Watching the first college football games between good teams, the special teams seemed to jump out the most to me. Okay, that�s maybe what I saw in the Missouri-Illinois game. When it came down to Ohio State, Nebraska and USC, their key was the defenses. I saw three stifling defenses pretty much blank three pretty good offenses. Not that I got to watch every minute of all of those games, but what I did see was three very highly touted offenses take a beating. The games weren�t particularly high scoring on the other side of the ball. The offenses for Ohio State, Nebraska and USC didn�t put up huge numbers and tons of points. Cody Pickett is good. As are the Auburn running game and the Oklahoma State passing game. But those defenses are what make great teams great.
So I guess what I said was only true in the first game I watched, the Missou game, in which special teams made all the difference. The kicking games and coverage teams won the game for the Tigers. Perhaps that�s because those two teams are mediocre in terms of offense and defense and so the special teams are the difference makers. That happens more often than offensive or defensive coordinators would like to admit, I bet. Special teams win games. It doesn�t have to be a kick off return or a blocked punt or field goal. It can be excellent punt coverage that downs the punt consistently inside the 20, or an accurate kicker who make 80 percent of his field goals. Not allowing returners to get their schwerve on is another good thing. I saw the Patriots go to the Super Bowl a couple years ago because of the play of their special teams. It seems to be the red headed stepchild of football teams, but a team will win more consistently with that phase of the team going well.
There�s something to be said for the fact that once September rolls around, people start to forget baseball and the NFL really takes over. It didn�t used to be this way. It used to be, once Labor Day came, the pennant races were really winding up and everybody paid attention. Now more people probably watch preseason football than the World Series. Well, maybe not, but it�s close.
Why would anyone buy or rent a full screen DVD? I mean, what�s the point? It really bothers me that people do this, and it bothers me more that they are even available. I think I am officially insane because of this.
Sorry I can�t help myself: There�s also something to the fact that the California recall could mark the fact that the next governor could be elected with 25 percent of the vote. If 51 percent of the people decide to throw Davis the Gray out of office, and Cruz or Arnold get the most votes after that, it could be among the lowest support for a winning candidate ever with 25 to 30 percent of the vote. Not that I have an historical research to back that silly claim, but hey, it�s my column. I can say whatever I want. My mom who lives in the Bay Area recently commented to me on the recall election. She said it was another reason to move from this crazy state. I think it�s funny how important a state budget is to people out there. Everyone is so ingrained to rely on the state that no one stops to think what it would be like without everyone�s little pet social programs and other pandering to the big unions out there. Well, perhaps the people will be able to say that government pandering to the left results in higher taxes and less economic opportunities for everyone. This drives away business. It happened in New York a decade ago and it�s still struggling with bringing business back to that city.While the American league is mired in so called contenders for the prestigious MVP award, there is no doubt in the National League who the two men for MVP are. After last night, there may be no doubt who the only one is.
MVP Talk
With Albert Pujols serving out the last game of a two-game suspension, Barry Bonds, the best player of our generation, served up another mighty helping of why nobody ever pitches to him: only the second walk off home run in three nights for the Giants. When Bonds took bereavement leave to tend to his ailing father for five games, the Giants lost all of those games. Bonds comes back and three games later the Giants sweep the Braves, who have the best record in baseball. No one is better than Bonds and he is proving how valuable he is to the Giants, who seem to not be able to win without him. The Giants now have a 9.5 game lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks, and are well on their way to the playoffs. In terms of statitudes, Bonds does great things when he is allowed to.
The man leading the majors with the most walks this year (116- 33 more than the next in the National League and 9 more than Jason Giambi) and most intentional walks (50- 27 more than Manny Ramirez) only has 326 official at-bats this year in 105 games. Yet Barry leads the majors in home runs, on base percentage, slugging percentage and the infamous OPS, the combination of on base and slugging percentages. He is third overall with a .337 batting average. He is 11th in runs scored, but is 31st in RBIs.
Pujols meanwhile is riding a 30 game hit streak, leads the National League and the majors in average with .371, is second in RBI�s in the NL and is tied for second in home runs in the NL and tied for first in doubles. He certainly is one of the best players in the game.
2003 stats through Friday morning August 22:
G AB H R 2B HR RBI BB K
Bonds 105 326 110 91 17 39 79 116 49
Pujols 122 461 171 108 43 34 108 53 46
There is one stat that separates them in my view: At bats. Bonds has had 135 less chances to hit the ball than Pujols. With those 135 more chances to drive in runs, hit home runs and score, Pujols has mostly taken advantage. He doesn�t have as many home runs, but who does? In his extra at bats Pujols has way more doubles, RBIs and total hits. His average is higher than Bonds so it would seem that we would have a voter quandary. Mais non. Reviewing the ESPN.com website yesterday, every expert went with Bonds as their choice for his third straight MVP award. From Tom Candiotti to Peter Gammons, all went with Bonds. Why? At bats. All said basically the same thing: if Bonds was pitched to like Pujols, he would have numbers that are unbelievable. Not that he doesn�t already, but with a home run every 8.36 at bats, he would have another 16 home runs. That�s right, he would have right now 55 home runs. In addition to that he would have another 33 RBIs, which would be good for third in the majors, just ahead of Albert Pujols.
One other National Leaguer I would like to mention is Gary Sheffield. While not as dramatic as Bonds or as celebrated as Pujols, Sheffield would normally be the leading MVP candidate as his numbers are all great while being the best hitter on the team with the best record in baseball. Shef�s numbers: .334, 32 HRs, 99 RBIs. Amazingly he is the third leading candidate for MVP. Unbelievable.
In the American League, the standings are so clogged, I don�t even want to think very hard about it. Jason Giambi seems to be the leader, but he hasn�t really batted for a high average this year (.267), as opposed to his MVP season in Oakland a couple years ago. Ichiro is the best hitter in the league but his power is sporadic. I don�t think he was the best or most deserving player when he won the award two years ago, and I don�t think that he should this year, as a table setter is different from one who drives in the runs. I might go with Bret Boone, but after whiffing in the home run derby at the All-Star Break, well, the diminutive second baseman doesn�t have my vote. I wanted to go for Carlos Delgado or his other amazing teammate Vernon Wells, but the Jays are really struggling and great players on poor teams don�t win MVP�s anymore. That rules out Alex Rodriguez, who is having another monster season while laboring for the awful Texas Rangers. Get this: A-Rod is batting .305 with 37 home runs and 94 RBIs. I mean, those aren�t as good as Delgado or Wells, but hey, maybe he is as good as his salary.
There are some really good players, but for American League teams, the team effort seems to rule out any outstanding individual contributions from an overwhelming player.
Barry Bonds can be summed up by Atlanta first baseman Robert Fick as quoted in the San Francisco Chronicle: �I hope I don't ever see f-- Barry Bonds again because I don't give a s-- what anyone says. He's the f-- best.�
Um, that about sums it up.
