All it takes is September to remind me why I love baseball. It is certainly true that my team did mount a historic comeback and the team I most enjoy watching lose found a way to mount a historic collapse. But the essence of baseball and what makes it really different than the other sports is the pennant race and the ultimate tie breaker, the one game playoff. In the end baseball is king because the regular season means something and over a 162 game season you can run but you can't hide. The cream does rise to the top and mediocrity is left to play golf not allowed to serve as first round fodder to generate and extra round of playoff revenue. October is for the elite.
I can hear you muttering, the NFL is not the NBA or NHL, it only has 6 teams per conference make it to the second season. Certainly, you will have 10-6 NFL teams fail to make the playoffs, but for every one of them there are plenty of 8-8 teams that enter as wild cards. The NFL flaunts its parity with pride, the great Alan Selig has tried to emulate this with his prescriptions for "competitive balance", which on balance seem to have worked as you have not had a repeat world series champion this decade. But the greatness of baseball lies in the fact that only 4 teams per league are playing as of October 2.
Baseball's brilliance also lies in the fact that while the regular season is the best at selecting the worthy teams, it is a lousy predictor of who will ultimately reign as champion. Short series are predicated on dominant starting pitching, hot relievers and timely hitting. Baseball is the only sport where pure physicality is not dispositive. Often the "less talented" team will prevail based on key hits and an average pitcher with uncharacteristically good stuff. The only postseason that comes close is the NCAA tournament where a hot team can knock off the better team (see George Mason v. UConn). And while buzzer beaters are nice, nothing beats the walk off home run.
Objectively it is impossible to say that the best team truly wins every year and that is why postseason baseball is the best and most consistent of the playoffs in the major sports.
I cannot say that I have enjoyed a collapse more than the Mets the last few weeks. How stupid can you be to take a team that just wants to go back to South Beach and wake them up. The problem with the Mets all year has been a total lack of focus and leadership. Naturally you blame the manager. You would be wrong to do so. Willie has never gotten a fair shake from the Wilpons, being stuck with coaches he didn't choose and spies from the front office he cannot be held accountable. You have to look first at Omar Minaya.
One of the smart things the Yankees have done the past few years is bring in older players to help mentor the younger up and coming latin stars like Luis Sojo, Jose Vizcaino, Miguel Cairo, Chili Davis, Tim Raines, Ruben Sierra, all good clubhouse guys by the end of their tenure. The clubhouse is also ruled by Jorge Posada's hot temper and iron will. You think a Yankee would be allowed to get away with the antics the Mets displayed? You think Jeter or Posada would allow Cano to stand at home plate while the ball trickles down the base line in a must game? Would never happen.
Earlier in the season many Met fans proclaimed Reyes as the best shortstop in NY, he isn't even the best in his division. Jimmy Rollins, who should be the NL MVP, imposed his will on the stretch run the way Reyes did in the early season before the Mets became disinterested with the season. Rollins, knowing the Mets were down big, stole both second and third in the first inning, Reyes has failed to steal a base since September 15, in fact he had only 1 attempt since then.
A few other thoughts
Sherm Ave Fantasy Football - not to brag but I have rallied the troops after an abysmal 0-2 start to do what the Jets couldn't and square my record at 2-2. I suffered one of the all time worst defeats in the history of Fantasy Football where if you totaled my starters and bench points I still would have lost to my opponents starters. Look out
Boxing - it was great to be able to see a real live fight and not have to drop fifty bucks. Pavlik vs. Taylor was a refreshing trip to the fights of our youth where the two guys actually try to punch each other more than once a round.
Giants - great to see the new D coordinator Steve Spagnoulo exploiting the strengths of his unit by mixing blitz packages and making sure he had more guys rushing than could be blocked. ITs the only way to disguise the awful secondary play. Even Corey Webster can cover for 2-3 seconds. I'm still not sold on Eli, he makes too many dumb mistakes per game. I know his completion pct is up but he has thrown some of the most god awful intercepts I have ever seen and he still would rather try to float a pass off balance rather than step into a throw and take a hit or toss the ball out of bounds and live to fight another day. The offensive line is one fo the most underappreciated units in the game. The border war with the Jets Sunday will allow one team's season to continue and one will come to an end. Two enter, one leaves.
