I am truly happy to report the Red Sox are now a half-game ahead of the Yankees thanks to timely hitting by two players, and solid bullpen work. Manny Ramirez was 2-5 with 4 rbis, and Brandon Moss had 2 rbis including a game-tying home run off a previously solid closer in Huston Street.
Dice-K didn't look that good giving up a long ball to Mark Ellis in the first inning and walking 5 batters, something that plagued him all of last year as well. I can also safely assume that Dice-K was just a teeny bit nervous on account of the adrenaline that must have been pumping in every inning he pitched.
The bullpen, looked solid, especially Okajima, Lopez, and Corey, and count me in as one of the people who couldn't care less how poor Papelbon looked last year, he will right the ship, I have no doubt about it.
Was it just me or was it really weird to see Keith Foulke pitching for the As. I can't believe he is still around and pitching effectively. I could have sworn his arm gave out in 2004, and now he just dragged it around like a dead body. But, apparently I was very wrong, and he even pitched well in his inning of work. Best of luck to Keith on his comeback, Red Sox Nation always holds a place in their heart for members of the 2004 team, especially closers who pitched the final out of the World Series victory.
Jason Varitek looks really old out there. I hate to say that the Captain is losing his grip on his plate appearances, but his 3 strikeouts and his lack of competitive or challenging at-bats really scares me. I know his production is not really important compared to the way he works with our young pitching staff, but I would like to see him give us .260, 14 homers, and a .350 OBP. That would be really nice...pretty please?
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Monday, March 24, 2008
Sweet 16
Before we get started I want to let you know how I did in my player to watch predictions.
1. Courtney Lee
72 Minutes Played, 44 points, 16 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals, 6 turnovers
Synopsis: Lee deferred quite a bit in the first game against Drake to his teammate Tyrone Brazelton, but still made his presence known with 15 points and 9 rebounds. In game 2, he was much more assertive and dominated the game from start to finish with 29 points and 7 rebounds on 9-15 shooting. I would say I predicted well on this one, although I am only 1 out of 30 million people who told you to look out for him.
2. Josh Young
40 Minutes played, 18 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, 2 turnovers
Synopsis: While Young's stats look about right for what he did on the season, he was turned in a relatively poor performance in his only game of the tournament. He will have 2 more years to make a dent in the NCAAs, but starting out 1-11 from behind the three point arc and finishing 5-15 from the field, and 4-14 from behind the arc certainly did not help his game out. Imagine, just 1 of his 10 misses from behind the arc goes in, and Drake moves on to play San Diego with a chance at the Sweet 16. Not well done at all on my part.
3. Garrison Carr
40 minutes played, 26 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 turnovers
Synopsis: Carr was the little engine that could for American, and was the only offensive weapon for the Eagles against the staunch defense of Tennessee. He took 21 shots, made 9 of them, including 6 from behind the arc to the tune of 26 points with a rotating set of Tennessee defenders draped all over him. I would say he was a player to watch, for all of those who bet out there American covered the spread so that is a moral victory for them and it was all due to Carr and his sweet outside shooting.
4. Demetric Bennett
33 minutes played, 6 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 turnovers
Synopsis: This was the worst player to watch. How can your best player take 8 shots the entire game? Well maybe if he plays with the fire of JD Drew. Bennett was terrible, and Butler ran roughshod over the Jaguars. Unlucky pick by me.
5. Jason Richards
76 minutes played, 35 points, 14 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, 3 turnovers
Synopsis: We have some bandwagon jumpers here in the sportswriter world. These guys fawn over Stephen Curry the way college kids fawn over a filet mignon after weeks of their campus dining hall. Curry is that good, I admit, he is the best scorer college hoops has seen in a long time, and he chose a perfect time to get hot against Georgetown, but Andy Katz said the reason Davidson was in the position they are now is solely because of Dell's son. That's just plain wrong.
Jason Richards played 1 more minute than Stephen Curry did, and while he didn't match Curry's offensive output he was more vital to the team's success. Someone is going to try to tell me that having him bring the ball up against the suffocating defense of Jeremy Pargo wasn't more important than all those points for Curry? Even if you think I am crazy for that statement, the only reason Davidson was in the position against Gtown for Curry to take over is because Jason Richards hit every big jumper he took in the first half and the beginning of the second half, he single-handedly kept them within striking distance against the Hoyas and then led the charge back, which consequently took some of the pressure of Curry who promptly flourished.
........Now on to the Sweet 16, I will break down every game and give you three reasons why I think that team will win. (P.S. Mine will be better than what Andy Katz wrote today.)
North Carolina v. Washington State:
Winner is North Carolina
1. Too much offense:
This is a fantastic matchup for analysts because they get to say great offense vs. great defense, something has got to give!!!! Well that is a crock of shit. Anyone who has seen the Tar Heels play so far knows that they are clicking on all cylinders, and if anyone thinks that the Washington State defense will stifle UNC like they stifled the prolific offenses of Winthrop and Notre Dame needs to think again.
5 players scored double figures for the Tar Heels against Arkansas, and Danny Green and Quinton Thomas had 8 and 6 respectively. Washington State can defend, and if anyone can lock up Hansborough its the rough and tumble Aron Baynes, but Carolina has too many weapons.
2. Ty Lawson:
North Carolina has been patiently waiting all season for Lawson to become the point guard he has shown he can be all season, but saddled with injuries, Lawson has struggled to be consistent...until the ACC tournament and now the NCAA tournament.
He had 21 and 4 against Mt. Saint Mary's in limited minutes, and even more impressive was the 19 and 7 he dropped on Gary Ervin yesterday in just 24 minutes. I can't even begin to tell you how many times Stepheson, Thompson and Green dunked the ball thanks to great vision by Lawson. He will be playing full speed against the Cougars, and that is bad news for Tony Bennett's squad.
3. Too much depth:
Everyone has said this all year about the Tar Heels, that they are the deepest team in the country as far as talent from top to bottom, Quinton Thomas could start for every team in the Big Ten practically, and before Bobby Frasor went down, he wasn't even in the rotation. Robbie Cowgill and Aron Baynes make up a real rugged front court, but the fact that North Carolina can rotate Hansborough, Thompson, Stepheson, and Green, 4 legitimate post threats will wear the duo from Wazzu out.
Also, keep in mind that the depth does not end with the front court, it extends to the list of Lawson, and Wayne Ellington, and Thomas, and Marcus Ginyard, and even Will Graves... thats a lot of ANDs, but I use them to make my point. Washington State is relatively deep, they probably run a consistent 8 man rotation and Bennett can go 9-deep if he has too, but the Tar Heels will wear Wazzu out and win handily is my guess.
Tennessee vs. Louisville:
Winner is Louisville
I want to first say that this game, on paper, has the makings to be one of the best games of the tournament thanks to the style of play and depth of the two teams. Both play deep rotations, and both hound their opponents with full-court defense, which is unrelenting due to the number of players that get involved, if I had TiVo, or even a TV in my room, it would be tuned to this game.
1. Size, Size, Size:
Tennessee is not a small team by any means, Wayne Chism, Duke Crews, and Brian Williams make up a solid, but young front court, and if you want to get technical Tyler Smith can join the front court as well. But these guys are very young, and not exactly big-bodied rebounders down low.
Case and point is in the rebounding numbers. While they did a much better job against Butler, out-rebounding the Bulldogs 43-34, Butler is not a tall team and has no one all that physically imposing in the middle of the paint. Yet, the Volunteers were out-rebounded handily, 37-25, by an equally diminutive American team, including allowing 16 offensive rebounds. These are not numbers that inspire confidence.
Do you really think that Tennessee is going to out-rebound a team that features David Padgett, Earl Clark, Derek Caracter, and Juan Palacios, all of whom with the exception of maybe Caracter are seasoned veterans and rebounders? It's just not going to happen. If these four can get Chism, who is the most important front court Volunteer, in foul trouble, they will have a field day drawing Williams out on the perimeter, where all of the Cardinals big men are comfortable, and then driving by them. Not a good sign for Tennessee.
2. Where is the point guard?
Bruce Pearl's decision to hand the point guard role to J.P Prince for the Butler game was a logical one. Prince, a former five-star prospect is a better player than J.P. Howell, a smart veteran who is not dangerous offensively, and a little slow defensively. But for those of you who watched the game you now all see why Bruce Pearl is definitely losing sleep over this match-up looming. Prince had 6 turnovers for the game, including 2 on consecutive possessions with Tennessee either tied or nursing a small lead where he, 1)travelled, and 2) drove baseline and got caught in the air and through the ball to Mike Green which led to the tying basket. Prince is young, and Pearl will live with his errors if he continues to contribute on the glass and the scoreboard. But not against Louisville.
In the past month, the Cardinals have had more turnovers than the opposing team only twice, including their NCAA tournament games. Those games where they had more turnovers were a 14 point win against Villanova, who had an good ball handler in Scottie Reynolds, and a 2 point victory over Pittsburgh, who has an experienced point guard in Levance Fields. The point is, Louisville flat out harasses the ball handlers of whatever team they play. Don't expect the slower tandem of Howell and Prince to be able to beat Jerry Smith, Edgar Sosa, and Andre McGee down the floor very often. Combined with the knowledge that Earl Clark and Terrence Williams think like football safeties and snatch away any pass with a little too much air, and you have a recipe for disaster for Tennessee, who will not be able to handle the Cardinals.
3. The more 3s the merrier:
It is easy to see why this next statement can work both ways for Rick Pitino's team because...wait for it... Louisville lives and dies by the three pointer. Their back to back losses to Georgetown and Pittsburgh in the Big East tournament were because the Cardinals went a combined 8-37 from behind the three-point arc, which is like Memphis from the free-throw line. Jerry Smith and Andre McGee, and Terrence Williams, the big three-ballers for the 'Ville, were abysmal in their consecutive losses before the tournament, and if they shoot poorly again I take back my prediction, and Tennessee will win( I know this is a cop out, because shooting is always a big if...but deal with it.)
