Well, that's a way to start a game.
I believe I stated the obvious in the last post, but I'll say it again. As Jose Reyes goes, so goes the Mets. Reyes led off Wednesday's game with a home run, Delgado followed and Beltran smashed two more behind them for a much-needed 9-7 win.
It was 9-7 because the Gnats are acting like roaches and niggas. They just won't die (Thanks to Nas and The Last Poets for that reference).
That and they're facing Ricardo Rincon, Aaron Heilman, Brian Stokes and the rest of the Mets pen. I will always find it funny when everyone says Omar should have got someone at the deadline, like he was the only GM looking for bullpen help.
To prove my point, I'll ask you to conduct a personal quiz. Think quickly about all the teams battling for playoff spots that are lock, stock and set with their pen.
Go ahead. I'll wait.
National League:
Phillies - Lidge has returned to form and that sets up the rest of those guys. Plus it helps that Flash Gordon is done for the year although he's a great 8th inning guy...
Cubs - Although be honest. Can you really trust Kerry Wood, first time trying to close the door in the postseason?
Dodgers - Yeah, but name me three of the guys coming in? What's that? Broxton, Hu Jung Qou or whatever with Siato at the end? OK, but where were those guys when they were losing 10 straight like two weeks ago?
American League
Angles - Did you know KRod hasn't entered a tie game or entered without a lead and he's never worked in the eighth inning? Granted, that's a shout out to the rest of his pen, but he's no Mo Riveria and wouldn't that worry you a touch? I mean, if they're tied in the ninth at home against the Red Sox and someone gets on, wouldn't you want KRod to get you into the bottom of the frame still tied? That would be new for him and if he doesn't come in then, he's never going to get a chance if you're only holding him for save situations...
Twins - Now you certainly can't name three guys in this pen, but Joe Nathan is the real deal despite getting bombed the other day.
Red Sox - Well, I guess. But that's a slight reach just because of Pap in the ninth.
That's it. That's the list and that's six teams when we're talking about 12 total. No one is a lock and everyone is looking for help. It just so happens that the Mets need it more...
One quick note about the win. The biggest run happened in the third inning. Reyes led off the frame by working the count full then walking. He then stole second base and was in scoring position with no one out. Rookie Dan Murphy would hit one off the wall and Reyes would score easily, but a sac bunt would have put him at third and if David Wright remembered he's a professional hitter, he would have brought the run home.
That's the kind of production we need to get a ticket to the October dance.
Quick note on next year - I know about the Delgado contract and the fact of the matter is, he's still gonna cost $4 just to let go, so we're really paying him $8 for the year. I don't think we have to worry about MVP and that whole point thing that would trigger the $16 mill for next year and think about it, for him to do that would mean we just won the World Series. I think I speak for Mets fans everywhere that wouldn't mind seeing his old ass again at that price if it meant a championship.
I think the days of the old geezer free agent contract is over, not just for the Mets but around baseball. Hence the emphasis on the draft and signing foriegn players. Let's take first base for example - Texeria will be paid, the Rangers will pick up Hank Blalock's contract and the rest aren't great.
Manny, CC and Tex will get paid. The rest of the list is loaded with over-30 guys and few have their best years ahead of them although if the Angels don't pick up John Lackey's 9 million option, I would love to see him in Citi. Likely more like Randy Wolf if the price tag for Oli gets too high. A feeler at Brandon Lyon and sign Juan Cruz for the pen and give the youngsters a chance. I think the Mets will be like many other teams and remember Carlos Silva and not overpay for underperforming talent...
Next Up:
Johan Santana will face Tim Redding, a crafty 30-year old who is beatable but who isn't for the Gnats. the 137 million dollar man is 13-7 with a 2.70 ERA. I've said this before and I'll say it again - if the bullpen saves half the games he's left in thier hands with a lead they would be taking about another Cy Young for him...
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
The Countdown - 12 to go
One fucking run.
They lost by one fucking run.
They lost by one fucking run to the Gnats.
There's really not much else to say. Two weeks ago, they were finding ways to win. They would rebound from demoralizing losses one night with a great win the next.
Now they are reverting back to last year, to what everyone is predicting and writing about and the whole nine. It's time like this that I'm glad I don't have ESPN...
By the way, the Phillies, like the sharks they are, smelled blood and came back and beat the Braves to take over first place. Good for them. That town needs some positive sports team to rip down and let's face reality, the Eagles can score but they can't defend and will be exposed in the playoffs...
We are now tied for the wild card and 1/2 game behind J-Roll, Chase and HR or K Howard. By the way, who's gonna pay $12 million a year for 4 years to put Pat Burrell in left field.
I did hear about Murphy moving to 2B and I love that move too. I would like to think you could eat that contract, but it will be hard to convince the Wilpons with the fact it's a lot of money and the 10 million they're eating with Wagner.
I could see Oli P getting too expensive, but the Dodgers have bigger fish in the ocean to spend on, like the guy playing left field right now. He started out in San Diego and I don't think they want him back. Seattle is still paying Carlos Silva to suck and the D-Backs need a closer and a power bat, not pitching. San Francisco already has an erractic left-hander and we all remember the last left-hander that pitched well at Shea, then went to Colorado for the money. I mean the school system...
Next Up:
We continue in DC, now with hopes to come away with a split of this four game series. The Mets official website gave me the rookie starter I wrote about yesterday, but luckily for us it was Odalis "Yes, I'm still pitching for money" who spoiled another great performance by Pelfrey.
Now we look to Brandon Knight, according to the site, against Shairon Martis. All I can say is good luck and a note that's obvious to anyone who's seen the Mets over the past four years. As Jose goes, so goes the team.
He got hot. We got hot. He smoked a coke-filled cock for the last two months of last year, we followed suit. The past three games, all losses, the NL hits leader has gone 2-11 with one walk and has only scored three of his 101 runs in the last 10 games.
So if you want to see how the team will do. Just watch the first at-bat. If he works the count and walks or lines a single on the third pitch, look out. If he pops up to shallow right, as Howie Rose says, you can put it in the books.
They lost by one fucking run.
They lost by one fucking run to the Gnats.
There's really not much else to say. Two weeks ago, they were finding ways to win. They would rebound from demoralizing losses one night with a great win the next.
Now they are reverting back to last year, to what everyone is predicting and writing about and the whole nine. It's time like this that I'm glad I don't have ESPN...
By the way, the Phillies, like the sharks they are, smelled blood and came back and beat the Braves to take over first place. Good for them. That town needs some positive sports team to rip down and let's face reality, the Eagles can score but they can't defend and will be exposed in the playoffs...
We are now tied for the wild card and 1/2 game behind J-Roll, Chase and HR or K Howard. By the way, who's gonna pay $12 million a year for 4 years to put Pat Burrell in left field.
I did hear about Murphy moving to 2B and I love that move too. I would like to think you could eat that contract, but it will be hard to convince the Wilpons with the fact it's a lot of money and the 10 million they're eating with Wagner.
I could see Oli P getting too expensive, but the Dodgers have bigger fish in the ocean to spend on, like the guy playing left field right now. He started out in San Diego and I don't think they want him back. Seattle is still paying Carlos Silva to suck and the D-Backs need a closer and a power bat, not pitching. San Francisco already has an erractic left-hander and we all remember the last left-hander that pitched well at Shea, then went to Colorado for the money. I mean the school system...
Next Up:
We continue in DC, now with hopes to come away with a split of this four game series. The Mets official website gave me the rookie starter I wrote about yesterday, but luckily for us it was Odalis "Yes, I'm still pitching for money" who spoiled another great performance by Pelfrey.
Now we look to Brandon Knight, according to the site, against Shairon Martis. All I can say is good luck and a note that's obvious to anyone who's seen the Mets over the past four years. As Jose goes, so goes the team.
He got hot. We got hot. He smoked a coke-filled cock for the last two months of last year, we followed suit. The past three games, all losses, the NL hits leader has gone 2-11 with one walk and has only scored three of his 101 runs in the last 10 games.
So if you want to see how the team will do. Just watch the first at-bat. If he works the count and walks or lines a single on the third pitch, look out. If he pops up to shallow right, as Howie Rose says, you can put it in the books.
Here Come The Warm Jets: Week 2 2008
I had a bad feeling about this game from the beginning. It's true. I even said so via text message to our friend Greg out in Seattle right when the game started.
Here's why, and what seemed to me to be a little bit lost in the coverage prior the game: the Patriots are still a talented, disciplined, well-coached team, even without Tom Brady. And if they were going to find a way to stay that way, it was going to be against the Jets, whom all of the Pats, especially the coach, hates passionately. There's something about the combination of shared adversity and intense hatred that can focus the mind of an NFL team, at least for a week.
On top of that, the Jets are still a team working in a lot of new people, most particularly the quarterback. We all knew the first four to six weeks were going to be sloppy, no matter who they were playing. But sloppy against a team like the Patriots, even a little sloppy, and you don't have much of a chance.
So you have the combination of a team motivated to show everyone that they can win without their star QB, playing a team trying to figure itself out but now with dramatically increased expectations.
Of course the Jets were going to lose. I felt it in my gut.
That, of course, didn't make it any less frustrating. Because if the Jets played up to their potential consistently, they definitely could have won this game. But they didn't, as is typical, so they lost, which is familiar.
The other thing that's typical, of course, is that the coverage of the game's aftermath has been all about the quarterback play. That's what the media story line is always going to be. If you look at it, though, the quarterback play wasn't what was important in this game.
This was actually a very evenly played game, statistically.
Really. Look it up.
Total Yards: 260 for the Pats vs 256 for the Jets
Rushing Yards: 104 for both
3rd Down: 6-14 for the Pats vs 6-12 for the Jets
Time of Possession: 31:35 for the Pats vs 28:25 for the Jets
The game could have gone either way, based on those numbers.
So let's talk about the numbers that lost the game for the Jets:
One missed FG. The Jets get the ball to open the game, and move it very nicely. Thomas Jones has a few good-looking runs, Favre makes a couple of good 3rd down throws. The offensive line is looking good, the Jets have momentum, the crowd is energetic. The drive stalls, no huge deal, kick the field goal, take the lead, and put even more pressue on Cassel, playing from behind. So they bring Jay Feely for a 31-yard chip shot. Which he misses. Badly. Thus the air is taken out of everything: the team, the crowd, the cheerlearders, everything. And Cassel can take a deep breath and get settled.
Three runs. The Jets get first and goal at the Patriots 3 yard line in the second quarter. They run Thomas Jones three times, who does not score, and they kick a field goal. I was actually okay with the first two runs - up until that point, they had been running the ball effectively, so it wasn't that bad a call. But on third down, with Favre as the QB, call a pass. That's what you have him for. And against the Pats, really against any team, you have to get a TD when you get first and goal inside the 5. Just ask the Vikings what only kicking field goals gets you.
Three penalties. The first time the Jets get the ball in the second half, down 6-3, after a drive where the defense sacked Cassel twice, they decide to show off their sloppiness. On the first play, a 10-yard run by Thomas Jones gets called back by a holding penalty. On the next play, Favre throws the ball from in front of the line of scrimmage. Whatever momentum they might have had from the good defense was gone. But, wait, two plays later, they actually convert on a third and 22, a great throw from Favre to Stuckey. On the next play, they go deep to Cotchery, who makes a great catch in Pats territory. But, questionably in my opinion, they call Cotchery for offensive pass interference. Two plays later Favre throws a bad interception. Six plays later the Patriots get a TD, go up 13-3, and basically put the game away.
