The MLB All-Star game is less than a week away and instead of focusing on who is going to Anaheim, all the talk is about who got snubbed. According to most writers, Joey Votto is Biggest Snub #1 while the phenom from Washington is Biggest Snub #2. Some say that Stephen Strasburg has to be there. Others question whether he deserves to be there given lack of experience. To me, the Strasburg argument results in two questions that must be answered. First - is he one of the 8 best pitchers in the league? Second - what is the purpose of the All-Star game?
I won't dive into the first question and instead leave that to the reader. I am going to assume for this argument that he is not (but in real life think he probably is, but not ahead of Mike Pelfrey who gets my vote as Biggest Snub #1). So if Strasburg was to make the All-Star Game and is not one of the 8 best pitchers, then he obviously is there because he is quickly becoming the biggest star in the game. That right there is my biggest grip about the All-Star Game. I'm not sure if the game is supposed to be taken seriously or if it is just supposed to be a glorified exhibition.
I am perfectly fine with the idea that the All-Star game decides home-field advantage in the World Series. I think it is an creative concept and is better than switching every year (rewards the best team 50% of the time) and better than using interleague records (best league does not imply best team) to determine home-field . The real problem lies in how the All-Star games rosters are determined. If this game is supposed to determine home-field advantage, then take it seriously and have the BEST players there. Not the most popular, the BEST. As it stands now, every team must be represented and fans get to choose the starters. The effects of twofold: 1. the Pirates will have an all-star at the expense of a better player on another team and 2. popular players may pass up more deserving players who don't have the same name recognition. If the Mets make the World Series and the NL loses the All-Star Game because Evan Meek, Arthur Rhodes, Chris Young or Matt Capps effed up, I am going to be pissed. If it counts, then have the best players there. Period.
If Strasburg can help the team win, then by all means, bring him to the game. But if he is brought simply for publicity reasons, then we need to seriously rethink giving the winner homefield advantage. This is too important to mess up. So here's my suggestion: get rid of fan voting and let the managers and players vote for who deserves to go. If this means only 10 teams per league are represented, then so be it. If you're angry because your team doesn't have an All-Star, I say - get better players. If we want a representative from the Royals or Orioles or Pirates to participate in the festivities, then how about they have players in the home run derby? Or, here is something radical - make an All-Star team of players from teams not represented in the game and have that team take on an All-Star team from AAA or Cuba or Japan. It sounds weird, but it might be cool and it definitely would help with the purpose of selling the game.
Whatever the solution is, one thing is clear - it needs to have a purpose. Either call the game an exhibition and relax the rules or have it contested as a real game and clean up all the garbage.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Tonight's the Night...
...when LeBron announces live on ESPN that he is coming to NJ. (Or at least, that is what I am hoping.)
My buddies and I have been talking about his made for TV announcement and how it reeks of ego. I mean, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh didn't hold an hour long special to talk about their plan. Not only is LeBron talking to ESPN, but his camp set it up. Now I know that the American sports world is talking about LeBron but having his own announcement show is a little ridiculous. What is he going to do - go all high school football recruit and choose a hat?
A few of my Knicks friends are so turned off by how LeBron is handling this situation that they are actually starting to talk themselves out of LeBron. Statements like "And I'm going to say it- Lebron doesn't completely do it for me. For all the hype, he certainly seems to be missing that extra gear in clutch situations. He doesn't seem to have that killer instinct that separates guys like Kobe and Jordan from the best of the superstars out there" and "...I hate this whole thing. It seems very overdone and selfish. This guy hasn't won a ring. He should do that first before being this huge attention whore" are being thrown around in our emails.
Here's the thing - yeah, LeBron may be an attention whore right now. But I am in no way talking myself out of a LeBron era in NJ (were it to happen). Not a chance. If they go back to being a title contender, that is good enough for me. A 60-win regular season is a hell of a lot better than a 12 win season (5 times better if you do the math). And I would love to be able to watch him destroy other teams whenever he feels like it.
LeBron, if you are reading this - some Knicks fans may not want you, but Nets fans aren't that crazy. Come to NJ. Drink White Russians with Prokhorov. Be seen with Jay-Z and Beyonce at every major social event. Turn this franchise into a winner again.
