This post is not analytical. It is purely emotional and probably an overreaction. With that out of the way, let me say that that this current Huskies team is a total disappointment. I was able to rationalize the earlier loss to Washington St as well as the looses to both UO and OSU - after all, all good teams are bound to hit some rough patches. We recovered and with a little help from around the league, we still had an opportunity to tie for first place. All we had to do was beat WSU, UCLA and USC at home - a place where we were 14-0 this season. In doing so, we would tie UCLA at 13-5 in conference and then hope that UO or OSU beat Arizona.
A nice finish to an up and down season was at our grasp. What seemed like impossible a week ago was now very real. The UCLA game was the obvious showdown game, but before we could take out the Bruins at home we had to return the favor to the Cougs. HOw they did not get the job done is beyond me. I know that the Cougs played zone most of the game. I know that they have a chip on their shoulder when it comes to their cross-state rivals. I know they are trying to play their way into the tournament. I know all of that...and yet still, this was a game the Huskies should have won. I don't care about the zone when we are at home. No matter what defense is being thrown at us, we should be able to play good defense, create turnovers and hang in there long enough for our shooters to start knocking down shots. Oh, and of course, we should be able to feed of the crowd's energy.
None of that happened last night as the Cougs held the nation's second leading scoring team to 17 points at halftime. 17 freaking points. 22% freaking shooting. That is ridiculous. And yet still we were only down by 7. We hung in there. You had to figure things would get better in the second half. On offense they did, but on defense they didn't. Next thing I looked an they were down by 19. How does that happen? How do we lose to Washington St twice in one year?
The answer is quite simple to me: Romar has again assembled an uber-talented squad but they simply have no spine. This was supposed to be the most talented of the recent UW teams, which is saying something considering they lost Jon Brockman and Quincy Pondexter the past two years, yet they appear to be lacking that driving force that makes teams win even on their worst days. Isaiah tries to be that guy, but at the end of the day, he is 5'8" guard who likes to shoot too much when things are going bad. For all the talk of how MBA has matured and increased his play, he always leaves me wanting more. Unless they can find a can of mental strength at Trader Joe's (they have everything, right??) in the next two weeks, they are not going anywhere come tourney time.
I am fully aware that they will probably shut me up by winning the Pac-10 tournament. They can get hot and plow through three opponents in three days (unless of course WSU finishes 6 in the conference and matches up with them in the 1st round). In a way though, that might be the worst result as it would lead all fans to think they can make some noise come tourney time. Bottom line is they are not getting past the Sweet 16. Maybe they can overpower some of the smaller teams, but their is no way a Big East or Big Ten doesn't handle them in the Regional Semi's. I wish I didn't have to say it, but after watching the abomination last night, I simply can't have that blind faith again.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Devils Reality Check
You see, this is the problem with putting all your hope into what the Devils are trying to pull off. They put themselves in such a huge hole that they needed to be nearly perfect in order to get out of it. I have given the facts numerous times on JerseySounder - even though we were 16-1-2 in the previous 19, we still needed to go 16-6 in their last 22 to get to 88 points.
Against all odds, the Devils kept on winning and somehow made me think it was possible. I didn't want to believe that they could do it, but I did. And then it happened - the Lightning shut down the Devils offense and won 2-1. It was only one loss - normally not enough to cause panic, but again, when you have to be nearly perfect, one loss can hurt. Couple that with the fact that Carolina, Florida and Buffalo all won and it was enough to put a dent in my hopes. It was probably the reality check that I needed, I just wish it hasn't come so soon after I went all in.
Against all odds, the Devils kept on winning and somehow made me think it was possible. I didn't want to believe that they could do it, but I did. And then it happened - the Lightning shut down the Devils offense and won 2-1. It was only one loss - normally not enough to cause panic, but again, when you have to be nearly perfect, one loss can hurt. Couple that with the fact that Carolina, Florida and Buffalo all won and it was enough to put a dent in my hopes. It was probably the reality check that I needed, I just wish it hasn't come so soon after I went all in.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Friday Morning Five-Pack
It's freaking cold here in Seattle this morning. Here is a Friday morning five-pack of sports goodness to get ya going.
- There is a very interesting situation in the Patriot League this weekend. Bucknell, who recently clinched the regular season title with a 12-1 record, will host last place Army this weekend and then turn around and host them again in the first round of the PL tournament the following week. It would appear on paper to be a big mismatch, except for one thing...when the Bison went up to West Point they got it handed to them in a 90-70 loss, their only conference blemish to date. So what do the Bison do? Do they rest their starters and go vanilla on Army? Or do they come out and destroy the Cadets for the earlier loss knowing that Army will have a 'practice' game against them before the tourney starts? To me, it's simple. Don't stop your momentum - kick the crap out of them on Saturday and then turn around and do it again. They are vastly superior to the Cadets and they need to show it.
- One of my favorite sports topics is race. It's not something I blog about much because frankly, it's a subject that no one knows how/wants to talk about. The fact is that while no one wants to admit it, race still plays an integral role in all sports, as it does society. My favorite writer on the subject, Jason Whitlock had Buzz Bissinger on his podcast to discuss Bissinger's recent comments about whites not watching the NBA. Take a listen if you have some time.
- A lot of trades before yesterday's NBA trade deadline. I won't discuss all of them, but three stick out. First, Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson traded to OKC for Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic. Most experts are floored by this trade since Boston essentially weakened their only area of strength over Miami, but I really have to wonder if Perkins is fully recovered from his injury. It will be interesting to see what he is moving forward, because if he is completely back, OKC may be the best in the West. As far as Nate goes, you have to believe that deep down he is miserable that he has to play for Clay Bennett, the man who stole his NBA team. Second, Baron Davis shipped to Cleveland for Mo Williams. Simply put, the Clippers actually did something smart. While Baron has shown signs of life lately, he remains a cancer; it was only time before he brought the lockerroom down. Finally, in a non-trade, Memphis' trade of OJ Mayo to Indiana did not beat the deadline. There have been definite character questions surrounding Mayo in the past, so you have to wonder how he will take the news, knowing that he is basically a lame duck in Memphis. How do the Grizz move on with this over their heads? Very interesting.
- The Sounders continue to train in Florida with nothing more than blog posts and the daily video to keep fans up to date. Obviously it's hard to form any opinions on who looks good and who doesn't, but I get the general sense that Sigi is not happy with Blaise and that he loves both rookie goalies. They currently have between 32-34 players in camp which means Sigi will need to cut some people before the March 1 deadline. I see Noonan and either Scott/Graham being cut along with one of the keepers, Johnathon Prieto and unfortunately Lamar Neagle. Again, these are based on nothing more than speculation on my part.
- Finally, I am quietly becoming very excited for the Mets season. New manager Terry Collins has brought a lot of energy to camp (hopefully he can keep it up in the dog-days of July) and the constant upbeat reporting of Matt Cerone of metsblog.com has me starting to dream of a special season. Right now I think the most interesting parts of camp is who will win the 2nd base job between Daniel Murphy, Brad Emaus and Luis Castillo; whether Izzy can make the team and the bullpen; who will be the 5th starter and whether Beltran and Bay can bounce back and have big years.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
D-Will Reality Check
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Deron Williams for providing me with a much-needed reality check. You see, after news broke that he was coming to Jersey, I had all these crazy thoughts of making a run at the playoffs. Sure, I pretended that I could think objectively. I said that "they still have a ways to go", but really that was only to keep up the charade that I am an objective thinker. Really I just wanted to sing to the masses that we got D-Will and we got him for less than we offered for Melo. D-will is a real, legitimate superstar...something we have lacked since Jason Kidd lost the will to live because he was forced to play with Vince Carter...and something that will turn the fortunes of this franchise around. I was giddy.
And then today the obvious happened: D-Will committed his next year and a half to ... waiting and see what happens. He expressed initial concern over the trade, noting that "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous about a team that was 17-40." Then when asked about signing an extension, he said "It all depends on how the next year goes...It's going to be a tough situation and it's going to be a tough year. There's so much that can go on between now and 2012 to even really discuss it. I won't know what I'm going to do until then." It was a nice reminder that even though we have him for the next year and a half, there is no guarantee that he will stick around for the long haul.
So what does that mean in the short term? Well, it means that GM Billy King has a LOT of work to do to show D-Will that he should stick around. The biggest asset that the franchise is obviously the brand new arena and new identity in Brooklyn. That is an easy way to get rid of the stink, but at the end of the day, they will still need to win games. That means King is going to have to be perfect with all his moves; after all this team is a year removed from 70 losses and will be lucky to avoid 55 this year.
Let's look at the current roster. Brook Lopez and Anthony Morrow should not be moved. Jordan Farmar, Travis Outlaw and Johan Petro are unfortunately signed to long-term deals. Sasha Vujacic and Kris Humphries are free-agents at the end of the year. Damion James and Brandon Wright are wild cards. Stephen Graham and Quinton Ross are useless. They have a lot of cap room and several draft picks so there is a lot of room to grow. The problem is that the 2011 free agency class is weak (Nene, David West, Zach Randolph) as is the 2011 Draft class.
If they are going to improve for the long-term they will need to spend their money wisely to add guys who fit the image of the team and are overlooked by the rest of the league. Then they will need to find a way to get rid of the terrible contracts handed to Outlaw, Farmar and Petro. The problem is that every team in the league knows how terrible those contracts are. There is no way that they give the Nets anything of significance unless they include Morrow in any trade.
I don't know how likely it is that he will be able to pull of any of the above. We may just need to hope that the Brookie Monster comes back, that Anthony Morrow learns how to do something beside shoot and that Damion James develops in 2011-2012. Oh, and one other thing - Deron Williams will need to take his player option of roughly $18 million for 2012-2013 and he will need to convince himself to stay in Brooklyn and then convince Dwight Howard to move North and not West.
And then today the obvious happened: D-Will committed his next year and a half to ... waiting and see what happens. He expressed initial concern over the trade, noting that "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous about a team that was 17-40." Then when asked about signing an extension, he said "It all depends on how the next year goes...It's going to be a tough situation and it's going to be a tough year. There's so much that can go on between now and 2012 to even really discuss it. I won't know what I'm going to do until then." It was a nice reminder that even though we have him for the next year and a half, there is no guarantee that he will stick around for the long haul.
So what does that mean in the short term? Well, it means that GM Billy King has a LOT of work to do to show D-Will that he should stick around. The biggest asset that the franchise is obviously the brand new arena and new identity in Brooklyn. That is an easy way to get rid of the stink, but at the end of the day, they will still need to win games. That means King is going to have to be perfect with all his moves; after all this team is a year removed from 70 losses and will be lucky to avoid 55 this year.
Let's look at the current roster. Brook Lopez and Anthony Morrow should not be moved. Jordan Farmar, Travis Outlaw and Johan Petro are unfortunately signed to long-term deals. Sasha Vujacic and Kris Humphries are free-agents at the end of the year. Damion James and Brandon Wright are wild cards. Stephen Graham and Quinton Ross are useless. They have a lot of cap room and several draft picks so there is a lot of room to grow. The problem is that the 2011 free agency class is weak (Nene, David West, Zach Randolph) as is the 2011 Draft class.
If they are going to improve for the long-term they will need to spend their money wisely to add guys who fit the image of the team and are overlooked by the rest of the league. Then they will need to find a way to get rid of the terrible contracts handed to Outlaw, Farmar and Petro. The problem is that every team in the league knows how terrible those contracts are. There is no way that they give the Nets anything of significance unless they include Morrow in any trade.
I don't know how likely it is that he will be able to pull of any of the above. We may just need to hope that the Brookie Monster comes back, that Anthony Morrow learns how to do something beside shoot and that Damion James develops in 2011-2012. Oh, and one other thing - Deron Williams will need to take his player option of roughly $18 million for 2012-2013 and he will need to convince himself to stay in Brooklyn and then convince Dwight Howard to move North and not West.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
D-Will to Jersey
I really try not to post while at work, but in light of this morning's stunning news, I couldn't resist. For those who haven't heard by now, All-Star Point Guard Deron Williams has been traded to NJ for Devin harris, Derrick Favors and 2-1st round draft picks. I have been scouring the web over the past week for any info on possible Nets deals and not once did this come up. Simply put, it is shocking. Oh, and I forgot to mention, amazing. I am really really really on board with this trade, even if the prelim reports out of Utah is that D-Will is not happy.
The reasons for my excitement are simple:
I also know that Brook Lopez has digressed this year, but I refuse to give up hope. I think he still has the potential to be the second best center in the league (uh-oh, I just used that word..but at least in this case we have seen it happen as little as two years ago) and I think D-Will's presence will be a gift from heaven. No longer will he need to be the go-to guy. No longer will he be blamed for the team's inefficiency - nope, now he can just go back to being Brook. I still see big things for him. As for the rest of the team, I think Kris Humphries, while not an All-Star, can still be effective in grabbing 10-12 rebounds a game. I also think Anthony Morrow will benefit from having a guard who can get him the ball in situations where he can succeed. And I think it means less minutes for Jordan Farmar who has been a disappointment.
The internet is buzzing with analysis. So far, my favorites is from SI's Zach Lowe. I will post more places to read about the trade as they come in. For now, let me say that I am uber-excited for D-Will and the Nets.
********************
In a totally unrelated note, my boy Jon Brockman pulled down 14 rebounds in 25 minutes (!!) of action last night. Coach Skiles - see what you get when you give the man more minutes!
The reasons for my excitement are simple:
- D-Will is an elite player and arguably the top PG in the game (apologies to Rondo and Rose who I rate slightly lower at this time)
- He still has 1.5 years left on his contract before being a free agent. There is time to convince him that we have a plan and that we will be a contender.
