Sports

Big D-isaster

2008-01-20T12:59:00.001-05:00

Darlings to disappointments in a week. The story plays out in sports every season, particularly in the NFL playoffs, where one bad afternoon can erase four months of dominance. The Colts and Chargers played the role the past two seasons, Dallas stepped into the role this year – the first top seed in the NFC to lose a Divisional Playoff game since the current playoff format started in 1990.

The Cowboys demise began in December, long before the Tony Romo-Jessica Simpson Cabo getaway. After toying with Green Bay on November 29th, Dallas let up and it showed. Focus and preparation clearly dropped a notch, and it showed on the field - struggling to beat Carolina, losing to both Philadelphia and Washington. While attention shifts to playoff teams that rest star players after clinching playoff berths, but teams that backpedal into the playoffs are more prone to failure.

Anyone who points to Romo spending the bye week on the beach instead of in Jason Garrett’s offensive playbook prep class as the problem is misguided. Romo should use better judgment, realizing he now lives in the spotlight. Still, it was not exactly the night before the game, or even during game week - the vacation does not correlate with the performance.

However, Romo’s mental meltdown in the fourth quarter did hurt the Cowboys last Sunday. Akin to what we expect out of Philip Rivers, Romo lost his composure in the fourth quarter, outwardly displaying his frustration as the pressure mounted and the clock ticked. Instead of firing up his team, he channeled his emotions into complaints. It affected his decision making – failing to throw the ball away when facing a rush and then throwing it away while still in the pocket – and seemed to rattle his teammates, who committed a few debilitating penalties down the stretch.

If the Cowboys did not face enough pressure trying to comeback in the final minutes, the Fox camera showed Jerry Jones standing arms length away from head coach Wade Phillips. Like George Steinbrenner, Jones will build a team to win at any cost, top class facilities, free agent signings, whatever it takes. Simultaneously he can make the team lose. The owner looking over their shoulders is the last thing players, or a head coach already facing the pressure of losing his job to one of his assistants, needs to see in the final minutes of a playoff game. Does Garrett really want this job? Jones creates an untenable situation by showing up on the sidelines.

Throw in the Tony Sparano to Miami and Jason Garrett to any team with a head coaching vacancy rumors, and you have a recipe for disaster. Forget 13-3, the 2007 Dallas Cowboys go down as the upset victim in the playoffs, possibly remembered as a footnote in a Giants Cinderella story. Last year Indy bounced back to win the Super Bowl, this season San Diego won its first playoff games in over 13 years and finds itself in the AFC Title Game. What does 2008 hold for Dallas?

Not So Sweet Science

2008-01-13T23:54:00.000-05:00

Successful local sports talk radio caters to what the fans in that market want to hear. Case in point, NASCAR does not typically come up in New York, where baseball and football rule. Outside of the week leading into a big fight, which are farther and fewer between in recent years, boxing belongs on the backburner. Unfortunately, 1050 ESPN Radio did not get the memo.

How can ESPN suits allow Max Kellerman to spout about meaningless boxing matches that have about as much fan interest as his ratings depleted show, never mind the day after a Giant playoff win and the Clemens 60-minute interview? I try to look past the arrogance, try to look past the ridiculous arguments backed by crazy statistics and rhetoric, but the Kellerman/Kenny combo loses me with boxing. Not just a few plugs, but entire segments. Shows like this pop up in the middle of the night on far away channels, and on cable access, where Kellerman started and should relegate his daily boxing diatribe.

Treat the listeners with a little respect. Kellerman insults everyone’s intelligence by insisting every point that develops from his MENSA caliber mind is bulletproof, and not even acknowledge rebuttals. Then he assumes that New York fans want to hear about boxing for 20 or 30 minutes. The Benigno and Roberts combo, who have really synergized into an entertaining team, look that much better next to the mid-morning production of Boxing After Dark.

Toss in Bill James radio puppet, next to boxing aficionado, and Noble prize sports analyst, on Kellerman’s mantle. Stats do not always translate well to radio, they are more entertaining to read. Using numbers to make a point or support an argument is one thing, but who needs to listen to obscure batting stats in an attempt to prove Jason Giambi should play, for example. Watch the game, Giambi should not play, his bat is slow and he can’t field, forget his OBP, OPS, and the like. I am a baseball geek and can live on the statistical rhetoric. The general public does not want to hear it.

Fox, NCAA Fumble the Ball

2008-01-12T09:12:00.001-05:00

Picture this: after a full season of listening to Simms and Nantz, Aikman and Buck, or Michaels and Madden, broadcast NFL games every Sunday right through the playoffs for their respective networks, the NFL decides to put the Super Bowl on ABC with Brent Musburger and Kirk Herbstreit behind the mic. Take nothing away from Musburger and Herbstreit, but do you think critics would go knuts about having two guys and a network that has nothing to do with the NFL put on the biggest game of the year?

That’s exactly the situation with the BCS Championship Game.
Fox did not cover one college football game all season, not one, not even a lowly bowl game played in Idaho in mid-December, yet the only place to find four of the five biggest games of the season, including college football’s “Super Bowl” is Fox. Yes, they host the BCS Standings show every Sunday, and undoubtedly know how to put on a big sports event, but I want the broadcasters I watch all season, the crews that have insight to those defining moments in mid-October.

Fox offset the lack of in-season college football experience with a strong cast of studio analysts and some game analysts, notably former Wisconsin coach Barry Alvarez, Charles Davis, and even Urban Meyer for the title game. Jimmy Johnson, and the Kenny Albert/Moose Johnston tandem leaped over after covering the NFL all season. Still, the coverage lacks personal insight. Analyzing the game does not change, but familiarity with the players, referencing specific games during the season, bringing other teams into the discussion that can make a case for the crown, these guys and the network as a whole are not prepared for good college football coverage. I say this without even mentioned the Cotton Bowl, when Pat Summerall, who they ran off the stations NFL coverage a few seasons ago, had the call, and frankly, I could not bear to listen. For a few minutes it was great hearing the legendary voice, but his lack of knowledge quickly shined through and drove me to the next game.

To make matters worse, Fox and the NCAA completely blow the scheduling. Explain this one, build up for over a month, then play four BCS games in three days, before taking three days off prior to the title game. The final ratings will tell the story, but Fox lost out. A weekend of exciting NFL football, and the Clemens steroid debacle, completely overshadowed the game on Monday. Why wait? What was wrong with Friday night, while you have the audience captivated? Or, god forbid, play two of these games in the same time slot, perish the thought? Every week fans watch college football all day Saturday, and find a way to watch multiple games, and actually enjoy it. College football succeeded for years playing every game on New Years Day. Maybe squeezing all the games into one day will be too much, but why not start with the Rose Bowl on New Years afternoon, followed by a nighttime doubleheader, then two consecutive nights to finish the BCS.

The BCS also suffers from competitiveness problems. Without the exact stats in front of me, recent years have provided more unwatchable, blowouts than nail biters. For every Boise St. upset win we have a series of blowouts of over twenty points, case in point, four of this seasons five games. Another advantage of having two games played simultaneously is preventing a blowout from driving away the audience.
Picking the teams that play in the BCS, and the merits of a playoff system, is an argument for a different day. For now, the NCAA and the networks should at least fix the schedule, and make Fox get involved with coverage before the last week of the season, so they can present a game the viewers can enjoy.

Balance of Power Tilts

2007-08-11T23:27:00.000-04:00

Apparently two fellow superstars, and a contract extension, made Boston look markedly better to Kevin Garnett. Slightly more than a month after reportedly nixing a trade to the Celtics, due to the perception of negative treatment towards African Americans, Garnett blessed the deal that unites him with Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, creating a modern day Big Three.

The trade sends Garnett to Boston, with Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes, Sebastian Telfair, Theo Ratliff, and Gerald Green, heading back to Minnesota. Suddenly, the widely criticized draft day acquisition of Ray Allen, makes sense. After losing the Greg Oden-Kevin Durant lottery, Danny Ainge decided to fast track the rebuilding process through trades, positioning the Celts to win now, not continue the perpetual wait for rookies to develop.

Combining an All-Star sharp shooting guard, coming off a 26 ppg season, an established team leader, who posted a solid 25 ppg in an injury shortened season at the wing, with arguably the most complete player in the NBA, Boston can win on any given night. Even scarier, without any Tim Duncan’s, Dirk Nowitzki’s, or Yao Ming’s, Garnett has no equal in the Eastern Conference. Adding the Big Ticket immediately vaults Boston ahead of a young Toronto team and healthy Nets team, as the favorites in the Atlantic division, alongside Cleveland, Miami, and Detroit, as the leaders to represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals.

Before handing Boston 50 wins and Conference championship, keep a few important facts in mind: a team of superstar players rarely equal more than the sum of the parts, none of the Celtics new Big Three have any postseason success of note, and Boston lacks depth beyond the three stars. For years Garnett plead to play with another star, that he needed a formidable second option to make a deep playoff run, well, now he has two. No more excuses for first round failures.

Typically, spreading the ball around and getting each star a representative number of touches and shot becomes a sore spot, particularly with three big scorers splitting the load. These three do not carry the egos, at least publicly, that scream, “I need the ball”, like an Allen Iverson, or Kobe Bryant. I envision each will remain content scoring less, and winning more. Does that automatically mean everything will work out splendid? Not quite, look at the US Olympic team, full of superstars that failed to function as a cohesive unit.

Reportedly, the Nets made a run at KG before the draft, offering a package of Richard Jefferson, Nenad Kristic, and Marcus Williams to Minnesota, which the Wolves declined. New Jersey lacked the quantity and quality of young players, draft picks, and expiring contracts that Minnesota wanted. Now, the Nets get a close look at Garnett four times a year, and every time they glance at the standings, a scary proposition.

The brief Paul Pierce-Antoine Walker led run earlier this decade aside, the Celts are relevant for the first time since the Reggie Lewis tragically died, ending the remnants of the 1980’s dynasty. Bostonians snatched up season tickets at record pace after the trade. Celtic pride is back - good for Boston, good for the league, bad for the rest of the Eastern Conference.

…To add insult to injury, Boston signed former Net Eddie House to a one-year, $1.5 million contract, to help replenish their depleted roster following the trade. House averaged 8.4 ppg last season, but more importantly, presented the Nets only legitimate, consistent 3-point shooter, connection on 43% from long range (75-175) providing a spark off the bench.

Look for New Jersey to sift through remaining, inexpensive free agents to find a replacement. Robert Hite, who shot the ball well during summer league and impressed Net brass with his gritty play, may receive first crack at the job.

…Josh Boone continues recovering from off-season knee surgery. Coach Lawrence Frank recently stated Boone will compete for playing time at the Forward/Center position, with new additions Jamaal Magloire and Sean Williams, and incumbent Jason Collins. Frank affirmed Boone is making, “good progress” in his recovery.

Nets Reward Frank, Continue Building Stability

2007-08-11T23:25:00.000-04:00

From August 2nd, 2007:

Last week the Nets rewarded Head Coach Lawrence Frank with a two-year contract extension at $8.6 million, and authorized a raise for 2007-08, increasing the value to $12.3 million for three years. With Frank inked through 2009-10, the Nets took another step toward assuring stability and competitiveness as they prepare to move to Brooklyn in 2009.

Frank, who joined the Nets in 2000 as an assistant in Byron Scott’s first season, replaced Scott as head coach in January 2004, immediately reeling off 13 straight wins. Three and half seasons later, the 36-year-old, who began his coaching journey as a team manager for Bobby Knight at Indiana, boasts a 157-129 record with the Nets, the winningest NBA coach in Nets history. The new contract brings Frank compensation back above the average NBA coach salary, a well-deserved raise.

However, coming off two trips to the Finals, the Nets have failed to escape the second round of the playoffs since Frank took the helm, posting an 18-20 record during his tenure.

The consummate players’ coach, keeping the teams stars happy, especially Jason Kidd, who almost single-handedly orchestrated the coaching change that elevated Frank to the top spot, alone makes the deal worthwhile. Besides pleasing current players, a known players coach with a history of coexisting with star players, makes New Jersey a desirable destination to help lure star players in the future.

More importantly, Frank can flat out coach. Long considered one of the premier X’s and O’s coach in the league, Frank also possesses strong leadership skills, and an uncanny ability to handle the pressure of coaching in the media capital of the world.

Holding an injury-ravaged squad together through an extended rough stretch, where the Nets dropped seven games under .500 leading to rumors that Frank was on the chopping block, proved his mettle. Eventually, Frank led the Nets on a late season tear, and first round upset of the division champion Raptors, where he thoroughly out coached the Coach of the Year, Sam Mitchell, neutralizing superstar Chris Bosh, while exposing weaknesses in the Raptors defense.

With Carter returning, a healthy Nenad Kristic returning, and the addition of Sean Williams and Jamaal Magloire to boost the lackluster post position, Frank must produce. Rod Thorn and Bruce Ratner expect more than second round playoff exits, so does Lawrence Frank.

The Nets are on the clock; Jason Kidd turns 35 next season and Vince Carter 31, with the Pistons displaying major holes last postseason, the Cavs little more than a one man show, and Shaq another year older, the East is ripe for the taking.

…Keep an eye on the USA Basketball team, scheduled to play in the Olympic qualifier later this month, which held a mini-camp the weekend of July 21st. It appears Jason Kidd will play an intricate role in Team USA’s attempt to return to prominence, after a humiliating bronze medal effort in Athens led to a revamping the entire USA Basketball system.

Now, after the initial season of the Jerry Colangelo/Coach K led organization produced another dismal third place finish, the pressure is on to show drastic improvement immediately, and head into Beijing in 2008 as the favorites. Coach K will rely heavily on Kidd, unbeaten in 28 international games, to lead the team, while providing the size and strength in the backcourt to neutralize the more physical international style.

Should the Nets worry about the extra workload hampering an aging Kidd later in the season? Relatively healthy the past few seasons, following microfracture knee surgery, Kidd has carried a heavy load of mostly intense minutes the past few seasons, as the Nets lacked depth at point guard, and continually looked to Kidd to carry the team. For now, just monitor Kidd’s role and watch him perform. Hopefully an emerging Marcus Williams, takes some pressure off Kidd this season, but if an injury or fatigue pop up in the latter third of the season, remember, we warned you…

…NBA.com recently posted its post summer league Rookie Rankings. Sean Williams missed the cut overall, ranking fourth among rookies at the Orlando summer camp, marking his only mention in the entire rankings and subsequent page of notes.

Aaron Brooks, the diminutive Oregon point guard drafted by Houston, topped the list, with Williams’ former BC teammate Jared Dudley ranking fifth, while the Knicks boast two rookies in the top ten, Wilson Chandler and second-round pick Demetrius Nichols, rated sixth and seventh respectively.

What does it mean? Come regular season time, absolutely nothing. It remains highly unlikely Brooks, or either Knick prospect, will hoist the Rookie of the Year trophy. The Nets need Williams to fill a role, not be a star. If he fills that role, an athletic shot blocking presence under the basket that play solid defense, rebound, and contribute a little offensively, Williams should crack the top 10 by season ends. Then again, if he rolls another joint, he may become a top ten bust, thus the uncertainty of rookies.

Chubby and Chummy

2007-07-29T13:49:00.001-04:00

Waking up for work is one of the least favorite parts of most people’s day, right next to traveling to work, and working. Radio serves as the refuge for many to survive the anguish. For all the hoopla about Imus’ April departure leaving WFAN without a viable morning option, I respectively disagree and feel quite the contrary, the I-Man’s departure was a blessing in disguise. In recent years, as his already immense arrogance grew to unchartered heights, or lows, the Imus Morning Show turned more into a grouchy old man bickering about the world, and acting as a forum for select politicians and political activists. Imus, already disliked by many, become that old grandfather figure that nobody liked, with a personality, and mentality, better suited for the Midwest or South, on a non-sports station.

The past few months WFAN trotted in everything but the kitchen sink to buy time, while searching for a replacement, or some believe, waiting for CBS to relent and bring Imus back. While Mike and the Mad Dog are the golden carafe of sports talk, they lost some edge when trying to take on political and non-sports current event topics. It is simply not their forte. The past two weeks Chris Carlin showed how a talk show could entertain, remain sports centric, while still finding time to make light of Hollywood news and tackle political issues, appealing to a multitude of listeners.

I highly doubt the FAN dubs Carlin the new morning man, in fact, sources report Boomer Esiason is on the verge of inking a contract to take the helm, but Carlin clearly has a future in this realm. Carlin’s personality really shines through, which is both good and bad. The Big Guy is genuinely funny and personable, making for good, light-hearted radio, and great sidekick banter. However, he still seems reluctant to insight controversy by taking a hard stance on a tough issue. That’s what made Imus, and Stern, so successful. WFAN needs to decide if they want to continue playing in that genre, or shift gears, going to back their roots, with a sports-oriented morning show, ala ESPN’s Mike and Mike.

It appears WFAN will remain in the general, big name, morning show realm, for now at least, but Carlin would make the perfect host if they go sports. His banter with Ian Eagle created enough laughing to swerve me out of my lane on the Garden State. They took the conversation away from sports, into reality television, movies, and real life, keeping the atmosphere light and fun. For a second I enjoyed the ride to work, until I remembered I still had to work. More importantly, the Continent is knowledgeable in sports, a relative insider for most NY teams having covered the Giants and Rutgers, while making numerous contacts with other teams in the past decade.

