever scared anyone, except maybe Colin Montgomerie. And speaking of Montgomerie, he's an example of a golfer who's failed to realize that if you show your irritation at a heckler, you're just asking for more of the same. And that's what Montgomerie gets every time he sets foot in America, which he rarely does now as a result of his reaction to hecklers.

In Cordero's case, he will likely get his comeuppance the next time the Rangers face the Royals. Luckily, for him, he's a pitcher in the American League, and, with the designated hitter, does not bat. If he did, he would most likely see a fastball sail behind his head. As it is, one of his teammates will likely take the fall and be hit by a Royal pitcher. Aren't the unwritten rules of baseball great?

But, unfortunately, as the unwritten rules of baseball go, it takes several actions to resolve a conflict. In other words, if the Royals throw at the Rangers, then the Rangers charge the mound and a likely bench-clearing brawl ensues. Conflict over? Not likely. The Rangers then may throw at the Royals, leading to more brawls, ejections, etc. Problem not solved.

Now, if baseball had the greatest unwritten rule in sports, the controlled two-man hockey brawl, these type of baseball conflicts could be resolved in one act. When Cordero grabbed his crotch, both teams could have sent out their enforcers for fisticuffs on the diamond. All other players would stay away, and when umpires saw an opportunity to break it up, they would. And those chubby umpires would have no trouble doing so. Two men resolve the conflict and you know it's over when it's over. With bean balls and retaliation, every player on both teams is involved, and you never know if a conflict has reached its end.

Anyway, I agree with the PGA and MLB — no punishment was necessary. But these two athletes will face the consequences of their actions in the future. As the rap group Public Enemy said on vinyl, "You're Gonna Get Yours."

Get Your Questions Answered!

Do you have a question or comment? Need your palm read, or greased? Looking for a good cockfight? Warrants piling up? Need an organ harvested on the black market? Then send your question/police record/organ needed to [email protected]. You may get the answer you're looking for in the next column on Friday, June 24th.

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 1:56 PM | Comments (0)

These Cubs Are Dusty's Kind of Team

Dusty Baker's lineup card should be written on a chalkboard, or a dry-erase board, or perhaps some parchment. Because what's on paper never seems to matter.

On paper, his 2002 San Francisco Giants should have never made it to the World Series. They did. On paper, his 2004 Chicago Cubs should have at least come close. They didn't.

And now, the 2005 Cubs — the stripped-down, less powerful, injury-riddled, not-that-great-on-paper Cubs — are playing better than the 2004 edition really ever did.

The Cubs' record doesn't bear out a positive difference, and maybe it's just their recent hot streak clouding the perception. But either way, the Cubs are playing good baseball.

They're within striking distance in the National League Central. They're leading the wildcard race. And they're looking like an actual team — with chemistry, with personality, with toughness, and with a chip on their shoulder — instead of a collection of stars that just didn't seem to get along.

They're also looking a lot like those Giants. And Dusty can handle a team like those Giants.

That's not to say that Dusty couldn't handle the 2004 Cubs. But by the end of the season, with a wildcard lead evaporating and clubhouse politics spinning out of control, you had to wonder. The team that was supposed to finally launch Chicago back to the heights of baseball greatness never really got off the ground. Injuries certainly played a role, and the Cardinals' incredible season made it tougher to compete. But even a perfectly healthy version of the Cubs would have been missing something. That special something. What the Cardinals had. What the Red Sox had. What Dusty's Giants had.

And it didn't seem like Cubs brass did much of anything to bring the team closer to that special something.

They let Moises Alou walk and didn't go after any established left fielders to fill the void. They watched Matt Clement sign with the Red Sox, and felt content to find a fifth starter in spring training. They let Mark Grudzielanek ship out to St. Louis in favor of Todd Walker. And, of course, they sent Sammy Sosa to Baltimore in a trade that was more about getting rid of Sammy than getting anything in return.

And so there the Cubs stood. A less powerful offense. A less dominant pitching rotation. And all the same questions that hovered around the 2004 Cubs.

On paper, not destined for much of anything. On Dusty's chalkboard? Maybe something more.

It didn't start out so great. The offense was predictably anemic. Nomar Garciaparra went down. And the injury bug snuck into the rotation again. Yeah, Derrek Lee was hitting everything in sight, but Aramis Ramirez was struggling. Corey Patterson was struggling. Jeromy Burnitz wasn't doing much. They still couldn't find a closer.

And when it seemed like things couldn't get any worse, Mark Prior took a line drive off his elbow. He writhed in pain on the ground. He thought for a second that his season, even his career, might be over. Pundits waxed about a death knell for the Cubs.

But all of a sudden, it seemed like the Cubs embraced the absurdity of it all. They looked at the disabled list, with Prior and Kerry Wood and Nomar featured prominently, and they shrugged. They looked at their record and set out to change it.

And they won that game, the one in which Prior went down. Then they won the next game, and the next game and pretty soon, they had won seven in a row. They've stayed relatively hot and stood at 30-26 as of Monday.

Lee is still scorching. Ramirez is finally heating up. Neifi Perez looks more like Nomar than Nomar. And the patchwork pitching staff is doing more than enough to win games.

Whether the Cubs can stay hot remains to be seen. They may yet revert back to the team that, on paper, should hover around the middle of the pack.

But Dusty seems to have a way with teams like this one, teams that aren't just a pricey hodgepodge of talent. His Giants had only two real stars — Barry Bonds and Jeff Kent.

The rest of the lineup included the J.T. Snow's and David Bell's of the world. The pitching rotation had Jason Schmidt, but he hadn't reached star status yet. Workhorses like Livan Hernandez and Russ Ortiz carried the team.

And yet, the Giants nearly won a world championship.

By all accounts, a masterful managing job by Dusty Baker had a lot to do with it. Enough that the Cubs spent big money to bring Dusty to Chicago.

What they didn't do was bring a Dusty Baker kind of team to Chicago. Now, seemingly more by subtraction than addition, maybe they've done that.

But they should give Dusty a chalkboard just to make sure.

Posted by William Geoghegan at 12:32 PM | Comments (0)

June 9, 2005

A Day at the Ballpark

Regardless of to whom you are talking, there is a very real societal chasm between those who enjoy professional baseball and those who detest it. On one hand, you hear all the rhetoric about how the games are too long, the action is too sporadic, and the superstars are too bloated with illegal muscle enhancers. On the other, you hear about how "America's Pastime" is a sweet science, a confluence of skill, intellect and strategy, and how nothing beats a day at the "ol' ballpark" with the family.

For what it is worth, I subscribe to the latter of the two theories, but have a loving wife who firmly aligns her arguments with those of the former. As such, I am forced (through respect for the mother of my children) to not discount the facts that make up the opposing view to my own.

This uncharacteristically liberal acceptance of discordant opinions, even if held begrudgingly, does serve as some manner of beacon to me as I strive to reach that sports Nirvana many of our great athletes call "the zone" in my writing. Is there a right or wrong here? If so, how is it defined? More importantly, is my marriage so important that I should hypocritically defy my gut feeling to kick that baseball-hating temptress to the curb? (Sorry, Honey ... forgot that you read these! I love you!)

In search of the answers to all but the last of those questions (which, coincidentally, should send me on a pilgrimage to the sofa this evening), I went on a pilgrimage of sorts recently. No, I didn't go looking for spiritual healing with Tibetan monks and I certainly didn't go tenting in Australia with Ricky Williams. My pilgrimage took me to Norwich, Connecticut and was intended to be little more than a pit stop on my family's recent visit with Ma and Pa Thomas in the chilly Northeast.

It began with an innocuous ride through the countryside, over the hills and valleys that make up the personality of New England and teeming with wildlife, greenery, and rock that has not yet been corrupted by the greedy cities in their unquenchable thirst for growth. Through a small business park to the top of a modest mountain and cradled by evergreens on all sides sits the culmination of my search, a small gem of a ballpark they call Dodd Stadium, the home of the Norwich Navigators.

On this occasion, most of the stadium's 6,200 seats are filled with eager men, women, and children. On this night, as with all other Friday night home games, there will be a post-game firework extravaganza. Additionally, the Portland Sea Dogs are in town and they represent the Boston Red Sox, which just happens to be the pet professional team of the area.

The game turns out to be a rather average 4-1 win for the home team, complete with a torrential rain storm moving in after the sixth inning and ending the festivities early. The fireworks extravaganza scheduled for the evening is, quite understandably, washed out. All in all, this seems like a case study for the masses who collectively vilify the sport as a monumental waste of time. Perhaps my quest is over, with the answer being quite unexpectedly in line with the weekly lament from my wife I endure as I settle onto the couch for a thrilling Cubs/Pirates twin bill. Maybe baseball is, as they say, for the birds.

As three generations of Thomas men rode through the hammering raindrops and flashing lightning, I took a few moments to ignore the indigestion from the snack bar and held a moment of introspection on what my thoughts were coming away from what would topically be classified as a monumental disaster in my first attempt at making my son a diehard sports fan.

I thought back to the line at the will call table. (Yes, it really was a table. Not a kiosk. Not a booth. Four folding legs and an aluminum chair. It definitely was a table.) The line was at least 30 people deep. At this point, the sun was still hanging heavily overhead, and it seemed to be no more than a yard stick or two away as you stood in line on the pavement. Those who manned this table worked inefficiently and seemed to enjoy talking to those in line more than they liked actually handing out tickets. The people came and the people waited and, most importantly, the people smiled.

I thought of the snacks. The slightly off-colored hot dogs smothered with chili. The soggy fries stuffed into a cup that looked exactly like the pseudo-vat that housed our flat sodas. I thought of the several hundred people just like me who stood in line for 10 minutes only to have to bob-and-weave gingerly back through another hundred or so people with arms overloaded with not-so-good goodies, hopeful not to spill a thing. Still, the people smiled.

I thought of the two ladies who sat in front of us and kept score on their makeshift lineup cards and who had a rhyme for every player on the home team and recited them religiously with each at bat.

I thought of the young lady who sat just to our left, wearing the home team's jacket, hat, and hair scrunchie who gave us a fourth inning dissertation on about two dozen of the team's players, complete with visual aids (yes, she brought her photo album to the game).

I thought of the husband and wife sitting immediately to our right, cuddled up and excitedly taking in everything from the electronic pitch speed indicator in center field to the circa-1988 jumbo-tron under the scoreboard in right.

I thought of these people's disconcertion when the thunderclouds started to roll in and when the downpour let loose, as if Mother Nature herself had it out against each of them.

I thought of how the entire stadium's populous huddled up and quickly slid up the aisles in unison to the covered concourse in a vain attempt to stay as dry as possible. Still, the people smiled.

I thought of those who sat in the last row down the right field line, with a slightly obstructed view and no cup holders. They could hear little more than their neighbors' drunken calls for a better umpire with slightly more exacting vision. For them, the rain came without warning and they were last in line to make it under the concourse's sheltering roof. Still, the people smiled.

I thought of our seats. Two rows back behind the catcher. You could see into both dugouts. You could here the crack of the bat, the pop of the catcher's mitt, the muffled cadence of the umpire's judgments. Even the untrained eye could tell the difference between a homerun and a harmless lineout to center from this vantage point.

I thought of how big a waste it was for us not to be able to enjoy the whole game or the fireworks from this prime location, even after investing in the seats. I thought of the hundreds of others who sat close by, undoubtedly wondering the same. Still, the people smiled.

I looked at my son, all of 6-years-old who had just had his first professional baseball experience rained out after a short six innings. I thought of how he didn't have a rhyme for each player, didn't know what the umpire was talking about, didn't know the name of any of the guys in the pictures we were shown, and didn't even know what jumbo-tron meant. He didn't get to see the fireworks he was promised. The cold he had when we got there was far worse by the end of the night after some chilled Connecticut rain.

I saw that he smiled.

I listened as he told his grandma, his mother, and his aunt all about his t-shirt and the alligator mascot that made eye contact with him and acknowledged that he had been seen. I listened as he rifled off the final score and how he saw three homeruns hit and how this girl had shown him some pictures of players. I listened as he talked about the bat spin race and the ball-blowing contest held between innings and about the kids who sang an off-key version of the Star-Spangled Banner just before the opening pitch. He didn't even mention the fireworks that never happened, the cold rain, the wait in line, the slightly discolored chilidog, the soggy fries, or the flat soda (though he wore a sample of each of those last few items on his jacket).

I saw that he still smiled.

It was at that moment that I had in epiphany. I thought of my wife and I and one of our very first dates. We went to see the Astros play the Cubs at Minute Maid Park. This woman, the same woman who derides me mercilessly whenever the subject of baseball is breached, wore a smile all night long as the 'Stros thumped my beloved Cubbies. She knows the results of this game to this day. She remembers where we sat, what we were wearing, what we ate. I remember that she, too, smiled. Like our son smiles now-big and proud and full of honest joy-she smiled.

You see she, like so many before her, was a victim of the moment. To this day, on the rare occasions she deigns to accompany me to a baseball game, she forgets just for a few hours how slow that game is and she smiles. Bad seats, good seats, great seats — it doesn't matter. The experience is appreciated at a level that transcends affluence, age, and gender.

This, I realized at that moment, is the answer I was looking for. None of it matters — the quality of the game, the length of the contest, the character of the participants, the view from your seats — none of that is what makes baseball what it is. You don't love the game, you love where the game brings you. You love that you can see that same passion in your father's eyes. You love that you can pass that same passion to your children. You love that you can bring your wife to a place that she, by all indications, despises and share with her a great time and watch her cheer loudly for hits and swear just as loudly when the umpire misses a call, even if she doesn't know who exactly she's swearing at.

I realize now that there is no chasm. There are those who regularly go to games and those who do not. There are those who regularly watch games on television and those who do not. On the streets, in the house, at the office, all bets are off. Opinions rule like despotic dictators. But, all things being equal, once you step through those turnstiles, everyone shares the same love, respect, and adoration for "America's Pastime."

Like it or not, we are all fans. Some of us just don't realize it. But we all smile. Big and proud and full of honest joy.

Just ask my 6-year-old son. He'll tell you that's what it's all about.

And he'll do it with a smile.

Posted by Matt Thomas at 1:12 PM | Comments (0)

NASCAR Top 10 Power Rankings: Week 13

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Jimmie Johnson — Johnson's fourth-place at Dover kept him ahead in the points of race-winner Greg Biffle, albeit by a slim 46-point margin. Johnson's most impressive accomplishment of the day, however, was achieving that fourth-place despite losing his car's air conditioning mid-way through the race.

"Man, that was a killer," adds Johnson. "Not only was the temperature in the high 80s and 42 other cars were spewing hot exhaust, there was also all that hot air coming from the FOX announcers' booth."

Johnson has been able to maintain his points lead over the charging Biffle as a result of his consistency (besides a 40th at Richmond, no finishes lower than 20th) and his record in races won by Biffle. In those four Biffle victories, Johnson has a second, a third, a seventh, and a fourth, meaning Johnson does not lose a great deal of ground when Biffle wins.

"And, when I win," adds Johnson, "I know how to manage a victory burnout without slamming my car into the wall. I think that's the first time the winner of a race went to victory lane under caution. Way to go, Biffle. You just made NASCAR the laughing stock of auto racing."

Johnson will be the favorite at Pocono on Sunday, where he won twice last year. With the two races at Long Pond scheduled only 42 days apart, Johnson is poised to put some distance between he and Biffle. It looks like this year, if the Johnson/Biffle battle is an indication, the Nextel Cup champion will actually have to win races to hold the title.

2. Greg Biffle — Biffle bagged his series-leading fourth win of the year at the Monster Mile at Dover, a track on which he has struggled in the past. The Roush driver had already established himself as one of NASCAR's elite by his performance so far this year. His win Sunday fortifies that status — Biffle has shown vast improvement from last year, and he, along with Jimmie Johnson, seem to be the only drivers capable of winning the Chase this year.

"But I have an important advantage over all of the other favorites to win the Cup," adds Biffle. "Unlike the Johnson's, the Gordon's, the Busch's, the Stewart's, the Hatfield's, and the McCoy's, I don't have any enemies. No one wrecks me into the wall, except myself, of course. Who says 'Nice guys finish last?' I haven't finished last all year. I don't care what Satan tells me — you don't have to be evil to be good."

Biffle's win was keyed by a decision to change all four tires on his final pit stop. As the only car amongst the leaders to do so, Biffle relinquished of track position, but recaptured his lead when Johnson pitted with 17 laps to go. Biffle then cruised to a four-second victory over second place Kyle Busch, and celebrated by slamming the wall after losing control on his celebratory burnout.

"That was simply a case of loss of concentration," adds Biffle. "I had two things on my mind: how to spin my tires and, at the same time, how to get to that Subway sub in my lap."

3. Ryan Newman — Newman's eight-place finish was his fourth straight top-10, and moved him within nine points of third place in the points. Newman was one of two Dodge drivers in the top 10, the other being Newman's former car owner Rusty Wallace.

"In case you guys haven't noticed," says Newman, "I'm one of the hottest drivers in NASCAR right now. I'm no longer under the pressure of being forced to have a relationship with Rusty. No offense to Rusty, but he's old-school and I'm new-school. He's a little bit country, and I'm a little bit rock 'n roll. We just don't mix."

