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April 29, 2006

The Sports Bar Exam

There are two questions that seem to dominate Hollywood these days:

What will the spawn of Brangelina be able to do first: walk on water or cure lepers?

Why aren't people going to the movies anymore?

Depending on how the numbers are crunched, there are varying degrees of a "box office slump" that's affecting every genre of film. Well, except for horror: any movie where a high-school dude can get the chick sitting next to him to clutch his arm for security from the sheer terror on the screen is not only "slump"-proof, it's critic-proof, as well.

Some of the major studios think this slump can be attributed to the ever-increasing technology of home entertainment. They contend that if a family or an individual is spending between $5,000 and $10,000 on a home theater system with a plasma widescreen and surround THX sound, there's really no reason to venture to a crowded multiplex for "the movie-going experience," unless it's for a specific event film. Thus, many of the must-see summer blockbusters are still drawing swarms of people, but the majority of films are now "wait for DVD" and "wait for cable." (Or, if it stars Jimmy Fallon, "pray for death.")

The same goes for the sports viewing experience. There was a time when the only way a fan could catch an out-of-town game on a big screen television was to head down to the local sports watering hole and hope to God that the barkeep would have the good sense to flip one of the TVs to your satellite station for three hours. Now, you have that satellite station. You have that television in your basement, with better sound equipment. And you can drink your own beer instead of paying $3 for a bottle of Miller Lite.

The only things missing are those adorable chicks in football jerseys that are always hammered by halftime and start doing really goofy dances and flirting with everyone in sight during the second half. Then again, their overprotective, hair-trigger aggressive boyfriends are missing, too...

For all the reasons previously stated, I haven't had the need to go to a sports bar to specifically watch a game in quite a while. But I made the trip to a suburban Washington, DC sports establishment this week to catch a Devils/Rangers playoff game with some friends.

It was a reminder of the intense, and at times surreal, sports bar viewing experience.

We arrived about a half hour before face-off, and none of the TVs in the joint — there are roughly 70 spread around the place — were tuned to hockey. This was troubling. Many times, especially in college, I've ventured out to catch a Stanley Cup playoff game at a local bar, and many times I've been told that there just wasn't enough interest to tune one of the TVs to hockey. I remember one season the Devils were in the Eastern Conference Finals, and the bartender refused to turn on the game because the Baltimore Orioles were playing a regular season game in May. IN MAY!

At the sports bar this week, our waiter came over to ask for our drinks before the game. One dude at my table quickly identified that he had "Joey Lawrence" hair, and proceeded to do the "Whoa!" from "Blossom" for the next minute or so. But he was only half-right. I warned him that the information I was about to share could cause a serious case of what I term "the giggles" every time this kid came back to the table during the course of the evening. But even with that warning issued, he was ready for my observation, and here it was:

"He looks like the love child of Joey Lawrence and Vin Diesel."

The table exploded with confirming laughter. He did have that face made of putty, the nose, and the vague Italian features of America's greatest thespian. Only he was about 5-foot-4, which made the combination even more hilarious. We spent the next five minutes debating whether to nickname him "Vin Lawrence" or "Joey Diesel." Naturally, we settled on the latter.

As face-off drew closer, we corralled Joey Diesel and asked him to turn on the Devils game. "Which game?" he pondered. "Devils and the New York Rangers," we replied, "on the TV right above our table."

Several minutes later, a Tampa Bay Devil Rays/New York Yankees game appeared on our set.

It was the ultimate insult: baseball instead of hockey, Devil Rays instead of Devils, and a flippin' Yankees game to boot. We decided to go over Joey Diesel's head right to the guy controlling the TV, and soon we were ready for Game 3.

This sports bar is famous for being the "home away from home" for Buffalo sports fans, especially Bills fans during the NFL season. So a cadre of Sabres fans has filtered in and set up shop around the largest television in the bar, ready for Buffalo and the Philadelphia Flyers' game. There was a corner for the Philly fans, a few clad in those garish orange jerseys, watching the same game. A group of Montreal ex-pats gathered around another set to see their game against Carolina. It was official: there were more hockey fans in this bar than there were at any single Capitals game this season.

(No Rangers fans, though. I guess their bandwagon had a flat on the way to the bar.)

I love the brief interactions between fan bases in a sports bar. Sometimes you're worried things could get nasty later in the evening, if spirits have been crushed and enough beverages have been consumed. But if everyone's chill, it can make for great moments — like the one I had in the crapper.

It was between periods and I was on my fourth beer. It was time to hit the head. I went into the men's room and there were four options: an occupied toilet (not an option, obviously), another stall, and two urinals that were close together in the corner. Really close together. Uncomfortably close together. We're talking Brokeback Bathroom here.

I chose the open stall and realized why it was open: there was something that had stopped it up to the rim. I'm thinking someone tried the Mega Chili Burger. I'm pretty sure someone tried to use a plunger on it and the handle burned off. It was one of the most disgusting, toxic messes I had ever seen, and I grew up in Jersey.

So I waited for this dude to finish at one of the Love Urinals and took my turn. Soon the door swung open and a Sabres fan walked in. He first went to the unoccupied stall, and let out a "Whoa!" Not a Joey Lawrence "Whoa" — more like a walking-in-on-your-parents "Whoa!!!"

"Don't go in there," he said.

"Way ahead of you," I said.

With no other options, he walked over to the urinal to my right. I'm telling you, there's more room in those shipping containers they use to sneak illegals into the country than there was at this urinal. I needed a tension-breaker.

"So, you guys are up 2-0 on the Flyers?"

"Yeah, but they're giving us a fight tonight."

"Man, I hope you knock those f-kers out."

"Me, too."

Mission accomplished. I walked over to the sink.

"What's your team?" he asked.

"I'm a Devils fan."

"Oh, well then I guess I should thank you for knocking the f-cking Rangers out."

"It ain't happened yet, but thanks in advance. You know, the way things are breaking, we might see each other in the next round."

"I don't care who we have to beat as long as we can kick Montreal's ass at some point."

"Good luck with that."

"Yeah, you, too."

And with that, we left the bathroom and went back to our respective corners. The conversation was a hockey fan conversation, the kind that reminds you that even if the rest of the world doesn't give a damn about your sport, there are people who understand so completely that they'll have a chat about it while standing practically foot-to-foot at a pisser.

The rest of the night was the quintessential sports bar experience. Lots of food. Lots of beer. Lots of cheering and booing and swearing. And a few people who came for a nice meal that kept shooting the hooligans dirty looks.

It was a reminder that I love watching sports in a home theater setup. But there's something about the sports bar that makes a big game even better.

But I'll only go for the blockbusters — everything else, I'll wait for the DVD...

Greg Wyshynski is the Features Editor for SportsFan Magazine in Washington, DC, and the Senior Sports Editor for The Connection Newspapers of Northern Virginia. His book "Glow Pucks and 10-Cent Beer: The 101 Worst Ideas in Sports History" will be published in spring 2006. His columns appear every Saturday on Sports Central. You can e-mail Greg at [email protected].

Posted by Greg Wyshynski at 11:26 PM | Comments (0)

NFC Games to Watch in 2006

In my last column, I noted the 10 AFC games I was looking forward to in the upcoming NFL season. Today, I will discuss the NFC games that I find most intriguing.

Since the format is the same, allow me to quote myself:

Deciding which games should be competitive is difficult business. There are no guarantees that the good teams from 2005 won't collapse and I am sure that there will be some breakout teams no one was expecting. I don't hold a crystal ball. But given what we saw in 2005, and what my gut tells me about teams in 2006, what follows are 10 games I am looking forward to in 2006. After each game, I note the questions the game might answer and spell out why I think it might be worth watching.

NFC

1) Sunday, September 10: Chicago @ Green Bay

I circled this game because Bears vs. Packers is always worth checking out just because of the tradition. A lot of questions hang over this matchup these days. Now that Brett Favre is back, can he make one last playoff run? Favre indicated that he was willing to come back if the Pack was going to be competitive, but I haven't seen any professional pundits predict anything but struggles ahead for Green Bay.

Let's be honest here. Green Bay didn't struggle in spite of Farve, they struggled — at least in part — because of him. It was like he was forcing everything and not really concentrating at times. Granted, the division isn't the most competitive, but he will have to play better if they expect to win. Regardless, this will likely be the final year of a legend. That alone makes it worth watching.

'Da Bears have some questions, too. Can they keep their QB healthy? Was their porous playoff defense an aberration or was that unit's tough reputation more a matter of a weak conference? Somebody is going to win the NFC North division, maybe this game can give us an early clue as to who that might be.

2) Sunday, September 17: Arizona @ Seattle

In the AFC rundown, I wondered about how the Pittsburgh Steelers would respond to being the champs with the bulls-eye on them each week. The flip side of the questions about the Steelers are the questions about the Seattle Seahawks. How does a team respond to a devastating loss like that? Do they want it even more or will it destroy team chemistry? The Seahawks also lost a crucial part of their offensive line in Steve Hutchinson this offseason, and that has got to hurt. Nevertheless, they still have a lot of talent and are competing in the weaker NFC. This will be their first home game and it is against an up-and-coming divisional rival.

The Arizona Cardinals were picked by many as a dark horse candidate for the playoffs last year, but struggled instead. This year, SC's own Ryan Hojnacki is picking the Cards as a sleeper to make the playoffs. Certainly, the addition of Edgerrin James will help. If Kurt Warner can stay healthy, and James can provide the running game they have lacked, they might finally be able to take it to the next level.

3) Monday, September 25: Atlanta @ New Orleans

This will be the first game the Saints play in the Superdome since Katrina and that alone should give it some emotional charge. Throw in Michael Vick and the entertainment value is above normal. The Saints and their fans should be pumped up. Can Drew Brees finally bring some wins to this poor town?

The Falcons have some questions to answer, as well. Is Michael Vick exciting? Yes. Is that going to be enough? No. The question everybody is asking is if Vick can master an offense and lead his team to the playoffs and beyond. Another year of struggles is going to result in some uncomfortable questions.

4) Sunday, October 8: Dallas @ Philadelphia

You think maybe the Eagles fans might have something to say to Terrell Owens when he pays a visit? Do you think Terrell Owens might be motivated to play well in this game? What about Donovan McNabb? You think he wants to put 2005 behind him and return to his healthy winning ways? How many rhetorical questions can I ask in a row?

This game will likely be a media circus, but don't forget it will also be an important divisional rivalry. The NFC East is a tough division and these two teams want to compete for the title. I expect this to be an emotional and hard-fought game.

5) Monday, October 23: New York Giants @ Dallas

There might not be the same media issues surrounding this game, but it has many of the same elements. This is a classic rivalry with two playoff-caliber teams and two hard-headed coaches going at it. The Giants, despite their awful showing in the playoffs last year, have enough talent to be dangerous. The Cowboys took the giant risk of acquiring Terrell Owens in an attempt to bring in the firepower they feel they lacked. This game, and the one in New York on December 3, should be fun to watch.

6) Sunday, November 5: Dallas @ Washington

Okay, I know what you are thinking at this point. What are you, a closet Cowboys fan? Please! I despise the Cowboys, but that dislike doesn't blind me to their entertainment value. Jerry Jones, Bill Parcells, and Terrell Owens: how do you suppose they fit all that ego in one place? Plus, when it comes to rivalries Dallas vs. Washington is a pretty good one. The Redskins seem to have the upper hand in this rivalry of late, and if Dallas wants to be a playoff contender, they will have to change that trend.

The Redskins didn't sit on their hands in the offseason, either. They picked up wide receivers Antwaan Randle El and Brandon Lloyd to try and give the aging Mark Brunell some targets. The offense will certainly need to improve if they plan to go anywhere in the playoffs. Last year's output in postseason was painful to watch. This divisional game should be a good test.

7) Monday, November 13: Tampa Bay @ Carolina

Let's move out of the NFC East, shall we? How about the NFC South? These are two teams that usually win with tough defense. The Bucs and Panthers had identical records last year and split the regular season series. This should be another competitive divisional game. If the teams continue their success from last year, this will be an important game, as well.

After shutting out the New York Giants in their first playoff game, the Carolina Panthers gave up 55 points in their next two games. If that type of defense continues, it will spell trouble. Steve Smith was the clear hero last year, but can he do it again? What about the all important running game? Key injuries in that area clearly hurt them against the Seahawks last year. Can DeShaun Foster carry the load?

In Tampa, they have decided to go with Chris Simms at QB. They let Brian Griese go and head into the season with Tim Rattay and Luke McCown backing up Simms. Carnell Williams showed promise last year and if he returns stronger and more comfortable with the offense, he could be a real weapon. Offensive consistency will be crucial for the Bucs.

8) Sunday, November 26: Carolina @ Washington

After the above two games, this should further sort out the pecking order in the NFC. Two playoff teams from last year. Two teams that like to play tough defense. The Panthers had Steve Smith last year to give them a boost when they needed it. Can the Redskins find that type of player in Randle El or Lloyd? Depending how the offenses preform, this could either be an exciting battle or a real snoozer. Either way, it is likely to be an important game.

9) Sunday, December 24: Carolina @ Atlanta

Earlier, I was on a Dallas kick, this is my Carolina streak. What can I say? They were in the NFC Championship Game. They may bomb in 2006, but they have had a knack for surprising folks. If you are interested in how the NFC is going to shake out, then these are the games to watch. Throw in Steve Smith and Michael Vick and the chances are good for some exciting play.

10) Saturday, December 30: New York Giants @ Washington

We will end this list with a return to the NFC East. These are two playoff teams whose offense struggled mightily in those games. The Giants still have the talent, the question is whether they can come together as a team and play at a higher level? The Redskins went out and got some talent, so the question is whether those players will pay off or not. This game could easily have playoff implications. Prime time in the nation's capitol. Should be exciting.

***

So there you have it, folks — 10 games to watch in the NFC. Lots of rivalries and lots of divisional games. These are the games I find have the most meaning and that are the most fun to watch. There doesn't appear to be a lot of distance between many of these teams. It should be interesting to see who comes out on top in what many believe is the weaker conference. Will Seattle continue to dominate or will their Super Bowl loss prove too much? How will New Orleans respond to being back in the Superdome? You never know how it will turn out until they play the games. That is why I will be watching.

Posted by Kevin Holtsberry at 10:14 PM | Comments (0)

April 28, 2006

A Good Deed Tarnished

This week, the PGA Tour comes to New Orleans for the Zurich Classic. The Tournament marks the return of the Tour to the area following the Hurricane Katrina disaster last year. In the grand scheme of things, this event is really just a welcome diversion from the difficulty of everyday life for those people in the area that are trying to rebuild their lives in the wake of a horrific event.

This truth could not have been illustrated better than by The Golf Channel special "Golf Chronicles: After Katrina," hosted by Richer Lerner. (If TGC re-runs the show, I highly encourage you to watch it.) The special detailed the devastation in the Gulf region caused by Katrina and the role that golf, as a form of leisure, has played in the recovery effort.

The show presented a reality that is difficult for most Americans to imagine is possible in this country. Victims are living in tents, without electricity, and facing a lack of community organization and aide that seem more likely to happen in a developing country than ours. This week's Zurich Classic really serves as a break for some of the people in the region from their daily struggle to return to some sense of normalcy — something which is unlikely to happen for years.

If you were to read about the Tournament this week on PGATour.com, though, you would see that the Tour appears to be using the event as a way to pat itself on the back. In its Tour Insider feature, PGATour.com describes the tournament using language that just seems inappropriate for this week.

The opening sentence of the column says that the Zurich Classic "might be one of the most important" events on the 2006 schedule. From a golfing standpoint, that is obviously not true. Given the field, though, which has a stronger than usual field compared to previous years, the players themselves see the importance of participating in the Tournament.

This is especially true of David Toms, a native of the region, who has donated lots of money and volunteered significant time in the hopes of helping his hometown rebuild. Masters champion Phil Mickelson, Retief Goosen, and Vijay Singh will be there. Tiger Woods is noticeably absent, but can be given a pass because of the fragile state of his father's health. Were this the only cliché, self-aggrandizing sentence in the article, then I would have been satisfied.

The writer, though, frames the tournament's return to English Turn for the event as symbolic of what the tournament means to the region. The event was initially to be held at the TPC of Louisiana, but because of severe damage to the course, the event was moved back to English Turn. Commissioner Finchem is quoted in the column as saying, "We are proud that we committed last November to bring the tournament back to New Orleans for 2006, even though we knew it would be a challenge and that we would have to change venues."

Oh, the pain. Finchem's words really seem to trivialize what is going on everyday in the Gulf region. People are working hard and struggling to get back on their feet, but the Commish seems to feel particularly proud that they were able to find a serviceable golf course to host a tournament this year. Let's throw a party!

The column goes on to laud the Tour for being the "first major sports organization to commit its return to New Orleans for 2006," calling it a "win-win gesture in the midst of tremendous hardship and loss." Having a tournament in New Orleans is a gesture — a hand out? What a gesture of immaculate benevolence of the Tour to decide to hold a tournament in the region. The Tour should be quietly commended for deciding to hold an event in New Orleans, but the emphasis should be on quietly.

Other professional sports in the city were not fully able to function and did not this season because of infrastructure issues — everyone knows what the Superdome looked like on the inside after housing thousands following the hurricane. The Tour did not turn away from the city, though they wavered. This is not a time to exploit that decision, though. In fact, there is never a time to exploit that decision. There are many more courageous things going on everyday by volunteers of the Red Cross and other key organizations. The language of the article almost seems to place the Zurich Classic in that class of action. I'm sorry, but that is just not true.

This column may seem like an exercise in semantics. It could be argued that the PGATour.com column is just a bunch of words on a webpage. It is not just that, though. This column is representative of the rhetoric that the PGA Tour is using about this week — as though the Tour is doing New Orleans a favor for holding the tournament. The public record shows that the PGA Tour has a history of charitable giving and philanthropy that is unsurpassed by any other professional sports organization. Last year, the Tour passed the $1 billion figure in total giving over the life of the organization — and New Orleans has been a beneficiary of that philanthropy over the life of Tour events in the area to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars. That is to be commended, but not now and not in this way.

After all, the PGA Tour is a non-profit organization — it was designed and founded with charity as part of its mission. The Tour is just doing what it already does and has done very well. The Tour can be proud of that accomplishment and its desire to continue to bring professional golf to New Orleans. But that accomplishment is no better than what millions of individuals Americans have been and are doing to help the people of the Gulf. Pro golf in New Orleans is nothing compared to the daily incremental achievements that citizens and volunteers are making in literally rebuilding a city and a region.

I hope that you, the reader, do not mistake me here. Dave Shedloski is in a difficult situation as a writer that I do not envy. Shedloski has to acknowledge the reality of the situation and does so. He also has to toe the line of being an objective columnist and maintain his allegiance to the PGA Tour and its public relations goals — to make the Tour look good whenever it can, even in this situation. It would be difficult for any writer in his shoes to not write an article that comes across as it did to me, especially given the constantly frustrating comments made by Commissioner Finchem. In this case, Shedloski is in the vice of a tough assignment during a week that golf fans will be assaulted with pieces with much worse undertones. (Who knew that 500 words could be so hard?)

Further, the Tour is doing a good thing by coming to town this week to put on a show for the golf fans there. Hopefully, the tournament will be well-attended, enjoyable, and a complete success from an entertainment, charitable, and symbolic perspective. I just cannot understand the need to use a reasonably good action as a means of self-promotion and bragging. Life continues in New Orleans and in the Gulf region everyday. The PGA Tour should consider itself just another part of that continuation, rather than commend itself as a special exception to it.

Posted by Ryan Ballengee at 10:48 PM | Comments (0)

NASCAR Top 10 Power Rankings: Week 8

Note: the quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Matt Kenseth — Kenseth recorded his fifth top-five finish of the year with a third-place in Phoenix. Starting fourth on the grid, the No. 17 DeWalt Tools Ford faded a bit as the team struggled to make the right adjustments. But, when the sun went down and the track cooled, the car came around, and Kenseth charged to the front.

"As you can tell by my ghostly countenance," says Kenseth, applying some SPF 90 sunscreen to his face, "I too work well when the sun goes down. I also can't see my reflection in my rear-view mirror, and I despise garlic. But I'm no vampire. On the contrary, I lead the points — everyone else is a sucker."

If you're "count"-ing, Kenseth leads Jimmie Johnson by nine points.

2. Jimmie Johnson — After starting 10th, Johnson worked his way to second on lap 132. Then, on a pit stop on lap 165, the No. 48 Lowe's Chevy's fuel ran dry, and Johnson lost several positions as the crew worked to restart the car. Johnson recovered, and got as high as fourth before handling issues dropped him to seventh.

"Darn!" exclaims Johnson. "I knew my crew chief, Chad Knaus, should have installed that illegal 40-gallon fuel tank. I think NASCAR has scared him with the fines, suspensions, and threats of making him the Pete Rose of NASCAR. Actually, Chad is a changed man. He's found religion, and has taken a vow of honesty. Or maybe it was a vow of celibacy? I'm not sure."

Despite his top-10 finish, Johnson surrendered his points lead to Matt Kenseth, and is currently nine points out.

3. Tony Stewart — Stewart's second in the Subway Fresh 500 was impressive not only because it was his third consecutive top-three finish, but also because he did it from last place on the grid. After qualifying third, Stewart's tires were accidentally sent to Goodyear, where they were destroyed. NASCAR rules state a driver must start the race on the tires used in qualifying.

"Sounds like sabotage to me," says Stewart. "Has a rat infiltrated Joe Gibbs Racing? I was suspicious of that new tire specialist from the start, and even more suspicious when I found out his name was Benedict Arnold. Anyway, starting at the rear was kind of exciting. I'm used to putting guys like Stanton Barrett, Jr. and Brent Sherman a lap down, or more, when I pass them. I'm not used to racing those guys for position. I think I even passed Dick Trickle on my way to the front."

With his fifth top-five of the year, Stewart maintains fifth in the points, and trimmed 20 points off his deficit to the leader. He is now 77 behind Kenseth.

4. Kasey Kahne — Kahne finished sixth in Phoenix for his sixth top-10 finish of the year, and second straight, which advanced him one spot in the points. Kahne now stands 51 points down to Kenseth's leading total of 1,218.

"If I don't start from the pole," says Kahne, "I apparently can't win. That was also the case at the Easter egg hunt last week. I had a mediocre qualifying session, so I had to start behind a bunch of kids. I was a little tight at the start, but I finished strong and wound up 15th. I did, however, win the 21- to 27-year-old age group quite handily, since I was the only entrant in that category."

5. Kevin Harvick — Harvick completed a sweep of Phoenix racing by squeezing every ounce of fuel into a late charge to win the Subway Fresh 500 on Saturday night. On Friday night, Harvick won his second straight Busch race, the Bashas Supermarkets 200.

"Yeah, like you, I've never heard of Bashas Supermarkets," says Harvick, "and I thought it was a little cheap that the trophy awarded for the victory was just a bag of groceries. But I'll take it. And I'll also take that fat new contract that Richard Childress will be forced to offer me due to my ongoing hot streak. Once I sign the papers, I can start tanking races and return to being the Kevin Harvick that everyone is used to: the talented yet ornery driver who's willing to feud with anyone.

Harvick led a trio of Childress drivers in the top 10 in Phoenix, and moved up a spot in the points to eighth, 174 behind Kenseth.

6. Mark Martin — Martin and teammate Greg Biffle combined to lead 262 of 312 laps, but both ran out of gas late and suffered disappointing results. Martin led 111 laps, and still managed an 11th-place finish despite coasting across the finish line. Martin drops one spot to fourth in the points, 66 behind Kenseth.

"Don't forget," says Martin, "I also had to make an unscheduled pit stop on lap 200 to have some lug nuts tightened. That was the start of the bad news. Then I ran out of gas. More bad news. And here's even more bad news: Britney Spears and K-Fed are expecting another child. Does anyone make a Hans device for high chairs?"

7. Jeff Gordon — After starting 10th, Gordon fell as low as 30th as changing track conditions wreaked havoc on the No. 24 DuPont Chevy's set up. As the track cooled later in the race, the car came around and Gordon battled to a 10th-place finish, the last car on the lead lap.

"It was a frustrating day," quips Gordon, "but I kept my cool, which is more than I can say for my young teammate, Kyle Busch. He's a loose cannon. And speaking of 'cannon,' Kyle's brother Kurt certainly doesn't have one for an arm. Anyway, it seems like this year's young drivers are quite the feisty bunch. But I have to take a little responsibility for the situation. It seems that after I shoved Matt Kenseth in Bristol, everybody's gone nuts, even drivers' girlfriends. With Talladega next on the agenda, I urge all drivers to keep their emotions in check. Super speedways are no place for hotheaded aggression. If there's a dispute on the track, settle it like a real man: send your lady down to the offender's pit box and watch the fur fly."

8. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. — Earnhardt qualified 11th on Thursday, and things went downhill from there. Junior ran into the back of Kyle Petty's No. 45 Dodge on lap 223, causing a multi-car accident and seriously damaging the No. 8 Chevrolet. After several repairs and an equal number of profanities, Earnhardt scrambled to a 23rd-place finish, two laps down.

"It was bad enough the car was getting loose there in the middle of the race," says Earnhardt. "Then I find myself behind Kyle Petty. You know your car is in trouble when you're trailing Petty. I really didn't mean to wreck Kyle. The car was just uncontrollable. I understand his Kyle's displeasure and I apologized to him. I put a positive spin on it. I told him it was an historic moment; the offspring of two seven-time Cup champions together in a wreck. That has to be a first time that's happened."

"And it won't be the last," grumbles Petty.

Despite his race misfortune, Earnhardt only drops one place in the points, and is currently sixth, 173 points behind Kenseth.

9. Kyle Busch — What's the definition of obvious? No, not FOX's penchant for missing a race restart so they can plug the 15 shows in their Sunday lineup. How about a Busch brother creating controversy? First, Kyle Busch was ticketed near Richmond, Virginia for reckless driving on April 14th. Then, at Sunday's race in Phoenix, Busch was penalized for speeding on pit lane. Later in the race, Busch and Casey Mears made contact, and Busch later retaliated by ramming Mears as Mears parked after the race was red flagged. And it was highly questionable whether Mears was even at fault in the initial incident. Oh, yeah. Busch also referred to his female fans as "pit lizards." So, Kyle, what do you have to say for yourself?

"Hey, I use the term 'pit lizards' with the utmost respect," says Busch. "I love my female fans. And they love me, for the sole reason that I'm a race car driver. It's obviously not my looks. As for that cop in Virginia, he was just dying to pull over a race car driver. He must have seen my bumper sticker, 'I Brake For Blue Lights, But Not For Red Flags.'

Obviously, there's a bounty on giving Busch brothers traffic citations. As for Mears, he's on my hit list."

Busch's day ended with a 36th-place finish and a severely damaged car. Had police been patrolling the Phoenix International Raceway track, Busch certainly would have been served with additional reckless driving charges. Luckily, they weren't, and he only drops two places in the points to ninth, 208 out of first.

10. Casey Mears — Mears struggled with handling, and was also victimized by a runaway No. 5 car named Christine that kept running into him, on his way to a 20th-place finish, one lap down. Mears held on to the number ten spot in the points, 270 points back of Kenseth.

"Kyle Busch is clearly out of control," explains Mears, "and he should be fined. But not for his driving. He should be fined for being the brother of Kurt Busch, who throws a baseball like a southpaw throwing right-handed. Did you see Kurt throw out the first pitch at the Arizona Diamondbacks' game? That was the worst pre-game baseball performance since Roseann Barr shattered eardrums singing the national anthem at San Diego. Just awful. That pitch wouldn't even have broken the pit lane speed limit."

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 10:24 PM | Comments (0)

April 27, 2006

NBA Playoffs: Back to School?

Watching Game 1 of the Chicago Bulls vs. the Miami Heat in the first round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs, something struck me as odd.

No, it had nothing to do with the Bulls' frantic comeback or Dwyane Wade's fourth-quarter mastery.

My concerns were more sartorial in nature.

It was the sea of white shirts in the lower bowl of the Miami arena that constantly drew my attention. At first, it was just a passing observation. I thought it must be incredibly imposing for a visiting team to come to town and walk out onto the court surrounded by a complete whiteout of excited Miami fans, as if the prospect of dealing with Shaq and Wade wasn't imposing enough.

Funny would have been a blanket of neon green or pastel pink shirts.

This was intimidating. It was like the Heat had arranged for a Psych Ward Nurse Convention to attend the game.

As I watched the game, it dawned on me slowly that the crowd was different for more reasons than their white attire. Something about the energy and atmosphere in the arena was different than I had seen or felt for the entire season. And, yet, it was vaguely familiar.

I kept trying to remember where else I had seen or experienced something similar.

It finally dawned on me that the atmosphere, the energy, the crowd, the attire, the noise all reminded me of a college basketball game. Not just March Madness, but many regular season NCAA games.

For all those basketball enthusiasts that insist that the college game is more exciting because teams play with better fundamentals or with a higher level of intensity, perhaps it is time to look at the people around the court instead of on it to find the differences between the NCAA and NBA.

The NBA is the cream of the crop when it comes to basketball players. There's a reason why there are thousands of college basketball players and only a handful of professionals. The talent is widdled down to the best of the best on the court and on the sidelines.

Sure, there are distinct differences in the style of play between the two levels, and we all know that there are players that play selfishly and think that they get a paycheck for demonstrating their individual talents for the fans. However, as far as the levels of competition and skill go, there is no comparison.

Still, for Game 1, the outstanding players on the court for the Heat and Bulls weren't my main concern.

Looking around the lower bowl of the Miami arena, I saw a sea of white shirts, and I saw a college basketball game environment. It was something more akin to a student section all wearing the team colors and jumping up and down with unnerving excitement for every play than entire sections of well-dressed businessmen taking in a game after a long day at work.

I've been to plenty of NBA games and the environment doesn't exactly scream intensity. It bears no resemblance to the high-octane energy I've found at high school or college games. The only time fans seem to get out of their seats is when the game is really close and the PA announcer tells them to.

Student sections need no instruction.

Maybe the difference between the NBA regular season and the playoffs is the energy the fans bring to the game. Maybe the NBA payoffs are exciting because they are more like college games. Maybe the difference is in the seats in the arena, not on the floor.

What can this atmosphere do to the game?

It can make the Bulls hang around with a very good Heat team (twice.) It can make the Lakers fight it out to the end with the Suns (with Kobe only scoring 22 points.) It can make the Kings take the Spurs to overtime (on a lucky shot by Brent Barry.)

It can make series close that should be sweeps.

The adrenaline rushes down from the nose bleed seats through the capillaries of aisles and stairways and seeps onto the hardwood like an undulating wave of noise and motion from the Cameron Crazies.

Yes, the best teams will most likely still advance because of the seven-game series. However, if it was one-and-done like in March Madness, I would not put my money on a Spurs/Pistons Final.

On Tuesday night, I went to the Cleveland Indians vs. Boston Red Sox game at Jacob's Field, which happened to be just a few hundred feet away from where the Cavs were playing the Wizards at exactly the same time.

The atmosphere was electric all night, both before and after the game. It was like being in Columbus for a Buckeyes game. Fans, young and old, walked around with painted faces and Anderson Varejao wigs. Everyone was dressed in the Cavs' wine and gold colors. In between booing Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz, fans at the baseball game clamored for views of the Cavs/Wizards score.

It was Go Back to College Night on the NBA campus.

The sea of white shirts, the painted faces, the unprompted ovations, and chants were emblematic of a change in the fans.

What couldn't be prodded or gimmicked with hot dog giveaways and special dance teams during the season now comes naturally in spontaneous and enthusiastic waves of white.

After a long, hard semester, the students are out in force and stopping at an arena near you posing as real NBA fans.

Maybe next time they'll take my advice and opt for neon green.

Posted by Vince Grzegorek at 10:34 PM | Comments (0)

A Tribute to God

After years as a spectator, it finally looks as if the Almighty is going to step between the ropes and compete on his own behalf. In the upcoming WWE Backlash pay-per-view, Vince and Shane McMahon are fighting in a tag team match against Shawn Michaels and God. In honor of God's first match, I wanted to recount the top five interactions God has had with the sports world. But before that, I guess it's important to find out how this came about.

Last month, Shawn Michaels (who is about 55 now) defeated Vince McMahon (who is about 65 now) in a gruesome match. The next day, Vince started claiming that the only reason Shawn won was because he had divine intervention. Vince was pissed, and called out God. This resulted in Vince and Shane cutting a promo going to a church looking for their competition and even in God running interference for Shawn Michaels a few weeks back as Vince narrowly avoided several strikes of lightning and an impromptu fire. I would imagine this match will rank up there for God's sports experience, but he's still had some memorable influence.

God's 63-point game against the Celtics — In Michael Jordan's second season in the NBA, he dropped a playoff record 63 points on the Boston Celtics. Larry Bird, looking for a rationalization for Jordan's dominance, seemed to have a solid theory: "I think it's just God disguised as Michael Jordan," Bird said.

There's no question that Jordan's performance was awe-inspiring, but here's my main problem with Bird's theory — the Bulls lost. I'm not sure that he has a great deal of basketball experience, and 63 points is nothing to laugh at for anyone's first game, let alone at the NBA level. Still, consider me crazy or a God-fearing man, but I was expecting something a little more out of the Most High, or even just a win. What's it say when Kobe can score more points in a game than God?

God helps the Colts, then conveniently "forgets" about them at the most crucial juncture of the year — The Colts certainly had a strange comeback against the Steelers in their playoff game this year. It seemed as if everything was going their way. Coach Tony Dungy even said, "I really felt the Lord's hand was on this team."

Kicker Mike Vanderjagt felt the same way, well, until he missed his game-tying 46-yard field goal. "All the cards seemed to be lining up in our favor," Vanderjagt said. "I guess the Lord forgot about the field goal."

Mike should just be happy the Lord even gave him a chance to have a game-tying attempt. I guess Mike should ask himself this, if he's relying on the Almighty to help him kick field goals, how much of that multi-million dollar contract is he kicking back God's way? This, in my mind, is almost cause for an investigation, because it seems clear that Vanderjagt was using a performance enhancer, albeit a heavenly one. Of course, I got to the bottom of this issue shortly after that loss with my "God Hates the Colts" column (worth the look back in the SFM archives).

2003 Ohio State national championship — I'm a Notre Dame fan, so you can understand why I was furious when I found out my God helped a heathen school win a national title, especially since our last title was in 1993 (1988 if we're being "technical"). Of course, I was a bitter football fan back then in general, and now that Charlie Weis is leading the Irish back to glory, I don't feel as upset by this situation. I also think the entertaining Maurice Clarett debacle helped, as well. Still, this title will always be tainted in my mind.

Shortly after the championship run, Buckeyes safety Will Allen told a reporter that in, "A lot of games, I'll say God has been on our side."
"I wouldn't say it's luck or fortune," Allen said. "I wouldn't say it's by mishap or even coincidence — I think it's planned that way."

Call me a cynic, but if that's the cause, I just don't see the point. I mean, God could've let me know what's up and I could've founded an orphanage or something charitable. Then, after laying a few large on the Buckeyes to win it all at the start of the season, the poorest of the poor would be living in the lap of luxury. Think "Annie" in a Bentley. It could've been good times for all.

Still, who am I to criticize God's plan? It is what it is I suppose, but Buckeye fans, don't ever forget the true MVP of that season.

God's stint at Deion Sanders financial consultant — This is probably one of my favorite Deion Sanders stories of all time. Almost three years ago, an automotive shop brought a lawsuit against Deion Sanders because Sanders only paid $1,500 of a $4,265.57 repair bill. Sanders told the company that Jesus advised him that all he needed to pay was the $1,500.

Deion lucked out here, what is the auto shop supposed to do, take it up with the Big Guy upstairs? And how did Jesus know Sanders only owed $1,500? Is he a car buff, or maybe he sent one of those angels to inspect the damage? This also has me thinking, did Jesus advise Prime Time on other financial matters? Did he tell Deion he had to pay only a partial amount of his child support or Big Macs at McDonald's should really be "buy one, get one free?"

Boston's 2004 World Series — I have no evidence of this one, no over-the-top ridiculous quote, it's just a hunch. One of the greatest comebacks in sports, overcoming a decades-old curse, and doing it all against one of the best teams in baseball? It just doesn't add up. My gut says that the Boston players, unlike Allen, Vanderjagt, Bird, and Sanders, were just too stupid to realize God's influence on their title. I wouldn't expect him to take this lying down. It's one thing to trade Babe Ruth, it's a much bigger deal when you insult the Creator of the World.

Note to Boston: I hope you enjoyed your title, because it's the last one you will ever win. Amen.

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 10:05 PM | Comments (2)

Slant Pattern Poker, a Year Later

Last June, I wrote about dipping my toe into the world of online poker.

Ten months later, I'm still loving it and ready for a healthy dose of self-assessment.

I'm discovering my niche as a player, I think. I like multi-table tournaments, love Sit-N-Go tournaments, and although I'm trying to force myself to get into regular, non-tournament cash games, they are a chore to me.

There's a lot of reasons why I think this is the case. Firstly, there's my competitiveness. There's a savory essence in finishing first in something, slaying everyone before you. Cash games don't work that way. People come, people go, people re-buy in, they just sort of exist on a never-ending plane.

Secondly, tournaments seem to favor my style of play more, which is fairly loose-aggressive. I don't chase much, but I like to make other players define their hands. A good player won't call off a third of his stack without a pretty good hand, even if he knows your bluffing. On the other hand, that's a cookie jar you can't stick your hand in too often, or else people start to catch on and go over the top of you ... and then I'm in the one in the situation I tried to put them in: I'm quite sure they are bluffing, but can't afford to call them on it without a very strong hand myself.

So, I try to be selective and change gears as much as possible, and try to get a read on everyone else's style of play. Reading other players (online, so I'm referring to sizing up players by their bets) I like to think is a strength of mine, and so again I'm best suited for single-table play — you get moved around too often in multi-table tournaments.

I think I could really move to a higher level, both in the poker learning curve and the dollar level I'm playing at, if I could practice what I preach in terms of discipline. I'm no all-in donkey, but I still make WAAAAAAAY too many crying calls (calling a large bet with a mediocre hand out of frustration or spite). After each session I bust out of, I ask myself what I did wrong, and the answer is invariably that I put all my chips at stake with something, like top pair/good kicker, that I had no business putting all my chips on the line for because I'm annoyed at the player in the pot with me or I just get married to my hand.

These sort of plays are emotionally involving, something that makes me worried I'd be a big tell machine if I were to play seriously in live games. I am a regular at two home games, but I don't think either of them include anyone sophisticated enough to pick up on all but the most obvious tells from a player's mannerisms (certainly not me), but I will be going to Atlantic City this summer to play poker and I'd like to think I won't be eaten alive by the leathery old pros.

Anyway, my online poker attention is mainly focused on a World Series of Poker Ladder tournament at Island Poker. It's a series of tournaments wherein a victory gets you "tokens" to buy in to the next level or the ladder (which you can also buy into with cash). Step one is a nickel, step seven is $2,500 ... and the winner of the step seven table gets entered in the World Series of Poker Main Event in July.

I've clawed my way to step five (which costs $63 to buy into directly), and I played it tonight. The most I've ever paid to play in a tournament was $20, and that would be my home games' buy-ins. I'm a little more reticent about spending serious money at online poker rooms, even though I have money spread out at several different sites.

Anyway, the point is, this was the most expensive (if one were to buy in directly) poker tournament I've ever played in, and a level where there are no donkeys (poor players) left.