August 22, 2003
An apology to all of you Vick fans
I am so sorry that I cursed Mike Vick with his broken leg all of you fantasy leaguers. Who knew that I wielded such great power over the fates of your NFL superstar quarterbacks? The play came during this column last week. I was talking about how early it was to predict anything and how if something went wrong in the preseason, who cares. Well, I�m sure plenty are caring now. Here�s what I said: �I know that it�s so early, but predicting what will happen during a 17 week season is like predicting the weather. I mean, even if Michael Vick breaks both his legs and Atlanta goes 5-11 instead of 11-5, I�m not out anything, am I?�
What a grand statement. What unusual clarity into the unknown my sight seems to be. What a gift I have, that I so cavalierly share it with the great unwashed. If only I could direct my powers for good.
Anyway, I guess it only half way came true. He only broke one leg. But, maybe it is an indicator of how well I predicted this season. Maybe I�ll be pretty much right on all of my predictions and I should�ve taken some money to Vegas and bet it all on my predictions. Maybe I should start taking money to write about other possible predictions that may affect somebody�s favorite opponent. Hey, that�s it! All you Raiders fans, I can write something like: Jake Plummer might break an ankle and the star running back (Clinton Portis) could suffer debilitating knee injuries like Terrell Davis. OR you Broncos fans might be interested in something directed towards Rich Gannon.
If you or anyone you know is interested in that kind of service, forget it! I mean, how wrong is that, journalistically, to do that for money? I would gladly do it for free, if it concerns the Raiders. Being the Raider hater that I am, I would gladly send all their headcases to Mexico before any big game just like last y- wait, that wasn�t me. Anyway, the point is: Let�s go Seahawks.
Wait, that�s not my point. I don�t think I can do anything more concerning the injuring of star quarterbacks, because my predictions have already been made and are archived in the amazing world of cyber space, where nothing changes and all records are permanently engraved on little stone pyramids as a record against the ravages of time for all to see.
I think next year I�ll have to include something about some player getting his head sheered clean off. That would make for a very bloody preseason. But hey, this is football. Worse injuries happen all the time. In high school, someone gets decapitated, the coach says something like, �Rub some dirt on it and get back in there,� in that rough, gravelly voice. The helpful trainer, Crystal, will probably just reattach it with duct tape and the guy won�t notice until, in the middle of taking the ACT, he remembers that he left the cereal in the fridge and the milk in the cupboard. But at least that�s never happened to you.
Revisions and rethinking
I want to make one revision to the NFL predictions. I really think Carolina will be close to a playoff team this year. They have defense and a running game. They will probably win seven or eight games again this year. Last year it was a surprise, but this year they have a very good chance of breaking into the wildcard.
I also want to say that, without jinxing them, the Seahawks will probably have a good year, maybe even a playoff year. They are good and last year the offense clicked in. I would like to be optimistic about them. After all, the Seahawks are my favorite team. But they have been nothing short of a disappointment every year for the past five years or so.
These are my two dark horse wildcard/playoff teams. It would seem that I didn�t jinx them by not predicting the playoffs for either team, but at the same time calling them my dark horse means that if they succeed, I predicted it, but if they don�t then I predicted it also.
I am listening right now to the A�s playing the Red Sox. Top of the fourth, 0-0 game and two pitchers who get lit up a lot are keeping things scoreless � for now: Ted Lilly and the knuckleballer Tim Wakefield. It�s free because I gave MLB.com my credit card number and I also get eight free issues of Sports Illustrated. At least they are free until they bill me when I forget to cancel my subscription.
Can�t wait to fire up my new Nintendo game: Tecmo Super Bowl!!! I just got it because my friend Mike gave me an early birthday present. I got a hand me down Nintendo from my brother in law, but I don�t have a power cord for it. So after making an investment in a Nintendo power cord, I will be in football bliss. I can�t wait to lead those hapless teams to the Super Bowl. I can�t remember if I�ve talked about this before, but my favorite thing to do in that game is to take a crappy team, just perennial loser like Tampa Bay or New England or Phoenix and lead them to the Super Bowl and the championship, all of which I have done with those teams. I�ve played with other crappy teams, but I never got them to win the Super Bowl. These teams include Seattle and Indianapolis.
I can�t wait!! I�m such a nerd.
8/14/03
Well, here are the NFL predictions. The usual fanfare is going on and boy is it ever loud in here! After the dog days of summer, I am looking forward to some real sporting events. I already have my little girl raising both hands and cheering every time I say �Touchdown!� She�s so darn cute!
The big moves that everyone is writing about are the Bengals with the new coach and #1 over all draft pick Carson Palmer (who, by the way, won�t play this year, or so they say), the signing of Jake Plummer by the Broncos and of course, the repeatability of the Buccaneers.
With all those things in mind, here are the picks, fresh from my arse.
I know that it�s so early, but predicting what will happen during a 17 week season is like predicting the weather. I mean, even if Michael Vick breaks both his legs and Atlanta goes 5-11 instead of 11-5, I�m not out anything, am I?
*Wildcard
AFC
East
1. New England 10-6
2. NY Jets 10-6*
3. Miami 9-7
4. Buffalo 9-7
North
1. Cleveland 11-5
2. Pittsburgh 10-6*
3. Baltimore7-9
4. Cincinnati 4-12
South
1. Indianapolis 10-6
2. Tennessee 9-7
3. Houston 5-11
4. Jacksonville 4-12
West
1. Oakland 10-6
2. Denver 9-7
3. San Diego 7-9
4. Kansas City 6-10
NFC
East
1. Philadelphia 11-5
2. Washington 8-8
3. NY Giants 7-9
4. Dallas 6-10
North
1. Green Bay 9-7
2. Detroit 6-10
3. Chicago 5-11
4. Minnesota 4-12
South
1. Tampa Bay 13-3
2. Atlanta 11-5*
3. New Orleans 9-7
4. Carolina 5-11
West
1. San Francisco 11-5
2. St. Louis 10-6*
3. Seattle 7-9
4. Arizona 4-11
When it comes to playoff and Super Bowl predictions, these are always wrong, but for kicks, here�s who I think will win the Super Bowl: The team with the best defense. Tampa Bay. I know, I�m really going out on a limb.
You know, last year I picked the Patriots because to me the best team is playing until they get beat. If Gruden gets too pass happy or if the running game is broken up because of Michael Pittman�s possible incarceration, then well, I don�t know jack because the preseason is no good indicator of a team.
And for all of you who thought that Oakland is going to rule again (And I have them winning the division) let me remind you of the Rams 0-6 start to last year�s season after a disappointing loss in the Super Bowl. So there.
One more note: the Seahawks have a mediocre team. The defense is again suspect and rumors of the unpleasantness amongst the defensive staff last year in Denver under Ray Rhodes leadership, cause by Rhodes� inability to communicate with his assistants, doesn�t inspire confidence. And while the offense was nothing short of amazing in the latter quarter of last year�s season, I think the offense isn�t as consistent as it should be to go to the playoffs. As much as it pains me to say it, they simply don�t have the personnel to dominate. Although they could pull out some close games and make the playoffs. But I just can�t see it.