- There is a potential that he could help lure Dwight Howard here in 2012
- We gave up less in acquiring Williams than we would have to get Anthony
- I like D-Will a whole lot more than I ever did Anthony
I also know that Brook Lopez has digressed this year, but I refuse to give up hope. I think he still has the potential to be the second best center in the league (uh-oh, I just used that word..but at least in this case we have seen it happen as little as two years ago) and I think D-Will's presence will be a gift from heaven. No longer will he need to be the go-to guy. No longer will he be blamed for the team's inefficiency - nope, now he can just go back to being Brook. I still see big things for him. As for the rest of the team, I think Kris Humphries, while not an All-Star, can still be effective in grabbing 10-12 rebounds a game. I also think Anthony Morrow will benefit from having a guard who can get him the ball in situations where he can succeed. And I think it means less minutes for Jordan Farmar who has been a disappointment.
The internet is buzzing with analysis. So far, my favorites is from SI's Zach Lowe. I will post more places to read about the trade as they come in. For now, let me say that I am uber-excited for D-Will and the Nets.
********************
In a totally unrelated note, my boy Jon Brockman pulled down 14 rebounds in 25 minutes (!!) of action last night. Coach Skiles - see what you get when you give the man more minutes!
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Sounders Go to the Beach
Since the start of their time in MLS, the Sounders Front Office has set lofty goals. Provide a quality product for the people of the Pacific Northwest. Win games. Win all competitions and tournament they participate in. Become a global name.
If you take a step back, becoming a global name seems like a pipedream. I mean, forget internationally, MLS isn't even an accepted league within the US. How can a team from a league that no one cares about become relevant not only within its borders, but outside its borders? It's a question that requires a lot of attention - frankly something I don't have at this time.
What I do have however is the knowledge that the Sounders have tossed their hat into the beach soccer ring. In what was a very surprising announcement, the Sounders are entering a team into the world's first Beach Soccer Club World Cup which takes place in Brazil from march 20-27. To answer an obvious first question, no they are not sending any of their senior team to Brazil to participate. Instead, they actually participated in a draft that netted them 8 players from 5 different countries (including Switzerland, where I didn't know they had beaches). Click here for the roster. (apparently Plata is our stud...)
Now I have no idea how they will do, but I do know this - a team wearing rave green and supporting our logo will be in a competitive tournament with the likes of Barcelona, AC Milan, Sporting Lisbon, Boca Juniors, Lokimotiv Moscow and three Brazilian clubs - Corinthians, Flamengo and Vasco de Gama. That means that our Sounders beach soccer team has the chance to beat the likes of Barcelona and AC Milan.
Beach soccer may not be well known. Competing in the Club World Cup isn't like competing in Champions League or the World Cup, but it is a competitive tournament that will feature our team and our colors. I don't know if we will be good or not, but if we can be competitive and if we can get some international recognition from fans and press attending the tournament than this will be a successful endeavor. Let's face it - Manchester United was not the most popular team until they started winning and promoting themselves. I don't want to compare the Sounders to United, but how do you think they continue to be successful off the field? They take trips to Asia and the US. They spread their name and their colors for all to see.
For some young soccer players, playing in the US will represent an opportunity they cannot pass up. Look no further than Fredy Montero. No one expected him to stay in the US for more than a year or two, but now at age 24 he has signed a DP contract with Seattle, bought a house and moved his family here. The US might not be Europe, but it isn't Colombia. We were lucky to have had the opportunity to sign him even though we had never played a game. he took a chance and came to Seattle knowing nothing about the team. Future players won't have to take that leap. Along with successive trips to Cental America for Champions League action, creative actions like this will only help to improve our standing within the region. I personally am going to be rooting hard for the new boys in rave green.
For more info on the Club World Cup, click here
For more info on the sport in general, click here
Finally, for highlights from the most recent World Cup, click here
If you take a step back, becoming a global name seems like a pipedream. I mean, forget internationally, MLS isn't even an accepted league within the US. How can a team from a league that no one cares about become relevant not only within its borders, but outside its borders? It's a question that requires a lot of attention - frankly something I don't have at this time.
What I do have however is the knowledge that the Sounders have tossed their hat into the beach soccer ring. In what was a very surprising announcement, the Sounders are entering a team into the world's first Beach Soccer Club World Cup which takes place in Brazil from march 20-27. To answer an obvious first question, no they are not sending any of their senior team to Brazil to participate. Instead, they actually participated in a draft that netted them 8 players from 5 different countries (including Switzerland, where I didn't know they had beaches). Click here for the roster. (apparently Plata is our stud...)
Now I have no idea how they will do, but I do know this - a team wearing rave green and supporting our logo will be in a competitive tournament with the likes of Barcelona, AC Milan, Sporting Lisbon, Boca Juniors, Lokimotiv Moscow and three Brazilian clubs - Corinthians, Flamengo and Vasco de Gama. That means that our Sounders beach soccer team has the chance to beat the likes of Barcelona and AC Milan.
Beach soccer may not be well known. Competing in the Club World Cup isn't like competing in Champions League or the World Cup, but it is a competitive tournament that will feature our team and our colors. I don't know if we will be good or not, but if we can be competitive and if we can get some international recognition from fans and press attending the tournament than this will be a successful endeavor. Let's face it - Manchester United was not the most popular team until they started winning and promoting themselves. I don't want to compare the Sounders to United, but how do you think they continue to be successful off the field? They take trips to Asia and the US. They spread their name and their colors for all to see.
For some young soccer players, playing in the US will represent an opportunity they cannot pass up. Look no further than Fredy Montero. No one expected him to stay in the US for more than a year or two, but now at age 24 he has signed a DP contract with Seattle, bought a house and moved his family here. The US might not be Europe, but it isn't Colombia. We were lucky to have had the opportunity to sign him even though we had never played a game. he took a chance and came to Seattle knowing nothing about the team. Future players won't have to take that leap. Along with successive trips to Cental America for Champions League action, creative actions like this will only help to improve our standing within the region. I personally am going to be rooting hard for the new boys in rave green.
For more info on the Club World Cup, click here
For more info on the sport in general, click here
Finally, for highlights from the most recent World Cup, click here
Melo Saga Over
The Carmelo Anthony saga is finally over. Anthony is going to the Knicks in a deal that also will see Chauncey Billups, Corey Brewer and spare parts going to NY with Raymond Felton, Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Timofey Mozgov and 2 draft picks going to Denver.
All along, the Knicks seemed to be the likely destination. Yes, the Nuggets were deep in discussions with the Nets on several occaisions, but I don't think anyone was fooling themselves into thinking Melo wanted to be with the organization. He never said anything publicly, but had he wanted to be in New Jersey/Brooklyn, he would have been. The Nets deal was so good Denver couldn't pass it up.
When Nets owner Mikhail Prokohorov "ended" trade talks weeks ago, most figured he was sincere with his decision. Others thought that it was a bargaining chip to drive down the price of Anthony. After all, he knew that no one could match the Nets deal. Then a funny thing happened...the Knicks got scared and decided that Melo might take the bait and sign elsewhere. So they upped their offer (thus surpassing the Nets offer of Harris, Favors, Murphy, 4 draft picks) and ultimately landed Melo.
So how does it effect all those involved? Well, obviously the Knicks walked away with the best player in the three-team trade (it also included the T'wolves taking Eddy Curry and Anthony Randloph), but in my mind there is no doubt that they overpaid to do so. Look, I think pairing Melo and Amare together will be dynamic. They will score. They will win. They will create a buzz in NY that hasn't been seen for a decade and a half. The problem in the short term is that they have no one else on the team. Chauncey Billups is a nice addition and Landry Fields will still be around, but after that their best player might just be Tony Douglas. They are going to be a handful in the playoffs this year, but certainly they are not winning the title with this crew. What GM Donnie Walsh does over the offseason will go a long way in determining whether they play for the title or not (oh, and I'd love to hear thoughts from Knicks fan right now...they are only one piece away, can you say Chris Paul, from being a 3-headed monster like that of the hater Heat).
Considering that the Nuggets were in a lose-lose situation, I think they made out pretty well. Yes, they lost Melo, but in doing so they also jettisoned 34 year-old Chauncey Billups (whose assists per game are the lowest since 2002-03) and got back several young, talented players. Individually I like Felton, Gallinari, Nene, Ty Lawson, JR Smith and Mozgov, but as a collective unit, they don't do it for me. I think Denver still has a few moves to make in order for the pieces to work together, but all things considering, they did ok for themselves.
Finally, lets talk about the Nets (since, well, they are the team that I support and this is my blog). I think all Nets' fans knew this day was coming. We knew Melo wasn't coming to NJ and I think most of us were able to justify it as being a good thing. Acquiring a player like Carmelo Anthony is never a bad thing. He would have helped make the franchise attractive, but in the end, he would not have won a title. This is team only 1 year removed from a 70 loss season. Even though they have been markedly improved this year, there are still gaping holes to be filled. Trading for Melo wouldn't have simply plugged all the holes, but in fact, it would have opened a few more. Gone would have been their starting point guard, their future stud at PF and 4 of their draft picks. Remaining would be Brook Lopez, Kris Humphries, Anthony Morrow, Travis Outlaw, Sasha Vujacic and Johan Petro. There is no way that team wins 45+ games. I'm sorry, it just isn't going to happen.
With all that being said, I was sad when I heard the news late last night. I mean, my brain said no, but my heart said yes. Who knows - maybe after meeting with Prokhorov, Melo decided he wanted to go to NJ and Denver had a change of heart and decided not to ask for Favors. The scenario was impossible, but that doesn't mean I couldn't dream of it.
The one thing that a Melo trade would have brought the Nets is a sense of hope...a sense of belonging. Sure they have an owner with incredibly deep pockets, but they are still the Nets. They still pay in NJ and even though they made the NBA Finals within the past decade (only 4 other East teams have made it since), they have the stink attached to them. No one wants to come to Jersey. No one wants to play with their current roster. At least Melo would have changed some of that.
So where to now? Well, actually there are some interesting rumors being floated around. Some reports are suggesting that the Nuggets might flip a package of Mozgov and either Felton, Gallinari or Chandler to the Nets for two of their draft picks. Other reports suggest that Portland might ship Andre Miller and Joel Przybilla to the Nets for Harris and Troy Murphy. I am trying to stay away from commenting on deals that are not official, but I am intrigued by both. I think Harris will be shipped out of town and ultimately be good for both he and the Nets. nothing against him, but I simply think he is done in Jersey and in need of a fresh start. If they could trade for Miller, they would gain some veteran leadership and after two years they could pick up the next stud point guard in the draft. Then if they could land Gallinari and Mozgov they would suddenly have a very interesting front court. The key obviously would be the development of Favors into an absolute stud who could open things up for Lopez and Gallinari.
Even if they don't go either route, GM Billy King is going to need to make some deals and the team is going to need some luck. They have the assets to improve the team. None will net them a Melo or a Lebron, but they are hoping that Favors will develop into a stud and that the future draft picks can make them relevant again - either in the form of a trade or a pick.
The final thing that I want to say is that this whole situation is messed up. The Knicks made themselves contenders, but unfortunately for them, the rest of the conference is also stronger. While the Celtics may only have 1 more good year in them the Heat, Bulls and Magic are not going anywhere. The Knicks are going to have to go through them every year in order to get to the finals. This isn't a situation where the Knicks saw an opening and mortgaged their future to win today. They suddenly aren't the best team in the East. They are still the 4th best team and I wonder if they will win the East anytime in the next 3 years.
If on;y I could be saying that about the Nets....
All along, the Knicks seemed to be the likely destination. Yes, the Nuggets were deep in discussions with the Nets on several occaisions, but I don't think anyone was fooling themselves into thinking Melo wanted to be with the organization. He never said anything publicly, but had he wanted to be in New Jersey/Brooklyn, he would have been. The Nets deal was so good Denver couldn't pass it up.
When Nets owner Mikhail Prokohorov "ended" trade talks weeks ago, most figured he was sincere with his decision. Others thought that it was a bargaining chip to drive down the price of Anthony. After all, he knew that no one could match the Nets deal. Then a funny thing happened...the Knicks got scared and decided that Melo might take the bait and sign elsewhere. So they upped their offer (thus surpassing the Nets offer of Harris, Favors, Murphy, 4 draft picks) and ultimately landed Melo.
So how does it effect all those involved? Well, obviously the Knicks walked away with the best player in the three-team trade (it also included the T'wolves taking Eddy Curry and Anthony Randloph), but in my mind there is no doubt that they overpaid to do so. Look, I think pairing Melo and Amare together will be dynamic. They will score. They will win. They will create a buzz in NY that hasn't been seen for a decade and a half. The problem in the short term is that they have no one else on the team. Chauncey Billups is a nice addition and Landry Fields will still be around, but after that their best player might just be Tony Douglas. They are going to be a handful in the playoffs this year, but certainly they are not winning the title with this crew. What GM Donnie Walsh does over the offseason will go a long way in determining whether they play for the title or not (oh, and I'd love to hear thoughts from Knicks fan right now...they are only one piece away, can you say Chris Paul, from being a 3-headed monster like that of the hater Heat).
Considering that the Nuggets were in a lose-lose situation, I think they made out pretty well. Yes, they lost Melo, but in doing so they also jettisoned 34 year-old Chauncey Billups (whose assists per game are the lowest since 2002-03) and got back several young, talented players. Individually I like Felton, Gallinari, Nene, Ty Lawson, JR Smith and Mozgov, but as a collective unit, they don't do it for me. I think Denver still has a few moves to make in order for the pieces to work together, but all things considering, they did ok for themselves.