Everyone (save one guy) played pretty tight and I was able to steal some blinds as a result and get into second place pretty early. There was an all-in battle (I forget what they had) that left one guy with just 100 chips (we started with 1,500 chips). Down to almost nothing, this guy started playing uber-aggressively, either going all in pre-flop or just after the flop. No one had the hands (guts?) to call him out, though, even though it was clear he was stealing and praying. He made his all the way back to 900 chips or so without a showdown. When he went all-in again, I decided to look him up with 88.

He had Ace-5, and an Ace came down, knocking me down to 100 and thoroughly demoralizing me. I'd been looking forward to this tournament and, once again, I made an impatient play that cost me. I was right to assume I was ahead, but I also had to think chances were good he had an over card, so it was risky making that call and it burned me.

Now I'm the one who has to make a move. I tripled up to 300 going all-in on J9 when a Jack and a 9 hit the flop, and my 22 on the very next hand held up against A7. Three hands later, I limped in with JQ of clubs from the dealer button. The flop came down Ac, Jh, 9c. There were three others in the hand. The first player made a pot-sized bet, and then something quite surprising happened, considering how tight the table was. The second player to act went all in, and the third player called.

I said earlier that I don't chase. But my thinking was, I'm still the short stack, and if a club hits I'm going to triple up and then some, as long as someone else doesn't have two clubs including the King themselves (or if they have the King of clubs and a non-club, and clubs hit on both the turn and river, but that seemed pretty unlikely of a hand to go/call all-in with in the first place). I called (then the first guy folded).

Turns out no one had any clubs at all. I was up against AA and AJ. The turn was a three of clubs, I let out a war whoop. Now I'm just hoping the board doesn't pair (which would give Mr. AA a Full House). The river was the five of hearts, and in the space of five hands (two of which I didn't play in), I went from 100 chips (600 chips fewer than the next guy) to a pretty commanding lead.

I redoubled my discipline and I'm happy to report I did not squander my lead. I did slip into second place, slightly, when we got to heads up, and then I went all-in with AQ and got called by AJ ... and a jack hit on the flop.

It was a moral victory for me, though. I really wanted to prove to myself that I could play at a donkey-free level of the stratosphere, and I think I did. I did benefit from some lucky breaks, but I did have (conceivably) nine outs, with both the turn and the river to give it to me, on the crucial hand I outlined above, so that's not totally a suck-out. And as runner-up, I win the right to try again at the same level.

So in my last five single-table tournaments (not all of them WSOP ladder tourneys), I've moneyed in four of them, finishing first, first, second (the one I wrote about here), sixth (you should of seen the crying call I made in that one to bust out), and third. I'm happy. I force myself to try to play some cash games, too, but invariably I will be up 15 cents after two hours and develop a feeling like it's seventh grade again and I'm stuck inside doing homework.

Why can't becoming a master at something be entirely easy and fun?

Posted by Kevin Beane at 9:25 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 26, 2006

NBA 2005-06 Season in Review

The 82-game marathon known as the NBA regular season is finally over. The playoffs have started and we're staring at another Spurs/Pistons series right in the face.

In fact, the heated debate over who is the league's Most Valuable Player is more entertaining than any debate over which team wins the title. If the championship goes to anyone other than San Antonio or Detroit, it will be an upset. But the MVP award could go to any of seven guys who are all deserving. But I'll get back to the that later.

There have been some surprises this season, but overall, things went according to form. No one should be shocked that the Pistons and Spurs are on top of their respective conferences. And realistically, no one would have picked against any of the six division winners before the season.

I have some thoughts on the playoffs and the postseason awards, but before we look forward, let's look back at the 2005-06 NBA season that was.

Top 10 Storylines of 2005-06

10) The Tights

What in the hell is going on here? I think Kobe Bryant started this mess, although I also heard that it was Jerry Stackhouse a few years ago, and then it spread like the plague. All of sudden, LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Webber, half the Milwaukee Bucks, and others were spotted sporting tights. I'm no doctor, but there are supposed to be health benefits to wearing them. We'll find out next year when the NBA will require a doctor's note from those who wear the tights.

9) The Dress Code

This might have been a lot higher on the list if any players had seriously violated it. Unfortunately, no one did and the offseason excitement that stole headlines in October fizzled by the end of November.

8) Disappointments in Philly and Houston

Some disappointing teams underachieve and others have injury problems. The Philadelphia 76ers underachieved. The Houston Rockets had injury problems.

The Sixers have an MVP candidate in Allen Iverson, a 20-10 big man in Chris Webber, and a rising star in Andre Iguodala. So what went wrong? I don't know, but I'll bet it had something to do with Chris Webber. His best days are behind him. Webber's career peaked sometime around 2001-02 with Sacramento. Those days are over and I wouldn't look for C-Webb to make an impact anywhere else. He puts up roughly the same numbers every year, whether or not his team is any good. He needs quality teammates that complement his game. So does Iverson, for that matter. Look for offseason changes in Philly.

As for Houston:

Record with Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming in lineup: 21-10

Record in other games: 13-38

T-Mac's back injury is a constant concern. Remember when he and Yao were supposed to be the next Kobe and Shaq? Maybe next year.

7) Biggest Surprise: Defense in Dallas

The Dallas Mavericks finally figured out how to play some defense. For most of the Mark Cuban-era, the Mavs have been an upper-echelon NBA team that disappoints in the playoffs. This has been due to a lack of defense. Entering this season, it looked like another high-scoring, no-defense squad in Dallas. Instead, they stepped it up defensively, thanks to head coach Avery Johnson, and perhaps added their name to the short list of title contenders.

6) The Slam Dunk Contest

It was just terrible. Andre Iguodala was robbed and watching Nate Robinson miss dunk after dunk made us all cringe a little.

5) The New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets

When I first heard that the Hornets would play their home games in Oklahoma City, I was stunned. As far as I knew, OKC was a minor league baseball town. But the fans came out in droves to support the Hornets and gave them one of the best home court advantages in the league. Throw in an exciting rookie in Chris Paul and all of a sudden the bush league baseball town turned into a major league NBA city. Despite missing the playoffs, it was a good season for the Hornets from a strictly basketball standpoint.

4) Stevie Franchise and Shaq Take a Step Back

Steve Francis averaged career lows in points, assists, and steals. He also got traded to the New York Knicks, which can only hurt his career at this point. He wasn't working out in Orlando and could have had a fresh start on a new team. Unfortunately that team is the train wreck known as the Knicks and Francis had to share playing time with Stephon Marbury, Jamal Crawford, and Nate Robinson. There is no way that New York can bring all four of those guys back next year.

Shaquille O'Neal regressed a little, as well. I used to think of the MVP award as the "best player other than Shaq" award. It seemed like what O'Neal did on the court was expected. Sure, he was an unstoppable force, but he was supposed to be. Other guys got rewarded for extraordinary seasons while the Diesel just went about his business of putting up huge numbers.

This season, however, is much different. Shaq is good, and probably has some greatness left in him, but he is not the monster he used to be. His 20 points per game is the lowest average of his career and this is also the first season in which he did not average double-digit rebounds per game. Shaq's had a strong start to the playoffs, but it looks like age is catching up with the big fella.

3) Carmelo Anthony Takes a Step Forward

There are a bunch of guys who improved their game this year. I like the progress that Dwight Howard made. I also think Paul Pierce, Yao Ming, and Elton Brand showed that they can be elite players in this league. But 'Melo took the biggest step forward.

His scoring numbers are way up from a year ago. He is the best player on a pretty good Nuggets team. He averaged 26.5 points per game this year, compared to around 21 in each of his previous 2 seasons. His shooting percentage went from 43% to 48% and his turnovers are down. Despite a rough start to the playoffs, it's been a very nice season all around from Anthony.

2) The New York Knickerbockers

What can I say about Larry Brown's team that hasn't already been said? From Isiah Thomas to "Starbury," the whole thing is just a mess. With a payroll of about $120 million, the Knicks spent around $5 million per victory. Yikes.

1) The MVP Race

As I previously stated, this is the first year in a while where I didn't feel like Shaq deserved the award. And since he is out of contention, the field is wide open. If I had a vote, it would go to Steve Nash. He makes average players good and good players great. And his team won a division that included four Western Conference playoff teams.

However, the only players who have ever won the MVP award two years in a row are Tim Duncan, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Moses Malone, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, and Bill Russell. I believe Nash will be penalized for winning last year. Voters will be hesitant to add Steve Nash to this exclusive list of legends.

Therefore, it looks like a two-horse race between Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. With all due respect to Elton Brand, Dwayne Wade, Dirk Nowitzki, and Chauncey Billups, Kobe and LeBron have separated themselves from the pack. Considering that Bryant did more with less, I believe he will win the award.

LeBron's numbers are impressive, but he played in the Eastern Conference and had Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Larry Hughes, and Eric Snow on his team. Kobe took a Western Conference team with Smush Parker as its third best player to the playoffs. That's a bigger feat than anything LeBron did this year. Kobe also broke 60 twice this year.

Playoff Predictions

NBA Finals: Detroit over San Antonio in seven games

If I could choose, I would like to see the Suns vs. the Nets in the Finals — or the Lakers vs. Heat, or the Mavericks vs. the Cavs. Really, almost anything except the Spurs and Pistons. But I don't expect anything else. It is team basketball that wins in the playoffs, and these are the two best teams in the league on both ends of the court.

Posted by Isaac Miller at 7:59 PM | Comments (0)

One-Sided Deal: Kazmir For Zambrano

Just what exactly was then-Mets General Manager Jim Duquette thinking when he pulled the trigger on this trade? The Mets had just made a decent deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates the same day in acquiring Kris Benson without giving up a top-notch prospect. Why he felt the need to go out and get another starter at the expense of their young phenom is a major question mark. The team was barely hanging in for the wildcard race, which they predictably fell out of a few weeks later.

Scott Kazmir was drafted out of high school and was expected to go higher than he did. When he fell to the Mets because his agent, Scott Boras, scared teams off, it was looked at as a major coup. He was predicted to be a "can't-miss" prospect that was a power pitching left-hander, which is considered to be a commodity. Some scouts feared that his small frame could not hold up and he may be better off as a closer, such as Billy Wagner.

He was dominant at every minor league level he pitched at. He wowed the locals with his performance at Brooklyn when he pitched for the Single-A Cyclones. The Flushing Faithful were drooling in anticipation of seeing young Kazmir in blue and orange in a few years after he was reared down on the farm.

He graduated up to Double-A by 2004 after he had an impressive offseason training program and spring with the parent club. It seemed as if he was considered an "untouchable." There we rumors that he may be packaged in a deal to acquire a superstar. If that happened, the fans may have accepted it.

But to get rid of your top prospect for a converted infielder who had earlier elbow problems was universally critiqued as a steal for Tampa Bay. Victor Zambrano was thought of a middle of the rotation starter at best, with serious control problems. The Mets tried to put their spin on it with damage control statements that Kazmir was not going to be major league-ready for at least two more years and they owed it to their fans to go for a postseason spot now.

A mere two weeks later, Kazmir made his first major league start in Seattle and pitched five scoreless innings for the win. He stayed up for the rest of the season and impressed everyone involved in baseball.

Zambrano? He pitched one game for the Mets before going on the disabled list. His injury-the same elbow that had been surgically repaired. Just brutal.

Kazmir has been in the Rays' rotation ever since. This season, he was named the team's opening day starter. He is currently 2-1 after another strong performance at Fenway versus the Red Sox.

Zambrano had a dreadful 2005 and has picked up right where he left off this season. He was pounded by the Atlanta Braves last week one game after a big win by Pedro Martinez. The crowd at Shea Stadium roundly booed him after each of the three home runs he served up, following a botched sacrifice bunt attempt, and when he was shown on the Diamond Vision scoreboard between innings. New York, New York. It's a helluva town.

The only person smiling not affiliated with the Devil Rays concerning this trade is Jim Fregosi. He's finally off the hook as the return in the worst trade in Mets team history. For those not aware, he was acquired from the California Angels for a young, raw pitcher named Nolan Ryan.

Posted by Joe Pietaro at 6:15 PM | Comments (0)

April 25, 2006

DC Politics Intertwine With MLB Ownership

For those of you who do not care about politics and for those of you who do not care about Major League Baseball, the two are about to be permanently joined at the hip due to the location of the Washington Nationals Baseball club and Major League's Baseball hunt for its first owner of the team, which is expected to be announced over the next week or so.

MLB Commissioner Bud Selig has been promising for over a year now to sell the Washington Nationals, formerly the Montreal Expos, to an owner who agrees to pay MLB $450 million for the club. The Nationals have been collectively owned by the 29 other MLB teams since February 15, 2002, when the Expos' then- owner Jeffrey Loria sold the team for $120 million. Then after three seasons, the club was relocated to Washington, DC and renamed the Washington Nationals in 2005.

But the history of negotiations goes back to Bud Selig's placating Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos, who refused to budge on allowing another Major League franchise to exist within a 100-mile radius of Baltimore. The details of what Selig whispered into Angelos' ear to allow the relocation to go forward have never been confirmed, but all Nationals' fans need do is to try to find a game broadcast on TV.

Mostly, they will be unsuccessful, as Angelos, who controls the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN), and Comcast Broadcasting are still quibbling about the TV airing rights of Nationals' games. Only a handful of Nationals' games are now broadcast in DC, with 90% of the revenue going to Angelos. MASN was put together by MLB in order for the Nationals deal to go forward, but seeing the games on TV remains a continuing problem for fans.

Without a TV and broadcast partner, it will be up to the new owner to try and secure broadcasting rights for the Nationals, including broadcast revenue. But before that can even be addressed, Selig must finish his evaluation of what were originally eight different groups bidding on the team, and now pared down to the last two or three contenders, depending upon which newspaper or sports pundit to which you happen to listen.

After months and months of negotiations with the DC City Council to solidify a lease for the new stadium, expected to be ready for the 2008 MLB season, the Commissioner decided not to include the new ownership in the lease deal. But in the meantime, the cost of the stadium over the past year has risen from an estimated $537 million to $611 million. And it has just been revealed that the cost may be $10 million more if the city wishes to meet state-of-the-art environmentally-friendly building standards.

But all potential ownership right now has to worry about is being politically correct and to make all kinds of promises to MLB as well as to Washington, DC lawmakers, in order to secure the team. The Nationals are now going to be used by MLB as the poster child for recruiting the black community back to baseball. However, the way it is being done will probably fall on deaf ears to the very ones MLB is supposedly trying to reach.

Where is this all going? Well, believe it or not, Bud Selig wants to include in his legacy as being the MLB Commissioner who reinvigorated African-American athletes back into baseball, by insisting on an African-American owned team, and one which must have ties directly to Washington, DC.

But whether the ties are to the Washington, DC residential community or are ties to the White House and Capitol Hill is in question, as the list of investors looks more like a group of political action committees rather than potential baseball team owners. Look beneath the surface and you will find that campaigning for owning a baseball team in DC mirrors that of running for political office.

Bud Selig has made it clear: white rich guys need not apply. However, the idea that rich black guys will attract black children and young men to become interested in baseball is short-sighted. Black community leaders do not need to buy a $450 million baseball team to show devotion to their community and stir baseball interest. Such money could have been spent developing city recreation areas, better developing Little Leagues, building parks with baseball diamonds by creating more open space, encouraging physical fitness in the public schools, and buying blocks of tickets for DC children to attend MLB games on a regular basis in Baltimore or in Washington, DC.

Just like most American voters do not care about who the personnel is at the White House, but rather the White House's public policy issues, the Washington, DC black community will not increase their interest in MLB because a group of politically powerful and connected rich African-American males own stock in the team. And like disconnect on Capitol Hill between the U.S. Congress and its constituents, there is a potential disconnect between team investors or board members and the very fans they are expected to enlighten.

For example, the supposed three remaining groups of team bidders are the Lerner-Kasten Group, the Smulyan Group, and the Malek-Zients Group. They are not quite perfect enough for Selig, however, who MLB insiders have said he requires a group which has significant black American investment as well as local ties to Washington, DC. Although each group commands business savvy and are politically connected, it has weighed on Selig in his making up his mind.

Jeff Smulyan, former owner of the Seattle Mariners, heads a group of prominent Washington, DC-based African-Americans such as former Washington Redskins Art Monk, Calvin Hill, and Charles Mann; former U.S. Attorney Eric Holder; Radio One President Alfred Liggins; and local banker Dwight Bush. Smulyan also owns Emmis Broadcasting, which could prove useful in negotiations of broadcast rights for the Nationals. But the knock against Smulyan is that he has been dubbed by DC politicians as an "outsider" as he does not presently live in the DC area. Yet, Smulyan black investors would comprise a 45% interest in the team.

The Lerner Group, headed by real estate developer Ted Lerner, just this past week joined with Stan Kasten, who had been separately bidding on the team. Kasten brings with him a 17-year career as the former President of the Atlanta Braves. He also remains a friend of Selig's. Ted Lerner has developed numerous shopping malls in the DC area and supposedly played a role in wooing the Expos to DC. He brought aboard several local African-American investors, albeit a little later than the other groups. For that, he has been criticized by the DC City Council, including MLB. His group includes Rodney Slater, former Secretary of Transportation under President Bill Clinton; Doyle Mitchell, CEO of Industrial Bank, N.A., locally owned in the DC area; CBS NFL broadcaster James Brown; and BET executive Paxton Baker.

And the Fred Malek-Jeffrey Zients contingent offers the most political capital of all the groups. But if one is not looking to wind up on Capitol Hill, it could be argued that these are politicians and not community leaders for the inner city of Washington, DC. The investors include former Secretary of State Colin Powell; Howard University President H. Patrick Swigert; Vernon F. Jordan, former legal counsel to President Clinton; Anthony A. Lewis, Chairman Elect of the DC Chamber of Commerce and President of Verizon Communications in DC; and local businessman George Haywood. Malek was a major figure in the Republican Party for over 30 years, working in the Nixon White House, was an associate of former President George H.W. Bush, and was instrumental in securing President George W. Bush's previous ownership of the Texas Rangers.

Selig's ultimate decision comes down to a mix of power brokers, media moguls, and financial investors, which hardly represent the interests of the middle and working class residents of the DC metro area. These particular African-Americans may prove to be no more connected to the DC black community's interest than the white collaborators who initially landed the Nationals there.

In sum, these following figures perhaps should prove more meaningful to the Commissioner of MLB than the head count of African-Americans on a Board of Directors: in 2005, there were a total of seven minority club managers in MLB, which fell to five after Lloyd McClendon of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Tony Pena of the Kansas City Royals were let go. Ken Williams of the Chicago White Sox remains the only African-American General Manager in the game. And in the past 30 years, MLB lost more than two thirds of its black players. In 1975, nearly 30% of all MLB players were black. Today, black players total less than 10%, while Latino players are over 30% and Asian players total about 3%.

Instead of making it appear as though MLB is doing something to re-introduce baseball to black America by changing the color in the boardroom, they need to start from the ground up, rather than from the top down. That starts by promoting more black coaches to managers from the minor leagues on up to the major leagues. As it has proven over the past decade, MLB has vastly increased its dedication to recruiting players from Latin America and more recently the Far East.

But if MLB expects to continue to be referred to as America's Pastime, it will need to do a far better job of recruiting right here at home, where there still remain a ton of great athletes from the black community. But they will not find them on Capitol Hill or in ivory towers, but rather in their very own backyards.

Posted by Diane M. Grassi at 7:27 PM | Comments (0)

Women Belong in the Kitchen

Mets broadcaster Keith Hernandez was reprimanded by the team's television network for sexist remarks he made during a broadcast over the weekend. To me, his actions are deplorable. As a longtime defender of women's rights, I think I need to step up and say what Hernandez doesn't have the integrity to say: women belong in the kitchen.

After a San Diego home run, Hernandez remarked about a female trainer in the Padres dugout and then proceeded to rant about how women shouldn't be allowed in the dugout. He also said, "I'm not going to say women belong in the kitchen." After hearing a remark like this, I have two questions. Does he really believe that women don't belong in the kitchen? And is he serious? I have news for you, Keith, it is the year 2006, and women belong in the kitchen more now than ever before.

I'm a firm believer that women can do anything they put their minds to (I'm not the only one who thinks that, just look at that adorable TV show where a female is president). Last time I checked, they don't need Keith Hernandez to tell them what they are allowed to do and where they are allowed to be. He may not think they belong in the kitchen, but women can go wherever they please, whether it is the kitchen, the business world, or even in professional sports. And they aren't limited to playing the spectator role — they deserve to belong just as much as anyone else in this world.

Part of me feels that Hernandez doesn't really believe in the banishment of women from the kitchen (what's next, women don't belong in unisex bathrooms?), but that this is just his way to attack feminists and slow the advancements women have made in professional sports.

The media attention garnered by people like Annika Sorenstam and Maria Sharapova must drive him crazy. He must avoid the WNBA like it was the avian flu. He probably wakes up in a cold sweat at the thought of someone like Michelle Wie actually defeating men in head-to-head competition. A sexist like Hernandez is not going to sit idly by while women continue to make great advancements in the sporting world.

He knows that he can't stop Michelle Wie from playing against men. He knows that he has no legitimate argument to keep Danica Patrick from racing against the big boys. Yet, he feels like he has to do something to hold women back. What can he do? To Hernandez, it appears the best defense is a good offense. He must believe that women won't be able to keep making the strides they have in the sports world if they are forced to spend their time defending areas where they have already established their legitimacy.

It seems that he's taken a page out of George Bush's playbook in the war on terror — the opposition can't mount much of an offensive if they are constantly on the run. The only difference here is that W doesn't hide his intentions — he's made it clear that he wants Osama Bin Laden and company dead. On the other hand, Hernandez tries to make it seem like he's woman's best friend.

"You know I am only teasing," he said during the broadcast. "You know I love you gals out there — always have." What he meant to say was "You know I love you gals out there — always have, well, until we taught you how to read and gave you the right to vote."

When the Padres' trainer was contacted by the press, she said she was shocked at his comments. "He not only discredited me as a person, but he discredited women," she said. Damn right he discredited women. So was she going to step up on behalf of women everywhere and fight for their rights? No, instead she treated the situation like a comedy hour. She was walking to the training room when she joked, "Should I go in the kitchen now?" As a defender of the rights of people everywhere, however, I don't see this as much of a joke.

Did Rosa Parks merely "joke" about refusing to leave her seat on the bus? No, she did something about it, and I think it's time all women and those that support them everywhere do the same. I simply refuse to tolerate blatant sexism, and I think it's time that we unite against it. I'm calling on all Sports Gospel readers to e-mail pictures of women in kitchens to me, and then I will make a collage to send to Hernandez that will prove to him once and for all what the rest of the country knows — women belong.

Posted by Mark Chalifoux at 6:21 PM | Comments (2)

April 24, 2006

I Hate Mondays: NFL Mock Draft (2)

Last week, I examined the top five teams selecting in the 2006 NFL draft and here's a sensible mock draft:

1. Reggie Bush (Houston Texans)
2. AJ Hawk (New Orleans Saints)
3. Matt Leinart (Tennessee Titans)
4. D'Brickashaw Ferguson (New York Jets)
5. Mario Williams (Green Bay Packers)

Here is a look at the remaining five teams in the top 10:

San Francisco 49ers

Year two of the Mike Nolan era in San Francisco has begun somewhat quietly as the new coaching staff continues to plug in their own players. Seven starters from last season, QB Tim Rattay, FB Fred Beasley, WR Brandon Lloyd, LB Julian Peterson, LB Andre Carter, CB Ahmed Plummer, and LB Jamie Winborn are gone, while G Larry Allen and WR Antonio Bryant are the only additions to the revamped starting lineup. While the offensive line is now a solid unit, it is contingent on the health of C Jeremy Newberry, and the 49ers have a plethora of other holes to fill through the draft.

What Makes Sense

The 49ers were lucky to win the coin toss, which slotted them one spot ahead of the Oakland Raiders, because that will allow them to select TE Vernon Davis. Had it been the other way around, the Raiders likely would have nabbed him. Davis has wide receiver speed and tight end strength, which will make him an ideal mismatch in the middle of the field.

Furthermore, he will be used as a safety valve for Alex Smith, who was often looking for a reliable pair of hands to throw to. This type of tight end/quarterback relationship was instrumental in the maturation of Drew Brees. The 49ers have a decent running game, and with continued growth from Smith and reasonable production from Bryant and Davis, the worst-ranked offense should vastly improve.

What Else Makes Sense

The 49ers should be wary of other teams trying to trade up to the fifth spot in the draft to steal their thunder and their coveted tight end. If that is the case, the 49ers will likely look to address their defensive secondary. CB/S Michael Huff seems to make the most sense, since he can fill the free safety void which has haunted the 49ers for a couple of seasons.

Oakland Raiders

The Raiders have brought back Art Shell and with him, they plan to implement a heavy dose of discipline. Their offseason to this point has been moderately positive as they've swapped out QB Kerry Collins for Aaron Brooks and made a couple of half-decent defensive acquisitions. There is no question that they still need a lot of help on the defensive side of the fence and that is likely what they will address with their first selection.

What Makes Sense

As long as Michael Huff is on the board, he should be the main focus of the Raiders. The Black and Silver ranked dead last in interceptions last season and only have 14 over the past two years. Their safety play has been shoddy at best and Huff would be an instant upgrade in the secondary, especially with his nose for the ball. He is a gifted play-maker with blazing speed and would start from day one.

What Else Makes Sense

The Raiders' defense was downright despicable last season, but owner Al Davis loves his teams to be offensive-minded and high-scoring. If that is the case, selecting TE Vernon Davis, if he's still around, would give opposing defensive coordinators nightmares. Many people like the idea of selecting QB Vince Young, but learning behind Aaron Brooks is not ideal and a team like Oakland might be too tempted to rush him into the lineup, which could further impede his development.

Buffalo Bills

There are few teams heading into the 2006 season in worse shape than the Buffalo Bills. Their offseason signings include reaches for marginal talents like DT Larry Triplett, C Melvin Fowler, S Matt Bowen, and TE Robert Royal. The offensive line is as sturdy as a Ritz cracker, while the defensive line is no stouter. If Nate Clements doesn't sign his franchise tag offer, and is not part of the team in the coming season, the Bills will be in a lot of trouble.

What Makes Sense

It would make sense that after losing prime-time defensive tackles Pat Williams and Sam Adams in consecutive seasons, that the Bills replace that weight with DT Haloti Ngata. The team is only lukewarm on that idea and would prefer a smaller tackle that can penetrate. If they believe that Brodrick Bunkley better suits their needs, then he makes sense at the eighth spot.

What Else Makes Sense

Spending a high pick on a tackle will rouse some sour memories of Mike Williams, who is now with the Jacksonville Jaguars, but regardless, the position is a pressing need and Winston Justice will be available. One problem that may arise is that Justice played right tackle in college and would ideally play the left side at the pro level. Switching sides hasn't been the ideal strategy for some players, such as Raiders T Robert Gallery.

Detroit Lions

As pessimistic as most people are about the Detroit Lions, they have potential and are an example of a team that has quality players, but has underachieved. After five consecutive offensive first-round selections, expect the defense to get a first-round boost. Free safety is the most glaring need, with cornerback depth and the need for an outside linebacker also noted as imperative concerns.

What Makes Sense

The pick that makes the most sense here is Michael Huff and there is a decent chance that he will fall to them. Huff would be a vast upgrade over Terrence Holt and as skeptical as some are about the production of Fernando Bryant and Dre Bly, the Lions would boast a pretty good secondary — on paper.

What Else Makes Sense

It looks like the Lions will lose DT Dan Wilkinson to retirement and if that is the case, that will be about 335 lbs of bulk that they will have to replace. DT Haloti Ngata will likely still be available and by putting him alongside the league's best defensive tackle, Shaun Rogers, opponents would have a tough time clearing running lanes up the middle. Ngata's ability to pressure the quarterback is also underrated.

Arizona Cardinals

The signing Edgerrin James has defused any talks of LenDale White — or any other running back — being the apple of the Cardinals' eye in the first-round. That being said, even though the redbirds have the mixings of a potent offense, they still have the defensive deficiencies of a 5-11 team and they need to address them.

What Makes Sense

The Cardinals are hoping to get more out of RT Oliver Ross in his second season (he battled the injury bug in his first year with the team), but drafting T Winston Justice would solidify the offensive line. The Cardinals have a ton of skill on the exterior of their offense, but Kurt Warner will not be able to dish out the ball if he is not properly protected. Drafting Justice would likely indicate that the Cardinals are planning to be competitive right now and are not planning a rebuilding process.

What Else Makes Sense

The flip-side is that with QBs Jay Cutler and Vince Young on the board, the Cards may pass up on a player who can help them right away and focus on their future. A player like Jay Cutler, who has all the intangibles, but is still raw when it comes to mechanics, would stand to learn quite a lot from former MVP Kurt Warner.

6. Vernon Davis (San Francisco 49ers)
7. Michael Huff (Oakland Raiders)
8. Brodrick Bunkley (Buffalo Bills)
9. Haloti Ngata (Detroit Lions)
10. Winston Justice (Arizona Cardinals)

Sense and the NFL draft mix like Mondays and me.

"The lonely one offers his hand too quickly to whomever he encounters." — Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 4:36 PM | Comments (2)

April to September in 32 Hours

In Boston, morning baseball is every bit as April as daffodils and income taxes.

Each year, on the third Monday of April, residents in these parts declare a Federal holiday called Patriots Day. And on the morning of that third Monday of April, while the real world is hard at work, a baseball game is played in a faraway magic kingdom known as Fenway Park. For the remainder of the long season ahead, it will be the only morning start on the schedule.

The tradition is as old as time itself, assuming you chronicle time's evolution from the perspective of a Red Sox fan who pegs the Big Bang to 1903 when the World Series was created. Which, indeed, did come first: the battles of Lexington and Concord that began the American Revolution, or the first morning game played on the 19th of April in the storybook season of 1903 when the Red Sox — then known as the Americans — went on to win the first World Series and so begin the custom reveled to this day?

To a Bostonian, the question is moot. After all, what good is freedom if you cannot enjoy it?

Of course, no one is exactly hurting for freedom up here. During this stretch of year in which the typical American worker must span New Year's to Memorial Day without a break, Bostonians get a few pit-stops along the way. With every able-bodied man and woman working on, overseeing, or suing the $15 billion Big Dig project, prescribing to the governmental holiday schedule is a spoil of war.

There's Martin Luther King Day and Presidents Day, but there's also Bunker Day, which pays homage to St. Patrick under secular cover. In this heavily Catholic region, Good Friday is a union must. Patriots Monday makes the perfect complement to a four-day weekend, and what better way to spend it than by playing baseball?

And play baseball they do — 111 times in the 104 Patriots Days since 1903, including 26 doubleheaders. Last Monday's win pushed those crimson-trimmed stars of spring to 63-48 all-time, 57-39 at home. Only twice since 1967 have the Red Sox not hosted a morning Patriots Day game — in 1995 during the carryover strike and in 1987 when the MLBPA succeeded in pushing the start to noon.

No matter how ingrained it is to the culture of this region, baseball at 11:05 in the morning will always be disagreeable to me, especially on a Monday morning. In fact, baseball at any time in April is disagreeable.

Nonetheless, I'm in the minority on this one. I've had jobs that required my attendance on the holiday. I'm in one now. You cannot get anything done. Everyone has the radio on or spends the day clicking the refresh button on ESPN.com. It is hard enough for a guy holding out on baseball in Red Sox Nation without it being dragged into my mornings, too.

Some time before three o'clock on this Monday afternoon, a loud roar rose from the floor. Second baseman Mark Loretta had just won the game with a walk-off two-run homer. One of my bosses called me into his office to give me his tickets for the next night's game. Realizing that offers rejected in April become offers non-tendered in September, I took the tickets.

At 7:05 on a Tuesday evening in mid-April, I stepped into September.

Fenway Park was abuzz with autumn energy. Ushers chased my son away from his autograph pursuits along both first- and third-base fences. By the time we took our seats, all others were full. A sell-out crowd had gathered for this early season contest against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Nervous energy buzzed throughout the grandstands almost immediately. The manual scoreboard at the base of the Green Monster reported a four-run Yankees first in Toronto. After that initial shock, a collective elation built as the Blue Jays' score was repeatedly taken down and replaced with an ever-higher tally.

The game at hand was, however, still cause for consternation. During the first six innings, junk-balling Casey Fossum held Boston hitters to one run with his 50-mph ephus pitch. One didn't even register on the radar gun. The operator may have wanted to spare Casey the embarrassment of the reading.

Hits and runs did finally come and the home team took the lead. Everyone was on their feet screaming for all 34 pitches in the top of the ninth. When center fielder Adam Stern sealed victory with a sliding catch and the manual scoreboard showed Toronto holding a five-run lead in the eighth, the crowds departed happily for the exits to tip a few cars.

My son and I followed the street running behind the right field bleachers leading to our parking lot, but temporary rails that held a three-deep crowd at bay obstructed our path. We had come upon the players' exit. As my car sat in the very rear of the lot, we decided to watch for a bit.

One by one, valets delivered new Explorers, Navigators, and Hummers to the curb. Their celebrity drivers in turn made brief but requisite public appearance before slipping behind tinted windows as the crowd bellowed out their names: 'Willie Mo' ... 'Keith' ... 'Papi'. Even though several cars were still awaiting their drivers, security removed the rails and the throngs dispersed.

By this time, our lot was nearly empty. We hit the road for home. I tuned into the local sports talk show where the hosts were entertaining potential pitching rotations for the playoffs.

I rolled down the window and took in downtown Boston. The April air felt refreshing.

Posted by Bob Ekstrom at 4:00 PM | Comments (0)

April 22, 2006

Blue Birds Take Flight

Going into the first series of the season against the Yankees, JP Ricciardi's "intend to contend" acquisitions were behaving exactly the way they've always behaved. Third baseman Troy Glaus was hitting big and striking out often. First baseman Lyle Overbay was hitting doubles and the American League couldn't get to a BJ Ryan pitch.

As for AJ Burnett, well, he started his season in Class A ball on a rehab assignment. In other words, business as usual for all four.

When Burnett was signed, Ricciardi said, "It will be exciting to see AJ and Doc walk out there the next time we go into Yankee Stadium or Fenway." The Jays will have their two best hurlers go this weekend against Boston, but against the Yanks, it would be the third and fourth starters for the Jays (Gustavo Chacin and Ted Lilly) against the Yankees best (Randy Johnson and Mike Mussina).

Meanwhile, the '06 edition of the Yankees had the same themes as last year's version did. Namely, there is not enough pitching for their fans to be happy about, but enough hitting to make opposing pitchers decidedly unhappy. As always, more pitchers will come up with hamstring pulls before a Yankee series than against any other team.

Chacin, who struggled against the Yankees last year, watched Alex Rodriguez lift one over the left-center fence in the first inning on Tuesday night. A-Rod is such a specimen, he doesn't need to belt a ball to hit a home run. Just good solid contact will do it for him, and that's what he got against Chacin. The Jays were down four before they got a chance to dig up the batter's box.

"Yankees suck! Yankees suck!", the 47,000 strong crowd chanted. "Especially when they hit home runs," they might have added. A good portion of the crowd only paid $2 to get in, and were more than willing to do their part against the perennial division winners.

For last years Jays, being down four-zip was almost certain death. They simply didn't have enough pop in their lineup to come back from large deficits. This year is a different story, however, and the Jays got three back in their half of the inning. Troy Glaus hit a homer and Alex Rios, continued his hot early season form by hitting a double.

While the onslaught against Johnson continued (he was chased in the third), Chacin settled in and didn't allow another run. He lasted until the first batter in the seventh.

Toronto, using their third best starter, just had too much bat for the Yanks and their ace. Glaus hit another homer and Vernon Wells hit two balls that center fielder Johnny Damon had to crash into the Pontiac outfield fence-sign to catch. By the end of the game, Damon had hurled himself into the same panel in the wall three times, and had opened up a gap in the panels that was visible from the infield.

"I thought we were going to have a chalk outline there," Joe Torre said after the game. "You know, the last place Johnny Damon was seen."

Vernon Wells has probably benefited more from the signing of some big bats than any other Blue Jay. Normally a slow starter, Damon's catches put an end to a 12-game hitting streak to start the season. Last Year, Wells could be pitched around, but not this year. The first game went into the books as a 10-5 win for the Jays.

The following day was all about Mussina. He shut down the Jays almost completely. In the six and seventh innings, every Jay was still having trouble getting around on a Mussina ball, and he struck out slugger Troy Glaus three times. Mussina was all the Yankees would need on this day, as Rodriguez again homered and the Yankees scratched a couple more runs to finish the 3-1 victory.

Ted Lilly started the game for the Jays, and had a typical Lilly game. He fought, he scratched, and he got himself out of a couple jams. While the Jays were having trouble getting a bat on Mussina's pitches, the Yankees would regularly get good wood on Lilly's.

The mini-series wound up being a mirror of the Jays' season so far. They didn't have their best pitchers going, they were playing against the best, and they held their own.

For four years, Ricciardi has been slashing his payroll while trying to field a team that was watchable to Jays fans. Not an easy task considering most of Toronto's fan base had witnessed two world series victories. He plugged, he played, but mostly, he waited while prospects came through the system.

Finally, this was the year. "You've got to believe," the marketing people told Toronto. "Come see the Yankees for only $2 bucks! You'll see how great we are," they told the city.

It worked. Tuesday night's win might have got them one step (of many) closer to the playoffs, but 47,000 some-odd seeing the home side whoop the Yanks will translate into much bigger steps at the box office, and in the city's hockey-dominated sporting landscape.

Posted by Robert Pelletier at 11:16 PM | Comments (4)

My Trophy Can Beat Up Your Trophy

Imagine seeing your first child born, running out into the hospital waiting room to pass out cigars, and discovering the rest of the world hates babies.

That's what it feels like to be a hockey fan at playoff time.

This week, my New Jersey Devils ended an improbable run to the Atlantic Division title on the last night of the regular season. Like any real fan would, I rocked my red-black-and-white Claude Lemieux jersey the next day, celebrating their achievement in preparation for a first-round series against the New York Rangers. In any other sport, this display of fanatic exuberance would have been met with high-fives, "attaboys," and words of encouragement for future success — but most of the non-hockey fans I bumped into gave me blank stares, half-smirks, and at least one guy saying, "Oh, did they ever settle that strike?"

We are the hockey fans. Lepers to the legitimate, creeps to the in-crowd. In the great cafeteria of sports, we sit at the table closest to the teacher's lounge; the one covered in old chewing gum and spilled chocolate milk where all the foreign kids converge at lunchtime. We're like a fourth-tier religion — even during our holiest annual celebration, all a non-believer can muster is, "Well, I'm not sure I understand, but happy whatever!"

Look, I get that hockey — especially in certain corners of the United States — isn't on par with baseball, basketball, football, golf, auto racing, poker, cage fighting, and dwarf tossing. I get that all this crowing about attendance being on the rise comes from the fact that tickets were slashed to dollar-store prices when they weren't being given away. And I'm fully aware that a sport played inside an arena is being carried by a network dedicated to Outdoor Life.

Denigrate us. Ignore us. It doesn't matter. We have something none of you will ever have: the coolest flippin' championship trophy in sports.

Stanley Cup Trophy

Look at her shine! The Stanley Cup is, like Jesus, made of magic. My trophy can beat up your trophy.

