My posts in the last few weeks have been all about college basketball. But today, I want to discuss what has been a fantastic day. A football Christmas of sorts....
While one New York football team may still be basking in Super Bowl glory, another is thriving in an area that has not provided incredible success in years past. While the Giants have taken to the role of the cherry tree in this still young free agent signing period, the Jets are trying on this newfangled role of theirs: An NFL buyer.
Free agency has not been a friend to the Jets in the last few years. Sure, they've made some trades here and there, but as far as outbidding fellow suitors, success has come at a premium. That changed today.
Among the many weaknesses of the Jets this season, the running game, or lacktheirof, was particularly glaring. If you needed an example of how important an offensive line is, take the 2007 New York Jets as a perfect example. Thomas Jones is no scrub. In fact, he was one of the finer running backs in the league during his last few seasons with the Bears. In a word, he was sub par this year. Jones showed flashes of being the player he was in Chicago, but it never materialized on a regular basis. I never blamed Thomas for this. He ran for over 1000 yards, which is mighty impressive because he was used so poorly.
Too many times I wrote on this very blog that Jones was not getting enough carries. He had under 20 carries eight times. He had 30 carries once. The 30 carry effort happened to be in the week 11 Stealer game. This was the high point of the Jet season. But a large reason (maybe the largest), Jones was not overly effective (only one TD on the ground) was a poor offensive line. The line was a mixture of too young, too hurt and really bad. Nick Mangold was banged up for a large portion of the year. D'Brickishaw Fergeson, in only his second year, has not yet distinguished himself as the player that the Jets believe him to be. Adrian Clarke was horrible. Thank goodness the Jets released him on Tuesday. We knew that the Jets needed major help on the offensive line. The question was, where would they get that help?
How about pro-bowler Alan Fanaca?
Ok, don't mind if I do.....
ESPN is reporting that Fanaca is already a Jet. The deal is apparently worth $32 million over four years. Tom Rock of Newsday is reporting that the deal is not yet done. Even if the i's are not yet dotted and the t's not yet crossed, it is safe to assume that Fanaca will be a Jet by, at least, the end of the weekend. This is nothing short of fantastic. Out of the ten years that Fanaca has been in the league, he's made the pro-bowl in seven of them. This is the kind of player that the Jets have needed since Kevin Mawaee left. A take charge offensive lineman who can change the face of a struggling offense. The best part is that Fanaca may be one of three of these type of lineman for the Jets next season. Assuming Nick Mangold stays healthy, I think he will be a pro-bowl caliber player year after year. The jury is still out on Ferguson, but major potential is still there for the former high first rounder. The Jets ranked 26th in yards per game and 19th in rushing yards per game. The revitalized offensive line should help both of those categories.
Another reason I am doing cartwheels over this: the eventual progression of Kellen Clemens. I am an advocate of handing Clemens the reigns and letting the chips fall where they may for a full 16 games. Last year was understandably difficult for Clemens. The uncertainty at the quarterback position has to ware on a young player. You never got the feeling that this was Kellen's team. I don't know if he ever did either.A revamped offensive line will not only help the running game, it will protect Clemens a lot better then he ever was last year. This should help him immensely. If there is one thing we learned from Tom Brady and the Pats last season, it was that an offensive line can make or break a passing game (yes, I know. Brady and Randy Moss help but still, the point is a valid one).
I also wrote a lot last year about the progression of the defensive line. It started out as one of the two or three worst defensive lines in the league. There was little debate about this. They Jets couldn't get pressure on anyone until late October. Then, almost like magic, the line got better. It still wasn't great but it was a noticeable improvement. Dwayne Robertson had a good second half. Pressure went from being non-existent to being a relative constant. If there was one thing that I was most impressed with during the second half, it was the maturation of that defensive line. Still, it was fairly evident that a stud defensive lineman was a major area of need.
You want pro bowl defensive tackle Kris Jenkens?
Really?....Sure
The Jets traded a third and fifth rounder for Jenkins. My "Fourth Down" cohorts have convinced me that mid-round draft picks should not be taken lightly, but I still think this is a good move. Jenkins is the kind of defensive line presence that they desperately need. The only thing that worries me about Jenkins is that he is not used to playing in the Jets 3-4 system. We know from the departed John Vilma that sometimes a system can make all the difference. But Jenkins is a three-time pro-bowler and has played in variations of the set in Carolina. I like the move. I will rarely criticize strengthening a weakness with pro-bowl talent.
Another interesting note from Tom Rock of Newsday today as I made my daily blog rounds...
It appears as if the Jets are going to keep Dwayne Robertson around another year. Robertson was said to be shopping his services earlier in the week ala John Vilma. Not surprisingly, he got considerably less interest then Vilma. The move now seams to be to restructure his contract and go from their. I like this. Like I mentioned before, Robertson showed a lot in the final eight games of the year. I spoke about him specifically after the Cowboys Thanksgiving debacle as one of the lone bright spots of that game. The Jets reportedly wanted a first or second rounder for Robertson. Really?? Fat chance. No wonder why they couldn't get any one to bite. I'm certainly glad Robertson will be sticking around, but he's not worth that kind of draft value. Kris Jenkins is also a nose tackle. This allows Robertson to move out of a spot where he never truly fit. Again, positives all around.
I guess the one unfortunate note of the day is that John Vilma is gone. I'm not going to say I'm surprised...or upset. It was obvious he didn't fit in the system and needed to go. I guess I'm just nostalgic about that one good year......he's still a good player and could have been a great Jet in the right system. Here's the details of the trade in case you are unsure: Vilma to the Saints for a 2008 fourth round pick and a second or third rounder in 2009 providing that Vilma reaches certain performance thresholds AND resigns with the Saints. I think they could have gotten more, but I'm not too upset about it. Not with David Harris anchoring their linebacking core.
So to recap; in one day the Jets added a pro-bowler on each side of the ball and let go of what was good talent, but essentially dead weight. In past years, this would be a whole off season of work. Pretty good day one. Still a lot of work to do. Lets all prey that this green resurrection is not yet commenced.
Jordan Lauterbach
Friday, February 29, 2008
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
As heard on Off The Glass tonight....
The Campaighn has started........
BRING BACK JEFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- More College Basketball maddness from me this weekend.
Jordan Lauterbach
Jets cut McCareins... but who will take his place?
When I first read that the New York Jets had cut Justin McCareins, I was happy and excited beyond belief. Jets fans had been calling for his pink slip ever since he dropped two touchdown passes in week two against the Ravens. But now that I have thought about it, I realize that the Jets desperately need someone to fill his spot. So now I'm a bit concerned and very intrigued to see which direction the team will go in. Don't worry, I get these kind of mood swings every time a big move is made (COUGHzachrandolphtradeCOUGH). So I've decided to break down the Jets' receiver options.
First, lets start with who they already have:
Brad Smith
6'2", 210 lbs
32 rec - 325yds - 2tds in 2007
Smith is #16 in our programs but #1 in our hearts for his versatility on the field. He is a college quarterback playing receiver. He showed a great deal of improvement in his second year at wide receiver, but his hands are inconsistent. The Jets fans would love to see Smith get more playing time. He is going into his critical 3rd season, in which he needs to step his game up alot to be an effective slot receiver.
Chansi Stuckey
6'0", 196 lbs
Inactive in 2007.
Stuckey was a 7th round pick by the Jets in the 2007 Draft. He runs a 4.5 in the 40 yard dash and had a 35 inch vertical leap. Although he did not have a phenominal combine, Stuckey made the Jets squad after standing out throughout the preseason, puting up 76 yards and a touchdown on 11 receptions. Stuckey got injured early in the regular season and was shut down for the rest of the year. He has a lot of potential but still has to prove that he can produce and stay healthy.
Next, the Free Agents:
Randy Moss
6'4", 210 lbs.
98 rec. - 1493 yds. - 23 tds in 2007.
Come on... you know I had to start here. It would be amazing to see the Jets get the record holder for touchdowns in a season. And just knowing that the Jets would be stealing him from the Patriots makes it sweeter than Kool-Aid when I make it. But Randy (yes, we are on a first name basis) is expected to re-sign with the Pats and kill the Jets again. It's nice to dream though.
Bernard Berrian
6'1", 185 lbs
71 rec - 951 yds - 5 tds in 2007.
Berrian would be a pretty good fit in New York. He has proved that he can produce decent numbers during his last four years, witht the Bears. The problem is that he will probably want a lot more money than the Jets are willing to pay a 3rd receiver. Unless they feel he can take over for Coles in a year, the Jets should not sign him. Personally, I think he can step up to #2 while Cotchery advances to #1 and Coles regresses. But that wont be in 2008.
Keary Colbert
5'10", 183 lbs.
32 rec - 332 yds - 0 tds in 2007.
Colbert was on injured reserve, in 2007, ailing from a knee injury. He had his biggest year in 2004, during his rookie year, posting 47 receptions, 754 yards and 5 touchdowns. After that he was a big letdown for the Panthers. He never filled his potential, but maybe he could as the slot receiver for the Jets.
Jabar Gaffney
6'1", 200 lbs.
36 rec - 449 yds - 5 tds. in 2007.
Like Colbert, Gaffney is a second round pick who never filled his potential in the NFL. But he shined in 2007 with the Patriots, and eventually overtook Donte Stallworth for the 3rd receiver spot in New England. Gaffney also caught one of the greatest touchdowns in NFL history in one of the greatest games in NFL history in 2007. So once again, New York would get a New England hero. He would be a perfect fit for the Jets, as he would not demand a great deal of money. And his daddy Derrick played for the Jets. Gotta love that lineage.
Doug Gabriel
6'2", 215lbs
30 rec - 428 lbs - 3 tds in 2006.
Gabriel was not on a team in 2007. I don't know why. Whenever I saw him, he appeared to be pretty talented. But I guess everyone seems better than they really are when they play the Jets.
Devery Henderson
5'11", 200 lbs
20 rec. - 409 yards - 3 tds in 2007.
Very fast, has pretty good hands and can stretch the field. The Jets need that in a receiver. Henderson could be an ideal fit in New York.
Keyshawn Johnson
6'4", 211 lbs
70 rec - 815 yds - 4 tds in 2006.
ESPN Analyst in 2007.
You may be skeptical if the Jets bring him back and rightfully so. But the truth is, Johnson can still play. He did not get fat during his year off, and when you've been playing as long as he has, you will never lose your hands. Even towards the end of his career, Johnson was puting up 800 to 900 yards in a season. I've heard that he wants to make a comeback. What better place to do it than in the place you started.
Definate No
Marty Booker - Way too slow and inconsistent.
Reche Caldwell - If he drops a pass, his eyes will bug out again.
Peerless Price, Eric Moulds, Keenan McCardell - All over the hill and will probably demand too much money.
-Also, Jonathan Vilma is in Detroit for a physical. Could he possibly bring back a guy like Roy Williams? Or if the Bengals are interested, Vilma could bring the disgruntled Chad Johnson to New York. I got my fingers crossed.
Anyway, it's been fun. It will be more fun to follow the Jets in the free agent market.
Peace.
Max Caster
Over the Ropes
Saturdays from 10-11pm on http://mywcwp.com
http://overtheropes.mypodcast.com
The NEW Sportswire
Thursdays from 9-10pm on http://mywcwp.com
http://sportswireonwcwp.mypodcast.com
First, lets start with who they already have:
Brad Smith
6'2", 210 lbs
32 rec - 325yds - 2tds in 2007
Smith is #16 in our programs but #1 in our hearts for his versatility on the field. He is a college quarterback playing receiver. He showed a great deal of improvement in his second year at wide receiver, but his hands are inconsistent. The Jets fans would love to see Smith get more playing time. He is going into his critical 3rd season, in which he needs to step his game up alot to be an effective slot receiver.
Chansi Stuckey
6'0", 196 lbs
Inactive in 2007.
Stuckey was a 7th round pick by the Jets in the 2007 Draft. He runs a 4.5 in the 40 yard dash and had a 35 inch vertical leap. Although he did not have a phenominal combine, Stuckey made the Jets squad after standing out throughout the preseason, puting up 76 yards and a touchdown on 11 receptions. Stuckey got injured early in the regular season and was shut down for the rest of the year. He has a lot of potential but still has to prove that he can produce and stay healthy.
Next, the Free Agents:
Randy Moss
6'4", 210 lbs.
98 rec. - 1493 yds. - 23 tds in 2007.
Come on... you know I had to start here. It would be amazing to see the Jets get the record holder for touchdowns in a season. And just knowing that the Jets would be stealing him from the Patriots makes it sweeter than Kool-Aid when I make it. But Randy (yes, we are on a first name basis) is expected to re-sign with the Pats and kill the Jets again. It's nice to dream though.
Bernard Berrian
6'1", 185 lbs
71 rec - 951 yds - 5 tds in 2007.
Berrian would be a pretty good fit in New York. He has proved that he can produce decent numbers during his last four years, witht the Bears. The problem is that he will probably want a lot more money than the Jets are willing to pay a 3rd receiver. Unless they feel he can take over for Coles in a year, the Jets should not sign him. Personally, I think he can step up to #2 while Cotchery advances to #1 and Coles regresses. But that wont be in 2008.
Keary Colbert
5'10", 183 lbs.
32 rec - 332 yds - 0 tds in 2007.
Colbert was on injured reserve, in 2007, ailing from a knee injury. He had his biggest year in 2004, during his rookie year, posting 47 receptions, 754 yards and 5 touchdowns. After that he was a big letdown for the Panthers. He never filled his potential, but maybe he could as the slot receiver for the Jets.
Jabar Gaffney
6'1", 200 lbs.
36 rec - 449 yds - 5 tds. in 2007.
Like Colbert, Gaffney is a second round pick who never filled his potential in the NFL. But he shined in 2007 with the Patriots, and eventually overtook Donte Stallworth for the 3rd receiver spot in New England. Gaffney also caught one of the greatest touchdowns in NFL history in one of the greatest games in NFL history in 2007. So once again, New York would get a New England hero. He would be a perfect fit for the Jets, as he would not demand a great deal of money. And his daddy Derrick played for the Jets. Gotta love that lineage.
Doug Gabriel
6'2", 215lbs
30 rec - 428 lbs - 3 tds in 2006.
Gabriel was not on a team in 2007. I don't know why. Whenever I saw him, he appeared to be pretty talented. But I guess everyone seems better than they really are when they play the Jets.
Devery Henderson
5'11", 200 lbs
20 rec. - 409 yards - 3 tds in 2007.
Very fast, has pretty good hands and can stretch the field. The Jets need that in a receiver. Henderson could be an ideal fit in New York.
Keyshawn Johnson
6'4", 211 lbs
70 rec - 815 yds - 4 tds in 2006.
ESPN Analyst in 2007.
You may be skeptical if the Jets bring him back and rightfully so. But the truth is, Johnson can still play. He did not get fat during his year off, and when you've been playing as long as he has, you will never lose your hands. Even towards the end of his career, Johnson was puting up 800 to 900 yards in a season. I've heard that he wants to make a comeback. What better place to do it than in the place you started.
Definate No
Marty Booker - Way too slow and inconsistent.
Reche Caldwell - If he drops a pass, his eyes will bug out again.
Peerless Price, Eric Moulds, Keenan McCardell - All over the hill and will probably demand too much money.
-Also, Jonathan Vilma is in Detroit for a physical. Could he possibly bring back a guy like Roy Williams? Or if the Bengals are interested, Vilma could bring the disgruntled Chad Johnson to New York. I got my fingers crossed.
Anyway, it's been fun. It will be more fun to follow the Jets in the free agent market.
Peace.
Max Caster
Over the Ropes
Saturdays from 10-11pm on http://mywcwp.com
http://overtheropes.mypodcast.com
The NEW Sportswire
Thursdays from 9-10pm on http://mywcwp.com
http://sportswireonwcwp.mypodcast.com
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
NHL 2008 TRADE DEADLINE BY SEAN CROFT
Hey All.
Sean Croft from NYI FYI keeping you up to date with the latest moves and rumors as we approach the 3 PM NHL Trade Deadline.
(Updated 3:02 PM)
-DONE DEAL- Atlanta's Marian Hossa and Pascal Dupuis have been dealt to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Angelo Esposito, Erik Christiansen, Colby Armstrong, and a 1st Round Draft Pick.
-DONE DEAL- New York Rangers aquire D Christian Backman from the St. Louis Blues for a 4th Round Draft Pick.