My buddies and I have been talking about his made for TV announcement and how it reeks of ego. I mean, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh didn't hold an hour long special to talk about their plan. Not only is LeBron talking to ESPN, but his camp set it up. Now I know that the American sports world is talking about LeBron but having his own announcement show is a little ridiculous. What is he going to do - go all high school football recruit and choose a hat?
A few of my Knicks friends are so turned off by how LeBron is handling this situation that they are actually starting to talk themselves out of LeBron. Statements like "And I'm going to say it- Lebron doesn't completely do it for me. For all the hype, he certainly seems to be missing that extra gear in clutch situations. He doesn't seem to have that killer instinct that separates guys like Kobe and Jordan from the best of the superstars out there" and "...I hate this whole thing. It seems very overdone and selfish. This guy hasn't won a ring. He should do that first before being this huge attention whore" are being thrown around in our emails.
Here's the thing - yeah, LeBron may be an attention whore right now. But I am in no way talking myself out of a LeBron era in NJ (were it to happen). Not a chance. If they go back to being a title contender, that is good enough for me. A 60-win regular season is a hell of a lot better than a 12 win season (5 times better if you do the math). And I would love to be able to watch him destroy other teams whenever he feels like it.
LeBron, if you are reading this - some Knicks fans may not want you, but Nets fans aren't that crazy. Come to NJ. Drink White Russians with Prokhorov. Be seen with Jay-Z and Beyonce at every major social event. Turn this franchise into a winner again.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Let's Not Forget Ilya
Lost in all the talk about where LeBron and Chris Bosh are going is the talk centered around NHL free agent Ilya Kovalchuk. Kovalchuk continues to take his time and no one really seems to know where he is going.
In the past he turned down both a 12 year $101 million deal and a 7 year $70 million deal to continue playing for the lowly Atlanta Thrashers (which led to the trade to New Jersey) as well as a 3 year $12 million deal to play for a talent rich LA Kings team [Update - note sure where those figures came from, but now hearing LA offered him 13 years at $6.5 million]. Apparently the Devils are offering him $8.5 million over the course of a few years to remain in Newark and team with Zach Parise to make the Devils potentially an offensive juggernaut.
The wild card in this whole thing is the reports that the Russian KHL is courting Kovalchuk and offering more money than any of the NHL teams can offer. The lure of the Russian money is tough to turn down. First, more money is never a bad thing. Second, he would be able to play in his native country in front of family and friends. Third, if he was to sign a four year deal, then he could play in the 2014 Sochi Olympics, which the NHL is thinking about not sending their pros to.
Some have questioned his leadership. Some have questioned his desire to be on a winner. I think both are a little strong at this point. Sure, he has only played in 9 career playoff games, but let's not forget that he had no one playing around him. It wasn't like he was in NJ for all those years. And in turning down the big deal from the Thrashers, many questioned his leadership, declaring he was out for more money. Here's the thing I don't understand - is Kovalchuk that dumb that he doesn't understand that no team can offer him more than that with the salary cap? Is he dumb enough to think that he will be anything more than an island if he was to have taken those deals? I can't see how the answer is yes. I would like to think he is looking for the right situation. LA may have been, but while playing for an up and coming team would have been great, he still was only being offered $4 million a year which is well well well below market value.
Maybe the Devils do have the inside track for signing him: Good money. Great franchise. Not a one-man island. but then again, the opportunity to play in Russia may be too good to turn down. Until he makes a decision I will be holding out hope that he comes back to NJ.
In the past he turned down both a 12 year $101 million deal and a 7 year $70 million deal to continue playing for the lowly Atlanta Thrashers (which led to the trade to New Jersey) as well as a 3 year $12 million deal to play for a talent rich LA Kings team [Update - note sure where those figures came from, but now hearing LA offered him 13 years at $6.5 million]. Apparently the Devils are offering him $8.5 million over the course of a few years to remain in Newark and team with Zach Parise to make the Devils potentially an offensive juggernaut.
The wild card in this whole thing is the reports that the Russian KHL is courting Kovalchuk and offering more money than any of the NHL teams can offer. The lure of the Russian money is tough to turn down. First, more money is never a bad thing. Second, he would be able to play in his native country in front of family and friends. Third, if he was to sign a four year deal, then he could play in the 2014 Sochi Olympics, which the NHL is thinking about not sending their pros to.