There's no way to explain the feeling you get when you're in the building and you see this thing carried out onto that little pedestal near center ice. (And by "little pedestal," I mean the stand, not Gary Bettman.) Fathers lift their children on their shoulders for a clear look at the chalice. More flash bulbs go off than during a Lindsay Lohan nip slip. You could be waaaay in the upper deck, like I was when the Devils won the Cup in Game 4 against Detroit in 1995, and still feel the gravity of the thing.

Remember the look everyone got in "Raiders of the Lost Ark" every time they'd see a mystical artifact, whether it was the little nugget at the beginning that set off the booby traps or the big enchilada at the end? Well, that's the look every fan within eye-shot gives the Stanley Cup. (It's also the reason the Blackhawks can't win the title until they change ownership, because Bill Wirtz's face will melt off like that German dude at the end of the movie as soon as he touches the Cup. Super-cool holy magic chalices really don't mix with greedy evil oppressors.)

The Stanley Cup is iconic, a symbol of history and the amazing fortitude it requires earning your place in that history. Yet after you win it, the Cup can become so many other things: a drinking buddy, a fellow vacationer, a dance partner, even a trough for a horse.

Can you say the same about this?

First off all, the thing looks as fragile as one of those crazy sugar castles they make on the Food Network chef cook-offs. They must require any team that wins the World Series to have a gallon of super-glue in the locker room in case David Wells sits on it by accident.

The design is all wrong. All of those pennants make the trophy look like something a high-school color guard might take home from a weekend competition. I get that the pennant is a symbol of baseball's postseason, and I see that we have an actual baseball represented on the trophy; but there's so much iconography missing from the sport. No bat? No glove? No syringe?

The trophy isn't even named for anyone, which is stunning when you consider every Hall of Famer in the last 30 years not named Ernie Banks has won the damn thing. Maybe they're just holding out for the Jeter Trophy...

Meanwhile, in the NBA:

Larry O'Brien Trophy

This looks like something that should be revolving around the roof of a burger joint.

The Larry O'Brien Trophy (no, I wasn't aware it had a name either) is famous for two reasons:

1. Being featured in some pretty funny commercials over the last few seasons in which players interact with the trophy.

2. Being somewhere in the frame every time Michael Jordan was photographed following one of his championship victories. I actually created my own "Where's Waldo?" game with it.

The problem being, of course, that more people could probably identify Jordan's cigar than this anonymous trophy. That's because the trophy doesn't speak to this generation of NBA players or fans; I mean, there isn't a single diamond on it, nothing gold-plated seems to spin, and it's much too big to be a pimp cup.

FYI: If you squint hard enough, the O'Brien Trophy looks a little like a bust of John "Hot Plate" Williams.

And then there's this:

Lombardi Trophy

The Lombardi Trophy is really the only piece of championship hardware that comes close to the Stanley Cup in American sports. It's simple, it's classic, and it looks really good when hoisted into the air by anyone not wearing a New England Patriots uniform.

Really the only problem with it is that the football was made to be "in the kicking position" — and really, who personifies the blood and sweat of a championship season than an "idiot kicker?" (tm Peyton Manning).

But the Lombardi Trophy, the O'Brien Trophy, and the soon-to-be Jeter Trophy still can't compare to the Stanley Cup because, unlike hockey's greatest prize, they made new awards every season for the champions in each sport.

In football, basketball, and baseball, you keep the history you make — in hockey, you're simply a part of a greater history, etched in every name and team on that shining silver beauty.

Congrats to whoever gets to hoist it this season...

"Glow Picks" Update

I've now done nearly a month's worth of media for my book "Glow Pucks and 10-Cent Beer: The 101 Worst Ideas in Sports History," appearing on radio stations across the country of all sizes and frequencies. I can't begin to tell you what an honor it's been to hear from readers that I've written something that's made them laugh and made them think. That's what I set out to write, and I'm glad I accomplished that mission.

Complaints? People think the BCS is too low on the list. I think I defend my decision well in the book, but to each his own. I've actually had pretty spirited debates on the air with some hosts and callers about the shootout in the NHL, which is fine: one man's excitement is another man's pathetic skills competition gimmick, which if replaced with something like "fastest skater" would reveal its utter absurdity as a manner to determine postseason participation.

I'm scheduled on 1570 AM in Green Bay next Thursday. I'm looking forward to it because I've been really getting fired up about my chapter on Warm-Weather Super Bowls.

Again, the book is in stores now and available on Amazon.com for a price that really isn't going to help me, but will help you, especially if you're looking for a Father's Day gift.

Thanks again for reading...

Posted by Greg Wyshynski at 11:06 PM | Comments (3)

April 21, 2006

Sports Q&A: Bonds in Bondage; Derby

Johnnie from Riverside, CA asks, "What is worse? Barry Bonds taking steroids or lying about it in front of a grand jury? And where does this leave his legacy?"

Barry Bonds at the plate: it is going, going, it is gone. Bonds being questioned about steroid use: he is going, going, going to lie. Perjury? That's lying under oath, right? Well, you can't go to jail for just taking steroids, but you can go to jail for committing perjury. Heck, Bonds may have actually taken the steroids in front of the grand jury. He's that bold.

I'm sure Bonds has imagined himself as baseball's all-time home run king. But do you think he's pictured himself in the slammer? I doubt it. If he has, he sees himself in the most minimum of minimum security prisons, where the security is so light, you can take steroids without fear of punishment. It sounds a lot like Major League Baseball, doesn't it? Baseball players are more likely to face punishment for lying about steroids than they are for actually taking them.

So, I guess committing perjury is more serious than simply taking steroids. In the world of Major League Baseball, perjury and steroids go hand in hand. If you are a player and have taken steroids, then you have likely also committed perjury. That is, if you were under oath when you were asked about steroids. Otherwise, you just lied. If you are a baseball player and have perjured yourself, then you probably did it lying about your steroid use.

Lying in front of a grand jury is a serious offense. At least in my eyes. Steroid usage must cloud the judgment of steroid users, because they all seem to tell the same story — a lie. But let's face it. We've all lied. Myself, I've never lied in front of a grand jury, but I have lied in front of a Grand Prix, a Pontiac Grand Prix. I told the officer that I didn't realize I was doing 125 miles per hour in a 35-mph zone. But that's beside the point. Pumping your body full of steroids and who knows what else is also a serious matter, but it is not punishable by time in the cooler. Apparently, in MLB, it's not very punishable at all, unless you consider hitting 60 or more home runs punishment.

The lie should become a recorded statistic in baseball. Bonds would definitely have that record, and I'd have no problem with it. And a poor little asterisk would be spared. But, this is baseball. That asterisk will find a home somewhere. Let's just say Bonds hits his 715th home run and eclipses Babe Ruth's record, with Henry Aaron's mark of 755 in sight. Put one asterisk to signify Bonds may have used illegal enhancements to reach that plateau. Then a double-asterisk to explain that Bonds hit the record-breaking home run while being investigated by the feds. And throw in another asterisk, just for good measure. Do they make steroids for asterisks? Those should be beside any of Bonds' records.

If Bonds did perjure himself, we probably won't know whether he's convicted of it for some time. Will that even matter to Bonds? He's so used to believing his lies that they may not even register with him any more. Not to mention Bonds' massive ego. Even if he is convicted, he likely will still maintain his innocence. The lies will continue. Whatever happens, Bonds' legacy is tarnished forever. He's no Babe, and he's no Aaron. He's not even Barry Bonds, at least the Bonds free of steroids, ego, and possible federal crimes.

Bonds' fall from grace, which he is already in the midst of, is matched only by that of Lucifer, who was cast from heaven, and now has an asterisk by his name, signifying his position as the only leader of Hell who was formerly an angel. Am I comparing Bonds to Lucifer? Why yes, yes I am. No offense, Satan. Actually, I think Lucifer is much more well-liked than Bonds. When we think of Bonds, home runs won't be our first thought. They'll be well down the list. When we think of Ruth and Aaron, home runs come first. Steroids and indictments don't come to mind at all.

The ramifications of Bonds' case may eventually clean up baseball. Baseball is cracking down on steroid use, but it may be too late. The damage has been done, and baseball may have to suffer the hardship of revising the record book. But what's important is sending a strong message to youth baseball players worldwide: if you're going to use steroids, don't break records. Thanks, Barry!

Ed from El Monte, CA writes, “Who do you like in the 132nd running of the Kentucky Derby on May 6th, and would you pay $1,000 for a mint julep at Churchill Downs?"

You have to like the favorites, Brother Derek and Lawyer Ron, at 5-2 and 4-1, respectively. But, my money's on the horse that combines decent odds of 10-1 with the best name in the field, Sinister Minister. As far as the rest of the field goes, Saddle Sore at 15-1 is solid, but has been bothered as of late by jockey itch. Hung Like A Man (20-1) gets no respect in the stable, but has the stamina to go the distance.

Bologna Pogna (25-1) is good in open space, but gets nervous when sandwiched on the rail. At 35-1, Whoreshoed, the lone filly in the field, is fast and loose, and should have no problem amongst the stallions. Holy Crop (50-1) may need divine intervention to race among the leaders. Straight, No Steeplechaser (60-1) is a long shot, while Louis Pasture (65-1) smokes on grass, but is slow on dirt.

Indee Colt (70-1) is a fast starter, but fades down the stretch. At 75-1, All Opposed Say Neigh has little working in his favor. Although he is fast, Whinny The Pooh (80-1) lacks toughness. Crazy Horse (80-1) is a wildcard, but trainer Neil Young has high hopes. S&M (90-1) is far from unbeaten, but responds to the whip well. And Three-Legged Wonder (150-1) has heart, but is injury-prone.

As far as paying $1,000 for a mint julep, of course I would, but only if it came with an escort, a Visa Triple Crown jockey's cap, entry into D. Wayne Lukas' after-race keg party, and an explanation as to exactly what is a mint julep. It's not some crappy Halloween candy handed out by a cheap neighbor? It's got bourbon in it? Great. I'll drink to that. But it would be much more financially-sound to spend a grand on two hundred shots of liquor.

Seriously, the proceeds from the sale of the $1,000 mint julep, if there are any, go to the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, which is a good cause. So many horses lack retirement benefits, especially those that aren't of elite status. Elite thoroughbreds, those competing for the Triple Crown, live a privileged life: race, win a few stakes, earn $10 million, and retire to the stud farm. That's why you never see a horse come out of retirement.

So, if you're at the Derby on May 6th, and can afford the $1,000 mint julep (or you get so drunk you buy one anyway), buy one. With your bourbon, you'll get mint from Morocco, ice from the Arctic Circle, and sugar from the South Pacific, or that's what they'll tell you. All that stuff comes from the grocery store. But it's served in a gold-plated goblet. If the goblet is all you crave, wait two weeks and pick up one at a Louisville flea market for two bucks. If you're not at the Derby and want to experience a $1,000 mint julep, pour some cheap liquor over a peppermint candy and burn one thousand dollars in cash.

Get Your Questions Answered!

Do you have a question or comment? Were your 15 minutes of fame preempted by a rerun of The Andy Griffith Show? When someone says "Hour of Power," does a drinking game come to mind as opposed to a religious experience? Then send your question/comment/answers and a small donation along with your name and hometown to [email protected]. You may get the answer you're looking for in the next column on Friday, May 5th.

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 11:34 PM | Comments (2)

Barry Bonds, the Ultimate Underdog

People are naturally drawn to underdogs, especially in sports. Some of the greatest stories come from underdogs like the 1980 U.S. Hockey team, the George Mason basketball team, Seabiscuit, and James Braddock, the Cinderella Man. That's why I've recently become a fan of the biggest underdog in sports today: Barry Bonds.

While Bonds is in pursuit of one of baseball's most hallowed records on the field, his biggest obstacles are off of it. He's pitted firmly against a triumvirate of evil more powerful than any one player in the history of sports has faced: the media, management, and the government. Yet, so far, against all the odds, Barry is still playing baseball.

It's been clear that some members of the media flat-out hate Barry Bonds. They have their reasons, although most of them revolve around the fact that Bonds is a complete jerk to members of the press. Some of them, like Jay Mariotti from the Chicago Sun-Times, are openly rejoicing Bonds' struggles. "Barry Lamar Bonds is the one with the issues, more than anyone in sports," Mariotti recently wrote. "And I speak for much of America when I hope his pathetic saga soon ends unhappily."

Add Major League Baseball brass to the list of Bonds haters, as the latest steroid commission is a direct result of Bonds closing in on the home run record. Baseball has had plenty of chances for an investigation of this magnitude, which would've been justified at any point in the past 15 years. The fact of the matter is that Bud Selig and company waited until their hand was forced by outside influences, and now they had to act against Bonds. Simply put, we aren't having a steroid investigation if Bonds isn't within striking distance of Hank Aaron.

Now, even the government is after Bonds on a perjury charge. Granted, as Chris Webber can attest to, lying to a grand jury is a major issue, but come on, this is over the top. I thought LeBron James would have a tough time in the NBA with the enormous amount of pressure that came with his hype, but this was far beyond King James level even before the threat of jail became a factor. Former Bonds manager Jim Leyland said it best when he told an AP reporter that "this is a hands down go-after-Barry-Bonds thing.'' Yet, amazingly, Bonds is still going.

How is this man still playing baseball? I thought the constant attacks in the media combined with the effects of old(er) age would push him to the edge. And I believed the MLB steroid commission led by Former Senator Mitchell would be the final straw that broke the back of the strongest camel in professional sports. On top of that, he's now one of the most hated people in sports. Honestly, he'd be more popular if he was the captain of the Duke Lacrosse team. 99.9% of athletes would've given up long ago under these circumstances. Unbelievably, he keeps on fighting. Bonds is still up. What will it take to stop him?

The federal investigation, that's what. It's just too much for any man to handle. Bonds can deal with the fans, he manipulates the media almost better than his bat, and he can withstand baseball's investigation, but the grand jury investigation and potential jail time? It's impossible for anyone to overcome all that.

"They ain't gonna break me,'' Bonds said. "They can try. This is not going to happen.''

The 1980 Olympic Hockey team benefited from a complete and utter choke job by the Soviet team. George Mason was overlooked by every team except Florida. Hell, even David had a pretty lethal slingshot when going against Goliath. And Bonds is missing something that nearly all underdogs have — crowd support. Fans are driving hours to throw oversized syringes and lame insults at him. (Bear-oids? Tell me someone can do better than that.) It seems that, for once, Jay Mariotti does speak for most of America. To me, though, Bonds isn't really that hard to root for.

People, for the most part, hate their bosses, distrust the media, and have a general disdain for the government. Barry is tackling all three, while going for one of the greatest records in baseball. There's no question that he's under more pressure and scrutiny than any single player in the history of sports, but it's the pressure that reveals who is truly great.

And there's just something appealing about rooting for the impossible.

Posted by Mark Chalifoux at 3:46 PM | Comments (3)

Alexander the Great

The start of the 2005-06 season certainly had no shortage of news. The finalized Collective Bargaining Agreement was an obvious topic, as well as the new rules that would take effect. Hockey enthusiasts everywhere were doing their best to memorize the long list of players that had switched teams. And then there was talk about a rookie sensation named Sidney Crosby who had signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Alexander Ovechkin's name always came up second to Crosby's. Now, seven months later, the story is very different. His name is, from now on, one that hockey fans will not forget.

Ovechkin made history on April 13 when he scored his 50th goal and reached 100 points in his rookie season. He joins Teemu Selanne as the only other first-year player to achieve both marks.

Looking back at Ovechkin's pre-NHL life, it's easy to see how the stage was set for the success he is achieving. His parents were both natural-born athletes, his mother a two-time basketball Olympian and his father a professional soccer player. His interest in hockey started when two-year-old Alex fell in love with a stick and helmet in a Moscow toy store and refused to leave without them. He became an avid hockey watcher and played by age seven.

His coaches quickly recognized his talent, and by age 14, he was already being predicted as the first overall pick in the 2004 draft.

Success came quickly and early in Ovechkin's career. At 16, he scored 14 goals and 4 assists in the World Under-18 Junior Championships — a record that has not been surpassed. A year later, Ovechkin became the youngest player to ever join the Russian National Team. His three years on the Junior National Team earned Russia first in 2003, fifth in 2004, and third in 2005. He was named captain of the team in both his second and third year, and in 2005, Ovechkin was named the best forward of the tournament. He was also selected for the all-star team.

This started a trend in Ovechkin's career. In 2004, Ovechkin was named to Russia's World Cup team. At 19, he was the youngest player there, squaring off against some of the NHL's finest. Not much later, Ovechkin himself was in the NHL — the Washington Capitals drafted him in 2004 as the first overall pick, just as predicted five years earlier. And now, "Alexander the Great" is the youngest active member on the Caps' roster, and he's already making a name for himself in the NHL record books.

Despite so much success at such a young age, Ovechkin is neither cocky, nor overwhelmed. He has taken everything in stride, and humbly. Olie Kolzig, Washington's goaltender, said in an interview with the Washington Post, "He's just another one of the guys." Added LW Matt Pettinger on the night before Ovechkin scored his 50th goal, "He could come in here [and] say, 'Hey, I'm Alex Ovechkin, I've played in the Olympics, I've scored 49 goals, I've done all this at 20-years-old.' But he doesn't."

He has not only won over his teammates with his positive, laid-back attitude, but journalists and fans, as well. When asked by the Russian Hockey Digest about the very favorable response he has received, Ovechkin responded, "I am just trying to be myself. I do not need to play any roles."

"He's a normal guy with superstar status," center Dainius Zubrus said of Ovechkin in the Washington Post interview. "He's a very likable guy and that's why everyone [in] here is so happy for him."

Adding to his appeal is the work ethic that has brought Ovechkin to where he is today. "What would I reach without hard work?" he told the Russian Hockey Digest after scoring his 50th goal. He is, hands-down, the real deal.

The best thing is, barring severe injury, he will not be leaving the NHL any time soon — he is, lest we forget, only 20-years-old. Fans, players, and journalists will all have the pleasure of Alex Ovechkin's company for many years to come. And if his performance this season is any preview of what's ahead, then Ovechkin will offer plenty of things to look forward to ... and he will be cheered all along the way.

Posted by Charlynn Smith at 3:37 PM | Comments (0)

April 20, 2006

Marlins Part of Baseball Royalty?

As a Padres fan, I spend much of my life in envy of the lives other teams' fans lead. The average Yankees fan starts making hotel reservations for the postseason in April. Ditto, Braves fans.

Red Sox fans might not be guaranteed a playoff spot every season, but it's a surprise if they don't make it, and the words "mathematically eliminated" are seldom uttered before the final weekend in September.

To this list of baseball royalty, it's past time to add another name: the Florida Marlins.

You read it here first: it's good to be a Marlins fan.

First off, as the Miami Herald's Greg Cote quipped, "Marlins fans lead the majors in elbow room." Few stadiums in the league afford the sort of one-on-one relationships between vendors and fans available at Dolphin Stadium, and the possibilities for free seat upgrades are virtually limitless when you're watching the Fish.

Of course, Marlins fans may soon be racking up frequent flyer miles to see their team play in San Antonio, and consulting your program with every player introduction can get tiresome, but hey, when your payroll is less than $15 million, them's the breaks.

Lost in the punch lines and empty seats, however, is the fact that this organization actually seems to know what it's doing, and pledging your allegiance to the Marlins means having a legitimate shot at a World Series trophy every five or six years. Hey, Dodgers fans, what wouldn't you give?

Since the 1997 season, only the Yankees have won more championships (four) than the Fish (two), and no other team has won multiple titles during that span. Going out on a limb to assume the Marlins won't be winning the World Series in 2006, they will still have won championships in roughly 14 percent of their years as a team. That's the highest rate (again, aside from the Yankees) in the modern era.

Of course, if you take pennants as a more reliable indicator of consistent excellence (as I would tend to do), the calculations are much different, and the Braves, among other teams, come out looking quite a bit better.

However, if it's that world championship mountaintop experience that you're after and you don't live in the Bronx, it doesn't get much better than (gasp!) the Marlins.

And a quick look at this year's club suggests that owner Jeffrey Loria and general manager Larry Beinfest may be well on their way to shortening the interval between winning seasons.

Dontrelle Willis (24) is on the short list of the game's best young pitchers and is still cheap. How many top-of-the-rotation, annual Cy Young candidate-type pitchers play for less than $4.5 million these days? And the D-Train is Florida's most expensive player, by a long shot.

Behind Willis, the Marlins could supply multiple minor league systems with all the young pitching talent they have developed or imported. Jason Vargas (23) was solid in 2005, giving up just 71 hits in 74.2 innings and posting a 4.03 ERA. Scott Olsen's (22) entrance into the rotation gives Florida a pair of left-handed strikeout artists under 25 with Josh Johnson (22) and Ricky Nolasco (23) working out of the bullpen and poised to take on a starting role by mid-summer.

By July, the average age of Marlins starting pitchers could be 22.8, and every one of them has swing-and-miss stuff. And, oh yeah: 22-year-old Anibal Sanchez is throwing mid-90s heat at Double-A Carolina and could be ready for the big club in 2007.

In the field, things are even more encouraging. Miguel Cabrera (23) is one of the game's best power hitters, period, and still locked into his rookie contract. Hanley Ramirez (22) was one of the crown jewels of the Red Sox organization before the Marlins acquired him in the Josh Beckett trade, and already looks like the real deal.

He has blazing speed on the bases, and if his two bombs to center field against Eric Milton (okay, not the toughest test ever) are any indication, the Marlins could be sitting on one of the most complete shortstops in the National League in a year or two.

At first base, Mike Jacobs (25) is not only one of the few Marlins who can legally rent a car, but was also twice the Mets' organizational Player of the Year and has a great power stroke from the left side.

Of course, a look at the Marlins' future wouldn't be complete without a glance out to right field, where Jeremy Hermida (22) was the team's No. 1 prospect entering this season and arguably the top hitting prospect in all of baseball.

There aren't a lot of guys who project to hit 20-25 home runs and also walk more than they strike out. As a rookie, Hermida already has some of the best strike zone judgment in the majors, and his .457 on-base percentage at Double-A last season is downright Barry Bonds-like.

At 22, most feel he already has the skills to be an above-average major leaguer. If he continues to develop, the middle of that Marlins batting order (Cabrera, Hermida, Jacobs) could be one of the toughest in baseball and would cost the organization about what the Yankees pay Alex Rodriguez to take batting practice.

So buck up, Marlins fans. Sure, your stadium makes Tropicana Field look like a pleasant place to watch baseball. Sure, you really don't know the players without a program. And sure, the Fish are almost certain to lose more than 95 games this season.

But look on the bright side: by 2007, everybody is going to know who your players are, and you might even be able to pawn off some extra young talent to get some faces that you recognize.

In the meantime, yes, there are three seats available for tonight's game. This is Ted — he'll be your vendor this evening.

Posted by Zach Jones at 9:46 PM | Comments (2)

AFC Games to Watch in 2006

The 2006 NFL schedule was recently released and diehard football fans quickly scoured their favorite team's calendar for the coming season. If they are anything like me, they first mentally guestimated how many wins the schedule might allow for — setting a high and low number — then they noted the dates and times of key matchups and rivalry games, and only after getting a handle on all of this did they move on to take a look at what interesting games might be on the schedule for the rest of the league in 2006.

This is exactly what I did anyway. Sure, I was savoring the fact that my favorite team is the reigning Super Bowl champion, but that only means that the schedule is tougher and everyone is out to get you. So I went through the same steps I do every year when I see the schedule. I will spare you the resulting thoughts and conclusions for now, and instead focus on the schedule from a wider fan perspective.

Deciding which games should be competitive is difficult business. There are no guarantees that the good teams from 2005 won't collapse and I am sure that there will be some breakout teams no one was expecting. I don't hold a crystal ball. But given what we saw in 2005, and what my gut tells me about teams in 2006, what follows are 10 games I am looking forward to in 2006. I will start today with the AFC and tackle the NFC next week. After each game, I note the questions the game might answer and spell out why I think it might be worth watching.

AFC

1) Thursday, September 7: Miami @ Pittsburgh

Okay, this does involve the Steelers, but it is the opening game! Plus, it should be very interesting. Daunte Culpepper has moved from the frigid climes of Minnesota to the warm sunshine of Miami. Many questions remain to be answered: will he be healthy enough to start? Can Nick Saban take Miami from a surprisingly-competitive nine-win team in 2005 to a playoff contender in 2006? If they can knock off the defending Super Bowl champs, that will certainly get their season off with a bang.

On the Steelers' side, can the champs keep their focus after the miracle season of 2005? Can Ben Roethlisberger rebound from a rather mediocre Super Bowl game and prove that he is an elite quarterback? Can Fast Willie Parker continue to grow into a starting running back? Who will replace the veteran leadership and inspiration of Jerome Bettis? How much will they miss the versatile Antwaan Randle El? The road to a Super Bowl repeat is long and hard. The Steelers will begin this arduous task in a nationally-televised game to officially kick-off the NFL season. Even in April, I can hardly wait.

2) Sunday, September 10: Cincinnati @ Kansas City

At the end of last season, the Cincinnati Bengals had already clinched their division when they met the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs were looking for a win and hoping for some help in order to make the playoffs. Bengals starting quarterback Carson Palmer was held out of the game while Chiefs running back Larry Johnson ran up and down the field. The Bengals seemed to lack focus heading into the playoffs and went on to lose both their first round playoff game and their starting quarterback.

This game will give the Bengals a chance to prove that their record in 2005 was not a fluke and that last year's game against the Chiefs was meaningless. It is also worth noting that the Bengals will have to toughen up their run defense if they plan on winning the AFC North again and this time making a playoff run.

The Chiefs are now in the Herm Edwards era. The expectation is that the offense won't change that much, but the talent at wide receiver seems a little thin to me. While no one knows the status of Priest Holmes at this point, but I for one would like to see what kind of numbers Larry Johnson can put up as the featured back for a whole season. This game should give us an early measure of these two potential playoff teams.

3) Sunday, September 24: Denver @ New England

Last year's playoff game between these two teams was one of many where critical calls/penalties impacted the game. The Patriots had to feel like the game slipped away from them with these uncharacteristic penalties and turnovers. I am sure Bill Belichick, Tom Brady, and company would love nothing more than to avenge that loss and prove they still know how to win big games. Injuries severely hampered them last year — will free agent losses do the same this year? One thing is for sure: they won't have Adam Vinatieri to win games for them anymore.

The Broncos, of course, would love to show that they have New England's number now. Denver has a strong running game, a patient and opportunistic quarterback, and a defense that doesn't give up the big play us the usual recipe. Can Denver find this mix again? This should provide a good early look at two perennial AFC powerhouses.

4) Sunday, October 22: San Diego @ Kansas City

As the above list of games already indicates, the AFC West is a competitive division. It also has some great rivalries. Last year, the San Diego Chargers were seen as one of the better teams not to make the playoffs. Kansas City eliminated the Chargers from the playoffs with another dominant performance by Larry Johnson in what was his eighth straight 100-yard game. This fact only adds to the rivalry of this important divisional game.

During the offseason, San Diego let quarterback Drew Brees go to the Saints and are apparently ready to let Phillip Rivers take over. It should be interesting to see if Rivers can earn the Chargers' confidence, but the defense better learn to stop the run if they want to make the playoffs this year.

5) Sunday, November 5: Denver @ Pittsburgh

This rematch of the AFC Championship game should be a good one. These two teams have knocked each other out of the playoffs a number of times in the past and quite often on the other team's field. Obviously, Denver will be highly motivated coming into Pittsburgh. But the Steelers have a lot of pride and they will be looking to regain their dominant home-field advantage that has lost a bit of its luster in recent years. Whatever the records come November, I am sure this will be a tough, hard-fought football game. If the teams live up to their high standards, this could be an important game, as well.

6) Sunday, November 5: Indianapolis @ New England

This game really doesn't need any introduction. Last year, the Colts must have felt a weight was lifted off their backs when they finally managed to beat the Patriots handily in New England. Of course, home-field advantage didn't turn out to be as valuable as they thought. Nevertheless, I am quite sure that both Tom Brady and Peyton Manning will be plenty motivated for this matchup. Seeing them compete on the same field is always entertaining.

The more interesting side of the story, I think, comes from the Colts. How will the loss of Edgerrin James affect the offense? Can Peyton Manning carry the load alone or will someone step up and take The Edge's place? If it comes down to a field goal, the Colts should be in much better shape having acquired Vinatieri and jettisoned Mike Vanderjagt.

7) Sunday, December 10: Indianapolis @ Jacksonville

It might not have the flash of the Patriots game, but this matchup has become a strong rivalry. The Jags always seem to play the Colts tough.

Can the Jaguars keep it up? They have had a tough defense for years, but their offense hasn't really gotten on track. Can they stay healthy and develop a rhythm that allows them to put up enough points to win? Will one of the younger players break out and provide the star power they need? If both teams are as competitive as they were in 2005, a late divisional game like this could have a lot on the line. No matter what the record, I wouldn't bet on a blowout either way.

8) Sunday, December 10: New England @ Miami

New England has owned the AFC East in recent years, but Miami is poised to make a serious run at knocking them off. With the addition of Daunte Culpepper, if he can get and stay healthy, the 'Fins are looking to build on the six straight wins they had to end the 2005 season. They might have to do so without Ricky Williams. But isn't that why they drafted Ronnie Brown? If they have any hopes of winning the division, this game will be a crucial game, symbolic and otherwise.

9) Monday, December 18: Cincinnati @ Indianapolis

Last year, the Colts won a shootout in Cincinnati to run their record to a perfect 10-0. Both teams had powerful offenses and opportunistic defenses. Both teams made the playoffs and promptly lost. This game is the start of a challenging end to the Bengals' 2006 season. They play at Indy, at Denver, and then finish the season hosting the Steelers. If the Bengals can finish strong in 2006 they will have a great chance to repeat as division champs and head into the playoffs peaking at the right time.

For the Colts, they know all too well that regular season record means nothing and that it isn't easy to simply turn the offense back on in the playoffs. Maybe without the distractions of a possible undefeated season they can simply focus on winning games until there are no more games left to play.

Sunday, December 31: PIttsburgh @ Cincinnati

The AFC North crown could very well come down to this New Year's Eve game. Last year, the Steelers won two games in Cincinnati, including a playoff game. For Bengals fans, the anger and frustration from after that playoff loss lingered for a long time, and I am sure it is still in their minds heading into 2006. The Bengals talked a lot last year about a changing of the guard in the AFC North. A win in this game and another divisional title would prove that they can do more than talk. Of course, the Steelers will do everything in their power to keep that from happening. What a way to end the year and the regular season!

***

So, there you have it. Ten games I am looking forward to in 2006. They are dominated by divisional rivalries and clashes between playoff-caliber teams. I look forward to being surprised by any number of teams, however, and so plan to tune in every week to see what the greatest sport on the planet has in store. And check back in a week or so for my NFC picks.

Posted by Kevin Holtsberry at 9:25 PM | Comments (0)

Was This the Davis Cup or Maybe Cup?

I watched Andy Roddick clinch the Davis Cup quarterfinal tie against Fernando Gonzalez of Chile the other day, and I was unimpressed. Yes, unimpressed. I have to say that I felt the same watching James Blake lose to Gonzalez on the first day, as well.

The Davis Cup tie was held on American soil, and played on grass to boot. For a bunch of dirtballers like the Chileans, the choice of grass should have spelled doom from the first serve. Fernando Gonzalez and Nicolas Massu are extraordinary clay court players, and potent hard court players. Put them on slick, somewhat uneven bouncing grass, and their games come right apart. And they did.

So, too, unfortunately, did the games of the Americans. As I sat and watched the matches on my television, I was amazed at how much it looked like a clay court match on a green, slippery surface. While James Blake did in fact come to the net more then Andy Roddick, the truth is that both players spent the better part of both matches sitting on the baseline and bashing with the Chileans, not how you play grass court tennis!

Roddick seemed to be getting grass court play some, as he took a little off his first serve and sliced most of his deuce court serves out wide. He won a lot of free points that way, but more because Gonzalez and Massu weren't smart enough to figure out they were on grass. Both spent way too much time cheating on their backhand sides and left wide gaps for perfect grass court serving.

On the ad side, however, Roddick insisted on trying to hit flat serves to the backhand rather then take advantage of the nice slice opening up the middle. Since Andy does not possess the kicker Pete Sampras did, it was a foolish play to try and for most of the first two sets on the final day it had him in trouble with Gonzalez.

I say that Roddick "seemed to be getting grass court" tennis because he was serving half of the points in a way consistent with grass court tennis, but then he rarely, if ever, came to the net behind his serve. Serve and volley is grass court strategy to perfection. More often than not, you win on grass from the net.

Legendary player Bjorn Borg even spent years perfecting his serve and volley game to ensure his success at Wimbledon. Watching Borg in the final of the French Open then at the final of Wimbledon was like watching night and day. Bjorn's patience on clay was supreme, and he could rally from the backcourt all day. Jump ahead two weeks, and you see a different Borg — one who changed his forehand grip from western to eastern, sliced more serves than twisted or topspun them, and one who was always at the net following a great serve.

Which brings me back to Roddick. Possessing a huge first serve and a potent forehand is not enough to beat most players today. Not even on grass. Roddick's game continues to be incomplete and it showed during the tie. Yes, Roddick has been runner-up at Wimbledon twice, and has a winning record on grass. But has never faced a true grass court player early in the tournament and has always been beaten by Roger Federer on the green stuff. Also, he has never changed his game to suit the surface, which is death in tennis. Fernando Gonzalez has played respectably at the Big W, and has progressively gotten deeper into the draw with each year he plays there.

The choice of James Blake appeared to be a no-brainer, but almost turned out to be a lame-brained move. Blake to date in 2006 is the hottest player on the men's tour, and it isn't hard to believe his performance would continue, especially against a player not suited for the grass court surface.

I wanted to know why Blake did so poorly in this tie, so I went to my 2006 Official Guide to Professional Tennis and saw an interesting statistic. Blake and Gonzalez have nearly identical won-loss records at Wimbledon. Yes, Blake won the Newport tournament on grass a few years ago but on the big stage, both players have equally distinguished themselves. Massu has a losing record at Wimbledon, but he's just a match below .500. So based on that, I can clearly understand why Blake lost to Gonzalez on day one of the tie. He played a clay court game, and lost to a clay court player.

I had the chance to talk to Patrick McEnroe (and pregnant wife Melissa Errico) the weekend prior to the Davis Cup, at Gene Scott's memorial funeral service (which I'll talk about a little more later). I agreed that he was putting a very tough U.S. team on the carpet, even though he couldn't be there.

I wish that I had the chance to talk to Pat Mac after the tie. I would have asked him why he didn't choose his brother, John McEnroe, to play the singles on grass. If you want to compare records and styles, it's clear that even at his advanced age (hey, John, I'm just a couple of years behind you), he would have dominated both Gonzalez and Massu and the tie would have been over on Saturday with the victory of the doubles team of Bob and Mike Bryan.

I can only hope that for the next round, Pat McEnroe takes a hard look at the numbers, and chooses the best player for the situation, surface, and time. It has been way too long since the U.S. has held the Davis Cup high.

***

Now a little about Gene Scott. Most of the non-tennis world will probably not recognize the name, but for those of us in the tennis industry, he was an all-time great, a giant fish in our tiny pond. The founder, publisher, and editor-in-chief of Tennis Week magazine, Gene was a perennial U.S. top-10 player in the 1960s who made it to the semis of the U.S. Championships in 1967.

After his playing days were over on the tour, Gene took up the sport of court or real tennis, and was a 10-time U.S. champion and ranked as high as third in the world. In his spare time, Gene was the commentator for the historic Billie Jean King/Bobby Riggs match in the old Houston Astrodome, a tournament organizer, referee, and director. It was Gene Scott who founded the Kremlin Cup in Moscow and discovered our precious Anna Kournikova.

Gene passed suddenly a few weeks ago, and with his passing, tennis lost its greatest voice, its biggest advocate, and one of the only men in all of sports who truly exemplified the phrase "no man is bigger than the game." In an era where fame and power often lead to seclusion and distance, Gene remained open and accessible, even to his last day.

At his funeral service, attended by the most famous, powerful, and influential people in tennis, John McEnroe and Billie Jean King gave eulogies. While their words were poetic, for me, they will fade over time. The biggest tribute to Gene that day, at least for me, was to see Dr. Rene Richards quietly and discreetly slip into the back of the church for the service. Gene was the most inclusive man I have ever known, and Dr. Richard's appearance may be the most fitting tribute to the essence of Gene Scott.

I will miss you, Gene. Maybe you'll let me write a column for you when we meet again.

Posted by Tom Kosinski at 8:22 PM | Comments (5)

April 19, 2006

Why Watch the NBA Playoffs?

I do not like the NBA, it's a league I once called a circus and meant every word of it. However, like any self-respecting sports junkie, I follow it. Prior to the dress code, and some more attention on everyone's image, it really was tough to watch. However, like a true sports fan, I suck it up every spring and follow the NBA playoffs. There are bits of excitement as crowds come alive and the players actually seem to care.

This year, I'm going to watch, not because I love the players or the product, but there is no better time that a good circus. Now, without further ado, here are 10 reasons why you should watch the playoffs:

Reason #1

How far does Kobe have to take the Lakers? Seriously, when does the general public turn from "he's a wife-cheating ball-hog" to "I can't believe he wins games one of five." If this were any other player, wouldn't he be guaranteed the MVP? Kevin Garnett single-handedly got the T-Wolves in the playoffs year after year and he was given his due. I am not saying we should all Kobe, I am just curious to see if he could carry the Lakers over someone good and see if things change. Chances are the Lakers get smoked, but who doesn't like watching Kobe jack up shots in desperation to at least get a win?

Reason #2

Ladies and Gentlemen, the return of Ron Artest to the playoffs! Now, I know these chances are again slim, but in the most heated environment possible, can we really be sure nothing is going to happen with Mr. Artest? I'm thinking it's Game 5, things are going poorly for the Kings in an elimination and for the 500th time, Manu Ginobili drives wildly into the lane, and Ronnie just loses it and clothesline's him. You know this is possible, maybe not probable, but something worth keeping our eye on in what should be yet another boring series. Uh-oh, don't put your head in that lion's mouth!

Reason #3

Speaking of boring series, the new playoff format for the first round will destroy upsets waiting to happen. I know everyone and their dog have written at one point or another about how bad this seven-game idea is going to be, but let's review it anyway. Half the series will be either 4-0 or 4-1, which means we could have just handled this in a 50-gamer and saved everyone some time. Two series will six-gamers that are won by the "better team."

These are the series that might have been exciting if they were five-gamers that might have provided an upset or at least a game where the "better team" was facing elimination. I am thinking Miami versus Milwaukee and New Jersey versus any team were pretty good five-game series that just got ruined.

Finally, two series will go to seven games, but they would have gone to five anyway. So really, we are just pushing back one-game elimination games so far back that people will be bored of the first round and Dirk Nowitzki will be able to grow his hair out, or shave it, or whatever he's doing this year, I've lost track. By the way, Cleveland and Washington are going seven and so is Denver/L.A. Clippers (assuming matchups hold). So, maybe we save everyone's time and just play a three-game series for these teams and give the other six favorites a free pass to the next round.

Reason #4

Dick Bavetta and his band of renowned are back again. While other leagues have taken a run at the NBA's 15+ consecutive year-run for worst league-wide officiating, the favorite for 2006 is still the NBA, but for the first year in a while, it's up for grabs. Kudos to both the NFL and the results of the NHL's crackdown, for making it a conversation, though. So, after the NFL playoffs, the NBA has to do something, right? How can the NBA not have a hugely controversial call decide a big game or series? It has to happen, that's all I am saying. Here come the clowns out of the car!