Rutgers - Its hard to believe that Rutgers was ranked as high as it has been based on its name. Yes, I will repeat that, Rutgers has garnered a high ranking based on its name and a Heisman candidate. Until Schiano finds a way to get his defense to use its speed to beat the bigger opponents it could be a long year. They are truly feeling the loss to graduation of an All Big East Nose Tackle and two linebackers who had been in the system for 4 years and understood the defense in and out. Never underestimate experience at the college level.
Don't forget to pick up your copy of Magic, hitting stores October 2. The new Springsteen Cd is an interesting compilation of pop hits, strong guitar driven rock and some 60s infused sound. There is an underlying political tone to the work but you have to real delve into the lyrics to find it, but it lurks within if you so desire. So far I am partial to Long Walk Home and Devil's Arcade. This album took me a few spins until I really appreciated the nuances and now i find myself singing the hooks.
The play in game just ended and I have a few thoughts:
With so much on the line, amazed at how boring the 8th thru 12th innings were
You had to know that the deadlock was ending when the Rockies brought in Jorge Julio, you know you are bad when you can't even pitch in the Mets bullpen.
How about Kaz Matsui in the playoffs, Jose Reyes at the salon frosting his hair.
Matt Holliday doesn't deserve the MVP just for sliding head first into home.
Seriously, who dresses Craig Sager, did he lose a bet as a child, I am happy I don't have TBS HD just so i dont have to see his ridiculous wardrobe in hi def.
Lastly, I don't care what SI says, Trevor Hoffman is not the greatest closer of all time and does not belong in the same sentence as Mariano Rivera.
Showing posts with label Springsteen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Springsteen. Show all posts
Monday, October 1, 2007
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Remembrances in memoriam
I was in Vivian Stringer's office when the towers came down, she was not there, she was on a plane. I was huddled with a group of 4-5 people transfixed to the television watching the world as we knew it change forever. Ill be the first to admit I hate hyperbole but to deny that 9/11 changed the world as we knew it is simply foolish.
I remember being angry, I remember being scared and most of all I remember feeling a real sense of brotherhood.
I remember being glued to the television, watching any bit of news I could find.
I remember heading to the RAC to volunteer since it was designated a triage site and waiting and waiting but no victims appeared.
I remember seeing the Pentagon on fire, then the immediate reports of car bombs throughout Washington and the total feeling of helplessness.
I remember going to the hospital to donate blood and having to wait hours in a cramped waiting room and the nods of acknowledgement shared by all and not one person complaining.
I remember going to school and packing supplies for the firefighters at ground zero and cheering for passing fire trucks.
I remember seeing a smoldering grey cloud of hovering smoke serving as a shroud over NYC.
I remember feeling guilty that I wasn’t doing more to help.
I remember the power of my first trip to Ground Zero. You couldn’t get a cab down there so we walked close to 30 blocks. I was astonished by both the sheer magnitude of the “pile” and the layers of paper, photos and signs affixed to anything that would hold.
I remember the giant American flag unfurled in centerfield at the first Yankee game after the attack, I have no idea who won the game.
I remember heading to Rutgers Stadium for the first football game not because it was an important game but because I needed to be around people. I remember trying to choke back tears listening to a lone trumpet emerging seemingly out of nowhere from the open end of the stadium to play taps.
I remember the Concert for New York and the Telethon. True celebrations of the power of music to foster healing.
I remember candlelight vigils in our neighborhood, people actually standing on their street corners with candles.
I remember calling Kris and one of us saying that for the first time in our life I understand what Pearl Harbor felt like and I would be willing to fight.
I remember being in a dollar store and hearing we had launched bombing strikes in Afghanistan.
I remember finding out that a good friend was supposed to be there.
I remember going to the World Series and while I don’t remember the security measures I do remember the flyover, the eagle Challenger and the red white and blue all over the place and the god bless America at the 7th inning stretch and most of all the Tino Martinez Home Run in the 9th and the Jeter walk-off that seemed to carry the spirit of the city.
I remember seeing my first M-16 rifle, it was strapped to a soldier standing guard in Penn Station.
I remember being scared when I heard the sounds of a plane flying a little too low.
I remember the blue light towers that shined in remembrance of what was once the symbol of lower Manhattan.