I see your point, Rocketeer. That would be like a country legend like Merle Haggard hanging out with Kenny Chesney — it wouldn't happen.

The Rocket Man started fourth on the grid after qualifying was rained out and positions were determined by points. Apparently, rain is one of the few things that can keep Newman off the pole. The No. 12 Alltel Dodge competed in the top 10 all day, but Newman and crew could not quite find the balance to produce a car capable of winning. After a fuel-only pit stop on lap 382, Newman lost four spots after rejoining the field, and took the checkered in eighth.

Newman experienced an off year at Pocono in 2004, with a 30th and a 13th at Long Pond. 2003 was a more Newman-like year, with a fifth and a win, as well as a pole. Newman is on the verge of breaking into the top three in points, and once there, could be the man to push Johnson and Biffle for points-lead status.

4. Elliott Sadler — Despite leading 128 laps, second only to Biffle's 150, Sadler and the No. 38 M&M's car were bitten by a power steering failure that flared up 30-40 laps from the finish. As a result, Sadler was forced to manhandle his 3,400-pound racecar around the Monster Mile, where handling is tough even with power steering.

"If you've ever tried to turn an elephant on a dime, then you know what it was like for me those last 40 or so laps," explains Sadler. "Not that I've ever driven an elephant, but I hear it's quite a task, especially when the elephant is handling a little loose."

Despite his troubles, it was Sadler's fourth top-10 finish at short track races this year. Sadler has been fairly consistent at Pocono in the last three years, with no finish lower than 21st, with a best of ninth in 2003. Expect Sadler to come home in the top-10.

5. Tie: Jeff Gordon/Tony Stewart — The Monster Mile claimed its first accident retirements when Stewart nudged Gordon on lap 41, sending the No. 24 Monte Carlo's rear end bouncing off the wall and subsequently collecting the No. 32 car of Ricky Rudd. Gordon's day was done, and his hopes of claiming his fifth win at Dover were extinguished with a 39th-place result. Stewart drove away, likely with a satisfied, yet maniacal, grin on his face, and managed to cross the finish 15th, one lap down.

Afterwards, Gordon basically said "It's on!", while Stewart essentially countered by responding "Bring it on!" In baseball terms, Gordon said he will be throwing at Stewart's head the next time he takes the mound. Stewart said he will charge the mound if that happens.

The wreck cost Gordon dearly in the points, as he fell out of the top 10, to 11th, for the first time since Bristol. A top-10 finish was probably a sure thing, as three other Hendrick drivers, Kyle Busch, Johnson, and Brian Vickers, finished second, fourth, and sixth, respectively. It was another DNF for Gordon, and his fifth finish of 30th or worse on the year.

"Hey, I know some people don't like me, and Tony Stewart is on top of that list," says Gordon. "Does Tony really like anyone? He's feuded with pretty much everyone here at one time or another. I've even seen Tony argue for hours with a brick wall. He loves getting the last word. I can only promise him this: DuPont, my sponsor, specializes in automotive finishes — I guarantee, at Pocono, the No. 20 car will have some DuPont paint on it, probably on the rear bumper."

Stewart accused Gordon of being a "whiner," then claimed to have no knowledge of a popular saying in which a pot calls the kettle black.

If Stewart and Gordon do cross paths at the 2.5 mile oval at Pocono, where speeds average in the 170s, look for them both to remain sane and not mix it up. Now, if they meet in pit lane, there could be some action. Otherwise, the tension and war of words will keep NASCAR fans happy until there next mishap. I'm going to make a prediction here: I think Gordon and Stewart will qualify side-by-side, then will trade hand gestures and evil stares instead of paint.

7. Mark Martin — Seeking his fifth win at Dover, Martin duplicated his best finish of the season (Martinsville), with a third place, following race winner Greg Biffle and second place Kyle Busch across the line. Martin ascended five places in the points, to sixth, 324 behind Johnson.

"I'm like fine wine and Christopher Walken," says Martin. "I just get better with age. But I've never had the honor of popping the cork on a bottle of champagne to celebrate a NASCAR championship."

But he's been close. In his career, Martin has four second places, four thirds, and two fourths in the Cup points final standings. That's why Jack Roush has dedicated this season to giving whatever it takes for Martin to win that elusive Cup.

"I just hope Mark's career isn't defined by never winning a Cup title," says Roush. "He's done so much more. He's been such a great mentor to my young stable of drivers. In fact, I think when Mark's driving days are over, I might just hand over my straw hat and giant bank account to him and let him run this team."

Roush has the resources, and Martin certainly has the talent and experience to make one final run at the title. But in the powerful Roush garage, it may take more than that, like, say, the mysterious disappearance of Greg Biffle, for Martin to claim his deserved Cup title.

8. Carl Edwards — Edwards experienced a tough weekend, finishing 31st in the Busch race on Saturday, after starting on the pole, then falling two laps down on his way to a 16th in the MBNA 400. In addition, Edwards had the lowest finish among all of his Roush teammates, as the other four Roush cars finished in the top ten.

"Kick a man when he's down, will you?" laments Edwards. "And in the groin, at that. I think I did pretty well, finishing sixteenth and being two laps down."

Speaking of 2 Laps Down, didn't they perform in Daytona earlier this year? Those guys rock. Oh, that was 3 Doors Down? My bad.

Edwards will experience the unique 2.5 tri-oval at Pocono Raceway for the first time on Sunday. The No. 99 Home Depot Ford has the horsepower to compete on the Pocono straight-aways, but can Edwards solve the mystery of braking and shifting at the speedway's three different corners? If Edwards leaves Pocono still in the top-10 in points, I think he would call that a huge success.

9. Kurt Busch — Busch's 10th-place finish at Dover was vastly superior to his 43rd at Charlotte a week earlier, but was still inferior to younger brother Kyle's second place. Still, big brother Kurt holds a substantial points lead on little brother Kurt, and Kurt is back in the top ten in points, as well.

"Sometimes, you have to let little brother win to boost his confidence," explains Kurt. "But no more of that. From here on out, Kyle will know that I'm the No. 1 Busch, just like Greg Biffle knows I'm the No. 1 Oscar Mayer Wienermobile driver. There's nothing more exhilarating than piloting a 30-foot-long hot dog across the finish line at Charlotte. If you really think about it, the wiener is one of the most aerodynamic processed meats in the world. It surely would perform better than a hamburger in the wind tunnel."

Busch's 10th was his first top-10 since Talladega, and his seventh of the season. That success has been offset by four results of 32nd or worse. When Busch is on, he's very good. When he's off, he's hitting walls and cursing officials.

Like his 2005 season, Busch's record in the mountains of Pocono has been up and down. In his last six races there, he's scored a fifth, a 26th, a 36th, a second, a 40th, and a second. Will the real Kurt Busch please stand up, please stand up?

10. Rusty Wallace — "Rusty's Last Call" at Dover resulted in a fifth-place finish for the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge, and Wallace re-entered the points top 10 is for the first since his 10th-place finish at Texas. Wallace has two straight top-10s which came, oddly enough, after Wallace unloaded his shares in Penske Racing South, thus severing ties to the No. 12 car of Ryan Newman. And, what do you know? Both Wallace and Newman and producing some of their best results of the year. Who says the two needed to have a good working relationship and share information in order to be successful?

"Hey, all I wanted Ryan to do was to make a few appearances at each of my car dealerships throughout Tennessee," says Wallace. "He wouldn't do it. That's when our relationship fell apart."

Whatever the reasons, Wallace seems to be enjoying his time on the track much more now. In the last four points races, he's finished no worse than 19th, and has qualified in the top 10 in five of the last nine races. Wallace hasn't recorded a top-10 at Pocono since 2002. Nothing would be more satisfying than a top-10 at Long Pond and a continued stay in the Nextel Cup top 10 standings.

"And that would be doubly satisfying if I finish in front of Newman again. I never really liked those blockhead college types anyway."

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 1:00 PM | Comments (0)

Banter, Beer, and Baseball

Now my seminal column with Sports Central entitled "A Jaded Look at the NBA Playoffs" was such a compelling piece of print that six people amongst you just had to write me and confirm my profound and inimitable intellect.

You can only imagine how distraught I was to visit Sports Central recently and find that nobody — not even my good friend, Southie — responded to my May 24 "Take Me Out to the Brawl Game" column.

Keep in mind, reader, just because everything I say transcends the corporeal world in which we live, I do still enjoy hearing from you from time to time. Take, for example, the dialogue I had recently with a loyal reader of mine who calls him/her/itself Southie:

On May 25, the ever-endearing Southie wrote, "Kevin, you punk! Your governor is a steroid abusing weightlifter – have you been too busy trying to be cool to notice that?...If you could write an entire sentence without a juuvenile misspelling you'd have more cache..."

This comment struck me as a bit odd because Southie misspelled both juvenile and cachet, but, forgiving guy that I am, I didn't have the heart to mention it; instead, I responded to this faithful reader of mine with my accustomed pleasantries: "Southie ... All this hostility about steroid use and you sound like you are in the throes of 'roid rage ... As far as cachet, you know you're on top when people take time out of their precious days to write you hate mail ... Thanks for that ... Kevin Connelly (the 'punk')."

I understand that this discourse might, to the untrained eye at least, appear to portray Southie in a rather ignorant light. In all honesty, though, this couldn't be further from the truth:

You see, Southie, I was fortunate enough to grow up in an environment where people, for the most part, actually knew what they were talking about. This, at one time, rendered me as cavil and insensitive when I encountered those [mostly from, but not limited to, Connecticut] who rivaled Mike Tyson on the ol' coherency scale. But, like most people do Southie, I ultimately matured with age and even grew to respect what people like you had to say regardless of how ineffectively you said it.

Just because you are inherently incorrect, Southie, and just because everything I say seems to manifest itself into cognitive bliss, this does not mean you don't have my utmost respect. Believe it or not, Southie, I consider you a dear friend of mine — just make sure you don't let anybody else know about this, though, as there is a certain sense of credibility I must uphold as a practicing journalist.

Since I'm now on the subject of the inarticulate, I feel obliged to mention that after much pleading and prodding last Saturday, I condescended to the level of three of my old high school friends and watched the Dodgers game with them over poker. Like you, Southie, these friends of mine were the type of people who never did so well as far as that whole life thing was concerned so I went out of my way to befriend them in high school.

As I'm sure you know, Southie, high school can be a rough time for dateless wonders like these guys, so I taught them a social grace or two before it became too late. One of these friends, Mr. Ryan Badger, my most promising subject back then, has even gone on to shack up with a rather attractive woman and have a couple children with her — I have yet to receive his thanks.

So I showed up to daddy's house at around 8 PM just in time to see J.D. Drew and Jeff Kent of the Dodgers hit back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning off of Brewers pitcher Victor Santos to take a 2-1 lead — a lead they would not surrender. His youngest son of sixteen months was the only one who seemed focused on the television at the time so I asked him if he thought Jason Phillips was the answer for the Dodgers this year at catcher. Not seeming to understand the importance of the question, he responded with a peculiar stare and a rather infantile groan and proceeded to stumble across the room to his mother — I realized then that this kid was going to be a bigger project than his dad.

It took me a while to get over the audacity the little mute had in ignoring me, but I did. At this point, I ventured over to the kitchen table to see my three friends setting up for a game of poker. Before I could ask the compulsive gamblers how they have been, one of them, Mr. CJ Miyake, managed to eruct some nonsense I figured out later was intended for me.

"Grab a turtle from the fridge," he snorted. "You have to read the legend first, though."

Feeling thirsty, I went to the fridge to grab a drink before I sat down to play poker. All I could find was some cheap-looking beer I had never seen before called Caguama so I cracked it open, took a swig, and was not impressed.

"Read the legend first!" he was heard snorting, it was reported later, from a block away. He then walked over to my side of the table, picked up the can, and read some pithy tale about how a mysterious turtle inspired the cheap, foul-tasting beer. I thought back to all of the hard work and time I had put into turning this guy's life around and was instantly saddened.

I took another swig and feigned approval just to appease the beer-lover and wondered how many more I would have to drink before the outlook of the Dodgers' 27-27 season started to look any better. I looked up at the TV, saw rookie DJ Houlton making his first start as a Dodger, and went to the pantry to look for the hard stuff.

None being found, I grabbed another foul-tasting beer and sat down to ask the beer-lover about life. He told me he was moving to Japan in about a month, so — after rejoicing to myself in glee, of course — I asked him whether or not he would watch any baseball there, knowing professional baseball is taken very seriously in Japan. Not knowing much more about life than poker and beer, the beer-lover mumbled something about a Japanese magazine offering Ichiro Suzuki millions of dollars to pose nude and I left it at that, neglecting to mention how Ichiro was washed and would never hit .300 again in the MLB.

I was surprised to realize at this point that the third stooge of the bunch, one Jeff Illions, was being inordinately quiet. I pondered this behavior over another swig of foul-tasting beer and I came to the conclusion that, being a Red Sox fan, he was still speechless because his team actually won a meaningful game for the first time since his grandpa was making my grandpa clam chowder in New England. I was thinking about asking the beer-lover to say something stupid again to get clam chowder's attention, but he suddenly came to faster than Johnny Damon at the sound of hair clippers and a shower.

Clam chowder just finished his first year of law school at Pepperdine University, so I asked him if law school was as hard as everyone makes it out to be. Still living in the past like the rest of the Red Sox nation, he described law school with a baseball metaphor:

"It's about as hard as hitting a backdoor slider from Pedro Martinez," clam chowder said with pride. I mentioned to him that Pedro was now pitching for the Mets and slugger Manny Ramirez had less hits this year than a botany website, and, in disdain, he told me to "write a story about it."

So here's that story you asked for, clam chowder. I hope you enjoyed it.

The final word comes from one of my many devoted readers, Mr. Jeff Hirth: "I don't think I have ever seen a column as intelligently written and thought through as yours, Kevin. My hat goes off to you..."

Jeff, you forgot to mention how good-looking I am.

Posted by Kevin Connelly at 12:33 PM | Comments (0)

June 8, 2005

Chasing the Dream: Forecasting the AFC

Each year, as May meanders into June, sports personalities throughout the land cast their inferences onto the masses in regards to the upcoming football season.

Though the football season is still a faint glimmer on the horizon, much of the offseason movement has concluded and the once-murky picture has become considerably more pristine. Where there once was a huddled mass of humanity, there is now a very discernable group of figures, each representing a unique team and each carrying with it varying degrees of hope and despair as they set a reasonable bar over which they wish to jump during the 2005 season.

Fans like me — self-proclaimed experts with nothing in particular to gain — revel in this time of year. It is an opportunity for each of us to measure the expectations each team has set for itself and to report on just how realistic these expectations are. Better yet, it is an opportunity for us to bend the public's collective ear with little consideration for anything beyond our own opinion, a concept which if mimicked in any other setting at any other time of the year would be a gross affront to the "Sportswriter's Code" bylaw regarding "fair and balanced" coverage.

To that end, I see clairvoyance as a trait we each exhibit in one capacity or another, and my gift just happens to be the divining of football results based on little more than a cursory review of rosters, depth charts, and stat sheets and a good amount of crazed assumption.

Okay, okay, so sometimes my crystal ball is a bit cloudy. Last season, for instance, my preseason soothsaying forecasted a championship tilt between the Eagles (score one for my "third eye!") and the Broncos (well, one out of two ain't bad). Also, and quite notably, I had Pittsburgh figured as a middle-division team — oops. But, to my credit, I anticipated a big year from the Atlanta Falcons and they certainly did not disappoint. The bottom line is at least I'm not boring the masses with a story on how Brett Favre is the center of the universe or about some 10-and-up sports team I coach in Montclair, NJ (no offense intended to Mr. Peter King of Sports Illustrated fame).

So, with a wing, a prayer, and a good amount of coffee, I offer up my 2005 pre-preseason NFL forecast. For the sake of convenience, I've broken this into AFC and NFC in two separate articles. I'll take a look at the AFC first.

AFC East

New England Patriots 	12-4
Miami Dolphins		9-7
New York Jets		9-7
Buffalo Bills		6-10

And the Winner is...

As usual, the Pats are the class of the AFC East. Clearly, all three teams chasing them made huge strides in the offseason, but it will change little come playoff time. As in most every other year since 1990, all four teams will field competitive teams. Unfortunately, each has a huge question mark (Buffalo and Miami at quarterback, New York in their defensive backfield) that will keep them from overtaking the Patriots, though you certainly can see the gap closing if you pay close enough attention. Losing Romeo Crennel and Charlie Weis will cost New England about two wins, but that won't be enough to keep them from hosting a first round game come December.

What Were They Thinking?

The Buffalo Bills have to win this offseason's "We Went to Bed With a Beauty-Queen and Woke Up With a Gargoyle" award. As the 2004 season ended, things looked very good for the Bills as they narrowly missed making the playoffs after an atrocious start to the year. The next thing you know, defensive stalwart Pat Williams is gone along with QB Drew Bledsoe and the reigns turned over to the unproven J.P. Losman.

