In my weekend review two days ago, I mentioned that the Broncos and owner Pat Bowlen might need to take a look at the way the organization was being and run and the direction that has been taken over recent years. Little did I know, Bowlen was doing just that and dropped the stunning news yesterday that Mike Shanahan, the Broncos' coach for the last 14 years, was fired. The news was not stunning in the sense that it was uncalled for, of course, but in the sense that no owner and coach seemed to have a better relationship than Bowlen and Shanahan. In the end, it appears that Bowlen decided that Shanahan was not doing the job he would like, and most seem to agree that it was Shanahan's failings as a general manager that cost him the job.
It's hard to argue that there are many better coaching minds, especially offensive minds, in the NFL today than that of Mike Shanahan. Unfortunately, Shanahan was also in charge of virtually all personnel decisions in the Broncos' organization and the past several years have seen a multitude of poor choices in free agency, the draft and coach hirings. This is ultimately what cost Shanahan his job, as the team seemed to treading water defensively with a revolving door of has-beens and failed draft picks.
Talking to a friend of mine yesterday (a Raiders fan, no less), he argued that Shanahan's firing was unneccesary and that Shanahan did not deserve the blame for the team's collapse this season. He cited injuries that hit all three of the Broncos' starting linebackers are various times, forced them to place seven running backs on injured reserve, and cost them star corner Champ Bailey for significant time this year. He also argued that, all-in-all, few coaches actually have much impact on a team's success or failure, and that ultimately the players are responsible for whether a team wins or loses. In other words, coaches only get fired as sacrificial lambs for owners who can't just fire all the players. I think this is an intriguing point and it's worth examining more.
Basically, my friend's point was that, regarding coaches, owners take the approach that "since I'm paying him all this money, he better produce a winner." Well, since the coach doesn't really make that great a difference when it comes to team success, he argued, then maybe the owners shouldn't be paying the guy that much to begin with. I would argue that this may be true, but that there are coaches that make a big difference for their teams (guys like Bill Belichick, Shanahan himself and Tony Dungy) and because guys like these exist, that is the standard that all coaches are held to. The problem is that it is also the standard that all coaches are paid by, meaning many (if not most) coaches are, in fact, overpaid.
So back to the topic at hand and the question of whether Shanahan was deserving of the blame for the Broncos' collapse. I certainly understand my friend's argument that the coach isn't the one making the tackles, he isn't the one throwing the passes or running the ball, etc. But when it comes to the Broncos, the coach was the one choosing the guys to do those things, and that's why Shanahan was let go. Call it a pride thing that Bowlen didn't just ask Shanahan to hand over general manager duties, and only Bowlen truly knows if that was ever an option, but it seems unlikely that Shanahan would have accepted such an offer (essentially a demotion).
In the end, it's sad to see the Shanahan era end. As tough as the last several years have been to swallow as a Broncos fan, Shanahan is still the only coach to win a Super Bowl for the franchise and he still kept the team successful for virtually his entire tenure. I won't pretend to know where the Broncos will look for a replacement (of course everyone will wonder about Bill Cowher, but I think he's happy with his situation for now). All I know is that there is a lot of talent on the Broncos offense and the right defensive mind (and a little more defensive talent) might be all Denver needs to move into the NFL's upper echelon.
Did Pat Bowlen make the right decision? Are the Broncos better off with Shanahan gone? Share your thoughts with a comment below.
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for the blog, please post below or I can be reached at chrisf884@gmail.com. Thanks for reading.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
BCS Bowl Rundown
Check the odds to all the remaining bowl games here. Below are my predictions for the five BCS bowls. I'm not one of those writers that's foolish enough to think I can predict actual final scores, so I'll just give you the pick against the spread (for entertainment purposes only, of course).
The Rose Bowl Game (3:30 CST, January 1st)
USC (-9) vs. Penn State
The Take: Huge surprise, USC is back in the Rose Bowl. Again. This game is rather tough to pick because USC under Pete Carroll is beginning to be know as a team that will fail to show up in one or two meaningless games a year and accidentally lose. Is the Rose Bowl a meaningless game? Well, if you're the Trojans, a team that has played in this game for something like 12 years straight, maybe you start to wonder. Both of these teams had national championship aspirations this year and fell one win short of reaching that mark. Penn State's strength this year has been it's defense, but no defense has been better than USC's in all of college football. When it comes down to it, I just don't think the Nittany Lions can hang with the Trojans in this one.
The Pick: Trojans win and cover.
The Orange Bowl (7:00 CST, January 1st)
Cincinnati (-2.5) vs. Virginia Tech
The Take: This game alone demonstrates why the automatic bid system in the BCS is flawed. Neither of these teams would come close to qualifying for a BCS bowl under normal circumstances, but because they won weak BCS conferences, and because of the order of selection options* for the BCS bowls, this is what we get. I've only seen each of these teams play a couple of times, and neither really stood out. Both have solid defenses and offenses that can get on a roll, but aren't going to dominate from start to finish. This game has the feel of a 24-21 contest that comes down to a late field goal or a late turnover that decides it.
The Pick: Virginia Tech to win and cover in an "upset."
*Each BCS bowl has certain conference tie-ins that they may automatically choose from. After these choices, all bowls are given the option to choose whichever qualifying teams they wish. The Orange Bowl has a tie-in with the ACC (and thus took Virginia Tech). Each year the selection process for choosing at large participants rotates among the bowls, so no bowl gets first pick all the time. This year, the Orange Bowl was at the bottom of the list, and because of the way circumstances worked out, the Big East champion Cincinnati was left as an "at large," although they were guaranteed a spot. So when the Orange Bowl's selection occurred, they had no choice but to take the Bearcats because Cincinnati was assured a spot.
The Sugar Bowl (7:00 CST, January 2nd)
Alabama (-9.5) vs. Utah
The Take: Alabama could make an argument, however fruitless, that they deserve to play for the national title, but they didn't even win their conference. For the past 4+ years, the Mountain West has been the cream of the non-BCS crop and this is their second BCS buster in the last 4 seasons (Utah both times). The Utes could certainly make an argument, possibly even more compelling than Alabama's, that THEY should be playing for the title. Either way, both teams have a chip on their shoulder and a lot to prove. The weight of this game on Utah (they, more than anyone before them, are playing for all non-BCS schools' right to a shot at a title) could be too much to bare. While the Utes are a solid, even great, team (I still think Alex Smith's/Urban Meyer's Utah team four years ago was much better), they are physically overmatched and facing one of the top coaches in all of college football. I love the Mountain West (I graduated from a Mountain West school), but I just don't think the Utes have what it takes to pull it off.
The Pick: Alabama to win, Utah to cover (barely).
The Fiesta Bowl (7:00 CST, January 5th)
Texas (-8.5) vs. Ohio State
The Pick: The biggest question in this game is what will the Longhorns attitude be? Will they come in frustrated that they didn't get a title shot and feeling like they should be playing in an even better bowl (aka the BCS National Championship Game)? Or will they come in feeling that if they win and win BIG, maybe they can sway enough AP voters to pull off the first split national championship since USC took home the AP vote in 2003 (LSU won the BCS title that year). From the Buckeyes' standpoint, this has been a "down" year for them, with "just" 10 wins and "just" an at large BCS bid. That said, they still have one of the top coaches in the country (Texas' Mack Brown has the advantage in recruiting, I think Ohio State's Jim Tressel has the edge in x's and o's) and a lot of talent. Just not as much talent as Texas. Ohio State's best shot is to run, run, run with Chris "Beanie" Wells and try to keep Colt McCoy and that dazzling Texas offense off the field. Unfortunately, I really don't see that happening.
The Pick: Texas to win and cover (and then some).
The BCS National Championship Game (7:00 CST, January 8th)
Florida (-3) vs. Oklahoma
The Take: Yes, Oklahoma is missing a starter on offense (tailback DeMarco Murray) and defense (tackle DeMarcus Granger). Yes, Heisman Trophy winners are 1-5 in national championship games. Yes, Bob Stoops has shown up small in his last several BCS bowl games. BUT, I still like the Sooners here, and here's why: Oklahoma can score. They can run (their "backup" Chris Brown rushed for over 1,000 yards) and pass (quarterback Sam Bradford won the Heisman, ya know) and Florida's defense, while it's been good this year, hasn't faced an offense like this all year. The Gator's offense is also extremely solid, but when the Sooners defense is motivated (see the Texas Tech game in November), it can cause a lot of problems. I see this game going one of two very similar ways: either the Sooners score early, jump out big and pull away early before the Gators come back and fall just short; or the Gators score early, jump out big and win in a landslide. After all the criticism he's taken in previous years, I'm going to go out on a limb and say Stoops has his guys ready this time, Oklahoma strikes early and often, and the Gators, despite valiant efforts, come up just short.
The Pick: Oklahoma to win in an upset and, of course, cover.
So what's your take?
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for the blog, please post below or I can be reached at chrisf884@gmail.com. Thanks for reading.
The Rose Bowl Game (3:30 CST, January 1st)
USC (-9) vs. Penn State
The Take: Huge surprise, USC is back in the Rose Bowl. Again. This game is rather tough to pick because USC under Pete Carroll is beginning to be know as a team that will fail to show up in one or two meaningless games a year and accidentally lose. Is the Rose Bowl a meaningless game? Well, if you're the Trojans, a team that has played in this game for something like 12 years straight, maybe you start to wonder. Both of these teams had national championship aspirations this year and fell one win short of reaching that mark. Penn State's strength this year has been it's defense, but no defense has been better than USC's in all of college football. When it comes down to it, I just don't think the Nittany Lions can hang with the Trojans in this one.
The Pick: Trojans win and cover.
The Orange Bowl (7:00 CST, January 1st)
Cincinnati (-2.5) vs. Virginia Tech
The Take: This game alone demonstrates why the automatic bid system in the BCS is flawed. Neither of these teams would come close to qualifying for a BCS bowl under normal circumstances, but because they won weak BCS conferences, and because of the order of selection options* for the BCS bowls, this is what we get. I've only seen each of these teams play a couple of times, and neither really stood out. Both have solid defenses and offenses that can get on a roll, but aren't going to dominate from start to finish. This game has the feel of a 24-21 contest that comes down to a late field goal or a late turnover that decides it.
The Pick: Virginia Tech to win and cover in an "upset."
*Each BCS bowl has certain conference tie-ins that they may automatically choose from. After these choices, all bowls are given the option to choose whichever qualifying teams they wish. The Orange Bowl has a tie-in with the ACC (and thus took Virginia Tech). Each year the selection process for choosing at large participants rotates among the bowls, so no bowl gets first pick all the time. This year, the Orange Bowl was at the bottom of the list, and because of the way circumstances worked out, the Big East champion Cincinnati was left as an "at large," although they were guaranteed a spot. So when the Orange Bowl's selection occurred, they had no choice but to take the Bearcats because Cincinnati was assured a spot.
The Sugar Bowl (7:00 CST, January 2nd)
Alabama (-9.5) vs. Utah
The Take: Alabama could make an argument, however fruitless, that they deserve to play for the national title, but they didn't even win their conference. For the past 4+ years, the Mountain West has been the cream of the non-BCS crop and this is their second BCS buster in the last 4 seasons (Utah both times). The Utes could certainly make an argument, possibly even more compelling than Alabama's, that THEY should be playing for the title. Either way, both teams have a chip on their shoulder and a lot to prove. The weight of this game on Utah (they, more than anyone before them, are playing for all non-BCS schools' right to a shot at a title) could be too much to bare. While the Utes are a solid, even great, team (I still think Alex Smith's/Urban Meyer's Utah team four years ago was much better), they are physically overmatched and facing one of the top coaches in all of college football. I love the Mountain West (I graduated from a Mountain West school), but I just don't think the Utes have what it takes to pull it off.
The Pick: Alabama to win, Utah to cover (barely).
The Fiesta Bowl (7:00 CST, January 5th)
Texas (-8.5) vs. Ohio State
The Pick: The biggest question in this game is what will the Longhorns attitude be? Will they come in frustrated that they didn't get a title shot and feeling like they should be playing in an even better bowl (aka the BCS National Championship Game)? Or will they come in feeling that if they win and win BIG, maybe they can sway enough AP voters to pull off the first split national championship since USC took home the AP vote in 2003 (LSU won the BCS title that year). From the Buckeyes' standpoint, this has been a "down" year for them, with "just" 10 wins and "just" an at large BCS bid. That said, they still have one of the top coaches in the country (Texas' Mack Brown has the advantage in recruiting, I think Ohio State's Jim Tressel has the edge in x's and o's) and a lot of talent. Just not as much talent as Texas. Ohio State's best shot is to run, run, run with Chris "Beanie" Wells and try to keep Colt McCoy and that dazzling Texas offense off the field. Unfortunately, I really don't see that happening.
The Pick: Texas to win and cover (and then some).
The BCS National Championship Game (7:00 CST, January 8th)
Florida (-3) vs. Oklahoma
The Take: Yes, Oklahoma is missing a starter on offense (tailback DeMarco Murray) and defense (tackle DeMarcus Granger). Yes, Heisman Trophy winners are 1-5 in national championship games. Yes, Bob Stoops has shown up small in his last several BCS bowl games. BUT, I still like the Sooners here, and here's why: Oklahoma can score. They can run (their "backup" Chris Brown rushed for over 1,000 yards) and pass (quarterback Sam Bradford won the Heisman, ya know) and Florida's defense, while it's been good this year, hasn't faced an offense like this all year. The Gator's offense is also extremely solid, but when the Sooners defense is motivated (see the Texas Tech game in November), it can cause a lot of problems. I see this game going one of two very similar ways: either the Sooners score early, jump out big and pull away early before the Gators come back and fall just short; or the Gators score early, jump out big and win in a landslide. After all the criticism he's taken in previous years, I'm going to go out on a limb and say Stoops has his guys ready this time, Oklahoma strikes early and often, and the Gators, despite valiant efforts, come up just short.
The Pick: Oklahoma to win in an upset and, of course, cover.
So what's your take?
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for the blog, please post below or I can be reached at chrisf884@gmail.com. Thanks for reading.