I remember the military patrol fly-overs.
I remember the skyline looking very strange and empty.
If you weren’t in New York or DC I don’t know if you truly felt the impact. I am fortunate to not have lost any close friends.
The area was gripped with fear. One of my friends said he expected the tv screen to fade to black and bin Laden’s face to come on and announce a take over.
It’s amazing how different a world we live in today simply from a security standpoint. 9/11 changed that, it changed the way we travel by air, it changed the way we attend big sporting events, it changed the way every explosion is reported.
It was a time when the country truly united. You saw celebrities giving of their time and resources and not for selfish reasons. They were not trying to push albums or upcoming movies. 9/11 was eventually politicized, but at first it was a positive polarization of the country. It engendered a sense of unity which I had not previously seen nor have seen since.
That unity was bolstered by sports, it is unquestioned that New York rallied behind its teams and most of the country threw its support behind New York. The Yankees, Rutgers and the Giants all provided avenues for me to escape the blanket of fear that covered us and for that I am grateful.
Our country never realized the potential of post 9/11 America, the opportunities were boundless to make the kind of change Martin argues for in the post below, but those opportunities were neglected.
I wish nothing but peace and prosperity to those personally affected six years ago and to the far too often forgotten rescue workers who continue to develop debilitating respiratory illnesses with far too little support from our government.
In the end, I don’t think anyone has captured the feelings of New York better than Bruce Springsteen did on the Rising album. I just want to share a few verses:
EMPTY SKY
I woke up this morning
I could barely breathe
Just an empty impression
In the bed where you used to be
I want a kiss from your lips
I want an eye for an eye
I woke up this morning to the empty sky
INTO THE FIRE
The sky was falling and streaked with blood
I heard you calling me then you disappeared into the dust
Up the stairs, into the fire
Up the stairs, into the fire
I need your kiss, but love and duty called you someplace higher
Somewhere up the stairs into the fire
THE RISING
Can't see nothin' in front of me
Can't see nothin' coming up behind
I make my way through this darkness
I can't feel nothing but this chain that binds me
Lost track of how far I've gone
How far I've gone, how high I've climbed
On my back's a sixty pound stone
On my shoulder a half mile line
Left the house this morning
Bells ringing filled the air
Wearin' the cross of my calling
On wheels of fire I come rollin' down here
YOU’RE MISSING
Shirts in the closet, shoes in the hall
Mama's in the kitchen, baby and all
Everything is everything
Everything is everything
But you're missing
Coffee cups on the counter, jackets on the chair
Papers on the doorstep, you're not there
Everything is everythingEverything is everything
But you're missing
Pictures on the nightstand, TV's on in the den
Your house is waiting, your house is waiting
For you to walk in, for you to walk in
But you're missing, you're missing
You're missing when I shut out the lights
You're missing when I close my eyes
You're missing when I see the sun rise
You're missing
Children are asking if it's alright
Will you be in our arms tonight?
Morning is morning, the evening falls I have
Too much room in my bed, too many phone calls
How's everything, everything?
Everything, everything
You're missing, you're missing
God's drifting in heaven, devil's in the mailboxI
got dust on my shoes, nothing but teardrops
I remember being angry, I remember being scared and most of all I remember feeling a real sense of brotherhood.
I remember being glued to the television, watching any bit of news I could find.
I remember heading to the RAC to volunteer since it was designated a triage site and waiting and waiting but no victims appeared.
I remember seeing the Pentagon on fire, then the immediate reports of car bombs throughout Washington and the total feeling of helplessness.
I remember going to the hospital to donate blood and having to wait hours in a cramped waiting room and the nods of acknowledgement shared by all and not one person complaining.
I remember going to school and packing supplies for the firefighters at ground zero and cheering for passing fire trucks.
I remember seeing a smoldering grey cloud of hovering smoke serving as a shroud over NYC.
I remember feeling guilty that I wasn’t doing more to help.
I remember the power of my first trip to Ground Zero. You couldn’t get a cab down there so we walked close to 30 blocks. I was astonished by both the sheer magnitude of the “pile” and the layers of paper, photos and signs affixed to anything that would hold.
I remember the giant American flag unfurled in centerfield at the first Yankee game after the attack, I have no idea who won the game.
