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July 31, 2014

NASCAR Top 10 Power Rankings: Week 20

Note: the quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Jeff Gordon — Gordon blew past Kasey Kahne on the final restart with 17 laps to go and cruised to his record fifth Brickyard 400 win. It was his second win of the season and strengthened his lead in the Sprint Cup points standings.

"Five times!" Gordon said. "That's amazing! I'm not just a brick kisser; I'm a brick layer.

"I'd won four of the first 11 Brickyards. The last came in 2004. My last Sprint Cup title came in 2001. I was starting to worry that I'd be stuck on '4' forever. I couldn't help but think, 'If the third time is the charm, the fourth must be the limit.'"

2. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. — Earnhardt came home ninth at Indianapolis as all four Hendrick Motorsports drivers finished in the top 14. Earnhardt is second in the Sprint Cup points standings, 24 behind Jeff Gordon.

"Hendrick dominance was on full display," Earnhardt said. "Gordon 'kissed the bricks' with his restart; Kasey Kahne 'laid a brick' with his."

3. Brad Keselowski — Keselowski posted a 12th at Indianapolis, a disappointing run considering his qualifying effort of third. He holds the third spot in the Sprint Cup points standings, 51 behind Jeff Gordon.

"I'm third is the Sprint Cup points standings with 666," Keselowski said. "I'm told that's the 'number of the beast.' But rest assured, Christians, my cars don't have horns."

4. Jimmie Johnson — Johnson finished 14th at Indianapolis as Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon captured the win. Johnson is fifth in the points standings, 89 behind Gordon.

"The mayor of Indianapolis declared July 27th 'Jeff Gordon Day,'" Johnson said. "That's an impressive accomplishment, but I can top it. I can't say I've had any days named after me, but I have had seasons named after me: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2013."

5. Matt Kenseth — Kenseth finished third in the Brickyard 400 on a strong day for Joe Gibbs Racing, as Joe Gibbs Racing drivers came home 2-3-4.

"It was an awesome day for JGR," Kenseth said. "And I say, 'Why mess up a good thing?' Do we really need Carl Edwards? The last thing this 'stable' needs is a jackass.

"Carl is being replaced at Roush-Fenway by Trevor Bayne. I guess Jack Roush finally got that elusive Daytona 500 win."

6. Kyle Busch — Busch finished second at Indianapolis, his second straight runner-up finish. Joe Gibbs Racing cars all placed in the top five, with Denny Hamlin taking third and Matt Kenseth fourth.

"Good things come in two's," Busch said. "At least, that's what 'they' say; 'they' being everyone except the parents of Kurt and I.

"I wasn't on the JGR airplane that collided at the Concord, North Carolina airport. I guess runways can be like race teams: overcrowded."

7. Carl Edwards — Edwards finished 15th in the Brickyard 400 on a day dominated by Jeff Gordon. Edwards is eighth in the points standings, 114 out of first.

"Roush-Fenway Racing finally confirmed that I'm leaving the organization," Edwards said. "Gordon may be kissing them, but I'm hitting the bricks.

"The magnitude of my departure finally hit me on my last pit stop. As I was leaving the pits, I thought to myself, 'Leaving is the pits.'"

8. Joey Logano — Logano finished fifth at Indianapolis to lead the way for Penske Racing. He is ninth in the points standings, 126 behind Jeff Gordon.

"Roger Penske is winless in the Brickyard 400," Logano said. "He even brought Juan Montoya here to try for the win. It was a one shot deal, but we're going to send Montoya on his way in style, with a few drinks. In honor of Montoya's one-shot deal, we're going to celebrate with a two-shot deal: one for us, and 'Juan for the road.'"

9. Ryan Newman — Newman finished 11th at Indianapolis and remained seventh in the Sprint Cup points standings.

"I'm Richard Childress Racing's best hope for a spot in the Chase," Newman said. "Talk about a no-win situation."

10. Kevin Harvick — Harvick won the pole at Indianapolis and led 12 early laps on his way to an 8th-place finish.

"Did you hear?" Harvick said. "Joe Gibbs Racing and Stewart-Haas Racing planes collided on the runway at Concord Regional Airport. It looks like the *&#$ has hit the propeller. Apparently, JGR's plane hit the SHR plane, which was parked. In other news, Carl Edwards may not be coming to JGR."

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 12:32 PM | Comments (0)

July 30, 2014

NHL Teams Facing an Identity Crisis

Nearly every championship team has an identity. Sometimes it's the way that the team plays. Sometimes it's the pace set by the star player. Sometimes it's the chemistry in the locker room. And sometimes it's a little bit of all of those things.

But what happens when that identity goes away? In its place comes limbo, and when a team is in limbo — regardless of sport — chances are, you're not going to find success. On the other hand, the ability to scratch, claw, and fight out of limbo can often be a means of establishing a new identity.

In this year's NHL offseason, three teams are facing major crossroads. Two teams are perennial underachievers while another is taking a bold step forward in what could be considered the world's most traditional — and impatient market. Will these shifts create results? We'll have to wait until April 2015 to make that call.

Washington Capitals — New GM, new coach, new defense. What isn’t new about the Washington Capitals? That Alex Ovechkin guy is still there, along with some of his usual supporting cast. Since the firing of Bruce Boudreau, the Caps have lacked a true identity. They’ve played dress-up in a few different incarnations, but there was no true persona with a team that should be brimming with it. Does the arrival of Barry Trotz mean that this will be similar to the Dale Hunter version of the Caps? Not necessarily, since Trotz himself has said that he’s basically coached with the hand that he’d been dealt in Nashville. Trotz is a smart guy and he knows he’s got weapons in his arsenal. The question is whether or not a guy like Ovechkin can be a good soldier while still showcasing his fiery personality.

San Jose Sharks — The Sharks are a team in chaos, both changing gears and mired in mud at the same time. Veterans are gone, but not the most pivotal ones. The defense is revamped, but not drastically. The focus is on the young players but the team’s traditional leaders are still there. Many have argued that jettisoning talent like Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau simply for the sake of change is stupid, and on paper, they’re right. However, it looks like this is a gigantic chemistry experiment. Will Thornton and Marleau follow new leadership and a culture change? If they fall in line, they’ve still got a chance to win the Pacific Division. If there is tension between those two and the younger players (Logan Couture, Tommy Wingels, etc.), things could implode quickly in the Bay Area.

Toronto Maple Leafs — Moneyball was such a big story in Major League Baseball that they made a Brad Pitt movie out of it. If the Leafs prove to be as successful in the next years, then maybe a major Hollywood star will play Kyle Dubas. While there's no seismic roster shift in Toronto, bringing in a "fancy stats" guy like Dubas into a traditional front office is a significant move. But part of the problem in Toronto is that things never go full-tilt: there's never quite a full rebuild or extreme overhaul; instead, the team seems to constantly take a few steps forward before trotting back. While many NHL teams are already employing analytics people, perhaps the fanfare behind Dubas was more than a show for the media — perhaps the team wanted to show that they truly were looking to change the culture of a team that's known for short-sighted mistake after short-sighted mistake.

Posted by Mike Chen at 1:53 PM | Comments (0)

July 29, 2014

Roland Garros vs. Wimbledon Fans (Pt. 2)

In the first part, interviews with the fans in Paris mainly underlined their sentimental attachment to the nostalgia surrounding Roland Garros and the importance they place on their own countrymen and women competing in the tournament. This second installment will put into perspective how the English approach Wimbledon.

In contrast to Roland Garros fans, Wimbledon fans are less emotional and more serious, and their attachments to tradition and to the sport outweigh all others. Watching great tennis supersedes the outcome of the matches. For example, Mark and Claire, a tennis-loving couple traveling from Yorkshire to London every summer for three decades to watch some Wimbledon, have a rather rational disposition when it comes to their expectations of Wimbledon. I found these two lovely characters at the Champagne Bar at Wimbledon, celebrating their arrival to the grounds with a rather large champagne bottle and anticipating a full day of tennis.

When I asked the same question to them that I asked the Roland Garros fans — if they had the power to change one thing with regards to their Slam tournament with the snap of a finger, what would it be? — Mark quickly brought up the presence of a number of fans, who come to Wimbledon not because they understand tennis or love the game, but simply to make an appearance and "be trendy."

Mark did remain a gentleman about it — "not really a major complaint," he added — nevertheless suggesting a rather abrupt solution: "The LTA should probably prioritize members of tennis clubs and players who really support the sport and not just make it a complete free for all for those that just want to be seen! A bit harsh maybe, but sadly true." Both Mark and Claire mentioned the high prices on the grounds, but seemed to accept it as a fact of Wimbledon: "Be prepared to be parted from your dearly beloved cash, very swiftly" Mark added while Claire pointed to the bottle on their table and said tongue-in-cheek: "I'm not sure there is anything I would change other than maybe the price of the champagne."

When it came to tradition, Mark started out mild-mannered at first, and then finished fairly firm: "I personally think that if the changes are better for the sport and improve the general game then we should be open-minded. Having said this and from the stand point of what is a traditional British competition, we should not be in a hurry to lose its heritage and appeal. I love the etiquette that remains staunch and changing (for example) the "all white" would be a travesty. Embrace the modern game but don't forget the tradition!" Claire's disposition could not be any clearer, either: "I think we should stick with tradition as much as possible. The British are so good at it. I would hate the all-white rule to be lifted. The smartest person I have ever seen on court was when Roger Federer walked out in traditional whites a few years ago. How lovely!"

Perhaps the most striking contrast with the French fans at Roland Garros appeared when I asked Mark and Claire how they approached their countrymen and women and if it mattered to their routine of watching tennis at Wimbledon. Unlike their neighbors from France, if forced to decide between a potentially high-quality tennis match vs. a match involving their compatriot, they would choose to watch the match that promises the best tennis, even if it did not involve a British player — and not simply go to the court to cheer their compatriot: "I think it important to remember that this competition is not a national championship," Mark added, "these players are there for themselves first and foremost and so it's not like supporting a team at the Olympic Games. Everyone has their own favorite and it nice to have your own opinion rather than just following your own nation's players." Claire's reply was less analytical, but just as clear: "Always for the love of tennis!"

Danielle, a nurse in a London hospital and fresh out of university, had the same type of reactions to my questions as Mark and Claire did above. One notable difference in her responses was the emphasis on weather. Her Wimbledon program essentially gravitated around the weather conditions. She insisted that she never bought tickets in advance, and thanked Wimbledon for keeping the tradition of selling tickets as late as the day of competition, understanding that there was no guarantee that she could get them.

Danielle said that she has been coming to the grounds since she was 12-years-old and praised Wimbledon for thinking of its "faithful fans." As far as she is concerned, the weather was too "upsy-downy" to make plans in advance. She preferred waiting until the morning of the day in question, watch closely the weather forecast, and then make the decision to purchase tickets or not. She accepted that she may get left out in the race to buy the tickets online once they go on sale, but added quickly that she has "become an expert on the particular art." Apparently, she has succeeded to buy tickets on the same day for the last six years in a row, and even got to see the 2012 men's semifinals through that procedure.

This article would not be complete without mentioning Maurice, a wonderful man and the most authentic Wimbledon follower that I have ever seen. He was on the grounds with his lovely granddaughter Sylvia to enjoy a full day of early-round matches. He was sporting a classy looking summer suit and carrying around an extremely vintage racket that, according to him, belonged to William Renshaw, the seven-time Wimbledon champion in the 1880s. I happened to sit next to Maurice and Sylvia by chance on court 12.

Maurice's outfit and the racket piqued my interest for obvious reasons, but it was rather his knowledge of the game and its history through his comments while watching the men's singles first-round match on the court that drove me to talk to him further. He was a true gentleman, engaging me in small dialogues here and there about the history of Wimbledon. He had excellent comments about both players on the court and their tactics (it was the Marcos Baghdatis vs. Dustin Brown match) and it was truly remarkable to listen to him compare the players and their strokes to those from years or decades back.

By the time he gave me his card and informed me that he was a tennis writer and a coach for many years, I felt more than lucky to have spent a whole match sitting next to him and listened to countless past anecdotes, the kind you don't necessarily find in historical data sheets. If Wimbledon valued tradition, Maurice represented it by his mere disposition.

In conclusion, it would be unfair to set the parameters of the comparison between the French Open and Wimbledon on reductive dichotomies such as "emotional vs. rational," "nostalgia vs. tradition," or "complainer vs. solution-seeker." That being said, distinctions in the ways that fans approach both tournaments foreground certain inclinations: the fans of one Slam tournament do not resemble the fans of another, and by extension, there is hardly anything similar about two Slams other than the fact that they are two of the four majors in the ATP calendar, thus shell out the largest money prizes in the professional tennis circuit. Just as the surfaces differ from Paris to London, the expectations of the fans also vary largely from those of Roland Garros to those of Wimbledon.

Posted by Mert Ertunga at 12:10 PM | Comments (0)

July 28, 2014

Nibali, Young Riders Steal the Show at Tour de France

Italian Vincenzo Nibali dominated the field to win this year's Tour de France, a race that seemed wide open following the disappearance of numerous top contenders. No previous winners completed this year's Tour, nor did the top finishers from last year's race. Defending champion Chris Froome abandoned following a series of crashes and a fractured wrist. Nairo Quintana opted not to ride in this year's Tour, instead focusing on the Tours of Italy and Spain. Joaquim Rodriguez focused on the King of the Mountains competition. Alberto Contador crashed out in Stage 10, and his teammate Roman Kreuziger was suspended before the race. 2010 champion Andy Schleck, decorated sprinter Mark Cavendish, and Criterium du Dauphine winner Andrew Talansky also withdrew from the Tour with injuries.

Into the void stepped Nibali, a two-time Grand Tour champion, and a number of young riders. Frenchmen Romain Bardet and Thibaut Pinot, 23 and 24 respectively, battled all three weeks for not only the white jersey of Best Young Rider, but also for a podium in Paris. 24-year-olds Peter Sagan and Rafal Majka won the Points Classification and King of the Mountains respectively, while 25-year-old American Tejay van Garderen made a serious push for the General Classification.

Stages 1-5

The 101st Tour de France began in England, with Kate Middleton cutting the ceremonial tape to begin the race. No one was surprised to see 2013 Tour sensation Marcel Kittel win the stage, but British sprinter Mark Cavendish crashed in the final meters of a stage ending in his mother's hometown. Cavendish tearfully withdrew from the Tour with a separated right shoulder. Nine categorized climbs, including the short but brutally steep Jenkin Road Hill, turned Stage 2 into a General Classification battle, won by Vincenzo Nibali with a perfectly timed breakaway at the end of the stage. Kittel won sprint finishes in Stages 3 and 4, but bad weather on the fourth day in particular set riders on edge and contributed to several crashes, including a serious one involving Team Sky's Christopher Froome.

Many teams and riders circled Stage 5 before the race even began. The Tour de France seldom features cobblestone stages, but this one included nine sections from the Hell of the North, the Paris-Roubaix one-day classic. Another rainy day forced organizers to remove two sections of cobbles for safety reasons, but over a dozen crashes occurred prior to the first cobbled section, including the one that led to Froome's departure from the race. Nibali was fearless on the cobblestones, and although Lars Boom won the grueling stage in impressive fashion, it was Nibali's time gains over his rivals for the yellow jersey that defined the day. Between Froome's withdrawal and Alberto Contador's time loss on the cobbles, Nibali entered Stage 6 as the new favorite to win the Tour de France. Among expected GC contenders, only Michal Kwiatkowski (+:50), Jurgen Van Den Broeck (+1:45), and Richie Porte (+1:54) were within two minutes of Nibali.

Stages 6-10

Stage 6 featured two Category-4 climbs and a flat finish, won by German sprinter Andre Greipel, but two climbs near the end of Stage 7 wiped out most of the top sprinters. Peter Sagan and Greg van Avermaet attacked too early and returned to the pack; Matteo Trentin rode away to win the stage, edging Sagan in a photo finish. France picked up its first 2014 stage win when Blel Kadri got in the Stage 8 breakaway and held on to win the day, also capturing the King of the Mountains jersey.

The breakaway survived in Stage 9, as well, with time trial specialist Tony Martin controlling a two-man attack and leading the stage from beginning to end. Even with Cavendish out of the Tour, Trentin and Martin gave Omega Pharma-Quick Step two stage wins before the first rest day. Frenchman Tony Gallopin finished in a large chase group behind Martin and passed Nibali for the GC lead, wearing the yellow jersey on Bastille Day.

Martin won a second consecutive combativity award in Stage 10, pacing the front group on a stage featuring seven categorized climbs, including four Cat-1s. U.S. television analyst and former Tour rider Christian Van de Velde called it the toughest day of this year's race. Joaquim Rodriguez, who lost over an hour in the first week, asserted himself in the Mountains competition and out-dueled Thomas Voeckler to capture the polka dot jersey. The GC contenders caught Rodriguez around the last kilometer, and Nibali rode away from his rivals on La Planche des Belle Filles, recapturing the yellow jersey and setting himself 2:23 ahead of second-place Richie Porte. Pre-race favorite Alberto Contador crashed during Stage 10, and although he remounted and gained time on the peloton, he soon withdrew from the Tour with a fractured tibia.

Stages 11-15

Gallopin won Stage 11, but the biggest news of the day concerned Critérium du Dauphiné winner Andrew Talansky, who overcame his first-week injuries to finish the stage, but did not start Stage 12. Minus Froome, Contador, and Talansky, the Tour had now lost arguably its three biggest pre-race favorites. Norwegian sprinter Alexander Kristoff got his first career TDF stage win in Saint-Étienne. Four categorized climbs knocked out Marcel Kittel, and a crash derailed Andre Greipel, setting up Kristoff to out-sprint Peter Sagan and win Stage 12.

The following day saw the Tour enter the Alps, and the GC contenders began to separate themselves. With the peloton already down to a couple dozen riders, a late breakaway of Leopold Konig and Rafal Majka (whom announcers annoying called Maj-ka, pronouncing the J) got away from the GC riders, only to be caught by Nibali, who asserted his dominance over the field and rode away from his rivals, gaining about a minute on the other GC contenders. Second-place Richie Porte cracked in the mountains and lost over eight minutes, falling out of the top 10 and leaving Movistar's Alejandro Valverde in second, 3:37 behind Nibali. Nibali's teammate Jakob Fuglsang also lost massive time, after he crashed on a bottle dropped by Jurgen Van den Broeck.