PS. I also checked out the win totals so they would fit in the number of wins for the league of 32 teams, 256 wins. I�m pretty sure. Let�s see�32 teams�average of eight wins�carry the one�yep, I think that�s right!
Just for fun I was reviewing the preseason rankings of the college top 25 on CNNSI.com. I thought, well, sure, I can come up with my top 5 or so. Why not? Well, I thought about it and the preseason rankings are about as useful as a pitcher of warm spit. I mean, how can one say that USC is a top ten team because they lost their Heisman winning QB and their top running back to the draft and expect to reload? Will it work or not? Geez, USC isn�t exactly Miami. I can name both the replacements for the Heisman candidates Miami lost. But with that team, to be successful isn�t so much the star talent, but the grunts they have to replace on the line. I focus on Miami because I think they have the most interesting team. You can root for your boring old Ohio States and whatnot. I�ll take Miami every time.
Anyway, the o-line and d-line are the heart and soul of the team. Frank �Don�t call me Al� Gore is going to rush for 1,600 yards and score 15 TDs. Brock Berlin will be good and have a quick release and generally play well I�m sure. But if he doesn�t have the time to throw to all those quick and speedy receivers, well, it doesn�t matter how well he can throw when every play is like a blitz on Tecmo Super Bowl. On defense, the d-line is not only responsible for getting to the QB, but they have to keep the guards off those vaunted linebackers Vilma and D.J. they return all of their DBs and so they should be good.
I also thought about Texas, which should have some big time Ewing Theory working for it now that Simms is gone. They�ll probably win the national championship now that he�s gone. Oklahoma finally has a healthy White at QB and so he�ll probably just have his legs sheared clean off by two d-linemen.
K-State plays all these cream puffs, but they have the best backfield in college football if you like running the ball on every play. They haven�t had balance their since Michael Bishop played like 5 years ago. Even then they couldn�t win the big bowl game. They�ll blow it some time this season.
Washington has a great QB returning and their head coach (finally, they have one again) is the offensive coordinator. Maybe they�ll have something to cheer about in Huskie Stadium. But they�ll lose a couple times too.
So, who do I think will win it all? Like my NFL prediction, who cares? It�s August. But I love embarrassing myself, so I�ll pick�Miami. Why not?
PS. Again. I want to say that I am really looking forward to the Aggies playing for something now they are in the Sun Belt Conference and the New Orleans Bowl to play for. Beat those Cornhuskers on September 6th!!! Huskers Suck!!!!!!!!
Some more random thoughts on a sunny Friday destined not to make the Hall of Fame.
I just read the article I had been wanting to read on Ken Dorsey, formerly of the University of Miami and now laboring to make a spot with the 49ers. The article says that he�s answered a lot of questions about the strength of his arm with one pass made to Tai Streets who was streaking down the sidelines and caught the perfect 50 yard spiral from Dorsey in stride.
The knock on Dorsey was his arm strength, but he�s been answering the bell since he came on at Miami and now he has to battle Brandon Doman formerly of BYU for the third spot on the roster.
Dorsey has a lot to learn being a newcomer in the 49ers� complicated system, but has handled it well according to his QB coach Ted Tollner and Jeff Garcia. I just can�t help but pull for the guy. Being smart, hungry and underrated is the usual formula for success in my book.
The talk on Rich Harden for the A�s is mind boggling. The A�s newest pitching phenom has writers and fans in a tizzy over his potential and his first three outings so far in the big leagues. Over 21 innings and three starts he is 2-0 and has given up only 2 earned runs.
Yesterday�s line: seven innings, no runs, three hits, nine strike outs, and all that without admittedly his best stuff. Ye gads!
The 17th round draft pick who says he didn�t get serious about pitching until he went to college is a soft spoken kid from an island off the British Columbia coast, but is now wowing sports writers and fans from coast to coast as the next pitcher in the best rotation in baseball. Ken Macha and Billy Beane have tried to fill that fourth spot in the rotation with John Halama, Ted Lilly and Aaron Harang who was just sent to Cincinnati for hopefully some consistent hitting from Jose Guillen who was hitting .337 with 23 home runs and 63 RBIs.
With the Yankees coming to Oakland for a big three game set this weekend, the A�s are starting to make their run at the playoffs. With all the starting pitching they have there is no question what their strength is. However, the questions surrounding their hitting, run production and middle relief must be resolved if the A�s are to even make the playoffs, let alone get to the World Series. Currently they are 1.5 games back of the Red Sox in the wildcard and the White Sox are 6.5 games back of the Red Sox as well. Wasn�t this the same race last year or the year before?
One thought on the trades before the deadline. I don�t like them. I think you dance with the horse that brung ya. Or something like that. Anyway, I don�t get it. The Yankees have the best record in the American League and their idea of getting better is breaking up the team? Well, of course the Red Sox have to follow suit and try to wrestle away as many players as possible from any team out there, including the lowly Pirates. I read the Yankees gave away their best pitching prospect, a young left hander, Brandon Claussen for Aaron Boone, who is hitting .273 this year and who is eligible for salary arbitration after this year. His only upside is more home runs hit than their old third baseman, Robin Ventura, who is in a nasty slump right now. But through it all, somehow the Yankees keep winning. I hate them so much.
The A�s made their deal knowing that they needed hitting and that one of their starters was expendable. Hence Harang is gone for a good hitter. But if you knew you needed hitting, why not trade earlier? I guess once Beane knew Harden was here to stay, that would then make one of his fourth and fifth starters eligible for trade.
I really get sick of the articles that come out of training camp about how everyone is optimistic. I mean who isn�t optimistic? Why don�t you hear stories like, �Once again, the team is looking forward to being mediocre at best� or �We certainly are looking for a high draft pick next summer?� But no, I hear that Amani Toomer is looking forward to another Super Bowl with the Giants and they have a �fresh outlook.� I mean, geez, how is it fresh? They have the same coach, the same quarterback, the same system, the same stadium, the same uniforms, etc. How will that make them better? Somehow, the routine is fresh because�it�s training camp again? I don�t get it. Some groups show promise, but the Giants topped out three years ago losing to the Ravens in the Super Bowl. I don�t see them getting better, especially with the Eagles (who are good), the Cowboys (who DO have a fresh outlook: new coach; young offense) and the Redskins (who are still fresh with a new coach, have a young QB and made lots of player moves in the off season) in their division. I would say they will be 7-9 at best. But I guess if there were no optimism in camp, there wouldn�t be any hope and thus no reason to play. Kind of like the atmosphere Marvin Lewis is trying to dispel in Cincinnati.
August 1, 2003
Kobe and other bring up some points in this busy off season
It�s time I weighed in on the Kobe Bryant thing. At first, I thought, �Gold digger.� Now I read a blurb that said there is still visible evidence of assault on the alleged victim. When I think of the life of a young, rich, famous and good looking basketball star, he must have it all. Perhaps he thought he could have it all no matter what. Oh well. It really hasn�t been a good summer for the NBA. Perhaps a timeline of NBA arrests would be good. I will try, but I�ll probably miss something, due to the fact that there were so many this summer.