Seven of nine. Field position was the real key to the game. Here's an interesting stat: the Jets had the ball nine times in the game. Seven of those times, they started from their own 20. The other two times, they started from their own 25 and their own 23, respectively. That means that every scoring drive would have had to be 55 to 80 yards, which is hard to do against any team, especially against a defense as good as New England's. Gostkowski has to get a lot of credit for this - the first five times he kicked off, it was an unreturnable touchback. But this means there were no turnovers, no big kick returns, no big penalties on the Pats after a kickoff, any of that. Hard to win when you play a team that is not making mistakes.
26 yards, 29 yards, 14 yards, 40 yards. The net yardage of four punts by Ben Graham. Those are pitiful numbers. The Patriots had three scoring drives where they first got the ball in Jets territory. One of those was after Favre's interception. The other two were because of terrible Graham punts. Giving an offense you know was going to be conservative (runs, short passes, etc.) a short field is making it a bit too easy for them.
So where does it leave everything? 1-1. Which isn't the worst thing, but it isn't great. They play the next game in San Diego, on Monday night. The Chargers are going to be pissed and desperate at 0-2. Not an easy game, by any means.
Can the Jets win games, even against good teams? Absolutely. The offensive line looked very good at times, and the more they play together the better they should get. The run defense looked dominant, up until the fourth quarter when they gave up a bunch of runs to Lamont Jordan (of all fucking people), and the offense didn't do the defense any favors, putting together a string of short drives in the second and third quarter. Plus, Revis basically shut down Randy Moss, which was awesome to see, Favre is starting to figure things out, and Thomas Jones has looked stronger and faster than last year in the first two games.
What do they need to do? Fix the kicking game. Right now. Today. Do whatever they have to do, get a new punter, fix the existing punter, get Nugent back, get Dave Jennings from the booth, I don't care. And stop with the conservative play-calling already. It almost cost the game in Miami, and it contributed to this loss against the Pats.
The other thing they need to do? Win a game they're not supposed to win, like on the road against San Diego. Then actually win a game they are supposed to win, like home against Arizona. Then be 3-1 going into the bye week. Do that, so I can get these bad feelings out of my guts already.
Here's why, and what seemed to me to be a little bit lost in the coverage prior the game: the Patriots are still a talented, disciplined, well-coached team, even without Tom Brady. And if they were going to find a way to stay that way, it was going to be against the Jets, whom all of the Pats, especially the coach, hates passionately. There's something about the combination of shared adversity and intense hatred that can focus the mind of an NFL team, at least for a week.
On top of that, the Jets are still a team working in a lot of new people, most particularly the quarterback. We all knew the first four to six weeks were going to be sloppy, no matter who they were playing. But sloppy against a team like the Patriots, even a little sloppy, and you don't have much of a chance.
So you have the combination of a team motivated to show everyone that they can win without their star QB, playing a team trying to figure itself out but now with dramatically increased expectations.
Of course the Jets were going to lose. I felt it in my gut.
That, of course, didn't make it any less frustrating. Because if the Jets played up to their potential consistently, they definitely could have won this game. But they didn't, as is typical, so they lost, which is familiar.
The other thing that's typical, of course, is that the coverage of the game's aftermath has been all about the quarterback play. That's what the media story line is always going to be. If you look at it, though, the quarterback play wasn't what was important in this game.
This was actually a very evenly played game, statistically.
Really. Look it up.
Total Yards: 260 for the Pats vs 256 for the Jets
Rushing Yards: 104 for both
3rd Down: 6-14 for the Pats vs 6-12 for the Jets
Time of Possession: 31:35 for the Pats vs 28:25 for the Jets
The game could have gone either way, based on those numbers.
So let's talk about the numbers that lost the game for the Jets:
One missed FG. The Jets get the ball to open the game, and move it very nicely. Thomas Jones has a few good-looking runs, Favre makes a couple of good 3rd down throws. The offensive line is looking good, the Jets have momentum, the crowd is energetic. The drive stalls, no huge deal, kick the field goal, take the lead, and put even more pressue on Cassel, playing from behind. So they bring Jay Feely for a 31-yard chip shot. Which he misses. Badly. Thus the air is taken out of everything: the team, the crowd, the cheerlearders, everything. And Cassel can take a deep breath and get settled.
Three runs. The Jets get first and goal at the Patriots 3 yard line in the second quarter. They run Thomas Jones three times, who does not score, and they kick a field goal. I was actually okay with the first two runs - up until that point, they had been running the ball effectively, so it wasn't that bad a call. But on third down, with Favre as the QB, call a pass. That's what you have him for. And against the Pats, really against any team, you have to get a TD when you get first and goal inside the 5. Just ask the Vikings what only kicking field goals gets you.
Three penalties. The first time the Jets get the ball in the second half, down 6-3, after a drive where the defense sacked Cassel twice, they decide to show off their sloppiness. On the first play, a 10-yard run by Thomas Jones gets called back by a holding penalty. On the next play, Favre throws the ball from in front of the line of scrimmage. Whatever momentum they might have had from the good defense was gone. But, wait, two plays later, they actually convert on a third and 22, a great throw from Favre to Stuckey. On the next play, they go deep to Cotchery, who makes a great catch in Pats territory. But, questionably in my opinion, they call Cotchery for offensive pass interference. Two plays later Favre throws a bad interception. Six plays later the Patriots get a TD, go up 13-3, and basically put the game away.
Seven of nine. Field position was the real key to the game. Here's an interesting stat: the Jets had the ball nine times in the game. Seven of those times, they started from their own 20. The other two times, they started from their own 25 and their own 23, respectively. That means that every scoring drive would have had to be 55 to 80 yards, which is hard to do against any team, especially against a defense as good as New England's. Gostkowski has to get a lot of credit for this - the first five times he kicked off, it was an unreturnable touchback. But this means there were no turnovers, no big kick returns, no big penalties on the Pats after a kickoff, any of that. Hard to win when you play a team that is not making mistakes.
26 yards, 29 yards, 14 yards, 40 yards. The net yardage of four punts by Ben Graham. Those are pitiful numbers. The Patriots had three scoring drives where they first got the ball in Jets territory. One of those was after Favre's interception. The other two were because of terrible Graham punts. Giving an offense you know was going to be conservative (runs, short passes, etc.) a short field is making it a bit too easy for them.
So where does it leave everything? 1-1. Which isn't the worst thing, but it isn't great. They play the next game in San Diego, on Monday night. The Chargers are going to be pissed and desperate at 0-2. Not an easy game, by any means.
Can the Jets win games, even against good teams? Absolutely. The offensive line looked very good at times, and the more they play together the better they should get. The run defense looked dominant, up until the fourth quarter when they gave up a bunch of runs to Lamont Jordan (of all fucking people), and the offense didn't do the defense any favors, putting together a string of short drives in the second and third quarter. Plus, Revis basically shut down Randy Moss, which was awesome to see, Favre is starting to figure things out, and Thomas Jones has looked stronger and faster than last year in the first two games.
What do they need to do? Fix the kicking game. Right now. Today. Do whatever they have to do, get a new punter, fix the existing punter, get Nugent back, get Dave Jennings from the booth, I don't care. And stop with the conservative play-calling already. It almost cost the game in Miami, and it contributed to this loss against the Pats.
The other thing they need to do? Win a game they're not supposed to win, like on the road against San Diego. Then actually win a game they are supposed to win, like home against Arizona. Then be 3-1 going into the bye week. Do that, so I can get these bad feelings out of my guts already.
Monday, September 15, 2008
The Countdown - 13 to go
So I've started this before the final out, but the outcome is clearly apparent and I'm already into rehab mode...
So with his outburst in the second half, we'll pick up Carlos Delgado's option and have him mentor Mike Carp and 2008 first round draft pick Ike Davis at first base. Luis Castillo is signed for another three years, so he's the option at second base with Argenis Reyes as the backup.
The left side is locked down and...
Oh yeah, no one cares that I think we'll be OK with Santana, Pelfrey, a healthy Maine, Johnny Neise and Oli P at an overblown rate, but at least we known what we're getting with him.
To be honest, no one really cares about the loser Mets finding ways to lose yet again, but here we go again...
Nationals 7, Mets 2
Well, what is there to say? I was joking yesterday when I wrote about Lannan doing his best impersonation of Steve Carlton. Someone must have texted him about it because he didn't take it as a joke.
Seven innings, seven strikeouts, one hit (by big bat Brian Schneider) and one run on a ground out by Jose Reyes. That's it. That's the list.
"One hit. We only got one god-damn hit!"
"You can't say that on the air!?!?"
It doesn't matter because the bats don't seem to be listening anyway. Pedro went five and allowed two runs, then gave up a two-run single to Anderson Hernandez, the same Anderson that we traded to the Gnats for our closer Luis Ayala. The same Anderson that Omar determined wasn't good enough to take over the job at second base so he signed Luis Castillo for four years and $25 million...
Another point for another day, I guess. I guess the main point is there's 13 days left in the season and we've got everything to play for. I figured it would take a 10-4 finish with wins on the two days the Phillies had off to win this thing.
I envisioned "Major League" and stripping off parts from Paul Lo Duca's ex-wife.
Instead, it's like there's a picture of Lo Duca in the locker room and they're trying to keep his patches on to avoid staring at his junk every time they head to the park.
Up Next: Mets at Nationals
The matchup is a classic between Cy Young specialists. The good guys from Queens will put Nelson Figuroa on the mound against Shairon Martis.
Yes, that same Shairon Martis, the 21-year old phenom with two career starts against Florida and Atlanta. He went five innings against each and struck out 11 while allowing just three runs.
There's not much about him, but who can't see him throwing 7 shutout frames in the thick of a pennant race, one which now makes things really interesting.
So with his outburst in the second half, we'll pick up Carlos Delgado's option and have him mentor Mike Carp and 2008 first round draft pick Ike Davis at first base. Luis Castillo is signed for another three years, so he's the option at second base with Argenis Reyes as the backup.
The left side is locked down and...
Oh yeah, no one cares that I think we'll be OK with Santana, Pelfrey, a healthy Maine, Johnny Neise and Oli P at an overblown rate, but at least we known what we're getting with him.
To be honest, no one really cares about the loser Mets finding ways to lose yet again, but here we go again...
Nationals 7, Mets 2
Well, what is there to say? I was joking yesterday when I wrote about Lannan doing his best impersonation of Steve Carlton. Someone must have texted him about it because he didn't take it as a joke.
Seven innings, seven strikeouts, one hit (by big bat Brian Schneider) and one run on a ground out by Jose Reyes. That's it. That's the list.
"One hit. We only got one god-damn hit!"
"You can't say that on the air!?!?"
It doesn't matter because the bats don't seem to be listening anyway. Pedro went five and allowed two runs, then gave up a two-run single to Anderson Hernandez, the same Anderson that we traded to the Gnats for our closer Luis Ayala. The same Anderson that Omar determined wasn't good enough to take over the job at second base so he signed Luis Castillo for four years and $25 million...
Another point for another day, I guess. I guess the main point is there's 13 days left in the season and we've got everything to play for. I figured it would take a 10-4 finish with wins on the two days the Phillies had off to win this thing.
I envisioned "Major League" and stripping off parts from Paul Lo Duca's ex-wife.
Instead, it's like there's a picture of Lo Duca in the locker room and they're trying to keep his patches on to avoid staring at his junk every time they head to the park.
Up Next: Mets at Nationals
The matchup is a classic between Cy Young specialists. The good guys from Queens will put Nelson Figuroa on the mound against Shairon Martis.
Yes, that same Shairon Martis, the 21-year old phenom with two career starts against Florida and Atlanta. He went five innings against each and struck out 11 while allowing just three runs.