In recent years, critics have accused WFAN of becoming bland and uninteresting, monotone radio. Here is the perfect chance to spurn that sentiment. Insert Carlin, mornings, middays, wherever. He needs to be on everyday.

Unhappy Campers

2007-07-29T09:15:00.001-04:00

Jets LG Pete Kendall made no secret of his discontent, almost as soon as last season ended. Scheduled to earn $1.7 million this season, the 12-year veteran wants a million dollar raise. Despite threatening to hold out, Kendall attended June workouts and was present at training camp Day One this week. Now, his motivation is to avoid the $14,000 daily fine, and a malcontented veteran player spewing venom to the media looms as a distraction, but Kendall showed up, and the Jets know his position.

Michael Strahan is the other side of the spectrum. Last season ends, roster bonuses paid out in March, the April draft passes, free agency comes and goes, June voluntary workouts finish, with team’s 2007 plans solidified training camp arrives in July. Then, out of the clear blue, the night before training camp opens, after an eternal offseason, your 14-year veteran defensive end, seven-time Pro Bowler, unofficial leader, and public face of the team, leaves a voicemail that he is not coming. What? That is a maneuver 12-year olds, who want to play video games instead, pull in Little League.

Varying reports say Strahan is honestly considering retirement, mulling lucrative broadcast offers, or that he is holding out for a raise. Strahan contract has two seasons remaining at $4 million each. Either way, the active sack leader must have come across this thought, and his decision not to report, before 11PM the night before camp. The Giants deserve better. His only NFL team stuck by him through a messy divorce, rewarded him with lucrative contracts throughout his illustrious career, and went so far as to move budding star Mathias Kiwanuka to OLB to accommodate Strahan’s return to DE after an injury riddled season. The last minute move reeks of unprofessionalism.

If Strahan wants to retire, that is fine, more power to him; he earned that right after 14 tough seasons. Just let the team know ahead of time so they can plan accordingly, maybe not early enough to disrupt the previous season, Tiki are you listening, but before the Giants spend an entire offseason practicing your backup at a new position and after most viable free agents are already scooped up. However, if the no show is contract related, Strahan becomes another greedy malcontent in a league full of them. Last check players receive raises, such as the one Dwight Freeny signed, based on merit and potential. A 34-year-old, coming off a major injury, already earning $4 million, does not fit the bill. I think GM Jerry Reese agrees.

One other possibility, maybe he simply wants to skip training camp. It is funny how many veteran players, with job security, suddenly come up with minor injuries, or contract problems, when training camp opens. Two-a-days, 100 degree heat, drills, running, repetition, not exactly appealing to the 30 and over crowd. Though doubtful, it is the best scenario for the Giants.

The Giant mantra for 2007 was all busy, no distractions, no talking. Two days into training camp, one media blow up, Reese publicly calling out former LT Luke Pettigout, and one mega hold out. So much for avoiding distractions. As shocking as it sounds, reports are the retirement talk is serious. For sake of Strahan’s public perception, I hope it is. No matter the reason, Strahan is missing, and the Giants are scrambling.

Back at Hofstra, the Jets, given a chance to prepare for the Kendall situation, “unknowingly” assigned the 34-year-old to the rookie dorm. A move in the Bellichek mold. Season one was a magic carpet ride for Mangini, season two is full of expectations. Starting training camp with controversy is not recommended, in addition to the first rookie holdout in almost a decade. The Jets need to address the Kendall situation immediately. One option is to meet his contract demands, unlikely. Another unlikely option is releasing Kendall, leaving him available to every team, including division rivals. The likely options are coming to a mutual agreement to play, or orchestrating a trade, or relegating him to the bench behind Adrien Clarke.

About that rookie hold out. CB Darrelle Revis, the 14th pick in Aprils draft, which the Jets were lauded for, wants a five year contract, while the Jets are offering six, the maximum for a Top 15 pick. I think Revis wins this battle. Other top picks have already inked 5-year deals, while it means Revis hits free agency a year early, the Jets need him now and cannot worry too much about the effects on the 2012 roster. Training camp is more important for NFL rookies than in any other sport, due to the complex systems, and steep learning curve. Unlike baseball, or basketball, players do not just step onto the field and play. It best serves the Jets to get Revis into camp ASAP.

Nets Act Swiftly, Smartly

2007-07-17T07:54:00.000-04:00

Last season’s diamond in the rough, center Mikki Moore, who rose from oblivion to ably fill in for Nenad Kristic, decided to head to greener pastures, and more green, signing with Sacramento on Friday. Less than a day later, the Nets reached an agreement with 6’11”, 260-pound center Jamaal Magloire to fill the vacancy.

The sequence of moves became inevitable after Moore declined the Nets 3 year, $11 million offer, which New Jersey subsequently pulled off the table. At 32-years old, looking to capitalize on his breakout season, where he averaged 9.8 ppg and 5.1 rpg, Moore went to the highest bidder. A career journeyman, Moore made the right personal decision, cashing in on what is likely his only big free agent opportunity, receiving 3 years, $18 million from the Kings.

While Moore, who led the NBA in FG shooting percentage, played an enormous role in holding the Nets together as injuries ravaged the roster, the Nets made a sound financial decision letting him walk. Moore is scrappy, plays hard, quickly became a fan favorite, but reached and exceeded his ceiling last year. Unlikely to replicate last season’s performance, and expected to head back to the bench with Kristic’s return, committing $18 million to Mikki Moore would be hasty.

Magloire comes to New Jersey with a one-year, $4 million contract, after underperforming in Portland the past two seasons. Prior to Portland, Magloire averaged close to a double-double for three consecutive seasons in New Orleans, including 13.6 ppg and 10.3 rpg during his 2003-04 All-Star season. This is a great value signing low risk at one season and a modest salary, but high reward, if Magloire can find his old self and present a formidable presence in the middle, something the Nets have sorely lacked for years.
The Nets have suffered with Jason Collins in the middle, a non-existent offense player, with limited rebounding skills. I expect Coach Lawrence Frank to immediately insert Magloire, a skilled offensive post player, with double-digit rebounding ability, into the starting lineup. He provides a nice complement to Kristic’s mid-range, finesse post game, also providing an inside threat taking some defensive pressure off Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson.

The environment is perfect for Magloire, but he needs to avoid the attitude problems that have surfaced in the past, understand his role, and play hard. With Kidd, Carter, Jefferson, and Kristic the primary offensive targets, the Nets need Magloire to focus on defense and rebounding, while acting as an alternate option in the offense, a concept he has struggled with in the past. If Magloire can remain patient, rest assured Jason Kidd will open up scoring opportunities.

One casualty of the signing is Hassan Adams, cut by the Nets. The second-year second-round draft pick had a non-guaranteed $687,000 contract for the upcoming season. Unable to find takes for Bernard Robinson or Milie Illic, the Nets cut ties with Adams to get under $67.8 million salary cap, evading the luxury tax for now. Adams, coming off a solid summer league, should catch on somewhere quickly. A potential defense-stopper in the making, the Nets pay the price for committing to Illic and Robinson, both mistakes thus far.

On another note, reports surfaced that Rod Thorn rejected a trade for Pacers center Jermaine O’Neal on draft night. The blockbuster deal would have sent Jefferson, Kristic, and Collins to Indiana for O’Neal. Any such deal now appears unlikely, with New Jersey signing Magloire. At that price, the Nets are better served with their current team, rather than dismantling the starting lineup for one player, with injury problems.

A week after the official free agent signing period, the Nets are arguably the most improved team in the Eastern Conference, without any blockbuster moves. The return of Carter, a legitimate center, drafting a potential impact big-man, and a healthy Nenad Kristic, put New Jersey firmly amongst the favorites in the East. Then again, does that say much?

Tough Day for the Doggie; Patrick Out

2007-07-09T23:39:00.001-04:00

For all his hard work, and double shifts for the post-Imus WFAN, the station threw “Mad Dog” a bone, sending him to the All-Star game this week. Doggie’s beloved Giants are hosting. As usual the WFAN brand lured in top notch guests, starting with Giants owner Peter McGowan off the top, right through A-Rod, Beltran, Wagner, and the recently controversial Jose Reyes.

Russo, typically a good interviewer, not afraid to ask the tough question, did a great job with McGowan, but totally dropped the ball with Reyes. The day started with a bang, questioning McGowan about Bonds, leading the Giant owner to admit he was disappointed Barry was missing the home run contest, felt he should be there, that Giant personnel did speak to him about participating, and even Willie Mays tried to convince his godson to no avail. Great quotes, chock full of news.

Then came the Reyes interview, a perfect example of poor preparation. Russo recapped the ballyhooed grounder Reyes loafed to first base on, leading to his benching on Friday night. Then Dog started asking about how it felt sitting out Saturday’s game as punishment. Only problem, Reyes played. After straightening out the problem, and apologizing to Reyes, who could only laugh at this point, Russo used the long flight to San Fran excuse for not knowing. Next, he let totally let Reyes off the hook about Wagner’s comments. Dog phrased the question in a manner that Reyes easily sidetracked; asking if he heard what Wagner said, Reyes replying no, end of discussion.

First off, long flight or not, Russo is paid, and paid well, to intelligently speak about New York sports. Was he in a time capsule, or the same flight that millions of Americans make all the time? Pick up any New York Sunday paper this past week, these stories are plastered all over the place. No excuses, Doggie, not on your “vacation” week. If you have time for Wimbledon, make time for the Mets and Yankees.

…After 18 years at ESPN, Dan Patrick is leaving the station in mid-August. Rumors first surfaced over a week ago, only intensifying as Patrick took an unplanned extended vacation through the entire Fourth of July week. Outside of Chris Berman, Patrick defines ESPN. He helped make Sportscenter a household name, and anchored ESPN Radio during its rise to prominence. All while remaining somewhat grounded, and thankfully, much less dramatic and commercialized, than the Chris Berman’s and Stu Scott’s of the world.

Sometimes longevity breeds complacency. Patrick made no announcement about his next destination, but I feel a change may help invigorate his journalism. The radio show has been less than exhilarating the past year or so, and covering the NBA Finals, well, was there really anything to cover this year. The rumor mill mentions Patrick stepping into Imus’ old role, replacing Bob Barker on the Price is Right, or heading to The Sporting News Radio to work with his brother. Switching to Westwood One, a direct ESPN Radio competitor, to replace Imus, going head to head with Mike and Mike, would provide great theater. For now, we wait for the next big announcement.

…Jones and Carlin, it has a nice ring to it. Vacations and scheduling quirks, allowed Chris Carlin and Kim Jones to slide into the mid-day shift at WFAN the past week. The combo, which paired up previously on a few special occasions, such as preceding Met-Yankee Sunday night games, is dripping with chemistry. The two both exhibit wit and engage in playful banter, while still focusing on sports. Jones and Carlin are well-rounded analysts, with extensive baseball and football backgrounds, providing solid insight and coverage, unless you want to talk hockey. I feel this duo is much stronger than Beningno and Roberts, plays to the audience better, and would register solid ratings. Will we get a chance to find out? Unlikely, given Jones Yankee responsibilities, and Carlin’s gigs covering Rutgers football, and the NY Giants. But, never say never, especially at the unstable, post-Imus FAN.

Intrigue Beyond the Clouds

2007-07-06T16:15:00.001-04:00

For ten days it seemed like every match took two or more days to complete, not exactly the best way to hold fan interest. Put aside debates about installing roofs, or playing on the middle Sunday, three intriguing stories are brewing as the fortnight reaches its pinnacle.

On the men’s side of the draw, the two favorites are on a collision course for yet another Grand Slam finals match up, but the intrigue stems from the extremely diverse paths through the tournament. Roger Federer, who shockingly lost a set in today’s quarterfinal triumphant, timed the weather well, advanced to the quarters thanks to an injury withdrawal, and had almost a week of rest between matches. Meanwhile, mother nature, and an unsuspecting opponent, wreaked havoc with Rafael Nadal, pushing his third round match to five sets over the course of four days thanks to rain. Nadal followed the five set victory, with another dramatic five setter that saw him comeback from two sets down. Think wear and tear would slow him down think again. On the fifth consecutive day Nadal seemed to gain strength, winning in straight sets to advance to the semis.

With American Andy Roddick falling in disappointing fashion, a recurring theme in Grand Slam tournaments, another finals appearance seems inevitable for the modern day grass court king Federer. Nadal still has work to do, with No. 4 Novak Djokovic waiting in the semi’s, but he is one step away from setting up a dramatic rematch. Sunday would mark the seventh straight day for Nadal, some sort of record I am sure. A second straight Winbledon final would solidify the burgeoning rivalry. A Nadal win, in the tournament Federer owns, similar to Nadal in Paris, takes it to the next level.

The woman dealt with the same weather issues, but none endured the suffering of Nadal. Following the footsteps of her sister’s Australian Open run, standing in the finals is three-time champ Venus Williams. The 31st seed entered the tournament after battling numerous injuries the past few years, essentially falling off the map of women’s tennis. We all know the talent of the Williams sisters, and 31st seed or not, Venus is a threat to win any given day if she plays her best. The Cinderella script is all but finished, as top seeded Justine Henin fell to Marion Bartoli today, meaning Williams will be the favorite to win, despite the low ranking. A fourth Wimbledon trophy would put her in elite territory, not to mention the unbelievable comeback story.

Finally, Breakfast at Wimbledon is the number tennis event. The time of day, the tradition and properness of the All-England Club, the legendary match-ups between the grass court greats, and best of all, Bud Collins behind the mic. Sunday marks Collins last Wimbledon. Debate still lingers on if NBC is firing him, or if it is mutual, but needless to say Collins is a tennis institution. The indistinguishable voice, the grandfatherly bow-tie, and an encyclopedia of modern day tennis history. Bud Collins is to Wimbledon what Vin Scully is to baseball, Keith Jackson to college football, and Pat Summerall was to pro football. Though not nearly as popular in the states as the major sports, Wimbledon is a great event, and the live coverage of the championships just makes sense. Bud Collins helped make it an NBC institution. He will be missed and deserves a great send off.

20 Years Strong

2007-07-04T12:53:00.000-04:00

Like many others in the New York area, I grew up with WFAN. Whether you listened to the overnight while working the late shift, lived and died with Mike and the Dog during the afternoon commute, or like myself, tuned in during every free minute, the FAN holds a special place in New York sports. This past weekend they celebrated twenty years on the air, bringing back many old faces, replaying classic moments, and telling great stories about the old days. As they have for twenty years, WFAN did it right.

Love her or hate her, Suzyn Waldman is a female pioneer in sports broadcasting. Waldman has covered the Yankees in one way, shape, or form, almost as long as I have followed baseball. I loved her as the radio beat reporter, she drove me nuts in the TV booth, was as good as anyone doing clubhouse reports on TV, and now brings sanity to the radio broadcasts alongside John Sterling. Basically, my memories of the Yankee dynasty will include Suzyn Waldman. For an hour Saturday morning, Waldman reminded us of her numerous journalistic accomplishments. She played classic Steinbrenner interviews dating back to his suspension, spoke about covering Rickey Henderson and Don Mattingly, told great stories, and relived the night she helped reunite Yogi Berra and George Steinbrenner. But the two segments that resonated most were her report from Candlestick Park minutes after the devastating earthquake before Game 3 of the World Series in 1989, and a Rick Pitino interview followed by stories about covering the Knicks in the late ‘80’s. Besides great coverage, these two events show both Waldman’s versatility, few remember her as a beat reporter for basketball and radio host covering all sports topics, and an ability to cover a big news story.

The next few hours brought back the likes of Bill Mazer, Ian Eagle, Spencer Ross, and Russ Salzberg. Mazer is barely audible, but I can listen to anyone that watched Babe Ruth played and covered sports for close to fifty years speak for an hour. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the youthful Eagle, who worked at the station right out of Syracuse, returned with great behind the scenes stories from the days when WFAN was initially making its mark as a media powerhouse. Eagle teamed with Dave Jennings for Jet games in the 1990’s, the Rich Kotite era most Jet fans try to block out, and the two shared a few memorable moments about traveling together and covering the team. “The Bird” possesses an uncanny, yet unassuming, sense of humor, almost a laugh a minute.

Night owls rejoiced with Steve Somers and Joe Benigno, the overnight stalwarts for many years, returning to late nights with a live broadcast from Little Italy. What better way to celebrate. Again, the FAN did it right, the overnight listeners and callers are by far the most dedicated legion of fans. Providing the opportunity for these loyal listeners to personally come out and join the festivities was a great touch.

Another great reunion segment came Sunday, with Eddie Coleman and Dave Sims preceding the Met game. Just listening to the jingle, “You’re listening to Eddie C. and the Soul Man,” brought upon wholehearted laughter. Few remember this tandem preceded Mike and the Mad Dog, and had history played out differently may have had a crack at the big role. More amazing are dedicated show callers from 15, 20 years ago dialing in with specific stories that both the hosts and callers remember like yesterday.