In Stage 14, a 17-man breakaway featured powerful riders like Alessandro De Marchi, Mikel Nieve, and Jose Serpa, plus Rodriguez and Majka. This time Phil Harris pronounced Majka's name correctly, which was fortunate since he outlasted De Marchi to win the stage. Nibali and Jean-Christophe Peraud crossed second and third, followed by the other GC contenders. Wind and rain threatened to crack the peloton in Stage 15, but the sprinters caught a two-man breakaway in the final 100 meters and Kristoff won his second stage.

Entering the second rest day, Nibali led second-place Alejandro Valverde by 4:35. A pair of French rivals, Romain Bardet (+4:50) and Thibaut Pinot (5:06), battled for the final podium position and the white jersey of Best Young Rider, with American Tejay van Garderen (+5:49) rounding out the top five and Peraud in sixth (+6:08).

Stages 16-18

The Tour de France entered the Pyrenees on a day featuring the beyond-category Port de Balès. A 21-man breakaway thinned out to Michael Rogers, Jose Serpa, and a pair of Europcar riders, Cyril Gautier and Thomas Voeckler. Rogers attacked on the final descent and rode to victory, but the bigger story came in the GC battle behind, where Bardet lost nearly two minutes and van Garderen lost almost four.

Stage 17, the Queen Stage of this year's Tour, was the shortest day of the race, just 124.5 km, but it featured three Cat-1 climbs and an HC finish, all in the final 50 km. Team Katusha led the peloton and pushed hard to reach the early breakaway, with an eye to Rodriguez's pursuit of the King of the Mountains title. He and several other riders bridged to the breakaway just before the first climb, and Rodriguez did in fact summit the Col du Portillon first, reclaiming the Climbs lead from Majka, who had gone ahead by a single point. Rodriguez also beat Majka over the second climb, but he faded while the Pole rode on to a stage victory and the polka dot jersey. Nibali rode away from the GC group, matched only by Jean-Christophe Peraud, who moved up to fourth place, only 8 seconds behind Pinot.

The final day in the mountains included two Category-3 climbs, plus the beyond-category Col du Tourmalet and an HC finish on the Montée du Hautacam. Majka nearly succeeded on another breakaway and did cement his King of the Mountains lead, but it was Nibali who won his fourth stage of this year's Tour, dropping all his rivals on the final ascent. Pinot, Peraud, and van Garderen all finished about a minute behind the yellow jersey, while Bardet and Valverde both lost nearly two minutes. The Tour left the mountains with Nibali holding a commanding lead of 7:10 over Pinot, followed by Peraud (7:23) and Valverde (7:25).

Stages 19-21

Sprint stages of a Grand Tour are often dull until the final few kilometers, but this year's TDF was an exception, with dangerous breakaways and spirited chases pushing the pace beyond what viewers normally expect on flat stages. In a rain-soaked Stage 19, Garmin-Sharp's Tom-Jelte Slagter rode away from a five-man breakaway, and the team continued to attack, apparently attempting to pair a rider with Slagter, until Ramunas Navardauskas left the peloton and passed his teammate with 13 km to go. He built a lead that stayed around :20 and held it to win the stage, beating the sprinters by :07. A crash with just under 3 km remaining derailed Greipel and toppled Sagan, as well as top-10 GC hopefuls Romain Bardet and Frank Schleck.

Tony Martin absolutely dominated the time trial on Stage 20. Martin's 1:39 advantage over second-place Tom Dumoulin was greater than the difference between 2nd and 14th. Nibali placed fourth, but the real movement came from fifth-place Leopold Konig, sixth-place van Garderen, and seventh-place Peraud. Konig began the stage in 9th place, but passed Belkin's Bauke Mollema and Laurens ten Dam to move into 7th. A flat tire delayed Bardet, and van Garderen passed him for 5th overall by only two seconds. Bardet's teammate Peraud overcame his own flat tire to surpass Pinot for 2nd place in the General Classification.

Peraud crashed in Paris the next day, but the peloton allowed him to catch up, and all the major sprinters contested the finish at the Champs-Élysées. A dramatic final sprint from Kittel edged him ahead of Kristoff for the stage win.

General Classification

1. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA), Astana, 89:59:06
2. Jean-Christophe Péraud (FRA), Ag2r-La Mondiale, 90:06:43 (+ 7:37)
3. Thibaut Pinot (FRA), FDJ.fr, 90:07:21 (+ 8:15)
4. Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (ESP), Movistar Team, 90:08:46 (+ 9:40)
5. Tejay van Garderen (USA), BMC Racing Team, 90:10:30 (+ 11:24)
6. Romain Bardet (FRA), Ag2r-La Mondiale, 90:10:32 (+ 11:26)
7. Leopold König (CZE), Team NetApp-Endura, 90:13:38 (+ 14:32)
8. Haimar Zubeldia Agirre (ESP), Trek Factory Racing, 90:17:03 (+ 17:57)
9. Laurens ten Dam (NED), Belkin Pro Cycling, 90:17:18 (+ 18:12)
10. Bauke Mollema (NED), Belkin Pro Cycling, 90:20:21 (+ 21:15)

One of the biggest stories from this year's Tour de France was the withdrawal of many pre-race favorites, including defending champion Chris Froome, two-time champ Alberto Contador, and Criterium du Dauphine winner Andrew Talansky. Altogether, eight of the 22 teams lost their leaders, with Rui Costa, Daniel Navarro, Mathias Frank, Simon Gerrans, and Mark Cavendish (who is a sprinter, not a GC contender) joining the list of the injured. Other potential contenders, like Nairo Quintana and Bradley Wiggins, didn't ride this year's Tour. Valverde and Mollema were the only riders to make the top 10 in both 2013 and 2014.

But Vincenzo Nibali proved himself a worthy champion. He was the favorite to win as soon as Froome withdrew, based on his riding the first five days and his previous success in all three Grand Tours, including victories in the 2010 Vuelta a España and 2013 Giro d'Italia, plus a podium in the 2012 Tour de France. Nibali's nickname, Lo Squalo, is the coolest in all of cycling, and the Shark of Messina lived up to his moniker with a dominant Tour, including four stage wins and the largest margin of victory since 1997. Even with Froome and Contador healthy, it's tough to imagine anyone beating Nibali the way he rode for the last three weeks. Unlike Froome last year, Nibali didn't lose time to his GC rivals in a single stage of the Tour.

Points Classification

1. Peter Sagan (SVK), Cannondale, 431 pts
2. Alexander Kristoff (NOR), Team Katusha, 282
3. Bryan Coquard (FRA), Team Europcar, 271

We often call the green jersey the sprinters' jersey, but two of the top three in this year's competition failed to win a stage. For the second Tour in a row, Marcel Kittel won four stages but finished in fourth place with exactly 222 points. Kittel had trouble making it over even the smaller climbs, and he rarely competed for the intermediate sprint points. Sagan, who won the green jersey, is not really a top sprinter, but he contested everything.

The absence from the top three of Mark Cavendish, André Greipel, and Kittel is as much a surprise, compared to pre-race expectations, as the absences of Froome, Contador, and Valverde from the podium for the yellow jersey.

Mountains Classification

1. Rafał Majka (POL), Team Tinkoff-Saxo, 181 pts
2. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA), Astana, 168
3. Joaquim Rodríguez (ESP), Team Katusha, 112

Double points on finishing climbs make this perhaps the most difficult classification to clinch. Breakaways seldom make it to the final ascent, and GC riders rarely score on the early climbs of a stage. Rodríguez is a dominant climber, and when he chose to contest the polka dot jersey, most fans and most of the other riders probably assumed he would win it. But Rodríguez, nursing an injury from this year's Giro d'Italia, faded before the finishing climbs and didn't ride well in the Pyrenees, while Majka saved his strength for the most important moments. A healthy Purito probably would have won King of the Mountains, but he misjudged his strength this year.

Young Riders

1. Thibaut Pinot (FRA), FDJ.fr, 90:07:21
2. Romain Bardet (FRA), Ag2r-La Mondiale, 90:10:32 (+ 3:11)
3. Michał Kwiatkowski (POL), Omega Pharma-Quick Step, 91:21:01 (+ 1:13:40)

There are some really exciting young riders in this sport. Pinot finished on the podium, Bardet placed sixth in the GC, and Kwiatkowski ranked third in the white jersey competition for the second year in a row. Sixth-place Rafał Majka won King of the Mountains and has two top-10 finishes in the Giro d'Italia, marking him as a future Grand Tour contender. Meanwhile, 10th-place Peter Sagan won his third consecutive green jersey. Perhaps the most promising young rider of all, Movistar's Nairo Quintana, didn't ride the TDF this year as he focused on the Giro and the Vuelta a España.

Team Classification

1. Ag2r-La Mondiale, 270:27:02
2. Belkin Pro Cycling, 271:01:48 (+ 34:46)
3. Movistar Team, 271:33:12 (+ 1:06:10)

A much less dramatic competition than last year, with Ag2r turning in a dominant Tour. They had two top-10 GC riders, 21st-place Ben Gastauer, and the successful breakaways of Blel Kadri. Belkin was a clear second, with three members in the top 15 of the General Classification. The Swiss BMC Racing Team missed third place by under two minutes.

Most Successful Teams at the 2014 Tour de France

Subjectively, I've divided the 22 teams at the 100th edition of the Tour into three groups: Very Successful, Moderately Successful, and Not Successful. The top, "very successful" teams combined to win all four leader jerseys and 17 of the 21 stages. Everyone in the last group failed to meet their pre-race goals.

Very Successful

1. Astana Pro Team — Vincenzo Nibali was even more dominant than Chris Froome in 2013. Nibali won four stages, wore the yellow jersey for all but two days, and finished almost eight minutes ahead of his closest competitor, the largest margin since 1997. He might have been even more dominant with the help of Jakob Fuglsang, who was severely limited for the second half of the race following his crash in the Alps.

2. Ag2r La Mondiale — Won the Team Classification and put 37-year-old Jean-Christophe Peraud on the podium in second place. Romain Bardet ranked 6th overall and 2nd among young riders. Blel Kadri won Stage 8, and both Bardet and Kadri wore leaders jerseys (youth and climbs, respectively). Bardet and Kadri also combined to win three combativity awards, the most of any team. Phenomenal Tour for one of the smaller teams.

3. Team Tinkoff-Saxo — Overcame the loss of Alberto Contador and basically their entire strategy for the Tour. Rafal Majka won two stages and the King of the Mountains competition, while Mick Rogers won Stage 16 and Nicolas Roche was named Most Aggressive Rider of Stage 11.

4. FDJ.fr — For the second straight year, Arnold Jeannesson placed 30th in the GC. But this year, Jeannesson was working for teammate Thibaut Pinot, who ranked 3rd overall and won the white jersey. Pinot rode superbly and teammates like Jeannesson looked strong in the mountains.

5. Giant-Shimano — For the second year in a row, Marcel Kittel won four stages, including the first and last days of the Tour, with a day in the maillot jaune and a victory on the Champs-Élysées. Last year's Tour exceeded expectations in a way that this year's did not, but this was even more impressive, because the team had to lead the peloton and Kittel had a target on his back as the man to beat in every flat stage.

6. Cannondale — Alessandro De Marchi was named Most Combative Rider of the 2014 Tour and Peter Sagan won the green jersey, so you can't say it was an unsuccessful Tour de France, but they finished without a stage win. Cannondale tried everything: pacing the peloton to catch the breakaway, providing a lead-out train, letting other teams lead out and putting Sagan on a rival's wheel, even getting De Marchi into breakaways. Nothing worked.

7. Omega Pharma-Quick Step — Lost Mark Cavendish on the first day, but recovered to win three stages. Tony Martin won two stages, won two combativity awards, and wore the polka dot jersey in Stage 10. Matteo Trentin also won a stage, and Michal Kwiatkowski spent two days in the white jersey of Best Young Rider. Kwiatkowski finished third among young riders and Mark Renshaw ranked 5th in the Points Classification (211).

8. Team Katusha — I have given in and spelled their name the way everyone else does, but in Roman characters it really should be rendered Katyusha. The Cyrillic character ю is pronounced "you" (not "oo"). Anyway, Alexander Kristoff won two stages and placed 2nd in the green jersey competition, while Joaquim Rodriguez finished 3rd for King of the Mountains. Yuri Trofimov ranked 14th in the GC.

Moderately Successful

9. Belkin Pro Cycling — Their sponsorship deal ends this year, which is surprising for a successful team. Belkin ranked 2nd among 22 teams in the Team Classification and won Stage 5 with Lars Boom. The team had three top-15 GC riders, including two who were visible in the top 10, Bauke Mollema and Laurens ten Dam.

10. Lotto-Belisol — Won two stages, got Tony Gallopin a day in the maillot jaune, and placed Jurgen Van Den Broeck 13th in the General Classification. Andre Greipel finished a disappointing 7th in the Points competition.

11. Team Europcar — Normally the most popular French team, they were overshadowed by the success of Pinot, Peraud, and Bardet. But Cyril Gautier and Thomas Voeckler both won combativity awards, sprinter Bryan Coquard placed third in the green jersey competition, and Pierre Rolland ranked 11th in the GC. Europcar works together well as a team.

12. Movistar Team — If you had told them that neither Froome nor Contador would finish the Tour, they would have forecast Alejandro Valverde as the yellow jersey winner, or at least a podium finisher. He placed a respectable 4th, and Movistar ranked 3rd in the Team Classification, but they probably are not satisfied with their results.

13. BMC Racing Team — Seven riders in the top 70 of the GC, including Tejay van Garderen 5th overall. They ranked 4th in the Team Classification and supported van Garderen effectively. Van Garderen seemed more mature than in his previous Tours, and the team looked better organized.

14. Team NetApp-Endura — Successful debut for a Tour de France wild card. Leopold König ranked 7th in the GC and Jan Barta was named most combative rider of Stage 3. Tiago Machado ranked 3rd in the GC before a devastating crash that nearly saw him abandon the race.

15. Garmin-Sharp — They came to the Tour for Andrew Talansky, who abandoned halfway through with injuries. Jack Bauer nearly won Stage 15, and the team worked together brilliantly to get Ramūnas Navardauskas the win in Stage 19, saving their Tour.

Not Successful

16. Trek Factory Racing — They had two top-12 GC riders, Haimar Zubeldia and Fränk Schleck. 42-year-old Jens Voigt, the oldest rider in the Tour, got into breakaways on the first and last days of the race, winning the polka dot jersey and the combativity award in Stage 1. This teams seems a little disorganized.

17. Team Sky — Left 2012 Tour de France champion Bradley Wiggins off their roster, presumably because of a perceived conflict with Christopher Froome. It was a foolish and arrogant decision by a team that thought they could leave one of their best riders at home and still win. When Froome retired in Stage 5, Richie Porte went from domestique to team leader. Sky had a strong team featuring Mikel Nieve (18th GC), Geraint Thomas (22nd), Porte (23rd), and more, but those riders had no one to support. Wiggins was the one man who could seamlessly replace Froome and quickly become a GC favorite, but he was at home in England.

Tinkoff-Saxo overcame the loss of Contador to win three stages and King of the Mountains. OPQ won three stages without Mark Cavendish. Even Garmin-Sharp managed a stage win after they lost Andrew Talansky. Sky won no stages and was not competitive for any of the jersey competitions. Nieve was Most Aggressive Rider of Stage 18 and they ranked 7th in the Team Classification, but it was a massive disappointment for one of the strongest teams in pro cycling, and it was preventable.

18. Cofidis, Solution Credits — Team leader Daniel Navarro abandoned the Tour in Stage 13. Cyril Lemoine spent most of the first week in polka dots, and Luis Ángel Maté was Most Aggressive Rider of Stage 6. Nicolas Edet and Rein Taaramae also drew some publicity in breakaways. But they had no GC contenders, no competitive sprinters, and no one who could contest the Climbs lead in the mountains. Cofidis was invisible for the last two weeks of the Tour.

19. IAM Cycling — No riders in the top 30 of the GC. Martin Elmiger won two combativity awards and scored 101 points in the green jersey competition, good for 12th place.

20. Bretagne-Séché Environnement — Along with Orica, the least visible team of this year's Tour. Brice Feillu quietly ranked 16th in the GC, their only rider in the top 50. Bretagne was one of only four teams to have all nine riders finish the Tour (Astana, Ag2r, Europcar).

21. Lampre-Merida — One of several teams that battled bronchitis during the Tour. Four of their nine riders abandoned the race, including team leader Rui Costa, who had spent time in the top 10 and ranked 13th when he withdrew. 2013 Vuelta champ Chris Horner battled to a top-20 finish.

22. Orica-GreenEDGE — Hugely disappointing race for this team. They had no riders in the top 65 of the GC, and they placed 20th in the Team Classification, ahead of only successful sprinter's teams (Cannondale and Giant-Shimano). Simon Clarke's Most Aggressive Rider prize in Stage 12 was the highlight of their Tour.

Countries

For the nationalists among you, three countries stood out with successful Tours: Italy, Germany, and France. Italian success was basically all about Vincenzo Nibali, who won four stages and the yellow jersey. He is the first Italian to win the Tour since Marco Pantani in 1998. Countryman Matteo Trentin won Stage 7, while Alessandro De Marchi earned two combativity awards and was named Most Aggressive Rider of this year's Tour. German riders won seven stages: four by Kittel, two by Martin, and one by Greipel.

But perhaps most remarkable was the renaissance of French riders on this year's Tour. Peraud and Pinot gave the host nation its first podium since 1997, and its first dual podium in 30 years. Romain Bardet also ranked among the top GC riders, and he and Pinot led the young riders competition. Pierre Rolland, Brice Feillu, and John Gadret also finished among the top 20 of the GC, and the French performed well in both the Points Classification (Bryan Coquard, 3rd) and Mountains Classification (five of the top 13). The French Ag2r team won the Team Classification. Kadri and Gallopin both won stages, and Gallopin briefly wore the maillot jaune.

* * *

The 101st Tour de France began with huge crowds in England and concluded with two Frenchmen on the final podium. The loss of some of the race's biggest names was offset by the brilliance of Vincenzo Nibali and by the success of young riders, especially French riders. Thibaut Pinot and Romain Bardet battled for the white jersey, for a podium position, and for the honor of ranking highest among Frenchmen. That distinction, however, ultimately went to Bardet's teammate Jean-Christophe Peraud, which felt right. Pinot and Bardet have promising careers ahead of them, but Peraud is already 37 and he may not have a lot of opportunities going forward. The French Ag2r, FDJ, and Europcar teams all had successful Tours.