-DONE DEAL- Toronto maple Leafs deal D Hal Gil to the Penguins for a 2nd and 5th Round Pick.
-RUMOR- Los Angeles Defenseman Rob Blake is leaning towards not be dealt today. This is not a definate, but it doe not seem like he is being moved.
-CONFIRMED- Boston Bruins F Phil Kessel will not be traded today, due to his eligability. Due to a paper move, Kessel has been moved to the AHL roster making him eligable for the AHL playoffs, but not eligable to be traded.
-DONE DEAL- Washington Capitals F Matt Pessinger dealt to the Canucks for Matt Cooke.
-DONE DEAL- The New York Islanders aquire D Rob Davison from the San Jose Sharks for a 7th Round Draft Pick.
-CONFIRMED- Contrary to popular belief, The Anaheim Ducks are not in the running for Marian Hossa or Olli Jokinen, as per General Manager Brian Burke.
-DONE DEAL- The Washington Capitals have aquired Sergei Federov from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Ted Ruth.
-RUMOR- As per TSN, Marian Hossa will be dealt today, Olli Jokinen may not be moved today, Pavel Kubina is still up in the air, and it seems like there may be a change of scenery for Bobby Holik. More to come on all of these rumors.
-DONE DEAL- As per TSN, Adam Foote has been re-aquired by the Colorado Avalanche (this is just one big reunion) in exchange for a 1st Round Pick. The pick is conditional, meaning if the Avalanche make the playoffs this year, then the pick will be used in 2008. If they miss the playoffs, the pick will be used in 2009. There is another Conditional Pick, which will depend on whether or not Foote re-signs with the Avs.
-RUMOR- The Columbus Blue Jackets and Adam Foote have been discussing extension, but it hasn't gone well. Foote was not happy with the 2 year deal he was offered, which indicates a deal may be in place. Foote will only waive his NTC to go back to the Colorado Avalanche. The deal would send a Draft Pick to Columbus in exchange for Foote.
-RUMOR- Robert Lang has been pulled off of the ice in Chicago.
-DONE DEAL- Martin LaPointe has been traded from the Chicago Blackhawks to the Ottawa Senators for a 6th Round Pick.
-DONE DEAL- The Florida Panthers have dealt D Ruslan Salei in exchange for D Karlis Skratins and a 3rd Round Pick.
-DONE DEAL- The Blackhawks have dealt F Tuomo Ruutu to the Carolina Hurricanes for F Andrew Ladd.
-DONE DEAL- As per TSN, The Montreal Canadiens have dealt G Cristobal Huet to the Washington Capitals for a 2nd Round Draft Pick.
-DONE DEAL- As per TSN, Tampa Bay Lightning Forward Brad Richards and G Johan Holmqvist have been dealt to the Dallas Stars in exchange for G Mike Smith, F Jeff Halpern and F Jussi Jokinen.
-DONE DEAL- As per TSN, it sounds like D Brian Campbell and a 7th Round Draft Pick have been moved to the San Jose Sharks from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for Steve Bernier and a 1st Round Draft Pick.
-DONE DEAL- Toronto Maple Leafs deal D/F Wade Belak to the Florida Panthers for a 5th Round Pick in the 2008 Draft.
-DONE DEAL- St. Louis Blues aquire F Cam Janssen from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for D Bryce Salvador.
-DONE DEAL- Mike Comrie signs a 1 year, $4 million extension with the New York Islanders.
Sean Croft from NYI FYI keeping you up to date with the latest moves and rumors as we approach the 3 PM NHL Trade Deadline.
(Updated 3:02 PM)
-DONE DEAL- Atlanta's Marian Hossa and Pascal Dupuis have been dealt to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Angelo Esposito, Erik Christiansen, Colby Armstrong, and a 1st Round Draft Pick.
-DONE DEAL- New York Rangers aquire D Christian Backman from the St. Louis Blues for a 4th Round Draft Pick.
-DONE DEAL- Toronto maple Leafs deal D Hal Gil to the Penguins for a 2nd and 5th Round Pick.
-RUMOR- Los Angeles Defenseman Rob Blake is leaning towards not be dealt today. This is not a definate, but it doe not seem like he is being moved.
-CONFIRMED- Boston Bruins F Phil Kessel will not be traded today, due to his eligability. Due to a paper move, Kessel has been moved to the AHL roster making him eligable for the AHL playoffs, but not eligable to be traded.
-DONE DEAL- Washington Capitals F Matt Pessinger dealt to the Canucks for Matt Cooke.
-DONE DEAL- The New York Islanders aquire D Rob Davison from the San Jose Sharks for a 7th Round Draft Pick.
-CONFIRMED- Contrary to popular belief, The Anaheim Ducks are not in the running for Marian Hossa or Olli Jokinen, as per General Manager Brian Burke.
-DONE DEAL- The Washington Capitals have aquired Sergei Federov from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Ted Ruth.
-RUMOR- As per TSN, Marian Hossa will be dealt today, Olli Jokinen may not be moved today, Pavel Kubina is still up in the air, and it seems like there may be a change of scenery for Bobby Holik. More to come on all of these rumors.
-DONE DEAL- As per TSN, Adam Foote has been re-aquired by the Colorado Avalanche (this is just one big reunion) in exchange for a 1st Round Pick. The pick is conditional, meaning if the Avalanche make the playoffs this year, then the pick will be used in 2008. If they miss the playoffs, the pick will be used in 2009. There is another Conditional Pick, which will depend on whether or not Foote re-signs with the Avs.
-RUMOR- The Columbus Blue Jackets and Adam Foote have been discussing extension, but it hasn't gone well. Foote was not happy with the 2 year deal he was offered, which indicates a deal may be in place. Foote will only waive his NTC to go back to the Colorado Avalanche. The deal would send a Draft Pick to Columbus in exchange for Foote.
-RUMOR- Robert Lang has been pulled off of the ice in Chicago.
-DONE DEAL- Martin LaPointe has been traded from the Chicago Blackhawks to the Ottawa Senators for a 6th Round Pick.
-DONE DEAL- The Florida Panthers have dealt D Ruslan Salei in exchange for D Karlis Skratins and a 3rd Round Pick.
-DONE DEAL- The Blackhawks have dealt F Tuomo Ruutu to the Carolina Hurricanes for F Andrew Ladd.
-DONE DEAL- As per TSN, The Montreal Canadiens have dealt G Cristobal Huet to the Washington Capitals for a 2nd Round Draft Pick.
-DONE DEAL- As per TSN, Tampa Bay Lightning Forward Brad Richards and G Johan Holmqvist have been dealt to the Dallas Stars in exchange for G Mike Smith, F Jeff Halpern and F Jussi Jokinen.
-DONE DEAL- As per TSN, it sounds like D Brian Campbell and a 7th Round Draft Pick have been moved to the San Jose Sharks from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for Steve Bernier and a 1st Round Draft Pick.
-DONE DEAL- Toronto Maple Leafs deal D/F Wade Belak to the Florida Panthers for a 5th Round Pick in the 2008 Draft.
-DONE DEAL- St. Louis Blues aquire F Cam Janssen from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for D Bryce Salvador.
-DONE DEAL- Mike Comrie signs a 1 year, $4 million extension with the New York Islanders.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Dynamic Duo
David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez are unlike any other hitters in baseball. They're the one, two punch that every team dreams of having. Trying to imagine what life for the Red Sox would be without the two of them, is a nightmare I'm not looking forward to. So as I was reading an article written by Ian Browne, which can be found on www.redsox.com, about how David Ortiz thinks the Red Sox should keep Manny Ramirez after the 2008 season; I started to think how much Manny, has done for this team. I looked at all his crazy numbers that he has put up throughout his career, with and without Ortiz. For instance in the five years Manny and Ortiz have been teammates, Manny's numbers are as follows; he has a batting avg. of .308, 180 HR, 568 RBI, .408 OBP, .569 SLG, and 826 hits in 2738 AB. Also he averaged 36 HR and 113.6 RBI per year. In Comparison Ortiz's numbers are as follows; .302 AVG, 208 HR, 642 RBI, .401 OBP, .611 SLG, and 826 hits in 2778 AB. Per year he averaged, 41.6 HR and 128.4 RBI. And if those weren't enough numbers for ya I went a little further, I looked at their numbers during playoffs and noticed something weird. In four out of the past five years that they went, their numbers are almost identical. Manny's numbers are as follows; a .321 AVG, 11 HR, 38 RBI, .417 OBP, .630 SLG, and 53 hits in 165 AB. Here are Ortiz's numbers; a .325 AVG, 11 HR, 38 RBI, .410 OBP, .643 SLG, and 52 hits in 160 AB. So if you were to ask me if I think the Red Sox should pick up the aging outfielder's extension or not I would definitely say yes. For these two simple reasons; one being that if he left, they would have to fill in his spot with someone else, whom I doubt could put up similar numbers and the other being if he were to head to another team and then face the Red Sox, I don't know about you, but personally I would never want to have to worry about his bat. Now I know almost every year there is drama between them in whether he wants to be traded or not, but I think he's finally comfortable being there. I'm a big Ramirez fan, I hope he retires with them, and I hope the rest of his career is as fantastic as it has been so far. Best of luck Manny.
-Corey Sobel, Talkin' Baseball
Friday, February 22, 2008
A Calling Card and a Pink Slip
I guess, in retrospect, it had to happen this way. Good feelings surrounded Kelvin Sampson and his family on Tuesday night after his Hoosiers defeated Big 10-leading Purdue. It was a big win for Indiana. It looked be like an even bigger win for Sampson.
He stood accused of making too many phone calls to high school kids. The college basketball equivalent of a friend who asks you about your weekend plans every day of the week. This wouldn't have been as big a deal if Sampson had not been caught with the exact same blood on his hands years earlier in Okalahoma. I wrote on Wednesday that the Purdue win would save Sampson's job. I thought it should. But yesterday Sampson "resigned" from his perch on the Hoosier bench. He'll get $750,000 to walk away. A nice chunk of change for breaking the rules.
My tune has changed on the Sampson situation. After the Purdue win, I wrote that Sampson should be kept on as coach. The charge of "overzealous recruiting", as Brent Musberger called it, seamed to light and circumstantial to let him go. The NCAA wasn't even having the hearing until June. What was the harm of keeping Sampson on, trying to win a national championship, and then parting ways with the good ol' rule breaker. I thought Indiana should let him go, but why not publicly put your full support in Kelvin and ride out the season?
Upon reflection, I realized that approach would be dumb. Cutting ties with Sampson now is a good move for a multitude of reasons. Not the least of which is that fact that it wasn't just a slap on the wrist charge. The NCAA apparently has a decent body of evidence on what they call "five major rule violations". This obviously goes beyond 10-15 extra phone calls to a 17 year old Eric Gordon in 2006. Also, lets be honest- what would make anyone believe that Sampson is innocent given his track record. Shortly after taking the Indiana job, it was revealed that between 2000 and 2004 Sampson made a batch of illegal phone calls. If the number of illegal rings your thinking of is 50 or 100, think again. Try 577. That was the number the NCAA slapped on Sampson.
That’s one hell of a hefty phone bill.
This is far more then Indiana wants to handle. And who could blame them. If they kept Sampson, they ran the risk of facing NCAA factions themselves. Their is no worse a death sentence for a rising program then a few financial and reputation blows from Ma Bell (my new nickname for the NCAA). What’s the point of keeping Sampson on for a possible national championship if the possibility of the championship being snatched away two months later exists. By cutting ties, IU shows the NCAA that they disapprove of what may have happened, were unaware of it at the time, and shocked and hurt that it occurred. The NCAA has to understand the buyout process. Indiana has to cover their bases. They have limited, if any knowledge to what the NCAA is packing on Kelvin. If, by some wild twist, Kelvin leaves the hearing scot free, Indiana is in a world of trouble. Sampson can slap a wrongful termination suit on Hoosier nation and clean up. What do you think this would do to It’s reputation and credibility? Does anyone look at Duke quite the same away anymore? A buyout says to Sampson, "Your fired, but here's some dough just in case we're dead wrong." The NCAA won't have a problem with this.
This thought has to pop into your head when you think about the Sampson buyout. Would an innocent man take that money and run in the middle of the season? No, not at Indiana. That’s a very good job. Coached typically aren't interested in running out of Bloomington.I think that new head coach Dan Dackitch will do a good job for the time being. Will it be the same without Sampson? No, of course not. Dackitch is an assistant coach who apparently has a lot of pull and respect within the program. By all accounts, the players like him. This is obviously the most important thing. But make no mistake. A step back will be taken in Bloomington. I think it has to. Does the Sampson situation hurt the Hoosiers chances of winning a national championship? Yes. Does it send the program back a little bit? Yes. But does it help the overall health of the Indiana program in the long term? Yes, it does.
All in all, I was 14-8 with my picks last week. Week two of this college pick 'em experiment starts today.
#2 Tennessee at #1 Memphis- Among the topics we will discuss on the two-hour sport smorgasbord that is "The Edge" Monday, there will be an NL West Preview, NFL rumor mill banter, and a new #1 in College Basketball. This is the game that will prove my point. You may say that undefeated is undefeated. Valid point. I will counter that with something that cannot be ignored. Going 12-0 in Conference USA is hardly a #1 qualifying statistic. Now, the SEC is not great either but 11-1 in that conference is more impressive then 12- 0 in Conference USA. This game will be close but a new number one will ultimately rise. Get on the Bruce Pearl bandwagon. It's about to leave the station. Tennessee wins.
Cincinnati at #11 Georgetown- An interesting game. Georgetown has struggled as of late. They lost big last Saturday at Syracuse (the score was not indicative of how one sided that game was) and then had some trouble with Providence on Monday afternoon. The Hoyas have lost two of their lost four and have three tough ones before the Big East tournament begins. Cincinnati is one of the toughies. The Bearcats are 8-5 in the Big East, If not for a five game loosing streak in December, this isn't even a bubble team. Their coming off a one point win over USF on Wednesday. USF stinks, but momentum is momentum. I can't pick against the Hoyas at home against an unranked opponent, but watch out for the Bearcats. An upset here would not shock me at all. Georgetown weeks this one out.
#13 Connecticut at Villanova- What a job Jim Calhoun has done with these Huskies this years. Remember last year? UCONN was laughable at points. But one year off and boom! Jims boys are back in the national title picture. A win today could vault them into first place positioning in the Big East. But not so fast! UCONN is coming off two scares. One at USF last Saturday and one on Tuesday against DePaul. They were down late against both these teams. Connecticut has more Big East wins then both USF and DePaul combined. USF and DePaul have seven combined conference wins. In the last week, UCONN beat the two by a combined six points. That’s a tad disconcerning for Jim Calhoun and the Huskies. Look for more of the same against a Villanova that, as bad as they started, almost beat Georgetown two weeks ago. UCONN wins close.
Iowa at # 17 Michigan State- M-State has got some problems. They've lost two out of three. The Spartans have found out the hard way that its hard to win when you have one scorer. They got a huge confidence boost, however, when they beat Penn-State 37 on Wednesday night. Look for a let down in the first half and a comeback in the second. The Spartans live another week in "Top-25-ville" Michigan State is the pick.
Rutgers at #24 Marquette- Marquette plays Rutgers, Villanova, and Florida-Gulf Coast before the end of the year. What a time to move on up the ranks. The Golden Eagles still have a slight shot at that big east title. It starts with Rutgers today. Even though I've given up predicting blowouts, Rutgers is really bad. Marquette wins big.
Oregon at #6 UCLA- Quick turnout for Oregon. They lost at USC on Thursday night. That will hurt them against one of the premier teams in the nation. UCLA wins.
Oklahoma at #7 Texas- Texas has lost twice in 2008 and are undefeated in February. D.J Augustine averages a shade under 20 points a game. Get Kelvin Sampson on the phone! Both his mildly disgraced former schools play tomorrow. Texas wins.
St. John's at #4 Duke- Some things in life and sports are just plain unfair. This is one of those things. My only question: which number will be bigger, St. John's point total or the margin of Duke victory. Duke wins by 40,000.
#5 Kansas at Oklahoma State- Despite the high ranking, Kansas may have some work to after that loss to Texas a few weeks back. A big win against 4-7 Oklahoma State wouldn't do a tremendous amount of good for their stock, but it would be a solid start. Wins against Kansas State and Texas A&M in March are crucial to get that #1 seed that I believe they deserve. But that’s for another day. The Jayhawks beat Colorado by 24 last week. There rested and ready to go. It will show. Kansas wins.
