7 Up 17 To Go

Faith and Fear In Amway

2010-04-15T23:48:00.004-04:00

What Magic fans have been waiting for since last June begins Sunday night at Amway Arena, this time with a goal that doesn’t seem absurd. They enter the 2010 playoffs with the same 59-23 record as last year’s squad, the #2 seed in the East and most importantly, home court advantage should they return to the NBA Finals. It could all be so simple…….

As a fan, I have never felt so confident in my team going into a postseason in any sport and yet, I can’t help but be nervous.

This Magic squad is every bit as good as last year’s team that made the NBA Finals and may be even better. They shoot just as well, the bench is much deeper (arguably the deepest in the league) and the defense is even better with the addition of Matt Barnes, who brought a much needed nasty streak to this team. They’ve proven they can beat the NBA’s elite anywhere, anytime and last year’s Finals defeat, in addition to the continued lack of respect from the national media that’s been on display since last year, has sharpened this team’s focus and determination.

Also consider this: Atlanta has no match inside for Dwight Howard, which allows him to either dominate or have the Magic play inside-out; Reality show housewives can’t believe how beat the Celtics look right now. Most of all, there are several factors with Cleveland that are in play. Lost in all the post-series handshake palaver last year, was the fact that LeBron played at an all-galaxy level in every game and it still wasn’t enough. Now, I would never put it past LeBron to say that he can’t do it again, but he’ll need that Herculean effort once again to put his team in position to win it all.

And for those who remember last year’s ECF, it was clearly a case of LeBron and a pack of stiffs. Mo Williams did a better vanishing act during the series than LeBron did after the series; Anderson Varejao was rag dolled in the post by Dwight and repeatedly embarrassed by Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu at the perimeter. While Danny Ferry was wise to bring in Shaq and Antwan Jamison, neither of these are a certainity. Shaq Diesel is just now working his back into the Cavs’ lineup after missing almost 2 months due to a wrist injury and as he once said about Michael Jordan before his 2nd comeback, “39 ain’t 29.” Jamison is a 2nd tier player and well worth them making that trade since they got Big Z, but as a member of a Wizards team that never advanced further than a second round sweep in 2005,we have yet to see how he’ll respond to this kind of spotlight.

Then there’s the Lakers.

As my friend Anthony over at Keeping Busy points out, “The lakers have that Yankee vibe about them, where even when they look like garbage you cant count em out”, but it feels like the invincibility that they had last year isn’t there this time. A lot of that has to do with the injuries they’re currently facing with Andrew Bynum (achilles) and Lamar Odom who just doesn’t look right. Obviously, the biggest concern is Kobe, who is battling a litany of injuries. Naturally, the first reaction is that he’s been playing with injuries for years it seems, but keep in mind, he’s dealing with this new round on top of the fact that he’s played three full regular seasons, going the distance in the last two postseasons AND the Beijing games. Add on to that that he’s been playing at the highest level for 14 years now and you just wonder at what point does it start to breakdown as we’ve seen with KG over the last year.

Thinking about all that really makes me believe this is the best chance the Magic have ever had to win an NBA Championship. Then, I look at what they’re up against in Round 1.

Not that anyone is confusing the Bobcats with the ’96 Bulls, but they’re a to do some damage. Larry Brown knows how to get the most out of a team and Stephen Jackson is one of the best playoff performers in the game (more on that in a minute).

The main concern is history. The Magic are playing the role of the team who came up just short the year before, dominated the regular season and are now looking for redemption….it doesn’t always work out for the best:

The 1994 Seattle Sonics were going to use the inexperienced Denver Nuggets as the launching pad to a championship….a funny thing happened though:

The 2007 Dallas Mavericks looked unstoppable during the regular season on the way to avenging their painful defeat in the NBA Finals the year before and nobody thought much when somehow the Golden State Warriors got into the playoffs. But the Bay Area got hyphy with a legendary upset thanks to some familiar faces in this series:

Fortunately, the Magic have two of the NoCal assailants from that team, but Charlotte has maybe the most important player from that series. When Stephen Jackson is in the postseason, big things happen. In his foray in 2003, he (in the championship-clinching Game 6 against the Nets) and Steve Kerr teamed to hit nearly every big shot for the Spurs 2nd championship. In 2005, he helped a depleted Pacers squad upset the Celtics in the 1st round and pushed the defending champion Pistons to 6 games. As you just saw, the Mavericks never had an answer for him and until this year (with a nearly brand new roster) never recovered.

Combine him with a solid player in Gerald Wallace who has been there since day one in Charlotte and has been eagerly awaiting this moment and the Bobcats have a chance to do huge damage.

I genuinely believe that if the Magic get through the 1st round, that they will win it all. It's the team nicknamed after its owner that scares the hell out of me.

2010 NCAA Tournament Running Diary Day 1

2010-03-18T12:13:00.082-04:00

It's the best 2 days of the year, and it wouldn't be the same without thousands across the country doing a running diary of it, so allow me to join the crowd. I also haven't had a chance to post my picks and upsets, so here goes: Final 4 will be Kansas, K-State, West Virginia and Baylor. Cinderellas (no further than the Sweet 16 in any case): UTEP, Cornell and Siena.

12:21 P.M.: BYU-Florida will come down to two players, the Cougars' Jimmer Fredette and Florida's Chandler Parsons. If either one has a sub-par day, it will be an early exit for their squad.

12:29: BYU's offensive strategy so far seems to be have Fredette collapse the defense and kick out to his perimeter guys.

12:36: I'm starting to worry about Dr. Dre. First a Dr. Pepper ad and now HP. Did Suge extort him out of more royalties?

12:40: I mentioned it's important for Parsons to step in order for UF to have a chance, but they're also going to need contributions from Erving Walker and/or Kenny Boynton as we just saw there.

12:48: Florida's interior D establishing themselves as the half has gone. Notre Dame and Old Dominion are still getting their footing, sloppy game so far.

12:55: These Gators are looking more like the underachieving 01-05 squads who had no toughess and less like the bullying national title squads.

12:59: Looks like Notre Dame is more than happy to keep winning in 50-45 fashion. Which is fine against ODU, but that won't fly against Baylor.

1:03: Florida's early success from 3 is starting to fade. Meanwhile, Villanova is having trouble getting going, just 13 points with 5 and a half to go in the 1st half.

1:06: Florida withstands a 14-5 run by BYU to trail only by 2 at half.

1:19: Villanova looks like they're just waiting for Robert Morris to realize who and where they're playing, except RM doesn't look the least bit scared. The Wildcats' offense looks way too stagnant.

1:28: My brother, who is going to UF next year and claims to be a die-hard fan, even after watching the game for a half still can't name 5 players on the team. Gator fans are the best, Jerry, the best!

1:33: Given that I hadn't seen them play this year, BYU's defense has been a lot stingier than I expected, especially on the interior. That said, they need to do a better job of challenging the perimeter if they're going to a hang for the win here.

1:45 P.M.: Minor note that I'm being a stickler for. Kevin Harlan keeps mentioning that Vernon Macklin is helping a frontline that's been decimated by players leaving early. Not entirely true, while the three that won the back-to-back titles, they already wpuld've graduated in 08, and the other 2 (Marreesse Speights and Nick Calathes) were overrated at best.

1:52: Two eye-opening statistics at the 10-minute mark for Florida: no one in double-digit scoring and 0 assists/4 turnovers for Erving Walker.

1:58: Credit to BYU, every time Florida looks like they're about to make it close, they've been able to match it with a big play of their own. Dumb foul though on the layup on Walker.

1:59: For such a close game, this Notre Dame-Old Dominion game is near sleep-inducing. Somebody get Mike Tirico to call this one.

2:05: Another 3 by Florida gets it to 3. But Fredette makes up for it on the other end. If I'm Kansas State, I'm feeling pretty nervous about potentially facing this kid.

2:06: While Parsons has been kept in check, Kenny Boynton is keeping the Gators alive. He looks gassed however, checking Fredette on the defensive end and carrying the load on offense.

2:10: A Redick-like (Duke Redick I might add, J.J. is cool with me now) effort from Luke Harangody today, 0-7. That won't cut it as an 8th man in the NBA.

2:11: Bad possession by ND there, they didn't have to get the 3 there.

2:12: And they get bailed on a missed 1 and 1 by ODU.

2:15 P.M.: Horrendous shot selection by BYU and the Gators are looking for a killshot.

2:16: What a game of can you top this going in OKC!

2:19: I'm really look forward to the sudden emergence of Gator fans who haven't watched a basketball game in 3 years talking all sorts of noise.

2:20: ODU hangs on to beat Notre Dame by 1. I picked the Irish, but I'm not entirely surprised, cosnidering that ND basically got that 6-seed by haviing a nice run in the Garden last week.

2:24: Very surprised that Chandler Parsons missed that shot after the reputation he's built this year. Meanwhile, Robert Morris isn't going away.

2:28: Physically, Florida looks better prepared to survive OT.

2:31: If Robert Morris hangs on for the upeset, it's not because Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher didn't start, it's because they took this team lightly. 'Nova seems to still be waiting for Robert Morris to lose this game, instead of them trying to win it.

2:38: Florida showing the tougher effort here in the OT, as evidenced by the last few loose balls.

2:39: Excellent last-shot strategy by Florida there. And to think Billy Donovan could've been coaching the Magic....whew.

2:43: Boynton fould out and it now falls on Chandler Parsons to keep the Gators alive.

2:46: Near panic as March Madness On Demand crashed for 2 minutes during the RMU-Nova game. Tied with 52 seconds.

2:47: Looks like Villanova may get a reprieve as they'll have a chance for the last shot with 25 seconds left. 20+ turnovers may be ultimately what do in the Colonials.

2:50: I've never been a fan of having the last posession and lettin g the clock run all the way down to 6 or 7 seconds before making your move, you leave yourself no room for a 2nd chance.

2:51: Shades of Courtney Lee in Game 2 of the Finals there. You know, minus the holding and the goaltending.

2:55: At least The Ivan Brothers ads won't get very tired really quick.

3:00 P.M.: Billy Donovan has yet to win an NCAA Tournament game since robbing the Orlando Magic at gunpoint. The Magic have won 52, 59 and (as of today) 48 games respectively in those 3 years, made it to the NBA Finals last year and have a chance to do it again this year. Thanks again, William!

3:03: Scottie Reynolds just picked a good time to make his 2nd field goal of the game, that may have just ended the dream for RMU.

3:08: They're still alive after 2 free throws and a layup off an inbounds steal makes it 68-67. There's something different about this 15-seed team, most other low seeds would've gone into "well, that was nice, but it's over now" mode.

3:15 P.M.: Villanova got away with some questionable clock management after that block and quite frankly,I don't know what Robert Morris was doing on that last shot. That said, 2 overtime games and a game that went down to the final shot to start the day, we're off to a much better start this year than in the past few years.

3:25: Murray State leads Vandy by 4 at half. Not as shocking as some think, because Murray State has 30 wins on the year and the Comoodores are vulnerable away from their gimmick-court.

3:37: Freshman Gilberto Clavell helps Sam Houston State to a one-point lead over my Final Four pick, Baylor at half. Fun fact: Clavell comes from Florida Air Academy, my high school's archrival in basketball. FAA also produced Walter Hodge (played on Florida's 2 championship teams), Sasha Kaun (starting center on Kansas' title team), Rihards Kuksiks (starting SG at Arizona State), Evka Banilius (guard at South Carolina), amongst others, as well as Kuamaine Osbourne a guard who currently plays there who will be going to Sam Houston State next year. Not surprisingly, my school has beaten them just once in the last 11 years.

3:54: Vanderbilt is getting bullied inside by Murray State, this is starting to look like a repeat of the Siena game in '08.

4:07: The new guy for CBS, Spero Edes, isn't too bad. He gets a goos game to start with in Vandy-Murray St. Unfortunately, he has to work with Bob Wenzel who is thoroughly bland.

4:09: I really hope that A.J. Ogilvy is rocking that 'stache for ironic reasons only.

4:30: This is the first NCAA Tournament that I've watched in HD and I can already notice differenbt things. For instance, in HD, you can notice the shirt collar tightening around Kevin Stallings' throat.

4:36: Bad call by the Murray State guard there, should've gone up straight to the basket.

4:41: Murray State has a chance for the winner with 4 seconds left. Look for a screen and slash to the basket.

4:43: A picture-perfect buzzer-beater....nice!

4:55: Sam Houston State has nothing to be ashamed of, but Baylor has too much shooting and too many athletes, which is why I have them smoking Duke to go to Indianapolis next week.

5:00 P.M.: Done for now, but I'll be back between 8 and 8:30!

8:03: Ohio, who was the #9 seed in the MAC Tournament, leading Georgetown by 13 late in the 1st half. Admittedly, Ohio is a sentimental favorite of mine because I have a good friend who is an academic advisor to the team.

8:10: You wonder how long these shots will keep falling for Ohio. Unless you're an NBA team, it's hard to keep draining 3's over a sustained period of the game.

8:17: I know taking care of a 6-seed isn't exactly a priority of the commitee, but isn't it strange that Washington, who was one of the last teams in, gets to play in San Jose?

8:38: A badass alley-oop off the glass from Cooper to DeVaughn Washington for Ohio. This might be their night to make history. Well, since the Gary Trent days anyway.

8:44: Very surprising that the Hoyas seem to be getting zero calls around the basket tonight.

8:51: I feel like Northern Iowa would be a huge probelm for any #1 seed this year except Kansas. Too bad that's what UNI could be looking at.

9:03: Call me crazy, but if Ohio holds on and they face Tennessee, the Vols are just streaky enough that the Bobcats could continue their miracle run.

9:11: The one thing in Georgetown's favor is that they haven't packed it in yet. Meanwhile, the Rebels' guards are keeping them in it.

9:16: Too bad the Magic are playing tonight. Otherwise, Stan Van would have to be quite impressed with what we're seeing from the Bobcats at the arc.

9:19: The most surprising part of this game is that considering Georgetown's advantage is their size and to say that it's non-existent tonight would be generous.

9:30: The winning shot by UNI might've been one of the balliest shots I've ever seen.

9:38: annnnnnnnnnnnnd there's Washington when they're good.

9:43: Who's been in school longer: Lazar Hayward at Marquette or Edgar Sosa at Louisville?

9:44: Normally I'd call this an abject implosion, but Marquette is used to this by now.

10:00 P.M.: Quincy Pondexter with the potential dagger....was there any doubt?

10:15: Screw it, I'm ditching SDSU-UT for the Underachiever Classic aka Wake-Texas

10:37: I took Texas in this one based on the fact that I've never seen a team play less inspired than Wake has under Dino Gaudio.

10:50: Not a bad half of basketball by SDSU, but the Vols' D has been exceptional tonight.

11:01: I'm filling in my friend Anthony over at Keeping Busy, who's a sports fan but doesn't follow the college game on all the highlights of today and it's like showing someone what the latest gadgets can do.

11:04: So much for that, Texas-Wake is just straight up dull.

11:09: Just a tip to the networks: when there's a potentially gruesome injury on the court like the one we just saw in the New Mexico game, turn the courtside mics off. I'm pretty sure I just heard that I didn't think a human could make.

11:33: What is it about Kansas being a #1 seed that makes 16 seeds step their game up?

11:39: As soon as I say that, the Jayhawks flex their muscle on both ends of the floor, especially Marcus Morris getting nice with back-to-back swats.

11:45 P.M.: Arinze Onuaku likely out for the weekend for Syracuse. The door for Florida State to do major damage just swung open.

11:49: Maybe it's me, but I feel like Wayne Chism should be said a little more carefully.

11:58: Wake leading Texas by 2 with 2 to go. WHO WANTS IT LESS?

12:00 A.M.: Somehow, I just don't see things ending well for Tennessee's Brian Williams. Just a hunch. Hey B-Dub, avoid changing your faiths at all costs.

12:02 A.M.: Great block by UT's Avery Bradley to keep their season and J'Covan Brown immediately comes back down and ties it with a 3. I foresee a deadly Demon Deacon turnover coming.

12:06 A.M.: Good interior D by Wake to hang on to the lead.

12:07 A.M.: Wretched defensive strategy by SDSU on that possession as it looked like they were willing to let the Vols run out the shot clock down (leaving no less than 9 seconds on the game clock) and they paid for it when Goins nailed the 3.

12:10 A.M.: Damian James gets away with a big-time walk and gets the foul.

12:12 A.M.: Texas and Wake going to OT......they must be pissed.

12:22 A.M.: As OT drags on in the Big Easy, Montana's hanging around against a New Mexico that I honestly still know nothing about.

12:30 A.M.: Another one to the wire on this day as Wake wins in the final seconds. They're pissed that tehy'll have to play another game.

12:35 A.M.: Montana's Anthony Johnson is 0-11 from the field and they're still only down 3? Maybe it's their night.

12:40 A.M.: Mismanaged posession by Montana. Don't know why they were forcing into traffic there and it may have just cost them their shot at the upset.

12:43 A.M.: This has been the best day of tournament basketball since the weekend (they're tied together in my book) of the Elite 8 back in 2005 that featured 3 overtime games.

12:46 A.M.: Another poor offensive decision by Montana with another chance to tie it.

12:50 A.M.: After 12 hours and 40 minutes of pure, unadulterated college basketball bliss, Day One has come to an end......just wow. Even better, I get to spend part of Day Two breaking it down with a college coach.

Be sure to check in throughout the tournament for more updates!

INT That A Bitch

2010-01-26T11:44:00.005-05:00

In one of the biggest I told you so moments in recent history, Brett Favre submarined the Minnesota Vikings' chances at a championship with a fatal interception in the final seconds of regulation, giving the Saints a reprieve and ultimately a 31-28 victory in overtime. Unless you were a purple and gold backer, a member of ESPN or Peter King, you knew this was coming at some point. Like an average action movie, you can almost pinpoint when they're coming. With that in mind, and hell, who doesn't enjoy kicking a man when he's down, I present to you Brett Favre's 5 Greatest Meltdowns:

5. 2004 NFC Wild Card vs. Vikings

Technically, this shouldn't count because the play (at 2:11) was called back due to the fact that he was beyond the line of scrimmage and he actually completed it to his own team. However, this play defines the media's verbal french-kissing session with the Wrangler QB for the last 5 years. Whereas Eli Manning or Jay Cutler will get crucified for, when the Silver Fox makes these plays, you'll hear the following:

"There he is, playing like a kid in the backyard!"
"He's playing with reckless abandon! What a warrior!"
"He's just having fun out there! He'd play the game for free!"
"He's having painkiller withdrawls!"

Ok, I made that last one up, but you get the idea. Thanks to Randy Moss' pantomime-shit in the end zone later in the game, this stunt largely went unchecked.

4. 2001 NFC Divisional Playoff vs. Rams

The Ol' Gunslinger ties a playoff record with 6 INT's in a 45-17 loss to The Greatest Show On Turf. You can excuse a couple of these because the Pack were in such a huge hole and he had to throw; Not to mention, even if Favre has a perfect game that day, it may not have been good enough against that Rams squad. But it's hard to leave a 6 INT playoff game off this list.

3. 2007 NFC Championship Game vs. Giants

Favre's 2007 season was supposed to be one of the best farewells in sports history. After a disastorous '05 season and an average '06, it appeared he one left in the chamber as he came back with one of his best seasons. With the help of the newly discovered Ryan Grant, the Packers went 13-3 as Favre threw for 28 TD's. His apparent blaze of glory into the sunset even caused his on-again/off-again boyfriend, Peter King, to be the only writer who did not vote for the record-setting Tom Brady as MVP that year.

On it went to the playoffs, and the Pack blew out Seattle in the Divisional round, providing us with another signature moment with his underhand TD pass to Donald Lee. He started off the bone-chilling NFC Title game with a 90-yard strike to Donald Driver. After Lawrence Tynes shanked a potential game-ending FG to end regulation, Favre was picked off by Corey Webster in his own end of the field and this time, Tynes converted as the Giants would go on to pull off the upset of upsets. Sadly, it seemed as if the final play of Favre's career would be one that cost his team their season. Stop me if you've seen this movie.

2. 2003 NFC Divisional Playoff vs. Eagles

This is was about the time where the media's love affair went to the next level. Credit where it's due, in Week 16, less than a day after Favre lost his father in a tragic car accident, went out on Monday Night Football and threw for 4 TD's and 399 yards as the Packers smoked Oakland 41-7 in one of the most inspirational performances of my lifetime. In the season's final week, they would run past Denver and with Minnesota leading 4-12 Arizona 17-6, it seemed all was lost....until:

SIDE NOTE: As awesome as Paul Allen and his partner's call was Sunday night, this still takes the crown.

The Packers won the Wild Card game the next week against Seattle 33-27 in OT on an Al Harris pick 6 moments after Matt Hasselbeck's infamous "We want the ball and we're gonna score!" prediction and you couldn't but help to start to wonder if there were higher powers at work.

Green Bay led 17-14 with just a over minute to go when Donovan McNabb converted 4th and 26 to Freddie Mitchell, leading to a David Akers FG with :07 left to force OT. On Green Bay's first possession and approaching midfield, Favre launched a fly ball (at 3:04 in the first video of the segment)that even Manny Ramirez would've fielded without issue. With no Packer receivers in the vincity, Brian Dawkins picked it off as millions around the country watched and said "What the hell is he trying to do?" It's a signature "I'm Brett Favre, I can make this throw" that became a staple during his final years in Lambeau.

1. 2009 NFC Championship Game vs. Saints

I'm not a fan of being caught up in instant history, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a more egregious brain-lock in a brain game. Many (including yours truly) had put Favre on blast for another summer of "Will I or won't I?" and that he was washed up, but we've all had to eat crow. Bad ending or not, the man still has it.

He played within the system, excelled beyond belief and most importantly, was not making the classic Favre mistakes. But much like a troubled teenager, just when you think they've finally made that turn in their life, you find that ain't shit changed.

In my opinion, this is one of the dumbest decisions in the history of sports. You have one of the best 50+yard kickers in the history of the game in your back pocket and you're gonna try to be the hero? We shouldn't be shocked that he did that but I'm just amazed that the lone mistake he made this season came at the worst possible moment.

Favre is a first ballot hall of famer and he's one of the best to ever play the position, but his final pass for the Packers, Jets and Vikings were all season-crushing picks and that is as much a part of his legacy as the ring and records are.

Otis, My Man

2009-12-13T23:27:00.002-05:00

The big question going into the Orlando Magic's offseason following their run to the 2009 NBA Finals was what changes would general manager Otis Smith make to a roster that came within 3 wins of a championship minus a healthy Jameer Nelson? Rafer Alston, Courtney Lee and Tony Battie were sent away to bring in Vince Carter and a then little-known reserve named Ryan Anderson. Hedo Turkoglu, Tyronn Lue and Jeremy Richardson (the last two of whom had as much to do with the playoff run as I did) were gone via free agency; Brandon Bass, Matt Barnes and Jason Williams came in.

The team has played just 1 game at full strength this year due to Rashard Lewis' 10-game suspension to start the season and Jameer Nelson's injury late in that only game together against the the Bobcats. In spite of it, it's been the new additions, and not just the big name, who have helped the Magic run out to a 17-6 record. Smith has had many detractors during his tenure as GM (including yours truly), but he needs to be given credit for helping make the Magic arguably the deepest team in the East.

Anderson was thrust into the starting lineup immediately due to the Lewis suspension and has thrived in many ways. He scored in double figures in 5 of the 6 games he started and in 10 of the 19 games he's played in, giving Stan Van Gundy another threat beyond the arc and allows him to throw many different looks on the floor with his lineup, something that could loom big come playoff time . Anderson’s impact has been immediate as seen Thursday night in Salt Lake City as Rashard Lewis deferred to a red hot Anderson for the 2nd quarter.

Bass isn't an attention getter (averaging about 9 points and 3 rebounds a game) but the dirty work he does underneath against the likes of Shaq have helped make life easier for Dwight Howard. This is critical because while Lewis and Hedo did get their fair share of rebounds, they generally didn't like fighting for them, something Bass and Barnes have no problem doing.