Reason #5

It relates heavily to reason number four, but David Stern has got to do something to prevent Pistons/Spurs. This series has only happened once, but why does it feel like I have seen it every year? Am I the only one dreading this? ANY OTHER COMBINATION! PLEASE! Can we all chip in and make this happen? Nearly 300 million people in North America, one dollar per person, and we split $150 mil to each team to politely bow out.

So, something has to give, and I like Phoenix (more on this later). Phoenix is ready to do it, it's their time, Steve Nash only has so much time left. Their road is relatively paved to the conference finals. Really, all we'd need is one fixed series and that's a piece of cake for ol' D-Stern. Even Detroit/Phoenix I can live with. Unfortunately, I don't see any way Detroit doesn't represent the East. By the way, what does it say about a league when a team with no bench is currently listed in Vegas at less than 2-to-1 to win the championship because their competition in their half of the league is that poor? 37-3 at home, I will leave it at that.

Reason # 6

It's not the playoffs exactly, but we could have a four-way tie in the East at 41-41 and all the teams will make the playoffs! This is brutal, really it is. Jerry Sloan is not happy. People talk about the San Diego Padres last year, the seedings for the NBA/NHL playoffs because of the division winner getting a top-three seed, and even the CFL and their six of eight teams making the playoffs, but four teams at .500! This is at-best I am talking about here. At least Padres won their division. Listen, it's going to happen that the eighth team in a weaker conference will finish with a losing record. That's okay, there are 15 teams in the conference, so the math makes sense, but four?!

Reason #7

Charles Barkley. I don't need much more than the name. What a group on TNT. No circus comparison necessary, this speaks for itself. Super enjoyable. The only situation where I want half-time to last longer is when Charles Barkley is involved.

Reason #8

The Phoenix Suns. This is our only chance to save the NBA. Phoenix has got to make the Finals and whether they get beat by Detroit or not, they are the only thing entertaining about the actual game of NBA basketball that happens prior to the last 60 seconds. Regular season MVP is cool, but, as a Canadian, I am really looking for a Steve Nash, NBA Finals MVP. This team probably could have been in the Finals last year, but injuries derailed them. Let's hope this won't be a factor this year. They have been great with or without Amare Stoudemire.

Reason #9

You didn't think I would go a whole column without mentioning the debut of King James in the playoffs. Come on, LeBron! Let's see you do it! Seriously, LeBron James in the playoffs is reason enough to tune in. Dwayne Wade has shown he can do it in the playoffs and we're all looking forward to seeing him get at it again. Carmelo Anthony has been clutch frequently in his career to this point. This is LeBron's first chance to do a Magic/Michael/Larry-type playoff thing and while his team may be in trouble come the second round, I am ready and willing to suspend reality for this season and hope LeBron does something special.

The playoffs are where the big boys come to play, regardless of age and experience. I am not asking for a championship, but let's at least see something special in round one at least. He gets his first shot at importance. Will he be like MJ or T-Mac? We shall see starting this week.

Reason #10

Two words: Chris Kaman. Maybe if they win a series and since he's in L.A. somebody will offer to help that guy out with his look. Sweet lord, man, you are scaring the children. I have no real basketball point here, but if in two weeks time you watched Kaman and it didn't invoke some uncomfortable feeling inside you, then I think you may have a problem.

Posted by Matt Russell at 4:01 PM | Comments (10)

It's Stanley Cup Time!

One year ago at this time, we were mourning the loss of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Now, on the eve of the 2006 playoffs, the stories continue to twist and turn down into the very last day of the season. The season has had more peaks and valleys than a Six Flags roller-coaster, with strong contenders from some of the usual suspects (Ottawa, Detroit, Dallas) and some big surprises (Carolina, New York Rangers). Let's take a look at some of the teams that are riding high and feeling low as we enter round one of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Look Out For...

New Jersey Devils — No one saw this coming back in January. A Hall of Fame goalie battling inconsistency, a top forward recovering from hepatitis, and a coach who was to ill to coach. How did the Devils go from floundering to challenging for the Atlantic crown? It could be the fear of Zeus that players felt when Lou Lamoriello stepped behind the bench, but it's most likely the dynamic duo of Martin Brodeur and Patrik Elias finding their game combined with Brian Gionta and Scott Gomez lighting it up. Even without Scott Stevens or Scott Neidermayer, the Devils went to the depths of Hades and came back, finishing the season with a hot streak that few achieved this season. Fear the Devils.

San Jose Sharks — A show of hands, please — who thought back in January that the Sharks would have Richard and Art Ross trophy candidates? The Sharks surge into the fifth seed is a perfect example of how things come together at the right time. The rookies have figured it out, the goaltending has stabilized, injuries are minimized, and the veterans are leading. Sure, the Sharks' roster is still a little green with playoff experience, but GM Doug Wilson is betting the fresh legs and good mojo will carry the team deep into the playoffs. When your backup goalie is the same guy who carried a team into the conference finals last season, chances are you feel pretty good about your squad.

Anaheim Mighty Ducks — Unlike the 2003 Mighty Ducks team that went to the Stanley Cup finals, this Ducks squad is built around speed and transition. During the Mike Babcock era, the Ducks succeeded by playing immense amounts of defense and relying on Jean-Sebastian Giguere. Giguere has returned to the form that earned him the Conn Smyth trophy, but this Ducks squad is much different — and much more dangerous. Speed and skill are the order of the day. Much like the San Jose Sharks coming together at the right time, the Ducks are gelling with a mix of youth and veteran presence, along with the unmatched play of Norris candidate Scott Neidermayer. Though the Mighty comes out of the name next season, Anaheim has one more chance to back up that description, and all indications are that they will.

Fading Fast...

Tampa Bay Lightning — Sticking with John Grahame in net was going to be a question mark all season. Grahame's hit-and-miss season probably cost the Lightning a 6-8 points, meaning that they would be battling for fourth place instead of just hanging on for dear life. Up front, the Lightning have struggled with intensity and defense — two key ingredients in their Stanley Cup victory. Still, you can never discount the defending champions, but a lot has to go right — like John Grahame finding consistency — in order for the Bolts to repeat.

Nashville Predators — It's easy to say that the Predators are still a great team, but let's be honest here. The drop off from Vezina candidate Tomas Vokoun to newly-crowned No. 1 Chris Mason is large. Yes, Steve Sullivan and Paul Kariya are dangerous, and yes, the Predators have one of the best bluelines in the league. It doesn't matter unless Chris Mason gets the job done. With Vokoun, the Predators had as good of a chance as any to make the Cup finals. Without Vokoun, the Preds will be lucky to make it past the surging Sharks in the first round.

Philadelphia Flyers — Will the real Philadelphia Flyers please stand up? Peter Forsberg certainly makes a difference in a lineup, but even his absence can't explain the inconsistent play of the Flyers. One game they look like Cup contenders, the next they look like they should be playing in the ECHL. If Forsberg is healthy and stays in the lineup, the Flyers look to go deep in the east. Without Forsberg, who knows what will happen?

The Pick

You heard it here first — the Carolina Hurricanes will win the Stanley Cup. From top to bottom, they're the perfect blend of youth, experience, grit, speed, and skill. And they forecheck like crazy with a transition game that can't be beat.

Posted by Mike Chen at 3:18 PM | Comments (2)

April 18, 2006

New Year, Same Old Yankee Pinstripes

If you're a New York Yankees fan, there is good cause for concern. The 2006 Yankees squad is eerily similar to the 2005 and 2004 teams, who both boasted tons of offensive firepower, yet were undone each year by a lack of pitching.

True, the Bronx Bombers can put crooked numbers on the board with the best of teams. And Johnny Damon's presence only elongates an already deep murderers row. There are holes, though.

Jorge Posada, Bernie Williams, and Robinson Cano are still potential playoff liabilities. They strike out a lot and are not the savviest of baserunners, and their speed is below average, at best.

Granted, there shouldn't be a need for the bottom of the order to ever produce with the Yankees' first six hitters. But come October, when the pitching gets better and Alex Rodriguez's gaudy stats take their traditional postseason plunge, it becomes extraordinarily important for everyone in the lineup to contribute.

As for their pitching, it seems to be the same as last year. Randy Johnson has now been afforded one more year to re-adjust to the American League, but based on the fact that he will be 43 in September makes one believe one more year is more detrimental than beneficial. He will probably never become the lights-out lefty the Yankees so desperately sought when they obtained him from Arizona more than one year ago.

The rest of the rotation is also older/more inconsistent/still terrible. Mike Mussina continues to show his growing age, Shawn Chacon and Chien-Ming Wang are having a tough time duplicating their success from a season ago, and Jaret Wright is still ... well, terrible. The worst signing in Yankees history continues to make everyone think, “I can't believe they chose this guy instead of Andy Pettitte and Jon Lieber.”

Aaron Small and Carl Pavano will have every chance to prove their value once they are healthy enough, but if they follow the trend set by Yankees starters this year, Small will come back down to reality, and Pavano will be as disappointing as Jaret Wright. (Although, in fairness to Jaret Wright, for him to be disappointing means that someone must have expected something from him.)

Lastly, the bullpen is as atrocious as it was last year. Mariano Rivera better be well-rested for the playoff run because Joe Torre will be relying on him heavily in the postseason, if they get there.

Kyle Farnsworth has consistently proven that he is incapable of being trusted with anything of value (like last year when he blew a five-run eighth inning lead to the Astros in Game 4 of the NLDS), but Jaret Wright proved to be equally worthless in Atlanta, as well, and since the Yankee brass was so impressed with Wright's pitching last season, they figured why not reward another Braves pitcher incapable of dealing with pressure situations with an over-inflated contract.

Remember, the Yankees have traveled down this road before, being burned every time along the way (see former Atlanta pitchers Steve Karsay and Chris Hammond). But apparently all is better because Brian Cashman has more control now, and his first priority is to always overspend on Braves pitching and not his own.

And since Farnsworth will be yet another high-priced middle reliever that Torre cannot trust, and since the Yankees seem incapable of producing another pitcher that even comes close to resembling the best relief pitcher over the past decade, they will continue to place an enormous burden on the Sandman.

Ron Villone, Mike Myers, Tanyon Sturtze, and Scott Proctor make up the rest of the totally unreliable 'pen, and Octavio Dotel will have a chance to at some point to be the impact middle reliever. That's what it comes down to for the Yankees, hope that Octavio Dotel is the answer to their prayers.

I think they'll probably win the division, because over 162 games, it's tough to matchup with this team on a day-to-day basis, but come October, it won't surprise me if the Yankees are once again on the outside looking in when the World Series commences.

Posted by Piet Van Leer at 6:38 PM | Comments (1)

Golf Technology: Myths, Reality, and Answers

I received an e-mail the other day from the USGA — the American half of the two governing bodies in golf. The e-mail, sent to their media listserv, was entitled "Golf Equipment Myths." The message opened with a condescending greeting to those of us in the media that feel technology has gone too far: "Dear media, Can you separate fact from fiction when it comes to golf equipment performance?" Well, I think so, but okay, I'll bite.

The rest of the e-mail was a list of eight "myths" and one "truth" regarding golf technology as prepared by USGA senior technical director Dick Rugge. I wanted to highlight a few of the bullet point myths in the e-mail as they relate to the technology debate.

The first "myth" is probably the most relevant in the entire message: "Golfers with faster swing speeds get disproportionately greater distance benefits from new golf balls that have been introduced after 2000." In the subtext, Rugge explains that players of all swing speeds have gained approximately the same distance — between seven and nine yards — in the past six years. He cites a shorter hitter, Corey Pavin, who has increased his distance by 7.4 yards since 2000 to 258.7 yards, and big John Daly, who gained 8.7 yards for a total of 310.1 yards in 2005.

Rugge is right. Players are gaining distance, on the average, about the same regardless of swing speed. But that is not the main point to be drawn from this statistic. Let me use the example of Pavin and Daly to demonstrate the real point.

Golf courses are being lengthened across the board on the PGA Tour as a result of increased driving distance due in large part to better golf ball technology. These increases, though, are in reaction to the golfers who average 300 or more yards off the tee — not the Corey Pavins and Fred Funks of the world. Ten years ago, in 1996, there were no golfers that averaged 300 yards off of the tee. In 2000, there was one — John Daly. In 2005, there were 26 golfers that average 300 yards or more in driving distance.

Although the lengthening has been made in response to the longest 10% of drivers on the Tour, the changes most drastically affect the bottom 20 percent — golfers which average less than 280 yards. Let's bring Pavin and Daly back in for our hypothetical example. Say that a par 4 on a Tour stop course used to be 425 yards in 2000. Both Daly and Pavin would hit driver off of the tee then. Assume they hit their average distance. Daly would be left with about 120 yards to the hole and hit a pitching wedge into the pin. Pavin would be left with about 170 and hit a 5 or 6 iron to the green. Daly is at a huge advantage, right?

Well, say the 2005 tournament committee at this stop decides to lengthen the hole by 35 yards to 460 yards in response to increased driving distance. Again, assume both players hit their average distance (in 2005). Daly will be left with 150 yards to the hole after his drive and approach with a 9 iron. He had to up by one club. Pavin will be left with a touch over 200 yards to the hole. Corey will be hitting a 4 or 3 iron to the hole, if not a 5 wood. While the distance increase cost Daly one club, Pavin will have to up by two sticks to get home.

John Daly now has an even larger advantage over Corey Pavin than he did in 2000 on the average golf hole, despite the fact that both have gained approximately the same distance off the tee thanks to technology. While Pavin is a slightly extreme example, you could replace him with Mark O'Meara, Jay Haas, or Brad Faxon and still come up with a similar result. All of the aforementioned shorties have great short games that would allow them to excel and level out the competition without the additional distance — especially over John Daly. Now, though, that advantage is marginalized.

The discussion about distance brings us to the third myth in the message: "Driving distance on Tour is increasing rapidly." The USGA admits that driving distance has increased dramatically in the last 10 years, but feels that the increase has leveled off in the past three years to about a yard per year.

Again, the USGA is not really off base here. Driving distance increases have leveled off — after a decade in which average driving distance increased by nearly 20 yards. The damage has already been done and will continue. Even if driving distances to increase at a yard per year, the incremental growth will alarm the golfing community. It will serve as bait to continue reactionary lengthening and other course changes made by tournaments.

It was just announced this week that Medinah, the site of the 2006 PGA Championship, will be the longest major championship course in history at an absurd 7,561 yards. This comes just two years after playing the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits, which will hold the record until this summer.

The USGA has insisted on ridiculously long and deep rough at the U.S. Open and its upcoming championships as a means of discouraging flogging — slang for playing a style of golf that is almost exclusively concerned with power and not with accuracy off the tee. The U.S. Open layouts in recent years have also seen fairways shrink to unrealistic widths at times — as little as 20 yards in the landing areas for bombers. This trend would not be happening if it were not for the last decade of dramatic growth in average distance.

The last point to highlight from this e-mail is actually a "truth": "Accuracy off the tee isn't as important as it used to be on the PGA Tour." Dick Rugge and the USGA recognize that putting the ball in the fairway is not as strong of an indicator of success on the Tour as it used to be. In fact, according to the e-mail, the correlation between driving accuracy and winning on Tour is at its lowest level ever. This means that a part of the game that is universally seen as a good indicator of ability to become a champion just does not count for most champions today on Tour.

One only needs to look as far as the top three players on the PGA Tour money list in 2005 — Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh, and Phil Mickelson – and in 1995 — Greg Norman, Billy Mayfair, and Lee Janzen. The chart below describes where all six men ranked on the money list in their respective years, and their driving distance and accuracy numbers and rankings.

Golfer Chart

Taking a look at the numbers, one can see that driving accuracy does not seem to matter in 2005 like it did in 1995. The top three on the 2005 money list average around 160th in driving accuracy statistics. While the best in '95 were not the most accurate drivers, they were in the top 20% — not the bottom 20%.

Despite the fact that the top three money winners on Tour ranked in the bottom 20% of players in driving accuracy, that did not seem to affect their ability to hit the green. Woods and Singh ranked in the top 10 in Greens in Regulation on Tour last season, and Phil was respectably in the top 20%. This is because technology allows the more powerful golfers to hit the ball as far as they can with less consideration for accuracy that the length-challenged drivers.

Even if the ball ends up in the rough off of the tee, the powerful golfers have a short iron or wedge in their hands as they approach par 4 greens. At that point, hitting from the fairway or the rough is almost inconsequential. This is not true for shorter hitters that cannot control a mid or long iron from the rough even remotely like the bombers can manage their wedges. Distance, again, creates a significant advantage.

This e-mail from the USGA really did nothing to sell anyone that technology is not as bad as a lot of people (including me) thinks it is for the professional game. In fact, I would like to thank the USGA for giving me ammunition to put several cruxes of the technology debate into proper perspective. While the e-mail is factually accurate, it misses the key points about the technology debate and touches on issues that are of little consequence to me. With a little research, though, some of the myths from the e-mail (as seen above) can be reframed to show some of the true issues at play.

The numbers help to show that the game has changed. Almost no one denies that. The most important question in this debate is what the golf world should do about it. Should golf courses continue to be lengthened, tightened, and dried out in an effort to maintain their integrity as championship courses? Or, should the governing bodies of golf step in and further regulate the golf ball and equipment materials to curb distance and spin control?

Although the USGA seems to contend that both are happening somewhat simultaneously, Hootie Johnson and the Tournament Committee at Augusta National Golf Club do not seem to agree. As is well known, since 2002, over 500 yards has been added to the home of the Masters in response to technology that Hootie Johnson "hope(s) the governing bodies ... are addressing." Additionally, trees have been planted and "rough" has been added to the golf course in an effort to make Augusta National as reputable of a test as it has always been to the best golfers in the world every April.

In essence, these changes are framed by Mr. Johnson as an effort to preserve the stature of the course and to prevent players from making Augusta National a laughing stock — an issue to which we all know the Tournament Committee is extra sensitive (see Woods, Tiger in 1997).

Mr. Johnson sees these changes as necessary for the credibility of the Masters. But at what cost do these changes happen? Augusta National was the dream course as set up by Bobby Jones and Alister Mackenzie. It was intentionally designed with few trees and no rough to provide competitors of all types the ability to play a challenging, world-class golf course that allows for a variety of styles to be successful provided they all included impeccable putting ability.

In fact, Mackenzie was against lengthening the golf course at all. He once said, "It was not practical to think of buying more and more expensive ground to keep increasing the length of holes to make them fit for championship play as the ball became more and more powerful." The original design was not to be perverted even knowing that golf technology would improve in the future. That original design produced the aura that defined the Masters — those Sunday roars, birdie charges and runs, and risk/reward holes that make the Masters a "tradition unlike any other."

With this latest slew of changes, though, that has changed. Under its current design, Augusta National plays more like a U.S. Open course than a Masters course. Washington Post columnist Thomas Boswell agrees, labeling this Masters as a "U.S. Open on Magnolia Lane." This is because the course is now set up to require more strategic placement of drives and downplays creativity that was once rewarded at Augusta National. Players are discouraged to aim at pins and not given many options when they are in trouble. That sure does sound a lot like a U.S. Open to me.

The Sunday charges that defined the Masters — Jack Nicklaus in 1986 and Mark O'Meara in 1998, for example — are thought to be now extinct on this latest version of Augusta. David Toms said, "You might see somebody collapse on the back nine because the holes are more difficult, but I don't see a big charge." Orlando Sentinel columnist Steve Elling put it well: "The final round of the Masters was boring, because there weren't nearly enough red numbers." The excitement for the potential of a Sunday charge just was not possible on Sunday at the Masters. That made the event boring and so, well, not like the Masters.

But, what is Hootie Johnson to do? The USGA really has not done anything in terms of technology limitation that would compel him to stop lengthening, planting trees, growing rough, and mutilating the golf course. After all, it is done in the interest of preserving the challenge of Augusta National at the caliber of a major championship in light of the onslaught of technological breakthroughs. Columnist Frank Hannigan put the conundrum well in asking, "What was [Johnson] supposed to do: just leave it alone so that Augusta would have become a sort of toy, a museum piece?"

Essentially, the Masters is now in an identity crisis. It cannot decide what kind of major championship it wants to be and should be. Should it be more like the other U.S. majors that are moving to layouts that seek to punish golfers constantly and stunt imagination in an effort to combat technology? Or, should the Masters remain more like the Open Championship as a major that is susceptible to low scores, promotes looser play, and is actually fun to watch?

I cannot make that decision. That is obviously left up to the Masters Tournament Committee. Some players and media have remarked that the changes were validated by the leaderboard and final results. Others have remarked that the changes are visually intimidating and what Augusta National needed. There is a noticeable faction that is just as much in favor of the changes over the years as there are a vocal group of those who wish Hootie Johnson never had to perceive these alterations as necessary.

It would make the situation a little easier, though, if the USGA would step in with more proposals to regulate the golf ball and technology instead of sending out e-mails defending their policy of inaction. Although the USGA has adjusted how it tests golf equipment with robots to reflect modern swing speeds and abilities, they have failed to maintain caps on golf technology. The distance limit was changed in 2003 from the original number of 296.8 yards to a whopping 320 yards to account for new technology. Driver head size caps have finally been held at 460cc after several years of increasing the maximum size of the driver head.

Still, other areas need to be regulated, but for the reader (and writer) who is not a physicist or engineer, I won't continue. The bottom line is this: Augusta National, Medinah, and majors across the board would not be (as) compelled to employ their current design tactics if the governing body would be more compelled to regulate technology.

Since the USGA does not appear to be definitively acting in any fashion to curb technology, others are offering up suggestions as complements or alternatives to what has been done across the Tour. Frank Thomas, former USGA technical director, filed a ridiculous suggestion for regulating the impact of technology. He suggested in an April 6 op-ed piece in the New York Times that Tour players should be forced to use 10 clubs instead of the 14 that us peon amateurs are allotted. He says this is fairer to all golfers rather than scaling back the golf ball's maximum distance or imposing limits on club twisting resistance, which he claims would have an adverse effect on amateurs. Further, he advocates for increased narrowing of fairways and growing of rough.

With respect to Mr. Thomas, did you watch the Masters at all? Have you watched any major championship played on U.S. soil in the last three years? Narrowing fairways and growing ridiculously penal rough create boring and painful golf for the player and fan. As proof, the ratings for this year's Masters were down, despite having the top five players in the world ranking in contention on Sunday.

In an effort to prevent players from dominating over major championship layouts, tournament presenters are forced to reshape the name of the game. Aggression is curbed in almost all forms, not just hyper-aggression like flogging. The short game is not tested, but rather a means of massacring a field. Opportunities for scoring are incredibly limited and final rounds turn into a battle to see who cannot play poorly. Further, equipment companies would be as adversely affected by limiting the number of clubs a player can carry as they would be if the clubs and balls were more stringently regulated. Quite honestly, the manufacturers do not seem too thrilled about the latter, so what would make the former more appealing?

The debate about golf technology and what to do about it will come to a head in the next few years. The data shows that the game has changed and that the golf world is reacting to it in a seemingly endless circle of action and reaction. This year's Masters only serves as a perfect example of how tournaments are forced to make decisions between playability and tradition, and credibility and difficulty. Further, the event showed a clear delineation between individuals that feel the current path is not destructive to the game and those who are claiming it may be the apocalypse.

Without a creative third set of options, it seems that the resolution will all depend on what is valued more in golf — technological advancement or the grand tradition that makes this game special. For me, at least, no loud ping of the latest driver can ever replace the quieted roars at Augusta National.

Posted by Ryan Ballengee at 6:29 PM | Comments (3)

Dropping the Cash

Children are the future. Recently, a select group of today's tomorrows were given a firsthand experience of what professional sports are like in the form of a cash drop after a minor league baseball game in Michigan. One thing was clear even before the last dollar came floating down from the helicopter hovering over the hordes of children — they failed their first reality test.

Everything about the promotion made sense. Upon conclusion of the West Michigan Whitecaps game, kids between the ages of 5 and 12 gathered behind the outfield fence as a helicopter dropped about $1,000 in cash. It was almost like a dumbed-down version of professional sports. Every man for himself, monetary compensation based on performance in the ruthless, no-holds-barred competition. There would be no participation ribbons to make everyone feel good and those who were exposed as unfit to compete were simply reduced to penniless losers.

As soon as the cash left the chopper, the participants got to show what they were made of. However, what should have been considered good, fair competition became public outrage after two 7-year-olds were injured in the fray, with one of the toddlers being sent to the hospital after being trampled.

It's unfortunate, but the future looks weaker than an Alex Rodriguez slap. I'm pretty sure that Tiger Woods could drive a golf ball 250 yards when he was 7. LeBron James could dunk by age 7, and Lance Armstrong rode his bike from a speaking engagement in Oregon to his home in Plano, Texas, in time for his 7th birthday party later that day. I even think future Duke lacrosse players were forcibly spreading cooties to neighborhood girls by age 7. But today's 7-year-olds can't even catch a dollar bill out of the sky without messing it up.

That being said, all great athletes have a common trait — they learn from their mistakes. There will be another cash drop, somewhere, someday — it's inevitable. If any of the participants from the last one are involved, they should be the heavy favorites. And why not? There were plenty of lessons to take away from this debacle.

Lesson 1 — It's not all "fun and games." After the incident, Whitecaps spokeswoman Katie Kroft said, "It's for fun and games. This is why we have everybody sign a waiver." The kids should know better next time. Anyone who really believed that now has a footprint-sized reminder on their back that it is NOT all fun and games. Any fun and games is just a delightful fluke, as it's really all about the money. You have to get yours and let no one stand in the way of your success.

Lesson 1A — Don't sign any waivers without your agent looking it over. Everyone is out to get you, whether on the field or off. This may be tough for 7-year-olds to accept, but the sooner they do, the better off they will be.

Lesson 2 — A finger grabs more than the hand. Call this the Detroit Pistons lesson. The problem was that all these kids were just going crazy, trying to grab as much cash as they could. If the little tikes had any smarts, they would have banded together in order to bring home as much cash as possible. If every man plays their role, they all end up as champions and with as much cash as they possibly can carry.

You need to have some grabbers, basically just members of the team out grabbing the money, but you need the chasers to really succeed. The rest of the kids won't be able to spend much time grabbing money if they are being chased around by maniacal 10-year-olds. The grabbers are the showboating play-makers — they get the glory of bringing in the money. It's defense that wins championships though (or in this case, large sums of money), and there are no better defenders than the "chasers," who measure success by the tears and blood of their opponents.

Lesson 3 — Win with your head. Similar to number two, the strong kids survive, but the mentally strong kids manipulate the strong kids into doing the work for them. Every team needs a coach/captain and if any of the little dorks would've been smart enough to team up with three or four big kids, then this would've been no contest.

Also, a little trash-talking can serve you well on the field. Some of sports greatest stars have been huge on the mental games and trash talking, so if telling a 8-year-old girl that she was adopted or that Santa Claus isn't real will help you win, do it. She'll get over it and if not, that's what therapy is for. I can tell you what therapy isn't for — winners, and that's what you would be if you were smart enough to use your head.

Lesson 4 — People will get hurt, grow a pair, and don't be a wuss. Two children were injured during the cash drop, with one going to the hospital. The grandfather of that child was surprised that children as young as 5 were allowed to compete with kids as old as 12.

"It was tiny kids against big kids," he told an AP reporter. "It's like playing football. You can't put a 12-year-old versus a 7-year-old."

I'm sorry, but I don't remember Carson Palmer's grandparents checking in with their opinions after he was knocked out of the NFL playoffs with a gruesome injury. I don't know that anyone cared what Eric Gagne's extended family had to say after he went down with an injury. Injuries are part of the game, they suck, but that's life. You just have to adapt and move on. And seriously, is anyone going to respect a kid in the next cash grab he's in if his mommy complains every time he gets hurt? He's between 5 and 12, cut the umbilical cord already.

Lesson 5 — There are varying levels of success. Should you find yourself in the middle of a cash grab and on the wrong side of an expertly-formed team (who followed rules 2-4), know that you can still be successful even if you don't pull in the most money. In situations like this, where no one expects you to win as a one-man team, the real key is in how you play the game.

It's true that there's a finite amount of money floating down from the helicopter, but that doesn't mean you can't parlay your experience into some endorsement deals. Style becomes more important than substance and you've got to do whatever necessary to get recognized. Catching money with your mouth or celebrating obnoxiously after every George Washington you snag, you could be well on your way. You may never be a champion, but you can carve out a nice little niche for yourself.

Lesson 6 — It's not cheating unless there are explicit rules prohibiting certain actions. This is the "Barry Bonds rule." Take advantage of every loophole in the system to make yourself a better cash grab participant. It may feel wrong, but you will be justified in the end as you will be a superior competitor. To my knowledge, there are no explicit rules in cash grabs, so feel free to utilize brass knuckles, mace (either the spray kind or the medieval kind), long metal claws, stilts, pogo sticks, or any other performance-enhancers.

Someday, there could come a time when people will try to make you seem like a bad person for doing so, but you'll have piles of money to console you. Some people say cheaters never win, but that's garbage, there have been many cheaters throughout history that have earned multi-million dollar contracts and had a number of lavish awards and titles thrown their way. Most importantly, remember, it's not cheating unless they specifically tell you not to do it.

Posted by Mark Chalifoux at 5:40 PM | Comments (0)

April 17, 2006

I Hate Mondays: NFL Mock Draft

Here is a sensible look at the top five slots in the 2006 NFL draft:

Houston Texans

Believe it or not, the Houston Texans have had a pretty good offseason and the next time they step on the field, they are more likely to resemble the 7-9 team of 2004 than the 2-14 club from last year. They have plugged leaks at center, wide receiver, defensive end, and linebacker, which gives them some flexibility. Essentially, they are drafting Reggie Bush unless someone offers them a viable package.

What Makes Sense

Someone comes along and offers an over-the-top package for Reggie Bush, such as two first-round picks (one being top-10), a second-rounder, and a third-rounder. This allows the Texans to move down a bit in the first round and still pick up a strong prospect like TE Vernon Davis, CB/S Michael Huff, or DE Mario Williams.

What Else Makes Sense

Drafting Reggie Bush. Although the Texans have ample talent at RB with Domanick Davis and Vernand Morency, neither player is an explosive play-maker like Reggie Bush. Furthermore, Bush won't have to carry the full load in his first season and will be continually fresh splitting carries, similar to what he did at USC.

New Orleans Saints

Signing Drew Brees to a six-year, $60 million contract is an instant offensive upgrade for a team who has underachieved exactly because of inefficient quarterback play. An inept offense might quickly turn into a dangerous attack with the likes of Joe Horn, Donte Stallworth, Deuce McAllister, and Michael Bennett surrounding Brees. The defense, on the other hand, which was horrendous to begin with, lost a few key play-makers and that is where the Saints need the most aid.

What Makes Sense

There are only two top-five defensive prospects: DE Mario Williams and LB AJ Hawk. That being said, with an outstanding tandem of defensive ends already, the Saints do not have the luxury of drafting another one, which means the most sensible move would be Hawk. In the past couple of seasons, no other team has been ravaged by porous linebacking play more than the New Orleans Saints and with a guy like Hawk, essentially a known commodity, the Saints would infuse an NFL-ready play-maker into the second level of their defense.

What Else Makes Sense

There is trepidation as to whether Hawk is worthy as the second overall selection in the draft, and whether the Saints want to pay him number-two money, so the other option is trading down. But if the Saints travel that route, they have to consider that Hawk may not be available, especially if the Saints find themselves behind the Green Bay Packers or San Francisco 49ers on the draft board. In that case, DT Haloti Ngata, DT Brodrick Bunkley, or CB/S Michael Huff might make sense.

Tennessee Titans

The Titans, similar to their AFC South rival, the Houston Texans, have addressed many needs during the free agency period. The signings of S Chris Hope, LB David Thornton, C Kevin Mawae, and WR David Givens give the Titans some flexibility in the upcoming draft, but with a growing rift between the club and soon to be non-franchise quarterback Steve McNair, every pundit, fan, and NFL being is expecting the Titans to draft a quarterback with their first selection.

What Makes Sense

The Titans draft Matt Leinart. It seems inevitable that the team will sever ties with McNair, and the organization has not displayed much confidence in Billy Volek as a long-term solution. Leinart steps into an offense where he is comfortable, especially since he is working with Norm Chow, an offensive coordinator he is familiar with from USC.

What Else Makes Sense

Plan B would be Vince Young. It is pretty clear that the Titans are in the hunt for a quarterback and if it is not going to be Leinart, it will probably be Young. The Titans have experience molding raw, athletically gifted quarterbacks, i.e. Steve McNair, so they shouldn't have Young-anxiety if Leinart is off the board. But Leinart is still the first choice since it is likely that he will sooner be NFL-ready than Young.

New York Jets

Although the Jets have been stripped of talent like an exotic dancer at the Gold Club, they can take solace in the fact that they have 10 selections in the upcoming NFL draft. Some reports have indicated that the Jets are part of the quarterback search party, but considering they restructured Chad Pennington's deal and used a draft pick to acquire Patrick Ramsey, they might be playing some pre-flop poker.

What Makes Sense

Drafting an offensive tackle like D'Brickashaw Ferguson won't exactly sell tickets, but it will help protect Chad Pennington, which if you haven't noticed, seems to be critical to the success of the Jets. They've lost both their starting pillars the last two offseasons, Jason Fabini this year and Kareem McKenzie last year. Ferguson makes a lot of sense for the Jets, as well as Pennington's blindside.

What Else Makes Sense

If you want to talk about the Jets trading up, speculating about moving up for Matt Leinart just doesn't make much sense. The team is set with Pennington and Ramsey for now and they have too many other pressing needs. If the Jets trade up, it will be for Reggie Bush. They have the surplus of draft picks to assemble a package and Bush would address their need for a running back and an offensive play-maker. He would also augment ticket sales and optimism for the coming season.

Green Bay Packers

The Pack is expecting the return of Brett Favre for the coming season — otherwise they will be roughly $20 million under the floor of the salary cap — which kind of puts them in a tight spot for the upcoming draft. The premier prospects don't tackle the team's necessities, that is outside of linebacker AJ Hawk. The Packers don't need a quarterback, offensive tackle, tight end, or running back, which might put them in an interesting predicament if Mario Williams and AJ Hawk are taken by the five spot.

What Makes Sense

The Saints keep their filthy paws off of Hawk and he slides to the Packers at number five. With the signing of OLB Ben Taylor and incumbent Nick Barnett in the middle, the drafting of Hawk should comprise a unit that is much superior to the tackling-challenged grouping of last year. Hawk is an innate play-maker, something the Packers defense desperately lacks.

What Else Makes Sense

The contingency plan would likely invite Mario Williams into the picture, which is not a negative by any means, but the Packers have a pair of adequate starting ends with Aaron Kampman and Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila. Williams would offer much more upside than either Aaron Kampman or KGB, but finding an outside linebacker is much more urgent than defense end. Other options include trading down to, possibly, the Denver Broncos, who according to the NFL draft value chart, can ship their two first-rounders for the fifth-overall selection.

Sensible Top-Five Mock Draft

1. Reggie Bush
2. AJ Hawk
3. Matt Leinart
4. D'Brickashaw Ferguson
5. Mario Williams

Sense and the NFL draft mix like Mondays and me.

"Get up and dance, get up and smile, get up and drink to the days that are gone in the shortest while." — Simon Fowler

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 3:38 PM | Comments (0)

Who Wants to Be an Oriole Now?

Consider the turn of fortune that has graced Kevin Millar.

The former Boston Red Sox first baseman's timing could not have been worse. Last season, in a contract year, he managed only 9 homers and 50 RBI at a traditional power position and played himself right out of town.

This past Hot Stove League looked to be a continuance of the free-fall that had become Millar's career since last April. In the end, he caught hold of the last rung on the major league ladder, landing the first base job in Baltimore.

Less than two weeks passed before the Orioles also acquired pitcher Kris Benson from the New York Mets. Another couple of months passed before Benson's freewheeling wife, Anna, allegedly caught Kris fooling around with one of her friends.

Turns out that Millar's timing could not have been better.

Like the majority of major leaguers, Mr. Cowboy-Up no doubt recalls Anna Benson's threat to engage every one of Kris's teammates if the unimaginable were to ever happen and her husband was found in the arms of another woman. After all, she did broadcast her plan of action to a national audience on the Howard Stern Show before Kris could even find West 42nd Street. Upon cross-examination by Howard, it was learned that no job title would escape her dragnet of scorn, be it front office, batboy, or groundskeeper.

So, we know Mike Flanagan's real motivation for acquiring Benson had nothing to do with his 10-8 record last year, nor his 28 starts, nor his 4.13 ERA. His foresight seems to be keen. The oysters of Chesapeake Bay must be of an exceptionally potent strain. How else does one rationalize Kris's infidelities, alleged or real?

Reports of Benson's escapades have set off a slew of issues that must call to order the great legal minds of the day. For now, let's leave the terry-clothed Mr. Millar laying in wait for that knock upon his hotel door. He is plainly covered under Anna's covenant. Far more nebulous contentions await resolution.

Take the Mets organization. Many are quite certain of hearing Anna explicitly threaten to engage every Mets teammate if Kris were caught. Furthermore, time limitations were never established. Well, he was caught, they are Mets, and they all used to be teammates. It's no longer such a mystery why Pedro Martinez showed up for spring training timely this year.

Unfortunately, a replay of the original tape from the Stern show could not confirm any such Mets Modifier. It does, however, document an umbrella clause that allows Anna to "circle into other teams." So Mets, you're covered. All but you, Mr. Minaya. It seems Anna is still peeved about you ruining her modeling career by taking her away from the Big Apple. That seems just desserts for your lack of vision in trading Kris away in the first place.

Let us next consider Brandon Fahey and the 14 other Birds who are on the 40-man roster but have met various fates along the spring, such as being optioned to the AAA team in Ottawa. Their claim to a piece of Anna calls into question the fundamental definition of "teammate." Anna never established any requisites of this relationship.

For that matter, why stop at the expanded major league roster? Just as every one of us is part of a larger brotherhood, so too are all Oriole farmhands part of a larger Kris Benson fraternity whose trail leads all the way down to the Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds. To paraphrase the diligent Mrs. Benson, let's line 'em up.

Sammy Sosa's case is provocative. He, of course, is the quasi-retired ex-Bird who is now looking to grace some other team with his next 12 homers, thereby getting him to the rarified air of 600 and bringing fame to his host city. In the meantime, he is proxy for various ex-Orioles everywhere who look to Anna for consummation of her covenant. The problem is that he was gone before Benson ever arrived.

Now fellas, a girl has to draw the line somewhere and you're as good a place as any. An exception can be granted for Sammy, possibly because of the misconception of what it means to play with a corked bat. As for the rest of you, there is just not enough time in the day — or night. From where will the time for fur shopping come?

Others who believe they are vested under Anna's covenant are advised to assert their claim promptly as slots are filling rapidly. Current Orioles have priority, a pecking order that suggests an explanation for Miguel Tejada's sudden desire to remain in Baltimore this summer.

And what of my compensation for assisting in this whole affair? I ask only a modest commission. I'm still waiting for a knock upon my door.

Posted by Bob Ekstrom at 3:19 PM | Comments (0)

April 15, 2006

Brave New Whirled

If a baseball player goes 1-for-5 at the plate, is that a good day or a bad day? (Or if you're Cliff Floyd, a "typical day.") Perhaps if the hit is a game-winning double or a three-run dinger, a quartet of failures isn't going to overwhelm the enormity of the performance.