Georgia at #16 Vanderbilt- I like Vandy a lot. They lost four out of five in mid-January but have won five straight. They have Tennessee on Tuesday in a huge SEC game. Better home that they aren't looking ahead. I don't know how much it maters with 3-8 Georgia. Vandy wins.
Nebraska at #22 Texas A&M- Texas A&M
#18 Drake at #8 Butler- This will be a real interesting game. A battle of two real good mid-majors in a year where mid-majors are having a lot of influence. Drake has lost 3 times overall. Butler has lost twice. They both have two conference losses. I like Drake on the road in an upset that shoots them into the top 15 and drops Butler out of it.
#14 Indiana at Northwestern- Thinking about picking Northwestern? Quick quiz- how many conference wins do they have? If your guess was zero, you are correct. Yeah, they're pretty awful. This ones for coach! Indiana wins.
#25 Kansas State at Baylor- Kansas State
Arizona at #19 Washington State- Washington State
Kent State at #20 St. Mary's- I wish St. Mary's didn't play at midnight.....St. Mary's wins.
-Jordan Lauterbach
He stood accused of making too many phone calls to high school kids. The college basketball equivalent of a friend who asks you about your weekend plans every day of the week. This wouldn't have been as big a deal if Sampson had not been caught with the exact same blood on his hands years earlier in Okalahoma. I wrote on Wednesday that the Purdue win would save Sampson's job. I thought it should. But yesterday Sampson "resigned" from his perch on the Hoosier bench. He'll get $750,000 to walk away. A nice chunk of change for breaking the rules.
My tune has changed on the Sampson situation. After the Purdue win, I wrote that Sampson should be kept on as coach. The charge of "overzealous recruiting", as Brent Musberger called it, seamed to light and circumstantial to let him go. The NCAA wasn't even having the hearing until June. What was the harm of keeping Sampson on, trying to win a national championship, and then parting ways with the good ol' rule breaker. I thought Indiana should let him go, but why not publicly put your full support in Kelvin and ride out the season?
Upon reflection, I realized that approach would be dumb. Cutting ties with Sampson now is a good move for a multitude of reasons. Not the least of which is that fact that it wasn't just a slap on the wrist charge. The NCAA apparently has a decent body of evidence on what they call "five major rule violations". This obviously goes beyond 10-15 extra phone calls to a 17 year old Eric Gordon in 2006. Also, lets be honest- what would make anyone believe that Sampson is innocent given his track record. Shortly after taking the Indiana job, it was revealed that between 2000 and 2004 Sampson made a batch of illegal phone calls. If the number of illegal rings your thinking of is 50 or 100, think again. Try 577. That was the number the NCAA slapped on Sampson.
That’s one hell of a hefty phone bill.
This is far more then Indiana wants to handle. And who could blame them. If they kept Sampson, they ran the risk of facing NCAA factions themselves. Their is no worse a death sentence for a rising program then a few financial and reputation blows from Ma Bell (my new nickname for the NCAA). What’s the point of keeping Sampson on for a possible national championship if the possibility of the championship being snatched away two months later exists. By cutting ties, IU shows the NCAA that they disapprove of what may have happened, were unaware of it at the time, and shocked and hurt that it occurred. The NCAA has to understand the buyout process. Indiana has to cover their bases. They have limited, if any knowledge to what the NCAA is packing on Kelvin. If, by some wild twist, Kelvin leaves the hearing scot free, Indiana is in a world of trouble. Sampson can slap a wrongful termination suit on Hoosier nation and clean up. What do you think this would do to It’s reputation and credibility? Does anyone look at Duke quite the same away anymore? A buyout says to Sampson, "Your fired, but here's some dough just in case we're dead wrong." The NCAA won't have a problem with this.
This thought has to pop into your head when you think about the Sampson buyout. Would an innocent man take that money and run in the middle of the season? No, not at Indiana. That’s a very good job. Coached typically aren't interested in running out of Bloomington.I think that new head coach Dan Dackitch will do a good job for the time being. Will it be the same without Sampson? No, of course not. Dackitch is an assistant coach who apparently has a lot of pull and respect within the program. By all accounts, the players like him. This is obviously the most important thing. But make no mistake. A step back will be taken in Bloomington. I think it has to. Does the Sampson situation hurt the Hoosiers chances of winning a national championship? Yes. Does it send the program back a little bit? Yes. But does it help the overall health of the Indiana program in the long term? Yes, it does.
All in all, I was 14-8 with my picks last week. Week two of this college pick 'em experiment starts today.
#2 Tennessee at #1 Memphis- Among the topics we will discuss on the two-hour sport smorgasbord that is "The Edge" Monday, there will be an NL West Preview, NFL rumor mill banter, and a new #1 in College Basketball. This is the game that will prove my point. You may say that undefeated is undefeated. Valid point. I will counter that with something that cannot be ignored. Going 12-0 in Conference USA is hardly a #1 qualifying statistic. Now, the SEC is not great either but 11-1 in that conference is more impressive then 12- 0 in Conference USA. This game will be close but a new number one will ultimately rise. Get on the Bruce Pearl bandwagon. It's about to leave the station. Tennessee wins.
Cincinnati at #11 Georgetown- An interesting game. Georgetown has struggled as of late. They lost big last Saturday at Syracuse (the score was not indicative of how one sided that game was) and then had some trouble with Providence on Monday afternoon. The Hoyas have lost two of their lost four and have three tough ones before the Big East tournament begins. Cincinnati is one of the toughies. The Bearcats are 8-5 in the Big East, If not for a five game loosing streak in December, this isn't even a bubble team. Their coming off a one point win over USF on Wednesday. USF stinks, but momentum is momentum. I can't pick against the Hoyas at home against an unranked opponent, but watch out for the Bearcats. An upset here would not shock me at all. Georgetown weeks this one out.
#13 Connecticut at Villanova- What a job Jim Calhoun has done with these Huskies this years. Remember last year? UCONN was laughable at points. But one year off and boom! Jims boys are back in the national title picture. A win today could vault them into first place positioning in the Big East. But not so fast! UCONN is coming off two scares. One at USF last Saturday and one on Tuesday against DePaul. They were down late against both these teams. Connecticut has more Big East wins then both USF and DePaul combined. USF and DePaul have seven combined conference wins. In the last week, UCONN beat the two by a combined six points. That’s a tad disconcerning for Jim Calhoun and the Huskies. Look for more of the same against a Villanova that, as bad as they started, almost beat Georgetown two weeks ago. UCONN wins close.
Iowa at # 17 Michigan State- M-State has got some problems. They've lost two out of three. The Spartans have found out the hard way that its hard to win when you have one scorer. They got a huge confidence boost, however, when they beat Penn-State 37 on Wednesday night. Look for a let down in the first half and a comeback in the second. The Spartans live another week in "Top-25-ville" Michigan State is the pick.
Rutgers at #24 Marquette- Marquette plays Rutgers, Villanova, and Florida-Gulf Coast before the end of the year. What a time to move on up the ranks. The Golden Eagles still have a slight shot at that big east title. It starts with Rutgers today. Even though I've given up predicting blowouts, Rutgers is really bad. Marquette wins big.
Oregon at #6 UCLA- Quick turnout for Oregon. They lost at USC on Thursday night. That will hurt them against one of the premier teams in the nation. UCLA wins.
Oklahoma at #7 Texas- Texas has lost twice in 2008 and are undefeated in February. D.J Augustine averages a shade under 20 points a game. Get Kelvin Sampson on the phone! Both his mildly disgraced former schools play tomorrow. Texas wins.
St. John's at #4 Duke- Some things in life and sports are just plain unfair. This is one of those things. My only question: which number will be bigger, St. John's point total or the margin of Duke victory. Duke wins by 40,000.
#5 Kansas at Oklahoma State- Despite the high ranking, Kansas may have some work to after that loss to Texas a few weeks back. A big win against 4-7 Oklahoma State wouldn't do a tremendous amount of good for their stock, but it would be a solid start. Wins against Kansas State and Texas A&M in March are crucial to get that #1 seed that I believe they deserve. But that’s for another day. The Jayhawks beat Colorado by 24 last week. There rested and ready to go. It will show. Kansas wins.
Georgia at #16 Vanderbilt- I like Vandy a lot. They lost four out of five in mid-January but have won five straight. They have Tennessee on Tuesday in a huge SEC game. Better home that they aren't looking ahead. I don't know how much it maters with 3-8 Georgia. Vandy wins.
Nebraska at #22 Texas A&M- Texas A&M
#18 Drake at #8 Butler- This will be a real interesting game. A battle of two real good mid-majors in a year where mid-majors are having a lot of influence. Drake has lost 3 times overall. Butler has lost twice. They both have two conference losses. I like Drake on the road in an upset that shoots them into the top 15 and drops Butler out of it.
#14 Indiana at Northwestern- Thinking about picking Northwestern? Quick quiz- how many conference wins do they have? If your guess was zero, you are correct. Yeah, they're pretty awful. This ones for coach! Indiana wins.
#25 Kansas State at Baylor- Kansas State
Arizona at #19 Washington State- Washington State
Kent State at #20 St. Mary's- I wish St. Mary's didn't play at midnight.....St. Mary's wins.
-Jordan Lauterbach
Wild Wild West
It's been a while since we have had a new blog about the status of the NBA and what there is to look forward to. After all, we are one week removed from the All-Star Break, in which Dwight Howard just completely stole the show with his "Superman" antics. I do not know about everyone else but I cannot wait to see the rest of this NBA season. The Western Conference reminds me a lot like the stock market these days. One day you can be up, the very next day, you are falling from home court advantage. On "Off the Glass" Mike Tramontozzi, Gabe Gomez, and myself always talk about the shifting power in the Western Conference and the positives it creates for Commissioner Stern and the NBA. In the past years, people were banking on San Antonio year in and year out to make it to the Finals. The same cannot be said for this year. In this blog I am going to run down the 10 teams (yes, I'm including Portland, after all they would be the 6th seed in the East) in the West who have a shot in the playoffs and the question marks that surround them currently.
Standings so far:
1. New Orleans Hornets - 37-15: Can Chris Paul continue to lead his teammates and play MVP-type basketball? The trade for Bonzi Wells provides them with a scorer but will this disrupt the chemistry of an already unified group? Can they get solid bench production? Is Peja actually healthy? (that one is for you Malone...)
2. Los Angeles Lakers - 37-17 1GB: When and if Andrew Bynum returns from his knee injury, how effective will he be? Is Kobe's right pinky going to be the downfall of this already loaded team? Will Kobe continue to trust his teammates especially in late game situations? The increasing comfort level of Pau Gasol....
3. Phoenix Suns - 37-17 1GB: Can Shaq stay healthy? Can he play enough minutes to play an effective role for the Suns offense? Who is going to make up for Shawn Marion's perimeter defense? D.J. Strawberry?
4. Utah Jazz - 35-19 3GB: Has Kyle Korver actually been the difference in the Jazz season? Can Andrei Kirilenko continue to play at a high level? Lack of balance of home vs. road record (23-3 Home, 12-16 Away) aka home court is essential for the Jazz. The two-headed monster of Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer...
5. San Antonio Spurs - 36-17 1.5GB: Can Tony Parker, Manu Ginobli, and Tim Duncan all stay healthy on the court at the same time? Will anyone else besides the big 3 step up and contribute on the offensive side? Is age a factor, especially in the playoffs?
6. Dallas Mavericks - 35-19 3GB: Is Jason Kidd the answer for the Mavericks to finally get over the hump? Will the lack of bigs, especially competing against Pau, Yao, Stoudemire, Shaq, Boozer, be a huge factor? Does Jason Kidd have enough in the tank?
7. Houston Rockets - 34-20 4GB: Winners of 10 in a row, can they keep it going? Is T-Mac's back FINALLY going to hold up? Is T-Mac FINALLY going to make it out of the first round? Can the bench continue to be as productive as they have been?
8. Denver Nuggets - 33-20 4.5GB: Can the Nuggets stay alive with just two primary scorers (Melo and A.I.)? Are they capable of playing any sort of defense? Lack of balance on the offensive side...
9. Golden State Warriors- 33-21 5GB: Do they have another surprise run in them like they did last year? Can Baron Davis continue to be the unsung hero? Will the balance on the offensive side hold up? Can they outscore the opponents, considering they are all anti-defense?
10. Portland Trail Blazers - 29-25 9GB: Do they have a magical run left in them like they had earlier in the season in which they won 16 in a row? Where would they be if they had a healthy Greg Oden?
When this is all said and done I think the two teams that will be left out of the playoff race will be the Denver Nuggets and the Portland Trail Blazers. I do not think the Nuggets can make it with just Melo and Iverson scoring the rock. I also know that at least one team (probably Denver) will have 50 wins and not make the playoffs...That is almost unheard of. I think the Lakers are the team to beat in the West. I think that as of right now, just imagine until Bynum comes back. That is a scary team for now and many years to come.
To put this all in perspective, the top 10 teams in the West are all over .500. Only 5 teams in the Eastern Conference are over .500. The Kings who are the 11th seed in the West would be in the 6th seed in the East. While Portland is 4 games over .500 as a 10th seed, Chicago is 11 games under .500 and they are also the 10th seed in the East. My point is, is that even though the East is host to the two teams with the best record in basketball (Boston and Detroit), there is no debate, that the power is in the West.
-Matt Soldano ("Off the Glass" - every Wednesday night from 9-10pm on www.mywcwp.com)
Standings so far:
1. New Orleans Hornets - 37-15: Can Chris Paul continue to lead his teammates and play MVP-type basketball? The trade for Bonzi Wells provides them with a scorer but will this disrupt the chemistry of an already unified group? Can they get solid bench production? Is Peja actually healthy? (that one is for you Malone...)
2. Los Angeles Lakers - 37-17 1GB: When and if Andrew Bynum returns from his knee injury, how effective will he be? Is Kobe's right pinky going to be the downfall of this already loaded team? Will Kobe continue to trust his teammates especially in late game situations? The increasing comfort level of Pau Gasol....
3. Phoenix Suns - 37-17 1GB: Can Shaq stay healthy? Can he play enough minutes to play an effective role for the Suns offense? Who is going to make up for Shawn Marion's perimeter defense? D.J. Strawberry?
4. Utah Jazz - 35-19 3GB: Has Kyle Korver actually been the difference in the Jazz season? Can Andrei Kirilenko continue to play at a high level? Lack of balance of home vs. road record (23-3 Home, 12-16 Away) aka home court is essential for the Jazz. The two-headed monster of Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer...
5. San Antonio Spurs - 36-17 1.5GB: Can Tony Parker, Manu Ginobli, and Tim Duncan all stay healthy on the court at the same time? Will anyone else besides the big 3 step up and contribute on the offensive side? Is age a factor, especially in the playoffs?
6. Dallas Mavericks - 35-19 3GB: Is Jason Kidd the answer for the Mavericks to finally get over the hump? Will the lack of bigs, especially competing against Pau, Yao, Stoudemire, Shaq, Boozer, be a huge factor? Does Jason Kidd have enough in the tank?
7. Houston Rockets - 34-20 4GB: Winners of 10 in a row, can they keep it going? Is T-Mac's back FINALLY going to hold up? Is T-Mac FINALLY going to make it out of the first round? Can the bench continue to be as productive as they have been?
8. Denver Nuggets - 33-20 4.5GB: Can the Nuggets stay alive with just two primary scorers (Melo and A.I.)? Are they capable of playing any sort of defense? Lack of balance on the offensive side...
9. Golden State Warriors- 33-21 5GB: Do they have another surprise run in them like they did last year? Can Baron Davis continue to be the unsung hero? Will the balance on the offensive side hold up? Can they outscore the opponents, considering they are all anti-defense?
10. Portland Trail Blazers - 29-25 9GB: Do they have a magical run left in them like they had earlier in the season in which they won 16 in a row? Where would they be if they had a healthy Greg Oden?
When this is all said and done I think the two teams that will be left out of the playoff race will be the Denver Nuggets and the Portland Trail Blazers. I do not think the Nuggets can make it with just Melo and Iverson scoring the rock. I also know that at least one team (probably Denver) will have 50 wins and not make the playoffs...That is almost unheard of. I think the Lakers are the team to beat in the West. I think that as of right now, just imagine until Bynum comes back. That is a scary team for now and many years to come.