June 13: Chris Webber charges of obstruction of justice dropped but still faces perjury charge.
July 6: News breaks that Kobe is out of jail in Colorado on $25K on July 4.
July 7: Damon Stoudamire arrested on marijuana charges.
July 7: Orlando Magic guard Darrell Armstrong was arrested early Monday after being accused of fighting with a female police officer outside a nightclub.
July 14: Chris Webber pleads to charge of criminal contempt on the eve of his perjury trial and won�t serve jail time.
July 15: Jerry Stackhouse was arrested Sunday on a misdemeanor assault charge.
July 18: Police have upgraded an assault charge against former Milwaukee Bucks teammates Gary Payton, Sam Cassell and Jason Caffey stemming from a fight in Toronto.
July 18: Kobe is charged with one count of sexual assault.
Okay, so maybe it isn�t the biggest laundry list. But it serves notice that the NBA is seemingly having serious problems with some of the high profile players getting in trouble. I don�t have the facts to know if it is disproportional compared to other leagues or society in general. Anecdotal evidence suggests that since I haven�t heard a lot of charges from the NFL or the NHL this off season, I think that they are more well behaved. I�m lazy, so I haven�t really done the necessary research to make any speculations at this point. So this isn�t the place to make sweeping grand accusations. But maybe it�ll be forthcoming. But I doubt it.
In other news, the hiring of one of my favorite entertainers, Rush Limbaugh, by ESPN is drawing fire from Left Coast sports columnists in Oakland and LA, at least those are the ones I�ve read. One said he has neither wit or humor. I must protest. The Rush Limbaugh show has the time to do the homework that the other shows which say they either inform or entertain do not. The research is first rate and the humor is very present.
In terms of football knowledge and love, there aren�t many entertainers who know more about football or love the game more than he. His show always has picks every Friday and his love for football is unquestionable.
Another Oakland Athletics pitcher Rich Harden from the minors has made his debut against the first place Royals and came off with a no decision after seven innings and one run given up. Not bad. ,why can�t the other teams come up with pitching and players form their farm system? Just to name some names, the A�s have grown these players which include AL MVP�s and Cy Young winners: Tim Hudson (All-Star), Barry Zito (Cy Young, All-Star), Mark Mulder (All-Star), Ramon Hernandez (All-Star), Eric Chavez (All-Star), Miguel Tejada (All-Star, AL MVP) and Jason Giambi (All-Star, AL MVP) now of the Yankees.
Name another team with that kind of farm system. Didn�t think you could.
And finally, now that the NFL training camps are opening, where is the buzz? Last year, all eyes were focused on Washington Redskins new coach Steve Spurrier. Now, well, let�s see, can the Bucs repeat? Um, can teams stay healthy? It�s make up the news time for NFL beat writers. Sorry.
July 22, 2003
Random thoughts for the week while I am trying to give this day some sense of meaning:
Dusty Baker, were he white, would know the true wrath of the liberal media for saying Latino and black players are better suited for playing in warm weather and white players are better in the cold. But since he is black himself, he is no racist. It�s the Jewish joke phenomenon: only Jewish guys can tell Jewish jokes. If someone from another race or culture tells a joke about another or points out some foible, it�s insensitive. By the way, did you hear about the Arab who tried to blow up a bus?
Why didn�t the NASA guys admit that the foam caused the wing on the shuttle to fail? All along they said there was no indication when it seemed obvious to everyone else, including myself. The test shown on TV making that big hole, kind of leaves no doubt.
Why is the media so concerned about Kobe�s image? That�s all I�ve heard about since the story broke yesterday. I don�t know how many polls I�ve voted in about Kobe�s image being tarnished form the allegations. I bet that he doesn�t even get charged. Note: I�m usually wrong about those kinds of bets. Personally I think it�s the bogus ramblings of a woman scorned.
Have we seen the next Michael Jordan type come back in Dominic Hasek? Can the 38 year old do it for one more season after having his battery �recharged.� Methinks not. Also, I found that I want to have some kind of recognizable name like �The Under Dog� so I can say stuff like, �TUG thinks not,� when I write sentences like the one above. Hmmm� The Under Dog. TUG. I like it. Maybe I�ll have to think about that one some more.
I am more of a Hemingway guy than a Steinbeck guy.
The NBA, which seems to have more than it�s fair share of trouble these days, has got the whole jail thang down. I�m sure the Player�s Association will come to the defense of any offending player to reduce suspensions and fines. I�m sure that the most recent charges and allegations will look real good at the old collective bargaining table too.
I love checking the NFL.com site for player moves. Speaking of NFL player moves, is there anyone better at player movement and possible contributions next year being put into the best light possible than Len Pasquarelli? Is he not the hardest working sports writer you�ve ever seen?
Being the stupid Miami Hurricanes fan that I am, I had read a little thing about Ken Dorsey being a better player than Gino Torretta and that he�s better in 49ers camp than anyone thought he would be. Immediately my little ears perked up. Bill Walsh said it and I looked for more info and couldn�t really track anything down. Why is it that I want Dorsey to succeed? I guess it was all the knocks he got coming out of college. He gets drafted in the final round of the draft by a team with a pretty much set QB rotation and hopefully he�ll make the practice squad or something.
By the way, I�m gone to Montana for 10 days July 10 through the 18th. Will try to update while I�m there.
7/8/03
Avs corner scoring market. Not that kind of scoring.
Paul kariya and Teemu Selanne together again. Only this time with Peter Forsberg, Milan Hejduk and Joe Sakic they probably don't need a goalie. But, just to be safe, better have me start in goal, to at least stop a few pucks from going in.
But seriously, wow. I think I read they took pay cuts to sign one year deals. I loved Kariya so much in the Finals last month. He was my hero. The little guy who got up after the jaw dropping collision at center ice with Scott Stevens in game six. The goal after that gave me tears.
I am very interested in who will be in goal. David Aebischer was good in terms of goals against, but his W-L percentage wasn't anything to hang your hat on. Free agent goalies are again plentiful and perhaps a quality netminder can be saved from another team by the Avalanche.
7/3/03
All-Star voting fiasco
Something is wrong with the Major League Baseball All-Star voting process. The problem, simply stated, is that Hideki Matsui has the same number of All-Star votes as Barry Bonds. This morning I got an email from MLB asking me to vote for the best of the boys of summer. I looked down the rankings and saw these stats:
AL Outfield
Suzuki, I. 1,618,015
Matsui, H. 1,038,784
Ramirez, M. 808,529
Hunter, T. 702,475
NL Outfield
Bonds, B. 1,157,384
Sosa, S. 894,156
Sheffield, G. 811,239
Pujols, A. 793,109
Here is the problem: Internet voting. What gives any Joe Shmoe, or in this case, Joe Honda Maker (Anyone in Kentucky), the right to vote for an all-star? What we see is Japanese player bias. Ichiro and Matsui are the most famous players in Japan. I guess it should come as no surprise that Ichiro is leading the voting. He has this strange aura about him. I would say that he is anointed by the media to be the greatest player on the planet or something. I wasn�t that impressed with his late season collapse last year and the lack of any real contribution in the last two months of the season. Probably why the Mariners didn�t make the playoffs. As I write this, Ichiro is third in batting in the AL at .340. He probably deserves to be an All-Star, but I wouldn�t have him start. I say, let the fans at the ball park vote alone again. It still is a popularity contest, but at least it'll be between players who have actually done something in the league previously.