Monday, December 29, 2008
NFL Season Ends with a Bang
I was all set to debut my first "Theory" article today, but with all the happenings yesterday in the NFL, I just had to cover some football this morning. First, some breaking news:
As expected, the Browns' Romeo Crennel was the first coach to receive a pink slip this offseason. Also not surprising was the Lions decision to let Rod "0-16" Marinelli go as well. The only semi-surprising move is the Jets firing of Eric "Mangenius" Mangini after a 9-7 season. Mangini had led a middle-of-the-pack Jets team to the playoffs two years ago but fell off dramatically last year. This year, the Jets went on a spending spree in the offseason and even booted Chad Pennington for an aging (read: old) Brett Favre and it became playoffs or bust. With the Giants steamrolling the NFC on their way to the #1 seed, the Jets needed to do something big to keep up with their roommates in a brand-new $1 billion plus stadium set to open next year. Instead, the Jets started 8-3 before collapsing at 1-4 down the stretch and falling to division rival Miami in a must-win home game to end the season.
Now, let's take a look at yesterday's games and what it all means.
Atlanta 31, St. Louis 27 - This was a must-win for the Falcons as they entered the game with a shot at the #2 seed in the NFC. For the Rams, this was a must-be-present game, but to be fair the team has shown for much of the season that they will play for pride, even if they can't play for "victory" or "success." In the end, the Falcons were just too much for the Rams, and this Falcons team is a true NFL Cinderella story (not often you see an 11-5 Cinderella in the NFL playoffs, but this year we get two!), although they'll have to go on the road to win in the playoffs thanks to the next game.
Carolina 33, New Orleans 31 - Dan Marino must have been terrified that Drew Brees would forgo the long-bomb on the final play of regulation and just throw a dump off pass for 15 yards to break his single-season passing yardage record. Instead, Brees threw down the seam to Lance Moore who inexcusably had stopped on his route, and the ball fell incomplete summing up the Saints roller-coaster 8-8 season. Brees finished just 15 yards short of the record, and thanks to late Carolina heroics, the Panthers pulled out the win to finish 12-4 and clinch the #2 seed, a bye and a home game in the second round of the playoffs. That's the bright side if you're a Panthers fan. The glass-half-empty perspective is that they allowed 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter before rallying for the go-ahead field goal.
New England 13, Buffalo 0 - On Must-Win Sunday, this one was a must for the Pats who needed to win to go 11-5 and still needed help to make the playoffs. Matt Cassel and Co. did their job on a nasty, windy day in Buffalo, but the later game results would prove unkind. Cassel may well be the first backup QB in NFL history to receive the franchise tag this offseason as the Pats should be very leery of letting him walk when they don't know if Tom Brady will have that same ability come September. What this likely means is someone is not only going to give Cassel $30-40 million next spring, but they're also going to give up two 1st round draft picks, too. Sorry, Lions fans.
Cincinnati 16, Kansas City 6 - If a football game happens in Cincinnati and no one's there to see it, did it really happen? By the way, looks like more bad (maybe good?) news for Chiefs fans: LJ wants out.
Green Bay 31, Detroit 21 - Speaking of Lions fans, congratulations on one of the worst years in sports history. Unfortunately, you're not the biggest losers of 2008 (see Seattle below), but with the historic 0-16 season cemented at the hands of a 6-10 Packers team, and with your big-payroll Tigers tanking in this year's baseball season, and with the Pistons trading their best "team" guy (Chauncey Billups) for a "me" guy (Allen Iverson) and some cap room next offseason, you certainly could make a case. Too bad your Red Wings had to go and spoil things by winning the Stanley Cup this year.
Indianapolis 23, Tennessee 0 - Who wasn't enthralled by the fantastic Jim Sorgi/Vince Young matchup yesterday!?!
Minnesota 20, NY Giants 19 - Congrats Vikings fans, Tarvaris Jackson has officially led you to the playoffs. Maybe now you won't be the team to throw money at Matt Cassel! Seriously, though, this was a great win for the Vikings who avoided the dreaded "backed into the playoffs" moniker and made a case for being a team to watch out for in the postseason (even if it took a last-second 50-yard field goal to beat a David Carr-led Giants team). So, yeah.
Pittsburgh 31, Cleveland 0 - With a dead man walking the sidelines for the Browns, there was little doubt who would win this game. So why in the world was Ben Roethlisberger still in the game late in the second quarter? And will the entire city of Pittsburgh be holding its breath for two straight weeks until Big Ben comes out for that first playoff game?
Oakland 31, Tampa Bay 24 - Listen, I love Chuckie as much as the next guy, and clearly he's a quality coach. But shouldn't he at least be on the hot seat after his team collapsed for the second straight year? Last year they backed into the playoffs only to get beaten at home by the Giants. This year? They backed right out of the playoff picture with a loss, AT HOME, to Al Davis's fighting sea monsters. If this wasn't Gruden's most humiliating loss of his career, I don't know what is.
Houston 31, Chicago 24 - The Texans are in that classic no man's land between being a perennial playoff contender and a perennial doormat. They'll look great in beating a playoff team one week (see this win and win over the Titans two weeks ago) and sandwich that with head-scratching losses to the likes of the Raiders. Interestingly, is there any doubt that if the Texans were in the AFC West, they'd be a division champ right now?
San Francisco 27, Washington 24 - It's the battle of the once and future coaches! Mike Singletary comes in with the ink still drying on his new contract to lead the 49ers, while questions swirl around the Redskins and what will happen to rookie coach Jim Zorn after his team fell apart in the second half of the season. Skins owner Dan Snyder isn't exactly considered the most patient owner in sports.
Baltimore 27, Jacksonville 7 - This result was devastating to two fan bases: the Pats' and the Jets'. By winning this game, the Ravens clinched a wild card and eliminated the Jets from playoff contention. Meanwhile, the Jets were busy letting the Dolphins salt away the AFC East in their own backyard, leaving the Pats the odd man out of the AFC playoffs at 11-5. It's a cruel world, this NFL.
Miami 24, NY Jets 17 - I bring you Cinderella #2! The Dolphins were the worst team in football last year with an atrocious 1-15 mark (sorry if I'm making Lions fans jealous). Now, irony of ironies, the Phins will host the Ravens this weekend in the wild card playoff round in a rematch of the only game Miami won in 2007. Special Cinderella mention to the Ravens, who themselves were just 4-12 last year and made a remarkable 7-game turnaround, but the fanfare surrounding last year for the Ravens was much less, and the turnaround less surprising because of the talent everyone knew that defense had. Meanwhile, is there any team more fun to watch right now than Miami and its high school-inspired offense? Yesterday was my first real glimpse of the Wildcat being run by the team that started it, and it was a beautiful thing.
Arizona 34, Seattle 21 - The NFL breathed a sigh of relief in this one as at least there won't be TWO 8-8 teams hosting playoff games. The Cards ended the season semi-respectably (it would be more respectable if 6 of their 9 wins didn't come against their awful division) and will be 9-7 when they host the Eagles next week. On the other side, no Gatorade showers for Mike "The Original Walrus" Holmgren in his farewell to the Seahawks head gig. It'll be interesting to see if this is in fact his last day coaching (maybe he'll jump to the front office like Bill Parcels has) or if he'll return once again. As for Seattle sports: your 2008 is over!!!!!!!! The worst sports year in recorded history for one city has finally come to a close. For those few who don't know, here's a recap: Seattle Sonics finish 20-62 in their final season in the Great Northwest; the Sonics then get hijacked to Oklahoma City (it was a couple years coming, but there was tiny hope that it could be avoided); the Mariners become the first team in MLB history to lose 100 games with a $100 million payroll; University of Washington football goes 0-12, the first winless team in Pac-10 history; and finally the Seattle Seahawks bid their most successful coach farewell with a 4-12 campaign. Enjoy the champagne on January 1, Seattlites, because 2009 just has to be a better year.
This is the portion of the program where I tell Cowboys and Broncos fans to avert their eyes...
Philadelphia 44, Dallas 6 - This game ended in the second quarter. The Cowboys had shown a penchant for giving up when the chips were down earlier this year, and when the Eagles got hot and got a couple breaks in the second quarter to lead 27-3 at the half, there was no question who would win. The Eagles' defensive TDs in the third were a mere formality; they were a "go ahead and take care of your errands and whatnot" message to Cowboys fans who likely couldn't stand to watch the remainder. Meanwhile, the Eagles bask in the glory of a tie game at Cincinnati to make the playoffs over Chicago, Dallas and Tampa. Look out Vikings, this team is good when it shows up.
San Diego 1,234,693, Denver 21 - This might as well have been the final score, because if this game had gone on forever, I can't say I believe the Broncos would force the Chargers to punt more than once. For eternity. If there was any game this weekend that I would have bet my life savings on, it was the Chargers (-9) to cover at home on Sunday Night. This was the most predictable result of the weekend, which as a Broncos fan myself made the result easier to swallow. I think it's finally time for Pat Bowlen to take a look at the man in charge (not himself, obviously) and see if changes need to be made. The Broncos organization is a laughing stock around football today after yet another monumental collapse. At least Mike Shanahan has saved himself the embarrassment of another home blowout playoff loss to the Colts.
Stay tuned later this week for my playoff predictions for this weekend and my BCS Bowl predictions as well.
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for the blog, please post below or I can be reached at chrisf884@gmail.com. Thanks for reading.
As expected, the Browns' Romeo Crennel was the first coach to receive a pink slip this offseason. Also not surprising was the Lions decision to let Rod "0-16" Marinelli go as well. The only semi-surprising move is the Jets firing of Eric "Mangenius" Mangini after a 9-7 season. Mangini had led a middle-of-the-pack Jets team to the playoffs two years ago but fell off dramatically last year. This year, the Jets went on a spending spree in the offseason and even booted Chad Pennington for an aging (read: old) Brett Favre and it became playoffs or bust. With the Giants steamrolling the NFC on their way to the #1 seed, the Jets needed to do something big to keep up with their roommates in a brand-new $1 billion plus stadium set to open next year. Instead, the Jets started 8-3 before collapsing at 1-4 down the stretch and falling to division rival Miami in a must-win home game to end the season.
Now, let's take a look at yesterday's games and what it all means.
Atlanta 31, St. Louis 27 - This was a must-win for the Falcons as they entered the game with a shot at the #2 seed in the NFC. For the Rams, this was a must-be-present game, but to be fair the team has shown for much of the season that they will play for pride, even if they can't play for "victory" or "success." In the end, the Falcons were just too much for the Rams, and this Falcons team is a true NFL Cinderella story (not often you see an 11-5 Cinderella in the NFL playoffs, but this year we get two!), although they'll have to go on the road to win in the playoffs thanks to the next game.
Carolina 33, New Orleans 31 - Dan Marino must have been terrified that Drew Brees would forgo the long-bomb on the final play of regulation and just throw a dump off pass for 15 yards to break his single-season passing yardage record. Instead, Brees threw down the seam to Lance Moore who inexcusably had stopped on his route, and the ball fell incomplete summing up the Saints roller-coaster 8-8 season. Brees finished just 15 yards short of the record, and thanks to late Carolina heroics, the Panthers pulled out the win to finish 12-4 and clinch the #2 seed, a bye and a home game in the second round of the playoffs. That's the bright side if you're a Panthers fan. The glass-half-empty perspective is that they allowed 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter before rallying for the go-ahead field goal.
New England 13, Buffalo 0 - On Must-Win Sunday, this one was a must for the Pats who needed to win to go 11-5 and still needed help to make the playoffs. Matt Cassel and Co. did their job on a nasty, windy day in Buffalo, but the later game results would prove unkind. Cassel may well be the first backup QB in NFL history to receive the franchise tag this offseason as the Pats should be very leery of letting him walk when they don't know if Tom Brady will have that same ability come September. What this likely means is someone is not only going to give Cassel $30-40 million next spring, but they're also going to give up two 1st round draft picks, too. Sorry, Lions fans.
Cincinnati 16, Kansas City 6 - If a football game happens in Cincinnati and no one's there to see it, did it really happen? By the way, looks like more bad (maybe good?) news for Chiefs fans: LJ wants out.
Green Bay 31, Detroit 21 - Speaking of Lions fans, congratulations on one of the worst years in sports history. Unfortunately, you're not the biggest losers of 2008 (see Seattle below), but with the historic 0-16 season cemented at the hands of a 6-10 Packers team, and with your big-payroll Tigers tanking in this year's baseball season, and with the Pistons trading their best "team" guy (Chauncey Billups) for a "me" guy (Allen Iverson) and some cap room next offseason, you certainly could make a case. Too bad your Red Wings had to go and spoil things by winning the Stanley Cup this year.
Indianapolis 23, Tennessee 0 - Who wasn't enthralled by the fantastic Jim Sorgi/Vince Young matchup yesterday!?!
Minnesota 20, NY Giants 19 - Congrats Vikings fans, Tarvaris Jackson has officially led you to the playoffs. Maybe now you won't be the team to throw money at Matt Cassel! Seriously, though, this was a great win for the Vikings who avoided the dreaded "backed into the playoffs" moniker and made a case for being a team to watch out for in the postseason (even if it took a last-second 50-yard field goal to beat a David Carr-led Giants team). So, yeah.
Pittsburgh 31, Cleveland 0 - With a dead man walking the sidelines for the Browns, there was little doubt who would win this game. So why in the world was Ben Roethlisberger still in the game late in the second quarter? And will the entire city of Pittsburgh be holding its breath for two straight weeks until Big Ben comes out for that first playoff game?
Oakland 31, Tampa Bay 24 - Listen, I love Chuckie as much as the next guy, and clearly he's a quality coach. But shouldn't he at least be on the hot seat after his team collapsed for the second straight year? Last year they backed into the playoffs only to get beaten at home by the Giants. This year? They backed right out of the playoff picture with a loss, AT HOME, to Al Davis's fighting sea monsters. If this wasn't Gruden's most humiliating loss of his career, I don't know what is.
Houston 31, Chicago 24 - The Texans are in that classic no man's land between being a perennial playoff contender and a perennial doormat. They'll look great in beating a playoff team one week (see this win and win over the Titans two weeks ago) and sandwich that with head-scratching losses to the likes of the Raiders. Interestingly, is there any doubt that if the Texans were in the AFC West, they'd be a division champ right now?