If French success in their own Tour reinvigorates interest domestically, Nibali's success means something for Italy, as well. Italians are normally pressured to focus on their own Grand Tour, the Giro d'Italia, but an Italian win in Paris is a big deal, and Nibali pulled his off in style. He is only the sixth man to win all three Grand Tours, joining Jacques Anquetil, Alberto Contador, Felice Gimondi, Bernard Hinault, and Eddy Merckx.

Pinot and Bardet have contested the Young Riders competition in previous Tours, so the real revelation of this year's race may have been 24-year-old Polish rider Rafal Majka, who won two stages and the Climbs competition. Already a two-time top-10 in the Giro d'Italia, Majka again showed he can handle the most challenging climbs, and he should contend for a Grand Tour at some point.

Whatever this Tour de France missed in star power, it made up for with the excellence of Nibali, the fierce podium battle behind him, and the renewed spark of French cycling. Any shortcomings were washed away by the recoveries of teams like Tinkoff and Omega, the breakthrough of Rafal Majka and the strength of Tony Martin. The disappointment of losing Cavendish was tempered by the dominance of Marcel Kittel and the emergence of Alexander Kristoff.

It was a thrilling and exhausting three weeks, not only for riders, but for viewers who committed to watching each stage (even if fast-forward to the sprints on flat days). The Vuelta a España begins August 23.

Posted by Brad Oremland at 11:22 AM | Comments (0)

July 25, 2014

Foul Territory: Halls of Fame, Courts of Law

* Drop Shot, or His "Great Catch" Turned Into an "Empty-Netter," or Wedding? March! — Russian tennis player Maria Kirilenko ended her engagement to Washington Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin. Ironically, she "skated."

* Rory, Rory, Hallelujah, He Hails From the County of Down, Which Makes His Avid Fan Base the "Insane Down Posse," or The "Claret Juggalo's — Rory McIlroy won the British Open with a 17-under 271, two strokes better than Ricky Fowler and Sergio Garcia. McIlroy became the third-youngest player to win three majors behind Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus. With a win at the Masters, McIlroy would complete the career Grand Slam. Should his significant other take an iron upside his head on the day after Thanksgiving, he will have suffered the career-ending Grand Slam.

* Deutsch-Bags — German players damaged the World Cup trophy amid celebrating their 1-0 win over Argentina. A piece of the trophy was chipped off during the team's Berlin homecoming, and now, once again, no one knows the whereabouts of the German gold.

* Johnny Foothold, or Jersey Boy — Johnny Manziel's No. 2 Cleveland jersey is the NFL's top-selling jersey since April 1 at NFLShop.com. Incumbent quarterback Brian Hoyer said he'd believe the claim, but only after he saw some "backup."

* To Smoke Synthetic Marijuana, You've Gotto Have Super "Bowl" Aspirations — Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Marcell Dareus entered an NFL substance abuse program in a bid to have felony drug charges in Alabama dismissed. Dareus was arrested and charged with possession of a synthetic marijuana and drug paraphernalia in May. It appears that whether in Alabama or on the field at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Dareus is "on fake grass."

* He's Being Earmarked For the Hall Of Fame, or "Irony" Mike Tyson, or if Tyson Starts Stuttering, Holyfield Can Say, "Spit it Out" — Mike Tyson will introduce Evander Holyfield at Holyfield's induction into the Nevada Boxing Hall Of Fame on August 9th. Tyson infamously bit off part of Holyfield's ear in their June 1997 fight. It's believed that Holyfield's ears will burn just because Tyson is talking about him.

* And Speaking of Other Things That Will Get Thrown Out, or Sterling, Silver, and Gold-Digger, Oh My!, or Suit Yourself — Donald Sterling filed suit seeking damages against the NBA, commissioner Adam Silver, and Shelly Sterling, alleging they defrauded him and violated corporate law in forcing a sale of the Los Angeles Clippers. Sterling now has lawsuits in federal, civil, and probate court, all part of his master plan to be called "plaintiff" instead of one of numerous derogatory terms often used to describe him.

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 7:21 PM | Comments (0)

July 23, 2014

The Era of Having a Chance

Starting with the beginning of this season, I decided to grab a subscription to MLB.tv. There were just too many teams and players that I wanted to watch on a regular basis to put it off any longer. It's worked out well, especially as my favorite team, the Texas Rangers, are slogging through a last-place season with what amounts to mostly a Triple A roster.

Just before the All-Star Break, I found myself flipping between various games on that service when it struck me that this is a year where there just aren't that many teams that look very strong.

If I'm a playoff contender or likely playoff team, the only teams I'm especially scared of facing in a series are the A's, Tigers, Angels, and Dodgers. Every other team has a huge glaring weakness or has looked very inconsistent at times. And even though those four teams aren't quite the best four by record in the majors (hi, Giants and Nationals fans), they look the most complete at the moment.

In that select group, the A's look a step above everyone else, having outscored their opponents by an absurd 150 runs as of Tuesday. To put that number in some context, the top team in run differential for the last five seasons has average a +176 number over 162 games. The A's are on pace to run up a +248 margin. That doesn't quite put them in the same class as the 1998 Yankees and 2001 Mariners, but it's close. Even though Oakland is on a 101-win pace, their run differential is indicative of a 107-win club.

And while they've been baseball's best team all season, the A's are finally starting to get recognized as a truly dominant and rare club by traditional national media. Yet, due to the existence of more playoff rounds and just basic luck, there's a 76 percent chance another club takes the World Series in late October. There's even a chance that if Oakland continues to be unlucky, or merely falls off of its torrid pace, that the A's won't even win their own division and will have to play a one-off wild card game.

In other words, the A's are guaranteed absolutely nothing, except a probably a nominal playoff spot. But beyond that, and because of the second wild card, there are so many teams still with an opportunity to make the playoffs. And after that, the structure of the playoffs doesn't care if you've won 82 or 112 games. Just ask the 2006 Cardinals, or any number of teams in the Wild Card era that went all the way with win totals in the low-90s.

You may not believe me about the number of teams who can still say that they have a shot at contending. But to my count, there are really only seven teams who have no shot at making the playoffs: the Astros, Rangers, Phillies, Cubs, Padres, Diamondbacks, and Rockies. Every single other team is within eight games or less of a playoff spot, hardly an impossible ask with over 60 games left for every MLB team.

This is also not a unique phenomenon to 2014. Since the introduction of the second wild card for the 2012 season, an average of a little more than half the teams in each league have been within that eight-game buffer on the Tuesday after the All-Star Break. In the AL in 2012, all but three teams were within 3.5 of holding an "if the season ended today" playoff spot.

This is the era of having a chance.

Not included in my list of seven teams whose chances are completely exterminated are clubs like the Mets, Marlins and Twins. This column might be about the only time those teams' playoff chances have really been mentioned on a national level. And it's not like their fans would exactly be distraught if they each finished with win totals in the 70s. All those teams are multiple years away from being truly competitive.

Yet, if one of those clubs goes on a run like the Royals did last year from 45-51 on July 22, they could somehow be in a wild card game. And unlike the Red Sox, who have been the subject of several "they're not out of it!" stories after a recent winning streak, the Mets have actually outscored their opponents this season.

The fact that 23 teams still have a punchers' chance as we fast approach the trade deadline brings up a larger issue: Is this even a good thing for baseball?

For me, I can't see how it is. Knowing that a mediocre team is likely to make the playoffs in the AL shouldn't exactly be the thing baseball fans want to see.

But what the era of having a chance has done in giving more teams a shot at October effectively keeps more teams' fans engaged in what is inherently a regional sport. In this sense, it's been a good money-making move for baseball. Even though purists, of which I don't consider myself one, must hate it, this era of baseball is going to stay. You should hope that your team is still in the hunt. After all, they probably still are.

Posted by Ross Lancaster at 2:35 PM | Comments (0)

July 22, 2014

How to Do an NFL Team in London

The National Football League is unique among major North American sports leagues: it's only in the United States. The NBA, NHL, MLB, and MLS all have a team in Toronto. A small part of me has always liked that about the NFL, that "National" isn't a misnomer. But that semantic strength is a practical weakness: the NFL's reach is largely limited to the USA. It's by far the most popular sports league in the country, but internationally, it's less popular than basketball, hockey, baseball, and soccer. There are multiple reasons for that, but you could start with the "national" limitation.

In October 2005, the NFL held its first regular-season game outside the United States, at Mexico City's Estadio Azteca. London's Wembley Stadium hosted a regular-season game every season from 2007-12, then two games in 2013 and going forward. The Buffalo Bills played one "home" game at Toronto's Rogers Centre from 2008-13. While Toronto is the closest geographically and might seem like the best fit, the Canadian Football League and the Toronto Argonauts in particular represent competition, and the Canadian market is already more accessible than the Mexican and British markets.

It's been clear for a couple years now that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell wants a team based in London. Mr. Goodell explicitly said as much last week, but it's a puzzling priority for numerous reasons. The league is already incredibly successful, and moving a team across the Atlantic Ocean might be a fix for something that isn't really broken. There are a number of domestic markets that can support pro sports teams but don't host an NFL franchise — most notably Los Angeles. And of course, there are international alternatives like Toronto and Mexico City, both of which are not only closer but in accessible time zones. I'm sure the NFL has research showing that London will bring the most new fans, or at least the most money, but holy crap, there's not a team in L.A. Twenty years ago there were two.

Part of the reason to prefer Los Angeles (or another U.S. market) is legal practicality. Kristi Dosh wrote a piece for ESPN outlining some of the potential problems with putting a team in London, including tax laws and work visas. The short version is, players on a London team would pay higher taxes than anywhere in the U.S., and some players might not be able to get the necessary visas.

The most interesting problem, to me, is travel. England is five time zones from the East Coast, eight hours difference from the Pacific Time Zone. London is almost halfway around the world from San Diego or Seattle. The NFL has always scheduled a bye for teams returning from the International Series at Wembley Stadium, recognizing that such long trips and such significant time differences are hard on players. Assuming we do get a team in London in the near future, how would the schedule work? Brian Billick suggested two three-week road trips and one two-week trip, and I suppose that's more realistic than my idea.

But the plan that makes the most sense to me involves a permanent practice facility somewhere in the United States. The London team — let's call them the Jaguars (but pronounced the British way, Jag-you-ahrs) — would begin the season with four road games in the U.S., followed by all eight home games, then four more on the road to finish out the season.

That gives the Jags just three trans-Atlantic flights during the regular season, which is do-able with the bye. And since home games in England wouldn't begin until Week 5 or 6, visiting teams could always have a bye for their trips overseas, just like they do in the existing NFL International Series. For the London team, though, I would suggest that the bye come after that first road trip. It's apparent at this point that West-to-East travel is harder on athletes than the other way around. So a hypothetical schedule might look like this:

Week 1: ROAD
Week 2: ROAD
Week 3: ROAD
Week 4: ROAD
Week 5: BYE
Week 6: HOME
Week 7: HOME
Week 8: HOME
Week 9: HOME
Week 10: HOME
Week 11: HOME
Week 12: HOME
Week 13: HOME
Week 14: ROAD
Week 15: ROAD
Week 16: ROAD
Week 17: ROAD

Of course, this assumes the league puts a team in London before it forces through an 18-game regular season. But that's another issue.

Posted by Brad Oremland at 12:48 PM | Comments (0)

July 21, 2014

Grading the NBA Decision-Makers

A lot can change in four years. Two weeks ago, LeBron James doused a raging bonfire of speculation and told the basketball world he was "coming home" to Cleveland. The announcement, made and explained in a thousand-word essay posted to SI.com through writer Lee Jenkins, was a stark contrast to the hype and bombast of LeBron's 2010 Decision.

And yet, much of the sports media world looked very much the same this time around. Though the breathless reporting around this free agency lasted only a few weeks compared to the months of speculation in 2010, pre-identifying the playing destination of the world's best player is as big a feather as a reporter's hat can hold.

With L'affair LeBron in the books, let's review how well the key media players did (Note: all grades curved to reflect standard GPA inflation).

A+

Chris Sheridan, SheridanHoops.com — When a few months or years separate us from July 2014, we should all remember the scoop belonged to Sheridan. On July 7, Sheridan began reporting a source was telling him James' return to Cleveland was probable, pegging it at 75%. Sheridan would later nudge the odds to 90%, and then on July 9, Sheridan reported it was happening. James announced his return on July 11, two days later.

To be fair, Sheridan did not nail the story completely. He also reported the announcement would come on James' personal site, and while the site did link to the announcement, it would be hard to argue anyone other than SI really had it. But that detail will likely be lost to history; for a reporter building his own independent brand after a reportedly acrimonious exit from ESPN, scooping the destination was all that really mattered.

A

Cleveland Insiders — One of the great guilty pleasures of local sports talk radio is when a random caller insists he has inside information. Most of the time the spurious report never plays out, and the faceless caller's non-existent credibility remains non-existent.

And yet, from time to time these reports are realized. ESPN Cleveland's Tony Rizzo recently recalled when a caller on his show in August 1995 claimed Art Modell's house was for sale. The Browns moved to Baltimore a few months later.

The prospect of James' return to Cleveland — a pipe dream held onto by every Northeast Ohioan if they were being honest — brought out plenty of local insiders. The national media picked up on the cupcake store and the personal trainer who called the return. But even weeks before that, Cleveland sports talk radio callers leveraged sources ranging from hairstylists to bodyguards to break the scoop.

Were these lay-reporters lucky? Quite possibly. But as star athletes fortress themselves in walls of handlers, non-threatening average Joes will be in increasingly better positions to break these stories. Or they might just be getting better at making things up.

Tim Jenkins, SI.com — When James was ready to announce his decision, he came to Jenkins. So how can another reporter rate slightly higher?

To some, Jenkins' scoop was merely an editing and posting job, and one without final approval at that. To others, Jenkins had the best inside source for the summer's biggest story.

By most accounts, Jenkins earned the scoop largely through his 2012 Sportsman of the Year feature on James, a piece that painted the star in a generous light. But this isn't necessarily a professional compliment.

For some reporters, there's an inherent antagonism between themselves and the subjects they cover. After all, it's the information stars don't want to disclose that the public is most interested in.

So the perception of Jenkins' role in the story as a conduit to distribute James agenda suffers in some parts of the profession. After all, that's what publicists are for. But at the same time, why would we have felt differently had James simply told Jenkins of his intent to return and the writer broke the news through a short story of Tweet?

In the final account, Jenkins deserves all of the credit for this story. The public's question was simply where James was going and why, and Jenkins served his readership as well as possible to that end. But for future stories, ones in which James or other subjects wouldn't be as willing to quench public curiosity, Jenkins' role in disseminating the information should be washed down with at least a few grains of salt.

B

Brian Windhorst, ESPN.com — To the casual observer, it would be easy to suggest Windhorst has made his career on the back of his high school's most famous alumnus. And while Windhorst's familiarity with James has helped, his even-tempered and dogged reporting deserves more credit.

In 2010, Windhorst found himself tightly orbiting the center of the James universe. As the Cleveland Plain Dealer's Cavs beat reporter, he had been tracking the lead-up to James' first decision for years. Windhorst followed that circus from the Cavs' season through the suitor meetings at Cleveland's IMG building, eventually covering the messy aftermath as both he and James wound up leaving their home market.

Four years later, Windhorst's approach to James' second decision showed the scars of 2010. While Windhorst reported stories like the Heat's internal discussion of adding Carmelo Anthony to its existing Big Three, he seemed disinterested in chasing the wild rumors many other reporters seemed hungry to track. Now as one of ESPN's top NBA reporters, Windhorst seemed content to let others burn themselves out on private plane records and menu choices. In a week of hype and recklessness, Windhorst's distanced dignity was refreshing.

C

ESPN — In Adage.com's story about how SI.com scooped the James decision, SI brass said James' camp was confident they wouldn't turn the story into a circus. Consider that a direct shot at Bristol, Conn.

True, James and his advisors were very willing architects of his own ill-fated Decision in 2010. But given the network's increasing sports-as-spectacle viewpoint, we can easily envision the hoopla with which ESPN would have surrounded this announcement.

For all of its purely journalistic work — and there is plenty — ESPN regularly adds more and more content channels which it needs to fill. It does so with slick production value and often-inventive content, but those core competencies didn't match James' needs this time.

We will move on to other stories, but let it be remembered: The industry's juggernaut was scooped by a former employee's independent site and sports journalism's old, gray lady.

Chris Broussard, ESPN.com — The Worldwide Leader has a dizzying array of insiders for each of the main sports. The NBA is a very broad landscape, and it makes sense the network would have different reporters essentially covering specific sub-beats within the league. Ramona Shelbourne seems plugged into the Los Angeles scene. Marc Stein is connected to the Texas teams, Dallas in particular. Windhorst, as mentioned, has cornered the All Things Lebron cottage industry.

Broussard, on the other hand, seems to be ESPN's NBA generalist. He's the equivalent of a high-volume shooter, sure to post some big scoring numbers but lacking sufficient precision.

Broussard's low moment this month came the morning of James' announcement, when he reported rumblings that Dan Gilbert's infamous Decision reaction letter was still an impediment to James' return to the Cleveland. A few hours later, James would not only warmly embrace the Cavs, but specifically mention he had forgiven Gilbert after meeting with him.

That alone, while disappointing, is excusable. Reporters, like everyone else, whiff occasionally. However, Broussard tripped most egregiously in that article by allowing a front office source to make a racially charged suggestion that we now know was a lie.

At the back end of the article, Broussard's source says James' return to play for Gilbert would look hypocritical, especially given his vocal disapproval of Donald Sterling's ownership.

"He condemned Sterling but he's going back to the [expletive] who nearly called him an uppity [expletive]," one league executive said. "Hypocrite."

The two redacted expletives seem to have narrow ranges of possible content. The first very likely is a general epithet about Dan Gilbert, and the second almost certainly is the most common racial slur for a black person. It's also worth noting this quote has been scrubbed from the latest version of Broussard's story, which was updated less than an hour before James announced his decision.

The journalist's dilemma is always in deciding when to use his or her own words to clarify a story and when to allow sources to speak directly for themselves. Broussard failed this challenge in two ways.

First, as hindsight shows, the source was clearly using Broussard to muddy the waters around James' decision. But even in real time, the source's motivation seems at least semi-transparent. Heck, reread the quote and try to find a more likely identify for Broussard's "league executive" than Pat Riley.

But perhaps more so, Broussard allowed the source to make a very personal challenge to James with the shield of anonymity. Considering the quoted information was purely subjective, publishing this quote without attribution was equivalent to giving the source a free pass to inject his agenda into the developing narrative. Remember, Peter King was excoriated in places for allowing NFL personnel sources to anonymously muse on the downside of Michael Sam's homosexuality.