Finally, lets talk about the Nets (since, well, they are the team that I support and this is my blog). I think all Nets' fans knew this day was coming. We knew Melo wasn't coming to NJ and I think most of us were able to justify it as being a good thing. Acquiring a player like Carmelo Anthony is never a bad thing. He would have helped make the franchise attractive, but in the end, he would not have won a title. This is team only 1 year removed from a 70 loss season. Even though they have been markedly improved this year, there are still gaping holes to be filled. Trading for Melo wouldn't have simply plugged all the holes, but in fact, it would have opened a few more. Gone would have been their starting point guard, their future stud at PF and 4 of their draft picks. Remaining would be Brook Lopez, Kris Humphries, Anthony Morrow, Travis Outlaw, Sasha Vujacic and Johan Petro. There is no way that team wins 45+ games. I'm sorry, it just isn't going to happen.
With all that being said, I was sad when I heard the news late last night. I mean, my brain said no, but my heart said yes. Who knows - maybe after meeting with Prokhorov, Melo decided he wanted to go to NJ and Denver had a change of heart and decided not to ask for Favors. The scenario was impossible, but that doesn't mean I couldn't dream of it.
The one thing that a Melo trade would have brought the Nets is a sense of hope...a sense of belonging. Sure they have an owner with incredibly deep pockets, but they are still the Nets. They still pay in NJ and even though they made the NBA Finals within the past decade (only 4 other East teams have made it since), they have the stink attached to them. No one wants to come to Jersey. No one wants to play with their current roster. At least Melo would have changed some of that.
So where to now? Well, actually there are some interesting rumors being floated around. Some reports are suggesting that the Nuggets might flip a package of Mozgov and either Felton, Gallinari or Chandler to the Nets for two of their draft picks. Other reports suggest that Portland might ship Andre Miller and Joel Przybilla to the Nets for Harris and Troy Murphy. I am trying to stay away from commenting on deals that are not official, but I am intrigued by both. I think Harris will be shipped out of town and ultimately be good for both he and the Nets. nothing against him, but I simply think he is done in Jersey and in need of a fresh start. If they could trade for Miller, they would gain some veteran leadership and after two years they could pick up the next stud point guard in the draft. Then if they could land Gallinari and Mozgov they would suddenly have a very interesting front court. The key obviously would be the development of Favors into an absolute stud who could open things up for Lopez and Gallinari.
Even if they don't go either route, GM Billy King is going to need to make some deals and the team is going to need some luck. They have the assets to improve the team. None will net them a Melo or a Lebron, but they are hoping that Favors will develop into a stud and that the future draft picks can make them relevant again - either in the form of a trade or a pick.
The final thing that I want to say is that this whole situation is messed up. The Knicks made themselves contenders, but unfortunately for them, the rest of the conference is also stronger. While the Celtics may only have 1 more good year in them the Heat, Bulls and Magic are not going anywhere. The Knicks are going to have to go through them every year in order to get to the finals. This isn't a situation where the Knicks saw an opening and mortgaged their future to win today. They suddenly aren't the best team in the East. They are still the 4th best team and I wonder if they will win the East anytime in the next 3 years.
If on;y I could be saying that about the Nets....
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Dr. StrangeMartin (or how I learned to stop looking to the top and rejoice at hitting the middle)
In light of the Devils' recent ass-kickery, I've been thinking about expectations. I normally hate placing expectations on anything, but it is a normal part of being a sports fan. Expectations are sometimes rewarding, sometimes painful, but always a part of it.
For the Devils, I always expect a playoff berth. For Kovy Kovalchuk, I expect 40 goals. For Marty Brodeur, I expect 40 wins. Needless to say, I have been extremely disappointed the last few months, hence the problem with placing expectations (although this could also be representative of my personal mantra "Aim Low," rather than being a true statistical norm). So after meeting disappointment head on, I changed my expectations. I began reading up on the big draft prospects for this year, with the expectation of a top 5 pick. I spent a lot of time thinking about the merits of taking a defenseman with the number 1 pick rather than a big-time playmaker IF they actually scored that pick, which seemed very possible until recently (by the way, I think it's to big a risk to take a defenseman with the top selection; the expectations are too high and just too much variability in the success of young d - but that's something for another post).
I was OK with this. I understood the team's needs as well as my fan needs for the future. With a plan in place, I was more than willing to sacrifice this season for the first pick in the draft, which was something this team has never had but could definitely use. But now the Devs have spent 2011 being the best team in the world. Yes, I used the words Best, World and Devils in the same sentence. The problem is that they dug themselves such a massive hole that even though they are 15-1-2 in their last 18 games (32 out of a possible 36 points), they are still sitting in 27th place in the league, 13th in the east. Is it realistic to think they could make the playoffs? Is it more realistic to think this amazing play has to end and they will be playing golf the day after the season ends?
I just don't know what to think. No, that's not really true. I think this is fucking amazing. I think that Kovy Kovalchuk is becoming everything we wanted him to be. The problem is that going forward, I don't know how to feel about it. I really was looking forward to jettisoning some trash contracts and picking up an NHL-ready teenager in the draft. The last thing I want is a mediocre draft pick and/or a first round playoff exit. That's how winning really equals losing. So I just don't know...
That said, I'd like to try to make some predictions about some of the players and team at large going forward. Probably the most entertaining way of doing this is in the form of over/unders. I'll set some and give my thoughts. Anyone else should comment and add to it, whether you agree or disagree. So in no particular order...
*The Devils have 23 games remaining. All offensive stats are shown as Goals/Assists/Points.
Ilya Kovy Kovalchuk
Current: 21/20/41
O/U: 35.5 goals
Prediction: Over (37 goals). He is an amazing goal-scorer. I don't think there is enough time left to reach 40, but with the way he's been playing, 15 goals in 23 games is NOT out of the question.
Patrik Elias
Current: 14/32/46
O/U: 20.5 goals, 47.5 assists
Prediction: Under on goals (20), over on assists (51). I'm not sure what finally clicked with the line of Elias, Rolston and Zubrus, but my god has it been freakishly good. Let's call them the B+ line.
Brian Rolston
Current: 10/12/22
Dainius Zubrus
Current: 13/11/24
O/U: 21.5 goals each
Prediction: Under for both. Maybe 19 goals for Rolston and 20 goals for Zubrus? Maybe the other way around? Playing together, they should both finish at around the same totals. Realistically, they just aren't big time goal scorers and 9-12 goals for either one of them in the next 23 games might be a little much to ask.
Mattias Tedenby
Current: 7/7/14
O/U: 11.5 goals, 14.5 assists
Prediction: Over on goals (12) and under on assists (11). I think he can create enough offense on his own, but I don't think his line mates will do enough to significantly bump his assists. Plus, he's only been getting 3rd/4th line minutes, to say nothing of the stupid number of healthy scratches from coach turdbag. On another note, Tedenby has now made me question my next choice of jerseys. I was going to get a Travis Zajac jersey at some point, but crap is this kid fun to watch. Amazing hands and he's stupidly quick. Of course he's about 80 pounds soaking wet so he gets tossed around like a rag doll, but still. Put him on the Keith Tkachuk off-season work out plan and he'll be all set.
Nick Palmieri (?)
Current: 5/3/8
O/U: 9.5 goals, 10,000 fans that actually know who he is
Prediction: Over on goals (10) because he's been consistently playing with Kovy. He will get some scraps. Under on the number of fans. Seriously, who is this guy and why is he playing on the first line?
Martin Brodeur
Current: 13-19-2, 4 SO
O/U: 22.5 wins
Prediction: Over (25 wins).
Johan Hedberg
Current: 10-10-2, 1 SO
O/U: 15.5 wins
Prediction: I'm going to go with the under (14 wins).
Brodeur is getting healthy and should be back for the next game. IF he stays healthy then he should be getting 15-19 of the remaining starts. In order for Moose to hit the over he would need to start at least 6 more games AND win them all. Possible, but I would say unlikely. By the way, Hedberg has been awesome during their stretch. If Brodeur wasn't Brodeur, there would be a legitimate goalie controversy here.
Andy Greene
Current: 3/16/19
O/U: 4.5 goals, 21.5 assists
Prediction: Under on both (4 goals, 19 assists). He's been somewhat of a disappointment as he was supposed to be the main puck-moving defenseman in his UFA-to-be contract year.
O/U #2: $9 million/3 year contract in the off season.
Prediction: Take the over on the money. He should be putting up 30-35 or assists each season and he's competent defensively. Somebody will pay him $3 million a year based on what he should do rather than what he's done in his contract year. I'm not sure who and I'm not sure if it's a good deal. See: Finger, Jeff.
Travis Zajac
Current: 9/25/34
O/U: 13.5 goals, 34.5 assists
Prediction: Over on both (15 goals, 36 assists). He's playing with Kovy and that Nick guy, with first line and special teams minutes. I'm more sold on his ability to hit the assists mark, but I'm going to throw caution to the wind and say he can put up 6 goals in the next 23 games. Keep in mind that if Parise comes back, that can only help his case.
Zach Parise
Current: 12 games played, 3/3/6
O/U: 15.5 games played.
Prediction: Under. Note this is only for the regular season. They won't rush him back but if they are in serious contention for the playoffs then they will want to try to get him in a few games to get back in shape. Or, they start losing a few and just shut him down.
O/U #2: $50 million/8 year contract with the Devils in the off season.
Prediction: That's a little more than $6 million/year. I'm not sure Lou will be able to do a super long term deal, but the cap hit seems right and the overall dollars seem right, so I think it will get done. He has to be happy with how the team has recovered these last 6 weeks, even if they miss the playoffs, and he wants to play for a winner. Otherwise he could go to the Island for whatever retarded amount of money Chuck Wang would offer. Plus, Lou will offer him the C, a no-movement clause and at least 6 of the Devils Dancers or whatever they're called.
White/Salmela/Volchenkov
5/4/6 assists = 15 total
O/U: 18.5 assists combined
Prediction: Under (18). Let's not fool ourselves. They are who we thought the were.
Devils
25-30-4, 54 pts
GF: 128
GA: 161
Diff: -33
Currently 27th in the league.
O/U: 87.5 points.
Prediction: Over (88 points). That would be 34 of a possible 46 points. The way they've been playing, 17 wins out of 23 games is an easy bet. Can they really keep it up at that pace, though? I don't know. Would 88 be enough to squeak in to 8th place? Only time will tell.
For the Devils, I always expect a playoff berth. For Kovy Kovalchuk, I expect 40 goals. For Marty Brodeur, I expect 40 wins. Needless to say, I have been extremely disappointed the last few months, hence the problem with placing expectations (although this could also be representative of my personal mantra "Aim Low," rather than being a true statistical norm). So after meeting disappointment head on, I changed my expectations. I began reading up on the big draft prospects for this year, with the expectation of a top 5 pick. I spent a lot of time thinking about the merits of taking a defenseman with the number 1 pick rather than a big-time playmaker IF they actually scored that pick, which seemed very possible until recently (by the way, I think it's to big a risk to take a defenseman with the top selection; the expectations are too high and just too much variability in the success of young d - but that's something for another post).
I was OK with this. I understood the team's needs as well as my fan needs for the future. With a plan in place, I was more than willing to sacrifice this season for the first pick in the draft, which was something this team has never had but could definitely use. But now the Devs have spent 2011 being the best team in the world. Yes, I used the words Best, World and Devils in the same sentence. The problem is that they dug themselves such a massive hole that even though they are 15-1-2 in their last 18 games (32 out of a possible 36 points), they are still sitting in 27th place in the league, 13th in the east. Is it realistic to think they could make the playoffs? Is it more realistic to think this amazing play has to end and they will be playing golf the day after the season ends?
I just don't know what to think. No, that's not really true. I think this is fucking amazing. I think that Kovy Kovalchuk is becoming everything we wanted him to be. The problem is that going forward, I don't know how to feel about it. I really was looking forward to jettisoning some trash contracts and picking up an NHL-ready teenager in the draft. The last thing I want is a mediocre draft pick and/or a first round playoff exit. That's how winning really equals losing. So I just don't know...
That said, I'd like to try to make some predictions about some of the players and team at large going forward. Probably the most entertaining way of doing this is in the form of over/unders. I'll set some and give my thoughts. Anyone else should comment and add to it, whether you agree or disagree. So in no particular order...
*The Devils have 23 games remaining. All offensive stats are shown as Goals/Assists/Points.
Ilya Kovy Kovalchuk
Current: 21/20/41
O/U: 35.5 goals
Prediction: Over (37 goals). He is an amazing goal-scorer. I don't think there is enough time left to reach 40, but with the way he's been playing, 15 goals in 23 games is NOT out of the question.
Patrik Elias
Current: 14/32/46
O/U: 20.5 goals, 47.5 assists
Prediction: Under on goals (20), over on assists (51). I'm not sure what finally clicked with the line of Elias, Rolston and Zubrus, but my god has it been freakishly good. Let's call them the B+ line.
Brian Rolston
Current: 10/12/22
Dainius Zubrus
Current: 13/11/24
O/U: 21.5 goals each
Prediction: Under for both. Maybe 19 goals for Rolston and 20 goals for Zubrus? Maybe the other way around? Playing together, they should both finish at around the same totals. Realistically, they just aren't big time goal scorers and 9-12 goals for either one of them in the next 23 games might be a little much to ask.
Mattias Tedenby
Current: 7/7/14
O/U: 11.5 goals, 14.5 assists
Prediction: Over on goals (12) and under on assists (11). I think he can create enough offense on his own, but I don't think his line mates will do enough to significantly bump his assists. Plus, he's only been getting 3rd/4th line minutes, to say nothing of the stupid number of healthy scratches from coach turdbag. On another note, Tedenby has now made me question my next choice of jerseys. I was going to get a Travis Zajac jersey at some point, but crap is this kid fun to watch. Amazing hands and he's stupidly quick. Of course he's about 80 pounds soaking wet so he gets tossed around like a rag doll, but still. Put him on the Keith Tkachuk off-season work out plan and he'll be all set.