To follow that up, tackle Jonas Jennings isn't pursued, leaving Losman lacking solid pass protection. Even the impressive Willis McGahee won't be able to save the Bills, who will struggle against the power running games of their division foes and won't be able to put up enough points to consistently win games.

Surprise, Surprise

No, I have not been drinking. And neither have you — that Miami record is correct. Though it is a certainty that this will create much ridicule and/or anger, the fact is the Dolphins were very close in all but two of their losses last year and still field a solid defensive unit, a well-rounded receiver corps, and a promising stable of backs, assuming Ronnie Brown is healthy and Ricky Williams is drug-free. You'll just need to trust me on this one.

AFC North

Cincinnati Bengals	11-5
Pittsburgh Steelers	11-5
Baltimore Ravens	9-7
Cleveland Browns	3-13

And the Winner is...

Cincinnati, but barely. There are no facts to suggest that the Steelers' run last season was a fluke, but I think the Bengals are finally ready to come of age and parity (not to mention a full year of film on Ben Roethlisberger for opponents to review) should cut Pittsburgh's win total down at least a little bit. The Ravens are the x-factor here, as they could easily be a 12-win team, but I'm just not so sure that an overworked running back and mistake-prone quarterback will be able to finish games off, and I think the loss of LBs Peter Boulware and Edgerton Hartwell are going to sting that defense. Better luck next year for Crennel in Cleveland, but, as they say, you cannot succeed until you fail first.

What Were They Thinking?

I hate to harp on it, but Baltimore letting both Peter Boulware and Edgerton Hartwell leave town will be the undoing of the Ravens' chances this season. Ray Lewis is very obviously losing a step (though he still blows stuff up, he's more of one of those old, swinging wrecking balls now as opposed to the explosive device they use on the Las Vegas casinos, which he used to be more akin to). They are still without a real run-stuffer in the middle of that line. They can move to a 46 defense (which they intend to do part of the time in '06) all they want, but you can't do that without well-rounded, versatile linebackers and they let two of those walk.

Surprise, Surprise

There aren't too many surprises in this grouping of teams, but Cincinnati being projected as the division winner may be one thing that catches some flak. It is a relatively simple formula I used — they have a slightly more favorable schedule than the Steelers. Otherwise, most everything else is equal, and I think their records will indicate that.

AFC South

Jacksonville Jaguars	12-4
Indianapolis Colts	11-5
Houston Texans		8-8
Tennessee Titans  	4-12

And the Winner is...

Tentatively, it will be Jacksonville, though much rides on the health of halfback Fred Taylor. Indianapolis is still the most explosive team in football, but they do have to travel to their personal House of Horrors once again in Foxboro, Massachusetts and that defense just doesn't convince me that they'll win all the games that they should. The Texans are slowly but surely getting there, but really needed to do a better job of rebuilding the linebacker unit there. The Titans are in full rebuild mode and won't be much of a factor.

What Were They Thinking?

Tennessee's draft has gotten mixed reviews throughout this offseason. From where I'm sitting, however, there are some serious oversights that need to be addressed. First of which is Adam Jones being taken with the sixth overall pick. Yes, Jones is talented, but he also has some character issues and it has been proven time and time again that you cannot rely on a rookie cornerback to excel at the NFL level. As deep a defensive back class as there was this year, it would have made much more sense to trade down and take a tackle mid-round.

Additionally, Michael Roos, Courtney Roby and Brandon Jones could have been had in later rounds, which leaves one wondering if perhaps Jeff Fisher and Co. are looking at securing an early spot in next year's draft as they develop this year's raw group of draftees. Well, if so, mission accomplished.

Surprise, Surprise

Many pundits see Indy as a lock in this division. I do not. I look at it this way: Peyton Manning cannot possibly repeat his otherworldly performance of a year ago. He can come close, but 49 touchdowns is just plain ridiculous. Additionally, they still haven't fixed their defense, and never will be able to as long as they spend so much money on the other side of the ball. Of all the truths in professional football you are going to hear, none is truer than this tidbit: no team has ever won a championship with just average linebacker play. Go ahead and look it up.

AFC West

San Diego Chargers	10-6
Denver Broncos		8-8
Oakland Raiders		8-8
Kansas City Chiefs  	7-9

And the Winner is...

San Diego will take the division with a Week 17 victory at home against the Broncos. By the way, circle that day on your calendars — it should be one of the most entertaining games of the year and the division will almost certainly be riding on it, one way or another. Playing both the AFC and NFC East this season isn't going to do this division any favors, but I would strongly suggest tuning in to any of these four as they play head-to-head. Take Denver out of the equation and you're looking at three of the most explosive offenses this side of the Arena Bowl and the Broncos aren't exactly the 2000 Ravens themselves.

So, as you review the standings, you can pretty much just invert the teams based on strength of defense. Chargers are a hair better than the Broncos, the Raiders are behind both of them by more than a small margin, but look to be slightly better on offense, which balances things a bit. The Chiefs are taking steps, but unfortunately they still have no consistent wide receivers and they have an older Priest Holmes and an overrated, also older Trent Green running the ship.

What Were They Thinking?

Denver lately has seemingly developed into a very odd enigma. They make moves just for the sake of making moves and don't really attempt to fix those areas that need fixing. Case in point: signing the Cleveland Browns' 2004 defensive line. I realize Mike Shanahan has been anointed as some sort of genius in NFL circles, but even he can't be arrogant enough to think he can make the very same players that anchored the league's worst run defense into defensive stalwarts.

Another factor of note, the team lacks pass rushers, so, naturally, they let their top pass-rusher leave via free agency. I can already hear all the Denver fans chiming in with their Clinton Portis-for-Champ Bailey propaganda, but I just don't know what, exactly, that proved. Their defensive stats were almost identical to what they were sans Bailey, and they lost one of the more promising young backs in the game. To follow that up, they let loose their top rusher from a year ago, in what seems to be an annual event. I just don't get it, but I guess I don't have to.

Surprise, Surprise

As good as anyone wants to tell you Kansas City has become with their many moves to bolster the porous defense they trotted out weekly last season, it just doesn't add up to automatic success. Pat Surtain is a stud, but is a bit frail and certainly can't carry a team single-handedly. Derrick Johnson will be a good pro, but has a learning curve to conquer before I anoint him as the second coming. Kendrell Bell, who is also brittle as a ladyfinger, is a fantastic playmaker, but not as consistent as you would hope. They did little to bolster their interior defense, and that is where your bread is buttered come the second half of the NFL season.

For an offense that is growing progressively less explosive, you would like to see bigger steps taken to anchor the defense rather than a handful of moves that do little more than make the team a bit flashier.

Playoff Picture

Division winners: New England, Cincinnati, Jacksonville, San Diego
Wildcard entrants: Indianapolis, Pittsburgh

Round 1: Pittsburgh over San Diego, Cincinnati over Indianapolis
Round 2: New England over Pittsburgh, Cincinnati over Jacksonville
AFC Championship Game: Cincinnati over New England

There you have it! In a shocker, the Cincinnati Bengals upset the defending champs and punch their ticket for Super Bowl XL in Detroit, Michigan.

The best part about picking this early is if I'm wrong, this article will pretty much be an afterthought by December. The worst part is, if I'm right, this article will pretty much be an afterthought by December.

Such is the lot of an NFL soothsayer.

Stay tuned for the NFC preview on Friday, June 10th!

Posted by Matt Thomas at 5:48 PM | Comments (26)

Breaking Down the MLB Trade Deadline

As the summer heats up in Major League Baseball, serious trade talks annually begin to percolate. Generally by this time in June, the buyers and sellers in the midseason free-for-all are not only defined, but are already working the phones. Contenders are looking for that missing piece or two for their championship puzzle, while the pretenders are hoping to unearth some salary cap relief for next year's worst-to-first transformation.

And, of course, misinformation is prevalent as idle chatter regarding what surely is (or is not) going to happen floods the information superhighway.

The 2005 season will be no different, and some very juicy scenarios are beginning to develop, both real and imagined. The usual suspects in Cincinnati, Kansas City, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Tampa Bay, and Colorado will certainly be divesting themselves of some talent this month, but some surprise teams also have clearly identified themselves as sellers in Houston, Oakland, and Seattle after beginning the season with much higher hopes than June's reality would indicate.

It remains to be seen just which teams do, in fact, pursue additions from the league's also-rans. Surely, the New York Yankees will at least make an effort to fortify their fading hopes of postseason glory, though a losing June may trigger Steinbrenner's "chaos gene" to reemerge, which, while always comical, would lead to the embarrassing release of once-respected veterans like Gary Sheffield, Kevin Brown, Bernie Williams, Tony Womack, and perhaps even Randy Johnson and Mike Mussina.

While smart money and recent history dictate the "Evil Empire" (as it is known in New England circles) will indeed try to buy renewed hope, other scenarios aren't as cut-and-dried in some of the nation's larger markets. In Chicago, the Cubs and White Sox both find themselves firmly ensconced in playoff races, though admittedly taking very different roads (the Cubbies are up-and-down as they have struggled to cope with a shocking array of major injuries while the Sox owe their consistent early season success to the solid formula of fabulous starting pitching and lineup stability). It is not clear in either case that the market will have what each team needs to really shore up already solid (if healthy) rosters, but both have deep, talented farm systems and intelligent, aggressive general managers.

Elsewhere, both the Dodgers and Angels find themselves one or two difference-making players away from strong contention for their respective division titles. As money isn't a real roadblock in either case, it is a good bet that both will at least make an effort to plug a hole or two by the trade deadline. The other big market team still finding themselves in a relative position of power, the New York Mets, may be tapped out in terms of roster and salary flexibility, but don't rule out at least one big move as GM Omar Minaya has long been recognized as one of the game's best and most shrewd deal-makers.

Neither defending league champion looks to be inclined to make significant changes, as both Boston and St. Louis will both gain key acquisitions later in the year as they grow healthier. However, the other mid-market teams still treading water in Texas, Arizona, Baltimore, Atlanta, Florida, Washington, and San Diego should each be involved in some capacity in what promises to be a trade season the likes of which MLB hasn't had in several years.

Now that the stage is set, let's take a look at some of the moves that make the most sense and a few that may take you by surprise. While it is annually proven that nobody can accurately divine the future (who would have thought in early June last year that Carlos Beltran would end up wearing the star in Houston, for instance?), I have deigned to put my reputation on the line and offer up my view on what course of action the division and wild card contenders look to take in their drive for playoff glory.

AL East

New York Yankees — As an avid Yankee-hater, I feel like a bit of a sellout putting them first on this list. But the reality is they have the deepest wallet and therefore no player is off limits to them and any trade talks have to start in the Bronx. You just know George won't settle for his club's current sub-.500 performance and he will make a strong push to bring the Rocket out of his Houston purgatory. That said, I don't see Roger going back to the Yanks, but I do see one or two big moves being made.

Their biggest need is in centerfield (or left, as they can move Hideki Matsui permanently to center), and, as their farm system is now depleted, they can realistically only deal with a team desperate to rid itself of some big contracts. That team is the Reds, and a deal involving both Ken Griffey, Jr. and Eric Milton makes a lot of sense. Cincinnati would likely require only a couple of mid-level prospects in return (perhaps 2B Robinson Cano and a young pitcher like Jorge De Paula or Sean Henn) as they have openly stated a conviction for wanting to blow the whole thing up and start over from scratch.

Baltimore Orioles — This is another team that may make a run for Eric Milton in Cincinnati. However, they could be more comfortable with their rotation than one would suspect, in which case Milton doesn't make a whole lot of sense. A more likely move, also involving the Reds, would be a deal for outfielder Adam Dunn, though he is the one player that Cincinnati may require a whole lot for in return. The Orioles are in a pretty good position to deal, as Jorge Julio is a youngster with good stuff and experience as a closer and a commodity with which Baltimore could comfortably part.

In my estimation, the first of the two most likely potential scenarios would be for Baltimore to package Julio and Jay Gibbons to Cincinnati for Adam Dunn and a veteran situational reliever like David Weathers or Kent Mercker. The second possibility would be for a less aggressive deal involving Julio and a lower-level prospect or two being shipped to Tampa Bay for Carl Crawford. In any event, Baltimore will be hunting for an outfielder or a spot-reliever to solidify their pen.

Boston Red Sox — Don't expect any moves in Beantown. The defending champs are happy with their current lineup, have plenty of pitching that can only get healthier and aren't likely to take on any significant additions in payroll unless a player like Roger Clemens avails himself to the organization, which is a highly unlikely scenario. If any move gets made, look for a Desi Relaford (Colorado) type or possibly the Phillies Placido Polanco if Philadelphia falls out of contention to be brought in for infield depth. Beyond that, the Red Sox are in an enviable position once again for a run at a division crown and another World Series title.

AL Central

Chicago White Sox — It is no secret that they are quite happy with the results they've gotten thus far from their starting rotation. For that matter, their bullpen has been surprisingly solid throughout the early season, as well. And, as Frank Thomas rounds into form, it is becoming more and more apparent that the ChiSox aren't going away anytime soon. The team does have some holes, though, most specifically at third base. For that reason, Oakland's Eric Chavez makes a lot of sense here.

Chicago has some promising young arms they could peddle in any deal (Brandon McCarthy, Felix Diaz, Ryan Meaux), some solid positional prospects (3B Micah Schnurstein, OF Brian Anderson) and may even be willing to part with OF Aaron Rowand or IF Willie Harris. Another potential deal would involve those Cincinnati Reds and their new third-bagger, Joe Randa. He would come at a much cheaper price, but may not be too big an upgrade over Crede, who currently mans the hot corner on the South Side.

Minnesota Twins — Historically, the Twins have not been major players at the trade deadline. They use players they've developed as well as any organization in baseball and have a very solid, very deep bullpen that has allayed any need for a stockpiling of starting pitchers. If any move is made, it will certainly revolve around their time-tested philosophy of good-fielding, fundamentally-sound ballplayers and a relatively conservative coaching approach.

The only deal outside of some nickel and dime acquisitions to watch would involve Kansas City's 1B/DH Mike Sweeney, who would bring some punch to a lineup lacking a real big stick in the middle. The Twins certainly have the mid-level prospects that the Royals would require in return for Sweeney, but the question is would Minnesota be willing to risk facing those players on a yearly basis in a division rival's uniform?

AL West

Texas Rangers — This team is a healthy mix of young and old and has certainly surpassed some relatively tempered expectations through the first one-third of the season. They are, quite clearly, comfortable with their everyday lineup as they feature the best young infield in baseball and have a solid if unspectacular set of outfielders. The bullpen is one area of concern when thinking about the duration of the season, but a more pressing need is for another dominating presence at the top of that rotation.

Enter one Roger Clemens. Roger has a pretty sweet deal in Houston, as long as you ignore the team's on-field performance — unfortunately for the Astros, Clemens is far too competitive a cat to make this concession, even for his hometown team. The Rangers make the most sense for the Rocket, who, in the twilight of his career, would understandably like to remain as involved in his teenage sons' lives as possible.

Texas, who doesn't have a great deal to offer in terms of minor league depth, does have a glut of corner outfielders with power (Jason Conti or Jason Botts), unproven but promising young arms (Jose Veras, Scott Feldman), and even have a blue-chipper whom they can part with in infielder Adrian Gonzalez. In any case, this source feels fairly confident that Clemens will indeed wind up participating in meaningful games come September, and the Rangers make a whole lot of sense in terms of proximity to his family and in terms of long term help they can send the struggling Astros in return.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim — (Or whatever they call themselves these days.) Ridiculous name-change notwithstanding, the Angels have put together a couple of the more interesting offseasons on record. This has left the team in a very comfortable long-term position. Few moves make a lot of sense, but acquiring a Barry Zito (Oakland) or a C.C. Sabathia (Cleveland) may be key to the Angels passing the Rangers for the division title. The availability of Sabathia is a big question mark, and Zito is unlikely to be sent to a division opponent, so it is much more likely that Anaheim/Los Angeles/California is the eventual landing spot for Cincy's Eric Milton.

Speaking of Cincy, Adam Dunn would be a great fit here, but it doesn't appear that the Angels have the guns to out-bid some of the other teams that would get involved if and when Dunn is put on the market. One last scenario to watch involves the health of Vlad Guerrero. If his rehab has a setback or two, look for the Angels to hit the ground running in search of a power-hitting outfielder named "Wilson" like Colorado's Preston or Pittsburgh's Craig.

NL East

Atlanta Braves — If I've learned anything over the past 15 years, it is to never rule out Braves GM John Schuerholz when discussing anything baseball related. The Braves franchise has become one of the most enviable in terms of front office direction and coaching in all of professional sports and it seems inconceivable that they would stand pat and risk ending their run at division crowns in the newly-rejuvenated NL East Division, especially there are moves to be made.

Two names that jump out at me in terms of possible key acquisitions are Oakland's Eric Chavez and Ugueth Urbina of Detroit. It is no secret that the Braves have closer issues, and Urbina certainly fits that bill and could be had relatively cheaply. Chavez is a bit more appealing in terms of marketability and long-term impact, but would be considerably more expensive. Plus, with Chipper Jones' move back to third, it may be a bit too much to ask of Jones to vacate his preferred defensive outpost once again. Adam Dunn is also a possibility here, or maybe even Wily Mo Pena, but both won't come cheaply and Atlanta has never been one to mortgage the future for the present.