The problem for Tennessee is that Louisville seems to have broken out of that shooting slump. Granted their new-found touch came against lesser defensive opponents than Georgetown and Pittsburgh, but shooting 50% from downtown is shooting 50%, and that is ridiculous good for a team that shoots the three like Nate Newton smokes marijuana. Tennessee shoots three as well, but Chris Lofton really isn't assertive enough offensively to break free from Lousiville defender X (and it could be pretty much anyone, my guess is Smith) and Louisville will just continue to shoot until they start to fall and Tennessee will be left picking their noses at the end of the game.
Memphis vs. Michigan State
Winner is...Memphis
1. We have more good players than you:
Reason #1 really speaks for itself. Michigan State is an extremely streaky team, Drew Neitzel can score 30 one night, and put up 6 the next, and don't even get me started on Raymar Morgan, who should be able to take over a game LeBron-style with his body but settles for long jumpers just like LeBron used to. Plus, Drew Naymick and Goran Suton are serviceable, but certainly not threats.
Meanwhile Memphis can run out a team of uber-recruits anytime they want, and they complement the uber-recruits with great role players like Andre Allen, and Antonio Anderson. Just break it down by starting 5.
Derrick Rose is a consensus top 5 draft pick and an incredible talent, as he showed against Miss. State. Kalin Lucas is a great player as well, but not as big or strong or talented as Rose is.
Antonio Anderson doesn't have to score because he plays great defense, and while Neitzel might be a better player, he is one dimensional, and frankly not athletic enough to free himself from Anderson easily every possession. He might get some ok looks, but I guarantee more often than not Anderson will have a hand in his face. Defensively Neitzel might as well not even be there, and Anderson is big, too big for Neitzel to handle.
Raymar Morgan will be a stud, and is certainly a grown man with limitless capabilities. But he is facing a terrific college player and a extremely gifted scorer named Chris Douglas-Roberts. While Roberts might not be a great defender to put on Morgan, sometimes Morgan makes it easy on opposing defenses by settling for bad shots. Meanwhile, Morgan is a good defender, but not good enough to keep Douglas-Roberts from his 17 points.
Robert Dozier is a carbon-copy of Drew Naymick with a little less muscle and a little more skill, and Joey Dorsey, if he plays like he did against Miss. State, is too athletic for Suton, who better be careful to watch the contact or else he could find himself on the bench.
2. Youth will not prevail:
Outside of Naymick, Neitzel, and Suton, all of the Spartans impact players are young, and I include Raymar Morgan. The aforementioned three are a great starting point, but a freshman point guard (Lucas), and back up freshman point guard (Chris Allen) and young, still learning superstar (Morgan) is not a great nucleus to base their teams chances on. These guys will need to play extraordinarily in order to beat the Tigers. Against Pitt Lucas was incredible, but outside of Lucas' 19, Neitzel's 21, and Suton's 14. The Spartans didn't have any other scoring options, and with Derrick Rose and Antonio Anderson likely draped all over the Spartans fantastic back court, scoring will be tougher than it was against Levance Fields, and Ronald Ramon.
Meanwhile Memphis starts a senior (Dorsey), three juniors, (Douglas-Roberts, Dozier, Anderson) and the other-wordly freshman (Rose). Also, their big 4 off the bench (Allen, Doneal Mack, Willie Kemp, and Shawn Taggart) are all sophomores, except Allen who is a senior, and all of them except Taggart played significant minutes in the NCAA tournament run they made last season. Plus they spread their scoring around more than Pittsburgh does, or in other words, they have more weapons, and so it will be important for Michigan State to try and score in bunches or else the game will get out of hand quick.
3. Derrick Rose:
If I had the first pick in the NBA draft, I would take Michael Beasley, but it is absurd for me to think that Eric Gordon is a better pick at number 2 than Derrick Rose, a sure-fire franchise point guard. Rose was brilliant against Miss. State, and he was matched up against a terrific senior point guard in Jamont Gordon who is no slouch. While Kalin Lucas may be able to hang with Rose as far as quickness and pure speed are concerned. The size and strength differential will make an enormous difference in who wins the battle of freshman point guards. My prediction? Rose will come close to a triple-double, and Lucas will not play well.
1. Courtney Lee
72 Minutes Played, 44 points, 16 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals, 6 turnovers
Synopsis: Lee deferred quite a bit in the first game against Drake to his teammate Tyrone Brazelton, but still made his presence known with 15 points and 9 rebounds. In game 2, he was much more assertive and dominated the game from start to finish with 29 points and 7 rebounds on 9-15 shooting. I would say I predicted well on this one, although I am only 1 out of 30 million people who told you to look out for him.
2. Josh Young
40 Minutes played, 18 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, 2 turnovers
Synopsis: While Young's stats look about right for what he did on the season, he was turned in a relatively poor performance in his only game of the tournament. He will have 2 more years to make a dent in the NCAAs, but starting out 1-11 from behind the three point arc and finishing 5-15 from the field, and 4-14 from behind the arc certainly did not help his game out. Imagine, just 1 of his 10 misses from behind the arc goes in, and Drake moves on to play San Diego with a chance at the Sweet 16. Not well done at all on my part.
3. Garrison Carr
40 minutes played, 26 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 turnovers
Synopsis: Carr was the little engine that could for American, and was the only offensive weapon for the Eagles against the staunch defense of Tennessee. He took 21 shots, made 9 of them, including 6 from behind the arc to the tune of 26 points with a rotating set of Tennessee defenders draped all over him. I would say he was a player to watch, for all of those who bet out there American covered the spread so that is a moral victory for them and it was all due to Carr and his sweet outside shooting.
4. Demetric Bennett
33 minutes played, 6 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 turnovers
Synopsis: This was the worst player to watch. How can your best player take 8 shots the entire game? Well maybe if he plays with the fire of JD Drew. Bennett was terrible, and Butler ran roughshod over the Jaguars. Unlucky pick by me.
5. Jason Richards
76 minutes played, 35 points, 14 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, 3 turnovers
Synopsis: We have some bandwagon jumpers here in the sportswriter world. These guys fawn over Stephen Curry the way college kids fawn over a filet mignon after weeks of their campus dining hall. Curry is that good, I admit, he is the best scorer college hoops has seen in a long time, and he chose a perfect time to get hot against Georgetown, but Andy Katz said the reason Davidson was in the position they are now is solely because of Dell's son. That's just plain wrong.
Jason Richards played 1 more minute than Stephen Curry did, and while he didn't match Curry's offensive output he was more vital to the team's success. Someone is going to try to tell me that having him bring the ball up against the suffocating defense of Jeremy Pargo wasn't more important than all those points for Curry? Even if you think I am crazy for that statement, the only reason Davidson was in the position against Gtown for Curry to take over is because Jason Richards hit every big jumper he took in the first half and the beginning of the second half, he single-handedly kept them within striking distance against the Hoyas and then led the charge back, which consequently took some of the pressure of Curry who promptly flourished.
........Now on to the Sweet 16, I will break down every game and give you three reasons why I think that team will win. (P.S. Mine will be better than what Andy Katz wrote today.)
North Carolina v. Washington State:
Winner is North Carolina
1. Too much offense:
This is a fantastic matchup for analysts because they get to say great offense vs. great defense, something has got to give!!!! Well that is a crock of shit. Anyone who has seen the Tar Heels play so far knows that they are clicking on all cylinders, and if anyone thinks that the Washington State defense will stifle UNC like they stifled the prolific offenses of Winthrop and Notre Dame needs to think again.
5 players scored double figures for the Tar Heels against Arkansas, and Danny Green and Quinton Thomas had 8 and 6 respectively. Washington State can defend, and if anyone can lock up Hansborough its the rough and tumble Aron Baynes, but Carolina has too many weapons.
2. Ty Lawson:
North Carolina has been patiently waiting all season for Lawson to become the point guard he has shown he can be all season, but saddled with injuries, Lawson has struggled to be consistent...until the ACC tournament and now the NCAA tournament.
He had 21 and 4 against Mt. Saint Mary's in limited minutes, and even more impressive was the 19 and 7 he dropped on Gary Ervin yesterday in just 24 minutes. I can't even begin to tell you how many times Stepheson, Thompson and Green dunked the ball thanks to great vision by Lawson. He will be playing full speed against the Cougars, and that is bad news for Tony Bennett's squad.
3. Too much depth:
Everyone has said this all year about the Tar Heels, that they are the deepest team in the country as far as talent from top to bottom, Quinton Thomas could start for every team in the Big Ten practically, and before Bobby Frasor went down, he wasn't even in the rotation. Robbie Cowgill and Aron Baynes make up a real rugged front court, but the fact that North Carolina can rotate Hansborough, Thompson, Stepheson, and Green, 4 legitimate post threats will wear the duo from Wazzu out.
Also, keep in mind that the depth does not end with the front court, it extends to the list of Lawson, and Wayne Ellington, and Thomas, and Marcus Ginyard, and even Will Graves... thats a lot of ANDs, but I use them to make my point. Washington State is relatively deep, they probably run a consistent 8 man rotation and Bennett can go 9-deep if he has too, but the Tar Heels will wear Wazzu out and win handily is my guess.
Tennessee vs. Louisville:
Winner is Louisville
I want to first say that this game, on paper, has the makings to be one of the best games of the tournament thanks to the style of play and depth of the two teams. Both play deep rotations, and both hound their opponents with full-court defense, which is unrelenting due to the number of players that get involved, if I had TiVo, or even a TV in my room, it would be tuned to this game.