San Francisco 27, Washington 24 - It's the battle of the once and future coaches! Mike Singletary comes in with the ink still drying on his new contract to lead the 49ers, while questions swirl around the Redskins and what will happen to rookie coach Jim Zorn after his team fell apart in the second half of the season. Skins owner Dan Snyder isn't exactly considered the most patient owner in sports.
Baltimore 27, Jacksonville 7 - This result was devastating to two fan bases: the Pats' and the Jets'. By winning this game, the Ravens clinched a wild card and eliminated the Jets from playoff contention. Meanwhile, the Jets were busy letting the Dolphins salt away the AFC East in their own backyard, leaving the Pats the odd man out of the AFC playoffs at 11-5. It's a cruel world, this NFL.
Miami 24, NY Jets 17 - I bring you Cinderella #2! The Dolphins were the worst team in football last year with an atrocious 1-15 mark (sorry if I'm making Lions fans jealous). Now, irony of ironies, the Phins will host the Ravens this weekend in the wild card playoff round in a rematch of the only game Miami won in 2007. Special Cinderella mention to the Ravens, who themselves were just 4-12 last year and made a remarkable 7-game turnaround, but the fanfare surrounding last year for the Ravens was much less, and the turnaround less surprising because of the talent everyone knew that defense had. Meanwhile, is there any team more fun to watch right now than Miami and its high school-inspired offense? Yesterday was my first real glimpse of the Wildcat being run by the team that started it, and it was a beautiful thing.
Arizona 34, Seattle 21 - The NFL breathed a sigh of relief in this one as at least there won't be TWO 8-8 teams hosting playoff games. The Cards ended the season semi-respectably (it would be more respectable if 6 of their 9 wins didn't come against their awful division) and will be 9-7 when they host the Eagles next week. On the other side, no Gatorade showers for Mike "The Original Walrus" Holmgren in his farewell to the Seahawks head gig. It'll be interesting to see if this is in fact his last day coaching (maybe he'll jump to the front office like Bill Parcels has) or if he'll return once again. As for Seattle sports: your 2008 is over!!!!!!!! The worst sports year in recorded history for one city has finally come to a close. For those few who don't know, here's a recap: Seattle Sonics finish 20-62 in their final season in the Great Northwest; the Sonics then get hijacked to Oklahoma City (it was a couple years coming, but there was tiny hope that it could be avoided); the Mariners become the first team in MLB history to lose 100 games with a $100 million payroll; University of Washington football goes 0-12, the first winless team in Pac-10 history; and finally the Seattle Seahawks bid their most successful coach farewell with a 4-12 campaign. Enjoy the champagne on January 1, Seattlites, because 2009 just has to be a better year.
This is the portion of the program where I tell Cowboys and Broncos fans to avert their eyes...
Philadelphia 44, Dallas 6 - This game ended in the second quarter. The Cowboys had shown a penchant for giving up when the chips were down earlier this year, and when the Eagles got hot and got a couple breaks in the second quarter to lead 27-3 at the half, there was no question who would win. The Eagles' defensive TDs in the third were a mere formality; they were a "go ahead and take care of your errands and whatnot" message to Cowboys fans who likely couldn't stand to watch the remainder. Meanwhile, the Eagles bask in the glory of a tie game at Cincinnati to make the playoffs over Chicago, Dallas and Tampa. Look out Vikings, this team is good when it shows up.
San Diego 1,234,693, Denver 21 - This might as well have been the final score, because if this game had gone on forever, I can't say I believe the Broncos would force the Chargers to punt more than once. For eternity. If there was any game this weekend that I would have bet my life savings on, it was the Chargers (-9) to cover at home on Sunday Night. This was the most predictable result of the weekend, which as a Broncos fan myself made the result easier to swallow. I think it's finally time for Pat Bowlen to take a look at the man in charge (not himself, obviously) and see if changes need to be made. The Broncos organization is a laughing stock around football today after yet another monumental collapse. At least Mike Shanahan has saved himself the embarrassment of another home blowout playoff loss to the Colts.
Stay tuned later this week for my playoff predictions for this weekend and my BCS Bowl predictions as well.
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for the blog, please post below or I can be reached at chrisf884@gmail.com. Thanks for reading.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Yanks Give Themselves an Early Christmas Gift
The big news yesterday is that the New York Yankees have given themselves and early Christmas gift by signing switch-hitting first baseman Mark Teixiera to a massive 8 year, $180 million deal. This move, as reported throughout the sports world, now gives the Yankees the four highest-paid players in the entire league. Tex, along with recent signing CC Sabathia, Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter hold the four largest contracts in Major League Baseball.
So here's the question: is this bad for the sport? In about 2001, the Yankess began to shift from a semi-big spending team that had just won four titles in five years, largely with homegrown players like Jeter, Jorge Posada, Bernie Williams, and Mariano Rivera, to a super-big spending club. The result: just two World Series appearances since then, with losses to the big-spending Arizona Diamondbacks (who promptly blew up their own roster to save money) and the small-market Florida Marlins (who blew up their roster of the next several years, despite it not being an expensive group).
Despite the Yankees signing every big name free agent under the sun, the success just hasn't been there. One explanation is that the Yanks teams that were winning didn't have all of the ego issues that we see today, Because they had some lower paid role players, the group functioned more as a team than as a collection of stars. Meanwhile, teams like the Red Sox, although they spend a lot, still have quality players coming up through their systems and spending a lot of time learning their place within the organization. Thus when they reach the Big League, they are ready to contribute in whatever way the team sees fit.
The Yankees have had minimal success with their prospects. Pitcher Chein Ming Wang has been very good, but guys like Robinson Cano and Melky Cabrera have been only decent, not stars. Others, like Nick Johnson and Drew Henson, never panned out at the pro level. The jury is still out on pitcher Phil Hughes, among other recent Yankee call-ups. So while the Yankees had all-stars at most positions, they lacked depth on the bench and in the rotation, and haven't good role-player guys, i.e. bench players that can make an impact both in the game and in the lockerroom.
So should the other teams around the league and their fans be outraged at the money the Yankees are throwing around? Well as the Rays last year and the Rockies in 2007 and the Marlins back in 2002 have all proven, a well-run organization with strong player development can still reach the promised land. And while they may not always win, they can be plenty competitive with the likes of the Yankees and Red Sox. Until their players leave for the big money, that is.
No post tomorrow. Merry Christmas and I will be back on Friday. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for the blog, please post below or I can be reached at chrisf884@gmail.com. Thanks for reading.
So here's the question: is this bad for the sport? In about 2001, the Yankess began to shift from a semi-big spending team that had just won four titles in five years, largely with homegrown players like Jeter, Jorge Posada, Bernie Williams, and Mariano Rivera, to a super-big spending club. The result: just two World Series appearances since then, with losses to the big-spending Arizona Diamondbacks (who promptly blew up their own roster to save money) and the small-market Florida Marlins (who blew up their roster of the next several years, despite it not being an expensive group).
Despite the Yankees signing every big name free agent under the sun, the success just hasn't been there. One explanation is that the Yanks teams that were winning didn't have all of the ego issues that we see today, Because they had some lower paid role players, the group functioned more as a team than as a collection of stars. Meanwhile, teams like the Red Sox, although they spend a lot, still have quality players coming up through their systems and spending a lot of time learning their place within the organization. Thus when they reach the Big League, they are ready to contribute in whatever way the team sees fit.
The Yankees have had minimal success with their prospects. Pitcher Chein Ming Wang has been very good, but guys like Robinson Cano and Melky Cabrera have been only decent, not stars. Others, like Nick Johnson and Drew Henson, never panned out at the pro level. The jury is still out on pitcher Phil Hughes, among other recent Yankee call-ups. So while the Yankees had all-stars at most positions, they lacked depth on the bench and in the rotation, and haven't good role-player guys, i.e. bench players that can make an impact both in the game and in the lockerroom.
So should the other teams around the league and their fans be outraged at the money the Yankees are throwing around? Well as the Rays last year and the Rockies in 2007 and the Marlins back in 2002 have all proven, a well-run organization with strong player development can still reach the promised land. And while they may not always win, they can be plenty competitive with the likes of the Yankees and Red Sox. Until their players leave for the big money, that is.
No post tomorrow. Merry Christmas and I will be back on Friday. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for the blog, please post below or I can be reached at chrisf884@gmail.com. Thanks for reading.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
My Football Fanhood on the Line this Weekend
The reason we watch pro sports isn't just for a love of the game, it's because we all find rooting interests in certain teams. Sometimes you almost have to invent a rooting interest because your favorite teams aren't involved in the game, but it's rare that you'll ever watch a game and legitimately not care who wins. Sometimes you pick a team based on their colors or mascot, sometimes you pick a side because of a certain player that you like or dislike, or a coach, etc. In the end, we always find someone to root for because "rooting for a good game" just loses its appeal rather quickly.
I have a personal rooting interest in five NFL teams. I know that seems like a lot, but there's a very specific hierarchy for these teams (that I will get into in a later post) that dictates who I will root for when any of them meet. Suffice it to say my rooting interests fall in this order: Broncos, Texans, Vikings, Saints and Dolphins. Since I moved from Denver to Houston, the order of the top two is slowly shifting, but it's not quite there yet. It certainly doesn't help that I, like most other Broncos fans, am becoming jaded with the Broncos lack of playoff success and even playoff appearances since John Elway retired.
This weekend, four of my five teams play in games with significant playoff implications. In two of these games, my favored team is an underdog according to oddsmakers, and in the other two no line has been set because the games are too close to call. Let's take a look:
1. Denver Broncos (+9) at San Diego Chargers - This game should have been meaningless. The Broncos have had seemingly countless chances to wrap up this division once and for all, and failed at every turn. Now they are 9 point underdogs on the road with the playoffs on the line. Forgive me if I don't exactly have confidence that the Broncos will even cover, much less win. Prove me wrong, Broncos. Please prove me wrong.
2. Chicago Bears (No Line) at Houston Texans - While the Texans are officially out of the running and coming off an embarrassing loss at Oakland last week, they can help me out big time by beating the Bears. The Vikings need either a win (see below) or a Bears loss to clinch the NFC North, and while it looked like the Packers were going to pull it off last night, alas the stubborn Bears persevered and now we have this situation. Lousy Packers.
3. Minnesota Vikings (No Line) at New York Giants - Yes, the Giants have nothing to play for and yes, everything is on the line for the Vikings. But after the way the Giants played in last year's "meaningless" finale against the unbeaten Patriots, and the way it propelled the Giants into the playoffs on such a high note, there is no doubt in my mind that they will be playing all-out on Sunday. And that does not bode well for a Brad Childress-coached team with a penchant to choking.
4. Miami Dolphins (+2.5) at New York Jets - The Dolphins are a great story, and usually stories like these end with success, but going on the road in bad weather against a division rival with the division title on the line sounds kind of scary. It could also be a fairy tale ending waiting to happen, but Vegas (i.e. the betting public) doesn't appear to see it that way. I've hated Brett Favre since his Packers faced my Broncos in the Super Bowl in 1998, but the least he can do for me is throw away one last game before wavering obnoxiously into the sunset. Please, Brett?
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for the blog, please post below or I can be reached at chrisf884@gmail.com. Thanks for reading.
I have a personal rooting interest in five NFL teams. I know that seems like a lot, but there's a very specific hierarchy for these teams (that I will get into in a later post) that dictates who I will root for when any of them meet. Suffice it to say my rooting interests fall in this order: Broncos, Texans, Vikings, Saints and Dolphins. Since I moved from Denver to Houston, the order of the top two is slowly shifting, but it's not quite there yet. It certainly doesn't help that I, like most other Broncos fans, am becoming jaded with the Broncos lack of playoff success and even playoff appearances since John Elway retired.
This weekend, four of my five teams play in games with significant playoff implications. In two of these games, my favored team is an underdog according to oddsmakers, and in the other two no line has been set because the games are too close to call. Let's take a look:
1. Denver Broncos (+9) at San Diego Chargers - This game should have been meaningless. The Broncos have had seemingly countless chances to wrap up this division once and for all, and failed at every turn. Now they are 9 point underdogs on the road with the playoffs on the line. Forgive me if I don't exactly have confidence that the Broncos will even cover, much less win. Prove me wrong, Broncos. Please prove me wrong.
2. Chicago Bears (No Line) at Houston Texans - While the Texans are officially out of the running and coming off an embarrassing loss at Oakland last week, they can help me out big time by beating the Bears. The Vikings need either a win (see below) or a Bears loss to clinch the NFC North, and while it looked like the Packers were going to pull it off last night, alas the stubborn Bears persevered and now we have this situation. Lousy Packers.
3. Minnesota Vikings (No Line) at New York Giants - Yes, the Giants have nothing to play for and yes, everything is on the line for the Vikings. But after the way the Giants played in last year's "meaningless" finale against the unbeaten Patriots, and the way it propelled the Giants into the playoffs on such a high note, there is no doubt in my mind that they will be playing all-out on Sunday. And that does not bode well for a Brad Childress-coached team with a penchant to choking.
4. Miami Dolphins (+2.5) at New York Jets - The Dolphins are a great story, and usually stories like these end with success, but going on the road in bad weather against a division rival with the division title on the line sounds kind of scary. It could also be a fairy tale ending waiting to happen, but Vegas (i.e. the betting public) doesn't appear to see it that way. I've hated Brett Favre since his Packers faced my Broncos in the Super Bowl in 1998, but the least he can do for me is throw away one last game before wavering obnoxiously into the sunset. Please, Brett?
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for the blog, please post below or I can be reached at chrisf884@gmail.com. Thanks for reading.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Wha... what just ha-happened?
This is the question that a number of NFL teams have to be asking themselves today after questionable performances over the weekend. The big losers are a number of playoff hopefuls that held their postseason destinies in their own hands and failed to come through.
-Denver Broncos - Yes, they are my hometown team and thus my primary rooting interest, so they may be listed higher than they should. But consider what we're looking at here: the Broncos reached an 8-5 record with a stunning win over the highly-touted (at the time) New York Jets on the road. At this point Denver held a 3 game lead in the second-worst division in football (just ahead of the despicable NFC West) and looked like a virtual shoe-in for the playoffs. Two weeks later, the Broncos will be going on the road to face a suddenly hot Chargers team with the division title on the line. This after somehow blowing a home game to a Buffalo team that has been phoning it in for about 8 weeks. Ay carumba!