Nick Palmieri (?)
Current: 5/3/8
O/U: 9.5 goals, 10,000 fans that actually know who he is
Prediction: Over on goals (10) because he's been consistently playing with Kovy. He will get some scraps. Under on the number of fans. Seriously, who is this guy and why is he playing on the first line?
Martin Brodeur
Current: 13-19-2, 4 SO
O/U: 22.5 wins
Prediction: Over (25 wins).
Johan Hedberg
Current: 10-10-2, 1 SO
O/U: 15.5 wins
Prediction: I'm going to go with the under (14 wins).
Brodeur is getting healthy and should be back for the next game. IF he stays healthy then he should be getting 15-19 of the remaining starts. In order for Moose to hit the over he would need to start at least 6 more games AND win them all. Possible, but I would say unlikely. By the way, Hedberg has been awesome during their stretch. If Brodeur wasn't Brodeur, there would be a legitimate goalie controversy here.
Andy Greene
Current: 3/16/19
O/U: 4.5 goals, 21.5 assists
Prediction: Under on both (4 goals, 19 assists). He's been somewhat of a disappointment as he was supposed to be the main puck-moving defenseman in his UFA-to-be contract year.
O/U #2: $9 million/3 year contract in the off season.
Prediction: Take the over on the money. He should be putting up 30-35 or assists each season and he's competent defensively. Somebody will pay him $3 million a year based on what he should do rather than what he's done in his contract year. I'm not sure who and I'm not sure if it's a good deal. See: Finger, Jeff.
Travis Zajac
Current: 9/25/34
O/U: 13.5 goals, 34.5 assists
Prediction: Over on both (15 goals, 36 assists). He's playing with Kovy and that Nick guy, with first line and special teams minutes. I'm more sold on his ability to hit the assists mark, but I'm going to throw caution to the wind and say he can put up 6 goals in the next 23 games. Keep in mind that if Parise comes back, that can only help his case.
Zach Parise
Current: 12 games played, 3/3/6
O/U: 15.5 games played.
Prediction: Under. Note this is only for the regular season. They won't rush him back but if they are in serious contention for the playoffs then they will want to try to get him in a few games to get back in shape. Or, they start losing a few and just shut him down.
O/U #2: $50 million/8 year contract with the Devils in the off season.
Prediction: That's a little more than $6 million/year. I'm not sure Lou will be able to do a super long term deal, but the cap hit seems right and the overall dollars seem right, so I think it will get done. He has to be happy with how the team has recovered these last 6 weeks, even if they miss the playoffs, and he wants to play for a winner. Otherwise he could go to the Island for whatever retarded amount of money Chuck Wang would offer. Plus, Lou will offer him the C, a no-movement clause and at least 6 of the Devils Dancers or whatever they're called.
White/Salmela/Volchenkov
5/4/6 assists = 15 total
O/U: 18.5 assists combined
Prediction: Under (18). Let's not fool ourselves. They are who we thought the were.
Devils
25-30-4, 54 pts
GF: 128
GA: 161
Diff: -33
Currently 27th in the league.
O/U: 87.5 points.
Prediction: Over (88 points). That would be 34 of a possible 46 points. The way they've been playing, 17 wins out of 23 games is an easy bet. Can they really keep it up at that pace, though? I don't know. Would 88 be enough to squeak in to 8th place? Only time will tell.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
This is Getting Ridiculous
This is starting to get ridiculous. Two more games, two more Devils wins. On January 9 the Devils sat in dead last with a 10-29-2 record, 27 points out of a playoff spot and headed straight for the 1st pick in the draft. Fast forward 42 days and they now sit only 10 points out of the playoffs thanks to a 15-1-2 tear in the past 18 games. Right now they can't lose. I simply have no words to describe it. It is simply amazing - I honestly believe that they can come all the way back to make the playoffs. I mean, how can they not, right? 15-1-2 isn't a fluke...
Now that we are making a run towards the playoffs, I will be interested to see if we make any trades to improve the team. Back in December, we were at a point where I was calling for all of the veterans to be traded. I said that we needed to reload and get younger. Now I imagine that Lou will need to strongly consider whether to upgrade the team and take a shot at the playoffs. The trade deadline is 9 days away so there's not much time. He is going to have to go with his guts. After all, it is entirely possible they he makes a trade and then the team goes back to sucking.
Normally I am able to think objectively. Sure they are hot right now, but what was wrong with them during the first 43 games? Is 18 amazing games enough to erase a terrible 43? Any other time I would ask for Lou to hold back...but something about 15-1-2 has got me thinking. I mean, Zach Parise is due back in March. Can you imagine how dangerous they will be if they continue their hot streak AND get their best player back? They can certainly make some noise if they finish in the 8 spot.
I can't believe I am saying this (after all, I am the one reminding Seahawks fans how the division title and playoff cost them 17 spots in the draft), but I want them to make the playoffs. I want them to make a trade before the deadline. I want them to mortgage the future for a run now. It's almost too perfect of a ride right now.
Now that we are making a run towards the playoffs, I will be interested to see if we make any trades to improve the team. Back in December, we were at a point where I was calling for all of the veterans to be traded. I said that we needed to reload and get younger. Now I imagine that Lou will need to strongly consider whether to upgrade the team and take a shot at the playoffs. The trade deadline is 9 days away so there's not much time. He is going to have to go with his guts. After all, it is entirely possible they he makes a trade and then the team goes back to sucking.
Normally I am able to think objectively. Sure they are hot right now, but what was wrong with them during the first 43 games? Is 18 amazing games enough to erase a terrible 43? Any other time I would ask for Lou to hold back...but something about 15-1-2 has got me thinking. I mean, Zach Parise is due back in March. Can you imagine how dangerous they will be if they continue their hot streak AND get their best player back? They can certainly make some noise if they finish in the 8 spot.
I can't believe I am saying this (after all, I am the one reminding Seahawks fans how the division title and playoff cost them 17 spots in the draft), but I want them to make the playoffs. I want them to make a trade before the deadline. I want them to mortgage the future for a run now. It's almost too perfect of a ride right now.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Friday Morning Five-Pack
Here is a 5-pack of sports goodness to get your weekend off to a good start
- The Sounders re-signed my favorite player Osvaldo Alonso for an additional 2 years meaning the Bulldog will be in rave green until 2014. Alonso is still only 25 years old, so locking him up for a few more years is an excellent move.
- Speaking of the Sounders, Sigi and crew have some serious decisions to make before the season. Currently their roster sits at 33 players and they need to be down to 28 (30 if they are creative with the injured list again) by opening day. In a test of my objectivity towards the Sounders, I think they need to seriously consider dropping Taylor Graham, Pat Noonan and Zach Scott in favor of younger guys like Leone Cuz, Lamar Neagle and Servando Carrasco. I love Graham and Scott for all they did for the USL Sounders, but the fact remains that their best days are probably behind them (they are both 30 years old and I'm not sure Graham has veer been healthy). Neither make a ton of money, so I can see them sticking with the team for their experience in Champions League, but if they are not going to contribute then the team should go younger. More to come on this as we see how the roster shakes out.
- A new season of Man vs Wild was on last night and I must say I was very excited for it. The past two season have been a bit of a downer for me as Bear was placed into several situations per episodes in which he had to try to survive. He didn't necessarily have to find his way out of the environment, but simply show some survival techniques. Last night though he was thrown into the middle of the Arizona desert and after walking through desert, climbing some mountains and doing normal Bear Grylls stuff (making a home made bow and arrow and eating a scorpion) he came upon a highway that got him home. It was just good to have him back.
- I am still trying to avoid talking about the Carmelo rumors (now the current trade would have us sending Harris, Favors, Murphy, Uzoh and 4 first rounders to Denver), but want to address another rumor that has suddenly come out of nowhere: Devin Harris straight-up for Andre Miller. My first take on the trade is that it might be a good one as we would not be taking a big cap hit (Miller is owed $7.3/yr for the next 2 years compared to $8.9/yr for Harris). Harris seems to be lost mentally and has definitely has regressed since his All-Star year in 08/09. I can actually talk myself into the idea that Miller, a veteran point guard who remains underrated to this day, would actually be better at helping the young front court progress as players. I know he is 34 and some have questioned whether he is a winner, but even as point guards get younger and younger by the day, Miller is averaging 13.2 points and 7.4 assists a game and has a Hollinger Player Rating (18.82) slightly higher than that of Harris. With two years left on his contract, it would give the Nets the opp to draft his heir apparent since it is clear that they will be in the lottery for the foreseeable future
- Finally, two words to sum up my feelings towards the Mets as Spring Training begins: cautious optimism. Maybe it's because Spring Training means the nice weather is on the way. Maybe it's because records in Spring Training mean nothing. Maybe I'm just finally over our collapses. Whatever the reason, I feel good about this team. There certainly is no pressure on us to win the Division this year (as the Phils are expected to win 115 games this year), but there certainly appears to be a new attitude in camp. I'm not sure how long Terry Collins' style will work with the team, but they certainly needed some toughening up after years of Jerry Manuel and Willie Randolph. With David Wright taking over as the undeniable leader of the team and a healthy Carlos BEltran, Jose Reyes and Jason Bay I think we can still make some noise. Of course that is if RA Dickey can have another awesome year, Mike Pelfrey and Jon Niese don't self-destruct and Chris Young/Capuano recover from arm injuries...
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
LaRussa is Right
Albert Pujols is set to become a free agent at the end of the season unless he and the Cardinals can agree to a new deal by the end of the day today (or so he says - I however can't see him declining to accept an offer in July if it is too his liking). I have pretty much ignored this story up until recently because I always just assumed that he would re-sign with the Cards. I mean, we all know that St. Louis is not a big market and they just can't throw money around carelessly, but you have to think GM John Mozeliak and company would do everything in their power to keep their star player from leaving town. On top of that, in a statement that is totally unfair because it is a total assumption, but Pujols seems to be a humble, hard-working guy who is a perfect fit for the 'best baseball in America.'
Over the past few days though, Cards Manager has jumped into the conversation and suddenly made things interested. LaRussa is of the belief that the MLB Union is pressuring Albert to take money, suggesting that it's "not just arm-twisting. It's dropping an anvil on your back through the roof of your house." It's a claim that I think definitely has some weight behind it, even though Michael Weiner, the executive director of the players' union, denied such, saying "It's never been the union's policy to pressure players and certainly it's never been the union's policy to pressure players because they have to set the bar for other players."
Now I'm not a LaRussa fan and while I don't think he necessarily should be sticking his nose into Pujols' contract negotiations (although the outcome will certainly affect him), I think his comments are probably right on target. Major Leaguers have been getting staggering contracts for the past two decades and it's a trend that I don't think will come to an end anytime soon. While Cliff Lee and CC Sabathia are two of the biggest names in the sport, Albert Pujols is without a doubt the best player in the game. He is the only player in history to have 10 straight seasons of 30 hr's, 100 rbi and .300average. He is only 31 years old and compared to other stars such as Alex Rodriguez, he has been woefully underpaid (yes, I know how ridiculous that statement is) for the past decade.
Reports are indicating that Pujols wants a deal close to A-Rod's 10 year, $275 million contract but that the Cards are offering in the 8 year, $200+million contract. Others are speculating that Pujols is holding out for a contract that would pay him a record breaking $30 million/year. In terms of salary structure, it's an easy argument to make. You're the best player in the game and yet you are not the highest paid player. Something needs to give.
But what if LaRussa is right and Pujols is simply being pressued by the Union? What if he is ok with less money if it means he gets to return to St Louis rather than having to take his talents to Broadway or Fenway where undoubtedly media scrutiny would be 10 times greater? At the current time we don't know the real situation, but sometimes where there is smoke there is fire. I mean, it's not like the Union doesn't have a vested interest in Pujols getting more money. Currently their is an unwritten cap to salaries - no one should make more money than A-Rod. He is the gold standard and the other megastars are compared to him. If the gold standard is to increase then all MLB salaries would increase, regardless if you are Cliff Lee or DJ Carrasco. While Wiener has denied pressuing Pujols into taking more money, Cards pitcher Adam Wainwright has basically admitted that it could be happening, saying that the Union's"job is to make sure we get the most that we can. That's what they're paid to do and that's what we pay them to do and that's why we need them."
If you take the emotion out of this situation, it's pretty simple. A worker who can help set the salary structure for all workers is being pressued by the Union to take money in order to help out his fellow worker. If we were talking about any normal 9-5 job with salaries in the low $40k, this would be perfectly acceptable, if not commendable. Unfortunately, this isn't your typical job, so a situation like this leaves any rational thinking person sick to their stomach. It's hard for the common man to understand why you would hold out for $30million/year when $25 million/year is being offered. At the end of the day it's all about perspective I suppose. Professional athletes are not like you and me - their brains are wired differently and if they get pressure from their Union to take more money, even if they are already being offered $25 million/year, then they will demand more just to make the Union happy and to help their fellow baseball player.
This is just another example of how athletes are out of touch with reality. While they think of themselves as just another labor group, fans are able to see them for what they are - talented individuals who get to play sports for a living. They are not curing cancer. They are not teaching America's youth. They are not doing the hard labor that keeps America running. No, they are hitting a ball, throwing a ball through a hoop or tackling someone with pads on. Holding out for money is irresponsible and immoral. Unfortunately it won't be coming to an end anytime soon, which means you and I need to decide whether it's enough of an issue to make us stop coming back. I'm not at the point now, but if this keeps up it certainly might be in the future.