Barnes is an older version of Courtney Lee. As seen during his stints in Golden State and Phoenix, he can slash and create his own shot. More importantly, he is an absolute pest on D. Typically, he doesn’t draw the best offensive player, that often goes to Mickael Pietrus, but when he’s nearly glue-like on his assignments. As the Magic are likely to face teams with many offensive weapons (Boston, Atlanta) in the playoffs, Barnes could be an X-Factor.

I’d be remiss not to mention the presence of White Chocolate. J-Will was expected to provide steady minutes in relief of Jameer (and did to start the season), but has been more than serviceable as the starting point after Nelson’s injury. Who would’ve thought we’d ever see the day where Jason Williams would be playing the role of the savy veteran? Yet he’s done just that, with an over 4:1 assist to turnover ratio. Having been a part of the Heat’s 2006 championship squad, Jason’s obviously at the stage of his career where it’s strictly a ring thing. Because of this, a Nelson/Williams tandem in the playoffs has a chance to work in a way that the Nelson/Alston duo didn’t because Skip To My Lou was more concerned about starting.

And then of course, there’s Vinsanity.

The debate raged over the summer as to whether Vince Carter would be an upgrade over Hedo and so far, Carter has been equal to the task. He’s been the most consistent scorer on the team to this point and has been able to create his own shot much like Turk. Most importantly he’s filled Hedo’s role as Mr. 4th Quarter, with his biggest moment coming in their first trip to Boston, where he scored 10 in the 4th, including the go-ahead jumper with 2 and a half to go.

The faces may change, but the roles have remained the same in the Magic’s Eastern Conference title defense. I may not always agree with some of his trades and his drafting has been suspect, but credit to Otis Smith, he’s kept this team in position to finish the job in June.

Welcome to Sports Fan Hell

2009-10-26T13:05:00.005-04:00

Being a sports fan ultimately boils down to two things: the unbridled joy of winning and the pain of losing. More times than not, you lose, it comes with territory, we all get that, it's what makes winning that much better. However, in the past 3 years for me, there's losing and then there's being repeatedly kicked in the protective cup. It's not just losing, it's having rivals win too, to pour salt in the wound, which lately has become a cement mixer. I've dubbed this Sports Fan Hell, and allow me to give you a tour. Think of it as a way to understand my incessant pessimism and whining.

It unofficially began on April 3, 2006 when Florida defeated UCLA for the NCAA basketball championship. I hate seeing UF win anything, but I didn't think much of it.Cute, those spoiled kids up in Gainesville finally have a basketball title, that's nice. Little did I know the misery I was in for:

October 19th, 2006 : It officially began when the Mets lost Game 7 of the NLCS in heartbreaking fashion to the Cardinals on a 2-run homer by Yadier Molina in the 9th inning and the season ending with Carlos Beltran striking out looking with the bases loaded. This is actually the most painful loss of my lifetime. 2006 was the season of destiny for the Mets, they had the pitching and the lineup and an 83-78 team took it from them, no one saw it coming. It took me almost til Christmas to get over it.

January 8, 2007 Florida boat races Ohio State 41-14. Great, 2 titles in 9 months, just what the trust fund babies needed. Part of the UF hate comes from being a Florida State fan, part of it comes from my friends who go to UF and never shut up about how much better they are than everyone simply by going to UF. Two titles for them is like pouring another gas can on the fire.

March 2007: Jimmy Rollins declares the Phillies, perennial September swooners, the team to beat in the NL East. When did Jimmy Rollins become good enough to be talkin shit like that? Please, like they have a chance.

April 2, 2007 : b-ball title #2 for UF and title #3 in 364 days. All of a sudden, there's a lot of blue and orange car flags around.

September 14-30, 2007 : The Collpase......already did an entry on this, and I'm not in the mood to do it again.

December 2007: Tim Tebow wins the Heisman and thus, the ballwashing begins. I can say without question that I have never hated an athlete like I do Tebow. The aw shucksness, the phony showbiz christian act, the fact that he's not a great QB and can just simply run over people at 6'5 245, yet people act like he's reinvented the wheel, the Favre-eque way announcers fawn over him. I actually danced a jig when he got that concussion.

January 6, 2008: Bucs lose NFC Wild Card game to Giants. This one doesn't bug me that much since I thought the Giants would win this game anyway and ended up doing what they did a few weeks later.

September 28,2008: The Collpase Part 2 concludes and destroys Shea Stadium. Nice to see 87 wins wasn't good enough for the Marlins this year, just like 89 and 88 weren't good enough for the Mets the 2 years prior. Karma po-lice, arrest this team.

October 29,2008 : Phillies win the World Series. Maybe the baseball gods don't exist.

December 2008: Following Monte Kiffin's announcement that he will be leaving the Buccaneers after the season to go to Tennessee, the defense takes the last month of the season off and the Bucs go from 9-3 to out of the playoffs, including blowing a 10-point lead in the 4th quarter in the final game against the freaking Raiders. I'm starting to wonder if I killed somebody in a past life

January 8, 2009: UF defeats Oklahoma for another national title, and Tim Tebow gets verbally blown by Thom Brennaman on TV for 3 hours......absolute torture.

March 20, 2009: Florida State blows a 13-point lead to Wisconsin in the 2nd half and falls in the final seconds of the 1st round of the NCAA Tourmanet. Ok, I'm reaching here, but at this point I was just hoping for ANY of my teams to come through at this point.

April-September 2009: Mets season becomes wet garbage.

June 11 and 14, 2009: Derek Fisher's daggers in Game 4 and the Lakers clinch it in Orlando. As I've said on here before, it sucked that they lost, but the fun of the Eastern Conference playoffs outweighed the end. That said, screw the Lakers, and I hope Yoko Khloe and her ugly sister Kourtney help wreck the repeat.

*Side note for June 14: The Mets lose 15-0 to the Yankees, where Johan Santana gets tagged for 9 runs in 3 innings in a series that also featured Luis Castillo's game-ending dropped pop-up. If the memory-eraser thing from Men In Black was available, it would definitely be used for that 4-5 day stretch.

The next 2 weeks: Phillies-Yankees World Series: Since my rage over this is approaching a Stephen Jackson in Detroit level, I'll let my friend Anthony sum it up: "It's the Alien vs. Predator World Series, no matter who wins, we lose."

Editor's note: This may be updated again in the coming months for the undeserved Tebow Heisman and another UF title.

NFL thoughts 10/22

2009-10-21T17:35:00.003-04:00

So far we know who the NFL's bottom shelf is (Cleveland, St. Louis, Tampa Bay, Buffalo, KC and Tennessee) and we're pretty sure of the elite teams (Saints, Giants, Vikings and Colts)and the 2nd tier who could be elite late in the year (New England Denver, Pittsburgh, Baltimore,Atlanta and Chicago). But what else have we learned?

- We've learned that Brett Favre is setting up Vikings fans for a massive letdown in January.

- Josh McDaniels knew what he was doing and that Kyle Orton is not just a caretaker.

-Tom Brady is just fine, and if you still don't believe that, go back and check how Peyton Manning's 2nd half was last year.

-Speaking of Peyton: no disrespect to Jim Caldwell, who I'm sure does contribute, but Manning is officially the coach of the Colts.

- Drew Brees is the most complete QB in the league in terms of mobility, poise, arm strength, and leadership

- That the Wildcat is a lot more complicated than just putting fast guys under center and running a screen pass; which is to say, the Dolphins are the only team that can truly pull it off.

- That the Niners are getting there, but they're not on the big boy level. I think they'll win the NFC West, get bounced in the Wild Card, but could make some serious noise in the next few years.

- There's a reason why Brady Quinn fall to 22nd in the draft. I couldn't have said it any better myself

- The Cowboys have gone from overrated to irrelevant very quickly.

- I'd say the Bengals are legit, but I want to see how much of an effect the loss of Antwan Odom has on their defense.

- Baltimore's suddenly mediocre secondary makes them beatable. Which is a shame, because I'd love to see what that team could do with both sides of the ball at full strength.

- Jason Campbell is apparently forever the victim of circumstance. I'd love to see how he'd look in a stable situation because it's never going to get any better for him in the District.

-Maybe, just maybe, the Eagles aren't Super Bowl material and I would've said that even prior to the Oakland fiasco.

LCS Opinions

2009-10-16T13:17:00.002-04:00

- Last night shows the fundamental difference between the Phillies and Dodgers that still exists. If there is nothing else the Phillies have done better than any other team in the last 3 seasons, it's the ability to drop the hammer when the other team is waiting for the bell to ring. You watch them and you can tell they have this sixth sense of when they have chance to a bury a team(i.e. Howard's 2-run double in Colorado and in the 5th last night, Ibanez's 3-run shot in the 8th) and they usually do. On the flip side, the Dodgers had chances with the bases loaded in the 6th, a runner at 2nd with no out in the 7th, runners at the corners in the 8th and a lead off hit in the 9th and couldn't cash in. Outside of Cliff Lee, the rotations are even, L.A. has a better bench and bullpen, but they just can't finish, and that's why The Champs are who they are.

- Add this to the list of Phillie breaks over the last 3 years: Brad Lidge correcting himself just in time for the postseason run. Of course he would, these things always happen for the Phils.

- What will the Yankees do now that Ronan Tynan can't ice the opposing pitcher for 10 minutes in the 7th inning?

- It's essential for the Angels to take Game 1 tonight in The Bronx. I'm sure they'd feel satisfied with a split, but with the level of expectations for the Yankees right now, taking the first game would take the air out of the place and the feeling that L.A. is in their heads would be back.

- Picks : Phillies in 5, Yankees in 6......somebody kill me.

Playoff Blog Hits 10/10

2009-10-09T22:51:00.005-04:00

- I'll leave my thoughts on the Twins-Yankees game to my good friend and loyal Twins fan, The Bama Gringo : "Unless the goddamn Twins are playing, A-Rod is the worst motherfucking postseason player in baseball history. Against the Twins, he turns into the second coming of Yogi fucking Berra. And for fuckin' fuck's sake, the 3-4-5 guys do their damn jobs, and Delmon Young, you hack-happy fucker, you just HAVE to swing at the first pitch, don't you. You, too, Gomez. FUCK!!!!!"

- I'm amazed that ESPN exercised so much restraint this morning in not showing the Luis Castillo Play every single time they talked about Matt Holliday's drop. You know, like they do every day as pretty boy Josh Elliott and Hannah Storm giggle incessantly. Oh wait, Hannah Storm giggles through every highlight, as you were.

- Speaking of, can there be anything worse than not only contributing to your team's devastating playoff loss, but getting drilled in the package in the process? As much deserved heat as Holliday's getting, Ryan Franklin should be getting ripped for walking Blake after being up 0-2, giving up a hit to Ronnie freaking Belliard (who I honestly thought was out of baseball), and to Loretta who was cold coming off the bench.

- I'm quite puzzled as to Jim Tracy adhering strictly adhering to the matchup-style lineup against Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels. It paid off in Yorvit Torrealba's 2-run homer in Game 2, but at this point in the season, you should have your best 9 guys out there and Torrealba might be the worst starting position player in the postseason and Garrett Atkins is clearly fearing the drug testing. But then again, I was happy to be wrong Thursday.

-Speaking of Mr. Hamels, I can't wait for his kid's first words to be "why is dada a shaggy-haired girl?" Waaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh, TBS doesn't respect us, wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh why do I have to pitch during the day? Wahhhhhhhhh, my wife's giving birth! What's next? How dare the hitters swing at my pitches?

- Chip Caray is the new Joe Buck and by that I mean, no matter how bad he is (in this instance, Caray's cheerleading getting in the way of him actually presenting the game, as opposed to Buck's cheerleading mixing with his completely dull delivery), the network will continue to push him on us. There's hope for me yet.

Running Diary: Twins vs. Tigers AL Central One-Game Playoff

2009-10-06T15:10:00.036-04:00

I will have a running diary for today's one-game playoff starting at 4:30 P.M. My prediction: an 8th inning implosion by the Tigers pen gives the Twins a 4-2 win.

4:30 P.M. : Congratulations to TBS on one of the dumbest programming decisions in history. Nothing like having According to Jim as your lead-in to a one-game playoff.

4:43: 16 months ago, I was watching Rick Porcello pitch in the Florida State League All-Star Game. They grow up so fast. And yes, I'm pissed that I missed out on seeing Stephen Strasburg sole appearence here until March.

4:46 - Watching Al Leiter on the MLB Net pre-game and them running highlights of his 2-hit gem in the one-game playoff against Cincy makes me feel old. My God, that was already 10 years ago?

5:01- Ron Darling, thankful to leave the prison sentence that was being on SNY for the 2009 season, gets to call his first meaningful game in over a year.

5:04- This entire Miguel Cabrera situation is a beauty. Even the Mets weren't this dumb the last 2 years.

5:07- It's 44 degrees and raining in Minneapolis. I don't see how Target Field will pose any sort of problem.

5:11- Text from my friend Tyler (a loyal Tigers fan):" We're 9 min into the broadcast and they've already listed about 37 reasons/stats why the Twins will win. This is gonna be a fun broadcast to watch."

5:18- Joe Mauer legs out a double with two out and one of the purest swings in the game. You think Bobby Bowden wishes he had taken that football scholarhsip to FSU right about now? Yeah, me too.

5:20- Porcello doesn't even look remotely fazed and gets Jason Kubel to pop out to short to end the first.

5:22- A "beat your wife, Miggy, beat your wife! (clap clap)" chant would've been solid, but as we all know, Minneapolis is classier than most.

5:24- Cabrera breaks out of a wretched 0-11 slump, with a one-handed double to the wall. Now THAT'S strength.

5:26- " It's like we say on the NBA ON TNT....win or go home," says Chip Caray. Nice to see Turner has learned the plug portion of the Broadcast from FOX.

5:27- Denard Span is one of those guys that won't get mentioned in the papers, but he's a player that you don't win without. Here's hoping the Mets can find/grow those kind of players.

5:31- Those final 2 outs are exactly why you trade for Orlando Cabrera. Despite his reported surliness in the clubhouse, he just gets it done.

5:46- Tigers avoid a double play after Curtis Granderson beats a nick Punto flip to 2nd. Darling dontests that Punto needed to make a better throw, but I don't think Punto had much of a choice considering how close Granderson was to the bag.

5:47- Maggloio Ordonez singles home Granderson for the first run. Maybe that haircut was for the best.

5:49- Miggy shuts everybody up with a 2-run blast into the football seats. Speaking of which, did you know Brett Favre played his old team last night?

5:59- Span makes it happen again with a single to right moving Matt Tolbert to 3rd. It's the little things.

6:01- nice to see Johan is still revered in the Twin Cities with all those jerseys. No need to worry, the Savior will rise again in March.

6:03- A botched pickoff attempt at 1st allows Tolbert to score. Bad move, you can't be focusing on the runner with 2 outs.

6:07- With the bases loaded, Kubel whiffs to end the inning. Let's just say he's not having the best of days.

6:09- Nice to see Tyler Hansbrough secure at least one endorsement before he fades into bolivian.

6:17- Great job by Punto to stand down the take-out slide by Ryan Raburn.

6:20- Worth noting: Rick Porcello has one less win in one season than Joba Chamberlain does in 3.

6:24- Colorado will not have Jorge De La Rosa in the rotation for the NLDS. That's a huge loss, now throws Jason Hammel into Game 4 and I'm not so sure he's ready.

6:27- Did you know this might be the last baseball game ever played in the Metrodome? They should mention that.

6:49- Kubel belts one almost to the upper deck to trim the lead to one. With the efforts this month from him and Cuddyer and Justin Morfneau, Delmon Young should probably be selling his house right about now.

6:53- Cuddyer works a 2-out walk with a great AB and Porcello is done. I would've let him face Delmon Young before pulling the plug.

6:55- Texas leaguer falls in and Cuddyer goes to 3rd.

6:56- Is pinch-hitting Brendan Harris for Jose Morales THAT big of a difference? That's making a move for the sake of it.

6:57- moot point, he gets plunked on the first pitch. The wheels are coming off for Detroit.

7:00- Impatient hitting by Tolbert bails Zach Miner out of disaster. 3-2 going to the 7th.

7:01- "God I hate Zach Miner, he's trying to kill me."- Tyler

7:07- Seems a little too early to be bringing Jon Rauch in, I'd much rather have him facing their heavy-hitting righties.

7:13- Delmon Young's favorite reliever, Jose Mijares, enters. From the same bullpen that brought us Dennys Reyes and Eddie Guardado, the Twins certainly do not discriminate against waistlines.

7:20- Matt Guerrier induces an inning-ending grounder and the Metrodome is coming back to life. Jim Leyland went into the tunnel for a heater.

7:29- After Punto reaches, they decide not to have Span bunt and tghen punches out. Puzzling call, may come back to haunt them.

7:30- Immediately upon typing that. Cabrera hits a 2-run homer. I know nothing.

7:32- "Why is Miner still in? Is Leyland alive?"- Tyler

7:35- Question: Why was Miner throwing him a hanging slider when Cabrera couldn't catch up to his fastball?

7:44- Magglio Ordonez puts the defribilluator to the Tigers with a homer just over the left field wall. I'm telling you, they should have these every year, 3 straight thrilling Game 163's.

7:47- I know Joe Nathan doesn't usually go 2 innings but with the season on the line, he has to be out there.

7:49- Now this is just aspiring announcer in me, but the 8th inning of a tie game is not the time to be going to the human interest story about how the Tigers are doing this for Detroit.

8:02- So just so were clear: Joe Nathan wasn't worth bringing in to start the 8th, but was ok to bring in with one out? A MENSA-worthy move by Gardy there.

8:13- A Wally Backman-esque bunt by Ramon Santiago. Nathan v. Granderson, buckle up.

8:16- This is exactly who you want up if you're the Tigers.

8:19- Once again, I know nothing. That said, what a lousy call.

8:22- Lousy baserunning by Granderson there, you have to wait for that to fall. When you have first and third with no one out and you can't cash in, maybe it's not your day.

8:28- How many times does a leadoff walk in the bottom of the 9th comes into score?

8:30- The division-title winning run on 2nd and here comes Fernando Rodney.....I'm actually worried what might happen to Tigers fans in the next 5 minutes.

8:34- What a play by Inge. Big names tend to do big things in these games.

8:36- If you needed any reason to keep watching after 3 and a half hours, Craig Sager's purple suit makes an appearence. Thank you, TBS.

8:46 Who says September call-ups who only make 3 appearences aren't useful? What wheels by Don Kelly, although Mauer should've been made Kelly blown him up.

8:50- What is Ryan Raburn thinking? Just let that one drop.

8:51- What is Delmon Young thinking? You have the cloer rattled and the place going and you're gonna swing on the first pitch? Nice going.

8:57- As a Met fan, I know exactly what's about to happen. Opposite field single by Span to win it.

9:01- Incredible play by Raburn, and dumbfounded that they sent Casilla on a ball that shallow (shades of Junior throwing out Cuddyer last year). What a game. And what a horrendous call by Chip Caray who yelled "BASE HIT!" before Raburn even had a play on it.

9:15- You figure with Fernando Rodney going into his 3rd inning of work that this won't end well for the Tigers.

9:16- Simply put, Curtis Granderson is the balls of the Detroit Tigers. Great catch.

9:18- Randy Marsh must be getting a playoff spot from one of these teams. Wow, was that awful.

9:30- Bases loaded and Inge at the plate.....this is where putting Rauch in in the 7th hurts them.

9:38- And the Tigers go back to their Mets impression....weak.

9:40- You can't possibly expect a closer to go 4 innings, right? right?

9:43- Young and Casilla have plenty of speed to break up a double play, but if Alexi Casilla beats you, it wasn't gonna happen anyway.

9:45- What a game, sucks it had to end. Congrats to the Twins on a miraculous comeback and will now receieve a 1 and 2 asswuppin courtesy of the Yankees.

That Day

2009-09-30T11:57:00.004-04:00

It’s been 731 days since the worst day in the history of the New York Mets franchise, but it still feels just as bad as the first and just thought of it leaves most Met fans with the face you see above.

On September 30, 2007, the Mets completed the worst regular season collapse in the history of the game, falling to the Florida Marlins 8-1 and handing the National League East championship to the Phillies.

What the Mets had spent the last 2 years building as a championship franchise disappeared in the course of 3 hours (and ultimately, the next September and all of 2009). The players and management can talk about how it didn’t affect their psyche, but it’s been quite obvious that they’ve been chasing ever since. That day and, what happened in Game 7 the previous year, and the following September have left even the most loyal Met fans (including yours truly) with a deep amount of distrust and resentment.

In 2008, the thought the orange and blue might replicate the abject failure of the previous September was there, but not in 2007.

Sure, the team’s biggest free agent acquisition that winter was Moises Alou, but this was a team that was one fluke home run away from a World Series the year before. Tom Glavine continued to be the staff ace in the final year of his contract, El Duque was his old (and I do mean old) reliable self in the 2-spot, John Maine was continuing to make leaps and bounds in his 2nd full season, and Oliver Perez was showing the promise that Mets’ brass saw when they traded for him the previous July. Despite no Duaner Sanchez and a sub-par Scott Schoeneweis, the bullpen was in its 2006 form. With a healthy Alou, the offense was just as potent as its 2006 counterpart.

In addition to being on a mission to finish what the 2006 team came so painstakingly short of, there was fuel on the fire when Philly shortstop Jimmy Rollins declared the Phillies the team to beat in the NL East, bringing life to a rivalry that had been largely dormant for its history.

While the Phillies had 2 critical sweeps during the season (a 3-gamer in Shea in early June and a 4-game sweep in Philly at the end of August which featured just about every way you could lose a ball game), the Mets had a 6 1/2 game going into a three-game showdown with them at Shea Stadium on September 14.

It’s a strange day for me, as it signaled a beginning and an end in different respects. That night was my first night working in radio as I was covering a high school football game in Stuart for Sebastian River High. I remember listening to Aaron Heilman surrender a go-ahead sac fly to Greg Dobbs in the 10th inning, giving the Phillies a 3-2 win and bringing them with 5 1/2 games, with the radio crew having a post-game meal. Still, no big deal, right? Rollins would hit a 2-run triple in the 7th on Saturday and Guillermo Mota would begin his trail of devastation on Sunday, loading the bases in the 6th, eventually setting up a Dobbs grand slam off of Jorge Sosa to seal a 10-6 win, the sweep and shrinking the lead to 3 ½. But hey, the Phillies are a pretty good team and they don’t have to play them again, so it’s all good. Right?

Here’s where it gets painful.

Even with the lead the shrinking, Met fans weren’t pulling their hair out like the following year. This was a team that when push came to shove, usually handled it’s business. Plus, the schedule was in their favor as the final 14 games against bottom-feeders Washington and Florida and a make-up game against a St. Louis club that was out of contention and banged up. If ever there was a gift-wrapped division championship, this was it.

For some reason, Omar Minaya thought it would be a swell idea to sign Brian Lawrence in December 2006, despite the fact that Lawrence hadn’t been relevant (or any shade of servicable) in almost 4 years. With El Duque hurt (only made a brief cameo during implosion), a pitcher who was more used up than a 1997 Camry, was now asked to stop the bleeding against a team hungry to play spoiler and led by a manager eager to get back at the team who he felt should’ve hired him back in the winter of 2004, instead of Willie Randolph. Naturally, Lawrence gave back a 4-0 lead that the Mets had built off of future Met disaster Tim Redding. Aaron Sele, Schoenewis and 4 Met errors (10 in 2 games) finished it, as Washington won going away 12-4. They would blow another 4-0 lead and a 7-3 lead the next night, as Austin Kearns and Wily Mo Pena continued to transform into the ’07 Ruth and Gehrig, the lead now down to 2 ½. They’d stop the slide the next night but it would be followed by what would be personally, the most painful defeat of the freefall.