1. Size, Size, Size:
Tennessee is not a small team by any means, Wayne Chism, Duke Crews, and Brian Williams make up a solid, but young front court, and if you want to get technical Tyler Smith can join the front court as well. But these guys are very young, and not exactly big-bodied rebounders down low.
Case and point is in the rebounding numbers. While they did a much better job against Butler, out-rebounding the Bulldogs 43-34, Butler is not a tall team and has no one all that physically imposing in the middle of the paint. Yet, the Volunteers were out-rebounded handily, 37-25, by an equally diminutive American team, including allowing 16 offensive rebounds. These are not numbers that inspire confidence.
Do you really think that Tennessee is going to out-rebound a team that features David Padgett, Earl Clark, Derek Caracter, and Juan Palacios, all of whom with the exception of maybe Caracter are seasoned veterans and rebounders? It's just not going to happen. If these four can get Chism, who is the most important front court Volunteer, in foul trouble, they will have a field day drawing Williams out on the perimeter, where all of the Cardinals big men are comfortable, and then driving by them. Not a good sign for Tennessee.
2. Where is the point guard?
Bruce Pearl's decision to hand the point guard role to J.P Prince for the Butler game was a logical one. Prince, a former five-star prospect is a better player than J.P. Howell, a smart veteran who is not dangerous offensively, and a little slow defensively. But for those of you who watched the game you now all see why Bruce Pearl is definitely losing sleep over this match-up looming. Prince had 6 turnovers for the game, including 2 on consecutive possessions with Tennessee either tied or nursing a small lead where he, 1)travelled, and 2) drove baseline and got caught in the air and through the ball to Mike Green which led to the tying basket. Prince is young, and Pearl will live with his errors if he continues to contribute on the glass and the scoreboard. But not against Louisville.
In the past month, the Cardinals have had more turnovers than the opposing team only twice, including their NCAA tournament games. Those games where they had more turnovers were a 14 point win against Villanova, who had an good ball handler in Scottie Reynolds, and a 2 point victory over Pittsburgh, who has an experienced point guard in Levance Fields. The point is, Louisville flat out harasses the ball handlers of whatever team they play. Don't expect the slower tandem of Howell and Prince to be able to beat Jerry Smith, Edgar Sosa, and Andre McGee down the floor very often. Combined with the knowledge that Earl Clark and Terrence Williams think like football safeties and snatch away any pass with a little too much air, and you have a recipe for disaster for Tennessee, who will not be able to handle the Cardinals.
3. The more 3s the merrier:
It is easy to see why this next statement can work both ways for Rick Pitino's team because...wait for it... Louisville lives and dies by the three pointer. Their back to back losses to Georgetown and Pittsburgh in the Big East tournament were because the Cardinals went a combined 8-37 from behind the three-point arc, which is like Memphis from the free-throw line. Jerry Smith and Andre McGee, and Terrence Williams, the big three-ballers for the 'Ville, were abysmal in their consecutive losses before the tournament, and if they shoot poorly again I take back my prediction, and Tennessee will win( I know this is a cop out, because shooting is always a big if...but deal with it.)
The problem for Tennessee is that Louisville seems to have broken out of that shooting slump. Granted their new-found touch came against lesser defensive opponents than Georgetown and Pittsburgh, but shooting 50% from downtown is shooting 50%, and that is ridiculous good for a team that shoots the three like Nate Newton smokes marijuana. Tennessee shoots three as well, but Chris Lofton really isn't assertive enough offensively to break free from Lousiville defender X (and it could be pretty much anyone, my guess is Smith) and Louisville will just continue to shoot until they start to fall and Tennessee will be left picking their noses at the end of the game.
Memphis vs. Michigan State
Winner is...Memphis
1. We have more good players than you:
Reason #1 really speaks for itself. Michigan State is an extremely streaky team, Drew Neitzel can score 30 one night, and put up 6 the next, and don't even get me started on Raymar Morgan, who should be able to take over a game LeBron-style with his body but settles for long jumpers just like LeBron used to. Plus, Drew Naymick and Goran Suton are serviceable, but certainly not threats.
Meanwhile Memphis can run out a team of uber-recruits anytime they want, and they complement the uber-recruits with great role players like Andre Allen, and Antonio Anderson. Just break it down by starting 5.
Derrick Rose is a consensus top 5 draft pick and an incredible talent, as he showed against Miss. State. Kalin Lucas is a great player as well, but not as big or strong or talented as Rose is.
Antonio Anderson doesn't have to score because he plays great defense, and while Neitzel might be a better player, he is one dimensional, and frankly not athletic enough to free himself from Anderson easily every possession. He might get some ok looks, but I guarantee more often than not Anderson will have a hand in his face. Defensively Neitzel might as well not even be there, and Anderson is big, too big for Neitzel to handle.
Raymar Morgan will be a stud, and is certainly a grown man with limitless capabilities. But he is facing a terrific college player and a extremely gifted scorer named Chris Douglas-Roberts. While Roberts might not be a great defender to put on Morgan, sometimes Morgan makes it easy on opposing defenses by settling for bad shots. Meanwhile, Morgan is a good defender, but not good enough to keep Douglas-Roberts from his 17 points.
Robert Dozier is a carbon-copy of Drew Naymick with a little less muscle and a little more skill, and Joey Dorsey, if he plays like he did against Miss. State, is too athletic for Suton, who better be careful to watch the contact or else he could find himself on the bench.
2. Youth will not prevail:
Outside of Naymick, Neitzel, and Suton, all of the Spartans impact players are young, and I include Raymar Morgan. The aforementioned three are a great starting point, but a freshman point guard (Lucas), and back up freshman point guard (Chris Allen) and young, still learning superstar (Morgan) is not a great nucleus to base their teams chances on. These guys will need to play extraordinarily in order to beat the Tigers. Against Pitt Lucas was incredible, but outside of Lucas' 19, Neitzel's 21, and Suton's 14. The Spartans didn't have any other scoring options, and with Derrick Rose and Antonio Anderson likely draped all over the Spartans fantastic back court, scoring will be tougher than it was against Levance Fields, and Ronald Ramon.
Meanwhile Memphis starts a senior (Dorsey), three juniors, (Douglas-Roberts, Dozier, Anderson) and the other-wordly freshman (Rose). Also, their big 4 off the bench (Allen, Doneal Mack, Willie Kemp, and Shawn Taggart) are all sophomores, except Allen who is a senior, and all of them except Taggart played significant minutes in the NCAA tournament run they made last season. Plus they spread their scoring around more than Pittsburgh does, or in other words, they have more weapons, and so it will be important for Michigan State to try and score in bunches or else the game will get out of hand quick.
3. Derrick Rose:
If I had the first pick in the NBA draft, I would take Michael Beasley, but it is absurd for me to think that Eric Gordon is a better pick at number 2 than Derrick Rose, a sure-fire franchise point guard. Rose was brilliant against Miss. State, and he was matched up against a terrific senior point guard in Jamont Gordon who is no slouch. While Kalin Lucas may be able to hang with Rose as far as quickness and pure speed are concerned. The size and strength differential will make an enormous difference in who wins the battle of freshman point guards. My prediction? Rose will come close to a triple-double, and Lucas will not play well.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Fun Stats
After nothing exciting happened yesterday as far as close games and exciting finishes were concerned, outside of Duke v. Belmont, my idea to write a synopsis of the days events was scrapped and instead I scoured the box scores for fun stats about the games.
1. Will Thomas FG% = 71.4%, Rest of George Mason FG %= 21.03%
If you had told me that Will Thomas would get the best of Luke Harangody and that Folarin Campbell would be an abysmal 1 of 12 from the field I would have told you that you were crazy. But, George Mason stunk the joint out last night, I know Notre Dame plays physical defense, but George Mason and especially Campbell have been in this position before, they should not have been intimidated.
2. Duke-38 rebounds, Belmont-30 rebounds
This is why Duke will not make it deep into the tournament. They have 6 foot 9 inch Lance Thomas, 6 foot 8 inch Kyle Singler, 7 footer Brian Zoubek, and a terrific rebounding guard in Gerald Henderson, and they couldn't out-rebound Belmont, a team whose significant players all stand in the 6 foot to 6 foot 5 range. This was what worried critics and Coach K in the beginning of the year is that Duke could not survive because of their lack of depth in the post, and that sentiment rang true last night.
Zoubek should be ashamed of himself. I watched the entire first half and he clearly had the advantage, no one could get around him to front him, and he towered over Belmont for rebounds. Only to step out of bounds, or turn it over some other way. If I was 7 feet tall, I would kill Belmont. Duke better hope that West Virginia doesn't grab a lot of rebounds, because that combined with the Mountaineers shooting touch, and the Devils will be making an early exit.
3. Joe Crawford (Kentucky) 35 points
The best performance of the first day was thrown in by the much maligned Joe Crawford. Crawford has had to deal with the Coach who recruited him leaving, and the fact that he was in his new coach's doghouse for quite some time. He went from being a 5-star prospect to not getting drafted and being a worse player than his younger brother. Yes, his team lost, but what if they had the services of Patrick Patterson? Regardless, Crawford was simply all over the floor yesterday and just absolutely shredded Marquette's defense. It was awesome to watch.
4. Ron Anderson (K. State) 22 minutes, 10 points, 8 rebounds, 6 offensive, 2 steals
Kansas State as a team proved yesterday that life will go on in Manhattan after Michael Beasley leaves thanks in a large part to the 6 foot 8, 245 lb. freshman Ron Anderson. Take a good look at the stat line I just read you, and then read that on the season he averages 12 minutes, 3.7 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 0.4 steals. Then consider that with Davon Jefferson guarding Beasley, Anderson was matched up with Taj Gibson for most of the game...Yes that Taj Gibson that is expected to be a top 25 draft pick if he comes out. His biggest contribution was on the glass, and considering 3/4 of his rebounds were offensive it is safe to say that he contributed far more points than his point total shows. He did everything perfect, he didn't force shots, he hustled everywhere, and mainly, he wreaked havoc down low so that the concentration could not be left on Michael Beasley.