To put this all in perspective, the top 10 teams in the West are all over .500. Only 5 teams in the Eastern Conference are over .500. The Kings who are the 11th seed in the West would be in the 6th seed in the East. While Portland is 4 games over .500 as a 10th seed, Chicago is 11 games under .500 and they are also the 10th seed in the East. My point is, is that even though the East is host to the two teams with the best record in basketball (Boston and Detroit), there is no debate, that the power is in the West.
-Matt Soldano ("Off the Glass" - every Wednesday night from 9-10pm on www.mywcwp.com)
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Last Post
Not as if anyone cares, but I forgot to sign the bottom of the last post. The Joba post was done by Michael DeJoy
Yanks need to make up their minds with Joba
Back in November, the winter meetings in December and even on into January, Hank Steinbrenner would continually flip flop on his decision with whether or not the Yankees would do what was necessary to attain Johan Santana. As long as that went on, not to mention a new quote every twelve minutes from Hank Steinbrenner, one situation that has changed even more so is what to do with the new stud Joba Chamberlain.
After dominating through the minors and making to the major league team in less than a year, he finally made it to The Bronx, but was converted to a reliever. Known as a starter his entire college and professional career, his 0.38 era as a reliever raised many questions as to what his role should be.
It is the opinion of this writer that they keep him in the bullpen. As of now, the Yankees have, not including Chamberlain, 5 starting pitchers with Chien-Ming Wang, Andy Pettitte, Phil Hughes, Mike Mussina and Ian Kennedy. Obviously, Hughes and Kennedy arent proven and Mike Mussina's year last year was less than satisfactory, but with the new way the Yankees are conducting business, there are numerous players who can make a spot start if necessary. Besides the fact that for the first 3 weeks of the season, a fifth starter isnt even necessary, but if during the season, injuries and poor performance do occur, players such as Jeff Karstens, Darrel Rasner, Chase Wright, Jeff Marquez, Kei Igawa, Alan Horne and even Humberto Sanchez, among others, can make spot starts sufficient enough to satisfy the demands of a number 5 starter. Obviously, it is not desired to have these players in your rotation as of now, but they are there if they are needed.
The bullpen on the other hand does not look as good, or have as much depth. Players such as Alan Horne and Humberto Sanchez can make contributions in both the rotation and the bullpen, but not at the beginning of the year considering the fact that Horne is not yet ready and Sanchez is currently rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. The Yankees bullpen currently consists of closer Mariano Rivera, Latroy Hawkins who was never that good to begin with and is already past his prime coming into the American League, unproven youngsters such as Ross Ohlendorf and Chris Britton and last and definately least, the current set up man, the plague known as Kyle Farnsworth.
The way the game is played today, nobody is more important than the closer. Starting pitchers are babied and praised if they go six innings. With a guy like Joba Chamberlain as the set-up man, and Mariano behind him, they can essentially make every game 7 innings long, sometimes 6 if Joba is able to go two innings. Not to mention, this will go on for three years, the Yankees starting pitchers will only continue to develop and the next 3 years will be filled with 7 inning games and then after Mariano's current contract expires, Joba can easily make the transition to being the teams closer. 15 years of Mariano Rivera followed by 10 years of Joba Chamberlain could give the yankees almost 30 years of some of the most dominating closers in MLB history. Not to mention, a supremely limited role for Kyle Farnsworth.
Also, with the current plans the Yankees have for Chamberlain, involving set-up work, minor league arm stretching and then the starters job, the constant change to his arm work could spell injury.
No matter where Chamberlain is placed, it is great as a Yankee fan to have him on the team at all, but its time to make a decision. George Steinbrenner's personal motto was "Lead, Follow or get out of the way". Ever since the new regime has taken over, there has been no leading and no possibility to follow because no decisions have been made to follow. They are simply standing in the middle of nowhere, wanting to go in every direction, but unable to make up their minds. Whether its Joba, Johan or whatever comes up next in spring training, make a decision that you think is best, and for the first time this offseason, stick with it.
After dominating through the minors and making to the major league team in less than a year, he finally made it to The Bronx, but was converted to a reliever. Known as a starter his entire college and professional career, his 0.38 era as a reliever raised many questions as to what his role should be.
It is the opinion of this writer that they keep him in the bullpen. As of now, the Yankees have, not including Chamberlain, 5 starting pitchers with Chien-Ming Wang, Andy Pettitte, Phil Hughes, Mike Mussina and Ian Kennedy. Obviously, Hughes and Kennedy arent proven and Mike Mussina's year last year was less than satisfactory, but with the new way the Yankees are conducting business, there are numerous players who can make a spot start if necessary. Besides the fact that for the first 3 weeks of the season, a fifth starter isnt even necessary, but if during the season, injuries and poor performance do occur, players such as Jeff Karstens, Darrel Rasner, Chase Wright, Jeff Marquez, Kei Igawa, Alan Horne and even Humberto Sanchez, among others, can make spot starts sufficient enough to satisfy the demands of a number 5 starter. Obviously, it is not desired to have these players in your rotation as of now, but they are there if they are needed.
The bullpen on the other hand does not look as good, or have as much depth. Players such as Alan Horne and Humberto Sanchez can make contributions in both the rotation and the bullpen, but not at the beginning of the year considering the fact that Horne is not yet ready and Sanchez is currently rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. The Yankees bullpen currently consists of closer Mariano Rivera, Latroy Hawkins who was never that good to begin with and is already past his prime coming into the American League, unproven youngsters such as Ross Ohlendorf and Chris Britton and last and definately least, the current set up man, the plague known as Kyle Farnsworth.
The way the game is played today, nobody is more important than the closer. Starting pitchers are babied and praised if they go six innings. With a guy like Joba Chamberlain as the set-up man, and Mariano behind him, they can essentially make every game 7 innings long, sometimes 6 if Joba is able to go two innings. Not to mention, this will go on for three years, the Yankees starting pitchers will only continue to develop and the next 3 years will be filled with 7 inning games and then after Mariano's current contract expires, Joba can easily make the transition to being the teams closer. 15 years of Mariano Rivera followed by 10 years of Joba Chamberlain could give the yankees almost 30 years of some of the most dominating closers in MLB history. Not to mention, a supremely limited role for Kyle Farnsworth.
Also, with the current plans the Yankees have for Chamberlain, involving set-up work, minor league arm stretching and then the starters job, the constant change to his arm work could spell injury.
No matter where Chamberlain is placed, it is great as a Yankee fan to have him on the team at all, but its time to make a decision. George Steinbrenner's personal motto was "Lead, Follow or get out of the way". Ever since the new regime has taken over, there has been no leading and no possibility to follow because no decisions have been made to follow. They are simply standing in the middle of nowhere, wanting to go in every direction, but unable to make up their minds. Whether its Joba, Johan or whatever comes up next in spring training, make a decision that you think is best, and for the first time this offseason, stick with it.
Trading In Points For Respect?
Even with this season practically in the dumps and after suffering countless moments of embarassment, as a Knicks fan, the possibilities of trading Eddy Curry would be a dream come true. Unfortunatley, due to the ineptitude of the Knicks front office and the franchise as a whole, those fantasies of trading away wasted spaces are about as possible as the Knicks Owner/President of Team opperations, James Dolan stepping down from his position. Eddy Curry and Zach Randolph can't play together and practically the whole Knicks foundation can't coexhist together on the same court because they haven't earned the right to even be called a TEAM. A team would consist of actual players somewhat passing the basketball to a teammate wearing the same jersey and not throwing the ball away and not trailing at he half of a recent game 72-36 to the Philadelphia FREAKING 76'ers. Even if they had Chris Bosh (who dropped 40 points on the Orlando Magic) the best they could of done would only tie the 76'ers who beat the Knicks 124-84. The Knicks had a chance to get rid of some of the size of their payroll and with a team full of bloated and loaded contracts, what team out there would have a compulsive need to add an Out of shape, Over-weight, Lazy Center; that tends to resemble the wrestling version of the "Shockmaster" in Eddy Curry?
Venting frustrations is only the begining of this tragic tale of laziness and an embarassment of a franchise that once housed names like Patrick Ewing, Earl "The Pearl" Monroe, Phil Jackson, Walt "Clyde" Frasier, and Dave Debuscher. This generation of Knicks fan sees the Knicks and watches the disgrace of a franchise tread out to the floor and play basketball without even trying. This generation views the Knicks and thinks of people like Isiah Thomas, Stephon Marbury, Michael Doleac, Eddy Curry, Fredric Weis (The European player that was drafted by the Knicks back in 1999 who never saw the light of day), need I say more? Its just a shame for players like David Lee, Renaldo Balkman, and Nate Robertson who are actually the few players on this pathetic team actually trying.
With the 28 remaining games left on this brutal schedule, the end to the season can't come soon enough. With trades seemingly passing by like a possible win, the hopelessness of this team is laughable at how horrible this team truly is. I am fed up like every other Knicks fan at how disappointing this franchise performs and if they throw in the season, maybe a player like Michael Beasley will help change the attitude of the franchise much like Dwayne Wade did for the Miami Heat. Unfortunatley, that possibilitiy even seems impossible to complete. Until next time.
Later Peeps.
Sincerely,
- Nick Malone: The Edge (Monday 9-11 PM), Sports Wire (Thursday 9-10 PM), Over The Ropes (Saturday 10-11 PM) only on mywcwp.com and 88.1FM WCWP from 10-11 on Monday Nights.
Venting frustrations is only the begining of this tragic tale of laziness and an embarassment of a franchise that once housed names like Patrick Ewing, Earl "The Pearl" Monroe, Phil Jackson, Walt "Clyde" Frasier, and Dave Debuscher. This generation of Knicks fan sees the Knicks and watches the disgrace of a franchise tread out to the floor and play basketball without even trying. This generation views the Knicks and thinks of people like Isiah Thomas, Stephon Marbury, Michael Doleac, Eddy Curry, Fredric Weis (The European player that was drafted by the Knicks back in 1999 who never saw the light of day), need I say more? Its just a shame for players like David Lee, Renaldo Balkman, and Nate Robertson who are actually the few players on this pathetic team actually trying.
With the 28 remaining games left on this brutal schedule, the end to the season can't come soon enough. With trades seemingly passing by like a possible win, the hopelessness of this team is laughable at how horrible this team truly is. I am fed up like every other Knicks fan at how disappointing this franchise performs and if they throw in the season, maybe a player like Michael Beasley will help change the attitude of the franchise much like Dwayne Wade did for the Miami Heat. Unfortunatley, that possibilitiy even seems impossible to complete. Until next time.
Later Peeps.
Sincerely,
- Nick Malone: The Edge (Monday 9-11 PM), Sports Wire (Thursday 9-10 PM), Over The Ropes (Saturday 10-11 PM) only on mywcwp.com and 88.1FM WCWP from 10-11 on Monday Nights.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Continuing To Look Like An Idiot
Boy, am I glad that I'm fundementally against gambling on sports (with two exceptions: the Super Bowl or March Maddness). If I wasn't, I would not be a very rich man. (Not that I am anyway, not by a longshot) It hit me with just under five minutes to go in last nights Purdue-Indiana game.
Maybe I'm not giving the Hoosiers enough credit.
Sure, their coach may be out the door on Friday, but you wouldn't know it from the way they've played in the last two games. I've talked at length in the last few days about the win over Michigan State and how impressive that was. Last night was just as impressive, if not more so. D.J White not only played , he played well. White had 19 points and 15 rebounds in 36 minutes. I agree with Steve Lavin. White should get consideration for player of the year.
Purdue did not look good last night. They shot the ball horribly. Every time they needed a basket, they couldn't get one. The only reason why I'm not praising the Hoosiers up and down is because they let Purdue stay in the game. If you didn't know better, you'd think Purdue was stuck in the middle of the conference. I am truly amazed at how Purdue even stayed in this game. They made under 35% of their field goals....and they took 72 shots. Thats downright laughable. For comparison, Indiana shot just under fifty percent and took only 42 shots. Here's another wild stat. Purdue had 28 rebounds. Indiana? 43.............. Maybe that's why Purdue ranked below Indiana in the polls. I finally see the light.
However, I still think that if Kelvin Sampson is fired or givin a leave of absence, the Hoosiers may be in some trouble. Though, not as much as previously thought. Somehow I think that Indiana will keep Sampson around for, at the very least, the remainder of the season. I think they should. For goodness sake, its not like the guy commited academic fraud or assaulting a player or employee. The charge is, as Brent Musbereger said on the broadcast, "overzealous recruiting". Now, its against the rules and it may be a firable offense (remember, Sampson has done this before), but its certainly not so eggregious that the Hoosiers can't wait for the end of the season. Even the NCAA isn't hearing the case until May. And news flash- Bob Knight is not walking through that door.
No picks tonight......back tommorow with a batch
Jordan Lauterbach
Maybe I'm not giving the Hoosiers enough credit.
Sure, their coach may be out the door on Friday, but you wouldn't know it from the way they've played in the last two games. I've talked at length in the last few days about the win over Michigan State and how impressive that was. Last night was just as impressive, if not more so. D.J White not only played , he played well. White had 19 points and 15 rebounds in 36 minutes. I agree with Steve Lavin. White should get consideration for player of the year.
Purdue did not look good last night. They shot the ball horribly. Every time they needed a basket, they couldn't get one. The only reason why I'm not praising the Hoosiers up and down is because they let Purdue stay in the game. If you didn't know better, you'd think Purdue was stuck in the middle of the conference. I am truly amazed at how Purdue even stayed in this game. They made under 35% of their field goals....and they took 72 shots. Thats downright laughable. For comparison, Indiana shot just under fifty percent and took only 42 shots. Here's another wild stat. Purdue had 28 rebounds. Indiana? 43.............. Maybe that's why Purdue ranked below Indiana in the polls. I finally see the light.
However, I still think that if Kelvin Sampson is fired or givin a leave of absence, the Hoosiers may be in some trouble. Though, not as much as previously thought. Somehow I think that Indiana will keep Sampson around for, at the very least, the remainder of the season. I think they should. For goodness sake, its not like the guy commited academic fraud or assaulting a player or employee. The charge is, as Brent Musbereger said on the broadcast, "overzealous recruiting". Now, its against the rules and it may be a firable offense (remember, Sampson has done this before), but its certainly not so eggregious that the Hoosiers can't wait for the end of the season. Even the NCAA isn't hearing the case until May. And news flash- Bob Knight is not walking through that door.
No picks tonight......back tommorow with a batch
Jordan Lauterbach
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Why Providence Can Ruin Your Season
Perhaps the term "best bad team in the Big East" is a little misleading. I don't think Providence is good. If they were good, they would be better then 14th in the Big East. Heck, if the Fryers were good, St. Johns would not be ahead of them in the conference standings. That alone is a major indictment of the team. St. Johns is one of the worst teams I have ever seen. However, even though St.Johns may be right their them in the standings, comparing Providence to St. John's is unfair.
Here's why.
Providence finds themselves in a lot of the games that they loose. I talk about this all the time. Margin of defeat is a huge indicator of how far away a team is from moving up the ranks. Especially if they are young. Take the last two games for the Friers as an example. They played well against the top teams in the conference. On Saturday, they were up one at the half to Louisville. Louisville right now is the best team in the Big East. No questions asked. Yesterday, the Fryers were up one at the half to Georgetown. They lost both games by ten points or less. That is relatively impressive, considering the opponents. In fact, eight of there thirteen losses were by ten points or less. That's nothing in the sport. The Friars problem is the same as any other team that looses a lot by close margins.
Complete games.
Early in the season, Providence had first half scoring trouble. The outscored their opponent in the second half in five of those eight close losses. In their last two losses, they have outscored good opponents in the first half.
Yes, they have struggled. But the Friars are better then a 13-13 record may indicate. Look for them to be a tough beat in the final three weeks or so. The Friars could have significant influence in the Big East conference down the stretch. They could be doing this without even making the tournament in March.
That’s what Providence is the best bad team in the conference.
Undefeated with the picks yesterday. Here's today’s slate:
DePaul at #13 Connecticut- How afraid was Jim Calhoon down one late to USF on Saturday? I don't think anyone saw that coming. That won't happen tonight. DePaul is better then USF and coming off of a 20 point loss to conference-best Louisville on February 12th. Look for this game to be close in the first half and then for UConn to pull away in the final 10 minutes. The Huskies will need every win they can get. Every team left on their schedule is one they should beat. Running the table may be good enough for a #1 seed in the Big East Tournament. Connecticut wins.