Of course, Mike and the Mad Dog, who made the station what it is today, along with Imus, as much as I hate to admit that, unveiled the Top 20 moments of the last 20 years. Proving the clout of the station, they dug up a key entity from each event to interview after replaying the moment. Even though I admittedly am not a diehard hockey fan, I still get goose bumps listening to the Rangers receive the Cup in 1994, the clear number one choice.

A great weekend to celebrate a great station. WFAN means more to NY sports than anyone realizes, they have been there for us, the fans, for over twenty years. Here’s to another twenty.

Show Up and Play

2007-07-02T19:40:00.000-04:00

What gives a rookie player the right to tell a team that is ready and willing to pay him millions of dollars, that I will not play. Yi Jianlian has never set foot on a basketball court in this country, yet he knows that the Bucks are not the right team for him. That is ludicrous. I bet he cannot even name five players on the roster, or five players on the roster of one of the teams he would play for.

This is more about marketing, money, and power. Yi's agent, the Chinese government, which I feel plays a big role in this regardless of what we hear, and the NBA for that matter, all want Yi in a big metropolitan area with a heavy Asian population. Think Matsui in NY, Ichiro in Seattle, Dice-K in Boston. Unfortunately, the rules are the rules. Greg Oden was being picked first, regardless if the ping pong ball landed on Memphis, Portland, or Boston. Rookies go where they are picked. If Yi was a better player, maybe Boston would have selected him fifth.

The trade request, or mandate, is not without precendent, yielding both superstars and super busts. John Elway refused to go Baltimore, saw his wish granted, then proceeded to stick it to the Colts becoming one of the best players ever. On the other hand, Hideki Irabu had to be a Yankee, no choice in the matter. Ask Steinbrenner now how he feels about trading for the fat toad. In my book, Yi has less leg to stand on. Unproven at the professional level and collegiate level, the demand will not be exceedingly high, based on what the Bucks should request in return for a sixth pick.

My only hope is that the Bucks hold their ground and the league stays out of the matter. Milwaukee has the leverage since Yi must play for them, or go back to China. The best Yi can do is hold out, passing up the chance to play in the NBA, become a multi-millionaire, and escape China. The Bucks are not obligated to trade him, and unlike baseball, where a player can re-enter the draft a year later, they will continue to retain his rights.

Losing a first round lottery pick is tough to swallow, but having an inexperienced rookie threaten a team is unacceptable. Yi should shut up and play, then take the pick of the litter three years from now. Maybe Milwaukee is not as bas as it sounds. Hey, that Kareem guy did pretty good for himself.

Gamblers

2007-06-29T16:19:00.000-04:00

So I was half right. Heading into the draft I envisioned a big splash from the Metropolitan area in the form of a trade. But while the Nets stood pat, and snagged Sean Williams at 17, it is not exactly surprising to see Isiah Thomas and the Knicks active in the trade market.

The Knicks roster seems to turnover on a semi-annual basis during the Thomas regime. As expected, NY selected DePaul product Wilson Chandler. Do not expect a big impact from Chandler immediately. He is raw, inexperienced, and probably would benefit from another season in college. Still, it is not a bad pick, Chandler is athletic and can play defense, allowing him to potentially contribute off the bat, while continuing to develop his offensive skills. Only time will tell on this pick.

Over shadowing the Chandler selection, the Knicks acquired Portland malcontent Zach Randolph in exchange for Steve Francis and Channing Frye. On the surface, the Knicks are better than they were yesterday. Randolph is coming off a career season, averaging over 23 points and 10 boards a game, from the power forward slot. In lieu of Garnett or O’Neal, Randolph is the most talented player available at the position. He will team with Eddy Curry to make one of the most formidable offensive frontcourts in the Eastern Conference, and will undoubtedly take some pressure off Curry. Randolph is only 25 years old, just entering his prime, has shown improvement each season, and does comes in without any major injury concerns.

If you are thinking this sounds too good to be true, you are right. Portland really must have wanted him gone to take an albatross like Steve Francis, and disappointing Channing Frye, in return. Randolph has an extensive criminal and disciplinary history, one that would yield a lengthy suspension in Roger Goodell’s league. The trade also presents another problem familiar to Knicks, salary cap issues. Jettisoning the Francis contract, set to expire in 2009, for Randolph, signed at the maximum through 2011, means the Knicks are now four years from digging out of salary cap hell. Based on the NBA salary structure, teams can have two superstars, the Knicks are now committed to building a winner around Eddy Curry and Zach Randolph. The franchise is in the hands of two immensely talented players with lots of question marks and baggage. Given their limited options, I applaud Thomas for making something happen, and nobody can argue the team is much improved. Plus he pulled it of without giving up any personnel. Let’s just hope Randolph can avoid the temptations of New York City, while Thomas can control his personality. The move can work. It can also turn into an NBA version of Pacman Jones.

Across the river, the Nets rolled the dice themselves, to a lesser extent, selecting Sean Williams with the 17th pick. BC unceremoniously booted Williams from the team in January thanks to another marijuana problem. Outside of that skirmish, all signs point to Williams being a good kid. BC coach Al Skinner supports him, claims he is very coachable. Nets GM Thorn even threw out his high SAT score as a positive factor. Not sure when standardized tests started translating into points, but lets go with it. I like the pick. Williams is a good shot blocker with an offensive game, both attributes the Nets current center lacks. With a veteran lineup full of scorers, guards, and small forwards, Williams can move directly into the starting lineup, complementing an ever improving Nenad Kristic to form a solid frontcourt. Of course, if Williams cannot put down the pipe, like his NFL namesake Ricky, the pick is wasted.

In the end, both the Knicks and Nets, left draft day better with better teams than they started with. As always, the verdict remains out until they take the court, but on the surface, I am excited for NY basketball.

Draft Day Excitement

2007-06-28T18:02:00.001-04:00

I always remember being psyched up for the NBA draft every year. The last week of school, the excitement of the unknown, and the fact that unlike football where hundreds of players are drafted, I knew every player selected in college. 2007 is a turn back the clock draft. To the drafts of yesteryear, a player pool chock full of big name college stars, with one or two well-known International players thrown in, and two potential franchise players teams are clamoring over. Unfortunately for the NBA, the prelude and the draft are drawing far more interest, and excitement, than the NBA playoffs yielded a few weeks back.

Oden or Durant? The debate started the second the NCAA tournament ended that first Monday in April. Oden is the safe pick, a potential once in a generation franchise center. Durant is the flashy pick, the upside to be another McGrady or Garnett all around individual talent, but as evidenced by those players, not always a champion. Durant is clearly further along than Oden at this stage in their respective careers, sporting a full arsenal of offensive moves, a knack for quietly grabbing double-digit boards, and the ability to take over a game. Oden is still raw, but he possesses attributes you cannot teach, mainly size, defense, shot blocking, and did I mention, size. There is no doubt Portland grabs Oden, and if anyone brings up an inkling of doubt about it, they are looking to argue for the sake of arguing.

As an outsider I can say there is a chance Durant turns out better, and may actually be worth the first pick, but if I put myself in the Portland front office, with my job on the line, there is no way to live with passing on Oden and the potential to watch him collect a fistful of championships in the next decade. So, Oden to Portland, Durant to Seattle. Then what? Checking most of the mock drafts available, and potential trades on the table, put the next ten players in a Yahtzee cup and see where they land.

Noah and Wright could blossom into stars, or be duds at the end of the bench. International stars are always high risk, high reward. Will Yi Jianlian and Mario Belinelli become Dirk Nowitski or Frederic Weis. My theory is to go with experience and athletes. After the top players are off the board, including Al Horford and Mike Conley, both expected to follow the Top 2, I like Corey Brewer, Alando Tucker, and Acie Law, as sleepers. Brewer can do it all on both sides of the court. He was the key to that Florida championship team, and thanks to tremendous versatility, will fit into any number of systems. Tucker is the reigning Big 10 Player of the Year (not Greg Oden) and a four-year college player. Lacks the upside of other players in the draft, Tucker will succeed as a solid role player on a good team in the NBA. The type of hard-working, solid player that every winning team needs. Another 4-year college veteran, Acie Law, knows how to play the game, and is a proven performer in pressure situations. A mid-round gift.

Where are the Knicks and Nets? The deepest draft pool in years, and the metropolitan teams, both in need of varying levels of help, are stuck in the middle. All the Knicks have to show for this draft is Eddy Curry. If Isiah is successful at one front office task, it is drafting. His solid track record is the only reason to be excited about the current Knicks team. There reaches a point where finding another diamond in the rough at the 23rd pick to be a solid role player next to a group of other solid role players, will only get a team so far. Basically, the Knicks need a star to become a winner, and even if Isiah wields his magic wand again, the best he gets is a contributor. All indications are Wilson Chandler from DePaul is the man, an underclassmen with an improving outside shot and good athletic ability. Do not forget the Knicks already snagged Randolph Morris out of Kentucky in a shrewd move by Thomas back in March.

Across the river, Rod Thorn rarely received the accolades that Isiah receives for draft success, but he quietly churns out solid players annually. Last year, I think the Nets pulled a coup grabbing Marcus Williams late in the first round. Williams is heir apparent to Jason Kidd and will be a border line All-Star with the right team around him. The house money is on the Nets snagging a big man, clearly a gaping hole in their starting lineup currently occupied by the human brick, Jason Collins. Depending on how the chips fall, Jason Smith from Colorado State and Sean Williams of BC are the names we hear most. Williams is a wild card due to off the court problems. He is the classic risk/reward pick, if he stays out of trouble and works hard he will be a sleeper pick. If Williams cannot harness his personal problems, he becomes a wasted pick. Deep down I have this feeling that Thorn may pull a big trade off this summer. Things have been quiet on the Vince Carter front, Kidd is not mentioned in any rumors, and the Nets are not in the Garnett/Kobe sweepstakes. The sleeping giant is likely working the phones behind the scenes, so do not be surprised.

Kobe Creates Stir

2007-06-20T23:53:00.000-04:00

I am going to vomit if I hear one more fan call New York talk radio with a proposed Kobe Bryant to the Knicks trade. A few nights ago I heard no short of ten proposals in less than two hours. Memo to New York: The Knicks have no players the Lakers want. David Lee and Ronaldo Balkman are nice young players with good upside, particularly Lee, but first of all their contracts do not come near matching up with Kobe, and from the Lakers perspective, is David Lee a player you can rebuild around? Answer that for yourselves.

Mitch Kupchak is already notorious for breaking up the dynasty and trading Shaq. Critics say Kupchak got taken by the Heat in the O'Neal exchange, but the Lakers did acquire Lamar Odom, Caron Butler, and Brian Grant, a little better than a bag of balls. Butler and Odom were young talented scorers, something absent on the Knicks.

LA, and the rest of the NBA, wants nothing to do with Steve Francis or Stephon Marbury given their age, performance, and current contracts. Jamal Crawford is a nice player,and helps get the salaries closer to matching up. He is a nice supplement in the trade, the Lakers still need a star in return. Nate Robinson appears to be a ticking time bomb of off-the-court headaches. Jared Jeffries is another overpaid, underperforming role player, and Quentin Richardson is hurt. Clearly the Knicks need Kupchak to get hit over the head with a mallet before agreeing to take any Knick players.

Then there is Eddy Curry. I have read a few noted NBA analysts say Curry is the only player the Knicks would not trade. Did Curry all of sudden learn how to rebound and play defense? Curry should not be the lynchpin that prevents a Kobe trade, at least from the Knicks perspective. While Curry is proving he can score, the Lakers have Andrew Bynum ready to the man the middle for future. Curry still has lingering health risks surrounding that $17 million contract. If anything Curry is helping prevent the Knicks from improving, or making trades, since they gave Chicago their draft to get him.

We can argue the merits of trading Kobe Bryant until the cows come home. Will LA be better positioned to contend if they trade him, will another team hold on to enough value to field a contender around Kobe? Its tough to envision the Lakers improving without Bryant, unless they acquire equal talent, like say, Jermaine O'Neal or Kevin Garnett, however unlikely. On the other side, go get Kobe if you can. He is still the best pure scorer in the game, has a well-rounded game, and has proven he can win with a team around him. Plus, after a few years of losing, I think he will come with a renewed tenacity and less interest in being "The Man".

Are the Lakers dumb enough to trade Bryant to Pheonix?

Bottomed Out

2007-06-15T07:45:00.001-04:00

Now LeBron James knows how kids on the high school teams he manhandled felt. Pimple faced 16-year-olds against future NBA hall of famer’s has one thing in common with Spurs-Cavs, mismatch. Nothing short of James repeating his heroic Game Five performance against Detroit will make this series competitive. This is 49ers-Chargers, Bills-Cowboys, Lakers-Nets, a total blowout. This years NBA Finals is the epitome of team over player, the Spurs legion of team defense and unselfish offense totally outclassing King James and his minions.

On the court, put this NBA Finals on the list of least competitive ever, and Cleveland as one of the worst Conference Champs. Off the court, despite the marquee face of today’s NBA, the 2007 is on pace to be the lowest TV-rated NBA Finals, continuing the trend of public media struggles for the NBA and NHL.
I often wax poetic about TV ratings, but I think it is a telling stat as to the quality of the product and the complete package a league delivers to the fans. David Stern publicly admitted the games stunk. Who wants to watch an NBA struggle to reach 70 points? The NBA’s biggest problem this season is the two best teams played in Round 2, Phoenix and San Antonio. That series crowned the champion. The last few weeks were more a coronation than a competition, not exactly compelling TV.

Always the spin doctor, Stern mentions the numerous alternate media outlets and television choices as a cause for the ratings decline. He is on the money, people have lower attention spans, more options, and will go elsewhere if not compelled.

How does the NBA fix this? First, do not change the playoff system too drastically. The Eastern Conference stinks, but competitive balance is cyclical. Recall the 11 straight Super Bowls by the NFC, when the NFC Championship games crowned the de facto champion. Looks like the NFL survived. Find a way to market the Spurs. The NBA was unprepared to make an NBA Finals with two mid-market cities a ballyhooed event. They needed LA, NY, or Miami. The Spurs, and Tim Duncan, are all-time greats. They play a boring, methodical, efficient brand of basketball, but they are great. Find a way to sell it to the whole country.

My other gripe is the scheduling. It is not solely an NBA problem, baseball and hockey suffer from it too. Do not start games at 9 PM EST on weeknights. You automatically cancel out a large part of your audience. Children, the lifeblood of the leagues future, will not stay up late, and it is a harder sell to East Coast adults to hang with a 20-point blowout with one dreary eye open. The NBA also struggles with spreading out the series too much in the early rounds. The lack of continuity early in the playoffs prevents any momentum from building. Who wants to wait out two or three days to see what happens next? Today, there are too many alternatives to care. Casual fans lose interest early in the playoffs, and obviously are not tuning back in.

There are some drastic playoff changes the league can take, a new marketing approach, or even a different schedule. Some may help ratings and playoff competition, some may not, but the league cannot fix the quality of play on the court. The teams just have to get better. Cleveland needs to look in the mirror and realize LeBron James carried them despite an NBA D-League caliber roster. Get the guy some help, and quick. Remember, he adjusted that contract last season to get out a little earlier. You think the NBA likes the idea of LeBron in NY or LA? That is the quick fix.

Test of Strength

2007-06-08T14:22:00.000-04:00

In the modern day information age, sports occasionally suffer from paralysis by analysis. Somehow, Kevin Durant became less of a basketball player without stepping on the court for a minute since March. Durant failed miserably in comparison to his fellow prospective draftees in the athletic tests at pre-draft combine in Orlando, rating last among the 78 players who completed all tests. Tests that include bench pressing, vertical leap, body fat percentage, and agility.

Strength, conditioning, and athletic ability certainly contribute to performance, but last check the bench press champion did not lead the league in scoring, and not many NFL lineman are seen as NBA prospects. Kevin Durant can play, end of story. He is only 19 years old, probably still growing, and has yet to participate in a professional athletes workout and nutrition program. That said, under the appropriate supervision, and natural human progression, Durant should get bigger, stronger, and quicker in time.

With Oden a shoe-in as top pick, if I am the general managers of any team picking third or lower I hope Seattle values athletes more than players and Durant falls. He is head and shoulders better than the rest of the draft class, and arguably a more polished player than Oden at this point. If Durant drops past two, Seattle risks becoming a trivia answer for all-time draft mistakes.

To prove the value of the training combine, here are the top performers of the past four years, courtesy of ESPN's Chad Ford: Troy Bell, Nate Robinson, Joey Graham and David Noel. Not exactly Hall of Fame material. If we used these tests to rate basketball players, how come Michael Johnson or Carl Lewis never got a look.

Ducks Win the Cup, Did Anyone Notice?

2007-06-07T19:36:00.001-04:00

The NHL’s low television ratings and popularity in the US continues to be a major problem for the sport, yet just when you think it cannot possibly get worse it does. NBC’s Game Three coverage of the Stanley Cup, sports most hallowed trophy, netted the worst primetime ratings in the network’s history. Put that in perspective for a second. The NHL championship scored lower ratings than any show NBC has ever put on the air. Listing some of those shows would only embarrass hockey more.