Unless you're the Atlanta Braves.

Sure, that World Series victory in 1995 was the kind of hit that can excuse a 1-for-5 effort, but it doesn't change the fact that this franchise has gone on the single most impressive run of success in recent baseball history, and all it got was a lousy t-shirt.

General Manager John Schuerholz, the architect of a Braves team that has captured 14 division titles heading into this season, has a new book out called "Built to Win: Inside Stories and Leadership Strategies From Baseball's Winningest GM." I haven't read it yet, but might pick it up for the watching-a-car-crash morbidity of his coverage of the John Rocker implosion.

There's no question that Schuerholz is a mastermind at building a team, for the simple reason that he's never had to rebuild this team. The Braves reload, they never rebuild. And lately budgetary concerns have forced Schuerholz to not only bring in quality ballplayers to fill significant holes — left by names like [Gary] Sheffield, [Tom] Glavine, and [Greg] Maddux — but to do so frugally.

As a Mets fan, I can honestly say that no man in baseball has impressed me and infuriated me more than John Schuerholz. But at the end of the day, we're left asking two questions: "Are our children learning?" and "What has Schuerholz actually accomplished?"

Winning division titles from 1991-2005, winning five National League pennants, and winning one World Series is a resume no other franchise other than the New York Yankees can touch. Yet talk about 1996-2001, and there's no question that it was a Yankee Dynasty, with five World Series appearances and four victories. Can the same be said of the Braves in the last decade? Can a franchise be dynastic even though it falls short of the big prize?

Of course not. The Braves are a success, not a dynasty. If anything, they've been a co-star in some of the greatest postseason stories of the last 20 years: the 1991 Twins, the 1993 Blue Jays, and the start of the Yankee Dynasty in 1996. They're not champions — they're foils, the Washington Generals to a slew of baseball Globetrotters. Even the Series they won was more memorable for the team they defeated — or was I the only one waiting over six games for Ricky Vaughn to come out of the bullpen to "Wild Thing?"

With that in mind, I return to Schuerholz's book: "Built to Win: Inside Stories and Leadership Strategies from Baseball's Winningest GM." There's no question he was the winningest GM, but was his team "built to win?" Pitcher John Smoltz sees it this way, in an undated interview published by Baseball Almanac:

"We've had a chance to win every year, year in and year out, for 12 years in a row. There's nothing more you want as a player. After you win the division, it's up to us. When you have this many chances, it's up to us. We're in an age when you expect a GM to make a move in July to put you over the top. We've been built for a longer period. All the teams we've faced in the playoffs — Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, the Dodgers, the Marlins, San Diego, Houston — all these teams that knocked us off, after that, what have they done? They've fallen back. But we've stayed up there."

Right, John — stayed up there, and never won but once.

To me, this comes down to competing philosophies on baseball success. As a Mets fan, I cherish the few World Series titles they've won because they are etched in my memory, victories made sweeter by the sour times (I've still never forgiven Buddy Harrelson as a manager). As a New Jersey Devils fan, I'm honored to have witnessed three Stanley Cups and four finals appearances — if it was one out of four, I'm not sure if Lou Lamoriello would be held to the standard of deity he is today. As a Nets fan, I'm seeing a once moribund franchise reborn as a contender, and they could make a third trip to the NBA Finals this season. If they lose for a third time, some of that serenity and pride I feel as a fan is going to start turning into frustration and embarrassment.

The Braves aren't the Buffalo Bills or the Minnesota Vikings. They aren't kings without a crown. But they also aren't the Yankees or the Red Wings or any other franchise that's managed to maintain a level of annual success while also bringing home the big prize multiple times.

I wonder how that makes Schuerholz and Bobby Cox feel. I listened to Schuerholz on ESPN Radio this week and was stunned to hear him passionately defend the Braves against criticism that they never can finish the job. He tossed out a plethora of excuses, everything from competitive balance to the inequity of the postseason to the unfairness of the wild card. I'm pretty sure he was going to bring up sun spots and the Twinkee defense if given the time.

I felt bad for him. It was like listening to a friend who has never stopped talking about the lingerie model he banged 10 years ago, but never starts talking about why he hasn't banged one since.

Did the Braves win? Sure. But whenever this run ends — if it ever ends — they're going to be a footnote to history rather than historic themselves.

Posted by Greg Wyshynski at 10:52 PM | Comments (0)

April 14, 2006

It Takes Two, Baby

While playoff races are staying tight at this point of the campaign, the NBA is also stirring the pot on their awards season. You know the drill for these kinds of honors. Over the course of the next month or two, some person will receive a trophy for their value, their defense, even their effectiveness to combine butt splinters with floor burns.

But all of these awards are for individuals. It's a case of one for all ... and a nice piece of hardware. Even the acknowledgment of being an All-NBA team member is based on isolated talents.

There is one award that focuses on the team. That would be the Larry O'Brien trophy obtained by the NBA Finals victor. However, as far as arbitrary praise for a grueling regular season, the applause seems to go to one man per prize.

I wonder about something, though. If one man can mean so much to a team, what is the impact of an equally important teammate? A star guard can dish, drive, and shoot. Big-time big men get the board, swats, and tough points. But what's wrong with a combination of the talents into a dynamic duo?

Should every team have this at their disposal? In theory ... yes. Then again, you do have teams (i.e. Atlanta, Golden State, and New York) where the concept hasn't caught on yet. I think that a tandem should be awarded for lifting up their team to great heights. Think about it. Where would Michael Jordan be without Scottie Pippen? What about Karl Malone without John Stockton? Or Shaquille O'Neal without Kobe Bryant?

These duets sang some pretty good music together on the basketball court. Why not reward both members of the group? That's where a new postseason award should come in. An honor that rewards great play from not just one, but two outstanding players. That's why I'm here to present the Association with the prototype for the Teammate, or NBA Jam©, award.

Wait a minute ... the what?!?

That's right. I said it. The NBA Jam© award. For those not in the know, the NBA Jam franchise was a series of video games that featured two-on-two contests pitting real stars from the pros against each other in a fantasy format. Think of it as the ancestor to today's NBA Ballers© and NBA Hoopz© franchises.

If you grew up in the '90s, I'm betting you still remember leaping about 20 feet for that backboard-shattering dunk. You can probably still hear the "he's on fire" call when you hit a couple shots in real life. You still laugh at the thought of flailing elbows and scurrying defenders.

While the actuality of those scenarios won't happen at an arena near you, the spirit of a great tandem on the court should be officially recognized by the league. I believe it would add a little more fun to the serious business of awarding the best.

And in hopes of this announcement making it to the ears of the NBA offices, let me give them a little help. Here's my list of the duo candidates for the 2005-2006 NBA Jam award.

Finalists: Tim Duncan and Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs

It's tough to just choose these two because San Antonio puts such a high value on team ball. However, these are the two most important cogs in the system (Manu Ginobili is a razor-thin distance behind). Parker leads the team in points (19.2), assists (5.9), and the ultra-important smokin' celebrity girlfriend category.

Timmy D, meanwhile, is his usual self. His 18.5 points and 11.1 rebounds per game are impressive. Then there's the intimidating presence of his 2.0 blocks that keeps opponents out of his lane. Is there any question why the defending champs are near the top again this year?

Finalists: Steve Nash and Shawn Marion, Phoenix Suns

It was supposed to be Nash and Amare Stoudemire in this category, but Marion has been an outstanding fill-in. The 6'7" forward has been amazing this season, averaging 21.4 points and 12.1 boards a contest. Marion also has a defensive presence, with almost 2 steals and blocks a game.

Nash (19.2 ppg, 10.4 apg) is only reminding everyone why he's the reigning (and possibly continuing) MVP. We know one thing. The Canadian has found his niche in the Valley of the Sun.

Finalists: Dwayne Wade and Shaquille O'Neal, Miami Heat

The second coming of Shaq and Kobe continues to play nice together. The Diesel is plodding through another successful campaign, even though his motor is slowing down (20.3 ppg, 9.2 rpg). Even though O'Neal is averaging more than six points and two rebounds below his career numbers, I don't think anyone would choose another running mate to patrol the paint.

Wade is in a fight with LeBron James for props as the most complete player in the league. Flash's numbers (27.5 ppg, 6.8 apg, 5.8 rpg, 1.92 spg) are astonishing, especially with the infusion of big names and ballhogs into the Heat lineup this season.

Champions: Sam Cassell and Elton Brand, Los Angeles Clippers

"Sam I Am" finally got out of Minneapolis, and he's making a huge impact in the big city. Cassell's numbers (17.3 ppg, 6.3 apg) and, more importantly, experience were possibly the biggest acquisitions in the league last offseason. Brand (24.8 ppg, 10.1 rpg) has always been a stud as a pro, but he's taken his game up a level this season and received a couple of whispers for MVP votes.

Thanks to these two, the Clips are enjoying successes they haven't felt since 1997 (last playoff appearance) and 1992 (last time above .500). This has to be the best press the team has received since the NBA Jam© franchise came out. Maybe the team can win a title outside of a pixilated arena.

What's that? You object to my pick for Teammates of the Year? All right, all of you out there, raise your hands if you expected the Clippers were going to make the playoffs this year. That's what I thought. 'Nuff said.

Posted by Jonathan Lowe at 5:17 PM | Comments (1)

April 13, 2006

It's Only Cheating if You Get Caught

It is painfully obvious that the steroid saga in Major League Baseball is not going to be going away anytime soon. From the ever-changing legacies of Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, and Rafael Palmeiro to the ongoing travails of Barry Bonds, the American media is licking their collective chops over the thought of inundating the country with all things controversial over the course of this summer.

The question of legitimacy will be begged by many and answered by few, and the net result will almost certainly be an even cloudier picture than the one we have now. The unfortunate side-effect is creating an entirely new set of questions somewhere along the lines of "if dirty batter A hits a homer off of dirty pitcher B, than how can we dismiss that homer as being illegitimate?"

Sadly, little will come of this current fact-finding-mission beyond a damning mountain of evidence being piled up with little to no recourse for action based on that mountain. While it is quite likely a necessary evil, MLB's current Bonds investigation and any subsequent review of the almost undeniable illegalities in the game will serve little purpose beyond turning fans off to a game that has seen an alarming resurgence over the last 10 years. Little, that is, except for a nigh recognizable paradigm shift in the sport that seemingly could allow for an entirely different (but not necessarily previously unseen) subterfuge to return to prominence.

With so much attention being spent on "greenies," HGH, and anabolic steroids, MLB will almost certainly push to the back-burner such annoyances as corked bats, doctored baseballs, and over-applied pine tar resin. Phil Neikro, Albert Belle, George Brett, and Julian Tavares (to name just a few) will no longer be the target of slanderous insults and ridicule in baseball fan circles nationwide. The plight of those once-convicted cheaters of the sport's rich history will soon be dramatically altered as their indiscretions almost appear acceptable in light of the egregious manipulation of illegalities the current stock of baseball has deigned to participate in.

(Side note: poor, unfortunate Sammy Sosa will be missing his opportunity to clear his name as a convicted corker as he and his physical metamorphosis will inevitably be found directly in Bud Selig's cross-hairs.)

Cheaters throughout the game have never felt so good about drawing the line at manipulating the tools of their trade. Heck, a pitcher needn't even consider injecting banned substances now that it is apparent a little Vaseline under his visor can do just as much to affect the outcome of any given game without making him worry about that bothersome point of getting caught in the act. Are you a MLB player feeling like you need some extra "oomph" to turn those doubles into dingers? Drill some cork into your bat ... no one will question that as long as your face doesn't change shape and your back doesn't develop into a minefield of cystic acne.

All those times the non-juicer reluctantly passed by the magazine rack with the ads touting the magical recuperative powers of BALCO products thinking all along, "Should I give that a shot?" aren't regrettable memories any longer. As those players meander their way through the drug store to pick up the No-Doze and Vaseline, they can finally let out a sigh of relief that they've made the right decision not to cheat and that they have kept themselves "clean."

So here's to you, regular-sized Joe ... you now have a shot at superstardom as long as you play by the rules and cheat legally. Or is it cheat by the rules and play legally? Or maybe it is rule by the cheat and don't worry about legal playing? No matter, the bottom line is a simple one to understand ... win at any cost, as long as that cost doesn't involve the embarrassment of league officials.

Putting all (or most, anyway) the sarcasm aside, MLB has taken a very long overdue hard-line on steroid users and abusers, which is good to see. But this "seek-and-destroy" mentality exhibited by baseball's top brass targeting the problem de jour is doing nothing to help the integrity of the game. Those who wish to circumvent the rules are still able to do so.

For the most part, nail files, hardened sweet spots on the bat, spit-balls, sign-stealing — none of that stuff is even on the radar any longer. Sure, those things won't turn you into a hulking freak of nature with the attention span of a titmouse (with gonads to match), the anger management skills of Mike Tyson, and the long-ball prowess of a Babe Ruth/Babe Didrickson Zaharias offspring, but it will serve the purpose of giving you an unfair advantage over your competitors and frankly, isn't that the ultimate goal that we all are aiming to avoid here?

The pattern that has erupted in MLB of late is a consistent transfer of focus relative to the negatives of the game, and the steroid scandal falls right into the quilting of that ideology. For every Selig-esque step forward the game makes in the name of progress (a resurgence of the home run, "this time it counts!," new stadiums popping up in every conceivable location, owners making money hand-over-fist and players following suit), there is an equally compelling backward motion (steroids, "this time it counts?," skyrocketing ticket prices, traffic jams in every major metropolitan area's downtown, world hunger ... okay, that last one isn't on Bud).

MLB policies lack focus. They gerrymander a significant blanket of issues into compartmentalized islands of interest and they address those islands as if they were frogs on a pond hopping from lily pad to lily pad. Lines like "in the best interest of the sport" and "unbeknownst to us" are thrown around like Nerf footballs at a tailgating party, but no one in baseball ever seems to want to know everything or do anything that actually is in the best interest of the sport.

Fixing things wholesale is not the necessary evil that we are led to believe it to be. Take the NFL, for instance. Owners and league management certainly are not perfect, but they do show some degree of prescience in their approach to administrating their league. When they see a problem with steroids, they create a solution that not only addresses steroids, but also any offshoot of that type of performance-enhancer. They have a comprehensive drug plan that addresses substances that may or may not have ever been detected in their sport before.

This, my friends, is called preventative maintenance and it is a concept that has kept multi-million dollar businesses afloat for decades in our country. It is a concept that keeps men and women healthy. It is something that, if ignored, can tear entire corporations apart (see NHL hockey, circa 2005).

Until MLB prescribes a full regimen of preventative maintenance, cheaters will continue to find a way to cheat. This may serve those billionaire owners well as they increase their net worth through their fleecing of the adoring public, but it won't solve the systemic problem of corruption and ignorance that could ultimate drown the sport so many of us have grown up loving.

It may just be a corked bat or a doctored ball or a fistful of over-the-counter caffeine pills today, but I think many folks said the same thing a few decades back, just before this new breed of cheater emerged. You remember the time: ticket prices were less expensive than your car note, dramas played out on the field rather than in the court room, and the children looked up to their sporting heroes with confidence and clarity that their efforts and skills wouldn't be trumped by science and compromised values.

I think we called those the "good old days." I wonder whose idea it was to change.

Posted by Matt Thomas at 9:53 PM | Comments (0)

Four Months and 18 Days

Four months and 18 days. That's how much longer we have to wait for God to smile upon the earth and for the bands to strike up from Clemson to Corvallis. Four months and 18 days as I write this is how long we have to wait for college football to arrive.

Only a couple teams are still scrambling to fill the last slots on their schedule, and the week one program, starting on August 31st, is pretty much set.

Unlike many purists, I love the non-conference season, and I love that the NCAA has added a 12th game and hence an extra non-conference foe for most teams, to the schedule. Firstly, the more non-conference games, the more reference points we have in comparing the different conferences, which makes better barstool debates. Secondly, it's simply intriguing to watch two teams who are not historically tied to one another battle it out for possibly the only time.

I've highlighted the best 10 games (non-conference or otherwise, in no particular order), upcoming on week one below.

South Carolina @ Mississippi State

This is the first BCS vs. BCS game of the year (Thursday, August 31st), as well as the first intraconference game in any conference. It pits a well-liked coach that a lot of us want to see succeed against a coach with a reputation for childishness that a lot of us want to see taken down a notch or two. Should be interesting.

Nevada @ Fresno State

This might be highest-quality game of the Thursday, August 31st games. It features what will likely turn out to be the best two teams in the WAC. Most of us who saw it won't soon forget the USC/Fresno State game last year, but Nevada won the conference.

USC @ Arkansas

I said these games come in "no particular order," but I would make this one my Game of the Week, if such a thing were up to me. It's game one of the post-Matt Leinart/Reggie Bush regime for USC, and it comes in hostile SEC territory against a team looking for payback after being just humiliated by the Trojans a year ago. I expect it to be surprisingly close. ESPN has announced that the game has been moved up a night to Sunday, Labor Day eve.

Cal @ Tennessee

Both of these teams are looking to rebound and prove something. Phil Fulmer actually took out a newspaper ad last year apologizing to their fans for their uncharacteristically poor showing, and while Cal didn't fall that far, they will be on the road and looking to prove the 2004 was no fluke.

Notre Dame @ Georgia Tech

I'm calling it right now. Tech wins in an "upset." Maybe it's the Notre Dame hater in me (okay, it definitely is), but I don't think Charlie Weis is going to sustain his round one success any more than Tyrone Willingham was able to. Their slips started to show at the end of last season, not only by getting throttled by Ohio State, but by squeaking it out against Stanford in their regular season finale. Let's see if they give Weis more rope to hang themselves with than they did Willingham. Wait, that's no question. Of course they will.

Marshall @ West Virginia

West Virginia lawmakers got involved in trying to mandate this game, which ought to be played every year. It would've been even better if they would've done this a few years ago, when Marshall was better than they are now and West Virginia, probably slightly worse.

Stanford at Oregon

Isn't it odd for the Pac-10 to play a week one conference game? This ain't the ACC. Anyway, Stanford will try to build on the aforementioned near upset of Notre Dame they capped last season off with, and although Oregon should win easily all the same being as tough at home as they are, surely God is eventually going to smite them for their hideous uniforms with a couple 0-12 seasons.

Florida State @ Miami

Monday night football for the 'Noles and 'Canes has become something of a niche they've carved out in what I consider to be one of the most overrated rivalries in college football. Okay, that's not fair, it's probably not overrated as both these teams are good for national championship runs with frequency. We'll call it the most uninteresting to Kevin Beane big college football rivalry. I have similar apathy for Florida/Florida State.

Call me the anti-Lewis Grizzard, the legendary Atlanta Journal-Constitution sportswriter and Southern enthusiast who once wrote of Ohio State/Michigan, "I wouldn't cross the street to watch these two teams play. Two mules fighting over a turnip."

Vanderbilt @ Michigan

The SEC is sending their brightest, if not their best, up to turnip country to likely be pureed into turnip stew by a Vanderbilt team lacking in Cutlery. Then again, Northern Illinois was able to hang around awhile in Michigan, who has a penchant for starting slowly, and the Wolverines are coming off a horrible season by their standards, so who knows. Please rate my "Cutlery" line at IsMyPunFunnyOrNot.com.

UAB @ Oklahoma

This game makes my list because I wanted my list to be a nice, round number like 10, and none of the other games really fits the bill. But the game is not without its charm. Oklahoma was on the receiving end of last year's first upset, against TCU. Of course, as the year wore on, we discovered that it wasn't really an upset at all, but perhaps UAB can keep the karma going anyway.

Posted by Kevin Beane at 8:34 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

NASCAR Top 10 Power Rankings: Week 7

Note: the quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Jimmie Johnson — Despite falling two laps down, Johnson recovered and scrambled to an 11th-place finish in Texas. JJ held on to his points lead, which is now only a slim 15-point margin over Matt Kenseth. Johnson was stricken by bad luck on two occasions. Early in the race, the No. 48 Chevy pitted under green, only to see a caution as he exited the pits, and he fell a lap down. Near the race's end, Johnson gambled on a fuel-only pit stop, hoping the remainder of the race would be caution-free. Two subsequent cautions spoiled that strategy.

"Bad luck, or bad decisions, I ask you?" says Johnson, to his magic rear-view mirror, which had just answered Jimmie's first question, replying that Kasey Kahne is indeed the fairest of them all. "My crew chief, Chad Knaus, made both those decisions, which were bad, so maybe he's the bad luck. Dang! I wish Chad would cheat again. I mean, I wish he would get caught cheating again."

2. Tony Stewart — Stewart recorded his best ever Texas finish, crossing the line third after qualifying third on Friday. Once again, Stewart led the most laps (99 of 334), on a day in which he lost the air conditioning in his car about midway through the race on a warm day in Texas.

"Of all my days in racing," says Stewart, "this ranks right up there with the best of them. And, of all my days of racing, I would have to say I was the rankest Sunday in Texas. It really gets hot in that car without air."

With his third-place, Stewart moves up three paces to fifth in the points, 97 behind Johnson. Stewart also was victorious in Saturday's International Race of Champions, which he celebrated in vintage Stewart fashion, by climbing ... out of his car.

3. Kasey Kahne — Kahne had guns blazing all weekend, winning the Bud Pole on Friday, then pulling away for a five-second victory on Sunday, leading the final 26 laps. It was Kahne's second pole-to-checkered win of the season — he won from the pole in Atlanta in March. For his Samsung/Radio Shack 500 win, Kahne collected over $500 grand, plus a pair of fake six-shooters and a cowboy hat, and also was the recipient of a few hundred votes to be the next American Idol.

"I'm certainly no singer," says Kahne, "but since when is that a requirement to be an American Idol? And I'm definitely no cowboy, so I'm sure I looked quite out of place in that cowboy hat, kind of like Cowboy Troy."

4. Matt Kenseth — Kenseth scored his fourth top-10 result of the year, finishing second to Kasey Kahne. Kenseth led 14 laps, and narrowed Jimmie Johnson's points lead from 60 to 15 points.

"Okay, enough about me," says Kenseth. "You all thought getting shoved by Jeff Gordon at Bristol was controversial. That's peanuts compared to what went down in Texas."

You mean former Roush racer Kurt Busch, while a lap down, wrecking current Roush stud Greg Biffle?

"Boring! Busch wrecks somebody every week," replies Kenseth. "I'm talking about Biffle's girlfriend getting in Busch's fiancé's face after the wreck."

I see what you mean, Matt. Kurt Busch has a fiance?

"Amazing, isn't it? Some female agreed to marry Kurt, on purpose? I guess what they say is true: carbon monoxide fumes can cause impaired judgment."

5. Mark Martin — With teammates Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards struggling to duplicate last year's success, Martin and Kenseth have led the way for Roush Racing. In Texas, Martin finished ninth to back up Kenseth's runner-up result. Despite chipping 13 points off of Johnson's Nextel Cup points lead, Martin was passed in the standings by Kenseth and Kahne.

"Did someone say catfight?" asks Martin. "What has stock car racing become, now that the significant others of drivers are feuding? What is this? Girls Gone Wild: Pit Row Ho's? Frankly, I'm embarrassed ... that I never had my wife accost an opposing driver's lady on pit lane."

6. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. — Earnhardt struggled with the handling of the No. 8 Budweiser Chevy all day, but still managed to finish 12th and maintain the sixth position in the points. Earnhardt has only finished worse than 12th once this year, in Las Vegas, where he finished 27th.

"Hey, no fair bringing that up," begs Earnhardt. "You know the saying: 'What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas?' Anyway, it was a struggle in Texas. The car just wouldn't handle. I thought about wrecking it a few times to get it to handle like it did in Martinsville, but I never could quite get in front of a Busch brother, so I had to scrap that plan."

7. Kevin Harvick — Harvick collected his third-straight finish in the top 10, crossing the line fifth, with teammate Jeff Burton right behind in sixth. Harvick improved three positions in the points, and currently sits in ninth, 204 points behind Johnson.

"We here at Richard Childress Racing have a common goal in mind," says Harvick, "and that's putting three cars in the Chase. Right now, my teammates, Jeff Burton and Clint Bowyer, and I would qualify. And that's with the Busch brothers trying to take us out on a weekly basis. My hatred of Kurt is well-documented, and Jeff has had a few scrapes with Kurt already this year. In Texas, Clint got booted by Kyle Busch. I tell you, those Busch boys would cause a spinout in a funeral procession."

8. Kyle Busch — Busch finished 15th in Texas on a mediocre day for Hendrick Motorsports, which placed no drivers in the top 10. Although it was a somewhat atypical day for those in the Hendrick camp, it was a typical day for Busch and big brother Kurt — they both took out other drivers. Kurt wrecked Greg Biffle early in the race, while Kyle terminated Clint Bowyer in the Jack Daniels car on the final lap.

"You talk like Kurt and I are wrecking people intentionally," says Kyle. "That's ludicrous! That's absurd! That statement is about as silly as someone celebrating a race win in 80-degree weather in Texas with a snow angel."

9. Jeff Gordon — Gordon remained winless at Texas Motor Speedway, managing only a disappointing 22nd-place finish. Gordon was clipped when Carl Edwards got loose and wrecked on lap 257.

"Edwards was driving like a maniac," Gordon comments. "He's obviously sacrificing his driving skills for the sake of his acting career. It must be working. He's 22nd in the points standing, but his acting career is booming. Did you see him on the April 3rd episode of 24? It was great. I think he was executed by Jack Bauer. He wasn't? Well, he should have been. His acting was atrocious. Incidentally, 24 happens to be his average finish."

10. Casey Mears — Mears and the No. 42 Texaco Havoline Dodge hovered around the top 15 all day Sunday in Texas, but could never find the right combination to crack the top 10. Mears ended his day with a well-deserved 14th-place finish, which maintained position number 10 in the points.

"The car was at its best on the longer runs," explains Mears. "We could have done without a few of those cautions, particularly the one caused by Sterling Marlin's hairpiece on the track. But, I always say, 'Safety first.' If you run over Sterling's hairpiece, it can be very damaging to your car. It would be like hitting a bleached blonde Yorkshire terrier on the track; very dangerous. Thanks to Ryan Newman for warning everyone about the perils of Marlin's hairpiece."

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 7:54 PM | Comments (1)

April 12, 2006

Don't Say I Didn't Warn You

In the era of parity, a couple of "surprise" teams emerge every season to snatch playoff berths from proverbial favorites. Below, I take an early shot at predicting which teams will improve, and which teams will leave their fan bases wishing for last season. Please take these with a grain of salt. Obviously, I won't be so enthused about the Chargers' chances if LaDainian Tomlinson's knee gets "Willis McGaheed" during a preseason game.

Under the Radar

Arizona Cardinals

Last year, they were the trendy pick to win the NFC West, but the "experts" were simply a year early in touting this team. I began hyping this squad as my "sleeper" team before they signed Edgerrin James. His addition only increases the likelihood of a rare winning season for the Arizona Cardinals.

This team possesses much of what I look for when searching for under valued teams: blossoming young talent, the ability to score points in bunches, a relatively weak schedule, and Kurt Warner at quarterback. Okay, so I made that last one up, but I still really like all the young studs on this roster. The talent level, coupled with the fact they play in the NFC West, should produce a playoff berth at the very least.

San Diego Chargers

Much like Arizona, the Chargers had plenty of hype entering last season, and were widely considered "the best team not to make the playoffs." The facts that they didn't make the playoffs last year, lost Drew Brees to free agency, and play in the stacked AFC West have them entering the '06 season without much pub.

I'm not huge on Philip Rivers, but at the same time, I really didn't think Drew Brees was anything more than a product of the talent around him, namely Antonio Gates and LaDainian Tomlinson. If Rivers can avoid pulling a Joey Harrington, I think the Chargers will end up stealing the AFC West. All the other pieces are in place.

Baltimore Ravens

It wasn't too long ago that the Ravens were perennial favorites in the AFC North. Thanks to the Steelers' Super Bowl run and the emergence of the Cincinnati Bengals, Baltimore has become third wheel in this particular division. Everything that could go wrong last season did for the Ravens — the Jamal Lewis prison situation, injuries to Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, and Kyle Boller. The list goes on.

Lewis should run a lot harder this year, assuming he has shed his prison fat, and the addition of Mike Anderson all but insures a power running game anyways. Couple that with a healthy Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, and I wouldn't rule the Ravens out of the AFC North race.

Atlanta Falcons

It's hard to believe I get to list this team as underrated. Each of the past few years, I considered them to be a highly overrated team. This season, however, nobody really seems to be talking about the Falcons or their star quarterback, Michael Vick. The Panthers, Bucs, and even the Saints have dominated the NFC South headlines this offseason.

Meanwhile, the Falcons quietly made a very bold move in acquiring John Abraham. His presence gives them a legit pro bowler on the defensive line, and all of a sudden, they are pretty deep at this crucial position. The running game should remain strong, and I expect an improvement in the passing game, especially if Roddy White can become a factor in the offense. Don't be at all surprised if Atlanta eclipses Carolina this season in the NFC South.

Overrated

Seattle Seahawks

It took them a while to gain national notoriety last year, and it's a shame they didn't get it earlier because I have a feeling things are about to go downhill. In a league that has as much personnel turnover as the NFL does, standing pat just won't cut it. They still have plenty of good players, but the loss of Steve Hutchinson was huge. There is no way for them to replace him at this point. His loss and the fact that Shaun Alexander finally got paid should lead to a healthy decline in the productivity of their running game. They still share a division with San Francisco and St. Louis, so they should be able to muster 9-10 wins, but I'd be awfully surprised if they duplicated their Super Bowl run of last season.

Denver Broncos

They are facing essentially the same problem as the Seahawks. They had a very good team last year, but have jettisoned key parts this offseason without adequately replacing them. Losing Trevor Pryce and Mike Anderson was big with the loss of Pryce looming especially large. He was the one true difference-maker on their defensive line. Complicating things is the fact that the Broncos also happen to play in what I consider the NFL's best division. They aren't dead in the water yet, but I don't expect them to repeat as AFC West champions.

The NFC East

I don't even know where to start with this mediocre four-pack. It's such a joke that this division is being labeled as the toughest in football. Toughest to figure out maybe, but it certainly isn't the best top to bottom. Even in the mediocre NFC, not a single one of these teams is a viable Super Bowl contender at this point. A "stacked" division should have at least one team that is a Super Bowl favorite not a bunch of also-rans who are all wildcard warriors at best. Watching this division unfold will be exciting, though. These four teams are evenly matched, and no order of finish would surprise me. It really is up in the air.

Houston

Can a team that went 2-14 the previous season be overrated? I think so. They haven't drafted Reggie Bush yet, but it seems inevitable at this point. He really is awesome, but how much of a difference can he make as a rookie? Running back was the least of their worries last season, and they have done virtually nothing to address their laundry list of needs. Eric Moulds? Give me a break, maybe five years ago.

Yet once Bush is drafted, you will begin to hear rumblings of 8-8 or 9-7. It's not going to happen. They will certainly be more entertaining to watch with Bush, and they likely will break the three-win plateau this season. 5-11 or 6-10 is possible if things go their way, but anything more would be a miracle.

Here's my early prediction on how the playoffs we will shape up:

AFC East: New England
AFC South: Indy
AFC North: Pittsburgh
AFC West: San Diego
NFC East: Dallas wins some sort of tiebreaker
NFC South: Atlanta
NFC North: Chicago
NFC West: Arizona
AFC Wildcards: Kansas City and Jacksonville
NFC Wildcards: Carolina and Seattle

AFC Championship: Indy over San Diego
NFC Championship: Arizona over Atlanta
Super Bowl: Indy over Arizona

Posted by Ryan Hojnacki at 3:47 PM | Comments (2)

In Defense of the BCS

March Madness has come and gone and, by any measure, this was one of the more exciting NCAA men's basketball championships in some time. Florida, led by the scintillating Joakim Noah, won it all. Just as historic as the Gators' title run was George Mason University slipping on the glass slipper and becoming the smallest school to make the Final Four in the post-Bird/Magic era of the NCAA tournament.

With this past year's Rose Bowl being the exception, the last few years have brought constant criticism to the way college football decides its national champion. The BCS is ridiculed as being outdated, inefficient, and more beneficial to the television networks covering college football than to the schools playing it. Many pundits point to the excitement of March Madness, and a say a postseason tournament is the only way to properly crown a Division I-A football champion. These pundits say that it is a system that is both fairer and more telegenic than the current BCS system.

As enjoyable as March Madness is, however, the BCS provides the opportunity for both a more exciting and more just crowning of a national champion.

Both college basketball fans and opponents of the BCS point to the annual buzzer-beaters and Cinderella stories that come from the basketball tournament each March as proof that football needs a playoff. What bears repeating, however, is that every week of the college football season is a like a round of a single-elimination tournament for the national championship.

Megagames like Miami/Florida State and Texas/Oklahoma mean so much because these rivals have the opportunity to destroy the title hopes of their opponents. As big a basketball rivalry as Duke and North Carolina is, the Tar Heels could get blown out by 20 points by the Blue Devils twice in the regular season, and once in the ACC tournament, and still go on to win a national championship. I enjoy the atmosphere of Duke/UNC as much as the next guy, but it pales in comparison to the atmosphere at the Iron Bowl when either Alabama or Auburn is in the national title hunt.

The de facto playoff nature of college football's regular season also allows for the huge upsets that many feel make March Madness what it is. As great as Bryce Drew's famous three-pointer was, is it really that much more exciting than the three-pointer that Boston College used to beat Notre Dame in 1993? And the fact that Doug Flutie's Hail Mary against the defending national champion Miami Hurricanes did not come in a formal playoff does not make it any less exciting than Lorenzo Charles' dunk that gave Jimmy Valvano his national title?

While the BCS makes every week of college football a playoff and allows its sport to provide year-long excitement that is usually only found in college hoops in March, it is also a much more fair way of determining a national champion. While, in years unlike 2005, there might be some dispute over which two teams played in the BCS title game, there was never any doubt that the two title contenders had displayed the excellence of one of the top two or three teams in the nation over the course of the entire season.

If Florida's basketball team had not won the SEC title, they probably would not have been recognized as a No. 4 seed, which would have meant there were at least 16 schools that had had better seasons than the Gators. Yet, the manner in which college basketball decides its national champion allows for a hot Florida team to win it all.

Furthermore, whereas George Mason's win over Connecticut was probably the most exciting moment of the college basketball season, how fair is it that GMU advances further in the college basketball championship format than UConn after the schools' respective seasons? And to those who say the BCS could never be more fair than a playoff tournament because teams like the 2004 Auburn Tigers are not even allowed to play for a national championship, the question I pose to them is this: how fair did Hofstra think the NCAA tournament process was while they were watching a GMU team who they beat twice, and had superior power ranking to, advance to the Final Four?

As much as this writer loved this year's edition of March Madness (as I do usually every year), it also reminded me how much I love the season-long atmosphere that the BCS creates for college football. While college hoops has three great weeks in March, college pigskin has four great months every autumn.

Posted by Michael Beshara at 3:31 PM | Comments (3)

Game-Wreckers, NBA-Style

The night Kobe went off for 81, the Raptors went from being a bunch of winners about to sample Hollywood night-life, to being the butt of jokes for their entire lives. It's safe to say Kobe wrecked that game for them.

What was most impressive was the context of the achievement. The Raptors had the game. Chuck Swirsky, the play-by-play guy for the Raps, was verbally "breaking out the salami and cheese." Lamar Odom was dribbling the ball off his feet and the Lakers were done. Then Kobe decided it was time for a little math. A horde of threes and twos, with a few ticky-tack "and ones" equaled ecstasy for the Staples crowd and certain ridicule for the Raptors.

Scoring 81 is one way to ruin a game for a hapless team, but there are lots of other ways to wreck it for someone.

Scouts can take the joy out of a game, for a coach, before it ever begins. The scouting report on the Detroit Pistons probably translates to something like this:

You're not going to get any rebounds because Ben Wallace is bigger than some permanent dwellings. The guy could block out a four cylinder. He's going to affect shots, reject shots, and just plain scare some shots stillborn. Known ball-hogs on your team are suddenly going to declare how they want to "share the love." On top of all that, the guy's got disco doo mojo.

If the ball does take some crazy carom that ends up in your point guard's hands, tell him not to bother pushing the ball up the court. Tayshaun Prince will probably run down the lay-up and pin block it. Then the Detroit crowd will go nuts, and your players will be left examining their shoes for the next five minutes or so.

That sounds bad, but it's not the ugly part. Rasheed Wallace is a menace. He may split your starting center's head open with an elbow. Ask Zydrunas Ilgauskas the next time you're in Cleveland, he'll tell you all about it. Apparently, Rasheed's sense of ethics don't go much beyond knowing the only penalty he will get is a personal foul and two shots. The personal foul doesn't bother him a bit, and as for the foul shots, what chance of making them does a guy with blood running into his eyes have?

The coach might have woken up that morning thinking it was a grand day to be part of the NBA, but he's not likely to end the day that way. At last count, the Pistons have wrecked 62 games for their opposition this year.

Scouts can ruin a game for coaches, but coaches themselves can ruin the game for spectators. The good ones can manipulate the tempo of the game to their team's advantage.

The only problem is most good coaches are control freaks. They call timeout every time their team goes down by more than six. They tell their point guard to walk the ball up the court every time they're up more than six. It seems the only time they're not slowing the game down is when they're saving timeouts for the end of the game. Then the fans get treated to a last 30 seconds that takes a half hour to complete.

TV color guys can bog a game down, as well. Almost invariably, they are ex-players or coaches who love to hear their own voice. Somehow they believe dispensing such insights as "they've got to pound the ball inside," and "they've got to go to the hot guy," over and over, from a personage such as them, becomes rare and profound knowledge.

The truly spectacular can wreck a game, but give you enough to yap about for a week or so. Shaq tearing down the entire basket support in Phoenix and Darryl Dawkins shattering a backboard are a couple of examples that come to mind. Both of them just stopped the game cold. Fans had to wait forever to get all the damage repaired. But both of them gave us something to shout about.

Come to think of it, that's the NBA in a nutshell.

It's all about the shout.

"Yeah! I love this game!"

Posted by Robert Pelletier at 3:11 PM | Comments (0)

April 11, 2006

Feast and Famine

Feast. Famine.

That's a cycle the Florida Marlins have gotten used to. A lot of bad years. A world championship in 1997. A firesale. Bad years. World Series title in 2003. Two decent years. And another firesale.

I wouldn't want to be a Marlins fan. That's a few too many ups and downs for me. And the downs go pretty deep. I would probably cry if my team went the firesale route.

But here's the thing. Feast or famine isn't such a bad way to go in Major League Baseball. It's a heck of a lot better than small, unsatisfying meals year after year.

In other words, sometimes the best way to build is to tear down and start with a blank slate instead of building in little bits and having to deal with changing blueprints along the way.

That's the difference between the Marlins and a team like the Cincinnati Reds.

The Reds have been on roughly the same path since 2000, when they traded for Ken Griffey, Jr. and seemed to decide that a powerful offense was a lot more important than a dominant pitching staff. They've built around players like Sean Casey, Adam Dunn, and Austin Kearns. They've tried to get by with pitching rotations featuring the likes of Pete Harnisch and Paul Wilson. Either way, it hasn't really worked. The Reds have been over .500 once in the last five years.