5. Aaron Bruce (Baylor) 11 minutes, 0-1 from the field, 0 points, 2 turnovers
What the hell happened to Aaron Bruce? Yesterday was an unjust end for the face of the Baylor Bears for the past 4 years. He hung with Coach Drew through the thick and the thin for three years, and now, in his senior season, he has gone completely AWOL. I understand the level of talent of Baylor has risen significantly in the past 3 years, but you are telling me that a kid who averaged 18 per game as a freshman deserves to get phased out of the lineup the way he has this season?
1. Will Thomas FG% = 71.4%, Rest of George Mason FG %= 21.03%
If you had told me that Will Thomas would get the best of Luke Harangody and that Folarin Campbell would be an abysmal 1 of 12 from the field I would have told you that you were crazy. But, George Mason stunk the joint out last night, I know Notre Dame plays physical defense, but George Mason and especially Campbell have been in this position before, they should not have been intimidated.
2. Duke-38 rebounds, Belmont-30 rebounds
This is why Duke will not make it deep into the tournament. They have 6 foot 9 inch Lance Thomas, 6 foot 8 inch Kyle Singler, 7 footer Brian Zoubek, and a terrific rebounding guard in Gerald Henderson, and they couldn't out-rebound Belmont, a team whose significant players all stand in the 6 foot to 6 foot 5 range. This was what worried critics and Coach K in the beginning of the year is that Duke could not survive because of their lack of depth in the post, and that sentiment rang true last night.
Zoubek should be ashamed of himself. I watched the entire first half and he clearly had the advantage, no one could get around him to front him, and he towered over Belmont for rebounds. Only to step out of bounds, or turn it over some other way. If I was 7 feet tall, I would kill Belmont. Duke better hope that West Virginia doesn't grab a lot of rebounds, because that combined with the Mountaineers shooting touch, and the Devils will be making an early exit.
3. Joe Crawford (Kentucky) 35 points
The best performance of the first day was thrown in by the much maligned Joe Crawford. Crawford has had to deal with the Coach who recruited him leaving, and the fact that he was in his new coach's doghouse for quite some time. He went from being a 5-star prospect to not getting drafted and being a worse player than his younger brother. Yes, his team lost, but what if they had the services of Patrick Patterson? Regardless, Crawford was simply all over the floor yesterday and just absolutely shredded Marquette's defense. It was awesome to watch.
4. Ron Anderson (K. State) 22 minutes, 10 points, 8 rebounds, 6 offensive, 2 steals
Kansas State as a team proved yesterday that life will go on in Manhattan after Michael Beasley leaves thanks in a large part to the 6 foot 8, 245 lb. freshman Ron Anderson. Take a good look at the stat line I just read you, and then read that on the season he averages 12 minutes, 3.7 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 0.4 steals. Then consider that with Davon Jefferson guarding Beasley, Anderson was matched up with Taj Gibson for most of the game...Yes that Taj Gibson that is expected to be a top 25 draft pick if he comes out. His biggest contribution was on the glass, and considering 3/4 of his rebounds were offensive it is safe to say that he contributed far more points than his point total shows. He did everything perfect, he didn't force shots, he hustled everywhere, and mainly, he wreaked havoc down low so that the concentration could not be left on Michael Beasley.
5. Aaron Bruce (Baylor) 11 minutes, 0-1 from the field, 0 points, 2 turnovers
What the hell happened to Aaron Bruce? Yesterday was an unjust end for the face of the Baylor Bears for the past 4 years. He hung with Coach Drew through the thick and the thin for three years, and now, in his senior season, he has gone completely AWOL. I understand the level of talent of Baylor has risen significantly in the past 3 years, but you are telling me that a kid who averaged 18 per game as a freshman deserves to get phased out of the lineup the way he has this season?
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Players to Watch
Everyone knows about the Tyler Hanboroughs and the Michael Beasleys of the world. I have taken on the responsibility of procuring a list for you, that will help you keep your eyes peeled for mid-major players who will be fun or important to watch. Enjoy!
1. Courtney Lee, Western Kentucky
At this point, anyone who watches the tournament previews and reads online should know about Courtney Lee, he has become the "it" sleeper guy to light it up in the tournament, and for good reason. The 6 foot 5 swingman considered leaving for the draft after last season until he came back to Western Kentucky to improve his draft stock. Now, he is averaging 20.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.7 steals, good for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 1st on the team respectively.
The best part about his game that I can see, from the meager highlights of him dunking on someone from Florida Atlantic is that he takes the ball to the rim a lot, and loves contact. He shot 167 free throws this season, which is a average amount for a swingman, but he really seeks the contact and has great balance and body control in the air which allows him to score often.
Watch for him to really take advantage of an undersized overachieving Drake team, outside of Klayton Korver, they won't have anyone even remotely capable of guarding him.
2. Josh Young, Drake
Josh Young makes the list because despite his relative small stature, and the fact that he is often overshadowed by deserved media darling Adam Emmenecker, he is the best player on the Drake team by a long shot. He is a pure sniper who is able to find his shot over taller players using screens and good pump fakes. He averaged 15.8 points per game, and more than half of his shots came from behind the arc, and for good reason as he shot 44.6 percent.
He is so fun to watch because he is a miniature Stephen Curry. You look at Young and you can't imagine this guy tearing up a conference as difficult as the MVC, but he has no fear, and will literally shoot, and probably make it, from anywhere on the court. His speed and quick hands give him a penchant for thieving the ball from the opposing team although he only averages 1.3 steals per game. The Drake v. Western Kentucky matchup is a fun one.
3. Jason Richards, Davidson
With my apologies to Stephen Curry, who doesn't make this list, Richards is the gas that makes the Wildcats go. He is the nation's leader in assists (it helps playing with Curry, when a simple swing pass can turn into an assist) and also a potent scorer from the perimeter for Davidson. I love point guards, especially under-sized, heady point guards, and Richards fits that bill.
Not only did he average 8 assists all season while taking relatively good care of the basketball, he is an accurate shooter from downtown who can't be left alone as he averaged 12.6 points per game, and while he shoots only 33 percent from behind the arc, he took nearly 157 shots from downtown so clearly it isn't a factor. But whats even better about those stats is that 157 is not half of his field goal attempts, and he is not exactly a large guy. If you watch him he rarely takes bad shots, including his misses, and has no problems going into the land of the Sycamores down low and trying to draw some contact.
He reminds me a lot of a Jared Jordan. Jordan was known for his passing but could really fill it up as well, and while Richards is the nation's leader in assists, he is not afraid to score as well. His match up with Jeremy Pargo will be a fantastic match up between two very underrated guards.
4. Demetric Bennett, South Alabama
South Alabama coach Ronnie Arrow must be thanking his stars that John Pelphrey left him with such a talented roster, and the player who really exemplifies that sentiment is Demetric Bennett. At 6 foot 4, 205 pounds, Demetric Bennett is different from Richards and Young and similar to Lee in the sense that instead of relying solely on skill to score, he can boss the defender around a little bit as well. Thats not to say that he doesn't have a lot of skill as well. He averaged over 20 points per game and shot 42 percent from behind the arc. He also went to the free throw line 157 times, same as Lee, and shot 83 percent from the stripe.
Where he differs from Lee is that he is not content sitting on the perimeter and watching the other bang inside, he likes to get in there and mix it up with the big men. He averaged 5.9 rebounds including 145 defensive rebounds showing that he was not leaking out on the fast break looking for easy points.
NBA scouts really love him because he is a good ball handler, capable of creating his own shot, and he is also a physical specimen who should have no problem adapting to the banging that takes place in the NBA. He will be matched up probably with Matt Howard from Butler, and that will be maybe the most fun match up to watch of all.
5. Garrison Carr, American University
Welcome to Part 3 of "The Little Men that Could" with your host Earl Boykins. Carr is the reason why American is in the NCAA tournament, and its really only for two reasons, but both of them make him extremely fun to watch. First of all, he rarely, if ever comes inside the 3-point line. Its safe to assume that all of his two point field goals were meant to be threes, but his foot was on the line. That being said, at 5 foot 11, 165 pounds, he averaged 18.1 points per game for the Patriot League champs, and it seems like every 3-pointer he shoots goes in.
Second reason to watch Garrison Carr is that he is like a pinball, he never ever stops running, and he rarely is ever is taken out because coach Jeff Jones can't afford to have his biggest threat on the bench. Tennessee will run ragged over American, but my guess is that they will not keep their eye on Garrison Carr the whole game and he will go all Stephen Curry v. Maryland of last year and hang 20+ on the Volunteers.
Honorable Mention:
Reggie Lary, Boise St.
Matt Howard, Butler.
Terrence Oglesby, Clemson.
Jeremy Goode, Mt. Saint Mary's.
Edwin Ubiles, Siena.
1. Courtney Lee, Western Kentucky
At this point, anyone who watches the tournament previews and reads online should know about Courtney Lee, he has become the "it" sleeper guy to light it up in the tournament, and for good reason. The 6 foot 5 swingman considered leaving for the draft after last season until he came back to Western Kentucky to improve his draft stock. Now, he is averaging 20.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.7 steals, good for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 1st on the team respectively.
The best part about his game that I can see, from the meager highlights of him dunking on someone from Florida Atlantic is that he takes the ball to the rim a lot, and loves contact. He shot 167 free throws this season, which is a average amount for a swingman, but he really seeks the contact and has great balance and body control in the air which allows him to score often.