-Dallas Cowboys - Sure they got bailed out on Sunday by the collapse of two other teams on this list (see below), but the Cowboys simply didn't show up for their home finale (and the last game ever at Texas Stadium) against the Ravens when they controlled their own destiny. For a defense that many thought had turned the corner, that fourth-quarter performance was just dreadful.
-Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Last year, the Bucs stumbled into the playoffs in a weak division and coasted to another first-round loss with a sub-par performance against the eventual champion Giants. This year, the Bucs blasted out to a 9-3 record but have since lost 3 straight, including a game at home Sunday against a very mediocre San Diego team that could have helped not only the Bucs but the Broncos, too, and now the Bucs need help to make the playoffs. This team had no business laying an egg like this after the good fortune of Dallas losing on Saturday.
-Philadelphia Eagles - Against a team that is hard-pressed to score 10 points in a game, and with the benefit of knowing the Cowboys lost and they now controlled their own destiny, the Eagles offense sputtered (again) and came up short at Washington. Now Philly will have to beat the aforementioned Cowboys at home and get lots of help to make the playoffs. Not that a team this inconsistent has any business making the postseason.
-New York Jets - Wow. Just, like, wow. This team has completely fallen off the tracks and now looks like a mortal lock to miss the playoffs. I guess Packers fans can breathe easy (thanks to their old coach Mike Holmgren and the Seahawks, no less) that their old (figuratively and literally) QB will not be winning a Super Bowl for the wrong team this year. This Jets team is three JP Losman decisions away from riding a 4-game losing streak and sitting at 8-7 today.
-Minnesota Vikings - The Vikings get a slight pass for facing a playoff team in the Atlanta Falcons that had a lot to play for, too. That said, Adrian Peterson continues to come up small in big games (with three fumbles, two lost yesterday) and this team could have sealed their division at home yesterday. Now they have to hope the Bears blow it against the Pack tonight, or else it will come down to the final week.
-Pittsburgh Steelers/Carolina Panthers - Yes, they were both on the road playing against the best teams in their respective conferences, but considering what was on the line, these are huge missed opportunities for these teams. Now both will likely have to go on the road to rematch these games for the conference title, and they both have the knowledge that they've lost there already. The Steelers looked like the inferior team on Sunday against Tennessee, and they'll have their work cut out if this AFC title game comes to pass. The Panthers, on the other hand, had the game almost in hand but couldn't come up with a big offensive or defensive play late to pull it out. Regardless, the Giants and Titans have a lot of confidence going forward now.
-Arizona Cardinals - Yes, they've already clinched their exact playoff position, but COME ON! That was one of the worst played games I've seen all year. This team will be extremely lucky if it can win it's first round game, and their only chance is that it's at home. Talk about mailing it in after clinching. Good luck against the Falcons, guys!
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for the blog, please post below or I can be reached at chrisf884@gmail.com. Thanks for reading.
-Denver Broncos - Yes, they are my hometown team and thus my primary rooting interest, so they may be listed higher than they should. But consider what we're looking at here: the Broncos reached an 8-5 record with a stunning win over the highly-touted (at the time) New York Jets on the road. At this point Denver held a 3 game lead in the second-worst division in football (just ahead of the despicable NFC West) and looked like a virtual shoe-in for the playoffs. Two weeks later, the Broncos will be going on the road to face a suddenly hot Chargers team with the division title on the line. This after somehow blowing a home game to a Buffalo team that has been phoning it in for about 8 weeks. Ay carumba!
-Dallas Cowboys - Sure they got bailed out on Sunday by the collapse of two other teams on this list (see below), but the Cowboys simply didn't show up for their home finale (and the last game ever at Texas Stadium) against the Ravens when they controlled their own destiny. For a defense that many thought had turned the corner, that fourth-quarter performance was just dreadful.
-Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Last year, the Bucs stumbled into the playoffs in a weak division and coasted to another first-round loss with a sub-par performance against the eventual champion Giants. This year, the Bucs blasted out to a 9-3 record but have since lost 3 straight, including a game at home Sunday against a very mediocre San Diego team that could have helped not only the Bucs but the Broncos, too, and now the Bucs need help to make the playoffs. This team had no business laying an egg like this after the good fortune of Dallas losing on Saturday.
-Philadelphia Eagles - Against a team that is hard-pressed to score 10 points in a game, and with the benefit of knowing the Cowboys lost and they now controlled their own destiny, the Eagles offense sputtered (again) and came up short at Washington. Now Philly will have to beat the aforementioned Cowboys at home and get lots of help to make the playoffs. Not that a team this inconsistent has any business making the postseason.
-New York Jets - Wow. Just, like, wow. This team has completely fallen off the tracks and now looks like a mortal lock to miss the playoffs. I guess Packers fans can breathe easy (thanks to their old coach Mike Holmgren and the Seahawks, no less) that their old (figuratively and literally) QB will not be winning a Super Bowl for the wrong team this year. This Jets team is three JP Losman decisions away from riding a 4-game losing streak and sitting at 8-7 today.
-Minnesota Vikings - The Vikings get a slight pass for facing a playoff team in the Atlanta Falcons that had a lot to play for, too. That said, Adrian Peterson continues to come up small in big games (with three fumbles, two lost yesterday) and this team could have sealed their division at home yesterday. Now they have to hope the Bears blow it against the Pack tonight, or else it will come down to the final week.
-Pittsburgh Steelers/Carolina Panthers - Yes, they were both on the road playing against the best teams in their respective conferences, but considering what was on the line, these are huge missed opportunities for these teams. Now both will likely have to go on the road to rematch these games for the conference title, and they both have the knowledge that they've lost there already. The Steelers looked like the inferior team on Sunday against Tennessee, and they'll have their work cut out if this AFC title game comes to pass. The Panthers, on the other hand, had the game almost in hand but couldn't come up with a big offensive or defensive play late to pull it out. Regardless, the Giants and Titans have a lot of confidence going forward now.
-Arizona Cardinals - Yes, they've already clinched their exact playoff position, but COME ON! That was one of the worst played games I've seen all year. This team will be extremely lucky if it can win it's first round game, and their only chance is that it's at home. Talk about mailing it in after clinching. Good luck against the Falcons, guys!
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for the blog, please post below or I can be reached at chrisf884@gmail.com. Thanks for reading.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Big Football Weekend
It's a big weekend for football this week as college bowl season has gotten under way and the NFL playoff hunt has kicked into full gear. On Saturday, two results really stood out to me. First, my alma mater Colorado State captured the coveted New Mexico Bowl title, defeating the Fresno State Bulldogs in a shootout between two teams with mediocre passing games and solid running games. Apparently, the run defenses decided to head to the offseason early. Here are a few thoughts shared by my brother Tony, another proud CSU alum, after watching yesterday's game (my comments are in bold):
-Gartrell Johnson was a beast, but give some credit to the blocking as he had lots of running room all game. His lack of breakaway speed was clear in the first quarter when he was caught from behind on a 50+ yarder, but he showed a surprising burst with the 77-yard TD run that sealed the win in the fourth quarter. It would be disappointing if Gartrell doesn't get a shot in some NFL team's training camp, even if just as a FB. -I completely agree. After what we've seen out of La'Ron McClain, a big, strong fullback for the Baltimore Ravens, it's clear that there's a place in the NFL for guys like Gartrell. He probably won't be drafted, but he may get a look as a free agent in someones camp.
-Billy Farris is really not much of a quarterback. That long TD pass to Greer in the fourth was well under-thrown and it lucky that it didn't get knocked down. He was not on target on anything he threw down field the rest of the game, except for the TD pass to [tight end Kory] Sperry. Hopefully CSU has someone better at throwing the ball on more than dump-offs next year. -Clearly the Rams cupboard was pretty dry at the quarterback position after last year's graduation of Caleb Hanie, so let's hope that head coach Steve Fairchild, a former quarterback himself, can find (or has found) a young QB to start grooming.
-Speaking of the TD pass to Sperry, that was a ballsy call by Steve Fairchild, but I think it was the right one. They had time to run the play and still kick a FG if they failed. The only way they would've not had a chance was with a sack or a completion short of the end zone, but Fresno had not been getting much pressure and the pass was clearly going only one place. The game was clearly going to be a shootout, and field goals would not lead to a win. -It was a great call, and a really great catch. It actually looked like Sperry was able to get both feet in on the play. That was best throw of the day by the erratic Farris as he put it right where it needed to be to give Sperry a chance without really risking a pick.
-I was disappointed to hear Sperry is only projected to be a 6-7 rounder. Somebody will be getting a steal if they take him that low. -He has the physical skills to be a solid receiving threat at TE. I have to wonder if his lack of stats this year was a matter of poor quarterbacking this year or if he was still getting healthy after that major knee injury last season.
-The defense struggled against the run, but was okay against the pass. There were a few passes where CSU definitely showed a lack of speed in the secondary, but otherwise they played pretty well. You have to wonder what Fresno QB Brandstater was thinking when he threw that screen pass right to DE Tommie Hill. It's indicative of your problem stopping the run when your defensive line gets pushed backwards three full yards on a QB sneak. -Both defenses struggled against the run and that may have been a case of, as the commentator said, not being used to contact after three weeks without games. Then again, evidently neither defense was all that good this year overall, so maybe it was just a case of poor play. As for Brandstater, for a guy that the commentator's say is a projected 5th rounder, he really didn't show me much. The few times he passed in the game (other than the two-minute drill in the fourth quarter when the Rams were in the dreaded prevent defense), he seemed inaccurate and his decision-making was suspect.
-Also give props to the defense for coming up with some big stops in the second half. Fresno had opportunities to drive down and expand their lead to two scores, but the Rams D kept it from happening, and when the team first took the lead, they came up with another big stop. -Again, if it was a case of the teams just getting used to contact, then it makes sense that their performance would improve as the game went on. The problem with Fresno State's defense is that even when they were in regular-season form, they still couldn't stop the run.
-Nice to see the Rams have a nationally-recognized player in Freshman All-American LB Mychal Sisson. Without a growth spurt, Sisson may only make it in the pros as a safety, but that's still years off. -The key to success for all college programs is not only bringing in big-time recruits, but also finding gems in lesser-touted players. Sisson may just be one of those gems.
-Special teams were a mess. Three good kickoff returns were called back on penalties, and the punt returner muffed three punts. At least he was finally benched for the last punt. -Alex Square had a rough day, to be sure, muffing three punts. The penalties on kick returns certainly made things more difficult than they needed to be on offense.
-It was good to see Kyle Bell make an impact on the game, recovering the on-side kick at the end of the fourth quarter. -Bell is a really disappointing story. He was a budding superstar in the Rams' last bowl season, but that knee injury clearly took its toll. I can only assume it's his health that is the reason for his dropoff. I hope he gets fully healthy and maybe, just maybe, gets a shot with a pro team.
-What is with Gary Kubiak's names for his kids, Klint and Klay? I hope their middle names don't start with K! -No comment.
-I stand by my belief that the FBS needs a playoff system, but I think the bowls are worth keeping around. The BCS bowl games can be between the teams who lose in the tourney. The New Mexico Bowl may not mean anything to most of the country, but it was an exciting game and was meaningful to fans of the teams that played in it. With 119 teams in the FBS division, letting 68 of them play one more game on national TV (the only time some of the teams will play on national TV all season) isn't such a bad thing. -I disagree with this, at least to the extent that I think the current bowl system is just flat-out bad business. I will discuss this in a later post.
Thanks to Tony for his insight. It was great to see the Rams have a performance like this on the national stage, and clearly they are moving in the right direction as a program. I think Sonny Lubick must be proud, wherever he is.
One last note: Let's just guess, probably on the high side, that the over/under for the Ravens vs. Cowboys game last night was 40 or 42. That's high for a game between two good defenses, but we'll go with it. If you had taken the under on the game, don't you think you would have basically spent that money before the fourth quarter started? Thinking about how smart you were and how easy that game was to call? Little did you know, the two teams would combine for 34 points (!) in the fourth quarter and ruin your night. Then again, I think the Cowboys night was still quite a bit worse.
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for the blog, please post below or I can be reached at chrisf884@gmail.com. Thanks for reading.
-Gartrell Johnson was a beast, but give some credit to the blocking as he had lots of running room all game. His lack of breakaway speed was clear in the first quarter when he was caught from behind on a 50+ yarder, but he showed a surprising burst with the 77-yard TD run that sealed the win in the fourth quarter. It would be disappointing if Gartrell doesn't get a shot in some NFL team's training camp, even if just as a FB. -I completely agree. After what we've seen out of La'Ron McClain, a big, strong fullback for the Baltimore Ravens, it's clear that there's a place in the NFL for guys like Gartrell. He probably won't be drafted, but he may get a look as a free agent in someones camp.
-Billy Farris is really not much of a quarterback. That long TD pass to Greer in the fourth was well under-thrown and it lucky that it didn't get knocked down. He was not on target on anything he threw down field the rest of the game, except for the TD pass to [tight end Kory] Sperry. Hopefully CSU has someone better at throwing the ball on more than dump-offs next year. -Clearly the Rams cupboard was pretty dry at the quarterback position after last year's graduation of Caleb Hanie, so let's hope that head coach Steve Fairchild, a former quarterback himself, can find (or has found) a young QB to start grooming.
-Speaking of the TD pass to Sperry, that was a ballsy call by Steve Fairchild, but I think it was the right one. They had time to run the play and still kick a FG if they failed. The only way they would've not had a chance was with a sack or a completion short of the end zone, but Fresno had not been getting much pressure and the pass was clearly going only one place. The game was clearly going to be a shootout, and field goals would not lead to a win. -It was a great call, and a really great catch. It actually looked like Sperry was able to get both feet in on the play. That was best throw of the day by the erratic Farris as he put it right where it needed to be to give Sperry a chance without really risking a pick.
-I was disappointed to hear Sperry is only projected to be a 6-7 rounder. Somebody will be getting a steal if they take him that low. -He has the physical skills to be a solid receiving threat at TE. I have to wonder if his lack of stats this year was a matter of poor quarterbacking this year or if he was still getting healthy after that major knee injury last season.