It's not entirely their fault. The Reds finished 96-67 the year before Griffey arrived. They thought Griffey would push them over the top. Unfortunately, Griffey got hurt in 2000 and only got completely healthy again last year. And sometimes, a team can only cast its lot with the players it has and take the chance. For the Reds, that means a slugging, but strikeout-prone outfielder in Dunn, a power-deficient first baseman in Casey, and a suddenly mediocre youngster in Kearns.

That, combined with an always-mediocre pitching staff, has forced the Reds into the same breath as the Royals — a small-market team that may never win.

But maybe the biggest problem for the Reds is that they're stuck in the middle. They had a plan, they went with it, and it hasn't worked. But instead of scrapping the plan, they've made little adjustments, building things piecemeal, with a pitcher here and a pitcher there. But the formula has remained the same for five years. The Reds can hit, and the Reds can't pitch. No feast. No famine. Just mediocrity.

Would the Reds be better served starting from scratch? It's entirely possible.

Just look at the Marlins. In 1997, their hired guns won a World Series then packed their bags. The players who filled in were no-names. The Marlins' best record in the next five seasons was three games under .500.

But they were building something. And in 2003, they finished, winning the World Series with the players they had made room for in '97.

They bit the bullet, lived through the famine and got to the feast. There were no piecemeal additions. Just solid construction.

Now, the Marlins are doing it again, though not necessarily because they think it's the way to go. Their offseason firesale came about more because of dissatisfaction with their situation in Florida than because of a carefully-laid plan.

But the results may end up being the same. While Josh Beckett and A.J. Burnett and Juan Pierre and Carlos Delgado were shipped out, the players who arrived aren't so bad. Young, but with plenty of potential. Hanley Ramirez was Boston's top prospect last year. Sergio Mitre was solid for the Cubs, but never really got the chance. The same could be said for Mike Jacobs.

Of course, it remains to be seen what will become of these Marlins. But it's bound to be better than what may become of these Reds. Cincinnati looks better this year. They sent Casey to Pittsburgh. They acquired a solid starter in Bronson Arroyo. And new ownership is promising changes.

But if the Reds have learned anything from baseball's landscape they should know this: minor adjustments along the way rarely work for anybody other than the Yankees or the Red Sox.

Sometimes, a famine is the only way to go.

Posted by William Geoghegan at 7:38 PM | Comments (0)

Sports Gospel on Bonds

I have a problem with Barry Bonds and his ESPN reality TV show, "Bonds on Bonds." I don't have a problem with Barry dictating what's on the show and what's not. I don't have a problem with ESPN sacrificing their journalistic integrity, either — they did what they thought would be best for them.

My problems are with all those directly involved with the show. Simply put, if things continue on the pace set by the mediocre debut, this will be one colossal failure for all involved. If we are playing the blame game, though, it points to one person — Barry Bonds.

Bonds had a golden opportunity fall into his lap with this show. He was going to get to manipulate mainstream media to present him in a favorable light. After years of being attacked the media, he was going to get to few punches of his own (using the media, ironically enough). Those opposed to the show were either journalists or those who blindly hate Bonds. The majority of the country was ready to buy whatever message Bonds was selling as truth. This should've been an easier score than "performing" at a Duke lacrosse party (what, too soon?). Instead, a tearful Bonds took this opportunity to present an image better suited for "America's Next Top Model" or "American Idol."

I have to admit that I didn't watch much the show as I couldn't stomach the colossal blunder. I did catch the highlights and recaps of the show and I couldn't be more confused. He gets a once-in-a-15-minutes chance to recreate his image and he utilizes this by ... crying? Didn't he get the Adam Morrison-sized memo? Crying is for losers. Seriously, when has crying in front of millions of people improved any guy's image for the better? This has got to go down as one of the worst produced shows in the history of reality TV. Honestly, is the best they can do throwing a freaking syringe onto the field on opening day?

Granted, it's easy to criticize someone, but there's really no point unless you know how to do it better. Seeing as how I've already criticized, you can correctly infer that I know how to do it better. Note to any "BoB" producers: please feel free to take my game plan to your superiors to ensure you still have work next week. Here's how the show should have unfolded:

Scene One

The first scene of the show starts out very simply, with Bonds walking down a busy downtown street towards the market while talking about how much of a villain he seems to be. "I don't how my image tanked, to be honest," explains a contrite Bonds. "The media certainly know how to twist a story, and now I'm afraid that the real Bonds will never be revealed. It's just sad you know, because people only get to see you through the prejudices of someone else. That's why I wanted to do this show, I'm not going to sit here and tell you what I am, 'cuz that ain't real."

Bonds stops in mid-rant to take off his jacket and place it on a homeless man. "As I was saying," he continues, "actions are real. And I just hope that doing this whole camera thing, that maybe you will pick up a few of my actions and judge me yourself." Bonds stops again as he prepares to cross a street, helping an elderly lady who just happened to be heading across the same street at the same exact time. "I'm just real, man, trying to be real."

After the commercial break, Bonds is walking through the store with a purpose. The audience naturally would be shocked to just see him shopping for groceries, let alone doing it with efficiency. "Being hungry is one of the worst feelings in the world," Bonds explains as he continues to shop furiously, occasionally clearing his throat in a threatening manner when he crosses an indecisive, aisle-blocking housewife and cart combo. "That and choking, or drowning. Yeah, those are the worst feelings you can have."

The audience finally starts to see Bonds as they expect, greedy and thinking only of appeasing his appetite. As Bonds continues to run down other terrible feelings in life ("being late for the doctor's and not knowing if they've called your name, waiting in traffic, and forgetting the birthday of someone close to you" also rank highly), he takes his groceries from the cashier and takes them out to his car.

(If you are like me, you are wondering, "How did the car get there, he walked to the store?" What, has your car never followed you to the store before? If not, then surely your life isn't "real" enough.)

He then drives them straight across the street and drops off the goods at a nearby food pantry. "I can't stop people from choking or drowning, but I can at least make sure they got something to eat," explains Bonds.

Scene Two

Scene two starts with Bonds mowing his lawn off in the distance. He does one pass of the yard and stops as he nears the position of the cameras. He stops mowing and leans on a nearby tree. "I like to get out and do some yard work every day — a man's gotta take care of what's his," says Bonds with a smile and a wipe of his now sweaty brow. "Like baseball, keeping a yard real takes true work and determination, I mean, if I can't take care of my stuff, who will, ya know?" Bonds asks, as a cat purrs from above. "Oh no, is that Mrs. Henderson's cat? Geez, that thing gets stuck up there all the time. You would think a 97-year-old woman could care for her pets better," Bonds reasons as a crew of illegal immigrants finishes mowing the lawn in the background.

"I'm sorry, this is so awkward," Bonds says as he starts to coax the cat out of the tree. "Hey, can you guys turn off those cameras, I don't want this to seem like some publicity stunt. I gotta be real." The cameras fade back in with Bonds holding the cat, while "Mrs. Henderson" conveniently enters stage right to claim the feline. "She's sure got a lot of energy, Mrs. H," Bonds says.

Mrs. Henderson cannot pass up a chance to talk up a bunch of strangers with recording equipment, so she quickly begins heaping praise on her hero. "Barry has always helped me meet the rigors of daily life. Did you know Martin Luther King used to get cats out of trees for old ladies? I read that somewhere, I also read that Ghandi, the Mahatma himself, couldn't pass a tree that had a cat in it without helping it," claims the old lady. "Who would've thought a modern-day Ghandi would be so attractive though? It's true!"

"Oh, Mrs. H," laughs Bonds. "You're probably right."

I think this would've made for a suitable for a first episode. It gives the viewer a brief glimpse of Barry Bonds the good guy. Next week, should the show be continues, I'll release a few more epic scenes to show Barry the victim, including the two that will elevate the show from good to great ("Media attack" will show the difficulty of dealing with the media, "Ninja attack" will show the difficulty of, well, being Barry Bonds).

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 and Thursday on Sports Central. You can e-mail Mark at [email protected].

Posted by Mark Chalifoux at 7:26 PM | Comments (0)

April 10, 2006

Bonds, Rose Deserve Similar Punishment

As Barry Bonds gets closer to breaking the all-time home run record, a lot of debate has been brought up about his alleged steroid use. Of course, Bonds hasn't exactly come out and categorically denied he's ever "juiced," but he hasn't admitted to it, either. I guess we'll find out for sure once the investigation is over.

However, some baseball experts already have found Bonds guilty of using illegal performance-enhancing substances. In that regard, one of the solutions proposed to deal with Bonds' records — including his single-season home run record — is to simply erase them from the books. In my opinion, this is one of the most ludicrous ideas ever brought forth to deal with a situation like this, and there is a much simpler solution should Bonds be found guilty of taking steroids.

Now, I know that there's a difference physically between taking steroids and gambling on games your involved with, but a number of comparisons can be drawn between the current Bonds situation and Pete Rose's of the late 1980s. One of them is the argument regarding the game's "integrity."

Rose bought himself a lifetime banishment from the game by tampering with baseball's integrity at the team level on the field. In the same light, Bonds is accused of compromising the game's integrity by cheating at the individual level on the field. Granted, Rose's scandal came after his playing days while he was a manager and Bonds' are alleged while he is still an active player. But if what Rose did as a non-player garnered the punishment he received, what Bonds gets should be comparable.

Speaking of comparisons, is it just me or do these two characters seem quite similar? Rose holds one of baseball's greatest records (all-time hits leader) while Bonds is chasing maybe the greatest (all-time home run king). Both have been or are disliked for a variety of reasons. In Rose's case, it mainly was due to his no-holds-barred attitude on the field. Many thought his running over catcher Ray Fosse in an All-Star Game was a bit over the top, especially for an exhibition game. Rose didn't care. In Bonds' case, most of those who dislike him do so because of his attitude in general, both on and off the field.

Both also view themselves as the victim. Rose believes baseball and its alumni don't want him in the Hall of Fame regardless of what he does to get back into good graces. He doesn't understand why every one of his appeals have been turned down by commissioner Bud Selig and why more writers or veterans (whichever group is voting on his HOF election) aren't writing him in on their ballots.

For Bonds, his statement to reporters before last season that "you wanted to bring me down, you've finally brought me and my family down," sums up his attitude toward the press and baseball fans in general. No, Barry, we didn't want to "bring you down" because we don't like you as a ballplayer, but because you're a major league jerk. But I digress...

Here's what's different between Rose and Bonds, though. First, Rose was a champion and, actually, a pretty humble guy during his playing days. He knew his World Series rings probably would not have come if it weren't for the surrounding cast he had in both Cincinnati and Philadelphia. But he was also Mr. Clutch. As for Bonds, other than being the greatest home run hitter since Hank Aaron, his biggest legacy is for being known as a postseason choker (ask anyone in Pittsburgh who admits to remembering him playing for the Pirates). And we already know about his lack of humility.

Second, Rose was known as "Charlie Hustle," the guy who would sprint to first on a base-on-balls. As I mentioned before, he played all out regardless of the situation. Bonds, on the other hand, has built a reputation as a lazy ballplayer, not hustling after fly balls in the outfield and loping down the first base line on ground balls.

So, with more similarities than differences, particularly in the realm of sins against the integrity of baseball, Bonds' punishment — should he be found guilty of the steroid accusations — should be no more than what Rose has received. Sure, make him quit playing and ban him from participation for life. Strip his eligibility for the Hall of Fame. But don't take away his stats. If what he says is true that whatever substances he took were not illegal at the time when he hit his 72 home runs, then there's no reason to even notate it.

Does the NFL have a footnote to Fred Biletnikoff's numbers explaining he used inordinate amounts of stickum — legal at the time — which could technically be classified as a "performance-enhancing substance"? No, and neither should baseball in Bonds' case. They didn't strip the "legal spitballers" of their stats, even though the pitch wasn't banned until 1920.

Another suggestion I've heard is to annotate the record book for a period of years to be known as the "steroid era." This, too, is a ridiculous idea. Can anyone pinpoint when the prevalence of steroid use actually began? Probably not. Sure, there are other "eras" of baseball that are generally recognized as periods of time where the game saw a significant change — the Dead Ball Era, the Lively Ball Era, the Expansion Era. But the Steroid Era? I don't think so.

In the end, though, Bonds will likely get the career home run record and it will be up to baseball officials to determine if it goes into the books if he eventually turns up guilty of steroid use, or if he even gets into the Hall of Fame. But if the final determinations is a lifetime ban from baseball, there are other worthy individuals who aren't in the Hall for a variety of reasons — Shoeless Joe Jackson, the aforementioned Rose, and Roger Maris.

If Bonds is left out, does that mean people will forget about him and his accomplishments in the future? Probably about as forgetful as they are about the trio I just mentioned. Oh, wait. Did I say Maris should be in the Hall of Fame? Well, it is the Hall of "Fame" and not the Hall of "Lifetime Achievement." But that's a different topic for a different day.

Posted by Adam Russell at 9:30 PM | Comments (1)

Power Rank This

I don't do power rankings. Not my thing.

There are certain things one simply cannot predict with any kind of accuracy. Among them are politicians, the weather, and what stupid thing Pat Robertson is going to say next. And yes, ranking all 30 NBA teams from top to bottom is on that untouchable list — high up on that list.

Nevertheless, come mid-October, or sooner, every pseudo-analyst and main stream media outlet alike come out with their best prediction of what the upcoming season holds for each team. And as I've said plenty of times in the past, they are more often than not wrong, bland, or a combination of the two. What you usually see to be true in most rankings is that the right predictions are the safe predictions and any attempt at a daring speculation falls flat on its face.

I'm not without my own share of mistakes of course. Early in the season my truncated version of a season preview was as wrong as President Bush's intelligence on weapons of mass destruction. Not nearly as costly, however, my miscalculation was more along the lines of saying the Houston Rockets were one of the top three teams in the West. Looking back, I wish I would have had one of two things (not both): either a crystal ball to ensure my predictions success or writers block to ensure I never would have been able to write the piece in the first place.

I'm not alone in my errors, however, ESPN.com has made sure of that. What follows is a look at some of the most notable "miss-the-damn-mark" predictions from ESPN's pre-season power rankings. I'm not trying to be hypocritical because of course my missed predictions are as notable as any. But a look at early rankings like these can go a long way in showing us all how little we really know.

Indiana Pacers

Projected: 2nd; Current standing: 15th

Remember that list of things you can't predict? Well, Ron Artest goes right on top. Artest has been one of the most volatile characters in recent pro sports history. He may not be causing any problems for Indiana in the future, but he's turned what should have been a title contending year into a casual playoff appearance and bounce run. That and injuries, namely to one Jermaine O'Neal, have kept the Pacers from living up to the expectations.

Houston Rockets

Projected: 4th; Current standing: 20th

Ouch. Don't even ask me what happened to Houston. I'm not speaking to those people. I'd like to give them the benefit of the doubt and say it was all due to Tracy McGrady's back issues, but it's more than that. This team is stagnant and unproductive offensively even with a healthy T-Mac. Yao has come on as of late, but consider it too little too late. We all dreamed of a new dynasty when Yao and Mac were joined in Houston, but at this point, I have to wonder if we'll ever see that come to fruition.

Dallas Mavericks

Projected: 7th; Current Standing: 3rd

The Mavs haven't made any real shocking jump nor have they managed any massive improvement from years past. What they have done is pushed themselves just one notch higher finally moving into title contention and not just a merry second round playoff appearance. Defense is now a priority thanks to coach Avery Johnson and Dirk Nowitzki is playing like an MVP. The Mavericks have done just a little more than we expected and that could lead to Dallas traversing a level they never have before.

Los Angeles Clippers

Projected: 24th; Current Standing: 8th

The Clippers are a good basketball team? The Clippers are a good basketball team. We may not have seen it coming, but so often we never do. Sam Cassell and Cuttino Mobley have brought some extra scoring and savvy to the Clipps and the midseason trade for Vladimir Radmanovic hasn't hurt, either. Mike Dunleavy is going an excellent job leading his squad. And Elton Brand? He's doing what he's always done, only better. It's just now people are taking notice.

New York Knicks

Projected: 20th; Current Standing: 30th

Okay, so we knew the Knicks were going to be bad. But the level of failure that we've witnessed from the Knicks is damn near unprecedented. No one could have predicted the Knicks being this bad. Larry Brown is supposed to make his teams better, right? As of now, the Knicks are stuck in reverse. They're not at rock-bottom, they hit rock-bottom by the All-Star Break, and by now, they've started digging their own grave. Hey, coach Brown, I hear Detroit is pretty nice this time of year.

Posted by Jordan Rivas at 3:15 PM | Comments (0)

I Hate Mondays: Canadian Sweet 16

To Americans, the Sweet 16 is the second weekend of the Madness. To 15-year-old girls, it's a once in a lifetime party.

But to Canadians, their version of the Sweet 16 is a combination of both the insanity and the euphoria from the above events, and it lasts longer. As the 16 NHL seeds align themselves for the second season, one fact that remains strikingly evident is that there is no clear-cut favorite.

All along, the Ottawa Senators were supposed to be the untouchable titan, that was until goaltender Dominik Hasek tweaked his groin in the Olympic hockey tournament. Then the injury bug nipped their defensive corps and the Senators are now reeling, having won only two of their last eight games.

Meanwhile, the Detroit Red Wings, who have all but clinched the Presidents' Trophy, may be head and shoulders above the rest of the league when it comes to standings, but they are not without questions themselves.

For starters, goaltender Manny Legace is not playoff-tested. Furthermore, this is not a typical Red Wings team of the past, one who could roll four lines of high-powered forwards. Mikael Samuelsson and Jason Williams have been effective in the regular season, but they aren't exactly Luc Robitaille and Igor Larionov.

With the favorites not being so favored, that opens the door for the rank and file.

The Calgary Flames and the Dallas Stars, who don't have similar goaltending trepidations, figure to benefit the most in the West. The Stars have been one of the least talked 100+ point teams in recent memory and they are one of the soundest squads in the West, but they don't overwhelm in any one area. The Flames, on the other hand, lead the league in goals against, but have had their share of problems finding the back of the net and they have truly missed the presence of a top line center.

Speaking of unheralded teams, the Nashville Predators should headline that list and they have the goaltending and the players to represent the West in the Finals, but a lack of confidence has plagued them lately.

While the Preds may be short in self-assurance, there has been no team more loose and relaxed than the Anaheim Mighty Ducklings. What was supposed to be a rebuilding year after a fire sale has turned into momentous run into the playoffs. You can classify them as a hot team and an unattractive first-round playoff opponent.

Last and least, at this point anyways, are the San Jose Sharks and the Edmonton Oilers. They have the ingredients to become a threat, but they have yet to piece the whole puzzle together.

In the Eastern Conference, the Carolina Hurricanes and the New York Rangers both have been unexpected surprises this season and figure to be the top contenders if the Senators were to stumble. But every hockey pundit is still speculating — somewhere in the back of their minds — if goaltenders Martin Gerber and Henrik Lundqvist can continue to be stout in the playoffs.

And that seems to be the theme in the East, as virtually every team from top to bottom has backstop anxiety.

Can Antero Niittymaki perform well enough for the Philadelphia Flyers to compete or will Robert Esche have to step in? Can the Tampa Bay Lightning rely on either Sean Burke or John Grahame? Will Buffalo Sabres goalie Ryan Miller regain his confidence this season or do the same have to try Martin Biron again?

One team who doesn't have to face those types of questions is the New Jersey Devils, but even with Martin Brodeur at the back end, they have numerous other deficiencies.

And with every team encompassing some sort of an Achilles' heel, playoff parity should be at an all-time high.

A Hurricanes/Flames final is just as likely as a Rangers/Stars and without much disparity between the top seeds and the bottom seeds, expect many of the series prolong through six to seven contentious games.

Now as long as the officiating doesn't get in the way...

Parity and the hockey playoffs mix like Mondays and me.

"Love is always a stranger in the house of avarice." — Andreas Capellanus

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 2:38 PM | Comments (1)

April 8, 2006

MLB Plays Hardball Too Little, Too Late

Baseball commissioner Bud Selig's recent appointment of former Senator George Mitchell to investigate past drug use and abuse is misguided on so many fronts.

A decade ago, the sport benefited from looking the other way as the physiques of players such as Mark McGwire, Julio Franco, and Barry Bonds morphed before our very eyes. The home run race between McGwire and Sammy Sosa energized a fan base that had been jaded by the 1994 work stoppage. Home run and RBI totals soared along with attendance records, and a Home Run Derby was added as a feature to the All-Star Game. All was well in muscled Mudville.

Then Ken Caminiti died, Rafael Palmeiro lied, and Barry Bonds inched closer to Babe Ruth. Now, the book "Game of Shadows" accuses B2 of imbibing a daily cocktail that would empower a formula car. As with every issue from marketing, to relocation to Washington, Commissioner Selig, a former owner himself, is late in reacting. More importantly, his response is wrong. There is nothing to be gained by investigating past offenses. This is not the Pete Rose case, where past gambling may exclude one from Cooperstown. This would be like investigating the way by which Rose collected his record 4,000 plus hits (was his bat corked? was he stoked on greenies? did someone steal signs for him?).

One flaw in Selig's strategy is his transparent motivation. This cannot be about players' health, because it is about what has already occurred. It cannot be about reputation, the home run explosion can never be expunged. It's about Bonds — and while I'm no Barry apologist, it is very small of Selig to react to a book, and not the trend that was right under his nose for years. It took a written expose that largely centers on the player approaching Ruth and Aaron, to get Bud off his duff.

But Bonds wasn't alone in this — he's just the one chasing the records. MLB still doesn't test for human growth hormone, which still may be powering performances. The commissioner should have been ahead of the journalists, not behind them. This is an ill-timed attempt to stave off a Ruth/Aaron-inspired Barry backlash. This is damage control for career homers 715 and 756. Very cheap, Mr. Commish, almost as tasteless as Bonds' desperate attempt to revive his image by "producing" a reality TV series. These actions are making Jose Canseco look like Mother Theresa.

The time for action was the time we celebrated. We rejoiced when the Roger Maris single-season homer mark fell, excited as we were by combatants McGwire and Sosa. We cheered increased run production as a sign of a lively game once again competitive with the NBA and NFL for attention. We welcomed the age of the 40-home run shortstop, and rooted for the bodybuilding sluggers on our favorite teams. We ignored improbable stats by formerly mediocre hitters, and overnight physique development by nondescript players. We advertised the long-ball, because "chicks dig" it. Baseball, and all who love it, dug its own grave with needles.

It is sufficient that if the power surge of Messrs. Sosa, Bonds and McGwire was ill-gotten, that the 1996-2004 period will forever be viewed by most fans, sports media, and baseball historians as clouded by the taint of suspected juicing. This applies to both hitters and pitchers. The recurring injuries tell as much a story as the inflated digits. Looking back will neither change the records nor absolve Selig and the owners of their lengthy willful neglect. The effort is a waste of the talents of expert negotiator/legislator Mitchell, whose acumen would be better used on our foreign or domestic policy.

If evidence of past abuses does surface, what of it? Who will the witnesses be, illegal PED salespeople? Disgruntled ex-teammates? Reformed former dopers? How will baseball gain from such — it cannot retroactively suspend offenders, it will not erase records, and everyone who was taking disguised designer drugs will not be caught.

Senator Mitchell has neither subpoena power nor arrest jurisdiction. No one is disposed to cooperate with him. There are few who would benefit from ratting on the pumped up players, for most of those who knew were either users or sellers themselves. Are we really ready for every ex-wife and girlfriend's tell-all books? Finally, any new revelations would bring a stain to an already dark period in baseball's recent history — where is the victory there?

Posted by Bijan C. Bayne at 7:28 PM | Comments (4)

A Fantasy Baseball Nightmare

It's been a busy time in the 'ole life of Wyshynski lately. I've had some changes professionally that have me working long hours. And I've been doing a lot of press for "Glow Pucks and 10-Cent Beer: The 101 Worst Ideas in Sports History," appearing everywhere from Las Vegas to San Antonio to St. Louis to XM SatRad. (Most talked about item thus far: No. 15, Celebrity Non-Singers Singing the National Anthem; i.e. Carl Lewis's voice-cracking train wreck before a New Jersey Nets game.)

All of it has twisted my daily schedule like a Ringling Bros. contortionist, which sucks for someone who thrives on being a creature of routine. I'm not saying I'm Nicholson in "As Good as it Gets," turning doorknobs and counting toe-touches on a hardwood floor, but I do have my compulsions, obsessive or not. One of them is checking the status of my fantasy baseball team, "Wyshlist." I'm in a keeper league, with a cash prize at the end, carrying Derek Lee and Gary Sheffield over from a season in which I just missed the playoffs.

For the second straight season, my schedule bumped up against the draft, and I was forced to use the dreaded "auto draft" option. Sometimes, this is a decent way to fill a roster with players the computer feels will have a productive season — but other times, you find out your outfield is Shane Spencer, Bo Jackson, and Garth Brooks.

This season, auto draft been beddy beddy good to me. Jose Reyes at shortstop, J.D. Drew in right, both Javy Lopez and Victor Martinez behind the dish. Mark Buehrle, Kevin Millwood, and the D-Train in the starting rotation, with Billy Wagner in the 'pen. I scanned my roster with a wide smile on face, wondering what exactly all these general managers are complaining about when it comes to building a harmonious and successful team.

And then I saw it:

Bonds, Barry, LF.

Wyshynski, Greg, WTF?!

I've written a lot about Barry in the last few weeks, but who hasn't? Between the book by the news reporters to the reality show on ESPN to the steroid investigation by the chairman of the parent company of ESPN, Barry's been in the news more than President Bush and only slightly less than Tom DeLay. Through this new prism, his transformation from naturally-blessed outfield prodigy to artificially enhanced Gollum lusting after Mark McGwire's legend is now complete. He's a fraud, a liar, and a complete waste of time.

And now he's my starting outfielder.

This is a bit like the Detroit Pistons trading for Ron Artest.

There was some discussion of our league potentially banning Bonds before the season, which I might have been in favor of. Like I said: anything he does now is a waste of my time as a baseball fan. When ESPN cuts into its coverage to show a Barry at-bat, it's a waste of my time. When sports talk radio spends time talking about "his place in history," when any history he makes is shrouded in question marks and asterisks, it's a waste of my time. Tracking his stats on a fantasy team? A waste of my time within a more noble waste of my time.

From a practical standpoint, Bonds might not even last a full season. His body is too brittle, and his ego is too strong. Am I the only guy who thinks he might just walk away at the end of his reality television show, having passed the Babe, but keeping Henry Aaron's record intact?

So he's a risky start and a completely loathsome individual. Yet check his fantasy stats: in my league, 99% ownership, and 95% are starting him. That's on par with a slam-dunk point producer like Paul Konerko. Clearly, most fantasy owners are willing to take the risk that Bonds is going to play over 100 games, post above-average power numbers, and have more walks than the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

It's an interesting spot to be in, having a player you have zero respect for, know in your heart is a cheat, yet you know can break the bank with his on-field performance.

Then again, it's not all that different than the spot the San Francisco Giants, Major League Baseball, and ESPN are in...

Posted by Greg Wyshynski at 6:59 PM | Comments (0)

April 7, 2006

Sports Q&A: NFL Celebrations; Juice Card

Billy from Boothwyn, PA writes, "Will the NFL's new rules on touchdown celebrations have the desired effect of curtailing showboating and shenanigans that have become almost an accepted part of the game?"

Let's hope not. Most football fans watch football to see touchdowns, and those same fans want to see touchdown celebrations not approved by the uptight suits in the NFL front office. Hey man, I love showboating and shenanigans almost as much as I love Shamrocks and Shenanigans, House of Pain's classic 1994 rap album. And, if rappers of Irish descent played football and were somehow able to score a touchdown, I would want to see them celebrate without limitations. And the same goes for any NFL player lucky enough to score a touchdown — they should be allowed to creatively celebrate, within reason and with no direct taunting of the opposition.

The NFL's competition committee targeted excessive celebration, saying that individual celebrations were going too far. That may be right, but what exactly is "too far," and who has the responsibility of deciding what "too far" is? The officials, you say? That could be a problem, especially since many of the officials already have loads of trouble making calls that require a level of subjectivity, especially when the NFL has been somewhat vague about what is and is not acceptable as end zone celebrations.

Spiking the ball is okay. Spinning the ball is okay. Dunking it over the goal post is legal. Dancing after a score is fine, as long as the dance doesn't last too long. That's going to be a problem right there. If Chad Johnson cannot complete all of the steps to the Riverdance jig in a certain amount of time, will he be penalized? Will the NFL have to institute a "dance clock" to assist officials in penalizing a prolonged dance routine?

Pending approval by the league's owners (who are mostly honkies with no rhythm and the ability to score only at the bank), the NFL competition committee's recommendations will outlaw the use of props for celebrations, like cell phones, Sharpie pens, or a hot Bengals cheerleader. Does this mean that if Johnson putts the football with the end zone pylon, as he did last year without penalty, will he be penalized for using a prop? If so, there's another problem. If the pylon is considered a prop, wouldn't the goal post fall under the same classification?

And, if it's the other way around, and the pylon is not deemed a prop, then the goal post must not be a prop, also. So, it would be legal for a player to use the goal post in any way to celebrate, including pulling it out of the ground and using it as a divining rod to find water. It sounds outrageous, doesn't it? It is, but I guarantee the NFL hasn't considered that possibility.

And what is poor Kansas City Chief tight end Tony Gonzalez to do? His marquee touchdown celebration is the spike over the goal post. Legal, right? Well, what if Tony hangs on to the rim just a little too long? Is that taunting? Basketball referees have a difficult time themselves deciding whom to T-up for hanging on the rim. NFL officials will have no clue.

And while we're on the subject of props, do props by the NFL's definition include simulated props, such as, for example, Steve Smith's rowboat from his TD gimmick of last year? What's the NFL's stance on that situation? Do they even have a stance, and is it a three or four-point stance? Again, I bet the NFL hasn't looked in to this scenario.

Remember, Tennessee Titans' coach Jeff Fisher and Rich McKay, general manager of the Atlanta Falcons, are chairmen of the competition committee. Neither has probably ever celebrated a touchdown in the end zone, much less scored one, so their simple minds probably can't grasp all the possibilities for TD celebrations that the masters, like Terrell Owens, Johnson, and Smith are scheming as we speak.

What does this mean? It means that luckily, players will still celebrate with flair and creativity. Just like in accounting, law, and the scope of presidential powers, there are loopholes. And there will be loopholes in the new rules on celebrations. I foresee many players thumbing their noses at the new rules. In fact, that could be a celebration, the "nose thumb." It involves no props, and the actual taunt is not directed at an opposing player. As I see it, it's legal.

And since when did the threat of a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty, or a fine that a player can afford to pay about a million times, deter a scorer from celebrating how he sees fit? Never. If Owens scores on a TD reception, then whips out a pen and a checkbook and writes a blank check payable to the NFL, what will we remember? Not the penalty, nor the $50,000 the league fines him. We will remember the celebration, and lament at the NFL's stupid rule.

So, Billy, to finally answer the question, no, I don't think the new rules will curtail touchdown celebrations. Unless the league threatens ejections for violations, then players will push the envelope and test officials' discretion. I think players will proceed cautiously at first, with simple celebrations. Then, say, in week eight or so, someone will break out the heavy artillery, laugh at the 15-yard penalty, pay their fine, then watch themselves on the highlights over and over again.

We may see fewer memorable celebrations, but that's okay. Last year, some of the celebrations were a bit overdone and became too common. Under the new rules, quantity will be sacrificed for the sake of quality. Those clowns in the NFL office don't know it, but they need the TD celebration more than they know. Rules were made to be stretched.

Zeke from Chicago, IL asks, "Who has the upper hand in the war of words between New York Knicks coach Larry Brown and Knicks point guard Stephon Marbury, who have feuded in the media for weeks?"

I think the situation is not necessarily a case of who has the upper hand, but who, in fact, has "flexed the real hard juice card." That would be Brown, who, according to Marbury, "flexed the real hard juice card" when he pulled Marbury out of a film session for a talk back in mid-March.

"I did?"

That had to be Brown's reply when he heard that he himself had "flexed the real hard juice card."

"What is a 'juice card,' and if I indeed 'flexed' it, how would I know that I did?" a confused Brown surely asked.

Well, Larry, you probably told fellow Brooklynite Marbury to stop shooting so much, pass the ball a little more, and play some defense. In other words, you told him to be Chauncey Billups. And you added that it was your way or the highway.

"Wow! I could have saved all those words and just told Stephon that I was flexing a real hard juice card?" Brown must have asked.

Yeah, Larry. Stephon would have known what you were talking about.

"So, Stephon would have understood that I wasn't trying to be mean. I was just trying to keep it real?"

Exactly.

"How ya like me now, Stephon?"

He still hates your guts, Larry, but at least he knows now that the juice card has been flexed.

But let's give Marbury lots of credit for simply using the phrase "flexed a real hard juice card" and making it available to the public. If the phrase hasn't already been heard in a rap song, it soon will. I can hear the Beastie Boys now: "They called William Shakespeare the Bard. Larry Brown flexed the real hard juice card."

And has any other athlete in the history of sports used that terminology in a feud with his coach? Probably not, but some of the most famous names in coaching have flexed the real hard juice card. Billy Martin of the Yankees flexed the real hard juice card on Reggie Jackson when Reggie refused to lay down a bunt. Vince Lombardi was a great motivator because he knew how to flex the juice card on any under-performing Packer. Former Indiana coach Bobby Knight has flexed the real hard juice card on numerous individuals, including a Puerto Rican police officer. And without flexing the real hard juice card, Morris Buttermaker could never have made the Bad News Bears the cohesive group they became on their way to immortality.

So, Zeke, I guess Brown, as the flexor of the juice card, has the upper hand now. But let's all thank Marbury for introducing such a cool phrase to the mainstream. I think we all, at some point in our lives, have flexed the real hard juice card on someone. We just didn't know it. Now we do. So, let's all flex our respective juice cards. I plan to. If I go home to a house full of misbehaving children, I plan to flex the real hard juice card and send them to their rooms. Flexing the real hard juice card — it's a way of life.

Get Your Questions Answered!

Do you have a question, comment, or confession? Are you searching for your own personal Jesus? Are looking California, but feeling Minnesota? Then send your question/comment and a buffalo nickel along with your name and hometown to [email protected]. You may get the answer you're looking for in the next column on Friday, April 21st.

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 9:18 PM | Comments (2)

NASCAR Top 10 Power Rankings: Week 6

Note: the quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Jimmie Johnson — Johnson capped a successful weekend in Martinsville by reclaiming the points lead with a third-place finish after winning the pole on Friday. Johnson dueled with Tony Stewart late in the race, battling side-by-side in some instances, before finally giving way to Stewart with 27 laps to go. Johnson now holds a lead of 59 points over Mark Martin, and 60 over Matt Kenseth.

"Wow! What a feeling trading paint with Stewart!" beams Johnson. "I guarantee had Tony not come out in front in that battle, he would have had some unkind words for me. As it is according to Tony, we're best friends, which is news to me. If our battle for the lead had taken place on laps 497 through 500, the race would have been an instant classic. But, since it took place well before the end of the race, the race became an instant non-classic, much like the Florida/UCLA NCAA Final, or either Final Four game, for that matter."

2. Matt Kenseth — Running eighth on lap 493, Kenseth braked into turn one and the No. 17 Ford suddenly veered into the retaining wall, seriously damaging the car and dropping him to a 24th-place finish. As a result, Kenseth tumbled from his points-leading perch, and now is in third, 60 points behind new leader Johnson.

"I hit the wall," says Kenseth, "and my first though was, 'Damn that Kurt Busch!' But, it wasn't Busch. It was something much more diabolical, with much smaller ears: brake failure. But I did get my revenge on Kurt for wrecking me in Bristol. That's what friends are for."

3. Tony Stewart — Stewart led 288 of the 500 laps in Martinsville, seizing his second career win there and his first victory since Watkins Glen last year. Stewart stalked Jimmie Johnson before passing him on lap 473, then held off Jeff Gordon through two restarts for the win. Stewart then capped the day with his signature (if his signature read 'Helio Castronueves') celebration, scaling, and saluting fans from atop the fence.

"Yeah, I know, that's getting a little old," says Stewart. "That's why, after my next win, I will celebrate with a routine akin to the Lambeau Leap. I will get a running start and leap into any group of fans who dare to catch me. I'll call it 'The Home Depot Leap-O.'"

4. Mark Martin — Martin moved up to second in the points with a solid yet unspectacular 13th-place finish on Martinsville's half-mile track. On a day with very little controversy, Martin, often named as the series' most polite driver, raised the hackles of rookie driver Denny Hamlin, who was wrecked by Martin while the No. 6 car was running a lap down.

"Tell that kid to race for 20 more years and then come see me about my driving," says Martin. "I've contemplated retirement more times than he's been behind the wheel. Hamlin wins a little road race in Mexico, the Taco Bell 300 or the Mind of Mencia 300, whatever it's called, and he thinks he's earned the right to criticize me? He needs to take his lumps on the track and not complain or he'll be taking his lumps out behind the woodshed."

5. Kasey Kahne — Kahne was well on his way to another top-10 finish and the likely points lead until smoke poured from his car with 122 laps remaining. After pulling off the track, Kahne's mechanics popped the hood and diagnosed the problem.

"With that amount of smoke," explains Kahne, "I fully expected Cheech and Chong to pop out from under that hood, with bloodshot eyes, munching on some Doritos. However, it was simply engine failure, a fate that struck teammate Jeremy Mayfield, as well. Our Martinsville hopes were left up in smoke. You know, in Cheech and Chong's most famous movie, Up in Smoke, I'm sure the Dodge Charger, the 1978 version, made an appearance. And it was much more reliable than the one I drove on Sunday."

6. Jeff Gordon — Looking for his third consecutive Martinsville triumph, Gordon fell just short, unable to catch Tony Stewart after taking over second with about eight laps remaining. With his second-place finish, his third top-five of the year, Gordon maintained seventh in the points race, and is now 119 points out of first.

"It was truly a team effort," lauds Gordon. "I'd like to thank my crew, my crew chief, I forget his name, the guys at the shop, and my probation officer, Tubby Slaughter, for keeping me on the straight and narrow. If I violate the terms of my probation by shoving a driver, or being seen speaking to Jimmie Johnson's crew chief, Chad Knaus, then I could really be in trouble. You absolutely don't want NASCAR to put you on double secret probation."

7. Kyle Busch — On a dominant day for Chevrolets and Hendrick Motorsports cars, Busch was the fifth of five Monte Carlos in the top five and the third of four Hendrick rides in the top eight. Busch remains fifth in the points, 101 off the leading pace.

"And, I was the first of two Busch's in the top 11," says Kyle. "Answer me this: can my brother piss off any more drivers? He's already got Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, and Jeff Burton hot on his tail. And rumor has it that there's a warrant for his arrest in Hazzard County, Georgia, so add Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane to that list. Kurt obviously got all the dramatic flair in this family. I guess I got the looks."

8. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. — It was anything but a Sunday drive for Earnhardt, who was collected in a multiple-car accident on lap two that caused extensive damage. Then, on lap 315, contact with Ryan Newman caused even more damage. Driving minus much of his front fender, Earnahrdt perservered and finished fourth, which kept him sixth in the points.

"It seemed the more laps I turned, the more car I lost," says Earnhardt. "It's like the No. 8 Chevy was losing badly in a game of strip poker. No problem. I live life by this motto: less car, more cowbell."