All that said, Urbina makes the most sense in a deal involving a couple of the Braves mid-level minor league prospects. A dark horse deal, however, could surface involving one of the Braves young starters (Horacio Ramirez or Jorge Sosa), RP Danny Kolb, and AA slugger Scott Thorman in a move that brings star closer Brad Lidge over from Houston.

While it may seem like a long shot for the Astros to deal a young and promising closer, the team is in rough shape, has little in terms of developed talent in the minors, and, aside from an aging Clemens, only Lidge can bring real value in return. Getting Kolb could potentially minimize the loss of their closer (though he has struggled of late), and Thorman is for real as a prospective big league slugger. Still another option involves Kansas City's Mike Sweeney, who could be had for a song.

Florida Marlins — The Marlins are in a bad position in terms of trading. They don't have a whole lot of room for error and cannot really trade away any of their major league-ready players. Still, with as many good arms as they have throughout the organization, they could make a handful of small moves to solidify some weak spots. Potential targets include roll players such as Oakland's Eric Byrnes, Kansas City's Matt Stairs, or Pittsburgh's Tike Redman and may also include some bigger-name, higher-priced guys like Colorado's Preston Wilson or Seattle's Randy Winn.

New York Mets — New York's "other" team has put together a relatively deep, considerably overpriced roster of once and future all-stars. As it appears so far, the aging veterans should hold up just long enough for the young stars-in-the-making to develop into legit weapons come this fall. Still, it wouldn't hurt the Mets to pick up one or two proven vets to come off the bench and spell their other vets every now and again.

Names like Jose Vizcaino (Houston), Alex Gonzalez, Julio Lugo (both of Tampa Bay), and Matt Lawton (Pittsburgh) come to mind. Another very real possibility would be for Minaya and the Mets to go after a middle reliever like Seattle's Shigetoshi Hasegawa or Jeff Nelson before all is said and done. While I'm not ready to call out a blockbuster for this team, I wouldn't rule that out, either, as the Mets have proven to be free with their money and GM Omar Minaya can work the phones with anyone.

Washington Nationals — Still in the race in early June, it would be more than a shock to see Washington make any type of move that may interfere with momentum or team chemistry, obvious strengths for this nomadic franchise. It seems much more likely that they fade to the middle division in the NL and build on the positives of 2005 without breaking hearts (or the bank) in their first season in Washington. Much credit is owed to MLB, who have kept their promise and put a competitive squad on the field in the nation's capitol, but I wouldn't expect to see any midseason changes of any great shakes.

Philadelphia Phillies — Yes, I realize that all five NL East teams are included on this list. But, at the time of writing, all five are fully in contention for both the division and the wildcard spot in the National League. The Phillies have the most tenuous hold on this standing, though, and I fully expect them to be out of contention by mid-July.

One thing that can be said about the Phils, though, is that they have some very powerful minor league bargaining chips in 1B Ryan Howard and OFs Shane Victorino, Chris Roberson and Randy Ruiz. Any combination of these, along with maybe Polanco or Endy Chavez, could net a top of the line rotation guy (A's Barry Zito or Seattle's Ryan Franklin), which would dramatically change the outlook for the Phillies and their fans.

NL Central

Chicago Cubs — Many observers would think that the Cubbies are exhausting all leads for bullpen help. Those observers would be mistaking. Since Ryan Dempster's apparent successful transition to closer, LaTroy Hawkins' departure, and Mike Remlinger and Joe Borowski's return to health, the 'pen has fallen into place of late. Roles are more well-defined and the performances are beginning to reflect the comfort level each has found knowing what parts of the game may belong to them.

There remains some questions, though, in the rotation, which has been held together with bubble gum to this point and has miraculously held up (kudos, by the way, to Glendon Rusch, who has quietly slid in behind Roger Clemens, Kenny Rogers, Dontrelle Willis, and Jon Garland as one of the most consistently dominant starters of the early 2005 season).

This last point is the most relevant, and the Cubs' minor league system is still stacked with talented prospects (position players Matt Murton, Felix Pie, Brandon Sing, Ryan Theroit, Buck Coats, and Ronny Cedeno; pitchers Carlos Nolasco and Jae-kuk Ryu) which could land them any number of the big-name pitchers that could find themselves on the market, most notably Oakland's Barry Zito. Another potential spot to be filled is a power-hitting outfielder like the Reds' Dunn or the Rockies' Preston Wilson.

While the Cubs may hold back on making a move with Nomar Garciaparra, Kerry Wood, and Mark Prior all looking to come off the DL sooner rather than later, they have perhaps the most firepower in their minor league system and could really be the trend-setters once the trading begins.

St. Louis Cardinals — This just in, the Cards are good. I think it is not a stretch at all to say that the team will not be making any major moves here. They have as stable a rotation as there is, their bullpen has shown up all year, and their lineup is the envy of baseball. Never say never, though, and middle-to-long relief like the M's Hasegawa, Ben Weber of Cincinnati, KC's Andy Sisco, or Pittsburgh's Solomon Torres are all possible targets, if they can be had at the right price.

NL West

Los Angeles Dodgers — There is not much to speak of in terms of movement in this entire division, but the Dodgers would stand to reason as the most likely to make any kind of impact move. A situational power-pitching reliever would be a strong fit in their pen, and their lineup could use another power hitter. Perhaps a deal involving SS prospect Joel Guzman and AA pitcher Chad Billingsly could net Kansas City's Mike Sweeney and Mike MacDougal, both good fits for the Dodgers. Another hope would be swinging a deal with the Reds for Sean Casey and one or two of their relievers, but that wouldn't sate the franchise's desire to get a middle of the order run-producer, which really should be their priority heading into the trading season.

San Diego Padres — The Pads feature a stable, effective starting rotation and are seemingly content with the lineups they currently put out on the field each day. However, beyond Scott Linebrink and Trevor Hoffman, have some question marks in the bullpen. San Diego does have a couple of major league-ready power hitting prospects in Jon Knott and Ben Johnson (both outfielders) that could be shipped to a team like the Houston Astros for a package including situational reliever John Franco and utility man Jose Vizcaino, which would seemingly make a great deal of sense for both clubs.

Another option, though exponentially less likely, could see the Pads making a run at an impact player like Oakland's Chavez by dangling those same two prospects and promising young catcher Miguel Ojeda. One final possibility would be for San Diego to use some of their bargaining chips to acquire a middle infielder the ilk of Philadelphia's Polanco or Kansas City's Joe McEwing.

Arizona Diamondbacks — By all accounts, won't make a move. They consider themselves very fortunate to be where they are at in the standings, and, like the Nationals, will likely rest on this season's laurels and make a big splash during the offseason rather than risk upsetting the apple cart on a fruitless mid-season acquisition.

As you can see, there is a multitude of scenarios that may or may not play out. By all appearances, players like Kansas City's Mike Sweeney, the Reds' tandem of Eric Milton and Adam Dunn along with the dynamic Oakland duo of Eric Chavez and Barry Zito look to be the most likely to find a new home. Though there does promise to be a plurality of action up to the July 31st trading deadline, many of the moves likely won't generate the attention of a Nomar Garciaparra deal or a move involving Randy Johnson. Still, it is these lesser publicized moves that champions are made of.

No matter what transpires, I would strongly suggest paying lots of attention to Major League Baseball through July. The balance of power in the league could well depend on what does, or does not, get done.

And that isn't just idle chatter.

Posted by Matt Thomas at 4:25 PM | Comments (5)

June 7, 2005

The Secret Lost Labor Letters

As the NHL lockout drags on ... and on ... and on, somewhere out there are tens of fans longing for hockey. Meanwhile, the powers that be from the league and the NHLPA lobbied, postured, and used phrases and words like "in caucus" and "trigger points."

Bill Daly, the NHL's chief legal officer and NHLPA Senior Director Ted Saskin continue their excellent adventure, while the owners stay committed to standing by their man, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, who now joins former MLB Commissioner Ford Frick and current MLB boss Bud Selig in the "that guy" category of commissioners. Frick was that guy who put an asterisk next to Roger Maris' name and Selig is that guy who let the All-Star Game end in a tie, presided over the steroid era in baseball and that guy who may or may not let Pete Rose back into baseball or the Hall-of-Fame.

Pro sports in general are in a state of flux, with labor issues affecting not just the NHL. But Bettman and NHLPA Executive Director Bob Goodenow are trying, as evidenced by letters exchanged in February. The letters were sent and received before the season was canceled, and were made public. The contents included repeated references to the negotiation's ubiquitous buzz words, "salary cap" and "linkage."

Donald Fehr even sent a letter to Selig. Fehr basically spent a page and a half asking why, after Selig said baseball's policy on performance enhancing drugs is "as good as any in professional sports," the commissioner felt the need to modify the agreement once again.

But at least he was communicating and it's the thought that counts, right?

If these letters exist, might there be more?

Here are some that may or may not be floating around:

Dear Bob Goodenow,

This has gotten out of hand. The season has been canceled and an offer was even made — that appears to be at least somewhat legitimate — to buy my, I mean our league. Might there still be hope for this season? Do you think you can convince my, I mean our, players to play a three-game regular season? If that's too long, I'd go as low as a one-period regular season. Do you think ESPN would be up for it? In case you haven't noticed, they — like most of North America — are not missing us much.

If you want to chat, call me on the Bett phone. You know the number.

Gary Bettman

Gary,

I got your note. I'm thinking we should put talks on ice for a while (and you say I can't be funny!). I know that you haven't been at all the meetings — and I tried to convince your side to let you come — but we've been going nowhere. Let's shoot for '05-06, okay?

If you want to talk to me, well, tough. Just kidding, Gar! But as they say in hockey, let's chill.

Bob

***

Dear David Stern,

We still have time to get a deal done, but it seems like we're not making progress. My guys are flexible. Plus, we're the only group of players in the big four that has no bad PR from steroids.

But remember, no testing for marijuana. We won't budge on that.

Hit me on the cell.

Billy Hunter, NBPA Executive Director

Billy,

That brawl in Detroit made the league, and more importantly me, look bad. Then I go to a Passover seder and someone replaces the last of the four questions with, "David, why on this night do you and the Players Association not have a deal?" It's been a bit of a rough year. Let's let the playoffs take center court right now. We'll talk after the Finals.

David Stern, NBA Commissioner

P.S. If you see [Jeff] Van Gundy, tell him I'm still pissed at him!

***

Dear Bud Selig,

I thought I'd drop you a line and see how you're doing amid this steroids thing. Like Mark McGwire, I'm not here to talk about the past. But how are we going to gain (and retain) fans when this season's HR leader only hits 38?

Listen, Bud, I know you want teams like the Pirates and Devil Rays to enter spring training thinking they have a chance to win. But you may be the only one. Most fans look forward to all year the ALCS between the Red Sox and the Yankees. The big market teams have the big payrolls and draw the big ratings. I didn't make the rules, Bud; I just follow (and manipulate) them. Remember my motto: The best system in baseball is a Fehr system! Who's the Fehr-est of them all?

Seriously, though, let's try not to go contraction-crazy. It seems like there is always a team out there that feels threatened.

Donald Fehr, MLBPA Exec Director

P.S. How annoying are these guys from Congress? I knew Canseco was trouble from the get-go!

Donald,

Those jokes weren't funny in '94, and they're not funny now.

Bud

P.S. I'm a Bud man, but I'm not a Cub Fan! Go Brewers!

Dear Commissioner Selig,

Please, please forgive us. We didn't know what we were taking was wrong and illegal. It is not our fault because we didn't know that the label that read, "This bottle contains steroids, which are very dangerous and against the rules for baseball players to take. You will get suspended from MLB if you take what is in this bottle," meant that we would get in trouble. We promise never to do it again.

Your pals,

Juan Rincon, Alex Sanchez, and Jorge Piedra (and anyone else who eventually gets caught)

***

Gene Upshaw,

I know we're not under the gun to renew our labor agreement, but we'll never get anywhere if we can't get past this revenue sharing issue. I probably shouldn't have said we were at a "dead end," so that's my bad. Let's try to move forward.

As happy as I am for the Patriots, I just wish they'd show some more personality. Those Cowboys teams of the '90s had a flare for the dramatic — and the illegal — and they were good for the league. I never thought I'd long for the days of Nate Newton and Michael Irvin.

Anyway, how 'bout those dollars the networks are willing to pay to broadcast our games. Pretty nice, huh?

Paul Tagliabue, NFL Commissioner

Paul,

This is an automatic reply. I am currently out of the office and will get back to you as soon as I return. If you hope to watch "Monday Night Football" in 2006 and do not have cable, you are out of luck.

Gene Upshaw, NFLPA Exec Director

Posted by Danny Sternfield at 11:06 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

The Pen is Mightier Than the Juice

After the big news broke last week about Mark Felt's Watergate revelation, it became my journalistic duty to make the obligatory Deep Throat reference in a column. It's one of those major stories in the country that can't help but transcend the usual news barriers as it warrants coverage on all pages, like when Brad Pitt broke up with Jennifer Aniston. I thought there was only one fitting tribute to Deep Throat, and that would be to make a monumental revelation of my own. I pushed Barry Bonds off that bridge in March.

A little background for those unaware of the situation — back in March, Barry made a distraught appearance to several media types to talk about his injury. He brought his son with him and went on a tirade about how the media were responsible for his situation and how they have hurt his family. That was when Bonds broke out his classic line

"I'm tired of my kids crying. You wanted me to jump off a bridge, I finally did," Bonds told reporters in March. "You finally brought me and my family down. ... So now go pick a different person. You guys wanted to hurt me bad enough, you finally got me," he said.

Naturally, most of the media responded with witty quips about how they didn't hurt Barry's knee, about how they didn't make Barry have sexual relations with a mistress (not only that, but a mistress who couldn't keep her mouth shut, either — of course, that's what some people look for in a mistress), and about how they didn't make Barry take steroids. His accusation left me in a state of serious confliction, but at the time, I felt it was in my best interest to say nothing at all.

Over the months that followed, I began to think more about the issue. I'm always writing about how athletes should be responsible for their actions and act like real men when handling controversy. I often criticize athletes who fail to live up to the role model status they are given, so I felt that I should live up to my own standards. Unlike my counterparts, I will be held accountable for my actions and instead of rolling out a pathetic denial, I will be a man, step up and accept blame in this situation.

That's right — I'm responsible for Barry going over that bridge in March. I can't really explain what led me to do it, but I do know one thing, I am not sorry it happened. Now before you make any snap judgments about me, realize this, I don't always resort to this to settle my problems. Using logic and rational reasoning is the best way out of any issue, but in this case, I had to make an exception. I realized the only way to get through to Barry was to be forceful and hit him with some Mark Justice (which is usually reserved for pickup hockey and basketball games, but can occasionally be used to right wrongs in the sports world).

I tried to give him every benefit of the doubt, but looking at it, Barry is just kind of a jerk. Scratch the kind of, he is a jerk. I could deal with his snobby attitude. I could deal with his complaining about how hard his job was because he had to stand for three hours a day. I could even naively take Barry's word that he didn't use steroids, despite the astoundingly overwhelming amount of proof against me. Hell, I even tried to brush off his marital infidelity. What finally pushed me off the edge, which consequently resulted in me pushing him off that bridge, was his racism.

Former Chicago White Sox outfielder Ron Kittle just came out with a book that mentions a conversation he had with Barry during Ron's playing days. He had asked Barry for an autograph for a charity auction. Barry refused to sign, saying, "he doesn't sign for white people." Kittle tried to tell him that white guys weren't the only ones to get cancer, but Bonds turned his back and left. Sorry, but I simply refuse to accept racism anywhere, whether the perpetrator is white, black, red, yellow, blue, orange, pink, purple with yellow dots, maroon, or gray. That just doesn't fly.

Barry needs to realize that the fans have given him everything he has. If no one liked to watch baseball, he wouldn't be rich and famous. It just amazes me that an athlete with enough God-given ability to play the game at its highest level and get paid millions to do so could be such a prick. I needed a forceful way to get through to Barry, and hopefully this did it.

I didn't do this just because I finally had enough of his crap. I did this for all of you. I did this for my black friends who have faced racism from people like Bonds. I did this for the charity that lost out on the money his autograph could've brought in. I did this for the columnists who couldn't do it themselves, and finally, I did it for the fans, who deserve better.

I assume the next time Barry sees me (which will be the first time) that he will be cowering in fear at the columnist who took him down. And the next time he decides he's big enough to blow off a charity, I'm going to send his ass right back over that bridge again. The age-old debate is over, the pen is mightier than the juiced-up slugger.

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 10:48 AM | Comments (6)

June 6, 2005

NBA Playoffs: Score More, Bore Less

In an era when the FCC has been given the green light to censor anything indecent, it's good to see that NBA players have been allowed to be more offensive.

Around the same time last year, hoops fans were enduring a truly excruciating test from the basketball gods: having to watch their favorite teams give up scoring for 40 days and 40 nights.

In 2004, Detroit and Indiana clashed in the Eastern Conference Finals and posted the kind of scoring totals you might expect from teams in the Arena Football League.