When it comes to Matsui, I watched him play the Cubs on Fox earlier in the season and Joe Buck announced that Godzilla has more ground ball outs than any other player in the game. He is currently batting .300 (not bad) with nine home runs (average at best) and 62 RBI�s (Good for 11th in the AL). I can think of a lot more deserving players than Matsui, who, if he weren�t on the Yankees, wouldn�t have half the RBI�s he has.
The hole in my theory is that we don�t see the other Japanese non-pitcher Shinjo in the voting, but he�s not usually a regular. He also wasn�t famous in Japan where a hero gets the adulation of an entire country it seems.
My voting on MLB.com was very painstaking for me. I went and researched the players and voted on pure stats. Sometimes when stats were close, I would go by one stat or another, but my ideal player is an amalgamation of hitting for average and power. I generally looked at three stats: batting average, home runs and runs batted in. When those three are clicking, then I vote for that player. The most important stat for me was the batting average. I just can�t in good conscience vote for anyone who isn�t batting at least .300. The exceptions this year are A.J. Pierzynski of the Twins. He�s the best hitting catcher in the league. Mike Lowell of Florida, the best hitting third baseman in the NL, is the other exception to the .300 rule. He�s quietly leading the NL in home runs with 25.
I voted for Barry Bonds because he get about one quarter less chances to drive in runs that the average player gets. Sammy Sosa also has a ton of votes, but that�s the popularity thing again. Albert Pujols is leading the NL in just about everything and he still isn�t going to start according to dunderhead fans.
So without further ado, my picks for All-Star as of today:
AL
Position Name Team Avg. HR RBI
1B Delgado Tor .305 26 89
2B Boone Sea .313 22 66
SS Garciaparra Bos .338 12 56
3B Blalock Tex .332 12 46
C Pierzynski Min .291 9 47
OF Mora Bal .352 11 41
OF Anderson Ana .315 19 68
OF Wells Tor .310 20 76
The real tossup is in the outfield. It�s hard not to vote for Manny Ramirez. He�s just so good. But when someone is leading the league in batting such as Melvin Mora is, with a good amount of home runs and RBI�s, well, I want him to go to the game for having such a good year. Garrett Anderson and Vernon Wells are hitting so well, it�s hard to argue against them. I wanted really badly to vote for Eric Byrnes of the A�s as well. Hitting .335 with 11 home runs and 41 RBI�s, he just hit for the cycle the other day and is having a monster year. The only thing separating him from Mora is about .017 batting average. .352 just looks better, especially when it�s leading the league.
The pick at third base, Hank Blalock is another Mora pick. Troy Glaus has more home runs, but his average stinks. Same with Eric Chavez, even though it pains me to say that. I love Chavez and hope he turns it around in the 2nd half of the season like he usually does. It also really hurts not to be able to even think about voting for Miguel Tejada. The reigning AL MVP just hasn�t hit with any consistency this year and started just horribly.
NL
Position Name Team Avg. HR RBI
1B Helton Col .336 14 64
2B Kent Hou .313 11 50
SS Rentaria Stl .339 7 56
3B Lowell Fla .287 25 68
C Lopez Atl .313 23 48
OF Pujols Stl .386 23 72
OF Sheffield Atl .323 22 64
OF Bonds SF .302 22 47
At second base, the old Jose Vidro or Jeff Kent argument reared it�s head again. Though Vidro has a higher average and Kent is injured right now, I like Kent�s power and consistency at the plate when he is healthy. The shortstop position was harder a little earlier in the year, but Rentaria has established his hitting credentials and drives in runs as well without a lot of pop in his bat. There are catchers with higher averages like Mike Lieberthal of the Phillies, but Javy is having one heck of a year at the plate driving balls over the fence and generally being the hitter he used to be this year again. He�s probably batting better now than he ever has. I already talked about Barry. There are players who have better averages or more RBI�s, but they aren�t nearly the threat he is. Nor do they get walked as much as he does. I left off Sammy because of the miserable year he�s had and he cheated in a game, mistake or not.
Those are my picks. The MVP�s are easy: Pujols and Delgado. Both are the most productive hitters in their respective leagues. I want to see Carlos in the home run contest.
One last thought. The All-Star game is now determining who gets home field advantage in the World Series. I hope this is the last year this is done. Home Field advantage should be decided by the team that plays 162 games, not a group of guys who get together for one game. They represent the league�s best players, but not the league�s best team. Just drop it.
I wish I could say that baseball is the best sport. The league is floundering. It makes the NBA look healthy. It will never become the revered sport that it once was and the NFL has now become. It would take someone with brains and compassion to turn it around. One cannot see the game and remember the acrimony of the players and the owners now. They will be forever separated. Because of greed and shortsightedness, the league has become what it is now, a hollow shell of what it once was.
I was talking with a fellow A�s fan yesterday afternoon. He grew up watching the A�s of the early 70�s, when baseball was more of a sport and less of a home run hitting contest. (And yes, I realize the hypocrisy of selecting home run hitters over guys with higher averages.) We waxed poetic of the days before everybody tried to hit the ball out of the park and strategy mattered. The A�s and the Reds we said, baseball was maybe never better. But it�s a pipe dream. Those times were a precursor to what it has become. The bitter fruit is the league we have today, where a band-aid is supposed to garner fan interest in the All-Star game, but it only reveals the desperation of management gone awry.
July 1, 2003
Some NBA Draft notes:
Reading over the picks and ratings by Chad Ford of ESPN, I came across this note at the bottom of the page regarding the Washington Wizards� second round draft pick of Steve Blake:
�As for Steve Blake? So, let's see, Blake, Dixon ... How long before Chris Wilcox and Lonny Baxter end up in a Wizards uniform? Maybe the Wiz will win the Final Four next year.�
Best comment I�ve heard yet about the draft.
Seriously, the player I like the best is Carmelo Anthony. I love his game, his heart, his love of the game and that little smile he�s got when he�s out there doing his thing. I think that if I was a Denver fan, the other one, I would be very pleased with that pick. He�s got so much game. At 6�8� he can see the whole floor. His passing skills are underrated, but look at the assists he wracked up in the championship game. He�s a terrific rebounder and can play with his back to the basket or facing up. What a player. That year in college cemented his status as one of the best players out there.
So who can create more wins for their team, Melo or number one pick LeBron? It�s tough to say. For these perennially crappy teams, the one who either has the most talent now or can put the most around one of these two will win more games. More likely it will be James, as his team is in the East while Anthony has to battle Sacramento, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Minnesota, LA, Portland, Phoenix over and over again in the West. It�s sure to make a man out of Melo, but it�ll be tough until, and I can almost say this with a straight face, Ne Ne Hilario rounds into shape. (I�m sorry. I laughed as I wrote that.) And don�t tell me how the Brazilian wunderkind was almost there last season.