There's not much about him, but who can't see him throwing 7 shutout frames in the thick of a pennant race, one which now makes things really interesting.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
The Countdown - 14 to go
Sad to have this be my return to this blog, but here I am with enough time in my new home in Atlanta to start an journey that hopefully won't be a painful reminder of a season gone lost...
With 14 games left and your New York Metropolitans the only New York baseball team with an outside chance to play postseason baseball, I will provide you with my thoughts on each of their remaining games. Add to that, I'll add a little bit about what's been happening with me and my family over the past couple of months, what I'm doing now (like you care) and hopefully there'll be a report or two that include my up-close and personal view of the team I love when they arrive in Atlanta next week...
But before that, we start with Sunday's heartbreaking loss.
Atlanta Braves 7, Mets 4
At the beginning of the baseball season, I found $180 to pay for the Extra Innings package because I believed my team would be competitive, mostly because they would put a quality starting pitcher on the mound each night...
Well, with my prison sentence complete after five years in the penal colony that is Mississippi done thanks to good behavior, a desire to return to a city (any city) and my wife's inability to get a quality job in that podunk crap shoot of a state, I'm in Atlanta (Doraville to be exact, I'll get to that later...)
Being in Atlanta means I had to sell my house and in this market for selling homes being a touch barren, I'm waiting for the profit, which means I have to currently live in my two-bedroom apartment with broadcast instead of DirecTV.
Either way, I would have missed the first couple of innings of Sunday's game thanks to church service. Yes, I go to church with my family because they need it and they deserve that. That and when you marry a maiden from the Magnolia State, you marry yourself into that Sunday ritual.
We could get into a religious debate, about whether there was a Jesus and why women are belittled in the Great Book despite committing the first sin and the strangeness of hearing preachers talk about how everyone needs to conform to their beliefs and what would happen to the millions that believe something different and the billions that lived without Christ entering their lives another day...
Especially since the Lord seems to hate my team with a passion.
Saturday's doubleheader was a testament to this season. Johan Santana, who would have the Cy Young wrapped up if not for the bulk of the this blog's closing, pitched great for seven innings and despite getting little support from the boys behind him, was in line for another win.
Jerry Manuel (At least a top three finish for Manager of the Year) looked down the bench and instead of asking for the phone, with Johan having thrown 107 pitches with runners on base in each inning, sent the ace back out there...
Well, I could continue but you know the rest. Then the rookie, Johnny Niese, comes out in the nightcap and has to throw into the eighth because of...
Well, fast forward (or rewind however you want to look at it) to Sunday and Oli P (Who we'll probably have to overpay for in the offseason, but probably will be worth it with the recent free agent pitcher's market, the huge contract for Santana and the fact we'll have $10 to pay to Billy Wagner next year when he doesn't pitch for us at all).
Anyway, Oli P goes seven and Jerry has to reluctantly go to the pen, but Joe Smith would strike out two to end the frame after Scott Schoeneweis allows two hits. Bottom eighth sees two on and two out and Endy Chavez doing what seemed to be the affliction last year and has taken form this season as well - stranding runners in scoring position late.
The Mets did the same thing on Saturday and have done it for the past month - the offense scores early (They lead the majors in first inning runs), then goes dormant and hopes the starting pitching can hold on long enough for the bullpen not to blow it.
Well, Luis Ayala has been money. As money as you can be when you're a relief pitcher that Omar had when he was in Montreal, that missed the 2006 season due to surgery and was absolutely dreadful for the Gnats before getting traded to Queens.
I was driving back from Target after getting my wife some unmentionables and listening to the game on my XM radio when the ninth inning began. My complex has a fitness room with televisions that have cable and for some silly reason, I parked and went in.
When I finally found the game on Turner Sports South, I was just in time to see Ayala had allowed the first two Braves on base and Greg Norton (cue Berman in Bristol for a Honeymooners voice) up to bat. Ayala got two strikes and then left a change right over the plate that Norton fouled off.
Van Buren or Sutton or whoever was calling the bloody game said, "He just missed that one" and the replay confirmed that yes, when you throw a pitch right down Broadway to a major league batter, they will usually kill it or "Just miss it". Two pitches later, he didn't miss it and the game was over.
The fact that Wright and Delgado reached in the bottom of the frame, meaning Fernando Tatis had a chance to be the hero with one swing was just a way to tease fans into watching these last two weeks closely, even if it means following on MLB Gameday like I was in my apartment while pretending to watch my nearly-one year old daughter race around.
This Mets team has resolve and that's a credit to Manuel. But they are hot and cold like no other. We've got three guys with 100 RBI's (Wright, Delgado and Beltran), the NL hits leader with 101 runs and 50 stolen bases in Jose Reyes but still find a way to make guys like Jeff Bennett look like Goose Gossage.
Next up: Monday at Nationals
So do they make John Lannan (8-13, 4.09) look like Steve Carlton, especially with his former team hot on their heels? Philly, who will be tied for the NL Wild Card lead after tonight's four-game sweep of the Brew Crew, are on fire and will come here to take on Turner Field and its empty seats starting on Tuesday.
Our two-game sweep in Shea was an offensive explosion with Delgado making people believe he's a legit MVP candidate despite the old-grey mare sucking like a whore for the last 64 to 66 weeks before a 9-RBI afternoon at Yankee Stadium. Oli and Mike Pelfrey (Thank the Gods above and below he's not in Minnesota) got shelled and the later is a probable for Tuesday. However it's Pedro for starters and if you want to talk about old grey mares, we need this one to remember how to pitch for the next two to three starts.
Especially tonight. Especially with the Phillies playing like it's 2007 and there's 17 games left and we're seven games up...
With 14 games left and your New York Metropolitans the only New York baseball team with an outside chance to play postseason baseball, I will provide you with my thoughts on each of their remaining games. Add to that, I'll add a little bit about what's been happening with me and my family over the past couple of months, what I'm doing now (like you care) and hopefully there'll be a report or two that include my up-close and personal view of the team I love when they arrive in Atlanta next week...
But before that, we start with Sunday's heartbreaking loss.
Atlanta Braves 7, Mets 4
At the beginning of the baseball season, I found $180 to pay for the Extra Innings package because I believed my team would be competitive, mostly because they would put a quality starting pitcher on the mound each night...
Well, with my prison sentence complete after five years in the penal colony that is Mississippi done thanks to good behavior, a desire to return to a city (any city) and my wife's inability to get a quality job in that podunk crap shoot of a state, I'm in Atlanta (Doraville to be exact, I'll get to that later...)
Being in Atlanta means I had to sell my house and in this market for selling homes being a touch barren, I'm waiting for the profit, which means I have to currently live in my two-bedroom apartment with broadcast instead of DirecTV.
Either way, I would have missed the first couple of innings of Sunday's game thanks to church service. Yes, I go to church with my family because they need it and they deserve that. That and when you marry a maiden from the Magnolia State, you marry yourself into that Sunday ritual.
We could get into a religious debate, about whether there was a Jesus and why women are belittled in the Great Book despite committing the first sin and the strangeness of hearing preachers talk about how everyone needs to conform to their beliefs and what would happen to the millions that believe something different and the billions that lived without Christ entering their lives another day...
Especially since the Lord seems to hate my team with a passion.
Saturday's doubleheader was a testament to this season. Johan Santana, who would have the Cy Young wrapped up if not for the bulk of the this blog's closing, pitched great for seven innings and despite getting little support from the boys behind him, was in line for another win.
Jerry Manuel (At least a top three finish for Manager of the Year) looked down the bench and instead of asking for the phone, with Johan having thrown 107 pitches with runners on base in each inning, sent the ace back out there...
Well, I could continue but you know the rest. Then the rookie, Johnny Niese, comes out in the nightcap and has to throw into the eighth because of...
Well, fast forward (or rewind however you want to look at it) to Sunday and Oli P (Who we'll probably have to overpay for in the offseason, but probably will be worth it with the recent free agent pitcher's market, the huge contract for Santana and the fact we'll have $10 to pay to Billy Wagner next year when he doesn't pitch for us at all).
Anyway, Oli P goes seven and Jerry has to reluctantly go to the pen, but Joe Smith would strike out two to end the frame after Scott Schoeneweis allows two hits. Bottom eighth sees two on and two out and Endy Chavez doing what seemed to be the affliction last year and has taken form this season as well - stranding runners in scoring position late.
The Mets did the same thing on Saturday and have done it for the past month - the offense scores early (They lead the majors in first inning runs), then goes dormant and hopes the starting pitching can hold on long enough for the bullpen not to blow it.
Well, Luis Ayala has been money. As money as you can be when you're a relief pitcher that Omar had when he was in Montreal, that missed the 2006 season due to surgery and was absolutely dreadful for the Gnats before getting traded to Queens.
I was driving back from Target after getting my wife some unmentionables and listening to the game on my XM radio when the ninth inning began. My complex has a fitness room with televisions that have cable and for some silly reason, I parked and went in.
When I finally found the game on Turner Sports South, I was just in time to see Ayala had allowed the first two Braves on base and Greg Norton (cue Berman in Bristol for a Honeymooners voice) up to bat. Ayala got two strikes and then left a change right over the plate that Norton fouled off.
Van Buren or Sutton or whoever was calling the bloody game said, "He just missed that one" and the replay confirmed that yes, when you throw a pitch right down Broadway to a major league batter, they will usually kill it or "Just miss it". Two pitches later, he didn't miss it and the game was over.
The fact that Wright and Delgado reached in the bottom of the frame, meaning Fernando Tatis had a chance to be the hero with one swing was just a way to tease fans into watching these last two weeks closely, even if it means following on MLB Gameday like I was in my apartment while pretending to watch my nearly-one year old daughter race around.
This Mets team has resolve and that's a credit to Manuel. But they are hot and cold like no other. We've got three guys with 100 RBI's (Wright, Delgado and Beltran), the NL hits leader with 101 runs and 50 stolen bases in Jose Reyes but still find a way to make guys like Jeff Bennett look like Goose Gossage.
Next up: Monday at Nationals
So do they make John Lannan (8-13, 4.09) look like Steve Carlton, especially with his former team hot on their heels? Philly, who will be tied for the NL Wild Card lead after tonight's four-game sweep of the Brew Crew, are on fire and will come here to take on Turner Field and its empty seats starting on Tuesday.
Our two-game sweep in Shea was an offensive explosion with Delgado making people believe he's a legit MVP candidate despite the old-grey mare sucking like a whore for the last 64 to 66 weeks before a 9-RBI afternoon at Yankee Stadium. Oli and Mike Pelfrey (Thank the Gods above and below he's not in Minnesota) got shelled and the later is a probable for Tuesday. However it's Pedro for starters and if you want to talk about old grey mares, we need this one to remember how to pitch for the next two to three starts.
Especially tonight. Especially with the Phillies playing like it's 2007 and there's 17 games left and we're seven games up...
Monday, September 8, 2008
Here Come The Warm Jets: Week 1 2008
Another NFL season can mean only one thing here at the Sherman Avenue Block Party: another year of weekly looks into the always-tortured soul of this particular Jets fan.
Before we get into the first week's game, we have to pause to mention the NFL's biggest news - Tom Brady injuring his knee in the first quarter of the first game, ending his season.
And to Patriots fans, let me say heartily: boo-fucking-hoo.
No one shed a tear for me when Vinny tore his ACL in the first game of the year back in '99. No one played me a sad song on the violin after Chad got hurt in '03, and no one tenderly patted me on the back when Chad got hurt again in '05.
So to expect me to have any sympathy for Pats fans, well, you might as well expect me to root for the Germans in the Olympics or to start watching American Idol; it will never happen.
I hope, oh I hope, that the Pats struggle mightily this year. I hope they get to taste what every other freakin' team in the league has had to taste the last 7 years, because they've hardly had to taste it through this dynastic run of theirs - the taste of wasted potential. They got a mouthful of it in the Super Bowl last year, and with no Brady, they may not be able to wash it out any time soon.