Some have questioned his leadership. Some have questioned his desire to be on a winner. I think both are a little strong at this point. Sure, he has only played in 9 career playoff games, but let's not forget that he had no one playing around him. It wasn't like he was in NJ for all those years. And in turning down the big deal from the Thrashers, many questioned his leadership, declaring he was out for more money. Here's the thing I don't understand - is Kovalchuk that dumb that he doesn't understand that no team can offer him more than that with the salary cap? Is he dumb enough to think that he will be anything more than an island if he was to have taken those deals? I can't see how the answer is yes. I would like to think he is looking for the right situation. LA may have been, but while playing for an up and coming team would have been great, he still was only being offered $4 million a year which is well well well below market value.
Maybe the Devils do have the inside track for signing him: Good money. Great franchise. Not a one-man island. but then again, the opportunity to play in Russia may be too good to turn down. Until he makes a decision I will be holding out hope that he comes back to NJ.
Jersey Shore is Back
I love Jersey Shore. I'm not actually talking about the place (which I actually do love) but the MTV show. It makes no sense because it's a show that I have no right enjoying. I don't like reality tv and in general am normally repulsed by people like The Situation and J-Woww.
Somehow I loved the first season and am super excited for the second season after watching this trailer. Somewhere along the way, the cast mates actually grew on me. I want to see The Situation (seen here in a Vitamin Water commercial with David Wright) handle his insecurities by hooking up with every random girl he can all while flaunting his abs. I want to see if Ronnie and Sammi Sweetheart (William Paterson alum) are going to get back to together. I want to see Ronnie kick the crap out of someone. I want to break out the Jersey accent to say "Paulie D" and "Vinny". And of course I want to see if Snooki get find a man.
It's all coming back to a tv near you.
Somehow I loved the first season and am super excited for the second season after watching this trailer. Somewhere along the way, the cast mates actually grew on me. I want to see The Situation (seen here in a Vitamin Water commercial with David Wright) handle his insecurities by hooking up with every random girl he can all while flaunting his abs. I want to see if Ronnie and Sammi Sweetheart (William Paterson alum) are going to get back to together. I want to see Ronnie kick the crap out of someone. I want to break out the Jersey accent to say "Paulie D" and "Vinny". And of course I want to see if Snooki get find a man.
It's all coming back to a tv near you.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Monday Night Five Pack
Here's a five pack of thoughts to help you get your sports buzz:
- Amare Stoudemire is the only big name to have changed teams so far this offseason, signing a 5-year $100 million contract to reunite with his former coach Mike D'Antoni in NY. Apparently Amare says that he can get both Carmelo and Tony Parker to the Garden within the next year. Knicks fans had better hope so, because alone, Amare is not the guy to bring glory back to NY. I have said that I would have loved him in the Swamp, mainly because he would have been dominant next to Brook Lopez. But in NY? What is he going to do alongside Eddy Curry and Danilo Gallinari?
- The World Cup SemiFinals begin tomorrow. Somehow I was able to correctly guess 3 of the 4 final teams prior to the start of the tournament. I won't change my prediction - Holland - but have to say that Germany looks like the class of the tournament. They absolutely dismantled Argentina in the Quarters and their counter attack looks absolutely nasty. I can't see Spain getting by them.
- I was all ready to vent my frustration with Mike Pelfrey not making the All-Star Game. But then he goes out and has his second straight stinker, giving up 7 in 4 2/3 innings. Here's hoping that Pelfrey takes the snub personally and mowes down all his opponents in the second half. The Mets can't afford to have him slip up. We need him to pitch well if we want to stay in the playoff hunt.
- I don't believe that hot dog eating is a sport, but I have to say that I loved the drama with Kobeyashi over the weekend. For those unfamiliar, the former 6-time champion did not participate in this years Nathan's July 4th Hot Dog Competition, but was in the crowd to watch reigning 3-time champion Joey Chestnut win his 4th in a row. With the crowd chanting his name, Takeru Kobeyashi stormed the stage and was arrested. I'm a huge wrestling fan and this has wrestling stick written all over it. I love it. Now the Major League Eating circuit has to follow this up and schedule some sort of grudge match. The American sports public will not remember this come next July 4th. They need to act now.