Watch for him to really take advantage of an undersized overachieving Drake team, outside of Klayton Korver, they won't have anyone even remotely capable of guarding him.
2. Josh Young, Drake
Josh Young makes the list because despite his relative small stature, and the fact that he is often overshadowed by deserved media darling Adam Emmenecker, he is the best player on the Drake team by a long shot. He is a pure sniper who is able to find his shot over taller players using screens and good pump fakes. He averaged 15.8 points per game, and more than half of his shots came from behind the arc, and for good reason as he shot 44.6 percent.
He is so fun to watch because he is a miniature Stephen Curry. You look at Young and you can't imagine this guy tearing up a conference as difficult as the MVC, but he has no fear, and will literally shoot, and probably make it, from anywhere on the court. His speed and quick hands give him a penchant for thieving the ball from the opposing team although he only averages 1.3 steals per game. The Drake v. Western Kentucky matchup is a fun one.
3. Jason Richards, Davidson
With my apologies to Stephen Curry, who doesn't make this list, Richards is the gas that makes the Wildcats go. He is the nation's leader in assists (it helps playing with Curry, when a simple swing pass can turn into an assist) and also a potent scorer from the perimeter for Davidson. I love point guards, especially under-sized, heady point guards, and Richards fits that bill.
Not only did he average 8 assists all season while taking relatively good care of the basketball, he is an accurate shooter from downtown who can't be left alone as he averaged 12.6 points per game, and while he shoots only 33 percent from behind the arc, he took nearly 157 shots from downtown so clearly it isn't a factor. But whats even better about those stats is that 157 is not half of his field goal attempts, and he is not exactly a large guy. If you watch him he rarely takes bad shots, including his misses, and has no problems going into the land of the Sycamores down low and trying to draw some contact.
He reminds me a lot of a Jared Jordan. Jordan was known for his passing but could really fill it up as well, and while Richards is the nation's leader in assists, he is not afraid to score as well. His match up with Jeremy Pargo will be a fantastic match up between two very underrated guards.
4. Demetric Bennett, South Alabama
South Alabama coach Ronnie Arrow must be thanking his stars that John Pelphrey left him with such a talented roster, and the player who really exemplifies that sentiment is Demetric Bennett. At 6 foot 4, 205 pounds, Demetric Bennett is different from Richards and Young and similar to Lee in the sense that instead of relying solely on skill to score, he can boss the defender around a little bit as well. Thats not to say that he doesn't have a lot of skill as well. He averaged over 20 points per game and shot 42 percent from behind the arc. He also went to the free throw line 157 times, same as Lee, and shot 83 percent from the stripe.
Where he differs from Lee is that he is not content sitting on the perimeter and watching the other bang inside, he likes to get in there and mix it up with the big men. He averaged 5.9 rebounds including 145 defensive rebounds showing that he was not leaking out on the fast break looking for easy points.
NBA scouts really love him because he is a good ball handler, capable of creating his own shot, and he is also a physical specimen who should have no problem adapting to the banging that takes place in the NBA. He will be matched up probably with Matt Howard from Butler, and that will be maybe the most fun match up to watch of all.
5. Garrison Carr, American University
Welcome to Part 3 of "The Little Men that Could" with your host Earl Boykins. Carr is the reason why American is in the NCAA tournament, and its really only for two reasons, but both of them make him extremely fun to watch. First of all, he rarely, if ever comes inside the 3-point line. Its safe to assume that all of his two point field goals were meant to be threes, but his foot was on the line. That being said, at 5 foot 11, 165 pounds, he averaged 18.1 points per game for the Patriot League champs, and it seems like every 3-pointer he shoots goes in.
Second reason to watch Garrison Carr is that he is like a pinball, he never ever stops running, and he rarely is ever is taken out because coach Jeff Jones can't afford to have his biggest threat on the bench. Tennessee will run ragged over American, but my guess is that they will not keep their eye on Garrison Carr the whole game and he will go all Stephen Curry v. Maryland of last year and hang 20+ on the Volunteers.
Honorable Mention:
Reggie Lary, Boise St.
Matt Howard, Butler.
Terrence Oglesby, Clemson.
Jeremy Goode, Mt. Saint Mary's.
Edwin Ubiles, Siena.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Yankees v. Red Sox...Part 2
And I'm back with the second half list of breakdowns by position. So lets not waste any time...
Designated Hitter: David Ortiz vs. Shelley Duncan
This is another easy victor, David Ortiz has become one of the most feared left-handed hitters in all of baseball, and the two-man rotation of Shelley Duncan and Jason Giambi frankly can't measure up.
In what was considered an off year for the Boston slugger, Ortiz still managed to half maybe the most productive year at the plate for an American League hitter this side of A-Rod. While his home run total dropped steeply, he still managed to hit .332, drive in 117 runs, and score 116 of his own. Did I mention his OBP was .445, and his OPS bested 1.000? Frankly, David Ortiz may have had a poor statistical year, but he is still the Red Sox most feared hitter, and I wouldn't expect any sort of drop off in numbers again this year, as he will hopefully have had time to rest his myriad of illnesses and injuries that troubled him during the season.
On the other side of the coin, Shelley Duncan only played 3 months of the season, July, August, and September, and while he demolished pitching in those first two months, 2 of his home runs came against a young Orioles team, and 3 came against Tampa Bay, not exactly the cream of the crop as far as pitching is concerned. He has a chance to be a productive member of the line up whether it is at first base, or designated hitter, but don't expect him to hit .300, and unless he has Lasik surgery, don't expect his tendency to swing at everything to change either.
Winner: Ortiz is one of the most dangerous power hitters in the entire league, while Shelley Duncan looks more like Shane Spencer than Lou Gehrig.
Left Field: Manny Ramirez vs. Hideki Matsui
Nothing makes me happier than listening to Yankees fans bitch and moan about how many doesn't take the game seriously, and how he barely even tries anymore. Hideki Matsui on the other hand is a consumate professional. "Godzilla" goes about his business and handles the day-to-day routine of baseball like a job. So we need statistical breakdowns:
Matsui missed sometime last year, and still managed to be his normal productive and reliable self. .285, with 25 homers, 28 doubles, and 103 RBIs. He is a solid left fielder, not a good one, but certainly someone who will not hurt the team over the course of the season. Durability is the only real issue. Ever since that freak injury in left field, Matsui has had arthroscopic knee surgery, and has most recently been complaining about a stiff neck (only in baseball is a stiff neck a real injury, if you have time, read all of Yahoo's fantasy injury notes, they are terrific comedy). My guess is that stiff neck will not cause any problems, and Matsui will be shipshape by opening day, or at least by the end of April (he better be or else I am in the market for a fantasy left fielder).
Manny Ramirez hit 30 home runs and 100 Rbis again last season...How used to that statement is everyone in Boston? The sad thing is, everyone probably still thinks he did that last season, but those who do are incorrect. In his worst statistical season since 1997 with the Indians, Manny coasted to a .296 batting average, with a paltry 20 homers and 88 Rbis, and he slugged under .500 for the first time since his rookie season with Indians. Now many did not get a whole lot of at bats, and certainly took a good deal of rest in August and September which of course drew the ire of Red Sox fans.
But really, do you think Manny gives a shit? This guy has been a hitting machine since he came into the league. He may not do anything other than hit, and throw people out who still continue to try to stretch a line drive single of the Monster into a double. Seriously, Manny playing left field is the baseball version of the rope-a-dope, he lulls runners to sleep with his slow gait, and then pegs them out when the get greedy.
My guess is Manny will have a better season this year than he did his last season, but it won't be significantly better. Hopefully he will care...but I wouldn't even bet a dollar on it.
Winner: Push because frankly this position has too many questions marks. For Matsui, its whether his stiff neck and geriatric knee can handle a grueling 500 ABs. For Manny, its wondering whether a light will turn on in his head, and he will return to the 30 homer 100 Rbi Monster we in the Fens all know him as...until those things are proven, I will withhold picking one over the other.
Centerfield: Jacoby Ellsbury vs. Melky Cabrera
The battle of the promising youngsters for both of these teams begins in center field, where veteran stalwarts Johnny Damon and CoCo Crisp have been jettisoned in favor of the promising youngsters who are replacing them. This is another really close battle, and it but it would be unfair to name it a push, so I will pick a winner.
Jacoby Ellsbury has become the new Fred Lynn for the Boston Red Sox. Young, smooth fielding, good-looking centerfielder. In just 116 at bats last season with the big club, Ellsbury was surprisingly good. He hit at a .353 clip, and .360 in the playoffs, and scored 20 runs which is terrific considering he was on base only 49 times. The real question is can he keep it up? My guess is that he will probably sleep with more women this season, but that will be the only statistic that rises. Its impossible to expect him to hit .350 in his first full season of major league baseball. But a .300 season with 40 stolen bases is not out of the question at all. Plus, he was the minor league defensive player of the year for the Pawtucket Red Sox, so it looks like he is a 4-tool player with the power being absent.
Not to be outdone, at the ripe age of 23, Cabrera had a terrific season in the outfield for New York. He hit .273, and drove in 75 runs, although in that line up that number means about as much as Lugo's Rbi totals. But, playing left and center field, Cabrera had just 4 errors, and 16 assists, while showing a good deal of poise and grace for such a young player to roam the confines of Yankee Stadium. The one knock, as with all young players, he has not learned how to be selective yet at the plate. His OBP was .327, which really isn't all that good, and to have less than 1/3 of your hits be for extra bases is solid, but nothing to brag about.
Winner: While Jacoby Ellsbury could potentially keep the momentum from the playoffs and just catch fire in April and May, My winner is Cabrera because he had over 500 ABs, and until Ellsbury plays a full season, you really can't pick him over Cabrera.