I remember heading to Rutgers Stadium for the first football game not because it was an important game but because I needed to be around people. I remember trying to choke back tears listening to a lone trumpet emerging seemingly out of nowhere from the open end of the stadium to play taps.
I remember the Concert for New York and the Telethon. True celebrations of the power of music to foster healing.
I remember candlelight vigils in our neighborhood, people actually standing on their street corners with candles.
I remember calling Kris and one of us saying that for the first time in our life I understand what Pearl Harbor felt like and I would be willing to fight.
I remember being in a dollar store and hearing we had launched bombing strikes in Afghanistan.
I remember finding out that a good friend was supposed to be there.
I remember going to the World Series and while I don’t remember the security measures I do remember the flyover, the eagle Challenger and the red white and blue all over the place and the god bless America at the 7th inning stretch and most of all the Tino Martinez Home Run in the 9th and the Jeter walk-off that seemed to carry the spirit of the city.
I remember seeing my first M-16 rifle, it was strapped to a soldier standing guard in Penn Station.
I remember being scared when I heard the sounds of a plane flying a little too low.
I remember the blue light towers that shined in remembrance of what was once the symbol of lower Manhattan.
I remember the military patrol fly-overs.
I remember the skyline looking very strange and empty.
If you weren’t in New York or DC I don’t know if you truly felt the impact. I am fortunate to not have lost any close friends.
The area was gripped with fear. One of my friends said he expected the tv screen to fade to black and bin Laden’s face to come on and announce a take over.
It’s amazing how different a world we live in today simply from a security standpoint. 9/11 changed that, it changed the way we travel by air, it changed the way we attend big sporting events, it changed the way every explosion is reported.
It was a time when the country truly united. You saw celebrities giving of their time and resources and not for selfish reasons. They were not trying to push albums or upcoming movies. 9/11 was eventually politicized, but at first it was a positive polarization of the country. It engendered a sense of unity which I had not previously seen nor have seen since.
That unity was bolstered by sports, it is unquestioned that New York rallied behind its teams and most of the country threw its support behind New York. The Yankees, Rutgers and the Giants all provided avenues for me to escape the blanket of fear that covered us and for that I am grateful.
Our country never realized the potential of post 9/11 America, the opportunities were boundless to make the kind of change Martin argues for in the post below, but those opportunities were neglected.
I wish nothing but peace and prosperity to those personally affected six years ago and to the far too often forgotten rescue workers who continue to develop debilitating respiratory illnesses with far too little support from our government.
In the end, I don’t think anyone has captured the feelings of New York better than Bruce Springsteen did on the Rising album. I just want to share a few verses:
EMPTY SKY
I woke up this morning
I could barely breathe
Just an empty impression
In the bed where you used to be
I want a kiss from your lips
I want an eye for an eye
I woke up this morning to the empty sky
INTO THE FIRE
The sky was falling and streaked with blood
I heard you calling me then you disappeared into the dust
Up the stairs, into the fire
Up the stairs, into the fire
I need your kiss, but love and duty called you someplace higher
Somewhere up the stairs into the fire
THE RISING
Can't see nothin' in front of me
Can't see nothin' coming up behind
I make my way through this darkness
I can't feel nothing but this chain that binds me
Lost track of how far I've gone
How far I've gone, how high I've climbed
On my back's a sixty pound stone
On my shoulder a half mile line
Left the house this morning
Bells ringing filled the air
Wearin' the cross of my calling
On wheels of fire I come rollin' down here
YOU’RE MISSING
Shirts in the closet, shoes in the hall
Mama's in the kitchen, baby and all
Everything is everything
Everything is everything
But you're missing
Coffee cups on the counter, jackets on the chair
Papers on the doorstep, you're not there
Everything is everythingEverything is everything
But you're missing
Pictures on the nightstand, TV's on in the den
Your house is waiting, your house is waiting
For you to walk in, for you to walk in
But you're missing, you're missing
You're missing when I shut out the lights
You're missing when I close my eyes
You're missing when I see the sun rise
You're missing
Children are asking if it's alright
Will you be in our arms tonight?
Morning is morning, the evening falls I have
Too much room in my bed, too many phone calls
How's everything, everything?