All three games broadcast on NBC saw double-digit percent ratings decreases since last year, more viewers watched a rain delay at the Indy 500, and Versus coverage of Games One and Two came in right behind such colossal hits as Food Networks “Build a Better Burger” and reruns of ‘80’s sitcom “Mamas Family”. I thought I was having a bad week, ouch!

Having a Canadian team playing a traditionally Canadian sport certainly does not boost US ratings, but the public almost has to forcibly try to avoid watching for ratings this bad. Thankfully, the Ducks put the NHL out of its misery for now, allowing the league to revisit the drawing board.

How can hockey solve its problem? Should they abandon broadcast television, beg ESPN to take them back, make a major online push, or some combination of the three? Gary Bettman is on the hot seat to respond. There remains more questions than answers for now.

Isaiah At It Again

2007-06-06T00:18:00.001-04:00

The Daily News reports the Knicks may pursue Rasheed Wallace. Did anyone watch the past few games in the Conference Finals unfold? ‘Sheed led the Pistons right into the wall. The Knicks do not need any more selfish, potential problem players. They already met the quota in that area. Thomas needs to clean the team up, not bring in more problems.

Besides Wallace, there has been talk about Jermaine O’Neal, Rashard Lewis, and any other potentially available player. My question is, who are the Knicks trading for these guys? Does someone want Steve Francis or Stephon Marbury, at their salaries? The Knicks need to put an end to quick fixes, and rash decisions, and start building a team around the young nucleus. Rasheed Wallace is not someone I want around young players.

French Fried

2007-06-05T21:45:00.000-04:00

One or two losses are expected, the underdogs losing is no surprise, three or four losses is a trend, but all eight men losing in the first round of a major tennis tournament is a disaster. Two of the eight were Top 10 seeds, who rarely lose in the first round of Grand Slams and typically have an easy draw.

Some other sad numbers, it is the first time in the modern Open era no Americans reached Round Two, and only one of the losses even reached the fifth set, so they all lost convincingly.

US tennis has not bounced back from the decline and retirements of Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras. Andy Roddick, who everyone touted as the next great for about five years now, seems more concerned with popularity and exhibits questionable practice habits, preventing him from assuming the throne.

Clay is not the yanks best surface, but without a relevant player to challenge the dominant Federer, or many important tournaments outside the US Open, tennis is at risk of experiencing a similar fall in popularity as hockey.

One suggestion,get some practice before Wimbledon.

Qualifying LeBrons Game Five Effort

2007-06-03T22:38:00.000-04:00

In measuring LeBron's Game Five performance, I feel it should be mentioned along with the legendary coming out parties in sports history. The game where a Hall of Famer took it to the next level and never looked back. Obviously, in comparing it only with Jordan's buzzer beater in Cleveland and Magic's NBA finals effort as a rookie playing center, many other exemplary performances were omitted. The discussion was focused on coming of age, not all time great performances. While James was awesome, its was not the deciding game of the Finals, or even the series.

Can It, Kobe

2007-06-03T09:44:00.000-04:00

Kobe Bryant clearly needs a hobby. Wednesday he was bored, so he decided to appear on seemingly every radio show in the country, and deliver a new story each time. Was he playing with our infatuation with media, did he just think nobody was listening, or did he somehow change his mind in the course of three hours.

It is a travesty if Kobe does not win this week’s Just Shut Up award on ESPN Radio’s Mike and Mike in the Morning. Are we supposed to show pity for a player who chose to sign a new contract with the Lakers last season, who essentially picked the teams $10 million per year coach, broke up their dynasty four years ago, and currently makes over $17 million a year. Sorry, I am not buying it.

If Bryant wants the Lakers to go after a Kevin Garnett, or Jermaine O’Neal, handle it privately. At the very least, think before you talk, and present a unified front. Either request a trade, or keep quiet. I think Wednesday’s actions were to rattle the Lakers cages, and to get some personal attention, making him look like a sympathetic figure.

The other problem with Kobe’s statement is that NBA players of his magnitude can not be traded anywhere because of salary implications. The only reasonable destination is Chicago, since they have the young talent and the salary cap room. But Kobe should realize that whatever team trades for him will probably blow up their current nucleus in the process, and realistically have little chance to compete for a title.

In the end, Kobe wanted to be the man and ran Shaq out of town. Now he realizes big individual stats and personal accolades are not what they are cracked up to be. I hope the Lakers do what’s best for the team (i.e. don't trade Andrew Bynum for an aging star), not for Kobe Bryant.

The King and I

2007-06-03T09:21:00.001-04:00

The Pistons were not going to let LeBron single-handedly torch them two games in a row en route to the NBA Finals. Detroit succeeded, holding LeBron to a modest 20 points, on a more humane 3-11 shooting night. However, James again showed he is the total package, snatching 14 boards, burying 14-19 from the line, and dishing eight assists. The assist total does not do justice, as James drew double teams, then dished off, leading to open shots two passes later, or trips to the foul line.

Unlike Game 5, the rest of the Cavs showed up to play on Saturday night. Daniel Gibson rewarded King James’ faith by burying five three’s, and eventually burying the Pistons with a career-high 31 points. Before the game started, if you told Flip Saunders the Cavs offense would hinge on a rookie second-round draft pick that average 4.6 points this season, he would have taken it and started packing up for Game 7. That is before Gibson turned into LeBron’s version of Steve Kerr and John Paxson, burying clutch outside shot after clutch outside shot. If Game 5 was LeBron’s official coming out party, Gibson used Game 6 to tell the world he is proud to be the King’s sidekick.

On the other side of the fence, Detroit simply fell apart. Rasheed Wallace needs to grow up. At 32 years old, with 12 years in the league, Wallace has still failed to harness his emotions, and realize his immense talent. ‘Sheed has to go down as one of the biggest disappointments of this generation. He is Dennis Rodman, except he does nothing but hurt his team with poor behavior. Rodman was an instigator and often forced opponents to lose their cool, and rarely hurt his team in important moments. Not Wallace. After losing his cool yet again last night, fouling out, then proceeding to notch his sixth and seventh technical fouls of the playoffs, any remote chance for a Piston comeback was over. Wallace officially gave up on the Pistons.

Chauncey Billups was not far behind. We need to revisit his “Mr. Big Shot” nickname. In Game 4, with the Pistons clamoring for a big bucket to finish off the Cavs and go up 3-1 in the series, Billups not only misfired down the stretch, he made rookie mistakes, throwing the ball away, giving up bad fouls out of frustration, and forcing up three pointers with plenty of time left of the clock. Rather than responding, Billups faded. After publicly calling out the Cavs after LeBron’s mammoth performance, Billups posted a whopping 9 points and 1 assist in the deciding game. I watched the whole game, and barely knew he was on the court. One questions teams must ask this off-season, is this the player you want to dedicate your salary cap to? I do not think so.

This series holds bigger implications. The Pistons run as the Beast of the Least in the weak Eastern Conference is over. Bill Russell handing the trophy to LeBron last night is the official passing of the torch. Rewind to 1991, Jordan’s Bulls finally got past the Pistons, then dominated for close to a decade. Only problem for the rest of the league, Jordan was a 27-year-old seven-year veteran, the King is a 22-year old four-year veteran. This run may last for a long time.

Even though the Cavs are heavy underdogs in the finals, it is great to see a young, determined group make a run, and a passionate city of fans finally win something. Its amazing to look at Cleveland’s ineptitude as a city. They have never been to the NBA Finals, no World Series since 1948, no Super Bowl wins, and countless legendary playoff failures. Finally, Cleveland Rocks!

The LeBron Game

2007-06-02T18:24:00.001-04:00

Twenty-five straight points. Twenty-nine of his team’s last thirty points. That is impressive in a pick-up game at the West 4th Street courts, but in Game 5 of the Conference Finals, with the season on the line, that is the stuff of legends. King James lived up to his name, the hype, the pressure, and gave his outspoken detractors, myself included, a deserved stare down after the last of eighteen dazzling field goals, finally putting the Pistons away.

The list is well-documented, Magic playing center against the Sixers in the 1980 finals, Jordan over Ehlo to beat the Cavs, the Bird-Dominique showdown, star players taking their acts to the next level in big spots, career defining performances. Years from now James’ ungodly effort may top the list. Consider this, LeBron was a one-man show the entire game, not one other player on Cleveland was even a threat to take a shot, the Pistons are the best defensive team of this era and arguably built specifically to stop a LeBron James, and James did it every way possible. He shot the three ala Bird, hit Jordan-esque off-balance fade-aways over two defenders, sliced to the basket with Dr. J like finesse and grace, and threw down dunks with the same rim rattling power as Shaq. Did I mention he did this on the road.

James showed glimpses of greatness since coming into the NBA, finally took a big step forward by carrying Cleveland to big wins in Games three and four, but in Game Five he put it all together and the Pistons turned into unfortunate bystanders of the best NBA performance most of us have ever seen.

The job is not complete by any means. How the series ends plays a major role in James’ place in history. Cleveland, or better yet, the LeBron’s, need to close out Detroit to put the gold frame around the Game Five Picasso. Blow another 3-2 lead and there will always be the, yeah, but… associated with the 48-point deluge.

Do not count the Pistons out. They have clawed out of this same 3-2 deficit multiple times over the past five years. There is little chance LeBron can carry the same load again, or that the Pistons will allow him to dominate without more physical resistance. Maybe the rest of the Cavs can show up tonight. If not, I put my money on Detroit returning to the Bad Boys days and putting James on his back a few times, tightening the screws, and taking it to Game Seven. If the Cavs role players can, well, fill their roles, and take some pressure off James, they can ride the momentum right to San Antonio.

All eyes will be on Game Six. How do the Pistons respond? Does King James get any help? Is LeBron still in that unexplainable mental and physical zone? Saturday brings all the answers, more historical perspective on the developing legend.

… Lots of people will not forget where they watched “The LeBron Game”. Thursday’s night epic double-OT game nabbed a solid 4.8 national cable overnight rating, pulling a dominant 19.6 and 17.4 respectively, in the Cleveland and Detroit markets. Yes, that was David Stern thanking the good Lord for LeBron James, and begging for one more win.

Free Again

2007-05-26T08:50:00.000-04:00

Its only fitting the first song was “All Apologies” on Thursday afternoon. The executives at CBS Radio should be apologetic after subjecting the public to pitiful Free FM format. Thankfully, a year and half after adopting the talk format in a rash reaction to losing Howard Stern, K-Rock is going back to its rock radio roots.

The experiment was a disaster, both from a ratings and content disaster. The station will keep the popular Opie and Anthony simulcast in the morning, though I am not a fan, I can not argue with that decision. FM talk radio will not work. The quicker Program Directors figure this out, the better for terrestrial radio.

Jackpot

2007-05-25T07:28:00.001-04:00

The 2007 NBA Draft Lottery was the most hyped in recent memory, including the draft that brought LeBron James. The draft class has two potential franchise players that can turn a team around quickly, in Greg Oden and Kevin Durant. Some players and media accused teams, notably the Celtics and Grizzlies, of tanking games down the stretch, an absolute no-no in professional sports, to improve the likelihood of scoring one of the top prizes. And the possibility of another chapter in the Isiah Thomas saga. The Bulls own the Knicks draft pick without any lottery protection, so Chicago gets it even if it is the top pick. Eddy Curry for Greg Oden would go down in Knick infamy.

In New York, outside of the most die-hard Knick fans, everyone seemed to be rooting against Isiah, hoping for the Bulls to score a top pick. The number of phone calls to talk radio in regards to the 1.9% chance was amazing. Alas, there was no miracle, disappointing the number of growing Knick detractors.

The lottery was not short of surprises, though. For the first time since 1993, none of the three worst teams will pick in the Top 3. Portland, who fittingly one year ago had the worst record but got the fourth pick, hit the jackpot, while Seattle received the consolation prize. Celtics representative Tom Heinsohn’s face and immediate response, if you can lip-read, were priceless. Ten years after losing the Tim Duncan lottery, the Celts may have to watch another all-time center collect championships with another team. Jerry West, out-going President, of the other big loser, Memphis, claimed the lottery process was flawed, though he said it was not sour grapes. West takes the crown for double talk. If the lottery is flawed, why not say something before finding out your team missed the two prizes. I expect better from the NBA logo.

Off the court, two points. Portland and Seattle, both struggling franchises with Portland’s front office mess and Seattle’s new stadium battle and threats to move, will catch a revenue windfall. CNBC’s Darren Rovell did an interesting analysis showing that teams stand to net over $6 million through increased ticket sales, potential playoff games, and the ancillary concession benefits from having more fans. From the league perspective, many pundits say Stern and the NBA lost by having both stars land in relative small markets on the West Coast. With today’s proliferation of media, and the hype each player is receiving from Day One, it will be interesting to see if they can overcome the anonymity of their cities to be faces of the league. I think they can. For those who are yelling about the 10:30 start times, does anyone realize what time zone Kobe Bryant plays in, and where Shaq played during his prime?

….Sadly the lottery generated more fan interest, and probably more suspense, than both Conference Finals series combined

…With ratings down a whopping 15% on TNT during the playoffs, thanks to the low quality play, lack of competitiveness in each series, and the scheduling, in my opinion, how does the league not play on Wednesday or Friday this week? Why? Someone has to explain that reason to me. There is no reason to take more than one-day off between games, unless it’s a long travel day, but the Cavs-Pistons had a day off and they did not even change cities.

Behind The Mics

2007-05-23T07:52:00.000-04:00

I respect Suzyn Waldman for her accomplishments as a female sports broadcaster and cancer survivor. She is a far better reporter than radio analyst, but passable in the booth most of the time. Her reaction to Roger Clemens overdone, classless introduction at Yankee Stadium was not one of those times. Waldman’s extravagant reaction became the butt of talk radio jokes across the nation the following day, more a mocking of the situation than the person. That’s why Waldman is way out of line for attacking Chris “Mad Dog” Russo at a recent Met-Yankee game, as Bob Raismann reports . She needs to confront reality, understanding her reaction was the real joke, and Russo was not the sole proprietor of the good-natured ribbing. Simmer Suzyn.

…Mariano Rivera is a contender for worst interviewee. The guy simply never gives answers. Yesterday, in a brief interview with 1050 ESPN Radio’s Andrew Marchand, who is doing a solid job thus far, Rivera supported his pre-season comments that he would never sign with Boston and not a breath later stated any team is fair game. Mariano, its one thing to lie, ala JD Drew declaring he is not opting out of his contract last year, but at least save the double talk for separate interviews.

…WFAN’s morning host revolving door is killing me. Pick someone already. Mike and the Mad Dog, double duty is the best option so far, which is sad, not because Mike and the Dog are bad, but because the station needs the same duo for 8-9 hours of programming per day to survive.

TV Rules Sports, For Better and For Worse

2007-05-22T23:48:00.000-04:00

As if you needed a reminder that TV suits dictate sports scheduling to meet their needs, after waiting three days between NBA playoff games, and an eternity for series to complete, MLB announced World Series schedule changes. Game One will now be Wednesday, which means Game Seven could stretch the season into November.

The reasons are clear, more advertising dollars in prime time on weeknights, then the traditionally less viewed weekend time slots. What TV execs do not care about it is how a team may not play for as much as nine days before starting the series, the equivalent of summer vacation in a sport played almost everyday. Can we expect a team with a weeklong layoff to be at peak performance? The other negative is the weather. After just enduring a two-week period in early April that made Cheeseheads in Green Bay cringe, baseball is going to allow the most important games of the season be played under potentially adverse conditions. How much fun was that 1997 World Series in Cleveland? Speaking from late October experience, its not too much fun watching baseball with frostbite threatening your toes, and the thought of getting up for work in a mere hours. Another decision clearly driven by money and television, with total disregard for the fans, the players, and the product on the field. So much for an afternoon baseball game.

On the other side of the coin, NBC’s decision to cut away from NHL playoff hockey in favor of pre-race coverage of the Preakness was a fan-friendly decision. Hockey fans may not agree, but the numbers are clear, the horse race received a 5.3 rating and the hockey game a 1.4. NBC made more than three times as many people happy then they upset. If you can not please everyone, at least please the majority. While the motives were clearly money and contractual obligations, NBC scored one for the fans.

Hockey needs to take a long look at this decision and ponder reality. The sport has no television appeal in the US, and subsequently makes no money from TV in the States. Instead of compromising its playoff schedule in exchange for little public exposure and treatment like a redheaded stepchild, the league should ditch broadcast television and go exclusively cable, and perhaps be the first to go online for the playoffs. No matter what it thinks hockey is no longer, if it ever was, a big time sport. It should focus on catering to its niches and screw the big networks.

Stern Right, But Defensive

2007-05-20T22:51:00.000-04:00

The NBA suspended two Phoenix Sun starters for leaving the bench, just like they did to the Knicks ten years ago, and the depleted Suns team eventually succumbed to San Antonio despite a valiant effort, just like the Knicks fell to the Heat in 1997.

The media and fans scrutinized, who claim the suspensions were not warranted, or that they should suspend some Spurs to equal the playing field. Dan Patrick put forth these arguments while interviewing Stern last week, and was left sounding almost as stupid as the positions he took. Stern did not need to defend his decision, it was clear cut. There are rules, Stoudemire and Diag broke the rules, there are set penalties for the infractions, the penalties were enforced. End of story. Besides what could he say, especially after what happened to the Knicks ten years ago.

