I'm An Addict

It's been 10 days since my last post. I have missed it, but at the same time feel a little free. It has been nice not to force out posts just to stay current. Of course, that doesn't mean I haven't had stuff on my mind. In fact, it is the exact opposite. All I continue to think about all day long is sports. I'm an addict.

• All the talk on KJR in recent weeks has been what the Seahawks are going to do at the QB spot. Will they trade up to get Robert Griffin III in the NFL Draft? Will they throw a boatload of money at free agent Matt Flynn? Or will they stick with Tavaris Jackson for another year? I have listened to all the considerations and I think the decision is an easy one: they need to throw the money at Matt Flynn. Now I realize it is risky to put that much faith in someone who is a back-up QB and has started only 2 , albeit really successful, games in his career. I mean, the dude is a back-up for a reason. Given the situation each of his monster games occurred in, I am not going to put too much faith into either. The thing is though - we don't know what he could be. Sure, he could be the next Rob Johnson...but he could also be the next Matt Hasselback. They need to take the risk because it could be better than what they already have. Here's the biggest thing though - if they trade up to get RG3 they will be mortgaging their future. They are really really close to being a playoff team. They CANNOT trade away any draft picks to get the right to draft RG3. If Flynn fails, the team is out of money. If RG3 fails, they are out money and picks. Whiffing on a rookie QB will put them back years. They won't be able to recover. They need to go the Flynn route.
  
  
• I have no problem with the M's trading pitching for hitting, but I'm not quite sure that Jesus Montero is the answer for their struggling lineup. Look, I know that Montero is one of the top prospects in the game, but a prospect is a prospect until they become a star. He has only played 18 games so far and while the results have been good, I'm not sure how they will extrapolate to an entire year.
  
  Now I get the risk that Jack Z took might be a good one. He traded away a strength to strengthen his weakness. They have a shitload of pitching in the organization - I just thought that trading King Felix and building around Michael Pineda might have been the better move. Obviously that is crazy talk because of what King Felix means to this team, but you know Boston and the Yanks would have given an arm, a leg, a kidney and a liver to get his services. They would have hurt the fans, but helped the team.
  
  Ok, so they didn't trade Felix. They traded Pineda instead. I think the Yanks actually won the trade - not because I think Montero will be a bust but because they simply had to move him. He isn't a catcher - he is a hitter. The only thing is that he can't DH for the Yanks because of A-Rod and Tex. Instead of sitting in the minors, he gets to play every day AND the Yanks get a damn good pitcher. Here is the thing though - I think there is a good chance he throws out his arm. He is only 22 years old and he threw 171 innings last year. He needs to be on an inning count this coming year - something I don't think the Yanks will be willing to do. Do you actually think that they will shut him down in September if he gives them the chance to beat the Red Sox for the division title? I'm calling it now - he blows out his arm
  
  
• Let's talk a little Hall of Fame. One of the guys on ESPN.com suggested that Mike Piazza won't make it in next year on his first year of eligibility. He felt that he will get in eventually but that the writers will make a statement in year 1. Let me tell you something - that is absolutely crazy. If Piazza, the greatest hitting catcher in baseball history, doesn't make it in on his first try, then the voters are assholes. I don't care about his admission of PED's early in his career...hands down, he was the best player at his position during his career (not to mention that he 'captained' a NY team before and after 911).
  
  Speaking of being the best at his position, Edgar Martinez, the best player at his position, got only 36.5% of votes in his 3rd year of eligibility. It is not looking too good. This is a tough one for me. I mean, I'm an NL guy who doesn't believe in the DH. I don't think you should be able to hit if you can't play the field. It just goes against everything you are taught in the schoolyard. BUT, I can't argue that it is a legitimate position. And Edgar was the best at it. You might not believe that kickers or punters belong in the NFL Hall of Fame, but they are pro athletes who play an important position. They deserve some credit...and unfortunately the same holds for the DH. Put Edgar in.
  
  
• I don't know who will make the Super Bowl (although I claim the Giants to be the favorites), but all 4 possibilities are going to be the media's dream. Giants-Pats is obviously the most intriguing because of the Super Bowl from 3 years ago. Giants-Ravens is another Super Bowl rematch. Ravens-49ers will be the Harbaugh Bowl. Pats-49ers will be a match-up of the Team of the 80's vs the Team of the 2000's. I will get sick of all the build-up, but know they will be happy.
  
  
• The Nets suck. Really Suck. D-Will is as good as gone. Howard is not coming. They will win 8 games this season and go to Brookyln as the worst team in the league.
  
  
• I applaud both the USSF and CONCACAF for the changes to the US Open Cup and Champions League. The Open cup will now consist of 32 teams including all 16 domestic MLS teams and home field will now be based on a random draw. The best part though is knowing the dates of each round prior to the season. Champions League has also changed for the better, eliminating 2 games from the round robin part. Now instead of a 2 game playoff for 16 teams followed by 4 groups of 4, the 24 qualifying teams will be placed into 8 groups of 3. Only the winner of each group will advance. Whereas before the Sounders were playing 8 total games (4 home, 4 road) they will now play 4. Flying from Dallas to Central America might not be terrible, but Seattle to Central America was killing us. I also like that in order to advance to the Quarterfinals, teams must be the best team in at least 3 of the 4 games. If you advance, you know you earned it
  
  
• Finally, terrible job by MLS in scheduling the Sounders on the road for 4 Cascadia Cup games in 2012. I find it completely unfathomable that in a year when they want to promote local rivalries, they allow 1 Cascadia team, regardless of whether it was Seattle or not, to have to be on the road for 4 of 6. This wasn't rocket science guys - it could go one of two ways: 1. Seattle home twice vs PTL, PTL home twice vs VAN, VAN home twice vs Seattle OR 2. PTL home twice vs Seattle, Seattle home twice vs VAN, VAN home twice vs PTL. Ok, two simple ways. Way to eff it up.
  

I think that's it for now. Hope everyone is doing well.