I�m interested in the Jazz first pick. What we have here is a slightly shorter Peja Stojakovic in Aleksandar Pavlovic. The 6�7� Serbian shooter was 60 percent form the field last year. After being in the NBA for a year, I wouldn�t be surprised if he shoots the lights out like Peja.
But who can say who will turn out to be the best player in the draft? I can�t, for the life of me, remember who was the number one pick last year. I�m pretty sure Kwame Brown went the year before, but I may be on drugs. Oh wait, wasn�t it Yao? He was good, wasn�t he? After the hype of the first couple games, I lost track while rooting for the Warriors. Oh well.
Speaking of the Warriors, I saw they drafted a couple guards. That�s what they needed, a couple guards. (Sarcasm) Their team just needs more time to gel and grow together. But they might not get the chance. Because it would be nice if they held on to their point guard Gilbert Arenas. He is scheduled for free agency and the previous rumors had him going to Denver of all places. The man who Bill Simmons said has the quickest fist step he�s ever seen when he�s on could go and play ball with Melo. Well, that could improve their chances of winning 30 games.
As for our heroes by the Bay, it looks like the best season in nine years will be the best season they had in ten.
6/27/03
Well, the NBA Finals brought me much joy in seeing David Robinson win that second title and go out on top. Almost reminded me of Jordan in his last game, but this time, I bet Robinson actually retires. I loved what Bill Simmons said, �I'm glad MJ went out the way we always hoped: Wearing a retro "BULLETS" jersey and playing for a sub-.500 team. That was fun.�
The recent debate on ESPN.com about age limits possibly being imposed in the NBA reminded me of the words of Gregg Easterbrook on the NBA. I had to get all the good stuff:
�One reason for the erosion in NBA quality is the ever-earlier age at which players join the league. Jumping from high school, or after one or two years of college, means players arrive with insufficient coaching in fundamentals -- equally important, with insufficient repetitions of the fundamentals. Callow, lightly-coached players arriving in the NBA must choose between patiently learning fundamentals, or going one-on-one and then jumping around pointing at themselves. Which option would the typical teenager be expected to select? TMQ's big argument against letting anyone below the age of 20 play in the NBA is that this is bad for basketball, killing the goose that lays the golden egg. Every year there are more younger, unpolished players and fewer golden eggs. Think about it.�
Easterbrook also goes on to compare the NBA with the NFL�
�If the NFL turned into the NBA, there would be no plays on offense; 11 guys would just run around doing whatever they felt like, calling for the ball. Each person who actually got the ball would immediately throw a 60-yard pass, then turn to the officials to scream for a foul. Players would refuse to speak to each other, and cover their ears when coaches spoke. Players would put tattoos on their helmets. Fans would start leaving while the game was still on the line, as the home fans did Sunday night in the Meadowlands. With a minute remaining and the Nets down three, there were already hundreds of empty seats throughout Continental Airlines Arena, while those moving up the aisles to exit blocked the view of those staying for the quaint reason of finding out who wins. Home fans streaming out in the final minute of a close championship game. Ye gods. You've got to have a pretty troubled sport to achieve that. Welcome to the NBA.�
I love David Robinson and Tim Duncan, but the quality of play is so down, that when one player actually uses some fundamentals, he becomes �The Big Fundamental� and wins two MVP�s in a row and a championship. What does this say about the quality of play in the NBA? It means that when Steven Jackson handles the ball and get four quick turnovers and clangs some three pointers in the beginning of the game and then swishes three at the end, he is a hero. I love this game!
The NFL has the age cap and it has kept the level of play higher, the quality of players who have actually been coached has remained consistent and the league is still on top of all leagues. The age cap isn�t the sole reason for it, but when younger, less disciplined and less coached and coachable players start to permeate the league, the level of play declines and the NFL ends up like the NBA, and nobody wants that. Perhaps the pitching on baseball is poorer because the youngsters drafted out of high school never pan out, while the college kids become more successful. Look no further than the big three of the A�s, all college men (Zito, USC; Hudson, Auburn; Mulder, Michigan St.). And the best player on the planet for the past three or four years, Barry Bonds went to Arizona St. I sense a trend.
6/20/03
Ramblings...
Well, it�s been a long time in coming, but finally I have some time to write a few things that are on my mind. First, I have been watching the NBA Finals. Barely. I mean, they are on, but through the first three quarters, I am playing on the computer, or with my daughter, or reading a book, or whatever. I mean, the games are usually close and they get �good� at the end, so that�s when I really tune in.
I never gave my prediction officially, but I picked the Spurs in 5. Well, now that that�s not going to happen, I want to try and break it down. What I�m seeing is very inconsistent basketball. I guess the shooting percentages have been getting consistently worse, but I blame the poor shooting for that. Anyway, the players are just not giving a level of effort that would set this Finals on a pedestal in any sense. I feel like this champion will have an asterisk next to their name in the books like the �99 season. (Which by the way, I sort of resent. Like the Spurs say, the playoffs weren�t shortened.) I feel like this Finals should be quietly swept under the rug, or hermetically sealed and frozen until someone who cares comes along in the far distant future to fight crime like Sly (Sly) Stallone or Mike Meyers. And I�m a Spurs fan! I was a lot more into the Stanley Cup Finals. I really wanted the Ducks to win, by the way. I got tears when Paul Kariya got up after being just crushed by a runaway truck and scoring that goal in Game 6. I couldn�t stop smiling, clinching my fist, pumping it and saying, �Yeah!� Yes, I really wanted the Ducks to win, but Martin Brodeur and Jeff Friesen were just better in Game 7 and so the Devils got another Stanley Cup.
Well, as I was saying, I am having a hard time caring. It shouldn�t be this way. I was more excited to see the Spurs play the Lakers. I think that�s the feeling of a lot of people. I don�t really hate the Nets like I do the Lakers or the Mavericks or the Kings. (How different would it be, by the way, had Chris Webber been fully functional? Would the Finals be a fleet footed affair, or would the Spurs have beaten the Kings too? Perhaps the Kings would have still lost to Dallas. Hmmm.)
Anyway, um, go Spurs. Um yeah.
In other news, I got to watch the A�s play the Braves yesterday. It was a business man�s special at the �Net. 12:35 start. I love those games. When I lived there I would sometimes get off work and take in the beauty of the Coliseum, the gorgeous green grass and watch baseball in the afternoon under the high California sky. I just can�t beat that. It�s a feeling and a dream, but in stunning Panavision. I love baseball. Too bad I hated living in California too bad to make up for the baseball, the city, and the absolutely gorgeous coastline.