Patrick’s interview was amusing. Stern, apparently feeling chippy after the all the questions, sounded defensive and aggressive, with a frustrated undertone, all at once. He barked back at the moronic questioning with a tone as if it was the hundredth time he answered the question. Each Stern answer left Patrick backpedaling further, changing to his kiss up voice, explaining why he had to ask the question, and at the same time trying to make sure his relationship with the commish was preserved. Patrick sounded like a grade-schooler pleading with his parents. He was almost apologetic. He would throw the question like a jab, then retreat and apologize. At least when Barkley makes a stupid assertion he stands behind it.

The only good point Patrick brought up was how the aggressor, San Antonio, benefited from the infraction. Stern countered, again correctly, stating that the Suns lost their cool. The rule stinks, but it’s not Stern’s fault. The rule has been in place for years and nobody did anything or said anything until now. If it was that big a problem, someone should have spoken up.

What Happened to Momentum

2007-05-19T12:29:00.000-04:00

I admit there is no shortage of NBA bashing in this column, but the quality of play warrants it. Close to home, the Nets-Cavs series is setting back the league to the days of a few years ago, when breaking 80 was an accomplishment. The Nets scored six points in the entire fourth quarter on Wednesday and still won. That’s six, as in three baskets, the entire quarter. An average team should be able to score about twenty points, but if the opposition only scores six a playoff team with a supposed great offensive force should be able to capitalize. Not in this league.

Outside that quarter the Nets were strong, with the Big Three of Kidd, Carter and Jefferson carrying the load. After losing Game Four I figured the Nets were done. The Cavs showed they lack that killer instinct though. Then after Game Five I, and all the so-called experts, had the charters ready to head back to Cleveland for a Game Seven, but the Nets somehow laid an egg. If Vince Carter thinks he should opt out of his contract to get max money, his agent should sit him down and watch last nights game on tape. A team that gives Carter max money will wind up muddled in salary cap hell, ala the Knicks. He is not a big game player, he is not an all-around player, and frankly, having lost some athleticism with age, he is not a great player. Good, not great. We can save the off season changes for another day, but last night’s effort, down by twenty points at times, at home, coming off a big win, was embarrassing. If not for Jason Kidd, the Nets never even make this game close

The other side of the East draw saw the same inability to maintain any momentum. After jumping out 3-0 in dominating fashion, the Pistons stopped playing. They transformed into the Grizzlies for two games, while the Bulls finally played as they are capable, not only winning, but destroying Detroit. But once you thought the Bulls, coming back home after two convincing wins, would send the series to a deciding game, back comes Detroit. With the Cavs and Nets I simply think it was a lack of team ability and sense of the moment when they did not capitalize on the momentum, but with Detroit it was just complacency after burying the Bulls. They turned it back on in Game Six and ended any upset thoughts. If they do not dominate Cleveland I will be shocked. The Cavs are weak top to bottom, LeBron is showing holes in his game, and if any defense can shut down a great player this side of Bruce Bowen its Detroit. James is simply not an elite player yet, in the ilk of Kobe or MJ.

Out West, the infamous leaving the bench rule will be the talk of the playoffs. My view, it stinks for the Suns, but there is precedent, there is no debating the rule was broken, you have to suspend Stoudemire and Diag. Protecting the integrity of the series, ruining it for the fans, hurting the league; all these arguments are well and good, but try telling that to Knicks fans, who will never forget that series that the bench rule robbed them of ten years ago.

Suspensions aside, the Suns had no answer for Duncan. He was his usual methodical, unstoppable self offensively in the post, drawing double teams and either dishing to open shooters, or spinning away from the double for an easy bank shot, but he broke the Suns back with his work on the boards. Duncan will never be in the MVP discussion again because he coasts during the season, letting his team do the heavy lifting. Come playoff time, though, Duncan repeatedly shows he is right there in the discussion for best player in the league, whether its his unbelievable performance in a losing effort in Game 7 against Dallas last season, or dominance against the Suns to close out the series last night. Besides Duncan, the defensive effort of Bruce Bowen, dirty play or not, against Steve Nash warrants mention.

Until someone proves me wrong, I still think this series was for the title. Unfortunately for the NBA, the conference finals match-ups look more like mismatches than epic battles. Not exactly the way to draw fan interest and boost ratings. The league needs LeBron to take his game to the next level and challenge the Pistons, but I am not holding my breath. Look for San Antonio and Detroit to cruise into a Finals rematch.

Are They Still Playing?

2007-05-15T07:43:00.000-04:00

Someone at the NBA needs to explain why it takes three days to travel from Cleveland to New Jersey. Baseball teams and hockey teams do it in one day. For a league trying to generate more interest and boost its drooping ratings, the NBA sure knows how to push fans away. Did anyone even remember the Nets and Cavs were still playing by tip off on Saturday? To boot, you wait three days and put the game on at 5 PM on a beautiful spring afternoon. That will give the NHL a run for the ratings crown. Not to mention how the NBA keeps dropping the ball putting the best games on way after bedtime on the East. Learn from baseball’s mistakes. Be flexible for the fans.

On the court, I tried to watch the Nets-Cavs game last night, hoping Jersey would make this a series. I think the NBDL has better clutch performances. The fourth quarter was a battle of attrition. Every play seemed to lead to the foul line, and neither team could hit a foul shot. Tough to watch. LeBron James showed he is still not in the Kobe/Michael stratosphere, and has quite a ways to go. He could not hit a big shot or a foul shot in the last ten minutes of the game. But the capper goes to Vince Carter. Down by one, game on the line, and he dribbles the ball off his foot and out of bounds. That is something I do in the backyard. At least pass it off if you can not handle the defense. Terrible basketball. Maybe all those empty seats at the Meadowlands are more about the game, than the arena.

If you did happen to watch Saturday, and still do not think Jason Kidd is a first ballot Hall of Famer, go watch bowling.

The Suns-Spurs series has all the makings of being memorable. Unfortunately, it may be as much for the extracurricular activity as the on court performance. Unlike the Nets and Cavs, Phonix played great down the stretch. Stoudmire scored at will in the post, and Nash was fearless, firing behind the back passes with his season on the line. But the great fourth quarter comeback, after being down 11, was marred when Robert Horry delivered a WWE forearm to Steve Nash, knocking him into the scorers table. Yeah, it was one of those must foul situations where you grab the jersey. But “Big Shot” Bob delivered a different kind of shot. Hey, he learns from the best, according to the Suns. Hopefully this does not mar the series, but on the heels of the Bruce Bowen, Spurs are a dirty team comments, it just might. Again, the last thing the NBA needs.

So Much for Rule Changes

2007-05-07T18:10:00.000-04:00

Playoffs are all about match-ups. With ratings struggling, the NBA really needed star-studded match ups. They even changed the playoff rules, assuring the best teams play in the Conference Finals, as public interest is peaking, even if they are in the same division. The goal was to avoid another Dallas-San Antonio matchup before the finals.

Well, back to the drawing board. Definitely in the West, and arguably in the East, the two best teams left are playing in the conference semifinals. With ratings moving closer to NHL levels than NFL and MLB levels, the last thing David Stern needed was the favorite, and biggest off the court loud mouth, going out in Round One, and having the best teams play before the mainstream audience gets involved. Well, look for some more rule changes in 2007. Joking aside, they should mimic hockey, the only other sport where half the league makes the playoffs, and re-seed every each round based on record.

Let’s start in the East. In Round One, Toronto was the only losing team to even win a game. Not only is the East terrible, the bottom half of the conference is worse than the top. Detroit is the clear favorite, and I would be shocked to see them lose, particularly with how strong they are at home. But, Chicago poses the biggest threat, with a young, dynamic team that can score in bunches, and Big Ben patrolling the inside. Still, Detroit has talent, experience, and home court. Cleveland and Jersey are playing for second. The least we can hope for is some exciting games, with LeBron and the Nets running game. Worst case, its another series of Can’t Watch TV, becoming more common in the NBA.

With Dallas gone, the Spurs are the team to beat. There success, like the Yankess in baseball, is measured in the postseason. Duncan does not come out to play until May. Expect 30 and 10 nightly from here on in, and probably a few clutch 3’s from Horry. The Suns improved since last year, but defense and clutch half-court offense wins in the playoffs, not exactly the Suns forte. Look for San Antonio in a battle. The Jazz-Warriors series is about as important as the Nets-Cavs, or the Devil Rays-Mariners for that matter. A tired Jazz team coming off a 7-game series and a hobbling Golden State that barely made the playoffs, may be an interesting match-up, but its clearly the JV game. Only difference is the NBA starts those games after the Varsity game, instead of before it. Either way, nobody is watching.

I’m still scratching my head at how the East became more of AAA league. Each team, outside of Detroit, has major flaws, and would already be home if they played in the West. If you enjoy sleep, and do not want to stay up past the bewitching hour to watch meaningless games, my suggested viewing guide is to catch the second half of the Suns-Spurs games, maybe check in on Lebron, then spend your free time watching playoff hockey (much more entertaining), baseball, Seinfeld reruns, or watching paint dry. All more entertaining than the NBA.

McEnroe in The Morning?

2007-05-06T22:17:00.001-04:00

As we enter Week 4 AI (After Imus), WFAN is still picking itself up off the ground. Exit Boomer Esiason, enter John and Patrick McEnroe, followed by Geraldo. Sounds like an afternoon on NBC. Don't let management fool you, the only reason the FAN continues to shuffle hosts in and out faster than the Yankee starting rotation is because they simply don't have an answer.

This decision is crucial, and they need an established personality that can draw ratings. But the more time they waste, the more traction Mike and Mike will gain on ESPN Radio. Greeny and Golic already own the ratings for the target audience, and have a great show. Their chemistry, plus the right mix of entertainment, with general sports, with premium guest, with hard sports news, add up to a better overall show than Mike and the Mad Dog, though it lacks the personalized NY approach.

I heard a rumbling about Bob Costas this week, which would be great for WFAN. However, I simply can not see Costas taking such a role, and seemingly the rumor went by the waste side. The FAN needs to come up with someone that is a reach for the spot, and is prominent in the New York area. Think prominent ex-players combined with radio veterans. Personally, anything short of a Costas, or a Jim Rome, is likely to fail, or at least run a distant second to Mike and Mike.

One way or the other, Chernoff better make a decision soon, before the entire morning audience forgets where 660 is on the dial. And, please no David Lee Roth this time.

Dream Round

2007-05-05T10:08:00.000-04:00

Would you like to be Skipper Beck for a day? Besides owning a Mercedes dealership, a nice daytime gig, Mr. Beck was the third wheel in the Jordan-Tiger Pro-Am pairing before this week’s Wachovia Open in Charlotte.

It brings up a great question, if you can play golf with any three players, who do you take? Of course, I assumed a foursome, the norm for the beat-up public course I play on. A few years back, circa 2000-2001, I put some thought into it myself, and decided on Jordan, Tiger, and Ken Griffey Jr. Three hall of famers in their respective sports, each extremely competitive, with Griffey lightening the mood a bit with his infectious smile. A balanced group - stories comparing three different sports, three players at different stages of their career (at the time), and three fascinating personalities, on and off the field.

An interesting question. Skipper Beck got pretty close to my group. Who is in your group?

Whistle Blowers

2007-05-04T08:38:00.000-04:00

I was a bit shocked initially, but then reality set in. Sports, statistics, and economics, go hand in hand nowadays, and any tangible facet of the game can be analyzed, controversial or not. Alan Schwarz' story Wednesday morning that an academic study shows racial bias in foul calls in the NBA proves that.

Do I think race sways the judgment of NBA refs? No way. Alright, maybe once in awhile since everyone is human, but I do not think refs see the court in black and white. However, do not dismiss the findings. Numbers do not lie, even if the conclusion is coincidental.

The story obviously drew a lot of media traction this week. As expected, radio and television personalities ridiculed the study as holding no weight, a waste of academic time and money. One ESPN Radio host summed it up best by calling the researchers, a graduate student from Cornell and associate professor from Wharton, “geeks” who “probably never picked up a ball in their lives”. Other media geniuses mocked the authors for spending thirteen years on such a meaningless topic.

First off, while there are reasons to attack the study and poke holes in it, the arguments above do more to show the media as uneducated jocks that cannot analyze a report and make cogent arguments. The study did not consume thirteen years of research time - it analyzed data from thirteen seasons. Get the facts straight before calling yourselves journalists. And since when is someone required to be an athlete to analyze statistics. One look through most press boxes shows an athletic build is not required for journalists.

Now the study has some fatal flaws. The data does not show exactly which referee called which fouls, it only knows the composition of the officiating crew, i.e. one African-American and two Caucasian, three African-American, etc. This shows what type of officiating crews call fouls on whites vs. blacks, but not exactly which ref. In addition, they classified players and refs as black or white by pictures. They did not account for players who are racially mixed, or players that could be tough to visually classify.

The article mentions that some outside factors, such as centers fouling more and home court advantage, but without seeing the report it is impossible to see if all possible factors are considered. How were intentional fouls at the end of the game treated? Do you account for the hack-a-Shaq type situations? Is a player’s past behavior considered? I think refs are more prone to call fouls on players that have argued with them in the past, whether black or white, or possibly on a team with a hotheaded coach known for technical fouls. Maybe those stats warrant similar studies.

I am reserving judgment until the study is formally released and the public reviews it. For that reason, the uneducated portion of the media should reserve judgment for now and not be so quick to dismiss anything sports-related that comes from academia. The numbers do not lie, but numbers cannot always substantiate conclusions on behavioral conclusions.

King of the Sports Mountain

2007-04-29T23:24:00.000-04:00

It may be wrought with off the field problems and be struggling to improve its public perception, but football is still the most popular sport in America. And it is not even close.

We already know the Super Bowl is the single biggest sporting event of the year, in revenue, ratings, and hype. Well, the NFL Draft is in the discussion as the second biggest sports event. Forget trying to compare it with the other league's drafts, the event, held at Radio City this year, sells more tickets than some baseball or basketball games, has better TV ratings than some games, and certainly garners more coverage and hype than most events in the other major sports.

The popularity of this event, with about twenty hours of live TV coverage from two networks, is remarkable given its not even a game. Fans wait in the streets to try to get inside, while thousands attend draft parties that each team holds.

As if we needed more proof, the NFL is an absolute money making machine. The draft shows how much more popular pro football is than every other sport in this country. Though, as a baseball junkie, I do not know if I could sit through sixty rounds of amateur draft coverage. That would be enough Chris Berman to last a lifetime.

All Hype, No Substance

2007-04-02T21:39:00.000-04:00

The match-ups had all the makings of some heavyweight bouts. But in the end they were not much more interesting than last year's Final Four.

While not quite last year's final, Florida was never threatened in this game. Now, I was big on the Pac-10 this year, but how was UCLA a Top 5 team all season with that offense. Indiana game aside, once Afflalo went to the bench they looked more like an intramural team. No flow on offense, no player to step up and take over, no chance. Grant in Shipp had some moments and helped keep them close, but as good as their team defense was all year was as bad as their team offense looked. And if the team needed Afflalo that bad, which they did, how did Ben Howland let him get 3 fouls before the first TV timeout? I can continue with my criticism of Mbah A Moute, but its not worth it since Florida is just a much better team. We all know about Horford and Noah, they get the most publicity and national recognition on what is a very balanced team. But to me the best player on the court is Corey Brewer. He's the perfect size, a silky 6'9 who can defend guards and forwards, shoot it from 3 or take it to the rack, and pass it. He was the best player on the court Saturday, and in my opinion he will be the most valuable player if Florida wins and he may turn out to be the best pro of the group. A few other reasons Florida reminded us they are the best team this year, Lee Humphrey and Chris Richard. Two players that get almost no noteriety, but have the ability to influence a game.

On the other end of the spectrum, the Georgetown-OSU game was marred by foul trouble. Oden and Hibbert. When those two are both out of the game, the game becomes more guard-oriented and up-tempo--Advantage Ohio State. Every time Hibbert left the floor the Buckeyes almost immediately went on a 6-0 run. Credit Georgetown for weathering these storms and staying in the game. But again, just like UCLA leaning on Afflalo, the Hoyas needed Jeff Green. He was the conference player of the year, but for most of the game he resembled a defense-minded player looking to hide on the offensive side of the court. Now I can't stand Billy Packer, like most other NCAA viewers and all the people he criticizes, but he was absolutely right in calling out Green the entire game. Forget the playbook, the star needs to get the ball and create baskets when they team needs him. This showed he is not ready for the NBA. As for OSU, Mike Connoly was the difference maker playing one of those proverbial almost perfect games; 1 turnover, pile of assists and points. Oden was solid in the second half, and they basically outlasted Georgetown. Definitely not the entertaining, crisply played game one would expect from two national semi-finalists.

Quick look ahead to Monday, Florida is going to be tough to beat. The Billy Donovan to Kentucky stuff will have no impact on this game. I just have a hard time seeing Oden be able to hang in for 40 minutes with Noah, Horford, and Richard. Three guys, with lots of energy, and fouls to give, will wear down Oden.