The Pistons averaged a mere 75 points per game during the six-game series, but this was more than enough to advance past a Pacer team who could only muster a meager 73 points a night. This series wasn't a basketball exhibition. It was a brick-laying contest.

Although the Western Conference Finals wasn't nearly as brutal, it was still television that you wouldn't want small children to be exposed to.

The Los Angeles Lakers averaged 92 points per game in the series, while the Minnesota Timberwolves tallied 90 a night.

Last year was agony. This year, basketball enthusiasts have been blessed.

In 2005, teams in the Conference Finals are averaging almost twenty more points a game. During the first four games of each series, the points per game averages of the NBA's final four are as follows: San Antonio, 110; Phoenix, 106; Detroit, 96.5; Miami, 95.5.

The Association's offensive renaissance can be easily demonstrated with the help of numerical data. But in a couple of months, nobody will remember the statistical trends.

Fans will remember the moments. This year, ABC won't have any trouble putting together their montage for the end of the playoffs. Instead of using the bulk of their time having to find good footage, network executives will be able to spend more time choosing the right overplayed sappy classic or pseudo-inspiring rock song to play while the highlights roll.

For the first time in a while, the NBA playoffs have been memorable and exciting. Even this year's first round, the round that everyone loves to hate, was quite watchable.

The early days of the postseason started formidably with two cousins knocking down difficult last-second shots.

Houston's Tracy McGrady nailed the first clutch shot of the playoffs at the end of Game 2 of the Rockets/Mavericks series. A few days later, against the Heat, Vince Carter willed in a game-tying baseline jumper that bounced around more than Jim Jackson before it went in.

T-Mac and VC's heroics proved that beyond a common dislike of our neighbors to the North, the pair also has buzzer-beaters in the blood.

If these two dramatic shots weren't enough to convince people that the 2005 Playoffs were going to be something special, there was a wacky ending in the Windy City that combined elements of Reggie Miller's eight-point, 18-second finish against the Knicks in 1996 and Michael Jordan's mid-range buzzer-beating shot against Utah in 1998.

Such a description might lead one to believe this was one of the greatest playoff games ever. This might have been the case if the two major players in the final act weren't named Jannero Pargo and Gilbert Arenas.

Nevertheless, trip threes by Pargo in the last 41 seconds of the game and a gorgeous last-second 16-footer by Arenas demonstrated the promise that the Wizards and Bulls might have in future playoff appearances. Well, that is assuming that Miami, Detroit, and Indiana will all get relocated to the Western Conference during the next five years.

It would take some extreme gerrymandering, but you can bet there are a few experienced senators in DC that would be willing to help in exchange for the promise of future Finals tickets.

Speaking of crafty old men (or crooked old men, if you're a Knicks fan), another great moment from the past 40 days came when perennial playoff hero Reggie Miller had his final moment. Larry Brown made one of more respectful gestures in recent sports history when he called a time-out to allow fans and players at Conseco Fieldhouse to extend Miller's sendoff.

Of course, Brown, "The Runaway Coach," cancelled out this moment of class when he (reportedly) accepted Cleveland's job offer while his team was still fighting the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals.

It was sad to see Reggie walk off the game's greatest stage for the last time. But this year, he was only the opening act. Once the Miller stepped off, Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire, Dwyane Wade, and Manu Ginobili took it upon themselves to keep the crowd rocking.

Nash kicked things off with a sensational 48-point performance (on 20-28 shooting) against his former team. For an encore, he followed his career-best scoring game with his first-ever postseason triple-double.

The sensational play of the league's MVP proved to everyone that he is America's smoothest Canadian import. Nash narrowly edged out Labatt Blue for this distinction.

The Suns' point guard wasn't the only little guy doing big things in 2005. Dwyane Wade had a jaw-dropping 20-point forth quarter against the best defensive team in the East. While watching the end of Game 2 against the Pistons, my mouth was open so wide Shaq could have fit his fist in it.

Then there was Manu Ginobili, who made perhaps the play of the postseason when he drove into the lane with the clock winding down and fed Tim Duncan for a quick lay-in that ended Seattle's season. Against the Suns, the Argentinean all-star has continued to impress with his uncanny ability to invade the paint and score on anyone. The degree of difficulty of his Game 2 behind-the-back dribble drive for a tough body-shielding double clutch finger roll is matched by the daunting task of having to describe the shot without a visual.

Most recently, in Game 4 of the same series, NBA fans witnessed something they haven't seen all year. Throughout the season, Phoenix played defense about as well as Charles Barkley plays golf. Many didn't expect to see it happen at all, but Amare Stoudemire's block on Tim Duncan marked the first time the Suns won a game because of their defense. It was such a stellar swat that, if the shorts had been a few feet shorter, longtime basketball fans might have thought they were watching Bill Russell bait Wilt Chamberlain.

That's why the 2005 NBA playoffs have been so great. Just when you think something couldn't possibly happen, it happens. When you think it can't get any better, it does.

Only 12 months ago, it seemed as if playoff basketball couldn't get any worse. But over the course of this year's postseason, the game has changed and the league's three-letter acronym has taken on a whole new meaning.

That's right. NBA: Not Boring Anymore.

Posted by Chris Speckman at 10:25 AM | Comments (0)

I Hate Mondays: Offseason Passions

Sponsored by CyberSportsbook.com

Like sand through the hourglass, so are the days of the National Football League's offseason.

It is like a melodramatic soap opera that never ends and never allows our attention to be at a deficit. Not even momentarily.

Here we are, more than three months away from the regular season kickoff, yet there are more pigskin-related topics on the tip of our tongues than any of the other active sports.

Is it really the downtime between seasons? If it is, I haven't noticed. Usually, when a major sport is on pause, we briefly fast-forward to the next season to glance at the landscape and then background the pastime and foreground the ongoing events.

Not in the NFL. It is a regular part of the conversation. For example:

* Baltimore Ravens superstar running back Jamal Lewis has been recently released from prison and has a new perspective on his one life to live: "Pick your friends wisely ... I never knew that things could be that serious just from knowing somebody or talking to somebody." Apparently, jail has a way of conceiving revelations.

* Washington Redskins 2004 first-round selection Sean Taylor has put someone in a general hospital and is charged with aggravated assault with a firearm, a felony, and simple battery. Maybe the people who know and talk to Sean Taylor will know and talk to him a lot less, thanks to the above advice from Jamal Lewis.

* The Winslows from "Guiding Light" have had their share of family drama and now the football-playing Winslows, Junior and Senior, have also been taxed by family matters and have spilled their emotions to the media. While Jr. was making his first public appearance since a contract-restricting motorcycle ride ended his 2005 football season, Sr. berated the Jerry Springer-like media. Isn't Sr. a part of the media on Saturday mornings as an ingredient on a college football show?

* And of course there is the disdain of Terrell Owens, which has never really left us — like Susan Lucci. I'm sure Owens will persist with his holdout, particularly since he is in the prime of his career, wants to prove that he is still the best, and is facing the Atlanta Falcons, the San Francisco 49ers, and the Oakland Raiders in the first three weeks of the season. Who really believes that he'll just sit tight as his squad faces the NFC's runner-up on the first Monday Night Football of the season, his former employee in week two and Randy Moss in week three? The Philadelphia Eagles brass does not buy it.

Does baseball or basketball offer this type of consistent hot stove discussion in the offseason? We were all curious where Pedro Martinez would sign and where Shaquille O'Neal's destination would land, but this is all "CNN Headline News" material compared to the "Entertainment Tonight" subject matter that the steroid-injected NFL offseason provides.

I haven't even mentioned the incessant Ricky Williams speculation.

Coaches hopping from the college ranks to the pros, professional players hopping in and out of jail, assaults, other legal faults, hold outs, conceited pouts, retirement doubts, family shouts, bouts for clout, and prospective sprouts.

That is why it is a soap opera. We watch an episode and immediately want more. There are storylines at every bend to keep us suspended and we want to see the conclusions immediately.

Nobody ever feels that way about baseball, basketball or hockey. Opening day is always a novelty in the major leagues, but with 161 other games to follow the hype for day one just isn't the same. And in the NHL and the NBA, most of the contenders do not exert any effort until at least one month into the season so any accumulated offseason excitement doesn't play out right away.

But in the NFL, training camps have yet to commence but we are all anxious to see how the New England Patriots will persevere without their premier coordinators in Week 1.

No wonder the sport is so popular.

Soap operas and the NFL offseason mix like Mondays and me.

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

Don't miss next week's installment of "I Hate Mondays," sponsored by CyberSportsbook.com, a great sportsbook for horse racing and casino action!

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 10:02 AM | Comments (0)

June 4, 2005

The 10 Greatest Records in Baseball

Memorial Day has come and gone, but the memory of those honored by it survives. The heroes of battles current and past are honored by all Americans this time of year — a healthy remembrance of the men who accomplished more in a few years than most of us do in a lifetime.

The heroes of baseball past should share the same celebration, but too often, fans and managers get caught up in the pitching probables of the day, strategic moves that were made or missed, and minor injuries to the game's biggest names. While these dimensions are all important at some level, we too often use them as excuses to forget about the history of our great game. With that in mind, I've compiled a list of the 10 greatest records in baseball history.

10. Cy Young's 511 Wins

Granted, Young played in a pitcher's era when it was much more difficult to amass a "W" than it is today. That being said, how come no one from his (or any) era, even approaches Young's total? Walter Johnson is considered by many to be the greatest pitcher in baseball history, and he's a distant second in this race with 417 wins. Roger Clemens is the closest active player with 331 wins (which is probably as historically impressive considering the years in which Clemens has pitched).

9. Barry Bonds' 232 Walks in '04

I know, I know, every time Bonds breaks a record, there's a mob up in arms saying it should be stricken from the record books. That's not going to happen, folks. Bonds' 232 walks during the 2004 season were far and away the most ever in a season, surpassing his own 2002 record of 198, which surpassed his own 2001 record of 177. Opposing teams demonstrated more fear and respect for Bonds than for any player that has gone before him, and rightfully so.

Juiced or not, Bonds is the greatest player of our generation, and the question is not if he belongs on this list somewhere, but if I ripped him off by not including his 73 homer single-season record.

8. Ty Cobb Steals Home 54 Times

Again, it is difficult to compare eras when discussing records, but even when the ill-tempered Cobb played the bases were 90 feet apart and the pitcher's mound was 60 feet, six inches from home. It was as difficult to steal home then as it is now, yet Cobb managed this thievery an amazing 54 times. He's got to make the list somehow, if not for his 12 batting titles (nine of which were consecutively achieved), then for his cunning and speed on the bases. On an aside, but equally impressive, Cobb's teammate Sam Crawford holds the career record for inside the park homeruns, with 51.

7.Yogi Berra's 75 World Series Games

Yogi was more than just the best catcher to ever kneel behind home — he was the most proficient winner to ever round the bases. Berra's 75 World Series games came as he was winning more pennants (14) and championships (10) than any player in history. Trust me, it wasn't coincidence. Berra was an all-star 15 straight years from 1948-1962, and was a three-time MVP, as well. No player today compares with him, but if you could lump the hitting prowess of Mike Piazza, the catching skill of Pudge Rodriguez, and the longevity of Greg Maddux into one player, Yogi is what you'd come up with.

6. Nolan Ryan's Seven No-Hitters

That's right, seven no-no's. For those of you keeping track, that's almost 200 batters faced, with not one of them jacking a homer, finding an ally, bunting for a hit, or even blooping a single. If that doesn't baffle your mind, maybe Ryan's 12 one-hitters will. Only one other man in history has even four no-hitters (Sandy Koufax, whose four came each year from 1962 to 1965). Granted, when you throw an amazing 27 seasons, you've got a few more chances to do things than other people. Ryan always made the most of those chances.

5. Rickey Henderson's Runs, Steals Records

Rickey's got to make the list because of his sheer longevity, durability, and determination. His 2,295 runs scored are more than any major leaguer has ever amassed (Cobb is second with 2,246), but his stolen base record is even more impressive. Henderson's 1,406 career steals lap the field, with the great Lou Brock in second place with a "mere" 938. 1,406 stolen bases. That's the equivalent of 70 stolen bases for 20 years!

To further put into perspective how amazing a total that is, only nine active players have more than just 300 steals, and just two have more than 500 (Kenny Lofton and Bonds). No one's stealing this record anytime soon.

4. Joe DiMaggio's 56-Game Hitting Streak

A lot of people would have claimed this as the must untouchable record ever, and it'd be difficult to argue with them. It is said that hitting a baseball is the hardest thing to do in sports, yet DiMaggio managed to do it in every game he played for two months in 1941 — unprecedented and unsurpassed since. Almost equally as stunning is that 56 was not a personal best for the Yankee Clipper — he had a 61-game hitting streak in the minor leagues while just 19 years of age.

3. Nolan Ryan's 5,714 Strikeouts

Imagine preparing for a game in which you've got to try and get out legitimate major league batters. Now imagine striking out the side. Now imagine doing that each inning of a complete game, with 27 strikeouts. Now imagine, that making 30 starts each year, you pull that feat each time you take the mound for seven years. That's the equivalent of how many batters Ryan K'd — seven seasons worth of batters.

His record is so unequaled that the greatest power pitchers of today, Roger Clemens and Randy Johnson, have 4,317 and 4,161 strikeouts pitching in a swing-happy era, respectively. Fifth-place Bert Blyleven is over 2,000 behind Ryan, with a still-incredible 3,701 strikeouts. Ryan's record is as much a tribute to his stuff as it his to his longevity and strength.

2. Hank Aaron's 755 Homerunrs

Baseball fans have witnessed perhaps the greatest five-year run any batter has ever had with Barry Bond's 2000-04 campaign. That run came after an already Hall-of-Fame career, a career which has occurred in a live-ball era in a time when all power record are clouded in controversy. Yet Bonds still trails Aaron in the career homerun race, and it appears more and more likely that Aaron might not be caught, as Bonds deals with injury after injury.

Bonds is the only way one can put in context how great Aaron was, for those who didn't get to see him. Aaron played every day, brought power and patience to the plate everyday, and (seemingly) hit a homer every day. If that wasn't enough for you, Hammerin' Hank also holds the major league records for total bases, extra-base hits, and RBI.

1. Cal Ripken, Jr.'s 2,632 Consecutive Games Played

Considering the old record, Lou Gehrig's at 2,130 was considered unbreakable by most experts, and then Ripken tacked another three seasons worth of games onto that. So although records were meant to be broken, this one might be the exception. Not missing a day of work for over 16 years in any profession is admirable; in something as taxing as baseball, it's something else entirely.

It should be impossible, but Ripken's disproved that theory. Of all the players who have come and gone in the over hundred years of professional baseball, only one (Gehrig) has a streak even half as long as Ripken's. Third-place Everett Scott made it to 1,307 consecutive games. Miguel Tejada is the active leader with 810 games at publication time.

Let the debates begin. Is Ripken's record more impressive than Aaron's? Should Bond's 73-homer season be on the list? Should Rickey's steals and runs record have him higher on the list? Is it unhealthy to ask your readers more than three questions at once? In any case, baseball fans everywhere can agree that the records above are unforgettable, if not unbreakable. And if Memorial Day has taught us nothing else, it's that to remember is to honor.

Posted by Tyson Wirth at 4:27 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

The Never-Ending Hockey Story

"The National Hockey League lockout is going to end."

The above is a declarative statement I take great confidence in authoring. Not only because talks are progressing, and a deal could be finalized as you're reading this. And not only because the esteemed ESPN personality John "Bucci" Buccigross told myself and Cat Sumner on our hockey radio program that the lockout would end in "4-6 weeks," and that was about two weeks ago.

I know the lockout is going to end because, alas, all things must end. If there isn't a settlement, the NHL might just fold. Or the players will start their own league, playing in American bingo halls and on the backyard ponds of selected farms in Manitoba. ("The New WHA: Watch Out For That Cow Pie, Hoser!")

Or the sun will one day explode, casting the Earth into darkness and ending civilization as we know it — turning the surface of our once-great planet into a giant graveyard populated only by cockroaches, stinkweed, and the indestructible Dave Andreychuk.

Still, the question remains: do I want the lockout to end?

There's a certain morbid curiosity in all of us, whether it's rubbernecking at a fender-bender on I-95 or watching "Elimidate" at three in the morning. Now, as the lockout nears what could be its end game, I can't help but wonder what would happen if this became the Energizer Bunny of labor disputes.

What would happen if it just ... never ... ended?

It's like that episode of "Seinfeld" where Kramer and the guy from the auto dealership are doing their Thelma and Louise routine, driving the car long after the needle on the gas gauge hit "E" just to see what happens. As I hockey fan, I've hit "E" quite a while ago when it comes to this lockout and the irreversible damage its done to the NHL and the sport of hockey. Yet I can't help but wonder...

Life if the NHL Lockout Continued Endlessly*

(* Like the "American Idol" finale)

June 17, 2005: Talks between the NHL and the NHL Players Association break down again, as the NHLPA invites the Mario Lemieux, Wayne Gretzky, Bobby Orr, and Gordie Howe to a meeting in order to "finalize" a deal ... only to then submit a counter-proposal with a luxury tax that begins at $125 million.