At least until they beat the Jets in the Meadowlans next week, while Matt Cassell throws for 350 yards and four touchdowns. Which is inevitable.
But let's not go there yet. Let's talk about the Jets on Week 1, and the very nice win to start the year.
The Good
Brett Favre's first touchdown pass. Sure, I wasn't totally psyched about the move, and I won't back down from anything I wrote about it, but I will say that the Jets haven't had a QB that could make a throw like that since Vinny back in '98, and it was nice to see. Refreshing, even.
The Dolphins only gained 49 yards rushing. The Jets run defense has been terrible for years, and this was a nice start. Plus, Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams always kill them with career days. Shutting them down was huge, especially since this was only the first game with all of these new guys (Kris Jenkins, Calvin Pace, Dwight Lowery) starting.
The young guys on defense. David Harris still looks great at LB. Revis and Lowery look good at the corners. Pace looks like he can really get after the QB. Kerry Rhodes is still fairly young at safety. It's early, but these guys looked good in the first game.
The Bad
The pass rush was incosistent. They had four sacks, which didn't happen much last year. But in the fourth quarter, when they needed to get to Chad the most, they couldn't, and almost let them come back and win.
The offensive line was inconsistent. True, Thomas Jones had 101 yards and a touchdown (equalling his total rushing TDs from last year.) But there was too much pressure on Favre throughout the game. They sacked him 3 times, forced him to fumble once, and were in his face seemingly all day. And this wasn't exactly the best defense of all time. If they want Favre to last the full season, they're going to have to keep his 39-year-old ass a lot cleaner than it was against Miami.
The Ugly
The end of the game. Why can't the Jets ever just finish a game out sparing the fans the drama? It's week one and I have to spend fifteen minutes hunched over the bar at the Newport Bar and Grille stressed and pained? I can't live like this.
Mangini's fourth quarter play calling. He was too conservative on offense, and it almost let the Dolphins come back and win it. There was a 3rd and 7 with a couple of minutes left and Miami having no time outs. They throw the ball and get the first down, the game is over. Instead, they run, don't get the first down, and give Miami a chance. Against a better team, the Jets lose a game in the fourth quarter that they should have won.
Mike Nugent. I can't believe they haven't cut him yet. If he misses any other field goal from inside 40 yards this year and someone should find where he lives and throw the rotting corpse of Bucky Buckeye in his lawn and then frame him for the murder.
In the end, though, Chad Pennington did his Chad Pennington thing - looking just good enough to give you hope but not being good enough to actually give you the win. Thanks to Jesus, Allah, Jah, and Christopher Hitchens that he did that for Miami instead.
And as they say, a win is a win. Now go do that, say, 10 or 11 more times and maybe I'll feel better.
Before we get into the first week's game, we have to pause to mention the NFL's biggest news - Tom Brady injuring his knee in the first quarter of the first game, ending his season.
And to Patriots fans, let me say heartily: boo-fucking-hoo.
No one shed a tear for me when Vinny tore his ACL in the first game of the year back in '99. No one played me a sad song on the violin after Chad got hurt in '03, and no one tenderly patted me on the back when Chad got hurt again in '05.
So to expect me to have any sympathy for Pats fans, well, you might as well expect me to root for the Germans in the Olympics or to start watching American Idol; it will never happen.
I hope, oh I hope, that the Pats struggle mightily this year. I hope they get to taste what every other freakin' team in the league has had to taste the last 7 years, because they've hardly had to taste it through this dynastic run of theirs - the taste of wasted potential. They got a mouthful of it in the Super Bowl last year, and with no Brady, they may not be able to wash it out any time soon.
At least until they beat the Jets in the Meadowlans next week, while Matt Cassell throws for 350 yards and four touchdowns. Which is inevitable.
But let's not go there yet. Let's talk about the Jets on Week 1, and the very nice win to start the year.
The Good
Brett Favre's first touchdown pass. Sure, I wasn't totally psyched about the move, and I won't back down from anything I wrote about it, but I will say that the Jets haven't had a QB that could make a throw like that since Vinny back in '98, and it was nice to see. Refreshing, even.
The Dolphins only gained 49 yards rushing. The Jets run defense has been terrible for years, and this was a nice start. Plus, Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams always kill them with career days. Shutting them down was huge, especially since this was only the first game with all of these new guys (Kris Jenkins, Calvin Pace, Dwight Lowery) starting.
The young guys on defense. David Harris still looks great at LB. Revis and Lowery look good at the corners. Pace looks like he can really get after the QB. Kerry Rhodes is still fairly young at safety. It's early, but these guys looked good in the first game.
The Bad
The pass rush was incosistent. They had four sacks, which didn't happen much last year. But in the fourth quarter, when they needed to get to Chad the most, they couldn't, and almost let them come back and win.
The offensive line was inconsistent. True, Thomas Jones had 101 yards and a touchdown (equalling his total rushing TDs from last year.) But there was too much pressure on Favre throughout the game. They sacked him 3 times, forced him to fumble once, and were in his face seemingly all day. And this wasn't exactly the best defense of all time. If they want Favre to last the full season, they're going to have to keep his 39-year-old ass a lot cleaner than it was against Miami.
The Ugly
The end of the game. Why can't the Jets ever just finish a game out sparing the fans the drama? It's week one and I have to spend fifteen minutes hunched over the bar at the Newport Bar and Grille stressed and pained? I can't live like this.
Mangini's fourth quarter play calling. He was too conservative on offense, and it almost let the Dolphins come back and win it. There was a 3rd and 7 with a couple of minutes left and Miami having no time outs. They throw the ball and get the first down, the game is over. Instead, they run, don't get the first down, and give Miami a chance. Against a better team, the Jets lose a game in the fourth quarter that they should have won.
Mike Nugent. I can't believe they haven't cut him yet. If he misses any other field goal from inside 40 yards this year and someone should find where he lives and throw the rotting corpse of Bucky Buckeye in his lawn and then frame him for the murder.
In the end, though, Chad Pennington did his Chad Pennington thing - looking just good enough to give you hope but not being good enough to actually give you the win. Thanks to Jesus, Allah, Jah, and Christopher Hitchens that he did that for Miami instead.
And as they say, a win is a win. Now go do that, say, 10 or 11 more times and maybe I'll feel better.
Friday, September 5, 2008
On Campus 9/6
We are back with our weekly viewers guide to college football. Last week the season snuck up on me so I forgot about my On Campus segment. Speaking of things happening on campus, let us never speak of last nights college football game ever again.
5 Games to Watch
Miami (Fl) vs. Florida- It is always a big match-up when the Florida schools butt heads but this year the game is intriguing for a different reason. Usually this game has significant National Championship implications, but the Gators are a 3 touchdown favorite. The Gators do have their sights set on the Orange Bowl in January while the Hurricanes are trying to discover themselves under Randy Shannon. We will see how close the Canes are to regaining their form in this one.
#8 West Virginia vs. East Carolina- Skip Holtz and the Pirates pulled off a shocker last week beating V-Tech. This just in, Holtz can coach (he won at UConn and is now winning at ECU) and it makes you wonder had his father let him coach a little more while they were at South Carolina if things may have worked out differently. West Virginia comes into the game with a new coach, butt he same old Pat White at QB whom they say will throw the ball more this year. The Pirate defense has good speed, but we will see if they have BCS conference speed trying to track down White in this one.
Louisiana Tech vs. #14 Kansas- La Tech also pulled off a stunner last week beating Mississippi State ate home. Kansas is coming off their best years since Gale Sayers played for them, and now it is time to see if that was a fluke or if Mark Mangino is building something there. The Jayhawks big playmaker is their crafty Junior QB Todd Reesing, he is not the biggest or fastest or strongest he simply gets the job done. He threw for 3 TD’s in their opening game victory against FIU. If Reesing can continue to be on target the Jayhawks should roll. (Get it, Jayhawks roll, like roll a doobie, like Mario Chalmers and Darrell Arthur, they know how to roll).
Ole Miss vs. #20 Wake Forest- The ACC has not faired so well this season, especially against the SEC were NC State and Clemson took pounding at the hands of Alabama and South Carolina respectively. The Rebels are under new coach Houston Nutt who is a proven winner and he takes his team on an early road test to Winston-Salem(jeez those words have seldom been uttered about football in Winston-Salem). Coach Grobe has the Deacons well prepared for every game and he has a veteran leader in Riley Skinner. If the Deacs can get a big win here they could roll in the ACC.
Buffalo vs. Pittsburgh- Coach Wannstedt’s Panthers took a tough loss at home to Bowling Green in week 1. Buffalo is lead by one of the best young coach’s in the game, former Nebraska QB Turner Gill. The Buffs racked up almost 500 yards of total offense including 2 separate 100 yard rushers in their week 1 victory against UTEP. The Panthers better not take this game lightly or they could be staring an 0-2 record in the face.
4 Players to See
Chase Daniel, QB Missouri- A Heisman finalist last year, Daniel picked up where he left off. In the season opener against a good Illinois team Daniel made it look like a video game. He was slinging the ball around the field for over 300 yards and 3 TD’s and ran for over 50 yards. Daniel has a chance to rack up huge numbers against SE Missouri State this weekend and will be in the Heisman race all year long.
Sam Bradford, QB Oklahoma- Last season Bradford was a question mark for the Sooners starting as a true freshman. This season Bradford is being relied upon as the unquestioned leader of the Sooner offense. Bradford threw 36 TD’s and only 8 picks last season and with an improved Sooner running game he should put up similar numbers. And this week Cincinnati Coach Brain Kelley has been running his mouth so look for the Sooners to try and put up big numbers.
Mark Ingram, RB Alabama- Ingram is the Freshman phenom at running back for the Tide. In his first game against Clemson he averaged almost 6 yards per carry going for almost 100 yards. He has the break away ability and the hard hitting between the tackles running style. Ingram can easily rack up over a 1,000 yards in his freshman campaign.
Arrelious Benn, WR Illinois- The super-Soph Benn caught 54 balls last year as a Frosh. This season and improved Juice Williams at QB could lead to 70+ catches. Benn started off last week against Missouri in fine fashion catching 7 balls for 93 yards. The one thing Benn needs to improve upon is his consistency in the red zone. He is a big strong target and can really be a weapon in the end zone for Coach Zook’s offense.
5 Games to Watch
Miami (Fl) vs. Florida- It is always a big match-up when the Florida schools butt heads but this year the game is intriguing for a different reason. Usually this game has significant National Championship implications, but the Gators are a 3 touchdown favorite. The Gators do have their sights set on the Orange Bowl in January while the Hurricanes are trying to discover themselves under Randy Shannon. We will see how close the Canes are to regaining their form in this one.
#8 West Virginia vs. East Carolina- Skip Holtz and the Pirates pulled off a shocker last week beating V-Tech. This just in, Holtz can coach (he won at UConn and is now winning at ECU) and it makes you wonder had his father let him coach a little more while they were at South Carolina if things may have worked out differently. West Virginia comes into the game with a new coach, butt he same old Pat White at QB whom they say will throw the ball more this year. The Pirate defense has good speed, but we will see if they have BCS conference speed trying to track down White in this one.
Louisiana Tech vs. #14 Kansas- La Tech also pulled off a stunner last week beating Mississippi State ate home. Kansas is coming off their best years since Gale Sayers played for them, and now it is time to see if that was a fluke or if Mark Mangino is building something there. The Jayhawks big playmaker is their crafty Junior QB Todd Reesing, he is not the biggest or fastest or strongest he simply gets the job done. He threw for 3 TD’s in their opening game victory against FIU. If Reesing can continue to be on target the Jayhawks should roll. (Get it, Jayhawks roll, like roll a doobie, like Mario Chalmers and Darrell Arthur, they know how to roll).