#15 Purdue at #14 Indiana- No doubt the game of the night. I'm not quite sure why Indiana is ranked higher then Purdue. Obviously, it's because of the overall records but it still doesn't make to much sense to me. Purdue is 12-1 in Big 10 play. Indiana is 10-2. That’s certainly not a huge disparity, but not one small enough to justify Indiana being ranked higher. The same is true for the overall records. Purdue is 21-5. Indiana is 21-4. When the overall record is separated by less then a game, you have to defer to the conference record. You have to.
I'm still not convinced that the Kelvin Sampson situation will not get to Indiana. One game in the face of enormous controversy is one thing. Keeping that going for a sustained period is quite another. They fell behind big early against a Michigan State team that I am beginning to doubt tremendously. The Hoosiers can not afford to do that tonight against a much better, much hotter Purdue squad. Also, the potential loss of forward D.J White is huge for Indiana. White looks like he may play, but if he doesn’t they are in trouble. D.J averages over 17 points per game....... oh, and over 12 rebounds. Ultimately, I think Purdue wins regardless. But D.J White can make it a lot closer.......Purdue wins
Bradley at #18 Drake- Drake
-Jordan Lauterbach
Here's why.
Providence finds themselves in a lot of the games that they loose. I talk about this all the time. Margin of defeat is a huge indicator of how far away a team is from moving up the ranks. Especially if they are young. Take the last two games for the Friers as an example. They played well against the top teams in the conference. On Saturday, they were up one at the half to Louisville. Louisville right now is the best team in the Big East. No questions asked. Yesterday, the Fryers were up one at the half to Georgetown. They lost both games by ten points or less. That is relatively impressive, considering the opponents. In fact, eight of there thirteen losses were by ten points or less. That's nothing in the sport. The Friars problem is the same as any other team that looses a lot by close margins.
Complete games.
Early in the season, Providence had first half scoring trouble. The outscored their opponent in the second half in five of those eight close losses. In their last two losses, they have outscored good opponents in the first half.
Yes, they have struggled. But the Friars are better then a 13-13 record may indicate. Look for them to be a tough beat in the final three weeks or so. The Friars could have significant influence in the Big East conference down the stretch. They could be doing this without even making the tournament in March.
That’s what Providence is the best bad team in the conference.
Undefeated with the picks yesterday. Here's today’s slate:
DePaul at #13 Connecticut- How afraid was Jim Calhoon down one late to USF on Saturday? I don't think anyone saw that coming. That won't happen tonight. DePaul is better then USF and coming off of a 20 point loss to conference-best Louisville on February 12th. Look for this game to be close in the first half and then for UConn to pull away in the final 10 minutes. The Huskies will need every win they can get. Every team left on their schedule is one they should beat. Running the table may be good enough for a #1 seed in the Big East Tournament. Connecticut wins.
#15 Purdue at #14 Indiana- No doubt the game of the night. I'm not quite sure why Indiana is ranked higher then Purdue. Obviously, it's because of the overall records but it still doesn't make to much sense to me. Purdue is 12-1 in Big 10 play. Indiana is 10-2. That’s certainly not a huge disparity, but not one small enough to justify Indiana being ranked higher. The same is true for the overall records. Purdue is 21-5. Indiana is 21-4. When the overall record is separated by less then a game, you have to defer to the conference record. You have to.
I'm still not convinced that the Kelvin Sampson situation will not get to Indiana. One game in the face of enormous controversy is one thing. Keeping that going for a sustained period is quite another. They fell behind big early against a Michigan State team that I am beginning to doubt tremendously. The Hoosiers can not afford to do that tonight against a much better, much hotter Purdue squad. Also, the potential loss of forward D.J White is huge for Indiana. White looks like he may play, but if he doesn’t they are in trouble. D.J averages over 17 points per game....... oh, and over 12 rebounds. Ultimately, I think Purdue wins regardless. But D.J White can make it a lot closer.......Purdue wins
Bradley at #18 Drake- Drake
-Jordan Lauterbach
Monday, February 18, 2008
Presidents Day Fun
I hope you all are enjoying your Presidents day. Maybe your going to a matinee hockey game or a movie . I, of course, am working. Not that I don't enjoy it. I do. In fact, it should be a fantastic Edge tonight. As our six divisions in six weeks segments continues, we explore the AL Central division. Mark Gonzales from the Chicago Tribune and Anthony Castrovince from Indians.com will be joining up. In the second hour, we go back to the AL West and talk to Mike DiGiovanna from the L.A Times about the L.A Angles of Anaheim (near Orange County, in California)
The fun starts tonight at 9pm (eastern time) only on mywcwp.com
I was 2-1 with my college picks yesterday....Here's some Monday College Hoops picks:
#11Georgetown at Providence- I love this game. I think that Providence is the "best bad team" in the Big East. The Fryers are 4-9 in conference play. Not good by any measure. But they played extremely well against a good Louisville team on Saturday afternoon. Well enough to win.
Too bad they play Georgetown today.
Georgetown is coming off an awful loss at Syracuse on Saturday. I wrote quite a bit about the game on Saturday night. The Hoyas have lost two of three. They will play with an added passion today. Providence may have to play perfect to get in the tournament. Today is a good day to start. Georgetown Wins.
Syracuse at #23 Louisville- Watch Louisville run up the national rankings in the next few weeks. I was quite impressed with the win on Saturday. I know that Providence is 4-9 in the Big East, but I like them a lot. Syracuse is coming off a great win at home against Georgetown. I think that they are one of the bubble teams that may loose that "bubble" title come selection Sunday. There good. But Louisville is playing great the last six weeks. That will continue tonight. Louisville wins
.Quickies:
#12 Xavier at Rhode Island- Xavier
#22 Texas A&M at #7 Texas- Texas
#20 St. Mary's at Peperdine- St. Mary's
- Jordan Lauterbach
The fun starts tonight at 9pm (eastern time) only on mywcwp.com
I was 2-1 with my college picks yesterday....Here's some Monday College Hoops picks:
#11Georgetown at Providence- I love this game. I think that Providence is the "best bad team" in the Big East. The Fryers are 4-9 in conference play. Not good by any measure. But they played extremely well against a good Louisville team on Saturday afternoon. Well enough to win.
Too bad they play Georgetown today.
Georgetown is coming off an awful loss at Syracuse on Saturday. I wrote quite a bit about the game on Saturday night. The Hoyas have lost two of three. They will play with an added passion today. Providence may have to play perfect to get in the tournament. Today is a good day to start. Georgetown Wins.
Syracuse at #23 Louisville- Watch Louisville run up the national rankings in the next few weeks. I was quite impressed with the win on Saturday. I know that Providence is 4-9 in the Big East, but I like them a lot. Syracuse is coming off a great win at home against Georgetown. I think that they are one of the bubble teams that may loose that "bubble" title come selection Sunday. There good. But Louisville is playing great the last six weeks. That will continue tonight. Louisville wins
.Quickies:
#12 Xavier at Rhode Island- Xavier
#22 Texas A&M at #7 Texas- Texas
#20 St. Mary's at Peperdine- St. Mary's
- Jordan Lauterbach
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Oh, what a night!
Last night, while I was doing Over the Ropes with Nick Malone, I unfortunately missed to huge sporting events. After the show, I kept my ears covered so I would not hear who won these events. No, not a Congressional hearing. Not Pacman Jones wrestling. I missed one of the best Slam Dunk Contests in recent history and I missed a Mixed Martial Arts fight with one of the sports fastest rising stars, Kimbo Slice.
First, in the dunk contest, Dwight Howard put on a one man show, scoring a perfect 100 in the 1st round. His first dunk started with a bank off of the back of the backboard. He caught the self pass and windmilled it home from behind the hoop. How could he top that you ask. In the second dunk, Mr. Howard dressed for the occasion. He removed his jersey to reveal a Superman shirt. Then his teammate, Jameer Nelson, handed him a cape. It's all about presentation. Howard got a huge running start. He stopped right after the free throw line, made the highest two-footed jump I have ever seen, and threw the rock through the hoop. And the crowd goes wild! So does Kenny Smith.
In the final round, Howard went up against last years champion, Gerald Green. But the champ was no match for the man from Orlando. Howard's next dunk was the most technical dunk of the whole competition. He threw the ball up, caught it in mid-air, slapped it against the backboard with his left hand and then jammed it with his right. For his last dunk, Dwight mounted a mini-hoop on the glass and left the ball in it. He jumped, took the ball off of the mini-hoop and dunked it into the regular hoop. Not as good as his others but enough to seal the deal.
I would also like to say that one of the most impressive dunks was Green's first dunk, where he put a cupcake, with a lit candle, on the back of the rim. He recieved the pass from Rashad McCants and while dunking, Green blew out the candle. I love it! But, to take nothing away from Green, Jamario Moon, or Rudy Gay, Dwight Howard beasted the competition beyond belief.
The next event I missed was the Elite XC fight between Tank Abbot and street fight legend Kimbo Slice in Miami. At the start of the bout, Abbot tried to take Kimbo down but had no success. Less than 20 seconds into the fight, Kimbo knocked Abbot to the ground, but received a warning for a hit to the back of the head. After a short delay, Kimbo went back on the offensive and released a flurry of shots to Abbot's head. Tank stumbled, which left him open to Kimbo's onslaught of an uppercut, left hook, and two right crosses. Abbot is out cold, much like many of Kimbo's past opponents. The audience goes crazy for the hometown boy. Kimbo is on his way to the top of the Mixed Martial Arts world.
It's also nice to see two humble and genuinely nice guys, in Dwight Howard and Kimbo Slice, succeeding in their fields. Those two should get more press than the Pacman Joneses of the world.
Anyway, I'm happy I ended up being able to see these events (God Bless Youtube), they didn't disappoint.
Max Caster
Over The Ropes
Saturdays 10-11pm on http://mywcwp.com/
http://overtheropes.mypodcast.com/
The NEW Sportswire
Thursdays 9-10pm on mywcwp.com
First, in the dunk contest, Dwight Howard put on a one man show, scoring a perfect 100 in the 1st round. His first dunk started with a bank off of the back of the backboard. He caught the self pass and windmilled it home from behind the hoop. How could he top that you ask. In the second dunk, Mr. Howard dressed for the occasion. He removed his jersey to reveal a Superman shirt. Then his teammate, Jameer Nelson, handed him a cape. It's all about presentation. Howard got a huge running start. He stopped right after the free throw line, made the highest two-footed jump I have ever seen, and threw the rock through the hoop. And the crowd goes wild! So does Kenny Smith.
In the final round, Howard went up against last years champion, Gerald Green. But the champ was no match for the man from Orlando. Howard's next dunk was the most technical dunk of the whole competition. He threw the ball up, caught it in mid-air, slapped it against the backboard with his left hand and then jammed it with his right. For his last dunk, Dwight mounted a mini-hoop on the glass and left the ball in it. He jumped, took the ball off of the mini-hoop and dunked it into the regular hoop. Not as good as his others but enough to seal the deal.
I would also like to say that one of the most impressive dunks was Green's first dunk, where he put a cupcake, with a lit candle, on the back of the rim. He recieved the pass from Rashad McCants and while dunking, Green blew out the candle. I love it! But, to take nothing away from Green, Jamario Moon, or Rudy Gay, Dwight Howard beasted the competition beyond belief.
The next event I missed was the Elite XC fight between Tank Abbot and street fight legend Kimbo Slice in Miami. At the start of the bout, Abbot tried to take Kimbo down but had no success. Less than 20 seconds into the fight, Kimbo knocked Abbot to the ground, but received a warning for a hit to the back of the head. After a short delay, Kimbo went back on the offensive and released a flurry of shots to Abbot's head. Tank stumbled, which left him open to Kimbo's onslaught of an uppercut, left hook, and two right crosses. Abbot is out cold, much like many of Kimbo's past opponents. The audience goes crazy for the hometown boy. Kimbo is on his way to the top of the Mixed Martial Arts world.
It's also nice to see two humble and genuinely nice guys, in Dwight Howard and Kimbo Slice, succeeding in their fields. Those two should get more press than the Pacman Joneses of the world.
Anyway, I'm happy I ended up being able to see these events (God Bless Youtube), they didn't disappoint.
Max Caster
Over The Ropes
Saturdays 10-11pm on http://mywcwp.com/
http://overtheropes.mypodcast.com/
The NEW Sportswire
Thursdays 9-10pm on mywcwp.com
Not a good time to go cold
What a phenomenal day of College Basketball.
- Indiana shocked me and played inspired basketball for beleaguered coach Kelvin Sampson. It looked like the game would go exactly as predicted in yesterday's column for the Hoosiers. They started the game out poorly. Michigan State broke out to 15-4 lead with just over thirteen minutes to play in the first half. It really says something about a teams character when they play a prime time game in the midst of a horrible controversy, fall behind by 11 early at home, and still come back and beat a pretty good team by 19 points. If I'm Michigan State I have to be worried. I wrote last night that the only way to beat the Spartans was to shut down Drew Neitzel. Apparently, that’s not necessarily the case. Neitzel only had only six points in Tuesday's loss to Purdue. Ok, a loss in that situation is understandable. Tonight he had 21.
Uh-oh.
I think M-State is starting to realize that to win, their going to have more then one starter in double figures. That's what they had tonight.
One
The only other Spartan with double figures tonight was guard Chris Allen, who had 10 points in 23 minutes off the bench. Here is another concerning stat for Michigan State- Neitzel led all rebounders with four. For one thing, you know something is not right when a guard leads a team in rebounding. For another, when your leading rebounder pulls down four, that’s cause for tremendous concern. The Spartans have gone cold as ice at the exact wrong time. There’s roughly a month left in the season and they need to turn it around. Fast.
- Another team that has some definite issues to attend to is Georgetown. The Hoyas lost by seven today and it should have been a lot worse. Syracuse had a 36-15 lead on Pat Ewing Jr and co with four minutes left in the first half. The Hoyas did a great job at cutting that lead in the second half, down only seven with just over a minute left in the game. Still, concerns have to be raised. Georgetown has lost two of three and are a questionable call away from being immersed in a three game loosing streak. I don't think Georgetown’s concerns are as dire as Michigan State's are. The Hoyas were awful in the first half. They couldn't shoot the ball at all. The issue today for Georgetown was bench production. Two points came from the Hoyas bench. Those belonged to Patrick Ewing Jr. And its not like no significant minutes came off the bench either. Ewing, who's not a big time scorer anyway, played 10 minutes. Jeremiah River played 13 and failed to record a point. Anytime a bench combines for thirty two minutes and two points, that screams lack of depth. I know that depth is not a tremendous attribute of many college teams but two points is two points.
The Hoyas have Providence on the road on Monday. This game is huge. Providence played very well today against a Louisville team that has turned the corner in a big way. I would say that Providence impressed me more in loosing today then the Syracuse Orange did in winning. After Providence, the Hoyas have Cincinnati, who is better then many people think. I wouldn't say I'd be worried about Georgetown yet. But if they loose Monday...I will be.
- I was 10-6 on my Saturday picks. Here's the much smaller Sunday slate:
#18 Notre Dame at Rutgers- I love Notre Dame. It has absolutely nothing to do with my undying love for the football team. I really have no feelings regarding the basketball side of the Irish. I've seen them a few times this year and, aside from the Georgetown disaster in mid-January, really like what I see. I love Kyle McArlarney. He's averaging 15 a game and plays with a ton of heart. ND Wins.
#2 Duke at Wake Forrest- I don't know if we can get a better ACC Sunday nighter then what we had last week with UNC and Clemson. Wake Forrest is 5-5 in the ACC. Duke is 10-0. I don't think this changes. Duke wins.
#6 UCLA at USC- This is the game of the day. USC is only 6-5 in the tough Pac-10, but has one of the most exciting players in the game in O.J Mayo. But I think many Trojan fans have come to realize that Mayo can't do it alone. Heck, he's only their on a lease anyway. What do you expect to do in one year at USC. But USC beat UCLA by nine on January 19th in LA. UCLA is also coming off a loss to Washington last weekend. I think that’s a deadly combo. UCLA won't loose two games in a row. They most certainly won't loose two in a row to USC. Double trouble. UCLA is the pick.