September 20th, my 21st birthday. I was actually supposed to go to the game that night, but it fell through at the last moment and thank God. Being 21 and having nothing to do, ordering the Extra Innings package can be a dangerous thing. As The Collapse ventured on, watching the games turned me into an emotional puddle of a human being, however this night would be more pathetic. Since the geniuses that have run the Marlins got into a 13-year pissing match with the cable companies that only ended just this season, a critical 4-game set was not available to any Met fans living in the Sunshine State. On this night I was reduced to running back and forth from talking and having cake with relatives to running into my room to check the game on the computer. In the 9th inning, Marlon Anderson hit a bases clearing triple and Beltran then brought him home to make it a 7-4 lead. Awesome, the Mets right the ship on my birthday, great birthday present. WRONG. When Billy Wagner wussed out with back spasms (nothing like getting $10 million a year and bailing in a big spot), Jorge Sosa was brought into close, who immediately imploded, giving up 3 in the 9th (thanks in part to a David Wright throwing error) and then a game-winning Dan Uggla double in the 10th, leaving a mouth agape irish kid who just turned 21 with only one thing to do.

They would win the final three games (though nearly imploding on Sunday, coughing up a 9th inning lead only to recover in extras), highlighted by me during the Saturday game at Dolphin Stadium yelling at Guillermo Mota to sit the hell down when all he did was stand up to shake his arms loose.

They’d save the worst for last.

The Nationals continued their best impression of the ’27 Yankees, while Pelfrey was still in a rut (you know, the one he went back into this season), Tom Glavine showed a preview of what was to come and Phillip Humber was pulled too early in his first major league start with a 6-2 lead in which Joe Smith and Pedro Feliciano gave up 5 runs in the span of 3 minutes. Also, I’m pretty sure the Mets hit into 20 double plays during the series, and David Wright hitting into 8 of them. Irony of ironies: who got the save to complete the sweep? Luis Ayala. More proof that God hates the Mets.

They’d waste Pedro Martinez’s last good start as a Met in a make-up game with St. Louis the following night to fall into a tie with the Phils, being shut out 3-0 by Joel Piniero. Repeat: Joel Piniero. On a side note, will all these experts please stop talking about how the Cardinals have a great 3-man rotation for the playoffs? Carpenter and Wainwright, yes, but Joel Piniero? Child please. It’s JOEL FREAKING PINIERO! The guy defines pedestrian!

The Collapse reached a new low when Oliver Perez’s renassiance season ended with a whimper, giving up 6 runs in 3 2/3 innings as the Mets fell out of first place. The next 2 days would reach levels of the absurd and tragic.

Let me put it this way: If Tom Seaver and Dwight Gooden didn’t, and Johan Santana doesn’t, there will NEVER be a Mets no-hitter. But John Maine nearly did it on the second to last day of the season, carrying a no-no for 7 2/3, losing it on an infield single by Paul Hoover. Between work and going to/at my friend’s house, I kept my nose buried in my phone watching it , thinking “It HAS to happen this way” and just laughing how it surreal it was. What occurred after the Hoover single would be the ultimate case of pride before the fall. After a shouting match, Jose Reyes charged Miguel Olivo, sparking off a bench-clearing brawl in the process, giving the Marlins incentive for Sunday.

Meanwhile, Matt Chico kept the Phillies in check, and it was a dead heat going to the final day of the season. If it were any other two teams, it’d be amazing theater. Instead, it would be akin to the South Park episode where they tried to remove Butters’ bad dreams.

Again, with no TV and attending 2 different family-related parties that I had to be dragged to, I was stuck to the phone and watching gamecast, only to watch horror unfold.

Hanley Ramirez walks, Uggla fielder’s choice, Jeremy Hermida single, Miguel Cabrera RBI single (crap, but Tommy will get out of this), Cody Ross doubles home Hermida and Cabrera then scores on a throwing error by Glavine (no….no….no….this can’t be happening….maybe there’s a mistake….there’s no way), Mike Jacobs single, Matt Treanor walks (what the hell is he doing? Get him out of there), Alejandro De Aza singles (he’s toast), Dontrelle Willis hit by a pitch with the bases loaded (oh my God, we’re screwed), Glavine gone (and good freaking riddance), Jorge Sosa in (great Willie, who doesn’t get enough blame for being an absolute corpse in the midst of the disaster), Ramirez strikes out, 2-run double for Uggla (we’re doomed), Hermida grounds out.

And just like that, it was over. The Marlins ace wasn’t much better (not making it out of the 3rd) as the Mets scratched across a run in the first and had the bases loaded when Ramon Castro’s blast died on the track. They would never come close again and when the Nationals laid down for the Phillies, The Collapse was complete.

By the time I got to the 2nd party, the only hope was for the Nationals to make a miracle rally. My dad, seeing the mood I was in, decided to have me join in a volleyball game he was playing with his buddies. Understand, this is a beautiful house right on the Indian River with plenty of palm trees, just a perfect place. So I’m playing, trying to take my mind off what was happening, when I’m running for a spike when I realized I was going to smack right into a palm tree. I caught myself mid-stride like Felix Jones Monday night and started backpedaling, with one problem: I couldn’t stop. BOOM! For two seconds, I honestly thought I had cracked my head open. There I was, on the porch of a beautiful, expensive house, holding a soda can to the back of my head to stop the bleeding, while looking at a phone, hoping and praying that the worst of worst case scenarios wouldn't happen. Yeah, safe to say it was the worst day ever. When I got home, I did what any rational Met fan would’ve done; I kicked my recycle bins across the front lawn and smashed the contents with a bat. But the Mets weren’t finished, they had one more knife to twist follwing the game.

In 36 words, Tom Glavine did almost as much damage as he had done in 36 pitches:

“I’m not devastated. I’m disappointed, but devastation is for much greater things in life. I’m disappointed, obviously, in the way I wanted to pitch. I can’t say there is much more I would have done differently.”

Rationally, he’s correct, given the current state of morale in our country, a baseball game should be just a hair of a blip on the radar screen. But when families are dolling out $100-$200 to go to a game to pay your ridiculous salary, it means something to them. The fans who buy your jersey and watch each game on TV or in person with a fervent passion and intensity over the course of 5 months like myself care a whole lot in that moment. Had Glavine said that the day after when the team was cleaning out their lockers, I’m probably not talking about this, but to say that immediately after the worst big-game pitching performance in the history of the game is just insulting. He would’ve been better off just saying “eh, shit happens.”

That’s what hurt the most, knowing that it doesn’t bother them as much as it does us. You spend every day from the end of March through the end of Spetember following every single game on TV, every box score, transaction, rumor, etc. and when it happens as this did, you can’t focus, you don't sleep as well, you worry, you keep thinking of superstitions that could possibly fix it and then you realize that there’s absolutely nothing you can do. You just feel like such an idiot for wasting all your time on something that went up in smoke so quickly and in such pathetic fahsion.

There was some small amount of joy when the Rockies continued their miracle run by sweeping the Phillies in the NLDS, but as I've said here before, it's like sending the guy who killed your brother into the hospital; nice, but the damage had already been done. There's no erasing the images of despondent Met fans and kids crying at Shea or a champagne-doused, grinning Jimmy Rollins, realizing that he got over. It invokes sadness, frustration, anger, disbelief, the list of emotions goes on and until they cash one in, they won't ever go away.

2008 was almost as painful because it closed Shea Stadium and thankfully, 2009 was over in July, but I can’t imagine anything ever being worse than those 16 days in September 2007.

In Memory of the traumatic events of September 28, 2008

2009-09-28T17:43:00.002-04:00

Shea deserved a better fate. *bleeping* Schoeneweis.... R.I.P. Shea Stadium

Week 1 Cover 16

2009-09-14T21:34:00.008-04:00

A soon to be Tuesday tradition here at 7U17TG, where I'll give a couple thoughts on each week's games.

Pittsburgh 13 Tenneessee 10 (OT)

- Standard practice for these two teams: low-scoring but damn if it wasn't entertainingly violent for 4 quarters and OT. That said, the Titans had no business winning this game or even being within contention.

- I think the Titans have a legit downfield threat in Kenny Britt and if Vince Young can ever get his head on straight and some sembelance off accuracy, he has that safety valve that Matty Ice has in Roddy White.

- The Steelers will miss Troy Polamalu to be sure, but unlike the Bears, they have enough playmakers (Harrison, Farrior, Woodley, Taylor) that it won't be dehabilitating to the team.

- Santonio Holmes' last 2 games (seperately mind you): 9 receptions, 131 yards, 1 TD; last touchdown of 2008, first touchdown of 2009.....spooky

Atlanta 19 Miami 7

- Miami's offensive line, which was one of their biggest strengths last season, was exposed by Atlanta's underrated D. While people point to the Dolphins having the toughest schedule in the league this season, but whether the O-Line (Jake Long especially) can duplicate their 2008 success will dictate where the Dolphins go this year.

- Watching Matt Ryan duel Drew Brees for the next 2-3 years while Brees is in his prime is gonna be awesome.

Baltimore 38 Kansas City 24

- You could look at this score in one of 2 ways:

1. Joe Flacco had a 300 yard game and Baltimore's offense looked sharp.

2. Baltimore gave up 24 points to an offense led by Brodie Croyle.

I'm gonna go with option 2. Granted, losing Rex Ryan, Bart Scott and Jim Leonhard hurts, but they still have several playmakers on that side of the ball (including the best defensive playmaker in the game), so it shouldn't make that much of a difference, right?

(Upon further inspection: 7 of that 24 came on a fumble recovery in the end zone and they held the Chiefs' offense to under 200 yards, so my bad, keep on truckin guys. Though I'm still surprised a Croyle-led unit got that much.)

Philadelphia 38 Carolina 10

- I don't think we've seen a complete career meltdown like the one Jake Delhomme's currently experiencing since Rick Ankiel. Egad.

- I was kind of banking Week 9 being the time when Donnie Mac does his annual impression of Glass Joe. Oh well.

- Good luck to love birds Hank and Kendra as they are probably moving to Canada within the next 2 weeks. Though I suppose with her being in Canada, the 2 reasons for watching her show won't be on display anymore, will they?

Denver 12 Cincinnati 7

- With the way Jay Cutler played Sunday, the Broncos probably would've lost that game.

- Credit to Denver's defense needs to be given for holding an offense thought many think could (and still can) return to its 05-07 form.

- That said, their top 2 quarterbacks on the depth chart are Kyle Orton and Chris Simms, so we can make this past Sunday as win number 1 of 3 on the season.

Minnesota 34 Cleveland 20

- Can we decide which is Adrian Peterson's nickname: AD or AP? Just need it for future reference.

- Underreported story from the weekend: Jared Allen being dominated by Joe Thomas, who might be arguably the best offensive lineman who isn't a Viking.

New York Jets 24 Houston 7

- I'm not going to start with the Joe Namath comparisons, but I'd be feeling pretty good right now about my QB if I were a Jet fan.

- This is the year where we find out just how good Bart Scott is and that it wasn't just the fellow studs in Baltimore that made him look so good.

- Is it just me or do the Texans perform much better without expectations?

Indianapolis 14 Jacksonville 12

- Now since I'm a Florida boy and I doubt that there's any Jaguar fans outside of this state, let me explain to you how entertaining Jaguar fans are. They've been thinking that this is "The Year" for about 5 years now and that 12-4 is always reasonably within reach. Prime example: Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton, as expected for someone's first NFL game against two of the best in the business, got handled by Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney at the line; a friend of mine, who is as hardcore a Jags fan as there is, still considered it a good effort and thought they are the future of the line. Right, just like Marcedes Lewis was the future best tight end in the NFL? Myopia can be a beautiful thing to see some times.

- I know Jacksonville always plays the Colts tough, but the Indy offense didn't look so spectacular even before Anthony Gonzalez's injury. I think the depature of Tom Moore is going to have a bigger impact on the Colts than the loss of Tony Dungy.

- I thought my nightmare was 4 months from being over WHYYYYY???????

New Orleans 45 Detroit 27

- Matthew Stafford didn't exactly light the world on fire, but I think we've all been warped on the rookie progession scale by Ryan and Flacco. I think we're forgetting the struggles Peyton Manning had his rookie year on his way to a 3-13 season. Given the weapons Stafford has in Calvin Johnson, Brandon Pettigrew and Kevin Smith, I think he'll be just fine.

- Any hint of a defense from the Saints and they're going to be scary as hell this year.

Dallas 34 Tampa Bay 21

- Apparently, tackling is now illegal in Raymond James Stadium. At least since December anyway.

- Can somebody please fill me in as to why Matt Bryant was cut? One of the most reliable and clutch kickers in the league was dropped for a guy who immediately went Mike Vandershank? Not to mention, it has to be extremely bad karma to do that to a guy who just lost his son.

- I was glad to see Cadillac back out there and nearly rack 100 yards in the process. As hard as the loss to Oakland to end the season was, it was even tougher to see Caddy go down in a heap in a play late in the 4th of the game. I remember there being a open mic nearby when it happened and it sounded as if he had been pummeled with a tire iron. I see Raheem Morris working with the 3-man backfield like the Giants have and hopefully Cadillac reaps the benefits of it.

- I like what I saw from Kellen Winslow. They didn't give up the house for him and he's still young so him and Josh Freeman could become a good tandem.

- Can I start the whispers that maybe just maybe Aquib Talib is a bust?

San Francisco 20 Arizona 16

- Forget the Madden Curse on Larry Fitzgerald, what about the Super Bowl losers curse the Cardinals are staring down? If the previously undefeated Patriots couldn't crack the playoffs, what chance do these guys have?

New York Giants 23 Washington 17

- In case anyone forgot, the Giants still have THE best pass rush in the league.

- Due to some shoddy play, Jason Campbell is one again under fire, which in my opinion is undeserved. Campbell has had no continuity on his coaching staff since he came to Washington 4 years ago and the constant Cutler/Sanchez talk in the offseason probably didn't help matters. As he showed in the preseason, he does have big play capability and if he continues that over the next 4 months, Jim Zorn will have his first playoff appearence as a head coach.

Seattle 28 St. Louis 0

Okay, Steve Spagnuolo, you'll got your head coaching gig and HC money, but you have to inherit this tire fire. How many of us would be so willing?

Green Bay 21 Chicago 15

- I don't know which overrated spoiled brat's embarrassment on national TV was more enjoyable Sunday night: Jay Cutler or Taylor Swift? Oh wait, Jay Cutler is on my 2-QB fantasy team, Thank you for nothing, Jay.

- Greg Jennings will enter the top tier of elite receivers this season.

- He wasn't exactly pretty in his performance Sunday night, but you can tell that not only does Aaron Rodgers have the game, he absolutely has the respect of his teammates and they are definitely buying it. He was able to shake off a sub-par night and make the big play when he needed. It wouldn't shock me at all if Rodgers leads the Packers to a deep playoff run.

New England 25 Buffalo 24

- Maybe it's because as a Met fan I can relate to the whole devastating losses piling up and the media being way too happy to rehash the past failures when it happens again, but my God do I feel bad for Buffalo fans right now. Have a drink on me, guys, hang in there.

- The loss of Jerrod Mayo will hurt the Pats' D more than the veteran turnover will.

- As soon as Tom Brady gets his deep ball timing back, look the hell out.

San Diego 24 Oakland 20

- The only thing more predictable than McNabb's injury was LT getting hurt too. Can't wait to see him spend October on a bike again; but you're right LT, Adrian Peterson ain't got shit on you.

-Maybe there is hope for JaMarcus Russell after all.

- If the league re-drafted right now, the top 5 QB's would look like this: 1. Brady 2. Peyton 3. Brees 4. Big Ben 5. Phillip Rivers. Face it, the only thing missing from Rivers' resume at this point is a ring. He's got the arm, the attitude, and the leadership to be a franchise QB and with a new head coach and one or two personnel moves, Rivers will have the bling too.

Labor Day Blog Hits

2009-09-07T21:51:00.005-04:00

- I had to sit on this for a minute because I needed to get all of the frustration out of my system about the end of last night's instant classic. As much as I'd like to call Jarmon Fortson "Jarmon Castillo" or "Luis Fortson", it's not entirely his fault. Lost in the drop was Jimbo letting 30-35 seconds run off the clock in confusion, on top of some questionable playcalling inside the 10 in the waning moments. Not to mention, I've never seen a Mickey Andrews defense get out-athleted like that. Sooner or later, not getting stops on 3rd down (at least two on Tha U's winning drive) will come back to bite you.

That said, I haven't been this excited about FSU football since the 2000 title game. For the first time since Old Man Weinke was under center, they have a potent offense with weapons (Taiwan Easterling and potentially Ty Jones); and for all the defensive shortcomings last night, Greg Reid is a superstar in waiting (as a freshmen no less). With 38 sophomores on the team, not only are they closer to Florida than delusional Gator fans would have you believe, they're a year away from beating them; most importantly, Shirtless Jesus the QB isn't going to have a highlight-reel boat race this year against them.

Can't wait for the rematch against Tha U in Tampa in December.

- I'm not saying LeGarrette Blount's suspension is right or wrong, but Oregon needed to do it. Chip Kelly had to make a stand in what was the first major moment of his collegiate coaching career and the university needed to be decisive in its punishment on an incident that brought negative attention to them. As for Blount, that should end his NFL prospects. Ask Marcus Vick how on-field incidents bode for your career.

- If Joe Mauer and Zack Greinke aren't your AL MVP/ Cy Young winners, then the postseason awards are officially a joke. Scratch that, it became a joke when Jimmy Rollins got the MVP in '07 because his teammates won the division for him to make him look like a prophet. My bad, keep on truckin, writers.

- Love the verses on the new Kid Cudi/Kanye/Common track. The beat? Ehhhhh, not so much. Who were the ad wizards who decided "Hey, let's take the chorus of a song that was really annoying to begin with and put it on the beat of the entire track!" Taylor Swift thinks Lady GaGa is oversaturated. Oh wait, who are we kidding?

- Anyone else find it strange that for the majority of his career, Jayson Werth was a pinch runner/defensive replacement and yet has suddenly become a 30+ home run hitter?

- Thoughts on the Rescue Me finale last week: From a comedy aspect, this was probably the most consistently funny season since the first, the storylines though were a little disappointing. Sure, seeing Lou get even with the hooker was nice, but there were a couple useless stories to go with it (Mike's band and Franco the 9/11 conspiracy theorist). Not to mention the whole "season ends with Tommy's life in question" has been done already in Season 3 when Sheila lit the beach house on fire in a fit of rage.

Speaking of Sheila; as hot as she is (and from what I've been told, TV doesn't do her or Janet justice), her over the top psycho nympho act has gotten stale.

- Like what I've seen from Josh Thole at the plate so far since his call-up. I think him and Santos as a platoon next season works very well. Jerry Manuel needs to be playing him as much as possible this month. When you have a year old switch-hitting catcher, it's best to see what you have. There is no reason AT ALL why Brian Schneider should seen anything beyond a pinch-hitting role this month. Then again, I could've said that same sentence 3 months ago.

- I was hoping to see if they would bring up Ike Davis as well. For those of you who don't know, Davis was the one of the Mets two first round picks last season and has been mashing all year in St. Lucie and Binghamton. The front office does have a dilemma, I suppose, since Davis is a first baseman and that just so happens to be the place where Daniel Murphy is finally comfortable. That leaves left field open and hell, anything is an upgrade over The Incredibly Dreadful Nick Evans.

- I can honestly say Tim Redding is in the discussion for worst Met pitcher of my lifetime. The lack of any good stuff, the fact that we wasted some of the Derek Lowe money on him, the blank expression and the incredibly hideous goatee, it's all there. Anthony Young is #1 by default with Armando Benitez 1A, Redding and John Thomson (the import of the ridiculous Jay Payton trade) fighting for next in line.

- The Bucs firing their offensive coordinator (whose last name I'm not even going to attempt to spell) isn't as big of a deal as it seems for a few reasons. For starters, it will be a 6-win season at best. Secondly, from reports, he was way over his head since joining and that his replacement was drawing up most of the plays. There was also a reported squabble between him and Raheem Morris over who the starting QB should be. If it were up to me, I'd go the old fashioned route and let Hour Glass Leftwich start the first 7 games before letting Josh Freeman take over.

As I've said since the Glazers cleaned house in January, I'm willing to sit through a 6-10 or 5-11 season if there's progress, especially with Freeman. Did Freeman show promise in the preseason? Yes. Enough to say he's a 1st round pick? Not quite. Has Raheem Morris done anything instill confidence in the Bucs fan base? Uhhhhhhhh, not exactly.

Oh well, at least we can keep watching Barrett Ruud run with the torch Derrick Brooks handed to him last season.

Running Diary: New England Revolution vs. Seattle Sounders FC

2009-08-20T21:26:00.005-04:00

As promised, I'll be keeping a running diary of tonight Sounders match against New England, I'll post the first half comments at half and the 2nd half after the conclusion.

9:26 P.M.- Quick aside before we begin. As Omar Minaya is determine to run off one of the two guys left on this team that can actually hit, I can't wait until David Delucci, Wily Mo Pena and Nick Evans make up the starting outfield, good lord.

2nd Minute- the marco polo-like "SEATLLE......SOUNDERS!" chant is EPL-esque....or an asshole chant from Monday Night Raw

6th minute- Nyassi of New England has a brief ankle injury. XBox Pitch at Qwest Field is back to field turf after using real grass during the international friendlies.

8th minute- Nearly get our first chance to see rookie sensation (and No. 1 pick) Steve Zakuani in action, pass goes wide.

10th minute- Sounders controlling the tempo so far, and on the attack, and they can't quite convert after crosses from Jaqua, Brad Evans and Alonso.

17th minute- good takedown by the Revolution's Darius Barnes on a James Riley breakaway

19th minute- I think Kasey Keller tends to get a bit of an unfair rap. While he was in net for the U.S. disappointments in the '98 and '06 World Cups (in '06 he had the uneviable task of following Brad Friedel's supreme effort in Korea, he's always kept his teams in the match and he;s finally getting credit for that this year in Seattle.

20th minute- naturally, New England immedately scores thanks to some great 3-man passing in the open field and even better foot work by Sharlie Joseph to put it home.

22nd minute- Seattle can't convert the corner kick thanks to a solid-handed save by Matt Reis and clear by Steve Ralston

24th minute-nearly 2-0 Revs but they can't convert on a loose-ball scramble

26th minute- Jaqua with an inexcusable miss after a great set-up from Leo Gonzalez, who's playing in just his 3rd game with the Sounders.

29th minute- Joseph with a neaar-perfect header that goes over the goal

34th minute- our first true dive of the evening goes to New England's Sainey Nyassi

35th minute- Reis slips on a goal kick and the crowd roars. I know it's not soccer's deal and all, but a "you fucked up!" chant would've been cool.

39th minute- Gonzalez gets a yellow card for an alleged takedown, but replays show a complete miss.

42nd minute- Freddy Montero takes a knee to the chest from Steve Ralston while going up for a ball, penalty kick coming. Momentum-changer right here either way.

44th minute- Iron unkind as Montero's kick hits the top crossbar and goes out.

stoppage time- a yellow card away from the ball, followed by the Revolution coach, who was filling in for Steve Nicol who is on a 2-game suspension, getting ejected, leaving the goalie coach to oversee the 2nd half. Somewhat similar to Bruce Bochy getting tossed, then his bench coach getting canned in the same game a few weeks back.

51st minute- New England starting to control the tempo by slowing it down.

53rd minute bogus yellow card against Montero, keeping him out of Sunday's match at conference-leading Houston

56th minute- Evans nearly ties it, deflection brings a corner kick.

57th minute- Reis isn't pretty, but he keeps it 1-0

62nd minute- Usei just knocks away a game-tying goal by Gonzalez

65th minute- 5 yellow cards for the Revolution tonight, I have a feleing we're not done in that department.

71st minute- Two quick responses by Keller to prevent point-blank chances.

76th minute- New England's defense has been tremendous in closing on scoring opportunities tonight, they deserve to win.

82nd minute- This is sort of like one of those basketball games where one team is rallying the entire game, but can't get any closer than 1 or2. It's that kind of night for the Sounders.