Broussard is probably the most broadly connected insider at the world's largest sports news outlet. He will have better days in the future, but the first few weeks of July 2014 are ones he'll likely want to forget.

Posted by Corrie Trouw at 1:55 PM | Comments (0)

July 18, 2014

Foul Territory: "The Revision," Cleveland "Brown"

* There's Gonna Be Cleveland Brown All Over That Field — The Cleveland Browns will have a live dog mascot this season, a bullmastiff named "Swagger." It's just another reason for Browns fans to say, "That son of a b$%*h!"

* I Quit This Pitch — Luiz Felipe Scolari resigned as manager of Brazil after the World Cup host country's epic failures in the tournament. Scolari said he was fortunate enough to resign with his health intact. Brazilian fans agreed, saying he was "lucky to be alive."

* Don't Sigh For Me, Argentina, or Deutsch Lovin', or if the World Cup Was a Race, the Germans "Mastered" It — Germany won the World Cup, besting Argentina 1-0 on Mario Gotze's goal in the 113th minute. Argentina's Lionel Messi won the Golden Ball trophy as player of the tournament. Messi added the award to his vast collection, but his trophy cabinet remains empty, nonetheless.

* Hook 'Im, Horns, or He Had a Contract on His Head — Texas was prepared to offer Alabama coach Nick Saban a contract worth $100 million to coach the Longhorns, Paul Finebaum of the SEC Network writes in his new book. It's further proof that since 2005, the Longhorns can't "buy" a championship.

* Down Goes Frazier! Down Goes Frazier! — Oakland's Yoenis Cespedes won the Major League Baseball Home Run Derby on Monday, becoming the first repeat winner in 15 years. Cespedes beat Cincinnati's Todd Frazier 9-1 in the final round to win. Cespedes was grateful for the win, and thankful that Adam Wainwright is not the only pitcher who can "groove" and "pipe" pitches.

"The Revision," or *King James Rendition, or Much Like the Heat, Dwyane Wade's Going Nowhere — Dwyane Wade returned to the Miami Heat, signing a two-year deal on Tuesday. The deal is for $31.1 million, a significant pay cut from the deal he opted out of. It's yet another example of Wade putting his team before himself. If only his parents would have know to put the "a" before the "y" in "Dwayne" when they named him.

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 6:46 PM | Comments (0)

The All-Star Game: Groovin'

"Democracy," H.L. Mencken postulated famously (or infamously, depending upon your point of view), "[is] that form of government whereby the common people know what they want and deserve to get it, good and hard." Tuesday night's All-Star Game could be considered evidence that common and uncommon people alike knew what they wanted and got what they deserved, good and hard.

The meaninglessness of every team being represented in a game to which World Series home field advantage is pegged, whether or not the representatives are the best in the business until this point this season. The fans voting Derek Jeter to the starting lineup on behalf of his final season, never mind that he's been serviceable for the Yankees but nowhere near the best in the American League this season. And Adam Wainwright (Cardinals) offering Jeter a going-away present that put his league, and very possibly his own team, at a potential October disadvantage.

Makes you fear what's to come when the next future Hall of Famer declares his farewell season.

There's no question that Jeter deserved tribute at the Game. There should also be no question that it shouldn't have included leading off for the American League. Nobody except the most recalcitrant Yankee fans would have gainsaid a nice pre-game ceremony and hoopla and, perhaps, inserting Jeter into the game about midway through. Jeter himself certainly wouldn't have complained. A man with five World Series rings and a pre-punched ticket to the Hall of Fame on his jacket can afford to be sanguine.

About whether Wainwright did or should have grooved him something to hit out of the chute, well, let's just say — considering Wainwright himself tripped all over the foot in his mouth in all but admitting to it before denying it (we think) — that letting Jeter rap a leadoff double to open a 3-run American League first, in a game the AL won by two, wasn't exactly the way to make friends, influence people, or demonstrate your own manager's genius.

Wainwright put his glove on the mound and walked toward second base to let Jeter bask in the fans' ovation. That would have been more than sufficient tribute. Laying one in for the Yankee captain to jump in an exhibition game made to tie to a World Series advantage is ... well, not so brilliant.

Before you respond with Denny McLain and Mickey Mantle in 1968, how about a reminder that a) McLain had his 30th win in the bank and b) the Tigers had the pennant sewn up, when McLain decided to let Mantle have what he wanted most by then — passing Jimmie Foxx on the all-time home run list — and left instructions with his catcher to tell Mantle to just point where he wanted something to drive.

Before you respond with Chan Ho Park and Cal Ripken, Jr., how about a reminder that a) Park has never affirmed or denied laying one in to the Oriole legend and b) the All-Star Game hadn't yet been ordered to determine World Series home field advantage.

Wainwright's candor and inability to give rote answers to reporters' questions is one of his most endearing qualities, but this is one time the Cardinals' right-hander should have lowered the cone of silence. He didn't exactly throw Jeter a pair of meatballs, but he didn't exactly throw them to where Jeter couldn't have made contact with a hangar door, either.

He took the most wins into the All-Star break among National League pitchers but Clayton Kershaw (Dodgers) took its best winning percentage and the league leadership in ERA, fielding-independent pitching, strikeouts-per-nine, WHIP, and strikeout-to-walk ratio into the break. Cardinals manager Mike Matheny doesn't come out of this looking terribly smart in a game that's been strong-armed into giving a World Series advantage. Going with your own guy is one thing. Not knowing his thinking in a moment like this can hurt you.

And it isn't all that likely that Kershaw would have let the American League jump him for three out of the gate, never mind whether he would have given Jeter a leadoff present.

Jeter may not be the Jeter everyone remembers and loves or loathes depending on his or her rooting interest in glorious seasons past, but a lifetime .311 hitter who's hitting a mere .272 coming into this All-Star Game hasn't forgotten how to put the bat on the ball. He may not be the most run-productive or run-creative shortstop in the American League this year, but he's still Derek Jeter, and he still has the periodic knack for rising to those occasions presented to him. He only took 10 extra-base hits (nine of them doubles) out of 92 hits into the game, but it doesn't mean he's lost all his extra-base hitting ability just yet.

"If he grooved it, thank you," Jeter said graciously after the game. "You still have to hit it. I appreciate it."

Okay, so it's simple enough to sit harrumphing about what happened Tuesday night. But before you respond with Mariano Rivera in the eighth inning in last year's All-Star Game, I've got a reminder for you: Last year's AL manager, Jim Leyland, combined tribute with sound baseball thinking. He might have been given the opportunity by fate and the game progress to that point. But he responded the way a pennant-winning manager should respond.

Leyland had made it no secret he intended to manage last year's All-Star Game as though it were week last with the postseason at stake. And with a three-run lead to protect and the possibility of the National League cranking up against a lesser man out of the pen — with the likes of Jean Segura, a still-effective Allen Craig, and Carlos Gomez due up and capable of closing and overthrowing the lead — he defied the fans' and anyone else's conceits (except maybe Tiger fans who knew they had a shot at the postseason yet) and brought in The Mariano for the eighth.

The Yankee bullpen titan got his tribute and then some. That was a moment to remember when neither dugout stirred as he trotted in to "Enter Sandman" and took his eight warmups with nobody else in sight on the field. Then, he dispatched his three plate opponents like it was just another night at the office. He made it that much easier for Joe Nathan to play shutdown in the ninth, and — as a Hall of Famer should do given the circumstance — married the gate to the game.

So Wainwright may have grooved Jeter something to open the AL first Tuesday night out of respect. And Jeter — who'd earned his first in-game oohs and aahs with a diving stop in the top of the first of Andrew McCutchen's (Pirates) smash, before he missed throwing out McCutchen by a step — sent the second service down the right field line. And Mike Trout, who should have two Most Valuable Player awards in his case already just waiting for the All-Star MVP he'd earn this time, banged one off the right field fence for three bases and the first of his two RBIs on the night.

Then Miguel Cabrera (Tigers) parked one over the fence. The National League managed to tie it up on back to back RBI doubles by Chase Utley (Phillies) and Jonathan Lucroy (Brewers) in the second off Jon Lester (Red Sox) and Lucroy's run-scorer in the fourth off Chris Sale (White Sox). But Trout — securing the youngest All-Star MVP ever (he was three and a half months younger than Ken Griffey, Jr. was in 1992) — bounced an RBI double over third base in the fifth, followed almost promptly by Jose Altuve's (Astros) sacrifice fly.

Adam Wainwright, in-game to FOX Sports, telecasting the game: "I was going to give him a couple pipe shots just to — he deserved it. I thought he was going to hit something hard to the right side for a single or an out. I probably should have pitched him a little bit better." Adam Wainwright backpedaling after the earlier comments hit the Internet running: "It was mis-said. I hope people realize I'm not intentionally giving up hits out there."

I'm sure Wainwright, too, is among those people who realize it only sounds right and proper when Yogi Berra says he didn't say half the things he said, too.

Posted by Jeff Kallman at 1:59 PM | Comments (0)

July 17, 2014

2014 College Football Predictions

As the college football season has unofficially kicked off with SEC Media Days, it's that time of year where I make some off-the-wall predictions for the weeks ahead.

It's the third year I've challenged myself to make some not-so-obvious predictions and last year's was definitely a mixed bag. While I correctly called the SEC returning to the title game, I completely missed the boat on Jameis Winston's Heisman win. I called Mack Brown's retirement, Lane Kiffin's firing and Jadeveon Clowney being the first pick in this year's draft, yet missed wildly on Indiana breaking their bowl jinx (I'm not picking them this year).

So, here we go again, some off the cuff calls for the upcoming season.

The College Football Playoff committee will have a controversial first year. Some years, it's easy to pick the best four teams. This year, that will not be the case. Florida State looks to be a strong contender to repeat from last year. Oklahoma and Baylor have the potential to have big years and with no Big 12 title game, could make the decision to pick one or both extremely tough. Oregon again could make a run in the Pac-12, but generally everyone trips each other up in that league and it could end up a giant mess. The same thing could be said for the SEC, who could finally go a year without having a truly dominant team in the league. Yet, given recent history, can you really leave the SEC champion out? Ohio State might cruise, yet the Big 10 doesn't look strong as a whole at the moment. This season has drama written all over it.

Famous Jameis will make it a repeat. Many people overestimated the effects of Johnny Manziel's wild offseason last year. Manziel lacked the weapons that he had in 2012, but certainly provided a solid year for Texas A&M in '13. Now, here's Jameis Winston, fresh from an investigation last year and caught stealing crab legs this offseason. Will it prevent him from shredding the ACC into bits and pieces this season? Probably not. Getting Clemson early in the year is a big help and if Winston keeps his focus on the field, he should have as good a chance as there is to join Archie Griffin in the double Heisman club.

Iowa will grab some of the national spotlight. The Hawkeyes are coming off a pretty solid season in 2013. While they're likely not national title contenders, Jake Rudock and company could still end up making a lot of noise this year. The main reason: the schedule couldn't be better for Iowa. The Hawkeyes dodged both Michigan schools, Ohio State and Penn State, landing Indiana and Maryland as their Eastern Division opponents. Add to the fact that two of their toughest games, Wisconsin and Nebraska, are at the end of the season and at home and Iowa is set up to have a big 2014.

Wyoming will pull off one significant upset this season. Craig Bohl knows how to win big games. His North Dakota State teams not only won the last three FCS titles, they routinely beat the BCS level teams they scheduled. Wyoming pulled a massive coup in luring Bohl to Laramie and it should surprise no one if results came immediately. Oregon, Michigan State and Boise State are on the slate this season. Going 3-0 or even 2-1 against them would be miraculous. Pulling off one win though would be no shock at all.

The seat too hot to handle belongs to Florida's Will Muschamp, Going 4-8 and losing to Georgia Southern puts Muschamp in Ron Zook territory amongst the folks in Gainesville. That's about the last place any Gator coach wants to be. While Florida should be much better this season, it'll be up to new offensive coordinator Kyle Roper to cure all ails for Jeff Driskel and company. The problem for Florida is that Alabama, LSU, South Carolina, and Florida State are on the schedule. Certainly, Missouri and Georgia won't be pushovers as well, so finding eight wins for the Gators will be a challenge for Muschamp, who would likely need at least that many wins to keep his job.

James Franklin will shake up the Big 10. Anyone who could come into Vanderbilt and produced three straight bowl seasons is a force to be reckoned with. Franklin was the perfect selection for Penn State and his impact on the program will be immediate. Franklin will rally Happy Valley, who in turn will provide him with the built in fan support that he lacked at Vandy, despite his success in Nashville. Penn State isn't out of the NCAA shadows yet, but Franklin will rile some coaches in the league, become the villain of many a school in the Midwest and will re-establish Penn State as one of the Big 10's elite.

Charlie Strong has his work cut out for him. Though it wasn't at all what Texas fans wanted to hear, Strong was right in saying the Longhorns aren't going to challenge for the national title this year. Texas does land a huge matchup with Baylor early on at home, which will serve as a true litmus test for how they'll handle the conference slate. Still, the Horns will struggle with road trips to Oklahoma State and Kansas State, where they've struggled frequently in recent years. Their trips to the Metroplex to play UCLA and Oklahoma seem brutal and with rumors of Strong not starting off strong with high school coaches in the state, the path for Strong in Austin is definitely a rocky one.

Army will beat Navy. Why not try this again? Navy continues to own West Point over the last decade, but new coach Jeff Monken could be the breath of fresh air Army needs to finally break the curse. No team wants to beat their rival more than Army; this might be the year they can pull it off.

The opening weekend game we'll all be talking about on Sunday is Alabama/West Virginia. I think Alabama wins the game. However, you're talking about a team with a brand new quarterback and a slew of new faces going to play a high-octane offense that is hungry to rebound from a surprising 4-8 season. This game will end up being a lot closer than people think.

Florida State will topple Oklahoma for the first playoff title. I like Florida State's path to the playoff and they seem to be the team with the least question marks. They look primed to repeat for a national title and I think they'll do just that, though Oklahoma will give them a run for their money, especially with a partisan crowd in Arlington. Bob Stoops knows he has a title contender on his hands. His addition of Dorial Green-Beckham was risky, yet done to provide an extra luxury weapon should he and Trevor Knight absolutely need it. The Sooners get four of their last six at home, including Baylor, which bolsters their chances to get to the playoff. In the end though, I can't see anyone better at the moment than Florida State, and the legacy of Jimbo Fisher will continue to grow in Seminole lore.

Posted by Jean Neuberger at 11:09 AM | Comments (1)

July 16, 2014

NASCAR Top 10 Power Rankings: Week 19

Note: the quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Brad Keselowski — Keselowski dominated the Nationwide race on Saturday and duplicated that feat on Sunday, leading 138 of 301 laps to win at New Hampshire.

"Once again," Keselowski said, "it's time for the celebratory champagne. But there's a big difference in breaking out the champagne and breaking open the champagne.

"The No. 2 Penske Ford featured the Redd's Apple Ale paint scheme. So, at least for one race, I bleed 'Redd.'"

2. Jeff Gordon — Gordon led late at New Hampshire but ran out of gas, settling for a 26th. He remains on top of the Sprint Cup points standings with a 12-point lead over Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

"This win really solidified Brad Keselowski's status as a title contender," Gordon said. "Of course, that was also evident at Kentucky a few weeks back, where Brad sliced his hand open before declaring his readiness for the playoffs by saying, 'Let's cut to the Chase.'"

3. Jimmie Johnson — Johnson suffered two flat tires early in the Camping World RV Sales 301, the last of which sent him into the wall, ending his day after just 11 laps. He finished 42nd and is now fifth in the points standings, 72 behind Jeff Gordon.

"Goodyear says we had our tires under-inflated," Johnson said. "I say Goodyear has their egos overinflated.

"Obviously, there were a lot of tire changes in Sunday's race. But nobody needs to 're-tire' more than Morgan Shepherd."

4. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. — Earnhardt placed 10th at New Hampshire in a race dominated by Brad Keselowski. Earnhardt was the only Hendrick Motorsports driver in the top 10, and is now second in the Sprint Cup points standings, 12 behind Jeff Gordon.

"Brad Keselowski was awarded a New England lobster for the win," Earnhardt said. "What has claws, a tail, and horns? Teresa Earnhardt."

5. Carl Edwards — Edwards finished 13th at New Hampshire as Roush Fenway teammate Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. took ninth. Edwards is sixth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 96 out of first.

"You've probably heard about the formation of the Race Team Alliance," Edwards said. "For heaven's sake, don't call it a 'union.' If you dare say 'union' at most NASCAR events, you may find yourself choked by a Confederate flag."

6. Matt Kenseth — Still in search of his first win this season, Kenseth took fourth at New Hampshire, leading 12 laps. He is fourth in the points standings, 49 out of first.

"After Hendrick Motorsports won four straight races," Kenseth said, "Ford has now won the last four. Toyota hasn't won a race since Talladega back in May. I'm not sure what Toyota's are searching more for, speed or answers."

7. Joey Logano — Logano was running second with less than 100 laps to go when 72-year-old Morgan Shepherd made contact with Logan's No. 22 Penske Chevy. Logano finished 40th, 90 laps down, while Shepherd took 39th.

"I don't think Shepherd even knew I was there," Logano said. "Heck, I'm not sure he even knows where he is. That must be why they call him the 'Ageless Wander.'

"Shepherd is old enough to be my grandfather, and dumb enough to be my father."

8. Kyle Busch: Busch started on the pole, setting a Loudon track record of 138.130 miles per hour in Friday's qualifying. He was fast on Sunday as well, finishing second behind Brad Keselowski. Busch is eighth in the points standings, 103 out of first.

"I finished as runner-up to Brad Keselowski twice at New Hampshire," Busch said. "And there's nothing wrong with that. Let me put that into perspective by quoting my brother Kurt when I say, "It's okay to be second-best."

9. Ryan Newman — Newman posted his second top-5 finish of the year with a fifth at New Hampshire. He is seventh in the points standings, 97 behind Jeff Gordon.

"I'm not so sure about the formation of this 'RTA' deal," Newman said. "I'll say the same thing about that as I did to Rusty Wallace when I begrudgingly became his teammate: 'I want no part of this race team alliance.'"

10. Kyle Larson — Larson came home third in the Camping World RV Sales 301 at New Hampshire, posting his fourth top-5 result of the year.