-The defense struggled against the run, but was okay against the pass. There were a few passes where CSU definitely showed a lack of speed in the secondary, but otherwise they played pretty well. You have to wonder what Fresno QB Brandstater was thinking when he threw that screen pass right to DE Tommie Hill. It's indicative of your problem stopping the run when your defensive line gets pushed backwards three full yards on a QB sneak. -Both defenses struggled against the run and that may have been a case of, as the commentator said, not being used to contact after three weeks without games. Then again, evidently neither defense was all that good this year overall, so maybe it was just a case of poor play. As for Brandstater, for a guy that the commentator's say is a projected 5th rounder, he really didn't show me much. The few times he passed in the game (other than the two-minute drill in the fourth quarter when the Rams were in the dreaded prevent defense), he seemed inaccurate and his decision-making was suspect.
-Also give props to the defense for coming up with some big stops in the second half. Fresno had opportunities to drive down and expand their lead to two scores, but the Rams D kept it from happening, and when the team first took the lead, they came up with another big stop. -Again, if it was a case of the teams just getting used to contact, then it makes sense that their performance would improve as the game went on. The problem with Fresno State's defense is that even when they were in regular-season form, they still couldn't stop the run.
-Nice to see the Rams have a nationally-recognized player in Freshman All-American LB Mychal Sisson. Without a growth spurt, Sisson may only make it in the pros as a safety, but that's still years off. -The key to success for all college programs is not only bringing in big-time recruits, but also finding gems in lesser-touted players. Sisson may just be one of those gems.
-Special teams were a mess. Three good kickoff returns were called back on penalties, and the punt returner muffed three punts. At least he was finally benched for the last punt. -Alex Square had a rough day, to be sure, muffing three punts. The penalties on kick returns certainly made things more difficult than they needed to be on offense.
-It was good to see Kyle Bell make an impact on the game, recovering the on-side kick at the end of the fourth quarter. -Bell is a really disappointing story. He was a budding superstar in the Rams' last bowl season, but that knee injury clearly took its toll. I can only assume it's his health that is the reason for his dropoff. I hope he gets fully healthy and maybe, just maybe, gets a shot with a pro team.
-What is with Gary Kubiak's names for his kids, Klint and Klay? I hope their middle names don't start with K! -No comment.
-I stand by my belief that the FBS needs a playoff system, but I think the bowls are worth keeping around. The BCS bowl games can be between the teams who lose in the tourney. The New Mexico Bowl may not mean anything to most of the country, but it was an exciting game and was meaningful to fans of the teams that played in it. With 119 teams in the FBS division, letting 68 of them play one more game on national TV (the only time some of the teams will play on national TV all season) isn't such a bad thing. -I disagree with this, at least to the extent that I think the current bowl system is just flat-out bad business. I will discuss this in a later post.
Thanks to Tony for his insight. It was great to see the Rams have a performance like this on the national stage, and clearly they are moving in the right direction as a program. I think Sonny Lubick must be proud, wherever he is.
One last note: Let's just guess, probably on the high side, that the over/under for the Ravens vs. Cowboys game last night was 40 or 42. That's high for a game between two good defenses, but we'll go with it. If you had taken the under on the game, don't you think you would have basically spent that money before the fourth quarter started? Thinking about how smart you were and how easy that game was to call? Little did you know, the two teams would combine for 34 points (!) in the fourth quarter and ruin your night. Then again, I think the Cowboys night was still quite a bit worse.
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for the blog, please post below or I can be reached at chrisf884@gmail.com. Thanks for reading.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Next On The Agenda
As I continue this little fall-in-review, next I'll take a look at what's happened in the MLB since last I posted. A brief recap:
1. Playoffs happen. Rays beat Red Sox in close, but ultimately surprisingly unexciting ALCS. Despite the Rays near-epic collapse in Game 5, blowing a 7-run lead when needing only 7 outs to advance to the World Series, and seeing them rally and give the ball to a rookie closer in the ninth inning of Game 7 to win it, the lack of history in this "rivalry" really hurt the dramatic impact of an otherwise quality matchup. On the other side, the Phils made quick work of the Brew-crew and Manny's Dodgers on their way to the Fall Classic.
2. Wet and Wild World Series. Rays/Phillies. A classic matchup! Despite Tampa Bay being everyone's darling this year, the signs were quite clear that they had little chance going into this series. The Phillies' hitting was simply too good, their pitching was good enough, and the Rays' lack of experience and on-base percentage looked to be their ultimate downfall. What followed was an entertaining and bizarre World Series, as Game 5 (with the Series on the line) was broken up over 3 days due to a huge storm hitting Philadelphia in the middle of a "tie game" (Phillies fans will argue that the Rays' tying run was gift-wrapped by the umps so the game couldn't be called final). In the end, the Phils finished the game with a win and closed out the series 4-1. And as Chase Utley do eloquently put it, the Phillies are now the "World f***ing Champions!"
3. The US economy takes a dump. This story has obviously received a ton of publicity, but the surprising and somewhat lesser-reported aspect of the economic downturn is its impact on the pro sports. When even the all-powerful NFL is cutting employees and taking out loans, you know things are dicey. In the MLB, the impact is being felt in the league's offseason as free agents are forced to wait out teams for their ridiculous 8- or 9-figure contracts. Teams like the Mets and Yankees are taking advantage of the rest of the league's tight budget by signing whomever they want, and some even at slight discounts. (In the case of the Yankees' new defensive tackle... er, starting pitcher, they're actually paying a huge premium to pry Sabathia away from the West Coast. Hopefully CC gets closer to 350 wins than 350 pounds during his time in New York, because he doesn't seem like he has the sensibility to survive the media onslaught if he lands in the doghouse. Let's just say I'm predicting he'll be exercising his option after 3 years and running as far from New York as possible, to the Angels' or Dodgers' benefit.) Meanwhile, teams like my hometown Astros and Rockies are forced to shop their pricier players and let their free agents walk due to growing budget constraints. In other words, in the only major sports league in the US without a salary cap, the rich again get richer while poor, and their fans, get the shaft.
4. Nobody wants Manny. Thanks in part to the economy, Scott Boras (Manny Ramirez's agent) and Mr. "Manny being Manny," one of the top right-handed hitters in MLB history is having trouble finding a home. Teams around the league are wondering if bringing on a personality like ManRam would bolster or devastate their clubhouse, and this is before checking the price tag ("if you have to ask, you can't afford it"). MLB executives with ever-tightening budgets are growing more and more leery of dealing with an agent like Boras, and guaranteeing 4-years, $80-$100 million for a player that has a history of quitting on teams when things don't go his way seems like a shady proposition. My guess: he either takes a big contract to play for the Yankees (unlikely, but no one else seems to have the money to throw around) or else (more likely) takes a "hometown discount" (i.e. no one will actually pay him more, but Boras has to save face) to stay with the Dodgers.
5. Mark Texiera sweepstakes are becoming silly. It seems everyone has thrown their hat in the ring for Tex, the premier offensive weapon in this year's free agent class not named Manny Ramirez. From the Red Sox to the Nationals to the Orioles to the Angels and maybe even the Braves, Tex has more money being thrown at him than an AIG executive. (Okay, maybe that's an exaggeration. No one has THAT much money being thrown at them.) The question is, will the "lucky" team that lands Tex be getting the same performance out of him as AIG has gotten from said executives? Maybe, maybe not, but I can assure you that he's not the missing link in Baltimore or D.C., so don't be surprised if there ends up being a bit of buyer's remorse if he ends up on an also-ran like them.
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for the blog, please post below or I can be reached at chrisf884@gmail.com. Thanks for reading.
1. Playoffs happen. Rays beat Red Sox in close, but ultimately surprisingly unexciting ALCS. Despite the Rays near-epic collapse in Game 5, blowing a 7-run lead when needing only 7 outs to advance to the World Series, and seeing them rally and give the ball to a rookie closer in the ninth inning of Game 7 to win it, the lack of history in this "rivalry" really hurt the dramatic impact of an otherwise quality matchup. On the other side, the Phils made quick work of the Brew-crew and Manny's Dodgers on their way to the Fall Classic.
2. Wet and Wild World Series. Rays/Phillies. A classic matchup! Despite Tampa Bay being everyone's darling this year, the signs were quite clear that they had little chance going into this series. The Phillies' hitting was simply too good, their pitching was good enough, and the Rays' lack of experience and on-base percentage looked to be their ultimate downfall. What followed was an entertaining and bizarre World Series, as Game 5 (with the Series on the line) was broken up over 3 days due to a huge storm hitting Philadelphia in the middle of a "tie game" (Phillies fans will argue that the Rays' tying run was gift-wrapped by the umps so the game couldn't be called final). In the end, the Phils finished the game with a win and closed out the series 4-1. And as Chase Utley do eloquently put it, the Phillies are now the "World f***ing Champions!"
3. The US economy takes a dump. This story has obviously received a ton of publicity, but the surprising and somewhat lesser-reported aspect of the economic downturn is its impact on the pro sports. When even the all-powerful NFL is cutting employees and taking out loans, you know things are dicey. In the MLB, the impact is being felt in the league's offseason as free agents are forced to wait out teams for their ridiculous 8- or 9-figure contracts. Teams like the Mets and Yankees are taking advantage of the rest of the league's tight budget by signing whomever they want, and some even at slight discounts. (In the case of the Yankees' new defensive tackle... er, starting pitcher, they're actually paying a huge premium to pry Sabathia away from the West Coast. Hopefully CC gets closer to 350 wins than 350 pounds during his time in New York, because he doesn't seem like he has the sensibility to survive the media onslaught if he lands in the doghouse. Let's just say I'm predicting he'll be exercising his option after 3 years and running as far from New York as possible, to the Angels' or Dodgers' benefit.) Meanwhile, teams like my hometown Astros and Rockies are forced to shop their pricier players and let their free agents walk due to growing budget constraints. In other words, in the only major sports league in the US without a salary cap, the rich again get richer while poor, and their fans, get the shaft.
4. Nobody wants Manny. Thanks in part to the economy, Scott Boras (Manny Ramirez's agent) and Mr. "Manny being Manny," one of the top right-handed hitters in MLB history is having trouble finding a home. Teams around the league are wondering if bringing on a personality like ManRam would bolster or devastate their clubhouse, and this is before checking the price tag ("if you have to ask, you can't afford it"). MLB executives with ever-tightening budgets are growing more and more leery of dealing with an agent like Boras, and guaranteeing 4-years, $80-$100 million for a player that has a history of quitting on teams when things don't go his way seems like a shady proposition. My guess: he either takes a big contract to play for the Yankees (unlikely, but no one else seems to have the money to throw around) or else (more likely) takes a "hometown discount" (i.e. no one will actually pay him more, but Boras has to save face) to stay with the Dodgers.
5. Mark Texiera sweepstakes are becoming silly. It seems everyone has thrown their hat in the ring for Tex, the premier offensive weapon in this year's free agent class not named Manny Ramirez. From the Red Sox to the Nationals to the Orioles to the Angels and maybe even the Braves, Tex has more money being thrown at him than an AIG executive. (Okay, maybe that's an exaggeration. No one has THAT much money being thrown at them.) The question is, will the "lucky" team that lands Tex be getting the same performance out of him as AIG has gotten from said executives? Maybe, maybe not, but I can assure you that he's not the missing link in Baltimore or D.C., so don't be surprised if there ends up being a bit of buyer's remorse if he ends up on an also-ran like them.
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for the blog, please post below or I can be reached at chrisf884@gmail.com. Thanks for reading.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
So What Else is New?
Yesterday I covered the big stories (on the field, at least) in the NFL thus far this year. Today, let's take a look at what we know so far in the NBA season.
1. There are three teams that can win the title. The Lakers, Caveliers and Celtics are the clear-cut favorites for the NBA title this season, and there's really no argument to be made for anyone else. In the NBA this year, as is often the case, there are a finite number of teams with the star power and depth that it takes to win the title, which is why we see so many teams stay at the top for extended periods while the rest of the league toils away in the "everyone else" column. Last year, the Celts and Lakers (after the Pau Gasol trade) were the clear favorites, while the Pistons, Cavs, Spurs and Hornets, and to a lesser extent Jazz, were the "if we can get all the right breaks and play our very best in the playoffs, we might have a shot" teams. In other words, they were the contenders, and everyone else was just along for the ride. This year, the Cavs made the jump to that top echelon, while it looks like the Nuggets and Rockets have moved up to the contender level, and the Pistons officially declared they're looking to tear down that roster.
2. The Knicks should change their name to the "New York Summer of 2010s." Mike D'antoni was given a huge contract to lead the Knicks back to relevance, but this turnaround will not happen overnight, and they know it. While the Knicks have been surprisingly competitive this year, their recent roster moves (trading Zach Randolph and Jamal Crawford, two of their only long-term contract players) clearly signal that the building process has begun, and it's all supposed to come together in the fabled "summer of 2010." In case you haven't been following the league lately, that summer marks the free agency of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Steve Nash (you know the star Canadian guard would love to get back together with the Suns old coach), among many others. Currently the Knicks have 0 contracts on their payroll that don't expire within the next two years. Heck, they may even have enough cap flexibility to sign 3 superstars, with room left over for the customary flock of veterans willing to take a discount to play for a title (see Celtics, Boston, 2007-08).
3. Trades have started early this year. Headlined by the Chauncey Billups for Allen Iverson trade, which has turned out to be very one-sided in favor of the Nuggets save the fact that Iverson is a much-coveted expiring contract, this year has already seen a handful of meaningful trades. Now that December 15th has passed, players that signed with new teams this offseason have also become available for trade. So the next few weeks and months leading up to the trade deadline should be quite fascinating, although as outlined above, every trade will be performed with an eye on 2010. The question is, as the Western conference appears tighter and tighter at the top, which team is going to make that desperate move to try to move from an also-ran to a contender? And will it have the same damaging effects as the Shaq and Jason Kidd trades did last year, effectively closing the Suns and Mavs windows for a title.