***********
On a totally unrelated note, one of my favorite Mets of all time, Jason Isringhausen has signed a minor league deal with the Mets and will be invited to Spring Training. Izzy and the entire Generation K group (he, Bill Pulsipher and Paul Wilson) ended up being a total bust, but for one offseason in 1995, they gave Mets fans tons of hope of what might be. unfortunately for Izzy, his success didn't come until after he left the team (292 saves, 2.99 ERA and 2 All-Star appearances for the A's, Cards and Rays). I for one am hoping that at 38 he can make the team and provide the bullpen with some much needed depth.
Over the past few days though, Cards Manager has jumped into the conversation and suddenly made things interested. LaRussa is of the belief that the MLB Union is pressuring Albert to take money, suggesting that it's "not just arm-twisting. It's dropping an anvil on your back through the roof of your house." It's a claim that I think definitely has some weight behind it, even though Michael Weiner, the executive director of the players' union, denied such, saying "It's never been the union's policy to pressure players and certainly it's never been the union's policy to pressure players because they have to set the bar for other players."
Now I'm not a LaRussa fan and while I don't think he necessarily should be sticking his nose into Pujols' contract negotiations (although the outcome will certainly affect him), I think his comments are probably right on target. Major Leaguers have been getting staggering contracts for the past two decades and it's a trend that I don't think will come to an end anytime soon. While Cliff Lee and CC Sabathia are two of the biggest names in the sport, Albert Pujols is without a doubt the best player in the game. He is the only player in history to have 10 straight seasons of 30 hr's, 100 rbi and .300average. He is only 31 years old and compared to other stars such as Alex Rodriguez, he has been woefully underpaid (yes, I know how ridiculous that statement is) for the past decade.
Reports are indicating that Pujols wants a deal close to A-Rod's 10 year, $275 million contract but that the Cards are offering in the 8 year, $200+million contract. Others are speculating that Pujols is holding out for a contract that would pay him a record breaking $30 million/year. In terms of salary structure, it's an easy argument to make. You're the best player in the game and yet you are not the highest paid player. Something needs to give.
But what if LaRussa is right and Pujols is simply being pressued by the Union? What if he is ok with less money if it means he gets to return to St Louis rather than having to take his talents to Broadway or Fenway where undoubtedly media scrutiny would be 10 times greater? At the current time we don't know the real situation, but sometimes where there is smoke there is fire. I mean, it's not like the Union doesn't have a vested interest in Pujols getting more money. Currently their is an unwritten cap to salaries - no one should make more money than A-Rod. He is the gold standard and the other megastars are compared to him. If the gold standard is to increase then all MLB salaries would increase, regardless if you are Cliff Lee or DJ Carrasco. While Wiener has denied pressuing Pujols into taking more money, Cards pitcher Adam Wainwright has basically admitted that it could be happening, saying that the Union's"job is to make sure we get the most that we can. That's what they're paid to do and that's what we pay them to do and that's why we need them."
If you take the emotion out of this situation, it's pretty simple. A worker who can help set the salary structure for all workers is being pressued by the Union to take money in order to help out his fellow worker. If we were talking about any normal 9-5 job with salaries in the low $40k, this would be perfectly acceptable, if not commendable. Unfortunately, this isn't your typical job, so a situation like this leaves any rational thinking person sick to their stomach. It's hard for the common man to understand why you would hold out for $30million/year when $25 million/year is being offered. At the end of the day it's all about perspective I suppose. Professional athletes are not like you and me - their brains are wired differently and if they get pressure from their Union to take more money, even if they are already being offered $25 million/year, then they will demand more just to make the Union happy and to help their fellow baseball player.
This is just another example of how athletes are out of touch with reality. While they think of themselves as just another labor group, fans are able to see them for what they are - talented individuals who get to play sports for a living. They are not curing cancer. They are not teaching America's youth. They are not doing the hard labor that keeps America running. No, they are hitting a ball, throwing a ball through a hoop or tackling someone with pads on. Holding out for money is irresponsible and immoral. Unfortunately it won't be coming to an end anytime soon, which means you and I need to decide whether it's enough of an issue to make us stop coming back. I'm not at the point now, but if this keeps up it certainly might be in the future.
***********
On a totally unrelated note, one of my favorite Mets of all time, Jason Isringhausen has signed a minor league deal with the Mets and will be invited to Spring Training. Izzy and the entire Generation K group (he, Bill Pulsipher and Paul Wilson) ended up being a total bust, but for one offseason in 1995, they gave Mets fans tons of hope of what might be. unfortunately for Izzy, his success didn't come until after he left the team (292 saves, 2.99 ERA and 2 All-Star appearances for the A's, Cards and Rays). I for one am hoping that at 38 he can make the team and provide the bullpen with some much needed depth.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Finally.....
I know I only have a few readers. I also know that of those readers, no one cares about wrestling or reading a post about wrestling. So I have tried to keep them to a minimum. However, after what I saw last night, I have to discuss it with the millions (...and millions!) of my fellow fans.
As some of you may be aware, Wrestlemania is a little over 6 weeks away and as usual, the WWE is starting to shape the card not only with matches, but with celebrities as well. On the last Raw, Vince McMahon announced that the host of Wrestlemania would be revealed in a week. He said that their was only one person in the world who could do the job. At the time, the announcement seemed strange because up to now, only middling celebrities had every hosted Raw. Was I going to be excited to see Bob Barker, Dennis Miller or Johnny Knoxville host Wrestlemania? No. I mean, don't get me wrong, they are all good in their own rights, but not Wrestlemania good.
All throughout last night's show they teased the announcement. Then at 10:50 local time, a limo showed up and the cameraman focused on the person's feet. It turned out to be a woman in high heels. I started going through the possibilities. Who could Vince get that would sell tickets? Sarah Palin and Paris Hilton were my first two wild ass guesses (no idea why). Then the lights went off. The crowd was ready to pop. On the big screen, some images that looked like lightning and smoke appeared. Carmen Electra was my next guess. My immediate thought was that with all the build-up, the WWE was setting itself up for failure. I mean, the entrance was a little over the top.
And then it happened....
Throughout the arena came the following words: IFFFF YA SMELLLLLL....WHAT THE ROCK....IS COOKING!! and out walks the host of Wrestlemania XXVII, The Rock, Dwayne Johnson. I watched the clip again this morning, fully aware of what went down last night and I still got chills. It was the loudest (And most unexpected) pop from a crowd I have heard in years. Simply amazing. He received a 5 minute standing ovation and then worked the mic (excuse me, killed on the mic) for an additional fifteen minutes.
He started off with his usual catchphrase: FINALLLLY THE ROCK HAS COME BACK TO.... Then he took off his glasses, got out of character and thanked the WWE fans for supporting him and making his dreams come true over the past 7 years. He then started to set up the storyline for Wrestlemania by ripping on The Miz and right about when he was going to name the other superstar he was looking forward to meeting, he was interrupted by Michael Cole. The ensuing exchange was an instant classic. I can't do it justice but will point you to the 3:33 minute mark when the Rock kills Cole. Now it's not the whole clip, but know that he throws in classic lines such as "Pie-Eating Jabroni" and "Shine that computer up, turn it sideways and shove it straight up his candy ass". He then ends with his "Millions of Fans"and "If Ya Smell" schtick and of course, The People's Eyebrow.
I loved every minute of it. Anyone who continued to watch wrestling over the years knows how far removed the current WWE is from the Attitude Era of the late 90's. Stone Cold, The Rock and DX were edgy; they pushed the bounds and ushered in arguably the greatest era of wrestling. When they retired, it was similar to the NBA losing Jordan, Malone, Barkley, Stockton, Ewing and Robinson all at the same time. Their was a clear void of talent and it took a few years for it to bounce back. Cena and Orton are doing a fine job of carrying the company, but they will never compare to Stone Cold and The Rock. I never thought I would see either of them in a WWE arena again and I actually had not read anything about The Rock being the special guest host. I was 100% surprised and had a hard time getting to sleep. It has been 7 years since he was in the WWE, so watching him do his thing made me feel young again (after all, I was still in Jersey when he left). It made me remember why I still love wrestling and why I will continue to love wrestling. The guy is just electric and the current crop of superstars can only hope to be half as good as him on the mic.
Now with all that being said, two final comments. 1. I understand that they wanted to throw us a curveball by making it appear that the host was female, but I would have liked some explanation as to who that was coming up in the limo. A simple statement from The Rock that it was his wife or even Stephanie McMahon would have worked. 2. By calling out Cena, he basically told us all who is going to challenge The Miz at Wrestlemania. The easy thing to do would have been for The Rock to play the part of the babyface and rip on the heels, but the WWE is too smart and they had him call out the company's top babyface in Cena. It was a little awkward at times because Cena's fans under the age of 14 didn't know how to respond. They have probably never seen The Rock and have never heard his shtick. They certainly have never sensed that he was a bad guy...but that is exactly what The Rock did. He made it him versus the world. He is the biggest star...he knows it...and the rest of the world knows it.
So how do I see this playing out? Well, I think we need to go back to 1998 when Mike Tyson was named the special ring enforcer for the Main Event between Stone Cold and Shawn Michaels. The build-up to the event saw Stone Cold confront Mike Tyson and threaten to kick his ass. In doing so, Tyson was built up as a heel (he even walked to the ring in a DX t-shirt) and everyone assumed that he would help Michaels retain the belt. Well, he didn't screw over Austin. In fact, he counted 1-2-3 and then leveled Michaels after the match.
I think the same thing happens in 2011. Cena will win the Elimination Chamber. The Rock will get involved in the Cena-Miz storyline. No one will know who he will side with, but he will make it look like he has serious heat with Cena. Then at Wrestlemania, he will help Cena win. They embrace and The Rock officially passes the torch. There is no doubt in my mind this is the storyline they go with, however, if they were going to turn Cena heel, this might be the perfect opportunity as attacking The Rock would get you instant heat.
I'll end by saying this was arguably the hardest post I have ever had to write. Not because the subject was serious and thought-provoking, but simply because all I wanted to do is tell you how excited I am. I wanted to quote all his lines and make sure that you all watched the clips. Basically, I am like a 13 year old kid right now who can't form complete sentences. That is how excited I am to have The Rock back in my life (if only for 5 weeks).
UPDATE: Full clips now on YouTube. Part 1. Part 2
As some of you may be aware, Wrestlemania is a little over 6 weeks away and as usual, the WWE is starting to shape the card not only with matches, but with celebrities as well. On the last Raw, Vince McMahon announced that the host of Wrestlemania would be revealed in a week. He said that their was only one person in the world who could do the job. At the time, the announcement seemed strange because up to now, only middling celebrities had every hosted Raw. Was I going to be excited to see Bob Barker, Dennis Miller or Johnny Knoxville host Wrestlemania? No. I mean, don't get me wrong, they are all good in their own rights, but not Wrestlemania good.
All throughout last night's show they teased the announcement. Then at 10:50 local time, a limo showed up and the cameraman focused on the person's feet. It turned out to be a woman in high heels. I started going through the possibilities. Who could Vince get that would sell tickets? Sarah Palin and Paris Hilton were my first two wild ass guesses (no idea why). Then the lights went off. The crowd was ready to pop. On the big screen, some images that looked like lightning and smoke appeared. Carmen Electra was my next guess. My immediate thought was that with all the build-up, the WWE was setting itself up for failure. I mean, the entrance was a little over the top.
And then it happened....
Throughout the arena came the following words: IFFFF YA SMELLLLLL....WHAT THE ROCK....IS COOKING!! and out walks the host of Wrestlemania XXVII, The Rock, Dwayne Johnson. I watched the clip again this morning, fully aware of what went down last night and I still got chills. It was the loudest (And most unexpected) pop from a crowd I have heard in years. Simply amazing. He received a 5 minute standing ovation and then worked the mic (excuse me, killed on the mic) for an additional fifteen minutes.
He started off with his usual catchphrase: FINALLLLY THE ROCK HAS COME BACK TO.... Then he took off his glasses, got out of character and thanked the WWE fans for supporting him and making his dreams come true over the past 7 years. He then started to set up the storyline for Wrestlemania by ripping on The Miz and right about when he was going to name the other superstar he was looking forward to meeting, he was interrupted by Michael Cole. The ensuing exchange was an instant classic. I can't do it justice but will point you to the 3:33 minute mark when the Rock kills Cole. Now it's not the whole clip, but know that he throws in classic lines such as "Pie-Eating Jabroni" and "Shine that computer up, turn it sideways and shove it straight up his candy ass". He then ends with his "Millions of Fans"and "If Ya Smell" schtick and of course, The People's Eyebrow.
I loved every minute of it. Anyone who continued to watch wrestling over the years knows how far removed the current WWE is from the Attitude Era of the late 90's. Stone Cold, The Rock and DX were edgy; they pushed the bounds and ushered in arguably the greatest era of wrestling. When they retired, it was similar to the NBA losing Jordan, Malone, Barkley, Stockton, Ewing and Robinson all at the same time. Their was a clear void of talent and it took a few years for it to bounce back. Cena and Orton are doing a fine job of carrying the company, but they will never compare to Stone Cold and The Rock. I never thought I would see either of them in a WWE arena again and I actually had not read anything about The Rock being the special guest host. I was 100% surprised and had a hard time getting to sleep. It has been 7 years since he was in the WWE, so watching him do his thing made me feel young again (after all, I was still in Jersey when he left). It made me remember why I still love wrestling and why I will continue to love wrestling. The guy is just electric and the current crop of superstars can only hope to be half as good as him on the mic.
Now with all that being said, two final comments. 1. I understand that they wanted to throw us a curveball by making it appear that the host was female, but I would have liked some explanation as to who that was coming up in the limo. A simple statement from The Rock that it was his wife or even Stephanie McMahon would have worked. 2. By calling out Cena, he basically told us all who is going to challenge The Miz at Wrestlemania. The easy thing to do would have been for The Rock to play the part of the babyface and rip on the heels, but the WWE is too smart and they had him call out the company's top babyface in Cena. It was a little awkward at times because Cena's fans under the age of 14 didn't know how to respond. They have probably never seen The Rock and have never heard his shtick. They certainly have never sensed that he was a bad guy...but that is exactly what The Rock did. He made it him versus the world. He is the biggest star...he knows it...and the rest of the world knows it.