Everything, everything
You're missing, you're missing
God's drifting in heaven, devil's in the mailboxI
got dust on my shoes, nothing but teardrops
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Must Wins and Must Sees
Game 2 is a must game for Cleveland. The 232 format makes it impossible for teams down 0-2 to win. My disdain for the 232 is recorded in my previous post. As with any long series the most important adjustments are made between games 1 and 2. If I were holed up in a hotel suite in San Antonio with Mike Brown these would be my suggestions for getting back in the series:
• Run guard guard screen rolls on the wing with LeBron setting the screen for Gibson/Hughes/Pavlovic. Since the Spurs jump and double LeBron on ball screens this gives him the opportunity to force a mismatch and if they still double you have a ball handler with an open drive or a shooter on the strong side of the floor. It also gets the ball in LeBron’s hands going toward the basket.
• Play some zone defense to make the Spurs play outside in rather than running the offense through Duncan. The Spurs shooters are pretty streaky, I’d rather live and die by them than Duncan. You should also bring strong doubles to Duncan on the catch early in the game, if you can frustrate him early on he tends to fade for a while.
• Need more Boobie – Daniel Gibson needs to play more, he is the only guy they have who can attempt to control Tony Parker off the dribble, it would be a different story with a healthy Hughes. He also presents a legitimate shooter who you should be able to open up with the doubles on LeBron. The other guards need to feed off his fearlessness and find ways to assert themselves.
• Transition conversion percentage – There will not be many opportunities to run because San Antonio gets back and recovers better than just about any team I've ever seen but when you get a chance you can’t brick a layup, you have to convert.
A few quick thoughts:
Knocked Up – Funniest movie I’ve seen since Wedding Crashers, easily the funniest and maybe one of the 5 best of the year so far. It isn’t perfect, it drags and some of the characters are superfluous, but it is well worth the admission price. It was nice to see a movie that was genuinely funny without resorting primarily to bodily humor jokes. Plus Katherine Heigl is worth seeing.
Ocean’s 13 – Was disappointed by Ocean’s 13, it was clearly better than 12 but nowhere near as fun and stylish as 11. The tone was off and it the plot was confusing. Yeah its fun to see all the characters you are familiar with, Clooney and Pitt are charming, the other guys play their roles well but it was just missing something. I walked out thinking it was just an excuse for Clooney and Pitt to hang out and get paid. On a side note, it didn’t help that the guy behind me took off his shoes and put his feet up on top of the seat next to me then answered 3 phone calls with his ringer on loud and felt the need to comment back to the movie after every joke/comment/surprise.
Early Oscar Watch – Saw a preview for American Gangster with Denzel and Russell Crowe and directed by Ridley Scott. It’s based on the true story of Frank Lucas from the 70s. It’s got gangsters, cops, Vietnam and two of the best actors of our generation. Set to arrive in theaters in November.
Yankees – Nice to see the Yankees found out the season started already. People will credit Clemens’ comeback and ARod’s walk off vs. Papelbon but the real story behind the comeback is the return to small ball. They have started to hit and run, bunt and actually score runners from third with less than two outs. Don’t overlook them in the second half if Pettitte can stay healthy.
Springsteen – Even if you are not a hardcore Springsteen fan, I defy you to pick up his new live cd and tell me you don’t enjoy it. It is composed of songs recorded in Dublin on his last tour with the Seeger Sessions Band. A 20 or so piece band he put together that plays folk music inspired by Pete Seeger. They also rework some of the Boss’ staples. I especially enjoy his rewrite of How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live. A song originally by Blind Alfred Reed that Springsteen reworked and first covered at the New Orleans Jazz Festival last year. It is undisputed that The Rising is the single best commentary on 9/11, and this song is as good a description of the wake of Katrina as I have heard.
Television – Though Summer is traditionally home to bad TV I must recommend the Fox reality show, On the Lot. It’s a filmmaker reality show that is refreshing in the amount of talent of the contestants. The show runs usually on Tuesdays and is like seeing a good Short Film Festival. I would also be remiss if I left out the new comedy central show Lil Bush which follows little George W. Bush and his friends (Condi, Dick and Rummy) through harrowing adventures. It debuts Wednesday at 10:30. If you have seen the previews you know that this is clearly must see TV.