2 minutes into Stoppage That may have been the Sounders last chance as Sanna Nyassi (Sainey's twin brother) hits one of the side of the net. Not a great idea, considering he had 4-5 Seattle attackers coming.

The final whistle goes and the Sounders fall 1-0, fail to get a point, and fall to 8-5-8.

More Sounders (and EPL as well) reports to come in the future.

Digging The Sound

2009-08-18T21:04:00.004-04:00

Soccer and I go back awhile. Most of us, of course, played soccer in the schoolyard when we were kids; My brother played soccer since the age of 9 through high school, several friends of mine in high school were on the soccer team (the boys team won the mythical national championship in my sophomore year) and i call both the men's and women's teams at the local college on the internet. That said, outside of the World Cup and maybe the UEFA Champions League final, I never followed it much on TV. Mulling it over recently after all the attention the U.S. national team has received during its Confederations Cup run and World Cup qualifying match against Mexico, I figured as a true sports fan and sports blogger, it be my duty to follow the MLS and English Premier League and pick a team in each league.

I'm still very green as far as the EPL goes, I've had an interest in Portsmouth because an old friend of mine lives over there and Green Street Hooligans nearly made me a fan of West Ham on the spot, but that would be trite. With the EPL season kicking off last weekend, I'll be following closely and eventually finding myself a team.

When it comes to an MLS tam, I've already got myself a team picked out. I've always believed that if the MLS wanted to be as popular as its European counterparts, that it needed to be as true to the European elements as possible, fan bases who know the subtleties, rivalries and no silly nicknames (which is why I have a measure of respect for Toronto FC, FC Dallas, D.C. United, etc.). While my adopted team is guilty of that, Seattle Sounders FC is as true to the european style as any team and fanbase in the league.

Despite playing in a nearly 67,000 seat football stadium, the Emerald City Supporters routinely jam 25-30,000 into Qwest Field for their games. Much like they have done with making the most crowd noise possible with the Seahawks, Sounders management has alloted the rowdiest fans towards the stands behind the goal (normally the end zone seats, which are made of aluminum to reverberate more noise) and travel well too (as evidenced by their presence in L.A. earlier in the week for the match against the Galaxy).

From everything I have read and witnessed during brief viewings, I'd say the best fanbases rank like this:

1. D.C. United
2. Columbus
3. Seattle
4. Toronto FC
5. Houston

Also, the Seattle FC Alliance has a unique privilege in that they have an important say in team decisions including whether the general manager retains his job (strangely enough, minority owner Drew Carey suggested the idea); you think Omar Minaya's glad that this hasn't translated to other sports? Another cool part of the fan base is the March to the Match, in which fans join the team marching band in a march from a nearby park into Qwest Field, very coillege football-esque if you ask me. All this was enough for me to buy in as a Seattle Sounders FC fan.

I'll have a Sounders FC running diary on Thursday night when they take on New England.

Sometimes you can't make it on your own

2009-08-10T12:44:00.003-04:00

One of the biggest stories of the weekend was the pictures of Josh Hamilton's relapse in an Arizona bar in January. The media reaction has been divided with some saying that this is a cry for help, proof that solely beliving in God to keep him sober isn't working, that this takes the shine off of his comeback story, or that this earns him more respect because it proves he's human, but to have a story-line based opinion is to miss the point. On that note, I think it makes the story more compelling because that element of this whole thing disappearing in one bad night is very real now, again though, there's a deeper problem.

All of us have a friend or relative who has dealt with an addiction of some kind and it can be unbearable to watch at times. When some of those who are lucky enough to make it back to soberity, it's a constant vigil to keep them there. Whether they are an accountant, plumber or an executive, the battle to avoid the bottle, the needle or whatever it may be is an constant high-wire act. It's hard enough to battle this if you're an everyday Joe, but imagine being in Hamilton's position. He was a resident of the abyss for a time, made it out, was still able to live his dream while not trying to run from the past that nearly killed him and in part, became a star because of it. If I were him, it would be torture just running to the outfield and seeing alcohol advertisements sprayed all over the walls.

I obviously don't know what his intentions were the night he went into that bar, but I am of the belief that it was just one night that got away from him. The way that he immediately took responsibility (both following the incident and the release of the photos) by not reading a statement or anything along those lines says to me that he's making a concerted effort to keep this isolated.

What's going to make it tough though is the scrutiny that was already intense to begin with. You've heard the old saying about how we love building athletes up and tearing them down, but Hamilton was someone we all genuinely wanted to see make it, the problem is there are plnety of shock journalists in the media and degenerate fans who won't be as forgiving.

Unlike Doc Gooden and Daryl Strawberry, Hamilton has people in place to keep him in line, the question will be can he check himself. Given what we know about what it means to be a recovering addict, I'm worried he won't. I can't tell you how much I'd like to be wrong.

Late Night Hits From The Blog

2009-07-29T23:39:00.004-04:00

With my dad beginning his chemo this week and family in town, I won't get to do an entry on the front office chaos, but here's a couple current thoughts:

- Props to the Phils for getting a Cy Young winner and a 2nd postseason anchor without having to tear down the farm to do it. The Phils post-season rotation now sets up like this: Hamels, Lee, Blanton (who has been solid since he came to Philly last July) and potentially J.A. Happ since Jamie Moyer no longer looks like the reliable pitcher he was when he stared down Rube Waddell. Pretty damn imposing, right? Ugh, I'll be drinking heavily when it's a Phillies-Yankees World Series.

On top of that, they were able to keep prized prospects Kyle Drabek and Dominic Brown. Maybe someday the Mets will learn that the farm system is there to help them. Wait, who are we kidding?

- To paraphrase Big Daddy Kane, I'm not saying Mark Buehrle's the best, I'm just saying he's (bleeping) incredible.

- I think the entire argument about when Michael Vick should return is unnecessary, at least for this year. Had the circumstances been different and Roger Goddell was able to make this decision back around May, this would be different. I think that with Vick just being eligible now, if a team was interested in signing, they would have to dedicate part of their camp and preseason to helping him learn the playbook, finding a way to intergrate him into their offense, on top of the PR hit they'd be tkaing. I just don't see why any team (save for the Raiders obviously) would find it worth the trouble.

- If Colin Cowherd really is right (I just threw up in my mouth) and sports is EXACTLY like the stock market, then somebody must have got insider trading on the Pirates. Good lord, it's not even funny anymore.

- Jeff Francoeur's first 14 games with the Mets: .309 avg, 3 HR, 16 RBI. Last 22 games with Atlanta: .233, 1 HR, 6 RBI.........and yes, I'm the driver of the Frenchy bandwagon, why do you ask?

- I like the Magic signing Matt Barnes, I'm just not sure how he'll fit though. If it works, he'd be a big X-factor come playoff time.

- Does anyone else think Brett Favre was intentionally screwing with the Vikings all this time just to get back into the good graces of Packer fans? Nah. As much as I'd like to think it's for real this time that the Wrangler QB is finished, let's wait 'til after Week 9 before we can celebrate.

Welcome to The Summer of Our Disconnect

2009-07-19T21:58:00.004-04:00

(The following Mets are exempt from this: Johan, Frankie and Gary Sheffield)

Like so many Met seasons of the past, the 2009 edition of the New York Mets died in Turner Field this evening as they lost 3 of 4 to the Braves to start the 2nd half. Sure, they may have been kept alive by the machines (the Phillies struggling for a month), but this team has been a goner for awhile now. After the first post All-Star break series, they sit 10 games back of the Phillies in the loss column, are once again the weak punchlines of bloviating windbags in the sports media and with the trade deadline 11 days away, it's highly unlikely the Mets will be buyers.

Following the trauamatic endings of the last 3 seasons, having the Mets going into the tank now seems almost welcome by comparison. If 2006 was walking in on your wife screwing your best friend, 2007 was getting screwed in the divorce and last year was losing custody of the kids, then this year has been akin to living in a motel off I-95 in Palm Coast.

Now admittedly, I haven't been as diligent this year since I don't have the luxury of Extra Innings, but I still follow as closely as I can by watching online, analyzing the boxes, the transactions and the rumors. Every time I watch a Met game on ESPN or catch a look-in on MLB Net, the place just sounds comatose. Part of that can be blamed on the ridiculous ticket prices of Citi Field that has welcomed the Bailout Crowd, whose conferences are being interrupting by a baseball game, but the holdovers from Shea have been silent as well. Before the injuries, I felt like the fans and players shared the same attitude of "Who cares? We have to wait 5 months to make everyone shut up anyway." After one crunch-time failure after another, it's pretty easy to be jaded and after 3 spectacular chokes, Met fans are as bitter as Keith Olbermann these days.

It would be easy to blame this on all injuries like many others, but there's a lot more to what's currently going on in Flushing than just the disabled list. Management will take a lot of the blame as they're responsible for the roster. It's been New York's dirty secret that the Wilpons were one of the biggest victims of the Madoff scheme (some estimates range as high as $700 million, nice to know you can lose that and still own a team in the biggest market), which along with the injuries may explain why Mets have been hesitant to pull the trigger on any deals.

Omar Minaya is fortunate that he has the injuries to fall back on this season becuase he certainly is not without blame for this mess. You can't blame him for not having depth from a free agent standpoint because how many capable backups can you find on the market that can be a starter for an extended period as well? He can blamed however for the deals not made (Derek Lowe, Edwin Jackson for Ryan Church) and not having an adequate minor league system to go to in case of emergency.

Since Minaya's arrival in 2005, here are the list of Mets who came up through the system: Heath Bell (before he became the second coming of Trevor Hoffman, go figure), Royce Ring, Anderson Hernandez, Mike Jacobs (played 1 month in '05), Brian Bannister (was a starter for the first month of 2006, got hurt, traded that offseason), Phillip Humber, Henry Owens, Mike Pelfrey, Lastings Milledge, Carlos Muniz, Joe Smith, Carlos Gomez, Eddie Kunz, Jonathon Niese, Bobby Parnell, Argenis Reyes, Nick Evans, Daniel Muprhy, Fernando Martinez.

Out of that entire group, they only players that can still contribute are Pelfrey, Parnell, Murphy and F-Mart. That's 4 out of 19....below average production, right? Even if the Mets were in contention to make a big trade, there's such a dearth of talent in the minors (and hope pinned on the ones who can make a difference), that they couldn't swing a deal for a chase-changer.

The onus is on the players too. At some point, you have to stop making excuses and play full-out. Mike Pelfrey and Oliver Perez are major league pitchers with front of the rotation material and have double-digit win seasons to their name, yet every time something doesn't go their way, they throw a pity party and make a potentially bad inning a disasterous inning. Daniel Murphy never had an issue with defense last season, but he let everyone's suspicions and criticisms get in his head, and I say that as a Murphy fan.

The Cardinals had plenty of injuries in 2006, the Phillies have had their share of injuries the last 3 seasons, but that didn't stop them. This is just a team that feels sorry for itself and it's pathetic.

Oh well, at least I'll be able to enjoy August and September for once.

Knuck If You Buck

2009-07-14T13:08:00.005-04:00

I'm sure you've read your fair share of Tim Wakefield articles the last few days from jaded middle-aged columnists, but allow this young one to give a tribute to a man who finds life better at 62 MPH.

Wakefield is from my neck of the woods and is the most famous player of the baseball program that I work at (record holder in many hitting categories), so I've always had a bit of a soft spot for the Red Sox because of him, even if the Sox fans I know are beginning to reach Taylor Swift-like levels of omnipresence and irritation. But having met Tim on several occasions over the years, I can tell you that everything you read about him being a class act is not exaggerated at all.

I wrote for an independent local publication when I was 11 (feel free to potshot that, I understand), and I got a chance to interview him at a Florida Tech event. He was genuinely interested in the interviews and even talked for awhile afterwards. I've run into him a couple times at fundraisers in the years since and somehow he remembered me and was always gracious. But this column is about more than just some fawning fan.

Often times, you'll hear about athletes being active in their charities, often times it's a photo-op and a check, but Wakefield is a cut above that.

Wakefield if nothing else over the years has been a loyal soldier. When they wanted him to start, he took the ball; When they needed him in middle relief, he'd go 3-4 innings if he had to; When they went unorthodox and wanted him to close, as much as of an adventure as it was some nights, he got it done (15 for 15). Some pitchers would bemoan rotating between the pen and the rotation (ahem Aaron Heilman), but Wakefield always took it in stride and did it to the best of his ability.

When Aaron Boone launched one of the most memorable home runs in baseball history, it was depressing to see it happen to a guy like Wakefield. When it happened, the first thing I said was "Oh no, Boston's gonna hate him now," completely forgetting the 2 gems he threw earlier in the series and that Grady Little had committed one of the biggest brainlocks in history. Fortunately, he escaped that fate and Boston fans were very appreciative of him upon his return.

While some blowhards would consider knuckleballers akin to a prop comic, it's a lot more difficult than it looks. Often times, you need the wind and humidity to play in your favor and like any other pitcher, you need your movement to be on. Especially as a knuckleballer, as to whether other pitchers can make up for it by just slinging it 95-96 MPH past the batters if their offspeed isn't working. In the case of Wakefield, some nights, you can go 8 innings and give up 2 hits; and some nights, you'll throw 4 wild pitches in one inning.

This year, everything has moved Wakefield's way, he's 11-3, will be in his first career All-Star game tonight and all at the age of 42. So when you're watching Wakefield's pitch dancing against the likes of Prince Fielder, Chase Utley and company, know that on that mound is a man, whose time is long overdue.

Sheep In The Herd

2009-06-29T21:03:00.005-04:00

We've been looking for some outside insight here at 7 Up 17 To Go for awhile now, when it finally hit us over the head. Why not have someone who knows his sports and a little something about life too? The best we could do is ESPN Radio's Colin Cowherd.

7 UP 17 TO G0: Pleasure to have you, Colin. You see, the blog community is quite accepting of you.

Colin Cowherd: Let me tell you something about “the blogging community.” The blogging community is a bunch of namby-pamby basement dwellers sitting around in their bathrobes and underwear. [30 second pause] Bloggers just sit around, in mom’s basement, eating Hot Pockets wearing their tighty-whities. The blogging community is useless. and could never generate the kind of content I’d use on this program. To do what I do every morning right here on ESPN Radio takes some real gumption, some real drive, and the blogging losers who sit at home, obsessing over ever minute detail of Battlestar Gallactica while they’re sitting in their mom’s basement lack that. They lack that drive, and that’s why they’re sitting in their mom’s basement, 30 years old, 40 years old with no job and no girlfriend because they’re losers.
Now, I’m glad to be here with you on the ONstar Hotline talking to the blog 7Up17ToGo.

7U17TG: We haven't seen any team truly establish itself as a powerful team in baseball this season, any chance we see a surprise team this year like the Rays or Rockies?

CC: The cold, hard facts are no one in baseball can compete with the Red Sox and Yankees. I’m sorry, but no one…no one else matters. Maybe the Dodgers…Fish, who is leading the AL East? The Red Sox? And the Yankees are second? OK then, case closed.
Look, the Red Sox and Yankees are all that matters. Period. That’s why they’re always on the Mothership, they just draw the ratings. I know when I get home from a long day at the office and I kick back in front of my 72-inch Vizio plasma TV – and let me tell you, Vizio makes a very fine television, nothing is better with my DirecTV hookup – all I want to see is a Yankees or Red Sox game. That’s just the fact.
If you’re a broker on Wall Street and you’re selling short on the baseball franchise that’s going to make you the most money, who are your taking? If you’re smart, you’re taking the Yankees the one and the Red Sox ain’t too far behind. But if you’re buying three, that’s a big drop-off. A big drop-off. I always say…this show is about more than sports. You’re going to be a well-rounded person you better know playing the stocks. Fish, what was that advice I gave you last year? 300 shares of Bear Stearns? Well that’s like buying the No. 3 team in MLB. It’s buying share of Bear Stearns and passing up on the Halliburton stock. It’s foolish…and anyone who does it is a fool. That’s just how it is. You can disagree with it…but you know I’m right.

7U17TG: Well anyway, let's go to your area of expertise, college football. Is this the year where Ohio State and the Big 10 turn it around?

CC: Let me tell you something about the Big 10, and more specifically Ohio State. Ohio State…Ohio State and Tressel are like a woman. They look sexy. They look sexy. Look like a great time! They win some games, they get some buzz going and win you over then when you least expect it…you’re spending 56 hours a week with a mediator deciding who gets to keep the 72-inch Vizio.
Fish, can we get a search on the Subway Fresh Take Line for the last time a Big 10 team won a BCS bowl? 2005? OK, so since 2005 the Big 10 is winless in BCS bowls and that means Ohio State is a big, fat bagel and three. They’re sexy, they sucker you in early, and when you get the ring on that finger of the bowl game in that schedule, they stop doing the things they did early on in the relationship and you’re stuck. You’re trapped, and the next thing you know you’re watching an entire season of The Sopranos on DVD by yourself and eating half a tub of cookie dough.
Ohio State goes from a Sports Illustrated supermodel in September…to our old friend Trina The Female Bodybuilder in January. *raspy voice* Hi I’m Trina The Female Bodybuilder…I’m like Ohio State football.

7U17TG: Chaz Weis is under serious pressure to put Notre Dame into championship contention, do the Golden Domers finally put themselves back in the picture or does Weis go back to the coordinator booth where he belongs?

CC: Look, it’s just good for the game if Notre Dame is good. Sorry, but that’s just the fact. Notre Dame is one of those institutions…you love to hate ‘em, and you love to watch ‘em. They get ratings. They bring in the viewers. But that Golden Dome is starting to look pretty aluminum…That dome is beat up, and Charlie Weis is on the hot seat…and we’re not talking the Budweiser Hot Seat.
Weis needs to win. And not seven games like last season, but we’re talking…monumental. Obama over McCain. I say to Fish all the time – this show’s about more than sports and we’re going to talk politics for a minute. Charlie Weis needs to win big like Obama won in the presidential election. Now, I’m not a liberal and I’m not a conservative…I just want to vote for whoever’s going to make ME money. And Charlie Weis needs to make Notre Dame money. He needs a big money bowl. College football…needs Weis and Notre Dame to succeed. Everyone…needs a villain. Notre Dame…college football just needs Notre Dame as its villain.

7U17TG: Do you think USC regains the crown this year despite having relative inexperience under center and the loss of their monster linebackers?

CC: OK, USC football is like Duke basketball. Everyone wants to be ‘em! Everyone wants to be ‘em! But nobody CAN be ‘em. So they seethe, they rage, but it’s just petty jealousy.
Look, Pete Carroll is just the guy. He is the guy. He’s in Hollywood, he’s hanging out with celebrities – he IS a celebrity. He’s got the great look, million dollar hair and a great smile. USC…they reload. The Pac-10 has some teams. They HAVE teams…but no one is on USC’s level. The only team that can beat USC…is USC. It’s just the truth. Hate them all you want…but you know I’m right.

Thanks, Colin, outstanding commentary. Good luck with the alimony and the real estate projects. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to put Jim Rome back on.

Special thanks to our friends over at Nerdy For Sports on this one, check them out at http://nerdyforsports.blogspot.com/

Orlando Brings In The Carter

2009-06-26T14:19:00.004-04:00

In a surprising draft-day move, the Orlando Magic traded Courtney Lee, Rafer Alston and Tony Battie to the New Jersey Nets for Vince Carter and Ryan Anderson . Many expected the Magic to make a trade of some kind yesterday as they did not have a draft pick going into last night, but this was very much unexpected. I say that because it was only a week ago that the Magic front office said it would do everything in its power to retain Hedo Turkoglu and with Carter carrying $16.3 million this season, $17.3 million in 2010-2011 and an $18 million option for 2012, that option is probably gone as are the chances of resigning Marcin Gortat.

This leaves the Magic with a bevy of questions going foward: Who replaces Courtney Lee/Mickael Pietrus (most likely the starting SG now) coming off the bench? How do the Magic get another big man while keeping the luxury tax penalty down? Will the Magic bolster their bench?

When he first broke in, there wasn't a bigger Vince Carter fan than me. It's a strange in a way for me because the athletes I worshipped as a teen are now on my teams with Gary Sheffield on the Mets and Vinsanity coming to Orlando. I mean, what's next? Eddie George coming out of retirement to play for the Bucs? Joe Sakic to the Rangers? However, his antics at the end of his tenture in Toronto made me sour on him quite a bit, not to mention he's only won 2 playoff series in his career (then again, I am a T-Mac fan, so I guess it cancels out).

All that aside, the Magic needed to get tougher. Keeping Hedo and getting another inside presence along the lines of say Drew Gooden or Joe Smith would've fit perfectly. Instead, they got an older, shorter version of Hedo, except Carter can't play point like Hedo occasionally can. Sure, Carter can create his own shot and is a more profilic scorer than Turkoglu, but why break off a part of the core of a team that came within 3 wins of a championship? And yeah, you can argue that Hedo is soft, but toughness and leadership have not exactly been two of Carter's most noteworthy traits as a pro, have they?

Sending Battie off is fine and trading Alston is an assessable loss because of the salary issue and it's still Jameer's job to lose and it was quite apparent in the Finals that got into Skip to My Lou's head, but trading Courtney Lee could be a huge mistake. Some say this is a move for the right here and now, but I disagree. You can look at the missed layup at the end of regulation in Game 2 all you want, but Lee was a big reason why the Magic got to the Finals and was certainly not a rookie by the time the calendar turned to June. His defense was good for a rookie and will continue to grow in the coming years and it will be missed next year when Pietrus needs help checking LeBron for 48 minutes for at least 4 regular season games. His offensive production as a 4th option in the postseason was underappreciated and I can guarantee he will take off playing alongside Devin Harris in New Jersey/Brooklyn.

With a healthy lineup, which outside of one season Carter has largely done, they will certainly contend for the top spot in the East and will push 60 wins once again, the question is does this make them a championship team? I hope I'm wrong, but I don't think so.

R.I.P. King Of Pop

2009-06-26T12:34:00.003-04:00

For a little while yesterday, time ceased when the news of Michael Jackson's death hit.

While I wasn't around for when Michael was only the biggest pop star in the world and I've seen him only as the circus celebrity that he was for the end of his career, it's still a sad day. The thing is though, as long as my generation has been around, he's been the biggest star in the world. Everyone knows his name and anywhere he goes, everything stops.

While he certainly had his issues and demons, he was a musical revolutionary, whose impact is still felt in the industry today as the Omarions, Chris Browns and other young R&B/pop artists show MJ's influence on them. Even 26 years later, you can put on Thriller and people my age can groove out to it.

R.I.P. Michael Jackson 1958-2009

Paradise Lost and Found

2009-06-19T16:55:00.005-04:00

The Orlando Magic's incredible run came to a sad conclusion Sunday night with a loss in Game 5 and in a strange turn of events, I'm okay with that. Now I know what you're thinking "Jerry's not acting like it's the end of the world when his team loses? There must be a guest editor." But stick with me, I'm truly not even close to the edge.

If you had told me going into the Philadelphia series that this team would come within 3 wins of a championship minus Jameer Nelson for the entire Eastern Conference playoffs and a healthy/effective Jameer in the Finals, I would've laughed. If you had told me that after Game 3 of the Philly series, Games 4 and 5 of the Boston series and after LeBron's miracle, I probably would've elbowed you like Sam Dalembert.

Given the numerous spectacluar chokejobs that seemingly all of my teams have pulled the last 2 and a half years, you couldn't have blamed me for going into defeatist mode at any of those particular points, but a funny thing happened, they kept winning.

At all the situations in the East playoffs where my teams normally fold like a tent in a tornado, the Magic kept finding ways to escape. Going into Game 6 of the Philly series minus Superman and Courtney Lee, I had all but resigned myself to an everything does happen Game 7 in Orlando, but the boys in blue boat raced the Sixers by halftime and it was never close.

Until the final 5 minutes of Game 5, they didn't even seemed remotely fazed by Big Baby Davis' Game 4 buzzer-beater and even after the meltdown in Boston and Dwight demanding the ball, they kept their heads. With relentless waves of the Celtics and the rep of the team hanging in the balance in Games 6 and 7, the Magic always found the shot or a play at the moment they needed to stem the tide.