More tomorrow
Jordan Lauterbach- The Edge (Monday 9-11pm) and Fourth Down (Friday 9-10pm) only on mywcwp.com
- Indiana shocked me and played inspired basketball for beleaguered coach Kelvin Sampson. It looked like the game would go exactly as predicted in yesterday's column for the Hoosiers. They started the game out poorly. Michigan State broke out to 15-4 lead with just over thirteen minutes to play in the first half. It really says something about a teams character when they play a prime time game in the midst of a horrible controversy, fall behind by 11 early at home, and still come back and beat a pretty good team by 19 points. If I'm Michigan State I have to be worried. I wrote last night that the only way to beat the Spartans was to shut down Drew Neitzel. Apparently, that’s not necessarily the case. Neitzel only had only six points in Tuesday's loss to Purdue. Ok, a loss in that situation is understandable. Tonight he had 21.
Uh-oh.
I think M-State is starting to realize that to win, their going to have more then one starter in double figures. That's what they had tonight.
One
The only other Spartan with double figures tonight was guard Chris Allen, who had 10 points in 23 minutes off the bench. Here is another concerning stat for Michigan State- Neitzel led all rebounders with four. For one thing, you know something is not right when a guard leads a team in rebounding. For another, when your leading rebounder pulls down four, that’s cause for tremendous concern. The Spartans have gone cold as ice at the exact wrong time. There’s roughly a month left in the season and they need to turn it around. Fast.
- Another team that has some definite issues to attend to is Georgetown. The Hoyas lost by seven today and it should have been a lot worse. Syracuse had a 36-15 lead on Pat Ewing Jr and co with four minutes left in the first half. The Hoyas did a great job at cutting that lead in the second half, down only seven with just over a minute left in the game. Still, concerns have to be raised. Georgetown has lost two of three and are a questionable call away from being immersed in a three game loosing streak. I don't think Georgetown’s concerns are as dire as Michigan State's are. The Hoyas were awful in the first half. They couldn't shoot the ball at all. The issue today for Georgetown was bench production. Two points came from the Hoyas bench. Those belonged to Patrick Ewing Jr. And its not like no significant minutes came off the bench either. Ewing, who's not a big time scorer anyway, played 10 minutes. Jeremiah River played 13 and failed to record a point. Anytime a bench combines for thirty two minutes and two points, that screams lack of depth. I know that depth is not a tremendous attribute of many college teams but two points is two points.
The Hoyas have Providence on the road on Monday. This game is huge. Providence played very well today against a Louisville team that has turned the corner in a big way. I would say that Providence impressed me more in loosing today then the Syracuse Orange did in winning. After Providence, the Hoyas have Cincinnati, who is better then many people think. I wouldn't say I'd be worried about Georgetown yet. But if they loose Monday...I will be.
- I was 10-6 on my Saturday picks. Here's the much smaller Sunday slate:
#18 Notre Dame at Rutgers- I love Notre Dame. It has absolutely nothing to do with my undying love for the football team. I really have no feelings regarding the basketball side of the Irish. I've seen them a few times this year and, aside from the Georgetown disaster in mid-January, really like what I see. I love Kyle McArlarney. He's averaging 15 a game and plays with a ton of heart. ND Wins.
#2 Duke at Wake Forrest- I don't know if we can get a better ACC Sunday nighter then what we had last week with UNC and Clemson. Wake Forrest is 5-5 in the ACC. Duke is 10-0. I don't think this changes. Duke wins.
#6 UCLA at USC- This is the game of the day. USC is only 6-5 in the tough Pac-10, but has one of the most exciting players in the game in O.J Mayo. But I think many Trojan fans have come to realize that Mayo can't do it alone. Heck, he's only their on a lease anyway. What do you expect to do in one year at USC. But USC beat UCLA by nine on January 19th in LA. UCLA is also coming off a loss to Washington last weekend. I think that’s a deadly combo. UCLA won't loose two games in a row. They most certainly won't loose two in a row to USC. Double trouble. UCLA is the pick.
More tomorrow
Jordan Lauterbach- The Edge (Monday 9-11pm) and Fourth Down (Friday 9-10pm) only on mywcwp.com
Saturday, February 16, 2008
A Pardon for Roger? why not Barry?
It's now being speculated that our beloved President George W. Bush may grant Roger Clemens a full pardon if he is convicted of perjury. There should be congressional hearings about that if Bush gets his buddy off the hook. It's complete madness!
And believe me, Roger perjured himself. About HGH, about steroids, and about his wife. None of his arguments add up to a sensible conclusion. He was making things up as he went along. If you disagree, I believe you "misremembered" the hearings.
I believe in equality. Barry Bonds was indicted for lying, and when Clemens is proved to be lying, he should be too. But if Roger gets a pardon, what makes Bonds unworthy of the same treatment? Just because he's not friends with the Bush family?
Think about it.
At least, if Bush gives a pardon, it wont be the worst thing he has done during his presidency.
Max Caster
Over the Ropes
Saturdays 10-11pm on mywcwp
The NEW Sportswire
Thursdays 9-10pm on mywcwp
And believe me, Roger perjured himself. About HGH, about steroids, and about his wife. None of his arguments add up to a sensible conclusion. He was making things up as he went along. If you disagree, I believe you "misremembered" the hearings.
I believe in equality. Barry Bonds was indicted for lying, and when Clemens is proved to be lying, he should be too. But if Roger gets a pardon, what makes Bonds unworthy of the same treatment? Just because he's not friends with the Bush family?
Think about it.
At least, if Bush gives a pardon, it wont be the worst thing he has done during his presidency.
Max Caster
Over the Ropes
Saturdays 10-11pm on mywcwp
The NEW Sportswire
Thursdays 9-10pm on mywcwp
A Rarity by the River
Ok, so it wasn't exactly "by the river". It just involved a team that plays by one.......
Of course, I'm writing about tonight's Pittsburgh/Marquette game. A game that, once again, made a fool out of my prognosticating abilities (see the last section of yesterday's column.) First off, I was so happy to be watching College Basketball on a Friday night that I could have cared less if it was a good game or not. That was a good mood to be in because the game was dreadful. But in a round-about way, tonight proved why I'll take the college game over the pro game any day of a week. Nights like tonight rarely ever happen. Think of the last true regular season blowout that involved two teams in the top 25. Much less two teams separated by one in the polls. Answering that question is difficult because it rarely ever happens. It did tonight. Oh boy, did it happen tonight.
To recap for just a moment, Number 25 Marquette showed why Number 24 Pittsburgh is not the 24th best team in the country. The 72-54 win was Marquette's 18th of the year and 8th in the Big East. The Golden Eagles continue to move up the Big East ranks. I like them as an early sleeper once we get to Madison Square Garden for the Big East Tourney next month. This game was actually close for most of the first half. With just over three minutes left in the first half, Marquette had a small four point lead on Pitt. The game was back and fourth and quite competitive. It was light years away from being a blow out. That all changed with three minutes left in the first half. Pitt started missing easy shots and Marquette got hot. The lead was nine at the half. This was it for the game. The poor shooting for Pittsburgh continued into the second half. Marquette had a 37-28 lead 2 minutes into the second half. That ballooned to a 54-28 lead with just over 12 left in the game. Needless to say, Pitt was autrosis on both ends of the floor in the second half. The Panthers couldn't shoot and they couldn't stop Marquette. The boost that I thought the Panthers would get from the return of point guard Levance Fields didn't come at any point in the game. Fields came off the bench, played 20 minutes, and racked up four points and two assists. Fields came back early from the injury he suffered on New Years Eve. Maybe that was a bad move. It certainly looked like it tonight. I wonder what Field's status will be on Thursday against Notre Dame. The long layoff between games might do him good. But it's an interesting plot this week for Pitt.
For Marquette, a few players stood out tonight. First, how good was Ousmanne Baro tonight? "The Big O" had 14 points and 12 rebounds. For reference, Baro averages just over five points a game (5.4) and just over 5 boards a game (5.5). Baro also had four assists. This isn't great by any measure, but considering he averages less then an assist per game (.3), its pretty significant. Jerrel McNeal was great tonight. McNeal had 17 points to lead all Golden Eagle scorers. David Cubillian also had 13 points off the bench.
I've been down on Pitt for a few weeks now. Tonight just confirmed what I wrote about a few weeks ago. They are certainly not the same team that beat Duke at the Garden earlier in the year. Sure, injuries have played a major role in that but the Panthers still shouldn't be loosing by 18 to a team ranked lower then them. Even if they are only one rank lower. 18 points is a lot in the Big East. The game wasn't even that close. The last ten minutes of that game, I felt like I was watching a 30 point enialiation. I was actually surprised that it was only an 18 point loss.
But if one thing can be learned from tonight, it's this: watch out for Marquette. They are good and they are hot. I know that I write about a lot of teams that I feel are "over-rated". Well, Marquette is underrated. There next three games are against St. Johns, Rutgers, and Villanova. That should bode well for them. I'd be very afraid of the Eagles right now. Very afraid.
Here are some picks for the Saturday slate:
#17 Uconn at South Florida- Steve Didamo loves Uconn and I tend to agree. They won't have any trouble with South Florida- UConn wins.
#8 Georgetown At Syracuse- This will be close but the Hoyas will pull it out late. Georgetown wins
Virginia Tech at #5 North Carolina- UNC is overrated, but there not bad. They win a close one at home.
Colorado at #3 Kansas- Kansas is the best team in the country. Just wait. Kansas rolls
Minnesota at #14 Wisconsin- How about a stunner for Tubby. Minnesota wins.
Cleveland State at #10 Butler- Hmmm, I didn’t know Cleveland was a state. Butler wins big.
#15 Drake and Northern Iowa- Drake is a scary mid-major. They win this one
#4 Tennessee at Georgia- Tennessee
Florida at #19 Vanderbilt- I love this game. Vanderbilt is a very intriguing team. The killed Kentucky on Tuesday. Sure, Kentucky is abysmal but anytime you beat Kentucky, its impressive. Florida had the same conference record as Vandy. I like Florida in this one. The win will get the Gators into the top 25 on Monday.
# 7 Stanford at Arizona- Stanford might be the most unsung team in the top 10. That’s what happens when your games start at 10:30pm on Fox Sports Net. Stanford wins.
Okalahoma State at #16 Texas A&M- Texas A&M
Missouri and #22 Kansas State- Where did K-State come from? They win this one.
#1 Memphis at UAB- This game may cause Memphis some trouble. UAB is 7-2 in Conference-USA. Memphis wins a real close one.
#9 Michigan State at #12 Indiana- Best game of the day for many reasons. Michigan State is coming off a bad loss at Purdue on Tuesday. Neitzel had only six points in the loss. That seams to be the case with M-State. You shut down Neitzel and suddenly.......you win. Pretty easy formula? Yeah right. Neitzel, averaging over 13 points a game, is quite a good player...to put it lightly. Indiana has stuff of their own going own. It will affect them. How could it not. I think they will phone this one in (you can shoot me for that at a later date). M-State wins big on the road....oh, and this is the ESPN showcase game. Quite convenient.
#20 Washington State and Oregon- This one is opposite M-State and Indiana. Will anyone east of Oregon be watching this. I sure won't. Here's one for you though, Oregon wins.
#21 St.Mary's at Loyola- Marrymount- St Mary's.
More after M-State-Indiana.......................................
- Jordan Lauterbach
- As an aside, this was the 50th post since the site began in November. Thanks to all who have been reading.
Also, thanks to all the writers who keep this thing alive when I decide to hide for 10 days after the Super Bowl........won't do that again. Everyone does a fantastic job.
Of course, I'm writing about tonight's Pittsburgh/Marquette game. A game that, once again, made a fool out of my prognosticating abilities (see the last section of yesterday's column.) First off, I was so happy to be watching College Basketball on a Friday night that I could have cared less if it was a good game or not. That was a good mood to be in because the game was dreadful. But in a round-about way, tonight proved why I'll take the college game over the pro game any day of a week. Nights like tonight rarely ever happen. Think of the last true regular season blowout that involved two teams in the top 25. Much less two teams separated by one in the polls. Answering that question is difficult because it rarely ever happens. It did tonight. Oh boy, did it happen tonight.
To recap for just a moment, Number 25 Marquette showed why Number 24 Pittsburgh is not the 24th best team in the country. The 72-54 win was Marquette's 18th of the year and 8th in the Big East. The Golden Eagles continue to move up the Big East ranks. I like them as an early sleeper once we get to Madison Square Garden for the Big East Tourney next month. This game was actually close for most of the first half. With just over three minutes left in the first half, Marquette had a small four point lead on Pitt. The game was back and fourth and quite competitive. It was light years away from being a blow out. That all changed with three minutes left in the first half. Pitt started missing easy shots and Marquette got hot. The lead was nine at the half. This was it for the game. The poor shooting for Pittsburgh continued into the second half. Marquette had a 37-28 lead 2 minutes into the second half. That ballooned to a 54-28 lead with just over 12 left in the game. Needless to say, Pitt was autrosis on both ends of the floor in the second half. The Panthers couldn't shoot and they couldn't stop Marquette. The boost that I thought the Panthers would get from the return of point guard Levance Fields didn't come at any point in the game. Fields came off the bench, played 20 minutes, and racked up four points and two assists. Fields came back early from the injury he suffered on New Years Eve. Maybe that was a bad move. It certainly looked like it tonight. I wonder what Field's status will be on Thursday against Notre Dame. The long layoff between games might do him good. But it's an interesting plot this week for Pitt.
For Marquette, a few players stood out tonight. First, how good was Ousmanne Baro tonight? "The Big O" had 14 points and 12 rebounds. For reference, Baro averages just over five points a game (5.4) and just over 5 boards a game (5.5). Baro also had four assists. This isn't great by any measure, but considering he averages less then an assist per game (.3), its pretty significant. Jerrel McNeal was great tonight. McNeal had 17 points to lead all Golden Eagle scorers. David Cubillian also had 13 points off the bench.
I've been down on Pitt for a few weeks now. Tonight just confirmed what I wrote about a few weeks ago. They are certainly not the same team that beat Duke at the Garden earlier in the year. Sure, injuries have played a major role in that but the Panthers still shouldn't be loosing by 18 to a team ranked lower then them. Even if they are only one rank lower. 18 points is a lot in the Big East. The game wasn't even that close. The last ten minutes of that game, I felt like I was watching a 30 point enialiation. I was actually surprised that it was only an 18 point loss.
But if one thing can be learned from tonight, it's this: watch out for Marquette. They are good and they are hot. I know that I write about a lot of teams that I feel are "over-rated". Well, Marquette is underrated. There next three games are against St. Johns, Rutgers, and Villanova. That should bode well for them. I'd be very afraid of the Eagles right now. Very afraid.
Here are some picks for the Saturday slate:
#17 Uconn at South Florida- Steve Didamo loves Uconn and I tend to agree. They won't have any trouble with South Florida- UConn wins.
#8 Georgetown At Syracuse- This will be close but the Hoyas will pull it out late. Georgetown wins
Virginia Tech at #5 North Carolina- UNC is overrated, but there not bad. They win a close one at home.
Colorado at #3 Kansas- Kansas is the best team in the country. Just wait. Kansas rolls
Minnesota at #14 Wisconsin- How about a stunner for Tubby. Minnesota wins.
Cleveland State at #10 Butler- Hmmm, I didn’t know Cleveland was a state. Butler wins big.
#15 Drake and Northern Iowa- Drake is a scary mid-major. They win this one
#4 Tennessee at Georgia- Tennessee
Florida at #19 Vanderbilt- I love this game. Vanderbilt is a very intriguing team. The killed Kentucky on Tuesday. Sure, Kentucky is abysmal but anytime you beat Kentucky, its impressive. Florida had the same conference record as Vandy. I like Florida in this one. The win will get the Gators into the top 25 on Monday.
# 7 Stanford at Arizona- Stanford might be the most unsung team in the top 10. That’s what happens when your games start at 10:30pm on Fox Sports Net. Stanford wins.
Okalahoma State at #16 Texas A&M- Texas A&M
Missouri and #22 Kansas State- Where did K-State come from? They win this one.
#1 Memphis at UAB- This game may cause Memphis some trouble. UAB is 7-2 in Conference-USA. Memphis wins a real close one.
#9 Michigan State at #12 Indiana- Best game of the day for many reasons. Michigan State is coming off a bad loss at Purdue on Tuesday. Neitzel had only six points in the loss. That seams to be the case with M-State. You shut down Neitzel and suddenly.......you win. Pretty easy formula? Yeah right. Neitzel, averaging over 13 points a game, is quite a good player...to put it lightly. Indiana has stuff of their own going own. It will affect them. How could it not. I think they will phone this one in (you can shoot me for that at a later date). M-State wins big on the road....oh, and this is the ESPN showcase game. Quite convenient.