Ole Miss vs. #20 Wake Forest- The ACC has not faired so well this season, especially against the SEC were NC State and Clemson took pounding at the hands of Alabama and South Carolina respectively. The Rebels are under new coach Houston Nutt who is a proven winner and he takes his team on an early road test to Winston-Salem(jeez those words have seldom been uttered about football in Winston-Salem). Coach Grobe has the Deacons well prepared for every game and he has a veteran leader in Riley Skinner. If the Deacs can get a big win here they could roll in the ACC.
Buffalo vs. Pittsburgh- Coach Wannstedt’s Panthers took a tough loss at home to Bowling Green in week 1. Buffalo is lead by one of the best young coach’s in the game, former Nebraska QB Turner Gill. The Buffs racked up almost 500 yards of total offense including 2 separate 100 yard rushers in their week 1 victory against UTEP. The Panthers better not take this game lightly or they could be staring an 0-2 record in the face.
4 Players to See
Chase Daniel, QB Missouri- A Heisman finalist last year, Daniel picked up where he left off. In the season opener against a good Illinois team Daniel made it look like a video game. He was slinging the ball around the field for over 300 yards and 3 TD’s and ran for over 50 yards. Daniel has a chance to rack up huge numbers against SE Missouri State this weekend and will be in the Heisman race all year long.
Sam Bradford, QB Oklahoma- Last season Bradford was a question mark for the Sooners starting as a true freshman. This season Bradford is being relied upon as the unquestioned leader of the Sooner offense. Bradford threw 36 TD’s and only 8 picks last season and with an improved Sooner running game he should put up similar numbers. And this week Cincinnati Coach Brain Kelley has been running his mouth so look for the Sooners to try and put up big numbers.
Mark Ingram, RB Alabama- Ingram is the Freshman phenom at running back for the Tide. In his first game against Clemson he averaged almost 6 yards per carry going for almost 100 yards. He has the break away ability and the hard hitting between the tackles running style. Ingram can easily rack up over a 1,000 yards in his freshman campaign.
Arrelious Benn, WR Illinois- The super-Soph Benn caught 54 balls last year as a Frosh. This season and improved Juice Williams at QB could lead to 70+ catches. Benn started off last week against Missouri in fine fashion catching 7 balls for 93 yards. The one thing Benn needs to improve upon is his consistency in the red zone. He is a big strong target and can really be a weapon in the end zone for Coach Zook’s offense.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Outlandish NFL Predictions
Every year I sit down and do some serious research and try to give the readers a nice in depth look at the NFL season, and every year I am way off base. So this year I am going to make 10 predictions sure to come true. Most of what I will say will be way wrong, but at least I didn’t do a lot of research to be wrong.
1) This years NFL MVP will be Arizona Cardinals QB Kurt Warner. He keeps beating out Matt Leinart for the starting job. And last season he was the unquestioned starter for the second half of the season where he threw for as many yards and more TD’s than did Tom Brady. I say Warner leads the Cardinals to an 11 win season a berth in the playoffs and his 3rd MVP trophy.
2) The Dallas Cowboys will collapse like a house of cards and wind up missing the playoffs. As Giants/Yankees/Knicks/Rangers/Gamecocks fans I have some natural rivals that I am supposed to hate, but most of my hatred is directed solely at the Cowboys. Best stat ever to remind the millions of Cowboys fans out there; the last time they won a playoff game was 1996 under Barry Switzer (and for some context Bill Clinton hadn’t yet spewed on that fat girls dress). I think Pac-Man and TO will be at each others throats all year, Tank Johnson and his homies are bound to shoot up a Dallas night club and Tony Homo may start dating every celebrity he possibly can all at once..
3) The Kansas City Chiefs will win 13 games under Herm Edwards, and then he will give a big middle finger to everyone that doesn’t think he is a good coach. This is the man crush on Herm Edwards portion of these predictions.
4) Brett Favre will throw more TD’s than Brady and Peyton combined as he sets a new NFL record with 53 TD’ but the Jets still manage to only win 9 games an get into the playoff on a tie breaker that involves total points scored.
5) By the fifth game of the season Bill Parcells will be beside himself with his 0-5 Dolphins being coached by some guy I have never heard of, he will return to the sideline and lead them to the playoffs.
6) Kyle Orton will throw for over 4,000 yards and 35 TD’s as the Bears return to the playoffs. Orton’s performance so miraculous thus ends the career of the forlorn Rex Grossman.
7) The Bills put together a string on nine consecutive wins after their first loss in week 4. With 3 games remaining @ NY Jets, @ Denver and home against New England, Andrew vows he will hitchhike form Boston to Buffalo if the Bills finish with the best record in the league. WKTV 2 in Utica reports a lonely pale man wearing nothing but a Bills hat is seen thumbing for rides along Interstate 90.
8) The New England Patriots will remember that from 1970-1999 they were the laughing stock of the NFL compiling only eight 10+ win seasons (they have 6 this decade). After Tom Brady really hurts his shoulder in week 2, Matt Cassel comes in and leads them to no victories as they finish 1-15.
9) Eli Manning goes down early in the season and David Carr somehow leads the Giants back to the Super Bowl and wins. Next offseason the Giants are involved in the most tumultuous QB controversy ever.
10) The Browns reach the NFC Championship game for the first time since 1989. Their opponent, yeah that’s right, the Denver Broncos. With time winding down and the Browns going in for the go ahead score Jamal Lewis fumbles on the 3 yard live. In a driving snow Jay Cutler leads his team down the field and Rich Karlis, barefooted and all, comes out of the stands to his the game winning kick. The Broncos are off to the Super Bowl and the legend of Jay Cutler is born!!
1) This years NFL MVP will be Arizona Cardinals QB Kurt Warner. He keeps beating out Matt Leinart for the starting job. And last season he was the unquestioned starter for the second half of the season where he threw for as many yards and more TD’s than did Tom Brady. I say Warner leads the Cardinals to an 11 win season a berth in the playoffs and his 3rd MVP trophy.
2) The Dallas Cowboys will collapse like a house of cards and wind up missing the playoffs. As Giants/Yankees/Knicks/Rangers/Gamecocks fans I have some natural rivals that I am supposed to hate, but most of my hatred is directed solely at the Cowboys. Best stat ever to remind the millions of Cowboys fans out there; the last time they won a playoff game was 1996 under Barry Switzer (and for some context Bill Clinton hadn’t yet spewed on that fat girls dress). I think Pac-Man and TO will be at each others throats all year, Tank Johnson and his homies are bound to shoot up a Dallas night club and Tony Homo may start dating every celebrity he possibly can all at once..
3) The Kansas City Chiefs will win 13 games under Herm Edwards, and then he will give a big middle finger to everyone that doesn’t think he is a good coach. This is the man crush on Herm Edwards portion of these predictions.
4) Brett Favre will throw more TD’s than Brady and Peyton combined as he sets a new NFL record with 53 TD’ but the Jets still manage to only win 9 games an get into the playoff on a tie breaker that involves total points scored.
5) By the fifth game of the season Bill Parcells will be beside himself with his 0-5 Dolphins being coached by some guy I have never heard of, he will return to the sideline and lead them to the playoffs.
6) Kyle Orton will throw for over 4,000 yards and 35 TD’s as the Bears return to the playoffs. Orton’s performance so miraculous thus ends the career of the forlorn Rex Grossman.
7) The Bills put together a string on nine consecutive wins after their first loss in week 4. With 3 games remaining @ NY Jets, @ Denver and home against New England, Andrew vows he will hitchhike form Boston to Buffalo if the Bills finish with the best record in the league. WKTV 2 in Utica reports a lonely pale man wearing nothing but a Bills hat is seen thumbing for rides along Interstate 90.
8) The New England Patriots will remember that from 1970-1999 they were the laughing stock of the NFL compiling only eight 10+ win seasons (they have 6 this decade). After Tom Brady really hurts his shoulder in week 2, Matt Cassel comes in and leads them to no victories as they finish 1-15.
9) Eli Manning goes down early in the season and David Carr somehow leads the Giants back to the Super Bowl and wins. Next offseason the Giants are involved in the most tumultuous QB controversy ever.
10) The Browns reach the NFC Championship game for the first time since 1989. Their opponent, yeah that’s right, the Denver Broncos. With time winding down and the Browns going in for the go ahead score Jamal Lewis fumbles on the 3 yard live. In a driving snow Jay Cutler leads his team down the field and Rich Karlis, barefooted and all, comes out of the stands to his the game winning kick. The Broncos are off to the Super Bowl and the legend of Jay Cutler is born!!
Friday, August 29, 2008
Filowitz's Friday Five
Passing on some links edition!
1) Tom Ziller of NBA Fanhouse has been doing a top fifty players in the NBA writeup. Ziller is a smart basketball analyst, so even if you don't agree with his rankings, you should read his writeups for each player (he's up 43 as I'm writing this.)
2) This is from a couple of years ago - I got the link reading FreeDarko - but it is awesome. It compares college football teams to rappers. For example, Penn State/KRS One. "They'll be the first to tell you how important they are in the scheme of things and new jacks need to give them respect, but that doesn't shake the fact that they haven't been relevant in years."
3) Watch this YouTube video of the intros to the 1989 All Star Game. It's the Ultramagnetic MCs rapping aout each player, and coach. Even the trainer. It's beyond awesome (thanks, Ball Don't Lie and Detroit Bad Boys)
4) Kelly Dwyer taking on Larry Brown.
5) From Bethlehem Shoals in SLAM Magazine comes a pretty hilarious series of columns called "Portraits in Patriotism". Read them all now, or maybe you simply hate freedom and apple pie and your mother?
1) Tom Ziller of NBA Fanhouse has been doing a top fifty players in the NBA writeup. Ziller is a smart basketball analyst, so even if you don't agree with his rankings, you should read his writeups for each player (he's up 43 as I'm writing this.)
2) This is from a couple of years ago - I got the link reading FreeDarko - but it is awesome. It compares college football teams to rappers. For example, Penn State/KRS One. "They'll be the first to tell you how important they are in the scheme of things and new jacks need to give them respect, but that doesn't shake the fact that they haven't been relevant in years."
3) Watch this YouTube video of the intros to the 1989 All Star Game. It's the Ultramagnetic MCs rapping aout each player, and coach. Even the trainer. It's beyond awesome (thanks, Ball Don't Lie and Detroit Bad Boys)
4) Kelly Dwyer taking on Larry Brown.
5) From Bethlehem Shoals in SLAM Magazine comes a pretty hilarious series of columns called "Portraits in Patriotism". Read them all now, or maybe you simply hate freedom and apple pie and your mother?
Monday, August 25, 2008
Dream or Redeem?
Alright folks, you knew it would happen, but now let the debate officially begin. Dream or Redeem, who you got? Ok on the surface everyone says right away, Dream Team no doubt. Well the debate really can’t be complete until the careers of all the member or Redeem team are complete. I guess the best way to do it is to say if you took the teams in the years they played (1992 and 2008) and try and compare them that way. However there is no way you can’t let your evaluations of the Dream Teams overall careers sway your thought process.
Remember in 1992 Bird and Magic were retiring and old and basically crippled, and David Robinson was only in his third year not yet peaked to his MVP form. Also, players like Karl Malone, Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley and Scottie Pippen still had most of their better years ahead of them. Not much different than this years team, while some of the players are established like LeBron, Kobe, Wade, Melo, and Tayshaun Prince, clearly guys like Chris Bosh, Dwight Howard, Chris Paul and Deron Williams still have bright careers in front of them with multiple MVP’s and Championships possible.