"Some say Morgan Shepherd is too old to be racing," Larson said. "I think I'm in agreement. Shepherd may his Sprint Cup debut back in 1970, and although his age has increased, his speed hasn't. So, when Shepherd takes to the track in 2014, it's just like 'old times.'"

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 12:18 PM | Comments (0)

July 15, 2014

LeBron Makes Another Wrong Decision

I respect LeBron James as an athlete. He's the best basketball player in the world, and one of the best ever.

I do not like LeBron James. Sure, I've defended him, but James represents something that's really wrong with sports. LeBron James is all about image. He's a promoter first and an athlete second. He's a brand name first and a human being second.

LeBron lost a lot of fans with The Decision. Everyone knows that, even his supporters. People didn't like the never-ending public dance in the media. Many were put off when instead of a press conference, James stretched his announcement into an hour-long TV special. People who hated ESPN's handling of the event (it took 28 minutes to reveal that he'd chosen Miami) blamed LeBron as a co-conspirator. Some fans resented the choice to leave Cleveland. Everyone hated the phrase "take my talents to South Beach."

But what bothered me most was how unsportsmanlike LeBron's choice was. He chose to join a team with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh explicitly because he thought it would be easy to win championships with them. We admire winners because they elevate their teams to greatness, not because they migrate towards the greatness of others. James had to deal with Michael Jordan comparisons from the time he was in high school, and that was never fair. But never did LeBron fall as far short of Jordan as when he signed with the Heat. Jordan worked hard to turn the Chicago Bulls into a contender. James left his hometown team, the city that had drafted and celebrated him, to take less money on a team stacked with talent. LeBron didn't overcome adversity; he avoided it.

Perhaps more than anything, fans were offended that James chose the team where he thought it would be easiest to win a championship. A commenter on one of my old articles wrote that by signing with the Heat, LeBron was "chasing glory in a way that cheapens the entire game." Putting so many stars on one team didn't turn the Heat into the Harlem Globetrotters, and the rest of the league into the Washington Generals, but it was against the spirit of competition.

I get the sense that most fans are behind LeBron's return to Cleveland. He grew up nearby, and he began his pro career with the Cavs, and so returning to Cleveland undoes some of the nastiness that surrounded The Decision. The King's return to Ohio doesn't really move me in either direction, but I think it demonstrates that he still doesn't get it.

LeBron isn't just returning to Cleveland now; he's also leaving Miami. Sure, his roots in Ohio go back further, but let's not pretend no one's getting hurt: King James is once again leaving a city that adored him. Miami embraced LeBron James when the rest of the country was still reeling from the tastelessness of The Decision. James is ditching his friend Dwyane Wade, and his other Miami teammates, to rejoin a Cleveland roster that includes exactly one former teammate, Anderson Varejao. If this is supposed to demonstrate loyalty, we've had a misunderstanding.

Compared to the awfulness of his last switch, this is a comparably classy exit, but there are a lot of people — and in particular a lot of young people — who have supported James with the Miami Heat specifically. Returning to Cleveland also means leaving Miami behind. It's not a crime, but I have trouble praising the one without balancing the other. One city celebrates, another mourns.

But most fans don't see it that way, and going back to Cleveland is a great P.R. move for LeBron. Cavaliers fans seem to have forgiven James almost unanimously. The same people who burned his jerseys four years ago are buying them now. The biggest turnaround has come from Cavs owner Dan Gilbert. Deadspin published a funny edited version of Gilbert's furious Comic Sans rant, updated to reflect the prodigal son's return to the Rust Belt.

James is hardly making a sacrifice, though. The Cavaliers offered him the most money, and they're stocked with top draft picks. The Heat were a great team last year, but they've clearly stopped trending upward. Wade has trouble staying healthy, and he and Bosh have both lost a step. James probably has a better chance of winning multiple rings in Cleveland than he would have in Miami. And there's that P.R. angle. Many fans regarded LeBron's championships with the Heat as tainted: the phony product of an alliance designed to control the sport and remove the drama from title runs. If James wins a ring with the Cavs, it will do more for his legacy than another two titles in Miami. He's got almost nothing to lose with this move, but a lot to gain.

None of this means James isn't happy to return to Cleveland. But for a figure who hasn't had a sincere public moment in four years, it's hard to take him at face value now. LeBron hasn't deepened his crimes by returning to Cleveland, but he hasn't atoned for them, either.

Posted by Brad Oremland at 1:49 PM | Comments (0)

July 14, 2014

Roland Garros vs. Wimbledon Fans

The densest portion of the professional tennis season has come to an end last week on the grass courts of Wimbledon. The European clay and grass court season, featuring two majors and a plethora of Masters 1000 and Premier tour events in men and women, can overwhelm even the most insatiable tennis fan.

This article takes a closer look at the contrast between the fans of the two majors, Roland Garros and Wimbledon, through a few in-person dialogues that I had with some fans in both locations. It was interesting to notice certain traits that were unique to each major with regards to their fans, especially the striking attachment to nostalgia and ambience manifested by Roland Garros fans. The remarkable appreciation of tradition and the sport itself among Wimbledon fans impressed me tremendously.

For French fans, Roland Garros is not just about watching quality tennis. They live and breathe all that comprises the makeup of the grounds and the atmosphere of the tournament. They also show no reluctance in saying that the results of the French tennis players matter, a lot! Although I talked a large number of fans here and there, I selected a few that may describe the best the approach of the fans.

Catherine, who is married and a mother of a wonderful boy named Clément, immediately noted that the pleasure of attending Roland Garros was something that she tasted for the first time as a youngster in the 1970s, one that she never get tired of experiencing again and again since then.

Christian, a mild-mannered man in his 50s, sporting a hat and a backpack, has been coming to Roland Garros every year for a decade. This year, his daughter Aurélie, a university student, decided to join him for the first time. They were accompanied by Alain, who is a "Roland Garros nut" in the true sense of the expression. Both Christian and Alain expressed how addictive it was to come to Roland Garros every year and watch world-class tennis. Aurélie let it be known that, despite her first time, she felt the "virus" of Roland Garros invade her, as well. Then there was also Ombeline, a high-school teacher in Paris, who confessed that she could not think of life without attending Roland Garros every year.

Most French fans take their countrymen and women seriously and will support them before any other player. It was no exception with this group of fans. I still wanted to put them on the spot and hear them admit it. So I first asked straight forward if they are coming to Roland Garros to watch their compatriots play or simply to watch some good tennis. While Alain and Ombeline flat out said that they would first like to see the French win, the other four said they wanted to see good tennis without neglecting to add that they are also there to support their compatriots.

As I suspected, the question did not put them enough on the spot, so I decided to push further with more specific questions: if two top-10 players took the court at the same time as a match between Richard Gasquet, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, or Gilles Simon and a player ranked around No. 100 in the world, which would they watch? Alain and Ombeline once again preferred to watch the French player over a top-10 matchup. Catherine said if one of the top 10 players were Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal, she would prefer to see them, but if it was Novak Djokovic playing, she would rather see the French player's match. I did not feel the need to ask her feelings about the current No. 11 player in the world from Serbia. The father-duo combo of Christian and Aurélie said the top 10 matchup without hesitation.

My next question was even more precise. I talked to these people in the middle of the first week, so there was still a chance to have a Djokovic vs. Federer semifinal on one side of the men's draw, and a Nadal vs. Gasquet (or Gaël Monfils) semifinal in the other. Given that they could only attend one of the matches, which one would they prefer? Surprisingly, Ombeline and Alain, who have been choosing the French players so far, went with the Federer/Djokovic match, while Christian, Aurélie and Catherine all took the Nadal/Gasquet match. I could not make sense of that deviation from the norm in the answers to that specific question, but then again, when talking to fans, must we look for logic in every answer? I think not.

In the case of a choice of a ticket between the women's final involving a French player vs. Maria Sharapova and the men's final between Djokovic and Nadal (No. 1 and 2 in the world), Aurélie proved to be the only one who said she would "naturally" watch the ladies' final with a side-eyed look at her dad and Alain who did not hesitate a second in choosing the Djokovic vs. Nadal final. In this case, Ombeline and Catherine also chose the men's final over Sharapova and the French player. Alain did however add a caveat: if I gave her the choice of a women's final between Gabriela Sabatini and Anna Kournikova, his answer would have been completely different.

Nostalgia took over when I began asking questions about what they like about Roland Garros, and what they could change if they had the power to do it with the snap of a finger. With the exception of Alain, the difficulty of circulating around the grounds and the lack of space came up in all conversations. Aurélie, a fairly tall girl, complained that the seats at Suzanne Lenglen had no leg room and that her legs were aching after watching Jo-Wilfried Tsonga defeat Jerzy Janowicz in straight sets. Catherine was adamant about the negative effects of over-crowding: she said that she brought her son for the first time to Roland Garros, and that he was so disappointed by the stifling lack of space that they were going to have to leave early because he lost his enthusiasm to watch matches.

Alain's expression turned pensive, and he said that he is not a good person to answer a question about "changes," because he always loved Roland Garros with all its pluses and minuses. He even began talking about how it was "at that spot, right there" (fixing his eyes and pointing to a location close to the player's tunnel on the way to Suzanne Lenglen court) that his son saw Steffi Graf in the '80s and got her autograph on a picture. Apparently, they framed that autographed picture and it still sits in a prime spot in their home.

He also affirmed that the demolition of Court 1 in the upcoming years as part of the renovation plans makes him sad because of the endless great moments that were staged on that court: "history will be demolished, not just a tennis court" he said. Christian added that the round stands – thus called 'the bull ring' by the Anglophone media – made it unique in that there were no bad seats in the stadium.

The two ladies, Catherine and Ombeline, both took a serious tone about the issue of high prices at Roland Garros. Catherine kept rolling her eyes, citing the prices of some items. Ombeline took it a step further: "A shirt for 55 euros? An umbrella for 65 euros? A towel for 75? Allez! I don't want to hear anyone complain in this country about not having any money if these items are selling left and right in Roland Garros, or else the managers of these boutiques live in a dream world!" Ombeline went on and on, stretching her comments all the way to the President François Hollande, without much regard to the type of vocabulary used, mind you.

Stay tuned for part two of this article for a comparison of the above with how English tennis fans react to similar questions about their beloved Wimbledon. Coming soon!

Posted by Mert Ertunga at 11:42 AM | Comments (0)

July 10, 2014

World Cup Review and Finals Prediction

2014's World Cup Final is set, pitting Germany against Argentina. Hier Germans, you say? That's reich. It's Deutschland versus Lionel Messi and 10 other dudes. Despite the absence of the home team, Estádio do Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro will be packed, because nothing fills a stadium in Brazil like the World Cup final, or Mötley Crüe circa 1987.

And speaking of Mötley Crüe, this World Cup has indeed been a Theater of Pain, because it's all about acting like you're hurt. It seems to be the only thing wrong with the beautiful game. Unfortunately, it may be too late for FIFA to do anything about it, because flopping is such a part of the game, much like racism, bananas, Ian Dark, and English disappointment.

The Germans plowed into the final with a 7-1 annexation of Brazil that left some Brazilians fans in tears, while others burned the nation's flag. No matter the situation, it's wrong to burn the flag. Maybe bleaching it would have been a better option; that leaves you with a white flag, certainly handy in a 7-1 match.

Brazil looked lost without injured star Neymar. How is the Brazilian team like Columbia's Camilo Zuniga? They both (k)need Neymar. That was a flying knee that even all Silva's could appreciate, especially Anderson.

Was the game fixed? I don't know, but for all you European clubs out there, it may be a good time to acquire Brazilian talent, because, apparently, they can be bought.

Argentina advanced to the final on a penalty kick shootout over The Netherlands in one of the most boring World Cup semifinal matches of all time. With all three of their substitutions exhausted, head coach Louis van Gaal was unable to sub in reserve goalie Tim Krul, who talked the Costa Ricans into missing twice in the quarterfinals. Instead, starting goalie Jasper Cillissen was left to flail at the Argentine PK's. If you predicted failure for Cillessen, you guessed right. If you are Jasper Cillesen, you guessed wrong.

In stark contrast to the elation evident on the Argentine side, the Dutch locker room was as somber as a tomb. While head coach Louis van Gaal lamented not having one more substitution, Wesley Sneijder and Stefan de Vrij quietly enjoyed a marijuana blunt, known as a "silent J" in the Netherlands.

Before we take a look ahead to the final, let's take a look back at the tournament.

Going Dental

Luis Suarez, as he is prone to do, left an impression in Brazil, and on Giorgio Chiellini's shoulder. Suarez even had the nerve to deny biting Chiellini when asked about it by reporters, despite video evidence to the contrary. Here's a transcript of the exchange:

Reporter: Did you bite Giorgio Chiellini?

Luis Suarez: Gnaw.

Hot in the City

The heat and humidity of Brazil led to the World Cup's first water break, because, as Robert Plant would say, "You need coolin', baby I'm not foolin'." Expect more water breaks in Qatar in 2022, but only for players, not for the slave labor. The competition is still eight years away, but the "Group Of Death" has already been established — it's the construction teams. In Brazil, people were displaced so stadiums could be built. In Qatar, it's slightly different — people will be misplaced. What do you call a dead laborer in Qatar? A working stiff.

U.S. of A (More Like a B-minus)

The United States made a good showing, advancing to the round of 16. Sure, the Americans are easily one of the world's top 16 teams, but they are no better than that. What do they need to get over the hump? It's simple — what they need is what all other elite teams have — a superstar identified by a single name. Hopefully, it won't be a "Scooter," a "Dakota," or a "Frankie," but it would be really cool if his pro team was "Sporting Wood."

Interesting fact: in the U.S.'s 2-1 win over Ghana, there was a player named "John Boye," for Ghana.

"van Persieing"

The World Cup's hottest meme is "van Persieing," an homage to Dutch striker Robin van Persie's flying header against Spain on June 13th. Van Persie's image has been photo-shopped to depict him in various stages of mid-air flight. The second-hottest meme is "Robbening," featuring van Persie's teammate Arjen Robben. "Robbening" is identical to "van Persieing," except you just lie on the ground.

Diego Maradona's Analysis, Brought to You By Coca-Cola's Refreshing New Zero Calorie Product, "Coked Out"

Diego Maradona is certainly picking Argentina to beat Germany. When told that bookmakers had listed the Germans as slight favorites, Maradona just snorted, and displayed an obscene gesture that could only be described as the "Hand of Job."

Vanishing Foam: The Silly String of World Cup Soccer

2014's World Cup saw the first utilization of "vanishing foam" to mark spots for free kicks and the ten-yard defending line for free kicks. The water-based spray disappears within minutes after application. Everyone seemed satisfied with the product, except for Maradona, who said he could easily make white lines disappear much faster.

All Nickname Team

Uruguay's Luis Suar-Ez "Not Going to Do it Again"

Germany's Jerome "German Chocolate" Boateng

Algeria's Mohamed Zemmamouche "Zemmamouche, Will You Do the Fandango?"

Japan's Yasuhito "Rollin' Down the Street Smokin'" Endo

Argentina's Pablo "Honey" Zabaleta

Brazil's "In-a-Gadda" David Luiz

German coach Joachim Löw "And Seven Stories"

Germany's Bastian "John Jacob" Schweinsteiger "Heimer Schmidt"

Germany's Mesut "Suit" Ozil

France's Karim "Abdul-Jabbar" Benzema

Germany's Miroslav "The" Klose "You Get, the Further I Fall

England's Wayne "Maca" Rooney

Germany's Andrea Schurrle "You Can't Be Serious"

The Netherlands' Bruno Martins Indi "500"

United States' Graham "My" Zusi "Weighs a Ton"

The Netherlands' Klaus-Jan Huntelaar "She Blows"

Argentina's Fernando Gago "Maggot"

Third-Place Game

The Netherlands vs. Brazil: Is this case, "WC" stands for "who cares?"

Dutch head man van Gaal certainly doesn't, voicing his disdain for the third-place game, saying it should be abolished. Oh, the gaal of some people.

I'll take Brazil, 3-2.

The Final

The crowd in Rio de Janeiro is decisively pro-German. Nothing's changed in Brazil since the 1940s — the place is still full of German sympathizers. Does the country of Brazil want to see a fellow South American team win the World Cup? Nope.

While the German attack has been crisp and precise, the German defense has been more than solid as well, surrendering only four goals in six games. When asked to comment, Lieutenant Aldo Raine described the the krauts as "Impervious Basterds."

The Germans win the opening coin toss, and in a World Cup first, defer to the second half. The German defense, intent on stopping Messi, roughs up the diminutive star with a series of hard fouls. In the 24th minute, Mats Hummels draws a yellow card for an egregious takedown of Messi, who theatrically writhes in pain on the turf, a scenario that angers some Germans, while others find it highly erotic.

Messi is coffined off to the sidelines in the orange stretcher that looks like it is best suited for extracting a stranded mountain-climber off a peak in a helicopter. Messi is quickly back on the pitch, buoyed by the mysterious and magical healing power of the sideline.

With their leader back, the Argentines go on the attack, forcing the Germans to backpedal. In the 41st minute, Messi fires a cross that is booted off the crossbar by Maxi Rodriguez. The ricochet is collected by Sami Khedira and the Germans counter (Note: in the Germany/Brazil contest, the German counter read "7").

Khedira finds Toni Kroos down the right flank, and he fires a cross that Thomas Muller slams home with a header at 44'. Just like in the previous game, the nearest Brazilian in sight was in the stands.

It's Germany 1-0 at halftime.

Down a goal, Argentina opens up their attack, opting for the risky 3-1-6 alignment made famous by the San Diego Shockers on the Major Indoor Soccer League. It pays off, as Messi finds space in the 79th minute, leaving five German defenders grasping for air as he deposits a nifty boot from 12 yards out that beats German net-minder Manuel Neuer.

Neuer exacts revenge seven minutes later, when he saves a point-blank shot from Sergio Aguero, then stuffs a Messi header off the rebound. Neuer outlets to start the German break, leading to a corner in the 86th minute. The subsequent set piece leads to a mad scramble in front of the net, where no less than seven Argentine or German players touch it. The ball trickles to the left post, where Sergio Romero bats it away just as the ball appears to cross the goal line. The referee signals "goal," and FIFA's new goal-line technology, provided by German company GoalControl, confirms the goal. Replays also confirm that the ball was touched by no hands in the exchange, a fact that doesn't go unnoticed by the Westboro Baptist Church, who for years have claimed that God should not be involved in soccer.

Germany is World Cup champion, 2-1.

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 1:36 PM | Comments (0)

July 9, 2014

What's the Scenario?