The Eastern Conference Finals was the moment when they proved they belong. After the tests they faced in the first 2 rounds and the way the Magic have been able to measure up against the Cavs the last few years, a 22-point lead in Cleveland didn't seem so insurmountable and while Rashard's game-winning 3 was thrilling, it wasn't as shocking as it was to the national media, who I'd like to personally thank for not giving the Magic an ounce of credit at any point in the postseason because they were so bitter that their dream of a Celtics-Cavaliers east final and LeBron-Kobe finals didn't happen, you guys are outstanding.

As the series went on (and even during the Finals) you started to believe that no matter how poor the Magic were playing or how well Cleveland was playing, they were going to find a way to pull it off and it wasn't the least surprising when they did. It was the kind of confidence in a team I haven't had since the Mets of 1999-2001 made spectacular comebacks an art form.

Even after LeBron's miracle 3, it wasn't a momentum-draining play, they had proved the Cavs couldn't put them away, even in the building where they had gone 39-2. Watching the Magic winning in transition and at the arc in Game 1 and then in a grind-it-out style in Game 3 proved this team could do whatever it takes to win a championship. Game 4 was the most intense basketball game I've watched since Game 7 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals and the most intense experience as a fan since Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS.

As the 4th quarter went on, the belief that they could actually win this series grew only to be met with each retaliatory strike from LeBron (who, say what you want about his sportsmanship, played the greatest individual series I've ever watched), followed by the sheer elation of Rashard's 3 and then the fear that maybe they had left too much time on the clock as they had in Game 2 (you gotta love the fact that LeBron's only strategy on the final play of regulation was either get fouled or lose the game), then the sheer anger on the no-call to end regulation. The back and forth pace of overtime, the final play/lebron's half-court heave seeming to take a half hour to unfold and then the sigh of relief/pure joy after the miss.

When Game 6 became determined, it was an indescribable feeling. I could say it was the thrill of finally watching a team of mine close in a big spot after the heartbreak that has been continuous since October 2006, but it's a lot deeper than that.

Over the last few months I've dealt with the detoriating health of my father, one of my grandmothers battling breast and bone cancer and the passing of my other grandmother, so it's been a nice distraction. Being able to immerse myself for 2-3 hours every other night for the last 2 months and forget the chaos of my life has been a welcome element. Each of the playoff games were experiences, you rode the highs and whethered the lows. And yes, if the Mets had gone on a roller-coaster run like this, I probably would’ve had an ulcer. Despite them falling short of the ultimate goal, they rank just behind the '02 Bucs and '99 Mets as my favorite team of all-time.

Sure, there are plenty of what-ifs that pundits and Magic fans alike will debate as to what kept them from a winning a championship, but that's not what this is about. Until last season, the Magic hadn't won a playoff series since 1996. Now, should the window already be closed, armchair quarterbacking is certainly allowed, but I think this team has staying power.

Dwight Howard dedicated himself throughout the playoffs to making his free throws and the misses at the of Game 4 aside, shot nearly 70% at the line. You don't think he's going to absolutely kill himself the next 3 and a half months to get himself some post moves and change the opponent's defensive schemes next season? I sure do. You can look at his Finals Game 5 no-show if you want, but Rashard Lewis silenced those who called him overpaid over the span of these last 2 months, hitting nearly every big shot. Jameer Nelson, who will be conviently blamed for the Finals loss, had finally figured it out when he went down with the shoulder injury in February. Most importantly, the front office is willing to go all-out to keep Hedo Turkoglu to keep the contending core intact, something one of the prior regimes half-heartedly attempted to do with Shaq (who has gone back to enemy status with his recent sour grapes tweeting).

Some can dwell on the loss to the Lakers, but that would be dismissing all the accomplishments leading up to that. In 1995, we expected them to win and were were stunned when the Rockets embarassed them on the biggest stage. This time around is different, we have not heard the last of this team as a championship contender. I hope as Magic fans move further away from this moment in the years to come, we look at this not as an opportunity lost, but a 2-month thrill ride that none of us will ever forget.

Living The Dream.....for a little while longer

2009-05-31T22:54:00.003-04:00

As Magic fans continue to bask in the afterglow of the stunning (to everyone except Magic fans such as myself who knew the boys in blue had flexed their muscle against Cleveland over the past 3 years) over the Cavaliers, the usual noise from bitter Celtic and Cavs fans about the bandwagon fans infiltrating Amway Arena can be heard. While I will have none of that, here's a list of things for the Magic fans who deserve an NBA title:

- If you had a life-size Shaq cut-out as a kid or bought the size 22 Shaq shoes even if you were better off wearing flippers.

- If you started wearing goggles all the time because you thought Horace Grant was awesome.

-While Kenny Smith is an integral part of the best NBA studio show, his shot against the Magic in the 1995 Finals still makes you crings (same goes for Robert Horry). Thank you TNT for having him re-create that Tuesday night.

- You remember exactly where you were when you heard Shaq skipped town....and a little part of you died that day.

- While they probably wouldn't start for most teams, Darrell Armstrong and Bo Outlaw are legends.

- Lil' Penny is the puppet Kobe and LeBron wishes they could be.

- Deep down, you still hold a little bit of resentment towards the Milwaukee Bucks for beating the Heart and Hustle team of 2000 on the final day of the season to knock them out of the playoffs.

-You know that the Magic would've beaten the Lakers in the finals once in this decade with a core of T-Mac, Grant Hill and Tim Duncan. *sigh*

- David Vaughn, Brian Evans, Johnny Taylor, Courtney Alexander, Steven Hunter, Jeryl Sasser, Curtis Borchardt, Reece Gaines are not just NBDL legends....they're first round draft picks since 1996.

- Fran Vazquez...'nuff said.

- From 2001-2003, you always got to the set for the 4th quarter to see what T-Mac was gonna do next.

- You also know that Magic management surronded him with Pat Burke, Jeryl Sasser, Olumide Oyedeji, Andrew DeClerq, Ryan Humphrey, Patrick Ewing and Shawn Kemp's bloated carcasses, Chris Whitney and Don Reid.....yet it's his fault he's never been out of the 1st round. Well, at least those three years were excusable.

- You know the rules....no touching the railings at the O-Rena.

- You caught a stub from that mini-blimp thing.

- You've been this close to catching a t-shirt at least 3 times.

- When Paul Porter says staaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnd and cheer.....you shout "YOUR ORLANDOOOOOOOOOOO MAGICCCCCCCCCCCCCC!!!!!!!!" right back at him.

- You kept watching even with John Weisbrod and Steve Francis prominently involved

- You KNEW Jameer Nelson would be a star.

- You remember that Darko Milicic wasn't half bad.

- You were thrilled when Billy Donovan took the money and ran back to mediocrity and bandwagon jumpers in Jortville.

-Most of all, you'll shed a tear when the O-Rena closes next season. Hopefully with a 2009 NBA Champions banner flying from the rafters.

This run is for those of us who know these all too well.

Preview later in the week.

Back when referees carried out the boss's orders

2009-05-31T22:37:00.002-04:00

7 years ago today.....please no re-runs for the next 2 weeks. Genius platoon reference for Part 6 by the way

Another Best Of....

2009-05-06T10:57:00.006-04:00

By now, you've heard everybody wax poetic about the epic 7- game series between the Bulls and Celtics and where it stands amongst the all-time list of playoff series. Without all the usual palaver, here are, in my opinion, the 10 best playoff series of the last 25 years:

10. 2005 West Semis: Phoenix over Dallas in 6

This was the year of the coming out party for The :07 Seconds or Less Era and never was it more apparent than in this series. Under then interim coach Avery Johnson, the elements of NellieBall were still in effect, as neither team scored less than 102 points in any of the 6 games.

Also in full effect was Steve Nash's F You to the Mavs for letting him walk the previous summer. He had 3 30+ point games in the series including a 48-pointer in Game 4 and 39 in the Game 6 OT clincher including a 3-pointer to force OT in the final seconds of regulation.

Unfortunate side of this series was Joe Johnson's eye injury early in the series which kept him out of the West Finals against the Spurs which the Suns would lose in 5. The 05-08 Suns rank atop the list of "What If?" teams.

9. 1989 East 1st Round: Chicago over Cleveland in 5

Each game decided by single digits, the final two decided by a combined 4 points and of course this.....

8. 2002 East Finals: New Jersey over Boston in 6

Sort of forgotten in the shuffle of the blockbuster that was the West finals, this one had some mothers too.

There was of course the Celtics' memorable 24-point 2nd half comeback in game for a 94-90 victory which, until last year, was Paul Pierce's defining moment in Boston. Two days later on Memorial Day (the day after the Lakers did nearly the same), the Celtics came back from 14 down in the 4th to tie the game, but Lucious Harris hit two free throws in the waning moments and neither Pierce nor Tony Battie could convert to tie.

The Nets would take Games 5 and 6, the latter including a mini 4th quarter rally of their own to put the bow on one of the most improbable turnarounds in NBA history.

7. 1990 West Semifinals: Portland over San Antonio in 7

As you'll see later, having a Game 7 go to overtime certainly helps your case.

The heroics of Clyde Drexler and a thin Rod Strickland doing his best Damon Jones impression for the spurs seals the win for Portland, who would advance to their first of 2 NBA Finals appearences in 3 seasons.

6. 1987 East Finals: Boston over Detroit in 7

A Game 7 decided by 3 points and of course......

"Annnnnnnd......Now there's a steal by Bird! Underneath to DJ who lays it in!!...Right at one second left!! What a play by Bird! Bird stole the inbounding pass, laid it up to DJ, and DJ laid it up and in, and Boston has a one-point lead with one second left! OH, MY, THIS PLACE IS GOING CRAZY!!!"

5. 1993 East Finals: Chicago over New York in 6

While the Knicks would get over an MJ-less Chicago bunch the next season, this was the peak of the rivalry.

The two had faced off in a 7-game semifinal the year before and the Knicks revamped the roster during the offseason solely to top the budding dynasty. They would take the first 2 games at home, including John Starks' poster of Air Jordan and Horace Grant. The Bulls returned the favor at Chicago Stadium including Jordan going off for 54 on Memorial Day in Game 4. While the series progressed, the allegations of Jordan's gambling habits made their way into the media.

Game 5 was a back and forth epic that culminated in the Bulls swatting Charles Smith several times under the basket in the final moments as the Bulls snapped the Knicks' 27-game winning streak at Madison Square Garden.

The Knicks were still mathematically alive in Game 6, but for all intents and purposes, after the Bulls stunned the New York crowd 2 nights earlier, it was over.

4. 2000 West Finals: Lakers over Portland in 7

Not only a great series, but altered the fortunes of two franchises in dramatic fashion.

The Lakers took a 3-1 lead in the series, only to have the Blazers led by the veteran leadership of Scottie Pippen and the fire of Rasheed Wallace, storm back to tie the series and led 75-60 in the 4th quarter of Game 7 with just under 10 minutes to play. What happened next, changed two teams forever.

Portland went 1 for its next 18 as the Lakers outscored the Blazers 29-9 to finish.

Consider this: If Portland makes even two shots during that fatal stretch, maybe the Shaq/Kobe dynasty never happens. Instead, even Met fans consider that fourth quarter by the Blazers to be one of the purest chokes in sports history. Though I suppose Steve Smith being Shaqtastically hip-checked on the way to the hoop late and not having Dick Bavetta call it didn't help matters either.

With the exception of the '05 rebuilding and first-round losses to Phoenix in 06 (an epic series in its own regard) and '07, the Lakers have been a title contender every year of the decade. Portland has only just begun to recover.

3. 2009 East 1st Round: Boston over Chicago in 7

This series had it all: The coming out party of Derrick Rose, Rajon Rondo going toe to toe with the rookie and just about anybody else wearing red, Ben Gordon and Ray Allen having their own version of Home Run derby, Joakim Noah finally earning his keep in the NBA (and thankfully losing), two teams matching shot for shot and making one big play after another, two racous crowds that didn't need gimmicks to get wild, the Celtics valiantly defending their crown with pride minus their best player AND an unexpected Game 7 hero.

Side note To Kevin Garnett: we get it, you're intense and you can drop more 4-letter bombs than the average VH1 reality show, it's looking less and less like you care that much and more and more like you have an act to uphold. And did we see you mimicking running through the phone book the other night? Quit while you're ahead.

2. 2002 West Finals: Lakers over Sacramento in 7

Games 4 through 7 all decided by 6 points or less. Game 4 decided on Robert Horry's buzzer-beater to cap a 24-point rally over the course of 2 halves. Mike Bibby made the game-winning shot with 8 seconds remaining in Game 5. That Game in a moment. The finale featured four of the best words in sports: Game Seven in overtime. Ultimately, the Lakers would flex their championship muscle and pull away in OT on the road but......

The only reason this series isn't #1 is because of Game 6. Without the alleged fix, that epic Game 7 may have never happened. If you don't believe me, check out Parts 5, (especially) 6 and 7 of The Greatest Tragedy In Sports on youtube.

1. 2006 West Semifinals; Dallas over San Antonio in 7

Game 7 going to overtime was just the icing on the cake for this series.

Game 1 was decided on a missed final shot by Dallas, the Mavs won Game 3 by 1, Game 4 in OT. Game 5 went to the Spurs by 1 and featured a scrum in which Jason Terry gave Michael Finley the business, which cost him the Game 6 defeat to the San Antone 91-86.

The deciding game saw Dallas race out to a 20-point lead, only to have the Spurs take a 104-101 lead on a Manu Ginobili lead for the first lead of the night with 32 seconds and the prospect of a double choke (a 3-1 lead and the Game 7 lead) adding to the notion that Cuban's Employees couldn't close seemed to ring truer than ever. Dirk then went hard to the hole and converted a 3-point play after Manu commited a puzzling foul( just think how close the Spurs were to a 5-peat if not for 2 freak plays). The OT was all Dallas and for for a few weeks, put the postseason demons to rest.

Honorable Mention: Phoenix-LA 2006, Indiana-New Jersey 2002, Toronto-Philadelphia 2001, New York-Miami 2000, New York-Miami 1999, Utah-Houston 1997, Indiana-New York 1994, Seattle-Phoenix 1993, Boston-Atlanta 1988 and New York-Detroit 1984.

Master of His Domain

2009-04-23T22:13:00.006-04:00

After the Magic blew a 14-point 4th quarter lead in Game 1 and nearly did the same in a close Game 2 victory, much has been made of Stan Van Gundy's composure under pressure, considering Shaq criticized Van Gundy as a "Master of Panic" and "when it gets time for his team to go into the postseason and do certain things, he will let them down because of his panic."

While "Master of Panic" is the best nickname since Don King accused Jose Canseco of being a "practitioner of rat thinkism", you have to wonder if it is entirely justified.

Here's how Van Gundy's post-season track record goes:

2004- Led by an up and coming star named Dwyane Wade and the occasionally interested Lamar Odom, the Heat win a 7-game first round series against the Hornets that made you go (yawn). The Heat ultimately fall in the East semis in 6 games to an Indiana team that had the NBA's best record and went on to lose to the eventual champion Pistons.

2005- Led by a motivated Shaq, the Heat grab home-court advantage in the playoffs and lead the Eastern Conference Finals 3-2 when Wade suffers a ribcage injury that keeps him out of Game 6 and hinders his performance in Game 7. Also worth noting that the Heat were leading Game 7 with just over 2 minutes to play when Damon Jones reared his ugly head.

November 2005- Van Gundy is fired to spend more time with his family *cough cough* Pat Riley got the itch to coach again.

2008- Magic cruise past Toronto in the first round in 5. Lose a highly-contested 5-game set to Detroit in the East Semis.

Since he was hired in the summer of 2007 after Eddie Munster Donovan robbed Otis Smith at gunpoint, the Magic have won 52 and 59 games respectively. Before the season-ending injury to Jameer Nelson, the Magic were a very real threat to win the 1st title in franchise history and may very well still.

Since arriving in Orlando, SVG has made the Magic a much more offensive-oriented team, using the perimeter skills of Rashard Lewis, Hedo Turkoglu and (credit to Otis I must say) Courtney Lee. Gone are the 81-80 staples of the rigid Brian Hill Part II Era.

In the series against the Pistons, the Magic lost 3 games in the final minutes. Game 2 was lost partly due to a clock malfunction that would change momentum, Game 4 thanks to multiple brain-lapses by Keyon Dooling (also an assailant in Miami's Game 7 collapse) and Game 5 due to several shots by Hedo falling short. While you could argue that Stan may not have been as calm as Flip Saunders (who I argue was just plain dense), I think this particular Magic group needed to go through that experience to become the contender they are now.

As the season has gone on, the rap on SVG has been that he cannot find anything positive to say about his team, surprisingly Dwight Howard in particular. Now far be it be for me to confirm because I'm not in the timeout huddles, but when Marcin Gortat says things like "His gestures make us nervous out there,", that doesn't really help to dispel the notion now, does it? When it appears that you're a bigger complainer than yours truly, that's not good. The concern being that if he continues to grate, berate and be just irate, this team will eventually tune out whatever good he may have. This isn't exactly true beacuse Superman has it down pat....

I still contend that he was the best fit for this team. Given the weapons available, Stan has gotten the most out of this group. I fully believe that under Eddie Munster Donovan, this is at best a 43-39 team.

Don't get me wrong, Sunday night wasn't exactly Stan's finest hour, but I can't put the onus squarely on him. Firing three after three and giving the Sixers quick outlet opportunities to trim the lead didn't help matters. Not being able to secure A REBOUND on the defensive end did this them in.

With the weakened Celtics looming and the dominance the Magic have shown in recent years over Cleveland, the NBA Finals are well within reach. If they fall short, it'll be because of those things amongst others (Memphis Tigers-like FT%, anyone?) not because their coach had a cross between bitter beer face and John Mayer when he sings.

They say as a coach you should never let them see you sweat a la Phil Jackson, but to each coach his own personality. Might I remind you, this is the Van Gundy family we're talking about here. Jeff wasn't exactly Willie Randolph on the bench.

Now to say I like Stan Van, warts and all isn't fair, because that seems like an indictment on him, but it certainly wouldn't hurt him to have a Paxil and smile before Game 3.

2009 New York Mets Season Preview: It Can't Happen Again, Right? Right?

2009-04-02T19:32:00.008-04:00

You couldn't blame Mets fans for being as cynical about the 2009 season as the American public is about the current economy. But after a winter of second-guessing, what ifs, self-loathing, trades and signings, we're ready to go.

The main issue addressed in the off-season was the downfall of the last 2 Septembers. As big as the signings of K-Rod and J.J. Putz were, the execution of Scott Schoeneweis, Aaron Heilman, Joe Smith, Duaner Sanchez and Luis Ayala were just as huge.

Now I could rehash their greatest hits and how they almost drove me to raging alcoholism, but it's a new year.

The big knock on K-Rod is that his arm is due to go Dave Dravecky after 62 saves in 76 appearences last season. I would point out however that he did not have a single 4+ out save last season. Also, it's worth noting that giving K-Rod 3 years/$37 mil at 27 is vastly different than giving Billy Wagner 4 years/$ 43 mil at 34. The fact that Omar was able to shave 2 years and $38 mil off the initial figures Rodriguez was looking at last July is quite impressive. It also makes the Putz trade even more brilliant in hindsight as they have an all-star caliber closer as a set-up man and ace in the hole should Frankie's arm fail him.

It's a little unnerving that the Mets are going into battle this season attempting to take down the lefty-heavy Phillies with just one lefty reliever, who I might add has exactly ONE pitch, but yet I do not fear. The lone bright spot in the tire fire that was the bullpen was Brian Stokes. While the term "crossover reliever" is very LaRussa-esque and makes me cringe, Stokes fits the term to a T as he was effecttive against hitters on both sides of the plate. If 2008 was more of a trend than an accident, not only does that give Jerry a reliable option against lefties (let's face it, Feliciano has been a crap shoot for a year and a half now), it also gives him their 7th inning option.

The rotation is obviously set at the top by The Left Arm Of God and potential in the spots behind him.

Mike Pelfrey showed promise in the 2nd half and become the most sure thing behind Johan and Delgado, but had a shaky spring and the big concern is how he will hold up after pitching 200 innings for the first time in his career, my gut feeling says he'll be fine. When it clicks, it clicks and Pelfrey seemed to develop a confidence last year that we hadn't seen before, the belief that he belonged as a major league starter. When you have the confidence to match the stuff, you're ready to go.

The main reason I believe the Mets signed Oliver Perez this offseason was the sole belief that better for him be on their side if/when he gets it than with somebody else. I'd say he's due to break through this year, but I said that last year too, so search me.

John Maine could be the usual solid #3 if he's healthy. It's a must that he develops his curveball in order for him to get his pitch count down, which is the only thing that has inhibited him as a starter.

Only real changes to the lineup are Luis Castillo tentaively hitting 8th and Daniel Murphy winning the starting job in left. I'm a big fan of what Murph did down the stretch last season. He won't go for a lot of power, but in this lineup, he doesn't have to. His role is to be on base to set up Wright/Delgado/Beltran, not to mention with the quality pitch selection and ability to go opposite field is a huge plus as a #2 hitter with Reyes on base.

I don't expect Carlos Delgado to unleash the '03 version of himself as he did for the final 2 and a half months last season, but a .272/27/96 shouldn't be too much of a reach.

This is David Wright's year to become the leader that we've been waiting for him to be, both on the field and in the clubhouse. True, he may have caught a little too much heat for the strikeout against the Cubs on the final Wednesday (myself included), but more than ever this team needs that Jeter-like influence and Wright has that ability, it's time for him to flex that muscle.

Of course, there is the dirty little secret that should all else fail, the small-market teams will be shedding salary like it's going out of style at the trade deadline. Damn, I feel like a Yankee fan just talking like that. Economic disaster.....catch the excitement!

The New York media has already started the rumblings of Jerry Manuel being fired if the Mets do not make the playoffs again, which to me is propestorous. If the bullpen doesn't trip over itself last year, we'd be talking about one of the greatest turnaround jobs in baseball history. Jerry was able to bring some sense of stability to a team that had been missing it for a long time. With a structured bullpen seemingly in palce (key word: seemingly), Manuel doesn't have to spend the entire game wondering how he eventually has to juggle the pen. Given the circumstances, I think Jerry handled himself quite well, which makes me all the more confident in what he'll do this season.

Prediction: uhhhhhhhhhhhh, you really don't expect me to do that?

NCAA Tournament Running Diary Day 2

2009-03-20T11:43:00.037-04:00

8:05- Anyone else find it strange that #5 seed Florida State has to go to Boise for the 1st (and possibly 2nd) round? Perhaps it's the NCAA's way of punishing FSU for appealing the academic sanctions.

8:03- Guys like Tyrese Rice may seem like a dime a dozen, but its his ability to score in a hurry that will make him a pro.

8:00- Morehead State and ETSU continue to reinforce the belief that eventually a 16 will beat 1. Hey, there were people who never thought a mid-major would make the Final 4, right?

7:54- The only interesting thing about this BC-USC game is the eternally pissed off look Tim Floyd has.

7:37- Credit to Arziona, they've played with redass to start this one and it's the Utes who look like the last team in.

7:27- Not to sound like a contrarian, but is there a team with more pressure than Arizona to prove its merit? You don't wanna end up looking like Seton Hall did in 2006.

5:23- Good 2nd set, aside from Pitt's near chokejob, not quite as exciting as the 12:00 set. Back in an hour and a half.

5:09- There's the dagger. But don't worry Pitt fans or those with them going deep in the bracket, it's not like the last #1 seed from the Big East that struggled mightily in Round One lost unexpectedly later on.

5:08- For a team that prides itself on being physical and intimidating, Pitt sure looks timid for a 1 seed right now.

5:04- Do you think Truck Bryant ever walks into a club and says "Who wants to get trucked?" or "baby, you just got trucked!" or anything of the like.

5:01- The issue with Dayton has been that instead of being the aggressors (which they've been most of the way), they've now developed a bend don't break mentality.