The biggest variable in comparing what the teams accomplished is evaluating the competition. I guess you could make some debate because international players had not yet truly begun to migrate to USA basketball in 1992, but part of that reason was they weren’t good enough. There are the rare exceptions like Arvydas Sabonis who was an All World player over in Europe at the time, but cases like his are few and far between. In 1992 there were only 11 foreign born players total in the league.
In 2008 Argentina has 4 NBA players including All-Star Manu Ginobili, Australia has 1 present, 1 past (Chris Anstey) and two soon to be in St. Mary’s sophomore Patrick Mills and Matt Nielsen who plays for perhaps the best team in all of Europe Lietuvos Rytas, Croatia has one current and one past, Lithuania has 2 current and one past, Russia has one, China has 3 including a multiple time All-Star in Yao Ming, Germany has 2 including former league MVP Dirk Nowitzki, Spain has 6 guys already in the league and Marc Gasol, Rudy Fernandez and Ricky Rubio all on their way, and Greece has 2 or 3 that have been drafted by NBA teams but they prefer to stay home and play because of money.
Now again the old school people are going to tell me how the Dream Team was a collection of some of the greatest talent in NBA history and they were not even challenged. Well I would argue that when it was all said and done Jordan, Bird, Magic and Barkley are the four that would be in the top echelon of great players. And when this group is all said and done with their careers the chances are pretty high that Kobe, LeBron and perhaps one other like Chris Paul or Dwayne Wade could be in those discussions. Also we tend to look back more fondly on some guys like Clyde Drexler and Chris Mullin because they were our childhood heroes. But look at the numbers and guys like Carmelo Anthony and Michael Redd are statistically better players than them.
The Redeem team appeared well on its way to steamrolling everyone until the medal round games. In the semi’s they had a tough match-up with defending Olympic champion Argentina but pulled away to win by 20 in the end. The gold medal game turned out to be one of the truly special games in Olympic and plain basketball history. I like a freak stayed up and watched the whole thing live. Some may also use this against the Redeem team, the fact that they had a tough gold medal game whereas the Dream team dominated Croatia by 32 points. However, I think it shows how this team was constructed as just that, a team. When things got tight it didn’t turn into a who’s who of NBA All-Stars, they continued their high intensity defense and it was clear on offense that when a big play needed to be made the ball would be in the hands of Kobe.
I am not totally sure that if the Dream team would have played tougher competition that thing’s may not have been so rosy with them. They had some big time ego’s on that team with guys like Jordan, Barkley, Malone and Bird to name the 4 most prominent. While the team oozed greatness I think we saw as Americans that we cant just slop together an all star team and run the other countries off of the floor. If Redeem team and Dream team matched up one thing is for sure, the game would be a close contest. I have seen with my own eyes how Redeem team reacts, but interested to know how the Dream team would have reacted.
I am not sure what all I am saying here, but I think the main point is don’t just sell short the Redeem team. Like I said some of the reasons for doing so is we already know the final accomplishments of the careers of the Dream team and have yet to find that out with the Redeem team. Also, we have fond memories of watching Bob Costas and Matt Goukas announce the games of our childhood heroes’ on NBC on Sunday afternoons, and now maybe we are a little more jaded fans of the game who scrutinize a little more. I for one would take the Redeem team, but maybe I am living in the now too much.
P.S.
Quick question, who the fuck guard LeBron and stops him on Dream Team?
P.P.S.
I don’t know everything in the world, but I know class and people can think whatever they want about Coach K but he is class all the way. After the game was over all the players immediately went over to the announcers table and shook hands and embraced an emotional Doug Collins who was on the 1972 Olympic team that got jobbed out of a Gold Medal against the USSR. I have no doubt that Coach K was the one who orchestrated that, because Collins early talked about how Coach K had him address the team before the Medal Round.
Remember in 1992 Bird and Magic were retiring and old and basically crippled, and David Robinson was only in his third year not yet peaked to his MVP form. Also, players like Karl Malone, Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley and Scottie Pippen still had most of their better years ahead of them. Not much different than this years team, while some of the players are established like LeBron, Kobe, Wade, Melo, and Tayshaun Prince, clearly guys like Chris Bosh, Dwight Howard, Chris Paul and Deron Williams still have bright careers in front of them with multiple MVP’s and Championships possible.
The biggest variable in comparing what the teams accomplished is evaluating the competition. I guess you could make some debate because international players had not yet truly begun to migrate to USA basketball in 1992, but part of that reason was they weren’t good enough. There are the rare exceptions like Arvydas Sabonis who was an All World player over in Europe at the time, but cases like his are few and far between. In 1992 there were only 11 foreign born players total in the league.
In 2008 Argentina has 4 NBA players including All-Star Manu Ginobili, Australia has 1 present, 1 past (Chris Anstey) and two soon to be in St. Mary’s sophomore Patrick Mills and Matt Nielsen who plays for perhaps the best team in all of Europe Lietuvos Rytas, Croatia has one current and one past, Lithuania has 2 current and one past, Russia has one, China has 3 including a multiple time All-Star in Yao Ming, Germany has 2 including former league MVP Dirk Nowitzki, Spain has 6 guys already in the league and Marc Gasol, Rudy Fernandez and Ricky Rubio all on their way, and Greece has 2 or 3 that have been drafted by NBA teams but they prefer to stay home and play because of money.
Now again the old school people are going to tell me how the Dream Team was a collection of some of the greatest talent in NBA history and they were not even challenged. Well I would argue that when it was all said and done Jordan, Bird, Magic and Barkley are the four that would be in the top echelon of great players. And when this group is all said and done with their careers the chances are pretty high that Kobe, LeBron and perhaps one other like Chris Paul or Dwayne Wade could be in those discussions. Also we tend to look back more fondly on some guys like Clyde Drexler and Chris Mullin because they were our childhood heroes. But look at the numbers and guys like Carmelo Anthony and Michael Redd are statistically better players than them.
The Redeem team appeared well on its way to steamrolling everyone until the medal round games. In the semi’s they had a tough match-up with defending Olympic champion Argentina but pulled away to win by 20 in the end. The gold medal game turned out to be one of the truly special games in Olympic and plain basketball history. I like a freak stayed up and watched the whole thing live. Some may also use this against the Redeem team, the fact that they had a tough gold medal game whereas the Dream team dominated Croatia by 32 points. However, I think it shows how this team was constructed as just that, a team. When things got tight it didn’t turn into a who’s who of NBA All-Stars, they continued their high intensity defense and it was clear on offense that when a big play needed to be made the ball would be in the hands of Kobe.
I am not totally sure that if the Dream team would have played tougher competition that thing’s may not have been so rosy with them. They had some big time ego’s on that team with guys like Jordan, Barkley, Malone and Bird to name the 4 most prominent. While the team oozed greatness I think we saw as Americans that we cant just slop together an all star team and run the other countries off of the floor. If Redeem team and Dream team matched up one thing is for sure, the game would be a close contest. I have seen with my own eyes how Redeem team reacts, but interested to know how the Dream team would have reacted.
I am not sure what all I am saying here, but I think the main point is don’t just sell short the Redeem team. Like I said some of the reasons for doing so is we already know the final accomplishments of the careers of the Dream team and have yet to find that out with the Redeem team. Also, we have fond memories of watching Bob Costas and Matt Goukas announce the games of our childhood heroes’ on NBC on Sunday afternoons, and now maybe we are a little more jaded fans of the game who scrutinize a little more. I for one would take the Redeem team, but maybe I am living in the now too much.
P.S.
Quick question, who the fuck guard LeBron and stops him on Dream Team?
P.P.S.
I don’t know everything in the world, but I know class and people can think whatever they want about Coach K but he is class all the way. After the game was over all the players immediately went over to the announcers table and shook hands and embraced an emotional Doug Collins who was on the 1972 Olympic team that got jobbed out of a Gold Medal against the USSR. I have no doubt that Coach K was the one who orchestrated that, because Collins early talked about how Coach K had him address the team before the Medal Round.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Oh Say
Here's a Nike commercial that features Marvin Gaye singing the national anthem. This should really become the official version - it's about halfway towards my longstanding idea to change the anthem to something new.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Favre, Phelps and Europe (and Lola)
I was going to do separate posts on each of these issues, but I am an important guy with lots of things to do so I will just combine them all into one post.
FAVRE
Listen, we all know I am huge Favre fan, but nobody wanted any of this any less than me. This whole comeback shit was just plain sickening. But at the end of the day I don’t really care. If he really wants to go slop around with the Jets for a year or two, fine that’s his choice as a grown up American.
I hate people who say it will somehow “ruin his legacy.” That is just self important sports fans who like to sound intellectual. It won’t ruin shit, because when I have kids and they ask me about Brett Favre I will talk about all the wins and good times in Green Bay. Does anyone even really remember Michael Jordan playing for the Wizards, I mean the fucking Wizards for crying out loud. Does anyone even remember Magic Johnsons failed comeback attempt?
The one thing I love about the comeback is that he went to the Jets, the most neurotic fan base in all of sports. Had he went to the Vikings they would have done back flips and proclaimed it Brett Favre month in the Twin Cities. They would have held parades and fairs. Even after the season was over and the Vikings won 6 games with Favre they still would have remembered the time fondly, a risk worth taking they would have thought. Not Jets fans, they are practical beside themselves (see Dan’s posts below). Nothing is more amusing to me in all of sports that watching and listening to the wretching of Jets fans during the season. As a great man once said, the Jets can snatch defeat from the jaws of victory better than anyone.
PHELPS
First let’s address the Olympics as a whole. Here is the typical American sports fans view on the Olympics:
About 3 months before the Olympics you see a McDonald’s commercial for the Olympics and you turn to your friend and say, “Oh fuck, the damned Olympics are on. What a crock of shit those things are, I hate the fucking Olympics, no way I am watching any of that shit.”
About 3 weeks before the Olympics there is a report on Sports Center and you turn to your friend and say, “Awww, I hate the fucking Olympics, but I would mind watching Misty May and Kerri Walsh roll around with each other in the sand. Plus I guess that Phelps guy is fun to watch and I want our Negro basketball players dunk on lots of greasy foreigners.”
Then the next thing you know you are in a hotel room in Bratislava, Slovakia watching men’s synchronized diving in German and yelling at the TV about how the Chinese team could have possibly scored a 9.5 on that dive.
Regardless of what your view on the Olympics is you have to marvel at what Phelps was able to do. Though swimming is a fringe or niche sport it doesn’t lessen the accomplishment, just like what Lance Armstrong did in the Tour De France. Phelps set 7 world records, breaking many of his own, and did this all over a span on 9 days. The physical demands of swimming make this and almost impossible feat. To have the ability to compete in such a variety of events and be the worlds best is truly spectacular.
And the race that he won by 1/100th of a second was truly special. Having been a competitive swimmer in my younger days the scenario he and Milorad Cavic found himself in is a nightmare every swimmer has. When you get about 10-12 meters out you know how many strokes it will take to complete the race and you can calculate when you are going to come up short and have to decided to stretch it out (Cavic) or take that awkward half stroke (Phelps). And here is the big kicker, whichever you decided to do has very little determination on whether you win or not. If they both chose to do the same thing another 9 times they likely would have split those decisions. The race was so close, NBC showed Phelps mother and coach’s reaction and they both thought he was touched out for 1st place.