Okay. I'm feeling dizzy at this point. It's not due to holdover from the fireworks displays on the Fourth. It's not due to the muggy heat that early July brings to the Midwest (don't forget to hydrate). It's actually due to the whirling dervish of speculation surrounding the current round of NBA free agency.

When someone isn't talking about whether LeBron James will stay on South Beach, he/she/they turn the conversation to where Carmelo Anthony will settle down. There are other pieces being moved during this process, but there's no doubt that James and Anthony are the two biggest prizes in this Summer's crop of available players. When and where they go may dictate the Association for the next 4-5 season. While their movements would have an impact on the Western Conference, there's no doubt that these two ... just these two ... could completely reshuffle the "deck chairs" of the Eastern Conference.

As information continues to change from day-to-day and hour-to-hour, I figure why not throw my hat in on all of the fortune telling. However, I'm taking my forecast out a little bit further. How about taking a peek into next April? Many of the franchises east of the Mississippi struggled through a major portions of the season. Some (Toronto, Washington) surged beyond expectations. However, save Miami and Indiana, the conference's playoff spots appeared to be up for grabs.

Heading into next season, there should be more teams playing for not only the postseason, but with the thought that they could be in the race for the East's number one seed. Now, all of this could be rendered moot with one statement. If James re-signs with the Heat, the road to the NBA Finals will more than likely have to go through Miami.

Then again, if 'Bron makes another "decision," you have four contenders waiting in the wings. Looking at the teams that finished 1, 3, 4, and 5 in last season's pecking order, you can find a key similarity. All four squads have a core of young players led by someone you could probably put in the pool of the Association's 20 best players. So, what scenario could put each team in a position to fight for home-court advantage in nine months?

The Pacers can contend if...

Yes, I understand that Indiana did enough to have the East's best record this past season. But anyone who follows the sport knows how the team really had to hold on late for that distinction. If they wish to return to the lofty heights of that regular-season pedestal, they may have to add through subtraction.

Lance Stephenson is a talented player. He led the league in triple-doubles last season. Even with that stat, you have to factor in his on-court antics, (especially in the postseason) which left many shaking their heads. It appears that Lance could be the next Dennis Rodman or Ron Artest (for the sake of past transgressions, we'll reference the player previously known before Metta World Peace). However, if reports are true that he had a bit of a hand in the team's fractured chemistry down the stretch, Stephenson might have taken his quirkiness a step too deep.

There are other problems that Larry Bird and Frank Vogel need to figure out. But the healing may start by letting Stephenson leave for other pastures.

The Raptors can contend if...

For my money, Toronto was the biggest surprise of last season. They came out of obscurity to win an Atlantic Division that was all but assured to Brooklyn. The Raptors will enter this season trying to live up to increased expectations, while hoping to draw on the experience of that division race. The veteran-laden Nets will get a year older, and that core could be hurt if Paul Pierce decides to join back up with Doc Rivers.

Sure, Pierce is in "last wind" cycle as a player, but he contributed around 13.5 points and 4.6 rebounds during the regular season (the numbers were almost identical in the playoffs). And if "The Truth" decides to finish his career in his hometown of L.A., where does that leave Kevin Garnett? Brooklyn's hiring of new head coach Lionel Hollins may be key in keeping Pierce (and possibly Garnett) at the Barclays Center for 41-plus more games during the upcoming season.

The Bulls can contend if...

Chicago's case appears to be simpler than the rest. This squad is the best defensive force in the NBA. When you have the Defensive Player of the Year (Joakim Noah) roaming the middle and the best defensive coach (Tom Thibodeau) going, you know you can slow most everyone down. The problem is that pesky action of putting the ball in the bucket.

Two in-house moves could really help the offense. The first was their draft day trade to acquire Doug McDermott. The collegiate Player of the Year finished fifth on the all-time Division I scoring list. The second, of course, would be the healthy return of Derrick Rose. When not in need of injury rehab, the former league MVP has been the most potent potion for the team's weak scoring punch.

The one move that would be the cherry on top, no doubt, is the addition of Carmelo to the roster. Mixing Rose's 20.8 ppg back into the fold returns the squad to an Eastern threat. But adding Anthony's 25.3 ppg into the lineup provides a huge boost that could make the Bulls the favorite to get home-court.

The Wizards can contend if...

Washington has been building for a couple of years. It started through John Wall's growing pains and continues through Bradley Beal's emergence. With Wall (basically) back to full strength, and Beal shooting with NBA precision, the backcourt is set. The organization also got their front-court shored up when they re-signed Marcin Gortat. That means full-steam ahead with a core group good enough to swipe a playoff series a couple of months ago.

The big question, though, is how the other contenders take care of their own business. The Wizards can continue to improve. However, unless LBJ leaves Miami and Carmelo stays out of Chi-town, Washington won't have enough (yet) to surpass those two franchises over an 82-game schedule.

Posted by Jonathan Lowe at 3:09 PM | Comments (0)

NASCAR Top 10 Power Rankings: Week 18

Note: the quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Jeff Gordon — Gordon overcame damage in an early wreck at Daytona and finished 12th, maintaining the points lead. He leads Dale Earnhardt, Jr. by 27, as Hendrick drivers occupy the top three spots.

"It was all about survival," Gordon said, "and I survived. 'It's called survival, only the strong can survive.' And that may be the first and last time a NASCAR driver quotes Grand Master Flash.

"And speaking of NASCAR and rappers, I haven't seen 50 Cent around lately. That may be because Erin Andrews told him to kiss off."

2. Jimmie Johnson — Johnson was caught in a lap 20 wreck that ended his day with a 42nd-place finish, his worst of the year. He is third in the points standings, 55 out of first.

"What a day for Aric Almirola," Johnson said. "Richard Petty made the 43 car famous; Almirola made it relevant, at least on Sunday. That makes Aric 'King' for a day. And he'll be in the news consistently for the coming week. So that makes Aric a loyal subject."

3. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. — Earnhardt finished 14th at Daytona, the top finisher among Hendrick Motorsports cars. He is second in the Sprint Cup points standings, 27 behind Jeff Gordon.

"I was looking for the Daytona sweep," Earnhardt said. "Unfortunately, there wasn't a broom in sight — only mops.

"That's probably one of the wettest weeks of racing at Daytona. The rain affected everything: practice, qualifying, and the race. But it was business as usual for Junior Nation in the Daytona infield — their alcohol consumption dictates that they're never dry."

4. Brad Keselowski — Keselowski finished a lap down in 18th in the Coke Zero 400. Kesekowski's No. 2 Chevy was one of 25 cars affected by a lap 97 pile-up that forced a red flag.

"I'm not sure who started that mess," Keselowski said, "but I'd like to punch them. Hopefully, should I open up a can of whoop ass, somebody else will bleed, and not me."

5. Carl Edwards — Edwards found trouble early at Daytona, becoming one of several cars involved in a lap 20 wreck started when Roush Fenway teammate Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. got loose. Edwards eventually finished 37th, 46 laps down.

"Tony Stewart was not happy with Stenhouse," Edwards said. "He called him an 'idiot.' Trust me, you don't want to be in Tony Stewart's doghouse. It's way too crowded in there."

6. Matt Kenseth — Kenseth took 20th at Daytona in a race won by Aric Almirola's No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports car. Kenseth, still winless on the year, is fifth in the points standings, 71 out of first.

"What a win for Almirola," Kenseth said. "It's always wide open when there's a restrictor plate race. And when they say 'anybody' can win, what they really mean is a 'nobody' can win."

7. Joey Logano — Logano finished 17th in a crash-filled Coke Zero 400 that left only 17 cars on the lead lap. He is now sixth in the points standings, 105 out of first.

"My teammate Brad Keselowski had the cut on his hand glued together," Logano said. "And I believe it's made him a better driver, because now he's even more skilled at operating a 'stick shift.'

"My car was leaving a trail of debris late in the race. As a result, I was black-flagged. That's similar to my dad being black-listed."

8. Kyle Busch — Busch finished 28th after being collected in lap 97's "Big One," which involved no less than 25 cars and left Busch's No. 18 Toyota upside down.

"Jeremy Mayfield would call that a 'roofie,'" Busch said, "or a 'downer.' Luckily, the tow truck was there quickly to turn me over. Mayfield would call that an 'upper.'

"It was certainly a wild ride, and reminded me of that fateful day in Iredell County, North Carolina back in May of 2011. In that case, however, it wasn't the 'Big One' that forced me into the grass on the side of the road, but a State Trooper."

9. Aric Almirola — Almirola captured the rain-shortened Coke Zero 400, placing the No. 43 car in winner's circle for the first time since 1999. The win came almost 30 years to the day of Richard Petty's 200th and final NASCAR victory.

"It was a great day for 'The King,'" Almirola said. "And Prince, too, because we're gonna party like it's 1999.

"I won $377,176 in prize money. I think I could win another weather-shortened race, or be a big-time player at the strip club, because with that kind of cash, you can really 'make it rain.'"

10. Kevin Harvick — Harvick suffered damage in the first of two "Big Ones" in the Coke Zero 400. He eventually finished 39th after completing just 46 laps.

"Haas Automation became an official sponsor of Ferrari's Formula 1 through the 2015 season," Harvick said. "Gene Haas is an astute business man, and the timing of this deal is perfect. Before forming a partnership with Ferrari's 'Prancing Horse,' he got into business with Tony Stewart's 'Ranting Donkey.'"

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 11:02 AM | Comments (0)

July 8, 2014

If They Were All in Their Primes...

Who was the best team of all-time?

It's a question that in the major U.S. pro sports seldom generates much discussion, simply because there's not a wide range of disagreement. In baseball, most knowledgeable fans point to the '27 Yankees. Oh sure, you'll get some mentions for '39 and '98, or maybe the Big Red Machine, but no one's going to argue too hard against '27. In the NFL, take your pick of the '72 Dolphins or '85 Bears. Most fans are behind one of those two. In the NBA, it's widely accepted that the 1995-96 Bulls were the best ever, end of story.

Several years ago, the Sports Central Message Boards played host to a brief, but lively and interesting discussion: who would be the best NBA team of all-time ... if everyone on the team was in his prime?

I don't presume to provide a definitive answer, but here are 10 contenders. I'm omitting the Celtics' Bill Russell Dynasty, because most of those guys really did play together in their primes, and they won 11 NBA championships in 13 seasons. Here are some teams that get a more obvious boost from the timeline adjustment:

1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers

69-13 (.841), 8-2 playoffs, 4-1 Finals

The Lakers were a dominant team. They had two of the top three in NBA MVP voting (point guard Jerry West and center Wilt Chamberlain). Chamberlain led the league in rebounds, West finished second in assists, and two-guard Gail Goodrich led the team in scoring. The Lakers dominated the league and breezed to a championship. But this team could have been even better. Wilt was 35, and West 33. Hall of Fame forward Elgin Baylor only played nine games. How good would Los Angeles have been with a young Wilt Chamberlain and a healthy Elgin Baylor?

Starting five: Jerry West, Gail Goodrich, Elgin Baylor, Happy Hairston, Wilt Chamberlain
Also on the team: Pat Riley

1984-85 Philadelphia 76ers

58-24 (.707), 8-5 playoffs, lost to Celtics

Two years removed from their Fo' Fi' Fo' championship run, the Sixers featured aging stars like 35-year-old Julius Erving and 11th-year veteran Moses Malone. They were still fine players: Dr. J averaged 20 points a game, while Malone averaged 24.6 with 13 rebounds. But neither was the player he had been a few years earlier, and a rookie forward — not yet round, but already a mound of rebound — hadn't yet come into his own. Take them all in their best years, and this team might have really lived up to Malone's prediction of three straight sweeps.

Starting five: Maurice Cheeks, Andrew Toney, Julius Erving, Charles Barkley, Moses Malone
Also on the team: Clint Richardson

1986-87 Los Angeles Lakers

65-17 (.793), 11-1 playoffs, 4-2 Finals

This was a sensational team. Magic Johnson won his first MVP award, the Lakers won nearly 80% of their games, they swept two of their three playoff series, and they convincingly beat Larry Bird's Celtics in the NBA Finals. But it's easy to see a way in which this great team could have been even greater. Starting center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was 39 years old. He averaged 17.5 points and 6.7 rebounds. In the 1971-72 season, Kareem averaged 35 ppg, 16.6 rpg. The Lakers were dominant with a center who was 15 years past his prime. With the young Kareem, they would have been utterly untouchable.

Starting five: Magic Johnson, Michael Cooper, James Worthy, A.C. Green, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Also on the team: Kurt Rambis

Mychal Thompson also joined the Lakers as part of a mid-season trade from the Spurs. A 1981-82 Thompson would make this roster even more devastating.

2002-03 San Antonio Spurs

60-22 (.732), 12-6 playoffs, 4-2 Finals

This team had the dynasty core of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker, but it also had David Robinson. Ginobili was a rookie, Parker hadn't peaked yet, and Robinson was clearly past his prime. Add those four to Stephen Jackson and Malik Rose, plus Steve Kerr and Danny Ferry (whose prime may well have been in college, but still counts), and everyone else from that incredibly deep team (11 players with 10+ minutes per game), and you've got a group that could probably compete with any team in history.

Starting five: Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Bruce Bowen, Tim Duncan, David Robinson
Also on the team: Steve Kerr

2003-04 Los Angeles Lakers

56-26 (.683), 12-5 playoffs, 1-4 Finals, lost to Pistons

The last gasp of the Shaq-and-Kobe mini-dynasty. Following a three-peat from 1999-2002, the Lakers loaded up for one more run before Shaq went to Miami, coach Phil Jackson left the team, and the Lakers fell apart. The '04 Lakers lost to Detroit in the Finals, but if everyone on the team had been in his prime, it would have been a sweep the other way. Note the Glove and the Mailman, added to the core of a team that had won three straight titles without them.

Starting five: Gary Payton, Kobe Bryant, Bryon Russell, Karl Malone, Shaquille O'Neal
Also on the team: Horace Grant

2005-06 Miami Heat

52-30 (.634), 12-5 playoffs, 4-2 Finals

A championship team loaded with players past their primes. Dwyane Wade was in his third season and coming into his own, but Shaquille O'Neal was 34, Alonzo Mourning was 36, and Gary Payton was nearly 38. The Heat won a championship with a roster full of stars, but if you put Wade in a time machine and sent him back to 1999 with Shaq, 'Zo, and Payton, they might have won 72 games instead of 52.

Starting five: Gary Payton, Dwyane Wade, Antoine Walker, Alonzo Mourning, Shaquille O'Neal
Also on the team: Jason Williams

I know that's two centers, but if you had Zo and Shaq in their primes, you'd find a way to put them both on the floor. The 2003-04 Lakers and 2005-06 Heat have Payton and O'Neal in common. It's interesting to compare the remaining talent and try to figure out who's ahead. I guess I lean towards Los Angeles, but it's close.

2007-08 Boston Celtics

66-16 (.805), 12-8 playoffs, 4-2 Finals

The team indirectly to blame for The Decision, the '08 Celtics featured 30-somethings Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Sam Cassell, P.J. Brown, James Posey, and Scot Pollard. The Celtics won a championship, but Allen and Garnett had peaked five years earlier. The in-their-primes treatment also gives Boston an incredibly strong and deep bench. Even without a time machine, this team put together a trio of established superstars and convinced LeBron James that he couldn't win a title in Cleveland, sending him and his talents to South Beach.

Starting five: Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, P.J. Brown
Also on the team: Sam Cassell

2011-12 Dallas Mavericks

36-30 (.545), 0-4 playoffs, lost to Thunder

This team was not particularly successful, but it followed on the heels of the Mavs' 2011 championship team, and this year's roster included Vince Carter and Lamar Odom. The 2011-12 Mavericks had eight players with over a decade in the NBA, including 35-year-old Carter and 39-year-old Jason Kidd. Take those two at age 25, on a team with Dirk Nowitzki and Shawn Marion, and you've got a monster.

Starting five: Jason Kidd, Vince Carter, Shawn Marion, Dirk Nowitzki, Brendan Haywood
Also on the team: Lamar Odom

2012-13 Los Angeles Lakers

45-37 (.549), 0-4 playoffs, lost to Spurs

This is the era of superteams, with great players like LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and Chris Bosh courting supporters based as much on the perceived likelihood of a championship as on any other factor. The 2012-13 Lakers added Steve Nash and Dwight Howard to their existing roster, a team that had won the Pacific Division the year before. But Nash was 38, and Howard never showed the same level of play that made him a perennial MVP candidate in Orlando. With a young Nash and Kobe, and Howard at his best, this superteam really would have been super.

Starting five: Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant, Metta World Peace, Pau Gasol, Dwight Howard
Also on the team: Antawn Jamison

2012-13 Miami Heat

66-16 (.805), 12-4 playoffs, 4-3 Finals

This team doesn't need any more help. Many fans were disappointed by the Heat's success, but Miami could have been even better with a little help from Father Time. Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade were starting to slow down a little, but Game 6 hero Ray Allen was almost 38, and had slowed down a lot. Juwan Howard turned 40 during the season, and only played 51 minutes, but 10 years earlier, he had routinely averaged 18 points and 7 rebounds.

Starting five: Mario Chalmers, Ray Allen, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Chris Bosh
Also on the team: Juwan Howard

Posted by Brad Oremland at 12:49 PM | Comments (0)

July 7, 2014

MLB Midseason Awards

Major League Baseball is just past the midway point of the season. The All-Star Break is coming up very soon and as usual the season has been filled with plenty of surprises (Milwaukee is in first in the NL Central) and plenty of happenings that cannot be described as surprising whatsoever (the Cubs are in last in the NL Central).

While there are still plenty of games to play, it is fitting to look at who is on track for a few of the various awards that will come out at season's end. By the way, there's still time to check out the latest MLB odds to get a clue of which teams have performed well during the first half of the season.

AL Rookie of the Year

It's going to be really hard for voters to choose between Jose Abreu and Masahiro Tanaka. Abreu leads Major League Baseball in home runs, runs batted in, slugging, and as of Saturday morning was on an 18-game hitting streak.

But Tanaka leads baseball in wins and is in the top five in the AL in strikeouts, ERA, innings pitched, WHIP, win percentage and complete games. At this point in time, I would reluctantly give the nod to Tanaka, but really both deserve this award. Is it possible Tanaka will win the Cy Young, but not Rookie of the Year?

NL Rookie of the Year

The Cincinnati Reds center fielder Billy Hamilton has been a blaze of speed this season. With 35 stolen bases and a batting average of .277, you may think there's not much there, but who else are you going to be looking at in the National League?