4. The Thunder may be historically bad. For those of you rooting for the Detroit Lions to "run the table backwards," I present to you the 2008-09 Oklahoma City Thunder! They are, after all, on pace to set the NBA record for losses in a season. Are they really that bad? No... probably not. Could they pull it off anyway? Absolutely.
5. Coaches are dropping like flies. Six head coaches have already bitten the dust and I have no doubt more will inevitably follow. And we haven't even reached the new year yet. Just crazy. But this begs the question, back to my first point, if it's so clear who is in contention, is there really any reason to get rid of the coach when the team's ceiling is a first-round playoff loss?
Next up, and quick glance at the MLB Hot Stove League and how the tanking economy has played a big role.
Chris
1. There are three teams that can win the title. The Lakers, Caveliers and Celtics are the clear-cut favorites for the NBA title this season, and there's really no argument to be made for anyone else. In the NBA this year, as is often the case, there are a finite number of teams with the star power and depth that it takes to win the title, which is why we see so many teams stay at the top for extended periods while the rest of the league toils away in the "everyone else" column. Last year, the Celts and Lakers (after the Pau Gasol trade) were the clear favorites, while the Pistons, Cavs, Spurs and Hornets, and to a lesser extent Jazz, were the "if we can get all the right breaks and play our very best in the playoffs, we might have a shot" teams. In other words, they were the contenders, and everyone else was just along for the ride. This year, the Cavs made the jump to that top echelon, while it looks like the Nuggets and Rockets have moved up to the contender level, and the Pistons officially declared they're looking to tear down that roster.
2. The Knicks should change their name to the "New York Summer of 2010s." Mike D'antoni was given a huge contract to lead the Knicks back to relevance, but this turnaround will not happen overnight, and they know it. While the Knicks have been surprisingly competitive this year, their recent roster moves (trading Zach Randolph and Jamal Crawford, two of their only long-term contract players) clearly signal that the building process has begun, and it's all supposed to come together in the fabled "summer of 2010." In case you haven't been following the league lately, that summer marks the free agency of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Steve Nash (you know the star Canadian guard would love to get back together with the Suns old coach), among many others. Currently the Knicks have 0 contracts on their payroll that don't expire within the next two years. Heck, they may even have enough cap flexibility to sign 3 superstars, with room left over for the customary flock of veterans willing to take a discount to play for a title (see Celtics, Boston, 2007-08).
3. Trades have started early this year. Headlined by the Chauncey Billups for Allen Iverson trade, which has turned out to be very one-sided in favor of the Nuggets save the fact that Iverson is a much-coveted expiring contract, this year has already seen a handful of meaningful trades. Now that December 15th has passed, players that signed with new teams this offseason have also become available for trade. So the next few weeks and months leading up to the trade deadline should be quite fascinating, although as outlined above, every trade will be performed with an eye on 2010. The question is, as the Western conference appears tighter and tighter at the top, which team is going to make that desperate move to try to move from an also-ran to a contender? And will it have the same damaging effects as the Shaq and Jason Kidd trades did last year, effectively closing the Suns and Mavs windows for a title.
4. The Thunder may be historically bad. For those of you rooting for the Detroit Lions to "run the table backwards," I present to you the 2008-09 Oklahoma City Thunder! They are, after all, on pace to set the NBA record for losses in a season. Are they really that bad? No... probably not. Could they pull it off anyway? Absolutely.
5. Coaches are dropping like flies. Six head coaches have already bitten the dust and I have no doubt more will inevitably follow. And we haven't even reached the new year yet. Just crazy. But this begs the question, back to my first point, if it's so clear who is in contention, is there really any reason to get rid of the coach when the team's ceiling is a first-round playoff loss?
Next up, and quick glance at the MLB Hot Stove League and how the tanking economy has played a big role.
Chris
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
It's Been HOW Long?!?
As you can tell, it has been quite a while since I've posted, but fear not! I will be posting much more regularly from now on as I try to get things caught up. Clearly, I let real life get in the way of what is most important: sports blogging. Time to fix that.
First things first, I know you're all dying to hear my take on the football season so far. Basically, it comes down to one word: crazy. Yes, yes, we probably like to say that about every season, and it's probably true every season, but this season is one of the most topsy-turvy that I've seen in my years of following the sport. Let's take a look at some of the craziest of crazy happenings thus far:
1. Hurricane Ike - Due to my personal involvement, I have to list Hurricane Ike's impact on the Houston Texans season as one of the oddest factors in the season. Because of Ike, the Texans started the season with a three game road trip (and a week 2 bye), and didn't have their first home game until the month of October, and needless to say they came out of the gates 0-4. Their turnaround from 3-7 to currently 7-7 is a great accomplishment for a young, up-and-coming team looking to make a push. That said, one wonders where they'd be if they hadn't had the extreme misfortune of the hurricane to start the season. Maybe a playoff berth would have been within their grasp.
2. Pats Fall - Who would have thought that within 8 minutes of the start of the season, Chiefs safety Bernard Pollard would become public enemy #1 in the greater New England region? While all sports fans will say (true or not) that they never root for players to get hurt, I can absolutely assure you that there was at least a part of every non-Bostonite that was happy to see Tom Brady go out with a season-ending injury. How do you like THEM apples?!
3. Giants/Titans Come Out Gangbusters - The Giants rode an eleven-month hot streak to a great 11-1 start, while the Titans overcame (celebrated?) VY's injury and subsequent benching with a stunning 10-0 start. Although they both looked great, were considered virtual locks for the Super Bowl just 3 weeks ago and have locked up first round byes, another oddity of this bizarre season is that right now, there are at least 3-4 teams that you could argue are better, and we wonder if either team will even win a game in the postseason. Maybe this will be good for them; the Giants clearly thrived in the "Nobody believes in us!" role last year and even earlier this season.
4. Turnarounds for the Ages - The Miami Dolphins were winless through 13 games last season and faced a Baltimore Ravens team that was going nowhere fast (and finished 5-11). In one fateful overtime thriller, noted for a Matt Stover miss at the end of regulation and a Greg Camarillo TD to seal the win, the Phins dodged the title of second ever 0-14 team. Now, these teams are both 9-5 and fighting for a wild card berth (the Phins could even win their division!) as the NFL proves yet again that previous results are not an indicator of future performance (just like the stock market).
5. The Lions. 'Nuf Said - The Dolphins made a run at it last year, but they couldn't get over the hump. Now, the Lions have a great look at the mythical 0-16, and the countdown is on. Two major roadbumps still lay ahead, as the Saints (who were just mathematically eliminated last weekend) and the Packers (biggest underachievers in the league this year?) remain on the schedule. Let's hope for history's sake that the Lions don't blow this, because we don't get a look at this very often.
Alright, I'll leave it at that for now, but be sure to check back regularly for more commentary.
Chris
First things first, I know you're all dying to hear my take on the football season so far. Basically, it comes down to one word: crazy. Yes, yes, we probably like to say that about every season, and it's probably true every season, but this season is one of the most topsy-turvy that I've seen in my years of following the sport. Let's take a look at some of the craziest of crazy happenings thus far:
1. Hurricane Ike - Due to my personal involvement, I have to list Hurricane Ike's impact on the Houston Texans season as one of the oddest factors in the season. Because of Ike, the Texans started the season with a three game road trip (and a week 2 bye), and didn't have their first home game until the month of October, and needless to say they came out of the gates 0-4. Their turnaround from 3-7 to currently 7-7 is a great accomplishment for a young, up-and-coming team looking to make a push. That said, one wonders where they'd be if they hadn't had the extreme misfortune of the hurricane to start the season. Maybe a playoff berth would have been within their grasp.
2. Pats Fall - Who would have thought that within 8 minutes of the start of the season, Chiefs safety Bernard Pollard would become public enemy #1 in the greater New England region? While all sports fans will say (true or not) that they never root for players to get hurt, I can absolutely assure you that there was at least a part of every non-Bostonite that was happy to see Tom Brady go out with a season-ending injury. How do you like THEM apples?!
3. Giants/Titans Come Out Gangbusters - The Giants rode an eleven-month hot streak to a great 11-1 start, while the Titans overcame (celebrated?) VY's injury and subsequent benching with a stunning 10-0 start. Although they both looked great, were considered virtual locks for the Super Bowl just 3 weeks ago and have locked up first round byes, another oddity of this bizarre season is that right now, there are at least 3-4 teams that you could argue are better, and we wonder if either team will even win a game in the postseason. Maybe this will be good for them; the Giants clearly thrived in the "Nobody believes in us!" role last year and even earlier this season.
4. Turnarounds for the Ages - The Miami Dolphins were winless through 13 games last season and faced a Baltimore Ravens team that was going nowhere fast (and finished 5-11). In one fateful overtime thriller, noted for a Matt Stover miss at the end of regulation and a Greg Camarillo TD to seal the win, the Phins dodged the title of second ever 0-14 team. Now, these teams are both 9-5 and fighting for a wild card berth (the Phins could even win their division!) as the NFL proves yet again that previous results are not an indicator of future performance (just like the stock market).
5. The Lions. 'Nuf Said - The Dolphins made a run at it last year, but they couldn't get over the hump. Now, the Lions have a great look at the mythical 0-16, and the countdown is on. Two major roadbumps still lay ahead, as the Saints (who were just mathematically eliminated last weekend) and the Packers (biggest underachievers in the league this year?) remain on the schedule. Let's hope for history's sake that the Lions don't blow this, because we don't get a look at this very often.
Alright, I'll leave it at that for now, but be sure to check back regularly for more commentary.
Chris
Monday, August 11, 2008
Let's Get Up To Speed
Welcome back to the blog! I know it’s been awhile and a lot has happened since my last entry, so let’s take some time to get things caught up.
First things first, the NFL preseason has begun and I’m getting pumped to watch some football, finally. Unfortunately, preseason football isn’t exactly the most exciting thing in the world, no matter how big a diehard you are. I don’t know about you, but it’s not really killing me to know who the #5 wideout or #6 defensive lineman is going to be on my favorite teams. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still football, but meaningless football is only a very slight upgrade over your average regular-season baseball game.
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The Brett Favre saga has officially gotten worse before it’s gotten better. We all hoped and prayed that Favre getting traded would finally put an end to the incessant Favre talk in the national sports media, but this hasn’t been the case. Especially now that Number 4 is in the Big Apple. No surprise, everything Favre does at training camp is now a major story (or “Breaking News” as ESPN loves to call it).
BREAKING NEWS: Brett Favre threw an incomplete pass in practice!
BREAKING NEWS: Brett Favre took a shower after the Jets afternoon practice session!
BREAKING NEWS: Chris Mortensen reports Brett Favre is considering putting Sweet ’N Low in his iced tea with dinner!
God help us all if the Jets have anything resembling a good season. The Favre-fest will last throughout the season and more and more magically powers will be attributed to the Rocket-armed quarterback. (On a side note, did you know he used to play for the Packers? No, seriously, he did!) Is it just a coincidence that his number is the same as the number of Horsemen in the Apocalypse?
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The Houston Astros are on a tear (sort of) since the last time I posted and are now within 1 game of .500 (!), so of course they’re contenders. And with the news Saturday that their most consistent hitter Carlos Lee, their left fielder, will miss up to the remainder of the season with a broken pinky, they may be in the market for a replacement left fielder. Hmmm, who’s a power-hitting, high-on-base left fielder with limited defensive ability that’s sitting on free agency? Hmmm…
According to the Houston Chronicle’s Richard Justice, Astros manager Cecil Cooper has said that if the ‘Stros sign the Barroid, he (Cooper) would quit. Now I don’t know what to root for!
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The Colorado Rockies’ recipe for getting back into the NL West race: lose five of seven games at home against the two worst teams in the National League, including losing 3 of 4 to the Gnats and 2 of 3 to the Pods. Net result: lost 1 game on the division leader. Wow.
++++
Oh yeah, and the Olympics started.
First things first, the NFL preseason has begun and I’m getting pumped to watch some football, finally. Unfortunately, preseason football isn’t exactly the most exciting thing in the world, no matter how big a diehard you are. I don’t know about you, but it’s not really killing me to know who the #5 wideout or #6 defensive lineman is going to be on my favorite teams. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still football, but meaningless football is only a very slight upgrade over your average regular-season baseball game.
++++
The Brett Favre saga has officially gotten worse before it’s gotten better. We all hoped and prayed that Favre getting traded would finally put an end to the incessant Favre talk in the national sports media, but this hasn’t been the case. Especially now that Number 4 is in the Big Apple. No surprise, everything Favre does at training camp is now a major story (or “Breaking News” as ESPN loves to call it).
BREAKING NEWS: Brett Favre threw an incomplete pass in practice!
BREAKING NEWS: Brett Favre took a shower after the Jets afternoon practice session!
BREAKING NEWS: Chris Mortensen reports Brett Favre is considering putting Sweet ’N Low in his iced tea with dinner!
God help us all if the Jets have anything resembling a good season. The Favre-fest will last throughout the season and more and more magically powers will be attributed to the Rocket-armed quarterback. (On a side note, did you know he used to play for the Packers? No, seriously, he did!) Is it just a coincidence that his number is the same as the number of Horsemen in the Apocalypse?
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The Houston Astros are on a tear (sort of) since the last time I posted and are now within 1 game of .500 (!), so of course they’re contenders. And with the news Saturday that their most consistent hitter Carlos Lee, their left fielder, will miss up to the remainder of the season with a broken pinky, they may be in the market for a replacement left fielder. Hmmm, who’s a power-hitting, high-on-base left fielder with limited defensive ability that’s sitting on free agency? Hmmm…
According to the Houston Chronicle’s Richard Justice, Astros manager Cecil Cooper has said that if the ‘Stros sign the Barroid, he (Cooper) would quit. Now I don’t know what to root for!
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The Colorado Rockies’ recipe for getting back into the NL West race: lose five of seven games at home against the two worst teams in the National League, including losing 3 of 4 to the Gnats and 2 of 3 to the Pods. Net result: lost 1 game on the division leader. Wow.
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Oh yeah, and the Olympics started.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Top 5 Biggest Disappointments in Baseball
As we approach the trade deadline in Major League Baseball, the time has come to officially announce whether a team is a contender or a pretender. Along with this come the countless excuses and the calls by fans and the media for teams to blow up their rosters and build for next year, or the year after that, or the year after that…
Regardless, it’s time for labels and the one label all teams want to avoid is that of “underachiever.” The following are the five times that have most underachieved and failed to live up to lofty expectations. If your team currently resides in a West division, you may want to avert your eyes.