Right Field: JD Drew vs. Bobby Abreu
While JD Drew has been relaxing all off season, Bobby Abreu has been turning all of that trans-fat he used to carry into muscle, and now has come into camp looking sharp after a less than stellar season last year. But its really a tale of 2 halfs.
Abreu caught fire after the all-star break, and while he looked like he was allergic to Bowflex, he still managed to hit .305 with 11 of his 16 homers coming after the all-star break in what was a great second half for the Yankee team. But, if Hideki Matusi goes down with another injury, Abreu will be relied upon to hold down the number 5 spot in the order behind A-Rod and give him some protection, and it will be interesting to see how he does. I feel like the Yankees are so old, that 4 or 5 of their players are going to beg Girardi to DH, and Abreu is one of them. His arm really isn't that scary, and he covers a lot less ground than he did in his previous year's, but, I guess we will find out.
JD Drew hit a grand slam against the Indians in the playoffs, and all of the criticism he drew last season was absolved, and replaced with this warm happy feeling. Well, despite being a Red Sox fan, I am not buying any of it. I hated the JD Drew deal as soon as we signed him, and it is still a really bad deal from a monetary stand point. If Wily Mo Pena had started in right field would the production from that position really be that different? He hit .270 for the season, with 11 homers and just 64 Rbis, and he was hitting behind Ortiz and Manny and Lowell all season. It's not like he is due for a bounce back year either, because there really isn't anything to bounce back to, aside from his contract year with the Dodgers, 64 Rbis is the 4th most he has had in his illustrious 9-year career. Just pathetic, and unless he gets magicked into a better player, this position really isn't all that contentious
Winner: Abreu is not a bum, even when he is way out of shape and plays horribly he still tops 100 Rbis, Drew...huge bum.
Ace: Josh Beckett vs. Chien-Ming Wang
Both of these teams hold a plethora of young pitching talent, and so its important to distinguish who is the better ace, because when playoff time rolls around, these are the two men who are going to need to carry the team down the stretch.
Chien-Ming Wang has surreptitiously slid into the ace roll for the Yankees and flourished. Other than the fact that he looks like he is about to cry when he gets in a jam, he has been a terrific pitcher for the Yankees. His heavy sinker produces a lot of ground balls outs, and although he doesn't strike a lot of people out, he has won 19 games in 2006 and 2007, to become one of the better pitchers in baseball. However, to my knowledge, and I would have to ask the Schwab about this, Wang has never had an extremely attractive girlfriend, and he has never sworn on National television. He really just doesn't look like he has the killer instinct, he is unassuming and solid, but not fiery.
Beckett probably would have won the American League Cy Young Award if it was voted on after the playoffs, but because it doesn't work that way, he was relegated to second place behind C.C. Sabathia. That being said, it is clear the difference a year makes in the American League. In 2006 he at least gave the fans a little souvenir with their expensive ticket by giving up 36 home runs and having an ERA of over 5.00. Then, last season, he stopped being so damn stubborn by trying to throw fastballs by everybody, and started working with Varitek to harness is lethal arsenal. Beckett was just plain silly last season, he won 20 games, was 6 strikeouts away from 200, and had the greatest post season of any pitcher in the last 10 years. I can't see anything shaking out differently for Beckett this season, my expectation is for him to put together the same season he had last season.
Winner: Beckett has two World Series rings, and Chien-Ming Wang has 0, Beckett has one World Series MVP, and an ALCS MVP, Wang has none...case closed.
For those of you scoring at home, that makes the final score 4-3 in favor of the Yankees, but I also failed to do the rest of the rotations because its really a lot of speculation, and I also failed to do managers because I really I have f*&%ing clue how to quantify what a manager means for the team. I do know Francona has some rings and Girardi doesn't, but Girardi has one season a manager and has won coach of the year for the job he did with a Florida team with considerably less talent than the current Yankees.
All in all, bring on the over-hyped Sportscenter montages and constant "best rivalry in sports" labellings, because I want to see some baseball. We will get our first taste on opening weekend, unfortunately I will be in DC maybe watching the Nationals play the Marlins while I get housed in my $10 bleacher seats.
Designated Hitter: David Ortiz vs. Shelley Duncan
This is another easy victor, David Ortiz has become one of the most feared left-handed hitters in all of baseball, and the two-man rotation of Shelley Duncan and Jason Giambi frankly can't measure up.
In what was considered an off year for the Boston slugger, Ortiz still managed to half maybe the most productive year at the plate for an American League hitter this side of A-Rod. While his home run total dropped steeply, he still managed to hit .332, drive in 117 runs, and score 116 of his own. Did I mention his OBP was .445, and his OPS bested 1.000? Frankly, David Ortiz may have had a poor statistical year, but he is still the Red Sox most feared hitter, and I wouldn't expect any sort of drop off in numbers again this year, as he will hopefully have had time to rest his myriad of illnesses and injuries that troubled him during the season.
On the other side of the coin, Shelley Duncan only played 3 months of the season, July, August, and September, and while he demolished pitching in those first two months, 2 of his home runs came against a young Orioles team, and 3 came against Tampa Bay, not exactly the cream of the crop as far as pitching is concerned. He has a chance to be a productive member of the line up whether it is at first base, or designated hitter, but don't expect him to hit .300, and unless he has Lasik surgery, don't expect his tendency to swing at everything to change either.
Winner: Ortiz is one of the most dangerous power hitters in the entire league, while Shelley Duncan looks more like Shane Spencer than Lou Gehrig.
Left Field: Manny Ramirez vs. Hideki Matsui
Nothing makes me happier than listening to Yankees fans bitch and moan about how many doesn't take the game seriously, and how he barely even tries anymore. Hideki Matsui on the other hand is a consumate professional. "Godzilla" goes about his business and handles the day-to-day routine of baseball like a job. So we need statistical breakdowns:
Matsui missed sometime last year, and still managed to be his normal productive and reliable self. .285, with 25 homers, 28 doubles, and 103 RBIs. He is a solid left fielder, not a good one, but certainly someone who will not hurt the team over the course of the season. Durability is the only real issue. Ever since that freak injury in left field, Matsui has had arthroscopic knee surgery, and has most recently been complaining about a stiff neck (only in baseball is a stiff neck a real injury, if you have time, read all of Yahoo's fantasy injury notes, they are terrific comedy). My guess is that stiff neck will not cause any problems, and Matsui will be shipshape by opening day, or at least by the end of April (he better be or else I am in the market for a fantasy left fielder).
Manny Ramirez hit 30 home runs and 100 Rbis again last season...How used to that statement is everyone in Boston? The sad thing is, everyone probably still thinks he did that last season, but those who do are incorrect. In his worst statistical season since 1997 with the Indians, Manny coasted to a .296 batting average, with a paltry 20 homers and 88 Rbis, and he slugged under .500 for the first time since his rookie season with Indians. Now many did not get a whole lot of at bats, and certainly took a good deal of rest in August and September which of course drew the ire of Red Sox fans.
But really, do you think Manny gives a shit? This guy has been a hitting machine since he came into the league. He may not do anything other than hit, and throw people out who still continue to try to stretch a line drive single of the Monster into a double. Seriously, Manny playing left field is the baseball version of the rope-a-dope, he lulls runners to sleep with his slow gait, and then pegs them out when the get greedy.
My guess is Manny will have a better season this year than he did his last season, but it won't be significantly better. Hopefully he will care...but I wouldn't even bet a dollar on it.
Winner: Push because frankly this position has too many questions marks. For Matsui, its whether his stiff neck and geriatric knee can handle a grueling 500 ABs. For Manny, its wondering whether a light will turn on in his head, and he will return to the 30 homer 100 Rbi Monster we in the Fens all know him as...until those things are proven, I will withhold picking one over the other.
Centerfield: Jacoby Ellsbury vs. Melky Cabrera
The battle of the promising youngsters for both of these teams begins in center field, where veteran stalwarts Johnny Damon and CoCo Crisp have been jettisoned in favor of the promising youngsters who are replacing them. This is another really close battle, and it but it would be unfair to name it a push, so I will pick a winner.
Jacoby Ellsbury has become the new Fred Lynn for the Boston Red Sox. Young, smooth fielding, good-looking centerfielder. In just 116 at bats last season with the big club, Ellsbury was surprisingly good. He hit at a .353 clip, and .360 in the playoffs, and scored 20 runs which is terrific considering he was on base only 49 times. The real question is can he keep it up? My guess is that he will probably sleep with more women this season, but that will be the only statistic that rises. Its impossible to expect him to hit .350 in his first full season of major league baseball. But a .300 season with 40 stolen bases is not out of the question at all. Plus, he was the minor league defensive player of the year for the Pawtucket Red Sox, so it looks like he is a 4-tool player with the power being absent.
Not to be outdone, at the ripe age of 23, Cabrera had a terrific season in the outfield for New York. He hit .273, and drove in 75 runs, although in that line up that number means about as much as Lugo's Rbi totals. But, playing left and center field, Cabrera had just 4 errors, and 16 assists, while showing a good deal of poise and grace for such a young player to roam the confines of Yankee Stadium. The one knock, as with all young players, he has not learned how to be selective yet at the plate. His OBP was .327, which really isn't all that good, and to have less than 1/3 of your hits be for extra bases is solid, but nothing to brag about.
Winner: While Jacoby Ellsbury could potentially keep the momentum from the playoffs and just catch fire in April and May, My winner is Cabrera because he had over 500 ABs, and until Ellsbury plays a full season, you really can't pick him over Cabrera.
Right Field: JD Drew vs. Bobby Abreu
While JD Drew has been relaxing all off season, Bobby Abreu has been turning all of that trans-fat he used to carry into muscle, and now has come into camp looking sharp after a less than stellar season last year. But its really a tale of 2 halfs.