So how do I see this playing out? Well, I think we need to go back to 1998 when Mike Tyson was named the special ring enforcer for the Main Event between Stone Cold and Shawn Michaels. The build-up to the event saw Stone Cold confront Mike Tyson and threaten to kick his ass. In doing so, Tyson was built up as a heel (he even walked to the ring in a DX t-shirt) and everyone assumed that he would help Michaels retain the belt. Well, he didn't screw over Austin. In fact, he counted 1-2-3 and then leveled Michaels after the match.
I think the same thing happens in 2011. Cena will win the Elimination Chamber. The Rock will get involved in the Cena-Miz storyline. No one will know who he will side with, but he will make it look like he has serious heat with Cena. Then at Wrestlemania, he will help Cena win. They embrace and The Rock officially passes the torch. There is no doubt in my mind this is the storyline they go with, however, if they were going to turn Cena heel, this might be the perfect opportunity as attacking The Rock would get you instant heat.
I'll end by saying this was arguably the hardest post I have ever had to write. Not because the subject was serious and thought-provoking, but simply because all I wanted to do is tell you how excited I am. I wanted to quote all his lines and make sure that you all watched the clips. Basically, I am like a 13 year old kid right now who can't form complete sentences. That is how excited I am to have The Rock back in my life (if only for 5 weeks).
UPDATE: Full clips now on YouTube. Part 1. Part 2
Monday, February 14, 2011
Random TV Comments
My lack of recent posts has a lot to do with nothing overly exciting me in the sports world. Sure, I am loving the Devils hot streak, the Bison and Huskies, but besides those three, I am just waiting for March Madness and the return of the Sounders and Mets. Like mid-July, this is definitely one of the worst stretches of sports every year.
So what I would like to do is take the rare opportunity to write about tv. I'll start off by saying that I don't have Tivo nor do I have HBO or Showtime, so I don't really get the opportunity to watch any of the best shows. It's definitely something I would like to fix in the future, but in order to do so, I will need to find more time and stop watching sports. Some shows that I definitely need to get on are Mad Men, The Wire, Eastbound and Down, Breaking Bad and maybe a little Hawaii Five-0.
For now, a few comments about the shows that I do watch. First up: The Office. We all know that Steve Carrell is leaving at the end of the season and I for one am wondering how they are going to replace him. While Jim, Pam and Dwight are all major characters, The Office would not be a hit if not for Michael Scott. So much of the script revolves around his needy, childish behavior that I'm not sure where the show will go with someone new. Do they straight up try to replace him and go on for a few more years or do they promote from within and make Jim or Dwight the boss (something they have teased several times in the past)? While I hope for the latter, I'm not sure whether The Office will be able to survive.
This is unlike CSI (yes, people still are watching) which in my opinion did a beautiful job of moving on when Grisham left. I really like how they took a show with a particular premise and worked their butt off to develop characters. Grisham was indeed the lead, but the nature of the show always allowed Catherine, Nick, Sara, and Warrick to be on camera. When Grisham left, we all assumed Lawrence Fishburn would simply come in and replace him. But what we didn't realize was that their was only one Grisham. He could never be replaced. So the writers promoted Catherine and made Fishburn, the biggest name on the show, an entry level CSIer. It was beautifully done. Add in the return of Sara and the promotion of Greg from lab-rat to scene investigator and the show has not lost a beat.
On to a show that I know only has a particluar audience, I am a big fan of Parenthood. I'm sure that decreases my coolness factor a bit, but I simply can't help liking the show as it hits really close to home. I totally identify with Adam and know that I am going to have the same struggles with communicating with Abby in 14 years. You watch the show and know that he and Kristina are not handling the Haddie situation correctly. Put in that same situation though, I'm sure most of us would react the same way as it is easier to think straight when the situation is not your own.
My other favorite is Community, a show that you should be watching if not already. I don't know how to describe it, but even though every episode is completely nuts, I find myself coming back for me. I used to work at a Community College (big ups to SCCC) and all of the characters are perfectly cast - as all CC's have students like those on Community. All the characters have flaws that we can relate to and that is what helps me overlook the crazy notion that priority scheduling is determined by a paint ball tournament or that old meat from a military store can lead to zombism (a real world) or even that Greendale had a secluded Utopian-like area with a giant trampoline on its grounds. Whatever it is, keep on doing it.
Finally, a word about the Grammy's. I'm not an awards guy, but the word that Enimem would be performing with Rihanna and Dr Dre was enough to get me to watch. I have to say that I was not disappointed as their were tons of great moments. First, in terms of awkward moments, is there any one more awkward than Nicole Kidman? I know that she is married to Keith Urban and that could be a reason for all the face-time she got, but at what point does the producer tell the cameraman to get away from her lame ass? They had to be in on the joke right? The comedy was great. Next, can we talk about Mick Jagger a little? I have never been a Rolling Stones guy, but after watching him perform I think I like him even less. It's not that he is a bad singer or even a bad guy, it's just that I can't stand watching his wrinkly skin and his freakishly long fingers. Am I wrong in thinking that his performance was cringe worthy? I know the entire audience was standing, but that's out of respect, right?
So what I would like to do is take the rare opportunity to write about tv. I'll start off by saying that I don't have Tivo nor do I have HBO or Showtime, so I don't really get the opportunity to watch any of the best shows. It's definitely something I would like to fix in the future, but in order to do so, I will need to find more time and stop watching sports. Some shows that I definitely need to get on are Mad Men, The Wire, Eastbound and Down, Breaking Bad and maybe a little Hawaii Five-0.
For now, a few comments about the shows that I do watch. First up: The Office. We all know that Steve Carrell is leaving at the end of the season and I for one am wondering how they are going to replace him. While Jim, Pam and Dwight are all major characters, The Office would not be a hit if not for Michael Scott. So much of the script revolves around his needy, childish behavior that I'm not sure where the show will go with someone new. Do they straight up try to replace him and go on for a few more years or do they promote from within and make Jim or Dwight the boss (something they have teased several times in the past)? While I hope for the latter, I'm not sure whether The Office will be able to survive.
This is unlike CSI (yes, people still are watching) which in my opinion did a beautiful job of moving on when Grisham left. I really like how they took a show with a particular premise and worked their butt off to develop characters. Grisham was indeed the lead, but the nature of the show always allowed Catherine, Nick, Sara, and Warrick to be on camera. When Grisham left, we all assumed Lawrence Fishburn would simply come in and replace him. But what we didn't realize was that their was only one Grisham. He could never be replaced. So the writers promoted Catherine and made Fishburn, the biggest name on the show, an entry level CSIer. It was beautifully done. Add in the return of Sara and the promotion of Greg from lab-rat to scene investigator and the show has not lost a beat.
On to a show that I know only has a particluar audience, I am a big fan of Parenthood. I'm sure that decreases my coolness factor a bit, but I simply can't help liking the show as it hits really close to home. I totally identify with Adam and know that I am going to have the same struggles with communicating with Abby in 14 years. You watch the show and know that he and Kristina are not handling the Haddie situation correctly. Put in that same situation though, I'm sure most of us would react the same way as it is easier to think straight when the situation is not your own.
My other favorite is Community, a show that you should be watching if not already. I don't know how to describe it, but even though every episode is completely nuts, I find myself coming back for me. I used to work at a Community College (big ups to SCCC) and all of the characters are perfectly cast - as all CC's have students like those on Community. All the characters have flaws that we can relate to and that is what helps me overlook the crazy notion that priority scheduling is determined by a paint ball tournament or that old meat from a military store can lead to zombism (a real world) or even that Greendale had a secluded Utopian-like area with a giant trampoline on its grounds. Whatever it is, keep on doing it.
Finally, a word about the Grammy's. I'm not an awards guy, but the word that Enimem would be performing with Rihanna and Dr Dre was enough to get me to watch. I have to say that I was not disappointed as their were tons of great moments. First, in terms of awkward moments, is there any one more awkward than Nicole Kidman? I know that she is married to Keith Urban and that could be a reason for all the face-time she got, but at what point does the producer tell the cameraman to get away from her lame ass? They had to be in on the joke right? The comedy was great. Next, can we talk about Mick Jagger a little? I have never been a Rolling Stones guy, but after watching him perform I think I like him even less. It's not that he is a bad singer or even a bad guy, it's just that I can't stand watching his wrinkly skin and his freakishly long fingers. Am I wrong in thinking that his performance was cringe worthy? I know the entire audience was standing, but that's out of respect, right?
- Some very short final thoughts on the event: Not too many people were in love with Babs Streisand.
- I don't think anyone knows who Esperanza Spalding is and how she beat Drake for Top Newcomer.
- The Enimen-Rihanna-Dr Dre set left me wanting more. More Rihanna (and that awesome dress). More Dre. Less Skylar Grey, who interestingly did not have a single close-up the entire time. Was that by design?
- John Mayer looked like a pedophile.
- Rihanna's performance of What's My Name == HOT
- I apologize for all that I have done in making Snooki and the Situation reality stars
- Lady Gaga continues to push boundaries. She is a genius and not just crazy, right?
Friday, February 11, 2011
I'm ALL In Again
Sports fans are an interesting breed because they are nothing like the athletes that they support. Besides winning, we feel that loyalty is the most important thing. We honestly believe that we would not take the millions of dollars thrown at us if we were able to swtich roles. And in the face of certain disappointment we are always believing that something good is about to happen.
When I was younger I would let a Mets or Devils loss ruin my week. I put so much energy and passion into supporting them, that when they lost it felt like I had lost (of course it didn't help that I had to listen to idiot Yankees and Rangers fans over the years). As I have gotten older, I have started to take a more realistic approach to how I support my teams. I still will watch every game I can. I still will spend countless hours emerged in any information about them. But the hope that I once had has steadily decreased. First there was the epic Mets collapse in 2007 and the follow-up collapse in 2008. Add in 5 straight first round playoff exits by the Devils, a 12 win season by the Nets and some pretty terrible UW football teams and the undying faith in my teams was seemingly gone.
Then out of nowhere, I seemingly have found my sports faith again. I have really tried to stay way from the recent Devils hot streak. They dug such a deep hole that it was seemingly impossible for them to make the playoffs. I have written about the sheer madness of it a few times; each time hoping that I could convince my heart that they had no shot. But just when I think they can't do it anymore, BOOOM, they win another game. Thursday it was an OT win against Toronto. Last night, a win over San Jose. Their recent record now stands at 12-1-2 in their last 15 and they suddenly sit 12 points out of 8th place. I can';t stand it anymore. I AM ALL IN on the Devils right now. I know it is going to lead to inevitable disappointment because their margin of error. Simply put, they can't lose any games from now on. They need to play their best hockey and keep on winning every 3 out of 4 games. It's probably still impossible, but I'm tired of thinking. It's time to believe again.
Speaking of believing, can we talk about the Bucknell Bison? Coming into the season, I had a feeling that they would contend for the Patriot League crown, but seeing that I never get to watch any games, I just assumed that the experts would be right. American, and not Bucknell, would be going to the NCAA tournament. We had our magic in 2005 and 2006. Sure, we could continue to have a winning records in the league, but winning the league would need to wait. Luckily, no one told that to Mike Muscala, Daryl Shazier, Joe Willman, Bryson Johnson and the rest of the Bison. After a home win against American on Wednesday, I AM ALL IN on the Bison. To regular readers of the blog, this shouldn't come as a surprise - I have had crazy Muscala Love all season. The difference now is that I am not in any way scared of the Patriot League tournament. You see, the cruel thing about one-bid leagues is that the best team in the regular season is never assured a spot in the big dance. They need to remain focused and brush aside those pesky upset artists in the first rounds and then beat the second best team in the final for probably the third time. One slip up and you're done. Even if the BIson win their last 5 games to move them to 22-8 (13-1 conference), if they lose to colgate or Holy Cross or some other shit scholl, they're done. Season over. Luckily, I can sit here today and say with absolute certainty, that I have complete faith that they will get the job done. Disappointment be damned. Faith, I'm back and I'm hitching a trailer.
When I was younger I would let a Mets or Devils loss ruin my week. I put so much energy and passion into supporting them, that when they lost it felt like I had lost (of course it didn't help that I had to listen to idiot Yankees and Rangers fans over the years). As I have gotten older, I have started to take a more realistic approach to how I support my teams. I still will watch every game I can. I still will spend countless hours emerged in any information about them. But the hope that I once had has steadily decreased. First there was the epic Mets collapse in 2007 and the follow-up collapse in 2008. Add in 5 straight first round playoff exits by the Devils, a 12 win season by the Nets and some pretty terrible UW football teams and the undying faith in my teams was seemingly gone.
Then out of nowhere, I seemingly have found my sports faith again. I have really tried to stay way from the recent Devils hot streak. They dug such a deep hole that it was seemingly impossible for them to make the playoffs. I have written about the sheer madness of it a few times; each time hoping that I could convince my heart that they had no shot. But just when I think they can't do it anymore, BOOOM, they win another game. Thursday it was an OT win against Toronto. Last night, a win over San Jose. Their recent record now stands at 12-1-2 in their last 15 and they suddenly sit 12 points out of 8th place. I can';t stand it anymore. I AM ALL IN on the Devils right now. I know it is going to lead to inevitable disappointment because their margin of error. Simply put, they can't lose any games from now on. They need to play their best hockey and keep on winning every 3 out of 4 games. It's probably still impossible, but I'm tired of thinking. It's time to believe again.