- I won't bother writing a Sounders review because they simply got it handed to them by a better team. At 4-8-2, they are seemingly out of the playoffs. So I think they need to focus on US Open Cup and Champions League this year. I know casual fans won't understand this opinion, but its what they need to do. The league is done - get some more hardware and don't allow this year to be alost cause. Two more wins and we're in the final of the US Open Cup. Two more wins in MLS and we're 6-8-2 and still outside looking in. The choice is easy.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Hand of Glory
The end of today's world Cup Quarterfinal between Ghana and Uruguay was like none that I have ever seen before. It wasn't that Ghana lost in PK's, but rather how they got to PK's in the first place. With the game tied at 1 in the 120th minute, a Ghanaian player beat the keeper from 6 yards out. On the goal line were two Uruguayan's who both were unable to get the ball legally with their heads or chests. So Luis Suarez did something that you don't see often - he intentionally batted the ball out with his hand. That resulted in an instant red card and a PK for Ghana. Up stepped Asamoah Gyan, the player who broke the American's hearts, to take the PK. He started his approach...and hit the crossbar. Somehow, Luis Suarez and Uruguay regained life as quickly as they had lost it. They had just avoided giving up the game winner and being that the game was over, they never had to play a man down. Just a stunning turn of events.
The Suarez handball is the most amazing moment of selflessness I have seen in sports. He decided to break the rules to keep his team alive. He decided to break the rules knowing that if somehow a miracle happened, he would not be able to play in the Semi-finals. He decided to break the rules knowing that a PK offered his team a glimmer of hope while not playing by the rules offered his team no hope. He decided to break the rules because that's just what you do in that situation if you care about winning. It's either fight or flight. Some I'm sure will be disgusted by the handball. Some will see it as a slap in the face to the integrity to the game. I am here to say that it was a brilliant play and hands down the play of the tournament. Hats off to you, Luis Suarez. [Editor's note: In high school my buddy had an intentional handball in overtime of a 0-0 game where we were underdogs by 3 goals and had drawn our opponents offsides 25 times. They hit their PK and we lost 1-0...]
Unfortunately the play resulted in heartbreak for the Ghanaians. I think any person with an ounce of compassion had to be pulling for the Ghanaians in the shootout. Losing in the fashion they did was excruciating. The only consolation was the Gyan was able to step up and hammer home his PK in the shootout, even if it was 5 minutes too late. He may be a goat, but he would have been an even bigger goat had he missed the second PK as well.
The Suarez handball is the most amazing moment of selflessness I have seen in sports. He decided to break the rules to keep his team alive. He decided to break the rules knowing that if somehow a miracle happened, he would not be able to play in the Semi-finals. He decided to break the rules knowing that a PK offered his team a glimmer of hope while not playing by the rules offered his team no hope. He decided to break the rules because that's just what you do in that situation if you care about winning. It's either fight or flight. Some I'm sure will be disgusted by the handball. Some will see it as a slap in the face to the integrity to the game. I am here to say that it was a brilliant play and hands down the play of the tournament. Hats off to you, Luis Suarez. [Editor's note: In high school my buddy had an intentional handball in overtime of a 0-0 game where we were underdogs by 3 goals and had drawn our opponents offsides 25 times. They hit their PK and we lost 1-0...]
Unfortunately the play resulted in heartbreak for the Ghanaians. I think any person with an ounce of compassion had to be pulling for the Ghanaians in the shootout. Losing in the fashion they did was excruciating. The only consolation was the Gyan was able to step up and hammer home his PK in the shootout, even if it was 5 minutes too late. He may be a goat, but he would have been an even bigger goat had he missed the second PK as well.
Nyet Gains
I have to admit - I am not feeling good about the Nets these days. It's a weird feeling because this is when things were supposed to get good. I suffered through a 12-70 season last year in hopes that LeBron would come to the Swamp and team with Brooke Lopez, Devin Harris, Terrence Williams and CDR to bring the Nets back to prominence. Hell, I even convinced myself that Amare would be coming as well. How could any team in the Eastern Conference handle Lopez and Stoudemire up front with LeBron and Harris leading the break? Answer: they couldn't.