June 17, 2005, 4:47 PM EST: NHLPA leader Bob Goodenow emerges from the meeting, claiming "the other side simply refused to negotiate."

June 17, 2005, 4:48:35 PM EST: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman emerges from the meeting, claiming, "the other side simply refused to negotiate." He then says the owners are willing to deal, offering a $75,000 salary cap contingent on the players rolling back their salaries to pre-World War II levels.

July 2005: Influenced by the NHL, the National Basketball Association locks out its players, who respond by high-fiving each other, counting their money, and smoking a ton of weed.

August 11, 2005: Brendan Shanahan convenes yet another meeting of hockey progressives seeking to increase scoring and make the game more exciting. Proposals include instituting a "three-goal arc," playing each period one-on-one and restricting goalies to using only one skate.

August 30, 2005: The NHL and the NHLPA meet for the first time in months in Toronto. The first five hours are spent deciding on who sits where. The next five hours are spent deciding on Tim Horton's or Krispy Kreme. Talks end with a stalemate — and stale donuts.

August 31, 2005: In an amazing turn of events, on a day that would go down in hockey history, the NHL and the NHLPA finally come to an agreement: that a conference call would be the best way to announce that the 2005-06 season would be postponed.

September 26, 2005: The NBA lockout ends, as the owners and players agree to a 20-year-old age limit on rookies "unless they're really, really good — like LeBron."

October 2005: In an effort to win the public relations war, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman introduces "Lancelot Linkage," a hilarious chimp who explains the relationship between the fluctuation in league-wide gross revenue versus the percentage of revenue the players make in individual long-term contractual obligations. Oh, and he eats a banana while wearing a diaper, too.

November 2005: To protest the ongoing labor dispute, Eric Lindros goes on a hunger strike, throwing an entire two-month supply of Gerber's Soft Carrots in the trash...

December 1, 2005: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announces that the NHL will begin training camps with "alternative personnel," and a truncated season will start on Jan. 2, 2006.

December 1, 2005, 1:33 PM EST: Rob Ray runs to his stationary bike and starts pedaling the sloth away.

December 15, 2005: The NHLPA announces it's going to begin its own league, which actually goes bankrupt during the announcement.

January 3, 2006: The NHL hits the ice with 30 teams filled with "alternative personnel."

January 3, 2006, 11:59 PM EST: For the first time in nearly a decade, the Chicago Blackhawks are in first place.

January 4, 2006: The NHL reveals that a one-day study by Arthur Levitt, the longest-serving chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, indicates that 29 out of 30 teams lost money on Opening Night.

January 5, 2006: Citing a need for "cost certainty," Bettman locks out the scabs.

January 25, 2006: Scott Stevens is found in his living room, sitting on a coffee table in full pads and jersey, rocking back and forth while muttering, "Put me in coach, put me in coach, put me in coach..."

February 1, 2006: Brendan Shanahan convenes yet another meeting of hockey progressives seeking to increase scoring and make the game more exciting. Proposals include making each goal worth 87 points. For example: "The Avalanche defeated the Blue Jackets 261-174, on goals by Sakic, Forsberg, and Blake..."

Winter 2006: The Winter Olympics in Turin open without any NHL players on international team rosters. With hockey's greatest stars on the sidelines, fans are forced to settle for some of the most emotional and impassioned games the tournament has seen since the Miracle on Ice, creating a litany of new stars and exposing hockey to an entirely new, rabid audience in America.

Spring 2006: Seeking to build on the momentum of the Olympics, the NHL locks out all of those players as well.

May 10, 2006: For old time's sake, Joe Thornton complains about getting no respect and then starts a bar fight with cops.

June 10, 2006: The Bain Group increases its bid to $7 billion for control of the entire NHL, ranging from $1.5 billion for the Leafs to 75 cents for the Hurricanes.

August 2006: Talks begin again between the owners and players. NHLPA President Trevor Linden invites good friend and teammate Todd Bertuzzi to the bargaining table "in case some people need extra convincing." NHL board members are careful not to turn their backs to him...

September 2006: ESPN announces that not only will it not broadcast the NHL, it will refuse to acknowledge the sport ever existed in the first place by replacing all "SportsCentury" hockey episodes with reruns of "The Fabulous Sports Babe."

October 1, 2006: In a press conference, Bettman thanks fans for their dedication and patience. "Hockey fans are simply the greatest fans on the planet, and we are dedicated to coming back with an exciting new look and style that will grow the National Hockey League to new heights of excitement and popularity. *cough* there'snoseason *cough*. Okay now, bye-bye then..." Exit, stage left.

December 10, 2006: Noted hockey columnist Stan Fischler makes journalism history by sourcing an article entirely with anonymous bloggers who make predictions that never come to pass and then erase their archives in order to not be exposed for the frauds they are.

January 2007: Talks break off again between the NHL and the NHLPA. Mark Messier begins to wonder if he's actually retired this time.

Spring 2007: "Star Wars Episode 7: You're in Deep Sith Now" opens. There is still no NHL hockey.

July 14, 2007: In an opium bar somewhere in the Far East, Brendan Shanahan convenes yet another meeting of hockey progressives seeking to increase scoring and make the game more exciting. Proposals include having players grow wings and play in the sky, and deciding overtime ties by having teams fight a large dragon.

September 29, 2007: The NHL and the NHLPA finally come to a new collective bargaining agreement, with a $38 million salary cap and linkage between revenue and salaries. But then, at a press conference, Bettman rips off some white tape that had been placed on the CBA, revealing that he tricked the NHLPA into signing on for an $18 million cap instead! Goodenow smirks, and reveals he had signed the deal in disappearing ink! He then throws a smoke bomb, and the players association disappears through a trap door! Bettman: "You've won this round Goodenow...but there will be a next time..."

May 2008: "Star Wars Episode 8: That Sound You Hear Is the Cash Register" opens. There is still no NHL hockey.

Summer 2010: Aliens land in Grover's Mill, NJ, seeking to make contact with intelligent life. Upon discovering that hockey hasn't been played professionally in North America in close to six years, they take their cures for cancer and head back home.

December 2010: After years in moth balls, the Stanley Cup finally returns to action as a punch bowl at the Bat Mitzvah for Gary Bettman's niece.

May 2012: "Star Wars Episode 9: The Wrath of Binks" opens. There is still no NHL hockey.

August 2025: Gary Bettman, Jr. and Bob Goodenow III sit down at the bargaining table, offering hope to long-suffering Red Wings fans that Stevie Y might finally be back on the ice shortly.

September 14, 2025: The NHL owners and players agree on a new CBA, without any tricks, scams, or invisible ink. Training camps open for all four teams still incorporated by the league.

September 15, 2025: The sun explodes, ending life as we know it and any chance for the St. Louis Blues to finally win the damn Cup.

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 2:30 PM | Comments (0)

June 3, 2005

Let's Make a Deal, Commissioner Stern

The NBA is on the verge of a lockout. This day of reckoning has been looming on the horizon for some time and now it has arrived. Commissioner David Stern and the owners have some issues they feel need to be addressed in order for the game to continue growing at a healthy pace, while the players believe there are things that need to change before a deal gets done.

One of the chief issues on the table that need to be addressed is the length of player contracts. The league wants shorter contracts, decreasing the maximum length of contracts from seven years (six if you're a free agent who doesn't re-sign with their team) to five years (four if you don't re-sign with your team). The owners are solidly behind this issue because they want to protect themselves from the many bad decisions, bad contracts, and bad injuries they've had to endure over the years.

Do you know how much Grant Hill cost the Orlando Magic? It cost them Tracy McGrady and a couple million dollars. How much has Allan Houston's bad knees and his bad contract hamstrung the Knicks? The Atlanta Hawks are just now recovering from the ridiculous mistake of signing Jon Koncak to his huge contract over a decade ago. The owners want a way to curb their spending but at the same time, protect themselves from themselves. The shorter contracts would provide the owners with a bit of a safety route in case a player signing goes wrong, due to various reasons, such as an unfortunate injury or a lack of player talent.

Theoretically, with the shorter contracts, fewer mistakes would be committed. But, in the event that a mistake is made, that mistake won't have to linger on a team's books for what seems like an eternity and turn into a colossal blunder. This, in turn, allows a team to recover from their mistake quicker, thereby giving each team an equal opportunity to sign and keep talent, which would then create a more level playing field for each team in the league. When you step back and analyze it, you have to admit that it's a very sugary, fantasyland-type view of the world. It's a very noble outlook, but one I'm not so sure would ever become a reality. It's also not an issue important enough to lockout players over, either.

One thing I am sure about, though, is the feeling David Stern must have whenever he looks at the current makeup of his league. Whenever he surveys the NBA landscape, what he sees are wonderful players and good teams. However, what he also sees is a league that is getting younger by the season. One in which the players are too immature to be on their own, earning millions of dollars a year and providing for their own families. He sees too many young, urban youth becoming role models when they need role models themselves. He sees too many tattoos. He sees too many players with cornrows. He sees an NBA, maybe sometime in the near future, that struggles to retain the corporate sponsors he worked so hard to bring to the table in the 1980s and '90s.

Worse yet, he sees players that are becoming increasingly difficult to market because the average basketball fan doesn't know anything about them. So, because of these, and many other things he sees as ills of the game, Mr. Stern is proposing that there ought to be age restrictions for the league. His reasoning is that if the league imposes age restrictions on its potential draft participants, then the entrants to his league will be better equipped to handle life in the NBA and in the public eye, and, in turn, will be more marketable to Madison Avenue.

Stern helped transform the NBA from a drug-tainted sport that almost no one cared about or watched in the 1970s to a league with worldwide appeal, driven by superstars like Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird. Stern carefully crafted the image of the NBA and helped bring it into the 21st century with slick cross-promotion and basketball stars who became matinee idols and household names.

But now, he believes that the look of the league has changed due to the proliferation of teenagers, most of whom are unknown until draft day when their name is called, that dot many rosters. The league has become more hip-hop than jazz, which, in his mind, has a negative perception with advertisers and has the potential to drive them away in the near future. So, his only way of protecting himself and his league is to institute an age limit that won't allow anyone access to the league until they are at least twenty years of age or two years removed from their high school graduation.

The problem I have, along with many of the players, with Stern's age-limit restriction is the fact that it appears racially motivated and for a sport that's as image-conscious as the NBA, this is a potential PR nightmare. The fact of the matter is that the majority of the players aiming to join the league right out of high school happen to be inner-city African-American kids.

And, despite how unrealistic it may be, many kids in the inner-cities view professional sports as their ticket out and the quicker they can punch that ticket out of their situation, the better it will be for them. For many, college isn't even a viable option and mandating that they must go to school for another two years is a waste of time for the athlete who doesn't want to be there, the school that could be educating someone else who wants to be there and the displaced student whose seat the unwilling athlete-student now occupies.

The players argue that Stern's proposed age restriction is unfair because it's a form of discrimination — ageism in reverse, if you will. If they're old enough to get married, the players wonder, vote and fight in unjust wars, why shouldn't they be allowed to support themselves playing basketball? Whey are they being targeted? Why isn't anyone going after Major League Baseball and its draft? Why must you wait until you're 21 to play in the NBA, if you can be drafted by baseball teams and sign professional contracts at 16? Why isn't there a fuss made when soccer has their draft and one of the teams drafts and signs a 14-year-old kid? Why is it that teenagers can turn professional and play professional tennis and golf tournaments but basketball players have to wait until they're 21 to live their dream to play in the NBA?

The reason is because none of these other sports are dominated by and populated with urban youth and whether David Stern finally admits that or not, the perception is there that this whole issue is racially-motivated and will not go away quietly. And it shouldn't go away quietly because some things are worth fighting for. Having an age limit in the NBA is a rule that is a whole lot discriminatory and probably just a little bit racist and one I would fight with every fiber of my being — if it were me.

However, for all the negative talk, fortunately, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. News spread late last week that the league and the players aren't as far apart on a deal as they had been in recent weeks. In fact, negotiations, which had broken off, have begun anew, just in time for the beginning of the NBA Finals. So, there is hope that a deal can be struck quickly because no one wants to lose basketball.

You need look no further than the NHL to see just how much of an impact a lockout can have on a league and a sport. Hockey has just about fallen from the consciousness of most American sports fans, just when we would normally be in the midst of another exciting run for Lord Stanley's Cup. Instead, interest in hockey has all but died in this country to the point that even if brought back next year, the NHL would be hard-pressed to restore fan interest to the levels they'd reached prior to the lockout.

Therefore, my memo to David Stern and the players is simple: get a deal done ASAP! Do not become like hockey. Do not become a memory lost in the minds of the American sports fan. Do not sell out your fans because you couldn't agree on a few simple, yet potentially destructive, issues. The average sports fan already has no sympathy for athletes they perceive to be spoiled and rich and not playing because of contract or money issues is no way to get the people on your side.

We've already seen how much damage a lockout can do to the welfare of a league and a sport. It took baseball many years and a now-tainted homerun race to restore the fan interest in their game. Don't deprive basketball fans to opportunity to see the next step in the development of great young players like Dwyane Wade, Amare Stoudemire, and LeBron James.

Get a deal done now and avoid the mess of a lockout. There is far too much to lose and not nearly enough to gain if there is no NBA next year. But, if you don't believe me, ask your favorite NHL player how much his life has changed since being locked out the next time you go to your favorite fast food drive-through window. I'm sure he'll be happy to tell you all about it as he checks to make sure you have enough ketchup and napkins in your bag.

Posted by Eric Williams at 2:42 PM | Comments (2)

Baseball of a Different Color

The library in Richie Allen's hometown of Wampum, PA, closed last year, so anyone there who wants to borrow the book "September Swoon: Richie Allen, the '64 Phillies and Racial Integration" has to go to the facility in nearby Ellwood City, which is where I picked up that book last month.

"September Swoon" is, of course, a reference to the biggest pennant-race collapse in Major League Baseball history. In 1964, the year Allen was voted National League Rookie of the Year, the Phils set the futility standard by blowing a 6½-game lead with 12 to play.

Although the book is set entirely in the 1960s, it focuses on the often-contentious connection between baseball and blacks, which affects the sport to this day.

Kashatus has also written on the Underground Railroad, baseball in the eastern Pennsylvania anthracite coal-mining region, and the seemingly oxymoronic history of Quakers at war.

While "September Swoon" sometimes gets bogged down in game accounts, Kashatus' book is worthwhile reading for its coverage of race and baseball, particularly in reference to Allen, regarded as baseball's first black superstar malcontent.

Allen doesn't come off totally innocent in the book — Kashatus reveals that he sometimes showed up drunk for games before the Phillies finally gave in to his demand for a trade. But the author, who says Allen's numbers make him worthy of Hall-of-Fame consideration, also talks about the treatment he got from Phillies fans, which led to the trade demand.

The relationship between Allen and Philadelphia fans was sprained during the 1964 season as the team collapsed in the stretch and into 1965, when the team failed to live up to the expectations that carried over from the previous season's relative success.

By the end of that season, the relationship was hopelessly fractured, thanks largely to a run-in between Allen and Frank Thomas, a popular veteran first baseman obtained in a trade with Pittsburgh the previous year. Thomas, who had a reputation for being rough — sometimes brutal — on young players, crossed a line in Allen's view, and the two players got into a scuffle.

A few days later, Thomas was traded and the Philadelphia fans blamed Allen. Phillies management denied the fight and trade were connected, and, today at least, it wouldn't matter to most fans if it was. If a young star and a veteran well past his sell-by date can't coexist in the same locker room, guess which one is gone?

In retrospect, getting rid of Thomas was a no-brainer. But the fans couldn't forgive Allen. And Allen couldn't forgive the fans for their lack of forgiveness, which triggered a vicious cycle that spiraled out of everyone's control and eventually forced his trade to the Chicago White Sox.

Once in Chicago under manager Chuck Tanner — who hailed from Shenango Township, PA, literally just down the road (Pa. Route 18, to be exact) from Wampum — Allen blossomed.

Baseball's problematic racial relationship didn't end with Allen's retirement, although he certainly made it easier for other black players who didn't always get along with fans, most notably Dave Parker, Gary Sheffield, and Barry Bonds.

Were it not for Latin American players, baseball in 2005 would look a lot like baseball in 1945, two years before Jackie Robinson breached the color line. Although today, that's not because of then-commissioner Kennesaw Mountain Landis' overt racism, but because of benign neglect.

While baseball has done little to attract young black athletes, basketball and football began to take root in inner-city communities. The decline in minority baseball participation is evident in the western Pennsylvania region where Allen grew up.

In Aliquippa, a former mill town where Mike Ditka and Ty Law went to high school, the largely minority student population dominates competition statewide in football, basketball, and track, but has a baseball team that regularly gets socked with mercy-rule losses, where games are stopped because one team has a lead of at least 15 runs after three innings or at least 10 runs after five innings.

Sociology plays a part in that. Baseball is a legacy sport — it's passed on from father to son. In inner city minority-dominated neighborhoods, fathers, and even father figures, are in short supply.