The Slipper Doesn’t Fit

2007-03-21T23:27:00.000-04:00

Following an opening round devoid of major upsets, the second round brought much of the same, with all 4 top seeds remaining and no double-digit seeds advancing to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 1995. Maybe it was the lack of upsets, or the styles of play, but the 2007 tournament is one of the least entertaining in recent memory thus far, with Saturday as its lone shining star.

Some observations from Round Two:

Edgar Sosa is going to be a star, and Louisville is going to be a force next year. Unfortunately, the 2007 version of the Cardinal showed their inexperience in letting this one get away. They had a few chances down the stretch to takeover the game and one last gasp to close it out, but could not capitalize. Sosa was gutsy, hitting clutch shots, carrying the offense, getting to the line, but I think he eventually ran out of gas. The last minute of the game you could see he was gasped, missing his first foul shots of the day, then settling for a terrible shot on the final play of the game. I felt Louisville had the chance to really put A&M on the ropes after connecting on the alley-oop with about 4 minutes left. They had the momentum, they had the lead, they had the crowd, but they lacked the killer instinct. And can they put a big guy on the floor without getting into foul trouble. Give some credit to the Aggies though, they played tough, withstood Pitino’s best shot, and are still standing. Just like I thought, great game. On a side note, someone let Gus Johnson know that he is actually doing Edgar Sosa a disservice by comparing him to Stephon Marbury. College kids should have good attitudes.

After getting disrespected by the committee, according to many analysts, the Big East needed strong outings from its top two teams to carry the torch for the conference. Georgetown was just too much for BC inside. Roy Hibbert was pretty much able to get position and score at will during a key stretch in the second half when Georgetown took over the game. Then when BC collapsed on him, the big guy was able to dish to cutters for easy hoops. Green and Hibbert are going to be tough to beat, plus the Hoyas have that nostalgia going for them with the Ewing /Thompson combo.
As strong as Georgetown looked, they were dangerously close to being the Big East’s only representative in the Round of 16. Pitt blew a big lead to VCU, then missed two foul shots at the end of regulation for the win, and had to survive an OT battle. Pitt has struggled the last month or so after being a Top 5 team during the middle of the season. They look out of it offensively at times and really wilted under the VCU pressure. Foul shots and inability to close out games usually catches up in the tourney, though their next opponent is not exactly an offensive juggernaut…
My apologies if you had to sit through the Indiana-UCLA game. Clearly unable to live up to the legacy of these schools, this was a battle of attrition. I think these two schools could have fielded intramural teams that can put the ball in the basket. 21-13 at the half?!?!? Is this the NBA circa 2003? And throw in the fact you were subjected to the James Brown play-by-play training ground, and this game was totally unwatchable. JB must either bribed someone or CBS execs lost their mind when they put him behind the mic and decided to bump Gus Johnson out of the booth for the regionals. Terrible job.
Michigan State was gutsy, especially Neitzel, and I thought they would give UNC a run for their money and have a shot, but UNC is just too deep and athletic. The Heels just had too many weapons and eventually wore MSU out. Their biggest mistake was trying to run with Carolina at times during the first half. UNC definitely has some flaws, but their talent makes up for it. The only team that can go man for man talent-wise with them is Kansas. And I love Tyler Hansbrough. He plays his rear end off all game. Watch him on the bench, he can barely breath. Definitely not the most talented on the court or the team, but has lots of talent and works much harder than everyone else. That’s why he’s the best.
And Xavier (or the media) can yell all they want about calling an intentional foul on Oden, but how about making some foul shots. Or maybe the coach coming out of his coma and fouling the Buckeyes before they can shoot to put them at the line for two shots down by three. Or even trying to put OSU away when they are up double-digits in the second half. In my mind they handed the game over and were asking for one bad break to kill them.
8 games, 3 OT, all but one decided by single digits. Saturday was a great tournament day.

Bracket Banter

2007-03-17T16:12:00.000-04:00

Surprise, surprise. We are through the first round of the tournament and the top 5 seeds in each region are all standing. And the only two upsets, Winthrop and VCU knocking off Notre Dame and Duke from the 11 seed, are hardly shockers. Both mid-major schools have received a ton of publicity all season, were picked by many so-called experts to win, and had many upset factors in their favor, such as veteran players, inexperienced opponent, riding a hot streak.

What does the lack of upsets mean? Well, some great matchups over the weekend and more proof the selection committee did a terrible job with the last few at large teams. I think Stanford’s stellar performance against Louisville (down 26 at the half) , Illinois ability to blow a double-digit lead to an overrated Virginia Tech, and Arkansas inability to make it close with USC all lend credence to the selection committee mishap. Given the last time the top 5 seeds all made it to round 2 back in 2000 yielded a Final Four with two 8-seeds and a 5-seed, pretty much means early success does not guarantee anything for the favorites.

Wisconsin and Memphis both received scares in the first round. I picked both of them to get knocked off in the second round, and their Day One problems support that. Wisconsin has wilted a bit down the stretch and losing Brian Butch takes away a big part of the outside game, plus UNLV has a tough team. I like Nevada over Memphis, more for how good I think Nevada is than how overrated Memphis is. Fazekas is as good as they come, and his supporting case showed their medal during a sub-par first round performance, for his standards. The only big win for Memphis in recent memory is a 1-point OT win against Gonzaga, after they lost Josh Heyfelt.

Watch that Michigan St.-UNC game. The Spartans are capable of beating anyone. They have the talent, they have the go-to guy and leader in Neitzel, and that guy Izzo is not that bad in big spots either. Besides UNLV and Nevada, the other underdog to keep an eye on in Round two is Louisville. I like A&M, but Louisville has played extremely well over the last month, and absolutely dominated Stanford. They may be peaking at just the right time. And with Gus Johnson at the mic, god I hope its a close one.

Well, off we go to Round 2. More than upsets, hopefully this round brings us more games that come down to the wire.

Rebuffed, Rebuked, SNUBBED!

2007-03-13T01:35:00.000-04:00

I don’t even know where to start I’m so shocked. No way did the though even cross my mind that Syracuse would not get into the tourney when that Selection Show started. But a half hour later I needed an explanation. You can cut the numbers five ways from here to Sunday, RPI, road record, last 10, record vs. Top 50, quality wins, and so on. If you try hard enough you can probably make a case for and against each of the teams that competed for those last 5 or 6 spots. Unfortunately the committee showed no consistency in their selection criteria. Arkansas used a strong conference tournament to overcome a mediocre conference record and lack of quality wins, while Xavier’s overall body of work was enough to overcome its low RPI, but apparently Syracuse’s quality conference wins, including a thumping of #2 seed Georgetown only two weeks ago, and a fifth place finish in a conference that received 6 bids, were not enough. Apparently in their case the committee decided to look at the early season schedule more. Bottom line, there is no way Syracuse is not as good as the last 5 teams that made it. Yeah, they had some bad losses, yeah their non-conference schedule leaves something to be desired, but are they better than Stanford, Purdue, and Illinois? You bet.

Syracuse was not alone though. People are crying about Drexel, and the overall lack of Mid-Major at-large bids, down to only 6 this year after as many as 12 in recent years. The other big name that deserved a spot is Kansas State. They blew out a solid Texas Tech team, had some quality wins, and play in a very good conference, better than the SEC and Big 10, but NIT it is. And I would also make a case for West Virginia. If not for a bad officiating job, they may get past Louisville in the Big East’s, and who knows from there.

The committee is not off the hook yet. They did a sub-par job with some seeding as well.
Without going to detailed, Louisville is better than a 6 seed. The ACC is overrated across the board with Duke, BC, and Virginia all a few slots higher than they played. Texas is playing better than a 4 seed. That’s going to be a tough break for UNC if they meet. I don’t know about Vandy as a 6 either.

Overall, the committee’s primary mission is picking the last 5 or so at-large teams and getting the seeding right since the other at-large teams are usually clear by this time. In my mind, they failed this year with some extremely questionable selections for the last few at large slots. Honestly, I have a hard time seeing these big conference, bubble teams that received at-large bids do anything in this tourney. Time will tell.

Now, onto analyzing the teams that did make it…and counting down to tipoff.

Conference Tourney Musings

2007-03-12T20:43:00.000-04:00

Going around the horn quickly on some of the conference tourney’s as we prep for the big selection show:

Big East

Without having watched as much of the tourney as I’d like, there have been no surprises here. Villanova and Syracuse took care of business in the first round clinching NCAA berths, then bowed out to the higher seeds in Round 2. West Virginia made a very strong showing, shooting the lights out in the opener and taking Louisville to the brink before losing with the help of the officials in OT. Other than that, the only thing that sticks out to me is Georgetown dominating the final, potentially making a statement to the country that they are a legit Final Four team.

Big 12

Almost had a Cinderella with former Top 10 team Oklahoma State making a run, before running into the Kevin Durant show. Everyone has known about Durant all year, but as the microscope hones and in and the spotlight turns up in March Durant and Texas are only getting better. Before hearing our ESPN brethren discuss it on Sunday I proclaimed to fellow bar patrons and a few pints of Guinness that Durant could do for Texas what ‘Melo did for Syracuse in 2003. He is that good. And the Texas freshmen are starting to come together. Just a note, A&M is stumbling a bit down the stretch.

I like Texas Tech, but how do you get blown out of the building in a big game against a mediocre team?

ACC

What’s worse, Duke’s performance or Sidney Lowe’s blazer? If there was any doubt about Georgia Tech they put that to rest with a win, but Florida State still sits firmly on the bubble. I think Tech should be in the tourney and could cause an early stir, but FSU not so much. Those quality wins are not as quality as they sound in the ACC. Carolina is the cream of the crop hear and I doubt any other teams make a deep run.

Big 10

The nation’s most overrated conference. They should have 4 tourney teams, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan State, that’s it. Almost exactly like the football season, the conference is top heavy and extraordinarily mediocre from top to bottom. Mediocre also describes the quality of play at times in this conference championship.

Pac 10

I didn’t catch this tourney, but I’m high on the Pac-10. Watch out next week. The only enigma remains Arizona. They have the talent, but you never know what team will show up.

Why We Watch: Holy Cross, Albany, Miami (Ohio), George Washington, to name a few. Conference Championship week is about those schools and those kids. Those moments of exhilaration exemplify collegiate athletics.

Despite the big conferences lacking any surprises, the Mid-Majors provided a few tourney upsets that will steal at-large bids. Hello GW, Wichita State, New Mexico State. Goodbye: Air Force, Colonial getting 3 teams, and hopefully the Big 10.

Hit Me!

2007-03-10T09:49:00.000-05:00

Sports can be physical, especially hockey and basketball, but usually when it comes to violence or questionable hits the topic is reserved for the football field. But this week brutality struck, not once, but twice.

Maybe calling the Gerald Henderson elbow/smack to the face of Tyler Hansbrough brutal is a bit of an overstatement, and it’s clearly not comparable to the violent act we’ll get to in a minute. Really, in this case, the big question is, was it violent or is it just part of the game. I guess I fall on both sides of the fence: violent-no, part of the game-yes, intentional-No Doubt!

With UNC handing it to a less than stellar Duke team for the second time this season, there was clearly some pent up frustration in the Duke players. That is human nature, if they were not angry with their performance up to that point then they should give up the game. Throw in the fact that some of the stars that ran the score up were still on the court and it’s the recipe for a cheap foul. You know what, its not the first time and won’t be the last time there is a hard, unnecessary foul at the end of a game between bitter rivals.

While Henderson definitely meant to go after Hansbrough and send a message, I don’t think he intended to bust up his nose and cause a bloody mess. There should be no suspension. I can live with an ejection, intentional foul, etc., but no suspension. This was not Kermit Washington.

And one other thing, enough of this nonsense that Duke players are above this type of behavior and that its not Coach K’s style. Every human being lets their emotions get the best of them. It would be above Duke and UNC to let the Nuggets and Knicks fiasco break out, but not one flash of the moment hard foul.

Now onto the abominable act by Chris Simon on Thursday night. After a clean check into the boards by Ryan Hollweg, Simon turned around went after him and swung the stick like a baseball bat at Hollweg in Juan Marichal style. Luckily it caught Hollweg mostly in the chin and not cleanly in the throat and it he was not seriously hurt, but by no means should that minimize the penalty.

Unlike the Duke elbow incident, the debate hear is not whether it was intentional or violent, we already know it was, but rather what the penalty should be. There is precedent with the Marty McSorley and Todd Bertuzzi hits of the past few years. Conversation runs the gamut anywhere from suspending him for the rest of this season to criminal charges in the court of law.

Bottom line, if the hit is a couple of inches down Hollweg may still be unconscious. That’s a horrifying thought. On the ice, I say Simon is done for this season, regular season and playoffs, and then we make a decision on next season in the summer. No pay, no benefits, not allowed near the team, just leave. On the criminal side, it’s a bit more touchy. Was there intent, yes. Could he have seriously injured or possibly killed Hollweg, yep. But it was done in the course of competition, and I don’t think any player shows up at a game thinking they may wind up in jail for an on the court incident. If they were in an alley way its highly unlikely that Simon would have done the same thing.

I can’t justify pressing charges, but the suspension and fine should be severe. Oh, without going on a rant about professional sports fines, they should nail him for like 10-20% of his annual salary for that. I don’t care if it’s a $100,000 or a million dollars. Make it hurt, just like Hollweg was hurt.

Keeping Up With the Jones’

2007-03-06T23:10:00.000-05:00

After watching the Patriots strike early in the 2007 Free Agency period widening the gap in the AFC East arms race, the Jets finally counter-punched yesterday. Gang Green filled the gaping hole in their backfield by acquiring running back Thomas Jones from the NFC-champion Chicago Bears, along with the Bears second round pick, in exchange for the Jets first second-round pick. Essentially the Jets traded down from the pick 37 to 63 and get a starting back coming off consecutive 1200+ yard seasons.

On the surface it may look like a steal for the Jets. Well, that’s because it is. All the chips fell into place for the Jets to cash in on this trade, an unhappy player disappointed with sharing the backfield, a team unwilling to extend a contract expiring next year, and the availability of a handful of other starting running backs making it a buyers market. Throw in the fact the Jets not only fill a huge need, but also grab the best player available at the position, and it looks like another great move for the Mangini/Tannenbaum regime.

Jones brings the power running game that the Jets sorely lacked last year in the absence of Curtis Martin. At 5’10”, 220 lbs., Jones can run between the tackles, and be the complement to the speed and finesse of Leon Washington. Just having a threat in the backfield automatically improves the offense since defenses will be more vulnerable to Chad Pennington’s play action fakes, thus opening up the passing game. Throw in the fact Jones comes off two stellar seasons for a division champion, including a Super Bowl appearance, and the Jets seem to achieve one of the offseason priorities.

Things are not all peaches and cream though. There is always the question of dedication after signing a long-term deal, which the Jets have inked him to, though it’s less prevalent in the non-guaranteed world of the NFL. Some may question Jones’ character after some bickering the past two seasons over having to compete for playing time with Cedric Benson, while others can point to the fact that at the ripe old age of 29 he may be over the hill for a running back.

All in all, the Jets needed to make this move. Outside of Adrian Peterson, who is out of their reach in the draft, there appear to be no immediate standouts available from the college ranks, and of the NFL retreads on the market Jones was definitely the most attractive when you take performance and injury risk into consideration. I still think Leon Washington will be instrumental in this offense, but he needed a complement. Does this win the Jets a Super Bowl? Um, no. How about addressing the run defense before going that far. But it does balance the offense and take them a step closer to where they need to be, Jones works out as planned.

The Orange Rollercoaster

2007-03-04T15:23:00.000-05:00

No matter how hard I try, I just can’t figure this team out. Another inconsistent road loss at Villanova in the regular season finale only adds to the confusion. Grant it, yesterday’s loss snapped a 5-game winning streak that all but guaranteed a spot in the Big Dance and also secured yet another 20-win season, but by no means were they dominant throughout that stretch and yesterday brought back a few question marks.

First off, I have sung the praises of Demetrius Nichols over the past few weeks. The leading scorer in the Big East most of the year finally showed signs of stepping up and being the go-to guy in key spots and assuming the senior leadership role. A dominant second half performance and career high 37 points against St. Johns, then two huge buckets down in crunch time to weather a UConn storm and lead the Orange to another win, and of course the game winner against Providence on the road last weekend. Nichols was stepping up when the team needed him. Any team with plans on winning in March needs at least one player like this (see Gerry McNamara circa 2006).

Just the type of player the coach turns to when momentum shifts to the opponent in the second half and a 10-point lead becomes a 6-point deficit. Call a play for “The Man”. But Nichols was nowhere to be found, a non-existent 2-13 shooting performance marred with a number of bad off-balance 3’s. Not to mention a missed foul shot after the ref’s tried to give ‘Cuse a gift at the end of the game. If the Orange want to make any run in the Big East tournament and, dare I say, win a game in the NCAA’s, Nichols has to be more assertive and come to play every game. If his shot is off he can’t just fade into the background though. Whether its driving to the basket and getting the line, or setting up his teammates, Nichols has to be active on offense.

It would be wrong to put everything on Nichols though, and it would also be wrong to mark the game as a total failure. Eric Devendorf played a phenomenal, under control game. Boeheim should just show him tapes of this game every time he decides to start hoisting away. Devo took it the rack, showed great body control, made good decisions, kept his emotions in check, and hit some HUGE shots.