We are one full day into the free agent period and those hopes seem to be completely gone. I am convinced that we are going to miss out on all the big names and will be forced to overspend on a poo-poo platter of second rate players. I think LeBron, Wade, Pierce and Dirk all stay put. I think Bosh joins Wade in Miami, Boozer joins LeBron in Cleveland and Amare goes to NY. We have just heard that Joe Johnson and Rudy Gay have deals to stay in their respective markets as well. So who does that leave available? David Lee, Ray Allen, John Salmons, Luis Scola and a bunch of has-beens like Shaq, Jermaine O'Neal and AI.
I can't rip on David Lee - I actually love watching him play and would love him next to Lopez. Same goes for Boozer. The problem is that they both play PF, which is the position where Derrick Favors is supposed to be growing into. I understand that he may not be ready for a year or two, but if we sign either Amare, Lee or Boozer to 4-5 year contracts, then wasn't drafting Favors at #3 a stupid move? The fact remains that in a year with a lot of FA PF's, we drafted one hoping that LeBron would be our 3. Now that he is not coming to us, the only players of any quality left are PF's. Unless they are going to do pull the trigger on the Danny Granger for Harris and Favors deal, I have to say that the front office messed up.
Assuming all the above is correct, what is the best scenario moving forward? Personally, I love Granger and would have to think long and hard about that trade. Let's say the front office pulls the trigger - I would then sign Lee, Raymond Felton and either Ray Allen to a 2 year deal or JJ Redick. Then you could have the starting five of Lopez-Lee-Granger-Redick-Felton with Williams and Kris Humpries coming off the bench. This is actually a team I could really really get behind.
If we don't make the trade, then I think things are a little harder and have to evolved around Carmelo. Obviously putting our eggs in the 'Melo cart is like putting them in the LeBron cart - if you come up short, you're screwed. Assuming we can't get Carmelo, we are screwed. Period, end of paragraph. I won't subscribe to these ideas that LeBron signs a 2 year deal with Cleveland so he can go to Brooklyn once the Nets move. I don't buy it. I really don't.
Things might just be getting worse in New Jersey. How is that possible?
We are one full day into the free agent period and those hopes seem to be completely gone. I am convinced that we are going to miss out on all the big names and will be forced to overspend on a poo-poo platter of second rate players. I think LeBron, Wade, Pierce and Dirk all stay put. I think Bosh joins Wade in Miami, Boozer joins LeBron in Cleveland and Amare goes to NY. We have just heard that Joe Johnson and Rudy Gay have deals to stay in their respective markets as well. So who does that leave available? David Lee, Ray Allen, John Salmons, Luis Scola and a bunch of has-beens like Shaq, Jermaine O'Neal and AI.
I can't rip on David Lee - I actually love watching him play and would love him next to Lopez. Same goes for Boozer. The problem is that they both play PF, which is the position where Derrick Favors is supposed to be growing into. I understand that he may not be ready for a year or two, but if we sign either Amare, Lee or Boozer to 4-5 year contracts, then wasn't drafting Favors at #3 a stupid move? The fact remains that in a year with a lot of FA PF's, we drafted one hoping that LeBron would be our 3. Now that he is not coming to us, the only players of any quality left are PF's. Unless they are going to do pull the trigger on the Danny Granger for Harris and Favors deal, I have to say that the front office messed up.
Assuming all the above is correct, what is the best scenario moving forward? Personally, I love Granger and would have to think long and hard about that trade. Let's say the front office pulls the trigger - I would then sign Lee, Raymond Felton and either Ray Allen to a 2 year deal or JJ Redick. Then you could have the starting five of Lopez-Lee-Granger-Redick-Felton with Williams and Kris Humpries coming off the bench. This is actually a team I could really really get behind.
If we don't make the trade, then I think things are a little harder and have to evolved around Carmelo. Obviously putting our eggs in the 'Melo cart is like putting them in the LeBron cart - if you come up short, you're screwed. Assuming we can't get Carmelo, we are screwed. Period, end of paragraph. I won't subscribe to these ideas that LeBron signs a 2 year deal with Cleveland so he can go to Brooklyn once the Nets move. I don't buy it. I really don't.
Things might just be getting worse in New Jersey. How is that possible?
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