Honorable Mention #1: Washington Nationals (38-64) – No, the Nats weren’t expected to be contenders, and they knew as much coming in, but this is still embarrassing. Opening a brand-spanking new stadium and coming off a season where they actually flirted with .500 throughout, the Nats were hoping that this year might be the first step toward a promising future. Instead, the Nats are the worst team in their division by a wide margin and they’re only a half game out of dead last in the NL.
Honorable Mention #2: Los Angeles Dodgers (49-52) – Yes, they’re still “contenders,” but that’s only because they’re in the woeful NL West. The Dodgers believed that they had a solid-enough core of young talent and a handful of veterans that Joe Torre could mold into a playoff team. Instead, big-time acquisitions Andruw Jones and Jason Schmidt have been hurt and bad, and the team is staggering towards another sub-.500 season and watching the playoffs from home.
5. Toronto Blue Jays (51-51) – While the prognosticators didn’t jump on the Jays band wagon too much this past offseason, there was the usual buzz that this just might be the year the Jays finally break into the playoffs. Toronto had a good year last year and had the payroll to play with the big boys in the AL East, but things never really came together. Add very poor offensive performance (they still don’t have a player with 10 home runs) to a manager that got run out of town before the All-Star break, and you can see why this team once again rests at mediocrity, and out of the playoff hunt before August 1.
4. Seattle Mariners (38-63) – The Mariners easily could be higher on this list, but I give them a pass (to an extent) because of the fact that they haven’t been a playoff team in over 5 years and the expectations were probably too high. That said, this team made a run at the division last year with basically the same roster, and might have made the playoffs if not for a late-August into September collapse. In the offseason they made a big splash acquiring Eric Bedard from the Orioles, and had what many considered one of the top rotations in the AL. Unfortunately, injuries to Bedard and Jarrod Washburn blowing up have helped the Mariners reach the worst record in the AL and cost their manager his job before the break. But on the plus side, at least they finally got rid of Richie Sexton.
3. Colorado Rockies (45-58) – Yes, the Rockies were the NL Champions last year, but it was widely considered to be at least a bit of a fluke. Still, expectations were high, especially from Rockies fans such as myself, and hopes of a repeat were quite prevalent. The Rockies have struggled all season with their pitching, something that was a great strength in their late run in 2007. Also the team had trouble filling the void at second base left by Kaz Matsui’s departure to the Houston Astros. On top of that, offensive star Brad Hawpe failed to break .250 until July and second-year phenom Troy Tulowitzski spent two stints on the DL and is batting under .200 when healthy. All this has led to a highly unsatisfying season and while the Rockies can still sniff the division lead (6 games back right now), they aren’t exactly doing it in the toughest division.
2. San Diego Padres (38-65) – Hard to believe that the team that came 3 outs shy of the NL Wild Card in 2007 would have THE WORST RECORD IN BASEBALL, but that’s the case. The Padres, who last year survived on great pitching and timely hitting, have been lacking the latter and it’s killed them. Playing half of their games in the pitcher-friendly confines of PetCo Park, the Padres are 28th in the Majors in batting average and dead last in runs scored (just 3.7 per game). Expectations were definitely high for the team as it hadn’t lost any significant players from 2007 and the division, rightfully so, seemed ripe for the taking. Instead, the Pads are trying to figure out if they have any tradable pieces and hoping that maybe next year things will be better.
1. Cleveland Indians (44-56) – The Indians were a win away from the World Series in 2007, and they had 3 chances to get that win. Instead, the team blew a 3-1 series lead on the Red Sox in the ALCS and started looking to 2008. With virtually the entire roster from 2007 returning, the Indians were considered by many to be a World Series favorite, or at least a favorite to take on the Sox in the ALCS again. But the wheels came off early, and the team was never able to establish itself offensively. The man they expected to carry the offense, Travis Hafner, seems to have fallen off a cliff as his numbers have plummeted, although that started happening even last year. The pitching was great despite CC Sabathia’s slow start with Cliff Lee picking up the slack, but there just weren’t enough runs to go around. Amazing that things were so bad that Sabathia was dealt before the break, effectively signaling that the Indians had already thrown in the towel on such a promising season. Cleveland earns this spot because of just how high the expectations were, even though their record isn’t the worst.
So what do you think? Agree or disagree? Let’s hear it.
Regardless, it’s time for labels and the one label all teams want to avoid is that of “underachiever.” The following are the five times that have most underachieved and failed to live up to lofty expectations. If your team currently resides in a West division, you may want to avert your eyes.
Honorable Mention #1: Washington Nationals (38-64) – No, the Nats weren’t expected to be contenders, and they knew as much coming in, but this is still embarrassing. Opening a brand-spanking new stadium and coming off a season where they actually flirted with .500 throughout, the Nats were hoping that this year might be the first step toward a promising future. Instead, the Nats are the worst team in their division by a wide margin and they’re only a half game out of dead last in the NL.
Honorable Mention #2: Los Angeles Dodgers (49-52) – Yes, they’re still “contenders,” but that’s only because they’re in the woeful NL West. The Dodgers believed that they had a solid-enough core of young talent and a handful of veterans that Joe Torre could mold into a playoff team. Instead, big-time acquisitions Andruw Jones and Jason Schmidt have been hurt and bad, and the team is staggering towards another sub-.500 season and watching the playoffs from home.
5. Toronto Blue Jays (51-51) – While the prognosticators didn’t jump on the Jays band wagon too much this past offseason, there was the usual buzz that this just might be the year the Jays finally break into the playoffs. Toronto had a good year last year and had the payroll to play with the big boys in the AL East, but things never really came together. Add very poor offensive performance (they still don’t have a player with 10 home runs) to a manager that got run out of town before the All-Star break, and you can see why this team once again rests at mediocrity, and out of the playoff hunt before August 1.
4. Seattle Mariners (38-63) – The Mariners easily could be higher on this list, but I give them a pass (to an extent) because of the fact that they haven’t been a playoff team in over 5 years and the expectations were probably too high. That said, this team made a run at the division last year with basically the same roster, and might have made the playoffs if not for a late-August into September collapse. In the offseason they made a big splash acquiring Eric Bedard from the Orioles, and had what many considered one of the top rotations in the AL. Unfortunately, injuries to Bedard and Jarrod Washburn blowing up have helped the Mariners reach the worst record in the AL and cost their manager his job before the break. But on the plus side, at least they finally got rid of Richie Sexton.
3. Colorado Rockies (45-58) – Yes, the Rockies were the NL Champions last year, but it was widely considered to be at least a bit of a fluke. Still, expectations were high, especially from Rockies fans such as myself, and hopes of a repeat were quite prevalent. The Rockies have struggled all season with their pitching, something that was a great strength in their late run in 2007. Also the team had trouble filling the void at second base left by Kaz Matsui’s departure to the Houston Astros. On top of that, offensive star Brad Hawpe failed to break .250 until July and second-year phenom Troy Tulowitzski spent two stints on the DL and is batting under .200 when healthy. All this has led to a highly unsatisfying season and while the Rockies can still sniff the division lead (6 games back right now), they aren’t exactly doing it in the toughest division.
2. San Diego Padres (38-65) – Hard to believe that the team that came 3 outs shy of the NL Wild Card in 2007 would have THE WORST RECORD IN BASEBALL, but that’s the case. The Padres, who last year survived on great pitching and timely hitting, have been lacking the latter and it’s killed them. Playing half of their games in the pitcher-friendly confines of PetCo Park, the Padres are 28th in the Majors in batting average and dead last in runs scored (just 3.7 per game). Expectations were definitely high for the team as it hadn’t lost any significant players from 2007 and the division, rightfully so, seemed ripe for the taking. Instead, the Pads are trying to figure out if they have any tradable pieces and hoping that maybe next year things will be better.
1. Cleveland Indians (44-56) – The Indians were a win away from the World Series in 2007, and they had 3 chances to get that win. Instead, the team blew a 3-1 series lead on the Red Sox in the ALCS and started looking to 2008. With virtually the entire roster from 2007 returning, the Indians were considered by many to be a World Series favorite, or at least a favorite to take on the Sox in the ALCS again. But the wheels came off early, and the team was never able to establish itself offensively. The man they expected to carry the offense, Travis Hafner, seems to have fallen off a cliff as his numbers have plummeted, although that started happening even last year. The pitching was great despite CC Sabathia’s slow start with Cliff Lee picking up the slack, but there just weren’t enough runs to go around. Amazing that things were so bad that Sabathia was dealt before the break, effectively signaling that the Indians had already thrown in the towel on such a promising season. Cleveland earns this spot because of just how high the expectations were, even though their record isn’t the worst.
So what do you think? Agree or disagree? Let’s hear it.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
The Sad State of the Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are in last place in the NL Central and a whopping 9 games under .500 putting them 12 games back in the wild card race. The Colorado Rockies are in third place in the NL West and a staggering 13 games under .500, 14 back in the wild card but just 6 back in the division race. While it seems like the Rockies are in a worse place this year with a worse record and such high expectations, it’s the Astros that are feeling like the sky is falling.
After the 2007 season, the Astros cleaned house, firing much-despised general manager Tim Purpura and firing manager Phil Garner in the middle of the season. That is, 2005 World Series manager Phil Garner. Astros fans rejoiced, saying finally the owner is making a stand against mediocrity. Well, maybe not. To replace those two high-profile positions, the Astros turned to Cecil Cooper, a man that had never been the head manager in the big leagues, and Ed Wade, a man that had led the Philadelphia Phillies to exactly 0 playoff appearances during his tenure as GM in the city of brotherly love.
Regardless, Astros fans were excited. When Wade made several radical moves in the offseason, acquiring Michael Bourn (a speedy center fielder), Miguel Tejada (a veteran and former AL MVP), Jose Valverde (NL saves leader in 2007), Kaz Matsui (speedy 2B from the 2007 NL Champs), among others, people started to believe things were about to turn around. I’ll admit even I got excited about the prospects. Unfortunately, things haven’t exactly worked out.
Bourn has struggled to stay above the Mendoza line (.200 BA), Tejada started the season red-hot but has been ice cold since mid-May, Valverde is second in the Majors in blown saves, and Matsui has bounced back and forth from the DL. The Astros farm system is barren, but that was largely the case when Wade arrived. Brad Lidge is making Wade look even worse with his dominating season in Philly, as Lidge was traded for Bourn.
Worst of all may be Cooper although the jury is still out on him. Has he made many poor managerial decisions? Yes. Has he struggled to keep his composure with the media? Sure. Has he been managing one of the worst and most underachieving teams in the Majors? Absolutely. It’s because of that last one that Coop can hardly be blamed for having a poor season. Few managers not named “La Russa” or “Cox” or maybe, MAYBE “Torre” could have this group in the hunt for the playoffs.
Herein lays the greatest problem facing the Astros: their minor leagues are so bereft of talent that they have no real prospects that they can plug in the rest of this year to get them some experience. This also means they have no prospects to trade in the offseason to try and improve the club. They’re left with just two options: overspend to try to get better now, which is doable but very difficult and will be VERY expensive; or the Astros can try to blow the team up, trading their big contracts like Tejada and Carlos Lee for some minor league prospects.
The consensus here in Houston seems to be that they should go for the latter, but what I've heard is that owner Drayton McLain won’t stand for a rebuilding process, and that’s why Wade was forced into making the deals he has. It’s a terrible situation to be in, and it’s one that many, many teams have gone through over the years. The Baltimore Orioles are in a very similar situation, in fact, and it took that team years to realize it. Now they have some younger pieces and a much more manageable payroll and appear to be on the way back up. The Astros need to decide if they’re willing to take a long-term approach, or if they want to keep putting that band-aid on the gunshot wound.
After the 2007 season, the Astros cleaned house, firing much-despised general manager Tim Purpura and firing manager Phil Garner in the middle of the season. That is, 2005 World Series manager Phil Garner. Astros fans rejoiced, saying finally the owner is making a stand against mediocrity. Well, maybe not. To replace those two high-profile positions, the Astros turned to Cecil Cooper, a man that had never been the head manager in the big leagues, and Ed Wade, a man that had led the Philadelphia Phillies to exactly 0 playoff appearances during his tenure as GM in the city of brotherly love.
Regardless, Astros fans were excited. When Wade made several radical moves in the offseason, acquiring Michael Bourn (a speedy center fielder), Miguel Tejada (a veteran and former AL MVP), Jose Valverde (NL saves leader in 2007), Kaz Matsui (speedy 2B from the 2007 NL Champs), among others, people started to believe things were about to turn around. I’ll admit even I got excited about the prospects. Unfortunately, things haven’t exactly worked out.
Bourn has struggled to stay above the Mendoza line (.200 BA), Tejada started the season red-hot but has been ice cold since mid-May, Valverde is second in the Majors in blown saves, and Matsui has bounced back and forth from the DL. The Astros farm system is barren, but that was largely the case when Wade arrived. Brad Lidge is making Wade look even worse with his dominating season in Philly, as Lidge was traded for Bourn.
Worst of all may be Cooper although the jury is still out on him. Has he made many poor managerial decisions? Yes. Has he struggled to keep his composure with the media? Sure. Has he been managing one of the worst and most underachieving teams in the Majors? Absolutely. It’s because of that last one that Coop can hardly be blamed for having a poor season. Few managers not named “La Russa” or “Cox” or maybe, MAYBE “Torre” could have this group in the hunt for the playoffs.
Herein lays the greatest problem facing the Astros: their minor leagues are so bereft of talent that they have no real prospects that they can plug in the rest of this year to get them some experience. This also means they have no prospects to trade in the offseason to try and improve the club. They’re left with just two options: overspend to try to get better now, which is doable but very difficult and will be VERY expensive; or the Astros can try to blow the team up, trading their big contracts like Tejada and Carlos Lee for some minor league prospects.