9. Elliott Sadler — Sadler turned in his best qualifying effort ever in Martinsville, starting seventh, and raced to his second-best finish at the Virginia track, crossing the line sixth. A potential top three result evaporated when Sadler locked the rear brakes as he was trying to move into the third position.

"I guess I got greedy," says Sadler, "which totally goes against my humble, rural Virginia upbringing and my education in the Virginia public school system. But, that stuff is pretty much useless on the race track, where ruthlessness and a cold heart are the order of the day. I may talk country, but I'm straight ghetto in that driver's seat."

10. Kevin Harvick — Harvick recorded his second straight top-10 finish with a seventh in Martinsville, on the heels of his second a week earlier in Bristol. Harvick moved up two positions in the points standing, and now hold the twelfth spot, 234 out of first, and, more importantly, 38 ahead of rival Kurt Busch. After his successful Martinsville run, Harvick had nothing but kind words for Busch.

"I hate his guts, and the rest of him."

In Harvick's world, those are kind words.

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 8:56 PM | Comments (0)

The Sweet 16: Part Two

Don't miss The Sweet 16: Part One!

Before I get to the second phase of my Sweet 16, I unfortunately have to begin on a sad note. It appears that Army's women's basketball coach, Maggie Dixon, has passed away at the age of 28 following an arrhythmic heart episode. College basketball is a great game, but it's the people involved in the game that truly make it great. The game lost one of those people yesterday. My thoughts and prayers are with her family.

A few days ago, I presented eight of my favorite storylines from this year's men's NCAA tournament. Although the players, teams, and stories discussed then are truly memorable, they stalled once hitting the Sweet 16. I saved the Elite Eight for the truly elite.

Florida and UCLA did what 62 or 63 teams (depending on your viewpoint of the tournament's actual commencement) set out to do, but could not accomplish — make it to the last day of the season. Although each school got there by taking a vastly different road from the other, what mattered most was that each had the chance to go home with a trophy on Monday night.

Of course, under the no-tying rules of basketball, only one of the schools can win the title, but both should be acknowledged for the effort it took to get to the biggest stage of such a spectacular event. For that reason, the Elite Eight belongs to the UCLA Bruins, Florida Gators, and the game of college basketball itself.

8) Luc Richard Mbah A Moute

What's not to like? He's a got a great name, mad game, and this native of Cameroon has only been playing organized basketball for a short time. He can be excused for not playing well against Florida because frankly, Florida's defense made it hard for anyone to play well against them. Furthermore, were it not for Mbah A Moute's stellar play in the first place, UCLA most likely would have been spectators rather than participants in the big game.

NBA scouts are taking notice, as well. Like LSU's Tyrus Thomas, Mbah A Moute is another freshman that has made a name for himself by being an integral component of a very successful team. Just this week, ESPN reported that an anonymous scout had said that Mbah A Moute was "like Ron Artest without the crazy." Considering how valuable Ron Artest might be seen if were he not, well, crazy, it appears that Mbah A Moute has really emerged.

7) UCLA's Comeback Against Gonzaga

UCLA was cooked. There was no other way to explain it. Anybody who saw this game and saw the national championship game knows that UCLA played just as poorly against Gonzaga as they did against Florida. For 37 minutes, that is. For the other three minutes and change, UCLA frustrated, confused, and manhandled Gonzaga so badly that the Bulldogs completely melted down and literally gave away a game that they seemed to have dominated from the very beginning.

Just like Reggie Miller proved against the Knicks many years ago and every opponent of the Minnesota Timberwolves has shown this year, the game is not actually over until the final buzzer sounds. After being down by nine with just over three minutes to go, UCLA scored the game's final 11 points, six by Mr. Mbah A Moute, who scored the go-ahead bucket and contributed the key steal. The winning margin of two represented UCLA's only lead of the game.

6) Sportsmanship All Around

One of the more poignant moments in the tournament began during the game and ended after it. Before the final buzzer had even sounded in the aforementioned UCLA/Gonzaga game, Gonzaga's Adam Morrison broke into tears while on the court after realizing how suddenly both the game and his college career had possibly come to an end.

Now, many have been giving this guy a hard time for two reasons. One, for his quasi-mustache and two, for crying before the game was even over. I don't agree with the "crying part." To me, this is part of what makes the tournament so special. What we all sometimes disregard is that these are still college kids. There is something special about how hard they play every game, how much they want to win, and how badly they hurt when they lose. Sometimes, I wish the professionals would care as much. This brings me to what took place after the game.

In another example of why the kids sometimes are the examples to follow, it was two UCLA players, Ryan Hollins and Arron Afflalo, who picked up a sobbing Adam Morrison from the floor after the game. Regardless of how much trash was talked during the game; the UCLA players showed a great deal of sportsmanship by being celebratory, yet gracious in victory.

Morrison was a true sport in his own right with his post-game comments about UCLA when he stated, "That's just a sign of a great program and great people. They had enough guts as a man in their moment of victory to pick another man off the floor. That's more than basketball and I would thank them if I could."

It's refreshing to see that these players could compete so fiercely that they had to be separated by referees at one point, yet still manage to show the utmost respect for their respective opponents and the game of basketball in the end.

5) De-fense!

In all major American sports, defense wins championships. Tell me where I'm wrong. So, why does it seem that defense always seems to be the secondary focus of some coaches, many analysts, and most players and fans of the major sports? Yes, defense can make game look ugly. UCLA showed that. Hard work, however, doesn't always look good. It just gets results.

It was Garrett Temple and Tyrus Thomas' defense that played major roles in LSU reaching the Final Four. UCLA got to the final game by relying almost exclusively on their defense. Before the title game even started, Clark Kellogg stated that UCLA's best offense was their defense. But when it came down to it, it was Florida's defense that really stood out.

In a championship game where UCLA was expected to be the team to bring the "D," it was Florida that took the UCLA players out their comfort zone. Florida was blocking shots and getting steals at a ridiculous pace. They got in the way of UCLA's shooting, passing, and ball-handling, so much so that UCLA was feeling pressure even in instances where there was no pressure. I liken it to what David Carr must feel like the rare times his offensive line gives him time to throw. By going all "[Andrei] Kirilenko" on the Bruins, the Florida basketball team gained themselves many extra possessions at the expense of UCLA's possessions and that is how they built their lead.

Just a reminder, if a team that excels at defense happens to win a World Series, Super Bowl, or national championship from here on out, we probably shouldn't be surprised.

4) The Impact of Corey Brewer

Speaking of hard work, it was mentioned during the course of the title game that Florida swingman Corey Brewer's hero was his father because he showed him the value of hard work. Well, that hard work definitely paid off. Brewer was the catalyst for this victory.

When the game was close in the early stages, it was Brewer who was the key to helping Florida pull away. He single-handedly stopped two UCLA fast breaks by knocking the ball away from the point guard in transition. Two other times, he just missed tapping the ball away, but disrupted the breaks nevertheless. This was crucial considering how much UCLA had relied on its transition game to put points on the board.

In addition, Brewer did a little of everything else, including getting dimes and scoring inside and out while hitting some very key baskets for Florida early on. Oh yeah, he also did something else that was very impressive. He completely shut down one of UCLA's key offensive players in Afflalo. He didn't score until the game had been going for over 28 minutes and Florida's lead was comfortable.

3) Joakim Noah's Relentless Pursuit of Victory

Brewer was the catalyst, but Joakim Noah was Florida's best player on this day. He set the title game record for blocks before half-time. Besides that he was all over the glass, was scoring down low, and was running the floor as if he were a guard.

But in the end, his bread and butter was using his scrappiness, determination, and shot-blocking prowess to completely change the game. When Noah was in there, UCLA had absolutely nothing. At half-time, CBS' Seth Davis noted that it's usually wise to go at the shot-blocker and to not be in fear of him. Usually. Joakim blocked everything brought his way until UCLA stopped trying to go that route.

On top of that, he seemed to be the emotional leader on the floor and when the game was finally over, Noah made his way to the Florida student section to lead the post-game celebration. Priceless.

2) The Concept of "Team"

Many, including myself, believe that the winner of the NCAA tournament doesn't necessarily always reflect which team is the best, rather which team is the hottest. At the tournament's conclusion, however, I find it very hard to come up with any reason why I think Florida isn't the best team around.

The bottom line is that the Gators demonstrated their excellence by crushing everyone in their way except for Georgetown. They did this by playing great team defense in addition to their great individual defensive work. They also moved the ball around so well on offense that it seemed as if they only took good shots. In short, they epitomized the definition of "team."

Although Noah and Brewer got received much of the publicity for the win, nobody should discount what Taurean Green, Lee Humphrey, and Al Horford brought to the table as fellow starters. Also, in a matchup where many thought that UCLA's bench might give them the edge, it was Florida's bench, led by Adrian Moss, that outperformed their Bruin counterparts — and it wasn't even close.

Florida coach Billy Donovan had been quoted as saying that Al Horford had the highest basketball IQ out of any player he had ever coached. After watching his big guys run the floor, his little guys shut down the perimeter, and his entire team pass the ball like point guards, I think it's fair to say that the entire team, including the coaching staff, had mastered the mental aspect of the game.

I think we can now officially refer to Florida as a basketball school.

1) The NCAA Tournament Itself

Let's be honest; this tournament has to be close to the top of the list of reasons why people call in sick to work every year. People who have no interest in sports have interest in this event. There may not be two more compelling days in American sports than the first two days of this tournament every year.

Year after year, the tournament seems to give us moments that are unthinkable, moments that we could not script. We are introduced to new characters and new "feel-good" stories. And just when we think we've seen it all, the next year brings us new surprises and new personalities.

This year was no exception. From Northwestern State's shocking victory over Iowa in a game which it was losing by 17 points with about eight and a half showing on the clock in the first round to Florida closing out its title run against UCLA in dominant fashion, this tournament didn't disappoint.

As a matter of fact, can anyone think of the last time any tournament did? Yeah, me neither. This is why the tournament, itself, is number one on my list every time. The players and teams change, but the tournament; it always stays the same — and that's why we love it.

Posted by Kiarash Banisadre at 8:41 PM | Comments (0)

April 6, 2006

Blue Again: Baseball is Back

"Hope springs eternal" is the most commonly used cliché applied to the start of every baseball season. But I don't like it, mostly because I don't think it applies. Hope doesn't spring eternal for the Royals for more than six weeks, and then they're 14 games back and scouting the next draft. For them, it's more like hope springs for a month and a half.

So for my lead, I'm going to dive back into the bag of tricks and grab, "everything old is new again." It's the perfect way to describe that return of the Grand Old Game, and it applies this year more than ever.

In the rain during Tuesday night's season-opener, Jim Thome made Phillies fans everywhere cringe with a home run that landed in my backyard. The White Sox destroyed Cleveland, and Thome looked like a new man. Chicago looked like the same old team that just happened to win the World Series.

They called that opening night, but it was merely a prelude to the main act.

Monday was incredible. From watching all-world prospect Hanley Ramirez boot balls for a Marlins team I was struggling to name players on to marveling at the first impression left by Seattle's new import Kenji Johijima, who homered in his first major league at bat, there was almost too much to take in.

The Big Tomato (C.C. Sabathia) got hurt, while the Big Hurt (Frank Thomas) hit one of the biggest tomatoes of the day. And most impressively, the Yankees put a big hurting of Thomas' A's, a 15-2 spanking that makes me wonder if anyone other than George Steinbrenner and the New York media can beat this team. Adding the best two-strike hitter in baseball means their already patient lineup will squeeze the life out of many opposing bullpens.

Speaking of squeezing ... juice ... Barry Bonds. I have to stop and say something here. What's happening to Bonds just isn't fair. Baseball is trying to turn its back on the very ugly beast that saved its life. Are we really supposed to believe everyone in the game wasn't implicitly aware of his and others' rampant steroid use when Bonds was hitting 73? Please. Baseball made him, and they should have to deal with him. I can't stand Barry, but right's right and throwing syringes at people is almost never in that category. More on Barry later, there's a season's worth of material here.

Of course, we can't forget Jimmy Rollins. His old hits streak has extended into this year and apparently people are willing to grant the two-season 56 equivalency to the same-season 56, should he ever get that far. Monday night, he extended it, and the fact that it took him until his last at-bat made that hit the most exciting moment of the day. The further he goes with this thing, the better it's going to get, partially because people like Jimmy Rollins.

And like any good party, opening day was a three-day affair. Tuesday night saw the overhauled Toronto Blue Jays unveil their revamped team in front of more than 50,000 fans at the Rogers Centre and there was something coming in the air that would have given Phil Collins goose-bumps.

Despite an absurdly-long 30th anniversary highlight movie and endless player introductions, it was a rousing success with Bengie Molina absolutely crushing a Johan Santana pitch made the place explode like it hasn't since Joe Carter hit one into roughly the same area during the sixth game of the 1993 World Series.

New stopper B.J. Ryan topped out at 91, but he also struck out the last two hitters of the game en route to his first save. For a number of reasons, the Jays have flown under the radar during their busy offseason. But I think it's worth noting that a simple 6-3 win over the Twins on opening night somehow garnered second billing on ESPN.com, even if the top story was NCAA women's basketball at the time. Plus, watching Roy Halladay and Johan Santana go head to head is something you tell your kids about, assuming they don't hate baseball (though I'll probably omit the fact that neither pitched their best game.)

But my potential future offspring aside, there's definitely a buzz around this Jays team, and if they can produce 161 more efforts like they did Tuesday night, there'll be a lot more than Molina's home run reminding people of the 1993 edition. And how hard could that be?

Even as a partisan observer, I can't help but be a bit excited. It'll be a new Jays team, just like old times. We'll have the same old Barry and Jimmy trying to set new records, and of course, me spouting clichés and poorly-constructed metaphors, trying to pass old jokes off as news.

Take a deep breath, there are only six more months to go.

Posted by Aaron Miller at 7:29 PM | Comments (0)

Looking Back at the Final Snore

For two weeks, you could hear it all around. This year, the madness was even more maddening! The buzzer-beaters poured in, the feel-good Cinderella stories more plentiful. For Pete's sake, George Mason University won the East region! This was decidedly the best NCAA tournament in recent memory.

At least, for two weeks it was.

The final act of America's favorite three-act play instead proved to be the very definition of anticlimactic. The three games we were left with were decided by 14, 15, and 16 points respectively, with Florida clinching on a 73-57 snoozer of a finale over UCLA that was hardly ever in doubt.

With all the pre-tournament hype about JJ Redick and Adam Morrison, and all the mid-tournament buzz about 11th-seeded George Mason, Glenn "Big Baby" Davis, and Tyrus Thomas, how many of us really would have been excited to know that the championship game would feature Joakim Noah and Jordan Farmar? Are these really the star players of the best two teams in the country? Or just the beneficiaries of a delightfully inefficient and unforgiving playoff system, as so often happens in college hoops?

To Florida's credit, if they weren't the best team in the country, they at least played the best tournament. Of their six opponents, only Georgetown truly challenged them before falling 57-53. The other five teams could come no closer than 13 points in the final score. By the time the Gators had reached the Sweet 16, they had won their two games by a combined score of 48 points. Has such an unheralded three-seed ever been so dominant before?

And yet all the while we wondered, how were they doing it? Not long ago, Joakim Noah was known more for his unmanly hair than his style of play. After all, he seemed too gangly, too skinny, too awkward to be able to lead his team over all comers. And who was his supporting cast? Guard Lee Humphrey did not become a household name until the national semis, where he rained three-pointers all over Cinderella's pretty little dress and sent her home from the dance crying. Al Horford? Corey Brewer? These names didn't ring a bell to many nationwide viewers until the final game.

And what about UCLA? If Florida defined dominance, the Bruins were the cardiac kids. While they reeled off an impressive string of blowout wins going into the tournament, they needed guard Ronald Steele to clank a wide-open three pointer at the buzzer to survive Alabama in round two. Then, of course, the Bruins played a truly awful first half against Gonzaga only to catch lightning in a bottle and win by the skin of their teeth in one of the tourney's most memorable scenes.

(In a related story, they were also responsible for the untimely death of CBS play-by-play man Gus Johnson, who spent that game's final three plays screaming at unprecedented levels until his head finally exploded all over press row. However, this may have only been a matter of time, but I digress...)

The Bruins' regional final win over Memphis was no picnic, either. Winning 50-45, UCLA's defensive muscle was just enough to compensate for their famine at the other end. Winning ugly with defense and dismantling the opposition's offensive weapons had become their signature. Not exactly the kind of team that lights up your television set.

It didn't have to be this way, either. For the past week, a nation fantasized about the little green and yellow guys of George Mason finding a way to advance again, reach, and perhaps even win the national title game. After all, look who they had beaten: Michigan State, North Carolina, (that's half of last year's Final Four and one 2005 national champion), another impressive Cinderella candidate in Wichita State, and finally, in perhaps the most epic game of the tournament, mighty UConn (be honest, how many of you had UConn winning it in your brackets and weren't even worried about the possibility of Mason ruining that party?). From that angle, to have to beat Florida and LSU or UCLA to win a championship no longer seemed so implausible.

As for LSU, this was a team that exposed Duke as a weak undersized team lacking in pure athleticism. If you weren't one of the Duke-haters laughing derisively at Redick for looking so foolish all day, you were screaming in horror at his stunning lack of ball handling, as his pocket was picked more often than a blind guy sleeping on a Manhattan subway. Tyrus Thomas was touching the sky routinely (and then emphatically screaming while shaking his head way more often than actually necessary) both on alley-oops and on opponents' lay-up attempts, and Big Baby was carving out the lane all to himself and pulling in every contested rebound.

With that kind of size, talent, power, and intimidation complete with spectacular plays galore, the Tigers were looking more and more like Space Jam's fictitious Monstar squad with each passing game. (Can't you just picture this LSU team entering an arena to the Monstars theme song of "Hit 'Em High"? Wouldn't that suit them perfectly? It's about time someone dusted that song off anyhow. All right, I'm done rambling.)

So with all that being said, what would have been better than a George Mason/LSU final? The ultimate Cinderella team led by little Tony Skinn versus the ultimate intimidator in LSU. David and Goliath themselves would have been proud to be that well represented. And even if LSU had won, they sure would be fun to watch. Either of these teams advancing to the title game would have provided that extra ounce of title excitement this final installment needed. Instead, writers like us here at SC spent sleepless nights trying, struggling to come up with any of the same kind of adjectives and hyperbole for such a seemingly vanilla and punchless final matchup as the one that unfolded Monday night.

So in closing, college hoops fans, when you remember the great NCAA tournament of 2006, think of the underdogs that bucked the odds: Northwestern State, Wichita State, Bradley, Texas A&M, Bucknell, Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Montana, and, of course, George Mason. Honorable mention of course goes to 16-seed Albany, who pushed lazy-but-gifted UConn to their limit.

Think of the numerous miracle final shots that went down, from Jermaine Wallace, Cameron Bennerman, Tyler Hansbrough, Darrell Mitchell, Robert Vaden, and Chris Lofton. Kevin Pittsnogle and Kenton Paulino made theirs back-to-back to end one game, while Rashad Anderson and Denham Brown got theirs for the same team in back-to-back games. Christian Maraker's was just the beginning of a double overtime marathon that his underdog team did not pull out. Will Sheridan's never actually went in, but it still counted due to goaltending. Daniel Gibson's followed the wildest 15-second possession sequence you ever saw. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute's left overzealous Gonzaga star Adam Morrison in tears before the game actually ended. And then there were the seven gut-wrenching overtime periods brilliantly sprinkled throughout the tourney.

But as for those last three games, that quaint little thing they call the Final Four ... unless you hold one of those teams in the final game dear to your heart, you might as well just forget about that part. Pretend the tourney ended, in all its glory with the regional finals and George Mason University capturing every last sports dreamer's heart.

Posted by Bill Hazell at 7:12 PM | Comments (2)

A Busy NFL Offseason

New Coach For the Pittsburgh Steelers?

There is talk about a possible Bill Cowher retirement, but the Pittsburgh Tribune Review reports that Steelers president Art Rooney II does not think Cowher is retiring anytime soon. Don't read anything into the $2.5 million home he purchased in Raleigh, NC. since the Steelers are continuing their standard practice of negotiating an extension of Cowher's contract.

Top Overall Pick in the NFL Draft?

It seems everybody in Houston has an opinion on what the Texans should do with the first overall pick in the April NFL draft, as if the Texans management will actually listen to any of that advice.

Many of the locals want the Texans to take Vince Young, the dynamic quarterback who helped lead the University of Texas to a national championship with an eye-opening Rose Bowl performance. Others want Southern California running back Reggie Bush, who would join quarterback David Carr and receiver Andre Johnson to give the Texans their version of the Triplets. So who will it be?

"I have no idea," Texans head coach Gary Kubiak said. "We'll get a good player. I know that."

They're not tipping their hand, but the signs point to Bush. And after Bush's latest workout, the signal is getting stronger.

Working in front of about 150 scouts and personnel officials, a group that included four head coaches and several general managers, Bush was "surgically proficient" in every drill in which he participated. He posted an eye-opening 40½-inch vertical jump, performed a very solid 24 repetitions on the standard 225-pound bench press, and was clocked in the 40-yard sprint in 4.37-4.41 seconds, according to a few scouts. The electronic times for Bush were a little quicker, in the 4.33-4.37 range.

In the on-field drills, Bush demonstrated burst out of the backfield. And while there weren't as many balls directed to him as he had hoped during Matt Leinart's throwing session, he caught the ball well.

Best Offseason Addition: Carolina Panthers

The addition of Keyshawn Johnson — the No. 2 receiver they've been missing the past two years. Interesting thing about Johnson is that the last time he and Carolina offensive coordinator Dan Henning were together, he caught 89 passes. Steve Smith couldn't be happier.

Worst Offseason Subtraction: New England Patriots

New England stood still. No, the Pats went backward. They lost linebacker Willie McGinest, they lost wide receiver David Givens, they lost kicker Adam Vinatieri, they lost offensive lineman Tom Ashworth. In return, they signed Reche Caldwell, a seldom-used receiver from San Diego. Yes, New England is still the team to beat in the AFC East because they still have Tom Brady, but there are cracks in the foundation.

Most Puzzling Quarterback Move: Drew Brees, San Diego

The Chargers hadn't won the AFC West in nine years. Then quarterback Drew Brees snaps the slump by leading the team to a 12-4 season. The following season, he wins nine starts, only to be hurt in the last game. Now he's gone. I don't understand how you let one of the NFL's 10 best quarterbacks walk away without compensation, especially when successor, Philip Rivers, hasn't made a single start in his pro career.

"If this guy doesn't win," said one NFC general manager, "he'll lose the locker room." Maybe, but it's not the players I'm worried about — it's coach Marty Schottenheimer. He and GM AJ Smith barely communicate, which means Schottenheimer is a dead man if the Chargers don't make the playoffs this year. Oh, and for the record: Schottenheimer wanted to keep Brees.

I Can't Believe This Guy is Going to Be Wearing a Different Uniform: Adam Vinatieri, Indianapolis

Indianapolis could've beaten New England in its 2004 season-opener if only Mike Vanderjagt made a 48-yard field goal to send the game into overtime. He didn't. The Colts might've kept Pittsburgh from reaching Super Bowl XL, too, if Vanderjagt would've made a 48-yarder to send the game into overtime. He didn't. The Colts are just too talented of an offense to lose on some "idiot kicker."

Is there anyone out there who can make a 48-yard kick? Yep, and the Colts just signed him. Vinatieri has nailed every big field goal of his career and was the most important specialist in the game. More than that, he was a security blanket for the Patriots, a club that knew it could win every close game because it had a can't-miss kicker. Well, now he's gone, and, just like every fan in New England is thinking, I wonder, how did that happen?

Runner-Up: Edgerrin James, Arizona

James scored TDs 14 times last year. That hasn't been done in Arizona since Try Donny Anderson in 1973. That's why this should be a great move for the club. Arizona needed a running back badly. James had 11 or more touchdowns in four of his seven seasons with Indianapolis and last year was the AFC's second-leading rusher with 1,506 yards — or 368 more than Arizona. The Cardinals had the league's best passing attack and worst running game, but all that is about to change. As for James, he may have traded a shot at at least one Super Bowl ring by leaving the Colts.

Who is Going to Challenge QB Kyle Boller For the Ravens?

Kerry Collins? It's hard for me to see why he isn't a good fit for Baltimore. Collins wants to go somewhere he can start, and this might be the place. The Ravens haven't given up on Kyle Boller, but they want to push him — and who better than the quarterback who joined Ravens offensive coordinator Jim Fassel in Super Bowl XXXV when both were with the New York Giants? Collins needs to find a place where he's not squeezed, and this could be it. Collins can serve as a mentor to Boller ... if, that is, he doesn't pass him on the depth chart. It makes too much sense not to happen. So what's the delay?

It could be that the team is holding out for the potential future cut of Titans long time gunslinger Steve McNair. McNair brings a veteran presence, tough attitude, and experience with WR Derrick Mason to make this a deal too good to be true. It all depends on what the Titans have available with their first round pick.

Game I Am Looking Forward to Watching

All I want is a ticket to Terrell Owens' return to Philadelphia and a seat in the end zone when he scores his first touchdown. This game has to be quite personal to several of the Eagles players, fans, and the organization as a whole.

It's Just a Game

With the Steelers capping their fifth Super Bowl victory, the NFL has officially begun the offseason. During these few months, players have the opportunity to put football aside and donate their time to help others.

Take a look at Seattle Seahawks defensive end Bryce Fisher, Atlanta Falcons defensive end Patrick Kerney, and Pittsburgh Steelers tackle Max Starks who arrived in Kosovo to begin a 12-day USO tour to U.S. military bases in the Balkans and Persian Gulf.

While each player was warmly received, Max Starks was accorded a special welcome by the Bravo Company "Outcasts."

The unit, composed of Apache helicopter pilots from Pennsylvania, had a large Steelers logo painted in their hangar. In addition, one of the pilots had painted a Steelers logo on the underbelly of his helicopter. He unlatched the panel and stood it next to the craft, where Starks autographed it.

As a group of 15 or so pilots huddled around Starks for a photo opportunity, a chant of, "Here we go, Steelers, here we go!" could be heard around the flight line. "That's for Super Bowl 40," one said. "And 41," said another, already looking ahead to the coming season.

They won't have to look to far, as the world champion Pittsburgh Steelers host the Miami Dolphins on Thursday, September 7th, 2006.

Posted by Kevin Ferra at 5:20 PM | Comments (0)

April 5, 2006

New Ballpark, Same Aspirations in St. Louis

Analyzing the National League shows there is no clear favorite for the pennant. The Astros, last year's NL champions, are in flux, with questions about their ability to score runs and whether Roger Clemens will return to the rotation in May. The young Braves overachieved in 2005. This year will be a test, especially since Leo Mazzone has taken his nervous to-and-fro rocking to Baltimore. The Mets look stronger, but all will depend on a fragile rotation in New York. The West is a disaster area with nobody looking a pennant contender.

That leaves the Redbirds as most experts' choice for the NL. But the offseason in St Louis hasn't been a straightforward case of upgrading for a comfortable ride to the NL Central crown and beyond. Walt Jocketty, GM, has had to mend and make do in a number of areas that leaves the team looking more vulnerable than last year.

In terms of starting pitching, the Cardinals have, at best, stood still. Jocketty got involved in the AJ Burnett sweepstakes, but folded at $38 million for four years. He probably made the right move as the rotation is still the best in the division. Standing still isn't a bad option for a team with a starting pitching ERA of 3.61 compared to the league average of 4.23 and got 6.47 innings per start.

Staff ace Chris Carpenter, fresh off a Cy Young, will be counted on for 220+ innings, 200 strikeouts, and an ERA of 3.00 or less. His rise from mediocre bullpen-fodder in Toronto to the league's most dominant starter is an incredible transformation. With Mazzone moving to the AL, Dave Duncan can claim the crown of the doyen of NL pitching coaches.

Behind Carpenter, there's a drop-off, but there's still a solid enough look to the rotation. Mark Mulder doesn't throw as hard as he did, but he's a respectable number two and Jeff Suppan continues to make the most of his modest talents. Jason Marquis will never be the force many envisaged a few years ago in Atlanta, but he'll throw 200 innings and have an ERA around 4.25. The number five spot is a question mark, but it's hardly an issue come October. Matt Morris' departure won't have anyone shedding tears after a couple of mediocre seasons.

The bullpen has been overhauled, but that's hardly of much consequence given Tony La Russa's "by the numbers" approach to using the 'pen. Ray King, Cal Eldred, and Julian Tavarez are out and Mets cast-off RHP Bradon Looper, ex-Oakland LHP Ricardo Rincon, and holdovers Brad Thompson and Randy Flores are in. Looper is slated as the primary link to closer Jason Isringhausen, but he'll need all of Duncan's guile and patience to rebuild his fragile confidence. The 'pen will miss Al Reyes, lost to injury, more than anyone else. Reyes posted a 1.93 ERA and 0.84 WHIP during his time as a Card.

It's not pitching that could cost the Cards a shot at the World Series. The weak point looks the batting lineup. Albert Pujols aside, this is not the force it was in 2004. Scott Rolen was lost for most of 2005 and comes into this season with a question mark hanging over him. Can he ever be the same after shoulder surgery? Third base offered only a .700 OPS last year in St Louis, significantly below Rolen's career average of .890 and way less than his 1.004 production in 2004. If Rolen and his shoulder flounder, then the Cards only have Jim Edmonds as protection for Pujols. Edmonds is a safe bet for 20+ homers and around 80 RBIs, as well as offering a CF master class, but he's a declining force in the batters box and has had hamstring problems.

The rest of the cast is uninspiring, but functional enough. Eckstein gets on base and plays gritty defense. He's a sparkplug that energizes a team without having any exceptional tools. Behind him, Aaron Miles has beaten out Junior Spivey at second. Larry Bigbie and Juan Encarnacion were picked up as free agents to replace Reggie Sanders and Larry Walker in the corner outfield spots. Encarnacion has never fulfilled the promise he showed in Detroit and has failed to stick in either Florida or Los Angeles. Expect mediocre production at the plate, but an amazing throwing arm. LF is a mess with Larry Bigbie the coaching staff's favorite long-term over weak-hitting So Taguchi and slugger John Rodriguez, who needs to reduce his strikeouts.

But with a new ballpark and the best fans in the game, if I were a Cards fan, I'd be a little peeved at both the lack of high-profile offseason activity and how the money that was available was spent. Encarnacion was an unimaginative choice to fill a corner outfield spot, especially at $15 million for three years. Jocketty could have had Jeremy Burnitz, who offers greater power and consistency, for similar or less. Burnett maybe was too pricey for what he offers, but Kevin Millwood might have been a nice compliment to Carpenter and Mulder come October, when you can get nervous sending out a Jason Marquis or Jeff Suppan type. $13 million plus over three years for Braden Looper is reckless spending that only Paris Hilton would be proud of.

All-in-all, the Cardinals couldn't make the World Series last year and this year's roster looks slightly worse. Second base has declined from Mark Grudzielanek and the outfield is poorer for the departure of Walker and Sanders, still embroiled in his mission to wear every MLB uniform before he gets as old as Julio Franco. That said, if Rolen stays healthy all year and Jim Edmonds can halt his steady decline, the Cards have enough to win the Central and challenge the Mets for the NL pennant.

Posted by Mike Round at 3:43 PM | Comments (2)

After These NCAAs, You Can't Go Home

I come from a pro basketball town, but I can't go home again.

Not to those days when I was young and the NBA had allure, when the hometown Boston Celtics perennially contended for its championship. Not to those passionate rivalries with the 76ers and Lakers and Pistons, with Doctor J and Magic and Bill Laimbeer.

Not after this March.

NCAA basketball has ruined the NBA for me.

Actually, it's more a euthanasia. The NBA has been on life support since Michael Jordan hit that 20-foot jumper in Utah's Delta Center to close out the Chicago Bulls' dynasty of the 1990s. JJ Redick and Adam Morrison simply unplugged the equipment and turned off the lights.

Today's NBA has become a Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show on hardwood, a place where front offices can strut their prized pedigree scorers around to drum up cable television subscriptions. It's about your guy getting his 50 points and raising the arena Noise-o-Meter needle to the Fan-a-rific level and vying for that tightly-wrapped undershirt shot into your section by a bazooka-toting floor attendant.

I caught one myself a few years ago on my son's birthday. Even though it was aimed right at me, I had to fight off a dozen lunging fans and two dozen clutching hands. It was a Work Sucks cotton tee and I gave it to my son. The next morning, we didn't remember who had won the game, only that Dad caught a flying shirt. Mom wouldn't let him keep it though because she didn't like the word sucks. I used it as a paint rag for a bit, but it was too sheer to absorb drips.

That's the NBA. Nothing But Air. Nothing of substance.

Back in my youth, March Madness was just something to watch before the NBA playoffs. The Celtics and Lakers had usually sewn up the Atlantic and Pacific Divisions, respectively, by then. It was postseason tune-up time in Boston where we fans deluded ourselves into thinking KC Jones could groom a bench by playing Greg Kite and Sam Vincent and Darren Daye for eight or 10 minutes a game. College was the minor leagues and we put its stars on ice until the day they were ready to turn pro.

Gradually, the passion of college play began compensating for any perceived lack of precision. It didn't hurt that its gain in notoriety was coincidental with the decline of the Celtics. The intensity that drained from New England springs after the retirements of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parrish was being replenished through the feats of Rick Pitino and Jim Calhoun.

Over the last decade, that passion has waned at times as more underclassmen and high school athletes opted for an early paycheck in the NBA and depleted the collegiate ranks of some vitality. Now, however, equilibrium is returning.

The flood of underclassmen into recent NBA drafts has finally attained critical mass. The average age of an NBA team at the start of this season dipped to 26.7 years compared to 27.8 five years ago. Rosters are filled with college-age players exhibiting college-level maturity each night. The product now taking the NBA court delivers inconsistent play and an abandonment of defense. Two years ago, NBA teams averaged 93.4 points per game. This season, it's up 97.0 points.

All the while, college basketball seems to have weathered the erosion of its ranks. Now, the NBA's 2005 collective bargaining agreement has raised minimum playing age by one year, to 19, and the NCAA has been granted a right of first refusal on every high school stand-out. They'll have one year in which to wine and dine freshman athletes in their world of passion and drama, a world the NBA once knew, but has long forgotten.

And what better way to culminate that year than in March Madness? This year's Division I men's tournament was like no other in recent memory.

Of the 60 games leading to the Final Four, 20 resulted in upsets, including 15 by teams at least three seeds below their victims. Everyone by now is acquainted with George Mason University, an 11th seed who defeated the Washington, DC bracket's sixth, third, seventh, and top seeds in consecutive games.

Certainly, the three games played in the RCA Dome were anticlimactic, all being decided by 14 or more points. However, 12 contests leading up to Indianapolis were decided by a three-pointer or in overtime. During one amazing third round evening alone, fans watched Kevin Pittsnogle bury a trey to tie Pitt's game against Texas, only to have the Longhorns push the ball upcourt and win it on Kenton Paulino's own trey at the buzzer. Moments later, the national audience was taken west as UCLA climbed back from a 17-point deficit against Gonzaga to steal a two-point victory in the final 10 seconds.

Like Adam Morrison's emotional display even as that game was in balance, the NCAA men's tournament is one sporting event in which viewers can be certain of the unexpected. Witness the Big 10, Division I's strongest conference as measured by the RPI. They went 6-4 overall with no team reaching the Elite Eight. And the Big East, with its record eight-team field, couldn't manage one entrant into the Final Four. No regional top seed ever reached Indy.

With UCLA the consensus favorite to win its first national championship since 1995, it was a fitting cap to the 2006 season that Florida should handle the Bruins so easily, etching the Gator name on the Siemens trophy for the first time ever.

Perhaps no player better embodies the renewed vitality of NCAA basketball than the Gators' Joakim Noah.

The Troy Polamalu of NCAA basketball — and sporting hairdo to match — the 6'11" sophomore was an omnipresence, scoring 16 points, collecting 9 rebounds, blocking 6 shots, and rushing several Bruins big men into missing lay-ups when he was in the vicinity. Whether pumping fists on the court, simulating gator chomps on the bench with his long arms, or ceremoniously snipping the cotton net, Noah radiated a youthful enthusiasm and true appreciation of his accomplishment. An enthusiasm made for college basketball.

Starting four sophomores and a junior during their national championship run and with only one senior on the roster, the Florida Gators must now brace for the carnage of another NBA draft. As they do, Head Coach Billy Donovan and Athletics Director Jeremy Foley can only hope that the team returning from Indianapolis to a throng of screaming Gator fans still has more homecomings in store for them.

Who knows? Maybe you really can go home again after all.

Posted by Bob Ekstrom at 3:27 PM | Comments (1)

April 4, 2006

The Sweet 16: Part One

It's over. The 2005-2006 college basketball season has officially come and gone, but not without first providing another exhilarating tournament. In a few years time, most will probably remember that Florida won its first national championship in basketball.

Aside from that, however, memories will most likely fade over time as future NCAA tournaments overtake the tournaments of years past in the short-term memory banks of the sporting world. With that in mind, it's time to look at the most memorable aspects of this year's big dance while the memories are still fresh.

16) The Success of the Missouri Valley Conference

Many criticized the selection committee for including four MVC schools in the field of 64. The pundits hypothesized that the MVC schools would be sent packing early, and by doing so, would prove that the spots they occupied in the tournament would have been better utilized by teams from larger conferences who could have made a larger impact.

Not so fast.

Sure, Northern Iowa and Southern Illinois didn't make any noise this year, but Bradley and Witchita State made enough to carry the conference. While supposed power conferences like the Big 10 didn't have any schools survive the first weekend, the Bradley Braves and the Witchita State Shockers both finished amongst the final 16 teams in the country, which is more than I can say for perennial powerhouses like Illinois, North Carolina, and Michigan State.

15) The Illinois/Washington Game

In one of the most bizarre games of the entire college basketball season, Washington beat Illinois 67-64 in a second-round matchup.

How was this game bizarre, you ask? Let's start off by mentioning that Illinois started the game by making only four of its first 25 field goal attempts and was down by 14 points in the first half. The Fighting Illini managed to bridge the gap to two before halftime and promptly scored 12 of the first 14 points in the second half. After being down by 14, the Illini were up by 11 almost three-fourths of the way through the game.

hen Washington stepped up. Led by Brandon Roy and Illinois-native Justin Dentmon (of course), the Huskies stormed back to win a game they had seemingly won, lost, and been blown out of.

14) Brandon Roy

Speaking of the Washington guard, he showed many hoops fans around the country what they had been missing all year. If you watched any of Washington's games in the tournament, you undoubtedly heard the commentators going on and on about how Roy had the numbers and the game to be considered for national player of the year, but had virtually gone unnoticed.

In my opinion, Connecticut had the most talent of any team in the country and when they played Washington, the best player on the court was Brandon Roy. Although Roy had some pretty good statistics, his impact was not measurable by looking solely at numbers. Anytime something good happened regarding Washington, Brandon Roy was almost always involved. In fact, if not for Roy's foul trouble in the UConn game, Washington could have easily advanced past the Huskies of the Northeast, as Conncecticut made up a lot of ground with Roy on the bench.

Don't forget: as I mentioned above, Roy was the primary catalyst for Washington's comeback victory against Illinois in the previous round.

13) Rashad Anderson's "Clutchness"

In the sports world, there are many players that get it done throughout the game and freeze up when it matters most. In basketball, these are known as the "Peja Stojakovics." Conversely, there are the "Robert Horrys" of the world; the guys who play their respective roles to a tee, then turn into stone cold assasins when the game is on the line. College basketball's Robert Horry is Connecticut's Rashad Anderson.