I watched the race from a random bar in Columbia last night, and I have never heard a sustained cheer and then standing ovation for a non city specific sporting event. As the race was about to start the singer playing acoustic guitar continued to play and not a single person was paying attention, as they showed the team the crowd cheer. The ooed and ahhhed a little as Aaron Peirsol swam a slow 50 and then grunted a little as Brendan Hansen struggled in his breaststroke leg, but literally people came out of there seats as Phelps sprinted ahead and gave way to one of the most underrated closers in swimming Jason Lezak who finished off the race in style. The entire last 200 meters the crowd on their feet cheering as if the Gamecocks just scored the winning touchdown in the SEC Championship game.
EUROPE
Greasy foreigners, finally I can say it and have some fucking proof. I spent 8 days in Eastern Europe last week and while we had a blast these people truly despise bathing. Here is a list of some other things they dislike; underpants, especially the women, they hate undergarments of any kind, garbage cans in hotel lobby’s and other random public places it is impossible to find a trash can, leash’s for dogs, they just let these little fuckers roam anywhere, alarm clocks, in the three hotels we were in not one came with an alarm clock, the same can be said for air conditioning, and did I mention bathing?
Here are some things the love; natural breasts, what a refreshing change, 80’s music in every club and bar which was cool, speaking English (at least most people) which makes it easier on asshole Americans like me to travel, beer and lots of it, these people love to party and hate going to work, and American tourists in general, mainly because we have money and love spending it on shit.
We spent a few days in Prague to start our trip off. Prague is a great old world European city obviously overflowing with history. The drawback is that it is a huge tourist attraction and even though strolling through the old town square at night is beautiful it is a little bit of a cross between Main Street in Disney and Times Square. Clearly they try and placate to the American tourist as I mentioned above. While in Prague we had dinner at an old Monastery, visited the Old New Synagogue which dates back to the 9th century in the old Jewish section of town which also had several other temples, and famous Prague Castle the seat of the Habsburg Dynasty and the famed St. Vitus Cathedral. We also took a day trip to Terezin which was an old castle turned into a war prison which was used as concentration camp during World War II. It also housed Gavrilo Princip and the other 5 members of the Black Hand group of Bosnians who assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand which prompted the start of World War I. We actually got a chance to walk into his isolation cell where he was housed for the reaming years of his life (go to this link and you can see some amazing videos of our time at Terezin, it is truly worth it to see these, http://gamecocksonline.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/080808aaa.html).
After our time in Prague we then headed to the capital of Slovakia, Bratislava. Much smaller and cheaper than Prague, Bratislava is a quaint little city along the Danube River and Slovak/Austrian border. It has a beautiful town square which we stayed right in the heart of and has some really cool sights to see. Among those sites is St. Marten Cathedral, where 11 kings of the Habsburg Dynasty were crowned, and the Hrav Castle which sits majestically atop a hill overlooking the river. Also the town square (Hviezdoslav Square) was the sight of on e of the first major events that lead to the fall of communism in the Eastern Bloc. In March of 1988 thousands of students and other Slovaks held a candlelight vigil protesting the communist regime, they were repelled and beaten back by the secret police, all while the countries prime minister and other leaders watched from the famed Carlton Hotel in the square. We were lucky enough to also stay in the Carlton Hotel over looking the square, there was definitely an eerie feeling about that.
We then traveled down the Danube (not literally, but figuratively) to the capital of Austria and one of the most famed cities in all of Europe, Vienna. This is a marvelously beautiful city, and so rich in history and tradition. Unfortunately for Vienna the modern world has gotten hold of the city. On one side of the river they built this whole new modern part called Danube City full of these ugly ass post modern buildings that look like they belong in Tokyo or Dubai. It makes a beautiful city fucking hideous. However, if you want you can easily stay on the good side of the Danube and go tour the old city and see Hofburg Palace, St. Stephens Cathedral, the famed Vienna Opera House where Mozart and Strauss operas have been repeatedly performed, among others. You can also spend an evening at the Prater and amusement park just outside the old town square which contains a giant 200 foot Ferris wheel which overlooks the city (and I did not go on because that shit was fucking high). We unfortunately did not have a lot of time in Vienna, we only saw a very small portion of what there is to do there.
All things considered it was a good trip, well except for the plane rides. Listen, there is no way to sugar coat it, 9-11 hours on a plane fucking blows. I don’t care how many movies they show or how many books you have to read, it is still miserable. And no international incidents were caused by anyone in our travel party, and I didn’t take down any historical monuments (ala Clark W. Griswold).
Lastly, while on my trip to Europe I officially became a Godfather. Our good friend Josh and his wife Jennifer gave birth to a bouncing baby girl named Lola Joy Reinitz. And who else to choose as a god father than a fat Italian guy right? Everyone is healthy and fine and the big plus is the baby’s initials are LJ which means a bevy of Larry Johnson throwback jersey’s for the youngster, and no I don’t care that she is a girl she is still getting LJ gear!!!
FAVRE
Listen, we all know I am huge Favre fan, but nobody wanted any of this any less than me. This whole comeback shit was just plain sickening. But at the end of the day I don’t really care. If he really wants to go slop around with the Jets for a year or two, fine that’s his choice as a grown up American.
I hate people who say it will somehow “ruin his legacy.” That is just self important sports fans who like to sound intellectual. It won’t ruin shit, because when I have kids and they ask me about Brett Favre I will talk about all the wins and good times in Green Bay. Does anyone even really remember Michael Jordan playing for the Wizards, I mean the fucking Wizards for crying out loud. Does anyone even remember Magic Johnsons failed comeback attempt?
The one thing I love about the comeback is that he went to the Jets, the most neurotic fan base in all of sports. Had he went to the Vikings they would have done back flips and proclaimed it Brett Favre month in the Twin Cities. They would have held parades and fairs. Even after the season was over and the Vikings won 6 games with Favre they still would have remembered the time fondly, a risk worth taking they would have thought. Not Jets fans, they are practical beside themselves (see Dan’s posts below). Nothing is more amusing to me in all of sports that watching and listening to the wretching of Jets fans during the season. As a great man once said, the Jets can snatch defeat from the jaws of victory better than anyone.
PHELPS
First let’s address the Olympics as a whole. Here is the typical American sports fans view on the Olympics:
About 3 months before the Olympics you see a McDonald’s commercial for the Olympics and you turn to your friend and say, “Oh fuck, the damned Olympics are on. What a crock of shit those things are, I hate the fucking Olympics, no way I am watching any of that shit.”
About 3 weeks before the Olympics there is a report on Sports Center and you turn to your friend and say, “Awww, I hate the fucking Olympics, but I would mind watching Misty May and Kerri Walsh roll around with each other in the sand. Plus I guess that Phelps guy is fun to watch and I want our Negro basketball players dunk on lots of greasy foreigners.”
Then the next thing you know you are in a hotel room in Bratislava, Slovakia watching men’s synchronized diving in German and yelling at the TV about how the Chinese team could have possibly scored a 9.5 on that dive.
Regardless of what your view on the Olympics is you have to marvel at what Phelps was able to do. Though swimming is a fringe or niche sport it doesn’t lessen the accomplishment, just like what Lance Armstrong did in the Tour De France. Phelps set 7 world records, breaking many of his own, and did this all over a span on 9 days. The physical demands of swimming make this and almost impossible feat. To have the ability to compete in such a variety of events and be the worlds best is truly spectacular.
And the race that he won by 1/100th of a second was truly special. Having been a competitive swimmer in my younger days the scenario he and Milorad Cavic found himself in is a nightmare every swimmer has. When you get about 10-12 meters out you know how many strokes it will take to complete the race and you can calculate when you are going to come up short and have to decided to stretch it out (Cavic) or take that awkward half stroke (Phelps). And here is the big kicker, whichever you decided to do has very little determination on whether you win or not. If they both chose to do the same thing another 9 times they likely would have split those decisions. The race was so close, NBC showed Phelps mother and coach’s reaction and they both thought he was touched out for 1st place.
I watched the race from a random bar in Columbia last night, and I have never heard a sustained cheer and then standing ovation for a non city specific sporting event. As the race was about to start the singer playing acoustic guitar continued to play and not a single person was paying attention, as they showed the team the crowd cheer. The ooed and ahhhed a little as Aaron Peirsol swam a slow 50 and then grunted a little as Brendan Hansen struggled in his breaststroke leg, but literally people came out of there seats as Phelps sprinted ahead and gave way to one of the most underrated closers in swimming Jason Lezak who finished off the race in style. The entire last 200 meters the crowd on their feet cheering as if the Gamecocks just scored the winning touchdown in the SEC Championship game.
EUROPE
Greasy foreigners, finally I can say it and have some fucking proof. I spent 8 days in Eastern Europe last week and while we had a blast these people truly despise bathing. Here is a list of some other things they dislike; underpants, especially the women, they hate undergarments of any kind, garbage cans in hotel lobby’s and other random public places it is impossible to find a trash can, leash’s for dogs, they just let these little fuckers roam anywhere, alarm clocks, in the three hotels we were in not one came with an alarm clock, the same can be said for air conditioning, and did I mention bathing?
Here are some things the love; natural breasts, what a refreshing change, 80’s music in every club and bar which was cool, speaking English (at least most people) which makes it easier on asshole Americans like me to travel, beer and lots of it, these people love to party and hate going to work, and American tourists in general, mainly because we have money and love spending it on shit.
We spent a few days in Prague to start our trip off. Prague is a great old world European city obviously overflowing with history. The drawback is that it is a huge tourist attraction and even though strolling through the old town square at night is beautiful it is a little bit of a cross between Main Street in Disney and Times Square. Clearly they try and placate to the American tourist as I mentioned above. While in Prague we had dinner at an old Monastery, visited the Old New Synagogue which dates back to the 9th century in the old Jewish section of town which also had several other temples, and famous Prague Castle the seat of the Habsburg Dynasty and the famed St. Vitus Cathedral. We also took a day trip to Terezin which was an old castle turned into a war prison which was used as concentration camp during World War II. It also housed Gavrilo Princip and the other 5 members of the Black Hand group of Bosnians who assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand which prompted the start of World War I. We actually got a chance to walk into his isolation cell where he was housed for the reaming years of his life (go to this link and you can see some amazing videos of our time at Terezin, it is truly worth it to see these, http://gamecocksonline.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/080808aaa.html).
After our time in Prague we then headed to the capital of Slovakia, Bratislava. Much smaller and cheaper than Prague, Bratislava is a quaint little city along the Danube River and Slovak/Austrian border. It has a beautiful town square which we stayed right in the heart of and has some really cool sights to see. Among those sites is St. Marten Cathedral, where 11 kings of the Habsburg Dynasty were crowned, and the Hrav Castle which sits majestically atop a hill overlooking the river. Also the town square (Hviezdoslav Square) was the sight of on e of the first major events that lead to the fall of communism in the Eastern Bloc. In March of 1988 thousands of students and other Slovaks held a candlelight vigil protesting the communist regime, they were repelled and beaten back by the secret police, all while the countries prime minister and other leaders watched from the famed Carlton Hotel in the square. We were lucky enough to also stay in the Carlton Hotel over looking the square, there was definitely an eerie feeling about that.
We then traveled down the Danube (not literally, but figuratively) to the capital of Austria and one of the most famed cities in all of Europe, Vienna. This is a marvelously beautiful city, and so rich in history and tradition. Unfortunately for Vienna the modern world has gotten hold of the city. On one side of the river they built this whole new modern part called Danube City full of these ugly ass post modern buildings that look like they belong in Tokyo or Dubai. It makes a beautiful city fucking hideous. However, if you want you can easily stay on the good side of the Danube and go tour the old city and see Hofburg Palace, St. Stephens Cathedral, the famed Vienna Opera House where Mozart and Strauss operas have been repeatedly performed, among others. You can also spend an evening at the Prater and amusement park just outside the old town square which contains a giant 200 foot Ferris wheel which overlooks the city (and I did not go on because that shit was fucking high). We unfortunately did not have a lot of time in Vienna, we only saw a very small portion of what there is to do there.