AL Manager of the Year

While the Blue Jays have slowed down a bit lately, John Gibbons is my pick for the first half of the season. Whether or not he deserves the award will be determined in the second half of the season I suppose. If the Blue Jays can manage a playoff berth, I'd say Gibbons takes the prize. Gibbons managed the Blue Jays from 2004 to 2008 and rejoined the club in 2013. His success has thus far been minimal with no playoff appearances in a rather difficult AL East.

If Gibbons and the Blue Jays tank, look no further than Bob Melvin with the Oakland A's. Since coming on in 2011, Melvin has led the A's to two division championships, but has thus far failed to advance past the ALDS. The A's currently have the best record in baseball and have made some of the strongest moves to ensure a solid run in the playoffs. I don't know if Melvin will win Manager of the Year, but he may very well win the World Series, which I think he'd appreciate more anyway.

NL Manager of the Year

Need we look further than the Milwaukee Brewers and Ron Roenicke? Roenicke has had to put up with a lot of crap (Ryan Braun) and after finishing 23 games out of first place in the NL Central in 2013, the Brewers are now currently four games ahead of the defending NL champion Cardinals. Roenicke is certainly the winner for the first half of the season. But in a division where four teams are above .500 and three of the teams below the Brewers made the playoffs last season, they still have plenty of work to do.

AL Comeback Player of the Year

Whether entirely deserving or not, the name recognition will likely put Albert Pujols in position for this award. Pujols only played 99 games in 2013 and through 83 games so far, his numbers are strikingly similar. Yet a fuller season with 30-35 home runs and over 100 runs batted in should be enough to satisfy a few voters – even if his batting average is only .260 and his OBP is actually worse than 2013.

Michael Pineda could have been the guy, but another injury setback makes it unlikely that he'll garner enough playing time to win the award in 2014 and will be its expected frontrunner in 2015. There aren't a lot of other significant choices for this award. Pujols is likely to take it. The days of batting .300 are behind him, but hopefully he improves his average and OBP so as not to be quite so embarrassing.

NL Comeback Player of the Year

In the middle of 2010, during an MVP type year, Justin Morneau suffered a concussion while playing for the Minnesota Twins. He hasn't been the same ever since. But he looks more like his old self now than the previous four years. Batting .315 and on pace for over 100 RBI, Morneau looks quite comfortable. The Rockies dismal standings shouldn't affect Comeback Player of the Year — unlike Tulowitzki below.

A case is easily made for Josh Beckett as well who is having his best year since perhaps 2007. In 2012 and 2013, Beckett managed a record of 7-19 with an ERA approaching 5. In 2014, he's 5-5 win an ERA of 2.37. I'm inclined toward Morneau, but Beckett is also a fine choice.

AL Cy Young

As I mentioned above, Tanaka looks pretty stinking good. But there are a lot of pitchers in the running at this point. Felix Hernandez, Chris Sale, Mark Buehrle, Yu Darvish, Rick Porcello, and David Price on a better team could all be contenders. At the half-way point though, it's between King Felix and Tanaka. I'd lean toward Tanaka, but really, either choice should make a person happy.

NL Cy Young

I think Adam Wainwright is the guy here, though not without contenders. Wainwright is tied for the most wins in the NL, has the best ERA, and the highest WAR among pitchers. Zach Greinke, Alfredo Simon, Johnny Cueto, and Julio Teheran all have cases to plead, but Wainwright looks to be the favorite at the midway point.

AL MVP

Mike Trout is having a typical MVP caliber season, though he has not yet won the award, 2014 is very likely his year. The Angels are 3.5 games behind the Oakland A's in the AL West, but the Angels are atop the AL wild card standings. Trout's average and stolen bases are down a touch, but his home run and RBI numbers are up (and likewise his slugging and OPS). Runs scored is right on target with last year (109). A WAR of 5.2 has him nearly a full game ahead of Oakland's Josh Donaldson (4.4). Miguel Cabrera is having a good year, but has fallen off in most every category from the previous two years when Cabrera edged Trout for the MVP. That won't happen again this year. Trout will have his day. (Though let's not forget that MVP voters often get distracted by power numbers and Jose Abreu, Edwin Encarnacion, and Nelson Cruz are all having impressive years).

NL MVP

Troy Tulowitzki currently has the most Wins Above Replacement (5.3) in Major League Baseball. He is currently batting .350 with an on-base percentage of .441 and slugging away at .608. He and is on pace for 34 home runs, 88 runs batted in, and 123 runs scored. The Rockies have arguably the best offense in Major League Baseball ... and arguably the worst pitching staff in Major League Baseball. The Rockies are already 13 games out of first place in the NL West and 11 games back in the wild card. Only Arizona (by half a game) is worse than the Rockies in the National League. Despite Tulowitzki's exceedingly impressive year, it's doubtful he'd be chosen as MVP because of the dismal nature of the Rockies pitching staff. Not fair, I'd vote for Tulo, but I think we have to look elsewhere for who might actually receive the award.

Jonathan Lucroy looks like a very plausible MVP candidate — though not a flashy one. A catcher who hits for average, Lucroy is playing like Joe Mauer circa 2008. With a WAR of 4.4 and currently the best team in the National League, he should garner a few votes in the NL MVP race. So I'd put my vote in for Tulo, but Lucroy is probably a more realistic choice midseason. Other players to consider include Giancarlo Stanton — leading the NL in home runs and RBI — as well as Andrew McCutchen and Adam Wainwright.

Posted by Andrew Jones at 6:00 PM | Comments (0)

Let's Not Put the A's in the Series Just Yet

Eons ago, an anonymous Brooklyn Dodgers executive crowed when the club dealt for Chicago Cubs outfielder Andy Pafko, in June 1951, "Gentlemen, we have just traded for the pennant." And Pafko did provide the Dodgers some much-needed additional pop with 35 runs batted in and 18 home runs in 84 games, in a season in which he was 3.2 wins above a replacement-level player overall.

It wasn't Pafko's fault by any means that those Dodgers ended up losing a pennant they once looked to have had in the bank. But there's a lesson there, ladies and gentlemen, a lesson the Oakland Athletics and their followers would be wise to remember. The swap to obtain Chicago Cubs pitchers Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel is being received around much of baseball as the A's saying, in essence, "Gentlemen, we have just traded for the World Series."

The A's have the American League's best team ERA despite losing Jarrod Parker and A.J. Griffin to season-ending injuries. They've been riding Sonny Gray, Jesse Chavez, and the surprising continuing comeback of Scott Kazmir. But they could ride those horses only so long before a breakdown, considering Gray and Chavez have yet to work a complete major league season and Kazmir hasn't since 2008.

The A's are also 6-5 in their last eleven games at this writing. Their AL West lead is down to 3.5 games, and the Los Angeles Angels aren't about to let them run away with the division if they can help it. (The Angels in their last eleven at this writing: 8-3. Even if the Angels haven't done quite as well against other contenders as the A's have, so far, allowing that "contenders" may be relative in this peculiar parity season.) Chavez, a converted reliever, has been struggling since April's end, and the back of the rotation — Tommy Milone (a league-average pitcher at best) and Dave Pomeranz (who yielded to Brad Mills after going down with a fractured glove hand) — has been a question mark long enough.

They played for David Price and couldn't satisfy the Tampa Bay Rays, who've made something of an annual anti-sport out of letting the world speculate on when, not if, Price will be moved. (The "where" factor now becomes a little more intriguing.) Then, the A's turned toward Chicago, where the Cubs are being run by a regime throttled for spending and requiring creativity to continue building a young club whose animating characteristic seems to be position players with upside to spare.

The Cubs probably weren't going to be able to keep Samardzija or Hammel, the latter of whom is looking rather like the right-hander who earned the opening assignment when the Baltimore Orioles went to the 2012 postseason. And the A's made it happen by a surrender that may or may not come back to haunt them in future seasons, hooking the deal on Addison Russell, a 20-year-old who was believed by just about everyone watching the franchise to be their shortstop of the near and distant future.

When the deal for Price didn't solidify, the A's weren't exactly ready to throw up their hands; they'd had the Cubs on the other line. So Russell, outfield prospect Billy McKinney, projected starting pitcher Dan Straily, and the proverbial player to be named later, head for Chicago, the better for the Cubs to continue playing for the near-future.

Of course this is the A's playing for the Series. This year, not next year. Samardzija and Hammel have postseason experience, and they'll be brought in to fortify a rotation now spearheaded by Gray, who made his bones and a big splash with magnificent pitching against the Detroit Tigers last postseason. And the historically economic A's aren't in much position to keep much of this team's core together much longer, if at all.

Yoenis Cespedes hits free agency after 2015. Jed Lowrie goes there after this season. Josh Donaldson and Brandon Moss should be looking at nice pay raises over the next couple of years. Samardzija turned down a fat extension with the Cubs; Hammel is a half-season rental.

And just what are the chances that the deal makes the A's a Series favorite? Have a closer look at Samardzija and Hammel. Samardzija looked like the hard-luck ace of the season entering June, with a dazzling 1.46 ERA over his first ten starts and no wins to show for those ... but since June, he's had six starts and a 5.46 ERA to show for those six. He's moving to a pitcher's park, of course, but there's no real assurance as to whether the A's get the Samardzija of his first ten 2014 starts or the June edition.

Hammel may have looked good enough in Baltimore a few years ago (league average, occasionally higher by a hair or two), but he's a 31-year-old journeyman joining his fifth club and having terms on the disabled list in three of his last four seasons. Not to mention that, lifetime through this writing, his fielding-independent pitching rate is 4.21 and his walks and hits per inning pitched rate is 1.40. He's pitching above his head so far this season (3.16 FIP; 1.02 WHIP), and maybe — maybe — he continues that performance the rest of the way.

A's general manager Billy Beane has gambled big. Cubs president Theo Epstein and GM Jed Hoyer have only to wonder about how to re-arrange their lineup to fit all their nice new toys next year. The A's have a lot more serious wondering to do. And they'd rather not see one of their new toys end the season the way Andy Pafko ended his 1951, standing helplessly near the left field wall, when Bobby Thomson's Shot Heard 'Round the World flew over it, carrying the pennant ... into the New York Giants' hands.

Posted by Jeff Kallman at 11:05 AM | Comments (0)

July 4, 2014

Foul Territory: Losing Sucks and Bites

* He Ripped Him a New Uno — Mexico's head coach Miguel Herrera went berzerk after his team's 2-1 loss to the Netherlands on Sunday, shoving Dutch striker Robin van Persie and accusing Arjen Robben of flopping. Unfortunately for Herrera, the Dutchmen can't take a long walk off a short pier without "taking a dive."

* Net Worth? Or Their Decision to Fire Drew Will Draw Fire — The Milwaukee Bucks agreed to send two second-round picks to the Brooklyn Nets for the coaching rights to Jason Kidd, and the Bucks later fired head coach Larry Drew. While Kidd raised a drink to his new position, Drew was made "toast."

* Howard's End, or Once Again, Extra Time Was Their Downfall, and Once Again, They Get No "Extra Time" — The United States lost to Belgium 2-1 on Tuesday in the quarterfinals of the World Cup in Brazil despite a heroic effort from goalie Tim Howard, who made 16 saves, the most in a World Cup game since 1966. All in all, in was a very satisfying end for the U.S. team, especially for Landon Donovan.

* If He Uses His Recruitment By John Calipari as a Guide, Carmelo Should Be Well-Paid — Or Derrick Rose said convincing free agent Carmelo Anthony to sign with the Chicago Bulls is "not his job." Rose later reconsidered, and met with Antony on Tuesday. For the first time in years, he finally made a "play."

* King's Ransom, or When the Salary Cap Becomes the Salary Crown — LeBron James wants the maximum salary for next season, a number projected to be about $20.7 million. James has never been the highest-paid player on a team, and plans to take his talents to the bank.

* Luis Suar-Ez Never Going to Do it Again, or Toothless Aggression — Uruguay's Luis Suarez admitted he bit Italy's Giorgio Chiellini during World Cup group play and apologized. Suarez also promised there would never be another biting incident, an assertion supported by four out of five dentists.

* New Orleans "Aint" — Arbitrator Stephen Burbank denied Jimmy Graham's request to be declared a wide receiver under the NFL's franchise-tag rules. Burbank now has one more "block" than Graham.

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 9:15 AM | Comments (0)

July 3, 2014

NHL's West Gets Stronger

Statistically speaking, the Western Conference ruled the NHL in the 2013-14 season. Outside of a handful of blips, Western teams were collectively stronger with higher point totals and a lopsided win percentage against Eastern opponents. After this year's annual free agent frenzy, it doesn't appear that things will change. In fact, chances are the Western Conference will only get tougher.

The bomb first dropped right before free agency started. That's when the Anaheim Ducks nabbed Ryan Kesler from the Vancouver Canucks. On paper, this looks like a huge move for Anaheim. However, it comes with some inherent risk given the milage on Kesler's body. If Kesler stays healthy, this move becomes a significant upgrade for Anaheim in all areas: even strength, power play, penalty kill, and face-offs. The move did cost the Ducks some significant depth pieces, and therein lies the risk.

Down south in Texas, the Dallas Stars had the other major trade by acquiring Jason Spezza, solidifying a frightening 1-2 center punch with Tyler Seguin. The other key center move came from the St. Louis Blues, who signed Paul Stastny away from the Colorado Avalanche.

The Dallas Stars were already a fast, scrappy team that nearly beat the Anaheim Ducks in the first round. The St. Louis Blues were one of the class teams of the Western Conference, and a first-round death match against the Chicago Blackhawks. Both clubs are now deeper and more talented, raising fan-base expectations while opening up a world of Stanley Cup possibilities. Similarly, Nashville's trade for James Neal gives the Predators their first player with 40-goal potential — add a healthy season from Pekka Rinne and Nashville is positioned to make some noise. Minnesota added skilled forward Thomas Vanek into the mix, giving them 40-goal potential to go with Zach Parise and Mikko Koivu.

Even the less-significant moves will have a huge ripple effect. Brad Richards, the former Conn Smyth winner, signed a bargain deal to be Chicago's second-line center. Olli Jokinen gives the Predators some much-needed depth at center. Marion Gaborik returns to Los Angeles, where he was a key contributor to the Kings' second Stanley Cup.

While the Blackhawks and Kings remain the class of the Western Conference, the gap — on paper — has closed. Last year's playoffs opened with the idea that there really wouldn't be any upsets due to the parity between seeds 1 and 8, and the 2014-15 chase is gearing up to be a tough gauntlet from the very beginning. Of course, things that look great on paper don't always turn out that way. Just ask Richards that based on his time with the New York Rangers, or Vincent Lecavalier, who may soon see the second buyout of his career if no one trades for his contract.

For now, the balance of power in the NHL is heavily tilted towards the west. Perhaps the only silver lining for Eastern Conference teams is that the brutal first and second round of the playoffs will be even more so for any Western team, and this attrition may help out whichever Eastern team makes the Stanley Cup Final.

Posted by Mike Chen at 7:42 PM | Comments (1)

Jim Brosnan, RIP: Inside Looking Out

"A cocky book, caustic, and candid and, in a way, courageous," began Red Smith's review of The Long Season, relief pitcher Jim Brosnan's record of his 1959 season, spent between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds, "for Brosnan calls them as he sees them, doesn't hesitate to name names, and employs ridicule like a stiletto. He infuriated a lot of men in baseball, but he wrote an honest book that furnished an insight into the ballplayer's life which no outsider could possibly get."

Brosnan, who died June 28 at 84, jolted baseball in more ways than one. Jonathan Yardley, the nonpareil literary critic of The Washington Post, isolated the point 10 years ago, when reviewing The Long Season retroactively in 2004, upon its fresh republication (in hand with Pennant Race) in quality paperback: "The book was greeted with astonishment outside baseball, since the notion that a ballplayer could write (not to mention write well) was beyond consideration, and with fury inside baseball, where players and sportswriters charged that by portraying the game honestly, Brosnan had violated its code of omertà."

The Long Season might not have happened had Brosnan not bumped into a Sports Illustrated editor, Bob Boyle, who'd heard the bespectacled relief pitcher — whose clear-rimmed eyeglasses and locker full of books earned him the nickname The Professor (from Frank Robinson, his Cincinnati teammate) — had ambitions about writing a book about major league baseball. Boyle invited Brosnan to write an article "if something significant happens." Perhaps characteristically, Brosnan suggested a piece about his trade from the Chicago Cubs to the Cardinals for veteran shortstop Alvin Dark. (One reporter called the trade "a mutt for a pedigreed pooch — a real steal for the Cubs.") "Loved it," Boyle said when the article was published. "Why don't you write a book about a whole season?"

Among other revelations in The Long Season was the one in which the Cardinals didn't exactly think they were trading a pedigreed pooch for a mutt. Brosnan wrote fondly of Fred Hutchinson, who managed him with the Cardinals for a spell and would manage him again with the Reds: "A ballplayer always owes a good manager a debt. I learned things from Hutch and I thanked him. He gave me a chance to make more money, for one thing. It was on his recommendation that [the Cardinals] traded for me. And he gave me confidence in myself when the most I might have expected was a good chewing out."

Brosnan praised and needled in the same arch but honest tone, even if he did sanitize much of the vocabulary of the locker room or the dugout, as Bouton wouldn't need to do a decade later. He showed the better and lesser sides of several players, but even his needles seemed not to come from malice aforethought. Brosnan seemed to have no sense of wanting any kind of revenge for any kind of slight, in an era when players were too often slighted under a system that kept them, in essence, indentured servants.

When The Long Season and Pennant Race were republished, Brosnan remembered only too readily what made them controversial and him a figure of suspicion: "As an active player on a big-league team I had seemingly taken undue advantage by recording an insider's viewpoint on what some professional baseball players were really like. I had, moreover, violated the idolatrous image of big leaguers who had been previously portrayed as models of modesty, loyalty and sobriety — i.e., what they were really not like. Finally, I had actually written the book by myself, thus trampling upon the tradition that a player should hire a sportswriter to do the work. I was, on these accounts, a sneak and a snob and a scab."

"Over the years," Yardley would remember, "some players were even smart enough to grasp that The Long Season did them, and baseball, a favor, by capturing its human side and in so doing making them more, rather than less, interesting and admirable." Which is what Bouton would argue on behalf of Ball Four (and its exquisite follow-up, I'm Glad You Didn't Take It Personally), whose uproar made any engendered by Brosnan's volumes seem like a dainty skirmish at the country club in comparison.