#20 Washington State and Oregon- This one is opposite M-State and Indiana. Will anyone east of Oregon be watching this. I sure won't. Here's one for you though, Oregon wins.
#21 St.Mary's at Loyola- Marrymount- St Mary's.
More after M-State-Indiana.......................................
- Jordan Lauterbach
- As an aside, this was the 50th post since the site began in November. Thanks to all who have been reading.
Also, thanks to all the writers who keep this thing alive when I decide to hide for 10 days after the Super Bowl........won't do that again. Everyone does a fantastic job.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
I'm glad I finally REMEMBERED to write this column
Aside from two little blurbs about guests, I haven't written here since the Super Bowl. Call it embarrassment after my long winded "your an idiot if you picked the Giants" piece (sorry about that, by the way). It was more of a much needed break after a long football season, or more accurately, reaction to that odd feeling that football fans and writers alike get in the first few days after the Super Bowl. But like seasons change, so do sports and we have to move on. So here's another one of those mish-mosh columns that I like writing so much.
- I guess I'd be remiss if I didn't talk about the hearings on Capitol Hill Wednesday. I watched about forty five minutes of that and realized that there were better things I could be doing with my time. Like hacking my arm off with a fork. It's not that I'm not interested. I am. I just don't see the point of it all. It's pretty obvious to me that both McNamee and Clemens aren't going to back off there story in any way. If they didn't do it in front of Congress, their never going to do it. There will be no recourse from this. People can say that Congress is going to go after one of them for purgery, but I'll believe that when I see it.
I haven't decided what is worse, that one of these men lied to Congress or that I actually believe that both men believe whole-heartedly that what they are saying (or what they have been told to say) is the absolute truth. If you have ever told an elaborate lie to someone you know that, after a while, no matter how far fetched it may be, you begin to believe it. Roger Clemens seams to believe that he did not take steroids or HGH. Whether that's Clemens being arrogant or just plain stupid is up to interpretation. Other then Clemens, I don't think anyone in there right mind thinks that he is telling the truth. How could you? He seamed downright flustered and confused at the simplest of questions. Would a man who doesn't have anything to hide use the word "mis-remembered" multiple times. Clemens may be dumb, but he's not that dumb.
One thing I do find a bit curious is this. Haven't these ballplayers who persist that they never did illegal substances noticed a trend? Those who admit to steroid or HGH use are treated far less harshly in the court of public opinion then those who lie about it. One has to look no further then Andy Pettite. He was caught, admitted guilt, and apologized. Pettite is now being treated like he is the most moral person on the face of the earth. If you know anything about the lefty, that’s not too far from the truth either. Take former Met reliever Guillmo Mota as another example. He tested positive after the 2006 season. It surprised no one, based on the incredible jump in production he made when he was traded to the Mets from the Indians. Mota came out the next day and apologized. He served his fifty games and was back. He was still booed by Met fans, but not because he was busted for steroids. He was booed because he was awful. I was actually calling for him to start juicing again in July (I was joking, of course..........I was........ really) Of course, Mota is no where near Clemens in stature or talent but one still wonders if history would have judged The Rocket differently if he had come out and apologized. Instead, he's throwing everyone in the world under the bus to save his name.
That’s not to say he isn't doing a good job of it either. Like I wrote in early January after that sham of a press conference, I want to believe to Roger. But I just can't. Probably because I have some mixture of common sense and intelligence (or at least I like to think so) But I'll give good ol' Roger this, I think he has an earnest appearance. He didn't come off as arrogant Wednesday. He came off as lost. He believes everything he is saying and that's pretty obvious. Too bad its so obviously a lie. But that brings up a rather interesting philosophical question, is it really a lie if you, yourself, believe it as the absolute truth? Isn't that just mis-information? Maybe it's not Petite that is guilty of "mis-remembering", maybe its Clemens.
- On a lighter note, here is a College Basketball pick for Friday: First off, I'm very excited. Rarely do they have any college games on Friday during the regular season. They use that day to rest up for the weekend game. This is usually why I'm so bored on Friday nights. Not only do we have a game, we have a pretty good Big East contest. Pittsburgh goes on the road to take on Marquette. Big news for Pitt. It looks like point guard Levance Fields will play for the first time since he broke his foot seven weeks ago. Fields is averaging just under 12 points a game, and just over five assists. This puts Ronald Ramon back at his original shooting guard position. Fields gives a team that has been decimated by injury more depth. Look for Pitt to surge in the next few weeks and move up rapidly in the polls before the tournament starts. The Big East only gets better and better (have I mentioned how ridiculously excited I am for this years Big East Tournament? Well, I am). Pitt wins on the road.
- Jordan Lauterbach: The Edge (Mondays 9-11pm) and Fourth Down (Fridays 9-10pm) only on mywcwp.com
- I guess I'd be remiss if I didn't talk about the hearings on Capitol Hill Wednesday. I watched about forty five minutes of that and realized that there were better things I could be doing with my time. Like hacking my arm off with a fork. It's not that I'm not interested. I am. I just don't see the point of it all. It's pretty obvious to me that both McNamee and Clemens aren't going to back off there story in any way. If they didn't do it in front of Congress, their never going to do it. There will be no recourse from this. People can say that Congress is going to go after one of them for purgery, but I'll believe that when I see it.
I haven't decided what is worse, that one of these men lied to Congress or that I actually believe that both men believe whole-heartedly that what they are saying (or what they have been told to say) is the absolute truth. If you have ever told an elaborate lie to someone you know that, after a while, no matter how far fetched it may be, you begin to believe it. Roger Clemens seams to believe that he did not take steroids or HGH. Whether that's Clemens being arrogant or just plain stupid is up to interpretation. Other then Clemens, I don't think anyone in there right mind thinks that he is telling the truth. How could you? He seamed downright flustered and confused at the simplest of questions. Would a man who doesn't have anything to hide use the word "mis-remembered" multiple times. Clemens may be dumb, but he's not that dumb.
One thing I do find a bit curious is this. Haven't these ballplayers who persist that they never did illegal substances noticed a trend? Those who admit to steroid or HGH use are treated far less harshly in the court of public opinion then those who lie about it. One has to look no further then Andy Pettite. He was caught, admitted guilt, and apologized. Pettite is now being treated like he is the most moral person on the face of the earth. If you know anything about the lefty, that’s not too far from the truth either. Take former Met reliever Guillmo Mota as another example. He tested positive after the 2006 season. It surprised no one, based on the incredible jump in production he made when he was traded to the Mets from the Indians. Mota came out the next day and apologized. He served his fifty games and was back. He was still booed by Met fans, but not because he was busted for steroids. He was booed because he was awful. I was actually calling for him to start juicing again in July (I was joking, of course..........I was........ really) Of course, Mota is no where near Clemens in stature or talent but one still wonders if history would have judged The Rocket differently if he had come out and apologized. Instead, he's throwing everyone in the world under the bus to save his name.
That’s not to say he isn't doing a good job of it either. Like I wrote in early January after that sham of a press conference, I want to believe to Roger. But I just can't. Probably because I have some mixture of common sense and intelligence (or at least I like to think so) But I'll give good ol' Roger this, I think he has an earnest appearance. He didn't come off as arrogant Wednesday. He came off as lost. He believes everything he is saying and that's pretty obvious. Too bad its so obviously a lie. But that brings up a rather interesting philosophical question, is it really a lie if you, yourself, believe it as the absolute truth? Isn't that just mis-information? Maybe it's not Petite that is guilty of "mis-remembering", maybe its Clemens.
- On a lighter note, here is a College Basketball pick for Friday: First off, I'm very excited. Rarely do they have any college games on Friday during the regular season. They use that day to rest up for the weekend game. This is usually why I'm so bored on Friday nights. Not only do we have a game, we have a pretty good Big East contest. Pittsburgh goes on the road to take on Marquette. Big news for Pitt. It looks like point guard Levance Fields will play for the first time since he broke his foot seven weeks ago. Fields is averaging just under 12 points a game, and just over five assists. This puts Ronald Ramon back at his original shooting guard position. Fields gives a team that has been decimated by injury more depth. Look for Pitt to surge in the next few weeks and move up rapidly in the polls before the tournament starts. The Big East only gets better and better (have I mentioned how ridiculously excited I am for this years Big East Tournament? Well, I am). Pitt wins on the road.
- Jordan Lauterbach: The Edge (Mondays 9-11pm) and Fourth Down (Fridays 9-10pm) only on mywcwp.com
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Capitol Hill part 2
Baseball is on Capitol Hill again, this time involving Roger Clemens against Brian McNamee. In the circus that is Roger Clemens' denial tour, Clemens will attempt to prove his innocence in front of congressmen and women. McNamee on the other hand has to prove to everyone that he is telling the truth when he told George Mitchell that he injected Clemens with steriods.
The congressmen attacked McNamee and repeatedly questioned his motives, as McNamee admitted that in 2001 he lied about Steroids in baseball. McNamee was also asked if he had a deal with federeal prosecutors and he answered "No." However, McNamee's credibility did possibly take a hit, as one congressmen read off statemens frim McNamee that McNamee himself confirmed were lies.
Clemens, who stated that regardless of what happens with Congress his reputation will never be the same, was also grilled by members of the committee into whether he talked with fellow pitcher Andy Pettitte about using HGH. Clemens replied that he was talking about his wife using it in 1999, yet Clemens told congress that his wife did not start using HGH until 2003.
Whatever happens in Congress, it seems that noone is going to win. Clemens should be given an opportunity to defend himself- and this seems to be his spot. But in this country, the court of public opinion tends to be much more important than the court of law. Clemens could be lying, but he did state at least one fact- his reputation will never be the same again, regardless of the millions and millions of dollars he spends trying to prove his innocence.
And to think, we're discussing this instead of Pitchers and Catchers reporting.
- Mike Tramontozzi,
WCWP Sports
The congressmen attacked McNamee and repeatedly questioned his motives, as McNamee admitted that in 2001 he lied about Steroids in baseball. McNamee was also asked if he had a deal with federeal prosecutors and he answered "No." However, McNamee's credibility did possibly take a hit, as one congressmen read off statemens frim McNamee that McNamee himself confirmed were lies.
Clemens, who stated that regardless of what happens with Congress his reputation will never be the same, was also grilled by members of the committee into whether he talked with fellow pitcher Andy Pettitte about using HGH. Clemens replied that he was talking about his wife using it in 1999, yet Clemens told congress that his wife did not start using HGH until 2003.
Whatever happens in Congress, it seems that noone is going to win. Clemens should be given an opportunity to defend himself- and this seems to be his spot. But in this country, the court of public opinion tends to be much more important than the court of law. Clemens could be lying, but he did state at least one fact- his reputation will never be the same again, regardless of the millions and millions of dollars he spends trying to prove his innocence.
And to think, we're discussing this instead of Pitchers and Catchers reporting.
- Mike Tramontozzi,
WCWP Sports
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Recap of College Basketball
This was another great week in college hoops. Duke showed everyone that they are for real after beating UNC in Chapel Hill on Wedensday. The versatility of the Duke team is awesome and so many players can contribute in so many ways. Would it have been a different game if UNC's point guard Ty Lawson had played? Probably. But I'm not so sure if it would have been enough to get past these scrappy Blue Devils. Sunday provided us with some great action as UCLA who was ranked 5th in the country was upset by fellow Pac-10 foe, Washington. UNC struggled again in their victory against Clemson for the 2nd time this season. It took 2 double overtimes to put away the Tigers along with 39 points from Tyler Hansbrough. Now Clemson is not Virginia of the Atlantic Coast Conference but they have put up huge fights against the Tar Heels. There are some serious questions about this Tar Heel team heading into tournament time. The health of Ty Lawson, the inconsistent shooting of Wayne Ellington and Danny Green, and the high turnover rate are the big concerns.
The Big East continues to be the legit conference in the entire NCAA. UCONN continued their hot run by defeating Georgia Tech. Jerome Dyson is still suspended but doesn't seem to be affecting the team in anyway. Hasheem Thabeet continues to mature as a player and really develop an offensive game. A.J. Price is turning into a leader on the court and is progressing at the point guard position. Louisville's upset against Georgetown was another entertaining game to watch. Louisville's stock continues to rise game by game. I still think G-town is the best in the Big East but their half-court offense still has some questions. Also, don't sleep on Notre Dame. Without a doubt, the top 4 teams in the conference are Georgetown, Connecticut, Notre Dame and Louisville.
Top 5 Games to watch this week:
Kansas Jayhaws vs. Texas Longhorns - 2/11
Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. UConn Huskies - 2/13
Michigan St. Spartans vs. Indiana Hoosiers - 2/16
Florida Gators vs. Vanderbilt Commodores - 2/16
Georgetown Hoyas vs. Syracuse Orange - 2/16
-Matt Soldano ("Off the Glass" Wedensday Nights 9-10 PM only on www.mywcwp.com)
The Big East continues to be the legit conference in the entire NCAA. UCONN continued their hot run by defeating Georgia Tech. Jerome Dyson is still suspended but doesn't seem to be affecting the team in anyway. Hasheem Thabeet continues to mature as a player and really develop an offensive game. A.J. Price is turning into a leader on the court and is progressing at the point guard position. Louisville's upset against Georgetown was another entertaining game to watch. Louisville's stock continues to rise game by game. I still think G-town is the best in the Big East but their half-court offense still has some questions. Also, don't sleep on Notre Dame. Without a doubt, the top 4 teams in the conference are Georgetown, Connecticut, Notre Dame and Louisville.
Top 5 Games to watch this week:
Kansas Jayhaws vs. Texas Longhorns - 2/11
Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. UConn Huskies - 2/13
Michigan St. Spartans vs. Indiana Hoosiers - 2/16
Florida Gators vs. Vanderbilt Commodores - 2/16
Georgetown Hoyas vs. Syracuse Orange - 2/16
-Matt Soldano ("Off the Glass" Wedensday Nights 9-10 PM only on www.mywcwp.com)
Friday, February 8, 2008
Steven Goldman
Just wanted to let everyone know, on Talkin' Baseball on Feb. 19th, Steven Goldman, the blog writer for yesnetwork.com is going to be on the show. Hope you can all tune in
Mike DeJoy
Mike DeJoy
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Eight Divisions in Eight Weeks
Hardcore Edge-Heads will remember that this summer we did a segment called "Eight Divisions in Eight Weeks". We did this for NFL. Now, we're doing it for the upcomming baseball season.
It begins this Monday with a AL WEST preview. Rick Hurd from the Oakland Tribune will be joining us to talk about the Oakland A's and the rest of the AL West.
See you Monday at 9pm only on mywcwp.com
It begins this Monday with a AL WEST preview. Rick Hurd from the Oakland Tribune will be joining us to talk about the Oakland A's and the rest of the AL West.
See you Monday at 9pm only on mywcwp.com
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
There Talking Trade Rumors
Hey........Can't wait for Baseball season. I know I can't.
Some cool stuff on Talkin' Baseball tonight. Tim Dierkes from MLBtraderumors.com will be joining the guys.
Tune it tonight (2-5) at 9pm only on mywcwp.com
-Jordan Lauterbach
Some cool stuff on Talkin' Baseball tonight. Tim Dierkes from MLBtraderumors.com will be joining the guys.
Tune it tonight (2-5) at 9pm only on mywcwp.com
-Jordan Lauterbach
Monday, February 4, 2008
My Bad
My mistake, my last blog, I had written that Eli hit Plax in the right corner of the endzone for the touchdown. After just viewing Sportscenter, I realize it was indeed the left corner. My apologies.
Your Friend,
Matt Soldano
Your Friend,
Matt Soldano
Fairy Tale Ending
I guess the Tom Petty Halftime show gave us a hunch about what was going to happen roughly 90 minutes later. The Patriots went "Free Fallin" from grace and perfection as the Giants shocked the world and won 17-14. In my last blog, I had the Giants winning 34-30. Shame on me for thinking so offensively minded. Plaxico got it right...sort of. Last time I checked, 14 is less than 17.
I think it is safe to say that Eli Manning has turned the corner. Coming into the Super Bowl, I believed we had to see and evaluate his play next season to develop a real clear understanding. I take that statement back after what I witnessed on that fateful 83 yard drive with less than 2 minutes to go. Eli seems to thrive in these types of positions, whether it be in the regular season or in the Super Bowl. Like Plaxico said last night, "he has ice water in his veins." It was perhaps the play of Super Bowl history when Eli somehow scrambled away from the entire front 7 of the Patriots defense and launched it to Tyree who somehow balanced the football on his helmet before being wrestled down by Rodney "I am the dirtiest player in the NFL" Harrison. 3rd down after 3rd down Eli converted from start to finish and finally concluded his MVP performace with the game winner to #17 in the right corner.