4:58- Pizza run on the first Friday of the NCAA Tournament. What's better than that? Well, nothing printable.

4:21- Pitt still looking lacksadisical into the 2nd half.

4:19- Alex Ruoff picks up a huuuuuuuuuuuuuge 4th foul less than 2 minutes into the 2nd half. This could be the swing stretch for Dayton.

4:17- A questionable foul call against Christmas allows Ian Eagle to gleefully give us a "Christmas gift" blast. What? You expected Temple to play in the tourney and NOT have that happen?

4:13- Dionte Christmas doing what he's done all season. I'm pretty sure if he was in the ACC, he'd be a player of the year candidate, he's in the A-10 so America's just learning about him now.

4:00- In related news, Carrie Underwood can still get it.

3:58- OMIGODIT'STAYLOR!

3:55- Cornell's deliberate style should play right into the hands of the new 40 minutes of hell from Missouri and yet there they are down 4 at half.

3:53- The one thing that makes you think with Pitt is they haven't established themselves yet, they almost seem content to play ETSU's game. First 7-10 minutes of the 2nd half could be telling

3:48- A first for everything in the ETSU-Pitt game: Sam Young bumps into an ETSU guard who then bumps into his teammate who was going for the layup. The first billiards foul in history. ETSU only down 1 with 80 seconds left in the 1st half.

3:43- Bob Huggins was a 2-time academic all-american? That would be like A.C. Green having 6 kids.....with his wife.

3:40- If the Jordan brand ever wants to those fan victim ads for baseball.....they know who to call.

3:25- Dayton's D taking West Virginia out of its game and dictating the tempo. ASU daring Temple to take away the perimeter and the Owls have yet to do so. Still trying to get a feel for the other two mid-afternoon games.

3:11- Fun fact: Dayton did training with the school's ROTC before the season to build strength and unity. Gotta like that in a team, certainly re-affirms my belief in them in a way.

Miami football allegedly did the same thing a few years back. In fact, the Bucs new tight end really got into it.

3:06- You think Sergio Olmos ever gets any pockmark jokes? No one? It's just me?

2:58- I can name the one non-AIG employee who's making money right now: Rockwell.....he's gotta be the happiest guy alive, right?

2:48- Underrated player: Arizona State's Rihards Kuksiks. I've watched this kid since he played at my high school's archrival a few years ago. Great perimeter threat who isn't afraid to slash. Be sure to watch him after James Harden leaves.

2:40- Didn't have a chance to get to this earlier at the end of Kansas-NDSU, but there isn't more a poignant yet sad camera shot than the bench/fans of a mid-major in the last minute when the game has just become out of reach.

2:39- Is it a bad sign to be shocked that someone MAKES a big free throw at the end of a game now?

2:38- Good observation by Bob Wenzel, if Utah State's big goes straight up with that 3, tie game.

2:35- Toss-up: Whose end of game execution was worse? Clemson last night or Tennessee just now? Give me 7 seconds to screw this up.

2:30- We've got a tie game with Bill and Verne locked and loaded. This is as good as it gets right here.

2:26- Kansas by 6, OKST-UT tied, Utah State by 1, all under 3 to play. Here's what we've been waiting for.

2:24- Classic Gus as Cole Aldrich may have just put North Dakota State to sleep.

2:16- Another beauty of March Madness: Picking Kansas and yet hoping North Dakota State shocks the world.

2:14- Buzzer-beater potential in Dayton, unfortunately, it's crunch time for NDSU. They need to reel off 6 or 7 unanswered here to have any shot.

2:09- Thank you for attending, Stephen F. Austin, see you in 9 years.

2:03- Lundquist and Raftery hit on this before, but the committee got this one right with OK State and the Vols. Two evenly-matched teams and you get the sense that this game is going to come down to a crucial mistake in the final minute.

2:01- Anybody else get the feeling that should Obama win the White House pool, he'll have to give all the cash to AIG? Thank you, I'll be here all week.

1:57- Hell, I'll hit the Coke Zero guys for free without a taste test.

1:55- Gus Johnson starting to come alive. Ben Woodside as co-pilot.

1:54- Sherron Collins is going to be an outstanding 6th man someday and I mean that with the utmost respect. Love what he does on the floor.

1:51- Mellencamp? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! NOT MELLENCAMP!

1:49- Marquette and Utah State were slated to play this afternoon, but a JV game took place instead. Good lord.

1:40- Kansas starting to flex its msucle. Cole Aldrich has become much more impressive as the year has gone on. Definitely needs at least one more year of experience however.

The issue for NDSU has been absolutely no support for Ben Woodside. Even Davidson had Richards for the occasional 3-ball last year.

1:38- Tennessee's fatal flaw is starting to rear its head as they're becoming too impatient on the offensive end. 7 seconds or less works in the pros, not in the tourney. Well, not since 1990 anyway.

1:32- Here's a drinking game of sorts for you: Every time you see a commercial for the Country Music Awards, imitate your best 13 year old girl voice and shout "omigod it's taylor!".....just in case you needed to be remind of how insufferable she is.

1:30- Another favorite of mine: The sonic ad with the guy using the clipboard as a distraction.

1:15- Kansas ends the half on a 15-7 run, but NDSU has been able to withstand every Jayhawk charge so far.

1:04- Not a big fan of the drinkability campaign, but the ad where they throw the guy out the window for suggesting cutting Bud Light from the budget is money.

1:02- What do you call 12 guys watching the tournament? Florida.

12:56- Call me cynical, but why do I get the feeling a kid whose last name is Morningstar is probably soft?

12:52- There's something endearing about the intramural-style speed and recklessness of this game.

12:42- In essence a home game for NDSU, the factors I mentioned before AND Gus Johnson is on the call? Smells like an upset to me.

12:37- Boat race developing for Syracuse. OSU's Terrel Harris picks up his 2nd foul, Cowboys go 2-3 zone, let's see if the pace considerably slows.

12:32- Gotta love the end to end track meet developing in this one. Though OSU's Eaton just picked up his 2nd foul so that may put a stop to that.

12:29- In the first 3 minutes of the the OK State-Tennessee game, we've got a "MANTAMAN!" and "a little lingerie on the deck!" from Bill Raftery. March....it's a beautiful thing.

12:23- Props to Cheddar Bob from 8 Mile for overcoming his injuries and mental deficincies to become the senior leader for Syracuse. Not to mention, when did Geraldo become the coach of Stephen F. Austin?

12:10- TV feed starts with Syracuse-Stephen F. Austin, then over to Okie State- Tennessee. Best early game looks like Utah State-Marquette. Upset potential also with North Dakota State against Kansas. Bison have one of the best scorers in the country in Ben Woodside and the defending champs have lost a few games down the stretch that they have no business losing.

12:00 P.M.- Should be a full set today, ended up meeting a friend of mine last night to watch the 2nd set of the night games. Didn't miss too much other than WKU's near meltdown and UCLA beating a group of kids from Florida 2 years too late (look it up). Thank you Ben Howland for nothing.

2009 NCAA Tourmanent Running Diary Day 1

2009-03-19T11:30:00.030-04:00

3:20- Off to my baseball gig, should be back in time for the 7 o'clock games. Late.

3:10- Did you know that Brad Greenburg's (Radford's head coach) brother is the head coach at Virginia Tech? Not only that, did you know Tyler Hansbrough plays really hard? They really should mention these things.

3:02- You gotta like the opportunistic defense of Purdue. They could be a problem for any of the 3 teams lurking ahead (I'm assuming UConn wins).

2:51- Quote from Dan Bonner in the early going of the Purdue-Northern Iowa game, "Northern Iowa has almost as many turnovers as they do field goal attempts. That's not a good way to start a game, especially the 1st round of the NCAA Tournament." In related news, Dan also believes the AIG fiasco is not a good start for President Obama's economic turnaround.

2:34- Memphis pulls away, Texas A&M cruises and LSU hangs on thanks to Marcus Thornton. Though I doubt winning a 1st round game is cause to celebrate, let's ask former Tiger Glen Davis...

Maybe I'm Wrong.

2:24- Another old song reference by Tim Brando. Tim, Chris Berman is on line 1.

2:20- Northridge cuts back it to 4 after Memphis goes on a 9-0 blitz. 3:48 to play, but with CSN's perimeter shooting today, this one is far from over.

2:09- Butler/LSU turning into a duel as well. Too bad BYU forgot they were playing at noon.

2:07- Northridge up 6 with 10 minutes to go. Might my retarded King Midas of Sports roll be continuing?

2:01- Northridge feeling it from 3. Where would Memphis be without Roburt Salie? Timeout called with the game tied at 55 and Tim Brando goes with a Sammy Hagar reference. If only Jim Nantz could see him now.

1:57- Northridge beginning to impose its will on Memphis. *gulp*

1:56- My apologies to the Double Stuff Racing League, the Windows Rookies ad takes the lead as worst of the year.

1:53- Northridge takes the lead with 13 minutes to play. Can somebody check and see if T.J. Sorentine is on the Matador staff? This is bad.

1:44- Butler takes its first lead with less than 15 minutes to play behind the excellent play of Shelvin Mack. Memphis up 4, but the KC crowd in favor of Northridge, the upset wheels be movin.

1:41- Antonio Anderson gets a layup for his "first deuce of the afternoon" according to Tim Brando. So much potential here, but I'm gonna walk away to do the same.

1:40- John Lennon's music could solve a murder in a Cold Case episode? Gee, I liked it better when it was called Helter Skelter. So long as they put up a "loosely based on a true story" disclaimer.

1:34- Shelvin Mack carrying Butler as they close the gap to 3. A lot of stupid mistakes by LSU allowing Butler to hang around as they may have found their shooting groove.

1:19- Memphis leading by 3 at half, but they do have that look on their face of "Uhhhhh, shouldn't we be up 25 right now? These guys are supposed to be happy to be here, what's going on?"

1:12- Butler gets a 3 at the buzzer to close it to 6 at half, BYU is continuing Seton Hall-like tank job and Northridge is well within range of Memphis, making those like me who picked the Tigers just a smidge nervous. No, the Vermont-Syracuse flashbacks haven;t started yet.

12:58- Butler claws their way back by slowing it down and getting a couple 3's to fall. BYU found out they've already printed the 2009 NCAA Tournament appearence banner for their gym and have checked out against Texas A&M.

12:54- Despite the word that the Big West was average this year, CS-Northridge is staying with Memphis thanks to two early fouls on Tyreke Evans and Robert Dozier. One 15 or 16 seems to make a game of it every year, we might have it here.

12:52- Matt Howard looks like the annoying kid in school that tried to be friends with everyone and yet nobody liked him.

12:42- None of us agreed to another year of Coke Zero ads. Eeeeesh.

12:34- Uncomfortable moment: Middle-age Clark Kellogg just unleashed a "do work" blast. I'm still squirming.

12:31- Butler looks completely disinterested in playing any sort of defense. SEC speed reigns supreme once again so far.

12:23- LSU in front 9-0 less than 4 minutes in. But at least Butler doesn't look like they've never seen this kind of speed before.

12:21 - Nothing against Clark Kellogg (who's a decent studio guy), but I'd much rather prefer the Lundquist/Raftery tandem being the lead duo.

12:11 - Local game for the time being (March Madness On Demand on standby) is Butler-LSU, two teams that I think got the shaft seeding wise (LSU should be a 7 and Butler is miles better than a 9). Interested to watch LSU's Marcus Thornton.

12:00 P.M.- Orlando news on here now. Apparently today is Casey Anthony's birthday behind bars which leads to the inevitable "Mike, we can asusme there will be no cake or candles?" Somewhere, Nancy Grace is tapdancing.

2009 Tourney Picks

2009-03-18T21:26:00.004-04:00

I'll keep short and sweet, list the upsets of the region as well.

Midwest

Dayton will be the tourney darlings here. Just a hunch here, the bottom half of that bracket is very winnable. I don't trust Michigan State (big ten prejudice, in fact I have USC who are big on the momentum right now) and Kansas' youth (Collins and Aldrich aside) could hurt them eventually.

That said I see chalk holding court and Louisville beating the Flyers in Indy to move on to Detroit.

West

Least amount of upsets (one, Utah State) here, as the top 4 seeds should advance.

When we look back on March 29th, we'll re-name the West Regional Final against UConn as Tyreke Evans' Coming-Out Party. Kid's got game out his ass and while Rose certainly had more exposure last season, Evans will get it this month. His explosiveness is incredible. Though I'm not sure what to make from that E:60 story last year about his brothers serving basically as his agents, hopefully I've become too cynical and it's a good thing.

East

Minnesota over Duke is your big upset.

For some reason, I think Minnesota is better than their record and when the 3 stops falling for the dukies, they're a fundamentally sound district runner-up.

The Seminoles have the potential to either be a Final 4 team or get bounced in Round one. They have the senior leader who can put them on their back (Toney Douglas)and if (especially) Solomon Alabi and Ryan Reid step it up, they have the inside presence to match Pitt.

I was very tempted to take VCU to the Sweet 16 and I still would not be shocked if the Rams do just that. Villanova's guard play will guard play will get them to the Elite 8 where Pitt not only gets over the hump, they take a jackhammer to it.

South

I know all 4 of you will call me a Big East homer after this region, but there's not a lot of confidence in this region

A UNC team with a possbily 75% Ty Lawson, doesn't play defense (and missing their best defender, Marcus Ginyard)and the impeccable big game record of Roy Williams? No thanks.

Oklahoma could do damage, but it's up to Willie Warren to keep opposing defenses honest.

Gonzaga? Fear of expectations, they're out.

Illinois? Just not enough fire power.

Arizona State is just good enough to get to the Sweet 16, but poorly coached enough to go no further.

Experienced coaching, plenty of scoring, size and Johnny Flynn playing out of his mind? Checkmate, Orange. (Then again, I said this in 2005. Thank you for nothing, T.J. Sorentine and Taylor Coppenrath).

Semifinals

Memphis over Louisville
Pitt over Syracuse

National Championship

The Tigers erase the bitter memory of Mario Chalmers and pull away 73-67

In the words of Hans Gruber, hit it again....

It's About That Time

2009-03-18T17:43:00.002-04:00

I'll attempt to have a running diary the best I can for tomorrow and Friday, I'll likely be out around 3:45 tomorrow, but we can't set off the NCAA Tournament without this:

Straight Cash, Homey

2008-09-25T15:34:00.004-04:00

If you're expecting more of me whining about how the Mets are the biggest choke artists this side of a Lexington Steele partner, well, give it another day or two. But this post is about one of the few guys who has stepped his game up every time he has been given the opportunity.

Even after the Cubs took a 2-0 lead Tuesday night, Mets fans who packed Shea Stadium and watching on TV knew that Johan Santana was about to put the hammer down on Chicago. Johan knew that while the rest of this team may be world-class chokers, he wasn't about to let himself be grouped in with the rest of the bunch. In other words, he was about to prove that he was worth every penny of that $137 million deal.

Santana allowed just 3 baserunners and struck out 6 after Mark DeRosa's RBI single in the 3rd, finishing with 10 K's and taking the NL ERA lead in the process as well as picking up his 15th win.

Collapse 2.0 may be in its final stages, but Johan did his damnedest to keep himself out of the media's crossfire. He gets why they brought him here, that games like these are his sole purpose of being in the blue and orange, why the fans were so eager to drop the savior label on him.

After the failed efforts (and feelings) of Tom Glavine in Game 162, and the bullpen and Jose Reyes, Mets fans were (and still are) desperate to find someone who welcomed the challenge and rose to it. Johan had a very good 1st half, but has gone his usual legendary self in the 2nd half, but there was a certain degree of difficulty to this one. While the Twins were in the chase during all of his tenure there, the scrutiny (no knock on Twins fans) wasn't as intense as New York and the Twins never stared down the 2nd biggest gag-job of the decade.

Santana hasn't shied away like Tom Terrible, as illustrated in the 1st inning of Tuesday night's game as he routinely buzzed Cubs hitters up and in and establishing the inside of the plate. After DeRosa's single and a couple bad calls from Phil Cuzzi, Santana showed that attitude of "That's the last they're getting on me. Alright guys, get on my back, we're not losing this game."

It's refreshing to see a Met deliever in the big spot time after time for arguably the first time since the 99-01 squads made it a science. Now if David Wright and Carlos Beltran could follow suit, this team may have a chance. But I'm not counting on it.

Not Again

2008-09-23T17:01:00.004-04:00

There comes a point where watching your team stops being fun and I think Mets fans have found that point the last 2 weeks.

To be 4 games back in both standings after fighting back from early season woes, turmoil and injuries would've been perfectly fine and a more than acceptable effort from this team. But to climb all the way back, go 3 and a half up with 17 to go (the bastard son of this blog), have that evaporate in exactly 2 minutes, and then commit the exact same sins of last September against the same teams, well, there's a breaking point, isn't there?

Given the way 2006 ended, the horror of last year and now the collapse in progress, you wouldn't blame any of us if we torched Shea Stadium to the groud after Sunday. Actually, come to think of it, here's a brilliant idea: Fans can take home any piece of Shea Stadium they want, so long as they bludgeon any member of the Met bullpen with said item.

Maybe I'm overreacting with 6 games left to play and the Wild Card lead, but is there anything about this team that makes you think they'll hang on? Didn't think so either.

Manny Being Traded

2008-07-31T18:12:00.004-04:00

Red Sox ownership (and presumably Terry Francona as well) finally had enough of Manny Being Manny and sent him to the Dodgers in a 3-team deal which brought them my fellow 9/20 brother, Jason Bay.

As to whether the Sox are waving the white flag in the hopes of defending their world championship is a moot point, this is about something much more than that.

WARNING: Metamorphosis into self-righteous douchey middle-age columnist commencing now

As someone who follows the Sox, the way the whole Manny Era ended irrittates me. I'm not shocked, I knew they wouldn't renew his option, it's the reason it ended that bugs me and honestly, I don't know why, because while I am passionate about the game, how a player handles himself is his own choice.

I still don't understand why Manny felt the need to go through all of this. He's making $20+ million a year, he has 2 world championship rings, he's going to the Hall of Fame, a fan base that supports him and yet it wasn't enough for him. If you put a gun to my head, I'd say that this was about cash, but it doesn't look that way to me. It seems to me like Manny was acting like a kid who was tired of playing with the rest of the class and wanted to see how much he could do before the teachers put him in timeout. Obviously, the moment Manny stopped being a top-10 player, Theo Epstein, Larry Lucchino and Co. said enough's enough. Was it worth all the trouble, Manny? For what? To prove a point that you can get away with almost anything? That's worth getting run out of town?

Now, Manny has claimed that Sox management has portrayed him as the bad guy as they had done with Nomar Garciaparra and Pedro Martinez. The difference being is that I think Pedro and Nomar still have good standing with Sox fans, which, I can't tell you where they stand with Manny. When Pedro returned to Fenway with the Mets in 2006, he received a thunderous ovation and many tributes from fans and the Boston media. Fans appreciated Pedro and Nomar because of their constant balls to the wall effort and their appreciation of the fans. Manny, whether it's in his personality or not, just seems to be built for hitting and nothing else. That's why nobody begrudged Pedro for leaving and getting one more pay day and why Manny probably would've had the same treatment had he stayed down.

I just hope it was worth it for Manny and The Cyborg Agent. Now he's stuck on a pedestrian team that, at best, can make the NLCS and little else.

Night Before The War

2008-07-21T20:22:00.005-04:00

I know, it sounds ridiculous to call a mid-July a series a war, but with the Mets and Phillies, it's headed that way. The Mets and Phags have always had a chance to be a great rivalry given the proximity between the two cities and that they play in the same division, Phillies fans hate the Mets because they get more attention and win once in awhile and the Mets fAns hate the Phags because Philly is like the ugly middle step-child that nobody wantes to deal with, a poor man's Sox-Yanks if you will. Problem is, the teams were never good at the same time. The closest it ever came was in 1986 when the Phils came in 2nd, granted it was 20 games and again 2006 with Philly finishing 9 games back in a division that was never in doubt.

That all changed in 2007. It started with Jiminy Rollins proclamation that the Phillies were the team to beat in the N.L. East, it looked like nothing more than cheap talk when Rollins' error led to an Opening Day victory, got interesting when the Phags came in and punked the Mets at Shea in June, became big when the Phils dramatically swept 4 at Citizens Bank Park at the end of August. The final dagger coming September 14-16 when the Phags swept the good guys at Shea to begin The Collapse.

Given the Phags' swagger and the way last year ended, The Phags have long passed the Braves for the top spot on the shit list of Mets fans. Seeing the Rockies absolutely clean the Phags' clock in the NLDS barely eased the shock of what had happened a week before. The damage had already been done, sort of like putting the guy who killed your brother in the hospital.

Since Game 162, the Mets' only focus has not been about a championship, it's about reclaiming what should have been theirs and putting the Phags in their place.

Even a 2nd week matchup felt like a chance to exact revenge, not matter how small it was. Now with the two teams tied for first, for the first time since last September, it actually means something. Both teams have their off- and mid- season arms ready for the challenge, and the Phags are bringing The Wife Beater back for Wednesday.

I honestly don't know if I'm psyched for this series or terrified. Given that nothing ever comes easy for the Mets, and especially against the Phils over the past year, there's little reason to believe it'll change now. All I know is, bring it on.

The Dark Knight

2008-07-21T15:40:00.004-04:00

Here at 7 Up 17 To Go, I'm usually not to the type to review movies, since I don't see as many as I should. I do recommend our friend over at The Blog Cabins (besure to check the links) though for your movie fix. That said, I have to give my two cents on the record-shattering Dark Knight.

If you are one of the 10 people who hasn't seen this movie, I'm not saying you should see, I'm commanding you. Excellent performances by all parties and did not disappoint at all. This will be the first movie I see in the theaters twice.

SPOILER ALERT

I will say I was a little surprised that they killed off Harvey Dent. When they show him as two-face in the hospital my first thought was "Well, there's the next movie."

That said, Heath Ledger has to be the odds-on favorite for Best Supporting Actor, Christian Bale for the lead and it better be in the running for Best picture, or the whole process has become a farce. No, this is not ESPN-esque hype. Trust me, go see this and get back to me.

Mets 1st Half Report Card Part 2

2008-07-16T20:21:00.008-04:00

Before we begin, I know that people will largely will remember this All-Star Game for the fact that it nearly ended in a tie again, but that was the best played all-star game I've seen played in awhile. A lot of extra inning games can go 1-2-3 with an occasional runner at 1st for awhile, but extras last night didn't disappoint, whether it was stellar defense (except for you. Mr. Uggla) or guys stepping up even though they were out of position, it made staying up til 1:45 a little defensible. And say what you want about Billy, at least he's consistent when it comes to blowing games. Thank you and Dan Uggla for nothing. Now on with the 1st half grades of the hitters and coaches.....

Jose Reyes: B Reyes continues to be a flashpoint for the team with the media and fans. Some feel he can do no wrong and others (myself included) feel he can stand to mature a little bit. As demonstrated in 2006 and the first half of 2007, when he's locked in, this team is near unbeatable. When his mind wanders, mediocrity lurks in the shadows as seen in the first month and a half of the season. To his credit, Reyes is htting over .300 at the break and is starting to re-gain better patience at the plate that he had lost since last September which reminded fans of the 2004-2005 Reyes which would swing at almost anything and inhabited his ungodly potential. While he has still shown immature fits such as throwing his glove in the air during the game against the Hankees and storming off the field in Anaheim, Jose seems to be getting better on his focus and is fourth in the NL with 32 steals (but caught stealing 10 times, which is almost half his total all of last season) , which could be the difference as to whether this team plays in October or not.

David Wright: A While D-Dubs has yet to get on a tear of sorts, he is 5th in the NL with 70 RBI and an OBP% of .380 and a continued rock in the lineup. If not for the efforts of The People's Champ and Ryan Church, the Mets would've been behind Atlanta in June and ther optimism that is glowing right now certainly isn't happening. As stated, he and Beltran have not had their streaks yet and that's what makes this team so scary.