Just a few years after Brosnan came Bill Veeck, a man to whom modesty wasn't necessarily a virtue, with an owner's version of The Long Season, his memoir Veeck — as in Wreck, which pulled as many covers away from baseball's board and back rooms as Brosnan pulled from the clubhouse and the dugout. (Not to mention the hotel and the airplane.) If Brosnan was a sneak, a snob, and a scab, you shudder to think of how Veeck was perceived, and wonder how far you'll have to sanitize the language in which it's expressed.

Perhaps the only reason Brosnan would prove not to have earned half the invective Bouton earned in due course was that Brosnan had been a mere Cardinal and Red for his books, at a time when neither club was considered a real contender. (The 1961 Reds would have skeptics all season long, until the pennant actually was in their pockets.) Brosnan was generally well-liked in his clubhouses, where his teammates appreciated an obvious intellectual who didn't parade himself as one. (Bouton wasn't always a popular figure in his clubhouses.) He was just as comfortable hanging out with old-school baseball men as he was diving into Dostoyevski.

But pulling the covers on the New York Yankees while pitching for the Seattle Pilots and the Houston Astros, as Bouton did, made Brosnan's inside-looking-out records resemble the very type of sanitized book against which Brosnan once flew. Almost.

Critics tend to rate The Long Season higher than Pennant Race because it chronicled a season in which neither of Brosnan's teams of 1959 were going very far in the actual pennant races. "[A]n ordinary season — life as it's really lived — rather than an extraordinary one," Yardley recalled. On the other hand, you could approach Pennant Race as an extraordinary season lived by somewhat ordinary men (those Reds were smothered in five games by the Yankees in the World Series), if you didn't count Robinson, a Hall of Famer in the making. (Though Robinson suffered a late-season slump, during which Wally Post took up some slack.)

"Do we play well before crowds of reporters, Joey?" I asked Jay.

"They still can't believe we could win it," he said. "Experts, ha!"

Yardley lamented never getting to see Brosnan work because he'd been an American League fan, but Brosnan did get to the American League in 1963. After opening dismally for the Reds in six appearances, the Reds traded him to the White Sox for a no-name reliever named Dom Zanni. Brosnan got into 45 games with the White Sox and posted his best seasonal ERA (2.84) with fourteen saves and a 1.27 WHIP. And the next winter he was gone.

Brosnan's writing didn't stop with the two books; magazines from The Atlantic and Sport to Boys' Life (the journal of the Boy Scouts, for the boys in the Scouts) and Esquire called for his essays, often publishing them during the season. The White Sox asked him to cease and desist when they acquired him and he went along, reluctantly, during 1963. Come contract talks for 1964, White Sox general manager Ed Short handed Brosnan a contract calling for a salary cut and a formal ban on writing without prior club approval.

Brosnan declined to sign a contract like that, and his career was over. No other team took a flyer on him when the White Sox released him, not even with both The Sporting News and Sports Illustrated taking his side. Not that Brosnan was all that disheartened, deeply though he loved the game. He continued both his writing career and his work in an advertising agency (which he'd done in the off-seasons for several years), he raised his family, he did some sportscasting, and he lived happily in Morton Grove, Illinois in the same home he bought with his wife 58 years ago.

"Pitcher Marries Pitcher," Brosnan crowed about his nuptials. He met and married Anne Pitcher while in the Army in Virginia, where she was native. Until her death last year, theirs was a love that endured even longer than baseball's arguable first man of letters on the mound had his love affair with the game.

Posted by Jeff Kallman at 4:58 PM | Comments (0)

July 2, 2014

NASCAR Top 10 Power Rankings: Week 17

Note: the quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Jimmie Johnson — Johnson finished 10th in the Quaker State 400, posting his 12th top-10 of the year. He is second in the points standings, 24 behind Jeff Gordon.

"Brad Keselowski cut his hand on a champagne bottle in Victory Lane," Johnson said. "If Joey Logano is 'Sliced Bread,' then Keselowski has to be 'Sliced Brad.'"

2. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. — Earnhardt finished fifth at Kentucky, as Hendrick Motorsports placed three drivers in the top 10. He is second in the Sprint Cup points standings, 24 behind Jeff Gordon.

"I'm impressed with Brad Keselowski's performance," Earnhardt said. "But there's no way he could be a member of Junior Nation. If Brad can't hold his champagne, he certainly can't hold his liquor."

3. Jeff Gordon — Gordon posted his series-best 13th top-10 finish of the year with a sixth at Kentucky. He remained atop the points standings, and leads Hendrick teammates Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. by 24.

"Jimmie Johnson visited the White House last Wednesday," Gordon said, "where he was honored by President Obama as 2013 Sprint Cup champion. Jimmie asked Obama about the 'secret service.' Obama replied: 'Has Chad Knaus been illegally working on your car again?'"

4. Brad Keselowski — Keselowski dominated at Kentucky, starting on the pole and leading 199 of 267 laps on the way to his second win of the season.

"Kentucky is the home of horse racing," Keselowski said. "On Saturday, though, it became the home of a 'thorough-Brad.' The No. 2 Miller Lite Chevrolet had plenty of speed for Kentucky Speedway. My car had the horsepower; I have the horse teeth."

5. Carl Edwards — One week after winning at Sonoma, Edwards finished a disappointing 17th in the Quaker State 400. He is sixth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 82 out of first.

"Greg Biffle is still working on a contract extension," Edwards said. "Greg has to ask himself: 'should I stay or should I go?' On that note, as far as teammates go, I always seem to 'Clash' with them."

6. Matt Kenseth — Kenseth overcame a slow start to finish fourth in the Quaker State 400. It was his sixth top-five result of the year and he is now fifth in the points standings, 63 out of first.

"I just signed a contract extension with Joe Gibbs Racing," Kenseth said. "It was on Saturday, to be exact, but I'm not at liberty to reveal the financial details. So, as is the case with my season, it's a matter of 'Just when, baby.'"

7. Joey Logano — Logano finished ninth despite rising water temperatures that nearly compromised his engine. He is seventh in the Sprint Cup points standings, 99 out of first.

"Usually," Logano said, "when I'm in hot water, it's because of my father.

"It was a great day for Penske Racing. Brad Keselowski won the pole and the race, then sliced his hand open on a champagne bottle celebrating the win. So, both he and Roger Penske were 'gushing' after the race."

8. Kevin Harvick — Harvick won the Nationwide race in Sparta on Friday, then finished seventh in the Quaker State 400 on Saturday night. He is ninth in the points standings, 109 out of first.

"How about TNT's coverage of the race," Harvick said. "Much like TNT, it 'blows.' And Kyle Petty's analysis is lacking. Just like the sport of NASCAR itself, it needs more 'color.' In Petty's book, 'insight' is saying 'he's just got to keep plugging along' over and over."

9. Kyle Busch — Busch led 31 laps at Kentucky and lost the lead to Brad Keselowski with 20 laps to go. Busch finished second, and is now 10th in the points standings.

"Keselowski was so much better than everyone else," Busch said. "That was also the case in 2012 when he won here. At least at Kentucky Speedway, that Penske technology, much like a broken champagne bottle, was 'cutting edge.'"

10. Ryan Newman — Newman scored his best finish of the year, speeding to a third in the Quaker State 400. He is now eighth in the points standings, 104 behind Jeff Gordon.

"Richard Childress Racing is still looking for our first win," Newman said. "I'm sure Richard would love for Austin Dillon to be the first RCR victor this year. Then Richard can proudly say, 'That's grand, son.'"

Posted by Jeffrey Boswell at 11:05 AM | Comments (0)

July 1, 2014

Singles Hitters Who Walk

My colleague Jeff Kallman has already written a tribute to Tony Gwynn for this site. Hundreds of people have written tributes for Gwynn, one of the most beloved superstars in baseball, and I have nothing to add to the many great stories about Gwynn, as a man or a ballplayer. But Gwynn was an example of a type of hitter that fascinates me — a singles hitter who walked a lot.

Sluggers are mostly the guys who get walked. Pitchers fear power, and with men on base or a close game in the late innings, power hitters don't see many pitches in the strike zone. Four major league batters walked at least 2,000 times: Barry Bonds, Rickey Henderson, Babe Ruth, and Ted Williams. Those are three of the best power hitters in history, plus Rickey, who had maybe the most power of any longtime leadoff hitter. The top 10 in BB also includes Jim Thome, Mickey Mantle, Mel Ott, and Frank Thomas, all of whom hit over 500 home runs and had a career ISO over .225.

ISO is isolated power. It's a measure of power hitting. The formula is simple: slugging percentage minus batting average. Remove BA from SLG and you're left with extra bases divided by at-bats. Babe Ruth has the all-time highest ISO, .348. Ruth's career average was .342, with a .690 SLG. Calculate 690-342, and you get 348. In the lively ball era, MLB average ISO is .129, with a standard deviation of .018, which roughly means that in two-thirds of all seasons, the league-wide ISO is between .111-.147. Isolated slugging bottomed out during the second World War (.091 in 1943) and peaked in 2000 (.167). This season's ISO of .140 is the lowest since 1993.

But it's not ISO that interests me here. I mentioned my fascination with singles hitter who walk, the ideal we crave for leadoff hitters. Singles hitters have low ISO, but I'm interested in really good singles hitters — like Tony Gwynn — who get on base a lot. Lots of bad hitters have low ISO, so by itself that's not what I'm looking for, and lots of sluggers have high on-base percentages. To find singles hitters who walk, I'm employing a simple formula: OBP minus ISO.

I looked at the top 300 hitters of all-time, basically everyone with 2,000 career hits. Tony Gwynn ranks 37th in OBP-ISO. That makes sense, because while Gwynn is a good example of a what we're looking for — a great hitter who would take a walk but didn't have a ton of power — he's not an ideal model of high OBP, low ISO. Gwynn walked, but not a lot. Only once did he walk 60 times in a season, and his 790 career BB is not in the top 250 of all time. Gwynn also had some power; he hit 543 doubles and 135 home runs. Gwynn had 50 extra-base hits seven times, and easily would have had an eighth in the strike-shortened 1994 season. Gwynn hit 2,378 singles, but he wasn't just a singles hitter.

The top of the list, in this reverse-ISO, is Billy Hamilton. That's Sliding Billy Hamilton, the Hall of Fame outfielder for Philadelphia and Boston in the 1890s, not the rookie phenom for the Cincinnati Reds. The original Hamilton retired with 2,164 hits, 1,189 bases on balls, and 377 extra-base hits. Hamilton hit .344/.455/.432, with an ISO of just .088, and an OBP higher than his slugging percentage. Hamilton is a wonderful example of the hitter I'm looking for, and he leads my new stat by a huge margin. His .367 score rates 12% higher than second-place Eddie Collins (.328). Here's the all-time top 10:

1. Billy Hamilton, .367
2. Eddie Collins, .328
3. Richie Ashburn, .322
4. Willie Keeler, .315
5. Luke Appling, .311
6. Jesse Burkett, .307
7. Fred Tenney, .306
t8. Wade Boggs, .300
t8. Dummy Hoy, .300
10. Stan Hack, .298

That's not an altogether surprising list — which means the new stat, simple as it is, works. We wanted good players, and seven of the 10 are Hall of Famers. The other three (Tenney, Hoy, and Hack) were all excellent players. We wanted singles hitters, and all of these players had below-average ISO. Only Burkett (.108) and Boggs (.115) were over 100. And finally, we wanted batters who walk. Eight of the 10 had over 1,000 bases on balls, and all had OBPs over .370, nine of them over .385.

As a group, those 10 players hit .319/.405/.408. They combined for 26,000 hits, of which 21,000 were singles. They walked 11,121 times and struck out just 3,333, with 4,021 stolen bases. They scored 15,000 runs and drove in just 8,500. It's a very specific skill set, and one that's always captured fans' imaginations. When people talk about "pure hitters", this is often the type of player they imagine. Among modern players the most similar are Boggs, Ichiro Suzuki (.319/.361/.414), and Pete Rose (.303/.375/.409). The new Billy Hamilton shares some obvious qualities with the original Billy Hamilton, but he's not really a good fit for the model at this point in his career (.283/.318/.402). Joe Sewell, George Van Haltren, and Appling are even closer fits than Ichiro and Rose; they nearly match that .319/.405/.408 batting line for their careers. But that highlights the problem with our list.

Five of our 10 players were active in the 1890s, and only two (Ashburn and Boggs) played the majority of their careers after World War II. Players like Hamilton and Van Haltren certainly fit our definition, but we've isolated an era and a style of play as much as a style of player. What if we limit this to players from the last 70 years? The top 10, OBP-ISO:

1. Richie Ashburn, .322
2. Wade Boggs, .300
3. Willie Randolph, .297
4. Rod Carew, .292
5. Brett Butler, .291
6. Maury Wills, .280
7. Juan Pierre, .277
8. Jason Kendall, .276
9. Nellie Fox, .274
10. Ozzie Smith, .271

These players are probably familiar to most fans, and you have an immediate image of how they played. They were all pretty good hitters — you don't get to 2,000 hits without being a decent hitter — but none really hit with any power. Boggs leads the group in both slugging (.443) and isolated power (.115), followed by Carew (.429, .101). The last five players (Wills to Smith) were slightly below-average hitters who made up for it as fielders and baserunners.

Juan Pierre, for instance, spent 13 years as a major league regular, with a career high of 3 HR. But he was an athletic outfielder who stole 600 bases, hit triples, and was a good bunter. Incidentally, Pierre's page at Baseball Reference lists the most similar player as Clyde Milan, a Deadball-Era center fielder for the Washington Senators. Also listed among the most similar players are Fred Tenney and Dummy Hoy. If you've ever wondered what baseball was like in the early 1900s, imagine a game where every player was a lot like Juan Pierre.

Our 10 contemporary players include five HOFers (Ashburn, Boggs, Carew, Fox, and Smith). Ashburn, far ahead of the pack, merits particular attention. He really was a unique player for his era. Ashburn was brilliant at reaching base. He hit .308 over 15 seasons and walked 1,200 times. His OBP (.396) was a good bit higher than his SLG (.382), and he scored almost 2½ times as many runs (1322) as he drove in (586). Ashburn had only one season, 1955, with an ISO over .100. He hit .338/.449/.448 that year, with 3 HR and a career-high 32 doubles. Ashburn was a famous and beloved player, who has had three books written about him, and he was the last of his kind. Boggs slugged 60 points higher. Carew hit three times as many HR. Fox was a worse hitter and a terrible baserunner. Ozzie hit almost 50 points below Ashburn. And all of them played the infield. Butler, Wills, Pierre, and Kendall weren't the same caliber of player as Ashburn.

Willie Randolph might be the most similar modern player to Ashburn. They were roughly equal hitters, about 10-15% better than league average, and they got there roughly the same way, with .074 and .076 ISO. Both were excellent defensive players and accomplished baserunners, with about 250 SB and 90 CS. Both had about 1,200 BB and 600 strikeouts. Ashburn had about 30 points of batting average and slugging on Randolph, but a lot of that is when and where they played. Ashburn hit more triples and Randolph more home runs. Ashburn played center field, and Randolph was a second baseman. But Randolph is probably the most similar player to Richie Ashburn in the last 60 years. The one other player who might compare is Ichiro, but he has many more HR, many fewer walks, and twice as many steals.

I'm done with top 10 lists, but other players of interest who rank well in OBP-ISO:

17. Ty Cobb, .287

Terrific OBP, but you're not going to lead this list with a .512 SLG. Cobb was a power hitter in the Deadball Era, leading the AL in slugging eight times. Cobb's ISO was .146.

28. Tris Speaker, .272

Kind of the same story as Cobb. Speaker's ISO was even higher, .156.

34. Pete Rose, .269

Rose hit 3,215 singles, but he also had 1,041 XBH: 746 doubles, 135 triples, and 160 home runs. He wasn't just a singles hitter. He did walk a ton, though (1,566 BB).

37. Tony Gwynn, .268

R.I.P.

40. Ichiro Suzuki, .265

Ichiro is a fascinating player. He led the American League in IBB three times, but never drew 40 unintentional walks in a season. His OBP isn't particularly high compared to the other players on this list, and while he's a singles hitter in today's game, compared to the standards of baseball's first 50 years or so, he hit a lot of home runs.

45. Rickey Henderson, .261

.401 OBP, .419 SLG.

And outside the top 50...

52. Omar Vizquel, .256
54. Tim Raines, .254
56. Frankie Frisch, .253
t58. Ed Delahanty, Nap Lajoie, Honus Wagner, .252
63. George Sisler, .251
69. Kenny Lofton, .248
72. Derek Jeter, .247
92. Rabbit Maranville, .237
95. Joe Morgan, .236

Henderson and Morgan rank the highest of anyone with at least 200 HR, Henderson the highest by far. Rogers Hornsby (.216) and Edgar Martinez (.214) lead the 300-HR Club, though it's worth noting they hit only a few more HR (301 and 309, respectively) than Rickey (297). Carl Yastrzemski is by far the highest of the 400-HR men (.202). I expected Stan Musial (.189) to rate higher, but he's 184th, behind 500-HR hitter Ted Williams (.193).

The bottom of the list presumably shows power hitters who don't walk:

1. Sammy Sosa, .083
2. Alfonso Soriano, .089
3. Joe Carter, .101
4. Ernie Banks, .105
5. Willie Stargell, .113
6. Ken Griffey Jr., .116
7. Carlos Delgado, .117
8. David Ortiz, .119
t9. Andre Dawson, .120
t9. Mike Schmidt, .120

Other players of interest, ranked by lowest OBP-ISO, the Sosa list:

t12. Hank Aaron, Harmon Killebrew, Jim Thome, .124
16. Alex Rodriguez, .125
17. Babe Ruth, .126
t18. Reggie Jackson and Willie Mays, .128
22. Albert Pujols, .132

The problem with this second list, as you can see, is that it's not honing in on a particular type of player: this is much more about slugging than anything else. Most of these guys walked plenty, but their ISO numbers are so huge they're near the bottom of the list. This method just finds power hitters, and we have better ways of doing that. The OBP-ISO formula, though, works really well for identifying Wade Boggs- and Tony Gwynn-style players: singles hitters who walk.

Final note: I wanted to make sure no one else had done a study like this, and it turns out that when you type "Singles Hitters Who Walk" into a search engine, you get suggestions like "singles hitters who walked on the moon" and "singles hitters who walked kim kardashian down the isle." Note that 'aisle' is misspelled.

Posted by Brad Oremland at 1:30 PM | Comments (2)