Abreu caught fire after the all-star break, and while he looked like he was allergic to Bowflex, he still managed to hit .305 with 11 of his 16 homers coming after the all-star break in what was a great second half for the Yankee team. But, if Hideki Matusi goes down with another injury, Abreu will be relied upon to hold down the number 5 spot in the order behind A-Rod and give him some protection, and it will be interesting to see how he does. I feel like the Yankees are so old, that 4 or 5 of their players are going to beg Girardi to DH, and Abreu is one of them. His arm really isn't that scary, and he covers a lot less ground than he did in his previous year's, but, I guess we will find out.
JD Drew hit a grand slam against the Indians in the playoffs, and all of the criticism he drew last season was absolved, and replaced with this warm happy feeling. Well, despite being a Red Sox fan, I am not buying any of it. I hated the JD Drew deal as soon as we signed him, and it is still a really bad deal from a monetary stand point. If Wily Mo Pena had started in right field would the production from that position really be that different? He hit .270 for the season, with 11 homers and just 64 Rbis, and he was hitting behind Ortiz and Manny and Lowell all season. It's not like he is due for a bounce back year either, because there really isn't anything to bounce back to, aside from his contract year with the Dodgers, 64 Rbis is the 4th most he has had in his illustrious 9-year career. Just pathetic, and unless he gets magicked into a better player, this position really isn't all that contentious
Winner: Abreu is not a bum, even when he is way out of shape and plays horribly he still tops 100 Rbis, Drew...huge bum.
Ace: Josh Beckett vs. Chien-Ming Wang
Both of these teams hold a plethora of young pitching talent, and so its important to distinguish who is the better ace, because when playoff time rolls around, these are the two men who are going to need to carry the team down the stretch.
Chien-Ming Wang has surreptitiously slid into the ace roll for the Yankees and flourished. Other than the fact that he looks like he is about to cry when he gets in a jam, he has been a terrific pitcher for the Yankees. His heavy sinker produces a lot of ground balls outs, and although he doesn't strike a lot of people out, he has won 19 games in 2006 and 2007, to become one of the better pitchers in baseball. However, to my knowledge, and I would have to ask the Schwab about this, Wang has never had an extremely attractive girlfriend, and he has never sworn on National television. He really just doesn't look like he has the killer instinct, he is unassuming and solid, but not fiery.
Beckett probably would have won the American League Cy Young Award if it was voted on after the playoffs, but because it doesn't work that way, he was relegated to second place behind C.C. Sabathia. That being said, it is clear the difference a year makes in the American League. In 2006 he at least gave the fans a little souvenir with their expensive ticket by giving up 36 home runs and having an ERA of over 5.00. Then, last season, he stopped being so damn stubborn by trying to throw fastballs by everybody, and started working with Varitek to harness is lethal arsenal. Beckett was just plain silly last season, he won 20 games, was 6 strikeouts away from 200, and had the greatest post season of any pitcher in the last 10 years. I can't see anything shaking out differently for Beckett this season, my expectation is for him to put together the same season he had last season.
Winner: Beckett has two World Series rings, and Chien-Ming Wang has 0, Beckett has one World Series MVP, and an ALCS MVP, Wang has none...case closed.
For those of you scoring at home, that makes the final score 4-3 in favor of the Yankees, but I also failed to do the rest of the rotations because its really a lot of speculation, and I also failed to do managers because I really I have f*&%ing clue how to quantify what a manager means for the team. I do know Francona has some rings and Girardi doesn't, but Girardi has one season a manager and has won coach of the year for the job he did with a Florida team with considerably less talent than the current Yankees.
All in all, bring on the over-hyped Sportscenter montages and constant "best rivalry in sports" labellings, because I want to see some baseball. We will get our first taste on opening weekend, unfortunately I will be in DC maybe watching the Nationals play the Marlins while I get housed in my $10 bleacher seats.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Yankees v. Red Sox...Version 2008
As you guys all know from the silly comments of Hank Steinbrenner, and the stern retaliation from Red Sox owner John Henry, its obvious that baseball is back, and since spring training really doesn't carry any meaningful weight, the sportswriters need something to write about.
We all know a good way to start is with the Yankees and the Red Sox, so I will now break it down position by position.
Catcher: Jason Varitek vs. Jorge Posada
It is really tough to draw a distinct difference between Posada and Varitek. Oh wait... I am lying. Posada is still an all-star catcher. He hit .338 last season with 20 homeruns and 90 RBIs. Varitek's hitting has decreased dramatically over the past few years to the point where he is no longer counted on to provide any offense at all.
Both of these catchers still are held in extremely high regard by their managers and their pitching staffs for their intelligence in both calling the games, and working with young pitchers to improve. Just ask Josh Beckett, who went from from an ERA of over 5 and 36 home runs given up, to the AL Cy Young runner up and most dominant post season pitcher in just one additional year with Varitek.
The real reason why Posada wins is because his advantage with the bat in his hands far outweighs the minimal advantage Varitek has behind the plate.
Keep in mind though, Varitek does wear the mythical "C", and thats just sweet!
Winner: Posada because frankly, most people's practice swings with a doughnut on their bat are faster than Jason Varitek's swing.
1st Base: Jason Giambi vs. Kevin Youkilis
I really don't think there is any doubt in anyone's mind, yankees fan or red sox fan, about who wins this battle.
Kevin Youkilis was the Red Sox MVP and was even honored by ESPN's contrived awards as one of the 5 Unsung Heroes of sports. Also keep in mind that he drove in 83 runs while his OBP hovered around .400 and he scored just as many runs. He also is a fantastic defensive first baseman, where he played over 1000 innings of baseball last year without committing an error.
On the other hand, Giambi might not even be the right name to face off against Youk. Giambi spent a good portion of last year recuperating from all of his steroid related injuries, and managed to hit just .236. Shelley Duncan is a likely candidate to get some playing time at first base given the type of performance Duncan had in a September call-up, and if Giambi, who says he is in the best shape of his life, doesn't perform during spring training, this former all-star may find himself platooning at both the designated hitter position and 1st base.
Winner: Youk just barely edges out the other two Yankee candidates, Shelley Duncan and Juan Miranda, who gained fame from his famous case against the state of Arizona years ago.
Second Base: Dustin Pedroia v. Robinson Cano
Did you know that Dustin Pedroia played the entire playoffs with a broken hand???
Red Sox fans all around the country are still sporting wood from the performance that Pedroia put on during the playoffs, and his emergence last season was a revelation that counter-acted the colossal disappointment that Julio Lugo was. The Rookie of the Year in the American League last season carried a spiffy .317 batting average, and, in a most veteranesque category, Pedroia walked 47 times while striking out only 42 times, a great indicator that his batting average was not a fluke.
On the other side of the coin is Robinson Cano, someone Hank Steinbrenner wouldn't give up in the Johan Santana deal because he covets Cano the same way he covets the last pack of Marlboro Reds in the carton. In Steinbrenner's defense, Cano is on his way to becoming one of the better young players in the league, as he also eclipsed the .300 mark last season, and was a bases-clearing double away from 100 Rbis. While he doesn't walk a lot, and his patience at the plate is less than desirable. He makes up for it with a smooth swing, good speed, and power that is uncommon for second basemen outside of Jeff Kent (who took steroids, why do you think Bonds and Kent had so much beef?).
While Cano has rapidly improved on defense, he still had 13 errors, which was good for 4th in the American League. Pedroia, while playing in 200 less innings, only had 6 errors, and frankly is just a better defensive player than Cano.
Winner: Push, while Cano was the obvious choice for most people, I think Dustin Pedroia catches him because of his defensive prowess and the fact that he hit .283 with 2 home runs and 10 Rbis in the playoffs with a broken hand. This should be the most interesting battle of the year.
Shortstop: Derek Jeter v. Julio Lugo
Some never though they would see the day where there could be a more one-sided matchup than Youkilis vs. the Three headed monster, Duncamirambi, who sounds like the next Japanese superstar.
Well folks, welcome to Red Sox fans worst nightmare. The only statistical categories Lugo won were Rbi's, and he had a huge head start after the April he had, stolen bases, and of course crotch-grabs (yes I stole that joke from Simmons).
Derek Jeter is one of the faces of the MLB, and he reminds us every year with another season of clutch performances and timely hitting. As much as I dislike Derek Jeter, ask any real baseball fan, including sox fans, and they will tell you that they would probably have traded Nomar Garciaparra for Derek Jeter straight up, he is just that clutch.
Winner: Jeter by the hair on his chinny chin chin. Is there any play that will forever define the Yankees captain more than his backhanded flip to get Jeremy Giambi out at home? Every baseball fan with a pulse still gets chills watching that play.
3rd Base: Alex Rodriguez v. Mike Lowell
This is a little closer than it seems at first glance. While A-Rod had a statistical monstrosity of a season, and deserved the MVP award after the ridiculous season he put up. Mike Lowell was the most important part of the Red Sox playoff run, and the weight he carried considering he didn't have the same protection in the lineup, and that he did have JD Drew on his team, cannot be measured by statistics.
Upon further review, A-Rod statistics dwarfed Lowell's except for doubles, a category Mike Lowell magically cleans up in every year, and even had better defensive statistics than Lowell, who had his worst season defensively. But, how can I possibly vote Alex Rodriguez over Mike Lowell when the Yankees were pretty much ready to move on without A-Rod during the off-season and go after Mike Lowell?
Winner: Push again and people may think I am just being biased. But really, A-Rod only evens this matchup because he hit the ball really hard, a lot, and because he is significantly younger than the aging Lowell.
I will concede this position if Lowell flounders this season after receiving a new contract and A-Rod continues to hit. But until A-Rod makes a difference in the playoffs the way he does in the regular season, and the way Lowell did all season, this category is pushed.
Part 2 Later...