I didn�t recognize a few of the A�s. I didn�t know where Tejada�s swing had gone, but I think he should have it FedEx�d to him from the Dominican, and fast. He must have left it on the mantle with his MVP hardware or something. Also, how about Zito getting rocked for two home runs? Did you see Sheffield�s shot? It was a straight line all the way over the wall, just to the left of the scoreboards in the gap. But it was nice to see the A�s, even though it was a loss. I get the poor man�s version of cable, only the first 20 stations on the dial. This includes TBS, but not TNT. So while I can watch the Braves, I didn�t see much playoff basketball. I wasn�t alone in my frustration, though. A local TV network in Salt Lake had an article on how people were being bugged by ABC�s refusal to show any basketball, despite paying the NBA the equivalent of the GDP of any number of European nations to show the blasted things.
After watching the Braves a number of time this season, what amazes me is the change in the team�s winning ways. Their offense is on fire so much, the numbers are staggering, while the pitching is really mediocre. How in the name of Sam Hill did that happen??? Well, it works. This weekend�s match up of the two best teams in baseball should be good, and a possible World Series precursor up in Seattle. The Braves are good, though. They could be good enough to win in the post season. They just haven�t, like the A�s, been able to get all three of the keys to winning in the post season, or any time for that matter. But it afflicted both in the post season after very successful regular seasons. The three are, of course, good pitching, good defense and timely hitting. One of the three was always missing the recent years for those teams in the post season. Don�t ask my why, but it has been that way.
The Braves-A�s series also highlighted one of my truly guilty pleasures: interleague play. I consider myself a baseball purist, which means I don�t like the designated hitter and I shouldn�t like interleague play. The DH is a sore spot for me because I am an American League guy, but I still don�t like that rule. But I see how it is good in a way, and will never go away, because it extends the career life of Edgar Martinez, the poster child for the DH. He is the example for any argument for the DH. Why would anyone want to take away the success he�s had just because he�s incapable of running faster than a home run trot. I mean just because he had his knees surgically removed, doesn�t mean that his job should be taken away. Of course the DH is why the stolen base doesn�t matter any more. Why send a runner into a risky situation when the guy batting behind him can just hit the ball out of the park on any given pitch?
So, back to my interleague play thing, I like it. Not only do I get to see the A�s play, but it gives me what I wanted as a World Series a couple years ago with the Braves and A�s. I like seeing how the one league fares against the other. Just because they never played before, doesn�t mean that the interleague experiment wouldn�t be successful. I fully recognize that it was a way to try and increase ratings and fan attendance. It doesn�t pollute the game, because the leagues are so similar now. The NL used to be a running-pitching-defense league, while the AL was a bunch of weekend softball players with a keg waiting at second base beer gut league. But now, through the magic of �performance enhancing� drugs, both leagues resemble the latter league. I�m only kidding about the drugs. A little.
Well, that about wraps it for now. I promise to write more. I wish I were a more motivated blogger. Some guys write everyday, and that�s great. I actually have a job.
6/13/03
Talkin' Back
I have to take back someof my comments I made regarding coaching. Bill Self is a good coach. Taking Tulsa to the Great 8 is remarkable. Winning the Big 10 title last year was a feat seeing the always tough regular schedule of the Big 10.
Also, Coach Williams is a great coach and his players love him to death. That he can't get over that hump of the National Title Game is really too bad, being one of the great nice guys and class acts of College Basketball.
Also, tonight is the end of an era in basketball. As the Jazz lose, think of all the baskets, wins, triumphs and disappointments of John Stockton and Karl Malone. Looking back at the tremendous stability and consistency of the pair, I remember the brilliant play of Michael Jordan is the only reason they don't have a pair of championship banners floating above the court in the Delta Center.
While Stock is set to retire at 41 years old, Malone is determined to either get a championship, break the all-time scoring record or die trying. He says he could go anywhere, but he'll have to take a real pay cut to get on a contender. I don't know if he's willing to do that. And on the other hand, I don't know if a team is willing to pay out the nose for an aging ex-superstar who's jump shot is no longer consistent.
So drink it in, sports fans. Stockton to Malone will only remain as a car dealership in Salt Lake City, while the memory will soon live permanently live in the Hall of Fame.
April 30.
NBA Playoffs are coming to destroy my marriage
As I sit in my wife's favorite chair and watch basketball, a few thoughts come to me. First, I watch a lot of sports. And if I had more sports channels, I would watch even more sports. Second, I am seen as the lazy pig that I am sitting there watching one sport after another in their oh so critical playoff games.
"But honey," I am constantly saying, "It's the playoffs." I am imploring her to let me partake of this rite of passage, and it works! Ha! At least this year. I think she's starting to catch on to the playoffs ploy. Fortunately for me, it's always the playoffs in some sport.
Anyway, I have some thoughts now that I realize that it's been a month since I posted to the site. This was spurred on by my only reader Mike who said to "Fear the ACC" because UNC got Roy Williams and Skip Prosser stayed at Wake Forest. Here is my response.
So Roy Williams goes to North Carolina. Big schmeel. I never saw what other people saw in Williams. He really reminds me of Jim Mora. A good coach, who in the right place would win a bunch of games, but when it comes to crunch time, always comes up short. Good luck �Heels. Better you than Kansas. And Kansas going after Bill Self? What�s he ever done? Sweet 16 a couple of times with a couple of teams. Whatever.
Man, if Syracuse (Whom I did take to the National Championship game) holds onto Anthony, they would be easily the best team in the nation next year. He�s probably the best player in the country, even better than LeBron James, mostly because of his experience banging in there with bigger guys. LeBron was always the biggest and the strongest. Anthony has the same skills, a better outside shot, and can play with his back to the basket. LeBron is probably a better passer (though not by much), more explosive above the rim and that�s it. I don�t know which one I�d draft. They�ll be one and two by the looks of it. I thought that Kansas had two players that would probably make it in the NBA, neither one named Kirk. And as for Jim Boeheim, he has cemented his position in the hall of fame. I didn�t know if Prosser stayed. Wasn�t he thinking about Pitt? I think I should�ve applied for the job at UCLA. With the automatic recruiting they get, I could�ve had the record that Slick Lavin had down there. If I recruited illegally, I could�ve had the championships like Herrick (and Wooden. Everyone forgets that he�s practically the reason there are scholarship limits with his 16-20 scholarships of blue chippers every year. It just wasn�t a violation then.).
Anyway, I�m glad college basketball is done. I am rooting for the Spurs again. My prediction of the Golden State making the playoffs was close but no seed. Finishing 10th really before losing 4 straight after being officially eliminated and finishing behind Seattle with 38 wins. Too bad a lot of people are saying that the team won�t last, what with Arenas rumored to be heading to Denver. I don�t see it happening, but I am blinded by hope.
After seeing Tim Duncan play against the Jazz, I am convinced he should be the league MVP again after leading the Spurs to the best record overall. KG will get the votes because he has nothing around him, like Duncan last year. I don�t see how the T-Wolves win games the way their offense is so inconsistent. I can�t even see them coming out of the first round this year again, especially since they are playing the Lakers. I like the Spurs. Last year, they were too dependent on TD. Now Tony Parker scores more and they run a lot more as a team. They are deep, talented, experienced and hungry. The Kings are tough and fast, but they�ll choke again. On to the rest of the predictions.