This game was almost the anti-thesis of the winning streak. Nichols pulled a disappearing act, Andy Rautins couldn’t throw it in the ocean, and, the one player that usually gives me nightmares when he has the ball, Eric Devendorf, was the only guy who I wanted to see with the ball.

Without even touching on the play inside, which left something to be desired defensively as Sumpter and Cunningham put up some numbers against the zone, but the guards MUST show up ready to play and make shots if this team plans on making any noise. Standing around hoping Nichols hits a big shot or watching Devondorf run a one-man offense will not get it done.

The 2007 final exam starts Wednesday at The Garden. Only time will tell if this Syracuse team will pass or fail.

A-Rod-Jeter, Oh the Drama

2007-03-04T14:29:00.000-05:00

Before even discussing the topic at hand, I think it merits mention that in late February, in a city with 5 professional teams in-season, that baseball, particularly the Yankees, grab the back page headlines almost day in and day out without any on field news to report. With that said, the story of A-Rod and Jeter’s fractured friendship officially going public is great drama.

This is not exactly breaking news, recall the Jeter stare down after the missed pop fly last season and the many passes Jeter has made when he has the opportunity to defend or encourage A-Rod among other things, but it’s the first time it has been publicly commented on by either party. Pretty much true to their public persona’s, Rodriguez was candid in speaking about the fact that he and Jeter are no longer buddy, buddy like they were as emerging stars a decade ago, while Jeter played it closer to the vest in stating that while the relationship has changed it is still fine and also making it clear this would be the last of his comments on this subject.

From my perspective, Jeter is exactly right when he said that lots of relationships he has have changed over the last 10 years. That’s something you and I can relate to. I’m not best friends with the same people. I don’t even talk to the same people. And A-Rod has to be kidding when he talks about no longer having sleepovers or going for dinner every night. The guy is married with a kid. Not many fathers I know are out sleeping at their friends houses. I know that was not his point, but it exhibits how ridiculous some of these comments are.

What does all the mean on the field? Absolutely nothing! This is by no means an excuse for A-Rod’s pathetic postseason performances or inability to live up to expectations in NY. Nor will this cause any issues for the Yankees going forward. First off, baseball is not the type of sport where teammates have to pass to each other or block for one another, and second both of these guys just want to win in the end and can probably care less who they play with.

My only concern is A-Rod’s psyche. He has shown the ability to easily get rattled and show his frustrations. One interesting thing to watch is the impact of Doug Mientkiewicz, an old friend and high school teammate of Rodriguez. It will only help to have a shoulder to lean on during the tough times, the shoulder many thought Jeter should lend but didn’t. If Mientkiewicz can help A-Rod keep his head on straight, that would probably be his biggest contribution to this team.

One Star Shines Amidst Myriad of Problems

2006-05-27T10:53:00.000-04:00

Starters
The starting pitching inevitably starts, and ends, with Unit. Another pair of terrible starts in two big spots. Blowing a 4-0 lead at Shea was one thing, then he goes out and labors through 5 innings at Fenway. Right now, I don't even want to send him to the mound. He is seriously no better than a fifth starter on most teams, if you go strictly by performance not name. The stats don't lie, he is good for about 5 or 6 runs over 5 innings, that's enough to get pitchers waived or relegated to the bullpen. The same of professional sports, particularly baseball, is that will never happen because of his salary. The Yanks need to do somehting with him. If this continues, I think they should do something that involves him not making any more starts until he fixes something. Obviously with Chacon down this is hard to do, but once he returns I would strongly consider benching Johnson. I would hope the Yanks can find someone to nurse them through 5 or 6 innings and keep them in a game, which is more than what Johnson is doing. Moose keeps going strong, although he looked very hittable against the Royals early last night, but bounced back. Wang needs to be more consistent but has shown flashes, Wright has been surprisingly good but let's see if he can avoid getting hit with another line drive.

Bullpen
Out in the bullpen, everyone that says Rivera is a problem has it all wrong. The problem is getting to Mo. Everytime Rivera comes into a jam in the 8th that is the problem. Sometimes Torre has way too quick of a trigger finger, but like the saying goes you never get fired for going with your best. I am very high on Scott Proctor but he has been roughed up this week in Boston and last night against KC, after some strong outings at Shea. His biggest problem is the old bases on balls. Explain how you walk the two guys batting ahead of Ortiz and Ramirez in Boston. It's obviously easier said then done, but come on here thats a big spot and bad performance. And Farnsworth is not much better, some nights he is a world-beater and other nights here comes Joe calling on Mariano to bail the Yanks out of a Farnsworth mess. The more that happens, the less of a chance the Yanks have in the long run. And what happened to Ron Villone being a big off-season pickup? He hardly gets in outside of mop-up duty. I expected to see him in some big 7th inning spots.

Bright Side
Jeter reached 2000 career hits last night with one of those classic swinging bunts that didn't even reach the pitchers mound. But what says the most about Derek is that on the first pitch after getting a standing O for the milestone hit, he takes off and steals third and in turn helps the Yanks get on the board. That's Jeter in a nutshell. Then there is A-Rod, a whole other story for another day.

By the way, is Manny still watching that homer sail out of Fenway? And a better question, can someone please knock him on his rearend after that. I don't care who hits it, don't let anyone show up one of your teammates like that. I'm surprised Torre didn't go do something himself. Do you think Frank Robinson would have stood for that? And Manny, come on, run for christ sake.

The Mets at a Glance

2006-05-27T10:47:00.000-04:00

Well the Mets at least gave the illusion that they fixed, or tried to fix, their pitching problems this week. Unfortunately, if you think El Duque Hernandez and Mike Williams are answers than I must have the wrong questions. The Mets need to go out and make a splash right now. They have a chance to put the ka-boosh on the rest of this division right now. 2 of 3 from the Yanks then the Phils, sporting a 6-game lead with Pedro and Glavine holding down the fort, now is could be the time to just put this out of reach. Zito may not be the answer, and I can't tell who is available and who is the answer. But its not El Duque, the same guy who could not get anyone out in Arizona. Could a Kelvim Escobar be available? Or perhaps one of the Twins pitchers, with each each of those teams floundering? Maybe Zito, but only if the price is right. THe last think they need is another Scott Kazmir popping up on another team in 5 years. Speaking of Kazmir, wouldn't that be a great fit right now...

On the field, last night aside, the Mets keep giving off that feeling that this might be one of those special years. One of the '86 Mets years, or those '96 Yankees years. Late inning heroics time and time again. And while its too early to proclaim it a turnaround, let me be the first to say that one Carlos Beltran has stepped up quite a bit and carried the team at times. Even threw in some late inning hits.

A comment on the bullpen if I may. I don't care if you are up 4 runs, 1 run, 8 runs, or down by 10, if the manager puts you in to pitch you go in and get guys out. I can't stand baseball players that think they are above certain situations. Come on Wagner, its the Yanks, a shutout, national TV...is that a problem. Not your situation. And don't give me this Willie should have left Sanchez in to start the 9th since it wasn't a save situation. My next beer is going to be a toast to the day when the save situation does not dictate the manager's pitching decisions.

I leave with this...lay off Willie....he is doing fine, not perfect, but he is going to be fine.

Call the Infirmary

2006-05-22T06:57:00.000-04:00

We have reached the point where I think it takes SUzyn Waldman requires more than a half inning for the injury report on the radio. Coming into the season it was Pavano and Dotel, neither of whom I was connecting on for anything other than a mid-season suprise boost. Then came Sheffield, arguably there biggest RBI threat but with so many other big boppers a few weeks without Sheff is manageable. Then Matsui. The rock, probably the most steady producer in the lineup outside of Jeter. The same guy who everyone said should take a day off instead of keeping that ridiculous games played streak (I was all over that one myself)...gone for the year. Trot out an outfield of Bubba Crosby, Melky Cabrera, and an over the hill Bernie for a few days then you start worrying.

Now it's Damon with the foot, Posada with the back, Pavano officially gone, Sturtze shelved for good, though some could argue that may be for the better the way he pitched. And the list goes on. More importantly, what to do?

First before doing anything rash, Posada should be back shortly and unless they are hiding something Sheffield is also back with two weeks or so. Damon is not seriously injured and he is going to play unless something changes. At that point the lineup, while not at its best, is more than sufficient to win. Cano has really stepped up, and there is not much better than Jeter, Giambi, Sheff, and A-Rod in the middle of the lineup.

Now, as for the pitching, HELP!! Pavano is definitely gone, so no more pipe dreams or excuses that we're just waiting for him to get here. For Jaret Wright, it's just a matter of time I think. Johnson is a whole other discussion (see Subway Series blog). The bullpen is spotty outside of Proctor-Farnsworth-Rivera, or what we hope those three are.

Bottom line, the Yanks can't panic and start making trades for the Reggie Sanders of the world at this point. Maybe they should not even trade for pitching quite yet, but I think they need to bide their time, save their chips, and if they make a move grab a pitcher. Never thought I'd say this, but ROGER that?

Tough Week on the Diamond in the Big Apple

2006-05-14T23:51:00.000-04:00

Yankees
When the Yankees send out a starting OF of Melky Cabrera, Bubba Crosby, and an old Bernie Williams, you know its either 1990 again or there is a problem. Will they hold pat? I think they should, at least until we know more about Sheffield. Force the pitchers to step up. If they need help, give Kevin Thompson a shot from AAA, or god forbid try to play some small ball with a faster, slap hitting lineup.
Speaking of the Yanks pitching, stick a fork in Johnson. The Big Bomb is pitching like someone with around a 6 ERA. The fastball is not overpowering, the slider does not have the bite it used to, and the biggest problem is the location is not there. Sometimes players just go bad at a certain age and lose it, this could be it for RJ. I saw this coming, not that I'm always right since I thought the same thing about Pedro, but I still can't see investing #1 starter money in a 40+ year old with some injury history and lots of innings on the arm.
In the bullpen, someone finally stopped the bleeding with Tanyan Sturtze by putting him on the DL. Aaron Small may be on his way down that path as well. Thank god for Scotty Proctor. He is the guy they needed, along with Fransworth, so that Mo Rivera does not not to come in during the 8th inning every night. Now if they could get a lefty complement...

Mets
The Mets may want to try sneaking a DH into the lineup if they intend on running Jose Lima and Jeremi Gonzalez out to the mound. This proves that you don't trade two serviceable major league caliber starting pitchers unless you have a good amount of depth. Very rarely does any team avoid any pitching injuries. Clearly the Mets thought they had depth somewhere and threw all these names at us, but now they we're seeing that none of the young guns are ready for the majors and they won't go to the wild card, Aaron Heilman.

Bring It...

2006-05-14T23:17:00.000-04:00

Quick Hits...

NBA
Vince Carter is NOT an elite player. He's only had a few chances to prove it (re: Game 7 vs. Philly during his belated-college graduation) but time and again he has shown that in a big spot, like his buddy Kobe, Carter will either lay a dud or even if he manages to drop 40 or so he find a way to be detrimental to the team in a loss. Give me Rip Hamilton any day of the week.

Detroit is the team to beat. They have to bounce back after the Game 3 loss, but I think they asserted their authority over Cleveland at home in the first two games....Can Round Two be any worse, especially after the first round excitement... Was that Dallas playing sturdy defense against the defending champs. Watch out, if they can hold the Spurs down like they did in Game 3 and show up with their top offensive game they will head right to the Finals.

On Larry Brown...he did a terrible job this year both in coaching and handling the team. With that said, this debacle is not only his fault. Its not easy to put together a championship team, but I think it may be harder to put together this bad a mix of basketball players. No point guards, 8 shooting guards, guys that hate each other, rookies that the coach won't play, and lots of overpaid, unperforming players. Now thats waht I call an accomplishment. When you play this bad there is plenty of blame to go around...its like Christmas dinner, you can pass blame around the table to Isiah, Larry, Dolan, Starbury, other players, and still have leftovers after it gets around the table. They just need a total overhaul. Unfortunately it does not happen overnight and I would hope that we've reached the point where everyone is on a short leash. Interesting to see what happens. I say, start overhauling this roster and soon.

First Round in the Books

2006-05-07T15:19:00.000-04:00

The NBA looked somewhat smart for making the first round of the playoffs a 7-game suaree thanks to all the excitement it generated. Still, they should stick with the 5-game set. Look at the second round matchups, my point exactly. They are exactly what everyone predicted. No upsets. No cinderella teams. If it had been 5 games, maybe the Lakers sneak through or the Kings find a way.

With that said, LeBron and Arenas conducted a classic 1 on 1 battle throughout the series. There have not been many individual performers opposite each other that played at this high a level, especially with their teams relying on them this much. It had everything, game-winners, highlight reel plays, big stat sheets, etc. But before we go too far, LeBron is not becoming the next Jordan just based on this series. It was the first round, it was the Wizards, another words it is not enough.

Out West, the Lakers and Suns went at it, and it got nasty. Should Raja Bell have been suspended? Tough call, but I would have liked to see the league suspend him if the foul was on someone other than Kobe. Glad the Suns pulled it out though. Kobe showed his true colors in Game 6 and 7, being an individualist in the first then downright failing his team in the 7th. And whose Lakers team was that a few years ago? That's right, Shaq!

Some words of wisdom, watch out for Detroit. They flew under the radar (a 6:30 start time one night) while LeBron got the pub. Now the well-oiled machine will take charge. They have to be the favorites without a doubt. Rest assured LeBron will not put up the numbers he did against Washington without an insane effort. The Pistons can D-up and Prince is a tough matchup. Out west, San Antonio looked extremely vulnerable against a game Kings team. But, like the Yankees of the late '90's, don't count them out until they are dead. They are great on their own court, have a bunch of proven PLAYOFF performers, a great coach, all the ingredients. One way or another look for the winner of that series with Dallas to head to the Finals.
Now it may be time to pay attention...Round 2.

Overrated, Overrated...

2006-05-04T09:21:00.000-04:00

Another one of those great "player polls" was published earlier this week by Sports Illustrated about who is the most over-rated player in the majors. Top 3...Jeter, Beltran, A-Rod. All play in NY, all have big contracts. Is it surprising? Jeter is a little surprising since it was a player poll, maybe the fans I could see it. The other two are not shocking, but still not necessarily deserving.

First off all, if I may be a bit philosophical, exactly what rating is this based on to which we are saying these players are over-rated? The obvious answer is salary. There are high expectations that come with their contracts. But if that's the case how come Bernie Williams was not considered over-rated last year when he made a boat load of money and produced hardly anything. The same can be said for a number of athletes who sign long term contracts which end when they are in their late 30's and no longer produce at the rate which warranted the contract. How about Grant Hill? Was he overrated? When he played he didn't earn a dime on the dollar of that contract. I am a huge Grant Hill fan and everyone knows it was injuries, but if we base over/under rating solely on money, then he was overrated?

A second reason, most pertinent to Jeter, is that people rate a player based on their power numbers. Jeter is not a power hitter, never pretended to be one and never will be. But what about the clutch hitting, the 200 hits and .300 average every season, the moving runners over and base running skills that go larely unnoticed but manufacture a mountain of critical runs. What about the defense? Jeter is much better than the ridiculous sabemetrician measurable fielding stats show, and both A-Rod and Beltran are gold glove caliber.

Personally, I think some of those power hitters that strikeout a bunch, can't play defense, and don't run are the real OVER-rated players. At this point, Barry Bonds fits into that category. What about Tejada? Great player, trmendous hitter, but are you going to tell me you take him over Jeter for your team? Come on, when did Jeter complain about contracts and request trades? Yeah, he was taken care of, but not until after A-ROd and Nomar's first contract. And can you remind me the last time Tejada got a big hit when it mattered? He did get a chance for a few consecutive years with Oakland, did he not?

This argument can clearly barrel on for quite some time, but one more question...what about pitchers? Has Josh Beckett proven to be as good as advertised yet? Well, I saw the 2003 World Series but he is hyped as one of the best and he still has yet to win 15 games in a season. Wood and Prior? No debating the arms and talent, but they are overrated given the production on the field. Closers as a whole, with the exception of Rivera, are way overhyped. They get 3 outs, 3 stinkin outs, mostly with 2 or 3 run cushions against what can often be an already beaten team. Even spot started straigt from Double-A can do that without a problem. Come on.

But I'll go toe to toe with anyone on this...prove to me that Jeter is overrated.

I'm A Convert...

2006-05-03T17:01:00.000-04:00

Totally against the Johnny Damon signing. Old player, overpaid..against the way things should be done. Then came Saturday...

Damon hist a few homers, a few hits, RBI's, etc. after a great defensive start to the season. But it's the at-bat after all that which caught my attention. Damon pops out in the 8th inning. Second baseman drops it,which happens maybe once or twice a season. Where is Damon? In the batter's box like most players? Trotting to first then heading to the dugout? No, how about standing on second base! That won me over. That's Paul O'Neill. That's hustle. This is someone we can root for!

Johnny Be Good

2006-05-03T14:05:00.000-04:00

It may be too early to get excited about Yankees-Red Sox, or maybe its never too early to get excited even when they seemingly play almost every other week. But this week the game, the standings, the pitching matchups, were all secondary. The talk...how would Boston fan's treat Johnny Damon in his return to Beantown after crossing the boundaries?