How about a little love for this defense? A team that was called comical, laughable, and a joke in the first two weeks of the season has now transformed into one of the top 5 agressive and disruptive defenses in the league. Michael Strahan, Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck provided non-stop pressure on Brady all night long, something Brady hasn't experienced much of all season. The secondary played well for most of the game, containing Randy Moss. We all knew, or at least I did, that Wes Welker would be as dominant in the slot as he was all season. The man is almost unguardable. I really hope I do not see Steve Spagnuolo take the Redskins job because what him and Coughlin have done to resurrect this team and this season is amazing.
Congratulations to the 2008 Giants on winning the Super Bowl! You deserve it. (And another thing we learned, the Patriots are not the best team of all time, because to be the best, you need to win the championship)
-Matt Soldano
(Off the Glass Wed Nights 9-10 pm only on www.mywcwp.com)
I think it is safe to say that Eli Manning has turned the corner. Coming into the Super Bowl, I believed we had to see and evaluate his play next season to develop a real clear understanding. I take that statement back after what I witnessed on that fateful 83 yard drive with less than 2 minutes to go. Eli seems to thrive in these types of positions, whether it be in the regular season or in the Super Bowl. Like Plaxico said last night, "he has ice water in his veins." It was perhaps the play of Super Bowl history when Eli somehow scrambled away from the entire front 7 of the Patriots defense and launched it to Tyree who somehow balanced the football on his helmet before being wrestled down by Rodney "I am the dirtiest player in the NFL" Harrison. 3rd down after 3rd down Eli converted from start to finish and finally concluded his MVP performace with the game winner to #17 in the right corner.
How about a little love for this defense? A team that was called comical, laughable, and a joke in the first two weeks of the season has now transformed into one of the top 5 agressive and disruptive defenses in the league. Michael Strahan, Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck provided non-stop pressure on Brady all night long, something Brady hasn't experienced much of all season. The secondary played well for most of the game, containing Randy Moss. We all knew, or at least I did, that Wes Welker would be as dominant in the slot as he was all season. The man is almost unguardable. I really hope I do not see Steve Spagnuolo take the Redskins job because what him and Coughlin have done to resurrect this team and this season is amazing.
Congratulations to the 2008 Giants on winning the Super Bowl! You deserve it. (And another thing we learned, the Patriots are not the best team of all time, because to be the best, you need to win the championship)
-Matt Soldano
(Off the Glass Wed Nights 9-10 pm only on www.mywcwp.com)
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Giants come away from Super Bowl 42 with a Giant Victory 17-14 over New England
Just moments after possibly the biggest shocker in New York sports history, the Giants being the underdog by a line of 12 + points not only covered but provided the shocker that adds to the magic of sports. Entertainment quality, maybe from a game aspect itself, didn't get to be interesting up until the 4th quarter but provided the sparks needed created by an unbelievable play late in the 4th Quarter by David Tyree and an amazing accomplishment in itself for a Team from 8-8 in the previous season to win Super Bowl 42. In a short response and not to sound a little one sided but after going on "The Edge on WCWP" (every Monday Night from 9-10 PM on mywcwp.com and on FM from 10-11 PM on 88.1 FM) and "Sports Wire on WCWP", I herd from guys like Jordan Lauterbach, and Max Caster who I respect and appreciate to no end, were all choosing the Patriots and who could blame them since the Patriots prior to Super Bowl 42 were UNDEFEATED.............That was until Tonight. Giants playing the role of spoilers shocked the world and it only adds to the great story and mysticism that is Sports in Believing in Miracles. I stuck to my guns all week and reinforced my beliefs that with a solid attack of Jacobs and Bradshaw that the Giants would have a good shot and stay close with the Patriots. There was some doubt when Eli Manning threw an interception in the 1st Quarter and then had a fumble on the very next play there was alot of doubt but the Giants never gave up or threw in the towel. David Tyree for Two Amazing Head On catches and the whole Giants as a Team giving Brady as much pressure as possible. Sorry for the short response but in this hour, Giants fans everywhere can All Celebrate and let the feelings of Champions, set in. Now the Giants are Flying High, With No Lies. Also, Everybody knows Thissssssss!!!! NFL, Super Bowl 42 Champions. Great Season and now I can't wait for the warmth of the Spring Season with the Yankees and Mets. Until Next Time.
Later Peeps.
- Nick Malone: The Edge (Monday 9-11 PM), Sports Wire (Thursday 9-10 PM), Over The Ropes (Saturday 10-11 PM) only on mywcwp.com and 88.1FM WCWP from 10-11 on Monday Nights.
Later Peeps.
- Nick Malone: The Edge (Monday 9-11 PM), Sports Wire (Thursday 9-10 PM), Over The Ropes (Saturday 10-11 PM) only on mywcwp.com and 88.1FM WCWP from 10-11 on Monday Nights.
Gaining some much needed perspective
I was in the car today when I was reminded of an argument that I have been having with Nick Malone and others over the past two weeks. A commercial came over the CBS FM airwaves that exemplified one of the many things that has annoyed me about this Super Bowl. The commercial went on this big rant about how no one believed in the Giants from pre-season through the regular season and on to the playoffs. This is the same spiel that I've heard for Giant fans for weeks. It has blown up this week, much like everything else concerning the big game. I have become so aggravated by it, that I feel I need to say something. As much as Giant fans like to ramble on about how no one believed in them and that they are the biggest underdog since the 1968 Jets, they must face facts. That simply is not true. I'll give you that during the pre-season , no one thought they would be much of anything. But lets look at the situation before we anoint this a royal blacklisting. Last season, the Giants collapsed. They started the year 6-2 and finished the year 8-8. During that final eight game stretch, there were heartbreaking losses, internal strife, and a farewell tour for the team’s best player. Tom Coughlin, a coach who would have been canned by just about every other franchise, looked like a man who the game had passed by. They were surprisingly (to me, anyway) competitive in a playoff loss to the Eagles. But still major questions remained. Would Eli Manning ever become the quarterback that he was expected to be? It didn't look like it. Manning was mediocre at best all year. Holes in his game were popping up like lights on a keno board. He seemingly had made very little progression from his rookie season. The running game was also a major question. The G-men were only loosing one of the best runners in team history. It certainly was not out of the question that the Giants would take a significant step back without their best player. Most teams do. Most teams should. It was an unlikely scenario that Manning and the rest of the Giants would actually flourish without Tiki. People love to say that they knew Tiki retiring would be a good thing but I don't see how anyone could have actually believed that. I mean, come on. The guy single handedly saved Coughlin's job with his performance in Washington in Week 17. So expectations weren't high entering the year. Name me an instance of a team that finished the season 2-6, lost there star running back, and were predicted to win more then 8 games the following season. Was I tremendous out of touch for picking this team to be two games worse. I don’t think so. Then came the 0-2 start. The Giants defense looked downright awful in a week one loss to the Cowboys and the whole team looked horrible in a week two home-opener drubbing at the hands of the Green Bay Packers ( a team thought to be painfully ordinary at the time). How many 0-2 teams are picked to go far? How many teams that are beat by twenty two in their home opener are picked to make the playoffs? The answer- not many. After the Green Bay loss, the Giants went on a tear. They won their next six games and went into the bye week 6-2. It was then that we discussed on "The Edge" whether or not the Giants were the second best team in the NFC. I thought that they were. These feelings continued until the Week 12 game against Minnesota. The Giants were 7-3 at this point in year. They lost that game 41-17. Eli Manning threw four interceptions and looked thoroughly awful. Still, I talked to no one who believed the Giants would miss the playoffs. The division was done but, at 0-2, the division was never truly a realistic goal. After winning three of their next four, NFL analysts were not fawning over the Giants, but they were not criticizing them either. How could you? They had locked up a playoff spot and were winning football games. Then came week seventeen. In a game where the Giants were supposed to lay down and die against the Patriots, they did the exact opposite. Big Blue had a 21-16 halftime lead and came quite close to handing the Pats their only loss of the season and preventing them from achieving football immortality. Everyone praised the Giants for playing so well and so hard against a team that was thought to be superior to them. No one was doubting them. No one was under-appreciating them. It was well known that the Giants matched up with the Bucs, their first round opponent. Many analysts, including yours truly, picked them to beat Tampa. To my recollection, no one was tremendously surprised when they did, either.
The next week was obviously a tougher match up for the Giants. They had lost to the Cowboys twice during the season and the boys seamed superior to them offensively. But it was known that the Cowboys had had injury problems all season and, for better or for worse, Tony Romo's romantic exploits had become more of a story then what he needed to do to win the game. To say no one thought the Giants would win that game is a major fabrication. Fellow G-men hater, Jason Commack of Fourth Down and the popular 3rd String Saftey blog, actually picked the Giants to win the game. He was not alone. The "its hard to beat a team three times" theory is a strong one. I'll admit, I picked the Cowboys, but only to stay true to my preseason Pats/Cowboys Super Bowl pick. To say that no one thought they could beat the Cowboys is again, tremendously overblown. The NFC championship game is the only game where the "underdog times a million" theory actually carries some weight. No one worth their analytical salt were picking the Giants to beat Brett Farve and the Packers on that cold night in Lambeau (except Commack, but I think he had ulterior motives). But not picking the Giants to win on the road in an NFC championship game in Lambeau Field is hardly a deliberate slap in the face to the Giants. Its using basic common sense. Sometimes common sense doesn’t work in football. That's why I love football.
But still the fact remains, people who are painting this Giant team as a ragamuffin team of disrespected individuals who people never believed in is simply false. It's a nice story though. It would be nicer if it were true.
If anyone was disrespected this week, it's been the Patriots more then the Giants. Here is a team that is 18-0 and could very well be the best team in the history of the sport. Here is a team that shattered records left and right this season. Here is a team that people were actually criticizing for being too good and running up the score like its Nassau County class AA High School football. Still, a recent ESPN poll indicated that 40% of Americans believe they are going to get this far and loose. Really?....................... What more does this team have to do to get the complete respect that they deserve. I just don't see how the Giants win this game. The Pats have passed every test. They have squandered every doubt. They have shown the world that they can play well enough to win in every situation presented. They also have had two full weeks to prepare. This is a story line that I think has been ignored this week but is very significant. The week layoff benefits the Patriots much more then it benefits the Giants. Anytime you give Bill Belicheck two weeks to prepare for a team, its going to be a difficult day for the other team. Anytime you give him two weeks to prepare for a team that almost beat him five weeks earlier, it'll be almost impossible. Also, when was the last time Tom Brady had two bad games in a row? The worst thing that could have happened to the Giants was for Brady to play as poorly as he did in the AFC Championship Game. You know what’s scary? The Pats won that game in spite of Brady. Could the Giants survive a three pick game from Manning? Heck, could the Colts survive a three pick game from Manning's big brother. I don't think so. Even so, the absolute only way that the Giants win this game is if Tom Brady has another "Charger-like" performance. Even the mighty Patriots could not stand two consecutive poor Brady performances. Somehow I don't think this will happen. The key for the Giants, however, is exactly what it's been the last two weeks. Pressure. If they can get to Brady and make him throw a few picks, they have a shot to win the game. The problem with the Patriots is this: they have too many ways to beat you. If you neutralize Lawence Marony, its no big deal. He's not a big part of the offense anyway. But if you let Marony beat you, he will. Just ask the Chargers (he ran for 122 and a touchdown against them). If you neutralize Moss, what’s your answer for Wes Welker? or Dante Stallworth? or even Kevin Faulk (who caught eight balls against the Chargers)? Add to this that the Giants secondary is tremendously suspect. The Giants also got here because they got tremendously hot at the exact right moment. Not to take anything away from them, but it’s the truth. If their is one thing that is bad for a hot team, it’s a week off. Expect the Giants to come out flat and lackluster.
One thing I am rooting for is for those 1972 Miami Dolphins to shut up. After Super Bowl 42, I think they'll have to. Take that, Mercury Morris!
Final Score- Patriots- 24 Giants-13
*If you missed Fourth Down this week, have no fear. We are re-airing it on Super Bowl Sunday at 2pm only on mywcwp.com
-Jordan Lauterbach : The Edge (Monday 9-11pm) and Fourth Down (Friday 9-10pm) only on mywcwp.com.
The next week was obviously a tougher match up for the Giants. They had lost to the Cowboys twice during the season and the boys seamed superior to them offensively. But it was known that the Cowboys had had injury problems all season and, for better or for worse, Tony Romo's romantic exploits had become more of a story then what he needed to do to win the game. To say no one thought the Giants would win that game is a major fabrication. Fellow G-men hater, Jason Commack of Fourth Down and the popular 3rd String Saftey blog, actually picked the Giants to win the game. He was not alone. The "its hard to beat a team three times" theory is a strong one. I'll admit, I picked the Cowboys, but only to stay true to my preseason Pats/Cowboys Super Bowl pick. To say that no one thought they could beat the Cowboys is again, tremendously overblown. The NFC championship game is the only game where the "underdog times a million" theory actually carries some weight. No one worth their analytical salt were picking the Giants to beat Brett Farve and the Packers on that cold night in Lambeau (except Commack, but I think he had ulterior motives). But not picking the Giants to win on the road in an NFC championship game in Lambeau Field is hardly a deliberate slap in the face to the Giants. Its using basic common sense. Sometimes common sense doesn’t work in football. That's why I love football.
But still the fact remains, people who are painting this Giant team as a ragamuffin team of disrespected individuals who people never believed in is simply false. It's a nice story though. It would be nicer if it were true.
If anyone was disrespected this week, it's been the Patriots more then the Giants. Here is a team that is 18-0 and could very well be the best team in the history of the sport. Here is a team that shattered records left and right this season. Here is a team that people were actually criticizing for being too good and running up the score like its Nassau County class AA High School football. Still, a recent ESPN poll indicated that 40% of Americans believe they are going to get this far and loose. Really?....................... What more does this team have to do to get the complete respect that they deserve. I just don't see how the Giants win this game. The Pats have passed every test. They have squandered every doubt. They have shown the world that they can play well enough to win in every situation presented. They also have had two full weeks to prepare. This is a story line that I think has been ignored this week but is very significant. The week layoff benefits the Patriots much more then it benefits the Giants. Anytime you give Bill Belicheck two weeks to prepare for a team, its going to be a difficult day for the other team. Anytime you give him two weeks to prepare for a team that almost beat him five weeks earlier, it'll be almost impossible. Also, when was the last time Tom Brady had two bad games in a row? The worst thing that could have happened to the Giants was for Brady to play as poorly as he did in the AFC Championship Game. You know what’s scary? The Pats won that game in spite of Brady. Could the Giants survive a three pick game from Manning? Heck, could the Colts survive a three pick game from Manning's big brother. I don't think so. Even so, the absolute only way that the Giants win this game is if Tom Brady has another "Charger-like" performance. Even the mighty Patriots could not stand two consecutive poor Brady performances. Somehow I don't think this will happen. The key for the Giants, however, is exactly what it's been the last two weeks. Pressure. If they can get to Brady and make him throw a few picks, they have a shot to win the game. The problem with the Patriots is this: they have too many ways to beat you. If you neutralize Lawence Marony, its no big deal. He's not a big part of the offense anyway. But if you let Marony beat you, he will. Just ask the Chargers (he ran for 122 and a touchdown against them). If you neutralize Moss, what’s your answer for Wes Welker? or Dante Stallworth? or even Kevin Faulk (who caught eight balls against the Chargers)? Add to this that the Giants secondary is tremendously suspect. The Giants also got here because they got tremendously hot at the exact right moment. Not to take anything away from them, but it’s the truth. If their is one thing that is bad for a hot team, it’s a week off. Expect the Giants to come out flat and lackluster.
One thing I am rooting for is for those 1972 Miami Dolphins to shut up. After Super Bowl 42, I think they'll have to. Take that, Mercury Morris!
Final Score- Patriots- 24 Giants-13
*If you missed Fourth Down this week, have no fear. We are re-airing it on Super Bowl Sunday at 2pm only on mywcwp.com
-Jordan Lauterbach : The Edge (Monday 9-11pm) and Fourth Down (Friday 9-10pm) only on mywcwp.com.
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