Speaking of believing, can we talk about the Bucknell Bison? Coming into the season, I had a feeling that they would contend for the Patriot League crown, but seeing that I never get to watch any games, I just assumed that the experts would be right. American, and not Bucknell, would be going to the NCAA tournament. We had our magic in 2005 and 2006. Sure, we could continue to have a winning records in the league, but winning the league would need to wait. Luckily, no one told that to Mike Muscala, Daryl Shazier, Joe Willman, Bryson Johnson and the rest of the Bison. After a home win against American on Wednesday, I AM ALL IN on the Bison. To regular readers of the blog, this shouldn't come as a surprise - I have had crazy Muscala Love all season. The difference now is that I am not in any way scared of the Patriot League tournament. You see, the cruel thing about one-bid leagues is that the best team in the regular season is never assured a spot in the big dance. They need to remain focused and brush aside those pesky upset artists in the first rounds and then beat the second best team in the final for probably the third time. One slip up and you're done. Even if the BIson win their last 5 games to move them to 22-8 (13-1 conference), if they lose to colgate or Holy Cross or some other shit scholl, they're done. Season over. Luckily, I can sit here today and say with absolute certainty, that I have complete faith that they will get the job done. Disappointment be damned. Faith, I'm back and I'm hitching a trailer.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Maybe I'm Not So Old Afterall
I got a lot of good feedback in reaction to my column from two weeks ago. My buddy Stebbuns basically told me to 'Nut Up or Shut Up'. Age he said, shouldn't define me. My wife then said that it's no surprise that I suck at basketball because I don't play as often as I do soccer. If I had more time to practice I would undoubtedly get better. Both got me thinking - were they right? Was my suckiness simply due to the fact that I play 10 games a year, with 3 minutes of warm-ups and no practice? Did my age have nothing to do with my diminished skill? Could it be that simple?
Well, all my questions got answers last night as my IM team picked up our second win of the season. It turns out that our first three games were against teams that entered last night with a combined 13-2 record. Last week we beat the 0-3 team and last night we beat a 1-3 team. That means the first three games were really against the alpha-males of the group. I don't think us losing had anything to do with being older and slower than them - I think they straight up were better than we ever were even in our prime.
I won't talk to much about last night's game because no one is interested, but suffice to say, I played really well. Our opponents, sensing that we were not good shooters, played zone all night. Normally we are not good at moving the ball around, but last night something happened: We didn't force bad shots. We were patient. We controlled the tempo of the game.
With about 5 minutes left, we had a 4 point lead and somehow I lost my man on defense. He ended up draining a 3 and suddenly the pressure was on. We turned the ball over on the next possession, but on the ensuing fast break I stepped up and took a charge on the defensive end. The refs then made a really critical error and awarded me with two shots even though you shouldn't get shots on an offensive foul. I nailed them both along with two other key free throws down the stretch. We ended up winning by 4. Final line: 9 points (4-4 FT), 4 boards, 3 assists, 2 blocks, 1 charge.
On the way home, I was thinking about how going against the zone was perfect for me. I don't have the same legs that I once did, so trying to get open in against a man-to-man defense is always really tiring. Going against a zone seemed like a piece of cake. Some of the older guys on our team seemed rejuvenated simply because they could use their intelligence rather than their athleticism.
I went home with a big smile on my face (the perfect night from the line being the highlight). Our first playoff game should be against a team with a 3-2 record, so hopefully it will be a good match-up. Of course somewhere along the line we will have to face an alpha-male team again. When we do, I know the number will change. After all, it is easy to feel young and energetic when you're winning. Losing by 30 sure has a way to bring you down.
Well, all my questions got answers last night as my IM team picked up our second win of the season. It turns out that our first three games were against teams that entered last night with a combined 13-2 record. Last week we beat the 0-3 team and last night we beat a 1-3 team. That means the first three games were really against the alpha-males of the group. I don't think us losing had anything to do with being older and slower than them - I think they straight up were better than we ever were even in our prime.
I won't talk to much about last night's game because no one is interested, but suffice to say, I played really well. Our opponents, sensing that we were not good shooters, played zone all night. Normally we are not good at moving the ball around, but last night something happened: We didn't force bad shots. We were patient. We controlled the tempo of the game.
With about 5 minutes left, we had a 4 point lead and somehow I lost my man on defense. He ended up draining a 3 and suddenly the pressure was on. We turned the ball over on the next possession, but on the ensuing fast break I stepped up and took a charge on the defensive end. The refs then made a really critical error and awarded me with two shots even though you shouldn't get shots on an offensive foul. I nailed them both along with two other key free throws down the stretch. We ended up winning by 4. Final line: 9 points (4-4 FT), 4 boards, 3 assists, 2 blocks, 1 charge.
On the way home, I was thinking about how going against the zone was perfect for me. I don't have the same legs that I once did, so trying to get open in against a man-to-man defense is always really tiring. Going against a zone seemed like a piece of cake. Some of the older guys on our team seemed rejuvenated simply because they could use their intelligence rather than their athleticism.
I went home with a big smile on my face (the perfect night from the line being the highlight). Our first playoff game should be against a team with a 3-2 record, so hopefully it will be a good match-up. Of course somewhere along the line we will have to face an alpha-male team again. When we do, I know the number will change. After all, it is easy to feel young and energetic when you're winning. Losing by 30 sure has a way to bring you down.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Suck Devils, Suck..
Go back in time to January 8th. The Devils were dead last in the NHL with a 10-28-2 record and were on pace for a miserable 45 points. I had given up on the season. I was looking forward to getting the top draft pick. I was looking forward to reloading. I was getting ready for baseball season.
Then a funny thing happened - they actually started winning some games. Nine out of twelve to be exact. Along the way they have passed the Islanders, Oilers and Senators in the standings. At 42 points, they still remain 16 points out of 8th place. In 2009-2010, 88 points was enough to get into the playoffs. Assuming the same point total this year, the Devils will need to finish the season 22-5-2 to make the playoffs. I know that their recent run has been amazing and I know it has me being uber-excited, but 22-5-2 in the final 29 games is unfathomable to think about.
That brings me to my point - are the Devils actually screwing themselves by not sucking? If they are not going to make the playoffs, they would wise to finish with one of the worst records in the league (unlike the NBA, only one of the worst 5 NHL teams can move up to #1 spot, while teams can only move down one spot). After a decade and a half of drafting in the bottom of the first round, their is minimal, if any, young talent in the organization. If we could re-sign Parise, then he and Ilya could lead the next wave of Devils superstars into the promise land. But if they continue to win and finish 10th in the East, then they will be drafting in the early teens once again.
If I have to look at this realistically, I think they should suck for the rest of the season. It's probably an unpopular stance, but one that might help us get over this abomination of a season.
Then a funny thing happened - they actually started winning some games. Nine out of twelve to be exact. Along the way they have passed the Islanders, Oilers and Senators in the standings. At 42 points, they still remain 16 points out of 8th place. In 2009-2010, 88 points was enough to get into the playoffs. Assuming the same point total this year, the Devils will need to finish the season 22-5-2 to make the playoffs. I know that their recent run has been amazing and I know it has me being uber-excited, but 22-5-2 in the final 29 games is unfathomable to think about.
That brings me to my point - are the Devils actually screwing themselves by not sucking? If they are not going to make the playoffs, they would wise to finish with one of the worst records in the league (unlike the NBA, only one of the worst 5 NHL teams can move up to #1 spot, while teams can only move down one spot). After a decade and a half of drafting in the bottom of the first round, their is minimal, if any, young talent in the organization. If we could re-sign Parise, then he and Ilya could lead the next wave of Devils superstars into the promise land. But if they continue to win and finish 10th in the East, then they will be drafting in the early teens once again.
If I have to look at this realistically, I think they should suck for the rest of the season. It's probably an unpopular stance, but one that might help us get over this abomination of a season.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Time to Panic
I started a running commentary of the Super Bowl and half way through realized that I wouldn't be able to finish it because of my fatherly duties. Besides that, it really sucked ...you know really fun stuff like alternate programming on the other channels, how Fergie officially killed anything left to GnR, A-Rod and Cameron Diaz making the nation vomit and of course, how boring Joe Buck and Troy Aikman are.
Anyways, I decided to stay away from the Super Bowl and instead talk about UW basketball. Wait, I take that back...not talk about UW basketball, but rather sound the panic alarms about UW basketball.
I saw the loss to Washington St coming. After all, it had all the makings of a trap - rivalry game in a crazy environment that was extra ravenous because of comments by Isaiah Thomas and Matthew Bryan-Amaning the week before. Their was no way the Cougs weren't going to come out fired up.
At the time, I convinced myself that 15-3 in conference was still a very real possibility. After all, the Huskies were the best team in the conference. The loss at Wassou was only a blip in the radar. Then they went to Oregon St, a frisky Jeckyll and Hyde team, and laid an egg. Still I assumed that when we were 14-4 at the end of the year and looking back at our season, the two game slide would simply a distant memory.
And then the unthinkable happened. We went to Oregon and lost to a crap team in green. In doing so, the Huskies now sit a full two games behind conference leaders Arizona, which means that beating the Wildcats on the road in two weeks won't be enough. We will need the 'Cats to slip up to another conference foe and we will need to run the table.
I don't know what the problem is with the team (I actually haven't been able to watch any of the previous two games), but I am freaking out. We are now 15-7 on the season and 7-4 in conference. We have only beaten one top 25 team on the year and will only face one more for the rest of the season. If we don't turn things around immediately, 7 conference losses could be staring us in the face. Entering the Pac-10 tournament with 19-10 record and an RPI of in the 50's, we might be at risk of missing the tournament if we get tripped up.
This is absolutely shocking to think about. I am in total panic mode.
************
On the positive side, the Bison bounced back from their 20-point thumping to Army with a 25-point win over Navy. I was more shocked than upset when they got ambushed in West Point. I wasn't expecting it, but I don't think it's the worst thing. Getting a beating by a team that was below .500 in conference is a good wake-up call. Starting the season 6-0 in conference is obviously awesome, but for a squad that hasn't experienced such heights in a few years, it would be easy to let things go to your head. You start taking shortcuts and don't work as hard. So now it's out of the way, well before conference tourney time. We still have our two rivals, American and Lehigh at home so I think 13-1 is a real possibility.
Anyways, I decided to stay away from the Super Bowl and instead talk about UW basketball. Wait, I take that back...not talk about UW basketball, but rather sound the panic alarms about UW basketball.
I saw the loss to Washington St coming. After all, it had all the makings of a trap - rivalry game in a crazy environment that was extra ravenous because of comments by Isaiah Thomas and Matthew Bryan-Amaning the week before. Their was no way the Cougs weren't going to come out fired up.
At the time, I convinced myself that 15-3 in conference was still a very real possibility. After all, the Huskies were the best team in the conference. The loss at Wassou was only a blip in the radar. Then they went to Oregon St, a frisky Jeckyll and Hyde team, and laid an egg. Still I assumed that when we were 14-4 at the end of the year and looking back at our season, the two game slide would simply a distant memory.
And then the unthinkable happened. We went to Oregon and lost to a crap team in green. In doing so, the Huskies now sit a full two games behind conference leaders Arizona, which means that beating the Wildcats on the road in two weeks won't be enough. We will need the 'Cats to slip up to another conference foe and we will need to run the table.
I don't know what the problem is with the team (I actually haven't been able to watch any of the previous two games), but I am freaking out. We are now 15-7 on the season and 7-4 in conference. We have only beaten one top 25 team on the year and will only face one more for the rest of the season. If we don't turn things around immediately, 7 conference losses could be staring us in the face. Entering the Pac-10 tournament with 19-10 record and an RPI of in the 50's, we might be at risk of missing the tournament if we get tripped up.
This is absolutely shocking to think about. I am in total panic mode.
************
On the positive side, the Bison bounced back from their 20-point thumping to Army with a 25-point win over Navy. I was more shocked than upset when they got ambushed in West Point. I wasn't expecting it, but I don't think it's the worst thing. Getting a beating by a team that was below .500 in conference is a good wake-up call. Starting the season 6-0 in conference is obviously awesome, but for a squad that hasn't experienced such heights in a few years, it would be easy to let things go to your head. You start taking shortcuts and don't work as hard. So now it's out of the way, well before conference tourney time. We still have our two rivals, American and Lehigh at home so I think 13-1 is a real possibility.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Friday Morning Five-Pack
Is there anyone out there who thinks Matthew Perry's new sitcom, Mr Sunshine, is going to be any good? This has all the looks of another failed attempt by a Friends cast member to get back into tv...and with that comes a failed segue into my Friday Morning Five Pack. So let's get to it.
- I honestly have no analysis for the Super Bowl that people haven't heard. We know Green Bay can't run the ball on Pittsburgh, but we know where they are going to be able to throw the ball all day. For me the key will be the Steelers' experience. I think Green Bay is still young and will make a big mistake to cost them the game. Ultimately I am very excited for not only the game, but for Kim Kardashian's fourth quarter commercial as well. Bring it on.
- On this week's Raw, we saw a vignette of an unknown person in a raincoat walking in the rain up the stairs to a dark house with the date 2.21.11. Internet rumors instantly started that the unknown man was Sting and that he was coming to WWE to challenge the Undertaker at Wrestlemania. I have ordered 2 pay-per-views in my life and while I can't justify buying my third, if this was to happen, I would seriously have to think about it. That would be HUGE.
- Tickets to Cascadia Summit sold out real quickly. I am happy to say that I was one of the lucky ones to be able to get tickets. Like everyone else, I got crushed by the fees, but overall it was a painless experience. I am totally excited about the Sounders-Vancouver match and think it is going to be electric in a smaller, more intimate setting than Qwest. I have a lot more to say about the rave green, but will be saving it for another set of posts.