Anderson, who has seemingly been on campus forever, is the guy who gets the ball at the end of the game for one of the best programs in the country during his tenure. UConn would not be so highly-regarded without Anderson. Keep in mind, if you were to take away Robert Horry from the Houston teams of the mid-'90s and the Shaq/Kobe Laker teams that won NBA titles, it's quite possible that they wouldn't have won anything. Ditto for Rashad Anderson. When you are the most dangerous player on a dangerous team at the most dangerous time, you are invaluable.

We should all commit to memory his three-pointer to send the Uconn/Washington game into overtime with someone right in his face although everyone knew the ball was going to him.

12) The Toughness of Randy Foye and Allan Ray

Villanova was dealt a huge blow last season when it was learned that its best big man, Curtis Sumpter, was lost for this season due to a knee injury. During the Big East tourney, Villanova was dealt another potentially devastating blow, when one of its All-American guards, Allan Ray, was poked in the eye. This wasn't the type of eye poke that a player can recover from after a few minutes and resume playing. This is the type of poke that lands a player in the hospital before the game is even over.

Despite the eye poke taking place roughly a week prior to the start of the NCAA tournament, Ray was able to tough it out. He practiced just a few days after the incident and played in his team's first-round game. He then helped lead his team to an appearance in the Elite Eight.

That appearance, however, would not have been possible were it not for the heroics of Villanova's other All-American guard, Randy Foye. Foye, who had overcome a multitude of tough breaks in his young life, scored six straight points at the end of regulation and added a three-pointer and a layup in overtime to propel the Wildcats to a one-point victory over Boston College.

Foye's performance was all the more spectacular considering his backcourt mate, Ray, was having an off-night and that Foye played all 45 minutes of the contest. During the crunchtime portion of the game, Villanova's coach, Jay Wright, asked Foye if he was able to continue going. Foye's response? "It's my career. I have got it."

Villanova may have lost before the end of the tournament, but the toughness displayed by Ray and Foye, two of the nations's best players, ensured that nobody thought of them as losers.

11) The Ending of the Texas/West Virginia Game

In my area of the country, this game wasn't televised in its entirety. No worries. I saw what I needed to see. With just a few minutes to go, we were presented with this game. When it came on, it didn't seem terribly interesting. Texas seemed to have everything under control. Before we knew it, West Virginia had cut it to a one possession game. I wanted the Mountaineers to tie the game because I wanted to see one of those games that end up in the annals of the NCAA tournament for years to come. Well, this game was one of those, only not in the way I imagined it.

As West Virginia kept chipping away, I became more and more juiced. Finally, with about five seconds or so remaining, West Virginia's Kevin Pittsnogle squared up and drilled a three. Finally! A tie game! Before I could finish cheering, Texas' A.J. Abrams had taken the inbounds pass, raced down the floor with time running out, and passed it. Yes, passed it for THREE! Kenton Paulino knocked it down as the final buzzer sounded.

What started off as a boring final few minutes turned into a breathtaking final 20 seconds as Texas avoided being "Pittsnogled," and instead, "Paulinoed" the Mountaineers home. Now, that's why we love this tournament.

10) LSU Down Low

If you go onto ESPN's basketball site, you should find a draft lottery simulator. Here, anyone can press the "simulator" icon and watch it present different scenarios of the draft order and which players would be picked at any given spot according to team need. Trust me, it's less complicated than it sounds. Regardless, a few weeks ago, a buddy of mine and I were bored and playing with this thing when his team, the Seattle Supersonics, ended up with the third pick. The simulator had the Sonics taking Tyrus Thomas, forward, Louisiana State. At that point, I'm pretty sure the words out of my mouth were, "who the #@! is Tyrus Thomas?"

Well, a lot has changed in the last few weeks. If someone asks me who Tyrus Thomas is from this point on and I say that I don't know, it means I'm suffering from amnesia. That is the only logical explanation, because after watching this tournament, I have a feeling that Tyrus Thomas is not going to be easily forgotten.

He brought down 13 boards while swatting five shots, one to essentially end any shot of a comeback against Duke. In that game, he scored four of his nine points inside the last minute. He followed up this performance by registering 21 points, 13 rebounds, and 3 blocks against Texas. He shot 10-for-15 in that game and looked as if he was one of the best players in the country. When he was forced to the bench late in the game due to cramps, the impact was clear. It was just as clear when he returned shortly thereafter. I have a feeling that if the Sonics were to somehow obtain Thomas now, nobody would scoff at the notion. By the way, did I mention he was only a freshman? Wow!

Thomas' more celebrated counterpart down low, is Glen Davis. You may know him as "Big Baby." Big Baby is not only a great moniker, but a huge load. He's listed at 6'9", 310 pounds, but looks as if he's shorter and heavier. During the Texas game, he patiently watched the wing players brick three-pointer after three-pointer. When he finally got the ball, he knew what to do with it. He continuously punished Texas' big men and although it was Tyrus Thomas who kept the Tigers in the game, it was Big Baby who won it in the end.

Davis stepped up in overtime and hit the biggest shot of the game, a three-pointer of all things, to give LSU some breathing room. It's as if he told the brick-laying guards on his team, "This is how you shoot the rock." The best part about the three was that this guy, the SEC Player of the year, had hit only a handful all year.

When he took the shot in overtime, it wasn't because he was standing there wide-open all day or because the shot clock was running out. He just rolled to the spot, took the pass, and calmly blasted it through the net in rhythm. It must be a nightmare to have to guard this guy. He bangs and bangs down low and then just when you think it's safe to leave him out on the perimeter, the Big Baby makes you soil your diaper.

9) George Mason University, Final Four Team

With all due respect to the Florida Gators, the biggest story of this tournament was George Mason's run to the Final Four. CBS analyst Billy Packer blasted the selection committee for choosing the Patriots to make the field of 64, and it's worth mentioning that he wasn't the only one.

If you thought the MVC teams felt disrespected due to the criticism the conference received for having four teams make the tournament, wait until you get a load of this. The George Mason players felt disrespected for all of the attention being spent on the MVC. They thought that the best mid-major conference was the Colonial Athletic Association. I don't know whether it is or not, but I do know that the best mid-major team, the George Mason Patriots, hailed from that league.

How good was George Mason? Well, they started off by beating Michigan State, a recent national champion and yearly Final Four contender. They then knocked off defending national champion North Carolina. Then, in the battle of the mid-majors, George Mason beat MVC representative Wichita State for the second time in about a month. Finally, George Mason took out the national champion of two years ago, Connecticut, in the type of game that you would expect UConn to somehow pull out. It was an overtime game and the final margin was two. The more experienced and more talented group is usually a good bet to pull that off, but don't tell that to the Masons.

By knocking off the last two national champions, as well as a perennial title contender in Michigan State, Jai Lewis, Will Thomas, and company showed that they not only belonged, but they were elite. They won by comfortable margins and they won by very small margins. All in all, they showed that they didn't get to the Final Four by accident. You don't accidentally beat the calber of teams they did by being lucky. You don't pull off two-point victories in overtime against one of the best teams in the country unless you can dig deep and unless you're one of the best teams in the country.

George Mason did all of this, but what Jim Larranaga's squad did for the long-term outlook of the tournament may end up being groundbreaking. The Patriots, along with the 1986 LSU Tigers, are the lowest-seeded teams to make the Final Four. The difference is that LSU was from a large conference, and a perenially strong conference to boot. This George Mason team is truly a Cinderella story. On many years, they probably would not have even been chosen to go to the dance, despite their impressive record entering the tournament, because of the conference they play in.

In the next few years, we will most likely see what kind of impact this run has had on the college game. With the successes of Bradley, Wichita State, and George Mason, the smaller conferences are showing they can compete with anyone.

In 1998, Gonzaga made an impressive run through the tournament and have been mainstays since that time. Gonzaga's success had a profound impact on the game. Back then, it was unimaginable to have a player from the West Coast Conference receive player of the year attention, as Adam Morrison did this year. Not only that, Gonzaga paved the way for more schools from smaller conferences to get consideration for the field of 64. Due to the fact that they never advanced quite far enough, however, what they were unable to do was secure high seedings for said schools.

Now, thanks to a "Gonzaga-beneficiary" school like George Mason advancing to the final weekend of the college basketball season, every school might have a chance to really be considered on an equal playing field. We can only wait and see.

Please stay tuned for the second part of the Sweet Sixteen.

Posted by Kiarash Banisadre at 7:40 PM | Comments (0)

Does the CBA Mean RIP For NFL Fans?

Okay, maybe the title is over-dramatic, but you are curious, aren't you?

This is old news for NFL fans, but the new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the NFL and the players union was negotiated at the 11th hour after several delays of free agency.

The new agreement saves the salary cap (with a significant boost for this season and presumably for those to follow) and includes yet more revenue sharing between the rich owners and less rich owners.

For some, the agreement means that the NFL will remain king of all professional sports without any possible labor disruptions for another six years.

However, others maintain that the end of the salary cap wouldn't have been a death knell for the NFL and may even have returned the league to its "dynasty era" and given the league back to traditional power teams.

We will never know how the scenario would have played out if the agreement had not been reached and 2006 was the last capped season and the NFL operated under a no salary cap year in 2007. Some doomsayers believe that the owners would have locked out the players after 2007 in search of the re-introduction of the salary cap.

Still others believe that the NFL would have continued with a "de facto" cap since owners wouldn't pay outrageous sums for players and the league would continue without disruption and eventually a deal would get done since both sides realized how good they had it.

Didn't some say that about the NHL?

We don't need to wonder anymore about the NFL without a salary cap, we only need to wonder about the NFL with a salary cap.

While we were watching, the NFL has become a billion-dollar business (more than $5.8 billion in 2004 according to Forbes). Teams are always looking for new revenue streams in order to raise more money and profit.

But the salary cap makes for an even playing field, you say?

No way. The salary cap places limits on spending, but the rules can be worked around with the number of expert "capologists" around the league. While signing bonuses are pro-rated and teams need to fit under the cap each year, there is no real limit on how much bonus money can be paid out.

Here is where the next problem for NFL fans will lie.

Some teams don't have the money to dish out a $30 million dollar signing bonus to the premier athletes. While the cap dictates how much of that bonus will be pro-rated over the life of the player's contract, the guaranteed money needs to come out of someone's pocket.

Guys like Washington Redskin owner Dan Snyder can use the revenue from the stadium he owns to generate the cash to sign big-name players. While we can debate how smartly the money was paid out and how effective the spending was, the fact is the money was paid out and not every team has that ability.

The NFL has been very aggressive and successful in getting new stadiums built for their teams. Nearly two thirds of the teams are playing in relatively new or massively renovated stadiums with all the luxury boxes and high-revenue streams that go with it.

How did that happen? Sometimes with the promise of a Super Bowl, in the cases of the Houston Texans and the Jacksonville Jaguars, and sometimes with the threat of the team moving to greener pastures such as the Houston Oilers and Los Angeles Rams.

Don't underestimate the revenue power of the luxury suites. The Dallas Cowboys generated $21 million from these suites in 2000 and the New England Patriots generated $26 million in 2004.

Renovated Lambeau Field has been turned into a year-long tourist attraction complete with a shopping mall and the capacity for holding weddings. The NFL's smallest market is in the top half of the league in terms of revenue generation.

Throw in fees for seat licenses, naming rights for signage outside the stadium, network TV revenue, merchandise sales, and local cable TV deals and the alternate revenue streams seem like they are almost exhausted.

What does all this have to do with the CBA?

The new agreement calls for more sharing of revenue. However, there is no way the richest teams are going to share a majority of their hard-earned money.

So, that leaves the small-market teams with the same problem. The salary cap limits the payroll, but doesn't limit the size of the signing bonus that can be paid to a marquee player.

While only two teams voted against the CBA, they were both small market teams namely Buffalo and Cincinnati. These teams believed that the amount of money that will be shared, $850 million over the next six years, will not go very far in closing the gap between high revenue and low revenue teams.

And Bills owner Ralph Wilson, for all his 80-odd years, is correct. Using NFL revenue data from 2004 again, the difference between Washington, the highest revenue team and Arizona, the lowest revenue team, was $134 million.

Over six years, assuming the same growth for each team, the total difference in revenue is $804 million. While the idea was not to equalize team revenue, clearly $850 million is not going to solve the challenges for low revenue teams.

The new CBA increases the money available for players, it allows for limited sharing of extra revenue, and so allows richer teams to keep their money. One group of losers in the deal could very well still be the low revenue teams.

With a salary cap of $100 million or more, a number of NFL teams will find that salary cap or not salary cap, their problem is generating more revenue in order to keep up with the higher revenue teams.

Where can this money come from? The NFL has the best TV deals going, the best merchandising going, the best stadiums available. Where does more money come from?

In my view, it will come from you and me. The NFL has yet to completely move into their final frontier and that is complete ownership of the TV deals. Already, the NFL Sunday Ticket is available for NFL fans to pay more than $100 for the season of games. For many, this is a great deal and money well spent. But the NFL must believe (at least I do) that the majority of NFL fans do not subscribe to Sunday Ticket. These fans watch the games on the various networks.

Who gets this money? Cable companies do. Sure, the NFL gets their cut, but others make money on the product also and why should the NFL let anyone get any of their money?

If you need more money to share, it may become time for the decision-makers in the NFL to look seriously at owning all the TV rights and keeping all the money for themselves.

What if all fans had to pay for watching the NFL? What if all the games were only available on a TV channel devoted entirely to the NFL?

Funny we should ask.

There is a channel devoted entirely to the NFL. NFL Network is available widely in North America (and presumably elsewhere).

What if the NFL broadcast their games on NFL Network exclusively? That would mean millions of people subscribing to the service. It would mean all advertising dollars would go to the NFL. There could be millions and millions more for the NFL by taking control of the broadcast of their games.

Don't think so? You think the NFL has been so successful in negotiating TV contracts that they don't need to take full control of the TV broadcast?

Take a look at this season. The TV schedule is changing. ABC and ESPN are leading the change along with NBC coming back into the fold. The NFL is not afraid to change TV networks. They shocked everyone when FOX gained the rights to broadcast NFC games.

The NFL is not afraid to play with the schedule to create more television opportunities. "Sunday Night Football" is a huge success, "Monday Night Football" continues, the season begins on Thursday night now.

And as a final indication of where the game is going to go, check out the schedule for Thanksgiving. Detroit game in the afternoon, Dallas game later in the afternoon and ... a night game on NFL Network in Kansas City.

Fans, you are looking at your future. Once regular season games get broadcast on the NFL's own network, they will like what they see. The league will have complete control over media personality, content, interview questions, advertising, sponsors, half-time shows.

The days of NFL games on cheap network TV are numbered and this will go a long way to solving the league revenue generation problem. Need more revenue to share, charge a fee for every NFL game. Need more money next year, just charge more.

Enjoy the late Thanksgiving game this year if you have NFL Network. If you don't have NFL Network, contact your local cable company — and your local bank.

Posted by Jeff Moore at 7:01 PM | Comments (3)

Wrapping Up the Madness

All in all, I'm pretty happy with this tournament. Plenty of upsets, dramatic games, a Cinderella story in George Mason, and a worthy champ in the Florida Gators helped make this one of the best tournaments in the past 20 years. Last weekend was the strongest one of the tournament, and earlier in the week, I explained why the Gators had to win it all, so after Billy Donovan's boys sealed the deal, I felt pretty good about things. Of course, I never could've predicted this, but they are a great champion for college basketball.

Before we go too much farther, there are 10 key things to take away from the tournament.

1. Florida has scary good talent — This is a Florida team that has the talent of a UConn, but plays team ball on the level of a George Mason. In short, this is a championship team. In the end, it was somewhat amusing to see a team with a stereotypical starting lineup win it all.

They have the scoring point guard who is an excellent playmaker, the spot-up deadly shooter as the two-guard, a prototypical small forward in the decent shooting, uber-athletic Corey Brewer, a hard-nosed power forward who is a capable shot blocker, rebounder, and post player, and then Joakim Noah, a dominant 6-11 shot blocker who also is a very strong post scorer. Florida has two players in Noah and Horford who would be top-15 picks this year, and two players in their starting lineup, Brewer and Taurean Green, who should be first-rounders by the time they leave school.

I've enjoyed watching Florida from the start of the preseason tournaments, and this has been a very special team. Don't sell them short — they are the best team in college basketball.

2. "One Shining Moment" is one of the coolest things in sports — If you haven't seen it, try going to the CBS website or downloading it somewhere, because it's well worth it. Maybe it is just me, but that is the highlight of the tournament. Simply fantastic. Side note here: is there anything better than the unbridled joy a team experiences after winning a championship? How can you not feel good about sports watching a celebration like that?

3. Experience doesn't matter — UCLA, Florida, and LSU are all very young teams. The old adage that you win with good senior leadership in March is dead, as youth can carry you to the title game. This isn't a rare "Carmelo Anthony as a frosh" phenomenon, as there are no Anthonys on any of these Final Four teams.

4. ...Unless you are a mid-major — George Mason was a senior-laden team and that was a big reason they made such a great run. Mid-majors need players who stay four years and gel together to make a serious run. They don't have the talent, but good chemistry and experience is critical for mid-majors to close that gap.

5. There are NBA-caliber players in college basketball, playing NBA-style basketball — I've ragged on UConn a lot during the tournament, and they aren't the only perpetrators of this, but they are the most notable. Too many players on that roster show an inconsistent effort at both ends of the court. It seemed like most Huskies barely cared during the tournament, and that's why I couldn't be happier a team like Florida won it all and two great defensive teams made it to the Final Four.

6. Billy Packer hates America — He apparently picked against every mid-major, hates anyone who doesn't play in a major conference, and loathes George Mason because they were nicknamed the Patriots. That is just a summary of thoughts thrown around by people in the last few weeks. Billy Packer hates the little guy, but he took too much flak this tournament. His schtick is tired and old (although he plays the role "senile college basketball analyst" well), but did anyone have George Mason in the final four? He's always hated mid-majors, and his stance or its ludicrousness doesn't change because a mid-major won.

7. Size Matters, but coaching matters more — The old theory was that guard play was the key to March, but now we've seen that the forward play is crucial to tournament success. Glen Davis and Tyrus Thomas fueled the upsets of Duke and Texas, Noah and Horford paved the way for Florida, and Will Thomas and Jai Lewis played huge roles for George Mason. That being said, coaching is the key to winning in March. When you play so many teams with so little time to prepare, games can be decided by the scouting and game planning done by the coaching staffs. Effective game plans can neutralize even the best of players (see Redick, JJ) and teams (see UConn).

8. The MVC lived up to the hype — I know that George Mason was the talk of the tourney, and rightfully so, but don't forget that the MVC had a decent showing in the tournament. You can't fault a team for failing to pull off an upset, but no one was embarrassed or blown away and Wichita State upset Tennessee to make it to the sweet 16.

9. Refs suck — This seems to be a growing trend in sports, but this was one of the worst officiated tournaments I've ever witnessed. Surprisingly, the refs did an adequate job in the Final Four, but they did not cut it during the rest of the tourney. Too many game-changing errors, blown calls, and no-calls for them to get a pass. Terrible showing for the zebras.

10. It's not okay to cry before the game is over — You can't cry before the game is over, even if you are a half-second away from winning the national championship. It's simply unacceptable and Adam Morrison's sob job with nearly three seconds left in the UCLA game was disgraceful. He's a great competitor, an emotional player, but save the tears until the game is over.

New All-American List

Earlier in the tournament, I revealed my All-American vote, but if I had to do it again, I'd fill out my ballot this way:

First Team

JJ Redick
Adam Morrison
Brandon Roy
Randy Foye
Joakim Noah

Second Team

Rodney Carney
Dee Brown
Jordan Farmar
Craig Smith
Glen Davis

Noah has played like a lottery pick, Davis definitely is third best big man in the country behind Noah and Smith (ahead of Shelden Williams and Tyler Hansbrough), Farmar gets the nod over Chris Lofton of UT, and Roy and Carney are both head and shoulders better than Rudy Gay of Connecticut.

2007 Final Four

With this year's tourney out of the way, it's time to look into the future. What better way to close this year's tournament than with a look at the Final Four teams of next year?

1. Florida — Unless two players go pro, they should be right back here next year. While Noah would be a lottery pick and Horford would go first round, I wouldn't be shocked to see both players come back to school. If they do, look-out, they will be a fun team to watch next year. They only lose backup center Adrian Moss, and the Gators have capable replacements.

2. Ohio State — Another testament to youth, next year we will see the results of the NBA age-limit as Greg Oden and the Thad Five take the Buckeyes to the Final Four. Make no mistake, Oden will be that good and should be an All-American as a freshman. There are few great big men in the college game, so Oden won't have too much competition.

3. North Carolina — Tyler Hansbrough and crew should be the team to beat in the ACC and they have another great recruiting class coming in. Roy Williams has shown he can coach, and barring any injury, they will be representing the ACC in the fold next season.

4. Kansas — I was going to take UCLA, but Farmar is gone in my opinion. I like Villanova with Curtis Sumpter, but KU has too much talent to be denied next year. They will have ridiculous talent, but it will be interesting to see whether or not Bill Self can avoid an early flame-out. Greater Kansas teams in the past have gone down early, but I think this squad pulls it off.

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 and Thursday on Sports Central. You can e-mail Mark at [email protected].

Posted by Mark Chalifoux at 6:53 PM | Comments (2)

April 3, 2006

Baseball's Anti-Race is On

Baseball fans, you are about to go on a long, strange trip.

Think 1998, only the heroic, Bunyanesque figures racing and chasing history have long been torn down. Think 2001, only the questionable figure threatening to enter the hallowed record books, a man who was once beyond reproach, is now beyond accusation.

These are strange times indeed, when a modern athletic great is setting out to break the granddaddy of them all in terms of home run records in what is sure to be a pulsating and compelling chase and yet we the nation will most certainly be inclined to root heavily against him.

Over the past few seasons, and especially this past offseason, Barry Bonds has become the anti-hero (as if he wasn't already for many). Baseball's equivalent to Snidley Whiplash is 48 homers away from The Record. He has admitted to the public that he feels he has but one season left on knees that have been drained of fluid more often than your toilet bowl. Hank Aaron will be watching intently, but he probably will not show up to the ballpark if Barry gets close. Baseball will be watching intently, but what matter of celebration or acknowledgment could possibly take place should Barry break it?

It is the top storyline of the season, a subplot so rich, so perfectly imperfect: Bonds needs 48 home runs to break the all time record, yet he only has one season with which to do it before retiring. Pitchers will almost certainly walk him regularly as they have in years past, milking away the at-bats. (Some self-righteous souls may even take it upon themselves to walk him each time they face him out of protest, who knows?)

The juicemaster himself will be extra motivated to jolt more home runs than he ever tried for before, if just for another opportunity to play the bitter spiteful rebel again to the fans and media. All he really needs is one good swing and another ball is lost in McCovey Cove. The way this is unfolding appears to be very much in the fashion of a heart-stopping mesmerizing race to the final day complete with photo-finish. Can he break it? Will he fall short?

Yet for the love of the game, we can only hope that man with the ominously oversized head never finds his way to the party. You see, we have matured a lot as a baseball public as this saga has unfolded. Eight years ago, we watched with delight, awe, and joy as Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa chased down Roger Maris' mark of 61 home runs.

On that magical night that 62 was attained, we cheered ... and then we teared. The celebration of that McGwire home run seemed to go on forever during that Sept. 8th Cardinals game against Sammy Sosa's Cubs, and it all seemed warranted to us. McGwire would reach the ungodly number of 70, and we felt he was just the man for the job.

Then, five years ago, the Antihero swooped in and did McGwire one (or more specifically, three) better. Bonds' act of 73 in a single season more or less divided a nation and provided dissension among fans of history. Detractors said he was a lousy role model and modern prima-donna unworthy of immortality while many others insisted that whatever you say about him, the constant displays of Bonds' raw, ungodly, freakish talents made it okay for him to steal that record. Comparisons were even made to the ornery-but-brilliant Ted Williams, rest his soul (and his head).

Today, we know better. In the five years since, we have gone from naiveté to suspecting something to all but knowing this man is dirty, and many others with him. With the library of new anti-Bonds books, it is now only a matter of time before the smoking syringe is found to remove all doubt. Does this poser really belong at the top of the list, above Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron? Wouldn't you suspect some foul play if Pamela Anderson signed up to try to win a "best natural breasts" contest? The crisis point we have reached here bears a striking similarity.

Have you ever watched a game and rooted for a historical record not to be broken? Hoping that instead of this athlete on stage triumphing in an apparently glorious moment, the league simply maintains its old standard? Ever rooted for the house to win at a fancy blackjack table in Vegas? Well, if you haven't before, you're probably about to experience something new.

So step right up, baseball fans. Fasten your seat-belts, it's going to be an awkward, tension-filled ride. Just keep your fingers crossed that, for the sake of the game and all its hallowed records, you never see the climactic finish.

Posted by Bill Hazell at 3:14 PM | Comments (2)

The Measure of Success For a Zen-Master

This year, barring a tremendous winning streak, the Los Angeles Lakers will accumulate more losses than the 1995 Chicago Bulls.

Why is this significant?

Because, it will mean that this year's Lakers will have the most losses ever by a Phil Jackson-coached team.

With a career record of 871-35, Mr. Jackson has never had to endure a losing season, or even a season below a .550 winning percentage for that matter. With nine championship rings (six with the Bulls and three with the Lakers), Mr. Jackson has a storied coaching record and legacy unmatched by any of his contemporaries. No one would have blamed him had he not come back to Tinseltown this year to head a team reeling from dysfunctionality, but he rode on down from Montana to take the helm of the Lakers once again in search of ring number 10.

However, this time, no one expected him to take L.A. to the Finals.

Many even doubted his ability to get Kobe Bryant to pass the ball enough for his teammates to earn their paychecks, let alone contribute enough for the Lakers to make a playoff run.

To many people's surprise (but not too much surprise), the Lakers sit in seventh place in the Western Conference playoff standings with a 40-35 record. At their current .533 winning percentage L.A. would be sitting fifth in the Eastern Conference.

Okay, so Phil Jackson is coaching a team that will probably make the playoffs, making it the 15th straight time this has happened. What is the big deal?

In a city obsessed with image, glitter, and gold, is taking the current Laker team to the playoffs a "success" for Phil Jackson? More importantly, does Phil Jackson's definition of success (relative to this team) differ completely from the rest of the world's?

What would be more satisfying for the coach?

Stepping into a dismal situation and turning it around (even a little bit), or stepping into a situation ripe for winning and calmly making sure nothing goes wrong with the already perfect product?

Would it be more rewarding to see the fruits of your labor, even if that meant the team wouldn't make it to the Finals, or would it be more rewarding to jump on the train and ride it all the way to ring number 10?

Kobe Bryant is not Michael Jordan, and Lamar Odom is not Scottie Pippen, and we all know no one can ever be the next Steve Kerr. However, Phil Jackson is working with a reasonable amount of talent in L.A. Yes, there is no Shaq, and a one-on-five game of HORSE starring Kobe is fun to watch every once in awhile, but the fact that Kobe can still win that one-on-five HORSE game means Phil's got some goods to work with.

Every team has its own obstacles to overcome, whether they be emotional, physical, mental, etc., and the 2006 Los Angeles Lakers are no different. And the fact that Phil Jackson has them sitting in playoff contention in the West is a testament to his coaching ability, not a reason to lament their win-loss record.

They will win more, and they will once again be the best team in L.A., and Phil Jackson will once again be regarded as a coaching, Zen-Master genius. And when the NBA championship comes back to L.A., the measure of success for Phil Jackson will be that he took a team in complete turmoil with a single leading man and turned them into a world-famous dance troupe with an all-star cast.

Until then, I think he'll be satisfied just by getting his boys up in time to make it to the dance.

Posted by Vince Grzegorek at 2:30 PM | Comments (1)

April 1, 2006

Indy's Had Unlikely Final Fours Before

With the Final Four in Indianapolis this season, it should come as no surprise that the surviving teams advanced to the Circle City with a twist. Although New Orleans (another frequent Final Four destination) is the city known for Voodoo, it is Indiana's capital city that seems to produce unlikely results.

UCLA, Florida, LSU, and George Mason are as unlikely Final Four as we have ever seen. Indianapolis produced the only other Final Four without a number one seed, as well as the only Final Four to produce two number eight seeds.

The only other Final Four without a number one seed since seeding began in 1979 was also staged in Indianapolis. UCLA was the national runner-up that season. They and Iowa traveled to Indianapolis unranked. The next Final Four with unranked teams wouldn't occur again until the 2000 edition, also in Indianapolis. The millennium Final Four had eight seeds North Carolina and Wisconsin advance.

The history of basketball in Indiana has been over documented. It's Final Fours and the participants who have made unlikely runs to the Final Four, or captured unlikely wins once there.

The 1980 Final Four was the year Louisville and Denny Crum finally got over the hump. The Doctors of Dunk and Dr. Dunkenstein himself, Darrell Griffith, knocked off Iowa and UCLA to earn Crum and the 'Ville's first title. It was especially sweet for Crum, who had apprenticed under John Wooden at UCLA in the '60s. The title was especially strange considering what happened to Cardinals forward Wiley Brown on the Sunday between the semifinals and final. Brown lost his prosthetic thumb at the UL training table. He left it on his tray. After an extensive search, thankfully it was found and Brown was able to play in the championship game.

Griffith scored 57 points in Louisville's two tournament games and was the Cardinals only double-figure scorer in their 59-54 victory over Bruins. Griffith was named the 1980 NCAA tournament Most Outstanding Player. The game foreshadowed the 2000 Final Four in Indianapolis 20 years later. Louisville held UCLA to only 36.5 percent from the floor in bringing home the title.

The second Final Four to visit Indianapolis, in 1991, involved two highly anticipated matchups. The first game matched teacher against pupil, Roy Williams and Kansas versus Dean Smith and North Carolina. Williams' first trip to the Final Four was memorable for its strange ending. Williams' Jayhawks prevailed 79-73 as Smith was ejected after receiving his second technical with 35 seconds remaining.

The nightcap became one of the most memorable games in NCAA tournament history. Christian Laettner free throws with 11 seconds remaining gave Duke a 79-77 victory over UNLV a year after losing to the Runnin' Rebels 103-73 in the championship game. Jerry Tarkanian was seeking to lead UNLV to the nation's first undefeated season since Indiana last accomplished the feat in 1976.

In the title game, and his fifth Final Four, Krzyzewski and Duke captured their first national championship with a 72-65 victory over Kansas.

Six years later, three Goliaths and one David earned trips to the Final Four. Minnesota, Kentucky, and North Carolina arrived in Indy as number one seeds. Arizona crashed the party. The Wildcats defeated a one loss Kansas team in the Sweet 16 on their way to the Southeast regional title. Olson had brought higher ranked teams to the tournament that had fallen early in the tournament.

Arizona fell behind early in the first half against North Carolina before seizing control in the second half behind hot-shooting freshman point guard Mike Bibby on their way to a 66-58 victory.

Kentucky controlled its game with Minnesota, winning 78-69 to advance to its second consecutive national championship game with a chance to become only the second team to repeat as champions in 24 years. The championship game was an epic battle with neither team leasing by more than six points. A last-second three from Anthony Epps of Kentucky forced overtime. Arizona cashed in its first national championship from the free throw line. Their 84-77 victory was led by junior Miles Simon, who finished the title game with 30 points and earned the NCAA's Most Outstanding Player award. Bennett Davison provided the exclamation point by tussling Olson's hair at the conclusion of the game.

Arizona's run was remarkable. The championship included becoming the only team to defeat three number one seeds in the same tournament and ending the tenure of three coaches. South Alabama's Bill Musselman retired after the loss to the Wildcats in the first round. Dean Smith announced his retirement the following October and Rick Pitino left Kentucky to accept the job as Celtics general manager and coach that summer.

Prior to this season, the 2000 Final Four might have been the most unlikely foursome in NCAA tournament history. North Carolina advanced to its second Final Four in three seasons under Bill Guthridge, Dick Bennett led Wisconsin to the Final Four after a long career, and Billy Donovan brought an extremely young Florida team to Indy. Michigan State was the only team expected to be there.

The Wisconsin/Michigan State game produced an ugly, but typical Big 10 slugfest before the Spartans prevailed, 53-41. MSU led only 19-17 at halftime, by far the lowest scoring half in the Final Four during the shot clock era. Florida ended NC's most surprising Final Four run to set up a Spartans/Gators national championship game.

It was too much Flintstones, as Mateen Cleaves, Morris Peterson, and company ended a four-year quest of continual improvement to bring home Michigan State's second national championship. Cleaves was named the Most Outstanding Player, and the Spartans brought home the title by playing Wisconsin's slow-down game in the semifinal and then Florida's run-and-gun in the championship game.

The unusual foursome of George Mason, LSU, Florida, and UCLA makes the 2006 Final Four a memorable one. LSU's tough inside game of Tyrus Thomas and Glen "Big Baby" Davis, UCLA's outstanding sophomore backcourt of Jordan Farmar and Aaron Afflalo, and Florida's remarkable diaper dandies and terrific toddlers are the players that most people will remember when reminiscing about the 2006 Final Four.

George Mason's advancement to the Final Four in Indianapolis could not wax any more poetic. If it wasn't taking place in the land of Hoosiers, only a Hollywood script could put a program like George Mason in the Final Four. The inside-outside balance and tough defense just might make it possible for them to bring home a title against three schools from power conferences. If they dream just a bit more, they might be the biggest Cinderella team to win since Villanova in 1985 or North Carolina State in 1983. Only time will tell if Jim Larranaga can dance like the late Jim Valvano.

Posted by Alan Rubenstein at 8:38 PM | Comments (0)

Dirty Little Secrets of the NCAA

There's a great video that's been in rotation on MTV for quite some time by The All-American Rejects called "Dirty Little Secret." The gimmick in the video involves people holding up note cards that reveal those nasty, embarrassing, surreptitious facts about ourselves — most of them scatological.

Like, for example, "I like the smell of my own poop." Now, I'll never admit to liking the smell of my own poop — we all know it depends on what you've eaten; for example, taco night vs. lemon chicken night — but if I were to reveal such a thing, it would certainly qualify as a dirty little secret. And also a bit stinky.

I won't admit to that, but I hope that we can all begin to face those hidden truths about the NCAA postseason, such as:

"George Mason Still Doesn't Belong in the Tournament"

Jim Nantz and Billy Packer have publicly offered their mea culpas to the George Mason University Patriots, after they decried their joining the tournament on Selection Sunday and now that the team has made the Final Four.

Wussies, the both of them.

Stick to your guns, boys. Based on the criteria of the selection committee and the teams they were vying against for a seed, the Patriots should be celebrating an NIT victory this weekend.

Hofstra deserved the selection. It won 12 of its last 14 games and made the Colonial Athletic Association finals. It defeated George Mason twice in 10 days, and defeated the Patriots when they were ranked in the Top 25. Hofstra's RPI was 30th; Mason's was 26th — not exactly a Grand Canyon-esque gap.

I believe George Mason was selected for two reasons: games against ranked opponents — negated, in my mind, by the head-to-head losses to Hofstra — and coach Jim Larranaga. I think the selection committee cut a good guy a break, and by "good guy" I mean a guy who has put in his time (20 years) and has done it with two mid-major programs (Bowling Green and George Mason). He's not a glory-hound prick like John Calipari — he's the guy you root for, and the guy you want to hand out a favor to.

Now, at this point in the column, I'm pretty sure some of you are screaming that Mason has proven the Nantzes and Packers and Wyshynskis wrong because the Patriots are in the Final Four. That's just an asinine response. That's like saying Iowa, a No. 3 seed in the tournament, should have been in the NIT because they had the misfortune of losing in the first round. There's no correlation between selection and post-selection performance — based on the criteria, GMU still doesn't deserve to be here.

That said, I'm pulling for them, even if they've turned my bracket into Humpty Dumpty. George Mason is the most inspiring, entertaining and entrancing sports story of the year, and perhaps since the Red Sox World Series victory. I've worked with Mason faculty and athletes professionally, I've covered their campus, and I'm in their community. You can't help but fall for this scrappy school and its cardiac-kids team. And I'm saying that as a disgruntled Maryland alum.

Of course, I'm also a big fan of actor Ed Harris, and would love to see him get some work in "The Jim Larranaga Story" in a few years.

"'Big Baby' is a Truly Awful Nickname"

Seriously, if he's stuck with "Big Baby" or "Baby Shaq," Glen Davis needs to flip the script on this nickname pronto. Even if he graduates to "Big Boy," he's competing with Big Boi from OutKast. I shudder to think how the NBA will market Big Baby — officially licensed bibs and pacifiers, maybe? This may be the most unfortunate nickname in sports history. At least "The Big Unit" probably got some dates out of it.

"Don't Feel Guilty For Ignoring the Women's Tournament"

There's a word for most of the coverage the women's tournament has garnered here in the Mason-obsessed D.C. area: "charity." Nearly every report on the Final Four Maryland Lady Terps has included the phrase "and there's another local team headed to the Final Four, too," and then a shot of them getting on a bus. They must have boarded the same bus 2,000 times for different local media.

Look, nobody cares about the women's tournament, and I'm saying that as a writer who has supported and shown the spotlight on Title IX issues for the last six years. I'm an advocate of women's sports, but I'm more of an advocate of giving people who follow the news what they want.

There is no reason for the Maryland women to be mentioned in the same breath as George Mason University when it comes to tournament coverage. It's like trying to give equal time to the AAA minor league team if it was playing in a championship series the same time as the big league club was in the World Series. When it comes to basketball, the women's game is the Staten Island Yankees, and the NCAA men's tournament is the Bronx Bombers.

So why are the women given such attention? Guilt. The media feels it needs to lend a hand to the women's game because it covers the men's game with such fervor. It doesn't want to face the slings and arrows from women's sports boosters claming sexism when in reality it's about demand — check the ratings, attendance figures and overall imprint of women's college basketball, and you'll find that the X-Games probably warrant more attention.

Again, don't misunderstand: this isn't a slap in the face of the women's game as a sport, or female basketball players as athletes, or the validity of women's athletics as a whole. I'm just saying that ESPN probably isn't putting Kara Lawson on the screen to break down the women's Final Four if it didn't own the broadcast rights to NCAA women's games. It has a funny way of protecting investments, you know? What a coincidence that the head of its parent company will be investigating the steroid history of its newest reality star on behalf of Major League Baseball...

"Life Can Still Be a Bitch For a McDonald's All-American"

Scottie Reynolds is a local high-school basketball player here in Northern Virginia. He's also a blue-chip recruit, signing with the University of Oklahoma.

Or at least he was headed there. When Kelvin Sampson decided to bolt for Indiana University this week, Reynolds found himself in a quandary: sooner, or later?

You can't help but feel for the kid. He was recruited by a plethora of high-profile Div. I programs, and decided to go with a coach he respected. Now, that coach is gone, and Reynolds will have to attend Oklahoma or ask the school to release him. It may choose to do so with conditions attached ... like, for example, "don't play for Kelvin [Sampson]." An entire high-school career of basketball, building a resume that could earn him a spot in the NBA one day, and now his future is in flux.

But it brings us back to what isn't a dirty little secret about college basketball: it's all business, baby...

Posted by Greg Wyshynski at 7:54 PM | Comments (3)

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