The Lakers will �upset� the Wolves and then lose in the 2nd round to the Spurs. The Kings will get by the Jazz, though the Jazz will make it tough, but heck what series in the West isn�t tough? Dallas and Portland is a tough series to call. The Mavs play more cohesively, but for some reason, I fear the Blazers. They can turn it on. When Rasheed Wallace goes off, he�s unstoppable. But if they get a few fouls called early on them, it�s a blowout. The Mavs are more consistent and will move on, though the Blazers will stretch out the series.
Then the Kings and the Spurs will battle for the title. I mean the Western Conference NBA championship. I pick the Spurs to win that based on the fact that the Kings are just so close, and yet they get outmatched at their positions most of the time. Bibby was huge last year, but how will he do against Parker. There�s only one guy who I feel truly outclasses Parker as a player at the PG position and it�s their first round opener against the Suns and Stephon Marbury. He�s like Wallace. When he goes, he can score 40 and dish out 8 assists. That is usually a win. I�m really surprised the Suns even made the playoffs, and now that they are here, I can see them winning one or two games against the Spurs based on their sheer talent alone.
In the East I see a lot of teams who would lose to the Suns and the Jazz were they in the East. Maybe the Nets again, possible Philly and even possibly Detroit which has the number one seed. Whatever. None of those teams has the depth of any of the top six teams in the West. So no matter who comes out of the East, they don�t stand one little chance against the best of the West. I think that�s San Antonio, but hey, I was wrong about Kentucky in the NCAA�s. Fortunately in the NBA, because it�s a series, the better team usually prevails.
Tournament time is here again!!!!!
Oh I gotta tell ya, I am getting so fired up for the NCAA Men�s Basketball Tournament. This is the best tournament in the world. And every year, I get so pumped to fill out the brackets and then watch as all my upset picks are, of course, upset.
Before I begin with my amazing analysis of the obvious, I just want to say: How come there is no similar thing for NCAA football????!!!!! The men�s basketball tourney is the most exciting tournament ever. Anybody can upset anybody. Just think of the possible match ups and tie breakers that can be broken if there was a legitimate shot for a number of good teams to win the NCAA football championship. Oh man! That would be so awesome. And for the teams that don�t make the tournament, there�s still the NIT-like Poulan Weedeater Bowl.
Anyway, thinking about the tournament and college basketball in general�
The trick to the tournament is to pick the upsets. The tournament seedings are about accurate a predictor of the action to come as I am, but with stunning inability to live up to the number. I remember every year the stupid Cincinnati Bearcats would raise holy heck about getting snubbed for the number one seed and then get beat in the second round by Iona. I think that happened for like five years in a row. And if they weren�t beat in the second round, it was the first.
I like to think that the number 1 seed is worth something. Wrong! Any team that is put anywhere has as good a chance as any other team. What does matter is the bracket as a whole. Some brackets are loaded with big time teams and big time talent. One year, the South has about 5 to 8 contenders and the West has 2 or 3 legitimate contenders. Bracket strength is a good indicator of who will win the championship. Of course, some years it doesn�t matter. A team will be so strong that it will crush all comers.
This year I see the top two teams in the land and everybody else. Arizona and Kentucky are that much better than everybody else. They have the ability to win anywhere. They both have a good inside and out combination of scoring with athletes and best of all: defense. I saw Kentucky shut down time after time a good team in Florida on Saturday. Arizona has been impressive at times, being able to win the close ones but sometimes just plain scary how dominating they can be.
So that�s the top two. I have my eye on a couple teams that I think can make it to the Final Four. (Can I write that? Maybe I should just say Big Dance. But that�s the tournament overall. Hmm� I�ll have to think about that one.) The two other teams I think will make it, without looking at any seedings and knowing the brackets may not allow it, are Oklahoma and Syracuse with Kansas right behind. Maybe a Pac-10 team could sneak in, but I like Syracuse and Oklahoma. Oklahoma because of Hollis Price and the experience of last year and Syracuse because I like the scoring potential of Carmelo Anthony, et al and the coaching of Jim Boeheim. Another team that�s so underrated right now, despite winning the ACC outright this year is Wake Forest. The last two champions have come from the ACC and they could make a number one seed by winning the ACC tournament. But we already talked about what the number one seed is worth.
To wrap it up, I watched Duke blow another Sunday game that I taped and watched later. Last week it was St. Johns and this week is was North Carolina. It was a great game and I think the UNC will be great next year. But I just have to say that Duke isn�t one of the great Duke team of yesteryear. With that said, they are very young and they resemble the 2000 team with one great senior and a lot of underclassmen. To this team Dahntay Jones is important, but so was Chris Carrawell. If you remember, the year after he left, they won it all. Watch for Duke and UNC to be in the top ten all next year and both making bog runs, with the usual caveat, barring injury.
One last thought. Do you have that Nike commercial beat going through your head constantly too? Man, I just have it in there. Wa wa w-w-WA! Wa wa w-w-WA! I wish I could play like those guys. I wish I was a little bit taller, I wish I was a baller�whatever happened to Skee-Lo?
Golf: Coming my way soon
With spring approaching, I must say golf fever has a hold on me! That�s not just a tired clich�, but it�s a possible way of life.
You see, the last two years, at the end of the season, I dropped golf like an exploding toad. Both seasons ended in near tragedy for my clubs and my sanity. Two years ago, it was the golf on Sunday with my dad. Worst round of my life. I mean ever. Last year, I don�t remember, my brain won�t let me. Let�s just say, it was getting nasty, and our hero turned to the only escape I knew: death to driver! But it wasn�t to be. I was rescued from doing anything rash by a concerned family and wife who offered to spring for badly needed mental help.
But every spring, the weather turns agreeable and the clubs get their scrub down, loosening up the chlorophyll deposits and making the clubs ready for another summer of action.
And let�s just say, this could be the best summer for golf ever. Last spring I wrote that I expected my tour card by the end of the summer. Well this year, I add the addendum to that bold, and frankly stupid statement: no sweat! As in, �Tour card by August? No sweat!� I expect to add the next addendum to that phrase next March the word �baby.� The year after that, well, we�ll see what the Golf Gods drag in.
Lucky me, my grandfather-in-law has part ownership in a golf course. Translation: free golf at the price of seeing the in-laws. It's a horrible choice, I know. And my wife can use it over me, as in this exchange:
Wife: "I want to see my mother."
Matt, choking on pretzel: "Hummph (cough)?!"
Wife: "You can bring your clubs."
Matt, still choking: "Achhhh!"
Wife: "We never talk anymore!" and storms out of the room leaving me passed out on the floor.
So here I am, poised and fired up by watching (on tape delay) Tiger rule on Sunday and I figured out why I seem to not be able to get a lot on my shots. It turns out I wasn�t bringing my club high enough over my head at that nice consistent angle that everyone but me seems to have. I drape my club over my back too much. My arm isn�t straight. It all seems connected. I�m telling you, will prevail over the monster known as Par. I�m telling you, this is the year!
Oh, who am I kidding, I say that every year. I feel like a Cubs fan. But with more hope.