Baseball itself is another part of the problem. The game contains a heavy dose of a "hurry up and wait" type of activity, which all but drives kids to constant-action sports like basketball, football and, yes, even soccer — in the May 30 issue of Sports Illustrated, U.S. national soccer coach Bruce Arena said the number of black players in the 70-man (and boy, since it includes 15-year-old Freddy Adu) national team pool would enable him to select an all-African-American squad.

Ironically, the folks who run baseball, once the national pastime, is now attempting to copy the success of soccer, once a fringe sport.

Former major leaguer John Young was well ahead of the curve on this one. In 1989, he began to notice the decline in youth baseball participation among kids in his native, and largely minority, South Central Los Angeles.

Today, the program Young started, now known as Reviving Baseball In the Inner Cities (RBI) has gained momentum and is now the main thrust of a league-wide effort to bring black players back to the game.

The hope is that, as more black kids play baseball, more will make it to the major leagues. And even if they don't, that more will watch the sport as adults.

It's be too soon to see if the program has made an impact on either front — soccer in the United States needed nearly 30 years to become even moderately successful either in international competition or as a spectator sport.

But RBI represents an effort by Major League Baseball to attract black youths to a sport their predecessors once fought to play. And that can't be a bad thing, either for those kids or for the game.

Posted by Eric Poole at 2:25 PM | Comments (0)

June 2, 2005

Slant Pattern's Fake Mailbag

We get mail here at the Slant Pattern, why don't we clear some out and start a mailbag feature of our own?

Well, for starters, because we actually don't get mail here at the Slant Pattern. In fact, I wonder how many mailbag columns really consist of "letters" that actually come from the author. Or maybe it's time for me to accept that fact that I get no love and it's time for me to hire prostitutes to write e-mails to me asking about the likelihood of Thongchai Jaidee getting into the British Open (answer: he's in!). Until then, I will just answer the mailbags from other people's columns.

I'm a big fan of Stewart Mandel over at Sports Illustrated. He's their resident college football writer. What are his readers wondering?

One reader asks, "Will Ohio State's linebackers and defensive backs be able to shut down Texas quarterback Vince Young on Sept. 10?"

Ah, yes. We are getting closer and closer to the start of the college football season and the matchup of Ohio State against Texas.

I'm an Ohio State alum, and I have an axe to grind against Texas. When I enrolled at OSU in 1994, it had more students that any other single campus in the country — just over 50,000. By the time I left, Texas held that distinction, and still holds it.

Vince Young will be a challenge for the Ohio State linebackers to be sure. I still (and I'm being unbiased here, I think) give Ohio State the edge. Whenever Ohio State goes into a heralded non-conference game (North Carolina State last year, Washington two years ago), they always seem to come up on top — I can't, off the top of my head, recall them
losing a non-conference regular season game under Jim Tressel. Of course, Texas usually handles their non-conference schedule too, so we'll see.

Another reader asks, "During January's Cotton Bowl, announcers kept mentioning how Tennessee and Texas A&M were almost mirror images, and that the winning team would be highly-ranked going into this season. If A&M had won, would it be in the preseason top five and UT be out of the top 25? It's hard to imagine one game making that much of a difference."

It is hard to imagine one game making that much of a difference, especially considering that one game didn't take place this season.

This is why one always must remember that the biggest part of an announcer's job is to sell hype. No announcer is ever, ever going to say, "We have a real dud in this year's Cotton Bowl." So, the commentators have to figure out how to sell it that's not necessarily completely ridiculous.

That said, although I like both Tennessee and Texas A&M to wage successful campaigns in 2005, the top five may be a reach for both.

Next question:

"While the Big 10 is obviously superior overall to the MAC, why does the MAC consistently get better quarterbacks? Do that many guys slip through the cracks, or is there more to it? Did Chad Pennington, Ben Roethlisberger, Charlie Frye, and Omar Jacobs really not get recruited by the Big 10?"

Without knowing the specifics on these particular players, recruits generally play in the MAC, rather than the Big 10, either because they indeed were not recruited by a Big 10 school, or because a MAC school offered them a better deal than a Big 10 school (for example, full ride vs. partial ride, a promise to start right away, etc).

Beyond that, I don't really think it's any more than a coincidence that the MAC has come up with a lot of good quarterbacks lately. Some guys do indeed just slip through the cracks. Walter Payton and Jerry Rice came from Jackson State and Mississippi Valley State, respectively, and that's just the beginning of a long list of NFL superstars that came from schools that make the MAC look like the Big 10.

Another reader asks, "Looking back, do you think the NCAA was unfair in its punishment of Alabama in 2002 for recruiting violations? I mean, people have been screaming about violations at Tennessee for years, and every time, "nothing" is found — even when there was a paper trail leading to improper benefits for Tee Martin. More recently at Ohio State, the NCAA just gave up trying to investigate Maurice Clarett's allegations. Alabama did its time and is moving on, but I'm curious to see what people think with the benefit of hindsight."

I'll give you one guess as to what state the writer heralds from. I'll give you a hint. The city he's from starts with "B" and ends with "irmingham."

No one ever writes, "How come my school always gets off so easy and my rival gets brutalized with murder charges every time they do the slightest thing?" No one ever writes, "My school/team sure has benefited from a lot of bad officiating." Taking this line of thinking beyond sports, no one ever says, "My race/gender/political party sure has it easier than the other races/gender/political parties."

It's the victimhood mentality, and those who decry it the most on one area convey it the most in others. What can you do to stop someone from thinking the world is stacked against them in All Matters Great And Small?

So instead I'll just fan the flames and tell this reader the only answer he would likely believe: the media, the NCAA, and the Trilateral Commission have always done what they can to help Tennessee, and always will. They have ties to Tennessee, they're behind Tennessee. As such, they hate all things Alabama, and don't think for one second that they won't do all in their power to keep them down.

Posted by Kevin Beane at 12:38 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

NASCAR Top 10 Power Rankings: Week 12

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Jimmie Johnson — Johnson crushed all doubts about his ability to maintain his points lead with a resounding victory in the Coca-Cola 600. Johnson's third straight win in the 600 unfolded in dramatic fashion, as he survived a NASCAR record 22 cautions and passed Bobby Labonte on the last lap, closing the books on the five-hour-plus marathon.

"To all those who doubted me," says Johnson, "I would just like to quote my good friend Nelson from The Simpsons and say 'Ha ha!' And, as Bart would say, "Eat my shorts!'"

You've got a right to be jubilant, J.J. In a race that made Otto the bus driver from The Simpsons look like a safe driver, you came out on top. You showed the heart of a champion by recovering from a one lap deficit and pulling out the victory. In doing so, you bumped up your points lead to 71 from a much more precarious 41.

"That's right. Now cue up The Eagles' 'Victory Song' or Santana's 'I'm Winning,' because the Nextel Cup is mine. Maybe I haven't mathematically clinched, but math and NASCAR don't mix anyway."

Johnson has been red-hot (two wins in 2002) and ice-cold (a 34th in the Spring 2004, 38th in the Spring 2003) at Dover. Johnson hopes to duplicate that 2002 success with a successful (top-10) result this week.

2. Greg Biffle — Biffle's sixth-place finish, his best ever in the 600, kept him within striking distance of the points lead, although he lost 30 points to race-winner Johnson. The distance from Biffle to third-place Elliot Sadler is 134 points, so, right now, the battle for the points lead is a two-man competition.

Earlier in the week, Biffle signed a three-year extension to his contract, securing his drive with Roush Racing through 2008.

"It's nice to get that contract deal off my chest," says Biffle. "Right now, I'm happy with the deal. However, come next year, if I feel I deserve more money, I will hold out for a new deal, even though I signed the contract. If we NASCAR drivers are to call ourselves 'professional athletes' in the same class with baseball, basketball, and football players, then we have to act like them. And that means displaying selfish behavior and not honoring the stipulations of our contracts. And faking injuries. And showing up out of shape. And doing drugs. And getting busted for weapons possession. Don't get me wrong. I plan to honor my contract. But if I need to work off some frustration by choking Jack Roush, a la Latrell Sprewell, I'll do it."

Until Biffle shows up wearing a diamond stud in his left ear and a FUBU jersey, I guess we have nothing to worry about.

With three wins and eight top-10s this year, Biffle has been NASCAR's most consistently good performer. He'll need that kind of consistency at Dover. Biffle's best finish in the spring there is a 26th last year.

3. Elliot Sadler — Sadler's 13th in the 600 was not quite as satisfying as his runner-up in the Nextel All-Star Challenge. Then again, his runner-up in the all-star event was nowhere near as exciting as his day on May 28th. That's when Sadler and Jamie McMurray hooked up with tennis goddess Anna Kournikova for an exhibition match across the street from Lowe's Motor Speedway.

"All I can say is 'Wow!'" exclaims Sadler. "They don't make women like that in Virginia. I know Anna's never won a women's pro tournament, but maybe she should try the men's circuit. If those guys are like me, they would have a hard time keeping their eyes on the ball for watching her. She'd never lose."

After the match, Sadler tried to sucker Kournikova into a jersey exchange as competitors often do after international soccer matches. Kournikova didn't fall for the ploy, and Sadler was left topless and with only a signed copy of Kournikova's Maxim cover for his troubles.

With his result in the 600, Sadler moved passed Jeff Gordon to take over the three spot in the points, 205 off the pace. Sadler will welcome the short track at Dover; he's finished second, ninth, and seventh at short tracks this year, including the pole at Bristol.

4. Ryan Newman — Newman's pole-winning ways continued, as he swept qualifying in Charlotte, starting first in the Nextel Challenge and the Coca-Cola 600, and setting a track record in qualifying for the 600. Newman crashed out of the all-star affair, but faired better in the 600, finishing fifth and leaping three spots in the points.

"Hey, go ahead and ask me who wrecked me in the all-star race," says Newman. "Go ahead, punk. Ask me."

Sure thing, Rocket Dude. Who crashed you out of the all-star race?

"My arch-nemesis, Rusty Wallace, of course. I shall soon have my revenge. And I will seek revenge on behalf of Tony Danza, as well. Rusty nearly killed Tony when he turned him over in that go-kart a few weeks ago. I'm going to show Rusty who the boss is."

Well, Ryan, in case you haven't heard, Rusty sold his shares in Penske South Racing, so he no longer has a stake in your car. So now, you and Rusty are free to hate each other in a more logical fashion: as enemies, not as teammates.

Newman is on a roll lately, with two consecutive top ten finishes. With the one mile oval at Dover next up, Newman should continue to excel. He won this race in 2003, and as always, will be a force in qualifying. Look for Newman to nip Jeremy Mayfield for the pole in Friday's qualifying.

5. Jeff Gordon — Gordon and teammates Johnson and Brian Vickers were on schedule for a possible Hendrick 1-2-3 finish until Vickers rammed Bill Elliot, triggering a crash that battered Gordon's No. 24 Monte Carlo. Gordon finished 30th, while Vickers accepted blame.

"We here at Hendrick Motorsports like to settle our disputes in a civilized fashion," adds Gordon. "That's why, unlike the fellows over at Dale Earnhardt, Inc., you won't see us intentionally crash our teammates and badmouth each other in the press. Instead, we accidentally crash our teammates and then badmouth them to their faces. In fact, I just finished berating Brian with a stream of profanities not heard since the fans at Doublemint Stadium, I mean Wrigley Field, cursed and booed me for butchering 'Take Me Out to the Ball Game.' Let me just say to those White Sox, I mean Cubs' fans: your idol, the late Harry Caray, didn't exactly possess the greatest voice. And you want to criticize me for my vocal shortcomings? You're all a bunch of bleacher bums."

In any case, Gordon's 30th cost him two spots in the points, and he now stands fifth, 231 out. Positions three through 10 are separated by only 101 points, so there will be a lot of jockeying for those positions in the upcoming races. Two straight results in the 30s have left Gordon looking for a definitive rebound. Should he steer clear of accidents ahead of him, chances are good he'll do that.

6. Tony Stewart — Stewart started ninth, and, like many others, was plagued by an inability to find a consistent groove, which was exacerbated by the new surface at Lowe's. However, Stewart, along with the No. 20 Home Depot Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet crew, had ample opportunity to adjust and adapt, thanks to 22 cautions. As a result, Stewart was up to fourth with 30 laps to go.

"Man, we were sitting pretty," says Stewart, "like Angelina Jolie in a chaise lounge. Then, the bottom fell out, like Roseann Barr sitting in that same chaise lounge."

While cars were falling in line for a restart, Stewart turned to test his wheel clearance when he rammed the car of Dale Jarrett, who was taking his place in line. The damage was done, and Stewart fell two laps down, and eventually finished 24th. He did hold on to position six in the points, however.

Stewart's luck should improve this weekend in Dover. He's finished no worse than sixth in the last four races in Dover, and 11th or better in all 12 of his starts there.

7. Kevin Harvick — Harvick's 600 ride was basically incident-free, unlike his Nextel All-Star Challenge experience, in which he was collected in a crash involving Joe Nemechek. After both cars spinned to rest in the Lowe's infield, Harvick confronted Nemechek with a slap to the helmet of the No. 01 U.S. Army Chevrolet. Nemechek responded by borrowing a line from GM Goodwrench spokesman Stephen Colbert's line from his commercial with Harvick: "Don't dis my wheels, Happy."

"Oh, that's not even close to what he said," Harvick replies. "Joe's words were all of the four letter length, except for the 'you.' You know, I'm not even sure Joe was responsible for that crash. I just know it was time for me to fly off the handle. I'd say once every three races is how often I lose it. I try to tell these guys, 'Don't make me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry.'"

Well said, Happy. But don't you think you should allow a guy to take his helmet off before you slap him? In hockey, the players have an unwritten rule that they'll drop the gloves before fighting. Shouldn't you guys agree to drop the helmets before engaging? After all, Jimmie Spencer didn't slap Kurt Busch with Busch's helmet on, did he?

Harvick has six straight finishes in the top 20, but only one of those in the top 10 (fifth at Richmond). A top-10 at the Monster Mile in Dover would certainly make Happy happy.

8. Carl Edwards — Edward's first top-10 finish since Darlington moved him back into the top 10 in points for the first time since late April after Phoenix. Edwards' third-place was the best Roush Racing result of the day, but it did, however, come at a price: Edwards raised the ire of Dale Jarrett by bump drafting the No. 88 UPS Ford and sending it for an infield spin. Jarrett retaliated later by bumping Edwards.

"You know," says Edwards. "I'm just glad D.J. chose to exact retribution on the track and not elsewhere. I, like everyone, fear the 'Dale Jarrett Inspirational Lecture.' I'm just glad Dale didn't poke his head through my window and give me a good dressing down. That's embarrassing. I did have my middle finger cocked and ready, but I wisely chose to holster it."

In his only Nextel Cup start at Dover, Edwards finished 18th after qualifying 15th in last year's MBNA America 400. Look for the young Edwards to improve on that finish, and challenge near the top-10.

9. Jamie McMurray — McMurray was the lone bright spot for Chip Ganassi Racing on Sunday, although calling a 21st-place finish your "bright spot" must mean that your other drivers really stunk it up. And stink it up they did. Not just McMurray's NASCAR teammates Casey Mears and Sterling Marlin. But also, Indy Racing League teammates Scott Dixon and Darren Manning. Mears and Marlin finished 34th and 39th, respectively, in Charlotte, while Dixon and Manning could only manage 24th and 29th at Indy earlier in the day.

Ganassi was in Charlotte to witness the carnage in person, and could only throw his hands in the air in disgust as his cars continually hit the wall.

"Uh oh. Better get Maaco," Ganssi reportedly mumbled jokingly. He then called his sheet metal supplier to place a very large order.

Despite two spins and a finish one lap down, McMurray maintains his ninth-place in the points. He has two top-10s in Dover in his four Cup races there, and has never finished lower than 15th. He also has two top-10 qualifying efforts there. McMurray has displayed consistency all year, with no finish lower than 25th since coming home 32nd at Daytona. He'll need to remain consistent and start closing the deal to make a move up the rankings.

10. Jeremy Mayfield — Mayfield scored his second top-five this season despite his worst qualifying effort of the year, as he started 36th on the grid. Powering his No. 19 Evernham Motorsports Dodge to fourth, Mayfield managed to avoid major damage in the marathon 600 marred by 22 cautions. Mayfield now stands 13th in the points, 330 behind Johnson.

"That's right. I finished fourth," says Mayfield. "But do you hear anyone talking about it? No. Am I on SportsCenter? No. Does Larry King want to interview me? No. Hey, I finished fourth just like Danica Patrick at Indianapolis. Why can't I get the same amount of publicity she does? This is clearly a case of sex discrimination. As soon as I find out who to sue, I'm sueing."

I'll tell you a better plan of action, Jeremy, if publicity is what you crave: drop about 100 pounds, let your hair grow, and apply makeup, heavily. Don't stop until you look like Danica.

Mayfield should not have to rely on looks for a top result in Dover. He won the last two poles in Dover, and backed those up with eighth- and seventh-place finishes on race day. Another top 10 will probably land Mayfield in the top 10 in points.