Sopranos – For those who care, and I’m fairly certain at least half of my co-bloggers don’t, I predict Little Carmine will come back, eliminate Phil, retake his rightful place as the Boss of NY and broker a peace with Tony. The most important thing is that Silvio pulls through.
I’ll meet you further on up the road
• Run guard guard screen rolls on the wing with LeBron setting the screen for Gibson/Hughes/Pavlovic. Since the Spurs jump and double LeBron on ball screens this gives him the opportunity to force a mismatch and if they still double you have a ball handler with an open drive or a shooter on the strong side of the floor. It also gets the ball in LeBron’s hands going toward the basket.
• Play some zone defense to make the Spurs play outside in rather than running the offense through Duncan. The Spurs shooters are pretty streaky, I’d rather live and die by them than Duncan. You should also bring strong doubles to Duncan on the catch early in the game, if you can frustrate him early on he tends to fade for a while.
• Need more Boobie – Daniel Gibson needs to play more, he is the only guy they have who can attempt to control Tony Parker off the dribble, it would be a different story with a healthy Hughes. He also presents a legitimate shooter who you should be able to open up with the doubles on LeBron. The other guards need to feed off his fearlessness and find ways to assert themselves.
• Transition conversion percentage – There will not be many opportunities to run because San Antonio gets back and recovers better than just about any team I've ever seen but when you get a chance you can’t brick a layup, you have to convert.
A few quick thoughts:
Knocked Up – Funniest movie I’ve seen since Wedding Crashers, easily the funniest and maybe one of the 5 best of the year so far. It isn’t perfect, it drags and some of the characters are superfluous, but it is well worth the admission price. It was nice to see a movie that was genuinely funny without resorting primarily to bodily humor jokes. Plus Katherine Heigl is worth seeing.
Ocean’s 13 – Was disappointed by Ocean’s 13, it was clearly better than 12 but nowhere near as fun and stylish as 11. The tone was off and it the plot was confusing. Yeah its fun to see all the characters you are familiar with, Clooney and Pitt are charming, the other guys play their roles well but it was just missing something. I walked out thinking it was just an excuse for Clooney and Pitt to hang out and get paid. On a side note, it didn’t help that the guy behind me took off his shoes and put his feet up on top of the seat next to me then answered 3 phone calls with his ringer on loud and felt the need to comment back to the movie after every joke/comment/surprise.
Early Oscar Watch – Saw a preview for American Gangster with Denzel and Russell Crowe and directed by Ridley Scott. It’s based on the true story of Frank Lucas from the 70s. It’s got gangsters, cops, Vietnam and two of the best actors of our generation. Set to arrive in theaters in November.
Yankees – Nice to see the Yankees found out the season started already. People will credit Clemens’ comeback and ARod’s walk off vs. Papelbon but the real story behind the comeback is the return to small ball. They have started to hit and run, bunt and actually score runners from third with less than two outs. Don’t overlook them in the second half if Pettitte can stay healthy.
Springsteen – Even if you are not a hardcore Springsteen fan, I defy you to pick up his new live cd and tell me you don’t enjoy it. It is composed of songs recorded in Dublin on his last tour with the Seeger Sessions Band. A 20 or so piece band he put together that plays folk music inspired by Pete Seeger. They also rework some of the Boss’ staples. I especially enjoy his rewrite of How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live. A song originally by Blind Alfred Reed that Springsteen reworked and first covered at the New Orleans Jazz Festival last year. It is undisputed that The Rising is the single best commentary on 9/11, and this song is as good a description of the wake of Katrina as I have heard.
Television – Though Summer is traditionally home to bad TV I must recommend the Fox reality show, On the Lot. It’s a filmmaker reality show that is refreshing in the amount of talent of the contestants. The show runs usually on Tuesdays and is like seeing a good Short Film Festival. I would also be remiss if I left out the new comedy central show Lil Bush which follows little George W. Bush and his friends (Condi, Dick and Rummy) through harrowing adventures. It debuts Wednesday at 10:30. If you have seen the previews you know that this is clearly must see TV.
Sopranos – For those who care, and I’m fairly certain at least half of my co-bloggers don’t, I predict Little Carmine will come back, eliminate Phil, retake his rightful place as the Boss of NY and broker a peace with Tony. The most important thing is that Silvio pulls through.
I’ll meet you further on up the road
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