Carlos Beltran: B Sure, Carlos has his 4-5 game flashes of brilliance, but he has had 2004-like streaks here the last 2 years and we have yet to see that. Beltran continues to provide arguably the best centerfield defense in Mets history and the occasional 3-run blast, but we know he is capable of much more. Why a B you ask? Beacuse while it is not the 06/07 Beltran, it is certainly not the 05 Beltran and that's above average to me.

Carlos Delgado: C Ahhhhh, the man I have thrown much hateration on for the first 2 and a half months. While the real life Pedro Cerrano still can't hit a curveball to save his life (making the parallels between the two all the more eerie) and his defense is just about average, I have to give credit where its due. Delgado's recent surge is a key reason for the 9-game charge to within a half-game of the Phils. Plus, I always have to give credit to a guy who goes into "The Cathedral" (by the way, if I hear one more person say the real MVP of the All-Star Game is Yankee Stadium, I will assault them Kyle Farnsworth style) and punk the Hankees the way Delgado did in the doubleheader.

Ryan Church: B+ The only reason I'm not giving Church an A is because he hasn't been around more to produce, which is no fault of his own mind you. As I said earlier, without Wright and Church's play in the first month and a half this is already a lost cause. Whether Church plays another game this year or not (and at this point it's day-to-day), the Mets have ripped off the Nationals for this season thanks to the efforts of Church and Schenider and the contuining Alex Ecobar impression from Lastings Milledge in D.C. *knock on wood*.

Moises Alou: Incomplete The one word that sums up the Alou Era in New York.

Luis Castillo: C+ Aside from his early season struggles, Castillo continues to do what he always does, slap hits, set up Jose on the bases, leg out the occasional infield hit, play solid defense and have his knee give out every 2 weeks or so. While signing him to a 4-year deal is ridiculous on so many levels, Castillo ended up being one of the reasons Johan decided to head to Queens, well that and 137 million ducketts. If Manuel keeps the platoon of Easley/Argenis together to ease the burden on Castillo's knees from playing every day, I'm fine with that.

Brian Schneider: B I was initially against the trade since I believed Milledge could be the key to getting Santana at that point, I'd like to declare here that I am a dumbass. My friend Anthony and I came to the conclusion before the season started that he and LoDuca were a wash offensively and the difference being that Schenider is a little better defensively and isn't a hothead. Schneider has proved much more than that by often shutting down the opposing team's running game, handling the pitching staff exceptionally and growing a goatee that makes him look exactly like my friend T.O'C. The only oddity with Schneider is that his walk-up song is "Sweetest Girl" by Wyclef, which is the 2nd most depressing song of the decade behind City High's "What Would You Do?" I'm wondering if he chose that or he requested nothing and in Shea's never-ending quest to have loud noise at all times (seriously people, enough with Kevin James screaming at us) came up with it. And even then, what the hell? How is that motivational?

Fernando Tatis: A In a season full of swings and misses, Omar pulled a rabbit out of his hat on this one. Tatis has filled in admirably at the corner OF's and at 1st and 3rd, hitting .292 with 4 homers and 19 RBI. He also has 2 of the biggest hits of the season, the GW double against the Marlins to start Willie's Last Stand and the homer in the 12th in Philly two weeks ago.

Damion Easley: C+ Aside from the recent surge and the go-ahead homer against Colorado last Friday, Easley's had a par for the course: Good for a fill-in for a few gamees, but not for a month straight, provides some hitting and just enough defense.

Angel Pagan: B- Another unsung hero of April and early May and another great scrap sign by Minaya. Pagan was great in the field and excelled in the 2-spot while Castillo was ailing. I hope Manuel will give Pagan his due playing time when he hopefully returns later this month. A guy like Pagan is essential to a winning team, he certainly won't put up big numbers (after all, he's yet to homer as a Met), but does all the little things that help in the long run.

Endy Chavez: B Endy continues to do what he has always done in his time in Queens. Provide stellar defense, a steady bat that will get him on base and have his only home run come in May that always comes in timely spot.

Argenis Reyes: Incomplete I can't give a grade on him yet because we have such a small sample to go on, but I like what I see. Don't know what we'll get from his bat, but his defense has been exceptional. If the Mets get ANY offense from him, he's a modified Anderson Hernandez and that cat was just as good with the glove.

Ramon Castro: C- Average year from the team prankster. The minus you ask? Well, that's what happens when you don't know game time.

Marlon Anderson: D+ While I love Marlon and wouldn't speak ill of him, he just doesn't have it anymore, which is a shame because his old clutch hitting is needed down the stretch.

Raul Casanova/ Robinson Cancel/ Gustavo Molina: D Casanova launching a few homers was the only thing that kept this group from an F.

Nick Evans/ Trot Nixon/ Chris Aguila/ Andy Phillips/ Brady Clark/ Abraham Nunez: F------------ I hate to lump the kid with the has-been and the never-weres, but they all equal skid marks.

Omar Minaya: B- The landing of Santana makes up most of this. He can make up for it by getting bullpen help before the deadline, which would make this team a legitimate contender as I've been saying since last November.

Jerry Manuel: B+ Whether or not the recent turnaround can be attributed to the new manager is debatable, but one thing is for sure, the Manuel Administration is definitely more hands-on than his 2 predecessors. Manuel has not felt the need to manage by the payroll and give days off from time to time and brought some stability to the bullpen by assigning roles and has actually seen some improvement. The biggest difference amongst fans has been that Manuel has shown more emotion in one month than Randolph did in 3 years. Granted, this doesn't make that much of a difference, but it has certainly won over fans and players alike.

Dan Warthen: B Now I don't know if Warthen has been the difference in the recent production of the rotation, but you can tell that they've been more relaxed than ever. As I said yesterday, the biggest change has been with Mike Pelfrey, who Warthen told to trust has fastball more, which allows him to set up his slider. The jury's still out as to whether Warthen can be renewed for next year and beyond, but he's done a solid job so far.

Willie Randolph and Rick Peterson: C- Much like two of his old pupils in Oakland, the myth of Rick Peterson was debunked in the last year and a half. Whether he was too stubborn or he put too much pressure on the pitchers, the wonders that Peterson had once worked had long disappeared by the time the hammer came down. Not that Rick really cares, I'm sure he's in a hammock in the Turks and Caicos, smoking a pipe and reading Ivanhoe. One of Willie's faults, and a Manuel strength, was that he was insistent on pretending that The Collapse never happened, where as Manuel uses it as a motivational tool. Say you get mauled by dogs while you ride your bike by the pound, you keep in mind where not to go and how to get around it, you don't just keep going past the place. Let it be said that Willie is a class guy whose only fault was that he thought if he kept doing the same thing the result would change, and we all know what the defnition of that is.

Mets 1st Half Report Card Part 1

2008-07-15T14:52:00.010-04:00

With the ceremonial halfway mark of the season tonight (did you know that this is the last year of Yankee Stadium? They really should publicize that), I figured I should hand out my 1st half grades for the team, starting with the pitchers. For the record, the boycott ended last Wednesday and thank goodness, so I can reasonably waste $160 for the team I'm rooting for.

Johan Santana: A- You can't ask much more out of the $137 million man. With the exception of his first home start against Milwaukee and the first post-Willie Era start against the Angels, Santana has put the Mets in position to win his starts, but has often suffered the same lack of run support that hanuted Pedro at his peak. His penchant for legendary 2nd halves have many Met fans extremely opitimistic on top of the current streak. You would be hard pressed to say he hasn't been worth it so far.

Pedro Martinez: C- And that grade might be generous. Pedro has made it to the 6th inning just once in 9 starts and has an ERA of 6.25, a WHIP of 1.63 and opponents are hitting almost .300 against him. Mets fans knew when Martinez signed a 4-year deal back in December 2004 that we weren't getting the greatest pitcher on the planet Pedro of 1998-2000, but a #1 wasn't too much to ask and a good #2 upon the arrival of Santana this season. Coming into this season, we were hoping to get at least the pre-injury 2006 edition of Pedro, but even that is wishful thinking at this point. His fastball barely tops 90 and while his changeup is still what it always has been, he has had to rely mostly on smarts and grit to get by, and while this would be enough 2 or 3 years ago, it now renders him to the latin equivalent of John Burkett. Met fans can only hope for one last blaze of glory to salvage his career here, but having his health should they make it to October would suffice.

John Maine: B Maine didn't quite have the stellar 1st half he had last year, but he and Johan have been the two rocks of the staff of an otherwise unstable staff and season. Maine's knack for winning games when they absolutely have to has continued and if for nothing else, should be the top reason why Omar Minaya or if there's a new administration need to re-sign this coming winter, though I wouldn't put it past any of the parties involved not to, remember, youth isn't a strong point of theirs.

Mike Pelfrey: B+ The transformation of Pelfrey over the last month has been a revelation and proof that Minaya was extremely lucky to keep him out of the Santana deal. Throughout his struggles of the last 2 years, Pelfrey always maintained that he knew he was doing all the right things and that it would eventually lead to success, which was met with a lot of skepticism. Whether it was confidence in his stuff or just finding the right location, Pelfrey has become dependable for the last month and supplied everyone with the confidence that they can win that night. The most noticeable change in Pelfrey recently is that he's been more willing to trust his fastball in the upper 90s and go right after hitters, which sets up his nasty slider which has given him many a double play. If Pelfrey has officially turned the corner and keeps this up, the Mets have a real shot to take over the post in the N.L. East and fend off the Phils.

Oliver Perez: C+ The riddle wrapped in a mystery wrapped in an enigma that is Ollie continues. After having a solid 2007 that ended with a disappointing effort in Game 160, winning an arbitration case thanks to the efforts of Cyborg Boras and free agency looming, many felt this would be the year that Perez finally showed that he is a frontline starter, but instead has gone in circles so far. He continues to be money in big games, but starts like the ones against the Giants and the Mariners leave you going "What the fuck was that?" The inopportune walks and the frustration from him that follows have continued to haunt him. That said, he has shown marked improvement since the ouster of Rick Peterson who he reportedly did not see eye to eye with at all, whether Dan Warthen can finally be the one to harness Ollie's potential is the $6 million question that could help propel this team.

Billy Wagner: B Wagner's propensity for shooting off his mouth has overshadowed what has been a largely successful 1st half. His change to the wind-up has resulted in converting 22 of 28 saves, 3 of the blown saves coming in 4 days, a team leading 2.31 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and an opponent average of .193. With the recent announcement that Francisco Rodriguez will be a free agent, you have to wonder that even with 1 more season remaining on his deal, if this is Wagner's final season in New York.

Pedro Feliciano: B- The Other Pedro isn't the reliever he was in 2006 and occasionally gives you the shakes, but is still a safe bet out of the pen.

Duaner Sanchez: C+ The return of Duaner to the set-up role in 2008 had many Met fans (myself included) and while he went through struggles in May and early June, Sanchez has excelled since Jerry Manuel gave him the main 8th inning specialist. If he regains even 3/4 of his pre-injury 06 form, the bullpen is already upgraded from last year, then again Tug McGraw's corpse > Guillermo Mota.

Scott Schoeneweis: B+ From bullpen pariah last year to being booed at both Opening Days this year to reliable lefty now, Scotty Show has seen every emotional angle in the last 10 months. Whether he had recovered from a non-operable injury from last year or just caught the upside that relievers so often experience from year to year, Schoeneweis has posted an ERA of 2.65 aand an opposing average of .226.

Aaron Heilman: C To his credit, he hasn't whined about starting this season and given that his name is an trade rumor almost every other day, The Furher has handled it about as well as you can ask him. That said, Heilman's troubles against lefties have gotten progessively worse and his recent surge over the past few weeks is the only thing salvaged his grade.

Joe Smith: B Nasty has fit the description of situational reliever perfectly. He has an ERA under three and opponents are hitting near the Mendoza line against him. What Smitty's undoing last year was a poor 2nd half that ultimately sent him back to New Orelans and eventually a culprit of The Collapse, let's see if he learns from his mistakes.

Carlos Muniz: C+ This year's floater could be a key component of the bullpen if given the opportunity. Muniz has been called up 4 different times this season and his pitched mostly mop-up situations, save for a jam against the Dodgers at home in late May which he got out of without damage. He has the stuff and confidence to be a 7th or 8th inning guy, but he needs some experience to make it happen. I hope Manuel will give him the opportunity.

Claudio Vargas: C Grade fits perfect. Average.

Nelson Figueroa and Tony Armas Jr.: D Armas produced little following a solid opening start at St. Louis and Figueroa's most memorable moment came when he bitched out the Nationals for cheering like a Little League team. While he did have a point, it would've been nice had he not held a charity walk-a-thon every time he pitched. Thank you, Nelson, for nothing.

Jorge Sosa and Matt Wise: F In their defense, their other job is being a 2007 re-enactor, so in that sense, they're dedicated to their craft.

Hitters and coaches tomorrow.......

The Cubs Get A Hard-en

2008-07-09T14:13:00.011-04:00

In what has to be classified as a reaction move, the Cubs traded for Rich Harden from the A'S, surrendering Sean Gallagher, the 4-year "future star" Matt Murton, Eric Patterson and minor leaguer John Donaldson. I don't think it's a panic move just yet because I think Gallagher could fit in that rotation, other than that, there's no risk involved on the Cubs' side of things.

Now given the fact that Harden makes Mark Prior look like Tom Glavine in terms of durability, the immediate comparison to former Cub overpitched flameouts Mark Prior and current closer Kerry Wood is brought up. There's a big difference between the make up of those 03-04 squads and this Cub unit and that is a competent bullpen. No longer is Joe Borowski, Kyle Farnsworth, Dave Veres, Mike Remlinger, LaTroy Hawkins or Mark Guthrie standing along the left-field line as the Cub starter apparoaches his 110th pitch. Now, 7 innings is no longer a demand but a luxury for the Cubbies. If it were up to me, I'd put Harden on a Joba-like pitch count til Labor Day and go from there, remember Grant Hill feels sorry for this cat.

If Harden should end up shattering like the glass he is made of, Billy Beane should appear on the 6 P.M. SportsCenter smoke a cigar, put it out on Josh Elliott's face, do his best Kool Moe Dee impression and shout "How you like me now?". Actually, I'll do the 2nd part myself. I'm interested to see who he gets to fall for Joe Blanton, trouble is, he's submarining his trade value this season. If I was Billy Beane, after watching Mark Mulder last 16 pitches tonight, I'd spend the next week patting myself on the back.

The thing is, many scouts, anaylsts and players believe Harden has the best stuff of any pitcher in the league. If the stars align and Harden makes it through October unscathed, the Cubs have to the odds-on favorite to win the World Series. A rotation of Zambrano-Dempster(he'd have to start at home)-Harden and a not too shabby 4th starter in Ted Lilly would be ungodly. As I said, the Cubs didn't have anything to lose because of who they gave up but I think they are still the best team even without Harden. I'm interested to see what the Cards will do in the next week or so, whether they will go after alleged "ace" A.J. Burnett. But that's another entry.

When Does Fandom Reach Insanity?

2008-07-08T18:58:00.004-04:00

As I continue my boycott of the Mets, I'm starting to wonder whether I've legitimately lost my mind. As many a baseball fan are, I am quite the superstitious type when it comes to my teams. When the Red Sox made their epic run in 2004, I wore an old basketball tournament t-shirt with a mexican eggs stain on it, shorts with a hole and played Trick Daddy's "Let's Go" for every game from Game 4 of the ALCS through their sweep of the Cards a week later. But the last few days are starting to creep me out.

The Mets have put on an offensive explosion over the past week when I haven't been watching but when I step out to see if they can put their foot on their opponents throat, the usual foul-out at 3rd arrives with me. It all came to a head last night as I watched the bottom of the 9th to see if the Mets could finish the Phils and take 3 of 4 from the Phags. I watched with my mouth agape as the Phillies put 2 on and then Beltran's throw sail past 3rd and all of a sudden the horror of the 4-game sweep last August came rushing back. My friend in Oklahoma said it best at that moment "If they lose this game, I'm not watching them again this season." Luckily, Wagner was able to get Jayson "My facial hair is gayer than Scott Spiezio's" Werth to fly out to Endy to end the game and I proceeded to pant for 2 minutes afterwards.

I know its ridiculous to think that I have a reverse King Midas touch on this team and that the actions of one individual out of millions of fans would change a game, but this is starting to get weird. But that's why we become die-hards in the first place, because we believe we jackasses can have an effect on the game because of some stupid we're doing thousands of miles away.

Highway Robbery 2008

2008-07-06T22:21:00.005-04:00

You have to hand it to the Cleveland Indians, for the 2nd time this decade they've been able to deal an Ace Round Mound for future cornerstones. I know, you're expecting me to make a joke about how could Minaya trade Sizemore and Lee for Colon but it's not like Montreal was going to keep any of the 3.

If C.C. Sabathia continues to pitch like he has for the last month and a half then the Brewers are a very legit threat to take the National League pennant. Much in the same way that Montreal acquired Bartlo Colon, the Brewers are going for broke this year with as balanced a team there is in the National League. With Ben Sheets a free agent following this season, Sabathia bolting town the instant the World Series ends and the inevitable trade of Eau Gallie's own Prince Fielder, this is the Brewers best (and likely only) chance of making the playoffs since they were in the American League. With a rotation of Sabathia, Sheets, and alleged postseason ace Jeff "Go To Hell" Suppan, the Brewers set up great in a short series. Their bullpen, however, still is a sinkhold of a problem that needs to be fixed.

The Indians were not able to pry away former Brevard County Manatees Mat Gamel and Alcides Escobar, but were able to get current Manatee Taylor Green, as well as graduate of the dark side, Matt LaPorta. It's not just my blind hatred of all things Gainesville, but many scouts did not think the Brew Crew were justified taking LaPorta at #7 in the draft last year. I can tell you from watching Green several times at Space Coast Stadium this season that he has the potential to be the future at 3rd Base for the Tribe. He hit over .300 until this past week, has 10 homers, 35 RBI, an OBP of .380, a SLG% of .444 which if you take into account that the Florida State League, especially Space Coast Stadium, is pitcher-friendly makes it all the more impressive.

Seeing Other Games: b-RAY-ve New World

2008-07-06T21:20:00.004-04:00

No July 4th game, but tonight I would like to declare that, yes, I am a bandwgaon Tampa Bay Rays fan. However, if you watch this team reguarly you'd become a fan as well. They're young, talented, good chemistry and they play hard, something the Mets could really stand to try at some point.

My only previous experience at The Trop came in June 1998 when it was an unquestionable dump and the novelty of baseball being in Tampa was in full effect, not to mention the dfeinition of nosebleed seats. Needless to say, the experience sucked.

I was expecting a real forced atmosphere smilar to say Anaheim or Arizona, but that notion was immediatelty dispelled. Meeting up with a couple of friends before the game at Ferg's, a bar on Central Avenue just across from Tropicana Field, there wasn't anyone without Rays gear and the reaction in the place to the Yanks-Sox game, mostly when Jose Molina took a foul ball off the back of the neck was something can't imagine taking place even last year.

Inside, while some of the uppder deck was taped off, there were few empty seats in the place and the crowd didn't define trendy at all. The best example was in the top of the 8th when Joey "Jumper" Gathright got to 3rd with one out as J.P. Howell struggled to find the strike zone. The entire place stood as Howell recovered to strikeout Mark Grudzielanek and erupted into the bottom of the inning as Alex Gordon went down looking to end the inning, more on him in a second. Watching the Boston series during the week, you could feel the energy of that crowd coming through the TV, but I imagined that it would've dialed since it's the Royals and a series against the defending champs for 1st place is pretty big, but I was quite surprised.

Watching Alex Gordon during the game, you could tell that he's exhausted from trying to live up to the lofty expectations placed on him since the spring of last season. I remember watching Gordon get a standing ovation before his 1st career at-bat on opening day last season and thinking there's no way anyone can live up to that kind of hype and the expectation of saving a franchise as Gordon was proclaimed to do.

Evan Longoria had similar hype among scouts but he was fortunate in that he has several other young stars in the making and already established stars such as Carl Crawford and Scott Kazmir to help ease the burden.

Whether or not the Rays are able to make it to October remains to be seen, but the A.L. East is no longer just the Red Sox, Yankees and a bunch of tomato cans. The Rays are for real and with new ownership that's willing to spend money, they're gonna be here for a while.

Seeing Other Games: Day 1

2008-07-04T10:31:00.005-04:00

Since the Mets have felt the need to do their best Miggs impression every other game this season, I'm going on a Met hiatus for the next week and will be profiling a different game every night and giving my thoughts on each game. I'll begin with last night's game between the surprisingly 2nd and 3rd place Red Sox and Yankees.

- Despite the slumps and injuries, I still the Yankees made the right decision holding on to their young guns and I say that not just because the Mets were able to land Santana. Yankee brass, well the Steinbrenners anyway, have forgotten what built the winners of the late '90s, young talent growing and the right mixture of veterans to fit the pieces. I still believe to this day that the best thing that ever happened to the franchise was Steinbrenner getting banned for 2 years and allowing guys like Bob Watson and Gene Michael to build up the farm system with capable players like Jeter, Rivera, Posada and Williams. Had George been in charge the entire time, he would've traded Jeter and Rivera for Bob Tewkesbury.

- On that note, even though he was mired in a 1-for-19 slump coming into the game, I still believe Melky Cabrera is the future of the Yankees offensively. He is a great contact hitter who needs a little fine tuning with his plate discipline. While he may never been a real power threat, he doesn't need to be with that kind of offense, his main job will be getting on base and setting up the run producers, and he and Robinson Cano (highly underrated) are perfect fot the job. Not to mention, watching him, Jacoby Ellsbury, B.J. Upton and Grady Sizemore compete for Gold Gloves for the next decade will be entertaining

- Jon Lester is becoming a legitimate top of the rotation pitcher. He may not have the most overpowering stuff, but he has a very deceptive slider and a cutter allowing him to go to the slider to give him 8-10 strikeouts, the way he's able to mix his pitches together and with his command, reminds you of Tom Glavine of the last few years, except, you know, Lester actually got it done when it mattered. No I'm not bitter about Game 162 at all. There has also been a change in his demeanor on the mound since his return last season from lymphoma and it was very evident in his complete game last night. Lester will always have a high pitch count with shorter work and he can be a WHIP killer in fantasy, he appears more confident with himself on the mound, something that first became evident during his relief stint in Game 4 of the ALCS last year and culminating with his World Series clincher in Colorado. Much like Mike Pelfrey, he now looks like he knows that he's capable of being good on a profesisonal level and that he belongs here, which can make all the difference in whether a young pitcher makes it or not.

- I conclude with a . Jim Gray-esque moment with Joe Girardi in the post-game press conference. Unfortunately, it's not the entire exchange, but enough to give you the idea that Girardi was ready to lay a wuppin to the little weasel. Idiot.

Inflated Hoop Dreams

2008-07-01T20:46:00.005-04:00

"Some people's heads are so big, they don't have dreams, they have motion pictures."- Anonymous

With the drafting of O.J. Mayo, the top 3 draft picks all being freshmen and the saga of Brandon Jennings, the culture of high school and AAU basketball and the pampering of the players.

Mayo has come under fire recently for alledgedly taking benefits during his lone season at USC. I honestly can't blame him for taking advantage of always being told you're the man. Mayo's been getting pub since he was in the 6th grade and at the age of 14 he was on the cover of Sports Illustrated with the headline "He'd be #1 in the NBA Draft right now!". No one can honestly expect any kid, especially one coming from Mayo's background, to maintain a level head when you're talked about like that. In high school, the best player on the team gets rock star status at the school even if his game would make him the 8th man on a powerhouse, so you can begin to imagine the type of attention such a highly-touted kid could get. Not to mention the coaches, parents and hangers-on, you can start to see where some of this sense of entitlement and selfishness comes from. The recent proof has come from AAU teams and camps, where the emphasis is more on the indvidual performance rather than the team result. Many high schoolers play their way into college through workouts, which helps their mentality of "I'm the man and everyone else be damned."