The consensus here in Houston seems to be that they should go for the latter, but what I've heard is that owner Drayton McLain won’t stand for a rebuilding process, and that’s why Wade was forced into making the deals he has. It’s a terrible situation to be in, and it’s one that many, many teams have gone through over the years. The Baltimore Orioles are in a very similar situation, in fact, and it took that team years to realize it. Now they have some younger pieces and a much more manageable payroll and appear to be on the way back up. The Astros need to decide if they’re willing to take a long-term approach, or if they want to keep putting that band-aid on the gunshot wound.
Friday, July 18, 2008
What's the Value of a Strong Farm System?
With less than two weeks before baseball's trade deadline, most of the talk in the sports world is about who will be buyers and who will be sellers in the trade market. To put it another way, who will concede defeat and try to get some younger prospects for their veterans, and who wants to forfeit some prospects for the chance to win this year. This leads me to wonder, though, if it's ever truly worth it to be a seller. Let's examine this a bit.
Quick, name me one team that's won the World Series in the last 10 years after being a seller. If you said the 2002 Florida Marlins, you're correct, but that franchise was terrible for years after it sold off its 1998 championship team. The fact is, while most teams never really come to fruition on the prospects' development, and often those players move on before the team has a chance to win, there are actually a few instances of young teams finding success. The Marlins are the only team that I can say took the approach of selling off its players for prospects and turned that into an actual championship, though.
Sure, you can argue that other small market teams such as the Twins, A's and last year's Diamondbacks and Rockies all have had success, at least making the postseason. But only the Rockies have played in the World Series (and you can make the argument that that was a bit of a fluke), not including the 2001 D-backs that won it all, because that was a BIG payroll team at the time. In fact, that team cost the Diamondbacks so much financially that they went into significant debt and that was basically the reason the team turned to the youth movement it currently enjoys.
Meanwhile, the Twins and A's, who have both made numerous postseason appearances in the last decade, have only won a combined 1 playoff series since the days of Kirby Puckett and The Bash Brothers (Jose Canseco and Mark McGuire in Oakland), and that was in 2006 when they faced off against each other in the first round. The A's swept the Twins then went on to lose to the Tigers in the ALCS.
Anyway, let's get back on topic here. To be a buyer or a seller. The teams mentioned above lead me to believe that being a seller on a regular basis is not likely to net you a title, or even a chance at the title. The flip side is the idea of being a buyer, giving up your prospects for the veterans to give you a chance to win now. The best example of a team like that is the New York Yankees.
Since their last World Series title in 2000, the Yankees have been the ultimate buyer in the MLB. They have routinely spent astronomical amounts of money on free agents in the offseason, and they have made numerous trades during the season to bring in veterans at the expense of their farm system (the latest example being the Bobby Abreu acquisition). This strategy has clearly not worked, in my opinion, despite the fact that they are in the postseason every year over that stretch. The Yanks have not won the title since 2000, and haven't even been in the Series since losing to the Marlins in 2002.
All this seems to lead me to one conclusion, and it may sound wishy-washy but it's the truth: teams need to be more in tune to when it's the right time to be a buyer or a seller, and be willing to take the chance accordingly. Largely, it appears that teams that make the big splash at the trade deadline are rarely the teams that go on to win the title. When was the last time a team made a major mid-season acquisition and won the championship that year? Um, I can't think of one. Teams are better off making the big moves in the offseason, because it's unlikely that one or two players can turn a decent team into a great team, and team chemistry and cohesion are major factors in winning a title. Recently, teams that have made big runs are the ones that bring up one of their big-time prospects to the Majors (see Jacoby Elsbury with the Red Sox in 2007, Miguel Cabrera with the Marlins in 2002).
On the other hand, teams would be well-advised to make the moves in the offseason when they have a chance. Where would the Red Sox be if they hadn't traded for Curt Schilling in 2003, or Josh Beckett in 2005? Would the Cardinals have won a World Series if they hadn't traded for Chris Carpenter? Who knows, but maybe the Twins or Rockies or A's win a title of they had used some of their minor league talent as bargaining chips to bring in proven players as opposed to using their veterans to fetch still more unproven prospects.
In the end, I think it's clear that a mixture of veteran players and talented youngsters are the key to postseason success, and this infatuation with minor league prospects makes Billy Beane look good, but eventually you have to take some chances and make a run. If you always build for the future, it may never come.
What do you think? Do Major League teams use their farm systems the way they should? Is there a right or a wrong way to use them?
Quick, name me one team that's won the World Series in the last 10 years after being a seller. If you said the 2002 Florida Marlins, you're correct, but that franchise was terrible for years after it sold off its 1998 championship team. The fact is, while most teams never really come to fruition on the prospects' development, and often those players move on before the team has a chance to win, there are actually a few instances of young teams finding success. The Marlins are the only team that I can say took the approach of selling off its players for prospects and turned that into an actual championship, though.
Sure, you can argue that other small market teams such as the Twins, A's and last year's Diamondbacks and Rockies all have had success, at least making the postseason. But only the Rockies have played in the World Series (and you can make the argument that that was a bit of a fluke), not including the 2001 D-backs that won it all, because that was a BIG payroll team at the time. In fact, that team cost the Diamondbacks so much financially that they went into significant debt and that was basically the reason the team turned to the youth movement it currently enjoys.
Meanwhile, the Twins and A's, who have both made numerous postseason appearances in the last decade, have only won a combined 1 playoff series since the days of Kirby Puckett and The Bash Brothers (Jose Canseco and Mark McGuire in Oakland), and that was in 2006 when they faced off against each other in the first round. The A's swept the Twins then went on to lose to the Tigers in the ALCS.
Anyway, let's get back on topic here. To be a buyer or a seller. The teams mentioned above lead me to believe that being a seller on a regular basis is not likely to net you a title, or even a chance at the title. The flip side is the idea of being a buyer, giving up your prospects for the veterans to give you a chance to win now. The best example of a team like that is the New York Yankees.
Since their last World Series title in 2000, the Yankees have been the ultimate buyer in the MLB. They have routinely spent astronomical amounts of money on free agents in the offseason, and they have made numerous trades during the season to bring in veterans at the expense of their farm system (the latest example being the Bobby Abreu acquisition). This strategy has clearly not worked, in my opinion, despite the fact that they are in the postseason every year over that stretch. The Yanks have not won the title since 2000, and haven't even been in the Series since losing to the Marlins in 2002.
All this seems to lead me to one conclusion, and it may sound wishy-washy but it's the truth: teams need to be more in tune to when it's the right time to be a buyer or a seller, and be willing to take the chance accordingly. Largely, it appears that teams that make the big splash at the trade deadline are rarely the teams that go on to win the title. When was the last time a team made a major mid-season acquisition and won the championship that year? Um, I can't think of one. Teams are better off making the big moves in the offseason, because it's unlikely that one or two players can turn a decent team into a great team, and team chemistry and cohesion are major factors in winning a title. Recently, teams that have made big runs are the ones that bring up one of their big-time prospects to the Majors (see Jacoby Elsbury with the Red Sox in 2007, Miguel Cabrera with the Marlins in 2002).
On the other hand, teams would be well-advised to make the moves in the offseason when they have a chance. Where would the Red Sox be if they hadn't traded for Curt Schilling in 2003, or Josh Beckett in 2005? Would the Cardinals have won a World Series if they hadn't traded for Chris Carpenter? Who knows, but maybe the Twins or Rockies or A's win a title of they had used some of their minor league talent as bargaining chips to bring in proven players as opposed to using their veterans to fetch still more unproven prospects.
In the end, I think it's clear that a mixture of veteran players and talented youngsters are the key to postseason success, and this infatuation with minor league prospects makes Billy Beane look good, but eventually you have to take some chances and make a run. If you always build for the future, it may never come.
What do you think? Do Major League teams use their farm systems the way they should? Is there a right or a wrong way to use them?
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Some Baseball Thoughts for an Off-Day
So I've now had a full day to recover from Wednesday morning's All-Star game, and it's gotten me wondering a few things.
First and foremost, I start thinking about where that game ranks among the great sporting events I've seen this year. On the surface and looking at the box score, I'd be inclined to say that it could make a push for the top 5, and should definitely fit in the top 10. But then I think about the first 6 innings, and just how slow the game was and how the best players, the ones everyone really wanted to see, were on the bench as the game reached its dramatic climax. But I suppose that's the way baseball's showcase has always been. Makes me wonder if the game would be better in those late innings, particularly extra innings, if the starting position players could return to the field. Maybe then we wouldn't have Grady Sizemore, an All-Star reserve, getting five at bats in the game.
Is baseball's All-Star Game the best in sports? Given how little these exhibitions seem to mean anymore (did they ever mean that much?), it seems baseball is the one where you're most likely to find all the players trying their hardest. In basketball, it usually turns into a glorified streetball game/slam dunk contest within the first few minutes. In football, the players that don't come up with some "injury" to miss the game spend much of the game playing not to get hurt, and rules changes make the game different from any other game, a big negative in my book. In hockey, well, they're playing hockey. So yeah. But with baseball, it's all about the 1-on-1 matchups, and every pitch has serious pride on the line. No players want to risk the embarrassment of giving up a homer or striking out or making an error, something that's impossible to hide. Poor play in other ASG's is usually hidden because of the number of players involved in the action and the pace of play, but in baseball most players are out on an island and every error is magnified.
Is baseball's All-Star Game the best?
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What are the chances the Rockies make major changes this season? I've been saying for years that Clint Hurdle is nothing special as a manager and I think last year's Series run was the worst thing that could have happened for the franchise's future. Even as the team made its playoff push, Hurdle was more spectator than he was the reason it happened. Now, with the pressure of slightly more national media attention and the expectations that come with being the defending NL champions, the Rockies have been slightly better than horrible this year and are deluding themselves into thinking they're still alive in the pennant race because they're in the NL West. I think the seat will only get hotter for the Gum Chewer.
Another question seems to be getting more and more evident for my Rox: What do you do with Matt Holliday? His contract expires following next season, and his agent is the much-loathed Scott Boras, the man responsible for A-Rod's big contracts, among others. Boras has evidently made it clear to Rockies management that there will be no hometown discount for Holliday so if he's going to remain a Rockie, it'll cost them. And given the Monforts' (Rockies owners) history of tight spending, it seems almost assured that Holliday will land elsewhere. So the Rockies have three options as an organization:
First and foremost, I start thinking about where that game ranks among the great sporting events I've seen this year. On the surface and looking at the box score, I'd be inclined to say that it could make a push for the top 5, and should definitely fit in the top 10. But then I think about the first 6 innings, and just how slow the game was and how the best players, the ones everyone really wanted to see, were on the bench as the game reached its dramatic climax. But I suppose that's the way baseball's showcase has always been. Makes me wonder if the game would be better in those late innings, particularly extra innings, if the starting position players could return to the field. Maybe then we wouldn't have Grady Sizemore, an All-Star reserve, getting five at bats in the game.
Is baseball's All-Star Game the best in sports? Given how little these exhibitions seem to mean anymore (did they ever mean that much?), it seems baseball is the one where you're most likely to find all the players trying their hardest. In basketball, it usually turns into a glorified streetball game/slam dunk contest within the first few minutes. In football, the players that don't come up with some "injury" to miss the game spend much of the game playing not to get hurt, and rules changes make the game different from any other game, a big negative in my book. In hockey, well, they're playing hockey. So yeah. But with baseball, it's all about the 1-on-1 matchups, and every pitch has serious pride on the line. No players want to risk the embarrassment of giving up a homer or striking out or making an error, something that's impossible to hide. Poor play in other ASG's is usually hidden because of the number of players involved in the action and the pace of play, but in baseball most players are out on an island and every error is magnified.
Is baseball's All-Star Game the best?
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What are the chances the Rockies make major changes this season? I've been saying for years that Clint Hurdle is nothing special as a manager and I think last year's Series run was the worst thing that could have happened for the franchise's future. Even as the team made its playoff push, Hurdle was more spectator than he was the reason it happened. Now, with the pressure of slightly more national media attention and the expectations that come with being the defending NL champions, the Rockies have been slightly better than horrible this year and are deluding themselves into thinking they're still alive in the pennant race because they're in the NL West. I think the seat will only get hotter for the Gum Chewer.
Another question seems to be getting more and more evident for my Rox: What do you do with Matt Holliday? His contract expires following next season, and his agent is the much-loathed Scott Boras, the man responsible for A-Rod's big contracts, among others. Boras has evidently made it clear to Rockies management that there will be no hometown discount for Holliday so if he's going to remain a Rockie, it'll cost them. And given the Monforts' (Rockies owners) history of tight spending, it seems almost assured that Holliday will land elsewhere. So the Rockies have three options as an organization:
- Trade Holliday before this month's trading deadline, a move that would likely get more teams into the running because he'd be available for all of 2009 for that team, not just for a pennant run this year. Considering the quality minor league talent the Indians got for CC Sabathia who is a legitimate "rental player," the Rox could hope for a major haul, ideally including a Major-League ready, or at least AAA, pitcher.
- Trade Holliday during this offseason like the Twins did last offseason with Johan Santana. This would give all the possible suitors a better idea of what their finances look like for 2009 and beyond, and could get the big spenders like Boston and the New York teams involved because they could potentially re-sign the slugger.
- Trade Holliday before the trade deadline in 2009. This move, to me, seems the riskiest as Holliday's value doesn't seem like it can get any higher than it's at right now. Waiting a full year allows for the possibility of a slump or an injury that could significantly change his trade value and cost the Rockies precious prospects. It also will mean that the acquiring team will only have Holliday for roughly 3-4 months of the season before having to worry about re-signing him, and my guess is Boras is going to use Alphonso Soriano's huge deal with the Cubs as a starting point in negotiations. So these teams will be reluctant to give up major prospects for a rental player.
I'd love to add a fourth option of "Re-sign the best player the team's developed since Todd Helton" but that really seems like an impossibility. Especially if the Rockies are out of contention this year and early next year. Holliday deserves a lot of credit for giving the Rockies even the three options I've just listed, as it's unlikely Boras would have agreed to a 2-year deal last offseason were it not insisted upon by Holliday.
Regardless of which option Rockies management chooses, one thing is clear: the Rocks will never be a dominant team in baseball over a long period. They just can't afford it.
So please tell me what you think they'll do. If your favorite team had to trade its best player, where would you be okay with him going?
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