- Back in October I suggested that Georgia boosters give Mark Richt a break in the midst of his first down year. Well, it looks like it has paid off - the Dawgs got the 6th ranked recruiting class in the nation. Now it's not a huge surprise as they always seem to recruit well, but so do LSU, Bama, Auburn and Florida. The problem is always putting those classes together to make a super team. SEC teams have won 5 straight national titles and while UGA has to many holes to believe that 2011 is the year, but 2012 is definitely going to be fun. Meanwhile on the other side of the country, UW pulled in a top 25 recruiting class, thanks in large part to their Holiday Bowl win. The best part of their class is that they were able to secure the top 5 players from the state of Washington. This was a problem with the Willingham regime and a blueprint that Lorenzo Romar has succesfully used to build the bball program into a powerhouse.
- Stepping aside for a minute, how ridic is this whole ridiculous recruiting process? I was sickened by the coverage that ESPN gave signing day. Listen, I know that college football is a huge deal, but 18 year olds should not be trotted out on tv like they are adults. If they spurn one school for another, they become a villain and have their Facebook accounts and emails flooded with death threats. At the school they do commit to they become a legend and the instant exploitation begins. I would love to see a similar network spend that much time on the college choice of a top rated cello player or a Rhodes Scholar.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
A Deal for the Devils
I wrote my boy The Crappy One when the news broke that the Devils might be sold. He told me to stop channeling my inner Fox News and using scare tactics to get him going. Well, Tom Gulitti at the Bergen Record did a lot of great news and uncovered the truth. Apparently Jeff Vanderbeek, the principle owner is not going to sell his stock in the team. It is the secondary owners, Brick City Hockey LLC, that are looking to sell their stock.
The original fear for any Devils fan is how the sale will effect the team. Well, according to Gulitti, Brick City's share would be packaged with the team's arena rights. With the team just in the 3rd year of a 30 year lease at the Prudential Center, their is no chance they will be leaving. In fact, the NHL has no concern that they will leave.
So that is great news. Even if they were to somehow move to Seattle so I could watch them, I could never feel ok about it. The Devils are New Jersey's team. They won 3 Cups in the past 15 years. They can't move.
Still, a sale is a terrible thing right now. Even though the Devils have won 8 of 10 (including a nice win over the Rangers), they still suck. The season is lost and for the first time since the late 80's the franchise is without direction. If I'm Zach Parise, I take a look at the team and am unsure if I want to re-sign. The team has burned through what seems to be 10 coaches in the past decade. They just signed Ilya Kovalchuk to a cap crippling contract that the GM was not sold on. Marty Brodeur is old and about to retire. Their is a considerable talent void. And while I hate to admit it, they play in Newark. Add in the fact that the sale of the team will present major off the ice distractions, I have to think there is no chance he re-signs with us.
That would be crippling because our only chance to be relevant again in a few years is to have both Kovalchuk and Parise in Jersey for a long time. They need to be happy and their needs to be a positive aura around the team. Selling the team is not a way to get there.
The original fear for any Devils fan is how the sale will effect the team. Well, according to Gulitti, Brick City's share would be packaged with the team's arena rights. With the team just in the 3rd year of a 30 year lease at the Prudential Center, their is no chance they will be leaving. In fact, the NHL has no concern that they will leave.
So that is great news. Even if they were to somehow move to Seattle so I could watch them, I could never feel ok about it. The Devils are New Jersey's team. They won 3 Cups in the past 15 years. They can't move.
Still, a sale is a terrible thing right now. Even though the Devils have won 8 of 10 (including a nice win over the Rangers), they still suck. The season is lost and for the first time since the late 80's the franchise is without direction. If I'm Zach Parise, I take a look at the team and am unsure if I want to re-sign. The team has burned through what seems to be 10 coaches in the past decade. They just signed Ilya Kovalchuk to a cap crippling contract that the GM was not sold on. Marty Brodeur is old and about to retire. Their is a considerable talent void. And while I hate to admit it, they play in Newark. Add in the fact that the sale of the team will present major off the ice distractions, I have to think there is no chance he re-signs with us.
That would be crippling because our only chance to be relevant again in a few years is to have both Kovalchuk and Parise in Jersey for a long time. They need to be happy and their needs to be a positive aura around the team. Selling the team is not a way to get there.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Sounders v2.0?
This might be a crazy thought, but as I read more and more about the Portland Timbers roster, I start to feel the same thing as I did in 2009 with the Sounders. No, I'm not talking all out support and excitement for the team (in fact I despise this timbers team and they have yet to play a game), but rather my feelings towards the roster. At first their roster moves didn't strike me anything strange, but with every growing rumor and transaction, I feel like they are becoming Sounders v2.0.
Let's see where the similarities lie by first taking a look at how the team was constructed prior to their inaugural season. They began by signing several former USL Sounders - 2008 USL MVP Sebastian LeToux, Roger Levesque, Zach Scott, Chris Eylander and Sanna Nyassi - as well as the USL MVP Osvaldo Alonso from Charleston. Then they brought Kasey Keller back from overseas and selected a forward from the University of Akron named Steve Zakuani with the 1st overall pick in the college draft. Next came the expansion draft where they stocked up with some talent - Nate Jaqua, Nathan Sturgis, Peter Vagenas, Tyson Wahl, James Riley, Brad Evans followed by the signing of a relatively unknown hot shot forward from Columbia named Fredy Montero and his teammate Jhon Kennedy Hurtado. Then they made their biggest splash, bringing in Freddie Ljungberg as a DP. Finally, seeing that their defense was thin, they traded for Patrick Ianni and Tyrone Marshall. The foundation for their successful year was complete.
Fast forward to 2011 and the construction of the timbers roster is becoming eerily similar. They began by signing 4 players from the USL team (including 2010 USL MVP Ryan Pore) plus a star forward from Austin named Eddie Johnson. Portland then brought in a veteran keeper of their own in Troy Perkins. In the expansion draft they stocked their team with undervalued players such as Adam Moffat (a Crew midfielder like Brad Evans), Eric Brunner (a outside defender like James Riley), Anthony Wallace and Peter Lowry. Just like Seattle with Jeff Parke, they then selected two players who were out of contract and headed out of MLS (John Bornstein and Robbie Findley) just in case. In the college draft they selected a forward out of the University of Akron (sound familiar?) named Darlington Nagbe. Most recently they made their big name signing - former National team star Kenny Cooper and are now being rumored to have signed a Colombian forward by the name of Jorge Perlaza.
So let's review he similarities:
Seeing the success that Seattle had, Portland is wise to follow their formula. Hopefully for all us, history won't repeat itself in 2011.
Let's see where the similarities lie by first taking a look at how the team was constructed prior to their inaugural season. They began by signing several former USL Sounders - 2008 USL MVP Sebastian LeToux, Roger Levesque, Zach Scott, Chris Eylander and Sanna Nyassi - as well as the USL MVP Osvaldo Alonso from Charleston. Then they brought Kasey Keller back from overseas and selected a forward from the University of Akron named Steve Zakuani with the 1st overall pick in the college draft. Next came the expansion draft where they stocked up with some talent - Nate Jaqua, Nathan Sturgis, Peter Vagenas, Tyson Wahl, James Riley, Brad Evans followed by the signing of a relatively unknown hot shot forward from Columbia named Fredy Montero and his teammate Jhon Kennedy Hurtado. Then they made their biggest splash, bringing in Freddie Ljungberg as a DP. Finally, seeing that their defense was thin, they traded for Patrick Ianni and Tyrone Marshall. The foundation for their successful year was complete.
Fast forward to 2011 and the construction of the timbers roster is becoming eerily similar. They began by signing 4 players from the USL team (including 2010 USL MVP Ryan Pore) plus a star forward from Austin named Eddie Johnson. Portland then brought in a veteran keeper of their own in Troy Perkins. In the expansion draft they stocked their team with undervalued players such as Adam Moffat (a Crew midfielder like Brad Evans), Eric Brunner (a outside defender like James Riley), Anthony Wallace and Peter Lowry. Just like Seattle with Jeff Parke, they then selected two players who were out of contract and headed out of MLS (John Bornstein and Robbie Findley) just in case. In the college draft they selected a forward out of the University of Akron (sound familiar?) named Darlington Nagbe. Most recently they made their big name signing - former National team star Kenny Cooper and are now being rumored to have signed a Colombian forward by the name of Jorge Perlaza.
So let's review he similarities:
- Several USL players making the jump, including a former league MVP
- A USL Best XI player from another team
- A rookie forward out of the University of Akron
- A veteran goalkeeper
- Undervalued talent including a Midfielder from Columbus in the expansion draft
- A Colombian forward
- A tall striker coming back to MLS after a failed stint overseas
- Rights to star players no longer in MLS just in case
Seeing the success that Seattle had, Portland is wise to follow their formula. Hopefully for all us, history won't repeat itself in 2011.
My Second Wrestling Post
This is the greatest time of the year for professional wrestling fans (both open ones like myself as well as those still in the closet) as we officially begin the two month build-up to Wrestlemania. The WWE does not have an off-season like the major sorts, so there are always times during the year when the writing sucks and the storylines are lame. It just happens. But for Wrestlemania, the storylines are crisp and the matches are top-notch. No matter what has happened in the past year, the writers are always able to get the biggest names in the business to wrestle each other. Main eventing Wrestlemania is the biggest honor in the business.
Over the past five years, only a select few have had that honor - John Cena, HHH, Randy Orton, Edge, Chris Jericho, Undertaker, Shawn Michaels and Batista. The problem this year is that Jericho, Michaels, HHH and Batista are all retired while Cena, Orton and Edga have wrestled each other so many times over the past year that it is old an tired. So what did WWE do? Well, the anticipated the situation and started building up new stars over the past year.
I have been hoping that the company would anoint the current WWE Champion, The Miz, as the next guy to carry the torch. The guy is an amazing heel (ie - bad guy) and would be a welcome change from the old guard. However, he is inexperienced as a main eventer and not a crossover star like Cena. Would WWE go with The Miz as the top guy? Well, it looks like they tipped their hand at the Royal Rumble when The Miz cost Cena a shot at the title (the winner of the Rumble gets a title shot) by eliminating him even though he wasn't in the match. If that doesn't lead to Miz-Cena at Wrestlemania, then I know nothing about wrestling. (Oh, and on Raw last night, the WWE announcer, 50-something year old Jerry Lawler got a title shot at the next PPV meaning The Miz will hold the title until Wrestlemania)
For the other two main events, WWE has set up two other juicy match-ups...CM Punk vs Randy Orton and Edge vs Alberto Del Rio. The first is nothing shocking - Orton is a huge babyface (ie - good guy) and Punk is a huge heel. From what I know they have never faced each other, so it's perfect. As for the other bout, I am honestly shocked. Del Rio has been showing up on both Raw and Smackdown lately and he has been proclaiming that he was destined to win the Rumble. I assumed they were trying to build him up for the future, I just never thought the future was now. I just never thought someone who has been in the company less than a year would be in one of the three biggest matches at WM26.
All three of these matches would be great as they match the three biggest veterans against the three biggest newcomers. It is almost too perfect. Which of course, means it is too good to be true. WWE still has one more pay-per-view, Elimination Chamber, before Wrestlemania. At this event, they have two 6-person matches with the winner walking away with the respective titles. With six people in each match, anything can happen. The script can switch in a split second.
So my plea to WWE is this - don't throw us a curveball. The matches you are going to tease for the next month are perfect. Leave them the way they are and use the weeks in between to build up other storylines. But leave the main events as they are.
Over the past five years, only a select few have had that honor - John Cena, HHH, Randy Orton, Edge, Chris Jericho, Undertaker, Shawn Michaels and Batista. The problem this year is that Jericho, Michaels, HHH and Batista are all retired while Cena, Orton and Edga have wrestled each other so many times over the past year that it is old an tired. So what did WWE do? Well, the anticipated the situation and started building up new stars over the past year.
I have been hoping that the company would anoint the current WWE Champion, The Miz, as the next guy to carry the torch. The guy is an amazing heel (ie - bad guy) and would be a welcome change from the old guard. However, he is inexperienced as a main eventer and not a crossover star like Cena. Would WWE go with The Miz as the top guy? Well, it looks like they tipped their hand at the Royal Rumble when The Miz cost Cena a shot at the title (the winner of the Rumble gets a title shot) by eliminating him even though he wasn't in the match. If that doesn't lead to Miz-Cena at Wrestlemania, then I know nothing about wrestling. (Oh, and on Raw last night, the WWE announcer, 50-something year old Jerry Lawler got a title shot at the next PPV meaning The Miz will hold the title until Wrestlemania)
For the other two main events, WWE has set up two other juicy match-ups...CM Punk vs Randy Orton and Edge vs Alberto Del Rio. The first is nothing shocking - Orton is a huge babyface (ie - good guy) and Punk is a huge heel. From what I know they have never faced each other, so it's perfect. As for the other bout, I am honestly shocked. Del Rio has been showing up on both Raw and Smackdown lately and he has been proclaiming that he was destined to win the Rumble. I assumed they were trying to build him up for the future, I just never thought the future was now. I just never thought someone who has been in the company less than a year would be in one of the three biggest matches at WM26.
All three of these matches would be great as they match the three biggest veterans against the three biggest newcomers. It is almost too perfect. Which of course, means it is too good to be true. WWE still has one more pay-per-view, Elimination Chamber, before Wrestlemania. At this event, they have two 6-person matches with the winner walking away with the respective titles. With six people in each match, anything can happen. The script can switch in a split second.
So my plea to WWE is this - don't throw us a curveball. The matches you are going to tease for the next month are perfect. Leave them the way they are and use the weeks in between to build up other storylines. But leave the main events as they are.
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