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 12:04 PM | Comments (0)

Conspiracy Theories: MLB's Grassy Knoll

Sports are full of conspiracy theories, some of them very strange. The most popular fringe theory these days is probably the (absurd) notion that the Super Bowl has been fixed for at least one of the last four seasons. But I have a sports conspiracy theory so full of holes it makes that one look positively sane.

This whole project developed because of my birthday. You start thinking about getting older and what that means, maybe not a full-blown "crisis," as we call them, but at least a somber contemplation of the state of things. One of the things I did around my birthday was go over my mental checklist of things I want to get around to one day, hopefully while I'm still somewhat young. One of the things on my list is to attend a World Series Game 7.

But here's the thing: not every Series goes seven games.

If two teams are evenly matched — if each has a 50% chance of winning any given game — there is only a 31.25% chance that the Series will go the full seven. Flip a coin until you get four heads or four tails, and it's the same thing. But shift the balance even a little — say, 55-45 — and that percentage drops to 30.3. Given some of the blowouts in the last few years, it seems reasonable to guess that a Series could be as unbalanced as 60-40. In that scenario, the chances of seeing Game Seven drop to 27.65%, or about one in four.

Those aren't bad odds. Assuming that most World Series opponents are within that 50-50 to 60-40 range, with the majority around the slight advantage of 55-45, any given Series would have about a 30% chance of lasting seven games. Wait a decade, and you'll see three Game Sevens.

After I figured out all these odds, I decided to check the actual record. The math is absolute, so it should be more accurate, but it's worth looking at the box scores. You could flip heads 10 times in a row (it happens about one in a thousand times), but if you do, something is probably up. When you look at the statistics above, and then at World Series results, it looks like something is probably up.

I'm really interested only in MLB's modern era. Historians may have a different cutoff date, but I used the end of the color barrier. Since Jackie Robinson's debut with the Dodgers in 1947, there have been 57 World Series. Twenty-five of them — 43.9% — have gone the distance. The margin of error here is only +/- 13.2%, which would mean it is almost impossible that the Series is being played straight.

The World Series is fixed! Shout it from the rooftops!

Some fans may take Boston's unlikely sweep of the Cardinals last year as sufficient evidence that the World Series is crooked, but why would games be fixed to extend the Series? Revenue and fan interest. A terrific Series could be especially desirable when the league could use a little help.

Immediately following the second world war (1945-47), three consecutive series went the distance. Coincidence? Could be. But it would also be a great time for a legendary Series or two to get the country thinking about baseball instead of war crimes and Communism and Nagasaki.

In the '50s, fully half the series required seventh games, including four in a row, all involving the Yankees, from 1955-58. In the '60s, six World Series Game 7s were played. In the '70s, five. Things calmed down a little in the '80s, but there were still four Game 7s (and the average should be three), including three in a row from '85-'87. In all, from 1945-87, there were 43 World Series, and 23 of them (53.5%) went to a seventh game.

The juiced Oakland teams of the late-'80s finally overcame this apparent corruption by playing in three straight blowout series (1-4, 4-0, 0-4). In the '90s, two of the nine WS went seven games. Two of the five this century have required a seventh game. The '90s were the only post-color barrier decade in which 30% or fewer of the October Classics lasted seven games.

Why hasn't anyone realized and publicized this before? Because my methodology is badly flawed.

Some of you have probably noticed by now that I haven't mentioned home field advantage. In all but the most unbalanced matchups, the home team wins more often than it loses. That means when the favorite (which might have a 55% chance to win any given game on a neutral field) plays at home, it's almost a lock. But it also means that the underdog gets a few games in which it becomes the favorite. Alternating home fields produces more upsets and longer series. It explains the unusual number of seven-game World Series in the last 60 years.

But riddle me this: without adjusting for home field, an evenly-matched series (with neither team having an advantage larger than 55% versus 45%) should end in a sweep about 13% of the time. Since 1947, there have been 10 4-0 World Series sweeps — 17.5%. That could be a statistical aberration, but it's unlikely. Either the Series is fixed to produce sweeps (shout it from the rooftops!), or the advantage of the stronger team frequently runs higher than 55-45 or even 60-40. If the latter is true, then our seven-game numbers are skewed again, even accounting for home field advantage.

All in all, 35 of the 57 series since Jackie Robinson's first game in the majors (61.4%) have produced either sweeps or seven-game series. Statistically, the majority of World Series should last five or six games. Sweeps have their own magic, of course, so it's conceivable that arranging sweeps could benefit the league. There have been three in the last seven years: two establishing the contemporary Yankee dynasty in the late-'90s, and last year's Red Sox victory that kept the focus on Boston's amazing comeback in the ALCS and one of the most overblown feel-good stories of the last half-century.

I don't really believe the World Series is fixed. I don't see how it could be done, and the risks outweigh the benefits. It's such an unlikely theory that it can be reasonably dismissed out of hand. That said, the numbers do not add up. I'm not a statistician, but I do understand basic statistical concepts, and unless I've made a major error in my calculations, it is statistically impossible or close to it for the World Series to produce so many four- or seven-game series.

Shout it from the rooftops.

Posted by Brad Oremland at 12:03 PM | Comments (1)

June 1, 2005

Closers Drawing Closer to the Hall?

Trevor Hoffman has been the San Diego Padres closer since 1993, coming over in the trade that sent Gary Sheffield to the Florida Marlins. Since then, Hoffman has accumulated 407 saves, giving the Padres the most reliable closer in the history of baseball. Hoffman's 89 percent save percentage is the best mark of any save specialist. Despite that phenomenal reliability, Hoffman and his 409 saves, third most of all-time, is not guaranteed a space in the Hall of Fame.

To date, only two pure closers have been elected into the Hall, Rollie Fingers and Hoyt Wilhelm. The only other closer in the Hall, Dennis Eckersley, started off his career as a starter and moved to the bullpen later in his career. Eck has 390 saves, 88 fewer than Lee Smith, baseball's save leader. Eckersley was elected to the Hall on his first ballot in 2004, receiving 83 percent of the votes, but Smith has never received more than 42 percent of the vote. Likewise, Rollie Fingers joined the Hall on his second ballot, while Rich "Goose" Gossage has only this year moved above getting more than 50 percent of the votes.

It's easy to see why a dominant closer like Eckersley made the Hall. He spent the first part of his career as a starter and won more than 150 games, one of those wins being a no-hitter. After that he became a prolific reliever, and the only pitcher to record 100 saves and 100 complete games. Smith, on the other hand, only started six games in his career. But why then is Smith on the outside and Rollie Fingers on the inside?

Smith has 137 more saves than Fingers, and interestingly, Fingers has a losing record. His lifetime record is 114-118, making him the second pitcher in the Hall of Fame with a losing record. Satchel Paige is the other. Two advantages come to mind when thinking about Rollie.

First, he had a much more extensive record in the playoffs. Smith only appeared in the playoffs twice, and both in losing efforts. Rollie, in comparison, had an extensive postseason record, and was a part of American League and World Series champion teams for both the Milwaukee Brewers and the Oakland Athletics.

Second, Rollie recorded his saves largely in the era when saves required more than one inning of work. Often times, his saves were three inning outings. Smith began his career during this era, but also finished when the save situation became simply pitching the last inning.

So if postseason success and pitching more than one inning for a save are necessary to push a closer into the Hall, why then is Goose still lingering on voter's ballots? The save numbers between Fingers and Gossage aren't that different. Goose also pitched during the two-to-three inning save era. In the postseason, Goose was a member of one World Series champion team, and played in two more. His experience looks remarkably similar to Rollie's. The only drawback about Goose is that in 1976, his only full year as a starter, his record was 9-17.

What's clear from looking at the careers of closers that made the Hall and those that are still waiting is that there isn't a set of criteria for closers yet. Voters still don't know what is good enough for entry and what isn't. Rollie Fingers' and Goose Gossage's careers were very similar, but apparently different enough to keep Goose out. This is an issue that will only grow with time. More closers will be retiring in the next few years and the question of one-inning save specialists like Hoffman and Mariano Rivera entering the Hall will become more pressing.

Hoffman, barring any injuries, will likely eclipse Smith's save record in the next few years. Hopefully, that will prompt voters to recognize just how impressive Smith's career was. Today's closers will have to hope so because for them to have a chance at entering Cooperstown, they will have to wait for players like Gossage and Smith to lead the way.

Posted by Chris Lindshield at 2:48 PM | Comments (0)

A Look at Sports Globalization

“If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange apples, then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas.” — George Bernard Shawa

God bless America. Everything about this country is great and it should truly be appreciated by all those who have the privilege and opportunity to experience such a place. America is unique in so many ways: from the freedom of speech that allows me to write every word in this article (whether you like it or not — hah!), the attitude that hard work can make any dream come true, and the fact that this opportunity is open to all (at least theoretically).

The United States of America is truly the only melting pot in the world. It is the only country the blends so many different ethnic and culturally diverse individuals from all parts of the world, from all walks of life. One of the things I cherish most about sports is that no matter who you are, what you look like, what you believe in, all of that is put to the side if we are cheering for the same team. Look at a tailgate scene — the only colors that matter are the home team. You will see the rich next to the poor, black, white, and Asians all cheering together. This is what makes sports truly remarkable.

As the world shrinks due to technological advances and globalization becomes a shocking reality, we must adapt. Our American companies are doing it, our sports teams are doing it, too. You may have already noticed it, maybe you haven't.

In the upcoming months, this column will discuss sports you may have never heard of, from countries you may need a map to locate. Although many of the greatest athletes play in the U.S., many do not. Where are these other guys? What skills do they have? Are their fans as passionate about sports as Americans?

Let’s face it, most of us (whether directly or indirectly) are not from America. We came from these "other" countries or one of your great grandparents originally did. So sit back and enjoy something a little different from the norm. This is an opportunity to learn about a different sport, to appreciate a different game. Possibly one that your great grandfather played.

Additionally, let's talk a little bit about our own sports. Which American sport is attempting to go global? The better question is which one isn't? You may be surprised by the answer.

Also, the majority of American sports used to be filled with Americans, but the makeup of our sports has changed. With competition to find the "greatest athletes on earth" increasing, team scouts are now forced to look to other countries to find talent.

Just ask Yao Ming, Hideki Matsui, and Gary Anderson.

That being said, let's first take a look at our own American sports that will be discussed in future articles.

Tier I

Baseball — At one time, was the most popular sport in America, and often is called "America's pastime." Today, Major League baseball features plenty of foreign players. Countries such as the Dominican Republic, Japan, and Venezuela are combed by baseball scouts as thoroughly as anywhere within the U.S. Now that the Expos have left Montreal for Washington, DC, the league has one lone Canadian team in the Toronto Blue Jays. The championship is a best-of-seven series called the World Series.

Basketball — Nowadays the National Basketball Association features many foreign players. You can expect to see at least one European on just about every team. The league features one Canadian team, the Toronto Raptors.

Football — American-style, in which very little foot-to-ball contact is ever made. The professional league is called the National Football League, and made up almost entirely of Americans, with the exception of Samoans and some foreign kickers. The championship game is the Super Bowl and has turned into a huge spectacle which people often throw parties to celebrate. This sport continues to grow in popularity in America, but has struggled to gain much attention outside the states.

Tier II

Ice Hockey — While popular in the U.S., hockey has nowhere the popularity here that it does in its home of Canada. Governed professionally by the National Hockey League, the league is dominated by Canadian players, but also features many from Russia and Scandinavian countries. The championship series is named after its trophy, the Stanley Cup. That's if the league has another season, as it lost the 2005 season to a strike.

Golf — While most Americans love football, basketball, and baseball, they don't usually play these sports past their youth. Golf's popularity on the other hand, rests almost entirely on the shoulders of middle-aged men who use the game as a means of socializing, as well as conducting friendly business.

Tennis — Similarly to golf, tennis is just as popular to play as to watch. In America, the sport's popularity tends to wax and wane with the rise and fall of successful American tennis stars. In other words, if there are no big American stars in the game on the international level, then the country tends to temporarily lose interest.

Tier III

* Soccer
* Volleyball
* Track & Field
* Cross-Country
* Swimming
* Skiing (snow and water)
* Bowling

Young Americans also enjoy what are usually called the "extreme sports" such as surfing, skateboarding, snowboarding, wakeboarding, dirt biking, etc., which are judged by tricks and stunts. I will try to discover other "extreme sports" from around the globe.

One of my other goals in the upcoming months is to illustrate how two of America's biggest professional leagues, the NBA and Major League Baseball, have experienced a relatively recent influx of foreign players. This would suggest that these sports have an expanding international audience.

Ever since Yao Ming came to play basketball from China, there have been reports about his immense popularity in China and the exposure that the NBA is receiving there. But is that really where it started for China? Similarly, when Hideo Nomo came to play baseball from Japan, I saw a news story on "Hideo-vision," a large outdoor television in downtown Tokyo that played his games nonstop.

Baseball is traditionally called the "national pastime" in America, but today it has ceded popularity to football. Until probably the late-'80s , baseball was without question the most popular sport in the U.S., but the slow pace of the game as well as a labor disputes in the mid-'90s have hindered the sport's popularity.

What about the American football? What are they doing internationally? We know of the Canadian Football League and NFL Europe, how are these programs doing? Are they gaining popularity?

Lastly, I am going to dive into sports I know little about. I want to learn what other countries consider "their" sports. Here is a list of future sports and the respective countries in which they are most popular:

* Great Britain: Soccer, Rugby, Cricket, and Golf
* Australia: Swimming, Surfing, Sailing, and Rugby
* Japan: Sumo Wrestling, Judo, and Baseball
* Cuba: Baseball
* New Zealand: Sailing and Rugby
* Canada: Ice Hockey and Curling
* The Netherlands: Speed Skating
* Austria: Skiing
* Norway: Cross-Country Skiing and Biathlon
* China: Table Tennis (ping-pong)
* And almost all of Latin America: Soccer

If you have any sport that you want to know more about, or are familiar with a popular sport from a country outside of the U.S., please e-mail me directly. Looking forward to hearing from you!

Posted by Kevin Ferra at 2:30 PM | Comments (4)

Under Pressure on the Tour

This article is largely inspired by some hate mail I received a few weeks ago when I discussed the recent string of PGA Tour meltdowns on The 19th Hole Radio Show. The e-mailer told me that I had no clue of the pressure that the best golfers in the world were under every single shot of their rounds. The writer also told me I was a moron, but that has nothing to do with the topic. The finishes of the events on the PGA and Champions Tours do, though.

The final rounds of the FedEx St. Jude Classic and the Senior PGA Championship could not have begun more differently. Justin Leonard opened the final round with an eight-stroke advantage over his playing partners. Jerry Pate didn't get the lead in the Senior PGA Championship until the back nine on Sunday. Both came to the final hole with a lead that should have been enough to win the tournament under the circumstances. As it turns out, only one came out a winner: Justin Leonard.

The pressure was too much for Jerry Pate. He had not won a golf tournament in twenty-three years, dating back to the 1982 Players Championship. He was looking at a two-foot, straight-in putt for his first Champions Tour major and his first win since a meltdown that marred a career certain for stardom. He missed the putt. The nerves and the many years of frustration held him back from a well-deserved win. Because of that miss, just one hole later, not only had he last the event, but he had lost to a virtual unknown in Mike Reid.

Conversely, Justin Leonard came through in the clutch. He made a difficult five-footer on the 71st hole and played the last just well enough to beat a surging David Toms. Leonard played conservative golf all day and it pigeon-holed him once Toms began making his back nine charge. Leonard could not seem to force himself to make an aggressive play or a quality shot. Birdies were not on his radar. But he had enough in the tank to make a crucial putt and win for the second time this season.

So what can account for the difference between the performances of Pate and Leonard? First, it has to be experience. Certainly, Jerry Pate has many more years on Justin Leonard, but it has been more than two decades since Pate could even think about choking. Leonard's last experience with a big choke came in last year's PGA Championship. (How interesting!)

For Pate to be in contention this week was like a whole new experience for him. He had forgotten how to win, and it is not like riding a bicycle. You need to be in the ring, battling, in order to find a way to win and Pate has not done that since the Reagan administration.

And second, the circumstance was certainly different. Justin Leonard was playing to win the FedEx St. Jude Classic. No offense to the folks in Tennessee, but that event does not compare to Justin's '97 British Open title, or his many Ryder/President's Cup appearances. His main motivation to win on Sunday was to not become the first player in PGA Tour history to blow a final round eight-shot lead.

He was certainly successful, but not in the way he would have liked. Jerry Pate was playing for his first meaningful win in 20 years. He was playing for his first Champions Tour win in his new career as a golfer, and in a major no less. The money does not mean much to either of these players, but this was a much more important moment for Pate.

So then, what can be said of pressure in light of this week's shining examples? Winning breeds winning. It's as simple as that. If you are in the situations that are as pressured packed as these with some regularity, then you are more likely to perform. Justin Leonard proved that.

Jerry Pate proved that winning, or the potential to win, is never a dull proposition. For man who was as successful in his prime as Pate, championships could have become less important. But, Pate felt the thrill and excitement on Sunday in a way he has not felt in a long time. It was a whole new experience for a man who had so much success in his career. Now that's drama at its finest.

Posted by Ryan Ballengee at 1:51 PM | Comments (0)