I'm usually the type who says the media is blowing this out of proportion and who cares, but as a sports fan I always get a thrill out of the moment, a lot of which is created by fan reaction at a game. The lineup introductions at the All-Star game and game one of the World Series, or better yet a curtain call after game-changing homerun...and there goes that tingling sensation up my back. So I clearly have a stance on this issue, since I think it creates the moment which is what sports, especially live sports, is all about.

If I'm a Sox fan, Damon gets booed. No doubt about it. First of all, he was on the team for 4 years, otherwise known as two less than his Royals tenure, and it's not like he was Big Papi carrying the load. I know it's not how long, but which 4 years. The other thing, Damon could have stayed if he wanted to make a few dollars less which I think he could have afforded. To boot, it's the Yankees and that's the real kicker. BOO!!! (fill in other expletives from Landsdowne Street)...and deservedly so.

Paul O'Neill, Bernie, Mattingly, Rivera..I don't even think they would answer the phone in Boston called. They are YANKEES. Damon clearly was not a BOSTONIAN. That's one thing the Sox don't have that the Yankees do, players that bleed for the team. Maybe Wakefield and Varitek from this generation with Big Papi getting close, and that's it.

And yes Damon did get Boo'd. And yes Big Papi wound up delivering the killer blow. Could have predicted it from a mile away. And I bet everyone in that stadium on Monday night will remember "the moment".

Runaway Train

2006-05-02T07:06:00.000-04:00

One week after a disappointing outing in their first suaree with Atlanta this season, the Mets rolled through the House that Ted Turner built (with some help from the Olympics) like they never have and then, probably even MORE impressive, they received a great starting pitching outing from none other than Victor Zambrano. The same Victor Zambrano who Mets fans were about to throw off the Williamsburg Bridge a week ago. Maybe something special is brewing exactly 20 years later.

The NL East is a very winnable division. Maybe it won't even take 90 wins. The Mets can take advantage of one more week of beating up on the division. They succees and we may very well be looking at an 8-10 game lead before May 10th. They still probably need another reliable started and reliever to avoid an inevitable down spell. But the more I watch them, the more I think they can do this.

Why is the draft such a big deal?

2006-04-30T08:11:00.000-04:00

It's already been almost a day since Houston pulled one of the biggest upset's in recent draft day history and they still have no win's to show for it. Appalling! You mean one of the most-hyped and talked about decisions pay's absolutely no immediate dividend's? My point being that the rest of the media spend way too much time analyzing these draft day decisions and not so much analyzing what's actually important, the real impact of the decisions on the field, one year, three years, or even 10 years later.

Explain how Reggie Bush went from the consensus, head-and-shoulders first-pick in the draft at the end of the season to getting passed up...without playing any games in between. And better yet, his USC teammate Matt Leinart goes from being the possible top pick and a definite top-3 pick in LAST year's draft to dropping like a rock all the way to 10th. By the way, in the time between the last year and this year all Leinart did was lead his team to a third straight National Championship game with an undefeated regular season, and within 2 minutes of another title. I guess it's clear why Leinart dropped so much...he performed great on the field over the course of the entire season and didn't wow scouts for the handful of throws and sprints they watch at the combines. Can someone remind me what the goal of an NFL team is? Best combine team? Lowest average 40-yard dash team?

Without having the tools, time, or staff at my disposal to do the research, it seem's that the best draft strategy is not to make the one big-name splash on draft day, but to stock pile a handful of low-risk, high-reward players at position's of need. Less glitz leads to more glamour. When was the last time the New England Patriots were the most talked about team on draft day, or made some unbelievably bold move (see signing on Mario Williams or trading the mother load for Ricky Williams) that left everyone talking. How about the Colts, the last time they were part of the hype it was for selecting Peyton Manning first over Ryan Leaf. And when you consider that, they had the first pick, held it, took the consensus first pick (no matter what you say about Ryan Leaf coming out, Manning was still the easy pick), and went on with their business. Year after year they made their pick, no hoopla, no huge trades, and went on with their business. Next thing you know, regular season power and playoff contender. What about the Steelers or the Eagles? Less press on draft day leads to more press come play-off time.

My theory on the draft is to go with the lower risk players early in the draft, try to make a quiet steal in one of the less-discussed but often beneficial later rounds, and don't trade the house to move up. The highest percentage of successful high draft picks seem to be linemen, particularly offensive. Clearly not the glamour pick, but it's usually someone that can be plugged in immediately and usually be a stalwart for 10-12 years. The other high draft pick strategy I'm in favor of is the talented player who drops for unbeknownst reasons. Sometimes its valid, like the kid doesn't have his head on straight, or may have injury problems. But other times its a story about his past, or his combine workouts, or maybe NFL scout's didn't like his selections in the NCAA tournament. Who knows? Yesterday it was Leinart, baded on arm strength questions, dropping into the hands of Arizona. Great pick. Years back it was Dan Marino and Warren Sapp falling based on reports of drug use that were clearly blown out of proportion like the discussion of many of these players. The other part of the strategy is be very careful when taking a big-name, skill position player. Make sure you really, really like the guy for the right reasons. For every John Elway there are two Ryan Leaf's, and three Joey Harrington's between every Peyton Manning.

The other part of my strategy is to pay attention to the guys you take later in round 1 and in rounds 2-4. That's where the best VALUE is. How many of today's starting wide receivers or quarterbacks were top 10 selections? I don't have the number handy, but the point is there are a ton of Tom Brady's, Matt Hasselbeck's, Drew Brees', Steve Smith's, and Hines Ward's out there? No talk on draft day, big talk when it matters. Nobody talks about the guy you passed up that year when you took fill-in the blank, or who the pick's you traded to take so and so with turned out to be.

Maybe it's way too conservative and maybe I'm way off. But I just think that this has turned too much into an imprecise science based on unsubstantiated numbers, rather than an evaluation of talent and determination of which player's will help a team win games. The hype is mostly media driven like so many other things nowadays. In the end, the best pick's seem to turn out being the same guys who were either the best during college, whether it be pure talent or team player. Go for the big hitter in free agency. Salary cap's are tight in the NFL, it seems like a better strategy to use a higher percentage on proven NFL commodities and players you have nurtured and spreading the rest of the wealth across a lot of low risk players.

Case in point, a great ESPN.com article on the biggest draft busts: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=schoenfield/060427

Yanks Bounce Back, Mets Get Bounced

2006-04-24T22:19:00.000-04:00

Home Cookin'
All's well that ends well probably sums up the weekend at the Stadium. It sure started rough with yet another terrible Chien-Ming Wang outing and a comeback attempt halted in the 9th with the bat on Matsui's shoulder. But the Yanks recovered with two solid pitching outings and the Yankees expected offensive performance against weak pitching teams, where they just wear them into submission.
First off, is it time to start worrying about Wang? Outside of the start in Minnesota he has been terrible. There were definitely some questions about his health beading into the year. Could that be it or is it just a slow start or is he just not as good as we thought? Most people figured the Yanks could count on him for 15 wins this year, and were more worried about Johnson and Mussina. I actually thought 15 may have been under-selling him, so far...not quite. If that ball don't start sinking, the Yanks may be in trouble, given that great pitching depth they have with Jaret Wright and Carl Pavano.
Wang was a little easier to stomach after Chacon and Johnson rebounded from their respective awful outings to post solid games over the weekend. And perish the thought, Johnson actually pitched well with Posada behind the plate. The way Torre has made the lineup out the past two years and how you hear the situation analyzed I almost thought Johnson may refuse to take the mound with Posada in the game, never mind throw a gem. Maybe it proves how much (or how little) a catcher means to one particular pitcher if he's good enough for all the other guys.
Giambia for MVP??!!!?? And just think it's almost the one year anniversary of the Yanks asking him to become the most expensive AAA player ever. My how times change. You don't think he might be back on the...nah, nevermind.

Pedro or Bust
So everytime he takes the mound Pedro proves more wrong, again and again, by dominating without an over-powering fastball. Petey had the Padres looking like a bunch of Little Leaguers seeing their first breaking balls. Some of them could have used crutches to get to the dugout after the way their knees buckled.
One problem...apparently Pedro can't pitch everyday. And the problem gets magnified when Victor Zambrano has to pitch one of those days. How's that Scott Kazmir trade look now? It was bad at the time, and it just continues to get worse. If that trade came across my desk two years ago I would have first thought it was a joke, second tried to figure out what Dan Duquette (Mets GM) was thinking, or better yet smoking, at the time, then wondered if it was legal to allow such a lopsided trade to actually go through. And two years later it just keeps looking worse. Aaron Heilman anyone?? Hey, even Jorge Julio seems to be a better option at this time.

Early Weekend Wrap

2006-04-23T22:55:00.000-04:00

We still have not reached May yet, which means the NBA and NHL playoffs haven't really started. The next few weeks, and yes it actually takes a few weeks to play just one round, should count more as a qualifier for the real playoffs since it seems that half the league makes it in. Are these professional leagues or intramural sports where everyone gets rewarded for particiaption. Come back in Round 2...just don't expect to see the Rangers there.

55 Million Reasons to Worry
It started as a chance for the Blue Jays to make their mark in the AL East race against the two incumbents after a big off-season. After pounding Randy Johnson, the Jays were about to send one of their prized off-season acquistions, pitcher AJ Burnett, to the hill to open a weekend set with the Sox. And if I were to tell you they got to one of Bostons co-ace's, Burnett's fellow former Marlin Josh Beckett, and that Toronto would take home a win, Jay's fans would have to be happy.
But did we mention that AJ Burnett left the game early with yet another injury, sending him to the DL for the second time in this young season. Burnett's stuff has never been questioned. As for his attitude and durability...no comment. That's why this comes as no surprise.
Toronto made a huge splash in the off-season, throwing a ton of money at Burnett, BJ Ryan, Troy Glaus, and Lyle Overbay, looking to catapult into the AL elite with Boston and NY. Given their recent history, city, and budget, there was no question they needed to overpay to attract free agents. But I thought they went a little more high risk, high reward then they needed to. Ryan was unproven in big spots heading into the season and Burnett had exhibited enough of a downside to be a potential problem. While Ryan has worked out thus far, throwing up nothing but zeroes, Burnett has not and Toronto may be in trouble. Throw in the fact that Josh Towers and Gustavo Chacin have been less than impressive soon, and Burnett's injury really hampers the Jays pitching. If they plan to be in the mix, one thing Toronto can't afford is to fall too far behind in the early going. Hate to say it, but we told you so.

Around the League
Not too long after being allegedly "washed up", Greg Maddux is off to his best start since 2000 with an ERA harder to find than a contact lens on the floor. He was so good today the only thing St. Louis hitters could do to slow him down was ask the umpires to check the ball. I guess they needed to make sure the ball was still white. I thought it was very bush league. It's not like Gaylord Perry was on the mound. Instead of complaining and trying to point the finger, how about hitting...Is it me or are the White Sox posting another win behind a sterling starting pitching performance every time you look up? Today it was Cuban and Yankee refugee Jose Contreras going to 3-0, following up Garcia and Buerhle on a 3-game sweep of the Twins to run the win streak to 8. Seems so easy, especially when you only give up 7 runs all week. Dare I say, repeat?...No, Barry Bonds does not warrant any comment...

Mets and Yanks commentary to come...

Not Quite

2006-04-22T18:45:00.000-04:00

Just a quick hit, due to time restrictions:

Well, I guess the Braves are not going to roll over and die...contrary to some Met fans beliefs. With Chipper Jones on the mend, his understud of the same surname filled in as the prime villain in this on-going drama. You have to give credit to Andruw Jones, but I hate when a team lets one player beat them when he is clearly the only guy on the the other side that you don't want to beat you. The Mets let Jones do that...the consequence, a halt to the early season momentum they had going.

Wed - Is baseball more competitive than we think?

2006-04-22T11:24:00.000-04:00

Baseball has been perceived as the poster child for what happens when a sport does not implement a hard-salary caps and a good revenue sharing plan. Competitive balance supposedly does not exist. Basically the season starts every April, and you can all but guarantee that come October you'll be seeing the Yankees play in primetime, watching afternoon playoff baseball at historic Fenway Park, talking about how the Braves blew another postseason serious...and on the other side of the token the Royals, Pirates, Tigers, Devil Rays, Brewers, maybe the Marlins (depending on the year of course) and a handful of others will be in full tee-time mode preparing for the draft.

Some of this is clearly true, the trends are there. While they have made some strides in the revenue-sharing area and salary-cap area, it's been sort of half-hearted due to the power of the union. There always seems to be a caveat...big market and small market teams share revenue, but nothing forces the small market teams to actually use it to get better...there is a tax imposed when teams eclipse the "salary-cap", but the problem is solved simply by throwing more money at it and paying the tax. Clearly there are tons of ideas to solve this, some of which I agree with and some of which I don't.

How many times can we hear about how the NFL is the best example of the good things that come from parity. But did anyone notice how many different teams have been in each league's respective Final Four in the past 5 or 6 years. Somehow, the non-disparate, no salary-cap, too many teams have no shot league has produced more different teams in the LCS than football has in their Conference Championship games, and any other sport in their final two playoff rounds for that matter (according to Elias).

So for every Royals there has been a White Sox team that nobody saw coming, and an Angels or Marlins making a nice run. While baseball clearly has a long way to go, the other sports aren't necessarily doing that much better, if at all. Chew on that the next time the Yanks sweep the Royals.

Tuesday - The "New" Mets

2006-04-22T11:23:00.000-04:00

It sounds so cliche-ish, the old its a big game or must win situation, especially when its only April in baseball season. But this was huge for the Mets. Off to a great start, catching their nemesis for the last 15 years at their most vulnerable, at home, with their Ace on the hill. And they delivered.

Pedro can't dominate like he used to. The high-90's fastball and devastating change-up are things of the past, but one thing he'll always have until they cart him off the field is the old flair for the dramatic. Not overpowering last night, he was just real solid, and given the situation, one could say great.

Some observations...Who is Chris Shelton, the next Shane Spencer or Kevin Maas that plows onto the scene one year and falls into oblivion, or is this Carlos Delgado breaking out with a huge April and making his mark as a star? One thing's for sure, sell high if he's on your fantasy team...How is Jeff Fassero still pitching and can a team running Fassero out there even be taken seriously?

Weekend Recap - A First

2006-04-16T23:02:00.000-04:00

Although they physically showed up for 3 games, the Yankees continued to somehow manage only playing about half of the time. On the other side of the token, the Mets continued their run as the early season darlings of baseball.

Is it me, or does it seem that the whole Mets lineup is hitting over .300. Today they even worked around both Darren Oliver and Jorge Julio outings in the same game to get the win. Now that's an accomplishment. Great bounce back from yesterday's game, Bannister, who struggled finding the plate while uncorking 112 pitches over 5 innings, held the Brewers lineup in check over the first half of the game to collect his second win. A solid number 5 starter would be a huge stabilizer for the Mets staff. Next up...the Braves, NY's Krptonite. Would be a huge early season boost to grab 2 out of 3 here and exorcise the demons. And as if they needed any more help, one Chipper Jones will be far from the field.

Thank god Wang finally pitched like we all thought he would this year. It seems like whenever someone is not pitching well the injury rumors immediatley start. Two weeks in and all people already had him struggling to come back from the injury last year and looking hurt. Is it ever possible to just not pitch well. Wang was back and forth between decent and awful his first two starts. Today, 8K's over 7 innings. I guess he made a miraculous recovery this week. And thank god, since Jaret Wright appears to be the Yankees answer to Jorge Julio and it appears unlikely that Carl Pavano will take the mound until the next lunar eclipse...Shockingly the Yanks offense posted 9 runs on another day when they didn't need them. Can you teach consistency?

Does Ruben Sierra (called up by Twins) plan on joining Julio Franco in their pursuit of Satchel Paige?....Yankee fans worst nightmares are starting to come to fruition in Beantown, Schilling and Beckett both look the 20-game winners they have been previously. Many looked at the Sox as weaker entering this season, but the one fear I had was if both of them can stay healthy and pitch to their ability. Its only two weeks, but they are both 3-0 with sub-2 ERA's. How long until Big Stein feels the need to counter...Did anyone notice the basketball and hockey playoffs start next week? Probably not, since most of the teams in both leagues are still playing and a month from now they will still seem far from over.

Brief Yankee/Met Observations on Friday Games

2006-04-15T23:00:00.000-04:00

- I go on the record as saying last season was an aberration for TOm Glavine. Maybe I was wrong. Since when does he strikeout 11 batters, and this was not exactly a beer league softball lineup. If Pedro and Glavine can dominate, and the bullpen doesn't totally implode ala Jorge Julio...see you in October.

- Not quite exactly the fountain of youth, but Mussina continues to look good enough for what the Yanks need. Unfortunately their offense has not been. Can someone get a big hit, someone please. This first week is the epitomy of why it's better to have a team rather than a collection of overpaid, individualists.

- Here's a mantra I am doomed to repeat all season...When will the Yankees learn that it's not smart to just toss money at journeyman relief pitchers to solidify the bullpen.