We all know a good way to start is with the Yankees and the Red Sox, so I will now break it down position by position.
Catcher: Jason Varitek vs. Jorge Posada
It is really tough to draw a distinct difference between Posada and Varitek. Oh wait... I am lying. Posada is still an all-star catcher. He hit .338 last season with 20 homeruns and 90 RBIs. Varitek's hitting has decreased dramatically over the past few years to the point where he is no longer counted on to provide any offense at all.
Both of these catchers still are held in extremely high regard by their managers and their pitching staffs for their intelligence in both calling the games, and working with young pitchers to improve. Just ask Josh Beckett, who went from from an ERA of over 5 and 36 home runs given up, to the AL Cy Young runner up and most dominant post season pitcher in just one additional year with Varitek.
The real reason why Posada wins is because his advantage with the bat in his hands far outweighs the minimal advantage Varitek has behind the plate.
Keep in mind though, Varitek does wear the mythical "C", and thats just sweet!
Winner: Posada because frankly, most people's practice swings with a doughnut on their bat are faster than Jason Varitek's swing.
1st Base: Jason Giambi vs. Kevin Youkilis
I really don't think there is any doubt in anyone's mind, yankees fan or red sox fan, about who wins this battle.
Kevin Youkilis was the Red Sox MVP and was even honored by ESPN's contrived awards as one of the 5 Unsung Heroes of sports. Also keep in mind that he drove in 83 runs while his OBP hovered around .400 and he scored just as many runs. He also is a fantastic defensive first baseman, where he played over 1000 innings of baseball last year without committing an error.
On the other hand, Giambi might not even be the right name to face off against Youk. Giambi spent a good portion of last year recuperating from all of his steroid related injuries, and managed to hit just .236. Shelley Duncan is a likely candidate to get some playing time at first base given the type of performance Duncan had in a September call-up, and if Giambi, who says he is in the best shape of his life, doesn't perform during spring training, this former all-star may find himself platooning at both the designated hitter position and 1st base.
Winner: Youk just barely edges out the other two Yankee candidates, Shelley Duncan and Juan Miranda, who gained fame from his famous case against the state of Arizona years ago.
Second Base: Dustin Pedroia v. Robinson Cano
Did you know that Dustin Pedroia played the entire playoffs with a broken hand???
Red Sox fans all around the country are still sporting wood from the performance that Pedroia put on during the playoffs, and his emergence last season was a revelation that counter-acted the colossal disappointment that Julio Lugo was. The Rookie of the Year in the American League last season carried a spiffy .317 batting average, and, in a most veteranesque category, Pedroia walked 47 times while striking out only 42 times, a great indicator that his batting average was not a fluke.
On the other side of the coin is Robinson Cano, someone Hank Steinbrenner wouldn't give up in the Johan Santana deal because he covets Cano the same way he covets the last pack of Marlboro Reds in the carton. In Steinbrenner's defense, Cano is on his way to becoming one of the better young players in the league, as he also eclipsed the .300 mark last season, and was a bases-clearing double away from 100 Rbis. While he doesn't walk a lot, and his patience at the plate is less than desirable. He makes up for it with a smooth swing, good speed, and power that is uncommon for second basemen outside of Jeff Kent (who took steroids, why do you think Bonds and Kent had so much beef?).
While Cano has rapidly improved on defense, he still had 13 errors, which was good for 4th in the American League. Pedroia, while playing in 200 less innings, only had 6 errors, and frankly is just a better defensive player than Cano.
Winner: Push, while Cano was the obvious choice for most people, I think Dustin Pedroia catches him because of his defensive prowess and the fact that he hit .283 with 2 home runs and 10 Rbis in the playoffs with a broken hand. This should be the most interesting battle of the year.
Shortstop: Derek Jeter v. Julio Lugo
Some never though they would see the day where there could be a more one-sided matchup than Youkilis vs. the Three headed monster, Duncamirambi, who sounds like the next Japanese superstar.
Well folks, welcome to Red Sox fans worst nightmare. The only statistical categories Lugo won were Rbi's, and he had a huge head start after the April he had, stolen bases, and of course crotch-grabs (yes I stole that joke from Simmons).
Derek Jeter is one of the faces of the MLB, and he reminds us every year with another season of clutch performances and timely hitting. As much as I dislike Derek Jeter, ask any real baseball fan, including sox fans, and they will tell you that they would probably have traded Nomar Garciaparra for Derek Jeter straight up, he is just that clutch.
Winner: Jeter by the hair on his chinny chin chin. Is there any play that will forever define the Yankees captain more than his backhanded flip to get Jeremy Giambi out at home? Every baseball fan with a pulse still gets chills watching that play.
3rd Base: Alex Rodriguez v. Mike Lowell
This is a little closer than it seems at first glance. While A-Rod had a statistical monstrosity of a season, and deserved the MVP award after the ridiculous season he put up. Mike Lowell was the most important part of the Red Sox playoff run, and the weight he carried considering he didn't have the same protection in the lineup, and that he did have JD Drew on his team, cannot be measured by statistics.
Upon further review, A-Rod statistics dwarfed Lowell's except for doubles, a category Mike Lowell magically cleans up in every year, and even had better defensive statistics than Lowell, who had his worst season defensively. But, how can I possibly vote Alex Rodriguez over Mike Lowell when the Yankees were pretty much ready to move on without A-Rod during the off-season and go after Mike Lowell?
Winner: Push again and people may think I am just being biased. But really, A-Rod only evens this matchup because he hit the ball really hard, a lot, and because he is significantly younger than the aging Lowell.
I will concede this position if Lowell flounders this season after receiving a new contract and A-Rod continues to hit. But until A-Rod makes a difference in the playoffs the way he does in the regular season, and the way Lowell did all season, this category is pushed.
Part 2 Later...
Monday, March 3, 2008
How dominant football has become
I have decided, to keep my blog spots short and sweet, due to the short attention span of people, including myself.
The four traditional major sports are baseball, hockey, basketball, and football. Now with the NASCAR, some people say five, but for my point it does not matter. Football has become the most powerful and media driven sport in America. Naysayers may claim the other sports get their fair share, but that really isn't.
Fact 1:
In the past two weeks my brain has been inundated with numbers from the combine, and the rise and fall of prospects, and for once I agree with Jim Rome. The NFL Combine is really a media contrived event. Football is not a game that can be measured using shuttle drills and 40 yard dash times. Troy Williamson, Manny Wright, Charles Rogers, and even as far back as Tony Mandarich can attest to that point. Football is a game of intagibles, and no part of the poking and prodding and scribbling at the combine can ever project that through tests.
Fact 2:
Through the DirecTV package, fantasy football, and of course popular demand. Football has grown to dwarf all the other sports as far as media coverage, media frenzy, and media scrutiny. I understand that ESPN has a schedule to fill, and watching Trey Wingo throw it out to Todd McShay live in Indianapolis for more analysis about people who ran a 4.3, and bench pressed 225 pounds 18 times is important to some people. I know Roger Goodell must love his life right now. But ESPN needs to lay off the hour long updates on Hashmarks about who has been recently signed. But, I understand football has become the most popular sports.
Fact 3:
As a real-live, in-the-flesh sports fan, I am concerned about whether the Celtics are going to hold off the Pistons for the number 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, or who the prohibitive favorite out west is. I want to hear Dickie Vitale make my ears bleed with hype about March Madness, and I even love to listen to Barry Melrose, who is by far the guy on ESPN who wins the award for ESPN On-Air personality who most single men fantasize having a beer with.
I love football as much as the next man, but as a sports fan, I am more interested in the sports where something is actually at stake, and some sort of highlight will be created in commemoration of them. Not some talking heads with inside sources telling me they are worried Randy Moss won't sign with the Patriots.
Save the speculation, focus on the sports at hand. Its hard enough to navigate that goddamn website!
Regards,
Fan Michael
The four traditional major sports are baseball, hockey, basketball, and football. Now with the NASCAR, some people say five, but for my point it does not matter. Football has become the most powerful and media driven sport in America. Naysayers may claim the other sports get their fair share, but that really isn't.
Fact 1:
In the past two weeks my brain has been inundated with numbers from the combine, and the rise and fall of prospects, and for once I agree with Jim Rome. The NFL Combine is really a media contrived event. Football is not a game that can be measured using shuttle drills and 40 yard dash times. Troy Williamson, Manny Wright, Charles Rogers, and even as far back as Tony Mandarich can attest to that point. Football is a game of intagibles, and no part of the poking and prodding and scribbling at the combine can ever project that through tests.
Fact 2:
Through the DirecTV package, fantasy football, and of course popular demand. Football has grown to dwarf all the other sports as far as media coverage, media frenzy, and media scrutiny. I understand that ESPN has a schedule to fill, and watching Trey Wingo throw it out to Todd McShay live in Indianapolis for more analysis about people who ran a 4.3, and bench pressed 225 pounds 18 times is important to some people. I know Roger Goodell must love his life right now. But ESPN needs to lay off the hour long updates on Hashmarks about who has been recently signed. But, I understand football has become the most popular sports.
Fact 3:
As a real-live, in-the-flesh sports fan, I am concerned about whether the Celtics are going to hold off the Pistons for the number 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, or who the prohibitive favorite out west is. I want to hear Dickie Vitale make my ears bleed with hype about March Madness, and I even love to listen to Barry Melrose, who is by far the guy on ESPN who wins the award for ESPN On-Air personality who most single men fantasize having a beer with.
I love football as much as the next man, but as a sports fan, I am more interested in the sports where something is actually at stake, and some sort of highlight will be created in commemoration of them. Not some talking heads with inside sources telling me they are worried Randy Moss won't sign with the Patriots.
Save the speculation, focus on the sports at hand. Its hard enough to navigate that goddamn website!
Regards,
Fan Michael
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