Being on the other side of the high school basketball culture and dealing with parents and coaches, I can say that the feelings are mutual. During a playoff game last season, a parent was more concerned with her son (who was going to Liberty) getting hurt than she was about the team winning the game was still in reach. Not to mention players defying coach orders just to pad stats.

I think the one and done rule for college is stupid and is just placating to those who complain about the kids jumping straight out of high school. If the NBA was serious about the issue, they would make it 2 years. But the larger issue here is the people that surround them or we'll see more undrafted flameouts or guys like Jerryd Bayless who leave too early.

You Might Have A Bad Offense When....

2008-06-30T14:29:00.005-04:00

Your staff can toss a no-hitter (on a technicality) and lose.

No one's ever questioned whether the Angels had enough arms to hang in contention for the A.L. crown but whatever doubts we had about their offense were answered Saturday night when Jered Weaver and Jose Arredendo combined for an 8-inning no-hitter, but still lost 1-0 to the Dodgers thanks to errors from Weaver and Jeff Mathis. Even more baffaling is that the Angels managed just one run in the series, and yet still did not get swept, which more speaks to the lack of offense for both L.A. teams.

The Angels' depth in pitching have been a fixture since their out-of-nowhere world championship in 2002. But as seen in 2004, '05 and last October, the Angels do not have enough timely hitting (or sometimes any for that matter) to be a legitimate title contender. On paper, it doesn't make sense with power hitters like Vladimir Guerrero, Garret Anderson and Torii Hunter ina ddition to good contact hitters like Chone Figgins, Howie Kendrick and Gary Matthews Jr. The problem as demonstrated in their last 3 postseason appearences, Guerrero and Figgins vanish when the calendar turns over to number 10.

One of the key factors that ultimately led to Bill Stoneman's ouster in Anaheim was the fact that every year at the trade deadline he was reluctant to tap into the Angels' abundant farm system to trade for a big bat. Given the offensive embarrasment that occured in Chavez Ravine, I wonder if the new regime will follow suit.

Welcome To The Fold Courtney

2008-06-28T11:32:00.006-04:00

I have to commend Steve Kerr and Ed Stefanski for taking Robin Lopez and Marreese Speights and making this a much easier decision for Otis Smith. In all seriousness, a job well done taking Courtney Lee on Thursday night and adding a potentially valuable piece for next season.

Like most new 2-guards, he slashes very well and hes a pretty good spot-up shooter, which makes him valuable in the SVG offense. He probably won't start since Hedo will be moving back to the 2, but he could be a huge lift off the bench. From what I've heard off the court and in his conference yesterday, he doesn't look like he'll be trouble. Plus, he led a 12-seed to the Sweet 16 and gave UCLA a run for their money, so that's gotta count for something, right?

You won't hear me say this too often but, good job, Otis.

Tremendous Potential Season

2008-06-25T11:46:00.007-04:00

I should've seen those 2 embarrassments coming, and given the upcoming schedule, this team could be finished by the all-star break. Also, if Scott Boras can still get Oliver Perez a lucrative deal if Ollie keeps this season up, then he is officially the greatest agent of all time.

But enough of that, time to cover what will be dominating the sports media for the next 3 days. It appears the Bulls have all but handed Derrick Rose his jersey and rumor has it that the Heat may pass on Michael Beasley for O.J. Mayo. Really? O.J. Mayo in Miami? That doesn't spell off-court disaster at all.

Anyway, time for me to give my two cents on who the Magic should take with their only pick of this year's draft at #22. The backcourt seems to be pretty much set with Jameer Nelson, Keyon Dooling and Carlos Arroyo at point and Maurice Evans, Keith Bogans and a possible return of Hedo Turkoglu to the 2 spot depending on what happens with the frontline. Although, the Magic have expressed interest in Western Kentucky sharpshooter Courtney Lee, and while he could evetually develop into a solid starter, he would be a great fit off the bench in the SVG offense that is based on outside shooting. The frontcourt is set for the foreseeable future with Rashard Lewis and The Daily Double holding down the fort.

The only question mark in the starting lineup is at center, a hole that thanks to a pre-season injury to Tony Battie, kept Hedo, Lewis and Howard out of their natural positions for the etnire season. With not much on the free agent market and the majority of the Magic's focus this offseason being to re-sign Hedo, it is imperative the Magic get a big in the draft.

Some of the names that have been floating for the Magic's pick include Marreese Speights of Florida and Stanford's Robin Lopez. The thought of either one sutitng up in the blue and white makes me about as comfortable as Brian Lawrence making a start in September. Living in the heart of Fatty Nation, I have seen many a Gator game with Speights the last 2 seasons. He barely made a mark during the title season of 2007 and only lifted his stats for an underachieving team in 2008 that missed the NCAA Tournament altogether and Billy Donovan seems all too thrilled to coach next season. There was nothing about his game that made me think that he could translate to the pro level. Robin Lopez is best served being picked by the Raptors so they can become the top contender to the Detroit Pistons' title as the Most Annoying Team in the NBA. Lopez is nothing more than a poor man's Joke Noah. An energy player who is effective in the open court, but has less defense than Noah.

In my opinion, they would be best served taking Memphis' Joey Dorsey. I would consider Dorsey to be a less polished version of Ben Wallace, he may not give you too much on offense save for a few cleanups, but he certainly makes his presence felt on the defensive end, averaging almost 10 rebounds and 2 blocks per game this past season for the national runner-up. Putting Dorsey at center allows Howard to move back to power forward, and give him some extra help on the glass on both ends of the floor. He also gives them another legit shot-blocker which has to count for something.

With all that said, Otis Smith has yet to have a successful draft during his tenure as Magic GM, which is now in its 5th sason. I'd put the odds of him bungling this pick at 85% and the topic of Smith being a brain-dead dummy will be a fixture here.

Gangsta's Paradise

2008-06-23T10:59:00.008-04:00

After threatening to "go gangster" and cut Jose Reyes, the Mets have won 3 of 4 under Jerry Manuel, thanks to another solid outing from Mike Pelfrey (walks aside) yesterday. Things look good as the Mets return home for a 3-game set against the major-league worst and the reminder that we're not as much of a disappointment, Seattle Mariners.

The thing that has stood out the most to me so far is the hands-on approach from Manuel. From defining roles in the bullpen to making sure Wright and Reyes get days off to be ready for the stretch run, which all of a sudden doesn't seem so unrealistic, Manuel has done more in 5 days than the Randolph Administration did in its final 12 months.

A sweep of Seattle would be nice, but to get 2 out of 3 for the rest of the month would work just fine.

NBA Draft preview on Tuesday or Wednesday.

R.I.P. George Carlin

2008-06-23T10:03:00.003-04:00

It's never a good start to the week when the first thing you hear is the death of George Carlin.

Many consider Richard Pryor to be the greatest stand-up comedian of all-time, but in my humble opinion, it's Carlin. While they were similar in their syles and few could go from fart jokes to everyday observations to political humor like they could, Carlin's delivery remains unmatched.

Still disturbing in a way that my introduction to him was as Mr. Conductor on Shining Time Station.

Rest In Peace George: A Legend, pioneer, and an influence.

BOHICA Kobe

2008-06-18T15:21:00.008-04:00

That means Bend Over Here It Comes Again.

Props in order to the Celtics for leaving no shadow of a doubt who the better team was in this series. Congrats to The Truth, KG and Shuttlesworth on finally getting the title.

But that's not what this is about. This is about the ESPN hyperbole (future post down the road)on Vail, CO's most infamous resident finally being put to a rest.

Not counting Sunday night's victory, here's how Kobe's teams have fared the last 5 times they have faced elimination: Lost by 28 (vs. SA 2003), 13 (2004 NBA Finals at DET in a game that was much more lopsided than the final score), 31 (2006 1st round at PHX after a 3-1 lead), 9 (2007 1st round vs. PHX), and 39 (last night)

Kobe's performance in those games:
2003: 20 points, 9/19 FG
2004: 24 points, 7/21 FG
2006: 24 points, 8/16 FG
2007: 34 Points, 13/33 FG
2008: 22 points, 7/22 FG

In any of Jordan's elimination games in his career, MJ's Bulls never lost by more than 19, and that was Game 7 of the 1990 Eastern Conference Finals in which Scottie Pippen went 1-10 and removed himself with a "migraine". Regardless, MJ lost to 2 title teams before he started his era of dominance, but never allowed himself to suffer the kind of 1 and 2 asswuppin that the Lakers received last night. If Kobe really could impose his will in the same way Jordan was notorious for, he would not have let an embarassment like that happen, whether his teammates had shown up or not.

Now I do have my issues wiith Kobe, but this isn't what this about. This is about going toe to toe when your team needs you and Kobe basically resigned himself to defeat by the time the C's concluded their 26-6 run to close the 1st half.

And for one more parting shot. You gotta hand it to ESPN, '05 USC, '07 Pats and now Kobe, yet they refuse to quit. Even Wily. E. Coyote is impressed.

Much thanks to Colonel Angus at SOTSG for helping to supply some of the material for this post.

Same Mets, Different Day

2008-06-18T11:14:00.005-04:00

Well, other than a possible injury to Reyes, arguing with the new manager, Santana getting hit, Old Yeller continuing to provide stellar defense at 1st base all in the course of the 1st inning, I'd say the Jerry Manuel Era's been a success so far. And it's not as if Oliver Perez is completely unpredictable every time out, so tonight's in the bag. Eeeeeeeesh.

Memo to Jose Reyes: It's not 2006 anymore, you can't do whatever you feel like doing. Feel free to dial it down a notch or two.

Willie Gets Whacked

2008-06-17T10:06:00.011-04:00

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The Willie Randolph Era ended at 3:15 A.M. this morning following another solid outing from Mike Pelfrey in a 9-6 win over the AL West leading Los Angels of Anaheim of Orange County yadayadayada.

Only after the Mets had won 3 of 4, went 3,000 miles away from the circus of the New York media, won, let him talk to the media, did they have the balls (or lack thereof) to fire Willie. This management certainly hasn't reached the levels of incompetence of M. Donald Grant and pals back in the '60s and '70s but it is certainly worth mentioning.

As I have said before, had the Mets wanted to fire Willie and co. after the trauma that was The Collapse, I wouldn't have held it against them given what had happened. But to fire him at 3:15 in the morning is so many levels of disgraceful, Isiah Thomas thinks it's wrong.

What? You didn't get a chance to fondle his wife and punch his children while you were at it? Did you get to pants him on SNY to make it extra special? If he really was the good guy they always made him out to be and really had respect for him like they say, they would've done this already. These guys also think it's cool to dump a chick via text. Please. They could've done this at any point in time in the last 8 months, yet they left him swinging like a tree tire in a tornado.

The man who's also partly to blame for this is Omar Minaya, who, in time, will face a similar countdown clock and the chopping block. Omar and the rest of the baseball management are at fault for thinking that the glass case of skill that is Moises Alou and the completely finished Carlos Delgado could carry this linueup. They're at fault for thinking that a bullpen that was largely responsible for the September disaster was acceptable as it was in 2007.

What a fucking joke. Congrats to The Wilpons, I hope it was worth it. I hope the beating they take in the New York and national media is as bad as I think it's gonna be.

Jimmy Rollins, Guillermo Mota and Tom Glavine are still to blame for all of this.

Thoughts From The Weekend

2008-06-16T13:06:00.007-04:00

Before we begin the usual nonsense, my condolences to the Russert family. Tim Russert was one of the last bastions of integrity in a new industry that's been reduced to shock journalism. He was always fair, did his research and never felt the need to force his views on his audience as so many of his colleagues have. R.I.P. Tim.

- As I type this, Tiger leads the U.S. Open Playoff by 1 stroke after 8 in Torrey Pines. Whether or not he holds off Rocco Mediate today, this is Tiger's second best performance behind his absolute demolition of the field at Pebble Beach in 2000. To go 5 rounds on a bum knee and have a real good chance to win is just inhuman. The look on his face after his last ridculous putt on Saturday says it all. He's better than everyone, he knows it, you know it and he knows that you know it.

-Brandon Marshall is a weirdo

- The NBA really didn't help the perception that the officials have ulterior moves with the way the last 2 minutes of Game 5 went down last night.

-Speaking of, not counting the free throw contest he had at the end, Kobe had exactly 5 points after the 1st quarter. Call me crazy, but I'm pretty sure MJ would've had more than 5 after the 1st quarter of a do-or-die game. We can stop the comparisons now, Kobe may be the best we've had since Jordan hung it up (with LeBron a very close 2nd), but he cannot shine Jordan's shoes.

- Taking 2 of 3 from a mediocre Texas team, Willie Randolph still doesn't have a genuine endorsement from Omar Minaya. The Mets make what seems like their 20th trip to the west coast this week for a three-game set against the AL West leading Angels and another set in Denver against the Rockies, inculding a great matchup on Tuesday between Johan Santana and John Lackey. The good news for the Mets is that the Angels can be a streaky team especially on offense, so it is imperative that the Met offense come to play in this series. As proven in the Game 1 loss yesterday, they have the ability to get out of large deficits, but to have any realistic chance of catching Philadelphia, they must be consistent on a nightly basis.

- If they can continue to get efforts like they did out of Oliver Perez on Friday night and (knock on wood for tonight) Mike Pelfrey, this season is not a lost cause just yet. Also imperative are moves to upgrade the bullpen, something I've been preaching for almost 8 months.

Were We Right All Along? The Hosejob Revisited

2008-06-13T00:29:00.003-04:00

An old conspiracy (or wound if you're from Sactown) was revisited this week when Tim Donaghy alleged that the NBA ordered that Game 6 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals have the calls largely benefit the L.A. Lakers and force a Game 7 ultimately won by Shaq/Kobe and friends.

Even if you didn't know of said conspiracy or didn't believe in them, you had to at least think something wasn't right as the Lakers went to the line 27 times in the 4th quarter as opposed to the Kings going 9 times. Not to mention, Mike Bibby fouling Kobe Bryant while Kobe re-aligned Bibby's septum.

While it is entirely possible that Donaghy is throwing shit at the wall and seeing what sticks and throwing Game 6 on that list hoping it may give him some crediblity, there's nothing to make me believe he's making this up. Given that the ratings were low for what ended up being a very forgettable sweep between the Lakers and Nets, the ratings between Sacramento and New Jersey, regardless if the series went longer and probably better to watch, probably would've been worse than the all-time low set the next year.

While fixing any game is an insult to the fans, fixing playoff games is a federal crime. Regular season games are conjecture depsite the ticket prices and everything else that goes with it, but the playoffs are another matter altogether. The playoffs are the reason we all become fans in the first place and the reason we watch sports. To rig what was an epic series that ultimately produced the eventual champ and probably would've anyway had the Kings hung on is just a little disheartening.

It also changed the fortunes of two franchises. The Kings haven't been to the WCF since, being halted by a C-Webb injury in '03 and an epic Game 7 from KG in '04 and the nucleus of that '02 crew has since moved elsewhere or called it a career. The idea of the Maloofs moving to Vegas still reaches the surface every once in awhile, I wonder if that idea even gets on paper had the Kings brought it home. The Lakers meanwhile were able to easily coast to their 3rd straight championship and while that cast would blow up 2 years later, their place in history had already been set in stone. Had the alleged fix not been in and the Lakers fell short, maybe the Shaq-Kobe drama reaches its boiling point earlier and this team would've been viewed a lot differently. Other than Portland outright tanking in Game 7 of the '00 WCF, this had been the Lakers biggest test during their championship run. Had the Lakers fell short, they would've been viewed as a team that had faced relatively easy competition (no disrespect to those Spurs teams) and couldn't get it done against an equally-matched team.

The only way we'll ever know if the fix was in is if Doug Christie and Peja Stojakvic admit to being ordered to fire up air balls like they were going out of style.

And I leave you for the weekend with the 2002 WCF highlight reel, a report from the Florida State League All-Star Game on Monday...

You Have To Be Kidding

2008-06-12T16:57:00.005-04:00

Thanks to the heroics of Billy Wagner, the D-Backs were able to snatch victory from the Mets this afternoon, 5-4. It was the third consecutive blown save for Wagner, including last night's which absolutely sucked the joy out of the eventual victory and Mike Pelfrey's surprisingly dominant performance, and third in four days, and had the bullpen not imploded on Monday, he probably would've handed that one over too.

For someone who routinely runs his piehole like Billy does, you better do your damn job, especially when your team absolutely needs a win as the Mets have these past few weeks. Now closers have bad nights, even Mariano Rivera and K-Rod have days where they're not in control, but to go 3 of 4 with 2 and 3 run leads is inexcusable.

Billy honestly has got to step up and know that we've just got two outstanding efforts from our starters. He can't come in and come out there and decide that he doesn't have it today, and so be it.

Sound familiar, Wags? In the words of the great Floyd Mayweather Jr., STEP YA GAME UP!

Oh well, it's not as if the Mets are facing a team that's crushing everything this weekend. What's that you say? Damn.

ahhhhhhhhhhh, much better.

And I leave you with a priceless Brett Myers rant from last year that never ceases to entertain.

Willie Watch Round 2

2008-06-11T11:23:00.004-04:00

Thanks to a blown 4-run lead last night to the recent struggling D-Bags, the New York Mets suffered their 5th consecutive loss and with Arizona machine Brandon Webb on the mound against the white Ollie (aka Mike Pelfrey), the odds of it stopping don't look so good. By extension, the 2nd edition of the guillotine hanging over Willie Randolph's head in 3 weeks returns.

The debate on whether Willie should go or not is as heated as the recent Democratic nomination race, with the fervent belief on each side intense. Those who want to keep Willie say that he's not the one blowing leads late, not hitting in the clutch and not hitting a curveball to save his life (21, we're looking at you) and that he can only do so much. The Willie haters point to his lack of emotion during the event that we shall not mention that led to this blog, the its not the end of the world attiude/entitlement that his team his carried for the last 12 months and his frequent mishandling of the bullpen. While I see both sides of the argument and each raise valid points, I have become of the opinion that Willie's time has come.

When Willie was on the hot seat last October after The Event That Shall Not Be Mentioned, it seemed unfair that Willie could be punished for having 2 bad weeks after 2 years of bringing the Mets back to contention. That being said, I wouldn't have entirely faulted Minaya and Co. for giving Willie the axe after such a traumatic event that obviously is still haunting this team and fanbase a la Grady Little in 2003 (other reasons aside). I also don't blame them for letting Willie stay and try to dig his way out of such a hole, but the way Met management is handling this situation is laughable.

As the players have echoed as much, either you fire Willie and get the circus over with, or you give him the season and ride it out. But to let the speculation hover around does no good for all parties involved. Despite all their eveidence to the contrary, the season can be saved as witnessed by the Phucking Phils last year and the Red Sox and Astros in 2004 (which should be noted, fired Jimy Williams around the All-Star break), each of whom kicked it around for a couple months.

As far as Willie acting like a cyborg during games. I don't expect him to be Lou Piniella, there's only a handful of managers like that in the league. But at some point, you have to get on your players for mailing it in as the Mets have done so often these past 12 months, even "Clueless" Joe Torre did it every so often. While it's true Willie isn't at fault for Beltran turning into Flushing's A-Rod, Delgado becoming the real life Pedro Cerrano and Oliver Perez reverting back to his 2006 Pittsburgh form, at some point, he becomes like any other boss, eventually the company's failures become your reponsibility. There is plenty blame to go around for the last 12 months (Brian Bannister for Ambiorix Burgos, anyone?), but ultimately, Willie is the general and needs to be relieved of his duties before this turns into the '96-'01 California/Anaheim Angels.

On a related note, the Mets said follwing a players-only meeting last night they plan to go 62-38 to finish the season and make the playoffs (uh,playoffs?). In related news, I plan to have Carrie Underwood's baby by June '09.

Yeah, she can get it.

The Kid Gets 600

2008-06-10T17:56:00.003-04:00

Ken Griffey Jr. finally got his 600th career home run after what must have felt like a lifetime from 599 last night in Miami in front of a packed crowd of
16,000 at Dolphin Stadium in a 9-4 Reds victory.

For the baseball fans of my generation, it was a bittersweet moment. It was nice to see "The Kid" join such elite home run hitting company after years of struggling to stay on the field, but it was also symbolic of what should've happened years ago.

I'll cover first the angle that has been largely covered today. The basis of many a great sports argument is "what if?" and while it makes for great conversation, it rarely can be definitvely applied. Baseball provides two of the best exceptions in Junior Griffey and Mickey Mantle. We can pretty much take it to the bank that if Mantle didn't tear his leg on the Yankee Stadium sprinkler and didn't go Reginald Denny on his liver that he would've likely been the all-time home run leader possibly until Barroids. The other is that if Griffey doesn't miss almost 4 years of his prime, we're not talking about whether Bonds' record should have an asterisk next to it or not. In each of his seasons in Cincinnati where he played at least 100 games, he hit 25+ and in an 83-game 2004, he managed to hit 20. THE MAN MADE THE ALL-CENTURY TEAM AFTER PLAYING 10 SEASONS! Given a clean bill of health, Griffey can still produce consistently while puhsing 40.

The other side of last night's milestone is that me and the other baseball fans who grew up in the '90s are getting just a little bit older. As I became a baseball fanatic during Griffey's peak years, he remains the most incredibly gifted player I've ever watched. In addition, from about 1992-2000, he was the epitome of cool in baseball. If you didn't mimic Junior in your swing (even as a righty)or try to slide like him in the outfield when you were playing in Little League, you really didn't pay attention to baseball. I can remember wasting many summer afternoons playing Ken Griffey Jr. Baseball on my Nintendo64, which says something sad about me, but that's a different story altogether.

With Griffey's injury-induced decline and the rise of A-Rod, Pujols, Manny, Big Papi, ANdruw Jones, David Wright, Derrek Lee, Alfonso Soriano and others, Griffey's feats have become nothing more than a footnote and a friendly reminder of childhood. Whenever he would pass someone on the all-time home run list the last few years, I know I was not the only one saying things along the lines of "Oh yeahhhhhhhh, Griffey! I forgot about him! Good for him!" and then go on a brief trip down memory lane of Griffey in Seattle white and navy blue.

With Griffey now achieving the coveted 600 mark with the team he grew up with and in the final year of his deal he signed in 1999, he is all but likely to be traded in the coming weeks to a contender, at least I hope he does. Griffey hasn't sniffed the playoffs in a decade and with the end in sight, I hope he gets one more chance on the national stage to remind us of the magician he once was. Just not with the Phillies or Yankees.

They're Goin' Back to Cali

2008-06-09T19:15:00.003-04:00

The Celtics thanks to the possibly gritty play of Paul Pierce (arguably the series MVP to this point) and the unexpected contributions of Sir-Mix-A-Lot (aka Leon Powe) have taken a 2-0 lead to the Staples Center and a chance to bury the Lakers in Game 3.

Many point to the reason that the Celtics have largely dominated the first two games have been because of the passion exhibited on both ends of the floor and lackthere of by the Lakers, largely by Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom. Conventional thinking by analysts seems to be that the Lakers now know what they need to do and will be ready to be physical against the C's in L.A. I'm not so sure.

Physicality is something entirely different than attitude. It's not like they can be like the Shaq-Kobe Lakers and flip the switch, when to be honest, that switch was never there to begin with. This team as constructed cannot play rough against team whose whole attitude is built on it. While the Lakers may get an energy burst from the Staples crowd and the sense of desperation in Game 3, it may not be enough.

The Celtics know this may be there best and possibly only shot at a title and are playing like a team possessed right now. That's not to throw dirt on the Lakers, but with the Spurs and Suns aging fast and the Mavs' window all but closed, the Lakers, with a hypothetically healthy Andrew Bynum, which adds a new dynamic to a team that hasn't had him in their starting 5 since the Gasol trade and will likely add some bruisers in the offseason, essentially have just New Orelans and the Spurs to hurdle for the next 4 or 5 years (Kobe's likely peak years), so while the Lakers desire for a title is certainly there, it is definitely not what the Celtics are displaying at the moment.