All things considered it was a good trip, well except for the plane rides. Listen, there is no way to sugar coat it, 9-11 hours on a plane fucking blows. I don’t care how many movies they show or how many books you have to read, it is still miserable. And no international incidents were caused by anyone in our travel party, and I didn’t take down any historical monuments (ala Clark W. Griswold).
Lastly, while on my trip to Europe I officially became a Godfather. Our good friend Josh and his wife Jennifer gave birth to a bouncing baby girl named Lola Joy Reinitz. And who else to choose as a god father than a fat Italian guy right? Everyone is healthy and fine and the big plus is the baby’s initials are LJ which means a bevy of Larry Johnson throwback jersey’s for the youngster, and no I don’t care that she is a girl she is still getting LJ gear!!!
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Here Come The Warm Jets: Favre Clarification
For most people I associate with, I'm one of if not the only Jets fan they know.
Which means that they've all been asking lately what I think of the Brett Favre trade. So I tell them.
That, of course, gets the follow up of, "What, are you nuts? How, as a Jets fan, can you not be excited?"
Allow me to explain.
First, allow me to qualify. I fully understand that as it seems right now, 38 year old Brett Favre is better than Chad Pennington, and better than Kellen Clemens. Meaning, I fully understand that having Favre on the team makes it more likely that the team will be better this year. If the equation is "better team" = "happy fan" then I seem to be mathematically eliminated from hating this deal.
There are a few mitigating factors to it, which should make it clearer why I still stand by my initial reaction of being filled with expletive-laden frustration.
1 - He is not our guy. Brett Favre is a Packer. He is the Jesus of Green Bay. He took a dead franchise and dead fan base and revived them both. Seeing these types of athletes on other teams always feels wrong; it feels somehow fake. Sure, he'll be wearing the jersey and helmet of my favorite team, and once the games start I'll be able to push these feelings aside. But once the games are done, it'll feel like a sham, somewhat emptier than normal. And for those making the Vinny comparison, at least Vinny was a New York guy. Vinny was a Long Island paisan coming home, making the home fans proud. Favre, as well know, is from Mississippi. He's going even further from home, certainly from a cultural standpoint. Maybe if he was from Lodi I'd feel different.
2 - The team was going to be better this year without him. As I've pointed out before, last year the team had seven losses by seven points or less. So, sure, they were 4-12, but with some breaks and better line play on both sides of the ball, they could have just as easily been something like 7-9 or 8-8. They spent a lot of money in the offseason fixing the problems on the lines, so the odds were that the team was already going to be in the vicinity of 7 to 9 wins, even with Clemens or Pennington at QB. Bottom line is that no QB is good behind a crap offensive line (or even a line playing like crap for one game, just ask Tom Brady after the Super Bowl.) The line getting better means Clemens or Pennington were going to be better. Now Favre comes in, and say the team wins 9 games, Favre just gets to add to his mythology without really earning it.
3 - If the team isn't ready to win right now, why waste a year of developing a young QB? No one reasonably thinks that the Jets are winning the Super Bowl this year. At the very least the Patriots, the Colts, and the Chargers are better teams, not to mention Pittsburgh and Cleveland. And that's just the AFC. So, if that's the case, why not see what you have with Clemens? If he starts to come into his own, you are in great shape for 2009. If he's awful (which is what he was looking like last year) then you get a good draft pick and take another young QB in the first or second round and start over from there. Now we get one year of Brett Favre, two at the most, which means a year or two (but probably just one) of just good enough to be watchable but not good enough to do anything really interesting, which means a middle-round draft pick and another year or two of Clemens getting no game action. If it's not getting the team any closer to the Super Bowl now or next year or two years from now, why is this supposed to be exciting for me?
4 - I'd rather have relevance from success than from purchases. Maybe this is some warped old-world immigrant way of thinking, but I hate that the columnists all say that this finally gives the team relevance. It's not relevance earned, it's relevance paid for, which feels phony (and goes back to point #1). If the Jets were going to be relevant on the NFL landscape, I'd like it to be because they did the right thing as a franchise, built a tradition of drafting and signing the right players, being smart about how to build a team, and creating an overall culture of excellence. Like the Steelers have done, or the Pats have done under Kraft. I actually thought the Woody Johnson-Mike Tannenbaum-Eric Mangini regime was starting to do this, laying the foundation that might have started paying real dividends in the next three years. I'm not saying that the Favre thing undermines it altogether, but it certainly doesn't feel as genuine as the alternative.
5 - He's 38 years old. I've been of the opinion that Brett Favre has been washed up for about five years. He did have an excellent year last year, but that seemed to have as much to do with having an incredible defense and a strong offensive line than anything he was doing on his own. In his prime, Brett Favre by himself wins you an extra two to four games in a season. Now? You're lucky to break even, given how many bad interceptions he throws (see: the NFC Championship game against the Giants last year.) Old QBs can get really old really fast. Does he even have one more good year in him? I'm not totally convinced.
Look, I'll be super honest: if the Jets start out something like 6-2 and Favre looks like the real Brett Favre and he's making Coles and Cotchery look like Toon and Walker circa 1986, I'm sure I'll be giddy and writing laudatory columns on this site looking to name Favre President for Life. Right now I've got misgivings and feel like this move doesn't at all align with my personal philosophy, but I'm not that much of a masochist.
At the same time, the one thing I want more than anything as a Jets fan is to see the team win the whole thing. Not as a fluke, and not as a stunt. And let's be honest about something else - if the Jets do win the Super Bowl this year or next year, what does the story read? It reads "Brett Favre wins Super Bowl." Not the Jets, but Brett Favre. I'm not saying I'd hate that necessarily, but I'm not sure, today, that I'm going to love it as much as I should, either.
Which means that they've all been asking lately what I think of the Brett Favre trade. So I tell them.
That, of course, gets the follow up of, "What, are you nuts? How, as a Jets fan, can you not be excited?"
Allow me to explain.
First, allow me to qualify. I fully understand that as it seems right now, 38 year old Brett Favre is better than Chad Pennington, and better than Kellen Clemens. Meaning, I fully understand that having Favre on the team makes it more likely that the team will be better this year. If the equation is "better team" = "happy fan" then I seem to be mathematically eliminated from hating this deal.
There are a few mitigating factors to it, which should make it clearer why I still stand by my initial reaction of being filled with expletive-laden frustration.
1 - He is not our guy. Brett Favre is a Packer. He is the Jesus of Green Bay. He took a dead franchise and dead fan base and revived them both. Seeing these types of athletes on other teams always feels wrong; it feels somehow fake. Sure, he'll be wearing the jersey and helmet of my favorite team, and once the games start I'll be able to push these feelings aside. But once the games are done, it'll feel like a sham, somewhat emptier than normal. And for those making the Vinny comparison, at least Vinny was a New York guy. Vinny was a Long Island paisan coming home, making the home fans proud. Favre, as well know, is from Mississippi. He's going even further from home, certainly from a cultural standpoint. Maybe if he was from Lodi I'd feel different.
2 - The team was going to be better this year without him. As I've pointed out before, last year the team had seven losses by seven points or less. So, sure, they were 4-12, but with some breaks and better line play on both sides of the ball, they could have just as easily been something like 7-9 or 8-8. They spent a lot of money in the offseason fixing the problems on the lines, so the odds were that the team was already going to be in the vicinity of 7 to 9 wins, even with Clemens or Pennington at QB. Bottom line is that no QB is good behind a crap offensive line (or even a line playing like crap for one game, just ask Tom Brady after the Super Bowl.) The line getting better means Clemens or Pennington were going to be better. Now Favre comes in, and say the team wins 9 games, Favre just gets to add to his mythology without really earning it.
3 - If the team isn't ready to win right now, why waste a year of developing a young QB? No one reasonably thinks that the Jets are winning the Super Bowl this year. At the very least the Patriots, the Colts, and the Chargers are better teams, not to mention Pittsburgh and Cleveland. And that's just the AFC. So, if that's the case, why not see what you have with Clemens? If he starts to come into his own, you are in great shape for 2009. If he's awful (which is what he was looking like last year) then you get a good draft pick and take another young QB in the first or second round and start over from there. Now we get one year of Brett Favre, two at the most, which means a year or two (but probably just one) of just good enough to be watchable but not good enough to do anything really interesting, which means a middle-round draft pick and another year or two of Clemens getting no game action. If it's not getting the team any closer to the Super Bowl now or next year or two years from now, why is this supposed to be exciting for me?
4 - I'd rather have relevance from success than from purchases. Maybe this is some warped old-world immigrant way of thinking, but I hate that the columnists all say that this finally gives the team relevance. It's not relevance earned, it's relevance paid for, which feels phony (and goes back to point #1). If the Jets were going to be relevant on the NFL landscape, I'd like it to be because they did the right thing as a franchise, built a tradition of drafting and signing the right players, being smart about how to build a team, and creating an overall culture of excellence. Like the Steelers have done, or the Pats have done under Kraft. I actually thought the Woody Johnson-Mike Tannenbaum-Eric Mangini regime was starting to do this, laying the foundation that might have started paying real dividends in the next three years. I'm not saying that the Favre thing undermines it altogether, but it certainly doesn't feel as genuine as the alternative.
5 - He's 38 years old. I've been of the opinion that Brett Favre has been washed up for about five years. He did have an excellent year last year, but that seemed to have as much to do with having an incredible defense and a strong offensive line than anything he was doing on his own. In his prime, Brett Favre by himself wins you an extra two to four games in a season. Now? You're lucky to break even, given how many bad interceptions he throws (see: the NFC Championship game against the Giants last year.) Old QBs can get really old really fast. Does he even have one more good year in him? I'm not totally convinced.
Look, I'll be super honest: if the Jets start out something like 6-2 and Favre looks like the real Brett Favre and he's making Coles and Cotchery look like Toon and Walker circa 1986, I'm sure I'll be giddy and writing laudatory columns on this site looking to name Favre President for Life. Right now I've got misgivings and feel like this move doesn't at all align with my personal philosophy, but I'm not that much of a masochist.
At the same time, the one thing I want more than anything as a Jets fan is to see the team win the whole thing. Not as a fluke, and not as a stunt. And let's be honest about something else - if the Jets do win the Super Bowl this year or next year, what does the story read? It reads "Brett Favre wins Super Bowl." Not the Jets, but Brett Favre. I'm not saying I'd hate that necessarily, but I'm not sure, today, that I'm going to love it as much as I should, either.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
I Am Filled With Expletives And Not Much Else
Brett Favre is a Jet.
This would be great news if it was 1996.
Unfortunately, it is 2008. So this is the opposite.
The only thing that would make me happy right now is if the Packers signed Browning Nagle, for symmetry.
The only good news is that they didn't give that much up, I guess.
Am I supposed to say that I can't wait to watch him throw all those "adorable" interceptions that make him so endearing to people like Peter King?
Am I supposed to say that this is going to take the team to the Super Bowl when I know that it won't?
No. I'm supposed to say fuck a lot. Which is what I'm doing, believe me.
Fuck.
This would be great news if it was 1996.
Unfortunately, it is 2008. So this is the opposite.
The only thing that would make me happy right now is if the Packers signed Browning Nagle, for symmetry.
The only good news is that they didn't give that much up, I guess.
Am I supposed to say that I can't wait to watch him throw all those "adorable" interceptions that make him so endearing to people like Peter King?
Am I supposed to say that this is going to take the team to the Super Bowl when I know that it won't?
No. I'm supposed to say fuck a lot. Which is what I'm doing, believe me.
Fuck.
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